Poaching MOCs

bkpr

In the last few weeks of poking around I've come across many an impressive MOC. Really, really impressive.
Have Lego ever approached these MOCers to purchase these designs? There are really fantastic designs and builds that I'd imagine would have plenty of potential buyers.

For example:
Giant Sandcrawler: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marshal-banana/5786158313/in/set-72157626809606992
Aliens Power Loader: http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/3633383751/in/photostream/
Aliens APC: http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/3601977484/in/photostream/

I realise there'd be licensing issues with Aliens and Star Wars (and a 10K brick count *might* be expensive set) but these are just things I'm interested in and would consider purchasing. I'm sure there are plenty of technic/city/other MOCs that are just as awesome, and they'd all use existing parts so no need to create new molds worth $250K.

StuBoy

I believe the basic design of the Imperial Shuttle http://www.brickset.com/detail/?set=10212-1 is from a fan MOC.

Here's a Designer Video explaining it all:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0H1fephzrg

Not sure if he got any royalties.

Si_UKNZ

Not sure if he got any royalties.

Darn well hope so. I've offten wondered about this too when Lego get inspiration from other peoples work. Dont get me wrong, I think it's great, but it does blur the lines a bit and make their designers job a lot easier.

Yellowcastle

Isn't there grumbling from a MOCer on the new SSD? And I remember hearing something about the Taj Mahal and it's blue line... And as for the fan-designed factory sets, they were mostly just OK in my eyes.

For the most part, I imagine TLG shuns all MOC submissions so that there is no concern should they convergently evolve a similar design. Does anyone know, though, if that also applies to building techniques?

davee123

The first one that LEGO openly admitted to doing this was the 3739 Blacksmith Shop, which was initially designed by Dan Siskind (LEGO supposedly paid him pretty well):

http://www.brickset.com/detail/?set=3739-1

Since then, 10212 is the only set I know of that was "largely based" on an existing MOC design. However, LEGO has had a few other examples where they've done similar things:

LEGO "hired" James Mathis (well known train builder) to design these sets, even though they weren't pre-existing MOCs:

http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=10022-1
http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=10025-1

LEGO worked with Chris Giddens and Mark Sandlin to design these sets (designed in the STYLE of existing MOCs, but not after explicit MOCs):
http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=10192-1
http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=10191-1

LEGO worked with Joe Meno, Stephan Sander, and Joe Evangelista to design this set (again, not a pre-existing MOC):
http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=10200-1

A whole bunch of hobbyists worked on 10183 Hobby Train, which included quite a few designs.

Eric Brok helped design the 2nd Modular Town compatible building, Market Street (sometimes arguably a Modular Town building in itself, since it was branded under "Factory"):

http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=10190-1

And then there were several other "Factory" sets which were actually designed in a contest that LEGO held-- LEGO let kids (and adults) design sets with a limited palette (I think it was the LDD palette), and then produced the winning entries in sets:

http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=5524-1
http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=5525-1
http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=5526-1

[edit]Oh, and there's even a Brick List for these (although I don't see the UCS shuttle in there, since I'm not sure how much LEGO publicized this one being based on an outside model...
http://www.brickset.com/brickLists/?85
[/edit]

DaveE

Yellowcastle

^ @davee123 - As always, you're the man. Thanks so much for the links and history.

bkpr

…so, the answer is yes :P