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How Lego Became the Apple of Toys (2015)

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Re: How Lego Became the Apple of Toys (2015)

#41

Post by kawogi »

wwilim wrote: post #33
kawogi wrote: post #26

I'm still mad that they discontinued Mindstorms. My school isn't able to replace their components if they break and I cannot get additional motors for my projects any more. Does anyone know how good their "LEGO® Education SPIKE™" stuff is? Is it as open as the NXT-bricks? Are these somewhat compatible? Linux IDE available? I wish someone would offer a replacement for those who have a 3D-printer, rp2040 and some solde…

The original Mindstorms connectors were actual bricks, about the size of two stacked 2x2 plates

Ah, yes. Should have been more specific: NXT and EV3

Re: How Lego Became the Apple of Toys (2015)

#42

Post by agumonkey »

kleiba wrote: post #8

Lego is still quite amazing but not quite as cool as it used to be. I suppose the various boxes were always meant to be such that you could build that one really cool building/vehicle/etc. with it. Sometimes with a predesigned variation, too. But today it seems that the purpose of most boxes is to do only that - and then, what, put the object into a display case? Or, more likely, play with it for a while and then for…

I'll make a weird analogy, i feel the same about modern games. The old limitations gave a different feel to the incredibly realistic rendering of today. Even when styled.. it's not the same.

I like the groove of simple blockiness and a few dedicated parts.

Re: How Lego Became the Apple of Toys (2015)

#43

Post by joshmarinacci »

kawogi wrote: post #26

I'm still mad that they discontinued Mindstorms. My school isn't able to replace their components if they break and I cannot get additional motors for my projects any more. Does anyone know how good their "LEGO® Education SPIKE™" stuff is? Is it as open as the NXT-bricks? Are these somewhat compatible? Linux IDE available? I wish someone would offer a replacement for those who have a 3D-printer, rp2040 and some solde…

Spike is pretty good and seems just as open as NXT. You can even open a shell directly on the MCU brick in Python. Spike does use new connectors, but it's the same one they started using for all of the Powered Up sets. Plus there's lots of people who've figured out how to add arduinos, Pi's, etc.

Re: How Lego Became the Apple of Toys (2015)

#44

Post by jhbadger »

bombcar wrote: post #27
kleiba wrote: post #8

Lego is still quite amazing but not quite as cool as it used to be. I suppose the various boxes were always meant to be such that you could build that one really cool building/vehicle/etc. with it. Sometimes with a predesigned variation, too. But today it seems that the purpose of most boxes is to do only that - and then, what, put the object into a display case? Or, more likely, play with it for a while and then for…

I've seen this sentiment time and time again, but careful examination of the actual pieces and sets, excluding the obviously marketed to adults sets shows them just as adjustable and combinable as I remember them being when given to kids . My ability to see what is latent and possible in the pile has decreased, but my kids have what seems to me to be quite the same amount of fun I did when I ways young. There's even…

This depends on your age. I think you were playing with Lego in the 1980s or 1990s when there was theming like pirates and what not. I had Lego in the 1970s. We really just had sets with square/rectangular blocks of various sizes and a few special parts like windows and doors. We didn't even have minifigs. But I get why Lego changed -- you only need to sell one or two generic sets and the kid has enough legos for life. If you add theming then suddenly there's space lego, pirate lego, etc. and then the kid wants a new set every Christmas and birthday.

Re: How Lego Became the Apple of Toys (2015)

#45

Post by dudul »

sbecker wrote: post #19

Just to provide some counterpoint to the echo chamber here - as a Dad of a six year old who played with legos as a kid and again now, I can affirm - Legos and the sets they put out now are way cooler now than when I was a kid! You might worry that the less general purpose, specialized pieces might stunt creativity, but guess what!? The 6 year old has no problem taking them completely apart and building something off…

The new sets are more complex and detailed, but god do I hate the franchised sets. Nothing kills kids creativity more than that. It's not a pirate ship, it is Jack Sparrow's pirate ship. It's not a spaceship, it's Luke Skywalker's spaceship!

Additionally, the quality of parts has seriously decreased since the 80s and 90s.

Re: How Lego Became the Apple of Toys (2015)

#46

Post by Navarr »

jansan wrote: post #38
sbecker wrote: post #19

Just to provide some counterpoint to the echo chamber here - as a Dad of a six year old who played with legos as a kid and again now, I can affirm - Legos and the sets they put out now are way cooler now than when I was a kid! You might worry that the less general purpose, specialized pieces might stunt creativity, but guess what!? The 6 year old has no problem taking them completely apart and building something off…

Having two teenage boys I cannot confirm this. They play with other stuff, but Lego is for building once and putting it on a shelf, where it will collect thick layers of dust. My sons never really played with Lego, which I found a bit disappointing.

I wouldn't say that it stifles creativity, but expands LEGO to people who don't want to be creative with it.

You can treat it as a fun 3D Puzzle with step-by-step, or you can do whatever you want with it.

Neither way is particularly "wrong"

Re: How Lego Became the Apple of Toys (2015)

#47

Post by joshmarinacci »

While I have nostalgia and can talk about how I used to make amazing designs with fewer specialized bricks, the truth is modern Legos can do more and cost less (adjusted for inflation). My 12year old has built things that I couldn't do until I was a junior in college. We're just grumpy because we are old.

I don't love how Lego makes all of these specialty sets for grownups, but.. I've bought some and enjoy it. Playing with Lego as an adult was weird in the 80s. Now there's whole clubs for it. I think it's a positive development.

And finally, they are not the Apple. Nothing in Lego is locked down. I can 3d print my own bricks. Small companies make bluetooth motor addons. You can even get a Lego HAT for your Raspberry Pi. It's vastly more open than just about any other system.

Re: How Lego Became the Apple of Toys (2015)

#49

Post by kazinator »

Lego is not the Apple of toys.

People who have Lego in their homes also have tons of other toys.

People who have Apple computers or mobile devices in their homes do not have tons of other devices.

There are Apple households in the way that there aren't Lego households.

Oh yeah, and there are cheap, Lego-compatible blocks out there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_clone

There used to be Apple clone computers in the 1980s; Apple wiped them out in a way that Lego has not been able to wipe out Lego compatibles.

Re: How Lego Became the Apple of Toys (2015)

#50

Post by jansan »

Navarr wrote: post #46
jansan wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having two teenage boys I cannot confirm this. They play with other stuff, but Lego is for building once and putting it on a shelf, where it will collect thick layers of dust. My sons never really played with Lego, which I found a bit disappointing.

I wouldn't say that it stifles creativity, but expands LEGO to people who don't want to be creative with it. You can treat it as a fun 3D Puzzle with step-by-step, or you can do whatever you want with it. Neither way is particularly "wrong"

It is not wrong, but it does not force the kids to be creative in a way it used to.

I would rather buy some wooden trains and rails if my kids where young now.

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