21–30 of 44 posts
Might as well mention a couple of lego projects I've been working on, a parts browser TUI and a 3D model (eg .stl or .obj) to lego model (ldraw) converter: https://github.com/hbmartin/pyldraw3/ https://github.com/hbmartin/legolization/ I'm actively trying to get good instructions out of the legolization project now
Very interesting article, but not very well written. A handful of examples from the first half: 1. Suddenly in the 7th paragraph: “We know for a fact that from 1967 and until 2003 the main supplier of drawing building steps for the LEGO Group was a company called Palle…”. That’s a super odd thing to preface with “We know for a fact” - are all other claims/items in the article actually not known if they aren't similar…
Very interesting article, but not very well written. A handful of examples from the first half: 1. Suddenly in the 7th paragraph: “We know for a fact that from 1967 and until 2003 the main supplier of drawing building steps for the LEGO Group was a company called Palle…”. That’s a super odd thing to preface with “We know for a fact” - are all other claims/items in the article actually not known if they aren't similar…
Worth mentioning that Lego lifted the idea from Kiddicraft. Hilary Page patented Self-Locking Building Bricks in 1939 but had committed suicide by the time Lego brought their product to the UK.
If you've ever made a digital model of Lego it can be quite surprising just how hard it is to make good instructions at the quality of Lego's - because you have to not only consider how the model goes together (can't place a brick after the bricks on top of it) but also how you can even SEE what the piece is and where it's going.
My son and I were assembling a set, and one of the corner pieces was strangely absent. My son asked, “why can’t we put this piece in yet?”
The answer came when we turned the page and saw the model had to be flipped. That missing corner piece was the only thing we could use to guide our placement of pieces on the underside of the model.
Similar things in more complex sets include using different, bright colours for bricks on the left/right sides of the internal parts of models. It makes it easy to keep your place as the model rotates through the steps.
If you've ever made a digital model of Lego it can be quite surprising just how hard it is to make good instructions at the quality of Lego's - because you have to not only consider how the model goes together (can't place a brick after the bricks on top of it) but also how you can even SEE what the piece is and where it's going.
It’s incredible some of the little details in LEGO instructions. My son and I were assembling a set, and one of the corner pieces was strangely absent. My son asked, “why can’t we put this piece in yet?” The answer came when we turned the page and saw the model had to be flipped. That missing corner piece was the only thing we could use to guide our placement of pieces on the underside of the model. Similar things in…
I would love simpler (harder) instructions! It's too easy tbh brick by brick as it is today. 1964 looks lovely. I also have a gripe with the complexity of modern bricks (besides "basic bricks" sets). It's getting harder to build something else than what the model is.
Looking at screenshots of older versions gave a burst of nostalgia.
I would love simpler (harder) instructions! It's too easy tbh brick by brick as it is today. 1964 looks lovely. I also have a gripe with the complexity of modern bricks (besides "basic bricks" sets). It's getting harder to build something else than what the model is.
Very interesting article, but not very well written. A handful of examples from the first half: 1. Suddenly in the 7th paragraph: “We know for a fact that from 1967 and until 2003 the main supplier of drawing building steps for the LEGO Group was a company called Palle…”. That’s a super odd thing to preface with “We know for a fact” - are all other claims/items in the article actually not known if they aren't similar…
> mention how long the bricks were made before then to quickly understand the length of the pre-instruction era Worth mentioning that Lego lifted the idea from Kiddicraft. Hilary Page patented Self-Locking Building Bricks in 1939 but had committed suicide by the time Lego brought their product to the UK. https://www.hilarypagetoys.com/Home/Products/39/0
Lego also tried other designs like crosses on the bottom but then kept the tube (and later the filled small tube that you can see on 1xN bricks and plates).