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Lego Ideas Typewriter

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31–40 of 105 posts

Re: Lego Ideas Typewriter

#31

I'm somewhat depressed by how explicitly Lego is marketing towards 30-something man-children who build things to put them on the shelf. The worst part is that this model-kit design style is spilling over and infecting their actual toy themes. It's harder for kids to repurpose a set that's built 40% out of small tiles and cheese wedges and little greebly bits.

The kids spilled over their Lego box a few days ago - so many unusable and pointless 1x1 round pieces, special weird shapes, etc. Its all the sets which are fun to build but seem more like a puzzle than a Lego set which you can really reuse, rebuild, etc. I'm not normally nostalgic, but my box as a child used to be all real blocks and I could build great stuff. Now its more marketing to sell more and more branded set…

If you think a 1x1 round piece is unusable/pointless, you are truly lacking in imagination.

Even the varied array of "one-off" weirdly specific pieces always find an unexpected application in a pinch somewhere. I've been recently quite entertained by the creative work of a Dublin lego-er making pubs (with many many small 1x1 round pieces, and a selection of weird one-offs for signage/etc.) https://snapwidget.com/embed/927292

Re: Lego Ideas Typewriter

#32
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When wasn’t Lego art? I display my Lego dinosaurs next to my TV. I think they look cool. They weren’t meant to be functional dinosaurs.

The "conventional" Lego builds are meant to be a non-functional miniature of a real-world or a fictional object, with some playing features. This creation crosses this boundary because it tries to replicate a real-world object in its original scale, with its inner mechanisms, and yet it doesn't achieve the purpose of the original object. Seems somewhat wasteful, cynical and purposeless.

people have been making models for centuries, the only cynical thing here is your opinion

Re: Lego Ideas Typewriter

#33
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When wasn’t Lego art? I display my Lego dinosaurs next to my TV. I think they look cool. They weren’t meant to be functional dinosaurs.

The "conventional" Lego builds are meant to be a non-functional miniature of a real-world or a fictional object, with some playing features. This creation crosses this boundary because it tries to replicate a real-world object in its original scale, with its inner mechanisms, and yet it doesn't achieve the purpose of the original object. Seems somewhat wasteful, cynical and purposeless.

Yeah but I get to build this typewriter... I derive value from the act of building and replicating the inner mechanisms of a typewriter that I could not build before. Isn't all entertainment somewhat 'wasteful' or 'purposeless' beyond enjoyment?

Re: Lego Ideas Typewriter

#34
post #6

I’m struck by the post-modern, non-working reflection that costs significantly more than the functional object that’s still readily available. LEGO has truly crossed into the art world. Like a painting of a soup can.

They are definitely not “solving a problem”. That’s for sure. Instead, Legos is obviously fulfilling/creating a need.

I don't know, they're fun. Why is there so much hate for such a simple enjoyment in the comments?

Re: Lego Ideas Typewriter

#36
A lot of people in this thread are forgetting that it’s not necessarily about the actual completed object but more the process of putting it together that often brings the most joy with LEGO.

I don’t think I’m more at peace than the few times a year I sit down with a new LEGO kit and build it. It’s a delightfully enjoyable break from just about everything else that keeps my mind busy and is such a calming activity.

Re: Lego Ideas Typewriter

#37
post #2

That's a lovely piece of kit, and I am sorely tempted to put in an order, but LEGO's promotional video and associated text descriptions seem to be a little deceptive. As far as I can tell, the model - which has a "LEGO first" - Black and red ink spool ribbon is a new fabric element. - and each key has a letter, and the carriage moves, etc ... doesn't actually type.

This may shock you, but none of those lego ships are sea worthy either.

Some of them are. I had one as a kid. The base allowed the boat to float in water.

Re: Lego Ideas Typewriter

#38
This is really the opposite of what I always loved about Legos as a kid. All these complex kits seem more like jigsaw puzzles--only one way to go together. What I loved about Legos as a kid was making my own creations.

Re: Lego Ideas Typewriter

#39
post #2

That's a lovely piece of kit, and I am sorely tempted to put in an order, but LEGO's promotional video and associated text descriptions seem to be a little deceptive. As far as I can tell, the model - which has a "LEGO first" - Black and red ink spool ribbon is a new fabric element. - and each key has a letter, and the carriage moves, etc ... doesn't actually type.

I think you'd have to be a little gullible to think it's a real typewriter, especially if you've ever used a real one.

Re: Lego Ideas Typewriter

#40
post #38

This is really the opposite of what I always loved about Legos as a kid. All these complex kits seem more like jigsaw puzzles--only one way to go together. What I loved about Legos as a kid was making my own creations.

Nothing stops you from doing that today. Your best bet for buying bricks is ebay, $9 / Kg or so is pretty good pricing for heirlooms ;)
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