Is lego becoming too pre-made?

[Karalora]

I can see where some of them are because of the hollow studs; does that count?

[CVfan13]

Yeah, but it otherwise looks very natural. I've actually see that MOC before and didn't notice they were there until you pointed them out.

[DerBum]

I tend to agree with the thought that Lego has gotten away from using big single use pieces. Pre-made pieces still have use and do make sets less expensive and complicated, but Lego is doing a good job of striking a balance. I guess we could return to Yellow Castle days, where everything (including the horses) are brick built, but I grew up in the era of the castle wall pieces and didnt have any complaints. My first castle was the Kings Castle, that set would have cost a fortune if not made with wall pieces... think of the children with smaller budgets.

[Lord Felix]

I can see where some of them are because of the hollow studs; does that count?

Ah, but some of those are from other bricks, like the 1x2x3 slopes and others. You can never be too sure

Anyway, a different picture reveals them (because they were old gray, not bley):

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Dandin/WIPTown/01.jpg

But yes, BURPs and LURPs are excellent, not ragging on about them, but other pre-fab pieces (wall pieces, well, the new ones) are not the best.
But BURPs and LURPs do need to be decorated.

[DaleDVM]

I have to humbly disagree with this post. I am sorry but you did want to know what we thought. A few years ago and I probably would have given this comment a woot woot!

I understand that some people love brick built animals. I have been greatly impressed with some of the models that I have seen in the past. However, when it comes to living things at minifig scale I prefer the molds. I like the owl and the falcon just fine as far as birds go. I wish they were available in more colors. And I have never seen a brick built fish that looked anything like a fish at minifig scale. The brick built models of animals that look real are usually at a much larger scale. I consider the animals to be minifig accessories

Pertaining to the overall set brick count. The newest sets have plenty of small pieces and when you compare it to classic castle sets from long ago. Just take a look at the inventories of a few old favorites compared to today.

As for the brick with a clip. This piece is fine with me as long as they also continue to make the plates with the clip as well. I will use the brick whenever I can as it is more structurally sound than 3 plates put together. However it is imperative that the plates are still available as they are a needed piece.

BURPs and LURPs are an essntial part of lego if you want to do serious mountain landscaping with your MOCs. I have in one MOC with about 65 BURPs and 75 LURPs. It would have been insanely expensive, heavy, and less stable to build without the use of them.

[rogue27]

No. Around 2000, I would have agreed with you, but they have been really good about using lots of normal parts lately.

[ffilz]

DaleDVM speaks lots of wisdom.

I do like the larger brick built animals, and when an animal is missing and someone comes up with a good replacement, I like it.

I also like the simplicity of many of the animal molds such that they have some flexibility, for example the falcon/parrot.

I also like the various larger dragons we have seen from LEGO using various techniques.

Frank

[sir lockt]

A lot of wise words are spoken and I really want to put emphasis on the post of Dale.

But to support the OP in general I would encourage you to look at the City planes or Cost guard helicopter. I understand the need of those pieces to reduce the cost of the set, but those pieces are BIG.

So basically a good move forward in the castle line imho, but looking to LEGO in general there are some improvements possible

[Sir Kohran]

Whilst there are many impressive brickbuilt animals, for some reason they just don't match the organic, 'living' look of the mold animals. And pretty much all the horses from the 'golden age' of Castle were molds anyway.

As to the main matter - there are a few too many big simplified pieces for my liking these days but I can live with it, as long as they are useable enough.

[Athos]

I don't mind molded animals. The brick-built ones look funny next to minifigures.

As to bigger pieces, I don't mind them if they are usable. BURPs and LURPs don't bother me. They're useful for landscaping large areas.

The big new airplane pieces I don't like, since you can't do much with them other than make airplanes. The KK2 wall panel piece I don't like either. It doesn't stack well and the window isn't clean and clearly open. It doesn't integrate into building either.

But what I really don't like is all the technic techniques that they're using in everything. Give me back my standard brick methods!

Steve

[ffilz]

Yea, the newer castle wall pieces are troublesome. I have looked at the 4x4x6 tower with the window and the angled face. Unfortunately, there are no other parts that line up with the angle (unless I've missed something), so no clean way to cap it off with plates, or add a few brick heights. The wall with the flared base at least is easier to match, but only works well for the base of a castle wall.

I agree that the more rounded features of the molded animals is nice, however, I don't expect LEGO to ever make every single animal I will ever want, so seeing nice brick built animals is something I enjoy. And I think they look fine in displays.

To me, the fun of LEGO is working within the constraints of the part selection. Expanding that selection allows us more opportunities, yet we will always have to do our best to use existing parts to create what our imagination dreams up, and that's a lot of the fun of LEGO.

Frank

[Sir Prog]

Hey, ive been surfing this site for years, posting very rarely. I was just looking at the new village set on the front page, and i saw some of thos plastic fish, and it got me thinking: Is lego becoming too pre-made? I always thought that the spirit of lego was to take a few basic blocks etc. and turn those blocks into models; not to have everything pre-crafted like the fish as an example. Im just curious as to what you guys think.

Just when I would want to agree with you on the idea of simplicity, I remember how new innovations in the Lego world would ALWAYS be the breaking point for pulling me back in. Case in point, when the Western theme came out and Lego introduced both Money AND Dynamite pieces...and even MORE critical to those sets, the concept of spring-loaded explosions when you place the dynamite in the slots...?!!??!

Or when the very first Pirate series came out, I enjoyed them so many b/c of the brand new themed pieces, like the Treasure map and the three-tipped hat. New pieces like that (or the turkey) keep Lego youthful and fresh, and allow it to not retreat too many tropes already reinforced by similar shaped large & small sets. Oh, and who can resist the PIZZA cylinder???

[gormadoc1]

I can see what you mean but things like the fish are ok, if they made a pre made building then that would be awful

[Blue Moon Knight]

I can see what you mean but things like the fish are ok, if they made a pre made building then that would be awful

That would be the downfall of Lego.

[annie2200]

I enjoy the molded animals and small accessories. I do love my BURPs likeand . This LURP is also very useful when I'm building caverns and rock faces. I can add so much onto them so they do not appear pre made, but I love the fact that they are!!