Alcarin Posted April 14 Posted April 14 The problem to me with Dreamzzz theme is that its confusing... I am more a classic guy, not a mix guy... this Dreamzzz theme reminds me on that old vintage theme or subtheme that had mixed stuff some monkey and white scientist guy + some interdimensional stuff, never liked it either... and Dreamzzz just looks like an upgraded refined version of it.
BrickBob Studpants Posted April 14 Posted April 14 23 minutes ago, Alcarin said: I am more a classic guy, not a mix guy... this Dreamzzz theme reminds me on that old vintage theme or subtheme […] Dreamzzz is a lot more coherent and creative than Time Cruisers in my opinion For TC, it seems they just randomly tossed leftover pieces from other themes together Must‘ve been one of the cheapest themes they ever created. And the main character had a nose *shudder*
SpacePolice89 Posted April 14 Posted April 14 I'm no big fan of either theme but at least Time Cruisers had some sort of color scheme, gray-yellow-black for the good guys and blue-black for the bad guys. 71480 is possibly the worst Lego set ever. It is something about that set that irritates me extremely much. I even like most licensed sets and Jack Stone more.
BrickBob Studpants Posted April 14 Posted April 14 39 minutes ago, SpacePolice89 said: Time Cruisers had some sort of color scheme […] You call this a colour scheme? 42 minutes ago, SpacePolice89 said: 71480 is possibly the worst Lego set ever. Interesting choice in a world where Galidor exists
Renny The Spaceman Posted April 14 Posted April 14 45 minutes ago, BrickBob Studpants said: Interesting choice in a world where Galidor exists Cmon man, surely Galidor doesn't count, total cop out, especially if you can't name a specific set 1 hour ago, SpacePolice89 said: 71480 is possibly the worst Lego set ever. It is something about that set that irritates me extremely much. I even like most licensed sets and Jack Stone more. God, you have a point. The Panda looks like a supporting character from a shitty russian state funded animated film with Drake Bell and insest undertones
Henkeso Posted April 14 Posted April 14 Maybe it's time to update the wordfilter so that "creativity" gets changed to "that old tiresome argument" instead of... the current target. It's clear that the title of tiresome argument has passed to a new champion. This thread (and similar ones) are frustrating to read - whenever someone makes an elaborate, thoughtful reply arguing their point, all they get is a follow-up going "but in-house themes are more creative tho" and the whole thing repeats again. I don't have any hopes of convincing anyone, but I've got some frustration to vent, so here goes: 1. Putting together a set of parts according to instructions is not a creative activity. This goes for official sets as well as stuff you buy off Rebrickable or whatever. If the main objective of Lego sets is to enable creativity, Basic boxes are the only sets the company should ever make. Arguing whether a theme is more "creative" than another is meaningless because all the themes mentioned in this thread are built according to fixed instructions, so you're not being more creative when building the Blacktron Renegade than when you're building the Millennium Falcon. 2. As a corollary to the above, just because something isn't a creative activity doesn't mean that it can't be fun or worth doing! I find putting together a set a very enjoyable, meditative activity. 3. Most of the people in the thread seem to be using "creative" to refer to creativity in design. As in, they're basically stating taste preferences, but with extra steps. There's no actual difference between saying "I like this set" and "I think this set was more creatively designed" other than the fact that the first statement becomes treated as a statement of opinion whereas the second statement starts endless rounds of back-and-forth debate as if you could specify what it means for a set to be creatively designed, or quantify the exact amount of creativity in a set's design. If you're not the designer of a set, you have no way of knowing how much (or what kind of) creativity went into designing it. That doesn't mean you don't get to have opinions! But they're just opinions, is all I'm trying to say. 4. But if you don't just want to talk opinions, here's my next point: if you work in design of any kind, or if you have experiences building a moc, you know that restrictions breed creativity. This insight comes from Mark Rosewater, head designer of Magic the Gathering (another expensive hobby of mine). To quote from his own explanation given in a speech for a game designer conference: Quote Many people believe that the more options available, the more creative a person can be. This is a myth because it contradicts what we know about how the brain works. The brain is an amazing organ. It's very smart. When asked to solve a problem, most brains check their data banks and ask "Have I solved this before?" If the answer is yes, the brain solves the problem the exact same way it solved it last time. Most of the time, this is efficient. It lets you avoid relearning tasks each time you do them, but it causes a problem with creative thought. You see, if you use the same neural pathways, you get to the same answers, and with creativity, that's not your goal. So here's the trick I've learned. If you want your brain to get to new places, start from somewhere you've never started before. That's why I make sure to begin each expansion from a new vantage point. This forces me to think in different ways and create new problems to solve, which results in new ideas and new solutions. What this means is that restrictions aren't an obstacle but rather a valuable tool. You can make use of restrictions to help you be more creative. This works the same in Lego. You need something to incentivise leaving your comfort zone, using a novel tecnique or combining parts in new ways; for some people working with the constraints of an IRL object, like a car or a flower, means you get the most creative in trying to represent it in Lego. You can look at the evolving ways that Lego has been used to represent an X-Wing to see how having a set object generates new and innovative ways of building. Even the people arguing that in-house Lego themes are more creative usually point to MOCs using previous sets as a starting point, and Lego does the same - the Galaxy Explorer remake would be just an unremarkable grey slab if it didn't have the original Galaxy Explorer to refer back to and elaborate on. Anyway, I'm getting rambly and nobody reads longform text anymore (maybe I should make a youtube video, then someone could link to the video with no text in the message - I hear that's what passes for an argument these days :P ). I just want to say that I'd like to see more real creativity - more MOCs posted, and less arguing about which sets to buy. As for the question in the OP? I'm gonna have to go with "Reply hazy, ask again later". Peace out!
BrickBob Studpants Posted April 14 Posted April 14 16 minutes ago, Renny The Spaceman said: Cmon man, surely Galidor doesn't count, total cop out, especially if you can't name a specific set All of them? Ok, I’ll bite. My pick is 4040 then. Sure, it was a McD promotional set, but just LOOK AT IT. And Galidor‘s an official theme, so it counts, even if it‘s a very very easy target Still a cop out? My next pick is this then:
SpacePolice89 Posted April 14 Posted April 14 (edited) 1 hour ago, BrickBob Studpants said: Interesting choice in a world where Galidor exists I only considered sets that are made from Lego Bricks, the panda even looks like a Galidor style action figure. If people would see only the panda very few would even guess it is Lego. It looks like some cheap knockoff toy sold at outdoor markets in developing countries. Edited April 14 by SpacePolice89
Mylenium Posted April 14 Posted April 14 15 minutes ago, Henkeso said: whenever someone makes an elaborate, thoughtful reply arguing their point, all they get is a follow-up going "but in-house themes are more creative tho" and the whole thing repeats again. Amen to that. I made some points similar to yours a few days ago, but you probably explained them better. There's effectively zero difference between assembling a model based on an in-house theme or a licensed IP nor is there an intrinsic distinction on whether one is more creative than the other. Reading the stuff that has accumulated over the weekend makes it clear that message doesn't get through and the proponents of "in-house themes are better and more creative" are trying to force a separation just to validate their point of view. Anyway, I'm not gonna repeat myself for the umpteenth time. Picking apart those replies isn't fun anymore and I've got better things to do than stress over finding words to convey my experiences and opinions. Mylenium
BrickBob Studpants Posted April 14 Posted April 14 21 minutes ago, Mylenium said: […] and the proponents of "in-house themes are better and more creative" are trying to force a separation just to validate their point of view. It‘s the way of the Turtle. First it was Batman and other DC heroes (that fly like bees), then it was DC and Marvel, and now it‘s in-house and licensed themes News flash: It‘s possible to like or prefer something without putting something else down! Amazing!
Renny The Spaceman Posted April 14 Posted April 14 1 hour ago, BrickBob Studpants said: All of them? Ok, I’ll bite. My pick is 4040 then. Sure, it was a McD promotional set, but just LOOK AT IT. And Galidor‘s an official theme, so it counts, even if it‘s a very very easy target Still a cop out? Yes, it absolutely is. Happy Meal toys are an even bigger cop out because this type of one isn't even manufactured in house or anything. It's like saying the worst LEGO Minifigure is the big wooden one. 1 hour ago, BrickBob Studpants said: My next pick is this then: This one's pretty good, all time most flaccid set. Literal impossible to play with or rebuild into anything substantial without other LEGO sets. Still though perhaps it says something that to defend the disgusting Sky Cinema original panda set you need to go to cheap promotional polybags As objectively as something like this can get there are worse sets but @SpacePolice89 made a good point, something about it just looks gross in a way other shit sets don't. Like the build looks like it's a toothpaste mascot or something. Like in a way Galidor seems like a good comparison because it looks so ashamed of the LEGO aesthetic
MAB Posted April 14 Posted April 14 3 hours ago, Henkeso said: 1. Putting together a set of parts according to instructions is not a creative activity. This goes for official sets as well as stuff you buy off Rebrickable or whatever. If the main objective of Lego sets is to enable creativity, Basic boxes are the only sets the company should ever make. Arguing whether a theme is more "creative" than another is meaningless because all the themes mentioned in this thread are built according to fixed instructions, so you're not being more creative when building the Blacktron Renegade than when you're building the Millennium Falcon. 2. As a corollary to the above, just because something isn't a creative activity doesn't mean that it can't be fun or worth doing! I find putting together a set a very enjoyable, meditative activity. 3. Most of the people in the thread seem to be using "creative" to refer to creativity in design. There is also another realm of LEGO creativity, in what you do with a set once it is built. When I was a kid, we (and I think many families) did not have huge amounts of LEGO and very few actual sets or instructions so we would build what we wanted to (not very well with limited brick types), then play with what we had built, then tear it down and build something else next time. Whereas many kids today seem to have lots of LEGO, enough so that they don't need to tear down to build something else. Plus parts are much more specialised than a pile of 2x2 and 2x4 bricks plus a few wheels and windows so it is harder for them to tear down a house and turn it into a train or a plane. So for them, creativity can also be more about play and not just building and rebuilding. My daughter has had the Heartlake Grand Hotel built for probably 8 years aside from once when we broke it apart and rebuilt it during covid. But she has frequently played with it, making up stories about the guests and staff even though the main build is essentially a fixed doll house. It is a different type of creativity but creative nonetheless. And that type of creativity is possible with both unlicensed and licensed sets.
BrickBob Studpants Posted April 14 Posted April 14 20 minutes ago, MAB said: And that type of creativity is possible with both unlicensed and licensed sets. Well said. The appeal of LEGO is that it‘s (almost) all other types of toys rolled into one: of course it‘s primarily a construction toy, but it has vehicles, playsets, action figures, doll houses, collectibles, display models, electronic elements, and everything in-between. Your mileage in preference may vary, but they‘re all equal in my eyes If you really wanted, you could always find something to create division. I‘m surprised we haven‘t had a silly argument yet whether action or minidoll themes are better. Pretty much on par with some of the other discussions in here As others have said before, you can’t argue about taste and personal preferences.
imposter Posted April 14 Author Posted April 14 12 hours ago, Alcarin said: The problem to me with Dreamzzz theme is that its confusing... I am more a classic guy, not a mix guy... this Dreamzzz theme reminds me on that old vintage theme or subtheme that had mixed stuff some monkey and white scientist guy + some interdimensional stuff, never liked it either... and Dreamzzz just looks like an upgraded refined version of it. There is a prison >> in that birds stomach ... Why don't they show minifigure faces? (LEAK)
MAB Posted April 14 Posted April 14 6 hours ago, BrickBob Studpants said: If you really wanted, you could always find something to create division. I‘m surprised we haven‘t had a silly argument yet whether action or minidoll themes are better. Pretty much on par with some of the other discussions in here As others have said before, you can’t argue about taste and personal preferences. Some of the minidoll themes have become pretty good for action too. Elves was great. I imagine if they had a bit more variation abd done a few more male characters, it could have turned the heads of stalwart collectors of minifigure based themes.
danth Posted April 14 Posted April 14 (edited) 11 hours ago, Henkeso said: Maybe it's time to update the wordfilter so that "creativity" gets changed to "that old tiresome argument" instead of... the current target. It's clear that the title of tiresome argument has passed to a new champion. This thread (and similar ones) are frustrating to read - whenever someone makes an elaborate, thoughtful reply arguing their point, all they get is a follow-up going "but in-house themes are more creative tho" and the whole thing repeats again. I made a point on this that was completely ignored by everyone on the "there's no difference" side: On 4/8/2025 at 12:30 PM, danth said: Anyway, with regards to creativity. I will just say that we went from having every box from every main theme having "back of the box" builds, to none of them having those. And from no sets having named minifigs with known stories, to almost all sets having named characters with known stories (barring City and Creator and whatever else I'm forgetting). Each set challenged you to build other things without instructions. You had to make up identities and stories for old sets. You still can with new sets, but you don't have to. I think it's disingenuous to pretend that isn't a significant change with regards to creative play. Personally I don't care as much about "creativity" as freedom. A generic minifigure is whoever I want it to be. A Spiderman figure just isn't. Not to say licensed minifigs are bad. It's just not always what I want. Edited April 14 by danth
icm Posted April 14 Posted April 14 29 minutes ago, danth said: A generic minifigure is whoever I want it to be. A Spiderman figure just isn't. Not to say licensed minifigs are bad. It's just not always what I want. That's a good take on it. Personally, ever since I was a kid I've also had a hard time finding other uses for minifigs with sci-fi armor patterns, etc., as in most action themes, but it's not like I'm very interested in collecting all the different variants of Star Wars or Marvel armor either. So that has more to do with the sci-fi armor aesthetic than with licensed or in-house IP status.
imposter Posted April 14 Author Posted April 14 (edited) This is just an EXAMPLE. In Star Wars, Harry Potter, DC, Marvel, Game Themes you get always same boring characters. This mf however comes to my OWN Castle universe. Before that I have to give him a back story. Maybe even a new name. New weapon & accessories. An Ally. Is he a BOUNTY HUNTER working for Black Falcons >> order to capture Lion Knight's Queen. (Then blackmail Lion Knight's to give some randoms). ... Maybe he travels only night time. He eats wolfs in forrest. So his BIGGEST opponent is Beastmaster (Wolfpack). This Black Hunter needs an ally. Could it be an owl. And so the story continues. Where he can stay? Maybe there could be a massive inn where no one ask your name or where you come. Edited April 14 by imposter
Black Falcon Posted April 14 Posted April 14 11 hours ago, Henkeso said: Anyway, I'm getting rambly and nobody reads longform text anymore (maybe I should make a youtube video, then someone could link to the video with no text in the message - I hear that's what passes for an argument these days :P ). I just want to say that I'd like to see more real creativity - more MOCs posted, and less arguing about which sets to buy. As for the question in the OP? I'm gonna have to go with "Reply hazy, ask again later". Well no idea about the rest but I´ve read it and can jus say it was very well written ;). 8 minutes ago, imposter said: In Star Wars, Harry Potter, DC, Marvel, Game Themes you get always same boring characters. This mf however comes to my OWN Castle universe. Before that I have to give him a back story. Maybe even a new name. New weapon & accessories. An Ally. Is he a BOUNTY HUNTER working for Black Falcons >> order to capture Lion Knight's Queen. (Then blackmail Lion Knight's to give some randoms). ... Maybe he travels only night time. He eats wolfs in forrest. So his BIGGEST opponent is Beastmaster (Wolfpack). This Black Hunter needs an ally. Could it be an owl. And so the story continues. Where he can stay? Maybe there could be a massive inn where now one ask your name or where you come. Well, Ninjago has the same boring Ninjas for a long time now - granted with two new ones joined later on. And he same you are doing with the minifig above, could be just aswell be done with a licensed minifigure.
imposter Posted April 14 Author Posted April 14 So you will ACCEPT Boba Fett to your Castle Universe BUT not my custom bounty hunter...
icm Posted April 14 Posted April 14 Well, yeah, maybe, with some changes. Mandalorian armor is on the low-tech, medieval-expy end of the sci-fi armor scale, compared to, say, Iron Man's nanotech suit. But that's just as much my choice as it is your choice to accept the Nightmare King from Dreamzzz into your Castle setting as a bounty hunter. Not that anyone had actually said anything about accepting Boba Fett into their Castle setting and not accepting the Nightmare King. But you do you, Imposter RiddlerDC Turtle. You do you.
Renny The Spaceman Posted April 14 Posted April 14 38 minutes ago, imposter said: So you will ACCEPT Boba Fett to your Castle Universe BUT not my custom bounty hunter... Who are you talking to?
Murdoch17 Posted April 14 Posted April 14 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Renny The Spaceman said: Who are you talking to? This is one of the Universe's great unanswerable questions when it comes to the user in question. It's in the same vein of "What is the answer to Life, the Universe, and everything?", "Doctor Who?", "how do minifigures smell?", "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?" and "who would win in a battle: The Death Star or a Borg cube?". But back onto the topic at hand.... Edited April 14 by Murdoch17
BrickBob Studpants Posted April 14 Posted April 14 1 hour ago, imposter said: In Star Wars, Harry Potter, DC, Marvel, Game Themes you get always same boring characters. This mf however comes to my OWN Castle universe.
Karalora Posted April 15 Posted April 15 6 hours ago, danth said: Personally I don't care as much about "creativity" as freedom. A generic minifigure is whoever I want it to be. A Spiderman figure just isn't. To be fair, a Spider-Man minifigure doesn't have to represent Spider-Man. It could represent someone cosplaying Spider-Man! 4 hours ago, BrickBob Studpants said: Thank you for this. This so often seems to get lost in online discussions.
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