Adamskii

So its ok to discuss Lepin now? several months ago this topic was declared off limts and banned and locked up/relegated to off topic sub section.. Just checking if the rules have changed again.

Does this set come with the iconic and pivotal harpoon and cable? I have not seen a spooling harpoon and cable in the pictures. ? ALso when did UCS become minifig scale? Not sure about the inclusion of the minifigs. (that lends itself to play more than collection). Nice looking set though! Would like to see a UCS speeder bike (noyt minifig scale)

Some interesting statistics here. I hope they include Australia in the Asia region when bringing these prices down :) https://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news-room/2016/november/jiaxing-factory-grand-opening/ Posted from official Lego website news. Adam

The boss of the Chinese manufacturing Lego plant cannot tell the difference between Lego and Clone minifigs, Oh my. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFPbVM-JnFw

I have not seen these parts before, what is going on with that brick on the bottom near the door (in light bluegray) the black lower edge ? ALso what are the green rounded stud/balls on the plant. I tried to find on box piece picture but no joy.

I went to Myer at tea tree plaza SA, asked for exactly what you said - all I got was blank stares and crickets. They sent me to the lay buy office, all I got was blank stares and crickets, They rang Adelaide store - no one knew a thing about ordering BB and all said have to wait until it comes back in. But this really makes me angry - why do I have to do all the leg work to buy something that will invariably be overpriced, sold exclusively with no competition to drive price? Lego is not making it easy to buy their high end products in bricks and mortar stores in Australia. If only there was an alternative Even if the ipad thing is true. Look at the hoops I have to jump through for a product that is almost a year released?

I'm still waiting for Brick Bank to be available here in Australia to buy in a shop. Maybe If I am lucky the shop with exclusive distribution rights will get a few in for Christmas. Maybe next Christmas I will get my hands on Assembly square. If the prices you guys quote are correct, and going by historical mark up for Australian distribution, this set will be about $350. (GBHQ was about $400 here, Opera house was $400). SO if I get one online and pay the $50 it costs to get one of these, I will be paying same as a GBHQ... PLease Lego, Don't have exclusive distributors of these sets, without demanding they have them in stock or at the least maintain an custome order policy! (the store in question does not even have BB listed in their online catalogue - so there is NO way to buy a new one in shop in Australia) Grumble Grumble. I like AS, I think some people will MOD the middle and right building to become an inverted corner..

Hello was wondering if the new rules mean that duplication of Official Lego stickers from sets is now banned from discussion. They wholly fit into the category of knock offs etc as defined by the clause. I suggest that people buying unofficial sets may wish to apply Lego stickers on them to be more convincing (think Emerald Night). Or as the legitimate stickers are usually pricey (see Bricklink, Emerald night, BNSF, Star wars etc), knock off stickers and their presence encourages and facilitates legitimising bootleg brands. If someone is buying bootlegs because their cheap, their probably going to not be discouraged buying bootleg stickers either. Custom stickers would fall under the clause of orecognised clone brands. Some clarification please. tks

How is this thread not locked? IF it's ok to do comparisons between Lego Lepin and anyone else (does not breech the new 50:50 guidelines) this thread is a test case I guess for setting precedence.

Lego official website fair play statement The link above is very interesting reading. Very. I would suggest everyone who had some interest in the the locked threads have a read at how Lego Legal works. The bits about Copyright are fascinating, especially the scanning and transmission of that material. Also I never noticed that this website didn't display any Lego Logo's, now I understand why ! Anyways some pertinent information there. IS the Train tracks (large radius etc) considered knock off? And also is talk about personal 3d printing of Lego parts off limits as well ? Adam <edit> Here is a great summary of Lego's Legal copyright activities for the last 20 years, PDF has links to many cases. Interesting Lego does not win all the time, and allot of cases are settled out of court. The Chinese case is particularly intersting, as is Lego's interpretation of how the minifig is protected. I am amazed anything that looks even remotely like a minifig is not slayed by their Legal team. Lego protecting its trademark

If I buy a Lego kit, doesn't that imply I have been given access to that IP? I know Lego haven't made anyone sign a EULA, and so have really let their product be used in any way the customer so deam's fit.If your answer to that question is no, then keep reading my dilemma. So once owning the kit (and implied legally acquired access to the IP used to create it - they gave me an instruction book with the kit) if I duplicate it using my existing Lego pieces, have I not only employed the toy as it was designed to be used, but used the IP to recreate a Lego product that they will never get paid for? Isn't that the point of Lego ? anything can be duplicated using the same bricks? So for example If I bought the Lego fire station, and used my spare parts to build a second one the same, then didn't I prevent that hardworking designer from gaining some kind of recognition for his IP rights? So taking that a step further I decide to sell my duplicate kit, because I need the money more than a second fire station, I am now a criminal engaging in illegal copyright activity, because, the Bottom Line is, I would have used someone else's intellectual property to make money, without obtaining a license to do so. (Better not buy any instructions on Bricklink anytime soon- Peeron will be history soon, sharing IP from others, file sharing.. sounds familiar) I'M not a Lawyer, I can only imagine the arguments they employ to counter Lego's suit. I cant argue your point, but I doubt the court case will be over after Lego's lawyers read your Bottom line out to the presiding Chinese Judge. And if the court rules it quite legal, wow consider those implications. Certainly will ruin any argument that it is illegal. Once a case goes to court, I always assumed there were two sides to a story and a third impartial party ruled on it. No one was engaged in illegal activity until after the ruling. And if it is illegal, why is Lego not issuing cease and dissist orders globally recognized. Nike does it, Apple is very good it, Lego has resources those companies would be comparable too.. Nope cannot argue against your point. But then Lego doesn't seem to be making much of an effort in arguing for it either.

Why is Lepin being discussed here and not in the community forum? Moderators can we have a consensus of where Lepin can be discussed?

SO they have brought out another Modular, I will not post a pic, or a link, But I have seen the box art and pictures on one of their official pages. This time it is the natural history museum corner modular MOC. I think this was an Ideas offereing ? That's 2 now including STarbucks.

Lego is a building system that demands replication. They publish books on replicating their ideas. Kids all over the world try to build things they have seen others build because that what Lego is, Unlike a plastic model plane where you have to paint it etc and no two could ever be considered identical, Lego solves that as anyone can copy an idea provided they have the bricks. That is the principle Lego is founded on. You do not have to buy a Lego set to build that model. I can buy all the Lego in the world from Bricklink and never buy a Brick from Lego, and still go and build every kit Lego ever made. According to some, I would have stolen the IP of Lego designers. If I onsell those assembled bricks as complete Lego sets, using Lego pictures of those sets, apparently I am doing the wrong thing. I think allot of AFOL would have assembled sets from bricklink in one way or another (Millenium Falcon for example - So many threads on this site dedicated to just that - No argument about using Lego design/IP to build those sets?) and if they sell them have they not profited from Lego IP ? So what sets Lepin apart from an average AFOL? 2 things I can see, the sheer magnitude of their operation - but where do you decide Joe average doing 3 or sets a year versus Chinese corporation as being illegal? If it is a principle you argue, then scale should not form part of the argument, Like saying someone was a little bit stolen from, you either were or weren't. That's the problem with principle, it has to be black and white, not making exceptions. The other thing that sets Lepin apart, is they have decided to not buy the bricks and assemble the sets, but manufacture them themselves. This was not a problem before apparently with Clone brands - because the quality was basically rubbish. The quality of Lepin however is remarkable, and could very easily be incorporated into Lego set MOC's and never be realised by the audience they were looking at a clone. (how long before this raises it head at Lego conventions?) Now the patent has expired on Lego bricks, So copying them is probably not illegal. No one bothered when it was Enlighten or Sluban or whoever the clone brands were as they were not in the same quality league. Suddenly people are taking notice of a very cheap alternative to Lego that is getting dangerosly close in the quality department. What if they start making Lego style bricks that is superior? But again IF the copying of the brick is not illegal then that sure cannot form part of a reason to avoid them ? (or censor them). Lego does not have a serious competitor in the marketplace. They are a monopoly. That is not a healthy thing for the consumer. Having brands like Mega Blox is good but their range is very small by comparison. Lepin have directly challenged that monopoly and we should see how serious Lego take that challenge by their reply. So far the lawsuit set for a year from now seams like a whole lot less of a response than what some would expected.

Censoring discussion of clone brands is something I find rather distressing. It is unfortunate I suppose that educated and reasoned discussion on this matter is so easily derailed by passion for the hobby and brand loyalty. It is one of the few times that the discussion is more about the person and their circumstances/opinion, than about the bricks. The worry I have is censoring clones is like putting head in the sand and pretending it isnt there if we can't see it. Lego Is the Number 1 toy company in the world. We should trust that they have this situation well under control. Surely they recognise the risk of clone brands, as someone said earlier, when Enlighten was tinkering some years back it was really just a novelty and well no serious notice was taken. But what Lepin is doing is simply breathtaking in it's audacity of testing international copyright law. It is almost a massive slap in the face throw down - Lepin is spoiling for a fight. Lego has to be ready to counter the arguements that validate Clone brands (cost, accesibility and so on). Alas is Lego chooses to pretend the problem is not there, the problem of clone brands giving some people what Lego won't, then Lego won't remain number 1 for long. The only thing stopping that at the moment is Lepin hasn't marketed itself as an alternative - the average person just does not know it exists - yet. Lego has shown time and again it can be steadfast in its self belief and stay on course despite almost failing once. I hope it can counter the clones. I also worry how you censor clone brands but not the aftermarket ones / 3d printed ones. I am certain if Lepin made it's own modular's and designs, no one would be so offended at the "theft" of intellectual property. But some executive is sitting there at Lepin HQ saying we have these moulds, they have the designs, why shouldn't we give it a crack. How do they get the designs so quick I also wonder? The Lepin version of the Minecraft village and fortress were available online at the same time or before the Lego one was in the stores? Who is giving them this information? Doesn't Lego manufacture in China now? But what if I source all the bricks needed to build a Cafe Corner, and sell it on Ebay. I am not Lego or an Authorised reseller, Have I not used their intellectual property (design) to assemble bricks of any origin (including clone bricks - or how long before I can 3d print bricks of equal quality) to make profit? Lepin does just that but on an offensively big scale. How would a censor differentiate between the two? I see in Australia there are Facebook clubs dedicated to group purchases of modulars in weekly installments. Would they fall under the umbrella of "censorship" for using the Lego intellectual property and then profiteering from it? I would argue that a clone category be made in the forums, where they can be moderated, and all clone discussion can be redirected and moderated. When the discussion is rubbishing the clones it seems to be ok anywhere, but lately the discussion has been in support and suddenly we have an issue? I note that I brought up in the Star wars forum the Millenium Falcon clone and was shut down and removed, having caused some kind of offence, yet the Nemerald Night discussion is still rolling along in the train forums. Could the site be consistent in its moderation? Linking to clone pages, ok I admit that may be seen as communicating an illegal operation and therefore moderated, but surely it has to be accepted that there will be 2 sides to any discussion and if the site is mature enough to handle pro clone discussion I would say it empowers it and shows it is more than capable of dealing with it in a responsible manner. Censoring discussion is admitting there is a clone problem. One which cannot be discussed when it is not allowed.