Potential Questions for LEGO Designers

[legolijntje]

Good point!

I think Cloney is still working on his report, but I will send him a PM.

Wow, that reply was quick!

Certainly faster than the report

(@ Clone' : no offense ;)

[Jim]

Unfortunately we still haven't seen any report. 

Fortunately I will be attending this year's edition of the LEGO Media Fan Days! It will be held between the 31st of May and the 2nd of June.

I will try to get hold of a Technic designer to ask some interesting questions. Possibly the ones we composed for Clone OPatra.

[Jim]

Status update. I have received the answers to the questions we posed last year. I will post them in a separate topic.

Before the 15th of May I need to come up with some new and interesting questions. I will try to make an inventory of all the questions posed in this topic to see if I can use some of them.

Any new questions are more than welcome of course.

[legolijntje]

Better late then never I guess 

 

[allanp]

Sweeeeeeeeet! Can't wait to read, would be useful to read the report before thinking of new questions.

Edited May 8, 2017 by allanp

[PKW]

JOINTS

all technic moccers knows that lego u-joints are fragile and sometimes difficult to use, are you planning something more robust or with more degrees of freedom? will see a new wheel hub with those or the actual form will be leading production for years?

CONNECTORS

we all love the 2 female cross hole connector but when we need non standard axle lengths (like 4,5 or 10,8 studs) for axles connecting each other in a diagonal way and not in a straight line is really difficult to achieve a good result, more over there is no "extensible axle" that will fit sliding mechanism that vary distances between axle and lego builders invented a lot of solution like this but we will ever see a TLG approved solution aka a new part? this could be an IDEA

jim feel free to edit/rewrite my question, i'm not too got at explaining myself in english

[technic_addict]

My only question is why they don't make the Technic axle pin in other colours than blue?  Everyone has been clamoring for black for years now.

[M_longer]

3 minutes ago, technic_addict said:

Technic axle pin in other colours than blue?

For the same reason that axles are made in LBG and black (and red and yellow in few newer sets) - easier building and finding these parts in pile of elements.

[technic_addict]

22 minutes ago, M_longer said:

For the same reason that axles are made in LBG and black (and red and yellow in few newer sets) - easier building and finding these parts in pile of elements.

I understand it may be easier for children.  It doesn't even need to be in any official sets, just make a million of them and sell them on brick and pieces.

[efferman]

Question: which time do you need for the first prototype of a flagship set like 42043?

Question: does a set has from begin a limited part count or is later in the design process a point where the partcount optimization begins and after this it will classified into a prize range?

[thekitchenscientist]

is there a minimum part count needed to have an A and B model?

Is 2017 the first time it was tried to use both pull back motors in the combined model?

Do you impose an artificial part restriction to improve creativity?

How is it decided what spare parts to include?

[M_longer]

5 minutes ago, thekitchenscientist said:

Is 2017 the first time it was tried to use both pull back motors in the combined model?

Since 2014.

42026 + 42027 =

[Jim]

Thanks guys. Keep 'em coming.

I have another topic in Creator by the way. Maybe some of you are interested in that as well:

 

[JGW3000]

We know that new designs and models are play tested by children in the targeted age group, this helps to select which designs may sell well.  Have you thought about having AFOL's test models (and instructions) prior to production - this may avoid the recent Porsche fiasco.

[syclone]

Since Technic line is targeted more at teenagers and adults rather than little kids , why so much color coding? I don't think kids have less brain capacity now than a decade ago to take so many "precautions". I was able to build 8281 (year 2006) at age of four as my first ever Lego set and without any help. What has changed since then?

[Erik Leppen]

7 hours ago, Jim said:

Before the 15th of May I need to come up with some new and interesting questions.

I noticed that sets in rare colors use said colors surprisingly sparingly. For example, 42064 Ocean Explorer, which is clearly a dark-blue ship, has 1000 parts, of which only 24 dark blue. Is this intentional? And if so, why is this?

 

All those new colors are cool and all, but having limited parts in each such color isn't very useful for builders like most AFOLs. There are obvious gaps in the range of parts in a color.

For example, in white or blue. Is this intentional? And if so, why is this?

 

The color coding on pins has obvious benefits for such small parts, but why are large parts like the 5x7 box frames only available in one color?

 

Why are Lego truck tyres (especially those from 42024 and others) wider than their real-life counterparts?

 

Would it be feasible to have beams longer than 15L?

 

Why are there gears with 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 36 and 40 teeth, but not 28 and 32?

 

I have the idea that sets use more bags these days than before? What is the reason behind this way of packaging everything in smaller bags, especially when thinking about the environment?

 

How are bags sorted? Is there any logic to it? (I haven't been able to find any, and I often think it looks very random)

[dr_spock]

Will there be more Technic pieces in the Friends colour palette scheme?

 

[msk6003]

Why made this and

This part?

Worm gear 3L is useless than 1L or 2L and RC base is to weak. Are RC base designer know lego ripoff brand use that base so much? Why not lego did that?

Edited May 9, 2017 by msk6003

[DugaldIC]

If you (Lego)  can produce millions of parts of any colour why not make extras of every piece in every colour and have mass sales of pick a technic brick? Would the sales not be worth it? Think of the the possibilitys and mocs AFOLs could build with, panels, connectors and lift arms in any colour. 

[agrof]

13 hours ago, PKW said:

JOINTS

all technic moccers knows that lego u-joints are fragile and sometimes difficult to use, are you planning something more robust or with more degrees of freedom? will see a new wheel hub with those or the actual form will be leading production for years?

I second this, there is a huge need for really robust u-joints, especially for crawler-steerings, cardans, but actually in general. Are the u-joints on purpose weaker, as "predetermined breaking points" in the drivetrain to protect other - more expensive - parts?

Also, related to the questions from others: is there a study or estimation what is the share of the market (Technic only here) in terms of: children, teenagers, adults/AFOLs? This might answer some above written ones.

Edited May 9, 2017 by agrof

[AOW]

agrof, that is true - it would be nice to have a new version of hubs that were in 8880 - specially their size compare with the existing ones...

[allanp]

On 5/8/2017 at 2:10 PM, Jim said:

Status update. I have received the answers to the questions we posed last year. I will post them in a separate topic.

Before the 15th of May I need to come up with some new and interesting questions. I will try to make an inventory of all the questions posed in this topic to see if I can use some of them.

Any new questions are more than welcome of course.

So will the answers you've already received be posted before the 15th? Might be useful for thinking of more questions or follow up questions for the 15th.

[Jim]

Ahh yes, I can do that. Tomorrow!

[allanp]

Awesome 

[MangaNOID]

On 5/9/2017 at 0:46 AM, technic_addict said:

My only question is why they don't make the Technic axle pin in other colours than blue?  Everyone has been clamoring for black for years now.

Ill second this one. i know they are made in black already, but at about $1+ each on bricklink for seconds, no one can afford them.