I don't really see what everybody is moaning about. Who cares how many steps the instruction have and whether more used to happen per step in the nineties or eighties? I think it is a non-issue. The reasons why they've been made longer seem obvious to me, and have been mentioned by a few posters: it's to make building the models easier. Most of us hard-core LEGO lovers might not need all those steps, but younger children who build the sets possibly do. LEGO are playing it safe. They don't want children to stop building with LEGO because the instructions are too hard, so they make them simpler. Children and AFOLs for whom the instructions may be a bit too simple can simply browse ahead and skip steps.

It's not really moaning, just an observation on how TLG's approach to these things has changed. If I wanted to moan, there are many other Lego related things more worth moaning about.

Also, what I was saying earlier is that shortening steps does not necessarily make them easier beyond a point. This especially applies to Technic models where you need to keep track of how well the geartrains and other functions are operating during construction of the model. The tiny steps often make it harder to get a sense of what exactly you're building or how it's supposed to work until you're halfway done with the model.

Edited June 13, 200816 yr by CP5670

It's not really moaning, just an observation on how TLG's approach to these things has changed. If I wanted to moan, there are many other Lego related things more worth moaning about.

Also, what I was saying earlier is that shortening steps does not necessarily make them easier beyond a point. This especially applies to Technic models where you need to keep track of how well the geartrains and other functions are operating during construction of the model. The tiny steps often make it harder to get a sense of what exactly you're building or how it's supposed to work until you're halfway done with the model.

In fairness, you weren't moaning. I see your point, but not being a technic builder I don't have that same experience. I haven't built a technic set in at least 15 years. I think for most people it really doesn't matter all that much whether they actually know what they're building, knowing that as long as they doggedly follow the steps, it will work eventually.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I suspect that with the studless building, the construction of technic sets has become more complicated.

Cheers,

Ralph