Lego is first and foremost a kids toy, and kids mostly play with the sets either by building or using the sets to act out scenarios and make up stories.

But how about AFOLs?

Personally, I mainly build the sets and modify them to my liking. The goal is to leave the set largely as-is, but to fix/upgrade/add features unobtrusively. This isn't something prominent in the on-line Lego community, but I think that might be because MOCs and reviews are more likely to attract an audience (MOCs are more creative, and reviews are more helpful).

Then I display the sets in the study/computer room. Sometimes I'll try my hand at a MOC. Usually to have it dismantles later, but there are a few MOCs that survived and made it to the display (mainly things that play into official themes/sets I have). Once in a while I'll set up a scene and make up a short story about it in my head.

 

I'd like to have a poll on the subject, but am pretty sure I didn't post enough messages to have that option.

Would it be too much trouble to ask for a poll to be added? With the options:

• I mainly build sets, then store/sell them.
• I mainly build sets for display.
• I mainly build MOCs.
• I mainly build and modify sets.
• I mainly arrange scenes.
• I mainly build sets/MOCs to play with (maybe in a D&D environment or similar).

9 minutes ago, John Carter said:

Personally, I mainly build the sets and modify them to my liking. The goal is to leave the set largely as-is, but to fix/upgrade/add features unobtrusively. This isn't something prominent in the on-line Lego community, but I think that might be because MOCs and reviews are more likely to attract an audience (MOCs are more creative, and reviews are more helpful).

 

It is a fairly common thing to do, known as a MOD.

the last option: "I mainly build sets/MOCs to play with (maybe in a D&D environment or similar)."

I'm mostly a MOC builder / MOD sets (I haven't left a set as a stock model for over a decade or longer!) and also make up stories / histories for my models.

MOCs and MODs for me. My best example is the 75955 Hogwarts Express. The platform morphed and became a large railway station in the fashion of the real Kings Cross. The locomotive was rebuilt to have a M motor in the boiler and run on R40 curves. The carriage was lengthened. The set still looks similar, but is vastly expanded upon.

Another option is buying sets for the parts. Sometimes, when sets go on clearance, I scoop them up for parts that I will use in my MOCs.

3 hours ago, MAB said:

It is a fairly common thing to do, known as a MOD.

Had a feeling, but it's less discussed than MOCs or reviews.

2 hours ago, Murdoch17 said:

I'm mostly a MOC builder / MOD sets

1 hour ago, Feuer Zug said:

MOCs and MODs for me.

I find it interesting you both put MODs and MOCs in the same category. For me, they are two different things - a MOD is like a renovation, while a MOC is making a new building. The former is a standard thing when moving (getting a new set) or once in a while, and the latter is more complicated and less common.

2 hours ago, Murdoch17 said:

and also make up stories / histories for my models.

Yeah, I also do that. The "LEGO Space: 1978 - 1992" book covers the space sets from those years, and adds a small story/vignette to each set. Oh that reminds me - it also said that one of the creators of the classic Space theme also use to invent stories around the sets he created.

2 hours ago, Feuer Zug said:

My best example is the 75955 Hogwarts Express. The platform morphed and became a large railway station in the fashion of the real Kings Cross. The locomotive was rebuilt to have a M motor in the boiler and run on R40 curves. The carriage was lengthened. The set still looks similar, but is vastly expanded upon.

Nice. It actually sounds more appealing to me than the collector's edition Hogwarts Express.

I build MOCs and play the Pirate and Star Wars RPGs here in the forum. At the moment all the MOCs i build are for these two games because i have no time to build something else

When i buy a set, it's mostly for the parts and minifigs and more than half of the sets i buy i never build. But if it's an interesting set and build process i enjoy it very much!

I'm mostly aiming at building scale models of either cars (about 1:12 give or take, the scale of the Icons DeLorean and ECTO-1) or space theme creations in the style of the late 1980s up to early 1990s.
In case of scale models, I would MOD them to work out some details better and get rid of visible off-color parts. I simply lack the time and amount of parts at this time to make good MOCs fitting here but it's sure on my list of things to be doing.
In case of space, I enjoy making small MOCs too. I have limited sets of almost all various space themes from Classic up to M-Tron, but in all honesty I would love to make them all in the same theme or in 2 opposing themes, matching styles. So far harder than it sounds without seriously altering set designs. Mostly canopies, windscreens and other colored windows in very specific colors have proven to be problematic to get all in matching colors.

My main reason for the brick hobby is testing out ideas of physical principles within the limitations of the brick-(technic-)system. "Can X be accomplished in the small scale"

I mainly build MOCs for my LUG's events and shows.

I mainly build sets and MOCs that I like to display either alone or part of larger dioramas that create. I like to look at my collection and open hatches and canopies of spaceships or other sets and move minifigures and vehicles around. I also like to take pictures of sets and minifigures both indoors and outdoors. And of course I like to operate all of my trains and build new track layouts. If there's little to do at work I like to plan for future MOCs and dioramas either on paper or using the computer.

I have added a poll for you. 

Currently, I am mainly holding it in storage. Situations mean I have not got a great access/space to build and my collection is 10 years from its last good sort out... I MOC, the whole plan is parts to MOC with and MOCs I want to build. I purchase new sets to have parts and colours to use in MOCs. 

Then I look at my to build pile and the boxes of to-sort and wonder if I can take a sabbatical from work...

The poll seems to be missing an option:

15 hours ago, aFrInaTi0n said:

My main reason for the brick hobby is testing out ideas of physical principles within the limitations of the brick-(technic-)system. "Can X be accomplished in the small scale"

I'm not much into technic, but some old Lego sets used mostly regular System parts to create technic-like functionality.

6895 Spy-Trak I was able to turn via a seesaw-like hand-of-god steering, where angling the seesaw to the right made the vehicle turn right and vice versa. It's a bit bulky, but very impressive considering the constraints.

3 hours ago, Peppermint_M said:

I have added a poll for you. 

Thanks!

3 hours ago, Peppermint_M said:

 Currently, I am mainly holding it in storage. Situations mean I have not got a great access/space to build and my collection is 10 years from its last good sort out... I MOC, the whole plan is parts to MOC with and MOCs I want to build. I purchase new sets to have parts and colours to use in MOCs. 

Yeah, that's part of why I don't have a bigger collection - I buy sets to build and display, and as I'm left with smaller and smaller display space, it seems pointless.

Since I dismantle most MOCs, I don't need to have that many spare parts. When I want something, I'll usually order a few parts from bricklink.

1 hour ago, Lego Tom said:

The poll seems to be missing an option:

Alright, pack it up boys and girls, we're done here!

Also, wow, the compatibility of the simple Lego brick never ceases to amaze me.

1 hour ago, Lego Tom said:

The poll seems to be missing an option:

Please don't show the autorities - otherwise venting holes also need to go in regular systembricks, not only in mini-figs heads.. :o

Mostly build and display. I've never been very good at MOCs but I find building sets from instructions very relaxing. Sometimes I'll take it apart just to put it back together again.

Sometimes I'll modify existing sets but I don't have enough to always do it the way I'd like.

I would say I build for display but do modify sets. There used to be a channel called BrickBrosUK which did some really cool alternate builds to sets but they haven’t uploaded for a while now.

Either built once and then gets put in a bag and stored in the loft waiting for the day that I get room/time to look at it again.

 

Or built once and then gets stolen by the kids only to then disappear into the mighty box of unsorted Lego.