LEGO Design By Me

[Mr. Lego-builder]

(First of all, I do apologize if this is old news or "confidential" news.)

While looking over the new additions to Brickshelf this morning, I came across this interesting piece of news:

Instead of trying to recall and restate everything I remember from the text file; to simplify everything, here is the text file, verbatim, that was included in the folder:

LEGO® Factory to become LEGO Design byME:

The LEGO Group to launch LEGO® Design byME greatly enhancing the LEGO Factory customization service. (BILLUND, DENMARK, AUGUST 31, 2009) On October 1, LEGO Factory will become LEGO Design byME when the all new LEGO Design byME site goes live, and the enhanced LEGO Digital Designer (LDD) 3.0 freeware is also released. LEGO Design byME introduces superior building, a new custom designed quality box plus aprinted building guide for a premium building experience.

The LEGO Factory customization platform will be upgraded through the following key changes:

-Customizable box design in poster quality: a high quality sleeve that fits around the core box, and enables users to design the front and back, including name and rendered photo of the model, and the “Design by [FIRST NAME]” opportunity. (Below photos are illustrative of what can be designed. Fonts and backgrounds may vary) High quality, printed building guide inserted in the box for a fully professional building experience; as opposed to building from LDD online or downloading/ printing PDF as is currently required.

-50% more bricks; from 950 to 1481 different LEGO elements (introduced in April 09)

-New, enhanced LDD 3.0 software (see box below).

-New name, logo and playful and friendly tone of voice.

A $10 service fee will be added to orders to offset costs of the box and building instructions. The LEGO Design byME customization service can be experienced as of October 1 at http://www.Designbyme.LEGO.com The Design byME team will also take part in BrickCon 09 fromOctober 1-4. Here, the team will give service demonstrations and answer questions about the new service.

Background:

LEGO Design byME builds on the LEGO Factory customization platform officially introduced in 2005. Starting out as an experiment based on limited experience within the field, LEGO Factory has gradually changed and expanded based on valuable input from LEGO ambassadors, fans and other users. Today, the LEGO Group has a production setup for handling personalized orders in Poland, where each brick is handpicked. This uniquely packaged order will then be received by the customer within 21 days, which is in full compliance with global standards for customized offers.

LDD 3.0 – New features:

Online Panel

Integrated buying experience

Tutorials and hints

Improved User Interface

Docked palettes

Panel structure

In-context camera control

Scalable icons

Building Guide Mode

Completely redesigned user interface

Simple and more intuitive control

Sub-assembly overview

Template Tool

Makes it fast and easy to group and organize your creations

Buyability Tool

Helps you choose the right bricks when you are optimizing the model for purchase

Updated Hinge Tool

Enhanced brick rotation control

Hide Tool

Lets you hide bricks in order to improve your focus on building

Improved Performance

Supports bigger models

Sounds like an interesting change of direction for TLG, I must say. Surely, the printed instructions is a nice touch. The new website design also looks promising, but it looks like there won't be any new bricks added to the selection even though the LDD software will be updated...

Here's the folder (with pictures) of the new design/s for you to look over: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=399464

[Forresto]

I think your the first to post this. I don't know what to think of this. I mean if it's better then factory I guess it's a good thing, right?

[pesgores]

They should keep it like it is now and never update it again, if they had they prices much lower.

[cagri]

I posted this on Brickshelf :) It's not confidential, it will be available for the public to try on october first. This is the press release information, us ambassadors were told to spread the news. I didn't post it here cause I thoguht it would appropriate to wait for the Eurobricks ambassador to tell you. But you already found out :) You may see some images too, check my Brickshelf folder:

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=399464

[Mr. Lego-builder]

And so I guess my prediction was correct...

After posting, I looked around your folder a bit more and I saw the LEGO Ambassador avatar that looked all too familiar. Then, I saw that some of the pictures for the set reviews seemed so familiar....

Of course, this folder's owner must be one of Eurobrick's LEGO Ambassadors!!

I felt a bit foolish about jumping the gun so soon, but thanks for assuring me I didn't steal too much of your spotlight.

But since we are all here, let's get back on this topic.

There is not much more I can say or inquire about this service (since the text file provided such detailed information), other than the fact that I am glad that LEGO Factory is evolving. I mean, who wouldn't be excited to see their own designs come complete with the box, printed instructions, and all the pieces required to bring that dream to life? It's what LEGO is all about!

[cagri]

:)

I added some more images, here are the deeplinks for all of them:

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego-ada...signByMe/00.jpg

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego-ada...signByMe/01.jpg

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego-ada...signByMe/02.jpg

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego-ada...signByMe/03.jpg

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego-ada...signByMe/04.jpg

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego-ada...signByMe/05.jpg

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego-ada...signByMe/06.jpg

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego-ada...ByMe/readme.txt

Note the 10 USD charge for box & instructions ..

[ILikePi]

Wow, those boxes look really nice!

But a price hike by $10 just for the box and instructions seems pretty expensive...

[prateek]

I'm excited for this. It seems interesting. I'm liking the updated hinge tool

[cagri]

LEGO Design By Me is now up and running! Download LDD v3, create your models and order them through their online store. You can have your creations shipepd to you in 21 countries. Go check it now :)

http://designbyme.lego.com/default.aspx

[GIR 3691]

Is it possible to get it without box or instructions? Seems a tad wasteful and expensive compared to their previous method. I'm perfectly happy with a PDF instruction and the model shipped in a plain cardboard box.

[cagri]

When you order, it is up to you to decide if you want to include a printed building guide with your set or not. You can always retrieve building guides for purchased models online by downloading, then opening your model in LDD.

I think it's the same with box. It should be up to you. I haven't used it so I don't really know. If you're obliged to order box/instructiosn and you're not comfortable with it, I can pass it to TLG reps.

[Corvus]

Wow, those boxes look really nice!

But a price hike by $10 just for the box and instructions seems pretty expensive...

It's not just for the box. It's also for the work the employees do sorting and putting together your model. It's all done by hand.

They gave us a little video clip at Brickcon showing the process. It was pretty neat. I've never used LEGO Factory, so I have no idea how much better it'll be.

[Rick]

It's not just for the box. It's also for the work the employees do sorting and putting together your model. It's all done by hand.

There is no such markup for PaB, which has the same assortment of pieces, that I am aware of. I thought the cost of the manual labor was included in the price of each piece as these costs seem more variable than fixed.

[Marnix pilon]

There is no such markup for PaB, which has the same assortment of pieces, that I am aware of. I thought the cost of the manual labor was included in the price of each piece as these costs seem more variable than fixed.

Hi. I am working on a research project about Marketing. The subject is the Lego Factory, where people can develop there own models.

Could you please answer the following questions. The research is completely anonimous, so don't worry about that.

What do you think of Lego Digital Design, where you can create your own model?

What part do you like most on LDD.

What do you think of the ease of use of the LDD?

Have you ever bought a product that you designed yourself or designed by someone else?

Does it take much time to create a model?

Thank you.

Edited October 13, 2009 by Marnix pilon

[The Green Brick Giant]

I swear LEGO is trying to destroy this whole thing. First the 1000% price increase back in March / April that wasn't a mistake and now $10 for a box? Why don't they make the pieces more in "Design by Me" like they did with Factory?

[Corvus]

Hey. Ik ben bezig met een onderzoek over Marketing. Met als onderwerp de Lego Factory, waar mensen hun eigen model kunnen ontwerpen.

Nou heb ik een paar antwoorden nodig op de volgende vragen. Het onderzoek is geheel anoniem, dus maak je geen zorgen.

Wat vindt u van het idee van Lego Digital Designer, dat je zelf je eigen model kunt ontwerpen?

Wat vindt u het leukste aan de LDD?

Wat vindt u van het gebruik van de LDD? (handig of juist niet)

Hebt u ooit een zelf ontworpen product gekocht of een product dat door een ander is ontworpen?

Kost het veel tijd om een ontwerp te maken?

Alvast bedankt.

Uh oh. Hope you don't mind if I feed it through a translator? This'll make it easier for those of us who don't speak Dutch.

Hey. I am busy with a research concerning marketing. With as subject the Lego Factory, where people can devise their own model. Nou I need a couple answers on the following questions. The research is entirely anonymous, thus you make no care. What finds you of the idea of Lego Digital stylist that you yourself can devise your own model? What finds you nicest to the LDD? What finds you of the use of the LDD? (skilfully or correctly not) You yourself product bought or a product has ever devised which has been devised by another one? Cost much time does it to make a design? In advance thanks.

[Marnix pilon]

Uh oh. Hope you don't mind if I feed it through a translator? This'll make it easier for those of us who don't speak Dutch.

Thats fine I already changed it myself in my post.

It is indeed easier, could you please respond. It don't have to be long answers. Just post what you think.

[Diamondback]

I'd be more likely to use LDD/Design by Me if it had access to the entire selection of parts in production (including the color palette), as opposed to "you get these ~1500 options and no more" myself. This is why all of my design work is done in MLCAD and none of it's been actually built...

Right now, though, it's just another unused program taking up hard-drive space for me. Just my two cents.

[prateek]

I just installed it and now I can't find my old files. Help?

Edit: Never mind

Edited October 14, 2009 by prateek

[mikey]

I'd be more likely to use LDD/Design by Me if it had access to the entire selection of parts in production (including the color palette), as opposed to "you get these ~1500 options and no more" myself.

...

I would second this. It has a very limited part selection. I understand this is to make it a Viable Product for Lego to sell, but this is the exact reason that I stopped to use it once I had started to learn MLCAD.

As an AFOL, im not sure what use it is really, maybe for Kids it is good, but when I want to MOC i would maybe use MLCAD to plan the basics, my own collection to get the details right, then to source my parts use BrickLink (because of a full selection of parts, and cheaper prices!).

[Marnix pilon]

I would second this. It has a very limited part selection. I understand this is to make it a Viable Product for Lego to sell, but this is the exact reason that I stopped to use it once I had started to learn MLCAD.

As an AFOL, im not sure what use it is really, maybe for Kids it is good, but when I want to MOC i would maybe use MLCAD to plan the basics, my own collection to get the details right, then to source my parts use BrickLink (because of a full selection of parts, and cheaper prices!).

Thanks guys for the quick responses. Do you know where I can find a short tutorial/video on LDD or Design by me?

[Scorpion]

I'd be more likely to use LDD/Design by Me if it had access to the entire selection of parts in production (including the color palette), as opposed to "you get these ~1500 options and no more" myself.

THIS. A MILLION TIMES THIS.

[jonwil]

Did the parts selection change as a result of all this?

[The Green Brick Giant]

Did the parts selection change as a result of all this?

Nope.

[CP5670]

I would second this. It has a very limited part selection. I understand this is to make it a Viable Product for Lego to sell, but this is the exact reason that I stopped to use it once I had started to learn MLCAD.

As an AFOL, im not sure what use it is really, maybe for Kids it is good, but when I want to MOC i would maybe use MLCAD to plan the basics, my own collection to get the details right, then to source my parts use BrickLink (because of a full selection of parts, and cheaper prices!).

I never used this service for the same reasons. Most generic parts are cheaper on Bricklink, and LDD as a design tool is much less powerful than SR3D or MLCad. They need to expand their parts selection a lot more, to the point that they are adding value over Bricklink stores in some way.