Historic Themes and Orient Expedition

[Hobbes]

Anybody remembers/knows this series?

(Thumb clickable)

It's an animated series that tells the story of the evolution of humans, from ancient neanderthals up to today (well, the 1970s). I found it very entertaining back when it aired. It featured the same main characters (pictured) throughout the entire series and just puts them in different eras (26 episodes covering an era each). The bearded guy was the narrator.

Wouldn't that be a nice theme? Every year a different era, and those eras which you could get more out of stay for two years. The figures don't have to be the same, though (although that bearded guy sure would break records on ebay and BL as a MF).

That'd be a theme that'd stick around for a good 20+ years - and I'd buy every set of it ;-)

[xwingyoda]

Exactly Hobbes, that series was truly fantastic !!

Lets not forget it was actually 3 different series with the same characters whose goal was education ;-)

They were

"Once upon a time...Space"

"Once upon a time...Life"

"Once upon a time...History"

The Life one was about the inside of a human body, and Space was amazing 8-

[Hobbes]

Exactly Hobbes, that series was truly fantastic !!

Lets not forget it was actually 3 different series with the same characters whose goal was education ;-)

They were

"Once upon a time...Space"

"Once upon a time...Life"

"Once upon a time...History"

Ah, I know "Space" but somehow haven't seen "History". Can't remember it airing here...

Hey Hobbes, that makes us old X-D :-P

Pfff... tell me about it...

[xwingyoda]

Hobbes; my apologies on the name History :-$ Since its related history I thought the name wath that but I was wrong !! the real name is "Once upon a time...Man"

Here are a pic from every one of them hehe ;-)

Here is Space:

Life:

Man:

Ahh sweet off topic nostalgia *wub*

*yoda*

[Hobbes]

Nice :-)

Then I saw "Man" and "Space", although not everything from "Space". "Life", I think, was never aired here...

[blueandwhite]

As an adult, I would love a theme that was attentive to history. Unfortunately, such a line would never happen. It would;

a) have to be huge, as each time period would require 2-3 sets to convey a sense of what that period was about,

b) require a great number of unique bricks/elements to be produced (ie authentic Viking helmets, Basinets, Sallets and so forth) to properly depict the period in question,

c) need to be sold through classrooms like Dacta, as most kids would probably pass this line up for Star Wars, and

d) probably cost LEGO a fortune.

Still, I do think that LEGO and history are a great combination. I would love to see a series of textbooks for children featuring various historical pieces constructed out of LEGO. Imagine a text on Knights, featuring LEGO models constructed by various master-builders. Detailed castles, cathedrals, and pyramids. From the Egyptians to Feudal Japan, a line of books that teaches kids history with LEGO. Various scenes (ie constructing a pyramid) could be reproduced with LEGO minifigs, while other areas could be covered with more detailed models.

Such books would provide a great source of inspiration for children to a) learn, and b) love the brick! (Of course, I'm still waiting for a new, bonnafide Idea Book).

Later.

[snefroe]

As an adult, I would love a theme that was attentive to history. Unfortunately, such a line would never happen. It would;

a) have to be huge, as each time period would require 2-3 sets to convey a sense of what that period was about,

b) require a great number of unique bricks/elements to be produced (ie authentic Viking helmets, Basinets, Sallets and so forth) to properly depict the period in question,

c) need to be sold through classrooms like Dacta, as most kids would probably pass this line up for Star Wars, and

d) probably cost LEGO a fortune.

Still, I do think that LEGO and history are a great combination. I would love to see a series of textbooks for children featuring various historical pieces constructed out of LEGO. Imagine a text on Knights, featuring LEGO models constructed by various master-builders. Detailed castles, cathedrals, and pyramids. From the Egyptians to Feudal Japan, a line of books that teaches kids history with LEGO. Various scenes (ie constructing a pyramid) could be reproduced with LEGO minifigs, while other areas could be covered with more detailed models.

Such books would provide a great source of inspiration for children to a) learn, and b) love the brick! (Of course, I'm still waiting for a new, bonnafide Idea Book).

Later.

hehe playmo did a book on that...

[Brick Miner]

Lego NEVER seemed to be interested in education in the past, the pirates weren't especially educational or accurate.

even though LEGO uses sterotypes in telling their historic stories, i still think that adds an eductional aspect to their toys. kids get inspired by things they like (are entertained by), and thus peaking their curiosity about the subject. i remember being a kid and becoming curious about pirates after builing the shipwreck island !!!

those curiosities have stuck with me until today... consiquently because of LEGO i have now done extensive research reguarding pirates, wild west, south pacific islanders, and others... i never would have gone to the library for such topics with out this wonder toy !!!

teaching kids about history themes is important, even though the postive effects maybe in the far future, they are long lasting.

- brick miner

[Merkel]

Lego has always played on archetypes and rightly so, and this is specially evident in the Castle and Pirates sets. And although they may not be the most historically correct, they connect imediately with everyone from around the world, because most of the world's myths are cut out of the same cloth. So it's nice to have clear definitions of vilains and heroes.

Not to state the obvious, but I have little doubt the Pirate line would be selling like hot cakes in 2006, with the release of the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie. This sort of theme never wears out: they are so entrenched in our popular culture. Castle MOC's still are of the most popular thematics in building.

Lego has to take a romantic aproach to history, it favors everyone. The day we start loosing all those wonderful archetypes about some historic periods will be a very sad one indeed.

That being said, I have little doubt that a Roman set could be very sucessful.

[xwingyoda]

Lego has always played on archetypes and rightly so, and this is specially evident in the Castle and Pirates sets.

Of course they did and they were right to do so since Lego is a toy intended for kids !! Kids do expect eye patches, peg legs, ghosts, skellies, horned helmets and what have you !!

Those adds on are just the stereotypes/general beliefs that do not affect history as a whole !!

However, I am aggravated when playability ruins history (bloody catapults on a viking long boat...) !! That is wrong because it teaches historical wong facts about a period !! Shame on that !!

Lego has to take a romantic aproach to history, it favors everyone.

I really like the way you call it, strait on point and quite poetic ;-)

The day we start loosing all those wonderful archetypes about some historic periods will be a very sad one indeed.

I doubt they will ever renounce to that for all the reasons put forward previously !! TLC need those archetypes that are so popular among kids and AFOLs !! So that sad day will never gloom on the Lego horizon ;-)

*yoda*

[snefroe]

The day we start loosing all those wonderful archetypes about some historic periods will be a very sad one indeed.

I doubt they will ever renounce to that for all the reasons put forward previously !! TLC need those archetypes that are so popular among kids and AFOLs !! So that sad day will never gloom on the Lego horizon ;-)

*yoda*

well they did do just that. take Castle: Robin hood: gone; the poor peasant: gone; the witch: gone; the wizard: gone; the classic knight with his shield-bearer: gone; the princess: gone

[xwingyoda]

well they did do just that. take Castle: Robin hood: gone; the poor peasant: gone; the witch: gone; the wizard: gone; the classic knight with his shield-bearer: gone; the princess: gone

Technically they didn't !!

All what you are reffering to are just themes abandoned by TLC, but that doesn't mean TLC stopped those common beliefs/stereotypes in themes !!

Mistland tower still have a "blacksmith" (thats what TLC refers him to) but that looks like a wizard !! Also they still have those skellies and ghosts !!

And I'm not even talking about the vkiking line with its creatures and horned helmets (if those are not stereotypes, I wonder what is !!)

So its safe to assume that novelty theme in '07 will carry some stereotypes because they do appeal to kids and therefore sell well ;-)

*yoda*

[WesternOutlaw]

Everything returns. You'll see them again one day; it's just a matter of when.

[Starwars4J]

Everything returns. You'll see them again one day; it's just a matter of when.

Not if Lego goes belly-up before they get a chance to </pessimism>

[Mörs]

Ooh, so they're making the Batmans and the Star Wars for money... how surprising...

Am I the only one who's tired of all the licensed themes?

2) a lego rep in belgium said about a year ago that new "adventures" was out of the question. it's too exotic, too far off ... forget adventures, it won't come back...

TOO EXOTIC?! Since when is that even undesirable?! And doesn't stuff like Batman or Indiana Jones, or -- even better -- Prince of Persia totally fit under that label?

TLG... snap out of it!!