are we falling into a dark age again?

[ApophisV]

Right now i feel its hard to be negativ, ofcause there is bad sets, but lately Lego have done many great sets, so now i think if one go to Dark Age... Then its a personal reson... or.... one cant afford..

Sure we got great sets, but I really can't connect this nice LEGO feeling I had in my youth to most of them anymore.

And this is a point where I think TLC did the mistake and not me. They stopped making fastidious toys with lots of educative worth and instead they produce the same heartless stuff like most of the other money-focussed brands do. And that's a shame IMO.

Sure, the construction quality of the sets has increased the last one or two years, but in exchange they lost a lot of soul and character by focussing on creating "cool" and violent sets instead of solid classic sets.

LEGO doesn't feel the same as it did some time ago.

Now where I think about it I realize that I had exactly the same feeling the year before my last dark ages. 8-|

[Kikuichimonji]

Well, the last set I bought was the Slave 1, I think. That was somewhere in April. Normally I'd be buying small sets for parts multiple times a month, but I haven't gotten to it lately. I wouldn't call this a Dark Age (I never had one anyway), because the reasons are rather obvious:

First, and most of all: money issues. I go to University which I partially need to pay myself. And trust me, it isn't cheap. Other then that, I've really gotten intro retro gaming since April and have basically been spend my money on that instead of spending it on lego.

Secondly, I'm running out of space. I still live with my parents and I have a 15 cubic meter room or something close to that.. I have to fit clothes, games (and consoles!), lego, a pc, books, a bed etc. in there. I now have one huge closet for my lego, but it's getting fuller and fuller.

Third point: the main reason I never had a dark age was Star Wars. TLC really lets me down with my favorite license by making it more and more expensive yearly...while we get redesigns and stuff like that. I've really become a MOCer instead of a collector because of that. Nothing wrong with that, but the dissapointment won't make me buy more sets from other themes either.

However...there is hope. I've earned a lot this holiday and it'll be more then enough to cover for a Wii plus some games (which was my 'goal'). I might just pick up some sets with what's left. Plus, TLC has made a very good move with the new Star Wars sets. I've really picked up interest again and can't wait for pictures.

Basically, there won't be any dark ages for me. As long as I have my bricks and I can make MOCs, I'll be fine :-)

[UltraPrime]

I've only really been buying Lego for past 18 months or so. I don't know if before that was a 'dark age' or not, as I hadn't had any Lego sets for about 25 years. I seem to be buying alot more this year, with Exo-Force, Batman and Star Wars. I'm aiming to getmyself a nice looking town layout, but that is a long-term goal. As far as I can see, I'll be buying Lego for a long time yet...

[xwingyoda]

So for now, dark ages are two words that are not in my vocabulary ;-)

Positive On !!

*yoda*

Are you now.... (with trembling voice).... on the bright side of The Force, Yoda? :-D

Oh yes definitly ;-) and also on the bright side of the Shwartz ( :-D )

Actually I think that you guys have a too broad definition of dark ages which leads to some weird answers ;-) I view dark ages like the point in your life where you don't care at all for Lego: you are NOT looking at sets, buying, MOCing... Everything remotly attached to Lego is GONE from your life. A total disinterest !!

So if you are not bying sets for 6 months, but still post or lurk on EB and other Lego related forums, thats absolutly NOT a dark age but, its just that your interest is not as strong as before ;-) And that is different IMO.

*yoda*

[prateek]

star wars and exo force will keep me past 2007. :-P a couple of city sets for my boy...some castles too if they are cheap. i like vikings, but probably during a sale (looking forward to black friday!)...and that's about it. i never buy at retail...so, doesn't really matter to me.

same here

[JINZONINGEN73]

I don't understand the argument that a more violent approach has lead to a dark age, in any respect.

It gets more people interested in Lego, and you can turn Lego sets into anything.

A few of those "violent" (lol) Exo-Force & Star Wars sets could be turned into a nice town cottage. :-D

To say Lego's fallen into a dark age, you can't base it on "kiddy" or "adult" themes, violence, or anything else.

What matters ONLY is:

--what can I do with the parts in this set?

--are there enough (good) parts in this set for the price?

Nothing else really matters.

I don't understand how "old-time" Lego guys are dismayed at the loss of classic Lego while Lego still makes those big, inexpensive brick buckets.

Aside from classic space guys, classic spaceship windshields and house windows, what's not there anymore?

And that's a serious question. I actually don't know what people mean by "returning to classic Lego".

Classic Lego to me is those maxifigures with bricks for legs and arms that droop.

Minifigs were these "newer" guys just BEGGING to be accessorized from day one, and Lego's accomodated that nicely.

[gylman]

I understood this discussion to have more to do with how we change, and our interest in Lego evolves. We've kind of gotten off this, and turn it into yet another thread about how Lego has changed.

Whatever.

But, personally, I htink that The Lego Company has done great things for The Greatest Toy Ever Made by Man in the last few years. Lego itself is not going into a dark age as far as I can tell. 2006 was not as great as 2005, but the direction is much stronger now than 5 years ago.

[Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn]

Or you could have my problem: Trying to get out of a dark age, having extremely rusty skills, not having any money (yet) to contribute to Lego Pirate since I am still finishing off my Bionicle collection, and not really having the time to do any in-depth building anyhow, yet still being determined to do it all anyway >:-)

[Brick Miner]

I understood this discussion to have more to do with how we change, and our interest in Lego evolves. We've kind of gotten off this, and turn it into yet another thread about how Lego has changed.

Whatever.

:-D i was going to post the exact same thing as i was reading this thread !!! a "dark ages" as we AFOL refer to it, is a personal thing. has much more to do with how much enjoyment we get out of the hobby... if we are no longer getting enjoyment, then we lose interest.

it also has nothing to do with how much we spend on LEGOs in a week, month or even a year... as our economic status actually has nothing to do with how much we LOVE LEGOs !!!

actually, sometimes with a limited budget we love our hobby more, as it gives us things like "wish lists" and "holy grail" MISB sets to aquire *y* X-D ;-)

--------------------------------------------------

as to the topic, i personally am not in a dark age, and am producing some of my most appriciated MOCs in my life... very satisfied. and the newest set i own is from 1999 !!! so it has nothing to do with TLG's "dark age." even if TLG was out of business i would still enjoy the pieces i have.

- Brick Miner

[Jipay]

My Lego hobby has not a good effect on girls. Each who has experienced that I play/build with lego had laugh and say: "bye you child" or so similar! I don't no why it have so a effect or that I have alone this problems.

Now I must decide me for lego or anytime a girlfriend.

Trust me, that will change with time. I assume by the vocab you

[Hobbes]

My Lego hobby has not a good effect on girls. Each who has experienced that I play/build with lego had laugh and say: "bye you child" or so similar! I don't no why it have so a effect or that I have alone this problems.

As jipay mentioned that'll change. Here's a perfect example ;-)

[KimT]

The amount of money I spend on LEGO has seriously dropped the past year. The reason is very simple:

I owe around a million Danish Crownes (roughly 125000 Euros) to the bank for the appartment I live in with my girlfriend. So a lot of my monthly income goes to the bank |-/

Also I don't have much space for my LEGO = not much room to MOC. But I try the best I can.

The past 6-7 years I've been expanding my collecton hard, so now I have "enough" bricks to MOC, therefore I don't feel the need to buy every good deal that comes around.

But I don't think I'm stepping into a dark age, it's just a new level of my hobby. Now the shopping is directed against a few themes and specific bricks for MOCs.

Though I'm pretty sure it'll all change around February. And Morten is always there to feed my addiction and making me buy new sets and so on. *y*

KimT

[Hobbes]

I owe around a million Danish Crownes (roughly 125000 Euros) to the bank for the appartment I live in with my girlfriend. So a lot of my monthly income goes to the bank |-/

Also I don't have much space for my LEGO = not much room to MOC.

You buy an apartment and don't consider your own LEGO room? 8-

[Jipay]

I was about to make the same comment lol. I'll never buy an appartment that doesn't feature some sort of basement for my hobby X-D

[gylman]

They

[Robiwan]

I assume by the vocab you

[Hobbes]

Back to the topic:

I'm one of the lucky guys who have his own lego room. In the last time I go into and look of my little city layout, but I have no pleasure to build any thing. And I have no more ideas for MOC's. Maybe I fall back into the dark age despite my big set wish list!

When you do, you can leave me your collection for safe guard in case you'll come out of your dark ages some time ;-)

[SuvieD]

If the chick disses LEGO tell her to leave. She is not worth your time. If you have a positive and creative hobby that is good for you and hurts no one and a girl can't support that she is not worth your time. The best thing you can do is try to find a girl who at least likes you for who you are and will support you regardless of your hobby. Don't settle for second rate girls who don't really care about you.

Of course remember balance is the key. There is a ditch on both sides of a road, stay out of them. If LEGO is your number one priority you may need to change yourself.

Wow this topic is really moving along into so many areas. If you find yourself in a dark age just bring along some ghost shrouds to light your way to a new lightbulb.

[ApophisV]

I assume by the vocab you

[Hobbes]

What else would be the word for the girl/woman you have a relation with if you haven't married here? :-P

Significant other, or LAP in German ;-)

[natelite]

i think age is not a factor. there are women who will shun lego even at 28-30. i think apart from age we can classify them in different categories.

there's the classy female beoyatch who is into overpriced rubbish, gucci and other branded stuff. to her, you are either sugar daddy or an accessory depending on how rich she is. if you are ever caught with lego, say bye bye.

then there's the strict disciplinarian type who will insist on replacing your mother in the role of the alpha female. you will have to get her permission even to pee. don't even think about buying a lego egg timer without her written approval letter. if you thrive in a sado-maso environment, then she is just right for you.

there's also the clueless, pink loving, poodle hugging malibu barbie. to her, she doesn't know the difference between lego and playdo. so doesn't matter what you do she wouldn't mind as long as you gave her enough to spend on weekly spa trip and manicure/pedicure. be prepared to spend a lot of money to keep her happy and occupied if you want to play lego.

then there's the girl next door types who love seeing a grown man play lego with kids and take an interest or build a hobby with the kids. she may even join in the fun or make sandwiches or do the housework while you "spend time with the kids" (yeah right...)... if you enjoy playing lego with kids and well into your 40s, then find this kind!!!

is my analysis accurate? :-D

[Hobbes]

is my analysis accurate? :-D

Pretty much right on, I'd say...

[snefroe]

nono i'm not talking about Dark Age per definition, but more the feeling that you've lost that fanatical touch to it. it's like 'ok guys, if anything new gets released, i'll hear about it later on, when it suits me best' Last year i would search lots of websites, looking for just bits and pieces, any type of news was good, whenever i went to city, I would automatically go to all shops to see if they had anything new, this year, when i go to the city, I find that I don't even feel like visiting these shops... I still buy lego there, but the actuall urge is gone... If i don't buy it today, then perhaps tomorrow...

Compare it bit with getting a brand new car you bought: at first, you want every one to see it, you wanna drive it, you wanna clean it every 5 minutes... but at one point... it becomes a car, nothing more, something you still like, you stil wann drive, but not ... you know what I mean.

So no, it doesn't have to do with a budget, or building Mocs, not your personal life that changes, it's something else...

[natelite]

nono i'm not talking about Dark Age per definition, but more the feeling that you've lost that fanatical touch to it. it's like 'ok guys, if anything new gets released, i'll hear about it later on, when it suits me best' Last year i would search lots of websites, looking for just bits and pieces, any type of news was good, whenever i went to city, I would automatically go to all shops to see if they had anything new, this year, when i go to the city, I find that I don't even feel like visiting these shops... I still buy lego there, but the actuall urge is gone... If i don't buy it today, then perhaps tomorrow...

Compare it bit with getting a brand new car you bought: at first, you want every one to see it, you wanna drive it, you wanna clean it every 5 minutes... but at one point... it becomes a car, nothing more, something you still like, you stil wann drive, but not ... you know what I mean.

So no, it doesn't have to do with a budget, or building Mocs, not your personal life that changes, it's something else...

it's normal for someone who came back from the "dark ages". your first year you are trying to catch up on however many years you have not kept in the loop. so naturally any information is welcome and actually fuels your desire further. once you catched up with all there is to know you will start to slow down. if you confuse this slow down with loss of desire, then another dark age will develop. i think people need to understand that growth can't perpetuate forever. it's nice to always be stuck in a 20%-30% high growth phase but it is not possible. if you are bored, do something else for 6 months and when you come back in 6 months there will be a ton of information which you need to catch up on...providing you a heady rush which you so desired.

[snefroe]

nono i'm not talking about Dark Age per definition, but more the feeling that you've lost that fanatical touch to it. it's like 'ok guys, if anything new gets released, i'll hear about it later on, when it suits me best' Last year i would search lots of websites, looking for just bits and pieces, any type of news was good, whenever i went to city, I would automatically go to all shops to see if they had anything new, this year, when i go to the city, I find that I don't even feel like visiting these shops... I still buy lego there, but the actuall urge is gone... If i don't buy it today, then perhaps tomorrow...

Compare it bit with getting a brand new car you bought: at first, you want every one to see it, you wanna drive it, you wanna clean it every 5 minutes... but at one point... it becomes a car, nothing more, something you still like, you stil wann drive, but not ... you know what I mean.

So no, it doesn't have to do with a budget, or building Mocs, not your personal life that changes, it's something else...

it's normal for someone who came back from the "dark ages". your first year you are trying to catch up on however many years you have not kept in the loop. so naturally any information is welcome and actually fuels your desire further. once you catched up with all there is to know you will start to slow down. if you confuse this slow down with loss of desire, then another dark age will develop. i think people need to understand that growth can't perpetuate forever. it's nice to always be stuck in a 20%-30% high growth phase but it is not possible. if you are bored, do something else for 6 months and when you come back in 6 months there will be a ton of information which you need to catch up on...providing you a heady rush which you so desired.

no i don't think it's that either... I mean, am I satisfied with all the sets I got? Am I less hungry compared to last year? I don't think so, the adrenaline, so to speak, is gone. You don't want to buy everything the moment it gets released...