Isn't this recent Mars Rover the best example. They did similar sets before, http://www.bricklink...S&catString=482 , but they (me aswell) don't really see the Curiousity rover as an athempt for a revival of the Discovery theme. It's just the way how yu sell your idea.

@ Blakstone and Faefrost, thanks for the nice compliments.

Edited December 20, 201311 yr by Bobskink

Isn't this recent Mars Rover the best example. They did similar sets before, http://www.bricklink...S&catString=482 , but they (me aswell) don't really see the Curiousity rover as an athempt for a revival of the Discovery theme. It's just the way how yu sell your idea.

@ Blakstone and Faefrost, thanks for the nice compliments.

Exactly. The Mars Rover wasn't proposed or sold as "bring back Lego real Space" or whatever they called the sub theme. It was a simple single subject project that arrived at its subject through a bit of a human interest story. The set designer was a NASA Engineer who worked on the rover and built the original Lego model to explain to friends and family what his work project was going to be.

The next CuuSoo set, the Exo Suit is similar. It isn't a call to bring back Classic Space (although its creator has sort of a whole newly published book encouraging that) or bring back ExoForce. It's just a nice set drawing inspiration and styling from the old themes.

Now that Apollo 11 set in the top 10 might run into a bit of trouble as it is close to a set they have made before?

Edited December 21, 201311 yr by Faefrost

(snip)

Now that Apollo 11 set in the top 10 might run into a bit of trouble as it is close to a set they have made before?

Yeah, that was my concern with it from the beginning. I actually have the original Discovery series lander in my desk and they're both sufficiently accurate models that, at first glance, you could mistake the Cuusoo project for a straight build of the official kit ( I don't mean to diminish the work of the designer, when two people are building models of the same real-life object at the same scale it's only natural to expect them to resemble each other.)

Perhaps they could modify the proposal to give the mission commander a golf club, custom print "Shepard" on his torso and call it Apollo 14 - It wasn't the first lunar landing, but it was the most accurate (according to mission plans) and included two of the longest golf drives ever performed by a human (thanks to the lower gravity, Alan Shepard beat the Earth based record of 515 yards by about 3000) yards. From everything I've read about the guy, something tells me he wouldn't have objected to being immortalized in Lego.

And my project has been deleted... I didn't expect it to happen so soon, I wanted to a take screenshot as a last souvenir. Didn't get any notification at all. Kinda sad now,

Anybody knows what happens with my votes if I stop my account? Cuusoo has no real purpose for me anymore, but I don't want my precious votes lost aswell.

Yeah my project as well. Gone without even a warning. I just needed about hundred votes for my first 1000.

Anyway, i think the new rules stink. Cuusoo was a place where you could show your idea and dream of it becoming a set. It even means 'to wish something in existence'. What if we wish that the things we made up even if they are series, or new molds or whatever will exist? It's our wish, right? And if that idea gets 10k votes then it's a wish of 10k people. If a project will pass the Cuusoo-review is another thing, that's up to them.

But i don't like the limitations they gave us. It feels like censorship. Makes me think that they wear uniforms and march to work.

Well, I think the new rules will now prevent thousands of people being disappointed because the project they supported didn't pass the review stage. Future will tell, but I think more projects that get the 10k votes will be likely to pass, with the new rules (not in quantity, but in proportion).

Edited December 22, 201311 yr by Leewan

Yeah my project as well. Gone without even a warning. I just needed about hundred votes for my first 1000.

Anyway, i think the new rules stink. Cuusoo was a place where you could show your idea and dream of it becoming a set. It even means 'to wish something in existence'. What if we wish that the things we made up even if they are series, or new molds or whatever will exist? It's our wish, right? And if that idea gets 10k votes then it's a wish of 10k people. If a project will pass the Cuusoo-review is another thing, that's up to them.

But i don't like the limitations they gave us. It feels like censorship. Makes me think that they wear uniforms and march to work.

Being a bit overdramatic, are we?

Cuusoo is an experiment, and Lego found through repeated trials of that experiment what they were capable of doing through the program and what they weren't. It's really no surprise that they'd apply what they learned to the program so that fewer projects would pass review only to be inevitably rejected.

Sure, Cuusoo means "to wish something into existence". That doesn't mean, and has never meant, that every proposal has an equal chance of success. Some projects are simply incapable of being produced through Cuusoo, and all the staff have done is make it a little bit more clear what kinds of projects those are.

Being a bit overdramatic, are we?

Always!

Anyway, i understand their rules, and even think they might not be as bad as i said earlier, but 1) i still think it's limiting our ideas and 2) i think it's no fair that they just disposed of a whole bunch of projects without a warning, so you couldn't (if wanted to) adjust your project to their new rules. People spend hours, heck some spend maybe days at a project and all that effort is just thrown out like garbage. I find that offending.

1) Those projects were already going to fail. The simple fact is that the goalposts haven't really moved at all, they've just clarified a bunch of situations in which your project was guaranteed not to pass review.

2) As far as I'm aware, every project that has been shut down was given a few weeks notice to amend their project where possible. Obviously in many cases, that just wasn't feasible because it was a project fundamentally based on something that is now excluded.

1) Those projects were already going to fail. The simple fact is that the goalposts haven't really moved at all, they've just clarified a bunch of situations in which your project was guaranteed not to pass review.

While I won't argue the likelihood of eventual failure for most of these projects, there are three cases where this new ruleset does constitutes a "moving goalpost" - one more dramatic than the others.

One-proposal-one-kit:

In the early days of Cuusoo, they did _allow_ theme proposals - but through practice they strongly suggested that promising themes focus on just one pilot set. Most people saw the writing on the wall, but banning theme proposals is actually an official reversal of course, albeit one we've been easing into for a while now

Brick-only:

Again the early days of Cuusoo saw official blessing being given to CMF display cases, LEGO logo tie-ins, video games, 2.5 to 3 aspect ratio graph paper for planning MOCs, etc. so deleting these and banning future things along this line is another actual reversal of position. Granted most people didn't even know these proposals where there let alone supported them and none ever came anywhere close to even being debated in a review cycle. Still, taking them off the table as "potential" Cuusoo products is definitely not simply a "clarification" of the existing rules.

No-Part-Proposals:

Sets that incorporate new parts are a different beast, but proposals for actual new parts has (up until now) been an entire sub-genre of Cuusoo with its own legalese disclaimers and a different compensation structure in the unlikely event that a given proposal were ever developed. In my mind, this is really where the "new rules" are not just codifying what we were all gleaning from review outcomes or clarifying an ambiguous situation but really changing the game. I don't think the way Cuusoo is run that it was ever well-suited to crowd-source something as un-sexy as a SNOT plate or new Technic gear, but it was always saying that such proposals were welcome and they even gave out the perfunctory 1000+ support congratulations letter when a lowly part proposal limping over the line (after having been left in the dust by things like Serenity, The Winchester, My Little Pony, Dark Bucket, etc.)

So while I agree it's fair to say most of the stuff that's now gone would never have passed review, it's not correct to characterize the new rules as clarifications and that the projects submitted under the "old rules" were somehow doomed from day one for non-compliance. TLG genuinely reversed itself on several key points where things that were previously acknowledged/encouraged in both the house rules and related blogs.

I think TLG were within their rights _to_ move the goal posts, but they did, definitely, move.

2) As far as I'm aware, every project that has been shut down was given a few weeks notice to amend their project where possible. Obviously in many cases, that just wasn't feasible because it was a project fundamentally based on something that is now excluded.

Actually, it seems there were two variations on a form letter sent out - One for sets that someone thought could be "salvaged" (such as replacing a specific company logo with a generic term - Ford Dealer becomes Car Dealer, Apple Store becomes Electronics Store, etc) and one for projects where the primary reason for support to date was something that is now forbidden (like new parts (with out without context builds) or sets that become pretty pointless without some new _key_ element (like Duplo Batman))

If you fell into the former bucket and had over 1k supporters you were told the date when they would look at your project again, and if you were still non-compliant you would be removed. If you had less than 1K, you had until you reached 1K or you would be removed as part of the "normal" 1K review and comment process (So I suppose someone on the verge of hitting 1K could, in theory, have less time to react than someone over the line if they were to get a sudden surge of support.)

If you fell into the latter bucket, your project was removed and then you were sent a notification - or at least that's the order I experienced, first I noticed one of my projects was gone, then I got an email later that day several hours after I observed the change on the website itself. Maybe the email was just slow getting to me (my Cuusoo account is linked to one of my lesser email accounts - one that is no stranger to delivery delays and unexpected down times) but the letter wasn't a "you have X weeks to revise your project" letter it was a 'your project "no longer qualifies" and "has been deleted"' letter sent after the fact.

Well, I think the new rules will now prevent thousands of people being disappointed because the project they supported didn't pass the review stage. Future will tell, but I think more projects that get the 10k votes will be likely to pass, with the new rules (not in quantity, but in proportion).

good point

Hmmm, it's interesting to see that they are enforcing what had been written in the official guidelines so swiftly and decisively now... I have a feeling that they are ready to wrap up the Beta Phase after 2014 is done, and finally "Go Live" in 2015, and so they want to have at least one full calendar year with everyone strictly following a consistent and finalized set of rules before they are ready to launch the site for real.

And when the site does "Go Live" soon, everything will move forward much much faster...! They will be advertising it actively around the web, and so there will be many more people visiting and voting... Projects that were on track to take a decade will hit 10,000 within a year or two... And projects that were scheduled to finish within a year or two will suddenly blast across the finish line within months or even weeks...!!

And won't that be a billion times more fun?? I think so!! :classic:

Go Lego!! :thumbup:

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by The Real Indiana Jones

Time to add the Curiosity Rover to the original post!

New Blog post

http://blog.lego.cuusoo.com/2014/01/06/winter-review-qualifiers-new-review-schedule/

CuuSoo has now switched to a 3 review periods per year cycle instead of quarterly. The upside is they are now promising 4 month turnaround on reviews.

Reviews Now Three Times Each Year

The LEGO Review schedule is shifting from a quarterly schedule to three times each year. While reviews will happen less often, this shift aligns the review schedule with the rest of the LEGO Group’s internal processes in a way that allows us to release results more regularly. Review deadlines will now be earlyMay (First Review), September (Second Review), and January (Third Review) each year.

Our goal is to deliver results for qualified projects from the previous period as (or soon after) each new period begins. This means instead of waiting up to nine months for review results like in the past, you’ll see results approximately four months after a review period begins.

They are also promising that the Fall results should be out "within the next few weeks." Whatever that means?

And my project has been deleted... I didn't expect it to happen so soon, I wanted to a take screenshot as a last souvenir. Didn't get any notification at all. Kinda sad now,

I think we can now see at least part of the reason your project was outright deleted, and not given a chance for modification. They had a DC Duplo series in the pipeline.

10545 Batcave Adventure

10544 The Joker Challenge

10543 Superman's Rescue

I have just submitted my first LEGO CUUSOO project, this is a new experience for me and I am hoping to get some votes, I doubt I will reach 10,000 but I might get lucky :)

I think we can now see at least part of the reason your project was outright deleted, and not given a chance for modification. They had a DC Duplo series in the pipeline.

10545 Batcave Adventure

10544 The Joker Challenge

10543 Superman's Rescue

They stole my idea, those bastards ;)

I'm kinda sad that they will eventualy do Batman Duplo, now my idea isn't that unique anymore. My next plan for Cuusoo would have been Duplo Boba Fett, but now chanses are they will make Duplo Star Wars aswell. Once a figure I customized gets officialy made I feel really sad about that, doesn' mather if it's better or worse.

I think I'll better upload my pictures, or there will be no point in it anymore.

Thanks for the info non the less.

They stole my idea, those bastards ;)

I'm kinda sad that they will eventualy do Batman Duplo, now my idea isn't that unique anymore. My next plan for Cuusoo would have been Duplo Boba Fett, but now chanses are they will make Duplo Star Wars aswell. Once a figure I customized gets officialy made I feel really sad about that, doesn' mather if it's better or worse.

I think I'll better upload my pictures, or there will be no point in it anymore.

Thanks for the info non the less.

That's one of the tricky things about proposing a project that fits into an existing theme. If a fan can come up with an idea for a set based on that theme, there's no reason Lego can't come up with the same idea (and in the case of this, they have the resources to make it work, unlike the Cuusoo program). I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happened to my Ninjago Advent Calendar, but in that case I wouldn't mind so much because the end result would be about the same, and of course the work I put into designing this on LDD isn't nearly comparable to the kind of work that would have gone into your amazing customs.

They stole my idea, those bastards ;)

I'm kinda sad that they will eventualy do Batman Duplo, now my idea isn't that unique anymore. My next plan for Cuusoo would have been Duplo Boba Fett, but now chanses are they will make Duplo Star Wars aswell. Once a figure I customized gets officialy made I feel really sad about that, doesn' mather if it's better or worse.

I think I'll better upload my pictures, or there will be no point in it anymore.

That's one of the tricky things about proposing a project that fits into an existing theme. If a fan can come up with an idea for a set based on that theme, there's no reason Lego can't come up with the same idea (and in the case of this, they have the resources to make it work, unlike the Cuusoo program). I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happened to my Ninjago Advent Calendar, but in that case I wouldn't mind so much because the end result would be about the same, and of course the work I put into designing this on LDD isn't nearly comparable to the kind of work that would have gone into your amazing customs.

Hmmm, but like they say, "Great minds think alike!" So think of it that way! =)

And that is one of the real challenges of Cuusoo... to think of an idea that is popular, but just slightly "off their radar screen" right now... Over time, I am sure that a number of other projects will also get pre-empted by what GlenBricker calls "inevitable discovery". For example, it is just a matter of time before Lego does an Iron Man Hall of Armor, because it was one of the main scenes in a hit movie and a video game that they are actively licensing and exploring. That is the reason I decided not to do a Superman or Man of Steel Fortress of Solitude. In other news, they will be doing a Star Wars Tatooine Mos Eisley Cantina later this year, so all of the various Cantina projects will essentially be pre-empted soon... But if we all get a real official set quicker, then it is a happy day for the community as a whole. Plus it can have new molds in it, like the Bith alien band, etc.

So, I am wondering if they will start to archive projects that have been completely pre-empted, or will they just let them continue, and maybe they will just redo that same set idea again after 5 or 6 years have passed?

Edited January 9, 201411 yr by The Real Indiana Jones

One semi random thought concerning the now ban on new parts requests. As we have talked about this isn't an arbitrary thing. It is in place because of the realities of volume and production costs, and just what is capable or practical for a limited or small run line.

But with that said, keep an eye on technology. That ban might not be forever. Just looking at today's designer video about the Simpsons house you can see where they are employing some new production tech on the Minifigs. And a lot in the figure design processes. At some point 3d printing will advance to where they can not only use it for much faster prototyping, but can instead effectively use it for short run actual production pieces. Such as a couple of thousand custom heads or hairpieces. We're not at that point yet or in the immediate future. But I would not be surprised to see it in 2-3 years.

One semi random thought concerning the now ban on new parts requests. As we have talked about this isn't an arbitrary thing. It is in place because of the realities of volume and production costs, and just what is capable or practical for a limited or small run line.

But with that said, keep an eye on technology. That ban might not be forever. Just looking at today's designer video about the Simpsons house you can see where they are employing some new production tech on the Minifigs. And a lot in the figure design processes. At some point 3d printing will advance to where they can not only use it for much faster prototyping, but can instead effectively use it for short run actual production pieces. Such as a couple of thousand custom heads or hairpieces. We're not at that point yet or in the immediate future. But I would not be surprised to see it in 2-3 years.

I think so aswell and hope so aswell.

They stole my idea, those bastards ;)

It is impossible to prove anything but they can always do that.

I think Cuusoo is good for Lego more than for the thousands of dreamers dreaming to have their design produced.

I think they changed the rules because Minecraft was a huge success and they found themselves with legal problems ($$$$) with whoever submitted the Minecraft idea and was granted production. They don't want to share any profit if they can avoid it.

Business as usual.

It is impossible to prove anything but they can always do that.

I think Cuusoo is good for Lego more than for the thousands of dreamers dreaming to have their design produced.

I think they changed the rules because Minecraft was a huge success and they found themselves with legal problems ($$$$) with whoever submitted the Minecraft idea and was granted production. They don't want to share any profit if they can avoid it.

Business as usual.

Or they hadn't considered that for licensed proposals they'd have to share profits with the license-holders instead, and in order to make Cuusoo as a project sustainable they had to put reasonable limits on the amount they were giving away. Cuusoo promised a percentage of a single set's sales; they don't need to offer more than that just because the project that succeeded was vague enough to apply to any set they designed based on the same property (and truly the Minecraft project was; under the current more clarified rules it probably never would have passed review). Cuusoo is, after all, in beta, and the whole point of that designation is to iron out unforeseen issues with the current terms.

Business as usual, in that business involves making practical decisions that don't necessarily have nefarious intent.

You may be right, I may be right, partially, entirely, we will never know. I can only guess.

yup, I actualy think it's just a coincidance.

yup, I actualy think it's just a coincidance.

At least you can rest assured that there'll never be official versions your Pulp Fiction Duplo figs, eh?