Latest Cuusoo decision

[Aanchir]

Seeing that the mini shops didn't pass, I have lost all hope for Cuusoo.....I'll let my 27 projects sit there and collect dust.

They couldn't even produce a Lego store....their own IP, which means only odd-ball geek stuff will be produced.....no typical Lego themed items (classic town, castle, & space).

I promised to my supporters on Cuusoo I would update some of my projects which I will do, but I will not post any totally new designs.....like I wrote above I've lost all hope for Cuusoo.

It's entirely possible that they COULD have made a LEGO store and chose not to because it would have been unfair to the wishes of all the voters who wanted a Starbucks, 7-Eleven, etc. Kind of the same way that they COULD have made a non-licensed Tachikoma set back in the day but determined that it would be unfair to the wishes of the people who were voting for it based on the Ghost in the Shell tie-in.

That is one issue with "theme" projects in general. I admit, I LOVED the Space Troopers project, the Legend of Zelda project, the Thinking with Portals project, and the Mini Shops project. But they were all originally designed as "theme" projects, before it was well-understood that the LEGO Cuusoo platform was only designed with single products in mind. Any of those individual product ideas for any of those themes could still be cool... but they'd lack the same depth of appeal that they had as full hypothetical themes. Contrast that with the Exo-Suit, which NOBODY would vote for expecting anything but a single product. You're bound to disappoint far fewer people, and that means the LEGO Cuusoo support process is a lot more valid as a predictive method in the case of that project.

[Meiko]

I was rather hopeful for the Portal project to pass, but was willing for it and somewhat expected it not to. I'm surprised that the Android robot set didn't pass. I really liked that one, and Google and LEGO are two companies who have worked well together in the past.

[Dorayaki]

UH.... no matter what, I think it's very boring to see so many projects get rejected which wasted seventy thousand votes, even though some pojects are obviously not suitable. For those who seemed to be an okay one at first, I think TLC are just adding more restrictions.

Results of the Fall 2013 Review, according to our experience:

ATLAS Mini Model : Absolutely the most tedious but only passed project. (no offense)

Female Minifigure Set : Conflicts with current line.

FTL – Faster Than Light : Conflicts with current line.

Ghostbusters x2 : Either a bad business case, or couldn't get the license(s).

The Road to OZ : Either a bad business case, or couldn't get the license(s).

Poptropica : Too obscure game license.

It's entirely possible that they COULD have made a LEGO store and chose not to because it would have been unfair to the wishes of all the voters who wanted a Starbucks, 7-Eleven, etc. Kind of the same way that they COULD have made a non-licensed Tachikoma set back in the day but determined that it would be unfair to the wishes of the people who were voting for it based on the Ghost in the Shell tie-in.

That is one issue with "theme" projects in general. I admit. They were all originally designed as "theme" projects, before it was well-understood that the LEGO Cuusoo platform was only designed with single products in mind.

Disagree. It's contradictory because they just decided to make two more Minecraft sets but no BTTF theme plan. I can understand some inevitable license issues, but why can't we submit a theme plan if that could bring much profit to Lego? Or they could mention it in the guideline (theme ideas are OK, but note the following).

And as I knew, the creator of mini shops mentioned the possibility that only one shop can be used if TLG doesn't want to make a subtheme. If they did compromise, they can choose the most popular or easiest license. So perhaps it's not the reason.

Edited October 24, 2013 by Dorayaki

[CP5670]

It's good to see a non-licensed, "generic" model for a change. I would expect the final set to look quite different in this case though. This model has a lot of flimsy construction and some illegal connections, as well as a number of discontinued parts.

[parksroad]

One advantage to the designers is that, unlike the BTTF set, there's no specific popular conception about how a space mech should look. So they can change the silhouette quite considerably and address any illegal connection issues without a public outcry. I'll be really interested to see the final version of this, particularly the minifig.

[PMJ]

Lego, I'm not even angry. I'm being so sincere right now. Even though you broke my heart and killed me.

No but seriously, Portal could have been a way to get a leg up on the competitors who must not be named, not to mention the incredible source material.

Also Space Troopers would have been amazing. Much better than the overly fruity Galaxy Squad.

Another thing, I find the mech to be a great MOC, but not much else. it looks fragile and overly complex. The official Lego version will certainly not be as impressive.

[Laservampire]

I am going to be super pissed if Ghostbusters doesn't get approved and we get that horrid ATLAS set instead.

[Lego Spy]

I would've loved some Zelda [sets.]

Agreed, it sure would've been nice to have an Ocarina.

Edited October 24, 2013 by Lego Spy

[Bricknblue]

I think the knockout really shows just how lame Cuusoo is. Great idea on paper, in real life it's a pretty big failure.

[Faefrost]

We have been looking at this for ages, and there really is nothing surprising today. A few that it would be interesting to know the exact reasoning for the decision, but most of it we could see pretty clearly if we just look and apply a true eye towards the review.

1. Thinking With Portals - I think TLG probably gave this one a lot of thought. Much deeper analysis than most. For Pro's it's an interesting and (somewhat) non violent game that is very popular. And the project seemed to be dancing around some rather interesting new play features. The Cons were the new molds, and the typical baggage of any video game project. Limited fan base. Limited lifespan of the tied in game IP, etc. in the end the numbers probably just could not add up. The big problem is most likely this. By the time this project could hit retail shelves, not only would the game itself have been long absent from said shelves, but every platform on which it was possible to play the game would have been replaced or obsoleted by new consoles, or radically new OS's. Great game. Great project. But the timing...

2. Space Troopers - this one is the one that I would be most curious to know the reasoning on. But the project did have a few potential issues. It had some risk of rubbing against Lego's Space Theme Galaxy Squad. Now this most likely would not be a veto. GS is an in house theme. ST could just as easily be viewed as complimentary. But then there is the gorilla in the room. Remember when the project was called "Space Marines"? They got a C&D notice from Games Workshop. Now the question is does the ST project dance too closely to Warhammers 4k and their notoriously rabid lawyers? They may have been caught between trying to guess if it was or wasn't a license. And I doubt that TLG would want to go toe to toe with GW over a single subject CuuSoo project.

3. Andy the Android - Lets be Frank, this thing isn't a toy or a model. It's marketing materials for a business other than TLG. There is no way that Lego would pay to license this. If anything they might expect Google to pay them to make it. So it ends up having a business and licensing case that probably cannot be well supported by CuuSoo. TLG like most businesses, is not in the habit of footing the bill for someone else's marketing and advertising, and that's what this would have been.

4. Mini Shops - to start go read #3. Same may apply. Further complicate this by bringing a too large project with too many licenses to 10k. Where the review team has to do the pruning to produce something far less than what the voters wanted. Even doing just an in house Lego store has issues. They already have the store opening sets. Plus they have produced a near identicle type set to the proposed project in set 7848, the TRU truck and small TRU store loaded with Lego sets. As Anachir points out, this really only worked as a theme,or a range Of sets.

5. Purdue Pete- see some of my other long winded dissertations on this one. But it comes down to too small too niche a market to make CuuSoo's and Lego's limited production time be used effectively to best possible roi.

6. Batman Tumbler - pre existing license. Pre existing product currently on store shelves. Honestly this one should have been archived long before review. If your project pitch is "what you are making now. Today! But mine's better!" Don't be surprised when you are not the top pick. Just sayin'.

7. Legend of Zelda - it failed once for clear reasons. Neither this project, nor the next one coming up behind it, in any way solve or address those reasons. TLG will not amortize unique new tooling for CuuSoo sets. And the most identifiable element common to Zelda requires new tooling to be recognizable.

8. League of legends - probably failed on brand fit. I'm betting we will see MOBA's added to the verboten list alongside FPS and TPS games. (MMO's too for some reason). The game was probably borderline for brand fit. The games community however was probably well past the lines.

The Exo Suit isn't my first choice (I figured some of the build technics might have weighted against it). But it is clearly the project with the fewest problems in this review period(s). So congrats robot suit thingy.

[Dorayaki]

Lets be Frank, this thing isn't a toy or a model. It's marketing materials for a business other than TLG. There is no way that Lego would pay to license this. If anything they might expect Google to pay them to make it. So it ends up having a business and licensing case that probably cannot be well supported by CuuSoo. TLG like most businesses, is not in the habit of footing the bill for someone else's marketing and advertising, and that's what this would have been.

They can actually do that like you say---- become marketing materials if the comapnies are willing to and TLG don't have to pay much license fee. In that way, these promotional sets can only be attained in their chain stores instead of common toy stores.

Maybe it's just that the companies don't like the idea. We haven't seen McDonald's Happy Meal Lego toy since 2010.

Edited October 24, 2013 by Dorayaki

[TheLegoDr]

I was surprised to see this with illegal connections. It does make sense long term why they chose this, but not my first pick. I'd like more explanation too as to why the other sets weren't chosen. I'll wait and see the final product before I say I will buy it.

By eliminating that many projects from that many review periods, it makes me worried for Ghostbusters and Oz. Licensing might be difficult, and/or they might only choose one..

[jonwil]

I hope they see the fact that not ONE but TWO Ghostbusters products got to 10k and realize the demand for it and make the Ecto-1.

And with the 30th anniversary of GB comming up (and the continued rumors of Ghostbusters 3) it seems like now is the right time to release a Ghostbusters LEGO set (if they can get the license from Sony that is)

[Faefrost]

They can actually do that like you say---- become marketing materials if the comapnies are willing to and TLG don't have to pay much license fee. In that way, these promotional sets can only be attained in their chain stores instead of common toy stores.

Maybe it's just that the companies don't like the idea. We haven't seen McDonald's Happy Meal Lego toy since 2010.

You are missing the point. There is no reason for Lego to pay anything to license Andy the Android. It has pretty much no elements of their primary business. It really isn't a toy at least not for their target age ranges. It is a model of another corporations corporate mascot. If Ford gets 10k people to vote for a CuuSoo set of a Ford logo, does that mean TLG then pays Ford for the privilege of making it? Hells no! TLG has a long history of making special custom sets for companies. TLG gets paid to do so. They probably have a department set up to handle such things. And it would need to be done through that channel and not CuuSoo.

And yes, before anyone attempts to play Internet rules lawyer, these areas can get grey at times. TLG will pay for a logo or license when it is to their benefit. (Ferrari, Mercedes Benz, Landrover, etc) but that differs from simply making the other companies logo, without those benefits. A small company like Minecraft or Poptropica can use CuuSoo to help boost interest in themselves. But they are at least still targeting into TLG's core product ranges. There is a difference between making a set based on the other companies product, be it a game, movie or car, and making one based purely on their marketing materials and Logo's.

[parksroad]

Isn't ten sets a lot to be up for consideration all at once? I seem to remember only four or so being up at once previously. In that case, even though it's surprising to see 90% of the sets fall by the wayside, Lego is still producing CUUSOO sets at about the same rate. It's just that more people have heard of CUUSOO so more projects are hitting the 10k mark. Possibly.

[Faefrost]

Isn't ten sets a lot to be up for consideration all at once? I seem to remember only four or so being up at once previously. In that case, even though it's surprising to see 90% of the sets fall by the wayside, Lego is still producing CUUSOO sets at about the same rate. It's just that more people have heard of CUUSOO so more projects are hitting the 10k mark. Possibly.

It was actually 10 sets from 3 review periods. I think one period had 2 and the others had 4 each. So two of the periods had no succesful reviews.

Now next review is a single review period with 7 sets. (Betting money is on one of the Ghostbusters sets or the Wizzard of Oz one. But since they only approved one set in three quarters worth of reviews, they may actually have some extra banked production budget and capacity that might allow them to choose more than one this time. It's a hope.)

[Yooha]

It would be nice if you had mentioned the rejected projects in frontpage as well. Now it looks like CUUSOO is a joyride, where sets are just keep coming..

The copy-paste message LEGO gave to all rejected projects shows how much the Company doesn't care CUUSOO at all; they are just too lazy to even write _different_ explanation to the designers: don't want to pay for license, too many new molds not popular enough. And the poor awesomeness-ratio to the previous accepted project - half good project (the misdesigned DeLorean) and three ultra-boring - doesn't show a bright future to this. But good luck, Exo-suit designer, you have 12.5% chance to see a good product at the end!

[Dorayaki]

There is no reason for Lego to pay anything to license Andy the Android. Hells no! TLG gets paid to do so. They probably have a department set up to handle such things. And it would need to be done through that channel and not CuuSoo.

.

That's what I said "TLG don't have to pay much license fee". So the question is can Cuusoo actually influence TLG's promotion plans? If it's a no, that means TLG didn't actually think or contact those companies to determine they'll do it or not.

Edited October 24, 2013 by Dorayaki

[legolijntje]

Well, I'm happy for anyone who likes the Exo Suit, but for me it's the most uninteresting models of all the ones that were reviewed.

I really hoped that Portal would become a set

Anyway, congratulations to the winner!

[King Aragorn]

This Mech looks amazing & powerfull!

[Darth Dino]

Hi

maybe it is just me but was not Legos intention with Cuusoo was to get "new ideas for never seen sets and themes"? This mech (any mech) is in my eyes just a Bionicle or Hero Factory "fig" with a minifig in it. Yes this is highly detailed but we have seen better or more detailed mechs as MOCs in the past. Second note: If it should be a playable mech it will be even more like a Bionicle. Sure high grebeled models are not "swooshable".

Dino

Edited October 24, 2013 by Darth Dino

[LegoFjotten]

Congrats to Peter Reid! I think the Exo Suit is awesome, and will get one as long as it's not messed up during the redesign / product process.

The Bionicle / Hero Factory stuff I have zero love for, but mechs like this built with "real" parts can be awesome.

[Front]

_{I foresee that the final product will be very different from the proposed mech.}

_{It is simply so flimsy in the connections, that if the product was done as proposed, this would create a new record in consumer complains rate.}

_Erland

_{Part Design..}

Edited October 24, 2013 by Front

[JTS]

I think i actually joined CUUSOO just for Andy the Android

And as I said here in the Technic forum I reckon that the the Land Rover could go ahead as they are probably sorting out licensing.

How does everyone feel about a Land Rover shell on a 9398 chassis, much like the 41999 was?

[Alasdair Ryan]

How does everyone feel about a Land Rover shell on a 9398 chassis, much like the 41999 was?

I don't think they would do that,but if they did another shell would be pretty boring,it's the functions of it that that are in the chassis of it which is most impressive.

Edited October 24, 2013 by Alasdair Ryan