Why Can't LEGO Click?

A reader writes "This article from FastCompany.com contains a fascinating history of Lego, from wooden toys and the basic eight-stud brick to Star Wars kits and Mindstorms. According to the article, changes in the way children play has made the Danish toymaker struggle to adapt, while holding on to the values that helped build it's reputation. 'Once, for a brief moment, Lego changed the way kids played as well as the way kids learned to think. Lego hasn't been that kind of leader in a long time.'" The article itself paints a sad picture - LEGOs were such an integral part of my growing up, I can't imagine growing up without them. My favorite thing was to construct vast cities, and then launch billiards balls at them, pretending it was meteors coming down. Hurm. I think that may disqualify me from ever being put in charge of heavy weapons ordnance.

Even the directions made you think!

[Drunken_Jackass]

One of the things i've always thought was cool was the way lego directions were worded - or rather, not worded. I'd always put together the set as it was supposed to be first, then after that was finished i'd make spaceships and tanks and cars and stuff.

The thing i liked about the directions was that they introduced a lot of spacial relationships - not just insert tab A into slot 1. On some of the more complex sets, you really had to take a minute to see, first of all what had changed from the previous picture, and second of all how did it get there.

No Heroes

[Autonomous Crowhard]

Legos click just fine. Most kids have them and most kids love them. Since kids had amazing abilities to fantasize, Legos are perfect. The fact that parents don't yell at you when you destroy a creation is also a major plus.

But...

There are no names. No Barbie, no GI Joe, no Sonic, or Barney. The child creates everything. The problem is that there's no sense of community to share their creations with their friends. They say "Blascar blew Rennist to smithereens," And their friends say, "So?" Or "Who?"

LEGO can blame themselves

[Anonymous Coward]

When I played with LEGOs, I had to pretty much "make" everything (aside from wheels and doors). The LEGO sets of today come with preformed everything - they're more like snap together models. You buy a LEGO set for a space shuttle and you get pieces to build ---- a space shuttle. Sure, you can make mutations of a space shuttle, but try building a horse out of those pieces. This in itself wouldn;t be bad but it seems you can ONLY get these cheesy sets nowadays.

Re:Construx.

[Christopher Thomas]

I was never a fan of LEGOs (for whatever reason) but I really did like to build things w/Construx. god only knows how many times I built myself into a box and had to have my mom come and try to get me out w/o breaking the new creation I made.

I used to amuse myself by building towers that reached the ceiling (at least three times my height in those days) :).

Through much deviousness, I also managed to build a working Construx pendulum clock at one point... even if the hand went a quarter-turn around with each tick. (Show your kids the guts of an old-fashioned pendulum clock some day; I was endlessly fascinated by those as a kid.)

The most challenging task, though, was to build construx mazes for my hamster in such a way that he couldn't push any of the panels out. The trick was to make sure that all of the panels attached from the inside of the tunnels, which imposed interesting design constraints.

I had the good fortune to be exposed to many building toys as a kid. Construx is still one of my favourites.

As a side note, two-by-fours and nails work too. Let your kids help build the tree-fort you're making for them :). Just take steps to ensure safety if the bottom floor is above ground level.

Definite market...

[singularity]

As someone with a simply enormous Lego brick collection, I wanted to step in and mention one market that Lego is doing better about hitting, but still largely ignoring - adults.

Lego has done better in the past few years with things like Mindstorms and some of the more expensive Star Wars models. To a large degree, however, Lego is missing out on some really devoted adult purchasers. A simple look at rec.toys.lego will show that there is a very strong Lego following among adults out there.

And, please, Lego - I have been to Legoland Winsor. I realize there is a Legoland here in the States. Please do not bring anymore. It is not that I did not completely enjoy Legoland, but I see a Legoland USA failing much the same way that EuroDisney failed. I would hate to see you lose that much money on something that foolish.

Remember the 'Advanced kits'?

[Matey-O]

They did more than teach spatial orientation. I had a forklift. It taught about gearboxes, rack and pinion steering and a bunch of other stuff.

IIRC, I _couldn't_ _build_ the forklift the first time. It just had too much going on. When I actually DID sucessfully build it (without glossing over or simplifying any) it brought a GREAT sence of achievement.

(And you could build a boxer egine out of the kit. (at least the crank shaft and the pistons) Verra Verra cool.)

New direction with old product

[pkesel]

Many posts have pointed out how limiting the kits have become. Perhaps Lego might be successful by marketing non-specialized pieces and publishing designs using the piecse online. Or perhaps providing a way for users to submit designs.