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Lego Editorial -  Piece Modernization
(by Ricocheting - 10/25/99)

I'm not going to mince words.  My opinion is that LEGO is currently going to heck in a hand basket. Read on to see why.

Pieces have gotten way to specialized.  If you take a look at the totally degraded town/jr. sets, they have big "specialized" pieces.  I don't know why they do this, supposedly this is to make the sets easier to build, but it limits creativity.  In the old days (3-4 years ago) you didn't have to have a car that consisted of 8 pieces.  We had the same the same great car and it came in 40 pieces.  So many more combinations were possible with that older model.

Another big pain is that with this decrease in piece count came an increase in price.  Less pieces, higher cost.  Yep, that's our good old American influence at work. :)

Also, in my opinion LEGO's attempt to market to both genders and all age groups has created "sets" that cannot even be considered LEGOS.  To me LEGOS are pieces that you can build anything out of.  LEGOS are  not a play set that "building" means you move the couch to the inside of the house.  I speak specifically of Scala; Beville, Pooh, and Throwbots sets to a lesser extent.

Let me say in closing that I'm not against change.  Change is good. Mindstorms are great (although a little pricey).  Most of the LEGO computer games/programs are great.  The Star Wars sets are the best sets in years (great new pieces plus lots of rare colors)

Long live the GREATEST toy ever built!!!

by Jonathan "just my 2¢" Ric
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