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I like to call myself a LEGO purist, but i feel that im creeping over to the dark side… i was casually browsing railbricks today and saw in the latest issue a third party makes Lego(compatible bricks) leaves and tree kits, and they are great and match exact! are we as a group ok with the use of third party bricks? Not to mention the ME Models 9v rails coming out, im spending at least $1000…
Website is Altbricks.com
So what you are sating is, you would take your Lego RC rails and cover them with the copper finish or buy all the retired $5(average) 9v rails instead of get the new ME Models rails?
Nah, I’m messing with you a bit… we do that from time to time (well… I do it pretty much all the time…)
We profess to be purists, and generally try to hold to it (LEGO likes us better if we do), but we allow for some degree of cheating.
Examples:
– Laura has done the copper rails on a bunch of track (honestly, someday we’ll have to make the switch to power functions, but thus far we’ve gotten by with old track and what she’s customized.)
– Ben likes to order third party stuff like mohawks and mushrooms; we’ve allowed this in our displays.
– Tim (and Ben?) has ordered leaves in colors (say, white) LEGO does not provide; I’m not sure whether we’ve used them in displays though.
I think it’s fair to say that third party / custom / aftermarket bricks aren’t as much of an issue as actual competitor’s bricks. If you start using MegaBloks, KREO, or any of that junk, expect endless hazing up to and possibly including excommunication. But stuff like Altbricks is probably OK, for the most part. Unless someone else has a different opinion…
Well i was speaking only on aesthetics use only, not structure, so in the case of bricks i would only use LEGO of course but the leaves and new FULL METAL (Alchemist) RAILS are kinda sexy soooooo….
We profess to be purists
We do? I don’t think I ever actually took that oath.
Ben likes to order third party stuff like mohawks and mushrooms; we’ve allowed this in our displays.
Pfft, more like I’ve allowed your displays to have my awesome third-party stuff.
– Tim (and Ben?) has ordered leaves in colors (say, white) LEGO does not provide; I’m not sure whether we’ve used them in displays though.
False. (That’s my Matt imitation.) http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=2417&colorID=1&in=A
Tim’s Steelers tree uses yellow leaves that must’ve come from altbricks and has been in displays. I used 9 different altbricks leaf colors in the park at Greenberg this past November. I’ve been working on buying other colors for Space Trees.
I think it’s fair to say that third party / custom / aftermarket bricks aren’t as much of an issue as actual competitor’s bricks. If you start using MegaBloks, KREO, or any of that junk, expect endless hazing up to and possibly including excommunication.
This is definitely true. In the case of BrickFair, this is actually explicitly stated. The Lego community loves to mock MegaBloks; I am always more hesitant because I am aware that really Legos are a rich kid’s hobby, and that not everybody can afford them. (They also sometimes make some cool parts that I wish Lego would make.) I gave tons of them to my nephew as a cheap source of basic bricks, and he used them all the time; now that he’s moved on from Lego I recently donated them all to GoodWill. But for our purposes MegaBloks are not adequate, their colors aren’t as bright and their clutch power is terrible. As far as I know Kre-O isn’t any better, and their guys look stupid. I also picked up a Laser Pegs set at Target a year or two ago and it was very disappointing, you’re not likely to ever see them in a display.
I’ve been buying third-party for at least 8 years, so I have stuff from quite a few places: BrickForge, Brick Warriors, Citizen Brick, CrazyBricks, altbricks, customBricks, ME-Models, LifeLites, BrickCircuits, BrickGadgets, Cape Madness, Chrome Bricks, BrickTW, arealight, minifigcat, aaaaaaaaaaand… maybe that’s it. Most of them have already made it into offical SteelCityLUG displays. That stuff tends to be expensive, so I’ve bought pretty small from all of them, except altbricks, which I have a lot of and plan to keep buying from.
I did go in on the ME-Models metal rails kickstarter, including the larger radius (I did not go in for the plastic ones but I might in the future); I know Josh did too but I’m not sure what he ordered.
I got on the ME Rails train too late to join the kick starter and get the first access :/ so i have to wait… But when i get more funds, im ordering from albricks because those leaves colors are great and at a good price in my mind
PS – if you’re wearing a SteelCityLUG badge, I’m pretty sure it was made by brickengraver.com, aka Tommy Armstrong, who is not actually a Lego employee. High five, third-party brothers and sisters! Wear it with pride!
I got on the ME Rails train too late to join the kick starter and get the first access :/ so i have to wait…
You’d still be waiting, cause they’re not actually made yet. I think I sent my money about a year ago. The predicted ship date was September 2014, and last I heard the plastic rails were close to done (maybe they shipped, I can’t remember since I didn’t order any) but the metal rails were way behind. They have, however, been good about keeping us updated on what’s going on and where they are in the process, I think I’ve gotten about 15 email updates since their Kickstarter campaign closed. And this is in contrast to the previous several years, when I’d see the guy at BrickFair every August and I’d ask what’s been going on with them and he’d say ‘nothing’ (it sounds like they got screwed over by some craptastic manufacturer before they tried going through KickStarter). So I’m not worried yet, plus I’m assuming KickStarter has some way of returning our money if their plans fail, although needless to say it goes without saying that I’d rather have the rails.
I do have some of their rails from way back in 2010, but not many, and eventually they sold out and haven’t had more available since then. Also the new design is improved over the old version, so I’m not sure they’ll be compatible.
the plastic series came out in febuary, and its presumed that the metal rails are now in production this month… i watch it every week so i dont miss out on the initial run where they gauge the price too low for the demand, plus i plan on buying a good amount for resale.
Examples:
I am disappointed to have been left off the list of usual suspects, but what Ben has openly admitted to is far more egregious than what I’ve even contemplated.
However, I still wish there was a good way to get the hockey pattern off those white 8×16 tiles.
As Ben alluded to, I think many of us draw the line between third party pieces which are made to work directly with Lego and with the intention of enhancing the Lego hobby versus competitor brands (MegaBlocks, Kreo, etc.) which are rival businesses. I am fine with third party bricks but not OK with using a competitor.
We do? I don’t think I ever actually took that oath.
“The Brick, the whole Brick, and nothing but the Brick.”
False. (That’s my Matt imitation.) http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=2417&colorID=1&in=A
Sounds like me… and yet…
OK, so when Tim showed us his big bag of white leaves, he must’ve been saying “they only came in a few weird Bellville sets years ago that nobody bought, so quantities useful for large-scale winterized MOCs are hard to come by, so I bought third party.” My mistake.
PS – if you’re wearing a SteelCityLUG badge, I’m pretty sure it was made by brickengraver.com, aka Tommy Armstrong, who is not actually a Lego employee. High five, third-party brothers and sisters! Wear it with pride!
Good point. I also forgot to point out that Kevin Hinkle (who IS actually a LEGO employee) himself freely admitted to us (particularly @zemata, but I was within earshot) last year at PBF that his “business card” sigfigs were third party. He wasn’t satisfied with the face options LEGO provided, so he custom ordered himself in minifig form. So… yeah. As long as it’s fully LEGO-compatible, and is trying to provide a niche element / color that LEGO does not, and is enhancing the LEGO / AFOL experience, and not trying to sabotage, undermine, or otherwise diminish LEGO’s quest for world domination, I’m pretty sure it’s ok.
Henchman 1: Have we started the fire?
Bane: YesAnd i dont think you know what third party is children… Third party is the companies that make LEGO compat parts… Mega shit (aside for those sick dragons, that i own each set of) are the second party…
After watching reviews for the ALT Bricks, they seem to make a great plastic and overall product is great. Not to mention the colors are a match and/or complimentary. Plus the corner stud face bricks are EXACTLY what i need for another train station im planning! And the architectural elements are very nice
And i dont think you know what third party is children… Third party is the companies that make LEGO compat parts… Mega shit (aside for those sick dragons, that i own each set of) are the second party…
You know this is not correct, right?
1. any party to an incident, case, quarrel, etc., who is incidentally involved.
There are two parties that are essential to the relationship here are 1) Lego and 2) the consumers, which would be us. Without either one of us, the relationship doesn’t work. MegaBloks is a third party interest if they’re trying to get you to buy their products to use with your Legos; otherwise they are competing with Lego to be the first party.
What party number is someone who modifies or paints real LEGO bricks?
If you’re doing it for your own use, you’re still second. If you plan to resell them to consumers, you become third in that capacity.
What party number is someone who modifies or paints real LEGO bricks?
Communist. And we won’t stand for it.
And we won’t stand for it.
Not knowingly, anyway.
Nice shot of my thinning hair.
Sorry, I was trying to frame Matt’s gaze and the green slopes.
this topic is gross
^THIS^
Not knowingly, anyway.
You’re dead to me, Greg. DEAD TO ME.
Nice shot of my thinning hair.
Yikes, that shirt + my bad posture aren’t flattering, either.
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