41 replies to this topic

[Hapori Tohu]

LEGO is looking for some ideas for new story themes, and they want to hear from you! Check out this presentation they gave us for the details on what you have to do to submit what you think LEGO should make. You have until November 15th to send in your ideas, so get those thinking caps on!

View the full article

[J46 Nui]

I believe the link is broken in the first post.

Edited by J46 Nui, Oct 21 2012 - 02:45 PM.

[Hastur the Unspeakable]

The link works fine for me.
Hm. Thinking caps, indeed. Time to open up LDD and go craaaazy...


"But as long as I'm here, I get to bust heads!"

[CeeCee]

Definitely going to have a go at this. Probs wont win, but its worth a shot right?

[///dotcom///]

It took all of twenty seconds for me to come up with something interesting. I'll see if I can do something good for this, but:
Is there some sort of age restrictions in this? The .pdf didn't say.

[Black Six]

They are looking mainly for ideas from AFOLs. My guess would be you have to be at least 13 to submit.

[Constructman: Black Knight]

What are AFOLs?

[///dotcom///]

What are AFOLs?

Adult Fans Of LEGO.

[Chro]

Oh yes. So going for this. Besides, even if you don't win, you're still (as the title says) giving Lego your ideas.

[Hastur the Unspeakable]

What are AFOLs?

AFOL stands for Adult Fan(s) Of Lego.
EDIT: And Ninjas are evidently in there somewhere.

"But as long as I'm here, I get to bust heads!"

Edited by The Main Man, Oct 21 2012 - 04:14 PM.

[kalhiki]

Tempting. I've been having an idea brewing. Maybe I should polish it up and make a presentation.

Kalhiki

[Wind Elemental]

Interesting. Should I give this a try even though I don't have the best idea thinking skills?

[Alyska]

When I first saw this, I thought, "Oh, great! This would be the perfect place to pitch my idea for that constraction line for girls!"

And then I read the document and the first thing they ask for is...

"products for 7-9 year old boys..."

Seriously? I thought they were trying to appeal more to both genders now. A lot of people claim that Lego's main themes are/should be for everyone, but stuff like this makes it pretty clear that they aren't.

Also, guys, I would recommend checking out the fine print before you submit anything to this:

All rights related to any suggestion, results or submission made by you are here by assigned to the LEGO Group, who shall be entitled to exploit the suggestions and submissions is any way it may want now and in the future.

It's sexist, exploitative, AND grammatically incorrect!

[///dotcom///]

LEGO's largest target demographic is boys. It's for everyone, yes, but LEGO is still mostly a boy's toy. It's definitely not fortunate, but they know that a new brand designed specifically for girls (to compete with Friends) would probably not be as profitable. You can construct it as sexist, or as what it is, a commercial decision.

So if you want to fight it, take the opportunity to make something fully neutral. Propose something that favors neither gender. Or propose your same idea regardless of the guidelines. Try and impress them with that.

[Alyska]

I thought about doing that until I saw the fine print. Basically, it's saying that if I submit an idea and they don't judge it to be the winning idea (which they wouldn't, because it doesn't fit the guidelines), they still own the idea and can use it anytime they want- and I'd be powerless to do anything about it. Perhaps the ends would justify the means, but I'd still be getting the short end of the stick.

Neutral would theoretically be the way to go, but over the years, Lego's fans and employees have made it very clear to me that they are only interested in gender-segregated toylines, which is where the "constraction line for girls " idea came from.

And I know that LEGO is not inherently misogynistic, I just think they have limited themselves (and their fans) a lot by saying that entries must be designed to appeal to boys. Really, why would another line of toys aimed at girls automatically compete with Friends, any more than Hero factory competes with Ninjago?

[Takanuinuva]

I came up with an idea that could be a theme

Theme Name: ChronoPlanet

Story Premise
The series revolves around three factions each trying to conquer the planet they all live on. Each uses weaponry from the three time periods. Past Present and Future. Each faction has one piece of a clock that when assembled at the core of the planet and set to one of three settings. Past Present or Future. If set to Present. The Past and Future minifgs would be converted to Present minifigs. The pieces of the clock cannot be destroyed or the whole planet would be destroyed along with it. However one minifig from each side thinks that they can all live in peace. The three minifigs are Cragorg (A boy minifig)from the Stoneheads. Axelis (a girl minifig) from the Aceriders. And R-3X (a robot minifig of no gender) from the Staropods

The factions are

The Stoneheads- A group of stone age minifgs who use dinosaurs and stone age technology as there weaponry.

The Aceriders- A group of modern minifig who use fast vehicles and modern age technology as there weaponry.

The Staropods- A group of futuristic minifigs who use robots and futuristic age technology as there weaponry.

Main trigger points. No side is good. Boys may choose whatever side they want to fight it out with. They decide which side may win.

[Sir Kohran]

I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking this to be a bit suspect, though for different reasons.

Firstly, I don't remember any mention of payment (forgive me if I'm wrong on that as I can't presently open it). So potentially, you could come up with the next Bionicle or Ninjago, then never see a penny for it.

Also, if you had a brilliant story or franchise idea of your own, why would you want to give it all away to a company who wouldn't allow you any subsequent control?

Lastly, why do Lego suddenly want original story ideas? Are they finally feeling guilty about relying on so many licenses? Or are they just bored of having to pay for them?

It seems they effectively want a whole lot of something for absolutely nothing.

Edited by Sir Kohran, Oct 21 2012 - 07:41 PM.

[Paleo]

I absolutely love this. I have 2 ideas already, and I'm hoping to develop around 6 or 7. The only flaw in this is that they want completely original universes. I would've liked to see the rule "No using developed franchises" instead, because there are quite a few Sci-Fi universes (Expedition by Wayne Douglas Barlowe being one of them) that I would absolutely love to see in ABS.

However, because of the great opportunity in this, there's close to a 0% change of winning.

;_;

Edited by Paleo, Oct 21 2012 - 08:37 PM.

[Shadaki]

do you think bringing back Bionicle and/or Racers: Drome Racing (at least the DRC game) would be considered valid ideas?

[Paleo]

do you think bringing back Bionicle and/or Racers: Drome Racing (at least the DRC game) would be considered valid ideas?

Most likely not. Bionicle is a definite no, and bringing back another dead theme doesn't have very good prospects. Remember, they want original ideas.

[fishers64]

I'll be thinking on it...

I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking this to be a bit suspect, though for different reasons.

Firstly, I don't remember any mention of payment (forgive me if I'm wrong on that as I can't presently open it). So potentially, you could come up with the next Bionicle or Ninjago, then never see a penny for it.

True. I agree that they should probably give the winner a little money.

Also, if you had a brilliant story or franchise idea of your own, why would you want to give it all away to a company who wouldn't allow you any subsequent control?

It depends on if you have the means to develop it. Let's say I have a story idea for the next Bionicle/Ninjago. To fully develop it, I would have get the means to market and produce plastic parts in addition to the ability to market and produce my story. For most people, that's out of reach. Lego already has all these resources, so it would be easier to give them the story idea and have them develop it, especially if they will work with you on it, which is what they said they would do it the brief.

Lastly, why do Lego suddenly want original story ideas? Are they finally feeling guilty about relying on so many licenses? Or are they just bored of having to pay for them?

It seems they effectively want a whole lot of something for absolutely nothing.

It may be because Ninjago is ending. The brief said it was for the next "Lego Play Theme", so they probably are looking at the next theme to appeal to roleplayers who want a deeper story, perhaps? In view of that, why not go to those who might actually know something about that?

And there is more to creativity than money. I can tell you that for a fact. If money's all you want, best to look elsewhere. But true creativity has a reward that is greater than money; I can tell you that from years of writing stories that have never earned me a dime. I wouldn't trade those stories for anything.

So I don't think Lego is being greedy. I don't think they "want a lot of something for absolutely nothing." All they want is an idea, and in return, they are giving somebody out there a chance. A chance to see something that they thought of but didn't think would ever happen, actually, well, happen.

And there is something to be said for not being licensed or based on licensed stuff. People like originality, a change from the Same Old Thing. Lego knows that. That's why they are asking.

[Click]

...
Also, if you had a brilliant story or franchise idea of your own, why would you want to give it all away to a company who wouldn't allow you any subsequent control?

Lastly, why do Lego suddenly want original story ideas? Are they finally feeling guilty about relying on so many licenses? Or are they just bored of having to pay for them?

It seems they effectively want a whole lot of something for absolutely nothing.

Ah, those loopholes. "We never said you would get paid, but thanks for making us rich!

Anyways, I think it's awesome that Lego is asking for ideas. I've already got three ideas brewing, and I can't wait to submit them, whether they win or not.

And about Lego wanting ideas, it's because, frankly, they're running out. Now, half the themes are Licensed, and the other half are repeats from previous years. Sure, we get some awesome story lines like Ninjago, and some great pieces, but we've all seen skeletons, ninjas, knights, pirates, space captains, etc. before, right? So, Lego just wants to try something new, and I really like that they're going to the fans.

By the way, one word. Steampunk. Lego needs a Steampunk theme. Just imagine, copper-colored pieces, gears, and Victorian style architecture, mechs, vehicles, and minifigures. It's perfect!!!

[TheSkeletonMan939]

Combine this + the fact the new Batman "movie" will be just the cutscenes from the video games and you = a company desperate for new ideas and new ways to make money.

[Dralcax]

One thought comes to mind.

LLOYD WAS PLANNED FROM THE BEGINNING

But seriously, I have one idea planned, but I'm going for at least 3.

[Lyichir]

Here we go again; it's the perennial "Lego is running out of ideas" crowd. If Lego were running out of ideas, they'd consult professionals, not fans. They've put out calls for new ideas many times before, and the only reason they do it is to gauge what their devoted fans are interested in.

Lego has put out some amazing themes in the past few years like Alien Conquest, Ninjago, Friends, and Monster Fighters. And I can affirm that Ninjago's successor is unlike anything they've ever done before. How is that "running out of ideas?" Yes, aspects of these themes had been covered by Lego in the past, but there's almost no wholly-original concepts I can think of that haven't been covered by Lego in some form over their history. The trick is finding a way to execute such ideas in an original way.

[Aanchir: Rachira of Time]

I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking this to be a bit suspect, though for different reasons.

Firstly, I don't remember any mention of payment (forgive me if I'm wrong on that as I can't presently open it). So potentially, you could come up with the next Bionicle or Ninjago, then never see a penny for it.

Also, if you had a brilliant story or franchise idea of your own, why would you want to give it all away to a company who wouldn't allow you any subsequent control?

Lastly, why do Lego suddenly want original story ideas? Are they finally feeling guilty about relying on so many licenses? Or are they just bored of having to pay for them?

It seems they effectively want a whole lot of something for absolutely nothing.

Orrrrr they think that fans would take the opportunity to have input on future products as a privelege rather than as a chore. Seriously, I've seen posts on two sites complaining about how TLG isn't offering any payment, and I think that sort of thing completely misses the point of what this is about. If TLG wanted to pay money for a play theme idea, they'd be paying professional writers like they did with BIONICLE, or just developing them in-house on their own budget like they have done with LEGO Friends. The only reason they seek input from AFOLs is because they want to be open to possibilities from those who have a lifetime of experience with the brand and who care deeply about what products they see on store shelves two or three years from now.

Moreover, what would a 100-word story brief be worth, anyway? I heard one ludicrous suggestion that TLG should be offering a free trip to Billund and tour of LEGO Headquarters, as well as a year of free LEGO. Poppycock. Some of the professional writers they already have on their payroll could surely come up with several 100-word story briefs within a week, and so it's silly to think TLG owes fans anything more than the weekly payroll for their writing and marketing teams. And what if your idea does become the next BIONICLE or Ninjago? Well, that's great for you, but that doesn't mean you deserve any huge compensation for the success of the theme. Most of the real work and expense of making a theme successful doesn't come from the story brief on its own, but rather from the efforts of the writing, design, and marketing teams that turn a nebulous and open-ended idea into something profitable.

From what I've heard, some people who have submitted ideas in the past (and yes, TLG HAS put out calls for ideas like this before) have received a free LEGO set, so the possibility of small compensation is not insignificant. But there doesn't exist an idea in the world that is guaranteed to become a real hit. It's how the idea is expressed in the final product and marketing that lets it meet its potential.

Finally, it should be considered that TLG has more use for play theme ideas than fans tend to have on their own-- after all, rare is the LEGO fan who can go into business for themselves based on a concept for a LEGO product.

I'll be thinking on it...

I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking this to be a bit suspect, though for different reasons.

Firstly, I don't remember any mention of payment (forgive me if I'm wrong on that as I can't presently open it). So potentially, you could come up with the next Bionicle or Ninjago, then never see a penny for it.

True. I agree that they should probably give the winner a little money.

Also, if you had a brilliant story or franchise idea of your own, why would you want to give it all away to a company who wouldn't allow you any subsequent control?

It depends on if you have the means to develop it. Let's say I have a story idea for the next Bionicle/Ninjago. To fully develop it, I would have get the means to market and produce plastic parts in addition to the ability to market and produce my story. For most people, that's out of reach. Lego already has all these resources, so it would be easier to give them the story idea and have them develop it, especially if they will work with you on it, which is what they said they would do it the brief.

Lastly, why do Lego suddenly want original story ideas? Are they finally feeling guilty about relying on so many licenses? Or are they just bored of having to pay for them?

It seems they effectively want a whole lot of something for absolutely nothing.

It may be because Ninjago is ending. The brief said it was for the next "Lego Play Theme", so they probably are looking at the next theme to appeal to roleplayers who want a deeper story, perhaps? In view of that, why not go to those who might actually know something about that?

And there is more to creativity than money. I can tell you that for a fact. If money's all you want, best to look elsewhere. But true creativity has a reward that is greater than money; I can tell you that from years of writing stories that have never earned me a dime. I wouldn't trade those stories for anything.

So I don't think Lego is being greedy. I don't think they "want a lot of something for absolutely nothing." All they want is an idea, and in return, they are giving somebody out there a chance. A chance to see something that they thought of but didn't think would ever happen, actually, well, happen.

And there is something to be said for not being licensed or based on licensed stuff. People like originality, a change from the Same Old Thing. Lego knows that. That's why they are asking.

Well, Ninjago's replacement would have already been designed by now. Since it can take years to develop a theme from the ground up, it's more likely that they just do things like this to keep ideas in reserve.

But you're right on the money regarding what the true reward for a good idea will be. Getting an idea of yours turned into a professionally-designed, high-profile worldwide product release is something AFOLs can't easily do through any other channels. Furthermore, this open call for ideas also notes that if your idea is selected to become a product line, The LEGO Group will open correspondence with you, presumably to ensure that the idea doesn't morph into something hugely contrary to your original intent.

Combine this + the fact the new Batman "movie" will be just the cutscenes from the video games and you = a company desperate for new ideas and new ways to make money.

Desperate for ideas? Please. If they were desperate for ideas, they'd be turning to professionals in the industry (like they did with BIONICLE), not to fans. This is meant as an opportunity for the fans to have a say, nothing more. It's basically the same reason you would report LEGO.com site problems to LEGO customer service-- not because you expect something in return, but rather because you hope your input will allow the product or service to be improved in the future for everyone's benefit, your own included.

[Lloyd: the White Wolf]

This took me by surprise, but I think I'm well into the process of concocting a story that should appeal to young fans and older fans alike. Peripheral demographics ahoy!LW

[Click]

Okay, okay, I've changed my mind about Lego "running out of ideas" then, partially because of this, and partially because I just saw next year's sets. No spoilers or anything, but we're all in for a treat.

So, just to clarify, do we need to email this Kim T. before we start writing to get the neccessary forms, like it said, or can we just write it out?

[shellshock]

Let me see......nope. Can't think of anything to top the collossal 10 year streak of Bionicle. I'm going to leave this one to the experts.

[Aanchir: Rachira of Time]

Let me see......nope. Can't think of anything to top the collossal 10 year streak of Bionicle. I'm going to leave this one to the experts.

There's no reason a theme idea has to top past ideas; it's not a competition. TLG just wants new, thoughtful ideas.

Besides, a 100-word brief isn't really enough to decide how big and impressive a theme is going to be. If BIONICLE's first year were summed up in 100 words, using easily-understandable generalities instead of all the specific lore and language of the series, it would probably sound pretty weird and not especially impressive. The depth of the theme's story is something that comes later.

[shellshock]

Let me see......nope. Can't think of anything to top the collossal 10 year streak of Bionicle. I'm going to leave this one to the experts.

There's no reason a theme idea has to top past ideas; it's not a competition. TLG just wants new, thoughtful ideas.

Besides, a 100-word brief isn't really enough to decide how big and impressive a theme is going to be. If BIONICLE's first year were summed up in 100 words, using easily-understandable generalities instead of all the specific lore and language of the series, it would probably sound pretty weird and not especially impressive. The depth of the theme's story is something that comes later.

As a whole I'm just satisfied with the way Bionicle went. I don't really have any ideas that haven't already been suggested. But I will think some more. And I didn't say it was any competition. A lot of younger folks out there didn't get to enjoy the full story as much as others who have been alive longer to see it from beginning to end. Maybe they might have some original ideas. Or maybe I'm just too lazy.

[Dralcax]

I thought of a really good idea... But I decided it was too good to simply hand over the trademark to Lego with only an infintesimal chance of implementation. So, instead, I decided to develop it into a non-Lego story. Good idea or bad idea?

Edited by Dralcax, Oct 23 2012 - 07:35 PM.

[Alyska]

On the age restrictions thing- the way to find out is to send an email to the link provided in the PDF, which gets you the release form, which will likely come with a set of terms and conditions, including any age restrictions. You can get the form before you have anything to submit.

My guess is that it will either ask for some sort of parental permission, or not allow submissions from people under 18.

[fishers64]

To the questions above:

1. You do have to email the adress in the powerpoint to get the Release form and Idea Template before submitting your idea.
2. You do have to be 18 years of age to submit your idea.

I emailed him, and these quotes from said email should clear some things up:

Please note that you have to be at least 18 years of age to submit your idea and also that this call for ideas is intended for our AFOL (Adult Fan of LEGO) community solely.

Only one idea per person – we want the best of the best you can do.

Failure to fill out the Release Form or the Idea Template correctly or wrong information will result in the submission being discarded.

Also we will not give you any feedback to the idea you have submitted.
This is NOT A CONTEST, but a call for ideas and as much as we do appreciate your efforts we DO NOT have the time to contact 250+ individuals during the process.

We’ll contact you if we find the need for you to elaborate on your idea.

Know that, even though the above rules may sound a bit harsh, we really appreciate getting feedback from the lifelong experience that our AFOL community has, which is why this call out has been put forth.
We thank you for your efforts and the vast amount of time you put into your hobby.

[Alyska]

How to create a pitch for a LEGO toyline:

Pick out an item for each of the following categories:

1. An awesome thing- preferably human or humanoid. Pirates, ninjas, explorers and knights are all good candidates.
2. Whatever powers/weapons the heroes will have. Elemental or animal themes are recommended.
3. An evil-sounding name for the head baddie. Regardless of setting, this character is always male, wears black, and has red eyes. Will inevitably have the title "Lord."
4. An awesome evil thing. Must be explicitly not human. Examples include robots, dinosaurs, skeletons, zombies or any other "monster."
5. A shiny thing for the characters to fight over. Preferably with special powers. Preferably, it's part of a set with other shiny things for kids to collect.
6. What happens if Lord Baddie wins/collects all the shiny things. Probably involves destruction/takeover of the world.

Now, fill in the blanks!

A team of 4-6 heroic ________________(1) must harness their new weapons/powers of ____________(2) and unite together in battle against the evil Lord _______________(3) and his army of ___________(4) henchmen and retrieve/protect the _________________(5) before ______________________________(6)!


... I know that sounds horribly cynical, but as Aanchir said, you can only do so much with 100 words, and even Bionicle sounds like that when you try to condense it.

[fishers64]

Funny how I just came up with an idea that had...almost none of those things.

And besides, the above sounds waaay too much like Bionicle. Not all Lego themes are Bionicle clones. (If they were, somebody would have complained about it by now ...and the rest of us would be celebrating, because the Bionicle legacy lives on. )

[Aanchir: Rachira of Time]

How to create a pitch for a LEGO toyline:

Pick out an item for each of the following categories:

1. An awesome thing- preferably human or humanoid. Pirates, ninjas, explorers and knights are all good candidates.
2. Whatever powers/weapons the heroes will have. Elemental or animal themes are recommended.
3. An evil-sounding name for the head baddie. Regardless of setting, this character is always male, wears black, and has red eyes. Will inevitably have the title "Lord."
4. An awesome evil thing. Must be explicitly not human. Examples include robots, dinosaurs, skeletons, zombies or any other "monster."
5. A shiny thing for the characters to fight over. Preferably with special powers. Preferably, it's part of a set with other shiny things for kids to collect.
6. What happens if Lord Baddie wins/collects all the shiny things. Probably involves destruction/takeover of the world.

Now, fill in the blanks!

A team of 4-6 heroic ________________(1) must harness their new weapons/powers of ____________(2) and unite together in battle against the evil Lord _______________(3) and his army of ___________(4) henchmen and retrieve/protect the _________________(5) before ______________________________(6)!


... I know that sounds horribly cynical, but as Aanchir said, you can only do so much with 100 words, and even Bionicle sounds like that when you try to condense it.

I can name quite a few recent play themes that don't follow that framework. Dino in particular breaks from that trend tremendously-- there is no enemy leader, there are no shiny objects of any kind to be collected, and the heroes have no powers or weapons besides their vehicles. Only 1 (Dino hunters), 4 (Dinosaurs), and 6 (the Dinos run rampant and destroy the city) apply.

Likewise Alien Conquest breaks from that trend. Specifically, there are no shiny objects to fight over and no special powers/weapons for the heroes (unless generic, non-collectible sci-fi guns qualify). Rather, there are civilians whom the aliens want to enslave and the ADU wants to protect. Space Police is another space-oriented play theme that failed to follow this template. There are good guys and bad guys, but no special powers/weapons or shiny collectible items. Space Police stands out in particular because it lasted three full waves (not just one) without sticking strictly to this theme template.

Want to hear the ultimate exception to this template? Let's consider LEGO Kingdoms. Two full waves, but no shiny objects to collect, explicitly human villains with no character names and no clear leader, no special powers, and no explicit consequence for the bad guys winning other than the self-evident fall of the kingdom. In other words, the ONLY parts of that template that it follows are that the heroes are human knights (condition #1) who have an incentive to defeat the enemy (condition #6).

This isn't to say that your template isn't a darn good way to create a theme that will engage kids. But it's far from the only way.

Edited by Aanchir: Rachira of Time, Oct 24 2012 - 02:28 PM.

[Click]

To the questions above:

1. You do have to email the adress in the powerpoint to get the Release form and Idea Template before submitting your idea.
2. You do have to be 18 years of age to submit your idea.

I emailed him, and these quotes from said email should clear some things up:

Please note that you have to be at least 18 years of age to submit your idea and also that this call for ideas is intended for our AFOL (Adult Fan of LEGO) community solely.

Only one idea per person – we want the best of the best you can do.

Failure to fill out the Release Form or the Idea Template correctly or wrong information will result in the submission being discarded.

Also we will not give you any feedback to the idea you have submitted.
This is NOT A CONTEST, but a call for ideas and as much as we do appreciate your efforts we DO NOT have the time to contact 250+ individuals during the process.

We’ll contact you if we find the need for you to elaborate on your idea.

Know that, even though the above rules may sound a bit harsh, we really appreciate getting feedback from the lifelong experience that our AFOL community has, which is why this call out has been put forth.
We thank you for your efforts and the vast amount of time you put into your hobby.

Yep, just got the email too. I'm not 18. And I had four ideas, although 1 wasn't exactly a story. That's really stupid, I was hoping to get past the CUUSOO block, but Lego doesn't accept from "minors."

[Aanchir: Rachira of Time]

To the questions above:

1. You do have to email the adress in the powerpoint to get the Release form and Idea Template before submitting your idea.
2. You do have to be 18 years of age to submit your idea.

I emailed him, and these quotes from said email should clear some things up:

Please note that you have to be at least 18 years of age to submit your idea and also that this call for ideas is intended for our AFOL (Adult Fan of LEGO) community solely.

Only one idea per person – we want the best of the best you can do.

Failure to fill out the Release Form or the Idea Template correctly or wrong information will result in the submission being discarded.

Also we will not give you any feedback to the idea you have submitted.
This is NOT A CONTEST, but a call for ideas and as much as we do appreciate your efforts we DO NOT have the time to contact 250+ individuals during the process.

We’ll contact you if we find the need for you to elaborate on your idea.

Know that, even though the above rules may sound a bit harsh, we really appreciate getting feedback from the lifelong experience that our AFOL community has, which is why this call out has been put forth.
We thank you for your efforts and the vast amount of time you put into your hobby.

Yep, just got the email too. I'm not 18. And I had four ideas, although 1 wasn't exactly a story. That's really stupid, I was hoping to get past the CUUSOO block, but Lego doesn't accept from "minors."

That's not TLG's fault at all. They're not allowed to take ideas from minors because people submitting ideas to become products, whether through Cuusoo or this open call, need to provide a written signature giving TLG consent to use their ideas-- in other words, basically a contract. And in most countries, minors don't legally have the right to enter into contracts (a parent or guardian has to do that for them). Since an idea can take a couple years to become a reality, and a person who was below the age of majority could easily pass that threshold before TLG stops producing their product, it gets into some very muddy legal territory regarding whether the child or their parent/guardian has the right to the idea. Can you blame TLG for wanting to avoid that?

Edited by Aanchir: Rachira of Time, Oct 24 2012 - 04:11 PM.

[Alyska]

Funny how I just came up with an idea that had...almost none of those things.

And besides, the above sounds waaay too much like Bionicle. Not all Lego themes are Bionicle clones. (If they were, somebody would have complained about it by now ...and the rest of us would be celebrating, because the Bionicle legacy lives on. )

I was thinking primarily of Ninjago, Hero Factory and partially Monster Fighters when I wrote it, actually, even though it could be applicable to Bionicle.

And yes, I know that it does not apply to all Lego themes, but it is a very common framework for many of Lego's stories, and my guess is that it's the sort of pitch they like to see (Note that the lines that follow that pattern tend to be more high-profile than other LEGO lines). Not that it's a bad thing- that post was more mocking the idea of the simplified story brief than the actual toylines themselves.

There are probably other mad libs-style pitches you could come up with, to cover stuff like the "Humans want the treasure, monsters get in the way" themes (Atlantis, Power Miners, etc), but yes, there will always be outliers such as Alien Conquest, Space Police and the Dino lines.