LEGO Club Magazine: Interview with KK2 Designers

[LEGOFREAK]

Did anyone find out if these two watched a lot of the knights of the everlasting lights or whatever that cartoon was?
I bet they did.

dumb[bunnies]...

[architect]

I like that these interviews are a part of the Club magazine because it gives us some insight on the design process. While I have always appreciated the playability of KK2 (and even more since I have some sets like 8778 now) I still think the first batch of sets were more "power knights" than "castle." The two new sets respect the legacy and achievements of LEGOLAND Castle and therefor I appreciate them more.

I also found that one person worked on one set was interesting. Perhaps multiple people working on sets such as the Tournament would have been beneficial to the design. While the knights on wheels function well, the overall appearance of a tournament is lacking. Knight's Challenge created a joust atmosphere, while the previous two jousting sets fall short.

Border Ambush has very nice features for playability and I like it as a stand alone model. It is too bad that many sets can not be attached or interrelate to each other. This set seems to be much more of a "Pirates" or "Adventurers" type of set than castle.

Ben E.

[J1A3L5]

You know, maybe I'm being completely suspicious, or I'm just plain wrong, but do we really know that was an interview? It looked to me like it could just have very easily been made up by the writers. As mentioned, it had the LEGO Magazine standard amount of exclamation marks - How much else was modified/added?

[architect]

I dont think it was made up. Previous club magazines, including the first brick kicks issue #1, have had interviews with set designers and master model builders. So I think this was real and accurate.

Ben E.

[tanzirian]

It would be nice to know who the designers from the mid 80s and early 90s were, and what they are doing these days. Maybe our resourceful admins can find out...now those would be people worth having a chat with.

As for these two...tar 'em, feather 'em, and ride 'em on rails!

[rogue27]

I've read stories about this one guy in Brick Kicks magazine, and a shorter bio was also on the Lego website around the time that the Guarded Inn was re-released. I cannot find that page any longer.

Anyway, there was a guy who grew up in Colorado working some tedious and mindless job in the 60s. When he got home from work, he would start building with LEGO bricks. He kept buying parts and had built a huge city in his house that began to get media attention. Eventually, somebody from The Lego Company in Denmark took notice and he met with them. He was offered a job. I don't know when exactly he was offered the job, but it was the job of his dreams and he accepted.

I do know that he designed the Guarded Inn and was responsible for the majority of the good stuff from the golden years. I believe he retired in the early 90s, and that would explain why 1992 was the last year to have good Castle sets. I believe he is dead now.

***********************************************

My first reaction after reading that interview was, "fire these fools," but that might be a bit harsh. I mean, they have to say good things about the sets. It's not like Lego's free publication (which exists to promote their products) is going to say, "Yeah, Knight's Kingdom 2 sucks compared to the old castle sets." We also do not know if these designs were their ideas for the ideal castle theme or if somebody somewhere above them ordered them to design in this awful way. So yeah, the designers sound like idiots here, but it might not be their fault.

What I think is needed, if not better designers, is an editor. Granted, I think that Kjeld guy sorta serves this function, I think more is needed. There should be a few people from the AFOL community (like me and a few others who post in here) who serve as Volunteer Castle Editors where we, under NDA, are mailed prototypes of castle sets in development, and provide input that will hopefully benefit the finished product.

Unfortunately, the entire premise behind the KK2 product line is completely flawed, so there's really nothing that can save it. We'll just have to ride this out and hope for something more authentic to come along someday.

[Robin Hood]

Meet the Designers!

Cecilia W and Christian F-B have been working on the new LEGO Knight's Kingdom line of action figures and playsets. Cecilia created the 8778 Border Ambush, and Christian designed the 8779 Grand Tournament. (You may recognize them as the models used to make our Power Knights!)

What's your favorite part of Knight's Kingdom?

Christian: The style and posability of the large action figures.

Cecilia: We've put cool functions and play features into every model, so nothing is static or dull. Everything has plenty of action and fun!

Do you have a favorite model?

Cecilia: I can't pick just one. I love how the Castle of Morcia changes from good to bad, the Grand Tournament's joust launchers, chucking the boulder in the Border Ambush, and of course having a good sword fight with the big knights!

Christian: The Grand Tournament, because I designed it exactly how I wanted it!

What do you like most about the model you designed?

Cecilia: I love all the different play features: firing the boulder, crossing the bridge, the trap door that you have to avoid or try to push the Shadow Knight into. It's not a huge model, but there's plenty of play packed into it!

Christian: I like the fact that it's just as much fun to play with by yourself as it is with two people!

(Psst! Can you share any secrets about your model?)

Christian: The colored bricks in front of the King's throne swivel to keep score of the jousts between Vladek and Jayko.

uggg,I feel sick reading this.

Nothing is static or dull

My foot! These are dead boring sets.

I can't believe these people would say this. (Now lets see, Jojo is one of the closest to them, and he has an executer, so.................)

Please every LEGO fan out there, don't listen to em they are lying.

Dan

[LEGOFREAK]

Unfortunately, the entire premise behind the KK2 product line is completely flawed, so there's really nothing that can save it.

Ok - I disagree here.

not the ENTIRE premise... just most of it.
Some minor changes that could still save the line:

more bad guys. 5-1 is not a good ratio.
interconnect the sets. hello... when did you guys stop doing this?
add some town stuff. even the bionicles have villagers, why not your castle line...
stop making yellow swords. the metalllic and pearlescent, while not my favorites, are still useful I guess, but yellow? YELLOW?
Horses don't have wheels. period. Pick a theme, and stick with it.

I am sure there are a few more, and I really do like the border ambush set. I also think the Vladeks Siege tower looks cool, so at least they have two sets that don't totally bite.

[Formendacil]

Ok - I disagree here.

not the ENTIRE premise... just most of it.
Some minor changes that could still save the line:

more bad guys. 5-1 is not a good ratio.
interconnect the sets. hello... when did you guys stop doing this?
add some town stuff. even the bionicles have villagers, why not your castle line...
stop making yellow swords. the metalllic and pearlescent, while not my favorites, are still useful I guess, but yellow? YELLOW?
Horses don't have wheels. period. Pick a theme, and stick with it.

I am sure there are a few more, and I really do like the border ambush set. I also think the Vladeks Siege tower looks cool, so at least they have two sets that don't totally bite.

I have to agree with Freak, and all the points made. ESPECIALLY Point 1. That has been a major problem for years. More good guys in a theme than bad guys. And 3-1 (Don't forget King Matthias and the Shadow Knight) is a PATHETIC ratio. It gets worse if you factor the Guardian in as a good guy.

But give them credit. They brought castle as a theme and Euro armours back. That's gotta count for SOMETHING. And I wouldn't blame the designers for the colour-change.

[jon_p]

....... no comment.

Cecilia: We've put cool functions and play features into every model, so nothing is static or dull

Nothing is dull, but they're not exactly easy to look at being so multicoloured!

Jon.

[rogue27]

Unfortunately, the entire premise behind the KK2 product line is completely flawed, so there's really nothing that can save it.

Ok - I disagree here.

not the ENTIRE premise... just most of it.
Some minor changes that could still save the line:

more bad guys. 5-1 is not a good ratio.
interconnect the sets. hello... when did you guys stop doing this?
add some town stuff. even the bionicles have villagers, why not your castle line...
stop making yellow swords. the metalllic and pearlescent, while not my favorites, are still useful I guess, but yellow? YELLOW?
Horses don't have wheels. period. Pick a theme, and stick with it.

I am sure there are a few more, and I really do like the border ambush set. I also think the Vladeks Siege tower looks cool, so at least they have two sets that don't totally bite.

Oh, we also need:
archers
generic soldiers
believable heraldry
...etc.

I've listed all that and more before. Those things would improve KK2, but when I say the premise is flawed, I'm talking about:

A setting where knights shoot lightning from their swords and lances, and fight an army of cloned shadow knights.

A product line that focuses on "action" instead of building and creativity.


Their goals with KK2 are not to release nice realistic castle sets in an authentic medieval setting. Their goal is to create the power rangers of a time and place that never existed. Have you seen the comics and read about the Knights in the book of Morcia? It's disgusting how ridiculous and stupid it all is.

The entire design philosophy and marketing concept behind KK2 is wrong, and we will have to suffer through it until the end. Speaking of the end... at the rate the KK2 comics are coming out, it will not end until the end of 2005.

**********************************************

It's somewhat amusing how Jake McKee also told us that the new castle sets aren't "dull" like the old ones.

*sigh*

They just don't get it. I have to wonder if any of the current designers at TLC were even working there before 1990.

[TheOrk]

sigh.....
The line is sooo baaad that theres nothing you can do.
Even if you could (gasps) then the line would still have the ugly scar of the first couple of sets.
As for that questionable story......Did those knights ever consider making Vladek have a little acident I;m sure that would have made alot more sense.

[architect]

Their goals with KK2 are not to release nice realistic castle sets in an authentic medieval setting. Their goal is to create the power rangers of a time and place that never existed. Have you seen the comics and read about the Knights in the book of Morcia? It's disgusting how ridiculous and stupid it all is.

The entire design philosophy and marketing concept behind KK2 is wrong, and we will have to suffer through it until the end. Speaking of the end... at the rate the KK2 comics are coming out, it will not end until the end of 2005.

I agree with rogue. A poor concept leads to poor product. In this case, LEGO got what it was looking for - a flashy power knight world. We prefer a colorful yet semi-realistic medieval castle world (with realism being more important).

The success of the two Castle legends shows that this older approach is still viable and enjoyed by children, even 18 years later. I still disaggree with using the theme (formerly known at LEGOLAND Castle) as a trendy fad vehicle to attract the Bionicle crowd of kids. Obviously LEGO liked this idea. Unfortunately, KK2 is doing well with this other group of kids, and will probably be around for a while. Even when it ends, what guarantee is there of a better theme and sets?

Ben E.

[wlister]

Even when it ends, what guarantee is there of a better theme and sets?

Ben E.

This is the major concern I have about a line like KII. If it is successful, what will that teach TLC? The next castle line could conceiveable be even worse. Each castle line has progressively had worse set design since about 1992. There is little hope the set designs will be any better once KKII end. I am hoping that in between KKII and the next castle line that will will be seeing some new castle Legends. None of the retail sets even the new combo have as much value as a decently priced legend.

Will

[Emperor James]

You know, it really isn't the designers fault. I'm sure they could do much better, probably better than anyone here, if they had the chance. I think it is the marketting people who make them make crap. I doubt the designers really WANT to build this kind of stuff, and would rather build awesome castles, but they really have little choice in the matter. They could probably top classic castle if they tried.