LEGO CUUSOO

[Aliencat]

Hey everyone,

how many of you guys are on CUUSOO?
If you're not sure what it is, basically anyone can submit an idea for a LEGO model, if an idea gets 10 000 supporters, LEGO will review if it can be made into a set, and if produced the original creator will get 1% of all global sales.

Even though it's only in Beta now, a whole community is already developing there and I see a lot of familiar names from various fan communities around the world. It would be great to see some Castle love in the submitted ideas, so sign up if you haven't yet!

If you have an account there, post your username here, I'll update this list:

Aliencat
AK_Brickster
gedren_y

[andhe]

It seems a great idea, and I'm sure the excitement will build once a set is released from the process.

My main gripe would be it has opened the floodgates to the classic 'please make a.... theme' plea, and there doesn't seem to be any moderating of what you can put up. After a while of searching for anything vaguely interesting, I gave up. This may improve once the site comes out of beta.

Be interesting to see what comes of this (other than than 'bring back bionicle' cries), and whether people will build with cuusoo in mind, or just add it to the sites they already upload their MOCs to.

[Aliencat]

It seems a great idea, and I'm sure the excitement will build once a set is released from the process.

Two sets have been released from it already:

Shinkai 6500 Submarine

Hayabusa unmanned space craft

My main gripe would be it has opened the floodgates to the classic 'please make a.... theme' plea, and there doesn't seem to be any moderating of what you can put up. After a while of searching for anything vaguely interesting, I gave up. This may improve once the site comes out of beta.

I do think that's part of the whole project though: just like with a new idea, if enough people want an old idea to come back, LEGO should at least review the possibilities of bringing it back, no? CUUSOO is a good way to bring this to attention, even if it's unlikely these lines/sets will actually be brought back.

[andhe]

Two sets have been released from it already:

Shinkai 6500 Submarine

Hayabusa unmanned space craft

Yeah I am aware of these, I should have said "now that it has gone worldwide".

I do think that's part of the whole project though: just like with a new idea, if enough people want an old idea to come back, LEGO should at least review the possibilities of bringing it back, no? CUUSOO is a good way to bring this to attention, even if it's unlikely these lines/sets will actually be brought back.

I'm sure TLG are aware of the themes people keep asking for (eg forestmen revival, greek/roman mythology, elves!) and have been drip feeding a bit of this through the CMF line (which is probably one of the best things TLG have done in years). But at the moment the site is quite difficult to navigate, and find the things you would actually want to vote for (eg something along the lines of Dan Siskind's blacksmith shop, a great MOC that retains a lego set feel to it).

But hopefully these things will be sorted out when the site is properly launched.

Perhaps they should also have a dislike button, and entries that get enough votes are removed...

[Bruce N H]

I've got a quick question, based on only a cursory glance at the site. Do the submitted ideas have to be ones already built of LEGO by the submitter? I mean, could I just say "It would be cool if you built Notre Dame"? Or how about if I had some concept art, say a sketch of a spaceship or something? Or is it just "Here's this MOC I made. You should make a set like this."?

Further on that, I've seen in the articles on this an earlier design of the Hayabasu space probe and the ultimate set, and there's obviously quite a redesign involved. How closely would LEGO keep to a submitted idea. For instance, over on the Brothers-Brick they highlighted a few MOCs that they and others have been submitted, including Andrew's fire engine and Marko's trebuchet. Of course these are fairly generic things. I can promise you that LEGO will produce a fire engine set in the next couple of years (not based on any inside information, just on history), and a trebuchet is another thing that they could do easily. Would these be a result of Cuusoo, or just a result of the normal design process? Could Andrew sue if they didn't give him royalties. What if they used a few of the same techniques? But Andrew probably learned those techniques from seeing other peoples' MOCs, etc etc etc. So if a Cuusoo set is not an exact copy of a submission (or maybe with a few changes due to part or color availability), where is the line?

This is such a cool idea, but I wonder about some of the details.

Bruce

[Aliencat]

This is such a cool idea, but I wonder about some of the details.

I wonder the same, but don't have the answers at this time, I can only speculate:
I think if for example the fire truck gets 10 000 supporters, LEGO would redesign it to fit the currently produced parts pallette, and produce it as a CUUSOO release, allowing the original creator his 1%.

As for sketches and photos, I'm really not sure, I see some very unspecific things on there, but most so far are LEGO buildings or renders. Maybe there'll be more submission guidelines as this progresses in beta.

[SavaTheAggie]

My problem with the site is that the minute you submit a creation, whether LEGO ever makes it into a set or not, LEGO owns the commercial rights to it. You will forever be unable to sell photos of the MOC, sell instructions, or even get it published in a magezine or book. This may seem trivial to some, but I won't be using the site at all unless I either build a MOC only for the site, or LEGO changes it so that you only hand over your rights in the event your creation is deemed worthy of being turned into a set.

--Tony

[AK_Brickster]

If you have an account there, post your username here!

Here is mine: http://lego.cuusoo.com/profile/AK_Brickster
Are you planning on putting everyone's links in the first post of this thread? That would be an easy way to keep it organized. I don't have any submissions yet, but you can sure bet that I will soon!

[Aliencat]

Are you planning on putting everyone's links in the first post of this thread? That would be an easy way to keep it organized.

Can do, I just added yours

[Aliencat]

Here's a bit from the CUUSOO team about plagiarism:

http://legocuusoo.posterous.com/thoughts-on-plagiarism

It's all pretty standard stuff, but good to know they're thinking with us, about that issue.
I'm very curious about question about IP models, and where that discussion might lead.

[annie2200]

My problem with the site is that the minute you submit a creation, whether LEGO ever makes it into a set or not, LEGO owns the commercial rights to it.

I agree, I will only be using the site to support other creations and keep my MOCs here for the love and enjoyment rather than the monetary value.

[gedren_y]

I was happy to see submissions using LDD. If I submit an idea, I would go with that format. These would be things that I wouldn't have the time and/or money to build practically. If I can build it practically, I feel no need for Lego to produce it officially. I build things for my own satisfaction. If I can get a good pic of what I have built practically, I will share it on sites like this. I have no intent to make money off of it. Has anyone here considered the tax implications of even 1% of a Lego set's sales?

I may just vote for the things I like.

Just to keep it simple I used the same screename I use here.

[medib]

No kidding about the tax implications.

1% revenue from sales isnt too much if they market them like the sub or even the satelite. If they decide to sell the cuusso items in the Lego Stores and
through worldwide shop@home, then you are talking about big money, even 1%.

[Surduk]

I think the main problem (except people shouting "bring back Bionicle" etc.) is that nobody there seems to know that Lego won't release creation with 500+ pieces ..Lego designers also have restrictions about how many pieces are they allowed to use.
My concern goes to the following: When you submit your creation you agree to give up your rights (they own your idea even if they don't release the set). So basically they can release it before it goes 10000 votes. Than what?

[theboywarrior]

I might get involved in this, despite the cons, this seems quite cool to me.