The Next Jake McKee Chat

[architect]

I am proud to announce the second Classic-Castle.com chat with LEGO Community Development Manager Jake McKee. The chat will be held on Saturday October 16th at 1pm Eastern Time in the US (1800 GMT). This chat will be moderated by the CC admins and will last approximately ninety minutes.

Rules

1. The moderators can kick people out of chat or ban them indefinitely if you break these chat rules.
2. Each person will be called on by a moderator beginning in alphabetical order and then will be allowed to ask Jake one question.
3. Jake does not have to answer any question. Remember that he can not answer questions about future product lines.
4. Do not speak out of turn.
5. Please be polite. Do not use profanity.
6. If you do not have a question to ask, please just say “pass” and we will move on to the next person.

Please discuss the chat here. Jake has also asked CC members to post here with their questions or ideas of questions before the chat. Knowledgeable members can answer the easy questions for you instead of Jake. This will also let Jake can have a rough idea of topics that we are interested in.

-The CC Team

[TwoTonic Knight]

And, of course, I will be busy that day (SoCal Gamesday). Will a transcript be kept?

And if I may suggest a question that I would have asked in the hopes someone will ask it for me:

What effect, if any, will the recent major on-line poll that LEGO conducted have upon the Castle line? There was a very strong Tolkienesque Fantasy contingent, and a very strong historical contingent, and what seemed like very little support for what was actually done (KK2). Al three seem mutually exclusive: which way will things be going?

And let me note that while Jake may not have a specific answer, I think he may well be able to give some general ideas (ex: "We took the survey very seriously and some aspects of it may be implemented" might seem vague, but it actually tells us something).


And boy, I even had to edit down my sidekicks' names to get my warning in to Jake below.

[Green Fox]

And, of course, I will be busy that day (SoCal Gamesday). Will a transcript be kept?

And if I may suggest a question that I would have asked in the hopes someone will ask it for me:

What effect, if any, will the recent major on-line poll that LEGO conducted have upon the Castle line? There was a very strong Tolkienesque Fantasy contingent, and a very strong historical contingent, and what seemed like very little support for what was actually done (KK2). Al three seem mutually exclusive: which way will things be going?

I'll ask this for you. Actually, I was going to ask that, but not in a way as well worded...

[Glencaer]

What effect, if any, will the recent major on-line poll that LEGO conducted have upon the Castle line? There was a very strong Tolkienesque Fantasy contingent, and a very strong historical contingent, and what seemed like very little support for what was actually done (KK2). Al three seem mutually exclusive: which way will things be going?

Jake's responce: I'm sorry, but I can't talk about future product releases, posibilities, etc.

Everyone (not just TT): Keep in mind that companies like MegaBloks, BTR, and other building block companies keep a tight look on what we say and do here, and especially if LEGO leaks any information about an up-coming product line. TLG is therefore completely unable to talk about any plans, lack of plans, or anything about future possible product releases as this would compromise their ability to compete in the very tight toy business.

-Lenny

[LEGOFREAK]

Greenfox beat me to it.

Oh well, now i have to figure out a question to ask!

The last time we had a big meeting like this there was a crash on the system.. is this a problem that we can anticipate? (and hopefully correct before it happens?)
not being very teknikul I just thought I'd ask.

Looking forward to it.

(lets see... thats ten am CA time?)

[TwoTonic Knight]

Jake's responce: I'm sorry, but I can't talk about future product releases, posibilities, etc.

Everyone (not just TT): Keep in mind that companies like MegaBloks, BTR, and other building block companies keep a tight look on what we say and do here, and especially if LEGO leaks any information about an up-coming product line. TLG is therefore completely unable to talk about any plans, lack of plans, or anything about future possible product releases as this would compromise their ability to compete in the very tight toy business.

I understand their policy better than most, since I have had to keep that secret in the past (I knew about the NASA LEGO sets long before their release and never even vaguely hinted at it). However, I trust that Jake understands that the main thing that is going to be asked at a Castle site is the future of the line (I mean, there's not much else to discuss beyond requests for that selfsame future) so he may have some information, even vague, that he may well be able to impart.

[Glencaer]

so he may have some information, even vague, that he may well be able to impart.

Even if he did, he would just give us the hint - we wouldn't need to ask questions in order to get it. But I'm 95% sure he doesnt have any hints for us as it was us who asked for a chat, and not him.

But you're right, 75% of what most people would ask TLG or Jake is directly related to future product offerings.

But yet, I think there are some interesting questions that could be posed about the relationship between CC.com and TLG...

-Lenny

[rogue27]

Possible questions:


Why was the plastic used in swords changed from ABS to PP in 1994, and is there any chance it might be changed back?


How successful is the new Knight's Kingdom series compared to previous castle lines?


You've often mentioned that more sets in the My Own Creation line are in the pipeline. It is beginning to seem like a very long pipe. Is there any light visible at the end of the tunnel?


So, what's up with that stack of dark green bricks you were holding at BrickFest?


Unless I've missed something, I think the 4 roof packs and the 6 "old color" packs are the only new service packs we've had so far this year. Why so few?


Did you ever find that pitchfork mold?


The white mansion with the red roof - is that a Europe Only release?


4679 tub - how limited will these be?


Why do the duplo castle sets get fairly realistic heraldry, while the current system sets have unrealistic cartoony emblems on the shields?


Why are LEGO sets so expensive compared to other brands? Is it largely the manufacturing costs of a higher quality product, or are there other factors involved?


Does TLC realize that the hand-guards are backwards on the new Knight's Kingdom swords?


About that whole "shooting lightning from your sword" thing in the Knight's Kingdom story: I get the impression that this is done to make the knights seem less violent, but why was the change needed? Children all over the world read about king arthur and his knights, and they use real swords.


This is not a question. Please release a classic castle minifig pack similar in scope to the 30 minifig town pack that is currently available. We would like that very much. Thank you.

[kajo163]

Yeah, I'm not sure I'm going to be there, but I would like to pick up Rogues thread and ask more about the upcomming Duplo castles. For example Why TLG choose to do a realistic castle line for small children, and not for the (hopefully) more historicley interested older ones?

Oh, and both for those of us who are'nt here at the time, and for future reference I too would like to suggest a transcript of the whole thing to be showed later.

joel.

GMT+1

[Bruce N H]

Hey all,

I won't be around on Saturday, but some thoughts:

Don't waste too much time grousing about gray/blay or jelly bean knights. Jake knows how we feel, so a couple of obligatory questions should be enough.

While he won't answer anything about future lines, you could ask more philosophical questions about how the set design process works, what things do they consider, etc.

Questions about how TLG could interact with CC, or with your local LUG.

Ask him some personal things (as opposed to company rep things). What is he building these days? What's new with the BI portal? etc.

Bruce

[Bruce N H]

So, what's up with that stack of dark green bricks you were holding at BrickFest?

The dark green bricks shown at LEGOworld (or 1000SteineLand? one of the European fests) was a hint about the new train using that color scheme that was announced at Brickfest.
http://www.iltco.org/gallery/view_album ... me=album16

Bruce

[forester3291]

If I remeber to get onto chat and if I'm here, Oh and I won't be. I would ask

I have noticed that there are some really well designed sets in lines such as 10159 City Airport wich comes with 12 minifigures and 867 pieces, and 10134 Y-Wing wich i looks like a very nice set., and some others. And then there is KK2. Why aren't these sets well designed? Don't get me wrong 8800 Vladeks Siege Engine is pretty nice, but, were are all the well designed sets of the old days?

[Master Blobicus]

All of you are so in to LEGO I wish I was like you people. But I'm better Bwa HA HA HA HA. I don't Know if this is a good question but here it goes,

Will there be any way to purcise Knights Kingdom after they leave (PAST TO PRESENT)?

If anyone here knows the anwser to the question please PRIVATE MESSAGE ME! Don't humiliate (did I spell that right?) me on the forum

[MaxiVisVires]

This is not a question. Please release a classic castle minifig pack similar in scope to the 30 minifig town pack that is currently available. We would like that very much. Thank you.

If that happened... oh boy... my wife would divorce me.

[Emperor James]

I'll probably be there, but is someone going to be recording this? I am sure many people would appreciate it, as long as Jake is okay with it.