Interview with Bobbywan (This one uses only user submmited questions)
1. LEGO.minifig: If you could design your own LEGO set, what would it be?
Minas Tirith because it is my favorite location from Lord of the Rings.
2. Teridaxrules: If you could make one LEGO set come to life, what would it be?
The Black Pearl. The only danger would be that it would sail away in to the sunset and never come back.
3. Zapty: If you were the president of The LEGO Group, what would you do?
Start a charity sending LEGO bricks to poor children in third world countries.
4. LEGO613master: What is your favorite kind of LEGO model to build? Like spaceships, castles, cars, planes, etc.?
I like castles because I love the Middle Ages, and I have tons of castle pieces already.
5. FrankFrost2: If there was a 24K gold brick, how much would you pay for to get it?
I wouldn't. I would save my money and buy other LEGO sets.
6. Dolrado: If you could design one LEGO theme, what would it be?
Well, they already have LEGO Lord of the Rings, so maybe LEGO Narnia.
7. Keplers: If any geographic location from a LEGO theme could exist, what would it be?
The Shire already exists, in New Zealand, so Helm's Deep, the great fortress of Rohan.
8. SprinkleOtter: Who is your favorite LEGO character of all time?
Rascus, the green knight from LEGO Knight's Kingdom II.
9. LelilaOrganaSolo: If you could build anything out of LEGO, and you had all the bricks in the world, what would you build?
I would build a full-scale pirate ship made out of LEGO.
10. A_Grue: Why are you interested in LEGO?
Because it is awesome, and increases imagination and creativity.
11. Wolfasa: What is your favorite old LEGO theme?
LEGO Knights Kingdom II. I loved the story and the characters.
12. Pacman87: What would you do if LEGO pieces invaded Earth?
What would be the problem? I would just use them to build an enormous castle.
13. SpitfireMad: If you could build a life size LEGO model of any vehicle, what would it be?
If it's a real vehicle, I would build an aircraft carrier, and then I would be unstoppable. If it's fictional, then the Millenium Falcon, what else?
14. DolphinLuvr16: If you were stuck on a deserted island with only a simple tub of LEGO bricks, what device would you make to help you get home?
I would build a teleporter, since it's the fastest possible way home.
15. Nokama1854: Which posts do you give likes to and why?
I like things that are funny or informative.
16. AravisofNarnia: Do you have an organized system of keeping your LEGO tidy? If so, what?
Does "shove them in a big box under the bed" count? That's basically my system.
17. TridentLegend: What is the biggest tallest LEGO creation you ever built?!
I built Orthanc, which is 22 inches tall.
18. YogurtLegacy117: What would be the first survival gear thing you would build if you were stuck in some icy mountains?
I would build a sled to get down the mountain.
19. LEGOtheTerrible: If you found a Mystery Minifigure Series 1 package at your local store would you purchase it and why?
I would feel the bag first to make sure I was getting the cowboy or the astronaut, not the cheerleader. Then I would buy it.
20. LEGOCritter35 & GideonF210: What was your very first LEGO creation that you built yourself?
It was so long ago that I honestly do not remember. I've been building with LEGO since before I can remember.
21. EagleEyeDan2: What original LEGO character has inspired you the most?
Rascus, the green monkey knight, because he has awesome fighting skills, he's funny, and he gets to save the world!
22. Daler99: Which LEGO theme has influenced your life the most, and how has that theme influenced your life?
The LEGO Knights Kingdom theme, because it made me more interested in the Middle Ages and history in general.
23. LEGOCityMan7063: Why do you go on the LMBs?
I like the role-plays because they are fun and imaginative.
24. Sk8r00: What does LEGO building do for you? Like, does it calm you, does it make you feel good about yourself, does it make you want to work for LEGO?
All of the above! It's fun, and I do want to be a LEGO set designer, or an architect, someday.
25. HuskeyGirl: If you were in charge of designing a future Minifigures series, what kind of minifigs would you include? Why?
I would make a series of obscure Tolkien characters that most people don't know about.
26. Bpw2002: What would you say if all Jester +'s go back to Caveman permanently?
That wouldn't be fair, since they've worked to get a higher rank.
27. DinoX000: What if you lived in a house where everything was made of LEGO?
I would be really, really careful and try not to break anything. It would also be kind of painful.
28. Clbgolden10: Have you ever been to the LEGO store? If so, how was your experience(s)?
Yes, and it was sort of overwhelming. There were so many LEGO sets!
29. Bluepeso: If you could meet ANY user in real life from the LMBs, who would you choose?
No offense to anyone, but I don't think I would, actually. It would be pretty weird.
30. LEGOpanama: If you could bring back any theme, which one would you want?
LEGO Knight's Kingdom II. The story and characters were great. None of the new castle themes have been as good as it.
31. Anonymous Pseudonym: If you could create any theme for LEGO, what would it be?
LEGO Narnia would be cool. It would be awesome to see those characters and locations in LEGO sets!
32. AwesomePythor: What is your favorite book?
Anything written by J.R.R. Tolkien. He is the only author to have created an entirely convincing world, complete with its own languages.
33. Botven1: When you saw the email (for your interview) come up, did you think you were in trouble again?
No, because The mods had told me to check my email, so I guessed it would be an interview.
34. Gracelw1: If you could invent your own LEGO theme, what would it be?
A LEGO Star Wars theme based on the Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn. He is one of the few authors to have captured the spirit of the Star Wars films.
35. NINJAGOgirl2363: If you could choose any job at LEGO, what would it be?
A set designer. I would love to design sets for other people to play with!
36. JJS495: If you could revive any old LEGO theme, which one would it be?
I would love it if they brought back LEGO Knight's Kingdom II. The LEGO pieces and printing have gotten so much more detailed since they released the sets!
37. Right_Holy_Hermit_of_the_Hunt: What's the biggest LEGO model you've ever made, whether one of your own or an official one?
I built a huge custom Helm's Deep, that was more like the films than the real set!
38. TannerJ2598: If you were free-falling out of a jet airplane and the only thing you had was some LEGO bricks, how would you use them to save your life?
I would use them to build a jet-pack to fly away to safety.
39. Xeara: What's your favorite LEGO piece/element?
Eomer's helmet from the Lord of the Rings. It has so much great detail.
40. Riolu777: What famous athlete or celebrity? Do you want to see them in LEGO form?
I don't know. I don't really care about famous celebrities.
41. JayZX535: If you were given the opportunity to become a part of any LEGO theme and live there forever, which theme would you choose and why?
The Lord of the Rings. It would be the closest I could get to living in Middle-earth!
42. MJLaubacher: If you only had LEGO elements from one theme's sets, and you had to save an entire city from a LEGO alien invasion, what would you build?
I would use the LEGO Technic pieces to build a flying suit of armor and save the world as LEGO Man!
43. SuperSluether: What could you make out of LEGO products that would make life easier/better?
I would take the Mindstorms pieces and build a Robot that can get snacks from the kitchen without having to walk there.
44. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
Of all the animal pieces LEGO has made, which is your favorite?
Interview with Epicninja1 and MrMaracaMan (This might be the longest)
1. Both: How did you choose your usernames?
EN: Well, when I was entering possible usernames, I thought, "I'll try 'ninja'! Yeah, that's a good idea!" But no, not a good idea, - I typed it in, and the computer came back saying, "The name 'ninja' has been taken. The name 'ninja5783' is available." I wanted something a bit more . . . I don't know, memorable, original; so I stuck an 'epic' on the beginning and a '1' on the end, and it worked. The envy thing I forgot to add was capitalization . . .
MMM: My username comes from my favorite series minifigure ever, the Maraca Man from series 2. He was a fantastically colorful minifig, full of energy and charisma, and he had maracas! (I actually own and can play the maracas, though I don't take formal lessons). Plus, he had a Latin American touch about him, it appealed to my heritage. Soooo . . . yeah, when I picked my username, it was an obvious choice.
2. EN: You guys are brothers. What’s it like having your brother on the LMBS with you?
Actually, I almost can't tell he's there most of the time. That might change if I join the Nerd Refrigerator, which he's been telling me I should do . . . I'll see.
3. Both: You have both been registered for a few years. How have the LMBs changed over the years you’ve been here? What is the best change you’ve seen?
MMM: Well, let's see. I joined three years ago (I think . . . I'm getting old ). That was back when moderation times could stretch out for days, we had mod parties (I miss those . . . ), there was much more spam, and you had to type your signature after every single post! Just kidding, I had fun back then, even though I sometimes felt like HQ's and Roleplay Topics were for elite users only, and I felt left out. Obviously, things have changed since then. Although several great users have retired (michaelyoda, dinosaur1215, Rock-O-Ages, Ryo-757, 1999bug, 10310 . . . ), the boards got a pretty snazzy looking update , and I feel like there is more engagement between users and moderators now. In addition, I think that the community is much friendlier towards new users, which is always great. Personally, however, I think that the best change is the auto-sig box. I know it sounds kind of cheesy, but I think people often overlook it, or take it for granted. I think it adds just the right amount of personal flair to anyone's posts (especially if they're short, like 'thanks' or 'hi')!
EN: The one change I've really noticed on here is - strangely enough - the user's sense of humor. And not in a bad way either. Sometimes I find myself laughing out loud at posts I read. And the BEST change I've seen? Thus far, I would have to say . . . well . . . I didn't think I'd ever say this, but I've come to like the new features of the boards; for example, the auto-signature box and jammers. They can really come in handy.
4. MMM: Which one of you was a LEGO fan first? How did you get the other to join in the fun?
The short answer is epicninja, but I was the first to receive a set. Caution: Long, boring story ahead! Well, when we were both really young (four and six, I believe ) I received two Harry Potter sets as gifts in the mail. Ironically, however, epicninja1 ended up building them both, and that sold him on LEGO. I followed along at first, then gradually lost interest completely as the years went on, though epicninja still retained his interest, always trying to nudge me back (thanks, bro! ). Then, suddenly, my interest got rekindled with Ninjago . . . but I'll save that story for later in the interview . As a side note, I should mention that epicninja was also the first to discover the MB's. (I followed along soon . . . but I digress )
5. EN: What about the LMB community keeps you coming back every day?
I'm not sure about the 'every day' bit, but the desire to tell my story usually brings me back, as well as my interest in what others have to say on certain matters.
6. MMM: What has been the most exciting thing you’ve experienced in your time here?
Well, the mod parties back on the old boards were fun, JayZX showed up in one of my stories once (which I didn't finish! ), and it was pretty exciting when I first joined a role-play (read: the Nerd Refrigerator. [shout out to all my friends there! and dog3335! ). And, of course, there's nothing quite like logging in and finding out that I ranked up. But the most exciting thing, for sure was receiving your e-mail in my inbox. Seriously, you have no idea of the elation that welled up inside me when I saw it. One minute I'm depressed because of my difficult class on Shakespeare, and the next minute, I'm literally jumping around the room, trying hard to keep from screaming my enthusiasm!
7. EN: What user(s) have you learned the most from? What did they teach you?
I feel like I've learned the most from Ryo-757. He was the first user I befriended, I guess I could say. He taught me how to hold a friendly discussion, and, of course, to use the tongue smiley.
8. MMM: You are a big Ninjago fan. What is it about Ninjago that you love so much? Who is your favorite Ninjago character?
(continued from above answer - see there if you're confused) When Ninjago first came out, I was skeptical and extremely cynical. I was convinced that a highly story-driven theme was a bad idea and LEGO should stick to Creator and plain bricks. I was very adamant about all of this.
And boy, how wrong I was.
All of the sets are fantastically detailed, packing a lot of punch into a small set. But the show - OH MY GOSH. I saw the episode 'Tick-Tock' on vacation once, and let me tell you - even though I'm 17 years old, there were tears pouring down my face. I have never before seen a TV show that placed me so completely behind the characters, made me care so much about what happened next. Yes, I had to swallow my pride and admit that it had become my favorite theme ever. I was very unhappy when it was supposedly going to end, but likely it is staying around for another season! (I'm throwing a party when the new episodes air! ) and I am very happy to know that it will feature my favorite character, Zane. I fell in love with Zane from when I first heard that he was 'weird' and a bit strange, and that love was cemented when I saw 'Tick-Tock'. Go Zane!
9. EN: Your write the really cool story “The Rizzo Files.” What inspires you to write it? What is your favorite thing about story writing?
What inspired me when I STARTED to write was the need to show that not all the ravens (or crocs and wolves) were as bad as they seemed, and that not all lions are as good as they seem. Right now, I'm writing because my characters have a place to go, and I want to see if they get there. As for my favorite thing about story writing? When the scenes come out on paper just as I imagine them.
10. MMM: Which user interview has been your favorite so far? Why?
For some reason, Zapty's interview instantly comes to mind, I remember him using so many tongue smileys, the glitches and some didn't show up like they were supposed to! But I'd have to say that my favorite interviews were Dwarfy's and JayZX's. Jay's because it was neat to hear from essentially, a ghost reader, and Dwarfy's because it's always wonderful to hear inspirational words from an inspirational user! :idea:
11. EN: Which community poll has been your favorite so far? Why?
I liked the one that asked, "What is your favorite part of a new LEGO theme?" It seemed to me that you could learn about yourself depending on which answer you picked (I picked the characters ).
12. MMM: What career do you hope to have in the future? Why?
Funny you should ask that, because I'm going off to college next year, and everyone else is asking me the same thing. Well, I would like to be an artist, possibly in fibers, so I could inspire imagination and creativity throughout the world. :idea: I'm not sure if I'd want to work for LEGO (though I'm sure epicninja does! ), but I'll probably end up using LEGO bricks in some of my work.
13. EN: If you could be any minifigure for a day which would you choose? Why?
I'd probably want to be Smashmaster Foom from LEGO Universe. I know, it's a little odd, but I think it'd be fun to live at the top of the Great Tree and speak in rhymes.
14. Both: Tell us three fun facts each about you that we probably don’t know.
EN: First, I really enjoy doing origami - Japanese paper folding, for those who don't know. I've done some interesting things with that medium. Second, I really enjoy reading fantasy - in particular, the Last Dragon Chronicles series. I'm hoping that gets made into a LEGO theme someday.... And finally, third, I have a mustache. And a goatee. Not big ones, mind you, but they're definitely there.
MMM: #1. I am a knitter and crocheter, and have been for most of my life. No, seriously.
#2. I am a homeschooler, and have been my entire life.
#3. I have another sibling on the boards, my sister, askyodanotherquestion.
15. MMM: If you could travel to any place in the world where would you go? Why?
Even though I live in Western New York and could travel to a completely different continent, I would want to visit Northern British Columbia in the summertime and go hiking for weeks. I hear that the scenery is among the most beautiful in North America!
16. EN: What is your favorite subject in school? Why?
I'm actually homeschooled, but that doesn't stop my favorite subject from being history. Yes, history is my favorite, mostly because it IS somewhat interesting, and partly because it's easy.
17. MMM: What is your least favorite subject in school? Why?
Aargh, I knew you would say history, epicninja! Well, I'm still going to have to say history is my least favorite subject. Maybe I just never had curriculum that 'clicked' for me, or maybe I'm not hard-wired for it, but history has always been my least favorite subject, sorry to say.
18. EN: What is your absolute favorite movie? Why?
I haven't given that a lot of thought recently - but now that I do, it's VERY hard to choose. Eventually, it comes down to two: The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey, and Dinotopia. The Hobbit, because, well, it's an incredible movie all around: great scenery, characters with depth, good acting, good story - a lot of you have probably seen it, so I won't go into too much detail with that. But Dinotopia? I know quite a few people who don't like it, but I grew up watching it, so it would be impossible not to like it. A great air of mystery surrounds the whole storyline, and I especially like the scenes with the submarine and the World Beneath at the end - not to mention the strong musical score! Of the two movies, that one probably wins out as my favorite - I feel at home whenever I watch it.
19. MMM: What is your absolute favorite book? Why?
Tricky, tricky, because I love to read. It's a tie between Life of Pi by Yann Martel and Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Life of Pi because it's a rich, beautiful story, filled with wonderful symbolism, and the messages rang true with me all the way through. And Good Omens because it is a rollickingly funny, wickedly good read. I won't spoil too much.
20. EN: What would you do if you were a Mod for a day? Why?
This is a pretty tough one . . . I'm really not sure what I would do . . . maybe help revive some inactive forums for those who want that? I think I'd actually have to be a Mod to see what I would do.
21. MMM: You recently created a cool topic called “Thanksgiving Thank You’s.” Can you tell the users here about that topic and about what you are thankful for?
I thought that topic floated into obscurity and died. Oh well, I'll bring it back up. Well I made that topic because I felt grateful for many things that day, and I couldn't wait until Thanksgiving to tell everyone. I also invited users to post their own thank you's. I said most of my thanks in there, but I'll repeat them here - a huge THANK YOU to the moderation team for ensuring that all users can chat safely, 24/7. :idea:. You guys do a tremendous amount of work, we can't thank you enough! Also a huge thanks for me and epicninja's interview!
Thanks to MasterOshawott, for being extremely kind and welcoming in the Nerd Fridge. Even though I am not a very active user in that topic , know that I read every page and feel very at home there. You are wonderful!
And to all messageboard users, you guys are an awesome community!
22. EN: Imagine it’s the year 2033. What do you think the LEGO Company will be like then? What type of sets will we be making?
Hopefully it will build on past successes and continue to grow and change, coming up with the next brilliant idea of the generation. There'll be several story-driven themes to appeal to several different audiences (and age groups), as well as the imagination-driven classics: town, castle, and space.
23. MMM: What advice can you give to a brand new user joining our community?
#1. Don't quit. Being here is rewarding!
#2. Stay active in topics. You make more friends that way!
#3. If you feel down, seek out Dwarfy, JayZX, or MasterOshawott. They are really nice users!
#4. Have fun! This is a wonderful community!
24. EN: What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Why was it the best?
I could answer this one of two ways; so I'll do both. The best piece of advice I've ever received HERE on the boards would have to be...from the guidelines? Yeah, I guess that would be it: "Just be yourself." That's always applicable. The best piece of advice I've ever received OFF the Message Boards is, strangely, from a movie: In Kung Fu Panda 2 (Yes, that one ), when the soothsayer says something like, "It's not the beginning of your story [life], that matters, but how you choose to live the rest of it." In other words, you can be whatever kind of person you want if you make the right choices right now. That's been very helpful to me during hard times.
25. Both: If you had one LEGO wish what would you wish for and why?
EN: I would wish for one of two things: one, to have my story (The Rizzo Files) be made into an actual animation by LEGO (once I've finished writing it, of course); and two, to bring LEGO Universe back. The first would be nice, but in the end, I think having LU back would be better. That game was the best thing that ever happened to LEGO. I'm still deeply upset about its closing.
MMM: I would wish for all the pieces to re-create LEGO Universe, in bricks, at full minifigure scale, in the hopes of inspiring millions of former players. :idea:
26. Both: Imagine it’s the year 2033. What will your life be like?
EN: I'll either be working for LEGO in some way (Set designer, product marketing strategist, theme storyline - writer - one of those three), or find some other job with decent wages and become an AFOL. Either way, I'll still be making yearly wish lists for sets I want to buy, like I'm doing right now.
MMM: I have no idea. I hope to be doing what I love and having fun doing it. Oh, and still posting here.
27. Both: Do you have any superpowers?
MMM: Like I said before, I have the power to knit and crochet anything, no matter how complicated. I also have the power to play the piano quite well.
EN: I know I'm not supposed to take this question entirely seriously, but sometimes I have foresight through dreams. No kidding. About three years ago, I had a dream about what the Brain Attack Evo would look like. I didn't even know that was what it was until I saw the Brain Attack Evo in stores. Creepy.
28. Both: What would you like a future poll to be?
EN: Maybe something like, "What is your favorite way to build?"
A. with Classic bricks,
B. with TECHNIC pieces,
C. with Duplo,
D. with Action Figures parts, etc.
MMM: What theme should LEGO bring back?
A. Power Miners
B. Agents
C. LEGO Universe
D. Spyrius/Blacktron
E. Bionicle
29. Both: What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
EN: Which LEGO model that you've made are you most happy with?
MMM: Who would you pick for future interviewees?
30. Both: Question from Xeara: What's your favorite LEGO piece/element?
MMM: I'm going to have to say either the 2x4 brick or the 2x2 brick. Sure, it's a classic, but they come in so many colors, and you can do so much with them!
EN: The 1x2 panel. It's very useful for making space in cockpits for minifigures' arms, or hidden treasure stashes.
MMM: Well, it looks like our 15 minutes of fame is over. Hope you enjoyed! And an ENORMOUS thank you to the moderation team for making this possible!
1. What inspired you to start posting on the LMBs?
Gosh, let's see if I can remember... Back when I got my Lego ID, I actually didn't even know about the message boards. Being the creative type, I just wanted to write reviews on different LEGO sets that I had. I thought it would be cool to share my opinion with the world. Well it turned out that I wasn't old enough to write reviews at that time (much to my dismay) but that gave me time to explore Lego.com, and soon I found the boards. Don't quite remember how, but I'm sure glad I did.
2. What do you think of the new LMBs?
I'm not gonna lie; I really miss the old boards. However, I like the new ones too. I guess it's a toss up here cause there are things that are awesome about them, and somethings I wish had never changed. I'm not really gonna go into the negatives right now, but a couple updates that I think are super cool though are the search bar and jammers function, along with all the different fonts and colors we can use now.
The boards are always gonna be changing, so I guess we should just make the best of what we have now.
3. What could we do to improve them for you personally?
Hmm... this is gonna sound weird coming from me, but maybe not let as many topics up, especially duplicate topics. I mean, there are just SO many now, and even some that could have been posted in other topics. I think we had more fun back when there were less, not to mention it was easier to talk about things cause we knew right where to find the topic we wanted.
4. What do you think of the new rank structure and are you happy with your current rank?
The new ranking system is still a mystery.. The ranks are supposed to be achievements, and they don't feel like they are anymore to me because I don't know how I got them, and I didn't have a goal in mind. Overall, I can't really say right now because it's still pretty new. Encouraging quality posting is always good though, and plus I really do like the like system. I think it's neat being able to like quality posts, and in general, I think it's working very nicely.
I have to say, I like my rank right now because It's an awesome color. I don't really care about the status because that doesn't really matter to me. The ranks aren't what the MB's are all about. I know it sounds corny, but I'll have fun no matter what rank I am.
5. What kind of things do you post?
Recently, I've been posting a lot of really long speeches that don't fit in the character limit. I'm trying to share my opinion about, likes, ranks and popularity. The message boards forum is crazy right now, and I'm doing my best to let people know they're awesome the way they are even if they're a low rank or don't have many likes. I know I sound like a politically correct school councilor, but you don't know how much of a difference a few kind words can make. So yeah, I mostly try to boost people's spirits, and make weird posts that make me smile. I have an odd sense of humor you know.
6. What kind of posts are you likely to give “likes” to?
Usually, I give likes to posts that are thought out. You know, posts that make sense, or prove a valid point. I'll also like funny, friendly, and helpful posts, especially ones that I feel are sincere.
7. Do you use the LEGO.com galleries? If so, which ones?
I haven't recently, but I did post a few pictures in the LU galleries. That was pretty fun.
8. If you could be any minifigure what would it be?
Ha, ha... nice question. What would I be? Um... probably a dwarf. I mean, like... they're pretty boss if you ask me. But I also have a few minifigures that I've made myself that I wouldn't mind being either.
9. What is your favourite LEGO set?
This one's easy; the Dwarves' Mine of course! It's completely awesome, and has a bunch of cool features like moving buckets and mine carts. It also has a really cool color scheme and is just overall well designed. The Medieval Market Village is pretty neat too.
10. What advice can you give to other users who admire your positive and friendly approach on the LMBs?
Guys, I've said it before, and I'm gonna say it again; what you post here, really does matter.
One thing that's really important is respect. Treat others they way you'd want to be treated, no matter what. Also, just be nice. Complement or congratulate someone. Make 'em feel special. Lastly, take the time to encourage newbies. It doesn't seem like much, but they really appreciate a few kind words, and a helpful nudge.
11. What would you like a future poll to be?
How about; What's your favorite part of the message boards? I think It would be cool to find out what other kids around the world like about this online community.
Interview with LEGOCritter35 and GideonF210. Shout out to my great friends.
1. Which one of you was the first to develop a passion for LEGO sets? When did the other sibling join in the building and collecting?
I (LEGOCritter35) was the first to start collecting LEGO, at five years old. I think Mom and Dad bought me Duplo before that, but I was too young to remember. My first LEGO set was the 4118 Creator Red Bucket, and one of my first creations was a multi-coloured LEGO house! As a five year-old, I was so pleased with how I could customise the build, how perfectly the bricks joined, and how amazing the different bricks looked together. From then on I was hooked on LEGO! GideonF210 joined in soon after, as soon as he was old enough to play with the bricks!
2. How did you two find out about the Message Boards? When and why did you start posting?
LEGOCritter: Two years back, I was posting many creations on the LEGO Universe Creation Lab, and a user friend there told us about the Message Boards and how awesome it was. In August last year, I finally checked out the LMBs and managed to squeeze in 6 posts before the update!
GideonF: As LEGOCritter said, a friend told us. I was obsessed with the LU Gallery before, but when the LEGO Universe game ended, most of our friends left the galleries and joined the Message Boards. So, in July last year, I decided to join too!
3. GideonF: You’ve said on the LMBs that you sometimes daydream about LEGO. What do those dreams look like?
Well, I mainly daydream about stuff that I could build, LEGO sets I could buy, and the Message Boards! (I even day-dreamed about getting interviewed once!)
4. LEGOCritter: You write a really cool story on the LMBs called “LEGOCritter35’s Super Cool MB Zoo.” What is the inspiration behind your writing?
Wow, thank-you Moderators, your encouragement about my story means so much to me! I’ve always loved LEGO and animals, and when I was young, I dreamed about being a zookeeper. Now, my 1# dream job is being a LEGO designer—so my story combines the two! I really enjoy using my imagination, and the cool friends I’m making on the Boards have sparked plenty of ideas to use in my stories!
5. GideonF: You are a big Ninjago and Chima fan! What is it about those themes that you enjoy so much?
The thing I love about Ninjago and Chima is the fact that you have your regular vehicle sets, and mini-games to play with the Ninjago spinners and the Chima Speedorz. They’re just really fun to play with! I also like how the minifigures in both themes are so detailed.
6. LEGOCritter: You have said on the LMBs that you and GideonF210 love playing with your collection together. What do you two like best about LEGO building and collecting?
Gideon and I have always played LEGO together, whether it be constructing huge towers, creating a working LEGO pen, or designing our own Modular building! Something we’ve done for ages is naming our minifigures, giving them characters, and playing with them in our LEGO town. It’s tons of fun!
7. Together you made an awesome creation called “LEGOCritter’s LEGO Town.” What was building it like? Who made what? Why did you decide to upload it to the CITY Gallery on LEGO.com?
We designed our town a while ago, in our special LEGO room, and as we made more buildings over time, the town grew. Building it was a good challenge, as we figured out the best ways to arrange the creations to go well together. I mentioned our town on my topic, “Got a LEGO Town?” and Moderator Wildbunchz asked me to put a picture of it up on the Galleries.
*You can check out LEGOCritter's LEGO town here...*
8. What are your dream jobs? Any aspirations to become LEGO designers, Master Builders, or Mods?
LEGOCritter: I would love to work with LEGO someday; (being a Mod would be awesome!) Becoming a LEGO designer or Master Builder has always been a dream job of mine. (Reading the designer interviews in my LEGO Club magazines has really inspired me!)
GideonF: As I have said before on the Message Boards, I want to be a police officer when I grow up. But being a LEGO designer has always been on my mind as well… it looks like such a cool job!
9. What do your parents and friends think about your shared LEGO passion?
Mom and Dad know for sure that we’re obsessed with LEGO! They jokingly tease us about it sometimes, but they’ve always supported buying LEGO for us as they know it is a quality product that stands the test of time. Our friends all appreciate LEGO too!
10. What are you two working on now? Can we look forward to a new creation on the galleries soon?
Gideon just made a Chima Lion fortress and a mini lion buggy using the lion head from the Chi Waterfall set, and I recently made a minifigure’s ice-cream stand and re-furbished my Medieval Town. Our “LEGOCritter’s LEGO Town” creation only shows part of the whole thing, so we may put up pics of the rest of it someday soon…
11. What advice can you give to other young LEGO enthusiasts who want to become great builder and LMB members like you two?
LEGOCritter: To fellow young LEGO builders; Never stop dreaming about things that you could make with your bricks! Browse the galleries on LEGO.com and be inspired by what others have built, and put your own creations up for people to see! A good project for building houses is using the Minifigures Series ‘figs as a guide—What sort of house could you build for a Scottish Bagpiper? A snow-shed for a Snowboarder, a schoolhouse for a Teacher, a tribal hut for an Aztec Warrior? Have fun!
GideonF: Never get bored of your LEGO sets! Just keep re-building them into different creations. You’ll be surprised at what you can come up with! I made a Ninjago Dojo using LEGO Kingdoms and City pieces, and the door to the dojo was a sliding door!
12. What would you like a future poll to be?
LEGOCritter: What do you do most on the LEGO Message Boards?:
Post!
Give likes!
Get likes!
Find new topics!
Read stories!
Write stories!
Or… ask questions?
GideonF: [What is ] your favourite animal tribe from LEGO Legends of Chima?
13. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
Hmm… we think a good question would be: “What was your very first LEGO creation that you built yourself?”
A huge, warm thanks to the Mods for interviewing Gideon and I, and a big thanks to everyone for reading!
1. What inspired you to start posting on the LMBs?
Well, as far as I can remember my first posts were trying to get clicks for MLN. Eventually I posted a little in other forums, then I joined a couple roleplays, and everything just kinda snowballed from there.
2. What do you think of the new LMBs?
I think they're a vast improvement from the old ones. There's not only just the big changes like the layout, profiles and such, (loving the the increase of mod interaction, by the way) but there's also TONS of little things that a lot of people might not notice that make this place even more awesome!
3. What could we do to improve them for you personally?
Way to ask me a hard question. Hmm...I'm really not sure right now. The MBs are working really well in my opinion. Mod interaction is great so I think you're doing fine on your end.
4. What do you think of the new rank structure and are you happy with your current rank?
I LOVE IT! It is so much better than the previous one, in my opinion. I think it kinda makes you work maybe just a little more for your rank, just because we don't know how to get them. I am happy with my current rank, (partly because it's kinda flashy) but I enjoy it when I gain one. Gaining a rank is always pretty cool, but it's good to remember that it's just a rectangular beneath your name.
5. Do you miss being a “Legend”?
Well, other than it being an image that went well with my avatar, I don't miss it too much.
6. What kind of things do you post?
Posts like the ones I've been posting. If we met IRL I'd be much of the same.
7. What kind of posts are you likely to give “likes” to?
One's that I enjoy reading. If they're well written, heartfelt, and just enjoyable overall to read.
8. Do you use the LEGO.com galleries? If so, which ones?
Not often, I rarely visit them anymore. I used to post things in the LU Creation Lab, and I posted a couple of creations in the Star Wars gallery but that's about it.
9. If you could be any minifigure what would it be?
I'm not sure...probably one that I don't have yet. Probably a knight minifigure or an ADU minifig.
10. What is your favourite LEGO set?
Probably the expensive ones I don't have. I don't really have a favorite, but the expensive Star Wars ‘model’ sets seem really cool.
11. What advice can you give to other users who admire your positive and friendly approach on the LMBs?
Be active, for one. Other than that, just be (or continue being) friendly and helpful. Just be yourself.
12. What would you like a future poll to be?
Eesh, I really should think of these things.
Hmm, maybe a favorite LEGO theme poll? I was thinking Star Wars, City, Ninjago, Lord of the Rings, and maybe Creator.
"Xeara" became my username, because my dad came up with it, and thought me and my sisters, Milyna1121 & Yleana115, would all share the account. I had no idea there was even a LEGO Message Boards at the time (Summer 2011), so I just went with it, not thinking I'd end up using that account to post on the LMBs.
2. There is a cool story behind your avatar. Can you explain your idea for avatars on Halloween?
Well, normally my avatar would be wearing his classic red space jacket, blue pants, & construction hat, but I thought that since it was Halloween I'd dress up my avatar as the coolest costume I could think of ... a space explorer or astronaut. (I went as a minifig this Halloween, but my avatar is a minifig anyway, so I had to think of something else. )
3. Your sig calls you a “Super Genius Creator.” How did you get this title? What does it take to be a “super genius creator?”
Well, when I first started playing LEGO Universe in free-to-play back in September, I chose my name to describe how I felt I was when it came to building with LEGO bricks ... a SuperGeniusCreator. Since then, I've kept that title as my name on LEGO websites. And yes, I think I have what it takes to be a Super Genius Creator. (Maybe not as super genius as some people, but still super genius.)
4. You are one of the highest ranked users on the LMBs. Congrats! What do the ranks mean to you? What rank are you most looking forward to and why?
Thanks! I think of ranks as giving a clue as to a user’s experience, since today's ranks are not based entirely on post count. I'm not super-crazy about getting them, but I'm looking forward to a future rank I accidentally heard about. I think it's called "Alien", and it sounds space-y & cool-looking. (On the old MBs my favorite rank was Maniac, because I'm a LEGO Maniac & the rank also looked cool. I never got that rank, though. )
5. You are a player in Legends of CHIMA Online. How are you liking the game? What do you think is its best feature?
I like Chima Online fairly well, though I think it could use improvement. However, it's still very fun, and my favorite feature is probably the Chi portal battles. It's too bad I finished all of the ones currently in the game.
6. What advice can you give to a new LOCO player? What is the secret to LOCO success?
Well, one tip is to always carry a ranged bazooka-type weapon. While their damage per second is small, their actual damage after charging up is massive and does damage to several enemies. After striking with your bazooka, use a melee weapon on them until your bazooka recharges. Another tip is to conserve Chi for when you'll actually really need it. It comes in handy when fighting boss enemies.
7. You’ve been a member of the LMB community for a long time now. How did you first find out about the community here? When exactly did you join?
I have to thank my younger sister, Milyna1121. While I discovered the existence of the LMBs, she was the one who caused me to start posting on it. Back then I was very cautious (maybe too cautious) about online things like the MBs & LU. I eventually began posting because of her, and quickly began to like this place. It happened sometime around late July-September 2011, it was a while ago, so I remember many details except that things were a lot different!
8. What about the community keeps you coming back every day?
There's no real specific reason. Sometimes it's because of the insider info on upcoming themes, sometimes it's discovering what others' opinions are, sometimes it’s the fun I have posting here, & sometimes it’s the cool stories people write. I don't really have a specific reason.
9. What has been the most exciting thing you’ve experienced in your time here?
Well, the top most exciting times were: A: The end of LEGO Universe & the rush to rally together minifigs to stop the Maelstrom. B: The end of the old MBs and the start of the new ones. C: The hilarious old topic, "NEVER ENDING FAKE CHEAT TO UNLOCK THE SECRET LEVEL IN THE AGENTS GAME". The topic was similar to a never ending story, except that it was instructions on how to unlock a supposed secret level in a LEGO Agents game. The directions often ended up being wacky & silly. For some reason that amused me. And finally, D: reading exciting climatic stories on various forums. Those often interest me.
10. What user(s) have you learned the most from? What did they teach you?
Well, I can't really say I've learned anything specifically from a any user, but I sorta look up to lego.minifig & Dwarfminefan580 for being so kind and helpful to others on the boards. Just a random fun fact: My sister, Milyna1121, once played with lego.minifig (AKA MiniTheFig) in LEGO Universe.
11. How have the LMBs changed over the years you’ve been here? What is the best change you’ve seen?
The MBs have changed a lot, in both looks and the users here. When I first joined lego.minifig was only rank Inventor, and the boards were still as they looked 2 years ago. LU was still around, several old users were still there, and the conversations were very different, mostly because almost not many of the forums from back then are still here. In that "age", rank racing was popular, and the moderation team was different. The number of rank Legends were starting to grow, and many people began to discuss the supposed "Rank Y". I can't really remember too much beyond that, as it was a while ago.
12. What career do you hope to have in the future? Why?
I hope to be a LEGO designer & builder, because I've always wanted to design LEGO sets. I think it would be so cool to build spaceships, robots, mechs, vehicles, fortresses, and other cool things like that. Also it would be cool to know about all the upcoming LEGO themes before everyone else.
13. What is your favorite LEGO theme of all time? Why?
If you count this as a theme, I'm going to go with LEGO Universe. It was fun, cool, and so amazing, exciting, and brick-tastic. If you don't count that, then I'll go with Bionicle. I think Bionicle is a very cool & intriguing LEGO theme, and I wish I'd really gotten into LEGO before the theme ended.
14. Of all the topics you’ve ever created, which is your ultimate favorite? Why?
I guess it would probably have to be "ASK FANG-SUEI!", a topic that got on to the Editor's Pick during the time before the MBs got updated. I really enjoyed answering questions on that topic, but unfortunately the questions piled up a little too high for me to continue answering questions. (The topic gained 189 pages almost instantly.) The topic also helped me get rank Old Timer, but I wouldn't want to do another topic like that again for a while, I got so tired of typing out the answers to everyone's questions and emphasizing all the "ssss"s. That topic was also the first of many "Ask ____" topics on the MBs. My topic was the first focused on asking a character questions. However it wasn't the first to involve talking to a fictional character in general. "Toxic Reapa Chat" was the I think the first, and it was the topic that inspired me to make "ASK FANG-SUEI!"
15. Tell us three fun facts about you that we probably don’t know.
Well, let's see... Well, I happen to have been in the newspaper when a news reporter came and took a picture of me in a butterfly activity. Another thing is that my sister, Milyna1121, will be featured in a LEGO Club magazine for a cool LEGO model she made! As for the third thing, I'm not sure how many of you remember, but I was the person who first found out about the upcoming Chima Online game from a LEGO store employee and I uploaded a topic telling everyone about it. (I didn't know what kind of specific MMOG the employee was talking about, but I assume it was the Chima game since he said it would be made by a "familiar partner", and WB is fairly familiar in the world of LEGO video games.
16. Your sister, milyna1121, is also a member of the LMB community. Who became a LEGO fan first? Who do you think is the better builder?
I was the first to become a LEGO fan, but my sister has often been the first to find out about things like LEGO MBA & was also the one who asked my dad if we could play LEGO Universe. (I was too scared of him saying "no" back then. I regret that today.) In my opinion, I'm the better builder, but she likes to use the fact that she got a creation accepted into a Club Magazine to say she's better. But I've actually never sent anything in to Cool Creations so I don't count that point as valid.
17. You once said that I (WhiteAlligator) am a great Mod. Gee, thanks! What qualities do you think make up a great Mod?
Your welcome, WA! In my opinion, a great mod is one who is positive, friendly, funny, helpful, & does a good job at moderating posts, of course.
18. If you could be a Mod for a day what would you do? Why?
I would mod posts of course, answer people's questions using my extensive knowledge about LEGO, and maybe (just maybe) try to start a mod party, since I'd only be a mod for 1 day.
19. Are you active in any galleries? If so, which ones? If not, why not?
I'm most active in the general LEGO.com gallery, and formerly was active in the Creation Lab. I don't visit many other galleries, though, since I prefer Hero Factory, Bionicle, & LU creations, and all of those can only be found at the Creation Lab & new LEGO.com gallery.
20. What is your favorite hobby outside of the LMBs? Why is it your favorite?
Well, my favorite hobby is most probably LEGO building & storytelling. I have fun making up and playing out stories with my LEGO minfigs & action figures.
21. If you could travel to any place in the world where would you go? Why?
I would probably choose the Philippines. My mother is from there, & I would like to visit her and see what it's like there.
22. Do your family and friends know that you are famous on the LMBs? What do they think about it?
They know I go on here, but none of us thought I was really famous (except for the Editor's Pick thing I mentioned earlier) until right now. My parents think me posting here is "a reflection of my passion for LEGO."
23. What is the best LEGO set you’ve ever constructed? Who is your favorite minifigure?
As for sets I've bought/didn't invent, it's either the current City Police Station or the Agents Robo Attack with that cool giant Inferno robot. If you mean as in creation I've built, then my favorite is either a really cool-looking ADU Space-Jet-Fighter me & my sisters built a while back, or my LEGO MBA Ultra Speed Hover Pod 3. Search it on the MBA Space gallery if you want to see it, it's pretty cool. My favorite minifigure is probably Doctor Overbuild from LEGO Universe.
24. Imagine it’s the year 2033. What do you think the LEGO Company will be like then? What type of sets will we be making?
The LEGO Company will be the biggest toy company in the world, and the LEGO Mindstorms VX4 will be released. (I made up the name VX4. ) There will be LEGO MMOs all over the place, & LEGO minifigures might be programmable. That, or Disney will have already bought all the toy companies including LEGO. (Dun, dun, dun! )
25. Imagine again it’s the year 2033. What do you think the world will be like then? What great inventions do you think we’ll have?
Well, the world will probably be the same, with the exception of technology. We'll probably have thin & sleek laptops that all have touch screens, and have 10x as much hard drive space & stuff. Phones will also be even less like phones, and will have the processing capabilities of today's laptops.
26. If you could have one LEGO-related wish what would you wish for? Why?
I would wish for a life-sized LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon!
27. Do you have any superpowers?
Well, I happen to have a super-sized knowledge of LEGO and my minifigure-self has a Superhero car that can transform into a plane! But beyond that, not really.
28. What would you like a future poll to be?
"Which LEGO Minifigures Collectible Series is your favorite?"
29. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
"What's your favorite LEGO piece/element?"
30. Question from Right_Holy_Hermit_of_the_Hunt: What's the biggest LEGO model you've ever made, whether one of your own or an official one?
The biggest I've bought is the City Police Station. I think the biggest I invented was my LEGO Mindstorms Roboty NXT V3 robot.
To make a long story short, I did not choose my username. My dad actually chose it. I have been going on LEGO.com for over 6 years, and when LEGO Universe came out (May it Rest in Peace ), I just knew I had to get an account. So I asked my dad, and he created an account for me. You probably know what the LEGO part means. My dad decided on the Panama cause I am half Panamanian.
2. You are active all over the LMBs, which is your favorite forum to post in? Why?
Mmm... I love to read all the awesome stories in the Star Wars Stories Forum (Wyat5321's DESCENT is amazing, and "The Rise of Barris Offee" is good too). But I love to post in the Star Wars The Clone Wars Roleplay. I am a Mandalorian (Go Mandos), and I love getting together with Wyat or FireFox to plan another attack against the evil Jedi and Clones (At least Clones are half Mando). There is so much to do in Roleplay!
3. You are a big Star Wars fan. What do you love so much about Star Wars? Who is your favorite character?
I discovered that Star Wars was cool in third grade when I bought the LEGO SnowTrooper Battlepack. That started my love for the SW Universe. I love all the cool costumes, the amazing story lines in some of the EU books, and the best of all, the amazing Special Effects. I have been able to do some effects of my own on the LEGO SW Gallery. My favorite character is Boba Fett. His costume is the best, and his life's background is so cool!
4. What would you do if Darth Vader invited you to the Death Star for a visit? Do you think he would take a souvenir picture with you?
Wow! I would be like, sooo excited (I sound like Siri from one of my stories now)! I would go into the hanger bays and try out some Tie Fighters! Maybe even Vader's personal one! Then I would see if there really was a pool in the Death Star! And then I would try out all the awesome cannons, and maybe even fire the Super Laser! I sure hope he would take a souvenir picture with me! I have just the spot on my walls!
5. Congrats on reaching rank Knight! What is your secret to rank success?
Thanks! I am so happy to be a Knight! I don't really have any idea on my "secret". I think that the only advice I have for all you awesome MBers is to remember to always post quality posts, and make sure you have an awesome avi! Always be nice, funny, and helpful, and you will be at the next rank in no time!
6. Summer break is over and it’s time to go back to school! What advice can you give to new users for balancing time on the LMBs with their school work?
This advice shouldn't only be for new users, but for old users too! When you try to balance your time, try to put all your homework first. Once all that is done, you will be able to post without being scared or pressured about the weight of homework you have. Try to do what I do: get all your homework down as quickly as possible (but with good answers), and get to sleep early, or just don't go to sleep too late. Then get up the extra hour or so, or stay up just a little longer, just to try to get some MB time.
7. If you were a Mod for a day what would you do? Why?
If I were a mod for a day I would love to be able to moderate a few posts! It would be so cool to be able to help out the community and get some posts up lightning fast! It would be cool to check out what other duties you mods have and try them out!
8. How did you first become a LEGO fan?
I have been a LEGO fan for as long as I could remember (maybe even before I could). My brothers TheDiscover and Whiphid have been playing with it for a long time too! We all love the toy so much because it gives us the ability to stretch our imagination! As soon as I could move around, I was making cars and building castles with my mom, and playing with my cool Space Police sets! I loved my old Coast Guard boat, and it was so cool to push around in my pool!
9. If you could live in any LEGO theme which would you choose? Why?
I would love to live in LEGO Star Wars! I would be able to try out suits of Mandalorian Armor, fly space ships, and lead an army of other Mandos! I can just imagine sitting in the cockpit of an X-Wing or piloting a Venator toward a massive Clone Wars battle.
10. Tell us one funny, unusual fact about yourself.
I think it’s pretty unusual that I can read so fast. Since I was in 1st or 2nd grade, I could read at least 5 Magic Tree House books during school, a Hardy Boy in the morning, and one after school. Now that I am in 6th grade, I can read up over 1000 pages a day, mostly from all the old novels in the basement. I love reading, and writing is one of my favorite things to do too!
11. During your time on the LMBs what accomplishment have you been most proud of? Why?
Besides being interviewed, I think I have been most proud of the moment IrrationalSeagull posted the first comment on one of my stories! I had always wanted a mod to comment on one of my stories, and I am so proud that I have been able to get more comments from her and other Mods on my stories.
12. What is the best thing about being a member of the LMB community? What is the most challenging aspect?
I think the best thing about being an MBer is that I get to interact with other LEGO fans like me from all over the U.S, and other countries. I love being able to discuss Star Wars, Old LEGO themes, and other cool stuff on the MBs. I find it most challenging to be able to post the next chapter of my story! It is extremely hard to be able to find just the right words, and just the right sentences to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
13. What would you like a future poll to be?
What is the most important part of a story?
14. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
If you could bring back any theme, which one would you want?
15. Question from DinoX000: “What if you lived in a house where everything was made of LEGO?”
If I lived in a house made of LEGO? That would be pretty cool! I could build an X-Wing in my garage from spare parts, watch a really cool show on an even cooler Flat Screen (I don't watch TV in real life), and make amazing food (that would be quite painful to swallow however).
1. Let me guess, you are a fan of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings! Which is your favorite book? Who is your favorite character? Why?
You betcha! I admire J.R.R. Tolkien’s work immensely. ^_^ My favorite book? That’s really hard…. I’ll have to say I love The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It’s such an amazing story, and it’s so compelling and deep. I have two favorites, Eowyn and Pippin. Eowyn is an amazing character, and I absolutely love strong female roles. Pippin is much like me—always getting into trouble by accident. XD
2. Congratulations on being one of the most “liked” users in LEGO General. What do you think people enjoy so much about your posts? What type of posts do you “like”?
I am!? *goes and checks* Woah, I am!! Why do I never notice these things…? Thank you so much! ^_^ Hmm, I’m not sure what people like so much about my posts. Maybe they’re funny… I like posts that are funny, or make a good point. And sometimes I just give random likes to my friends because they’re amazing like that.
3. What is your favorite hobby outside of the LMBs? Why?
Outside of the MBs, I love playing with my chickens, reading books (Madelene L’engle FTW!!), playing piano, and practicing archery. ^_^
4. If you were a Mod for a day what would you do and why?
I would…. ….. make a LEGO Movie background (sorta like the party one) and interview all of mah besties!! ^_^
5. If you could take a trip anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
Could it be other than planet Earth? If it was on Earth, I’d go to London and follow British actors around. XD If it was anywhere, I’d go to the Shire and live as a hobbit. ^_^ I’ve always wanted to be a hobbit.
6. What is your favorite LEGO set of all time? Why?
My brothers and I just got The Tower of Orthanc over Christmas break. When people say it’s really detailed, they mean REALLY DETAILED!! It has six floors, all with different features. It’s all around a really awesome set. I’d recommend it to basically everyone. Start savin’ your money, folks!! :’D
7. If you could change one thing about LEGO.com what would it be and why?
If I could change LEGO.com, I would make it so everyone stopped complaining about spam and just enjoyed the boards. I would also make a general “sci-fi” forum for science-fiction stories (Because I really want to write one. ). The Star Wars Stories forum is just for sci-fi in the Star Wars universe. And lastly, I would make spellcheck the normal spellcheck with little red underlines, instead of having to click the button and flip through a lot of words before I find the one I want to correct.
8. What has been your favorite experience on the LMBs so far? Why? What was your least favorite? Why?
Favorite experience? I don’t really know…. I’ve had some really great times with everyone on here. It’s probably goofing off with everyone at Finding Friendships, though. (SHOUTOUTS TO EVERYONE THERE!! ) We’ve had some absolutely hilarious conversations. XD My least favorite experience has probably been seeing some of my really good friends retire. :’( (Shoutout to Lucy_fu!)
9. Tell us three interesting facts about yourself that we don’t already know.
That you don’t already know?
1. That my bedroom has a “Wall of Art.” That basically means that I have pictures and drawings and paintings hanging all over my bedroom. It’s really cool looking. ^_^ I have a couple really cool LEGO-related pictures that I should post on the Gallery...
2. That I consider myself to be a hipster. I have the flannel, the 3D glasses with the lenses punched out, and I like obscure music. XD Ever heard of Eleventyseven? (Shoutout to WR for getting me hooked on them!)
3. That I want to go to Oxford University, study J.R.R. Tolkien, and teach a middle-school or high-school literature class on his work. ^_^
10. If you were stranded on a desert island with nothing but a pile of LEGO pieces what would you make? Why?
I would make myself a hobbit-hole and live there until someone happened to drive a ship by. Kinda like in The Island of Blue Dolphins, except I have a hobbit-hole.
11. Are you excited about the premiere of the LEGO Movie? Who will you go see it with? What part are you most excited to see?
I am totally excited for it!!!!!! I’ve been looking forward to it ever since the first trailer. ^_^I’m going to go see it with two of my brothers, my dad, and one of our friends whose dad REALLY doesn’t want to take her. I’m looking forward to seeing Batman. And Unikitty. And Wyldstyle. And I’m anticipating the soundtrack. All in all, I’m looking forward to the entire thing. XD
12. Do you have any superpowers?
I do actually. I am a “Chicken-Whisperer.” I can communicate with them, and they understand me. If I go “Bawk,baaawk baaaaaaaaaaaaawk!" then they know that I’m bringing them scraps from our kitchen. It’s an efficient system.
13. What would you like a future poll to be?
Which description fits you?
a. Girl, 6-10
b. Boy, 6-10
c. Girl, 11-14
d. Boy, 11-14
e. Girl, 15-17
f. Boy, 15-17
g. Girl, 18+
h. Boy, 18+
I always thought it’s be interesting to see which age-group and gender there are the most of on the boards.
14. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
How did you find out that you got an interview? What were you doing? What was your reaction?
15. Question from miwings: "If you had a million LEGO bricks, what would you build?"
I would build a TARDIS. If you want something that doesn’t defy the laws of physics, then I’d build a trench coat and scarf to pretend to be Sherlock Holmes.
Thank you so much for this interview! I was completely not expecting one. When I saw the email, I started shrieking and dancing around. My mom was like “What is wrong with you!?”
I would like to give a HUGE gigantical shoutout to Snowman, MO, mah favoritest cousin Eowyn, Cookie, NXT, Shek, Bee, Andy, Skelly, Da Crittah, Malurus, my various padawans (actually there’s only 1 ½ ), all of the Nerds in the NERDIS, and everyone else on the boards. I WUV YOU
Well, one time I was on vacation in Mexico around the time my birthday was, and by the time I got back, my friend had dropped off a present for me. It was a Webkinz. So I made an account, and since I was just in Mexico, I chose "peso" for the second part of my username. I then messed around with different colors until I came up with "Bluepeso." I stuck with that username ever since.
2. You are really active in the Star Wars gallery. What makes you love it so much? What is your favorite creation there?
Oh, I love the gallery because of all the people! They're just wonderful people. Hmm ... I'm not exactly sure... I suggest all of it.
3. What advice can you give to LMB users who have not yet visited the galleries? Why should they check them out?
Because it's fun! I mean, who doesn't love fun?
4. So, are you a big Star Wars fan? Who is your favorite character? Why?
Yeah, pretty much. I like Princess Leia a lot, so I guess I'll go with her. I like her because she's smart, pretty and feisty.
5. If you were president of the LEGO Company for a day what would you do? Why?
Hmm... I think I'd probably make little minifigures of all my friends... Why? Because, if you haven't noticed yet , I love my friends!
6. Congrats on reaching rank Forestman. How important are the ranks to you? What do you think is the secret to success in the ranks?
Thank you! The ranks are usually important... Especially when I’m racing someone. But if not, I usually only want to gain because it's fun. Who doesn't love seeing a new picture under their avie? But I think the secret to success in reaching new ranks is mainly to have fun.
7. When did you realize that you were hooked on the LMBs?
I think I first realized that I was hooked when... probably when I kept coming back.
8. What is your hidden talent? How did you discover it?
I don't know if it's what you call a talent, but... I think it's music. I've just always loved singing (and loudly at that ) and people started telling me I was good, so...
9. What job do you hope to have in the future? Why?
Oh, I hope to be a singer! Like I said before, I just love to sing.
10. Tell us three cool things about you that we probably don’t already know.
Well, 1. I have two names, one in English, and one in another language. 2. I love the chronicles of Narnia. 3. And recently, my sister and I have been making ourselves and a few of our (real life) friends as superheroes with cool outfits and gadgets and powers!
11. If you had an unlimited supply of LEGO elements what would you build? Why?
Hmm ... I'd probably build a huge cross out of LEGOs. Then I'd build a great sound-proof hideout for myself, so I can read and sing and come here as much as I want. ("So I can just be me." )
12. Do you have any superpowers?
Well, I can be super annoying, if that counts.
13. What would you like a future poll to be?
"If you suddenly got zapped into the world of LEGO, what would you do first?" a) Have fun! Chill out and just go with the flow! b) Freak out and try to get out of there. c) Wish you could've brought just a few friends... ()
14. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
If you could meet ANY user in real life from the LMBs, who would you choose?
15. Question from LEGOpanama: If you could bring back any theme, which one would you want?
I think I'd bring back Atlantis. It always seemed cool to me.
1. You were the first user to reach the rank Jester. How did it feel to discover the previously unknown rank?
It felt, cool. Many people begged to me to reach Rank 15, and I would thank my friends for helping me, inspiring me, and being nice to me.
2. You are regularly ranked high on the “likes” leader board. What is your secret for receiving so many “likes” from your fellow users?
My secret is to be enthusiastic, funny, and nice.
3. So far, what has been your favorite experience on the LMBs?
Hmm...maybe how everyone is nice and responds to one another.
4. Do you visit any of the LEGO.com galleries? If so, which ones and why? Have you submitted any creations lately?
Well, I visit the LEGO Universe Creation Lab. I visit it because I like seeing everyone's creations and I like posting them. My most recent creation was, I think, Bob.
5. You recently added a dare from Aguarios to your sig. Any dares that you would like to offer to the Mods now?
Yay! A dare! I dare Aguarios and the other Mods to put at the end of their post, "Ps, I don't like cake."
6. You do a little roleplaying. What do you enjoy most about roleplay? What is the most challenging aspect of roleplay?
I enjoy creating HQs and fighting other HQs, except for the allies. The most challenging thing in RP is defending your base and fighting.
7. When you are not hanging out on the LMBs what is your favorite hobby?
Well, I play games, watch TV, play sports. Well, before all that, I do my homework on weekdays.
8. What kind of posts do you give “likes” to?
I give likes to quality post, stories, funny posts, and some posts saying "I got Rank _"
9. What is your favorite forum to post in on the LMBs? Why?
I like to post in the LEGO Universe forum, because I had lots of friends and I played it a lot while it lasted. Such a fun game.
10. Do you have any superpowers?
Funny you ask that, because I just got Heat Vision yesterday.
11. When did you first become a LEGO fan? What inspired you to start building? What inspired you to start posting on the LMBs?
I first became a LEGO fan when I was about....3 years old. My older brother had LEGO sets so that got me to start building, then soon became pro and built the Death Star in 4 days. Shival, mother Official, inspired me to go on the LMBs when I was playing LU.
12. What advice can you give to new users hoping to be an awesome member of the community like you one day?
Just keep being the way you areand you will end up like me and all the others.
13. If you were given one LEGO wish (and you could wish for anything you wanted) what would it be and why?
I would wish for everyone, including me, to have 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 dollars to buy all the LEGO sets in the world.
14. What would you like a future poll to be?
"What is your second favorite emote? Cool Emote? Laughing Emote? Gingerbread emote? Wink Emote? Or Cake Emote?
15. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
What would you do if LEGO pieces invaded Earth?
16. Question from TeridaxRules: If you could make one LEGO set come to life, which one would you choose?
Interview with LEGO.Minifig (This one is oddly short, Imo doesn't do justice to Lego.minifig)
1. You have been a user on the LMBs for over 5 years! How does it feel to be such a seasoned community member?
It's really nice, it was great to get to know the older MB members from the old days, as well as the newer ones, and visit the old forums like LEGO Universe.
2. What advice can you give to other users who admire your amazing accomplishments on the LMBs?
Be creative! Stealing ideas isn't good, anyway. Complaining isn't the best either, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything. Helping other users, being nice, and getting involved are good ways to become a great community member.
3. Do you have any super powers?
Good question! I don't think so, unless you count my sports and LEGO building abilities.
4. You are active all over the LMBs! What is your favorite thing about the LMB community?
That's hard to decide, but probably that everyone here has something in common, and that is we all like LEGO! Also, if it weren't for these MBs I wouldn't have made any friendships as great as I have now, and that's another great aspect of the MBs. And of course, they wouldn't be anything without the Mods.
5. What could we do to improve the LMBs for you personally?
I think they have improved a lot with the update, but there's still a few details that I would change, like bringing back message icons (the emotes that appeared on top of posts), and adding text options, like in posts, in the signature settings box, instead of using HTML. If possible, customizing your own profile would be nice, too.
6. What kind of posts do you give “likes” to?
Ones that I agree with, exciting stories, good topics, helpful, funny, well-written posts, and news reports.
7. What is your favorite subject in school? Why?
Probably math or science. I like to learn about the Earth (and other planets), and how things work.
8. If you could be any minifigure which one would you be?
My LEGO Universe minifigure for sure. If that doesn't count, then maybe, Agent Swift from Agents, or the Bunny Suit Guy from Series 7 Minifigures. There's so many, I can't decide!
9. What would you like a future poll to be?
"What is your favorite type of LEGO building?" Classic bricks, Technic, Mindstorms, Hero Factory/Bionicle, other, or all of the above.
10. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
"If you could design your own LEGO set, what would it be?"
Personally, I have no idea. I can't remember if it was something important, or just some random thing I made up.
If you could be best friends with any minifigure which one would you choose? Why?
Ooh, so many choices. Probably the Lizard Suit Guy, he's one of my favorites. Reptiles have a special place in my heart.
You often post in the Video Games forum. What is your favorite LEGO video game? Why?
Well, I think the new LEGO City: Undercover is my favorite. There's so much things to do, and places to see. Along with the stunning graphics, I'd give it a 9/10!
If you could live inside any LEGO theme which would you choose? Why?
I would probably choose between City, Creator, Legends of Chima, or The Hobbit. They're all incredibly creative, and it would be fun acting out scenes.
Recently you created the topic “It doesn’t happen overnight you know” topic where you give advice on being patient and working hard. How did you get so insightful? How did you learn such great life lessons?
Well, life lessons don't just come to you in the middle of the night. Except when they do. I learned them from life experiences, proving you can't get something by doing nothing.
What kind of things do you post?
A variety of things, really. Quality posts, funny posts, stories, some roleplay, (I kinda gave up on that, and I try to also post helpful things as well.
What was your first LEGO set ever?
This, as a matter of fact, I do remember, sorta. It was 3833 Krusty Krab Adventures, I believe. I remember having a lot of fun with it.
What kind of sets do you have in your LEGO collection? How many sets do you have?
A wide variety of sets, ranging from Creator to Minifigures to Cars, I have almost too many to count. I did count, however, and I have roughly 65-75 sets. That is a lot, even for me.
What is the funniest thing that you have experienced during your time on the LMBs?
Actually, most of my time here is fun. But the most fun... Maybe the Mod Party 2012? That had a lot of pizza. I wonder about a Mod Party 2013, hint hint.
Your avatar’s outfit is pretty fancy. What is he dressed up for? Does he have an important meeting or event to attend?
Well, I could suppose he's "all dressed up with nothing to do". You never know what fancy occasion could pop out of thin air. Always expect the unexpected, but then the unexpected becomes expected... Or something like that.
If you had an entire warehouse full of LEGO pieces what would you build? Why?
Before I started building I would run around screaming. Then, I would probably work on a giant monument to the LEGO minifigure. Either that or a big sandwich, I'm hungry.
Do you have any super powers?
Well, it depends on your definition of super powers. I guess grammar counts as one? Also super LEGO building powers.
What would you like a future poll to be?
I think a "What are your opinions on the current state of the MBs?" would be good, it would benefit us users and the moderators!
What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
If you were the president of The LEGO Group, what would you do?
Question from TridentLegend: What is the biggest, tallest LEGO creation you have ever built?
I think my "Tower to The Moon" was my tallest. It reached from my floor to my ceiling! It was a miracle it didn't fall over. Thank you, locking and stability!
I was active on MLN and needed some items, so I found the old MLN board. After that I got slightly into the old Kingdoms RP but other than that I didn't do anything else. I quit fairly quickly. Later, I got a LEGO Club Magazine stating LEGO had revamped the LMBs and it said that I should check it out. So I did, and now here I am!
2. What is the weirdest thing that you have ever seen happen on the LMBs?
Hmm, the weirdest thing....probably that interview, I can't remember exactly whose it was, but the one that had tons of . Now that was weird.
3. You are a member of the Final Guard. What is that exactly?
The Final Guard is an organization dedicated to the improvement of the LMBs. We do many things, like discuss problems in the boards and although we mean well, we don't get much done as a whole . Too many arguments. However, when you join, you must sign a pledge stating that you will post with quality and all this other good stuff, and I think that every time we get some one to sign that pledge, the LMBs are improving.
4. What do you enjoy most about being a member of the Final Guard?
Reading everyone's good ideas. At the Final Guard, you are with other users who are dedicated to improving our community. Whether you are reading and commenting on posts about ranks within the Final Guard or discussing what topics might be too spammy , you are with others who are creative and smart and are incredibly dedicated to what they do.
5. What has been your favorite rank so far? Why?
I think Gladiator was one of the most fun. My theory for achieving that rank is you need a LOT of likes, so it encouraged me to try and post things people will "like" , like my LOTR raps.
6. What kind of posts do you give “likes” to? Why?
Mainly funny posts, although sometimes I like good stories, new roleplay moves, or a post in the Final Guard topic that I agree with or like.
7. You are a roleplayer. What roleplays do you belong to? Why did you choose those roleplays?
I am in the Star Wars Original Saga roleplay and the Galaxy Squad roleplay. Star Wars I chose because I am really into the original trilogy of Star Wars (those three movies are the BEST! ) and Galaxy Squad I chose because it was new, in fairly good condition as far as administration goes, and I like the GS theme.
8. What advice can you give to users who want to become roleplayers but are not sure how to?
In every roleplay, there are some users who LOVE helping newbies out. Most have a training topic were new RPers can meet the more experienced and get their questions answered! So don't be afraid to ask questions about things you don't understand.
9. Of all the topics you have created, which was your favorite? Why?
Probably the Lord of the Rings Raps topic. I enjoy writing raps and getting feedback on them.
10. What is your favorite subject in school? Why?
Physical Science. I find everything about radioactivity and atoms and things like that very interesting. I might even apply some things I learned to create some fanon objects in SWOSRP, so look out!
11. What hobbies do you have (other than LEGO of course)? What do you like about them?
I play both the guitar and piano. I really enjoy playing and writing songs for both instruments. Oh, another hobby would be watching Dr. Who.
12. Do you have any superpowers?
Twin telekinesis between me and my twin bro, Awkward_Turtle. Also LMB posting power. That is in everybody. Like Dwarfy says, "There's greatness in you, so don't give up." Or something like that.
13. What would you like a future poll to be?
What is your favorite retro LEGO theme, with options such as Bionicle, Blacktron, Oriental Expedition, and a few others.
14. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
If you could design one Lego theme, what would it be?
15. Question from FrankFrost2: If there was a 24K gold brick, how much would you pay to get it?
Only about $400. I think it would be cool to say, "Look at my awesome brick," but what sort of model is built with a gold brick?
EagleEyeDan: FIRST is an organization founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen, the inventor of the Segway among hundreds of other things. FIRST stands for "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology" and was created with the mission of inspiring kids to enter the STEM fields by making science as fun as a sports game (it really is!). There are levels of FIRST for all adolescent ages starting with Junior FIRST LEGO League for 5-9 year olds, FIRST LEGO League, for 9-14 year olds, FIRST Tech challenge for Highschoolers, and FIRST Robotics Competition, the ultimate level for Highschoolers as well as a much smaller collegiate competition for college students.
2. How did you learn about FIRST?
Daler: Well, first of all, I am a homeschooler. There are numerous programs that organize classes/camps for homeschoolers. One of the programs advertized a fall robotics camp in 2007. I then participated in two of these camps, which were hosted at FIRST Place. In 2008, five friends and I started an FLL Team. I have been competing since then.
3. What was your first FIRST event?
EagleEyeDan: My first FIRST Event was my first FLL competition (that's a lot of firsts! ). Our team had no clue what we were doing, we were a first year team and a pilot team for 4-H in our state back in 2007. After attending a private, mock tournament and realizing the extent of the project portion of FLL, we ended up doing everything in a hectic two weeks. Even with all that, we took champions at our regional and moved on to state! We proved that hard work and teamwork truly does pay off.
Daler: My first FIRST event () was an FLL (FIRST LEGO League) Regional Tournament. Even though we were a rookie team (In 2008), we were in first place for the first two rounds. We got eliminated in the Semi-finals. However, we won the Project award. This qualified us to go to the State Competition. We got second place for the Project award there!
4. What is the best part of being a part of a FIRST team?
EagleEyeDan: Just being on a FIRST team is the best part because the whole experience is like none other. My experience in FLL was so amazing, after I graduated into FRC, I came back as a mentor and my mom became the coach of our team!
Daler: The best part for me is seeing all of the hard work that I have done during the season pay off during the State Competition. Two other great parts of FIRST are all of the things that you learn and all of the amazing friendships that you get along the way.
5. What is the toughest part of preparing for a competition?
EagleEyeDan: The time it takes. Being on a FIRST team is a huge time commitment but the more you are involved on the team, the more fun you will have and the more you will learn. During the season, my FLL team meets for about 20 hours a week and my FRC team meets for about 40, which is like holding a full-time job. During what we call "crunch time" toward the end of build season, we are working overtime but the camaraderie formed is incredible when you consider you just stuck a bunch of kids in a couple rooms, under stressful conditions, for that amount of time, and we all come out of it as close as a family. My original FLL team still meets even though we are all graduated and some members are in college!
6. What have you learned from working with robotics?
Daler: I have learned a lot from competing in FIRST. To start it off, I have learned how to build and program reliable, innovative, and effective NXT robots. Every season, I learn about the theme that the challenge is based on. Past challenges have included climate, transportation, biomedical engineering, food safety, and the challenges that seniors face in our society. I have also learned some public speaking skills; I use these when talking to viewers during showings of our Robot and Project.
7. Do you plan to use your experience with skills in your future careers? Any plans to work as engineers?
EagleEyeDan: Absolutely. My utter love of LEGO led me to join FLL which led me to an interest in engineering and on to FRC. It's off to college for me next year and I am accepted at an engineering school with scholarships just for being a part of FIRST. If you are interested in engineering, I can't think of a better activity to participate in.
Daler: Yes, I do plan to use these skills in the future. I am planning on going into some form of engineering (Or working for LEGO! )
8. What advice can you give to users interested in joining their local FIRST Club?
EagleEyeDan: Don't go into it thinking it's all robots. In FLL, the robot is only a quarter of your score and the rest is a massive, themed research project as well as teamwork being a factor. In FRC, we have groupings of subteams that we call Mechani-CAD (Mechanical and CAD), Pro-Trols (Programming and Controls), and then Web-Ani-Man-S, Website, computer animation, chairmans (a speech and essay about your team as well as a lot of graphic design) and Safety so no matter what you are interested in, you will find it on a FIRST team of any level.
Daler: Some schools will have teams. There are also some neighborhood teams (I am the leader of a neighborhood team). If you can, visit an FLL competition to see if there are any teams close to you that you could join. If you can't find one, try to start your own with some of your friends. FIRST is loads of fun, I highly recommend it to everyone. It lets you learn about robots and various real-world problems.
9. Do you have any superpowers?
EagleEyeDan: Of course! Everyone has a superpower! Mine would be harnessing the power of imagination. I love reading and writing stories with intricate plots. We all grow up, I'm finding that out, but that doesn't mean you have to lose one of the greatest powers we are given and that is our imagination. Engineering would be nothing without Innovation, which is, simply put, applied imagination.
Daler: While I do not have any real "superpowers," I do command a whole army of element-wielding BIONICLE sets. I also have powers to make amazing LEGO models.
10. What would you like a future poll to be?
EagleEyeDan: What is your favorite part of a LEGO theme: Story, sets, characters, new LEGO pieces, or all of the above.
Daler: What do you want added to the LEGO Message Boards? The answers could be: Moderated private messaging, images in posts from your galleries, etc. It would be interesting to see what people want, and it would be good feedback for you Mods!
11. What LEGO-related question do you have for the next interviewee?
EagleEyeDan: What original LEGO character has inspired you the most?
Daler: Which LEGO theme has influenced your life the most, and how has that theme influenced your life?
12. Question from Zapty: If you were the president of The LEGO Group, what would you do?
EagleEyeDan: I would unite the LEGO themes in a massive LEGO Universe (not the game) much like what Marvel has done. I love how this is just starting (Clutch Powers did this and Ninjago mentioned Clutch Powers) but there is soooo much more potential in this. It's harder and harder to create original themes but LEGO has already made a huge amount of original stories, why not develop them more, develop some of them better, and develop them all together! That's what I'm already doing in some of the stories I write for the message boards.
Daler: I would bring BIONICLE back and bring LU back. I would also make sets based off of LU.
Then, I would probably work on a giant monument to the LEGO minifigure. Either that or a big sandwich, I'm hungry. 