Comments on: Barcode decoder takes the guesswork out of buying Collectible Minifigs (Series 1)

By: Jayko543

Jayko543 — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:03:21 +0000

Being a kid, and having parents that want to teach me not to blow all my money, this barcode find is great! I don’t think my parents want me to buy a whole box just to make sure I get one set. $30 some odd dollars sound a lot better to them.

By: chapzzzz

chapzzzz — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 04:24:46 +0000

G’Day
Went back to Target today and there were 2 boxes.
Someone had allready opened a dozen or so packets…
I thought the barcodes had different numbers but it’s the same number on all of them. There is another smaller barcode on the back so matching the barcodes by look alone was a bit harder but possible and quite easy.

Thanks Again
Regards Chapzzzz

By: Creative Anarchy

Creative Anarchy — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 01:43:56 +0000

I think TLG originally had this very scandanavian playwell idea where kids would end up with piles of cheerleaders and it would motivate them to trade with other lego fans across the world to get the figures they want. The design (Other than the barcode) seems to stress the randomness over collecting. All the communications I’ve had with lego employees about these things have been aimed to reduce the hype and obsession. I’m sure at some level people realized these would make money like cocaine but nothing about it feels mercenary to me.

That said I’m totally in the camp with the barcode list being justified by the bar code list. There are figures that will be popular and there will be figures that won’t be. I’m very intimidated by the prospect of digging through a vat of 200 clowns and 1 zombie hoping the odds come out zombie. I really do hope that the reports of the barcodes disappearing are true.

Interrestingly there is some other method of identifying to figures from the packaging. When I bought my ration of 5 from the lego store the clerk flipped the packs face down and scanned over them with her eyes, pulled one out of the group and told me it was a dublicate and I may want to get a different one. So either she’s a cyborg running the app or there’s some other clue.

By: brickchicken

brickchicken — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 02:55:59 +0000

I went to my local TRU today, but the barcodes were all the same. I had to feel all the packages to get what i wanted. I guess they changed things when they figured out people were “cheating” the system.

By: Peppermint_M

Peppermint_M — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 21:47:00 +0000

Or, you could just be mad like me and buy a box from somewhere.
No fuss no muss, just 60 figures, three sets and 12 spares!

Series 2 next! I wonder if there will be barcodes to use for ID on them?

By: notenoughbricks

notenoughbricks — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 12:56:15 +0000

I did what I could do to ensure that I received a complete set the night the figs were placed on sale at my TRU. I bought 16 different bar codes. I went home and opened each pack with scissors and photographed the back of the pic with the bar code and the fig sticking out. I was thinking about placing these pics on my flickr but thought better of it as I feared it would be detrimental to LEGO’s bottom line and therefore defeat my interest as I’d love to see this line continue for years to come.

The day after yellowcastle posted his cheat sheet on flickr and instead of bringing my camera to TRU to get doubles of the ones I wanted I just printed up his sheet. I have helped several parents and children get the fig they wanted as well as a TRU employee find a Zombie.

This line of figs and accessories is just awesome! After buying doubles of some figs I am now trying to complete a 3rd set! I’m not so sure I would have done so had I not had the cheat sheet!

By: Daedalus

Daedalus — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 04:48:22 +0000

“Thus, and ironically so, it’s the fear of someone else cherrypicking the box that forces us to cherrypick the box. ;o)”
=============
Dead on, yellowcastle. I’m past being annoyed/disappointed at this whole thing, but I really do wish Lego would have either made the packaging clear or a small box. At this point, I don’t mind feeling the bag I guess, but there’s no way I’m grabbing a handful at random.
In the end, I think they shot themselves in the foot with the decision.

By: chapzzzz

chapzzzz — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 01:44:54 +0000

Thanks for posting the Barcode Sheet.
I only want one of each and this hopefully will make life much more simpler.
I saw a box of these in Target on Saturday and when I went to buy more on Tuesday they had all gone.
Toy World has 120 coming in on 17/6/10 so I’ll be there early, with the barcode sheet of course !!!
Regards
Chapzzzz

By: Ryan H.

Ryan H. — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 23:55:44 +0000

I don’t feel guilty using it because:

1) You can feel through the packages anyway; even if they had the same barcode, feeling would be enough to tell. It’s just slightly harder.

2) I only want one of each, so it’s not as if I’m cleaning out all the zombies.

By: dsubspace8

dsubspace8 — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 22:56:40 +0000

I’ve been carrying this crib sheet around with me for the past couple of weeks, but I haven’t seen the collectible minifigures in any NE Ohio stores: Target, Toys R Us, or Wal-Mart. The Toys R Us in Fairlawn apparently did have some a week ago, but they sold out. The TRUs in Cleveland on Som Center Road and Cuyahoga Falls don’t seem to have received any yet. If anyone spots them in the area, please post. Good luck on your searches!

By: legomason

legomason — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 22:05:56 +0000

Yeesh, not the best file compression there on that pdf. 7 megs!

By: Brad

Brad — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 20:09:34 +0000

@ Catsy and Benjamin P:

That’s really cool to hear. :) That is much better than I had imagined!

By: yellowcastle

yellowcastle — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 19:50:24 +0000

As I see it, the issue is that there isn’t a level playing field. To me, if it’s not a mystery figure for everyone, then it shouldn’t be a mystery figure for anyone. I would be perfectly happy if Series 3 shows up without these identifying barcodes but that’s not likely to happen. I’m ok getting a ton of crash test dummies if it were just due to luck but not if someone had already cherrypicked the box. Thus, and ironically so, it’s the fear of someone else cherrypicking the box that forces us to cherrypick the box. ;o)

By: Benjamin P

Benjamin P — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 19:26:53 +0000

^Yeah, I helped a kid get the skater he wanted.

By: Catsy

Catsy — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 18:25:32 +0000

This is the scenario I imagine: I’d pull out the forestmen, and then I’d hear a little kid behind me say, “I hope I get Robin Hood!”

Whereas the actual scenario at TLS the other day was three or four people rooting through the bin and sorting the figs into piles, with conversations like these:

“I think this is a Diver.”

“Oh, I’m looking for those, thanks. Seen any Spacemen?”

“Yeah, there’s a pile right here.”

“Cool. Can I take a look at your cheat sheet? My barcode app sucks.”

“Sure, here.”

“Hey guys, seen any Zombies?”

“Not yet, I’ll let you know if I find any.”

“Magician! Yay!”