Database reorganisation

 

  • Database reorganisation

    Posted by Huw, 25 Jan 2011 17:07. Filed under Brickset.

    4509: 3-Seat Playtable
    Gear/Furniture, 2004
    More details...
    ©2004 LEGO Group

    Myself and the other database admins (Grahame and Bluemoose) have decided to make some changes to the categorisation of some items in the database. The main change is that we have put all 'extended product lines' (as LEGO calls them) into a single theme called 'Gear', which is what BrickLink calls them. Gear includes magnets, key chains, books, clothing and so on: basically everything that isn't a proper construction set. Future updates of the site may differentiate 'gear' from proper sets in search result listings etc.

    It's worth mentioning now what criteria we use to decide what 'gear' goes in the database. The general rule is this:

    • If it's sold by LEGO at LEGOshop.com, it goes in. This includes products made by LEGO (e.g. key chains and magnets) and those made by other companies but sold by LEGO as their own product (e.g. bedding and clothing)
    • If it's a product that contains LEGO bricks but is not itself a LEGO product it goes in (e.g. Dorling Kindersley Brickmaster books)
    • If it's a product of great interest to the AFOL community, is licenced by LEGO, and likely to warrant having reviews written here, it goes in (e.g. other DK books)
    • If it's a product carrying a LEGO logo but not made by LEGO and not sold by them it does not go in (e.g. the minifig torches, brick-shaped storage boxes etc.)

    We have to draw the line somewhere, and outbound licenced products is where we draw it. We aim to have a 100% accurate and complete database of proper sets but we don't aim to do the same for gear.

    The other change was to move Bonus/Value packs into the appropriate theme. So Star Wars B/V packs will now appear in the Star Wars theme listings, for example.

    We hope that makes it easier for you to find your way around the database.


    15 comments, latest one posted 28 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)
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Comments

Posted by Alemas in Germany, 25 Jan 2011 17:34

...this has made Gear the largest "theme" ever. :P People may find it confusing: If they're searching for video games, they'll have to look under Gear! They would be expecting a separate "theme"!

Posted by legoDad42 in United States, 25 Jan 2011 18:03

Is there a category for San Diego comic con or convention exclusives?

Posted by legokenny in United States, 25 Jan 2011 18:29

It is good to see the Castle Battle packs back under the Castle theme and not under gear anymore. Thanks!

Posted by Jarod98 in United Kingdom, 25 Jan 2011 18:55

I have a quick suggestion, why not change how you name the subthemes for the key chains and magnets like this:
Key Chains/Ninjago to NinjaGo Key Chains

I think that NinjaGo Key Chains makes a whole lot more sense than Key Chains/Ninjago. If it is too big of a project don't bother doing it, but if it's quite simple to change the subthemes, and you like the idea please change it.

Posted by Dodge in Canada, 25 Jan 2011 19:53

Kudos.

Posted by DrDaveWatford in United Kingdom, 26 Jan 2011 12:34

This reorganisation makes sense.
Incidentally, are the 2 new DK sticker books ("Heroes" and "Villains") on the database anywhere ? Can't find them.

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 26 Jan 2011 13:29

^ No: they don't fit into any of the above criteria (they are not of 'great interest to the AFOL community')

Posted by DrDaveWatford in United Kingdom, 26 Jan 2011 13:34

Speak for yourself, Huw. :-)))

Posted by greshmalum in United States, 26 Jan 2011 14:54

I have noticed a few things that are missing in Brickset:

There is LEGO Education (I believe the website is LEGOeducation.us)
There were also some mini Racers that came in cereal boxes and others that are at McDonalds- these do have studs and tubes that work with normal Lego

Just to let you know.

Posted by Legolijntje in Netherlands, 26 Jan 2011 15:18

I think this is a good idea, but there is only one thing I should change:
the magnets and key chains need their own "theme". There are so many of them.

Posted by jonbuddy in United States, 26 Jan 2011 17:42

A while back, Huw, I emailed you about that Lego-type board game where you collect pieces to build the model on your card. You said you have it....is it Brickset worthy now?

Posted by bricklord in United States, 26 Jan 2011 23:40

This move has created some confusion for me. The gear category is now HUGE and a bit hard to navigate.

The "worthy of Brickset" rubric confuses me too. Does this mean that the giant Lego head storage bin is in the database or not? What about the Lego storage bins my local Wal-Mart sells for $10 that come with baseplates? The Lego minifig USB drive?

Posted by Gus263 in Brazil, 27 Jan 2011 06:47

I still don't think that the three first Bionicle movies would fit in any category, but they are missing too. There are other movies in here, though (the newest Tinseltown Toons' movies).

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 27 Jan 2011 17:53

@jonbuddy, if I go by my general rules above, yes, but I don't intend to add it because there were many Rose Art games and we don't have details or pictures for them all so there'd be little point adding just one.

@bricklord, all the items you mention are made under licence and won't be included unless they are sold from LEGOshop.com and given a LEGO 'set number'.

We have to draw the line somewhere: at the toy fair today there must have been some 100-200 new licenced products, most of which are of no interest to us here, and it's impossible to keep track of them all.

Just because something has a LEGO logo on it doesn't automatically mean we should add it. It has to be a proper construction set (the site is after all called Brickset :-) ) to guarantee entry.

Posted by bricklord in United States, 30 Jan 2011 22:56

@Huw, thank you. It may make me sound like a goober, but I didn't know that they were made by third parties. I had just assumed that if it had the "official Lego" logo on it it was legit from Lego.

There is however one item that I know of that isn't in the database. I have the deluxe version of Lego Harry Potter for the Nintendo DS. It comes with a Lego Harry Potter Stylus and a Harry Potter minifig.

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