STECK DESIGNER WANTED

[arab warrior]

i don't want to crash the party going on here, but why would Geobra want such a connector??
It doesn't make sense, they stopped making steck so there's no need, at least i don't see it
Are there plans to produce steck once more, or is it just for us collectors

it would be great if they did start making steck, but i can hardly believe that they would.
please Richard, can you give us more info as to why Geobra has the need for the two systems to go together.

[socrates]

i don't want to crash the party going on here, but why would Geobra want such a connector??
It doesn't make sense, they stopped making steck so there's no need, at least i don't see it
Are there plans to produce steck once more, or is it just for us collectors

it would be great if they did start making steck, but i can hardly believe that they would.
please Richard, can you give us more info as to why Geobra has the need for the two systems to go together.

Well, I agree that they will not be too keen to invest a lot of effort to combine their ultimate system with a system they do not produce anymore.  But in the end, maybe we get some cool connectors anyway. 
I understand that they are willing to look at a concept for a universal and extensible building concept.
And this is really exciting and a great chance for us to actively involve into the future of models...

Thinking longer about this, we really should think about how the perfect system would look like in the first place.
More like fusing the best aspects from both worlds.

best,
socrates

[macgayver]

We had a similar discussion at Customize IT

Playmobil asked if there was intrest in a connector from system x to steck

The Idea behind is good (they finally want to do something for the collectors )

Sadly  not realistic

first question that comes to my mind

WHAT are we going to connect

Second question , are we going to connect one piece ? or several ?


I doubt Playmobil will make a series of connectors

I'm a practicus and builded a lot with both systems and allready tried to mix both systems

as Socrates mentioned , problems here are the different dimensions

second problem is the esthetique

Steck is quite realistic with his grey and brown houses

System X is mostly White

Main question remains

What are we going to connect ?

[playmofire]

Isn't there the danger that too many questions are asked at the start and as a result no ideas are put forward and so Playmobil say, "Well, they said they wanted input, we gave them the chance but nothing was put forward."  There are great gaps in knowing what they want, and this can be made clear when any proposals are put forward, but at the same time here is an opportunity to put forward what members of the community want.  Maybe connectors of the two building systems are not the answer, and this can be explained to Playmobil (good reasons have already been given why this may be the case), and if this is so, then the answer must be something new, maybe drawing on both systems so as to gain the advantages of both and at the same time avoid the disadvantages of both systems, so far as possible.

Here are some thoughts, certainly not complete:

Advantages of Steck:

1.  Wall pieces are such a size as to be able to put together a building relatively  quickly.

2.  Each wall section is well-detailed and incorporates spaces for windows and doors.

3.  Finished structures are reasonably rigid.

Disadvantages of Steck:

1.  There are a limited number of wall patterns.  For example, it would be useful to have a double window wall which could be added to laterally and not just at right angles.  Similarly, blank walls would be useful and half length walls.

2.  It can be difficult to separate sections when dismantling a building because the tongues fit so tightly.

3.  More roof shapes are needed such as a return of the half roof and the introduction of a roof or piece which would allow a right-angled turn, both internal and external, e.g. for a courtyard or L-shape.

Advantages of System-X

1.  It is more flexible.

Disadvantages of System-X

1.  It is fiddly and time-consuming to put together.

2.  Despite (or probably because of) all the connectors, the finished building is often fragile.

3.  It is clumsy and too chunky (largely because of the joining method).

There's my two pence worth, although I may add more later.  But I think the thing to do now is come up with ideas.

[kenc]

Just brainstorming and maybe it's a stupid idea but why not making Sys-x parts with the exact looks of Steck parts? The most ressemblant sys-x parts to steck are those from 2004's retired 3268 and 3269 castles, but the designers screwed the designs by integrating the battlements into the basic wall, by making very large parts in general. This option would enlarge building possibilities in the sys-x world. It could be done quite nice, once a building would be constructed it would be hard to see if it were made out of sys-x or steck parts.

Or, why not making steck parts with the exact looks of Sys-x parts? I'm thinking about the fairy tale castle parts, sys-x church parts that could be made with steck parts. This option would enlarge building possibilities in the steck world.

[Indianna]

This is an exciting development, Richard!  I think the folks who have already commented make many good points and, in the variety of their responses, show that this is a very complex issue. 

If I may, I would like to approach this from a different angle:  I would ask for a robust, flexible, and user-friendly CAD (computer aided design) program combined with the potential to request discontinued or newly designed parts from Playmobil.  Many folks here at Playmofriends and elsewhere have talked about this type of software many times in the past.  If we could get this out into the world of Playmobil fans and collectors we would have thousands upon thousands of brains working on designing the parts that they desire.  Plus it would be awesomely cool and fun!   

[Wolf Knight]

Gordon is right...we need solutions...while at the same time having the question at the back of our heads...we do not need to express the questions all the time...Just plan...(although planning without questions is not working very well and too much questions is ''setting a brake'' for creative thought)

Here are some of my ideas...

First of all the 3268 draw bridge is a great design...30 24 7960 - Castle wall with large arched doorway and towers on each sie It goes further than the 3666 predecessor 30 07 6270 - Castle wall, 3 units wide, with wide archtop doorway

The first design can be used with steck...if we also produce caslte parts like this steck piece 30 07 6020 - Wall, Curved Quarter-Circle with Arrow Slit to create a slightly angled tower that fits the first brawbridge from the back thus closing this angled tower....

I have to say that this 30 24 7790 - Castle wall, single-height, 2 units wide, plain is the best castle wall playmobil designed..the same can be argued about these walls 30 24 8120 - Castle wall, single-height with trapezoidal section in cntre
....but these  30 07 6810 - Battlement, scalloped front, 1 unit wide battlements are far better and easier to use...so we combine the system x wall with the steck battlement....

The floors are a major issue...a child might not need a lot of room but an adult collector might... So, i propose a steck wall that can have system x holes on the top side to replace the tooth slides that come down the piece 30 07 6120 - Wall, Flat, Plain, Double-Male Connectors where the floor teeth are inserted, but keeping the two upward teeth in order to fit another steck piece above it... The result will be not this limited type 30 03 9800 - Floor, 2x2 units of steck floor but rather something based on this piece 30 20 6370 - Baseplate, rectangular (4x6 units)

I am sure that with correct measuring something like that can be designed as more ideas are comming into my head...(more questions coming to my head as well but I try to avoid them for the time being)...

[playmofire]

While Diane and me were out for a walk I was thinking of possible solutions, mainly in terms of houses etc, civilian buildings if you like, the same principles could apply to castles.  I think 8 to 10 basic "walls" could do the trick.  I'll do some rough sketches and then everyone can think of the problems I've missed! 

[macgayver]

If we could get this out into the world of Playmobil fans and collectors we would have thousands upon thousands of brains working on designing the parts that they desire.  Plus it would be awesomely cool and fun!   

Sadly we are not thousends and thousends

I'll put in an example :

For a few months playmobil asked for help from collectors for Utrecht

At Klickywelt , no one responded
At customize it ,four people

We among five others responded to playmobil directly

that brings us to nine

sad ain't it ?

[Bill Blackhurst]

I'm very hopeful that if we do the designs ourselves using the vast experience, knowledge, & opinions here, we can do the research with strong input, then we can present proven ideas to Playmobil to consider in the new......(drum roll please!) "Add on's" "building parts for collectors & customizers series"   !