BrickLink Discussion Forum

In Catalog, yorbrick writes:

It is definitely looking a lot better. Although this one still confuses me:

Minifigure-Scale Character Figure

This is my third reply to this post. Perhaps if I had read it more carefully,
then I could have saved some ones and zeros.

Your question here was about policy and I have answered it.

Minifigure-Scale Brick Built Figure

Your question here was about actual inconsistencies in the additional figure
types I added at your request. I can see what you mean about inconsistencies
and I agree. So, what would you suggest to correct these inconsistencies?

I think the easiest distinction would be between specially-molded figures and
brick-built figures - this would remove having a separate item type for character
figures. Does that sound right?

BTW, did you see that I made the pictures bigger and added little frames around
each photo? I thought it looked better.

Author:

StormChaser

Posted:

Nov 27, 2018 05:07

Subject:

Re: Something I Just Threw Together - Updated

Viewed:

38 times

Topic:

In Catalog, yorbrick writes:

But what about Scooby Doo and Santa's Little Helper, and other similar characters.
Are they animals or figures? After all, Angry Birds are birds, which are animals.
Cartoon animals that are characters. Just like Scooby Doo and Sant's Little
Helper are cartoon dogs.

Since you've spent some time thinking about this, I don't want to just
brush you off as I sort of did in what I just posted. The answer to this is
that there has never been a written definition of minifigures. This explains
the inconsistency of some figures being considered parts and others considered
figures. It also explains member frustration when some figures have been allowed
and others denied.

In the past, what was and was not a figure was decided on unwritten rules according
to the preferences of the person deciding. One of the self-imposed tasks I face
is ending this practice and creating written rules so that we're all on the
same page. You'll notice that a number of catalog projects mention this.

Until such time as we have written rules, there is not much point in discussing
what should or should not be a figure and until we have the ability to sort figures
by type, if we ever have it, then there is not much point in going into the minutiae
of different types.

I encourage you to keep thinking about these things, though, because when I get
to rulemaking I will open the rules for discussion and possible modification
before they're implemented (something which has rarely happened in the past).
I look forward to your input then.

Author:

yorbrick

Posted:

Nov 27, 2018 04:59

Subject:

Re: Something I Just Threw Together - Updated

Viewed:

31 times

Topic:

Until then, I hope you are able to somehow locate the ability to be pleased that
I volunteered my time to make a list in the first place.

And yes, I am pleased that someone with at least a little power has started this.
The whole catalogue is a bit of a mess since it is so rigid, but the Minifigures
category in particular has started to be full of inconsistencies (either what
is in or what is out) since it has not moved with the times.

A number of mere mortals have flagged up many inconsistencies in the past, and
normally all are shot down as "the catalog doesn't work like that". When
really the catalog should work for the users, not work based on decade old unwritten
rules.

Author:

yorbrick

Posted:

Nov 27, 2018 04:56

Subject:

Re: Something I Just Threw Together - Updated

Viewed:

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Topic:

In Catalog, StormChaser writes:

In Catalog, yorbrick writes:

This is why I think the definitions of each category need to be considered carefully
so that inconsistencies do not appear.

Is this not the first step in that process, even if being done unofficially?
If these become accepted Bricklink definitions, then there would clearly be a
hangover from this list into any new sorting of figures. If it is not the first
step, then what is the point of this page? You said it could move into the Catalog
Help Center. It is showing people how to define or classify many different types
of figures, but if these terms cannot be used on bricklink to find what someone
is after, how does it actually help? If anything it will be confusing to tell
people that such and such is a XXX type of figure, then XXX is not used anywhere
else on BL.

Author:

StormChaser

Posted:

Nov 27, 2018 04:45

Subject:

Re: Something I Just Threw Together - Updated

Viewed:

40 times

Topic: