The year 2021 is finally over, 2022 has just begun. Thus, I got news for the blog after new year’s eve. What shall we do with the new year? As a possibility: Introduction of English as a new language, blog partners, future plans and some more!
Breaking Brick in English
There is no doubt, I do now offer selected reviews in English as well. Completely self-translated, to the best of my knowledge. The idea behind this came from social media, because thanks to Instagram and Facebook I got a lot of traffic from non-German-speaking countries on the blog – especially from North America and China. On Instagram and Facebook I post mainly in the world-language English, on Facebook I am always looking for English-speaking groups.
On good days, Breaking Brick as a blog has up to 40 percent readers from non-German-speaking countries. Three quarters of mentioned readers were using a machine-translator. Exactly these readers I want to address and also give them a good time with the reviews. Or articles. Without any bumpy translation. Also, automatic website-translations with English as source language into another language are much easier, in case someone wants to read it in their respected local language. Well, the emphasis lies on written reviews, as news were already well covered by other blogs and sites. Hereby I don’t need to reinvent the wheel.
Furthermore, the feedback I got on social media in short time to the English review of the Baker Street 221B from Pantasy (set number 86218) was very positive. This encouraged me only more to continue the way I’ve already planned some time ago. It’s also possible that in 2022 I will mirror the complete blog in English as well. Let’s see forward.
Small MOC-Designers in focus
Shame on me. Seriously, this category means always a lot of fun to me. But it’s also very work-intensive, because I really deal detailed with the works of a designer and thus also with the designer as a person. In 2021 I had planned to focus on a designer once a month, but as you (didn’t) read, little progress was made, though.
Regarding news: I will try to depict a designer with his works quarterly per year. Or rather more regular. I hope that I’ll make progress. You shall see again a designer with their fine works.
There will be some articles incoming.
Breaks on Breaking Brick
Unfortunately, I was very busy in my private life, i.e. at work and with my family. This means, last year that I didn’t wrote any articles for weeks, even didn’t do anything at all with bricks. But, I’m not a full-time writer and I do run this all in my spare time. Maybe I should do more short reviews or short news and giving some life signs more often during such times. Hopefully this won’t happen to the blog in 2022, but I can’t guarantee anything. Therefore, to point out: Thank you for your patience and understanding!
Partnerships/Support
News! Breaking Brick has new partners and I would like to introduce them to you as well. You can also find the links to them on the right side (desktop) or at the bottom (smartphone/tablet). So without further ado, here some news on this sector of the front:
BrickKK.com
Yes, the guys from Mainland China approached me in September 2021, when I was in the middle of moving. Actually, it’s no news for those who follow my blog. We came to an agreement after the initial negotiations and I can look back on a very lively partnership for the last quarter 2021. They haven’t been in the international market too long, and last summer they specifically focused on the German-speaking countries. They also have North America fully in their sights as well. Also to mention, they have a good connection to Pantasy in particular, as they are pretty much always the first retailers to have Pantasy’s sets on sale. Sure, they also offer the other brands from the Middle Kingdom, except for Gobricks parts service. They don’t do that.
They may not have been on the market that long, but they’re real fast and know what’s important when it comes to business with us westerners. Both in packaging and shipping, and also in complaint management. In short, they don’t mess around and are no beginners.
PS: www.brickKK.com – not brickKK.com. They really put a lot of attention to that. Otherwise you’ll end up on the old BrickKK.com website. Sorry, www.brickKK.com.
MCM or Magic Cube Mall
Fascinating store, because it does not sell off-the-shelf sets. News to me! Sumbal from MCM contacted me via Facebook and at first I was very skeptical about the proposal. They have only MOCs. Until now I was very used with dealers or platforms from China that realized MOCs weren’t licensed by the creators or license holders. Because Magic Cube Mall offers MOCs, it is rather small series of MOC designs that they have on sale. By the way, those designers I interviewed, of which MCM has sets on offer, all affirm one:
Licenses!!
That’s right, no stolen MOCs – these are all fully licensed sets from MCM. On each realized MOC design is a license of the IP holder, which probably also explains among other things the well increased retail price. According to MCM, the parts come mainly from their own supplier, which I am very excited about. That means you don’t have to fear a quality mess if everything is from one supplier.
MCM introduces itself::
Magiccubemall is an e-commerce website that mainly sells MOC building blocks right now. The website has a history of more than ten years and we are currently based in Shenzhen China.
We used to sell Rubik’s Cube and building blocks at the same time, but with the cooperation with different Moc designers year by year, our website finally found the best direction.
So we changed our goals and we decided to focus on Moc building blocks since 2021, especially Architecture MOCs like castles and churches, etc.
Our goal is to provide our customers with high-quality building blocks, and we also look forward to cooperating with different talented MOC creators all around the world
Sumbal von Magic Cube Mall
Wait for the first set, what is right now on it’s way to me – a loan, because the set will go after the review to the Noppensteinwelt (German forum, very recommendable), which will also review it. As soon as I got more news, you’ll read it anyway on Instagram.
Photo Gallery of Magic Cube Mall
LesDiy.de
Well, basically the text for this news-article was already written, then I came in contact with LesDiy.de (thanks to a common acquaintance from China) and here we are to say hello to my next partner in the new year 2022: Welcome LesDiy.de!
Advice: For readers abroad Germany, there is LesDiy.com for non-German-speakers. This section is all about LesDiy.de for German speaking countries.
Introduction of LesDiy:
LesDiy founded in 2014, is a team full of vitality and creativity.
Since founded, LesDiy were aiming to find creative and educational toys.
Our company is located in Shenzhen, the city which has the proudly name for its toy industry in China. We are seeking for interesting toys with high quality here, share them in different cities and countries, and finally receive welcome.
It’s on 2018, we found the endless possibilities of building bricks, but also suprised at the high price. Whim, we start to look for alternatives with fair price. Meanwhile, we are looking for the top MOC designers at home and abroad, cooperate with them, and share the sales.
We look forward to realizing all kinds of great ideas at a fair price!
It finally turns out that this is a worthwhile attempt, our products are well received! That cheer us to find more interesting DIY toys in the future 🙂
LesDiy.com
Basically, almost the same can be said about LesDiy as about Magic Cube Mall, both are also connected and work together. However, LesDiy.de is specifically targeting the German market. They also have a relatively similar portfolio as Magic Cube Mall and they also offer licensed MOC-Designs as small series. All designers I asked have confirmed authorization/licensing.
Furthermore I’m really curious about the ship program – although I have zero actual interest in this kind of ships:
LesDiy-MOC
If you look up at LesDiy-MOC you can find the licensed MOC sets, which also have a quite ambitious price per set, just like Magic Cube Mall. But there is a reason for this, which LesDiy.de explains:
MOC Set need some time to prepare, and usually not short. You can find it in the Product Description.
In particular does this mean that the sets are not stored as pre-produced but are individually collected and packed per order. The MOC sets are delivered in their own gift box or in a cardboard box, depending on the order. In addition, there are no printed instructions for a MOC but a PDF manual, which is packed on a USB stick inside the box. If this USB stick is not found, a copy of the instructions can also be requested.
On sale they also have LED-Kits and Display-Boxes in addition to the usual brands such as Mould King, Panlos, Super 18K, UrGE and many others.
I am curious about the brick manufacturer, who will be the supplier for LesDiy. Let’s see, let’s see!
Webrick.com
I’d have never expected that my article on Gobricks (November 2020) made such great ripples. The folks at Webrick are also from Shantou (Toy City or where Santa really makes his toys) and are highly specialized in parts selling. A parts supplier may not be a novelty on the scene, but there are enough brick-heads who prefer to use Gobricks for their MOCs. That’s the strength of Webrick, their parts portfolio is 80% stocked by Gobricks as their main supplier. The rest is stocked by other parts suppliers of similar quality – according to Webrick.com. I also have parts ordered and will review them as good as I can.
Webrick offers a platform (see above, the tool kit) which is linked also to Gobricks and accesses their actual current inventory. You can upload the usual files there:
- Studio (.ldr; .csv; .xml)
- Lego Digital Designer/LDD (.lxf oder .bom)
- Rebrickable (.xml)
- Own created files (.xls oder .xlsx)
Important information: No prints! Webrick can’t offer prints or printed parts. As already mentioned, my parts for test issues are on the way to me and I am highly curious about the quality, respectively for the other parts supplier besides Gobricks.
Contests
Nope, not for me. In short : I’m not up for it. From longer observations within the german brick community, there’re always the same guys participating and that really doesn’t improve the range. But, do you know what? Instead of distributing sets with stupid raffles among the community, I can also give sets away for charity.
If you plan to organize some kind of brick events for charity: Feel free to contact me at webmaster@breakingbrick.de at any time if I can support you. There is also my modest medial support next to physical goods to support your good goals.
Maybe I’ll do something by myself, here in my home region (West/Northwestern Suburbia of Munich). May our standard of living be high, but we also have quite a few children who dont’t experience a beautiful childhood and have to grow up lacking a lot. Next to expensive cars and fine terraced houses. I can’t tell you how or when, but this has been bothering me for a long time.
Reviews
Extensive Reviews
Breaking Brick is notorious for in-depth reviews. News? Nope, not really. Someone once called a review of mine „the Maritime Museum of written reviews„. Thanks for the praise!
Where 500 words were written only for the prints on two tiles and where I am absolutely up to the neck in the details. More of that, perhaps splitted into several parts to facilitate the flow of reading. This was also quite well received by the community. So, the monster reviews will continue to exist in the future.
Reviews with a difference
In German it’s called „Reviews mal anders“, which does mean review with a difference. You can see it like short reviews. Here I build a set together with my child, the so called „little helper„. Don’t expect super deep details here! The shared fun at building is what matters here in first place, less a detailed review. Especially when my little helper aka own child gets older, such reviews are more likely to come. Not really news, to be honest, but worth to be told.
Of course, for reasons of privacy only the helping hands are shown – and thats enough. The idea didn’t come from me, but from the little helper itself. It wanted to show the people what it proudly built next to me at my working bench and one thing led to another. It is also tremendous fun to build together and every minute a father can spend with his own child is a good time. Those times will never come again and you simply have to savor it.
Reloaded Reviews
Ok, probably I may dig out one or another review again from my past. Those one I have written myself for the Noppensteinwelt in German. Consider it as „ported“ variants of older reviews of mine, which I’d like to share with you. Difference to the Noppensteinwelt variant are pictures in the review where I don’t own the rights and I have to look up for pictures with correct copyrights. Also the layout is different. At that time, back then, my writing style was occasionally a bit provocative, respectively the focus was more on the pictures than on the text. Be suprised.
Guest Authors
Without any doubts, Breaking Brick is a one-man show, but there are other writers out there who’re first grade potentials and can provide reviews from topics that go far beyond my knowledge. This kind of knowledge you can’t read up on. Or because the topic interests means nothing to me. Tanks and military stuff are one of those things that leave dark spots. Or fog of war. You’ll recognize reviews from other authors by the header picture at the beginning. Also at the end will be the guest author mentioned. With a small introduction of the writer. I’m really looking forward to that, that’s really news!
Youtube & Livestreams
Livestreams
Nope, not for me. First of all, I’m not the kind of person who likes to big grin at the camera. I was allowed to participate in some livestreams in 2020, but I honestly didn’t enjoy it. Nevertheless, I am extremely grateful that I was allowed to participate. Second, when more than four people yell into the camera and the majority of participants are giving themself airs, it sucks for me. Third, the time. I simply don’t have the time to take 60 minutes or more to tell something in front of the camera in a livestream. Or in a produced video. My family also wants something from me and the writing can be far better accommodated.
Why don’t you make video content instead of livestreams?
I was already asked whether I would like to present a review as a moving image in color with sound. No, I’m not prepared for that at all either, and have no desire for it. I thought about it in 2018, 2019 and early 2020, but Building Bricks for Happiness within the first lockdown 2020 showed me one thing: that ain’t something for me. Besides, there are already good (and also not so good) YouTubers regarding bricks out there in the German-speaking community, so I don’t have to show my head in the camera as well. But my respect for all those who’re doing this!
I got my own channel, but I really only use it as a video dump for Breaking Brick. But the channel has already 57 subscribers. Ok, thanks anyway to the 57 subscribers, but please do not expect anything from it.
Don’t be so picky!
Even if I would make videos, I’d be so demanding, that probably this would need forever in production. On the one hand, until the setup is ready with lighting, camera and sound. Then the filming itself and later the video editing. And that was just the technical aspect, because in front of the camera the Vlogger also must has a fluid, relaxed, friendly, smart and imaginative appearance.
Nah, guys, I don’t want that, I’d rather recommend Doschdns kleine Klemmbausteinecke (German channel, literally: Doschdn’s little buildling block corner), Brick Me Up Scottie, Steine Meister (Germanspeaker from Switzerland, literally: Brick Master) or Buttermaker. Exactly, #abonniertbuttermaker – the man for „no content“, great guy! 🍻
However, I don’t want to say no for a new try within the in the German-speaking community. With the right people in a joyful round without self-concerned big grinner. Maximum three people and let it go. Having fun must be the aim, not the self-marketing. So, at this point I’ll stop now, before it turns into a rant.
Thank you!
That’s it with the news flash on the subject of news. My gratitude as always for your attention and loyalty over more than a year. And also great kudos to my new readers who have joined!
Also great kudos to KaraBenNemsi for proofreading!
If you liked my work here and you aren’t yet a regular readers of my blog, subscribe on the right side to the newsletter, but you can also follow my content on social media at Instagram, Facebook and also at the germanspeaking forum Noppensteinwelt.de for new articles or small information around building with bricks.
Stay happy, have a good time and keep on bricking!
