Minifigures

Loremonger

I can't find any official statement on what minifigures include here. The exploded images show just legs, torso, head, and headgear, but additional images also include foot gear and neck/body gear.

Is there a Brick Owl policy on this?

TheBrickMill

Good question! For me, if you look at War Machine here on BO it is just the figure, no 3062b and the handful of other parts you would see on a BL inventory. I sent him out with all the "extra" parts as I don't feel they are "extra" and I plan to add those parts to the inventory here on BO.

On the other hand, I would feel for Wolverine his claws could be considered an extra and would not send them as BL and BO both only show the figure.

Is that the kind of thing you are asking about @Loremonger?

Loremonger

That's exactly the question I'm asking. If BO minifigures include different parts than BL minifigures, it is going to add a whole new level of complexity in maintaining our inventories.

theHellmouth

Up till now I always considered the minifigs on BL and BO to have the same parts. On BO though a lot of images for the minifigs are either incomplete or simply missing. Your War Machine example is rendered with only the minifig parts but should actually contain all those extra parts too. It's up to us (the sellers) to provide better images!

BWA

Agreed, another thought might be...., differentiating within minifigs...,

- Minifig plain = (no weapons, tools, utensils, or extra's) just legs, torso, body wear, head, and headgear + headgear ass).
- Minifig complete = (+ tool/weapon (as seen in Lego instructions that came with set)
- Minifig extra = (Minifig complete + extra weapons, display plate (modified 3x4 black with studs) and whatever extra could be included.

In regards to the Minifig Picture presented I have to say I like the BO method better..., it show instantly which parts to expect...,

TheBrickMill

@BWA, maybe it's the OCD in me I like your suggestion of the different "types", and I too like the photos with each assembly. Agreed with @the Hellmouth that we'll all have to pitch in and add to the figs that don't have all their parts listed.

BWA

Hi BrickMill,

What's OCD a 3 letter abbreviation for?

Regarding providing pic's, love to help (have 1700+ items without pic) but am not sure how to help/contribute.

theHellmouth

Obsessive–compulsive disorder: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OCD

Lawrence, can you post some information on how to take pictures of parts? Almost all parts on BrickOwl are digitally rendered. So how is this done? Can this be done by us too? Regarding minifigs: do we just take a picture of the minifig assembled or do we try to follow the same digital way as for parts?

Personally I have provided pictures for minifigs and stickers as taking pictures of those is quite simple. But again: a digitally rendered representation of the minifigs might be better. Sometimes the parts included are not visible on the pictures.

BWA

OCD, could/should have know...... (aren't we all suffering?)

Great question about the rendering..., Love to provide pics etc, don't know/can't find how...

Lawrence

My partner has created a nice explanation of the different item types that should clear up the Minifigure issue. http://www.brickowl.com/help/item-types

The composite images do not include things like body wear because of the difficulty in doing that automatically.

I do hope to provide a photography guide at some point, we prefer well taken real pictures to digital pictures. I don't advise users submit digital pictures as usually we can do that automatically ourselves. Pictures of mini figures should not try to resemble the composite style, they should be taken in the normal manner of the minifigure assembled.

BWA

Indeed a complete definition:
Thanx Lawrence...

"Minifigures contains official Lego minifigures, as they are found in Official Lego sets. Minifigures consist of all the parts required to make the character including body wear such as capes and quivers but excluding hand held accesories such as crossbows. The general rule would be that if the item is attached to the Minifigure it should be included unless it is attached to the hands of the Minifigure. For example, flippers attached to the feet should be included, a hand held gun should not. Please note, any item attached to the hands that is not meant to be removable should be included, this is seen as an extension of the minifigures hand and not as a handheld accessory. Minifigures do not come with any base or plates to stand on. Minifigures made from official Lego parts but that create new characters that do not come in Lego sets are found in Custom Minifigures, not this section. Some Official Lego Minifigures do not come in Lego sets, but must still be official in the sense that they are created by Lego.

For example, in this section you would find the Collectible Minifigure Santa, comprising Legs, Torso, Beard, Head and of course Santa Hat!

Nathvw

What I was doing in this case is adding a little note to say what accessories I am including with any minifigures if any, I only have a few anyway, I just need to remove and hand tools/weapons to follow the guide.

Thanks very much for the guide, very helpful, I will add a link on my pages for customers to refer to, then I can eliminate my item notes.

Nice work yet again.

=D>

Lawrence

You're welcome to include accessories and say so in item notes, just avoid "Minifigure, excluding head"

BWA

What kind of minifig (assembly) would that be? ....

theHellmouth

A headless one :P

Could be the Headless Horseman from Sleepy Hollow ... so maybe it's meant to have no head

walstib

Could be the Headless Horseman from Sleepy Hollow ... so maybe it's meant to have no head

Insert well written joke about including the head or not if he is holding it here.....

BWA

LOL......,

Don't we miss chat...

Issue remains the same, doesn't it?

Loremonger

Thanks, Lawrence. Now allow me to muddy the water a bit more. What do we do with the infamous Messenger Pouch? http://brickowl.com/catalog/lego-messenger-pouch-61976

I actually have a Helena Tova Skvalling Minifigure in my inventory that I wanted to include the Messenger Pouch with, but it was considered a utensil by BL definitions. So I listed it separately, and it's already sold. This is going to be a nuisance to small sellers, but could cause a big problem for larger sellers.

theHellmouth

Yeah I agree, I never understood that exception to the rule. To be it's the same as a quiver on the back. I mostly include it on my minifigs (and don't sell it separately). If it is not intended to be included my buyers get it for free, so be it.

Lawrence

Okay, I've clarified it to exclude messenger pouches. I suppose the issue with them if they only loosely fit over the top rather than actually attaching to the minifigure as body wear usually does.

Loremonger

Well, that's disappointing. It will make it easier for sellers migrating from BL, but it seems like it should be included. Of course, I never really agree 100% with minifigure inventories.

Lawrence

I understand, I do intend to make a system for linking up accessories and showing them nicely so customers can easily add the correct accessories to their cart if they want to.