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How to get started with Mindstorms?
I want to introduce my 8 year old son to Lego Mindstorms.
Where should I start?
Is there a starter kit which is the best starting point?

Many thanks for your help.  I've ordered the NXT 2.0 kit as suggested.  Can't wait for Christmas!  er - I mean, my son can't wait for Christmas.  My son. Not me.

It's Chrismas Day, so now I'm on a precious break from my day job as a programmer.  How do I spend this hard-won free time, you ask?  ... PROGRAMMING, of course, with the new NXT 2.0.  Thanks again everyone for your advice  ;)

The most current Mindstorms set would be the NXT 2.0.

The set is advertised for children aged 10+ (previously 16+). If you or your child is under 10 but has a talent for building with LEGO and a basic understanding of computers or engineering the whole process should be fairly easy to get to grips with.
The set itself is quite an investment (RRP £235/$350) yet it provides the most complete Mindstorms package. Half of the time spent playing with the set will probably involve programming via the NXT-G software which comes with the set.

NXT-G is an intuitive, icon-based drag-and-drop programming language
  designed for an easy introduction to programming for new users and
  experienced users. By choosing program blocks that work with the
  motors and make the sensors react to inputs, you simply build up your
  program block by block, and you can create programs that range from
  simple to complex.
  (Source)

The best thing you can do to get experience with Mindstorms is to try to build some robots with the kit. You should get the normal NXT kit, as this includes the software, the electronics and some sample Mindstorms models.
Anyway, there are two aspects to Mindstorms, building and programming.
Building: If you have experience with Lego Technic, building should be familiar to you. However as this is often not the case with young people, you will want to get some experience building with Lego Technics by using building instructions. There are the sample models included in the kit, but you might also want to buy some Technic sets to get some further experience (and more pieces to build with).
Programming: The programming can be a bit more tricky. First you should make the example programs included with the software. If I remember correctly, it will let you make a program step by step. The important part is to pay attention to what you are doing and why you are doing it during this process! Do not just make the program and run it, use some time to understand how the program is working. Try to make modifications to it and see what happens! Give yourself challenges and try to solve them, "can I make it do this instead?".

Once you have made the models in the kits and experimented a bit with them, you can find even more Mindstorms models online. One example is nxtprograms.com. There are also books which you can read, for example The LEGO®MINDSTORMS® NXT 2.0 Discovery Book. The important part with the programming, especially when downloading programs from the web is to really take some time with trying to understand them. I will point it out again, do not just run them, as this will learn you nothing!
The best way of learning however is to experiment, try to build or program something either as a modification of another model or something completely from scratch. The reason Mindstorms is fun is because you can create something yourself with it, so the steps above should be treated as steps in order to reach this stage where you don't need instructions. So it is important to mix these two approaches in the beginning, do something from instructions and try doing something yourself.
The RCX 2.0 had a section with "advanced" models. The primary difference between the simple and advanced models were that the simple models had building instructions where the advanced models only had the key steps . So you had to fill in the other steps yourself, which is a great way to learn how to build, since you are forced to think about what you are doing. Try to take some of the robots from nxtprograms.com, but remove all but the most important steps and give those to your son.

Speaking fo books, I can also recommend The Mayan Adventure which is oriented towards problem-solving and uses just the retail kit (version 1 though, so maybe you'll need a few extra parts). There's also The King's Treasure which is for version 2.

I can only answer based on my past experiences with RCX 2.0.
Mindstorms comes as one great box with everything included.  Back with RCX it was very simple to get started.  You simply had to install the software that came in the box.  The whole thing was designed to be used by kids.  It was very intuitive with a nice tutorial going over every programming concepts.  This was all done while programming the real hardware so it was encouraging to see the results in real time.
All the coding was done using visual elements (like building blocks) that were linked together to form the full program.  Again it was very intuitive for young kids.
My son and I had a great time with RCX 2.0 and I would recommend it any time.  I hope NXT is the same or even better.

Although this refers to RCX (The older version of Mindstorms) most of the advice still applies to NXT. The main differences can be found listed   here.

As others said, the Mindstorms retail kit is the obvious starting point (begin the only kit readily available).
There is an education kit which contains mostly the same things as the retail kit, with the notable exception of the software (which is sold separately). It's certainly not really suitable for a standalone usage, and possibly difficult to acquire depending on where you live.
However, LEGO education could be a interesting route as well that your kid's school may be interested to investigate. This could mean that the kids get an introduction to robotics as a class and you'd see if your son gets a taste for it before needing to buy a kit yourself. The target age of the education kit is 8+, by the way, so don't worry too much about the 10+ range of the retail kit.
From LEGO education, there's also the WeDo kit. While not part of the Mindstorms range (it doesn't use the same hardware at all), it can also be an interesting introduction to robotics, aimed at slightly younger children. For a school, it's also a less heavy investment than Mindstorms, which can be easier to justify.

I've seen the "Education" stuff.  I've wondered about getting some as a gift for school. Do you have experience with it?  Perhaps I should post this as a separate question!

Sorry, I've got no actual experience with it, to be honest. I know some universities use it around here, but I think the prices in Europe are a bit too high to consider it in other age ranges schools.


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What is the Mindstorms NXT Education kit?
I am considering gifting some Mindstorms NXT 2.0 to school, because I think they would get great value from it.  I see that there is an "education kit", and I wondered if that's the way to go.
Does the "education" stuff have real advantages for schools?
Does it offer anything over and above the regular kit?
If anyone has any experience, I would love to hear.

There is an educational version. It is set number 9797.
The NXT 2.0 set is set 8547.
Both come with:

1 - NXT brick
3 - Motors
1 - Ultrasonic range sensor
2 - Touch sensors
1 - 20 cm cable
4 - 35 cm cable
2 - 50 cm cable

The NXT 2.0 has some things the education set does not:

1 - color sensor
1 - Test Mat
Software (The education software is sold separately! from the educational set)

The education set has some things the NXT2.0 set does not:

1 - Light sensor
1 - Sound Sensor
1 - Rechargeable battery module
1 - AC adapter for rechargeable battery module
3 - Converter cables suitable for use with original Mindstorms accessories or 9V Technic motors and light bricks
2 - 9V Technic light bricks
1 - Durable storage system

The two sets also come with different assortments of pieces, with the educational one contained fewer total pieces, with more that would integrate with original Mindstorms or Technic kits.
The education kit is designed to used in conjunction with an existing parts collection,
or with an Educational resource kit, basically bulk parts. Two such kits exist. Both come in a storage system much like the educational kit.
Set 9648 contains an assortment of traditional Technic style parts with a slight emphasis on the studless beams, but still containing many studded components.
Set 9695 is newer and has more parts, with a strong emphasis on studless design. Relatively few parts have studs.

The software is sold separately so that you can purchase multiple licenses of it for each PC in the lab, or buy more sets without having to purchase the software again. Note also that the educational software is slightly different to the standard software as it can gather data from the NXT brick for processing

Currently on my phone so editing's tricky, but the link for the educational version is: http://education.lego.com/en-gb/products/mindstorms/9797/

The software is only slightly different? I'm surprised, since back in the RIS days the educational software was totally different, and in fact, many schools dumped it in favor of alternate langauges like NQC.

Ok, well, I'll rephrase that as "The educational software is different to the standard software as it can also gather data from the NXT brick" - I believe that the both versions of the NXT software are based on LabView - unlike the RIS software which was very limited in it's interface and options.

As far as I'm aware, there's no NXT education version other than WeDo and ED-E...the Humanoid Robot Starter Pack.
I would get in contact with your schools administration to see if they already have a LEGO education program. There are 140 Lego Educations centres across the world that offer after school programs.

The mindstorms educational set can be seen here: http://education.lego.com/en-gb/products/mindstorms/9797/

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Can I use a generic (non-Lego) transformer with a rechargable Power Functions battery?
I've recently ordered a LEGO® 8878 Rechargeable Battery Box:

I was wondering if I really need to get the (rather expensive) LEGO® Power Functions Transformer or if I can substitute a (cheaper) generic one?

If a generic one will do, what specification does it need? Obviously it needs the right plug and rating for my local AC mains socket, and that I need 10V DC, but what about the size / polarity of the DC plug?

By the way, you don't need one transformer per battery.

Yes, you can use another transformer, even if it's not recommended by LEGO and you do so at your own risk (which should be minimal if you pay attention to what you do).
The plug polarity is + in the center and - on the outside; it should be mentioned on the battery and the real transformer (I wish I could find the one I have to check), and the size is a standard (but small) one. (Note that there is a protection in place should you reverse the polarity, but it won't work). Usually if you get a transformer with multiple plug adapters, it will be one of them. Note that is must be DC, this may seems obvious but since older LEGO transformers used AC it's better to make sure that point is understood. (and of course that's also why polarity is important).
The trick is to find one which outputs 10v DC, as 9v will not be enough to trigger the charge circuitry (the threshold is 9.5v). Apparently, you can charge it at 12v without too much trouble, but it will be slightly slower.
Edit: just go read RailBricks magazine issue 7 which has an extremely detailed article on the topic on pages 46 to 55 (yes, a full 10 pages).

From where one can buy such charger/transformer? I would be obliged if you can provide a URL. Thanks.

Well, as I said, the trick is to find one which outputs 10v DC, which isn't so common. See the kind of thing I have in mind on amazon, for example. Notice it doesn't do 10v indeed, so you'd have to use 12v - and the price may be cheaper than the LEGO one, but since you only need one most of the time, maybe it's safer to just buy the LEGO one and be sure you won't have any problems at all.

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Is it safe to overload LEGO train motors?
When I was in Fana'Briques in 2008, there was a speed record competition for TGV-themed train. The setup used a section of custom-made straight track (aluminium rails if I remember correctly) and was powered by a custom transformer which could deliver higher voltages than the standard LEGO ones.
As ar as I recall, they went up to above 30v, and there seemed to be more damage to bricks (one train did derail dramatically, and pieces flew everywhere) than to motors.
Is it safe to overload LEGO train motors that way? I assume 30v is pushing it too far, but what could be considered a safe limit that motors can endure for an extended period of time?
I'm speaking of regular 9V motors, but answers for other LEGO motors can be interesting too. I know Philo pushed them to 12v when testing their efficiency, but with a big warning that he couldn't guarantee the motors would tolerate it for a longer period.

If only I had the funds to do the science! http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2011/12/dont-be-afraid-to-use-the-science/

Shouldn't we ask Jeff to back up his article and fund us?

Good call we can but try - I know SF were after some funding for testing Raid 10 arrays ;)

You could add multiple motors (two motors per unit, plus B units!) and gear them up to shoot for higher speed. That way, you can burn out four motors at a time instead of just one. :)

What could be considered a safe limit that motors can endure for an
  extended period of time?

Their rated voltage.
Motors are designed to operate at their rated voltage indefinitely, or until they wear out, whichever comes first.  Exceeding this voltage means you shorten the life of the motor.
Your big enemy is heat.  At some point, the amount of heat generated by the windings in the motor will exceed the ability of the motor to dissipate it, and the wire in the winding will melt and break the electrical connection (usually at the point where the wire is soldered to the commutator).

The point at which failure or excessive stress or wear occurs is influenced by many factors, including the amount of current driving the motor, the speed at which the motor is turning, the amount of load the motor is driving, the ambient air temperature, etc.  These variables make it difficult to predict a safe voltage above the rated one.
In addition, over-driving motors in this way makes them inefficient; speed increases are offset by higher losses due to back-emf, limiting the additional torque, so driving motors this way eats batteries fast.
Last but not least, overdriven motors are a safety concern.  The paint covering the windings can catch fire and burn down your house; you have to watch such experiments very carefully.
If you really want to increase the power, your best bet is to choose a motor with more torque, so that you can run it at its rated voltage.

As boring as this answer is for someone like me, I have to admit it's probably the only valid one. So I'll accept it, but that doesn't mean other more daring answers aren't welcome :-)

I love this answer, because it makes me want to replace my 9v motors with the high torque mind-storms motors, cooling them with liquid nitrogen, and running high voltages through them....

Yes heat is the ultimate problem but the most likely failure will be from the commutator brushes.
As the voltage is increased so does the heat of the sparks created as the brushes pass from one commutator segment to the other. This is a particular problem on a 3 segment commutator.
At 30V even if the motors can stand the mechanical loads and heat generated I doubt the brushes would last for more than a few minutes however such a short life would be quite acceptable for a record high speed run, particularly if someone else was paying for the motors!


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Where can I download the Samantha Field Control System?
Could someone please provide a download link? It seems that all traces of the program has disappeared from the internet, and I need this to get my robot moving wirelessly. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

This guy appears to have used the Samantha Field control system and has a download section.


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How much depth does the NXT battery pack add?
The NXT rechargeable battery pack does not fit flush with the back of the NXT brick like the battery cover (used with 6xAAs) does.  I don't have the battery pack (yet), so I was wondering how much depth it adds.  I found a picture of the pack installed, which gives the impression that it may be a brick taller, or maybe only a stud taller.  Exactly how much though?

It adds the same thickness as a studless beam indeed, or 8mm / 20 ldu.
(This is true for the grey 9VAC battery, but I suppose it holds for the white 10VDC one as well)

My white 10VDC battery pack arrived today.  It adds the same thickness as a studless beam, same as the 9VAC battery pack.


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How should I model a Heroica Banquet hall?
My son had a great idea for his Heroica game: Convert one of the desks from the Fortraan set into a table with food, and then your Hero could stop there and eat to regain health.
I pointed out that the kitchen already had a table with meat on it (the chicken leg), but we decided that a banquet hall with a long table would be better.
I'm therefore looking for some advice on modelling something similar to the Hogwarts feast but at a Heroica Microfig scale rather than Minifig.

I can't really see this on a square plate, I'd suggest going for 8x16, table in the middle and paths around it.

I fear I have delusions of grandeur on this one, since this is my starting point:

One table partially built to show the fences underneath. You can also add a third table in the centre, but I felt it would be weird to have only one bank for two tables.
It's too big anyway, isn't it?

With regards to size, maybe, but if it were on one plate (8x8 I guess) then you could use a few together to make a larger one. I'm also looking for recommendations on decoration - food or just plates ;)

Sorry about that, I was hungry

Ok, this is weird. Which Star Wars reference?

@Joubarc Actually the reference is regarding two different scenes, both with the same phrase, "delusions of grandeur". "A Jedi Knight? Jeez, I'm out of it for a little while, everyone gets delusions of grandeur!" - Han Solo and "I'm standing here in pieces, and you're having delusions of grandeur!" ― C-3PO Hope that clears things up!

Ok, thanks. I have to admit I didn't intend a reference at all though :-) Maybe you've watched it too much?

@Joubarc Me? Too much Star Wars? Well, now that I think about it, maybe that's actually quite possible... :P


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Which sets can be built in the bag (all the parts are in one bag)?
I've had the chance to participate in some "build in the bag" contests at some events. The idea is simple: each contestant gets a small set (usually provided by LEGO for the occasion), and everybody tries to build the set at the same time.
The trick is, the contestants may not open the bag but should build the model inside it. The first to finish wins some additional prize. You can also up the ante, PLUG did for example do this underwater.
However, this does require that all parts of the set are in exactly one transparent polybag. Small racers sets (the one in plastic boxex with a round top) are usually suitable, but we've had a club event where we wanted to do that and there was no polybag (the first to open his box spilled the contents on the ground), so we had to find some other contest (I think we ended up with one-handed build or build without plan).
So my question is, which sets are known to have all parts in one polybag? Is there any way to find out?

How about 'What sets can be bag-built?' for a title?

Looks like there was a custom bag built for the ISS model that was taken up to the station, which probably doesn't count: Satoshi Furukawa with the LEGO Brick Kit aboard the ISS

The ones I know of:

8072 - Sea Jet
8400 - Space Speeder
8398 - BBQ Stand
5611 - Public Works
5762 - Mini Plane
7241 - Fire Car
8130 - Terrain Crusher
5618 - Troll Warrior
to be continued...

In addition, some LEGO Creator sets, with only partly transparent bags are possible to build in bag, like this video shows - but it gets a lot harder.
Rather then listing all of the sets, I'd go by the general rule that sets that are 9.5cm x 9.5cm x 4.5cm or smaller are in one bag (or just in the box). The Court Jester (7953) for example, is one exception in that the Jester hat is packaged separately.

I suppose we can exclude bigger sets (or sets with more than x pieces, with x to define), but there are a lot of small sets (such as the one you mention) which don't qualify, and that's a problem.

Some of the bigger sets will have one bag per part of the set, for instance this train set where the platform can be build from one bag.

There are some "advent calendar" sets (as in, a box containing 24 polybags behind "doors" labeled 1 through 24), I have done some bag builds with one of those.

Brickset has a feature to allow you to search sets by tags, which is incredibley useful as you can find a full list of Polybag sets.
The list can be sorted in various ways. You can sort by year (descending) to find the newest sets that might still be available to buy, or which polybags have the most pieces and will probably be the most challenging.
Some of these are simply bulk bags of bricks which you can ignore.

The three largest polybag sets are limited edition from the Master Builder Academy series. These polybags were originally only available in the US as part of the LEGO Master Builder Academy subscription.
The largest polybag set is the #40178 Exclusive VIP Set released in 2017 with 205 pieces and two minifigures.


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Firmly connect bricks in a triangle
I need to connect two bricks onto a plate such that the plate is facing up, and the two bricks are facing out from above it at an angle (say 30 degrees) but are connected firmly, at opposite ends with their studs facing out.
Ideally this would fit in around a 2 x 4 brick size, and not be too fragile.

The top image shows the two plates (assume 2x2) facing out at an angle from the 4 by 4 plate below.
The bottom image is the same from above.
What I'd like to figure out is what to put in between. Assume that there will be stuff attached to the 2x2 plates, enough that the standard 2x1 hinge will probably just flop.

A drawing would be nice

Can the two angled pieces be connected to one another? That would strengthen the overall structure.

The triangle is Isoceles, but not equilateral. The two angled pieces are not at 90 degrees to each other.

How firm does it need to be? Wouldn't something like this be enough?

If not, you can try to lock the parts into place with "cheese" slopes, but it's not as neat:

That should work. I'll have to dig around to find the 2x2 tops for the hinge, I definitely have cheese slopes  - if I can find grey or dark blue ones - I think the bottom assembly would be perfect.

I'm not quite sure what you mean, but could you use hinges?
Like these?

Perhaps click hinges - but normal hinges are too floppy. I am going to put together a drawing later (no scanner handy) to explain better what I want to achieve. That looks like an old hinge - the middle finger is missing.

@DannyStaple: It shouldn't be floppy once it's built, since it forms an equilateral triangle it should  hold well.

Not sure you can make a 60° angle with these, though. Seems too acute.


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What parts are really required to motorize 10219 Maersk Train?
The Official site detailed page states that:

Motorize your Maersk train by adding LEGO Power Functions #8878 Rechargeable Battery Box, #8887 Transformer 10V DC, #8884 IR Receiver, #8879 IR Speed Remote Control and #88002 Train Motor!

So:
8878
8887
8884
8879
88002

Is it true that I need all of them (costs ~$150) to motorize the train, or can I omit some?

@Zhaph: Why set-modification? I don't modify anything. Just motorize a train, I'm sure it's not a modification, or this is a subject to discuss on meta, isn't it?

Seems to be the preferred use; from the wiki for the tag: "Set Modification questions are about modifying sets produced by LEGO. Modifications include Motorising existing sets" but yes happy to discuss on meta

The strict minimum you need for PF motorization is:

Tracks. Sounds obvious, but don't forget these. Nope, there are none with the Maersk train.
A PF train motor
A PF battery box (plus 6 AAA batteries)

Now, as oezi says, it's a bit senseless to have a train which you can't control. Well, you can control it, but it's limited to switching it on and off (if you can catch it). Yet, it's a start.
Now, as far as limited control goes, don't neglect the polarity switch! If you place it intelligently, it will be easier to stop your train. Or you could even mimic the old 4,5v system and have your train switch direction automatically at both ends of a track. Just a thought.
Of course, for more serious control, yes, you'll need:

PF IR receiver
PF IR speed remote control

Note that all these elements (tracks, motor, battery box, IR receiver and remote) are also present in these trains:

Passenger Train
Cargo Train
Red Cargo Train (red battery box)

So it may be worth to do the math and see if you're not better off just buying one of these. Sets are usually cheaper than standalone elements, and considering the extra parts you'll get, it may be a wiser investment. Not to mention that they may be easier to find in regular shops, which means maybe Christmas discounts and the like. And the design of these trains is quite good too.
Of course, batteries are going to be a problem, so if you don't want to sink too much money in them you'd better use rechargeable batteries as fast as possible, or yes, switch to:

PF Rechargeable Battery
10VDC transofmer - or use a cheaper one

As you can see, it can be a costly investment in the long run, but nothing forces you to buy it all in one step, especially the rechargeable battery and charger which are far from cheap.

I did this mod last night. The train motor is about $14, the battery box $13, the IR receiver $15. Assuming you have a remote control ($13) and batteries, you're good to go.

The transformer can be omitted, if you find a suitable, cheaper one. Take a look at this question for more information about the exact requirements.
I don't think the other parts can be omitted, as...

A motor clearly is required to motorize something (#88002)
A motor won't work without a battery (#8878)
Something motorized that can't be controlled is senseless (#8879 & #8884)

In addition, you could try to buy these 4 parts on Bricklink, which is a bit cheaper, so you end at ~$105 (+ ~$10 for a third party transformer) - this should save you $35 (~25%).

You don't need the rechargeable battery box and that's the most expensive part. Get the AAA battery box and use your own rechargeable batteries.
$13 88000 AAA Battery box
$14 88002 Train Motor
$13 8879 IR Speed Remote
$15 8884 IR Receiver
That's about $55. Not cheap but not over the top. You'll also need tracks but even on a set you're going to need to spring for more tracks if you want it to be awesome.


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Where can I download the LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0 IDE?
I want to see how well that IDE runs on my old Windows XP laptop.
I looked on www.lego.com, but it seems to all be documentation (downloads).

Is this what you were looking for?

I wouldn't mind finding it too, I'm stuck with 1.1 and I don't even have a clue where that CD actually is. And since my HDD crashed, I kinda need to reinstall it someday.

LEGO has made it possible to download a stand-alone installer for NXT-G 2.0. It's compatible with both Mac and Windows.
Alternatively, you can download a disc image of the NXT-G 2.0 CD.  The link contains instructions on how to use it (as it isn't as easy as downloading just an installer).

Thanks for proving me sooo wrong! Might be useful to safeguard this somewhere as LEGO isn't known for keeping old software available for long.

Joubarc, you are quite welcome.  I was pleased and surprised that LEGO made the software available like that, too.

For others, this answer also works/has instructions for mac.

Seems to be here now

It might be a good idea to include those instructions as part of your answer - link-only answers are frowned upon.

Links are broken. This link has been valid for a long time: http://service.lego.com/en-us/HelpTopics/default.aspx?questionID=2655. Look for "How can I get a replacement for the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT software for set 8547?"

The Mindstorms NXT GUI, NXT-G, is distributed on a CD and is not available without the Mindstorms NXT kit. It's not explicitly stated, but you can think of the license included in the price (although what the actual licensing terms are I don't know). In any case LEGO does not offer it for download. (Edit: I was so wrong - I'll just leave the rest of this answer for the BrickLink reference).
If you want the actual CD, your best bet to acquire one is to get one from someone who doesn't need it. For example, someone who happened to buy two kits. There are some available on BrickLink as well.
You could also try to contact the LEGO customer service and see if you can get it straight from them (mention the item ID 4558460, it should help them find it) as well, but I suppose they'll just point you to the download.

Try this:
NXT-G 1.1 -> http://www.mediafire.com/download/ve0p528do3ap2qd/LEGO_MINDSTORMS_NXT_v1.1.iso
NXT-G 2.0 -> http://www.mediafire.com/download/00byev4ayhh2ius/LEGO_MINDSTORMS_NXT_v2.0.iso

As of January 2017, the links in the older answers to this question all seem to be broken. However, there is still a download available for NXT 2.0 on the LEGO customer service website. This link seems to have withstood many years of changes to the LEGO website: http://service.lego.com/en-us/HelpTopics/default.aspx?questionID=2655.
Look for "How can I get a replacement for the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT software for set 8547?" on that page.
There is also currently a page on the official Mindstorms site for the NXT software download. I'm not sure how long the link will last, but here it is: https://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms/downloads/nxt-software-download.


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Did LEGO recently change Millennium Falcon with a smaller kit?
I have been interested in a Millennium Falcon kit but was holding back because of the price.(It was about €500) This was about two years ago.
Recently I saw another, cheaper Falcon for about €150, but I think this is a different, smaller kit, and unfortunately the only available Falcon.
Did LEGO really swap the Falcon kit for a smaller, cheaper version?

The Millennium Falcon has been so popular there appears there are six known sets, and seven versions. Four of which share the exact same product name.
Millennium Falcon, 2000 (7190) 600+ pieces
Millennium Falcon, 2003 (4488) Microscale version with only 87 pieces.
Millennium Falcon, 2004 (4504) 900+ pieces (New minifigures with the flesh skin colour).
Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon, 2007 (10179) 5000+ pieces
Midi-scale Millennium Falcon, 2009 (7778) 2nd microscale MF with 4x more parts then the 2003 model.
Millennium Falcon, 2011 (7965) 1200+ pieces
Millennium Falcon, Advent Calendar Day 21, 2011 (7958) 13 pieces
There also appears to be some Minifig variation, R2D2 and Darth Vader only appear once on the 2000 and 2011 sets respectively.

The scary thing is, I have the first three on that list ;) Had small children when the UC version came out, so couldn't justify it :( And the 2011 one's close enough to the 2004 one that I can't really drum up the enthusiasm. Don't get me started on Slave I's though ;)

There is also a Millennium Falcon in the Star Wars advent calendar.

Just for curiosity, what is the difference between 4504 (2004) and 7965 (2011)?

@abatishchev: A large difference in style, parts and overall price.  The minifigs are also more complex/detailed

@abatishchev: The outside designs are similar, but 7965 is about 30% larger and that space is used to have more "happening" on the inside. As Ambo100 said, the minifigs are also more detailed in 7965.


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Ninjago lightning and fire dragons
I am searching (to buy) the lighting dragon and the fire dragon from the Ninjago series. I am not interested in other parts of those sets, I'm just searching for the dragons themselves.
I have searched Bricklink and Ebay to check if there are individual dragons sold, but I could not find them.
Does anyone have any hint where I can buy those dragons?

Just to clarify are we referring to the dragons from 2507 and 2521?

yes, the dragons of those sets are the ones i'm searching for

I can think of several possibilities:

Just be patient. They'll probably come up on bricklink or ebay eventually.
Buy the complete sets and sell off the parts / assemblies that don't interest you.
Buy the sets with someone else and split them for the parts / models that interest each of you.
Get the instructions, and buy the parts to make the dragons individually.
Create your own dragons from the any parts you already have or can get easily.

It depends on how much you want the dragons. If you really need them, I suggest (2) might be your best bet.

I tend to buy a set for a certain feature and use the parts else ware (point 3). In some cases LEGO sellers on Ebay split sets into key components (like each carriage of a train) and sell each component at an inflated price.

It is just that i'm not colelcting ninjago series, just dragons of any kind (expecially lego ones), so i should buy the sets and sell what i don't need

@Terix that's probably your best bet, the problem is that the dragons are brick-built, so I'm not too sure if people will sell them separately. Keep in mind there's probably not going to be any BrickLink entry for them, so it will be harder for sellers who would want to do that. Well, they may list the set and say "warning, dragon only" or something, but it won't be easy for you to find. So what I'm saying is, don't count too much on option 1.


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My Own Train vs. other 9v trains
Does My Own Train series have any pros and cons (or pitfalls) against other 9v trains?
Seems that is a rich series but less popular comparing to, for example, Santa Fe or regular City sets. Why?

P.S. I want to propose my-own-train tag.

Not too sure what to answer, what kind of pros/cons are you looking for? I think the reasons for its lack of popularity may be quite subtle to pinpoint, too. Maybe it wasn't proposed by enough regular shops, or there was a lack of a complete set (since you had to buy a lot of things separately)... I don't know.

@Joubarc: Actually I just looking for any pitfalls, maybe that's really not bad items to buy, and looking overpriced Santa Fe are really overpriced.

If only those had come out early in my "HO train"-phase instead of the middle of my DarkAge....

@abatishchev On a possible [tag:my-own-train] tag: Thanks for the suggestion, but to be honest the current pro-tempore mods feel it's not eally useful at the moment, considering it probably wouldn't be used that much, and the [tag:trains] tag isn't really overcrowded right now.

@Joubarc: Got it. Sure, no problem. Maybe next year :)

@retracile: What does "HO train" stand for?

HO is a fairly common scale of model train, popular in the UK and (almost) identical with "OO" or "Double O" scale.

The "My Own Train" series only lasted from 2001 - 2004, so it had a relatively short life span.  For the most part, they were very nice sets with rich details.
It most likely didn't resonate with collectors since the trains were available in various different colors, with or without a tender — this made it prohibitively expensive to own the collection since the price of the blue train was the same as the green train, and yet the only difference between sets were a few bricks that were switched from blue to green.  I, myself, bought a small and large train with tenders and the wagons, but I didn't bother with all of the other colors.
The other minus for the "My Own Train" series was that it didn't include any mini-figs, so it made it felt geared toward adults and yet, they weren't any more challenging in building than normal 9v trains.

I may say minus, because I prefer less minifigs but more train details :) so that really felt as geared toward adults


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Is it possible to add the power functions to Western Train Chase?
I recently got the Red Cargo Train and it's a great Lego set but a Cars themed train going around my Christmas tree would be even better.
Has anyone gotten the power functions to work on the Western Train Chase set? Are the trains compatible with the normal Lego tracks? Is the "magnetic car connector" at the same height and compatible with the connector on the Red Cargo Train?

Also similar to the Motorising the Maresk Train question.

You could motorize the train car. You just cannot attach lights.

According to the product description on the LEGO® webn site, the LEGO® Power Functions Train Motor 88002, can be used to motorise the Western Train Chase.
The train wheels normally fit directly to this motor, so I'm sure that this train can be used on normal LEGO® tracks.
Looking at the instructions for both the Red Cargo Train and the Western Train Chase, I'd say that the magnetic couplings are the same height.

Looking at the picture it seems the wheelbase on the train motor is much wider than the Train Chase set. Maybe it's the pictures deceiving me again.

Oh, and nice find on the product description . . . that's about as good a confirmation that it should work as I could get. Interesting that it's not on the box or description for the Western Train Chase.

All train elements in the Western Train chase are standard ones, including train wheels and magnets. The construction of the front is certainly a bit different, but I've seen people replacing that by a motor (9V, actually) without trouble. You could also motorize the first waggon, which may be easier to fit a battery box.

We tried motorizing our Western Train Chase with the Power Function box as suggested on the LEGO site. It doesn't work. Their isn't even enough power for it to pull the engine by itself. The battery box itself is really heavy. I wrote my complaint to Lego. On top of this problem, we also don't have enough curved track (despite the purchase of 3 boxes of track) to make a continuous circle. They apparently only offer enough curved tracks with their $130 plus City sets... I already had a train, so was hard-pressed to buy another when all I need is curved track. Sadly disappointed in Lego, they are usually awesome.

This may sound like a dumb question, but have you made sure the batteries in the battery box are fully charged?

I haven't tried it yet, since, well, I haven't gotten the Toy Story Train yet. But with the Red Cargo Train the weight of the battery box is what gives the train traction. If you notice the wheels of the train motor have a rubber "gasket" that also helps with traction. And the Red Cargo Train is able to pull or push just about anything I put on the tracks. The magnets between cars break apart long before the power of the train gives out. I almost think you have a dud train motor.

Oh, and if you do have a dud motor I'm sure Lego will replace it. Not sure how you prove it but give them time and they'll respond to an email.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


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What is the difference between Shuttle Adventurer (10213) and Shuttle Expedition (10231)
Beside the age 16+ designation for the Shuttle Adventurer vs the 14+ age designation on the Shuttle Expedition and some different photography they look identical except they don't sell the Shuttle Adventurer anymore on shop.lego.com. Is there any practical difference?

10231 has 26 more pieces and was released the next year. I'd have to look into what pieces they are. Perhaps it's something promotional?

I wrote to the Lego Group about the differences and they sent me the pieces to retrofit my set. Sweet! Thanks Lego!

@tooshel, that's pretty awesome.

The LEGO Direct team's answer to this question is on brickset:

Since its release in 2010, 10213 Shuttle Adventure
  has proven to be very popular!  Although the model was designed for a
  16+ target audience, our consumer call center has brought to our
  intention that many younger children have been building and playing
  with the model.  As a result, the Direct team has decided to look at
  the model once more to see what changes could be made in order to
  provide a better build and play experience for a slightly younger
  target audience.   10231 Shuttle Expedition may look similar to
  Shuttle Adventure in many ways, however its build is very different
  and offers several advantages.

The fuel tank has been reinforced with supports to strengthen the assembly
The landing gear is strengthened to function better across many different floor types
The Cargo doors can now be more rigorously opened and closed
The entire build has been reworked to limit opportunities for misplacing elements
Astronauts now have wigs in addition to their helmets (1 male, 1 female).  Face prints are also different.
The new set now has 1,230 elements
New Satellite can be securely positioned on the new mechanical arm 10231 Shuttle

Wow. Now I really do want to get the Shuttle Expedition just to see how different it is while the build is fresh in my mind. Alas, my Lego budget was blown on trains! Seems it'll be around for a while though.

Acording to Bricklink:

This set contains 26 more pieces than the original release to correct
  stability issues.

Have a look at the inventory here.

Bricklink is solid gold for this kind of info. I wonder what kind of stability issues? And why did it go from 16+ to 14+? And why different names? More questions than answers!

Actually the lower age requirement was the driving force behind the change, and that's why the model was deemed not stable enough as it was. It was just stable enough for 16+, not 14+. Anyway, see Kramii's answer which is authoritative.


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How do I add a light to the Red Cargo Train?
I want to add led light to the front (and probably back) of the Red Cargo Train but the shape of the light is making me wonder what brick I should use to hold the light. I've never seen these lights used anywhere. I'm thinking I'll need something from a Technik set.

It would probably be helpful if you added a link to the Red Cargo Train your are describing.  At least a set number.

@LarsTech Done. Though, I think the train itself is inconsequential . . . I wonder what brick could hold the light no matter what the application!

These light fit in a regular Technic hole, and thus have the same diameter as a stud.
I would recommend fitting them in the so-called "Erling" brick; after all, one of its regular (aka "boring") names is "Brick, 1 x 1 with headlight":
.
The only problem you'll have is that the light extends quite a bit at the back, but you can easily solve that by using a panel of some sort, for example:

Are there different versions of the Erling? The ones I have don't have an open back.

@tooshel Not really, the "Erling" brick is the nickname of the brick illustrated above. However, there is a newer 1x1 brick with 1 stud, where the stud is not recessed, and that had a closed back. That's what Pierre Normandin used for the lights of that train, so you'll have to replace them. You could also use 1x1 Technic bricks if you have some.

Turns out the Red Cargo train has a grey piece that was just a 1 unit brick with an extra stud on one side so it was way different from being an Erling. With 4 black Erling's and gutting the center of the train for wiring my lighted cargo train is complete! Front and back lighting and it is controlled from the other dial on the remote. Thanks.

I used a grey 4 stud Technic brick with 4 holes because didn't have two grey 1 stud 1hole Technic bricks. The LED are about 1.33 units high so I had to raise the black platform height to accommodate the width of the LEDs. When I added lights to the Train Engine Operator cabin - I had to create more room inside so the train engine became a bit less sturdy. You can see photos and a video of my solution below.
http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/302348

Nicely done! I did about the same to the train but I didn't raise the height. I had to gut the middle of the train and removed the minifig cabin area to accomidate the extra wires. I also put lights in the front and back. I noticed you must have raised the height of the conveyor belt too since it has to tip up and down to miss the height of the train.


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Does the Power Functions IR Remote Control 8885 make a good remote for a car?
I have the Power Functions IR Speed Remote Control 8879 and it's great for, well, the train it came with and maybe other applications where you don't need precise control. 8885 looks like it would work for a car but does it speed up the motor the further you press up the joystick? Is the joystick spring loaded in that it returns to "stop" when you let go or it it more like the helicopter remotes of late where you press the joystick up and it keeps that current speed? Do the joysticks move left to right and up and down?

The two sticks on that remote are pure on/off switches (well, forward/off/backward) and come back in their central position if not maintained pushed, and don't move laterally either.
There are two classic ways to control a car with them:
Use each switch to control a motor and wheel (or set of wheels) - so you have to push both levers to advance, and only one to turn. That's how the first PF Motorized Bulldozer is built and it works great for that kind of model.
For a more realistic car, however, you'll need to use one motor to control the forward/backward movement of the car (that's the easy part), and the other for the direction. That's slightly less easy, but you can usually achieve it with some kind of spring-loaded mechanism that puts the direction to straight forward when you're not pushing the lever. Some people have used that part to do it, but I've never tried it myself:

Edit: as I said, using the 8879 remote by itself to control a vehicle directly may be difficult, but I forgot it's a Technic part by itself, which means you can build something else on top of it. See Sariel's modification for a good example with which you can easily control a one-motor-per-wheel model.

Good answer but bad news. Seems like the train remote would work just as well. I think what I need is an IR transmitter for my phone or to program one of those universal remotes. But even then I'll have to press up up up up to get it to go faster and then down down to slow it down. Not great.

The train remote should be OK for speed, but steering is probably not going to be easy. One thing you could do is combine one of each, but that may be extreme. Note there is also a specific PF car base, but frankly it's not that great. Or, a NXT brick with a IRLink, then you can do pretty much what you want programatically.

Somehow that car base is going for almost $300 on Amazon. Crazy.

What speed is "on"? Can you set the speed for what "on" means for that remote?

"on" means full power (apply whatever the battery delivers). I don't think it's changeable in that remote, or at least I've never heard anyone who did try.

I've tested IR Speed Remote Control 8879 myself on some L motors and they make a high pitch sound when not run at maximum speed. Would this damage them?


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What IR Codes are the Power Function remotes sending to the receiver?
The PF IR Speed Remote Control (the train one) is "7 speeds" but as I turn the dial to make it go faster it's hard to tell what speed it's at. I wonder if I could setup my programmable remote so that pressing 1 puts the train at speed one, 2 at two and so on. Is there a reference for this somewhere?

Which train motor is it?

Some programmable remotes are also learning remotes, so you could just put the remote in learning mode and point the train remote at it.

As with most things related to Power Function,s you can find this information on Philo's page on Power Functions.
If you scroll down a little, you'll find a link to "LEGO Power Functions RC" which is a document straight from LEGO outlining the PF RC protocol. The protocol does include commands to set an absolute speed.
Now, whether you can make sense of it is another story altogether. That's what HiTechnic used to create the NXT IRLink Sensor, and with it connected to a NXT you can indeed send the commands to set the speed to a defined level instead of increasing/decreasing.
Note that due to power limitations in the NXT, IRLink has a short transmission range.


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When I connect my Samantha Module to my NXT, the NXT shows the wrench icon
When I connect my Samantha module to my NXT, it shows the wrench icon instead of the USB icon.
I have tried updating the firmware, to no avail.
The blue light does not turn on. It sees the WiFi network just fine, the white light flashes, but it will not connect to the NXT.
Any ideas?

You can try http://thenxtstep.blogspot.com/2006/06/nxt-problems-post-problems-and.html Some of the info is a little old, but the site appears to be active.


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Why are there extra pieces in my set?
I bought an advent calendar, with a minifig or part of a scene behind each door.  Each piece is sealed in a plastic bag and needs to be assembled.  Almost every bag has an extra piece in it.  Is this a mistake when the pieces are being wrapped, a little bonus (yay, 2 crowbars!) or sloppy counting?
(It's extremely Christmassy - a police station, burglars with a crowbar and axe, police officers with handcuffs - oh, and a tree with presents.)

I'm sure it's just a bonus.

Some of the pieces are so easy to lose or break, and they give you an extra just in case.

It isn't a mistake.
Lego weighs the bricks in each bag to ensure that the right components are present. However, it is difficult to weigh the smallest pieces accurately. (This is also why small bits tend to share one bag). If Lego tried to get the component count spot-on there is the danger that they would miss the very rare occasions when one of these small pieces was left out of a box. It would be bad for Lego if there were pieces missing - it would both damage their reputation and lead to expensive support calls. So rather than risk that they intentionally include more of the smallest pieces. That way, if the extra one is missing, nobody minds too much. At the same time, Lego knows that a couple of extra bits will make customers happy, especially as the small pieces are prone to getting lost.
So, you're right to consider the extra pieces as a little bonus.

Although that makes sense, I think that's not totally correct, as I've never heard of an extra part missing, or of an extra extra part. I think the rationale is more than certain parts (1x1 round, cheese slope, technic pins...) are more likely to end up lost, and thus you get a replacement part right from the start. But it's always small parts, yes.

A number of sets are known to have extra bits (the smallest usually) - at least according to their peeron inventory. Doing so to save on possible returns/support calls or reputation hits makes very good sense to me.

LEGO sets usually have a number of extra pieces. In most cases they are small bricks, that are easier to lose like 1x1 plates/tiles/studs, cheese slopes, levers/antennas and flower petals.
I know some people would throw the extra bricks away, never do this! Like loose change they will add up over time and can be used to add extra details to your models.

Throw the extra bits away? Never!

As part of this answer to the question: Does Toy 'R Us (or more expensive-than-average) retailers have more extra parts than average?, user Ambo100 posted a reply from LEGO Customer Services which also has relevance to this question.

When it comes to spare parts, it is random what pieces are included in
  which sets. We always want to make sure our fans have a little extra
  to go with their awesome imaginations.
LEGO Direct Consumer Services

One nice thing about the extra parts is that it forces you to think about what you're doing to make sure you did not forget to install one of the small pieces. With larger pieces it's nearly always obvious because things won't fit together properly or look right or be symmetrical.
Tiny pieces can sometimes be forgotten and not affect anything.
Yes, if the count were exact every time you would not have any parts to consider that may have been missed if none were left, but then again if you run short how do you know you didn't put a tiny piece in a place that was not needed and left a tiny piece from where it was needed?
All sorts of scenarios. I think defaulting to extra parts is very wise of Lego to do.
It's being very pound-wise and penny-foolish which is the correct way to be.

The answers here from Lego are nice, but the most likely explanation is it's harder to dispense the smaller pieces accurately and so occasionally an extra one falls out. It's better to suffer the loss of one cheap bit of lego than to slow the process down to make it more accurate. And as others have said, Lego knows people will be happy with extra bits but angry with missing ones. So things are left as they are.


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How do I make Victorian looking minifigures?
I want to do a Victorian style station to go with my steam trains. I've got some great ideas for the building and accessories, but I'm not sure about the people. How can I make Victorian-looking minifigures?
BTW: I don't want to permanently modify bricks, but would consider the use of stickers.
Ideas I already have:
Headgear:

Top hats
Deerstalker
Peaked cap for railway workers

Sadly, the Lego bowlers are either blue with a flower or grey with a question mark - not really suitable.
Head:

For males, any that have weird facial hair (there are surprisingly many) and/or round glasses

Torso:

Smart suits. I've read that shirtsleeves were considered unseemly.

Any other ideas?
--- Edit ---
As an example of what I have in mind, here's a railway worker I made from parts I got from PAB. Of course, I'll need passangers and other staff, too. And I'm more than happy to order individual parts from bricklink (as long as my wife agrees!).

A number of the minifigs from the Adventures theme would fit the bill in terms of round glasses and facial hair, especially the Dr Kilroy character:

They also have versions with suits, etc.
There's also a "Detective" figure in the Minifigures Series 5 with the classic Deer Stalker hat that resembles the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes.

There are also top hats available in Series 1 with the Magician and Ringmaster.

The Adventures theme is a great source of inspiration - I've never really looked at them before. You're certainly right about the facial hair!

The 10199-1 Winter Village Toy Shop set contains two very good Victorian carol singer minifigures:

Other sets in this series have some quite good period clothing, here's one from the bakery (10216-1)

Heh, love the use of a double cape on the female singer :)

These are great... except for the picture of a jet plane on the male carol singer's jacket. Apart from that, these would be a great for parts.


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Is there a way to re-tighten a minifigure's hip joint?
When a minifigure is new, the joints where its legs joins its hips is relatively stiff. However, when a minifig gets old and has been used a lot, this joint can get very loose leaving its legs very floppy. Why does this happen? Is there a risk-free way to re-tighten this joint?

Older minifig legs had looser joints, since then minifigs have been stiffened so legs will stay in place when moved.

@Ambo100: When did LEGO make the change? I have a minifig on my keychain, and his legs are really floppy. I don't think I've had him more than a couple of years.

@Kramii if it's a keychain there's a good chance it's been made in china - check if there are rectangular cutouts under the arms. Plus, keychains are partially glued anyway, so just glue the legs as well.

I would try pulling off the legs and dropping a tiny, tiny amount of plastic glue on the hinge, smooth it out and let it dry, then put the leg back on.  It should provide enough friction to the leg again so they aren't so loose.

This video has a pretty good method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEkVPVgonRk
If you don't want to watch:

Pop both legs off the hips.
Rip off a small square of paper, preferably tissue paper.
Place it over the hole in one of the legs.
With the paper still around it, forcibly snap the leg back into place.
Repeat for the other leg.
Rip off any excess paper that is around the minifig.
If the legs get loose again, repeat steps one through six.


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What are all the different accessories that I can get for an NXT?
Pretty simple...What are all the different accessories that I can get for an NXT? I know this could turn into a list, but this will be a helpful list, I think.

Power
9798 Rechargeable Battery

Connectivity
LEGO 8528 Conversion Cable
Supports connecting sensors and motors from older LEGO® MINDSTORMS® RIS 2.0 (#3804) to new MINDSTORMS NXT Intelligent Brick.
LEGO 8529 Connector Cables
Enables connection of sensors and motors to your LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT.
LEGO 9847 Bluetooth Dongle
Allows remote control of the NXT instead of using cable.
Sensors
MS1048 RF ID Sensor
Manufactured under licence by Codatex. Reads 125 kHZ transponders of type EM4102. Various additional transponders are also available.

HiTechnic NAA1030 Angle Sensor
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Measures axle rotation position and rotation speed.

HiTechnic NAC1040 Acceleration / Tilt Sensor
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Measures both acceleration and tilt in three axes.

HiTechnic NBR1036 Barometric Sensor
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Able to read both atmospheric pressure and temperature. Can be used as part of a weather station or to measure altitude changes.

HiTechnic NCO1038 Colour Sensor
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Detects an extended range of more than 15 target colors.

HiTechnic NEO1048 EOPD
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. The EOPD (Electro Optical Proximity Detector) uses an internal light source to detect the presence of a target or determine changes in distance to a target.

HiTechnic NGY1044 Gyro Sensor
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Accurately measures direction and amount of rotation.

HiTechnic NIL1046 IRLink Sensor
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Uses Infrared signals to communicate with trains, Power Functions Motor controller and the Mindstorms RCX.

HiTechnic NIR1032 IRReceiver Sensor
Decodes commands from a Power Functions Remote Control.

HiTechnic MS1034 Compass Sensor
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Able to measure the earth's magnetic field to determine direction in which it is facing. Has a built-in calibration to help reduce magnetic interference from other sources.

HiTechnic NMS1035 Magnetic Sensor
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Detects magnetic fields that are present around the front of the sensor in a vertical orientation.

HiTechnic NSK1042 IRSeeker V2
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Detects infrared signals from sources such as the HiTechnic IRBall soccer ball, infrared remote controls and sunlight.

LEGO 9846 Ultrasonic Sensor

LEGO 9845 Sound Sensor
Can measure sound pressure levels up to 90 dB.

LEGO 9844 Light Sensor (Output: can also be used for as Lamp)
Can distinguish between light and dark

LEGO 9843 Touch Sensor
Detects when it is being pressed by something and when it is released again.

LEGO 9749 Temparature Sensor
Can measure both temparature -20°C to +120°.
LEGO 9694 Color Sensor
Acts as a Colour Sensor distinguishing between six colours; as a Light Sensor detecting light intensities, both reflected light and ambient light; and as a Colour Lamp, emitting red, green or blue light.
LEGO 9799 Vernier NXT Sensor Adaptor
Allows you to integrate Vernier sensors with the Intelligent NXT brick and the NXT Software.

Motors
9842 Interactiv Servo Motor
Can also be used as a rotation sensor.

This answer is CW: please feel free to extend it as appropriate.

Added IR Receiver, IR Seeker, Gyroscopic Sensor and notes to clearify that the Servo Motor also is a sensor (rotation).

3rd party accessories should be separate.

The older RCX sensors and motors works just fine with NXT and the PF motors can also be used together with the NXT, either by cable (PF->RCX + RCX->NXT) or by using a IR sensor.
Should we add those as well?


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Is there a web service showing me the LEGO set with the most parts?
I'm interested in a challenge building a set with very much parts. I thought of the Unimog U400. But is there a webservice, where the sets are sorted by number of parts?

Related: http://bricks.stackexchange.com/q/170/132

Brickset has a data mining page which sorts sets by certain factors including new sets, unreleased sets, most minifigures in a set, best/worst price ratio and best British pound to American dollar exchange rates.
The sets with the most pieces can be found here. As of December 2018, the set with the most parts is the Star Wars 75192 Millennium Falcon, with 7541 pieces.


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Color Specific inventory list
I can't seem to figure out the correct colors for Model #7150 TIE Fighter & Y-Wing inventory list.  My son has four different colors of "gray".  Two seem to be warmer in tone (almost a khaki color), and two seem to be coolor in tone (truly more gray).  He also has a blue-ish slate gray (more light blue than gray).  When the inventory specifies "old gray," is it referring to the light (khaki) gray?  And is the "old dark gray" the darker (khaki) gray?  Or is the inventory referring to the more cooler (truly gray) grays?  I'm SO CONFUSED!  Please help me!

Hi Kathleen and welcome to LEGO Answers - thanks for joining :) I hope that the linked question "What is the bely/blay color" helps you distinguish between these colours. You may also find Peeron.com useful as well: http://www.peeron.com/inv/sets/7150-1. As this set is fairly old, it uses the older, "warmer" greys rather than the newer bleys.

This shouldn't have been closed. Two different questions, although the linked one is related.

Also keep in mind that color will change on some parts as they age (depending on environmental factors). New or less exposed parts in the "old grey" can be a different shade than original, aged parts in the same "old grey".  The blue-grey parts that you have might actually be categorized as a blue instead.
Check out how lego sells the colors today, here:
http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Pick-A-Brick-11998
The peeron color table is here:
http://www.peeron.com/inv/colortable/3020
Check out your set here as well:
http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=7150-1
The colors in the grey family (or sometimes confused as grey) are referred to as on brick set (on peeron if different):
Black
Dark Grey (OldDkGray)
Dark Stone Grey (DkStone)
Grey (OldGray)
Medium Stone Grey (Stone)
Sand Blue
Your set has "Grey" and "Black" from this list.  If you ordered new parts from Lego, the lighter shade of grey would be "Medium Stone Grey" form this list.


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How to make Mindstorms respond differently, depending on which sensor is triggered?
I am new to Mindstorms (but in my day job I am a programmer).
I want to make my robot do one thing if the touch sensor on port 1 is pressed, and do something different if the touch sensor on port 2 is pressed.
If nothing is pressed, I want it to keep driving straight ahead.
I can see how to tell it to drive along until one of the sensors is triggered.  I.e. "drive along until sensor 1 is pressed", but I can't see how to say "... until either sensor 1 or sensor 2 is pressed".
In answer, it would be great if you could:

tell me the blocks to use
give me a screenshot of a program
link to a program which has a similar effect

I believe one possible answer can be found in the sample program for the color sorter in the Mindstorms control software. The technique that kit uses is to create a series of nested if/then loops:
if (Color == red) {
  //do red things here
} else {
  if (Color == blue) {
    //do blue things here
  } else {
    if (Color == green) {
      //do green things here
    } else {
      if (Color == yellow) {
        //do yellow things here
      } else {
        //default actions here
      }
    }
  }
}

Using this as a template, you could use a structure like:
if (Touch Sensor 1 == Pressed) {
  // Special Action 1 (i.e. turn left)
} else {
  if (Touch Sensor 2 == Pressed ) }
    // Special Action 2 (i.e. turn right)
  } else {
    // Default Action (i.e. drive forward)
  }
}

Hope this helps - I don't have quick access to the Mindstorms environment right now or I could set up a quick screen shot. I can only refer you to the ColorSorter program in the samples.

Thanks, matthew.  This is the structure I've arrived at, and it seems to work, but I'm intrigued by @joubarc's idea of concurrency.  I'll have to try that out too.

It sounds like you will need to create an infinite loop block to constantly check which touch sensors are being pressed and if not, carry on with whatever instruction you wish. The loop block can be found under the flow category:

I recommend you read through the instructions (listed under Help > Contents and Index... in the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT software).

You could also have 3 different concurrent tasks - one which is you main "go forward" program, and two others which listen for sensors and do things accordingly.

I'd illustrate, but I don't have NXT-G installed right now, and with the crappy connection I have, downloading it takes forever.

NXT-G doesn't quite work that way. It runs through a set of instructions once, unless it's placed in a loop.

Sorry, but you can have concurrent tasks by dragging additional beams from the center hub.

That's true but you will also need to place it in a loop, otherwise  it will run through each block only once.

Well yes, true enough — I didn't want to imply otherwise.

I had exactly this question. Based on Matthew's answer, I got this working. Here is a screenshot of the My Block I created to do this: TwoSwitch.

TwoSwitch sets one of two variables to true: Pressed 1 or Pressed 2. You can then act on those values using tests. Here, I'm looping until button 1 is pressed. If button 2 is pressed, I play a sound and get another button press.


text:
When did LEGO stop producing Technic action figures?
I recently got interested in LEGO Technic again. The last set I own is maybe 15 years old, so my knowledge is a little bit outdated.
Back then some of the Technic sets had action figures included, like the (1990) 8830 Rally 6-Wheeler:

And if I remember correctly they used seats for those figures in many Technic sets.
Both, seats and figures, seem to have disappeared from recent sets.
When (and why) did LEGO discontinue making the LEGO Technic action figures?

Wow, I haven't seen them in forever.

I can't say I miss them.

It's interesting though that they are still using the accessories - the latest Star Wars X-Wing (9493) uses the Technic Figure ski poles.

The Technic minifigures last from 1986 to the year 2000. As far as I'm aware LEGO haven't released a statement on why the figures were removed. Minifigures are expensive and using them limits Technic sets to a certain scale.
Having a dynamic sense of scale allowed Lego to create the £9.99 ($10.90) 8045 and the £61.65 ($89.99) 8295, two variations of the same model. One basic and affordable, the other focusing on realism.

+1 - Great answer and reasoning. But I still kind of miss them.

As we see in the Star Wars mini vessels, minifigs of a given size do not really prevent freely choosing a scale.

As for the why, I imagine that LEGO consider a number of factors.
First, as Ambo100 has said, the figures introduce limitations into the sets that can be removed if they are removed.
Second, I suspect that one reason is that LEGO will have done a lot of market research and testing of their products, and have discovered that in the target market for Technic sets, customers are not especially interested in them, possibly because older children and AFOLs spend less time with make-believe play but are more interested in the engineering apects of the product.

you accidentally your last sentance

Your last paragraph made a good point, I'd like to see what you were going to say after that.

@Ambo100: I wish I could remember! The thing is ;-)


text:
Which computer games came in jewel cases with LEGO studs?
Two LEGO computer games I've owned since the late 90s or early 2000s, LEGO Rock Raiders and LEGO Creator Knights' Kingdom, came in big boxes like most other PC games at the time. In the boxes were these CD jewel cases lined with 14 studs along their spines:

Of course, these studs are compatible with any LEGO SYSTEM bricks and minifigures. You can also stack these jewel cases on top of one another, as there are tubes along the respective side on the bottom of each case.
Which other computer games came in these special LEGO jewel cases, or at least which era were they from? I think LEGO designated categories for these video games too, but I can't really remember.

Wow, I remember these. Certainly takes me back! These versions of the cases I believe were used right back in about 1997-1999 when Lego first started releasing PC games. Exact information is hard to come by, but I personally still have (in a box in my cupboard) the cases for Lego Chess, Creator, Racers, and Loco, some of the first PC games released, all with the studded case.
My brother's later version of Creator: Harry Potter (2001) came in the much less exciting standard cases:

A lot of the early early games came in a chunky box that had a compartment for the game, as well as a small section for a lego toy.

I know this was the case for Loco, and I believe (if memory serves) was the same for Creator.
Ahh, I remember stacking the studded cases in different ways while I waited for the games to load...

Not fair! My copy of LEGO Loco only came with the manual in a big box, and no studded case or toy :( (have a +1 though!)

Why thank you :) and yes I don't know why Lego stopped them. I also remember in particular they did a lego city hardback book, that came in a cardboard case with big yellow brick-esque studs on it, that also had a compartment for lego pieces that you could build along with throughout the book. Good times!

Never seen that before. I can only imagine...

Yep, I've got a copy of LEGO Creator that came with a "turbo" motor trike (with flames coming out of the exhaust). They still make the hardback books with bricks, I got an Atlantis one for my son last summer.

I had/have a collection of the first set of Lego games. The ones I had with a studded case as are as follows (will attempt to get pictures).

LEGO Creator (Standard, non Harry Potter or Knights Kingdom)
LEGO Loco
LEGO Chess (never managed to beat the final game...)
Legoland
LEGO Stunt Rally (4 players on one computers was, and still is, rare. And squishy)
LEGO Alpha Team
LEGO Creator: Knights' Kingdom.

Here's the two games I can currently find, Creator and Alpha Team.

LEGO Alpha Team was a great theme with a not-so-great game (compared to Rock Raiders, at least) :/

@BoltClock, I liked the Lego Alpha Team game...made me think a bit. Never had the Rock Raiders game.


text:
What are some helpful techniques for applying stickers?
It can be tricky to place small stickers accurately on small parts using adult-sized hands. The best technique I've found so far is to remove the sticker and stick it on the corner of the sticker sheet so that I can position the sticker above the part without my fingers getting in the way. Still, though, it can be difficult to center the sticker perfectly, and when the margin between the sticker and the edge of the part is small, tiny inaccuracies are easily noticeable.
What are the most effective techniques for applying stickers accurately?

For a rectangular sticker on a rectangular surface, I usually try to center it between two sides and align it along the top.  This does cause the problem of centering the sticker up and down.
If I really care about the proper alignment, I use the end of a small knife blade to place the stickers properly.  Just stick a corner of the sticker to the tip of the blade, align and stick.  This has the added advantage that when you begin to place the sticker, the knife is still underneath and will allow you to remove it and try again if you miss.

I use the corner of the sticker sheet the same way you use the knife blade, but the knife is a better choice. I'm sure the rigidity of the knife helps with precision.

Another way is to stick a single side of the sticker to the piece, then give it a little tug without ripping it to make sure it's flat and has no wrinkles. Then apply the middle and other end.

While building the Ghostbusters Firehouse Headquarters, I used tweezers to place the stickers. This let me reposition it if it wasn't quite in the right spot, but had already started sticking to the element.

The LEGO brick separator, spanner and crow bar have thin wedges on the end, which makes the sticker a bit easier to line up, rather than position by hand.  I have heard some people talk of placing a drop of water on the brick, allowing a moment of slide before the sticker attaches firmly (but need to attempt it for myself).

The water part of your answer is interesting. Will the sticker be as firm and permanent as normal?

Allegedly.  I put a couple of stickered parts through the washing machine recently, and they had no problems( recent parts and stickers applied the same day).


text:
Why are there no faces drawn on the black heads?
There were two black heads in the Star Wars 2011 advent calendar and neither had a face drawn. Is that because there was no face necessary since it was going to be covered with a mask anyway or is there a rule that the faces only go on the yellow heads?

City or Star Wars, which year?

It's not just the yellow heads - the pink and brown ones from licenses also have faces printed on them.

Related: http://www.brickset.com/news/article/?ID=2186

Can you add a picture please?

@daviesgeek Not sure a picture would add anything . . . it's a head  piece made out of black pvc instead of yellow pvc with nothing painted on it.

They made them solid black so there are no alignment issues when veiwing the masked minifigures. By leaving them blank LEGO ensured the eye slots always appear black. Side note: The only Stormtroopers seen without helmets in the StarWars Movies were Han and Luke in disguise, therefore Stormtroopers are faceless.

Only the Scout Troopers tend to have eye sockets in their helmets, and the earlier sets had yellow heads with the "large sunglasses" printed on them: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=3626bpse

Also as storm troopers were "descended" from Clone Troopers, you saw quite a lot of them without helmets in episodes 2 and 3 - I know a lot of us older Fans don't like to talk about them, by they are there ;)

LOL. You are right. Despite having built sets from the newer movies, I did block them from my memory.

The latest Star Wars sets (for example 9489 - Endor Rebel Trooper & Imperial Trooper Battle Pack) do have faces printed on the black Storm Trooper heads, which doesn't work all that well with the Scout Trooper, unless you put it on backwards:

However, looking at them, you can clearly see there are issues with printing on black plastic - the faces aren't quite the right colours (although I'll need to work on some better photos for this to really show).
Edit to add:
Noticed while rebuilding the set the other day that Jango Fett's head was also black with a printed face, released in 2002:

It almost seems like they want to make it look like a tight "mask" covering everything but the face.

Indeed, those headgearless troopers seem to wear a balaclava. Is that intentional?

Well, they don't print them because they don't know how are their faces. For example, have you ever seen a stormtrooper's face? No, but that's weird, the stormtroopers were suposed to be clones. Anyway, they don't print them because they or we haven't ever seen a stormtrooper, scoutrooper, or whatever unmasked.

The latest Storm Trooper figures do have faces printed on them (as I pointed out in my answer). And without wanting to spoil anything too much, I suggest you check out Episode II: Attack of the Clones (feel free to skip Episode I until much, much later) ;)


text:
Which buildings in the LEGO Island video game were based on real-world sets?
The Wikipedia article for Lego Island mentions  'Most of these buildings are based on real Lego sets in circulation at the time of release for the game.' I haven't played the game in a long time but the 6350 Pizzeria set reminds me of the Pizzeria in-game.

The jail cell looks like something out of a set whilst the bridge and beach hut don't.

Wow, I never realized that they released sets in conjunction with the game. Although I imagine it would make sense...

@RedriderX: I believe the game was based of sets already in production.

Oh, yes I see. I'll be interested to see the answer to this question too.

While a few are indeed sets there are some I can't recall seeing (such as the Information Center, which was probably too specalised to deserve it's own set).
As already pointed out the Pizzeria set is very similar to the one in-game.
The set "6598 Metro PD Station" was the in-game police station, incuding jail. The helicopter could be build during in a minigame in the police station. Accessories like the box of donuts and flaming pizza were not included in the set.

The set "6334 Wave Jump Racers" was the beach lookout where you could start the jet-ski race around the island.

The Lego race cars in the game were similar to these sets: 1477, 1990, 1517 and 1612. I can't find the racetrack start itself but it was in keeping of the Octan branding that was used.

I thought the ambulance was set 6666 but I was wrong, the one in-game had a much longer sloped roof.

The Bank (which was always closed?) I can't really remember anything along the lines of, and I think the houses up on the hill were just generic lego houses.

The police helicopter did actually feature in the game when you visited the station, there was a minigame to build the helicopter.

@Ambo100, I only thought you had to build the JetSki, not the Helicopter...but then again it was a good 13+ years ago so forgive me if I can't remember exactly.

Here is the Race Track: Set 6337
The Buggy: Set 6518
The shuttle from Set 6339 is seen ingame (Race, Outro).
Also, the fire engine from Set 6340 is in the game, possible that it looks a bit different.
On this site, people show their own LEGO Island Buildings, many of them are pretty good, like the Information Center: http://www.mocpages.com/group_mocs.php?id=8611

Many thanks for pulling those together and persevering with our "new user limits" - I've added those links into your answer for you :)

I think the Space Shuttle was only in Lego Island 2. Some of those fan made buildings for Lego Island are spot on.

I assume that the bank building was based on an alternative build of the 6598 metro pd station. It is not exactly the same, but it resembles the bank a lot.
By the way, I'm currently working on the information center, but I'll have to order more pieces. My ultimate dream is to build a moc of the entire Lego island, but I'm afraid it'll cost me a lifetime.


text:
Inverting voltage to PF motor
I often use separate PF motor for each driven wheel. Sometimes the most interesting design of mechanism requires opposite polarity of power supply to motors. Is there any simple non-destructive way to invert voltage to one of motors?

Have you looked into the Power Functions Control Switch at all:

This allows you to switch the direction of a motor.


text:
What are some free kid-friendly tutorials to get started with Mindstorms Nxt 2.0?
My daughter (10) got the NXT 2.0 for christmas. It doesn't really come with any tutorial. I'm looking for something she can follow which will teach her to use each of the sensors and slightly more advanced topics like executing a 90 degree turn (how to find exactly the # of rotations of each wheel to do that for your particular turning radius).
Can be any free resource (YouTube videos, etc.)

90 Degrees = 0.25 Rotations. Using the drop-down box you can choose between Unlimited, Degrees, Rotations and Seconds.

Doesn't it come with an "online" tutorial on the disc that takes you through various topics?

@Zhaph, no it does not come with a tutorial.

@Ambo100  : rotations refers to TIRE rotations. But if I want to turn the vehicle I have to rotate one of the wheels (left or right) more than the other one to make the vehicle turn. And how much more depends on the turning radius of the vehicle. (I made the same mistake originally.).

@ClayNichols: Ah. NXT-G supports that. You can use the Move block (not to be confused with the Motor block)

@Ambo100 - The Move block has a setting (with no actual value, just a slider range) for how sharply you want to turn, but you then tell it how far to move through that turn in WHEEL rotations. So you can't just say "turn 90 degrees to the right". If you think about it, that makes sense b/c the "brain" doesn't know how wide the axle is, so it doesn't know how many rotations of a single wheel to make in order to make a 90d right turn.

Unless you're using a compass sensor, they easiest way to figure out how to make a 90° turn is by trial and error.

You can find some free instructions at http://www.nxtprograms.com/ and at http://thenxtstep.blogspot.com/p/building-instructions.html. But I am not sure if you can say they are kid-friendly.
And here is another one:  http://legoengineering.com/curriculum-submenuteachingresources-142.html

One of the most heavily used is mine at NXT Tutorial.

Thanks for posting that Dale. Would it be possible for you to add a little more context to this answer? Thanks.

There's a NXT User Guide available from LEGO education, but it deosn't seem to conatin much in the way of tutorials.
While these are not free resources, you (or other people asking themselves that kind of question) could also have a look at various printed books on the subject.
In particular, "LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT: The Mayan Adventure (Technology in Action)" is very accessible, and you can see a few sample chapters in the first link. There is a forum devoted to it, apparently. Interestingly, LEGO education sells a parts pack for it, which should say something about the quality fo the book.


text:
How did the LEGO Duck become a classic icon?
The LEGO handmade wooden Duck was released in 1935, long before the LEGO Brick was created. Many other wooden toys were made which can be seen in The Lego Museum, the duck however features in books, LEGO's yearly progress report as well as being made into a model out of LEGO bricks!
I can't find any history of the Ducks being sold on eBay, judging by its age, sentimental value and low production rate it must be a priceless collector's item.

It's certainly a very good looking duck.

Looks like according to this article it was one of the first toys created by Lego.

@daviesgeek: Yes, but they made many different wooden toys. Sadly the Wikia article doesn't give more than that.

I sent the question to LEGO customer support and they replied:

The LEGO Duck became a classic icon because it was the first LEGO toy
  ever to be released.
We do not have any lists of where would sell this product however I
  imagine it would be sold at some antique markets or antique shows so
  keep a look out!
We do not have any idea for how much it is worth as it is priceless in
  our eyes and not sold by LEGO any longer. It also does not have a set
  number which may be why it is hard to find on the internet.

As said by Ambo100, the duck was the first toy produced by the company.
This animated short story has a short glimpse of the duck in the design process by Ole Kirk Christiansen.
The film is very interesting as an introduction to the origin of the LEGO company. Click the image below for the full film:


text:
What is the easiest technique for large builds?
I recently acquired the Space Shuttle set, #10231, and find that it isn't a staged build--one with sequential bags. This leaves me at a bit of a loss over how to organize and search through 1200+ pieces while putting it together. What technique will allow me to more easily find the needed part during construction?

Just to be clear, I have left the parts in the ~10 bags they came in, though a perfect answer would address the mixed-up-jumble case too.

You might wwant to clarify the title. As it is, it is hard to tell what you are asking based on the title and it sounds a little broad.

I recommend getting 15-20 small-medium tupperware containers (you can get them pretty cheap now). Separate the pieces in a way that makes sense to you. Tupperware has flexible sizing and they are transparent, making it easier to identify pieces from the side of the container.
You don't have to completely put each individual piece in its own bin. But, for example, you could put 1x1's of all colors in one tiny bin, all transparent pieces in another, etc.
The important points on choosing your bin contents is:

Make it so you know exactly which bin to reach for when you need a
certain piece. The bin should have a clear theme in your mind.
Ensure that you don't put difficult to tell apart pieces in the same
bin; they should be easy to differentiate even when only seeing half
of a part.

The first rule and the second are often conflicting. One thing I recommend is to keep even-length and odd-length pieces separate. Don't put 3 and 4 longs (of the same color and type) in the same bucket, but 2 and 4 is fine.
Half an hour sorting the pieces at the start can save much more than half an hour in the build, as well as making the build more pleasant and fun.

Very good, detailed answer. This has helped a lot so far.

You'll just need to separate all the types of pieces so that you can easily access any piece you need. I believe this will work just the same for the 'jumbled up' case as well ;)

What I did for the Death Star minifigure set (that has no numbered bags in it at all!) was to make long chains of identical bricks regardless of colour,
(a system based on shape not size). Although I do put similar shaped pieces of different sizes together especially with LEGO Technic pieces, just overlap them slightly to make it easier to break up for use and one can stack them in a box for storage.
Again it's easier if one sorts out the bricks before a long and massive build as it saves time hunting down that elusive part and getting "brick blindness" in low light levels.
Building by day light is essential if the plans are bricks are hard to see. To avoid cramp, try to build on a table and not on the floor or on a bed as this can slow down the build.
Take short breaks between completed sections or take it day-by-day or one can be up for ages. Also as an experienced builder, I find one can get quite cold sitting in one position for a long period of time, so hot drinks and the central heating on full can help with concentration that and the phone off the hook helps too...

I've re-worded your answer because I think you've made some valuable points. Participially about sorting (and stacking bricks) and how a comfortable building environment can help.


text:
How many different types of Lego bricks have been produced?
I was curious and wondering:  How many different types of Lego bricks have been produced since the start of the company in 1949?

How many different kinds of bricks... or how many bricks in total? An all-time tally of all bricks ever made would probably be in the trillions.

Edited question to be less ambiguous.

If BrickLink toutes already 59,338 items in its "Parts" section, how would we consider 2,200 or 4,000 or 219 even nearly in the right ballpark?

I think that all the other answers are wrong since BL holds nearly 60,000 parts in its inventory and yet we say that 2,200 or 4,000 is right when it's not, as @SanderVerhagen said. This question is impossible to solve, and even if we say that 59,338 elements were made since we rely in BL, then we would still be somewhat wrong! There has to be some moment in history where BL messes up, no one is perfect!! I think this question should be closed!!

@SanderVerhagen We are looking for types of bricks. The 60,000 BL parts are not types. This similar question from 2016 asked for "shapes" which can mean "types". One example: Today, there are more than 4000 different minifig torsos in the BL part list (1 type, 4000 print patterns). So, 2000 to 4000 might even be an upper estimate for 2011 (the year of this question). It definitely is the right "ballpark".

So... this is at best an ambiguous question? Who gets to decide what the word "type" means? If we're going to be specific about words, what is a brick? Anything that resembles a brick in the real word, or rather Lego "things" that can be connected together?

@SanderVerhagen It is not that ambiguous. The part catalogs from BL or Rebrickable can be analysed quite well. I started with a reasonable definition of "shape" or "type" and came up with around 17000 (upper estimate) in 2016. With more effort you get better estimates, of course. The term "brick" is well defined in the LEGO world by the BL category.

Around 18,000 as of October, 2020
A 2020 article on Brickset discusses part numbers that give us a rough idea.

Design numbers identify the shape of the part.
...
Our database contains around 18,000 design numbers but many more have been allocated over the years but are now out of use, following parts being discontinued or redesigned, at which point they are given a new one.

One source places the number of different types of LEGO elements that have been made at 2,200. It is unclear whether or not DUPLO, Clikits, or Bionicle etc, etc, are included in that count.

How Many Different Types of LEGO Elements Exist?
2,200 different elements—or types of pieces
How Many LEGO Elements Are Manufactured?
Approximately 19 billion each year
or, 2 million per hour
or, 36,000 per minute

Where did you find that number?

It really depends on your definition of a part. Does Duplo count? Do things like Lego branded paraphernalia with studs on them count? What about pre-ABS bricks? The old architecture sets? Do you count all the minor design changes as 'unique' elements? (The classic 2x4 brick has had probably a dozen minor changes to the molds over the decades, for example). You probably aren't considering color variations, but physical shape. Are pieces with differing paint jobs unique elements? A radar dish that is opaque is probably going to get use differently from a transparent one with space ship canopy lines on it...
I get the nature of your question, but depending on how you define it can have a big impact on the answer. I would throw out an order or magnitude answer and say that there are probably less than 10k physically unique pieces in existence. Anything more is going to involve a lot of decisions around what exactly is 'Lego'.
Any philosophy majors out there that are looking for a thesis, there you go. That one's on me.

One source I found mentions that there are around 4000 different LEGO elements:

There are now around 4,000 different elements, as they are called at LEGO: round bricks, square ones, wheels, gears, and bricks with and without knobs.

Please add a citation...

I have got the info from this German news paper article: http://www.weser-kurier.de/Artikel/News/Politik/505073/Geschenke-Klassikern-auf-der-Spur%3A-Lego.html


text:
What was the first set produced by The LEGO Group?
What was the first Lego set produced, and when was it first released?

While it is OK to post separate questions asking different things, there is no need to say things like "I have yet another question". Just ask!

@BoltClock Ok, sounds good!

You'd think it would be number #1, but, nope.

Some of the earliest "LEGO brick" sets I could find were these three on BrickLink from 1954:

As other answers have noted, there were earlier sets than this, but they were referred to as "Automatic Binding bricks". It wasn't until 1953 that the bricks were officially renamed as "LEGO bricks" (i.e. "LEGO Mursten").
These sets were using precursor designs of the "modern" plastic LEGO brick without the hollow underside tube. It wasn't until 1958 that the brick design we all know and love today was created. It was officially "born" at exactly 1:58 p.m., January 28, 1958, when it was first patented.
So, if you're looking for the earliest official "LEGO bricks" using the modern stud-and-tube design, these are the sets you're looking for:

-1: LEGO started producing sets of bricks in 1949, branded them LEGO Bricks in 1953. Whilst the bricks lacked the "tubes" that were patented in 1958, the earlier bricks are fully compatible with the modern ones.

@Kramii: I never said the earlier bricks weren't compatible, but the official branding as "LEGO bricks" occurred, as you said, in 1953. Therefore, the sets I list above are the earliest I could find that could officially be called "LEGO bricks". The company made other building sets earlier, as you point out, but called them by a different name ("Automatic Binding Bricks").

@Kramii:  Godtfred Kirk Christiansen himself refered to the bricks with interlocking that was patented in 1958 as the "real" Lego brick (ref: 1958 timeline).

I stand corrected. +1

A detailed timeline of Lego's history is layed out here dating back to the initial birth of the company.

We see from this that the first Lego-like bricks was the Kiddicraft Self-Locking Building Brick marketed by Hilary Fisher Page in England in 1947. This was the forerunner to Lego, and in 1949, the Lego company begins production of Automatic Binding Brick in Denmark.
This is the Automatic Binding Brick set 700/3.
Here is a detailed article on the origin of the first patented Lego bricks from 1958, designed by Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, who had just taken over as Director after his father. This is the first Lego bricks as we know them today that got a unique system that improved the interlocking dramatically. This new design would become the modern, or as Godtfred called it, the “real” Lego brick. It was the beginning of Lego as we know it today.
The patent was presented at the Danish patent office at January 28th 1958.
Lego considers this date to be the birthday of the Lego Brick.
Here is the first box image used for all the earliest sets from 1958.
The actual set contents were indicated on the inner tray.

This set is 700/5.

The first plastic bricks produced by TLG were in 1949, known as Automatic Binding Bricks.  The bricks themselved did not have LEGO printed on them.
By 1952 the Automatic Binding Bricks sets started having the LEGO logo (the small fancy one used on TLG wooden toys) in the lower right corner as an added decal, but continued having Automatic Binding Bricks on the box top.
Then in late 1952 they added "LEGO Mursten" to the top of the box (instead of a decal), but continued with the Automatic Binding Bricks box logo.
It wasn't until 1953 that a new box design came out with just "LEGO Mursten".  Since "Mursten" is the same word for building bricks in Danish, Norwegian and Swedish, as those countries came online to LEGO sales (Nov. 1953 for Norway, Mar. 1955 for Sweden) they also had LEGO Musten on the box top (although some early Norway sets had Automatic Binding Bricks on the boxes).
Then in late 1955 LEGO boxes started having new box designs with "LEGO System of Play" in the local language on the box tops.  German LEGO sales started in March 1956, with Switzerland and Netherlands coming online in early 1957.
Boxes had "System i leg" for Denmark, "System i lek" for Sweden/Norway, "System im Spiel" for Germany/Austria, Systeem bij het Spel" for Netherlands, and "System im Spiel"/"System dans le jeu" for Switzerland.  By the time Belgium and Portugal came online at the end of 1957, the decision was to switch to international "LEGO System". The countries already in the local languages had their boxes switch over to the international writing by 1960 (everyone else was done by 1959, but Denmark was the last holdout by 1960).
When the first bricks (2x2 and 2x4 sizes) were introduced (as Automatic Binding Bricks) in 1949, they had no LEGO markings anywhere on the bricks.  By 1953 the first bricks had "LEGO" printed only on the hollow underside of the brick.  In 1953 1x2 and 2x3 bricks were also introduced, only only found with the logo on the underside.  In 1954 the 2x8 and 2x10 bricks were introduced, and the 4x4 corner, (shortlived) 2x12 and 2x14 bricks, and 1x1 round and square bricks were introduced in January 1955.
Then by mid 1955, the new Town Plan series of specialty parts (including 4 types of macaroni bricks, 1x6/1x8 bricks with and without names) and large LEGO plates were introduce.
The first LEGO baseplates were 10x20 size... introduced in 1950 in a 1/2 brick thickness.  By 1953 the thin 10x20 was replaced by a 1 brick tall baseplate, and produced for many years.
Gary Istok
(Information used in my Unofficial LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide (1949-1990s), confirmed by TLG Archives in Billund.

According to Brick Fetish:
Sets of "Automatic Binding Bricks" were first produced in 1949 in Denmark. Sets included 700/1, 700/2, 700/3 and 700/4, with 700/1 being the largest of these sets and 700/4 being the smallest.
In 1950 the 700/3A (between 3 and 4 in size), 700/5 and 700/6 sets were released. The gift sets were boxes of elements hand packaged in a zig-zag pattern in a shallow box.
The bricks themselves didn't carry the LEGO branding - it wasn't until 1953 that the bricks would be called "LEGO Mursten" (danish for "LEGO Bricks").

I don't have a problem with the downvotes, but would appreciate someone leaving a reason.