Build a Duck: Difference between revisions

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The build a duck activity might be worth splitting off into its own article? I can't find much official mention of it but a lot of other websites talk about it
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'''''Build a Duck''''' was a web game developed by [[SPU-Darwin]] and published to [[LEGO.com]] in January 1997. It was [[LEGO A/S|the LEGO Group]]'s third web game and first online contest.
'''''Build a Duck''''' was a web game developed by [[SPU-Darwin]] and published to [[LEGO.com]] in January 1997. It was [[LEGO A/S|the LEGO Group]]'s third web game and second online contest.


== Gameplay and contest ==
== Gameplay and contest ==
[[File:Build a Duck Java creation.png|thumb|left|A duck created by Paul Flavin<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.frontiernet.net/~imaging/java_intro.html |title=Interactive Imaging; An Introduction to Raytracing & CGI with Java |website=Imaging the Imagined: Raytracing tips from da Vinci & me |first=Paul |last=Flavin |date=22 March 1997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981202011900/http://www.frontiernet.net/~imaging/java_intro.html |archive-date=1998-12-02 }}</ref>]]
[[File:Build a Duck Java creation.png|thumb|left|A duck created by Paul Flavin<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.frontiernet.net/~imaging/java_intro.html |title=Interactive Imaging; An Introduction to Raytracing & CGI with Java |website=Imaging the Imagined: Raytracing tips from da Vinci & me |first=Paul |last=Flavin |date=22 March 1997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981202011900/http://www.frontiernet.net/~imaging/java_intro.html |archive-date=1998-12-02 }}</ref>]]


The game featured an isometric view and encouraged players to assemble a small assortment of LEGO bricks into a [[Wikipedia:Duck|duck]] placed on a [[baseplate]].<ref name="Tschachtli CV"/><ref name="rec.toys.lego model"/> The contest asked players to build five different ducks, each using all available bricks. Players could submit their ducks, along with their name and email address, to enter a weekly lottery for a chance to win the [[LEGO Technic]] [[Nautilus with CD-ROM]] set (8299).<ref name="Bigham"/><ref name="duck index"/>
The game featured an isometric view and encouraged players to assemble a small assortment of LEGO bricks into a [[Wikipedia:Duck|duck]] placed on a [[baseplate]].<ref name="Tschachtli CV"/><ref name="rec.toys.lego model"/> The bricks available to build with were one yellow 2×4 brick, one yellow 1×2 brick, two yellow 2×2 bricks—one of which had eyes on it—and two red 2×3 plates. The contest asked players to build five different ducks, each using all available bricks. Players could submit their ducks, along with their name and email address, to enter a weekly lottery for a chance to win the [[LEGO Technic]] [[Submarine with CD-ROM]] set (8299).<ref name="Bigham"/><ref name="duck index"/>


== Release ==
== Release ==
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''Build a Duck'' was featured on [[Wikipedia:Yahoo! Kids|Yahooligans!]] as one of its "Cool Links" on 15 August 1997. By then there had been nearly {{formatnum:11000}} entries in the contest.<ref name="Galapagos 02"/><ref name="Yahooligans"/>
''Build a Duck'' was featured on [[Wikipedia:Yahoo! Kids|Yahooligans!]] as one of its "Cool Links" on 15 August 1997. By then there had been nearly {{formatnum:11000}} entries in the contest.<ref name="Galapagos 02"/><ref name="Yahooligans"/>


== Notes ==
== Inspiration and successors ==
* The LEGO Group and the [[LEGO Foundation]] frequently suggest duck building as an activity, typically using the same six bricks featured in this game.<ref>{{ cite web |url=https://www.lego.com/en-us/family/activities/build-a-lego-duck |title=Build a LEGO Duck |website=LEGO.com |access-date=2024-07-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240712194819/https://www.lego.com/en-us/family/activities/build-a-lego-duck |archive-date=2024-07-12 }}</ref> In 2012, the LEGO Group released a set with these pieces under their Serious Play theme.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://brickset.com/sets/2000416-1/Duck |title=LEGO 2000416 Duck |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250520093059/https://brickset.com/sets/2000416-1/Duck |archive-date=2025-05-20 |website=[[Brickset]] |url-status=live}}</ref>
The earliest known instance of the "build a duck" model is a small [[polybag]] numbered 1551, containing the same six bricks as Darwin's game would use. It was first released in 1985 and was re-released in 1988 and 1991; the 1988 release was labelled "How many chicks can you build with these bricks?".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://brickset.com/sets/1551-1/Duck |title=1551-1: Duck |website=[[Brickset]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250520204452/https://brickset.com/sets/1551-1/Duck |archive-date=20 May 2025 |url-status=live |access-date=20 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=1551-1 |title=Chick polybag – Set 1551-1 |website=[[BrickLink]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250520191736/https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=1551-1 |archive-date=20 May 2025 |url-status=live |access-date=20 May 2025}}</ref> Another polybag with the same six pieces, numbered 2000416, was released in 2008 under the [[Serious Play]] label. It was distributed as a promotional item, including as a gift to judges at the [[FIRST LEGO League|''FIRST'' LEGO League]] tournament held 10–11 November 2012 in Norway.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://brickset.com/sets/2000416-1/Duck |title=2000416-1: Duck|website=[[Brickset]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250520093059/https://brickset.com/sets/2000416-1/Duck |archive-date=20 May 2025 |url-status=live |access-date=20 May 2025}}</ref> Another duck polybag was sold exclusively at the [[LEGO Store]] in [[Wikipedia:Hong Kong|Hong Kong]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://brickset.com/sets/DUCK-1/Duck |title=DUCK-1: Duck |website=[[Brickset]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250520095816/https://brickset.com/sets/DUCK-1/Duck |archive-date=20 May 2025 |url-status=live |access-date=20 May 2025}}</ref> A new duck polybag released in 2018, numbered 30541, included two additional yellow 1×2 bricks and two yellow 2×2 yellow 45° slopes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://brickset.com/sets/30541-1/Animal-Free-Builds-Make-It-Yours |title=30541-1: Animal Free Builds - Make It Yours |website=[[Brickset]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250520185912/https://brickset.com/sets/30541-1/Animal-Free-Builds-Make-It-Yours |archive-date=20 May 2025 |url-status=live |access-date=20 May 2025}}</ref>
* The LEGO Group later published ''Duck Building'', a web game with similar mechanics.<ref>{{cite web |title=Duck Building |website=LEGO Foundation |url=https://theduck.legofoundation.com/DuckBuild/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129170424/https://theduck.legofoundation.com/DuckBuild/index.html |archive-date=2021-01-29 |url-status=live }}</ref>


<ref name="Netscape">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/officialnetscape0000ohar/page/128/mode/2up?view=theater |title=Official Netscape Beginner's Guide to the Internet |edition=2nd |first=Shelly |last=O'Hara |year=1998 |publisher=The Coriolis Group |location=[[Wikipedia:Scottsdale, Arizona|Scottsdale, Arizona]] |isbn=1-56604-859-1 |page=128}}</ref>
In 2021{{citation needed}} the [[LEGO Foundation]] website released ''Duck Building'', a small web game with similar mechanics to ''Build a Duck''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Duck Building |website=LEGO Foundation |url=https://theduck.legofoundation.com/DuckBuild/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129170424/https://theduck.legofoundation.com/DuckBuild/index.html |archive-date=2021-01-29 |url-status=live}}</ref> The LEGO website suggest duck building as an activity under its family section.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lego.com/en-us/family/activities/build-a-lego-duck |title=Build a LEGO Duck |website=LEGO.com |access-date=2024-07-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240712194819/https://www.lego.com/en-us/family/activities/build-a-lego-duck |archive-date=2024-07-12 }}</ref>  


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 00:12, 21 May 2025

LEGO Build a Duck
The game's logo, showing the LEGO logo, the text "build a duck", and an animation of bricks assembling into a duck
Developer(s)SPU-Darwin
Publisher(s)The LEGO Group
Designer(s)Simon Tschachtli[1]
Programmer(s)Paul Krough[2]
EngineJava
Platform(s)Web browser
Release2 January 1997
Genre(s)Sandbox
Mode(s)Single-player

Build a Duck was a web game developed by SPU-Darwin and published to LEGO.com in January 1997. It was the LEGO Group's third web game and second online contest.

Gameplay and contest

A duck created by Paul Flavin[3]

The game featured an isometric view and encouraged players to assemble a small assortment of LEGO bricks into a duck placed on a baseplate.[1][4] The bricks available to build with were one yellow 2×4 brick, one yellow 1×2 brick, two yellow 2×2 bricks—one of which had eyes on it—and two red 2×3 plates. The contest asked players to build five different ducks, each using all available bricks. Players could submit their ducks, along with their name and email address, to enter a weekly lottery for a chance to win the LEGO Technic Submarine with CD-ROM set (8299).[5][6]

Release

Animated icon

The contest was revealed on LEGO.com on 27 December 1996.[7] The Build a Duck game went live on 2 January 1997.[6] It was taken offline in March 1998.[8]

Build a Duck was featured on Yahooligans! as one of its "Cool Links" on 15 August 1997. By then there had been nearly 11,000 entries in the contest.[9][10]

Inspiration and successors

The earliest known instance of the "build a duck" model is a small polybag numbered 1551, containing the same six bricks as Darwin's game would use. It was first released in 1985 and was re-released in 1988 and 1991; the 1988 release was labelled "How many chicks can you build with these bricks?".[11][12] Another polybag with the same six pieces, numbered 2000416, was released in 2008 under the Serious Play label. It was distributed as a promotional item, including as a gift to judges at the FIRST LEGO League tournament held 10–11 November 2012 in Norway.[13] Another duck polybag was sold exclusively at the LEGO Store in Hong Kong in 2007.[14] A new duck polybag released in 2018, numbered 30541, included two additional yellow 1×2 bricks and two yellow 2×2 yellow 45° slopes.[15]

In 2021[citation needed] the LEGO Foundation website released Duck Building, a small web game with similar mechanics to Build a Duck.[16] The LEGO website suggest duck building as an activity under its family section.[17]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Tschachtli, Simon (26 January 2018). "CV Simon Tschachtli" (PDF). Atelier Tschachtli. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-07-12. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  2. ↑ Tschachtli, Simon. "Portfolio". Atelier Tschachtli. Archived from the original on 2004-07-19.
  3. ↑ Flavin, Paul (22 March 1997). "Interactive Imaging; An Introduction to Raytracing & CGI with Java". Imaging the Imagined: Raytracing tips from da Vinci & me. Archived from the original on 1998-12-02.
  4. ↑ Gerald Chu (12 February 1997). "3D Lego Modeling programs?". Newsgroup: rec.toys.lego. Usenet: [email protected]. Archived from the original on 2025-05-20. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  5. ↑ Bigham, Vicki Smith; Bigham, George (1998). "Mostly for Kids". The Prentice Hall Directory of Online Education Resources. Paramus, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. p. 258. ISBN 0-13-618588-6.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Introduction to Build a duck". LEGO.com. 2 January 1997. Archived from the original on 1997-01-10.
  7. ↑ Geoff Cole (1996-12-27). "Can you build a duck?". Newsgroup: rec.toys.lego. Usenet: [email protected]. Archived from the original on 2025-05-20. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  8. ↑ Flavin, Paul (17 March 1998). "Lego's "Build A Duck" web page Java Applet... flew the coup..." Newsgroup: rec.toys.lego. Usenet: 01bd51cc$89f428e0$f58582d1@imaging. Archived from the original on 2025-05-20. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  9. ↑ Kusumoto, Laura (27 August 1997). "Pin the award on the Duck". Galapagos Times. Vol. 1, no. 2. Billund, Denmark: SPU-Darwin. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  10. ↑ "Cool Page". Yahooligans!. 15 August 1997. Archived from the original on 11 November 1999.
  11. ↑ "1551-1: Duck". Brickset. Archived from the original on 20 May 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  12. ↑ "Chick polybag – Set 1551-1". BrickLink. Archived from the original on 20 May 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  13. ↑ "2000416-1: Duck". Brickset. Archived from the original on 20 May 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  14. ↑ "DUCK-1: Duck". Brickset. Archived from the original on 20 May 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  15. ↑ "30541-1: Animal Free Builds - Make It Yours". Brickset. Archived from the original on 20 May 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  16. ↑ "Duck Building". LEGO Foundation. Archived from the original on 2021-01-29.
  17. ↑ "Build a LEGO Duck". LEGO.com. Archived from the original on 2024-07-12. Retrieved 2024-07-12.

External links

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