Build a Duck

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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)Poul 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 December 1996. It was the LEGO Group's third web game and first 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 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).[5][6]

Release

Animated icon

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

Build a Duck was featured on Yahooligans! on 15 August 1997.[9][10]

Notes

  • The LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation frequently suggest duck building as an activity, typically using the same six bricks featured in this game.[11] In 2012, the LEGO Group released a set with these pieces under their Serious Play theme.[12]
  • The LEGO Group later published Duck Building, a web game with similar mechanics.[13]

[14]

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?". Newsgrouprec.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?". Newsgrouprec.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..." Newsgrouprec.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. "Build a LEGO Duck". LEGO.com. Archived from the original on 2024-07-12. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  12. "LEGO 2000416 Duck". Brickset. Archived from the original on 2015-03-09.
  13. "Duck Building". LEGO Foundation. Archived from the original on 2021-01-29.
  14. O'Hara, Shelly (1998). Official Netscape Beginner's Guide to the Internet (2nd ed.). Scottsdale, Arizona: The Coriolis Group. p. 128. ISBN 1-56604-859-1.

External links