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SYSTEM-X CONSTRUCTION
OF THE MONTH:
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
During the last few years, one of the most debated issues amongst collectors and grown-up fans
was
probably the controversial topic 'Steck-System vs. System-X'.
Some collectors furiously oppose any alteration to PLAYMOBILŪs classic
building system: 'The Steck-System', which is best known through the
various medieval castles and old framework houses that have been part of
the world of PLAYMOBILŪ since 1978. They have been frustrated by the
unstoppable invasion of system-x components into almost every PLAYMOBILŪ theme
and set imaginable. Some of them have even been considering
setting up a 'March on Zirndorf' to convince PLAYMOBILŪ not to replace the
classic PLAYMOBIL castle with a system-x version, ever.
A second group, has been defending System-X as an important step forward
in the evolution of PLAYMOBILŪ towards a 21st century toy that combines
the strong role playing possibilities of PLAYMOBILŪ toys with a solid and
multi-purpose construction system. They further argue that after only 5
years of System X, there already is a larger variety of System-X
components available than the old steck-system offers after 25 year. In
their opinion, it is mainly through System-X that so many new buildings
were recently added to the various PLAYMOBILŪ worlds. It simply would not
have been possible with the old system.
The debate is still ongoing, and it will probably be left unresolved for years to
come.
Just for ourselves, we wanted to find out whether there is any solid
argument why collectors should not be able to have as much FUN with the new building
system as with the old. Is it the more abstract and less detailed design
of system-x that causes all the system-x criticism. Is it a form of
nostalgia, do we only believe that one thing is better than another
because we are more familiar with it? Or is system-x just a pain to put
together?
Anyway, System-X at least is a better construction system than the cart
board backgrounds that come with the 3996 Nativity manger and 397x
Advent calendar sets. So last week, We took out a few of the most
recent system-x buildings with the idea to create a little Christmas
Stable from the components they offered. In half an hour we had put
together something that looked like the Christmas scene above.
We mainly used parts from the Pirate Lagoon (3938) and the
Naval
Stronghold (3112). A few components borrowed from the new Viking Stronghold (3151) were
also thrown into the mix.
My son went on to create something else out of the remaining system-x
pieces, just to show me that he really understood this system-x thing much
better than any of us - grown up collectors - ever would. I only saw that
- for a 4 year old - he had made a rather complex structure out of
system-x stone walls, wooden pillars and connection pieces, but in his
eyes, he just had made himself a genuine 'Buzz Lightyear' Lazer Gun...
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