Series 6 dot codes

 

  • Series 6 dot codes

    Posted by Huw, 23 Dec 2011 10:36. Filed under Miscellaneous.

    The dot codes for series 6 have been decoded by the team at Better Than Tomorrow blog. Personally I find them too difficult to read in a retail environment and thus not much use for identifying contents before you buy. Have you ever used them successfully?


    30 comments, latest one posted 17 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)
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Comments

Posted by sarlacc98 in United Kingdom, 23 Dec 2011 10:43

Still no sign of them in the us?

Posted by teal93mr2 in United States, 23 Dec 2011 10:50

Nothing yet, I hope to see them next week at the lego store.

Posted by princeofpersia in United Kingdom, 23 Dec 2011 10:54

Tried using the dot code for series 3. Found it really hard and have not used the method since. I usually just try and work out what is in the packets using the 'feel' method.

Posted by derfazoid in Switzerland, 23 Dec 2011 10:58

'feel' method all the way, those dots have never worked for me. By now I'm so fast with feeling, that checking for every little dot would be a huge time waster!

Posted by Seagull in United States, 23 Dec 2011 11:00

Dots have never worked for me. the "feel method" gets me better results and lots of store employees looking at me with weird faces.

Posted by LuvKernow in United Kingdom, 23 Dec 2011 11:06

Not allowed to feel them in local shop, they keep them behind counter with the Pokemon stuff and you're only allowed ten.

Posted by tesogel in United Kingdom, 23 Dec 2011 11:33

I don't trust dots. I tried to use this method few times but it just give me headache. I can identify every single minifigure by touching with 100% assurance. It is best way for me. Once you identify few minifigs the next lot will be just easier. What need is spare time and patience:)

Posted by Binary Code in United States, 23 Dec 2011 11:35

I primarily use the feel method. I only ever use the dots to confirm what I already felt out.

Posted by TheCahleySlash in United Kingdom, 23 Dec 2011 11:38

I just do the feeling method, works for me :)
,But
it does make you stand out in crowds of people..

Posted by OnionButter in United States, 23 Dec 2011 11:45

I used the dots and feel methods for Series 5. I prefer the dots for certain figures and feel for others.

Posted by macmon in Philippines, 23 Dec 2011 11:45

Feeling it for me is my choice. Eventhough our local sales clerks are also experts already in this type of method, it does not hurt to counter check it. :)

Posted by Andhe in United Kingdom, 23 Dec 2011 11:52

I haven't bothered with 'codes' since they stopped using the barcodes. By they time you've worked out the bumps you could have just felt which one it is.

Posted by theBrickBlogger in United States, 23 Dec 2011 12:34

I use the feel method also. For the first series I tried the dots, but it took so long and it was not the most accurate. I was not good at the feel method either, but since then I have greatly improved my skills. What I do is to shake the bag before I feel it. This way all the little parts and accessories fall in one corner, and those are the easiest to identify (besides some obvious big parts like the gladiator's helmet.) When I go to the store 3-4 people always gather around me and they ask if I can help them as well. And of course I do...(c:

Posted by wunztwice in United States, 23 Dec 2011 13:04

Copping them up works much better. No sign here in the US that I know of...

Posted by BlackFalconBirdman in United States, 23 Dec 2011 14:13

Well I, like most, rely on the feeling method, but my wife is the one who can feel the figures out within a handful of seconds and 100% accuracy (I do worse in both fields). While she's getting the figures I want, I peruse the sets I want! It's a wonderful system.

Posted by jonbuddy in United States, 23 Dec 2011 14:45

Never have I ever even SEEN dots! Can anyone help?

Posted by DOLEGO1986 in United Kingdom, 23 Dec 2011 14:52

I usually buy a dozen, feel them at home - if I get any doubles/triples I take them back and get a refund. Unless it's a rare figure - then it goes on ebay! I've found 14 of 16 so far. Just need the Lady Liberty and Clockwork Robot.

My local Tesco in Pontarddulais, South Wales UK has 5 boxes of them!!!

Posted by itsaturkey in United States, 23 Dec 2011 15:24

The feeling method doesn't really work for me. What I need is a X-Ray app :P

Posted by schvatts in United States, 23 Dec 2011 15:44

The dots are great from me. It is like a little tag saying the name of the figure inside. I was Walmart just today and found the figures I wanted in little under five minutes.... it was six almost full boxes. Love the dots to because the barcode made it way to easy for everyone.
Thanks for the dot code.

Posted by Rolyat24 in United States, 23 Dec 2011 15:49

Huw, willl you be adding these to the mobile app?

Posted by xccj in United States, 23 Dec 2011 16:19

I've used the feel method to find the figs I want AND to help other people search for the figs they want. It can take some time if you're looking for a specific fig, but otherwise it is usually pretty fast.

:music:

Posted by chrismajor2124 in United States, 23 Dec 2011 18:04

I once got four minifigs and predicted them correctly because of the dot codes. I'm disappointed that these dot codes may not work out. I was hoping to get a Roman Soldier... :(

Posted by Ravenhook in Australia, 23 Dec 2011 19:28

I prefer the "philosophy" of using the dots, as I don't like the idea of pressing hard which might damage the pieces inside (however subtly).

That said, I try to identify using the dots and then, hypocritically, end up confirming it by feeling for pieces.

It also means I'm not interested in choosing from boxes that have already been rifled through many times. Imagine how many fingers have been over the packets before you...

I've seen packets that have been poked so hard the silver foil shows flecks where a sharp piece has dislodged the colouring.

Posted by OnionButter in United States, 23 Dec 2011 21:30

Ravenhook brings up a good point. The feel method -- if done aggressively -- can cause damage to the figures/accessories in some cases. Lately I've been hunting for Evil Dwarves and fortunately I am able to identify them by the dot code within a second or two. Acquired another 6 tonight in less than 5min of sorting.

- Chris

Posted by scifiantihero in United States, 24 Dec 2011 00:28

Printing them with crappy components in china, then sticking them in a bag and selling them blind are the choices made my LEGO that might damage the components. Not gonna worry me!

Posted by Zordboy in Australia, 24 Dec 2011 02:13

I can't feel the bags. Unless the pieces are really unique and oddly-shaped, I generally can't figure out the figures by that way.

Plus, feeling up the bags in the store looks ridiculous.

But I don't mind the dots. I'm pretty good with those.

The great thing about series 6 is, I want all 16 of them. So I don't have to decipher the dots or anything, I just need to make sure I have 16 unique dot-structures, and I'll know I have all sixteen of them. Which is brilliant.

Posted by The Reviewer in United States, 24 Dec 2011 11:49

Dang! I miss the Barcodes. they were better and more Reliable, So why did lego change them to dots?

Posted by jonbuddy in United States, 24 Dec 2011 14:02

@The Reviewer, to deter people like us who figured out the barcodes.

EDIT: How does feeling destroy the figs? It doesn't take much to get to the parts. And how does it make you stand out? It can be done VERY subtley.

Posted by giraffefreckles in United States, 25 Dec 2011 23:26

I'm one of the few who likes the dots. Instant pattern recognition, feeling around to confirm not a fluke (because I don't do this enough to trust the encoder.) If it's my first time with this figure and the dots are similar to another figure's, I'll ask the LEGO employee to confirm. Last time (and only time) I whipped out my dot cheat sheet at the LEGO store, an employee brought out another box of older CMFs for me to peruse. Gave me counter space to do my thing. Nice! Too bad I had such a short visit...

I'm really bad at feeling up the pieces, and I do see the wrinkled damage done on the packet and also I'm concerned about leaving a less-than-pristine instruction booklet for die-hard other collectors (or kids) - if I were to stand there mangling the package forever.

For those who can feel, you must be able to drive a stick, too! I can't! Killed my friend's car 20 times in a row going by feel. Sticking to visual pattern recognition...

Posted by Thomson & Thompson in Canada, 27 Dec 2011 08:38

I have used them, but they don't really help on CM Series 4 and 5, and what will probably be 6.

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