Random part of the day: Brick 2X4, No. 1029

@Lyichir said:
" @Librarian1976 said:
" @WesterBricks said:
"The year was 2001.

During their Dark Age, Lego expanded into industries where they had no experience, and announced bewildering collaborations.

In select sets, they included a 2x4 brick with a free license key for Microsoft Windows XP."

Is that really what this is?! If so, I *need* one of these bricks. I have a feeling that you're just joking, though."

Heh, not quite. It's a code for a downloadable player skin for Minecraft that matches the character in the set this is from."

Well, Minecraft is owned by Microsoft, so it's not far off.

@Shadowcloner said:
"I have one of these. Honestly figured the code would be on a paper slip inside the package, or be a single universal code to unlock. Can't use it because I stick with the Java version anyways though. "

Can I have the code, please?

Man, how much distilling did they do for this thing!

If anyone’s wondering, this brick only applies to Bedrock Edition. It worked for my PS4. One of Bedrock’s superior qualities to Java is its skin options! The Banjo-Kazooie pack is one of the best.

A cool little detail is that it’s actually built into the End model, so it has a purpose outside of the code!

@NatureBricks:
This is definitely not just a simple printing process. Every brick needs a unique code, but more importantly, those codes need to be captured so you can redeem them. They couldn’t possibly make money cutting new printing pads for every individual brick, so this needs a printing system that can cycle through a list of codes. For a single line of text, you could do it like a date stamp, where each character can rotate through a series of alternate characters, but to make that work on two lines of text means you have to be able to keep them from bumping into each other. Considering how rarely they do this, and how different these codes all are, I’m wondering if they rent special equipment, farm them out to a specialist company, or if they really do buy the necessary equipment each time.

@GSR_MataNui:
Um…25x?

I'm probably the only one that saw this image and was like "ah, yes, the Minecraft skin code brick" before clicking into the article.

@PurpleDave said:
" @NatureBricks:
This is definitely not just a simple printing process. Every brick needs a unique code, but more importantly, those codes need to be captured so you can redeem them. They couldn’t possibly make money cutting new printing pads for every individual brick, so this needs a printing system that can cycle through a list of codes. For a single line of text, you could do it like a date stamp, where each character can rotate through a series of alternate characters, but to make that work on two lines of text means you have to be able to keep them from bumping into each other. Considering how rarely they do this, and how different these codes all are, I’m wondering if they rent special equipment, farm them out to a specialist company, or if they really do buy the necessary equipment each time."

I have some custom 'laser-printed' tiles and they closely resemble these code-bricks. I don't know what the exact process is, but it seems to be more a form of etching as the inkt is halfway IN the plastic rather than on top of it as with the ABS and thus feels more durable.

So my guess would be that it's not a 'date stamp' system, but a 'computer controlled' systemen that allows basically any type of custom print to economically be made, including a seletion of codes.

There are lots for sale at bricklink under part 3001pb142, with some even giving the actual code! I assume you can only use once, but maybe worth a try if you have this game?

@PurpleDave: Several of The Lego Movie sets had tiles printed with a code you could use in the TLM video game, too.

@TheOtherMike:
What size tile, and what’s the code format?

have one, guess I need to find it now.

@LegoSonicBoy said:
"I'm probably the only one that saw this image and was like "ah, yes, the Minecraft skin code brick" before clicking into the article."

Honestly when I first clicked on this article my first thought was "Man, I don't think I ever redeemed that code." Gonna have to dig under my Minecraft table for it now

@PurpleDave said:
" @NatureBricks:
This is definitely not just a simple printing process. Every brick needs a unique code, but more importantly, those codes need to be captured so you can redeem them. They couldn’t possibly make money cutting new printing pads for every individual brick, so this needs a printing system that can cycle through a list of codes. For a single line of text, you could do it like a date stamp, where each character can rotate through a series of alternate characters, but to make that work on two lines of text means you have to be able to keep them from bumping into each other. Considering how rarely they do this, and how different these codes all are, I’m wondering if they rent special equipment, farm them out to a specialist company, or if they really do buy the necessary equipment each time.

@GSR_MataNui:
Um…25x?"

I work for a company that makes inkjet printers that do this easily and cheaply, used on all sorts of substrates for printing all sorts of codes (including date and traceability codes onto eggs). The units can be simply bolted onto a production line, and can read what codes have been printed to verify them (especially useful in case of a production stop and restart). Fairly low resolution text is simple!

@PurpleDave: 1x4, and I don't have any ready to hand, so cant tell you the format. They were the larger sets in the later waves, maybe some of the reviews might have pictures if you're really curious.

Is this an NFT? I mean it's literally just a brick with a code for a png.