Google teamed up with Lego Australia to build a fun (Chrome-only) Web app that brings the joy of one's amateur attempts in Lego architecture to the web.
The mash-up of Google Maps with the new "Build" tool allows users to stake a cyberspace claim on any part of Australia they want and, once they've selected the right spot, build a 32- by 32-peg Lego creation on their free land.
The best part? Build's easy to use, fun to futz with, and doesn't require one to reorder the ol' Lego collection or otherwise hunt down missing pieces once building time is over with.
'Bricks to the browser'
"Over the last few months we've been working with LEGO Australia, thinking about what would happen if we brought bricks to the browser," wrote Google product marketing manager Lockey McGrath in a blog post.
"Build is the result: our latest Chrome Experiment which lets you explore and build a new world of LEGO creations together online. With 8 trillion bricks, think of Build as the largest LEGO set you've ever seen."
More hardcore Lego enthusiasts might scoff at Build's limitations - 10 brick types and 10 colors - in addition to Google's limit of 1,000 bricks against one's creative abilities.
Still, that's a decent sum for one to create a sparkling Lego house.
Those looking to rebuild Australia's equivalent of the Sistine Chapel might want to check out Lego's official "Digital Designer" tool instead, which trade location-based Lego building for additional online customization and creativity.
However, Digital Designer isn't as tapped into the social world as Google's Build.
Lego sharing
Those creating masterworks within Build open up their creative endeavors for view by anyone surfing the application, assuming that you've finished the publishing process by submitting your Lego work using your Google account.
And, yes, we said "submitting."
User-created Lego projects don't just appear on the web by default (sorry, 4Chan).
Representatives have to first approve one's work in order for it to be viewable on the Web.
For that to happen, Lego Google creations have to be original, inoffensive, and free of any built-in commercial, political, or religious promotions.
You can't make a big Pepsi logo on your Lego space (and expect it to be viewable on the Web), nor can you build anything that isn't safe for work.
While build's Australia-only right now (in terms of digital building space), McGrath mentions that Google hopes to roll the online creation kit to other digital countries in the future.
