bricklayer Posted October 29, 2015 Posted October 29, 2015 I think tts inevitable in the evolution of the technics theme, and personally like the panels. I always found Technics models to be very crude looking. The other themes have evolved from bricky looking to silky smooth. Lets just hope the "engineering" side doesn't get watered down in the process.(I don't see why It would....TLG know what they are doing) Maybe they are trying to attract a wider audience by making the models look less intimidating/engineer type. What I don't like is what all this paneling means for moccing. You might have to start designing you models around the panels you have available. Just my 2 cents. Quote
Lipko Posted October 29, 2015 Posted October 29, 2015 What I don't like is what all this paneling means for moccing. You might have to start designing you models around the panels you have available. What do you mean? Quote
MaxSupercars Posted October 29, 2015 Posted October 29, 2015 JamesJT do you got more pictures of that white car? Looks interesting... Thanx... :) Max... Quote
BachAddict Posted October 29, 2015 Posted October 29, 2015 What do you mean? The new panels with so many pinholes can have much tighter integration with the build than the old type, which means monocoque type construction is possible but is restricted by what types and colours of panels you have. Quote
Cumulonimbus Posted October 29, 2015 Posted October 29, 2015 I support the trend of using panels because I see their many advantages: - They can be used as structural elements, giving a model more rigidity, even allowing to mimick state of the art structures a monocoques. The flex-tube style always needs a supporting structure, which can lead to very bulky models. - Panels make models more substantial, by which I means that there is a more clear distinction between interior and exterior. Flex tube models often are “ghost-like” and sketchy, since only some lines of a body are shown. For example Sariels’ Zonda - The design of the panel parts is truly magnificent. It never ceases to amaze me how much creative possibilities they allow and the curves they can represent. The 2016 corner panels/seats are a perfect example. Panels have come a long way since the first generation, which I didn’t really care for to be honest. As a result of these properties, in my opinion, the current Technic models (from small to huge) really look modern, crisp and increasingly realistic. Quote
Jay Psi Posted October 29, 2015 Posted October 29, 2015 As a result of these properties, in my opinion, the current Technic models (from small to huge) really look modern, crisp and increasingly realistic. Just to add to this point - when we think about authenticity as it applies to Technic (it is part of the mission statement after all) the first thing that comes to an AFOL's mind is replicating the functions accurately, but authenticity also applies to making the model look like it's real life counterpart. Let's also not forget that the main target audience are children, who may not even bother with the realistic mechanisms and innovative design solutions if the set looks like someone has dropped tins of paint on a block of Swiss cheese. It helps that Lego are a increasingly shrewd with the panels they introduce, as they have to be to justify the cost of production. Yes there will always be concerns about colour vomit but that applies to the liftarms and bricks as well. Stickers? They'll always be a pain but I wouldn't want to see Technic without stickers if it meant ditching the panels they stuck on to. Quote
bricklayer Posted October 29, 2015 Posted October 29, 2015 (edited) What BachAdict said. The panels seem very customized to a particular set. Edited October 29, 2015 by bricklayer Quote
Cumulonimbus Posted October 29, 2015 Posted October 29, 2015 (edited) The panels seem very customized to a particular set. I disagree, I think we tend to link a new part to the set it first appeared in. Even a very specific part such as the cement mixer half thingy (sorry, don't know the correct name) has many uses as proven by official sets and MOCs. In fact a colleague of me was recently hired by TLG specifically to makes sure than any new part will be multi functional and not limited to one specific use. In my eyes each new part (and panel) opens up new possibilities we don't fully know yet. Only by using it in MOCs and sets will its usefulness be proven. Edited October 29, 2015 by Cumulonimbus Quote
JamesJT Posted October 29, 2015 Posted October 29, 2015 JamesJT do you got more pictures of that white car? Looks interesting... Thanx... :) Max... That is actually a bad example of my MOCing style as I built the shell but couldn't fit everything inside... http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=107218&hl=esprit The panels seem very customized to a particular set. Can you give an example of a customized panel with limited use? Quote
Gnac Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 Sort of related, but whose bright idea was it to put the moulding pips inside little craters on the front of a lot of panels, so that you are GUARANTEED to have an air bubble beneath any stickers which need to be applied? This is the sort of thing that would get someone demoted to the rank of "swamper" in most professions. Quote
N-4K0 Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 I've been wondering about that too, you could almost call it a design flaw. Without stickers, you have a visible "hole" on the panel. Quote
aminnich Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 Just from the picture of the new dragster, I count 14 panels. Of these 5 of them are the new blue color, which personally I'm not a fan of Quote
Samer Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 (edited) What BachAdict said. The panels seem very customized to a particular set. If used extensively I agree. Edited November 8, 2015 by Samer Quote
mahjqa Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 Just from the picture of the new dragster, I count 14 panels. Of these 5 of them are the new blue color, which personally I'm not a fan of Hey, anything to get away from the eternal red and yellow. Quote
Lipko Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 Hey, anything to get away from the eternal red and yellow. and white...I agree that having more colours is better. It would be better if there were a little bit more pieces in those funky colours (at least some more liftarms), but still they can jazz up models a bit. Quote
rollermonkey Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 (edited) I would be interested to see how the opinions on this align with two things: 1: presence or absence of a Dark Ages and length of it 2: chosen profession I'm an engineering student, but have a 20-25 year dark ages, and I LOVE panels! I find the models from ~2013 and onward to be an interstellar leap above and beyond the studful Technic sets of my youth, both in mechanical design and visual design. I think panels are a huge part of that... Although bevel gears are huge, too. Edited November 8, 2015 by rollermonkey Quote
Babaloveslego55 Posted November 28, 2015 Posted November 28, 2015 (edited) Just from the picture of the new dragster, I count 14 panels. Of these 5 of them are the new blue color, which personally I am a fan of I really like the new blue as you can see from my profile picture! Edited November 28, 2015 by Babaloveslego55 Quote
flyboy01 Posted December 10, 2015 Posted December 10, 2015 I think panels are pretty useful, but that's mostly 'cause I don't have that many liftarms Quote
aol000xw Posted December 10, 2015 Posted December 10, 2015 Panels have great strength to weight ratio while giving a somewhat more natural look than a beam frame. 8880 while being great, by today's standards looks bulky and somehow unfinished. Quote
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