2024 Technic Sets Discussion

[PlopiNinetySix]

I've never seen these wheels before, they're completely new?

Amazing set for such a tiny one! :D

Edited December 3, 2023 by PlopiNinetySix

[mpj]

Are we missing 42165 in January wave?

[PlopiNinetySix]

As others had previously said before, a lack of B-models is not the worst thing to happen to Technic considering the massive amount of talented MOC builders on EB and in the whole Technic community as a general, there'll be almost always a B/C-model that's better than the A-model [AKA Lego's] :)

But, still the party ends considering B models are dying. Technic, at least the larger sets and vehicles, doesn't feel the same without a fun B-model to go along with the A-model or be actually better than it in some regards [42078!]. Quite some sets did that amazingly like 42055. Another example which might not be the best is 42030. Its B-model obviously pales in comparison to the 42114 but you could still do some with it if you covered the gaps and holes of the bed. A wasted potential, really, for some awesome sets like 42144 or 42145.

I really hope the summar releases won't disappoint, as the space theme already marked a very good start for 2024.

[Jurss]

It seems, that bussiness model - buy one cheap set and also other cheap set to combine them - didn't worked :)

[Sokolov Edward]

15 hours ago, PlopiNinetySix said:

As others had previously said before, a lack of B-models is not the worst thing to happen to Technic considering the massive amount of talented MOC builders on EB and in the whole Technic community as a general, there'll be almost always a B/C-model that's better than the A-model [AKA Lego's] :)

It would be great if Lego released free instructions for alternative assembly of sets, but this seems more like fiction. Somewhere in the news, a “free build” initiative for Lego Technic was announced, but nothing more was heard about it.

3 hours ago, Jurss said:

It seems, that bussiness model - buy one cheap set and also other cheap set to combine them - didn't worked :)

This model is used by the Chinese - for example Decool - they produce small cars and on each box they offer to buy another model in order to assemble another more complex car from 2. They also have sets from which you can assemble 10 or more different models. Similar sets are also sold by Cada, better known in this forum (71001 and 71002).

If a game set of parts is called a “constructor”, then this initially implies that several different models can be assembled from it, and not just one.

Edited December 4, 2023 by Sokolov Edward

[PlopiNinetySix]

20 minutes ago, Sokolov Edward said:

It would be great if Lego released free instructions for alternative assembly of sets, but this seems more like fiction. Somewhere in the news, a “free build” initiative for Lego Technic was announced, but nothing more was heard about it.

That could be awesome, though yes, chances are we won't really see it happening.

[Akbalder]

Lego could buy instructions from amateur designers and release them as official B models.

[gyenesvi]

19 minutes ago, Akbalder said:

Lego could buy instructions from amateur designers and release them as official B models.

I think it's not that simple. They'd have to check them for quality issues, make official instructions for them, which is still a significant amount of work, and I guess many C models we think are really cool would not meet their criteria. Also, many of the best C models are modeled after a real-world counterpart, and Lego could not release those officially without licensing.

[Jim]

12 minutes ago, gyenesvi said:

I think it's not that simple. They'd have to check them for quality issues, make official instructions for them, which is still a significant amount of work, and I guess many C models we think are really cool would not meet their criteria. Also, many of the best C models are modeled after a real-world counterpart, and Lego could not release those officially without licensing.

Agreed.

 

[johnnytifosi]

1 hour ago, Akbalder said:

Lego could buy instructions from amateur designers and release them as official B models.

This means that TLG should include outsiders in the product development procedure (they can't release B-models after a set has gone on the shelves) and of course pay them. Effectively, the result would be the same for TLG with extra complexity .

[Sokolov Edward]

17 minutes ago, johnnytifosi said:

This means that TLG should include outsiders in the product development procedure (they can't release B-models after a set has gone on the shelves) and of course pay them. Effectively, the result would be the same for TLG with extra complexity .

As an option, Lego could create its own open and free repository of B-models from users on its website with its own control. This would make the models produced more popular. Now B-models are actually left to the rebricable site and for the most part are paid, even for inexpensive sets, which does not make them widely available. I was previously involved in amateur radio and there is no such commercialism as in the Lego community.

[msk6003]

Or TLG can did some kind of contest after set relese which builder make there own B/C model and make one of it as offical model.

[Jim]

Or TLG can simply omit B-models and go on with selling their sets and making lots of money. In other words; I don't think omitting B-models will harm sales significantly.

[Sokolov Edward]

8 minutes ago, msk6003 said:

Or TLG can did some kind of contest after set relese which builder make there own B/C model and make one of it as offical model.

If Lego does not want to incur the costs of “legalizing” user B-models, then to attract them they could somehow encourage the authors of the most successful and popular designs in their repository. Minimum costs and maximum benefits for everyone. Most buyers, at best, will go to the Lego website, and only advanced fans will search in specific catalogs like rebricable.

[Maaboo the Witch]

1 minute ago, Jim said:

Or TLG can simply omit B-models and go on with selling their sets and making lots of money. In other words; I don't think omitting B-models will harm sales significantly.

B-models are one of the main features that attracted me to Technic in the first place, so it's definitely affected my opinion of the theme and TLG, and by extension my buying habits. Of course, I can only speak from my own perspective.

[Seasider]

Just seen @kbalage’s video. I didn’t realise the Space theme also fed across to DUPLO. So the whole family can be involved.

[R0Sch]

14 hours ago, Seasider said:

Just seen @kbalage’s video. I didn’t realise the Space theme also fed across to DUPLO. So the whole family can be involved.

Just marketing. It's not the first time Space is featured in Duplo. They just put the same box art across all themes. Of course Duplo won't be compatible with Technic and won't include the octogonal frame piece.

[Timorzelorzworz]

Following Technic as a fan for decades now and also as a builder, I personally think it is the worst lineup ever seen and that Technic is no more growing. Coming from completely overpriced Liebherr with tons of design flaws towards to phantasy space, it seems the maximum humiliation for this theme is now reached. TLG obviously is running out of ideas and going back to phantasy models like in the end of the 90s, when they break the lineup with phantasy things in 1998/1999. Lego technic stands for realism since nearly 50 years and keeping this in mind it is hard to believe how a 50 year celebration will be made in the next three years seeing whats now going on with the lineup. Sometimes there is a feeling that it cant be more worse. Its not a disappointment, but looking to allt that I have a great concern about the theme in the future.

[Maaboo the Witch]

4 minutes ago, Timorzelorzworz said:

TLG obviously is running out of ideas and going back to phantasy models

Sorry. 

I do mostly agree with you, though. Late 90's Technic was my era, so I'm actually liking the space stuff 'cos it's vaguely reminiscent of the futuristic models of the time.

But there are indeed some grim trends that have firmly taken root in this theme and  sucked out a lot of the appeal. It's not the same theme with which I fell in love ten years ago - couldn't be further from it, actually.

[jodawill]

I'm just a casual Technic fan, but I don't see this ad them running out of ideas. I actually think it's a refreshing lineup because they've been doing the same things over and over again for so many years. It seems like a lot of sets are just new skins on previous models with a different license. How many supercars do we need?

I've been missing the more exotic Technic builds for a long time. These sets certainly scratch that itch for me. To say this shows they're running out of ideas is frankly ridiculous. This is perhaps the first original idea they've had in quite some time.

[msk6003]

I don't like lack of 'technical' in technic. Even the largest model 42180 has almost no gear in sets. Almost every function is directly connected with knob or cross only 2~3 gears. Other sets is same except only 42179 orrery.

Edited December 7, 2023 by msk6003

[JimDude]

13 minutes ago, msk6003 said:

I don't like lack of 'technical' in technic. Even the largest model 42180 has almost no gear in sets. Almost every function is directly connected with knob or cross only 2~3 gears. 

You can’t please all of the people all of the time.

 I remember vividly when the 42009 crane came out, everyone (*) was bitching that the outriggers didn’t work (they did, you just had to take your time and put the set together properly) or were at best moving at glacial speeds (well, yes, they did, just like the real thing! Through the most amazing gearbox ever (*) ).

 So, what is TLG supposed to do? Release the – horrible – Liebherr with lotsa direct drive making stuff move way too fast - for better playability - compared to the real thing (let’s not get into how much it looks like the real thing shall we…)? And sure enough: more criticism ensues.

 (And yes, there were two noticeable cranes in between these two, both met with… more criticism)

  

(*) I’m being hyperbolic, as should be evident.

[AVCampos]

Another example is the 8275 Bulldozer: I remember people were bashing it having too simplistic functions, and the cylinder engine being connected to just one of the tracks (hmm, come to think of it, the 42131 appears to be made specifically to address those issues). Nowadays it's fondly remembered.

4 minutes ago, JimDude said:

You can’t please all of the people all of the time.

I almost bet any Technic team employee recites some version of that mantra whenever they come to this forum, to keep them from depressing and giving up their job.

[johnnytifosi]

2 hours ago, Timorzelorzworz said:

Following Technic as a fan for decades now and also as a builder, I personally think it is the worst lineup ever seen and that Technic is no more growing. Coming from completely overpriced Liebherr with tons of design flaws towards to phantasy space, it seems the maximum humiliation for this theme is now reached. TLG obviously is running out of ideas and going back to phantasy models like in the end of the 90s, when they break the lineup with phantasy things in 1998/1999. Lego technic stands for realism since nearly 50 years and keeping this in mind it is hard to believe how a 50 year celebration will be made in the next three years seeing whats now going on with the lineup. Sometimes there is a feeling that it cant be more worse. Its not a disappointment, but looking to allt that I have a great concern about the theme in the future. 

The fantasy/space theme of the new sets is the least of my worries for the new wave of sets. If anything, original ideas are a welcome departure from the huge amount of soulless licensed crap we got the past few years. Late 90s were my prime Technic years too and even as a kid I could feel the sets not being as good as early 90s, but I liked the abstract and futuristic themes nevertheless. Technic is indeed going downhill since 2018 in my opinion, (bloated piece count and pricing, retirement of PF, licensed functionless sets and less B-models) and they tried to mix it up this year, which is good. However, they killed B-models altogether in the process, a mainstay of the theme since the very beginning, and I am not going to accept that.

Edited December 7, 2023 by johnnytifosi

[legoturtle]

Well, I don't have any Technic sets. Almost 100 "normal" LEGO sets... BUT in 2024 I am 100 % sure that I will have my first 3 LEGO Technic sets...

Space <3