Future Ultimate Technic Sets (Possible Machinery)

[Kman860]

This topic is possible sets you would like to see done in Ultimate Technic style/scale, this topic is for machinery (I'm keeping this separate from the car topic just to keep everything neat). I wouldn't mind seeing a sub-compact tractor, like a Cub Cadet Sc2400, or maybe something like a mini excavator.

[efferman]

A galloping horse

[Kman860]

A galloping horse

Motorized?

[efferman]

yes

[JJ2]

A gbc line would be cool.

[efferman]

A tbm

source

[Kman860]

yes

I'd like that too :grin:

A gbc line would be cool.

It would, but would it sell that good, I mean I think that's mostly targeted at AFOLs, no?

[technic_addict]

back hoe

[Kman860]

back hoe

That would be nice, when was the last one, 2011?

[Beard]

An industrial robot. Although it might be more suitable for Mindstorms, but still would be nice.

[DrJB]

Not sure many of the above proposals make 'business' sense (despite our wishes). The main 'appeal' behind the Porsche, is that it's such an iconic car, many people know of it. I doubt the 'want it' base will be as large with any piece of orange/yellow construction machinery.

[Kman860]

Not sure many of the above proposals make 'business' sense (despite our wishes). The main 'appeal' behind the Porsche, is that it's such an iconic car, many people know of it. I doubt the 'want it' base will be as large with any piece of orange/yellow construction machinery.

Yeah, I honestly think they are going to stick to supercars only.

[PicnicBasketSam]

A GBC version of an internal combustion engine. Is that even possible? I don't care, it would be awesome.

[DrJB]

TLG has learned that people will buy toys that give them a 'connection' to something else (another experience). This is the main reason there are so many licensed sets nowadays, whether it's StarWars, Harry Potter, or even Disney princesses. GBCs are fun to watch, but no real connection with anything else.

[Kristof]

I still don't see where are these 'ultimate series' expectations come from :) Would that even make sense for Technic line to develop some serie like that? What do you expect for such models to be? Bigger? In premium packaging? higher complexity and accuracy? Some unique elements? More difficult to build?

Except for the premium packaging, I think that todays biggest sets already offer most of these attributes. It doesn't sound likely to me that LEGO would be able to raise the bar far enough to create a reasonably 'more ultimate' models that would really stand out - for me, the Porsche is a nice evolution of late technic cars. It has some nice extra touches and maybe some extra accuracy but rather than being a new standard for some 'ultimate' series, I see this as one time additional effort on rather standalone exclusive set.

EDIT: I just found the quote that suggests the 'series' of Porsche-like mode. So I see now where does this come from :) Sorry

Edited May 2, 2016 by krisandkris12

[Alternator]

I guess the trouble with doing "Ultimate" in Lego technic is one of scale.

For Star Wars they were able to scale up the size of the models and add lots more detail and authenticity, and it really stands out (MF, X-Wing, etc)

But technic for me has always been about what a model can do, a bigger model with more details is definitely nice - but it's not really what I look at each year when I get the flagship Technic model... E.g.

One year we got the Motorised Excavator

Another year we got the RC Volvo Wheel Loader.

The extra detailing of the Wheel Loader is definitely cool, but really were people thinking "If only the Excavator was branded and had a few more detailings" - I think people were drawn to both these sets because they are full RC covering the important set functions.

And yes the size is a plus, but this year we seem to be getting an imposing Technic set in the BWE, which I am looking forward to, but apart from the new turntable I'm suspicious the functional features will prove to be somewhat pedestrian. I'll be interested to see how people respond to it once it's out.

I'm not yet sold on the idea of licensing super cars as the way to an "Ultimate" line of Technic... Unless they are going to back that up with Technic functionality which imo doesn't seem to be the case with the Porsche (sticker brake calipers seems weak, when Sheepo has real RC ones in his super car) - time will probably prove me wrong and it looks like it will be a smash hit.

But there is one avenue where I think Technic functionality in a sense has a progression from what we have currently - and that is Mindstorms, Mindstorms to me is Technic at the next level - it is programmable, powerful precise motors that seem to prove a lot more functional opportunities... Which I suppose answers the question which I'm grappling with - if I want more features I should just ignore the Porsche and get Mindstorms (which happen to be the same rrp in my country).

Perhaps also if Lego figured out a way to put more control and usability around their pneumatics that could also open up possibilities too! (no doubt the parts would be more pricey, but it would come with extra capability).

[krtwood]

"I think people were drawn to both these sets because they are full RC covering the important set functions."

And yet invariably when one of those sets is released it's immediately modded into an "ultimate" version with more motors or a better steering mechanism.

[Gabi_BC]

Backhoe, grader, rope shovel, proper mining dump truck. The rope shovel and the mining truck would make a great pair.

[Erik Leppen]

Same question, same answer... A folding crane.

[GoldVillage]

Backhoe, grader, rope shovel, proper mining dump truck. The rope shovel and the mining truck would make a great pair.

A big proper forklift as flagship, grader as a mid size set, and perhaps a nice little excavator for a mini set, or a wheel dozer.

Rope shovel is a nice idea but i rather seen a mid size pneumatic mining excavator to match the mining truck we already has, but with the upcoming Volvo EW160 in mind it wont happend anytime soon.

[N-4K0]

A big proper forklift

I support that.

[Moz]

I keep thinking about where the money comes from. With Star Wars there's a big fan community of geeky types who will also buy Lego. With Technic we're seeing a lot of cross-marketing as TLG build sets that will sell to overgrown man-children with money, branded "big boys toys". So the obvious step is to first look for a market like that, then work out how TLG could sell to it. Think broad and sub-$US1000, not super-yachts. So some kind of music maker might work, but it would want to be a copy of Brian May's guitar or a Daft Punk helmet. Maybe an animatronic Freddy Mercury?

I do wonder whether a larger scale railway might work - maybe take the Duplo track width but run on the top edge of the sections rather than in the grooves, add some more features, build trains that run on it and start with a Model Team/Technic ultra-detailed locomotive, but also build something like a remote controlled crane carriage, or a container loading setup. That might work in the "new theme" sense because they could obviously just keep adding new stuff, and could tie in with people like Maersk or whatever.

Another option is dinosaurs. Sure, they're usually a fascination for the 5-10 year olds, and the walk rather than roll, but animated dinosaurs would be cool. It's something that could be done without programming/Mindstorms, and I suspect very few new parts would be needed to make a couple of walking chassis 20-40cm high, and with the plethora of plates and panels available now skinning them wouldn't be too hard. The big issue is colours - bright orange or yellow dinosaurs are going to look very weird. But Lego doesn't really do a lot of shades of green and brown (especially in Technic!)

Edited May 3, 2016 by Moz

[nerdsforprez]

I don't know how it sold when it initially came out, but later on it sold well.....8288. I would love to see another 8288-like set, a large crawler crane. Bigger, badder, than 8288, 3-4,000 pieces, not 1/2 liftarms, etc for the boom and stuff.

[Thirdwigg]

I'll get on the Forklift bandwagon.

[LucyCol]

I'm not yet sold on the idea of licensing super cars as the way to an "Ultimate" line of Technic... Unless they are going to back that up with Technic functionality which imo doesn't seem to be the case with the Porsche (sticker brake calipers seems weak, when Sheepo has real RC ones in his super car) - time will probably prove me wrong and it looks like it will be a smash hit.

I realise we are going slightly off topic, but I recently costed up someone else's MOC with a view to building it myself, once the cost rose over £500 I gave up, TLG has the same considerations people are already saying that the Porsche costs to much, the more functions/motors/details you put in the more the costs rise.

Back on topic I'd like to see a really good bus/coach it's an area Lego have never gone with Technic.

Edited May 3, 2016 by LucyCol