Rockbrick Posted June 14, 2014 (edited) Mini TrialTruck Big step deciding to show you my w.i.p, my two small sons have been helping out currently trying to keep it down to 200 parts and less studful...(its over by a couple of pieces, including the minifigs) Got to throw some minifigs in there too... Features: Pendular rear suspension in two axes... Forward/back, left/right Progressive steering on the front two axles, front wheels steer more than the next set behind. HOG steering in the tailpipe, flip open front. All done from my 'spares' box - for some reason I do not have any right-angled connector elements in Black... not even in current models We'll see how this evolves and whether it will enter the competition or not (my sons want it to) but I know It ain't gonna win prizes but that is not the point in entering.... LXF file here -> TrialTruck_v3.2.lxf Please use, improve....and most importantly share, I want to see 20 variations of these in the competition Edited July 11, 2014 by Rockbrick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockbrick Posted June 14, 2014 (edited) UPDATE: Here it is in LDD - down to 194 parts and now featuring front pendular axle. (second axle stays stiff to stop model flopping over) It actually rolls very fast and keeps straight, steers very well with the progressive steering. Kids say its very playable due to minifigure scale and they are already planning mods for the back-end Edited June 15, 2014 by Rockbrick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captainowie Posted June 15, 2014 Nice work. It ain't gonna win prizes but that is not the point in entering.... Exactly! Too many posts have been "These models are so good. I don't stand a chance, so I won't enter". If the main reason you enter a contest like this is to win a prize, then you're doing it wrong. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CNT2 Posted June 15, 2014 excellent i'm also planning to include a few minifigs & assume the piece count is 4 per minifig ? legs torso head hat/helmet etc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockbrick Posted June 16, 2014 Thanks for the comments, I was wondering what the part count was for minifigs too? perhaps they're accesories to the main model so shouldn't count. if they do then I think I may have enough parts left over for one minifig then.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CNT2 Posted June 17, 2014 minifigs show up as 4 seperate pieces in the city sets (see downloadable instructions etc) so it seems reasonable to count them that way but i'm not the rules moderator Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockbrick Posted June 17, 2014 minifigs show up as 4 seperate pieces in the city sets (see downloadable instructions etc) so it seems reasonable to count them that way but i'm not the rules moderator Seems fair but the competition theme is for a technic set 200 or less pieces and I cannot remember the last time we saw minifigs in official technic sets.... inclusion of minifigs could make it 'modelteam' which is not allowed in the rules... being minifig scale should be ok as many technic sets are in many scales - many of them in minifig scale... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockbrick Posted June 17, 2014 (edited) And here is the 'more studless' version (well as studless as possible and keeping to 200 parts exactly) still very much a WIP: TrialTruck_v3.lxf Edited June 17, 2014 by Rockbrick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockbrick Posted June 20, 2014 even more studless - (only 6 studs showing from 9 studded parts only) due to redesigned rear swing axles: (199 parts so far) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockbrick Posted June 25, 2014 (edited) After spending most of the day trying to work out LDD to POV ray converter and the POV ray settings themselves, having my pc crash twice when almost finishing the render, eventually after leaving it running on a pc at work using 7 cores only (leaving the rest for the OS) that seemed to stop the crashing and this is the result... This is one crazy disease as I have now ordered most of the parts on bricklink so I can make this for the competition and photgraph it in pieces. will be my first LDD into real model ever... (even though the prototype at the very beginning began 'on the floor' so to speak) Latest studless LXF attached too Edited June 26, 2014 by Rockbrick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barman Posted June 27, 2014 Now this is a cool idea. Looks really nice. Only it is a lot of black. It would look better with a bit more color in it. I like that the second axle has less steering than the first one. Nice solution. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockbrick Posted June 27, 2014 (edited) Thanks barman, perhaps I should try some different colour schemes out in LDD, truth is most of my spare parts are black or greys... For now here is the latest version, studless except for one 1x4 plate under one of the steering racks, only because its one piece, and using 2 half bushes instead would take the part count up to 201 Seats adjustable forwards/backwards with tilt now too adding to the functionality Edited June 27, 2014 by Rockbrick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Essge Posted June 27, 2014 Why not try to make one with motors? Someone somewhere showed/had an idea on a very tiny drivedrain. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anton1678 Posted June 28, 2014 Why not try to make one with motors? Someone somewhere showed/had an idea on a very tiny drivedrain. Mini challenge says no motors allowed Except pull-back, you could do that Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockbrick Posted June 30, 2014 (edited) Maybe after the competition I will look into motorising but with the 200 part limit i was concentrating on looks, and functionality for now I think is enough, steering, pendular suspension and adjustable seats and openable front part (not enough to win, but enough for me to think it would make a lego set, and I have the best testers in the world, my two sons...) Edited June 30, 2014 by Rockbrick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anton1678 Posted June 30, 2014 Maybe after the competition I will look into motorising but with the 200 part limit i was concentrating on looks, and functionality for now I think is enough, steering, pendular suspension and adjustable seats and openable front part (not enough to win, but enough for me to think it would make a lego set, and I have the best testers in the world, my two sons...) Maybe you could fit in those lego fake piston engines, I managed to stick some in my Offroad Racer buggy mini challenge entry Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockbrick Posted July 7, 2014 (edited) Did another render to show the pendular 'suspension' in action... but got the lighting all wrong.... The bricklink order arrived and now I think I will stick to real photos from now on (I did some at the weekend and will probably choose the best for the entry) down to 199 parts according to LDD but when i count the parts photo I took of all the parts laid out I get a different number each time... So stuff rendering, I got to get to take some real photos as I said, compare to the real thing now: Edited July 7, 2014 by Rockbrick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockbrick Posted July 7, 2014 Brown or red seats? (i didnt have any blue - forgot to order them from Bricklink thinking i had enough) I have stuck with red for now: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
__________________________ Posted July 7, 2014 Very nice-looking Motorizine! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockbrick Posted July 9, 2014 Very nice-looking Motorizine! Thanks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockbrick Posted July 9, 2014 Experimenting with different colours: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockbrick Posted July 11, 2014 (edited) ....And finally got round to doing a parts photo: (ldd says 199 and after counting about 5 times I can concur it is 199 parts) Edited July 11, 2014 by Rockbrick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anton1678 Posted July 11, 2014 If you can release the LDD, I will build it for you with blue seats. In fact, I want to build it just because it's a good model Please link the LDD file, Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockbrick Posted July 11, 2014 (edited) Sure no problem - its a great feeling when someone else wants to build your models! I'm sure I included it further up but here it is again: TrialTruck_v3.2.lxf Can't seem to upload an updated attachment - but basically in real life you need to replace the 12z gear on the front steering rack with a 16z Edited July 11, 2014 by Rockbrick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
