Beyond Technic

[aeh5040]

I think it will always be likely that TLG will repeat similar set designs every few years.  Their main market is children, and the tastes of children (of any particular age range) probably do not change very much from one year to another.  TLG's primary motivation is to sell sets, and it is natural for them to favour tried and tested stratgies.  This is bound to result in long-term AFOLs being slightly disappointed in the set selection.

Given these realities, I actually think that they do a huge amount that should please AFOLs, especially in Technic, and especially in recent years.  For example, the BWE is the biggest technic set ever, a completely new concept, has several never-before-seen mechanisms, and has some really useful new parts along the lines that some of us have long wished for.  And don't forget the Porsche - while maybe we are not super happy with the execution, it was obviously a very serious attempt to appeal to an adult market, and that part should be applauded.  Even though there are (as always) disappointments, I think we are living in a Technic golden age.

Speaking for myself, I have a list of a dozen or very challenging MOCs I would like to ultimately make.  My main constraint is finding enough time to work on them.  So definitely no fears of running out of motivation or inspiration...

[nerdsforprez]

+1 to this comment.  Initially, the OP mentioned that he had hoped he was not being "presumptuous" in their post.  I don't think that it is presumptuous at all to say one is bored with Lego sets.  After all, we are talking about a kids toy, market, etc.  That is why it is up to AFOLs to create their own community for projects that are more tailors to their liking.  Which is the reason for forums such as this.  

 

 

[Didumos69]

8 hours ago, nerdsforprez said:

+1 to this comment.  Initially, the OP mentioned that he had hoped he was not being "presumptuous" in their post.  I don't think that it is presumptuous at all to say one is bored with Lego sets.  After all, we are talking about a kids toy, market, etc.  That is why it is up to AFOLs to create their own community for projects that are more tailors to their liking.  Which is the reason for forums such as this. 

This is also how I see it. In my opinion new sets need only get new people interested for Technic. And I would encourage those people to start building their own stuff after a few sets. Personally, I only quickly scan what parts are included, when new sets come along. And when it comes to building my own stuff,  I have the feeling I have only just started to explore the possibilities of LEGO Technic. And in that process beauty and 'how things work' go hand in hand. Therefore I would like to insert a quote that is my motto in almost everything I create, both as a professional and as a hobbyist:

Quote

When something works well, you can feel it; there is a sense of rightness to it. We call that rightness beauty, and it ought to be the single most important component of design.

From the backside of David Gelernter's witty argued essay, Machine Beauty.