Sets can't escape Technic?

[green dewback]

I have a lot of ugly Technic pieces from my 2nd theme which is the "alpha team: mission deep sea".

They are kept in separate containers from my other pieces.

[YG-49]

I can't really think of a set where the blue pins show after the final set is completed.

This has never bothered me for that reason.

The Venator.

[Raphy]

What Carbohydrates said. :D

[God Iron]

The colors used can turn a potentially good set into a not so good one. The pins are black, blue, tan and so fourth.

All of us have this problem. The only thing I can recomend is to order some in more appealing colours off BL.

[Siegfried]

I don't think so. IMHO it makes sets more cost effective, and several would have been impossible without Technic. Besides, Technic has been around for a long time and is arguably more "LEGO" than many other parts.

Even so, I do agree that a few sets have been a Technic box with extras, and as a result look horrid from certain angles. For example, 8108 Mobile Devastator...

I am rather surprised by the poll results. ( Yes it is [ 15 ] [24.59%], No it isn't [ 16 ] [26.23%], It's a good balance [ 30 ] [49.18%]) I would have expected more against.

[Kingboy]

I am rather surprised by the poll results. ( Yes it is [ 15 ] [24.59%], No it isn't [ 16 ] [26.23%], It's a good balance [ 30 ] [49.18%]) I would have expected more against.

I am also moderately (and pleasantly) surprised by the current results. Not because I dislike use of Technic pieces (I voted for "good balance"), but because I am constantly taken aback at the AFOL capacity to kvetch over the most pointless minutiae.

[Piranha]

I would have to say a good balance of TECHNIC in sets is nice.

TECHNIC gives features and opportunities that SYSTEM parts couldn't. Various examples include the lift function on the dump truck, opening bay doors on a RGS or locomotion for the Emerald Night.

[Spyder]

I think Lego does a good job of balancing it out, although I see much more technic in system sets than I did 5 years ago. Alot of the Power Miners sets are 3/4 technic, but I still buy the smaller sets that have less technic. For me, I love a little technic in the set, they are great for adding playability and details. In fact, I need to order a bunch more gray half-pins for MOCing, as I'm all out. The only thing I don't like about technic is the colors of most of the pins, especially the blue ones.

[lightningtiger]

I voted 'Good Balance'. I have noticed that Technic used in non-Technic sets, like City or Star Wars, are used for special features on vehicles or devices that do something. Example 7642 garage vehicle lift also heavy tow truck and most of the major Star Wars fighting machines use Technic to deploy weapons, open hatches, lower landing gear or fold-out wings.

[larry marak]

I think the balance is right. The use of technic does make most of the sets for older kids, and does challenge re-use of sets in kid-designed models, but the structural integrity trumps complexity. Look at Bionicle....these are all technic sets, and they have been Lego's number one seller to children for a decade, having saved Lego from bankruptcy a while back. Kids going from Bionicle to other themes are very comfortable with technic elements because that's what they learned on.

As for the lack of color choices in technic pieces, as the Clone Ranger, I can only suggest you do as I do an purchase Technic sets from Chinese brick companies. They do (in some cases) use different colors for pins and beams.

[Captain M]

I voted for balance. Imagine a large build like the Star Wars Star Destroyer without black pins. We'd be using glue!