My (troubled) first studless building experience

[MadMax1998]

I believe I was 14 or 15 the last time I really messed around with Lego Technic (and Lego in general). I was experienced enough with the various Technic sets I had back in the 90s to attempt a few creations of my own that actually had some function, so I would consider myself a proficient Technic builder at least at that age. Years later my best friend and I rebuilt the 8868 set out of curiosity if we could do it after all this time, and it was pretty possible. Now, again quite a few years later, I'm back into Lego and I'm collecting all the parts for the Technic sets I remember most, rebuilding them with my girlfriend. I still feel very familiar with the old studded building scheme and the common Technic parts used in the 90s.

The studless models of today have some kind of appeal (mostly decoratively) over the sometimes odd-looking old models, but I feel it's very far from what Lego used to be. I can't imagine studless parts being as versatile and reusable as the studded bricks and plates, and I was very skeptical when I saw the new Technic line for the first time in ages. But there's no better way to form an opinion than to try studless building, and so the first Technic set I purchased since getting back to Lego was the 9396 helicopter. I had the box around for two weeks now while sorting out and building some old Technic models, and tonight I finally started.

To sum up my first two hours of studless building: it's back to school. Like I never touched Technic in my life!

Sure, there are still pins and connectors, links, axles and joints. But even after getting a good overview of today's Technic from Sariel's new book (great resource), I feel like I'm building a Technic model for the first time. I know this new building style requires new parts to make it work, but there are SO MANY of them! It seems Lego has invented a part for any function that could and would have been constructed from existing parts a few years ago. The 9396 set has what, 10 plastic bags of parts? And the first four pages of the instructions require me to open all of them! I had trouble figuring out where to put all the parts as my computer desk is not that deep, but I settled for leaving the opened bags on the desk with the parts inside (at least Lego made the bags big enough to pick parts out of them separately). After a while I started remembering which bag that 5-stud axle was in, at which point I also realized there is a system to these bags and I could actually keep some of them that were often used near me while shuffling others off the table. Still, one bag for the first few pages followed by another would have been way less messy. I don't think the old Technic sets were organized like that.

That's what it looked like after the first hour of building. I was so slow selecting parts and coming to terms with how the parts new to me had to be fit in, I really only came this far in 60 minutes...

One thing I find irritating from the instructions is the way colors are represented. I'm not color-blind and I worked with good lighting, but I regularly mistook dark grey for black and sometimes even light gray for dark gray when looking at the computer layouts. I don't remember having so much trouble with color-picking using old instructions! However, the fact that there are two tones of gray for liftarms/beams and several shades of gray, tan and brown for pins and axles really makes it more difficult. I wonder why they did it; will it really make the final model look better?

Another problem with color is the apparent inconsistency with color-coding the parts. Previously it was: gray = no friction, black = friction. Now we have black and gray standard pins here, but the axle pins are blue for friction and tan for no friction. Alright, that should mean every tan piece is frictionless and every blue piece has friction? But the double-length pins with bushings are gray and they have massive friction! It's not a problem for me when building to instructions, but I can only imagine picking the wrong pieces when trying to make a MOC with these parts. And from some resources I've seen that there are/were even more colors available for many of the parts? So does Lego change them up every year or what?

Alright, one hour later I'm exhausted (it's the middle of the night, though) and I'm wrapping it up for now. I got a bit faster and came this far:

I now begin to get a clue of what all those losely attached beams and links might be doing later on. The only complete assembly is the front wheel, but two other assemblies have been sticking/hanging around for half an hour without me being able to tell what they might do. Looking at the construct on my table, I see a jumbled mess of beams and junctions, but it's hard to tell them apart from each other at first glance. Studless building really is more complex and with that inside-outward approach (building the seats into the chassis O.o) I understand why it's required to think ahead when building your own models this way.

Studless building, day 1:

- I've never been so slow building any Lego set.

- So many different parts and colors! How will I manage?

- It's hard to see through the complexity the bigger the model gets. Much harder than in the past with studded models.

- The instructions only fill 3 volumes because every step includes just a tiny number of parts. That doesn't help make the building simpler, though.

- Some pieces require a lot of physical effort (brown axle with stud); I can't imagine a child building this model alone...

- Even for me as an adult with lots of Technic experience from the past, this building style is challenging. Very!

Now I don't know whether you simply adapt through practice or if it's a genuine learning curve to master, but I'm looking forward to continuing... somehow. I'm also daunting it. Bring on the challenge.

[Moz]

Some of the colour variety actually stems from the variety of parts. With so many parts that are so similar to each other they're using colour to help kids tell the difference between them. Axles, for example, are (mostly) black for even number lengths and light bley for odd numbers. But as you note, the difference between the greyish colours in the instructions can be confusing. That, everyone complains about.

What I complain about is the difficulty and cost of getting consistent colours, where that's even possible. You can get 3-long pin friction parts in black, or you used to be able to. Now they're reasonably readily available second hand. But black 2 long axle-pin joiners? At least 0.70 euro each in quantity, if you can find them. There are many similar issues if you're building Technic MOCs with exposed Technic elements (rather than Model Team MOCs with Technic innards)

The rest, I'm afraid, is just practice and experience. Perhaps look at the "Build Area Tips" thread for some ideas (small containers or a bigger desk, basically).

[Paul202]

Hoepfully you will get used to it, when I first built technic I didn't like it however I adapted and in fact now I'm selling my studded Lego collection because I don't use them anymore.

[750ACE]

Most people are upset about the instructions being easy and the waste of four or five single part steps which should be rolled into a one step process.

[dhc6twinotter]

I agree, the dark bley and black colors are pretty easy to get mixed up. When I started building with studless parts, the first thing I noticed was that everything was built using odd dimensions. That threw me for a loop at first, but I've gotten used to it now. IMHO, building with studded parts is probably a bit easier, but studless parts makes mechanisms more compact and allows for more 3-dimensional building.

As far as pins go, this pretty much sums up the colors (note: "bley" is the new bluish grey colors that are different than the old grey)

2L black pin: friction pin

2L tan axle/pin: no friction axle/pin

2L blue axle/pin: friction pin

2L bley pin: no fiction pin

3L blue pin: friction pin

3L tan pin: no friction pin

3/4 dark bley pin: no friction pin

3/4 tan pin: no friction (new 2013 sets appear to be using tan instead of dark bley)

1/2 blue and bley pins are used interchangeably

And axles are setup like this:

bley axles: odd lengths

black axles: even lengths

dark bley axles: 4L with stop, 8L with stop, 5.5L axles, and 3L axle with stud (sets more than about 2 years old).

tan axles: 3L with stud (within the last couple years or so)

Gears are also color-coded. The 20t gears have been both tan and black, although I think most of the recent sets have been using black 20t gears.

1L bushings are red or bley, and 1/2 bushings are yellow. The pin with bushing appears to be offered in several different colors, depending on the set.

Edited January 27, 2013 by dhc6twinotter

[Carsten Svendsen]

I realize this aint a hate thread, but I can't stand all the stupid color codes either. Blue pins? Grey axles? 2L axles red? Yellow bushings? Different colored gears???? The model will be a completely random mix of colors and will look like shit compared to if you built the models using original colors. It's just as easy finding a 3 or 5 black axle as it is finding a 3 or 5 grey axle.

Another thing is the instructions. Seriously? 2-5 parts per page???? What a WASTE of valuable paper! I don't mind they come in 3 "books" now, but earlier it was in 1 book only with 10-20 parts per page. I understand that this is made to simplify it all to newcomers and kids, but why ruin the experience for everyone else?

Small stupid kids aren't the target for Technic, adults are, and they can think for them selves!

[Lipko]

Ahhh, here we go with the instructions again.

It's not only about simplicity, I prefer the new style for example, and I don't think I'm a small stupid kid.

I was much more exhausted when building in the old style (for example when rebuilding 8880 1.5 years ago, it took about 5 hours and wasn't fully disassembled, many sub assemblies, like the engine, parts of the rear hood, etc were assembled) then with the new style (the Unimog took 5 hours to build and I didn't pre-sort he elements before building). I just get bored with the old style much faster. Seeing a sub-part list of 20 parts just makes me "Ahhhh". In my opinion, it requires more attention, cause you usually have to pay attention to more regions of the build simultaneously. Of course, you should get the parts in the sub-partlist in advance, so you can make sure you don't forget something. But for me, that makes the building boring after some time (pre-collecting pieces -> building -> pre-collecting pieces -> building). Plus the more attention makes me tired sooner.

I don't have to do this with the new style instructions. This is just a preference, and I think I'm not he only one in the world who thinks like this. So please, don't call us stupid, or don't say TLG looks down on its customers.

For the colors: you will get used to it very quickly. And i like the various colors. Call me brown nose.

Edited January 27, 2013 by Lipko

[Carsten Svendsen]

On a side note to what I just said, I think that the instructions should NOT come in paper with the model at all, but should be downloaded from LEGO's website. That'd save millions of tonnes of paper. And then there's more space on the desk for placing plastic bags/bricks etc as a bonus.

Some people wouldn't like it, but it's about time everyone jump on the technology ship instead of being that old grump that doesn't want to face the future.

Furthermore, we should think of the environment, not ourselves.

Edited January 27, 2013 by Carsten Svendsen

[Paul B Technic]

I was the much the same when I started back in Technic a few years ago and I had to get use to the new way studless is built, the more you build the better you will get at it.

[Ape Fight]

On a side note to what I just said, I think that the instructions should NOT come in paper with the model at all, but should be downloaded from LEGO's website. That'd save millions of tonnes of paper. And then there's more space on the desk for placing plastic bags/bricks etc as a bonus.

Some people wouldn't like it, but it's about time everyone jump on the technology ship instead of being that old grump that doesn't want to face the future.

Furthermore, we should think of the environment, not ourselves.

I think the tons of oil used to make the plastic in LEGO is a bigger deal. Personally I would not want to try and build a large Technic set on my computer desk. You can always recycle the instructions afterwards if you wish.

[Chilly]

Oh no, please don't get rid of the paper instructions. I build sitting on the lounge floor in front of the woodburner. I've got loads and loads of "computer" instructions, but the cost to print them at home is way higher than commercial printing, and also I suspect has a higher environmental cost too.

If anyone has printed instructions they don't want they can always send them my way !!! Or do what most people do and recyle them through eBay or boot sales

[RohanBeckett]

I'm an IT System Admin.. so I'm in front of a PC all day..

I actually don't even own a laptop, or Ipad

so when I decide to get away from the PC.. it's nice to sit at a table.. and build.. and just have a booklet next to me

I do wish that they'd consolidate *Some* of the steps.. I do understand that kids (TLG's primary audience), have lots of trouble with super complex instructions.. but surely there should be no reason that a technic set should *ever* have a step with just 1 part

I personally always loved the challenge of 'find what's new with the next picture.. and really.. if you collected all the pieces required for each step.. you'd always find them..

and of course, I'll admit, building an old step, (even in the last few years), I'd rush ahead, and go to attach a piece.. and... wait a minute! I missed something.... and then flick back 2-3 pages to find where I missed it!! (all part of the fun of building!)

RB

[Paul202]

I always hated it as a kid when there was a giant model and somewhere a pin was added. Couple that with the fact that the colors on the lego instructions books a terrible AND I'm partially colorblind, and at times it was extremely hard to build a model.

[DLuders]

I think that the instructions should NOT come in paper with the model at all, but should be downloaded from LEGO's website.

Given that The Lego Group has done a poor job uploading the B-Model building instructions for recent Technic sets (waiting 2-3 weeks after a set's official release), do you REALLY want to rely 100% on their webmaster posting ALL of the instructions? They can't even keep up with their simple tasks now. They post incomplete instruction booklets and their Quality Control is pitiful.

Edited January 27, 2013 by DLuders

[Carsten Svendsen]

Given that The Lego Group has done a poor job uploading the B-Model building instructions for recent Technic sets (waiting 2-3 weeks after a set's official release), do you REALLY want to rely 100% on their webmaster posting ALL of the instructions? They can't even keep up with their simple tasks now. They post incomplete instruction booklets and their Quality Control is pitiful.

If they put their energy into web-instructions rather than paper I'd be pretty sure that the instructions would be uploaded in HQ on release date.

[Carrera124]

- I've never been so slow building any Lego set.

- So many different parts and colors! How will I manage?

- Even for me as an adult with lots of Technic experience from the past, this building style is challenging. Very!

I agree with that. Especially, the color/friction issue bothers me.

The reason is, that some liftarms have round holes at their ends, while other liftarms have axle-holes at their ends.

To connect them firmy, there are at least 3 different methods:

- use a standard 2L connection pin with friction (black)

- use a 2L axle-pin connector with friction (blue)

- use a 2L axle (red)

It is obvious that is no good idea to produce these parts in the same color, to get a clear distinction between friction and non-friction-parts.

Everyone but be driven crazy if 3 different 2L parts would have the same color. There must be an easy method to distinguish them.

As the liftarms have no studs, you need millions of axles and connectors to build a studless set. In contrast to that, classic studded sets are doing well using only a few connector parts, and axles are mainly used as axles.

Personally, I prefer classic studded sets. Thanks to Ebay and Bricklink, it is still no problem to get good and/or unopened ones.

[Soluzar]

If they put their energy into web-instructions rather than paper I'd be pretty sure that the instructions would be uploaded in HQ on release date.

One major complaint I have with their web instructions is that they are often poor quality and pixelated. The colour reproduction is worse than on paper, too. I don't want that to be the only copy I can work with.

[750ACE]

You know what I found which was good?? I like how the digital instructions (pdf) help find where you need to find your piece when jumping from one page to the next back to the previous. Designer han or crowkillers for example, more complex building but with a quick jump back and forth in the pdf you can find where that part goes.

Lego instructions on the other hand, as I said way to many steps and colors. I am curious how the new crane flagship instructions will be, 5 books like the unimog?

[Carrera124]

One major complaint I have with their web instructions is that they are often poor quality and pixelated. The colour reproduction is worse than on paper, too. I don't want that to be the only copy I can work with.

That is really true. I guess, they are afraid of non-authorized reprints if they would provide HQ PDF-files.

[Soluzar]

That is really true. I guess, they are afraid of non-authorized reprints if they would provide HQ PDF-files.

It would be nice if they'd upgrade the instructions for older models to HQ at least. They aren't going to make more money selling discontinued models, and if I want to try to build it from my part collection, I've got a pretty poor set of instructions to work from.

[S.I]

Its almost impossible to determine which angle connector and which axle length is meant for some older instructions, which makes building them very frustrating.

[Jim]

You will get used to the color scheme of the various parts. I for one like the distinguishable colors.

As for the studless building techniques; you will get used to them pretty soon. I thinks it's much better than the old studded models, in ways of building and in the strength of your model. However, that's also very personal.

Although I am a big fan of building with a PDF, TLG should, and probably will, never stop distributing sets without printed instructions. They simply can't sell an incomplete product. And if they would, the PDF should be of a much better quality.

For the new Mindstorms TLG will provide an app for building the models step by step in full 3D, so maybe this is the start of a new era.

[Paul202]

I don't think anyone's brought up how in Lego instruction books the color black looks like grey.

[Samanen]

I don't think anyone's brought up how in Lego instruction books the color black looks like grey.

That's true. Lego should really make the differrence more visible.

Myself I'd prefer a mix of the new and the old instructions. Some steps could easily be eliminated from the new istructions and be incorporated in other steps. Many times I've felt that it's hard to get the big picture of what you're building like it is now, instead of actually knowing what part you're building. (for eg. when you're building parts for a cab,you do'nt know ecactly what it is)

[Paul B Technic]

On a side note to what I just said, I think that the instructions should NOT come in paper with the model at all, but should be downloaded from LEGO's website. That'd save millions of tonnes of paper. And then there's more space on the desk for placing plastic bags/bricks etc as a bonus.

Some people wouldn't like it, but it's about time everyone jump on the technology ship instead of being that old grump that doesn't want to face the future.

Furthermore, we should think of the environment, not ourselves.

I also work in IT and would hate to have to look at a screen to build. I do this to build some "B" models and find it much harder.

On a side note to what I just said, I think that the instructions should NOT come in paper with the model at all, but should be downloaded from LEGO's website. That'd save millions of tonnes of paper. And then there's more space on the desk for placing plastic bags/bricks etc as a bonus.

Some people wouldn't like it, but it's about time everyone jump on the technology ship instead of being that old grump that doesn't want to face the future.

Furthermore, we should think of the environment, not ourselves.

I also work in IT and would hate to have to look at a screen to build. I do this to build some "B" models and find it much harder.