Increasing number of technic bricks in system sets

[wakokid23]

Unfortunately,I have purchased all of the new Lego technic sets that are available at my local retailers, And have since started purchasing sets from Lego star wars etc. to satisfy my Lego addiction. Does anyone else who builds with both technic and system notice that there is an increasing number of technic axles,liftarms etc in system set? for example 75040 (Greivous' wheel bike) has an outer frame comprised mainly of technic axles and connectors, and the batmobile in 76012(riddler chase) has quite a few technic liftarms,pins axles and the like,including a set of gold technic rims. is it just me or is this a trend?

[Zerobricks]

I guess it because technic allows you to do more complex and sturdier constructions.

[jantjeuh]

I noticed this as well, probably for the reasons Zblj mentioned.

[Paul Boratko]

A lot of Star Wars sets have been implementing more and more Technic parts for functionality... The new Sand Crawler is an excellent example...

And of course as Zblj said to make them sturdier as they get much larger...

Edited March 4, 2015 by Paul Boratko

[dr_spock]

Also to do things with motion. I don't know if it is more or the same. I've seen a lot of Technic bits in my kid's Mars Mission and Power Miners stuff from years ago. Even my old Star Wars AT-AT from early 2000 had a frame of technic bricks and other parts if I recall.

[DrJB]

Look at it this way: Technic allows you to build sturdy/hollow/lighter constructions than if you just used plain bricks. The Millennium Falcon and other notorious StarWars Sets would not have been possible with the classic non-technic bricks and without the Technic Skeleton Structure.

[nerdsforprez]

I guess it because technic allows you to do more complex and sturdier constructions.

Sturdier or studlier?

[weavil]

Here is a good one:

70165-Ultra Agents Mission HQ

[flyboy01157]

yeah, but it doseont look that great when you open it up and see all those beams and holes in your model.

[DrJB]

You can fill the holes with these ... but you'd need many many many of them, and they also come in few colors only.

It is true that Lego has evolved in ways not many of us 'like', but, what's the alternative? Like most 'grown' men (with big hands) I find the plethora of tiny pieces ludicrous (especially while helping my daughter with her 'friends' sets), but ok, can't do much about it.

Edited March 18, 2015 by DrJB

[Erik Leppen]

Saying "is an increasing number of technic axles,liftarms etc in system set?" is like saying that technic parts are of a different kind than system parts. Why is such a distinction made?

Both system and technic are Lego parts. All Lego parts are used in Lego models where designers think they fit best.

[Richard Dower]

weird....i thought technic sets were incorporating more and more system parts...........

[Blakbird]

Saying "is an increasing number of technic axles,liftarms etc in system set?" is like saying that technic parts are of a different kind than system parts. Why is such a distinction made?

Both system and technic are Lego parts. All Lego parts are used in Lego models where designers think they fit best.

In my opinion, they are 2 different systems. Modern System building is nothing like modern Technic building, and they use an almost completely different palette of parts. The genius of the LEGO designers is in making these 2 very different systems work together so seamlessly. It is pretty easy to look at a part and tell which system it belongs to.

[DrJB]

The distinction is getting more blurred. It seems as TLG designers become more comfortable with Technic pieces, we'll see more of them in non-Technic sets.

I recently got an 'Elves' set for my daughter, and there were Trans-Blue thin 4L liftarms in it. Though that color was never seen in Technic models.

[Blakbird]

The distinction is getting more blurred. It seems as TLG designers become more comfortable with Technic pieces, we'll see more of them in non-Technic sets.

I recently got an 'Elves' set for my daughter, and there were Trans-Blue thin 4L liftarms in it. Though that color was never seen in Technic models.

I'd say there is more cross pollination than ever (parts from one system being used in the other), but I think the distinction in parts itself is getting sharper rather than more blurred. The part you illustrated, for example, is clearly a Technic part even though it is in a Friends set.

[DrJB]

Good point. One needs to make the distinction then, between Technic parts and Technic sets. While the technic sets use a majority of technic parts, those parts find their way into non-technic themes/sets, via cross-pollination, as you eloquently phrased it. Though at times it seems it's only a one-way pollination. Technic parts seem to pop-up in many themes, yet only a limited number of parts from such themes make their way into technic sets. The only two 'parts' I can think of are classic (not sure what to call those, System?) and on rare occasions bionicle.

Edited March 20, 2015 by DrJB

[wakokid23]

For me it's just interesting to see atechnic solution used in system building.with the barman Seth I mentioned,the riddlers dragster is very much a classic system build,but the Batmobile is at heart a simple technic car built on two studded beams,and even uses a pair of large technic wheels.when I played with Lego as a kid vrry rarely would I seeany technical parts at all,and it's interesting to see it make it's way into classic Lego

[perrush]

I find this a good evolution. Technic allows other structures to be build with system. So why would we (or better LEGO) take the advantage ?

[Boxerlego]

This is not really new though. I've seen Technic parts in LEGO set since I can remember. Check out the Time Cruiser theme, Lots of uses of Technic parts in there.