Technic 2017 Set Discussion

[Appie]

There's also one rule that applied to 90% (perhaps even 100%, but I am sure somebody will chime in with the exception) of the so-called flagships the past couple of years: biggest box. The "flagship box" has the same width and length for the past years, only the height changed since the 42030. Biggest box doesn't care about size of the final model or the part count. 42070 comes in the biggest box, therefore it is the flagship.

Edited July 25, 2017 by Appie

[1gor]

23 hours ago, Erik Leppen said:

In my humble opinion, stickers are the abomination of recent Technic. The last few years, sets became so reliant not only on panels but mainly on stickered panels it's not funny anymore. I find it a worrying trend that designers rely on stickers rather than actual detailing. I think if a model doesn't look right without stickers, the design is sub-par. 

Fortunately, I think most sets look perfectly fine without stickers. 42069 looks great without stickers (much better than with them).

Now, off to reading the review 

Agree 

23 hours ago, Jim said:

No more waiting...check it out.

I have Pinned the review temporarily as someone suggested earlier.

After whole day of playing with fire woods (ok have to store them) it is time to enjoy your review 

Now I feel honnored that someone respected my suggestion for pinning topics dealing with reviews. Thanks 

Edited July 25, 2017 by I_Igor

[DarkShadow73]

I have main model 42069 together, looks great, and as many have said much better without stickers.  

Now, I'm trying to find instructions for the B model since I purchased another 42069.  Lego US does not have them listed in their building instructions yet.  Does anyone know where I can get a pdf file or something similar so I can download them?

Thanks...

 

[AVCampos]

I agrre that it looks better without the stickers. Black and purple and yellow and grey is too much BOLOCs. With only purple and black, it looks much sleeker, almost Decepticon-ish. But purple is still a really terrible colour to MOC with.

[J_C]

20 minutes ago, DarkShadow73 said:

Does anyone know where I can get a pdf file or something similar so I can download them?

 

I think B-model instructions will not be ready for download before official release which is 1 August. That being said Lego sometimes has delays with B-model instructions release. 

<complaint to Lego> I would prefer printed B-model instructions anyway </complaint to Lego>

Edited July 25, 2017 by J_C

[Erik Leppen]

3 hours ago, Appie said:

Biggest box doesn't care about size of the final model

I'm not so sure about that.

I sometimes have the feeling that sets are in a big box just because the final model will be big, and a big box will make the target audience more eager to have it. And a big model justifies a big box much easier than a small compact intricate model. No matter whether the box is half empty. In case of 42070, the model itself is half empty too, but no child will care, so no parent will notice. I'm sure that if 42069 were in a box the same size of 42070, parents would be a bit disappointed by the final model's size, because the average parent doesn't see or understand the value of a tightly packed model.

Because boxes have a lot of empty space. Much more than Sariel's reviews seem to indicate. A little anecdote to demonstrate: a while back I decided that I wanted some Lego to build at my boyfriend's place, so I bought 42066 (the medium blue jet), built it, and afterwards, took the parts home. According to Sariels video, the box is 58 x 37 x 8.5 cm, which is about 18L, and he says it is 80% full. The book and stickers is about A4 and, say, 1.5 cm thick, which is about 1 L. Afterwards, I took the parts home in three bins that totalled less than 6L.

Which means the box is at most 7/18 filled, or less than 40%. The set could have been packaged in the box of 42062 (container yard).

Things are probably worse for a set like 42065, because it has expensive (for their size) electric components, so it's more expensive per volume, so to make people buy it, it has to look bigger than it is.

Edited July 25, 2017 by Erik Leppen

[Appie]

Absolutely true.

One small note: My reference about size of the model was mostly aimed at flagship sets (so biggest box) among themselves. The 8043 for example, is a "small" flagship in terms of size and partcount compared to his brothers from the years that come after him, but like his bro's, it comes in the flagship box.

[DarkShadow73]

1 hour ago, J_C said:

I think B-model instructions will not be ready for download before official release which is 1 August. That being said Lego sometimes has delays with B-model instructions release. 

<complaint to Lego> I would prefer printed B-model instructions anyway </complaint to Lego>

I sort of figured that would be the case, just wondered if anybody had them. And yes I do know at times it takes Lego a time after release which is rather dumb considering someone might want to build a kit for the B model.

[agrof]

@Anio With your posterior approval I share here, on service of the community and sticker haters (me included). 

Anio made his video reviews for techlug.fr - as usual, he built the models without stickers. Seeing these, I really don't see the necessity of the stickers - and especially in that amount as in this year.

https://www.youtube.com/user/setechnic/videos

[Appie]

Personally I never really like sets that can't hold their own without stickers. The 42025 comes to mind, which is just a white canvas without stickers 

[Anio]

52 minutes ago, agrof said:

@Anio With your posterior approval I share here, on service of the community and sticker haters (me included). 

Anio made his video reviews for techlug.fr - as usual, he built the models without stickers. Seeing these, I really don't see the necessity of the stickers - and especially in that amount as in this year.

https://www.youtube.com/user/setechnic/videos

No problem.

My review are not published yet. 42068 will come this week end, 42069 in the next week, and 42070 after.

I have quite a good opinion on 42070, though. I do not think that the model is meh. More details when I publish my review.

[Appie]

7 hours ago, Anio said:

I have quite a good opinion on 42070, though. I do not think that the model is meh. More details when I publish my review.

While I am in the category that finds it "ok-ish" as a set, I think the price point is the biggest issue people have with the set.

[TechnicRCRacer]

10 hours ago, Appie said:

While I am in the category that finds it "ok-ish" as a set, 

Same. 

[Maaboo the Witch]

I think 42070 is great! Overpriced, sure, but it's got some good features, like those outriggers and that super-powered crane. Plus I don't own any RC sets so it appeals to me on that level. And SIX tractor tyres? Sold. 

[iv-tecman]

Set 42070 will drop in price - lego set 42055 Bucket Wheel dropped from a really high price in the UK to under £130 and for that price the BWE and all the parts you get and two great builds model A and model B, the big sets when they drop are worth picking up.

[Frequenzberater]

I was able to get a new 42069 for 107€ here in germany :) I expect it to arrive today and I will immediately start building. The nice reviews of @Sariel and @Jim have rised my lack of interest to a big impatience :D

[Appie]

6 hours ago, iv-tecman said:

Set 42070 will drop in price - lego set 42055 Bucket Wheel dropped from a really high price in the UK to under £130 and for that price the BWE and all the parts you get and two great builds model A and model B, the big sets when they drop are worth picking up.

It's not that getting deals on the set will be a problem. The BWE at times was basically at 50% off MSRP at some points here in The Netherlands. 42070's problem is that it has a crap value for money ratio. The BWE in itself was a "good" deal at MSRP, getting at a good discount only made the deal better. The 42070 first has to get a discount to even be considered a good deal before it can even come close to becoming a "better deal".

[Meatman]

Picked up the 42070 and 42069 from TRU today. Going to have a fun weekend with the kids.

[Jonfensu]

Speed builds of 42070 and 42069 brought by AustrianLegoFan

42069

42070

IMHO only the first stage (Gearbox) of 40270 seems interesting and enjoyable. The rest seems so simple and unfinished indeed

The 42069 has interesting building techniques (especially in both axles and doors mechanism) Indeed the final result is satisfactory, with many attention to the details. It does not feel like the set was rushed

 

 PD. Could somebody please tell me how embedd videos in my posts?

 

[offroadcreations]

17 minutes ago, Jonfensu said:

PD. Could somebody please tell me how embedd videos in my posts?

Just copy and paste the link to the video directly in the post:

 

Edited July 28, 2017 by Offroadcreat1ons

[Saberwing40k]

You know, 42070 almost seems like it's the b model for something much cooler...

[kbalage]

My speed build and feature presentation video of the great 42069, I really enjoyed building this set!

P.s. Don't forget to refill the jerrycans! :)

 

[Jim]

Not sure if it has been answered already, but this is how the utensils are provided in the 42068.

[1gor]

39 minutes ago, Jim said:

Not sure if it has been answered already, but this is how the utensils are provided in the 422068.

...hm... perhaps in 42068? 

[Jim]

Just now, I_Igor said:

...hm... perhaps in 42068? 

No it's the 422068...the super secret Q4 40 Year Anniversary set 

Corrected