New Technic magazine

[1974]

https://www.brickfanatics.com/first-issue-of-lego-technic-magazine-includes-the-themes-first-polybag-in-21-years/

[Maaboo the Witch]

Oh man, this is too cool! International versions please, TLG! Loads of interesting info here - so that's what Luke Cragin looks like!

[Ngoc Nguyen]

What does the text that points into the Ocean Explorer say? Can anyone figure out?

Since the model in the column for Milan is his first official model, at first I thought the Ocean Explorer is Luke Cragin's first set as well. But that doesn't make sense, because he joined TLG in 2019, while the set was released in 2017.

[Maaboo the Witch]

19 minutes ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

What does the text that points into the Ocean Explorer say? Can anyone figure out?

Since the model in the column for Milan is his first official model, at first I thought the Ocean Explorer is Luke Cragin's first set as well. But that doesn't make sense, because he joined TLG in 2019, while the set was released in 2017.

That puzzled me as well, since it was Alfred Pedersen who designed it. Maybe Luke just really likes it, or was inspired by a part of it. The text blurs, so I can't make it out - some scans of this mag would be great.

[Scoar Sonander]

I agree with Maaboo that the set could be his favorite, or it could just be something random, as some publishers like to do that for no apparent reason... 

Maybe the blurred text will solve the puzzle! Another ironic thing is that they are interviewing designers for a Lego Technic mag and they list their jobs as Lego Technic designers. I mean, what else would they be? Mountain climbers? 

Edited July 21, 2021 by Scoar Sonander

[TechnicRCRacer]

I would love this magazine to get a USA release! I assume it wouldn’t include the polybag though since it is not available here.

Edited July 21, 2021 by TechnicRCRacer

[paul_delahaye]

Fantastic, lets hope they role this to the UK, looking forward to some more technic polybags/foilbags

[Toastie]

5 hours ago, Scoar Sonander said:

Maybe the blurred text will solve the puzzle! Another ironic thing is that they are interviewing designers for a Lego Technic mag and they list their jobs as Lego Technic designers. I mean, what else would they be? Mountain climbers? 

Yeah, could be

I'll take the bike tomorrow and see whether they have the mag at the local ALDI or Netto "grocery" stores, well the latter is in walking distance - but could bike over to ALDI or the real,- wholesale store in Wuelfrath as well. They are usually well stocked with these magazines, the whole suite. I love them - from time to time I tend to buy a copy - when the polybag looks like fun.

Mountain climbers or not.

Best
Thorsten

Edited July 21, 2021 by Toastie
former or latter or not to be

[1974]

Yes, do one for the team

[Gimmick]

13 hours ago, Scoar Sonander said:

Another ironic thing is that they are interviewing designers for a Lego Technic mag and they list their jobs as Lego Technic designers. I mean, what else would they be? Mountain climbers? 

Senior Designer, Element Designer,...

[Toastie]

OK, just back from the bike ride - 13 km each way, including a long nice off-road section!

Weather is still nice - which is "good" for the people around here, who got seriously affected by the flooding. We were lucky, as we are living on a "hill". Helped out in Düsseldorf a couple of days though - it wasn't >that< terrible there. But having about 1.5 m of dirty water + mud in the basement is per se - well - bad.

Now here is the mag. real,- had it. Nothing special, I believe (not that much into Technic) - and I am sure you guys found all that stuff already somewhere else. The heli is nice (30465) - you can get that polybag for 3 Euros + s&h, e.g., from JB Spielwaren (https://www.jb-spielwaren.de/en/lego-30465-helicopter-polybag/a-30465/) but also easily for 7,49 Euros + s&h from some Amazon stores. As Jeffrey said after returning from his trip to the ionosphere: He is thanking all Amazon employees and customers, as they are paying for this (stupid crap).

Inside, there is also 81x54 cm2 (close to DIN A1) poster, which shows the Volvo thing on one side ("real" and Technic model) and some Technic "power" models on the other.

Saved my personal PDF copy (https://uni-wuppertal.sciebo.de/s/xF7aqOZ7lOcSd44)  

Best
Thorsten

P.S.: Top right button "Herunterladen" means "download" - for those who never took German classes

Edited July 22, 2021 by Toastie
saving Google translation time

[Maaboo the Witch]

Thanks for the download link, @Toastie! Time to test my German.

[1974]

Toastie, you're a proper modern hero

[Toastie]

You're most welcome @Maaboo35!

Should you guys have any further questions, let me know.

@1974 Ole, here is to feeling good!

 

On 7/21/2021 at 12:38 PM, Ngoc Nguyen said:

at first I thought the Ocean Explorer is Luke Cragin's first set as well.

No, the text says: Research vessel (42064) "Favorite model: Research vessel, helicopter and submarine in one set. Totally cool"

And at the bottom left of his column it reads: (The Volvo dumper 6x6) The first designed set. "In the beginning it was my task to design only the ladder, in the end I planned all the details of the cabin. Actually, the principal designer of the set, Michael Jeppesen, and I visited Volvo in Sweden to have a look at the gigantic real truck".

Best
Thorsten

Edited July 22, 2021 by Toastie
to design only or only to design ...

[Erik Leppen]

Thanks for the download @Toastie :) I scanned through it, I think for us there's not that much new. The designer section is the only remotely interesting bit, in my view.

Most of it is lots and lots of exclamation marks. As someone really not into magazines, this is one of the first things I noticed... Are all modern magazines like this? Wow, it's screamy, man. Don't people get sensory overload by just looking at this? I can't count the number of different design elements thrown at this thing. Text in capitals, colored text, all kinds of colored boxes and gradients and swoops and shapes and fonts and arrows and things, makes it look very amateuristic and thrown-together. Even sets like 42080 are well-crafted gems compared to this :/

Weird random fact: Luke Cragin says "the more functions a model has, the better I like it" yet his fave model is the ocean explorer (42064). Er, how...? The boat hardly does anything, and the mini vehicles could have been $10 sets. People are weird :/

In any case, thanks again for offering the download, but for people who can't read German: you're not really missing much...

[Lira_Bricks]

Quote

Most of it is lots and lots of exclamation marks. As someone really not into magazines, this is one of the first things I noticed... Are all modern magazines like this?

Weren't magazines always like that? I remember the magazines we got as children, and as far as I remember it was equally screaming.

[Toastie]

2 hours ago, Erik Leppen said:

I think for us there's not that much new.

Hi Erik,
no, nothing much new for sure - taken that "us" stands for "the experienced Technic builders". (I am not!) 

There are Ninjago, City, Friends, StarWars, etc. pp. mags, coming out every month or so. They all feature a/some poly bag/s. Some of these are (I believe) not so much in the public domain, others are (as the heli in this mag), some only have minifigs. One big thing appears to be these collecting "cards" featuring certain characters or devices, vehicles, being of some "value". And in "all" (I am not sure) the non-Technic mags, there are comics. Clearly aimed at age 10 with a margin of error of at least 5 in every direction.

These mags are made for children or those who still feel to be that age (sometimes including me, depending on the poly bag ...).

What I like very much: In all of these mags is the (as I judge it) positive feel. Yes, storm troopers are usually depicted as low minds. But they usually get away in a not so embarrassing way. Yes, things are blasted into pieces - but these are intact LEGO pieces, and no shrapnel. Friends mags are about caring for others, City is about getting it done and so on (again: My personal interpretation only!!!)

Now with the Technic mag there is another twist: No comic. More so challenging young readers to find out, in which direction an axle would rotate in a (for "us" super simple) drive train. 

Summary: I really like this approach. Quizzes, solutions, and of course: Ads all over the place. Plus: An enormous amount of font sizes, colors, etc. pp. But it appears as if this sells. I got the last copy of the mag. The lady told me, they had 10 in stock and these mags never sell at this pace; the remaining mags were still present at some numbers. Well, this is a singular probe, of course.

BTW, there is also a LEGO "Science" type of mag - that one goes all the way through. Really nice!

@Lira_Bricks: Yes, magazines were always like that, I believe.

All the best
Thorsten

P.S.: I forgot: This magazine sells at 4 Euro 50 cents. The heli clocks in at a minimum of about 3 Euro (+s&h ...) no bad deal, I'd say. Plus: I can - if I were 10 +/- 5 years old - put up this huge poster ;)

Edited July 22, 2021 by Toastie

[Jundis]

I just scrolled through the pages and one thing bugged me, as the gear puzzles on page 8 are not really well thought out.

The first challenge is easy, but the options for solutions are only "to the right" and "to the left", which really is awkward, since the red bent arrow is placed in such a way, that it points to the left in both directions... the arrow should be way smaller and above the gear in question.

The second challenge is way harder, but really intriguing. I guess I'd really struggle as a kid to see and understand exactly the twists of the worm gear shown.

 The third one should have a third solution "nothing is happening", since the red clutch gear doesn't grip on the axle. 

[Maaboo the Witch]

The UK version has been released.

Edited November 4, 2021 by Maaboo35

[TechnicRCRacer]

Is this magazine/polybag ever coming to the USA? I’ve been waiting for almost a year.

[Maaboo the Witch]

Got mine today! Searched four shops before I found it; there were two copies, but one was missing the 'copter (I obviously didn't get that one).

Pretty reasonably priced too at £4.99, considering you get a set and a poster.