[VIDEO REVIEW] 42131 CAT D11T Bulldozer + Control+ profile test

[Maaboo the Witch]

14 minutes ago, syclone said:

That's what I hate the most about the current lineup - there's no offering for those who want a challenge rather than being guided step by step (which personally is way more annoying as you're constantly turning a page after page after page, adding barely any pieces, whereas a callout could contain several of them and just point out the places they go with a red circle or something if it's that "hard") . Such overly detailed instructions are a waste of ink and paper as well - they seem to be twice the necessary size.

Adding to it - the "18+" still makes no sense to me, just put a big "Technic STARTER" tag on the box and be done. It just loses sense compared to EVERY other age indication on the boxes - what does 5+ then mean? Or 12+? Are those for starters or not? Or those are actually the sets for more experienced builders? Why is only those who can't build taken into consideration, how hard is to make at least 1 damned set that presents at least a little challenge to build???? At this point just have someone build the set for you, as the instructions are getting onto that level of dumb.

If someone wants a decoration, they can go to home improvement store, place a plant or order a pre-assembled scale model that'll be MUCH more detailed probably at a smaller size and pricepoint. Not butt into a hobby expecting to be able to do everything with NO previous experience. I'm not gonna drive a car if I don't know how to use it, right???

This. All of it. 

[jorgeopesi]

12 minutes ago, syclone said:

Back onto the CAT - is there any purpose in track tensioning in this model? 

My bet is that the distance between sprockets was wrong so they had to fix it, I have done some tracked MOCs and it is a common headache to achieve the right tension for the tracks.

[Maaboo the Witch]

1 minute ago, jorgeopesi said:

My bet is that the distance between sprockets was wrong so they had to fix it, I have done some tracked MOCs and it is a common headache to achieve the right tension for the tracks.

On real machines, this is done to stop the tracks becoming too tight and thus getting damaged.

[Gimmick]

30 minutes ago, syclone said:

Adding to it - the "18+" still makes no sense to me, just put a big "Technic STARTER" tag on the box and be done. It just loses sense compared to EVERY other age indication on the boxes - what does 5+ then mean? Or 12+? Are those for starters or not? Or those are actually the sets for more experienced builders?

--------------

Back onto the CAT - is there any purpose in track tensioning in this model? 

Nobody understands the age rating :D And actually I do not realy know what a instruction for experienced user has to look like. Sometimes it sound like "Where's Waldo?" with technic parts. :> Or more like an image of the completed gearbox, the parts and that's it?

Well track tension works like track tension... will there be a realy usable effect besides setting the distance? Probably not. But nevertheless something that can be appreciated I think.

Edited September 11, 2021 by Gimmick

[jorgeopesi]

9 minutes ago, Maaboo35 said:

On real machines, this is done to stop the tracks becoming too tight and thus getting damaged.

Thank you I konw it but I still think what I have said.

[Maaboo the Witch]

1 minute ago, Gimmick said:

Well track tension works like track tension... will there be a realy usable effect besides setting the distance? Probably not. But nevertheless something that can be appreciated I think.

It allows the dozer to roll better if the tracks are at optimum tension - not too slack and not too tight either.

[howitzer]

I don't get why people make such a big deal about the 18+ thing. I mean, it's obviously just marketing talk and has nothing to do with the set's actual quality, functionality or difficulty of building. I couldn't care less if the age rating was 3+ or 18+, as long as the set is interesting to me.

[Maaboo the Witch]

1 hour ago, howitzer said:

I don't get why people make such a big deal about the 18+ thing. I mean, it's obviously just marketing talk and has nothing to do with the set's actual quality, functionality or difficulty of building.

No, it just has everything to do with the price.

[J159753]

1 hour ago, Gimmick said:

Or more like an image of the completed gearbox, the parts and that's it?

second half of instruction booklets with the excellent Gravitrax marble runs (suggested age '8–99') gives you lots of ideas for runs with a detailed part list but plans with question marks over key bits. Either you try and work it out for yourself, or you turn the page to see their solution. My kids love working through these!

[syclone]

3 hours ago, Gimmick said:

Nobody understands the age rating :D And actually I do not realy know what a instruction for experienced user has to look like. Sometimes it sound like "Where's Waldo?" with technic parts. :> Or more like an image of the completed gearbox, the parts and that's it?

Well track tension works like track tension... will there be a realy usable effect besides setting the distance? Probably not. But nevertheless something that can be appreciated I think.

Even if I'm not an experinced builder, trying to solve a problem will develop your skills. In the 80s there were Universal building sets, often offering nothing more than a few images of the "idea" to build (similar to what @J159753 is mentioning). While it is true that back then making a detailed instruction booklet would've been a much more complex task comparing to today when anyone could do it, it's still a much more educative experience than tapping on your phone screen (Zetros app functions). 

I personally enjoyed reverse-engineering several MOCs, and it was a great experience, learning much more than following dumbed down instructions (that's how I finally understood how lego gearboxes worked). Most recent example is Piterx's bike - it really made me appreciate how it is put together while rebuilding it from the renders.

Track tensioning is cool and all, but they omitted a much more important function - ripper tilt 

[Gimmick]

45 minutes ago, syclone said:

Even if I'm not an experinced builder, trying to solve a problem will develop your skills.

I do not want to disagree, the problem is: The "normal people" have no motivation at all to invest energy in solving such problems. And therefore it's 'just' a problem of the targeted clientele.The whole PU system is based on "try it and solve your problems", yes it's not made of bricks, but the motivational hurdle is the same.

A more nerdy subtheme would be nice, I would like that, too.

[Citromon]

5 hours ago, howitzer said:

I don't get why people make such a big deal about the 18+ thing. I mean, it's obviously just marketing talk and has nothing to do with the set's actual quality, functionality or difficulty of building. I couldn't care less if the age rating was 3+ or 18+, as long as the set is interesting to me.

A set with a 3+ mark will be cheaper than the same set with an 18+ mark) 

[howitzer]

1 hour ago, Gimmick said:

A more nerdy subtheme would be nice, I would like that, too.

I believe that one is called Mindstorms ;)

[syclone]

1 hour ago, Gimmick said:

I do not want to disagree, the problem is: The "normal people" have no motivation at all to invest energy in solving such problems. And therefore it's 'just' a problem of the targeted clientele.The whole PU system is based on "try it and solve your problems", yes it's not made of bricks, but the motivational hurdle is the same.

A more nerdy subtheme would be nice, I would like that, too.

I don't have the motivation nor desire to solve integrations and derivatives in uni, but gotta do it 

I mean, the set's A and B models can have instructions, but perhaps providing an idea(s) for other stuff from the same set could be nice - nerdier people can try and build it, those who don't want to needn't do it))) 

I am of the opinion that if one picks a Technic set not expecting to learn anything about even the simplest mechanics is in the wrong theme  You won't become an engineer, but at least will learn the basics of how a suspension works or that two meshing gears rotate opposite of each other. 

The CAT manual could've included some explanations of mechanisms if it's really made for those who have no Technic experience, or are simply CAT fans. It also could've been accompanied by some renders/photos of the real thing's insides - but for that to occur they'd first need to fix the drive (top sprocket instead of bottom) and add the ripper tilting so as to make it more accurate. But apparently showing off the useless-in-lego-form "modularity" (as mentioned by Sariel, we haven't got anything to transport it on, so what's the point?) and some photos with mismatched colourschemes (black blade vs yellow blade) was much more necessary.

Well, thanks to the review I'll be looking for 8043 or 8257 if ever have the moneys.

PS. as far more nerdier sub-themes: I doubt we'll see one considering the flow of things.

Edited September 11, 2021 by syclone

[howitzer]

35 minutes ago, syclone said:

But apparently showing off the useless-in-lego-form "modularity" (as mentioned by Sariel, we haven't got anything to transport it on, so what's the point?) 

Umm, it's Lego. You can build your own transporter. I mean, the car transporter set came with only one car, does that mean that it can only ever transport that single car? Obviously not, you can build more to get the proper play experience, if you're so inclined.

[Bricktrain]

16 hours ago, syclone said:

 

That's what I hate the most about the current lineup - there's no offering for those who want a challenge rather than being guided step by step (which personally is way more annoying as you're constantly turning a page after page after page, adding barely any pieces, whereas a callout could contain several of them and just point out the places they go with a red circle or something if it's that "hard") . Such overly detailed instructions are a waste of ink and paper as well - they seem to be twice the necessary size.

So just don't look at the instructions and build it just from the photos 

[Polarlicht]

@kbalage Can you seperate the modules of the set after it's completed, as shown in the instruction book?

[kbalage]

40 minutes ago, Polarlicht said:

@kbalage Can you seperate the modules of the set after it's completed, as shown in the instruction book?

The modules in the instructions are about the building process and not the disassembly. It only says that you build similar subassemblies and put them together like the real one is built. You can go backwards in the instructions and separate the main builds but there are several smaller pieces that have to be removed meanwhile, so it's not an easy modular deconstruction. 

[Jim]

8 minutes ago, kbalage said:

The modules in the instructions are about the building process and not the disassembly. It only says that you build similar subassemblies and put them together like the real one is built. You can go backwards in the instructions and separate the main builds but there are several smaller pieces that have to be removed meanwhile, so it's not an easy modular deconstruction. 

I was hoping it would be, but unfortunately that's indeed not the case.

[brickless_kiwi]

I normally don't comment on reviews. But I quite enjoyed the style and presentation. 

I don't like the nit picking of another's review in fact some of the points he not picks over are so stupid to me or just does it show that he does not have a background in engineering.  Plus I don't like reading a lot of text.

I'm pretty familiar with d11's pretty much you only transport them twice. Once when you buy them and when you sell them. I should know. I don't know why you lot are whingeing about the cost. Wait till you refuel one every day. 

Finally it's a toy. A lego one at that and with lego you can mod or have fun. 

[kbalage]

On 9/11/2021 at 9:38 PM, syclone said:

I mean, the set's A and B models can have instructions, but perhaps providing an idea(s) for other stuff from the same set could be nice - nerdier people can try and build it, those who don't want to needn't do it))) 

I am of the opinion that if one picks a Technic set not expecting to learn anything about even the simplest mechanics is in the wrong theme  You won't become an engineer, but at least will learn the basics of how a suspension works or that two meshing gears rotate opposite of each other. 

That's TLG's current problem with their targeting. Technic is supposed to be the nerdy theme, but it's already way too niche and different for the majority of LEGO fans, so making it complex again like in the "good old days" would alienate most customers. Hardcore fans are vocal but from a purchasing power standpoint they are neglieable. We have to consider ourselves lucky to get at least one classic set this year (42128).

On 9/11/2021 at 6:51 PM, syclone said:

In the 80s there were Universal building sets, often offering nothing more than a few images of the "idea" to build (similar to what @J159753 is mentioning).

Afaik TLG stopped doing this because there were too many customers calling Customer Services for instructions.

On 9/11/2021 at 9:38 PM, syclone said:

The CAT manual could've included some explanations of mechanisms if it's really made for those who have no Technic experience, or are simply CAT fans.

I'm wondering if the app will feature the X-ray view and mechanism demonstrator function of the Zetros profile, that'd be cool and educational. We'll see in 2 days if everything goes well.

[kbalage]

Here is the second part of my review with the detailed demonstration of the Control+ profile, and also a comparison with the other $450 Control+ set, the 42100 Liebherr R 9800 Excavator:

 

[Jim]

Nice video!!!

I am quite happy with what I see. I will try to give it a go tonight. 

I am not sure about "bugs" either, but I am quite happy with the rest of the app.

 

[GerritvdG]

Thanks, can't wait till the next video . 

[kbalage]

Thanks @Jim, looking forward to read about your experience! The basic setup is really awkward for me, the alternative controller works better. But all in all the official profile did not make me like the set much more :D