Future Set Wishes and Speculation

[Jundis]

1 hour ago, howitzer said:

Seconded. Though I wouldn't mind seeing a line of cars with some Technic functionality (steering, fake engine) combined with detailed exterior (like Creator Expert). So interior made of Technic, exterior made of System pieces. I'm not sure if they should be released under the Technic branding though.

*cough* Model Team *cough*

[howitzer]

1 hour ago, Jundis said:

*cough* Model Team *cough*

Indeed.

[Jim]

I would love to see a Creator Technic Expert set. Let's say a 4000-5000 piece truck with proper some functions.

[Void_S]

13 minutes ago, Jim said:

I would love to see a Creator Technic Expert set. Let's say a 4000-5000 piece truck with proper functions.

That sounds like an UCS truck... Possibly it may even fit not only working pistons in the engine but also valves and other things. Plus, pneumatic brakes, plus pneumatic high-low gears switch.

[Jim]

3 minutes ago, Void_S said:

That sounds like an UCS truck... Possibly it may even fit not only working pistons in the engine but also valves and other things. Plus, pneumatic brakes, plus pneumatic high-low gears switch.

I would settle for simple Technic functions. Let's say Mack Anthem style functions, but with a Model Team exterior. Basically a Technic chassis with working steering, possibly suspension, fake engine, opening hood and doors, but that's about it. Possibly adding a trailer to make it complete.

Basically Model Team but a slightly bigger scale.

[Jundis]

11 minutes ago, Jim said:

Basically Model Team but a slightly bigger scale.

[Jim]

How about Unimog tires  

[lee1980]

Yeah a truck or similar like size of super cars but a smaller scale, technic under with system body like creator cars.  I imagine most want both, with technic under for features show are similar to real and outer looking realistic.  I do wonder what will come out next from lego/technic!

[XenoRad]

11 hours ago, Bartybum said:

They'd be better suited to Speed Champions or Creator Expert imo. Technic should be functional, and the 42093 is anything but

I have both Speed Champions and Creator Expert. One is smaller, the other a bit bigger than what I have in mind and besides, they're System. Technic is not about all-or-nothing. 42093 still has HOG steering, a differential and a working engine. Yes, it would have benefited greatly from 50-100 more parts and at least some opening panels, but otherwise it would not have been a bad start for a new series. I made mine look pretty good and with experience future official models would look even better. The Car Transporter with the blue car went with the same scale and I'm sure many would have wanted Lego to continue until all 5 slots on the transported would have been filled with cars.

[Bartybum]

5 minutes ago, XenoRad said:

I have both Speed Champions and Creator Expert. One is smaller, the other a bit bigger than what I have in mind and besides, they're System. Technic is not about all-or-nothing. 42093 still has HOG steering, a differential and a working engine. Yes, it would have benefited greatly from 50-100 more parts and at least some opening panels, but otherwise it would not have been a bad start for a new series. I made mine look pretty good and with experience future official models would look even better. The Car Transporter with the blue car went with the same scale and I'm sure many would have wanted Lego to continue until all 5 slots on the transported would have been filled with cars.

But 2-3 cars a year? That's just unrealistic and would be a waste of TLG's resources at that point...

Edited August 21, 2020 by Bartybum

[Brickthus]

Now that we have both wider and narrower tyres at 43mm, the latter from 42093, smaller-scale trucks like 42008 can at least have single-width front tyres.

A decent large truck of traditional style needs at least 2 types of tyre, a narrow one to double-up for driving axles and use singly for tag axles, and a wider one for super-wide front wheels and trailer wheels.  The ratio is about 1.5:1 fro the two widths, but both pairs of parts (hub and tyre) are somewhat unlikely to be produced at any size, except for motorbike wheels!

We have seen a couple of multiple-42082 MOC cranes but I would hope for a 6-axle one as the ultimate crane.  The "ultimate crane" theme struggles with the limitations on the number of telescopic sections as well as the rigidity and weight over boom length.  Whilst a real crane can have up to 7 telescopic sections and 5 is common, LEGO sets have 2 or 3.  I was surprised to see only 2 in 42082.  A telescopic section 1 brick thick would be far too heavy; I tried it once.  Telescoping needs the walls of each section to be 1.6mm thick, not 8mm.

I wonder which 2021H1 set(s) will have the 2-switch 6-AA battery unit that the Osprey had.  This is a key PU piece that provides for anything that doesn't use phone control.

I still wish the 4-port PU hub could be driven by the train handset.  Could a firmware update achieve this?  I enjoyed building 42100 but I don't really play with it.  I found the phone controls imprecise compared to a handset with proper buttons.  Soon the parts would be redeployed; I had planned to use some of the motors with the spare port of the switched hub but the Osprey failed.

Following the Osprey debacle, we need more civil aircraft of 700-2000 pieces; over 2000 pieces might not be sufficiently swooshable.  Has anyone made one a civil aircraft as a suggestion to TLG?  We need to support the aircraft theme.  I have some experiments ongoing.

In terms of colours, especially panels, I'd like to see something with more "bright blue" (the traditional blue colour of 857).  Not much in 42112.  42024 (2014) was the last set to have the 5x11 panel in bright blue.  The parts could be re-used for Classic Space with Technic functions.

Mark

[Mantarri]

2 hours ago, Brickthus said:

.I still wish the 4-port PU hub could be driven by the train handset.  Could a firmware update achieve this?  I enjoyed building 42100 but I don't really play with it.  I found the phone controls imprecise compared to a handset with proper buttons...

Just FYI, you can use the Brickcontroller app to control many different LEGO RC solutions with android and a Gamepad, including IR (if your phone has an IR blaster), BuWizz, SBrick, and the Powered Up hubs.

I bought a BuWizz 2.0, and I much prefer using Brickcontroller to play with my models, as I can get that tactile feel from being able to use a controller.

[iLego]

15 hours ago, Jundis said:

Sorry for quoting the picture, but this is one picture that's worth seeing again and again.

I have always wondered why Model Team was discontinued. Some basic functions combined with gorgeous looks was a fantastic combination.

So many wonderful Model Team like MOCs are made and fans drool over them with oohs and aahs. One would have thought they will sell very well.

[icm]

The Creator Expert cars are the modern Model Team.  The Aston Martin and the Mustang have just as much Technic functionality as Model Team ever did.

[Jim]

3 hours ago, iLego said:

Sorry for quoting the picture, but this is one picture that's worth seeing again and again.

I have always wondered why Model Team was discontinued. Some basic functions combined with gorgeous looks was a fantastic combination.

So many wonderful Model Team like MOCs are made and fans drool over them with oohs and aahs. One would have thought they will sell very well.

I absolutely agree, but @icm has a valid point. Creator Expert is basically Model Team. I would love to see Creator Expert Plus or Creator Expert UCS, so a slightly bigger scale and possibly some more functions.

We do have a nice topic about Model Team vs Creator btw.

[Verodin]

20 hours ago, Brickthus said:

...

PU piece that provides for anything that doesn't use phone control.

I still wish the 4-port PU hub could be driven by the train handset.  Could a firmware update achieve this?  I enjoyed building 42100 but I don't really play with it.  I found the phone controls imprecise compared to a handset with proper buttons. 

...

To quote official Lego PR; "With digital tools, building and playing are even more fun" 

Fully agree with you. Really hope the future holds a handset/controller solution. I've declared a personal moratorium on buying any new PU sets until further notice 

[Ngoc Nguyen]

I've noticed that in recent years TLG is pushing for the release of lesser known, less popular, or less frequently featured models in the 2H line up.

2016: 42053 Wheeled Excavator. Only 1 or 2 have appeared in the history of Technic
2017: 42068 Fire Truck. Only 2 have appeared in the history of Technic
2018: 42079 Forklift. Only 1 or 2 have appeared in the history of Technic
2019: 42097 Spider Crane & 42098 Car Transported. Never appeared before.
2020: 42112 Concrete Mixer Truck, Never appeared before.

That's why I'm thinking there will be a Technic Steamroller in the 2H lineup soon, and it will have new dedicated parts for the medium-sized roller wheel.

[howitzer]

33 minutes ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

I've noticed that in recent years TLG is pushing for the release of lesser known, less popular, or less frequently featured models in the 2H line up.

2016: 42053 Wheeled Excavator. Only 1 or 2 have appeared in the history of Technic
2017: 42068 Fire Truck. Only 2 have appeared in the history of Technic
2018: 42079 Forklift. Only 1 or 2 have appeared in the history of Technic
2019: 42097 Spider Crane & 42098 Car Transported. Never appeared before.
2020: 42112 Concrete Mixer Truck, Never appeared before.

That's why I'm thinking there will be a Technic Steamroller in the 2H lineup soon, and it will have new dedicated parts for the medium-sized roller wheel.

Umm, there has been many forklifts, starting at the very first year of Technic in 1977. There's been at least the following: 7 standalone sets, 7 in universal sets, one combined with a transporter truck (8872) and finally there's 8295 and 8045 which are technically telehandlers, which might or might not count.

Others you listed are less common or even entirely new though. I'm not sure what a wheeled excavator brings on the table that tracked doesn't but variety is always nice.

I hope that at some point the spider crane will get an upgraded version with properly working functions and less knob-turning. I'm not sure how the car transporter or concrete mixer truck could be iterated into a new set that's not just repeating the previous one. Firetrucks on the other hand are conspicuously absent from the Technic line with only three releases ever. I wonder why, considering it has always been a very popular subtheme in City and they would offer a lot of potential for technical features.

[Jockos]

Isn't this time of the year when we get set numbers for next year and "names"? I know, the 2H sets are just released, but still..

[Jundis]

3 hours ago, Jockos said:

Isn't this time of the year when we get set numbers for next year and "names"? I know, the 2H sets are just released, but still..

Last year, we had the first leaked list with the working titles of the sets in mid july. Although, I gotta admit I understand Lego really tries to hide their models for copycats. Still I am as curious as you are :-)

[Ngoc Nguyen]

8 hours ago, howitzer said:

at some point the spider crane will get an upgraded version with properly working functions and less knob-turning.

I dont think a spider crane will appear again in the foreseeable future. 42097 got an early retirement when it hasnt been on shelf for a full year. I think it doesnt sell as well as projected. According to anecdotal evidence 42081 doesnt sell well neither.

And there lies the creative dilemma of Lego Technic models: Novel, but not too novel that it alienates people.

[Bartybum]

1 hour ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

42097 got an early retirement when it hasnt been on shelf for a full year. I think it doesnt sell as well as projected.

Yeah because it looked and functioned like trash lmao. Something like these would've been much better received:

Spider cranes can't be small sets if they have the large tread links

[howitzer]

Yeah, the spider crane didn't fail because it was a spider crane, but because it was a badly designed spider crane. That's why I'm hoping for an upgraded version where its flaws are fixed.

[allanp]

No Technic set fails because of the subject matter it is based on. It's all in the execution. They could make a model of a reliant robin, make it have a new realistic gearbox and new leaf springs for the rear suspension and I would want it more than the Sian. Of course it would be silly not to combine those cool mechanical details with a cool subject to base a model on but you get the point. The mechanical realism and details are where it's at for me.

New helicopter, so what? New helicopter with full cyclic/collective control and swash plate and pitch control of the tail rotor, yes please!

New forklift, who cares? We've had plenty of those before. But what about a new forklift that's the flagship, full RC and fully pneumatic with new micro motors/servos to control the valves, 3 section telescopic main mast with reeeeeeeeally long cylinders to raise the middle section directly, with the inner section being raise by chain/string and side shift on the forks and the power to pick up and move the Sian, oh any why not throw in a new rotating beacon light. Take my money!!!!

[Void_S]

1 hour ago, allanp said:

No Technic set fails because of the subject matter it is based on. It's all in the execution. They could make a model of a reliant robin, make it have a new realistic gearbox and new leaf springs for the rear suspension and I would want it more than the Sian. Of course it would be silly not to combine those cool mechanical details with a cool subject to base a model on but you get the point. The mechanical realism and details are where it's at for me.

New helicopter, so what? New helicopter with full cyclic/collective control and swash plate and pitch control of the tail rotor, yes please!

New forklift, who cares? We've had plenty of those before. But what about a new forklift that's the flagship, full RC and fully pneumatic with new micro motors/servos to control the valves, 3 section telescopic main mast with reeeeeeeeally long cylinders to raise the middle section directly, with the inner section being raise by chain/string and side shift on the forks and the power to pick up and move the Sian, oh any why not throw in a new rotating beacon light. Take my money!!!!

That would be fantastic to have 3-steps pneumatic cylinders, that may work as the longest ones.