nerdsforprez

Agreed. I forgot to account for the gear train prior to the hubs. Which, if we are right, is unfortunate. I won't complain too much, I think AFOLs are getting quite a bit from these two sets in terms of new parts/motors/control system. However, a faster XL would have been nice and a quite obvious choice to anyone that has paid attention to AFOLs voice over the past few years.

Pure speculation, but based in the speed of the model in the video, i think it is closer to the 405. If around the pf xl motor, at 220 rpm and 1/5 gear reduction, it would move slower.

I think we need to ease up on the whole "bending" bit here. If we are going to scrutinize so closely, virtually every technic set with 4000+ pieces, 7 motors, and over 3 kilograms is going to bend somewhat. It is ABS. I have seen some large, wonderful builds from some of our most noteworthy builders with tons more bend in their models than this and no one says anything. I think the question should be not so much if there is bend or not, but only comment if the amount of bend affects functions b/c of bending axles, gear connections, etc. Which in the case of this build, clearly, it does not not. For my two cents, I love this set and the new app, motors, and hub. I would really like to see a larger, 6 or seven axle mobile crane put out by TLG in the future with this new system. Somewhere in the similar 4-5,000 piece range.

Agreed. After seeing this, IMO, it is worth it.

Such a clean build.

Which really is the only essential functions on a crawler. It has the functions that a crawler is supposed to have. More fuctions inevitably will take away from the one thing u want it to do. Climb.

Wow this looks almost scaled to technic figures. Do you have one available to compare against? Regular mini. Sorry. Not technic mf.

I guess it is all a matter of taste. I like this front end LOTS more than 9398. Much more realistic as well. High wheel wells, minimalist, etc. If I remember 9398 well, there was quite a bit of bulk in the body. One of the reasons why it performed so poorly.

I guess i am missing something. Though there is housing around the diff, in terms of Lego the diff is actually weaker than a non-diff. connection (like a 12 and 20 bevel gear connection). So, this can't be the reason. The diff can't protect anything if it is actually weaker than non-diff connections of the same type.

Are we sure where will be diffs? No pro here, but what are the purpose of diffs in extremely slow rock crawlers? wouldn't that be a bad thing?

Eh... Not really a fan of the color combination of the truck. LBD, white, and red? And tons of stickers? Also, please oh please TLG, can we get the 3L pin with stop in another color other than brown? I mean, how many times do we see the pin sticking out of what is supposed to be looking like a machine and its brown? Not too many machine-like parts that are brown. and the fact that it looks like a tire hub, and is different color than the rear -- egads, just tacky.

Yes, it does. I have written this before, the price per piece or price per gram relationship is not linear. Especially the price per piece. The larger the set (for Technic) anyways, the ratio of pins in the set becomes higher. Pins are cheap, light, therefore off-setting the overall price per piece.

I appreciate your enthusiasm on this forum and super-friendly posts. But I don't think anyone in their right mind would concur with this. If this is your personal opinion, great. Not gonna argue. But certainly is not one of the three most complex Technic sets. If we did a poll, I don't think it would even make it in the top ten. Perhaps even top twenty. If you look at the thread, don't mistake complexity for redundancy and poor planning. The gearbox had several redundant gears and was simplified by members in just a few days..... Complexity versus ease of build- now those are different questions, though related. For several reasons, I actually think this set might be one of the easier flagship sets to build.

Yea no I wasn't complaining. Just thought it would really be interesting to hear all the action. I agree with everything you mention, but admittedly, somewhat surprised for the jump etc. in the Technic lineup. And although examples like the Bugatti are helpful, this is a jump of 200 USD (assumed) even from THAT set. I also see the movement as a good thing. But this jump is really a big one. One has to recognize and appreciate that.

Man, I wish I could be a fly on the wall in those Board meetings where the direction of the Technic product line was heading. An over 550 dollar Technic set, especially in the context of all the complaints for Lego pricing really is high. I would just really like to have heard those conversations and the rationale behind the creating the set. I think this is really an exciting time to be a Technic fan.

Yes, this is a valid point. That was a main reason for the post, but either way, I think my point stands is that the idea of someone making gobs of money off these models is just not a realistic POV. And I mean this with all due respect, but perhaps a point that Jeroen can take to heart. Here is what I mean: I can see someone getting real upset about the idea of someone making gobs of money off the back of someone else's work. I truly can. But in reality the truth of the matter is that at least as far as Lego builds go, I don't think that is the case. Perhaps a few bucks. But its not like they are swimming in it. To offer some perspective - folks who are of the disposition that they can easily take advantage of others typically are not that well off in life. They are not happy campers, typically have negative dispositions, and their behaviors of taking advantage of others only digs them deeper into their own pit of self-absorption. It really is sad to see. In the case of Lego, I really debate the notion of them "profiting" or even "benefiting" of copying others work. Technically speaking - yes, they earn a few bucks. But ultimately, when you further engage in an unhealthy habit you only reinforce those habits that ultimately are making you miserable. In the short term, perhaps it feels good, but in the long run, it only makes you more miserable. Almost like addictive behaviors or really anything that is self-destructive.

Feel free to spell it out for me then, logically. Because no, I don't think he does. That was MY point. If we think strictly logically, the comparison does not make sense. The logic I think you are hinting at is the supposed idea of hypocrisy behind the post. I think your thinking goes something like this - "it is hypocritical to accuse others of copying when you are doing the same" - or something like that. But my point is we are comparing apples to oranges. If we paint the definition of "copying others work" with such a broad brush that we call building something in the likeness of something, in a different scale, different materials, etc. as "copying" then we really are all guilty at some point in time. It would be inevitable - because, well that is a such a broad brush. If that is the case then we are all hypocrites, and pointing it out is a moot point because we become guilty of the exact thing we are accusing others of. Which, like I said, makes the whole point moot.... So no, I don't think the logic holds at all....

Its comments like this that make me think there are actual apologists for copy-cats brands. Could this be possible? As I mentioned earlier, the comparison you are trying to make is inaccurate and unfair at best, irresponsible and perhaps even disingenuous at worst. I don't think you can compare a mimicking or creating something in the likeness of something else, on a total different scale, in totally different materials, internals, etc. to a direct copy-cat of something in the same materials, scale, piece-by-piece. If we want to paint with such broad strokes then the whole world, literally the whole world, is guilty of copying something from someone else at some point in their lives and the issue becomes moot.

Sorry but this is a stretch. Building a Lego model after the likeness of a licensed real-life vehicle versus the actual copying of something, piece for piece in the same materials is NOT the same thing. Also, you can't compare the work that goes into building a real car or machine versus the work that goes into building a model. Nor is the ownership linearly divided. In a real vehicle you have hundreds of people that contribute to the product and technically "own" it. In a Lego model, except in rare cases where there may be multiple contributors, there really is only one owner. Lastly, and I think folks forget this, but no one is out there building and making instructions to make cash. At least no one in their right mind. The supposed "profit" out there is nothing but a pipe dream. This has been brought up before, but asking for money to recover the costs of a very expensive hobby is much different than profiting off one's models. One of the most successful builders out there in terms of popularity has voiced on multiple occasions (Sariel) there is no real profit to make in Lego building. And I think he is dead-on in that evaluation.

Yea I am not sure I see things that way. That is why I suggested looking at it like a formula. Most things in life, I think are this way. On one side you have the folks that appropriately benefit, play nice, follow rules, - what have you, and on the other side you have folks that do the opposite. If I have 999 people that don't abuse a privilege, and 1 that does, well, I am more than okay with that formula. I win 99.9% of the time. I'll take those odds any day of the week. Now, I know it can be more complicated than that. If the .001% of the time I lose, but that lose is so egregiously intolerable, then no, I don't continue. Only Jeroen, in this scenario, knows how much the .001% (to stay true to the example) really affects him.

While I don't completely agree with the above sentiment there were some comments that seemed to reflect actual fault on Jeroen's part. Which is completely ludicrous. I think many have really misinterpreted what it means to to "share." Just because Jeroen, or anyone, chooses to share it does not mean they desire to be taken advantage of. There is such thing as share with intended purpose. Which does not mean going out and selling for a profit. Can people do that? Sure. But just because people technically can do something does not mean they should. And accusing Jeroen or anyone who shares as greedy or "controlling" because they get hurt when others misuse or use other than intended purpose what they share is just arrogance at its peak. It reflects the "I can take if I want because you put it out there" mentality that IMO puts us in this position of having to discuss this crap in the first place. If someone exposes a vulnerability they can be helped and appreciated for sharing it or they can be taken advantage of. I would hope that the folks in this forum would comprise the former, not the latter.

If you come up with a solution on how to deal with thieves, you can be sure that someone will come along and steal it. That is how pernicious and inevitable it is. Not to be metaphysical, but people taking advantage of people is as built in the formula of life as is people giving advantage to other people. One simply does not exist without the other. Therefore, if the former is inevitable, with all due respect, I think you are asking the wrong question. If the question is "how do I deal with thieves" well I think it is a little one-sided. It lacks consideration of the other important variable in the formula, which is the amount of good and benefit your instructions provide to others (in your scenario). If I may, I think the proper question may look something like this: "How can I, (or even can I), tolerate the negative effects of sharing instructions (the inevitability of being stolen) in the context of all the good it provides." Admittedly, to properly answer this you may need a clearer picture of all the folks that benefit from your work. We may not be talking about saving lives or something, but in my opinion hobbies are important, and helping folks de-compress and therefore put themselves in a position to adequately deal with all the crap in their lives is VERY important. Personally, I know I benefit a great deal from builders like you who share, contribute, etc. to a hobby that not only I enjoy, but helps put me in a frame of mind to go out and do what I do best, no matter how stressful it is. As a medical professional, this is really important. Essentially I think this is how most things are solved. On a much grander scale, that is the whole rhyme and rational to how the internet exists in the first place right? The entity that gives birth to even your dilemma. The internet gives rise of countless examples and opportunities for people to take advantage of people, but also countless opportunities for good as well (people giving advantage to other people). The reason why it still exists, and even flourishes I would guess, is that the latter far outweighs the former. This is really important to understand, because it teaches that something can not only exist, but even flourish despite the fact that there are some undesirable aspects to it. Something does not have to be perfect for it to be positive - it only has to be better than the alternative. The alternative, in this case, is to not share. In the opinion of this EB member, that would carry far worse consequences. Just my 2 cents....

Oh I was not sure if you saw a pic or had another source. Another user in the 2019 thread quoted you and so it looks like your claim is being taken as gospel. Not that I doubt it, just wondered if you had something to refer others to so they could see/read for themselves.

Source?

You have opened a can of worms sir...lol... No but seriously, and I am not sure if this better fits here or in the 2019 sets thread, but as that thread is already a billion pages long I will post it here. In terms of the Crawler, if there are indeed new, stronger hubs and even metal gears Lego really is heading in the arena like Minds-i products or something. https://mindsieducation.com/4x4-robot-3-in01-kit.html Folks that complain about the price should be aware of this. Although we don't have specifics, and certainly, whatever TLG is proposing for the crawler still won't match something like full RC or Mind-i products it is a step closer, and prices will match that. Folks can complain all they want of the 229 euro price tag or whatever it is is still certainly less than good RC build-yourself kits.