mostlytechnic

Dang you're paranoid and devious! You'd really do that, as opposed to not revealing it? With scum having 4-6 people in here, they oughta be able to grab the vig helmet first and keep it in their hands pretty well for a few days before anyone caught on. That's the way i'd go as scum. Simpler. And they'd have the big advantage of directly controlling the vig kill as opposed to having to manipulate town to hopefully do what they want. As it stands, we have removed the vig ability from scum's use since to take the helmet would be outing themselves. And they can't afford to sacrifice 1 scum to kill 1 townie. Now, in the setting that we're in, I'm sure the scum WILL try to manipulate who gets it and who gets targeted, so we'll have to watch for that just like we watch the voting. But like TPRU pointed out, we actually get MORE information this way since we've got multiple "voting" patterns to look at.

edit: ninja'd by the Joker posting at the same time... however, he's wrong about one thing. Time zones shouldn't be a big issue, since even if we don't have a plan B and just say "only the cleared investigated person can take the helmet" then anyone grabbing it who shouldn't would be obvious scum and lynched the next day. An assigned person is still best though.

Yes, but we should still plan SOMEONE ahead of time in case there's no results reported. It's possible for the investigator to be blocked, or killed, or their target protected, or a multitude of other weird reasons for no result. So a safety plan B I think is prudent.

Dang, it's getting interesting quick. I agree that we shouldn't reveal all the costumes. This early, that's too much info given to the scum and we have no way to verify anything. I gotta assume for now that Tamo is town. If he was scum, they'd have a huge break getting the vig costume (still surprised that there is one, but whatever) since they could just try to make sure they take it each day and be able to kill us off faster. So right now he's by far my biggest town-read. (and I'm still bumming that I went for hair over my own awesome helmet. Shoulda known that my helmet would be crazy awesome!) Don't have any strong scum-reads yet, but it's early.

I'd be shocked if any of the costumes were a kill ability. Cop/watcher/blocker/etc, sure. But vig? Don't think so. You didn't read carefully. It says "Yes, if you haven't figured it out, you are all vanilla. Well, except the ones of you who aren't." So I am assuming that we still have a permanent vig. Having vig as a costume that the scum could steal would make them overpowered. I suppose the "ones of you who aren't" could just mean scum and third party (serial killer?), but the town's gotta have a vig as well.

Cause I wanted to experience hair! My armor is awesome and all, but it's not a full head of awesome hair. I hope to try out other hair during this game and find some that I like. No reason I couldn't glue a wig on my helmet... Yes. The scum will learn the costumes quickly since they can share with each other and so they'll learn probably 4-5 a day (dunno exactly how many scum there are). We need to balance that somewhat by sharing what one does if you're being lynched. If it's nothing, great, we're not losing anything. If it's something powerful, maybe we reconsider the lynch. It's no different than people claiming if they're a PR about to be lynched.

11. Magneto's Super Awesome Helmet LindWhisperer 12. Flash's Lightning Cowl 13. Joker's Silly Green Hair mostlytechnic 14. Superman's Pompadour 15. Mary Jane's Locks 16. Iron Patriot's Helmet 17. War Machine's Similar Helmet 18. Egon's Proton Pack 19. The Lone Ranger's White Hat 20. Storm's Lightning I've always wanted to have hair... And can you pick a second costume? Didn't you (Lind) get one in the first round for the day?

Dang, you all grabbed those fast! Since that's done... moving on... I'm concerned about what the scum team is going to get to do. Seems like we were given a big piece of info (they can move around the kill ability) compared to normal, so makes me think the scum have some extra something he's trying to balance out.

I'll add to the suggestion of getting another connection between the loops. Maybe in the D2 area of the layout? Also, as someone with a sorta-similar setup (big table in a corner), that back corner will be a bear to get to when a train derails there. And it WILL derail - take the corner a bit too fast, and wreck in the most inaccessible spot. So just plan on having to crawl onto the table where you have the shunting yard to reach wrecks in the back corner. I'd avoid putting a tunnel there unless you have REALLY easy way to get inside the tunnel.

Or, you know, put studs on your floor. That's what War Machine would do!

Awesome, thank you for sharing the list and CAD!!!

I'll second the request for the parts list! This might be the motivation I need to clean up the Lego mess and sort some pieces :)

I like it :) Might have to see if I can find room on the layout for one of these!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the 42008, since I just reviewed it (main and B-model) - I really liked the set, but seems like no one else does :) Well, oddly, the voting says it's an above average model, but the comments all seem to dislike it.

There is arduino code that generates the PF infrared codes, and you need an IR LED to blast it out. I've done it and I know there's posts around talking about it, but my setup is crude and I haven't worked on it in ages. But yes, it is possible. They're both small programmable boards, but they're completely different. It's like mac vs pc. I'm sure you could run a train from a Pi, but I've never used a Pi. The Pi is definitely more powerful, but I don't know how it does with simple things like this.

Yep, still interested :) Thanks for the videos!

It looks like the "gold ingot bar" http://www.bricklink...tem.asp?P=99563, but without the indentations on the top surface. (and that part has never been in dark grey, only gold and silver)

I'm in! And I had cilantro-lime chicken for lunch today, if that counts for anything?

Lego 42008 Service Truck (B-Model) Thanks to EuroBricks for making this review possible! As I looked at the recent Technic sets, this was one that I thought looked interesting, but not enough to buy. So when the opportunity to review it came up, I jumped! The main model is a European-style heavy tow truck with pneumatics and motors, so that's pretty cool. But what about the B-model? It's a claw truck with a trailer. We've seen similar models from Lego before (we had the 9397 Logging Truck [though no trailer on that one], 8049 Tractor with Trailer, and we could stretch to the 8110 Unimog and 8258 Crane Truck as well). So how does this compare, since it's a B Model? (If you'd like to see my review of the main model, it's right over here) Name: Service Truck Set Number: 42008 Pieces: 1276 Price: $129.99 Minifigs: n/a Theme: Technic Year of Release: 2013 Links: Bricklink Peeron Brickset The Back of the Box The back of the box shows the B model for us. The instructions are online only, not printed, but that's normal. It seems to have a lot of functionality for a B model but is very similar to many other Technic sets with a claw arm and trailer. The Build, 1 Following the instructions on screen (not my preferred way to build, although at least the quality was decent on this set) we get the frame of the truck to start. The Build, 2 Now the back wall of the cab is partially installed, as well as most of the steering system in place. It's simpler than the main model, since there's only 1 steered axle this time. You can also see some of the weird design bits due to it being a B model, such as the exposed pin on the connector being used to brace the right angle in the steering. You can't see it, but actually BOTH pins of that connector are unused. The Build, 3 The cab's made a lot of progress. You can see a few more oddities, like the white license plate stickered beam that's mostly hidden. I probably should have turned it around, but oh well. (the manual doesn't show stickers on the B model). (and yes, I hadn't found one of the grey grill pieces, but I was tired of digging through the parts. I found it later and put it on) The Build, 4 Now the cab is done. It's ok. Not great, but ok. There's weird color things going on due to the part limitations, and the doors feel too recessed, and the "winch" on the front is just an excuse to use those pieces up. (and yes, I did it backwards in this photo. The cable should hang down the inside rather than the outside to make the ratchet work correctly) The Build, 5 The chassis has also been extended backwards. The rear axles are visible, as are the starting points for the crane, rear stabilizers, and lots of other pins waiting to be built upon. The Build, 6 Time for a gearbox. Looks like we'll have the central input shaft going to 3 outputs. The Build, 7 The gearbox slips into the frame and we get to connect up the outputs. As in the main model, we have a powered air compressor (the black and grey cylinder right in the center) plus, so far, an output going back through a couple u-joints to that vertical crane connection we saw in the last photo. The third output hasn't been used yet. The Build, 8 A whole layer has been added to the back of the truck. The third output from the gearbox now runs back to the outriggers. The colors all seem haphazard. It's understandable, but does make it obvious this wasn't the main model. The Build, 9 Those "wings" sticking out behind the cab turned out to be the battery mounts. Simple and effective, and it's unusual to see a horizontal battery box behind the cab like that. Also unusual, there's that mini-LA at an angle to rotate the crane. Lego has used linear methods (LAs or pneumatics) to rotate things before, but it's unusual. Since the main model didn't have a turntable, this is an alternate way of making a "powered" swiveling base. The Build, 10 That's a very unusual boom setup there. And seriously, an axle with a bush on it as a manual control for rotation? The whole setup is just weird and slapdash. I hope it at least works well... The Truck, Finished Here's the final truck. It functions, but it's got some issues. The pneumatic hoses are too stiff and since they come horizontally across the red beam, they keep the claw from hanging as freely as it should. And again, the controls are awkward. There's the manual rotation control on the left, the pneumatic control on top, and the gearbox controls on both sides. Too many levers in too many places. The the rear outriggers... they're there, but barely. The Truck, Reaching Out Here's the full reach of the crane. It'll reach the ground barely, and can rotate to the sides. It's not really enough to reach into the trailer though, if the trailer is connected behind the truck. To do any work, you need to park the truck between the load and the trailer. There are a bunch of beams left over you could use as a load, but the claw doesn't grab them very well. The Build, 11 Time for the trailer. A basic frame to start - axles for the single set of wheels, a "hitch" up front, and a manual leg that can come down. The Build, 12 Here's the start of the tipping setup. That is a weird linkage from the mini-LA to make the trailer tip sideways. And again, a bush as a knob to manually control it. The Trailer, Finished The previous frame mounts to the trailer and a bunch of panels fill out the trailer. Too bad there's random stickers all over. Guess it gives it a "distressed" look? The Trailer, Tipped That's as far as it tips, but it's enough to get the job done. The Conclusion So, what's my conclusion on this model? It's meh. The build is ok, the functions are ok, but the final thing feels definitely B and not main model material. The colors are random, the stickers are in the way, and the functions just feel haphazard.I'd recommend building it first so there's no stickers and you can see it for a day or two, and then take it apart and build the main model and leave that one built. It's much better than the B. The Ratings Value: 10/10 - It's so close to the famous 10 cents a part mark, and there's so many useful parts. Lots of panels, PF, pneumatics, so it's solid. Design: 4/10 - Haphazard colors, stickers from the main model, etc. Minifigs: n/a - Playability: 6/10 - It's got some functionality, but the controls are awkward and it doesn't actually pick things up well. The reach of the boom is short as well. Parts: 10/10 - It's got both pneumatics and PF, plus if you want green Technic, it's the only place to go. It's the only source of 1x7 beams, the best source for 1x9 and 1x13 beams, and the only current(ish) source for green panels. Overall: 5/10 - Ok to make once, but then build the main model since it's much better.

Got one of these the other week and love it. They didn't have it out at my lego store, so I asked and they had them in the back. It's definitely a solid little house, pretty nice. Now my kids want me to pick up 3 more of them to give as gifts to their teachers at the end of the year.

Thanks for a great review. I've got a pile of TRU and Lego credit I wanna spend and was thinking about getting this (since I got a sneak peak of your review in the Academy) but it's not here in the US yet. Too bad. Wonder when it'll hit? I do disagree about the manuals though. I find the thinner, stapled manuals easier to use than single large square-bound ones since they lay flatter when open. Have any links to the prelim photos of the front end? I don't remember seeing that and was curious how different it looked.

Thanks for the brain dump Hinck. Always interesting (to me at least) to see how other people are interpreting what's going on.

Except that you shouldn't WANT revenge on the town. As an oak, you win or lose based on whether the TOWN wins or loses. Even if the other townies tick you off and lynch you, you should still want them to win so that you get the win too. Mafia is a team game, not individual. For example - fhomes and bob lynching me, even though we were scum together. It gave them a lot of town cred the next day since people wouldn't assume the scum would bus someone so late in the game, or place the first vote on a fellow scum.

Oh, and can we just start referencing this game in all future mafia intros as rule #1: "DO NOT CONFIDE IN HINCKLEY ON DAY 1. OR EVER."?

I felt bad janitoring you (you'd even said in game that you'd be ticked off if you got lynched and then janitored that night!) but we had to. It kept everyone wondering, set up the next day's lynch, and kept people thinking there WASN'T a janitor :)