Jay Psi

Switching tack slightly, can I just say that the Lego Control Interfaces thread has been a joy to read. Seeing passionate members actively contribute to the wider community is exactly the strength of special interest forums. And now I'm sad because so much of this discovery is now being locked in Discord groups or hidden in subreddits.

Another happy welcome back @Blakbird. I still re-read your Grove GMK6400 review from time to time, which absolutely holds up to modern written reviews in terms of presentation and technical detail. @Toastiehas raised a fantastic point: the simplicity of Technopedia is now a strength in an age where many other outlets go overboard for various reasons. For a pre-2000s internet user it's easier to search and access. The site is no-frills in the most positive way - all the information you need, and nothing you don't. Selfishly, I'd love for the set reviews to be updated in some way (maybe just the recent purchases?) but if not, please leave the site up.

Automobiles in general are increasingly considered as utilities to use conveniently rather than being enjoyed for their own sake. To most people who drive, manual transmissions are less convenient than automatics, in ICEs and electrics. The general trend of increasing convenience leading to decreasing competence in use and repair is definitely worrying, for cars and technology in general. For reference my car wasn't available in manual in Europe, which I would have chosen if it was an option. In my country, 460k cars on sale (on the most popular site), 286k automatic and 174k manual for a 62%-38% split. Brand new cars only - 25.5k on sale, 22.5k automatic, 3k manual for an 88%-12% split.

Times are tough at the moment ... hopefully we will all be beyond grateful to receive the Technic 50th Anniversary 1x1 sticker to commemorate the occasion, included with every set car.

There are, on Facebook groups and in Discord servers. When you likely already have them and ytou do not need to worry about visibility, hosting services and user traffic, why bother making a dedicated forum? Valid questions like data scraping and community gating aren't priorities, and that's before considering the information being lost when these groups wind up and nobody on the 'outside' is able to search through them. Fortunately, a growing number of people are lamenting the loss of topic-specific forums like Eurobricks; hopefully we see some sort of return to them in the coming years.

I would - and do - apply the same principles to any other gambling-adjacent mechanics, including minifigure blind boxes. However, minifigures do not interest me regardless, so it isn't something I feel the need to complain as much about. While I agree with your points broadly, my question remains - why do these nanoscale sets have to be released blind? All the good things you mentioned (accessibility, affordability, uniqueness, novelty) would not be affected if the sets were released as normal. On the price point in particular, while one set will be reasonably cheap, buying multiples (to complete the set, as is the point of blind boxes) will not be. Being cynical, I don't think these sets are commisioned without the blind box mechanic. Honestly, I think I'd prefer that scenario.

Add my voice to that. In my job I see first-hand the effect gambling-adjacemt mechanics have on children's mental and emotional development. This is very disappointing and I can only hope it isn't the thin end of a wedge.

That's quite an accurate comment... I'll admit to almost doing this: I don't have the pullback or recolored sets, or the GT40. For me, these are the most expensive sets that I can pick up at the typical 30% 'discount', without thinking about the cost. Obviously, 42223 is a notable exception to this.

Forza Horizon is probably the most well-known (and one of the most highly-acclaimed) driving* games around, with the sixth game in the series releasing in a couple of weeks. It's been called a 'celebration of cars,' which fits modern Technic like a glove, for better and for worse. *Forza Horizon is much more realistic than Asphalt Legends, but it isn't anywhere near a sim racer.

Sort of. Imgur blocked access to UK users (late September I think?) to avoid potential fines from a UK investigation into its handling of children's data. Back on topic, @jorgeopesi that is packaging to be jealous of! It looks great for such a small scale and full functionality.

While Koenigsegg are smaller than the global manufacturers, they have significant brand presence, as we can see from their other Technic & Speed Champion sets. In this regard, they are on the same level as Bugatti, another low-volume but well-known supercar manufacturer, albeit Bugatti are part of the VAG group. I thnink for the casual fan, using a 'halo' car matters just as much as the brand. After the 911, all the 1:8 supercars have been based on flagship models in terms of status (Daytona SP3) or performance (the rest).

This was an excellent contest - I've not had as much fun judging since the 200-part contest years ago. Well done to all entrants, the winners, and the organisers.

I don't think there is a regular release date. From checking shops monthly, sometimes DUPLO/Dreamzzz turns up instead of the Technic magazine. A quick Google suggests that all three themes are on rotation with no set schedule. As a fellow UK resident, I've found the Technic magazine in Sainbury's (regularly, most recent), WHSmith (regularly, less recent) and Lidl (occasionally). The lastest issue I've seen Issue 9 (double-polybag), which was meant to be available last December, but I only sqw it in January.

A collaboration between a company trading on a long-standing (but recently-waning) reputation for quality that is used to justify higher prices, with competitors offering similar but much cheaper experiences ... and Lego. Match made in heaven! If the 1:8 supercar is the Emira, the transverse layout would be nice to see. But it's hard to look past the lack of recognition for the general public; it's easier to justify or expect customers to spend over £/$/€300 for a presitgious marque, which Lotus have never been, even when the Elise was at the height of its popularity.

I've not been active for a while, am I okay to vote? Nothing in the rules prevents it, but I don't want to any accusations of sock pupetting get in the way of such a high-quality contest. It's been a pleasure to read the WIP and entry topics.

Merry Christmas to you and yours @grum64. Lookiing forward to an even better new year.

High: Finally starting to organise my Lego after putting it off last year. Low: No MOCs (my own or others) built this year, unrelated to the above - life has got in the way. 2026: Starting the 'superMOC collection' (display showcase of flagship 1:8 supercar MOCs).

Can't wait for the 'middle finger' double-pack of this and 42205! BMW's horrid factory colour scheme does give us some blue panels at least.

It feels like this has been asked before - is there any reliable data on the impact of licences on sales of Technic sets, ideally compared to other themes? It very much feels like the licence push is the primary consideration for Technic sets, which quite heavily dictates (restricts?) the potential of the set.

Hopefully this is a rather large error. But given recent developments... What reason could TLG have for removing access to extra functionality/playability to their sets? Even if it was for consistency with more recent releases, the end result is owners of these sets now have less than they did at the time of purchase. A quick search shows that Brickset still hosts B-model instructions, amongst others. Might be worth getting them from there in case they have to take the instructions down.

The legend never dies. Welcome back from your Dark Age, @Madoca 1977. Aside all the technical complexity, the MOC is excellently-proportioned as always.

Hi everyone, this a 'Congratulations' post for RacingBrick! Well deserved @kbalage

That's a beautiful story to go along with a fine build @grum64. I hope your grandson takes his quite in your signature to heart as he starts a new chapter of his life. As for the pin with pin holes,. they're notorious for being hard to align for pretty much everyone. Good on you for showing them who's boss

It's hard not to join the pile-on, but whatever Technic is meant to be ... this ain't it.

Rest in peace. It is a tragic loss to all who knew him, in person or through his talents.