Mr Hobbles

The Pikachu looks a lot like the smart brick Mario. I dunno, I expected it to look different. Since I’ve heard they’re using the brick inside an X-Wing I thought it’d be shaped less like a character and more like a large normal brick. But, as has already been mentioned, that is clearly not the 18+ Pikachu. That’s a different set, a play set.

Lego has been experimenting with 3D printed elements for a few years now, specifically for elements that have motion built into them. I have a few of them. This particular 3D printed train has moving wheels, wheel linkages, and the smoke goes up and down when the train is pushed along and the wheels turn. This isn't multiple pieces that were put together, it was _printed_ together. I do agreed it's an odd choice to include in this set though - it seems like something a more hardcore Lego fan would appreciate than the mass market Lego Christmas set purchaser. I can't help but think how many of these they've printed, they must have dozens of printers going 24/7!

My theory is that at extremely low speeds the PWM duty cycle isn't long enough to actually move the motor. It then realises this (by virtue of the fact that it hasn't detected rotation) and applies a longer duty cycle, which makes it move, but at a higher speed than desired. It then detects it's moving too fast (again, through rotation having moved to far) and reduces the PWM again, causing it to not move once again. Repeat this cycle - leading to jerky motion. I'm thinking that both my motors have slightly different properties (ie. manufacturing variance?) that means that the required PWM duty cycle to start rotating differs between the two.

Thanks for that! Our code is similar, though my button mapping acts a little differently. Interesting that you have 45 as your minimum speed. Perhaps the video was playing tricks but I thought your locomotive was running slower than that. Incidentally, I tried with a second motor of mine. With the original motor, around 30 is the point where movement isn't "jerky". With the second motor, 20 is doable without jerkiness. I wonder if I run-in in the motors for 15-30 mins then slow speed performance will improve. Ps. I was wondering how the heck you fit front glass in with the wire going through the frame, but then I realised, you'd tucked it under. Great little design!

Love the performance. Can I ask what your code for Pybricks looks like? I've attempted similar with motor.run() but movement is incredibly jerky for me below 70. It looks like you've managed to get yours smoother. Great design!

Lego just posted this wallpaper on the Lego rewards site, that can only be found through the new legobuilds instagram. It's pretty cool, and features all the lego modular buildings to date, for the 20th anniversary of Lego modulars (I think they're about 2 years too early?!) (Also, further proof that Lego considers Market Street part of the modular buildings line. :D )

Ah yes, right. Yes, it has very basic LWP3 support - mainly for the specific VM commands used by the Control+ app. While the hub reports a suite of motors and sensors, the LWP3 implementation is woefully buggy and incomplete. Actually similar to the Boost Move Hub years ago before they updated the hub. Additionally, TLG made the hub required signed firmware, making it so Pybricks can’t be loaded onto the hub. I hope they push out some updates for the Technic Move Hub, otherwise it can’t really be used as a proper LWP3 hub for scenarios other than an RC car.

For the new Lego Education Science components?! I know Pybricks has LWP3 support, it's had it for a long time. I'm saying I don't know if the new components have LWP3 support. Ps. I'm the author of node-poweredup on GitHub, I'm very familiar with LWP3. :) I just hope the new components are LWP3 compatible.

Unfortunately I'm skeptical that Pybricks will be able to work on these. The most recent hub (The Technic Move Hub, included in the Porsche 42176) requires signed firmware, to which only Lego have the signing keys. The Pybricks team have said they will not be able to support Pybricks on it. If that is the case with these new components, then Pybricks may be out of the question also. I hope for at least LWP3 protocol support, so we can control them remotely. EDIT: I just saw you hope that Pybricks can talk to them remotely. Yes, I hope for this also - but that requires LWP3. Fingers crossed.

A couple of new pictures from an event at Lego HQ, taken from Boone Langston's Instagram. https://imgur.com/a/HRjhk6e What we can see is the pairing light and USB-C charger on the controller, which suggests an internal battery, instead of replaceable batteries like on the existing Powered UP remote. Along with a better view of the dual motor component, which seems to be 10x6x3, not including the sticky outy rotaty bits. Additionally, this picture is weird: https://imgur.com/a/KcKyQ7o Why are they holding the connector card up to the motor? Can it "read" it somehow?

In one of the higher resolution pictures there are regulatory markings on the side of the motor suggesting it has a battery. From the details, the new components are: * Controller * Single motor * Double motor * Color sensor My theory is that every component has its own battery, and components talk wirelessly. So the controller can control the motors, no wires anywhere, and everything is charged via USB-C. They also detail that "connector cards" are included - these seem to be color coded from the pictures. I wonder if these are used to control the color sensor. I wonder if everything uses LPF2 LWP to talk to each other and is therefore technically Powered Up compatible.

Hi @Toastie - I use this version of nqc which comes with USB tower support, without a requirement for a seperate driver install (at least on macOS, which is what I use). You may find it useful. https://github.com/BrickBot/nqc

I agree that the locomotive isn't great, but by and large I love this set. Also, the Crocodile wouldn't look bad hauling the Orient Express. ;)

It's very nice looking, but far too far off minifigure scale for my liking. Also non-standard track gauge and non-motorisability = hard pass. The Harry Potter crowd is sure to love it though.

I ordered the 1950's Diner and the Modular Construction Site at 10:00am on the dot. They were the two I really wanted. Ordered the Chalet later because...why not. I wish Studgate wasn't so ugly, I'd really like to support a train station...