howitzer

Excellent review as always, and the set looks to be something worth buying day one. The connections and density of the build are really something to behold!

That would be really cool, Bowden cable-like system would be enormously useful. Too bad the original flex system wasn't that well implemented with easily broken cables and so on. Properly made grader has been on our wishlist for years and years and while there's hope that some day TLG grants our wish, I'm not holding my breath. Though I hope that the implementation would be pneumatic for the aforementioned reasons.

I have also history of starting my building thread and then not finishing the entry for the contest, either due to time constraints or technical difficulties. Nothing wrong with that and at least I learned a little bit each time. I very much agree that posting a topic which shows progress throughout the project is important, if someone posts a finished model just before deadline without putting out any info on progress first, it feels somehow like cheating (even if it's not against the rules).

Looks to be a pretty good set for a car, with something novel in terms of functions for a change. I can also appreciate the new parts it brings, finally a shorter link piece and so on. Still not going to buy it (it's a car after all) but it gives me hope of improving quality of Technic sets.

Ooh, the 2L beam with offset axle in black would be very useful. Must make an order to Pab when it's available there.

Just my opinion, but I think making the tracks out of third-party rubber bands would go against the spirit of the contest, as that would involve excessive amounts of them.

Just speculating here, but the link shaft should ideally be as stiff as possible while still being not too thick for easy moulding and using less plastic, and cruciform shape for cross section fulfils these goals better than octagon or circular shape. As for being exactly like axles in shape - that's probably just a familiarity thing.

Point taken

I don't think it's necessary to specifically exclude GBC's or animals, as those would hardly count as any sort of vehicle anyway

How's the suspension? The original had probably the best suspension ever, in terms of smoothness and feel so I wonder if similar suspension is even achievable with modern parts...

I think this is definitely more Technic than trains, because it's built mostly from Technic parts and has technical functions as the main point of interest, and with little changes could be adapted for other kinds of purposes too, beside lifting containers in and out of trains. (A harbour crane moving containers in and out of ships would be a nice adaptation.) Anyway, great job, I love the mechanism performing so many functions with a single chain, and it's great to have a video of a simplified version too to demonstrate how it works!

Definitely. And it's far from the only one, just look at the Dune ornithopter or the recent Leonardo da Vinci's flying machine.

That seems really cool, probably something I'll get.

That pullback-chomping looks really interesting and novel! Talk about non-Technic sets having better and more ingenious technical functions than Technic sets... Also what is happening in that latter photo, the book-thing is there apparently completed but the person in the photo is still assembling the pullback-mechanism? While apparently looking at instructions which have no apparent relation to the assembly in question?

"Just" is of course a relative word, this contest was 1,5 years ago, but not so distant in terms of contests.

We just had the Space Police contest so I don't think spaceships aren't revised anytime soon...

The loader seems really great but other than that not very interesting wave. The cars are boring as usual and the excavator either hides something really cool (probably not) or is really underwhelming. The space rover thing is weird and imaginative but doesn't seem that interesting functionally.

So many gears! Seems really cool!

So... half-tracks allowed or not?

I haven't been buying much Technic in the recent couple of years but this thing I surely must get. Waiting for reviews but at the moment it feels like Technic at its best.

Mixed feelings here too. It looks nice and I like the new bucket function but the price is way too high, even considering the rising costs of manufacture.

At least there is an aesthetic purpose on it and it's not just to make the construction easier nor because there are no alternative colours available. As an aesthetic choice it's a matter of opinion if you like it or not.

For a while now there has been lots and lots of great Technic sets that are not labelled as Technic while vast majority of the sets with Technic label are technically dull and uninteresting...

New connector in the 21356 River steamboat set, one end has friction and the other doesn't: