The last TBs 
poll where you were asked to tell us 'Which LEGO Technic flagship, would you like next?' as finished.
It got a massive participation over two weeks, with almost 1.000 votes. 
Although the results caught me completely surprised, despite the most voted choice being also my personal preference.
And I say surprised because in the first days, the Supercar option took some advantage over the Excavator and it was increasing still for some time. Suddenly in the second week, both the Excavator and 'Some other construction machine' started an hiking race, that ended with the Supercar option in third place... which I ever imagined it was going to win.
Nevertheless, here are the results to whoever wants to take a look and some conclusions also.
We didn't get as many suggestions in the comments, as the number of votes in the last option. However there were a few interesting ideas that came up:
- The return from the Technic Universal Sets. It could even be one dedicated to constructions with pneumatics.
Wonder whether tis is appealing enough, to be put on the shelves and make kids to ask for it.
Probably if not really the year's flagship but some kind of return into this flavor of Technic sets. - A Mech or some kind of Walker (again, it may even be a pneumatic model).
Now lets hope that you are guessing right, or otherwise TLG to put these on the pipe.
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17 comments:
I personally think that the supercar was not as popular as any of the others due to the fact that LEGO fans want complicated models that are more interesting. Since this is the case, there will be more PF items (and a lot more functionality) in a 'fully remoted controlled' item than a car with only 2 motors.
I may be wrong but this is personally why I chose the excavator.
On a french forum ( http://forum.hardware.fr/hfr/Discussions/Loisirs/topik-unique-passion-sujet_39740_832.htm ), I asked the same question about 2 months ago.
There, people seem to want an helicopter with all the functions that a real helicopter has (blades can move in all directions ; that were very complex to design and to bluid).
Personally, I choose the helicopter too (in the french poll, and also here on TB). Why ? Because I already have a fully remote controlled excavator ! :p
Anio
My only concern is that whatever set they do, they have to sell it in Canada. This year's big set- the crane truck, is not available in Canada. You can buy everywhere else in the world, but not Canada. Looks like Lego doesn't care about Canadians.
But other Technic sets also do not sell in my country. It depends on their local marketing strategy and forecasts.
Fortunately those, we can buy from LEGOshop.com. :)
This particular set is not available from Shop@Home for Canadian customers. It's available at S@H for every over country it serves though. I did complain to Lego, but got no reasonable answer why Canada is missed out, especially as S@H ships to Canada from USA anyway!
I chose the excavator too, so it could have longer pneumatics 8^D. Fully remote controlled vehicles with lots of motors are great but only if they have lots of complexity too. I might be in the minority here but I kinda feel the the PF bulldozer was a bit boring. The PF system was great but the model itself was just too simple mechanically. So i'm all for fully remote controlled vehicles with lots of motors, but not at the cost of having a brilliant, complex and interesting model. I think the 8480 was the perfect balance between motors and complexity.
I also chose the flying machine as a big sea king rescue helicopter like thing with full cyclic/collective/pitch control would be awesome. The rotors would be motorised with a single PF motor that also drives a gearbox operating two winch functions and landing gear.
@ Prime Numbers
What a bummer. There must be some explanation but that's really annoying. How far do you live from the states? I know Canada is massive and I might be talking rubbish but is it possible for you to go to the states and get what you want there for little cost? Do you have any friends or relatives in the states that could order it and ship it to you?
I see some unfair in this poll, one day there was about 50% for supercar and next day about 200 votes for fully controled excavator WTF?Somebody must use anonymizer or lego had fingers in this...
@Anonymous (Saturday, December 5, 2009 8:38:00 PM WET)
Still 'Some other construction machine' was in second place, ahead of the super-car which proves that constructions machines are popular, and the fact that it would be fully remote controlled is possibly the reason why it came out above a standard construction machine?
Just a thought but I may be wrong.
I voted for 'some other construction machine', which would be a backhoe loader with a fully motorized arm at the back, and scoop at the front. It would use around 7 linear actuators, PF medium motors, and would use the 8284 wheels (only further apart than on 8284).
The total number of votes seems to be 1859 - does 963 count only 1 vote per computer or something? If it does, it would seem that on average, people voted for 2 flagships each (1859/963).
I forgot to add - I really hope that the 2H2010 flagship is not pneumatic. I think there is still much more that can be done using linear actuators, before Technic moves back to pneumatics.
I've ordered to be shipped to a USA address where I'll pick it up next week and bring it home. But I should not have to do this. I think we all want Lego to grow and flourish, but if they arbitrarily refuse to sell to a country, even just on the web, I can't see this as a good thing for any of us.
@previous anonymous,
I also felt something strange about this pool...
Nevertheless it didn't change from one day to another. It was something happening for almost one entire week.
But one thing is also sure. When there is a trend defined, it seems most tend to follow the trend. It just happens that the trend doesn't use to change that much.
However for some days in the beginning the Excavator was also following the Supercar, very closely!
I would like to see something like the 1997 barcode multi set 8479 but updated with new motors, controllers, parts ect. I think this set was very underrated.
Phil from Charlotte
I think most people voted for a fully remote control excavator because it is the best way to get the PF infra red receiver and remote control all in one package with parts for motorization. There are only 3 avenues to get the infra red receiver: the monster dino, bulldozer and Shop at home.
In Malaysia where we do not have Shop At Home, our only avenue is by getting the only 2 sets with the IR receiver. TLG need to come out with another complete set with the receiver and parts like the monster dino and 8275 so that we can finally be able motorized our creations.
I am sure everyone here have cannibalized their monster dino or bulldozer to motorized their creations at 1 point.
Anio > If you'd like a helicopter, have you seen this one? It does all the functions you mention. Full collective and differential pitch of individual blades: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=147936
It's also a good application for my closed loop pneumatic control technique (which performs the LA stop-anywhere function whilst also reacting to the load): http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=405269 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jv73J8-4Zw
The loads on the Apache's rotor swash plate control devices (wishbone parts) are quite heavy but pneumatic servos can handle it. Two XL motors are required for rotor drive with the full length blades attached.
We've had a good excavator with LAs (8294) and a good backhoe with pneumatics (8455). There's room for both in the range as they're each better at different things.
There's more untapped potential in pneumatics than in LAs, from a TLG-set point of view (of course we AFOLs have tried to rectify the situation :-) ). More pneumatics doesn't have to mean fewer LAs.
Couldn't you build an excavator from a PF Bulldozer and a few LAs? That wouldn't develop our techniques much - we have to learn something new from a decent Technic set, not just repeat the cycle of add-another-module-between-the-chassis-members as happens too often with trucks.
Have an IR-controlled PF XL motor drive a swash plate compressor: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=230222 (with 6-8 mini compressors) That's a non-drive app for the XL motor. Then lay into the how-it-works complexity to give us a real challenge with how all that air power will be used! A real excavator track motor works more like this: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=4212255 (except that it would be a 2-port motor and use rotating hydraulic couplings through the turret).
Do those of you who dislike pneumatics understand fully everything that can be done with it (including the above links)? Have you tried it?
The good news is that I got the kit home in my suitcase after collapsing the box and putting all the bits (still in their bags) in a carrier bag. Funny thing is that as I was heading to the USA anyway, this worked out cheaper as they always bump the prices for Canada.
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