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Subject: 
Re: A fan no more
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.general
Date: 
Wed, 14 Jul 2004 16:20:25 GMT
Viewed: 
6248 times
  
In lugnet.general, Kevin L. Clague wrote:
In lugnet.general, Jindrich Kubec wrote:
Purple Dave wrote:
I don't think that anybody argues on usefulness of studless beams.

I do.  Orion does.  Heck, Kevin's pretty much the poster-child for what can be
accomplished with stud-free construction.

Hey, this is a my clumsy pidgin, sorry, I'll try to reiterate ;-)

Hi Jindrich,

  For me, your statement read as you meant it.  Everyone can see usefulness of
studdless beams.

  I've been pondering this studded/studless discussion for a while now, and I
think I understand my handicap.  There are two technic domains:  sets and parts.
I see pleny of sets that contain studded technic parts, but the sets are not in
the technic theme.  I see plenty of technic sets, but few if any that contain
technic studded parts.  This second domain is the domain you are concerned
about.  I support you and all others who complain that technic sets do not seem
to have studded technic parts, especially beams.

  I've only ever built a few models from the sets I own.  Early in the
Mindstorms days, I built a few models from the Dark Side Developer kit, and a
few models with the RIS 1.5 kit.  Since then I've only built one model, the 8455
technic backhoe that was a gift from a dear friend.  In honor of the gift, I
built the set.

  I typically build my own creations using the parts I have from lots of sets,
and lots of purchases from bricklink.  In all my purchasing, I have many more
technic studded bricks, than technic studless beams.  I have a modest collection
of about 50 gallons of LEGO.  I use far more studless beams than bricks.  I
wonder how it is that I have more studded beams than studless, since I prefer
studless?  I don't know.  I do know that I do not have enough plates to match
the studded bricks in inventory.

  As soon as I start to use motors I start building with studded bricks and
plates.  Given the way Mindstorms motor mounts work, studded is required.
Lately I've been building totally pneumatic models, and tend to gravitate
towards studless designs then.  As you said, each technology, studded and
studless have their advantages and their usage.

  Often the people who complain about the studded technic brick famine in
technic sets, do so in the form of complaining about studless beams and their
dislike for them.  This tends to get me going, because I love studless designs
as well as studded designs.  It is often presented as all or nothing.  All
studded and no studless.  Also complaints are of the form "I can't build
studless things using the studded techniques I know, so studless is bad" tend to
get me vocal as well.

  But, looking at the big picture, the lack of *any* studded bricks (longer than
4 at least), in any technic sets is a big concern that I think LEGO should
address.  Like I said, LEGO does not have builders that are just Technic, they
get moved from theme to theme.  I think this may be an advantage to the other
themes, but a big disadvantage to the technic theme.  Over time, the AFOL
community has eclipsed the LEGO group in their ability to create interesting
mechanical designs using the classic and new technic parts.

  Most people here have played with LEGO much longer than I have.  They have a
much stronger attachment to the stud than I do.  I need to sit down, shut up and
respect that perspective.  I apologize to you and anyone else that was offended
by my tone in previous posts on this topic.

  LEGO, Jake, why is it that the technic sets for 2004 have no technic studded
bricks?

Kevin






I just wanted to say that most people admit that studless beams may be
useful sometimes and that people are usually not against studless beams,
but against studless sets. For example I'm against studless sets = I
don't buy them (no matter if it's Znap, Bionicle or 'new' Technic).

Jindrich,

  Just like you, I hope to see *more* studded/studless mixed sets in Technic's
future.

  Last year at BrickfestDC, I asked Brad Justice what kind of training was
needed that would help me get hired by LEGO as a Technic builder.  He responded
that set designers at LEGO do not just focus on one product line.  So there is
no-one at LEGO that just does Technic.  I don't think this bodes well for the
Technic line.  While the new models are more aesthetically pleasing (IMNSHO)
because they lack studs, they are in fact less rigid and sturdy.

  Also there have not been very many large innovations in steering or other
mechanisms in Technic sets in the last five years.  Maybe I'm jaded though,
because I see so many wonderful models and innovations here and on brickshelf.
We as an AFOL community push the envelope on designs using technic parts much
harder than LEGO does.

  Too bad they don't pay more attention to the innovations made available here
and fold them into new designs.  Too bad that LEGO designers cannot focus on
particular product lines, making them better through successive refinement.

Kevin



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: A fan no more
 
(...) Jindrich, Just like you, I hope to see *more* studded/studless mixed sets in Technic's future. Last year at BrickfestDC, I asked Brad Justice what kind of training was needed that would help me get hired by LEGO as a Technic builder. He (...) (20 years ago, 11-Jul-04, to lugnet.general)

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