Originally Posted by
RichJohnson
I think you hit it with "If you manage to have it running"
I wont dispute the amount of effort Luke puts into support and the help on the forum. Im saying the whole system was marketed the wrong way and while being very elaborate and complicated is overwhelming to most. One dealer selling all the parts needed and supporting what is sold is the way to go. The way it is its kinda a beta tester thing that I would say has no real position stance in the hobby. Its a side note of an experiment that offers wonderous goodies and gadgets of options and configureability, just like the guy I know that carries around two Andriod phones that he jailbroke and they do amazing things that the rest of us can only dream of.
My point is this great product is out there over there that you go buy there and then come here for help and support and go there for the other components and such, its just not set up to be marketed to the mass of the hobby, its a very small niche that want to deal with this kind of thing and figure it out If Luke went into business and marketed everything needed as a one stop shop, this TCB would be a viable option for the hobby that would likely blow away the other two major products but as is, its not.
Well, you are partially right here. I think everybody can be able to have the set open panzer running. Even if somebody has 0 experience with tanks and radio control, if he follows step by step the wiki, and ask the possible questions in the forum, he will end having the tank running nicely. Anyway I would not recommend it as a first tank for a rc novice (in fact I started with a Heng Long, then Tamiya, and then jumped to all of the aftermarket boards and radios, but if I look to the past I think it would be hard for me to start with OP as a first rc experience), but everything is so well explained in the wiki that I trully believe
everybody can do it. Of course I do understand people problems and issues (and
people not willing to read any manual too) I also see quite a lot of the users who buy a Tamiya are not able even to trigger the cannon or machine gun, but as I said, with a little bit of patience and reading the wiki, the open panzer board is well worth it and accesible for everybody.
About keeping it simple as an IBU, well, yes and no. The simplier the board, the less functions it has. I am one of those rare guys who love to have tons of sounds, lights, high customization of the tank, when driving to really feel it as a Tank, and not like a toy (like I feel heng long and, sorry guys, Tamiya.) and the TCB really makes it possible.
As you point, if a seller were selling a package with the OP board, ESCs and soundcard, it would make the things easier for everybody... I think that would be complicated as a start for Luke, who would have to invest a lot of money producing and storing the boards, and no mention of the time it takes to go to the post office and so on...
But well, lets see what brings the future. I vote for an Open Panzer V2 with integrated motor ESCs and soundboard!