What’s NXT is a weekly column written by Jim Kelly at The NXT Step Blog. Jim writes about LEGO Mindstorms NXT and all the cool news related to it.

While I didn’t get the fancy packaging that the retail version will provide, I was just as happy when a plain brown box arrived .

The motors, brick, and cables were packages separately from the smaller pieces.  The connectors, beams, rods, and misc. pieces were in a large plastic bag that had to first be sorted.

I had a couple of containers for my old RCX that I chose to use because they worked so well for me.  I managed to purchase a larger plastic case to hold all the old RCX parts, and then began the counting.  I first sorted all the parts based on the picture that LEGO released showing them all nicely placed.  Trust me, mine never even came close to looking that good.  After the count was done, I found that I was missing only about 7-8 pieces, and these weren’t critical or unique pieces.  A quick email to LEGO and I they shipped me out my replacement pieces within a week.  Don’t worry – you won’t have this issue.  LEGO will have a very solid Quality Control process in place for the packaging of the retail and education versions.

More after the jump.




FIRST IMPRESSION AT THIS POINT:

A LOT of pieces!  Although I never thought "too many," I did start to believe that running out of parts wouldn’t be an issue… I was a little wrong (more on this later).

So, I’ve got all the parts separated, counted, and in their respective little boxes.  Next was the software.

The software installed fairly quickly… no problems.  I’m a tech writer, but I freely admit I skipped documentation at this point and just began to drag-and-drop, playing with the software and seeing what it could do.

The retail version has the RoboCenter.  In this little built-in project section of the software you’ll find 4 main projects – , , , and .  Within each of these categories is where you’ll find the 18 challenges.  The challenges build on previous work.  So, for example, in the Vehicles category, you’ll build the Tribot which is one challenge. .. then you’ll increase its functionality with another challenge that adds in the sound sensor… then another challenge will incorporate the Ultrasonic sensor.  Each of the 4 categories has multiple challenges associated with it and will give you a good variety of building experience fairly quickly.  There are some good building techniques that you’ll absorb just by doing all the challenges.

With each challenge you get visual instructions on the screen for building the physical bot and then you get visual instructions for programming it.  By the time I was done with all the categories, I had pretty much seen all the basic and a few of the advanced building blocks used in the NXT software.  Along the way, I also got comfortable experimenting with other blocks and just trying to get them to work with a certain bot.  Knowing how easy it was to undo a mistake was great… combine this with how quick it is to upload a program via USB to the actual bot, and debugging doesn’t take too long.

FIRST IMPRESSION ON THE SOFTWARE: 

Plenty of functionality to keep you busy for a while.  I don’t mind the drag-and-drop – because I’m interested in using this with kids, I’m not looking for extremely advanced programming techniques.  For kids (and many adults), this needs to be a fun, non-frustrating process and the software doesn’t overwhelm you with a log of pop-up dialog boxes and keeps the configurable items to a reasonable amount.

Now, just some general observations:

•  I quickly discovered that sometimes the Technic pieces are "wobbly" – this isn’t a weakness in the product, it simply requires you to use more connectors to increase the holding strength between parts.  This is seen often with the motors – they are unusually shaped and I have found that making multiple connections to the motors various holes reduces the wobble/looseness and make the bot structure stronger.

•  Running the motors at 80+ power level WILL drain those batteries.  During testing I frequently turn the motors down to 30 or less power level just to save on the batteries.  I can’t wait to buy a rechargeable battery (or 2) for my NXT. 

•  Symmetry is nice… we as humans like things that look tidy and nice and symmetrical.  But with 3 motors, you’re going to have to get over this quick.  Some of my designs are quite simply "ugly" because I had to slap a sensor or motor in an unusual location.  Until I purchase a 4th motor, I’m just going to have to live with it.

•  One of the first things I started doing with my designs was building "big" – I no longer try to build a small bot UNTIL after I’ve got the functionality and programming well-defined.  Almost all of my original bots have been big, unwieldy things… then I started peeling off the parts and reducing the parts-count and trying to give my bot a smaller "footprint"… this is fun to me.  Your mileage (frustration-level) may vary.

•  You CANNOT keep kid away from this thing.  No matter how hard I tried, when my 4-year old nephew saw my containers, I knew I was in trouble.  This kit is a KID’S DREAM.  I don’t have children yet, but for those of you who do, buy the kit and enjoy the playtime with your kids.  LEGO’s recommended age range is 10+, but I know 6 year olds who will be building bots in no time with this kit – the pieces are that easy to snap together. (And the stuff that is hard – they’ll let you know!)

•  I’ve had almost 2 months with the kit now.  All I can add in closing is my shopping/wish list:

1.  3 new motors
2.  An extra touch sensor, maybe 2
3.  1 more light sensor
4.  More cables in more-varied lengths
5.  17-hole, 20-hole, and 25-hole beams
6.  flux-capacitor (for the timemachinebot)

You can read more of Jim’s writing at The NXT Step Blog.