You're supposed to use your imagination. Just because a piece was designed as a mask doesn't mean you have to use it as a mask or even a face.

That's the point of combi models, really — to point out the different ways you can use the parts of one set together with parts from another. The official story roles are just a bonus.

Couldn't be worded better.

What Aanchir pointed could be said about almost anything in LEGO.

I mean, LEGO itself is about creativity and the discovery of new ways of doing things.

^^^^But when it still comes in the same color......I mean, at least make it grey, or blue, or whatever. Don't just mix pieces together, make unique pieces or colors to at least make the guy look unified. I understand that, when combining from real sets, that is impossible to do, but I think it better that they just don't do combiners. Combos are basically instructions for a different set, so why not just make a different set? Let kids use their own imagination.

^^^LOSS could combine with all of the other spiders, to make......a bigger spider.

^And yeah; Lego is about using your imagination. So don't tell kids to use their imagination, then give them instructions for a super Toa.

Edited September 5, 201410 yr by LN-01354

I actually like the differing colours in the Kaita. It reminds me of combining mecha, and those are always cool.

^But in the story, most of these characters weren't supposed to be the Toa mixed together; they were supposed to be completely different people. Combiners are like if someone cut off an arm off of one person, peeled off the skin of another, took the hair a a third guy, and ripped off someone else's fingers and glued them to his hand. It's just weird.....And enjoy the nightmares tonight!

Edited September 5, 201410 yr by LN-01354

And yeah; Lego is about using your imagination. So don't tell kids to use their imagination, then give them instructions for a super Toa.

Lego can also just sell a plain bag of parts, and tell the kids to use their imagination to build whatever they want.

What I mean is yes, Lego is about imagination, but that doesn't mean every set has to be a parts pack like the parts buckets. Especially when it comes to Bionicle, which is more focused on roleplay. Yes, you can imagine your own character, but a kid with action figures (not necessarily buildable ones) will imagine his / her characters' adventures and stories. So you can actually tell a kid to use his / her imagination and give him / her the instructions for a super Toa. It's not incompatible.

Plus, the combiners have a marketing value. They say "Hey, have you seen this cool big Toa ? You can build it if you buy two other ones !". It's a very simple way to advertise the other products.

Edited September 5, 201410 yr by Leewan

@Shakar; Yeah, and the January release (provided by a user in the French BIONICLE fan site Bionifigs) gave me a lot of hope, and I hope these Kaitas will be cool as the classic ones from 2001 (Toa Mata) and 2002 (Toa Nuva) So. thanks for the great news! :laugh: :wub:

*Sigh*... All I want are Akamai and Wairuha in CCBS. Really hope Lego pulls through and gives us them as official combi models.

*Sigh*... All I want are Akamai and Wairuha in CCBS. Really hope Lego pulls through and gives us them as official combi models.

Amen, brother.

Though if not, it's just going to make MOCing them fun :P

Edited September 6, 201410 yr by Jakura Nuva

I know I'll be making my own Akamai and Wairuha if there's no official ones.

^But in the story, most of these characters weren't supposed to be the Toa mixed together; they were supposed to be completely different people. Combiners are like if someone cut off an arm off of one person, peeled off the skin of another, took the hair a a third guy, and ripped off someone else's fingers and glued them to his hand. It's just weird.....And enjoy the nightmares tonight!

That's only if you think of the parts strictly in terms of what they were originally used for. And in fact, that's part of the reason combi models exist — because often people have to be trained NOT to just think of parts in terms of how they were originally used. Nobody will ever get the most fun or value out of a LEGO set if they think of it solely as a character made of function-specific parts and not as versatile building blocks for original creations.

Take this Hero Factory combi model, for example (photo not mine). The technique it uses to beef up the legs and give them an animalistic look is brilliant, and it's a technique I might never have thought of using on my own. But I've actually used it in MOCs now that I've seen it demonstrated. It doesn't matter that the model isn't flawless — it's still beautiful for what it is.

There are plenty of older examples, too. The Kraahu from 2004 demonstrates how to make a multi-legged model from Vahki parts. The Kralhi demonstrates some creative ways of using Vahki parts. The Dagger Spider and Lava Hawk both demonstrated how Matoran parts could be put to use to create non-humanoid creatures. Every one of these models uses techniques that might not occur to people who are used to thinking of parts simply in terms of their intent — thinking of tool pieces as tools, and head pieces as heads, and leg pieces as legs, and arm pieces as arms, and mask pieces as masks.

You suggest simply making more sets, but the truth of the matter is that most of the time this is neither a goal nor an option. The LEGO Group already releases exactly as many sets each wave as they feel they need to to maximize sales. Release too many sets at any given time, and they compete with each other, potentially resulting in poorer sales for the entire line.

Furthermore, the goal of these models is never to satisfy a need for new characters. BIONICLE was already so bloated with characters that could be difficult to make room for certain combi models in the story at all! The combi models are designed to enhance the playability of the sets they're built from and to encourage buyers to think creatively. Writing those models into the storyline is just a bonus that helps further encourage people to build and play with them.

In my opinion, the unconventional color schemes for many combi models can actually be an asset rather than a liability. And the reason for that is again to quash narrow-minded thinking at an early age. If you're trained to think that only strict adherence to a narrowly-defined color scheme is acceptable, you limit yourself creatively. It might never occur to some people that a model made from a red set, a green set, and a brown set can still be beautiful if you distribute the colors a certain way. Or for that matter, that any color scheme that they've never seen in sets can be beautiful.

I know people make fun of how some kids will build "rainbow warriors" with no regard to color scheme, but training yourself to think the opposite — that there are a limited number of acceptable color combinations — is every bit as hazardous. Just earlier today I was talking with somebody on BZPower who insisted that there was no effort put into this set's color scheme because — I kid you not — black and orange "clash". Never mind that the set only has three main colors which are organized even more logically than the colors on this set that the same person was praising as an example of an organized, sensible color scheme.

I recently saw this MOC which has a brilliantly unconventional color scheme. No BIONICLE set has ever used Bright Red, Sand Yellow (Dark Tan), and Warm Gold together. But the chaotic nature of the color scheme is a part of what makes it so exciting. I also have a MOC of my own, built earlier this year, that uses colors together in wild and zany combinations. If the LEGO Group only ever taught kids to use colors together in limited, rigidly-defined color schemes like this, there are many who might never consider "thinking outside the box" in this way — only combining greens with greens, or reds with oranges, or blues with blues.

*Sigh*... All I want are Akamai and Wairuha in CCBS. Really hope Lego pulls through and gives us them as official combi models.

If the LEGO Group doesn't provide official combi models, you can always try to MOC them. I had great fun building Phantoka/Mistika versions of Akamai Nuva and Wairuha Nuva (I even posted instructions here and here if you own the sets and want to try building them yourself).

I personally stand on the fence when it comes to Combiner models.

On the one hand, they can be a bit of a nuisance, and I fully hear what people are saying about how the mishmash of colors just doesn't look right.

On the other, though, they can do a lot for canon. Hiker Mike, for instance, although not perhaps the greatest of models, gave definitive proof that Slizer was populated by at least one more character than was shown in the set line*.

Mixels I think are perhaps where Combiners really work. It's the only one where they really fit into the theme and make sense.

All in all, though, I think that Combiners, mishmash of colors as they may be, have a distinct plus in having more canon characters to have on display. Also a severe drain on our wallets.

*Probably not that important a fact to very many people, unless you may or may not be trying to create a theme line continuation set for Ideas...

Edited September 6, 201410 yr by Lind Whisperer

I had great fun building Phantoka/Mistika versions of Akamai Nuva and Wairuha Nuva (I even posted instructions here and here if you own the sets and want to try building them yourself).

*Drools on iPad*

Those 08 Kaita are magnificent.

If the LEGO Group doesn't provide official combi models, you can always try to MOC them. I had great fun building Phantoka/Mistika versions of Akamai Nuva and Wairuha Nuva (I even posted instructions here and here if you own the sets and want to try building them yourself).

Oh, I'll definitely MoC them if we don't get them, but something about building official combi models... I don't know. I just like it.

Plus, having an official Akamai and Wairuha would be a big nostalgia factor.

*Drools on iPad*

Those 08 Kaita are magnificent.

Thank you! They're some of the oldest BIONICLE MOCs of mine that I'm still really proud of. A lot of my older stuff does not hold up nearly as well in hindsight.

If the parts weren't so prone to breaking (some of them, like Wairuha's right hand, are even already broken in those photos) I'd probably take advantage of the instructions I made and rebuild them. Maybe even take better pics this time.

Thank you! They're some of the oldest BIONICLE MOCs of mine that I'm still really proud of. A lot of my older stuff does not hold up nearly as well in hindsight.

If the parts weren't so prone to breaking (some of them, like Wairuha's right hand, are even already broken in those photos) I'd probably take advantage of the instructions I made and rebuild them. Maybe even take better pics this time.

You're welcome :)

^^Okay, that is my only hatred for Bionicle: the pieces break all the time! In the remainder of my collection, I have an original Bohrok, and I am so scared that the pieces will break. I remember that, before I sold my Rahkshi, the trans red piece for the eyes broke, and I couldn't fix it, and he looked forever deformed with solid-green eyes.

I guess....I like CCBS better.....

That's generally why LEGO offers free replacement parts, but anyway...

You don't have to like CCBS better (in terms of aesthetics, I tend to prefer BIONICLE's ridiculously overspecialized parts) but the system is incredibly versatile, so seeing it translate into BIONICLE will certainly be a treat.

I am certainly looking forward to long lasting, building/playing resistant Bionicle sets.

I am certainly looking forward to long lasting, building/playing resistant Bionicle sets.

aren't we all...

I'll always support combi models no matter what. Even if I don't build most of them and I think most don't look that great, they always push you you to try out new designs and colour combinations.

Akamai and Wairuha would be great to see again, but I'd really like to see 2-in-1 super Toa too. The problem with Toa+Defender combi is that I can't think of a way to connect the large Toa torso to the Defender small torso, there don't seem to be double C bones included in the sets.

Yeah, not to mention that I can't think of a single example of the main set being compromised for its role in the combiner. In things like power rangers, some zords are only good for combining and nothing else, but in Bionicle, you always seemed to get a fully fleshed out figure. So I'd definitely be excited for combiners, especially kaita.

Edited September 6, 201410 yr by Timeline15

aren't we all...

Yeah... We all do... :)

I personally like more Bionicle construction but I'm very intrested to see where they are going with CCBS, because it holds great potential but the pieces for haven't achieved it yet. Well at least the limbs are more than just one piece so we don't have to see abominitions like... http://www.majhost.c...nContd/back.jpg and http://img4.wikia.no...Lucas_Valor.png

I still don't understand how and why this... http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120528225303/lego/images/3/3d/Sand_Stalker.png looks like what it is. It's like 3/4 of pieces were never used from Fero & Skirmix and Malum. And it was only combiner in 2009.

Edited September 6, 201410 yr by GK733

That's only if you think of the parts strictly in terms of what they were originally used for. And in fact, that's part of the reason combi models exist — because often people have to be trained NOT to just think of parts in terms of how they were originally used. Nobody will ever get the most fun or value out of a LEGO set if they think of it solely as a character made of function-specific parts and not as versatile building blocks for original creations.

Take this Hero Factory combi model, for example (photo not mine). The technique it uses to beef up the legs and give them an animalistic look is brilliant, and it's a technique I might never have thought of using on my own. But I've actually used it in MOCs now that I've seen it demonstrated. It doesn't matter that the model isn't flawless — it's still beautiful for what it is.

There are plenty of older examples, too. The Kraahu from 2004 demonstrates how to make a multi-legged model from Vahki parts. The Kralhi demonstrates some creative ways of using Vahki parts. The Dagger Spider and Lava Hawk both demonstrated how Matoran parts could be put to use to create non-humanoid creatures. Every one of these models uses techniques that might not occur to people who are used to thinking of parts simply in terms of their intent — thinking of tool pieces as tools, and head pieces as heads, and leg pieces as legs, and arm pieces as arms, and mask pieces as masks.

You suggest simply making more sets, but the truth of the matter is that most of the time this is neither a goal nor an option. The LEGO Group already releases exactly as many sets each wave as they feel they need to to maximize sales. Release too many sets at any given time, and they compete with each other, potentially resulting in poorer sales for the entire line.

Furthermore, the goal of these models is never to satisfy a need for new characters. BIONICLE was already so bloated with characters that could be difficult to make room for certain combi models in the story at all! The combi models are designed to enhance the playability of the sets they're built from and to encourage buyers to think creatively. Writing those models into the storyline is just a bonus that helps further encourage people to build and play with them.

In my opinion, the unconventional color schemes for many combi models can actually be an asset rather than a liability. And the reason for that is again to quash narrow-minded thinking at an early age. If you're trained to think that only strict adherence to a narrowly-defined color scheme is acceptable, you limit yourself creatively. It might never occur to some people that a model made from a red set, a green set, and a brown set can still be beautiful if you distribute the colors a certain way. Or for that matter, that any color scheme that they've never seen in sets can be beautiful.

I know people make fun of how some kids will build "rainbow warriors" with no regard to color scheme, but training yourself to think the opposite — that there are a limited number of acceptable color combinations — is every bit as hazardous. Just earlier today I was talking with somebody on BZPower who insisted that there was no effort put into this set's color scheme because — I kid you not — black and orange "clash". Never mind that the set only has three main colors which are organized even more logically than the colors on this set that the same person was praising as an example of an organized, sensible color scheme.

I recently saw this MOC which has a brilliantly unconventional color scheme. No BIONICLE set has ever used Bright Red, Sand Yellow (Dark Tan), and Warm Gold together. But the chaotic nature of the color scheme is a part of what makes it so exciting. I also have a MOC of my own, built earlier this year, that uses colors together in wild and zany combinations. If the LEGO Group only ever taught kids to use colors together in limited, rigidly-defined color schemes like this, there are many who might never consider "thinking outside the box" in this way — only combining greens with greens, or reds with oranges, or blues with blues.

If the LEGO Group doesn't provide official combi models, you can always try to MOC them. I had great fun building Phantoka/Mistika versions of Akamai Nuva and Wairuha Nuva (I even posted instructions here and here if you own the sets and want to try building them yourself).

Whoa, those look fantastic! I remember making Adaptive Akamai Nuva once but it was really rubbish. Did you only use pieces from those sets or did you include others?