Bionicle 2015 Discussion

[Dinobrick]

Sorry I was sharp about that. Don't mean to stir anything up.

Its alright.

[Mesonak]

I think, for today, I'll retreat back to this fandom to engage in a conversation about quality rather than the Halo fandom; that place is a battleground.

As it stands, I have faith that the new BIONICLE will be handled in such a way that will please new and old fans alike (in terms of both story and sets). It's obviously not going to be exactly as we remembered, and it may take a little time to find its footing, but ever since I attended the panel at NYCC I feel absolutely confident that the new BIONICLE team cares about the franchise, recognizes what made it successful, and are trying their absolute best to translate those values into its reboot. Changing the building system, though, likely wasn't an option; it was created not to be the "Hero Factory" system, but rather the standard constraction system for all lines in the forseeable future. As such, I don't fault them for using it and I commend them for their strides toward integrating elements that old BIONICLE fans will enjoy.

[Echo]

As a Bionicle fan since the beginning, I suppose I should give my two cents as well. I have some issues with the CCBS, but I've recently bought some Chima Ultrabuilds that have alleviated some of my concerns and the ease of modification that the CCBS offers should allow for us to pretty easily fix anything we don't like about the news sets. Yes, the skeleballs can look gappy and strange at times, (Looking at you, back of Tahu's lower legs.) but if given a choice between the new stuff and late era Bionicle, I'll try the new stuff every time. Has everyone just forgotten how bad the last couple of years were for the original run? Most of the sets from '07-'10 were only useful as parts packs because the designs were so incredibly lazy. The worst of the worst were the Phantoka/Mistika Nuva, which had bland colors, overused ugly designs, and absolutely zero resemblance to the characters they were supposed to depict. In other words, a complete waste of time and money. I was GLAD that Bionicle ended the first time because I felt that it deserved to die off because of how bad it had gotten towards the end.

Five years later and we have a reboot that utilizes a different building system to the crappy Piraka/Inika mishmashes we got towards GeeWun's end while being aesthetically closer to the original three years in art style and possessing character design that is heavily based on the classic heroes' original looks. Does the CCBS have problems? Yes, but is it light-years beyond the Piraka/Inika-based messes? Certainly. Now, as an old school GeeWunner, (Referred to as '01ists back in the day on BZP.) I am still heavily biased in favor of the old stuff. The '01-'03 era was and still is an absolute masterpiece of set design and engaging story-telling, especially considering the tumultuous era of Lego history it came from. '04-'05 was another quantum leap in set design and story complexity that was absolutely brilliant, and even '06, despite introducing designs that I would later hate after they got regurgitated by Lego a zillion times later, was still well designed, well written, and a lot of fun. Those six years defined by adolescence and will always be special to me. However, I must say that even though I'm twenty-one years old now, these new sets have sparked that same excitement for me that I had back then. So regardless of my lingering wariness towards the CCBS, I look forward to the release of the new sets with great anticipation and will buy every single one as soon as I see them.

[Mesonak]

Most of the sets from '07-'10 were only useful as parts packs because the designs were so incredibly lazy.

Not only are you right, but even THAT'S a stretch considering the fragile socket quality!

[Echo]

Not only are you right, but even THAT'S a stretch considering the fragile socket quality!

That issue never came up for me. Granted, I skipped a LOT of sets from that era, but I do not recall ever seeing it in what I did get. I suppose I got lucky.

[Dinobrick]

I think, for today, I'll retreat back to this fandom to engage in a conversation about quality rather than the Halo fandom; that place is a battleground.

Oh buddy you have no idea...(I'm on the bring back bungie side)

Anyone think the new prize mask looks sorta like the fallen? With its narrow face and bulbous forehead?

[Aanchir]

I just want to share my opinion on the whole 'too similar to HF' thing that keeps sprouting up. I don't see how Lego could do Bio2015 any differently that would please the CCBS haters! They already have a Technic mechanism, so that should be enough. I think people are expecting 99% Technic in these new sets, and that's most likely never going to happen in the short-term future of this returning Bionicle line! Sure, Lego might add more Technic-y things slowly but surely, but I just can't see them ever going back to the completely old build.

But back on-topic: little snippits of comic strips being put into the Lego Magazine sounds good to me (I lied about me age so I started getting them again :( ). I hope everything's not going to be on the PC; they are making a mobile app so at least they might put all the story videos and a least a game on there.

Also, something some people seem to overlook is that we are in fact getting a LOT of new parts already with the new BIONICLE. One of the designers at NYCC said there were about 30 new molds for the BIONICLE reboot. We know of 20 of them: sixteen from the Toa sets, three more from the Protector sets, and the Mask of Creation. The remaining parts, together with the Mask of Creation, will presumably be featured in the five summer sets. Even just going by what we've seen, there have been thirteen sets revealed for BIONICLE 2015 containing 19 new molds. Either way, that's about as many new molds per set as 2001 BIONICLE, which had 25 sets (not counting duplicates) and 36 new molds (37 if you count the Toa Mata canister lid).

Obviously, this doesn't necessarily mean a lot for people who think BIONICLE should have just gone back to using parts from 2001–2010 instead of the CCBS. There's no telling how many new molds would have been needed for that, since it depends entirely on how many of those old-school BIONICLE molds are still in usable condition. But I've seen some people with pie-in-the-sky ideas that the LEGO Group could have introduced new parts to give BIONICLE its characteristic level of detail, when we're already getting about as many new molds per set as in 2001.

[Agent Fusion]

Speaking of the summer sets, on Kopaka's comic, a red Skull Spider can be seen. I would assume it will arrive with one of the summer sets.

EDIT: On Tahu's and Onua's comics, dark green an light purple Spiders can be seen respetively

Edited November 9, 2014 by Agent Fusion

[greatoonay]

There's also a purple on on the Onua comic.

[VBBN]

I think the green one is supposed to be representing the spring yellowish green mask, but I'd love to be wrong and get more colors of the spider in the summer wave. With that said, I find it very odd that we would only get three colors of skull spiders in the first wave of 13 sets, and then suddenly get a whole bunch more colors in the supposed 5 set second wave.

But either way, if they make the skull spider mask in red I'll buy 100.

Maybe 1000.

[Aanchir]

I find it very odd that we would only get three colors of skull spiders in the first wave of 13 sets, and then suddenly get a whole bunch more colors in the supposed 5 set second wave.

Well, three in the first wave and two or three in the second would not be out of the question. So the lavender and red ones might be coming in the future.

[GK733]

Found these when searching around RusBionicle

May give a better glimpse into the design of LOSS.

[arc]

Found these when searching around RusBionicle

May give a better glimpse into the design of LOSS.

yes. Gimme LoSS.

Although one thing I would have liked is if they added a fourth pair of legs at an angle, like in the front. But otherwise, me wantz.

[gedren_y]

A dark blue Skull Spider! To the left of LOSS.

I thought we were getting four colors of Skull Spiders. Gali's image makes me think the Skull Spider there is two-toned, silver and blue.

[Echo]

The LoSS is interesting. Very Technicy.

[Shakar]

A dark blue Skull Spider! To the left of LOSS.

I thought we were getting four colors of Skull Spiders. Gali's image makes me think the Skull Spider there is two-toned, silver and blue.

That's just a lightning trick, there are three colours of Spiders plus the gold mask in LoSS- spring yellowish green (which is different from lime and never appeared in constraction before) in Fire and Earth sets, earth ("Metru") blue in Jungle and Stone sets and silver in Ice and Water sets.

[VBBN]

I keep forgetting LoSS comes with a gold version of the mask. I'm going to guess it's a no but I would like if they gave four of the legs to make it into a spider.

I suppose the older HF claw pieces would do for now, but still. We will find out soon enough..

Speaking of which, I know it wouldn't make sense story wise, but with all of these gold masks it almost leaves me wishing we got the protector mask in gold too.

[Echo]

Is Pohatu's armor gunmetal or silver?

[Toa of Gallifrey]

It's funmetal I'm pretty sure it's silver but I wasn't at the NYCC event so don't hold me to it.

[Aanchir]

Is Pohatu's armor gunmetal or silver?

It's silver.

[Echo]

It's silver.

Dangit. Oh well. He's still my favorite.

[DuckBricks]

Not sure if anyone else saw this, but the comics on the back of every box shows the skull spiders attaching themselves onto the protectors' faces... like krana!

[InfurnallDragon]

It's funmetal

No, silly. Funmetal is a mix of confetti colors aka leftover plastic solutions with glitter mixed in. (The first impression I got when I read funmetal a hundred pages ago)

That LOSS is kinda underwhelming. I was expecting him to have some sort of abdomen at least, his handle area looks very incomplete.

Dat Miru.

Edited November 10, 2014 by InfurnallDragon

[Dinobrick]

Yay! Arachatomy! Yes this loss thing really ought to be called a head with legs, there is nothing remotely arachnoid about it.

Edited November 10, 2014 by Dinobrick

[The Kumquat Alchemist]

Yay! Arachatomy! Yes this loss thing really ought to be called a head with legs, there is nothing remotely arachnoid about it.

Few Rahi have ever well-represented the real species there were nominally based on. Visorak "spiders" are a prime example of this, what with their four legs, the latter two being attached to the very back of the abdomen.

Even with that in mind, LOSS is going to need some heavy Technic-based modding to be made displayable, while hopefully preserving the action feature.

Edited November 10, 2014 by The Kumquat Alchemist