Bionicle 2015 Discussion

[Aanchir]

The pouches are far less universally recyclable than cardboard, though.

Also I just don't find the pouches appealing. The art is kinda neat, but otherwise, I have no need of them for storage, and unlike canisters, they serve little to no display purpose. Even if Bionicle canisters weren't more universally recyclable, I'd not object to them, because they have a more lasting appeal to them than a flattened Kool-Aid pouch with some nice art on it.

I guess I can see where you're coming from, but from my perspective the inconvenience of rigid 3D packaging or cardboard boxes that are useless for storage after they've been flattened out undermines their display value (besides, I have no room to keep my huge collection of canisters on display — currently they're stacked in a huge box next to my bed taking up space).

The pouches also have a smaller carbon footprint than the canisters and boxes that they replaced, though I suppose it's possible that the LEGO Group's cardboard boxes have caught up to them based on this news.

All things considered, I really want to love the new cardboard packages. Like the beveled edges on the packages for the LEGO Friends sets or the folded cardboard packaging of year's Speedorz sets, they demonstrate great creativity with traditional packaging materials. But it will be very difficult for me to like them as much as the Hero Factory pouches if they can't meet or surpass the various practical advantages those packages offer.

[Grima]

I guess I can see where you're coming from, but from my perspective the inconvenience of rigid 3D packaging or cardboard boxes that are useless for storage after they've been flattened out undermines their display value (besides, I have no room to keep my huge collection of canisters on display — currently they're stacked in a huge box next to my bed taking up space).

The pouches also have a smaller carbon footprint than the canisters and boxes that they replaced, though I suppose it's possible that the LEGO Group's cardboard boxes have caught up to them based on this news.

All things considered, I really want to love the new cardboard packages. Like the beveled edges on the packages for the LEGO Friends sets or the folded cardboard packaging of year's Speedorz sets, they demonstrate great creativity with traditional packaging materials. But it will be very difficult for me to like them as much as the Hero Factory pouches if they can't meet or surpass the various practical advantages those packages offer.

A smaller carbon footprint is nice, but if those packages just end up in the landfill anyway (as most of them undoubtedly will), then you've only addressed one of the problems. If they truly have improved their cardboard manufacturing, then cardboard packaging would not only leave approximately the same carbon footprint, it would be more readily and universally recycled, which is better in the long term than some bags that only a few people will keep/recycle and a majority will, either by choice or because they cannot recycle it, throw it in the trash.

I personally don't see the need for individual set storage that much anyway; it's far better for creative juices to have your collection together, whether it be poured into one pool or sorted in a universal way. Now, not everyone is like me, but I doubt a majority of Lego's customers are keeping the bags around rather than just chucking them in the trash. In that case, the best decision, speaking as an environmentalist, is to at least go with more sustainable packaging, even if a small minority dislikes it.

[Lord-Vorahk]

I can safely say that I never kept a single HF pouch. I binned them all. Meanwhile, I still have my canisters from 07-11, each of them filled with parts that won't fit in the rest of my storage.

[Kalhiki]

I've kept all the packaging except for cardboard boxes, which got burned. Some of the art I cut off and kept.

So this time around, I'd either want HF pouches or cardboard boxes. And honestly, I feel that the pouches are here to stay for Constraction. At least for a while.

[arc]

Dang it, why does this stuff always happen when I'm away?

Wow. Where to start, how about the toa:

Tahu steels the show here. Just awesome. And kopaka follows right behind him, he's just standing there looking badass. And despite popular opinion I like onua, but his color scheme is kinda messy. And that brings me to lewa and pohatu. Lewas is just all over the place with green, keetyellowish, silver hands and feet, and dark grey add ons. Sorry, just not liking him. Pohatu is definitely cleaner, but why silver? and not enough brown Imo. But love the boomerangs. And finally gali, who's design I really like. The mask is a bit evil looking, but let's not forget mahri hewkii.

As for the the protectors:

Really like the mask they have, but I really don't like that they all have the same mask. Just makes them too generic to me. But they do have some real nice designs. Really like the stone and "jungle" protectors. The others are cool too. Nothing great, but nothing I really don't like.

And finally, the bad guys:

The little ones are awesome looking, but having something that's directly human in bionicle just feels... weird. I don't know, but I like them.

As for "skull krata" I don't know, the stamp obscures the face a little bit, but as long as it doesn't end up looking too cartoony I'll be good. And hooray for technic! We need more of this.

And I almost forgot to mention the functions. I kinda liked them on the old sets, but I don't know how they're gonna pull it off with ccbs. Guess we'll have to start waiting again...

[Jakura Nuva]

Anyone else notice that Onua's shoulderpads/hammer tip looks like a mix between the Avohkii and the Mata Nui Stone?

[Chimaninja454]

Are the new 13 sets likely to have a very succesful launch?

[Sir Kohran]

As for the the protectors: Really like the mask they have, but I really don't like that they all have the same mask. Just makes them too generic to me.

Does anyone else actually like this? It gives them a unifying and recognisable feature.

[Mesonak]

Does anyone else actually like this? It gives them a unifying and recognisable feature.

Yeah, I'm a big fan of it. The mask looks quite cool, and getting it in six colors is perfectly acceptable in my book. I have longed for mask/helmet recolors to appear again for several years.

Edited September 15, 2014 by Mesonak

[arc]

Are the new 13 sets likely to have a very succesful launch?

there's no way to tell for sure, but I would give it a good chance.

[Aanchir]

Does anyone else actually like this? It gives them a unifying and recognisable feature.

I've heard some praise of this from people who miss how masks would be available in such a wide range of colors back in 2001, so you're not entirely alone in liking the shared masks.

Personally, I'm not totally sure what to think of them. It will probably depend on their story role. If they're meant to be generic villagers like Matoran, I would be somewhat frustrated with them having identical masks, as it makes it harder to visualize what distinguishing traits other villagers might have.

[TwistLaw]

The pouches ARE recyclable.

Personally, though, I wouldn't want to recycle my Hero Factory pouches. Why bother? Not only do they collapse flat when not in use (meaning they take up hardly any space), but the art has been getting more and more beautiful each year, to the point that the packages now feature gorgeous illustrations on both the top flap and the bottom of the package. I have more reason to recycle my BIONICLE canisters, which are taking up loads of space in my room, than to recycle my Hero Factory pouches.

Does LEGO Group pay you as a sort of commercial in disguise? Just joking :P

Personally I've always disliked the bags, they make the sets I buy look more like some kind of food instead of heroic robots ready to fight on my carpet.

Canisters are soooo charming, even though storing them is a pain in the glass.

[Zenerius]

holy crap im jumping with joy right now

These sets are pretty cool. Lots of cool new weapon parts and masks and such. Those new armor addons most certainly have a Bionicle aesthetic to it. Awesome.

EDIT: A lot of visible function pieces; Onua and LOSS most notably.

Edited September 15, 2014 by Zenerius

[Agent Fusion]

Toa cubes would be awesome, if unlikely.

[toatali]

Wow wow wow, this is awesome news!

Kopaka is definitely my fav, despite the weird staff :P I also love Tahu, and Lewa is pretty cool. I'm a bit disappointed by Onua, as I liked his thin look with his claws. Ah well, you win some you loose some! Gali is also pretty boring, but I'm pretty sure her mask will change: it looks fatter in the standee pic. I like the defenders, but the Skull Kraata looks...ehh.

[Chimaninja454]

Are the canister-like hexagonal boxers likely to be there when we get finalized photos?

[CM4Sci]

Are the canister-like hexagonal boxers likely to be there when we get finalized photos?

Pretty sure we're gonna get ones like the new Chima Speedorz boxes.

-Sci

[Jasonified]

Is LoSS going to have a sort of crawling feature like Pewku?

Because that would be awesome.

[Meiko]

I don't know if this was shared or not (too lazy to read the last few pages of this rapid discussion :P) but on this post of LEGO's on Google+, if you right click on the image and click open in new tab, the file name is "Bionicle-4-new.jpg". (credit to this find was from Brickset user Bricklover2013 [source])

Edited September 15, 2014 by Meiko

[CM4Sci]

Wow!

-Sci

Edited September 15, 2014 by CM4Sci

[Jasonified]

I don't know if this was shared or not (too lazy to read the last few pages of this rapid discussion :P) but on this post of LEGO's on Google+, if you right click on the image and click open in new tab, the file name is "Bionicle-4-new.jpg". (credit to this find was from Brickset user Bricklover2013)

Now I feel guilty because they're trying to surprise us with it..

[Kalhiki]

Well how 'bout that.

These four days are going to drag on...

[Mesonak]

WELP.

I guess that's that then.

[TwistLaw]

I don't know if this was shared or not (too lazy to read the last few pages of this rapid discussion :P) but on this post of LEGO's on Google+, if you right click on the image and click open in new tab, the file name is "Bionicle-4-new.jpg". (credit to this find was from Brickset user Bricklover2013 [source])

A clamorous boob from LEGO's side, but we know this Friday is gonna be an awesome day :D

[Timeline15]

Done in by over specific naming on a picture that didn't hint at it what so ever XD.

Glad that they consider it important enough to make a big announcement of it.