Bionicle 2015 Discussion

[The Kumquat Alchemist]

I just had a thought. While the IFB sets contained minifigures, most of the rest of each set was built using CCBS parts instead of System parts. Does this mean that Bionicle playsets could return, and if so, they would be mostly CCBS-based?

If the playsets portrayed a building, fortification, or geographical location of some sort, I'd think System would be the primary construction material, but any giant rahi, or mecha, or titans would likely be CCBS.

Edited September 18, 2014 by The Kumquat Alchemist

[Clone 01354 Productions]

Thinking of Friday's reveal, I hope we get more than a picture of Tahu. Maybe a group shot in different poses, or a little bit of story info. Tahu is perhaps the most appealing, but he's also the one we've seen the clearest. I'm expecting just a picture of Tahu and an official announcement, of course, but something else would be nice.

I doubt that we will see all of the characters, definitely not in multiple poses. The only things I expect:

1) Reboot or Continuation Confirmation

2) New Logo

3) MAYBE one photo of all of the characters together, or just that photo from the display stand, but finalized.

In other words, don't expect too much.

[Nekchir]

If the story is a continuation, does that mean that Tahu's still OP with all the Rahkshi powers and stuff?

[Dorek]

Depends on if the gold armor he's wearing is the same "golden armor" from the 2010 storyline, or if it's just gold colored armor.

(one of the many reasons why it's going to be a reboot)

[King of Nynrah]

If the story is a continuation, does that mean that Tahu's still OP with all the Rahkshi powers and stuff?

I guess so, though no more powerful than the others on his team if their golden armor serves the same purpose (which is my theory: the GBs created Golden Armor for all the Mata, but Tahu only received his because he was the only Mata/Nuva outside of the robot at that time)

[dviddy]

No, they don't look different. The sets look exactly the same. Even the Guurahk staff pieces are there if you look. I can't say why the skull spiders weren't changed until the end, but I would put real cash money on these sets looking exactly like the final product. And yes, that includes LoSS's awful face printing. Keep in mind that set design happens before package design (Why design packages if the sets aren't done?) so it's no stretch to imagine very unfinalized packaging displaying finalized sets. Tahu, Lewa, and Fire Protector even have close to their final art. It's a safe bet we're looking at final designs here.

Also not sure where you're getting Lewa's element changing from, considering that's completely illegible on the stand, and everything else we've gotten says Jungle.

While these may indeed be close to final, I can guarantee we'll see some differences between these and the finalized models. For one, I expect all the Toa to have chest printing to match Lewa and Tahu's on the more final-ish looking renders. The packaging design is not done entirely after the set design, the last steps in the set finalization process and the packaging are done in tandem. You can see the best example of that in many of the Toyfair HF boxes- like the Witch Doctor render with the black skull shell staff and more toes. Things like that. I expect parts that are newer molds to change a little here and there between the renders we see here (which are clearly earlier in the design process than the standee, with the Ignika standing in for that new mask on the stand, which in turn was probably standing in for the finalized mask we've actually seen, which I would bet cash is the -only- finalized thing we've seen this far).

[Clone 01354 Productions]

^Thank you for wording that better than I did.

People think that these are all finalized, but what about that big sign that says "Confidential: Preliminary Image". Sure, they include some non-existing pieces on the renders/display stand, but those are really just the masks. Masks had to be digitally rendered, because that is a major aspect of every character. Color and prints on the other hand are not as important, so they can just use placeholders.

[Grima]

But do you really think Pohatu's entire secondary color would be a placeholder?

[GK733]

But do you really think Pohatu's entire secondary color would be a placeholder?

I do hope so. But yeah, I don't think these sets change that much, probably just the Ignika, maybe some shell colors, different colored spiders and the shell printing. It's good to see they only use said printing on chest and don't ruin other parts.

[Clone 01354 Productions]

Well.....tan has never been created before in the HF building system. For preliminary photos, they just try to get the basic shape and pieces to represent the character; masks and weapons fall under that category, but not colors. It is entirely possible, even likely, that Pohatu will use the exact same pieces shown on his prelim, but I still think that they will alter his colors.

At the very least, think of it like this: if white is Pohatu's secondary color, than that is too close to the white-plated Kopaka. Why would they release two characters who are almost the exact same color?

It's good to see they only use said printing on chest and don't ruin other parts.

Yeah, printing on other parts can look really bad. Remember Fire Lord from HF? Hideous....

[Grima]

I guess I was rash in saying these were completely final, but I do think it's expecting too much to think we'll see some HUGE changes, like changing all of Pohatu's silver. He simply has too much silver for me to believe it's simply a placeholder color.

I mean, I'm disappointed too; it's like being back in 2008 with the dull, monochrome Nuva then. I'm just being realistic and saying chances are, this is what we're getting.

At the very least, think of it like this: if white is Pohatu's secondary color, than that is too close to the white-plated Kopaka. Why would they release two characters who are almost the exact same color?

Good thing it's not white, then; as I've said before, that's silver, without a doubt. It even looks silver on the blurry display stand picture. If it's white, I'll eat my hat.

Edited September 18, 2014 by Grima

[Refy L.S.]

Well.....tan has never been created before in the HF building system. For preliminary photos, they just try to get the basic shape and pieces to represent the character; masks and weapons fall under that category, but not colors. It is entirely possible, even likely, that Pohatu will use the exact same pieces shown on his prelim, but I still think that they will alter his colors.

But doesn't Pohatu have trans-yellow bones too? Those are new, so why wouldn't they have made tan shells too? Also I think it's more likely that they use pre-existing dark tan shells, rather than make a new color.

Also personally I think Pohatu's silver looks quite good, although it definitely does clash with his old look. I think the silver legs would look odd with both arms being brown, sort of like shiny pants, and he already has some brown on his legs. I think his weapon and the preliminary stamp kind of hide the brown parts and make him look a little more silver than he really is.

[GK733]

But doesn't Pohatu have trans-yellow bones too? Those are new, so why wouldn't they have made tan shells too? Also I think it's more likely that they use pre-existing dark tan shells, rather than make a new color.

Also personally I think Pohatu's silver looks quite good, although it definitely does clash with his old look. I think the silver legs would look odd with both arms being brown, sort of like shiny pants, and he already has some brown on his legs. I think his weapon and the preliminary stamp kind of hide the brown parts and make him look a little more silver than he really is.

Don't forget about that yellow color used in both teaser pictures.

[Grima]

No, he's just really, really not brown. of his shells/extremities/mask, 6/18 are brown, or 33%. Comparatively, Lewa is 35% green (though he's still not as metallic, also being 24% keetorange), Gali is 47% trans blue and azure, Kopaka is maybe 63% (his posing makes shell counting hard) white, Tahu is 50% red and orange, and Onua is 66% black and purple. Pohatu is the least colorful of the Toa (meaning colored with their thematic colors, hence Kopaka and Onua integrating otherwise neutral colors into their count.) Even if you included the colored bones (not counting black bones for Onua) he would only maybe edge out past Lewa, and that's still debatable.

I suppose you could argue silver is one of his theme colors, but then he sets himself out from the other Toa by not having an armor color.

Really, his color scheme is a real shame.

EDIT: also, if he also gets chest printing, then his brownness will only decrease.

Edited September 18, 2014 by Grima

[Refy L.S.]

No, he's just really, really not brown. of his shells/extremities/mask, 6/18 are brown, or 33%. Comparatively, Lewa is 35% green (though he's still not as metallic, also being 24% keetorange), Gali is 47% trans blue and azure, Kopaka is maybe 63% (his posing makes shell counting hard) white, Tahu is 50% red and orange, and Onua is 66% black and purple. Pohatu is the least colorful of the Toa (meaning colored with their thematic colors, hence Kopaka and Onua integrating otherwise neutral colors into their count.) Even if you included the colored bones (not counting black bones for Onua) he would only maybe edge out past Lewa, and that's still debatable.

I suppose you could argue silver is one of his theme colors, but then he sets himself out from the other Toa by not having an armor color.

Really, his color scheme is a real shame.

Like I said, it does clash with his old look. His theme doesn't look like Pohatu or a toa of stone as we know it, because as you said, he doesn't have much brown. I still don't think the amount of silver is that bad though.

What I meant was that even though he looks quite different, I do like his silver. I think it looks rather good. A lot of people seem to dislike it because it's so different from his Mata form, or because it means we get less brown shells (which is understandable).

[Clone 01354 Productions]

Hmm....Well, I guess it's true. I forgot about the trans yellow, and now that you mention it, he does appear to have silver.

So Pohatu, Toa of Stone, is silver?! I was sad when he became orange, and now he is just silver?

I hope that they change it. Please, in the name of Mata Nui, let this be a simple prototype flaw, and let Pohatu be tan!! :cry_sad:

And it is not just because "it's so different from his Mata form", it just made sense for him to be brown. Stones are not silver.......silver is silver.

Edited September 18, 2014 by LN-01354

[Grima]

As I said, that many shells as placeholder colors? very unlikely.

[Dorek]

He's already brown. Isn't that his defining, primary color? And it's more prominent than the orange in his 08 incarnation. I'm more concerned with the asymmetry and color layering than I am him being silver.

[GK733]

He's already brown. Isn't that his defining, primary color? And it's more prominent than the orange in his 08 incarnation. I'm more concerned with the asymmetry and color layering than I am him being silver.

Yes, different colored limbs distract me the most too. Tan is not a must but I'd rather take another brown arm and leave it be.

[Gatanui]

I don't really mind Pohatu being brown and silver. It's just a new color scheme and I can live with that.

-Gata

[Logan McOwen]

I did a little mockup of what the gear mechanisms could be like. What do you all think?

[GK733]

I did a little mockup of what the gear mechanisms could be like. What do you all think?

I don't think there is that much space between the torso limb connector and the gearbox limb connector.

[Logan McOwen]

I don't think there is that much space between the torso limb connector and the gearbox limb connector.

Problem is, if there's less room between them, the gears catch on the back of the torso bone. The space between the gearbox and the bone here is 0.5M (half a 'stud'), as this is the Goldilocks distance in providing room for the gears to spin, and having the shoulders as close to the torso as possible. Although, this could easily only be the case for my custom design - if TLG have developed a custom gearbox, as I think it likely, they may have come up with a solution to their problem. I'm curious to see what that is, though.

[Jasonified]

You really shouldn't speak for everyone, even those who also disliked '06. Your reasons for disliking it are entirely different from mine, mine being that 2006 was when Bionicle started plunging into being "dark and gritty" and really mishandled it.

I disagree. 2005 was the year everything started getting extremely dark. There was betrayal all 'round, all of the matoran of Metru Nui were captured, the Toa were mutated and fighting giant spiders.

[Leewan]

The space between the gearbox and the bone here is 0.5M (half a 'stud'), as this is the Goldilocks distance in providing room for the gears to spin, and having the shoulders as close to the torso as possible.

This is a reason why I think 12t gears are more likely to be used than knob gears. Knob gears are about 3 studs wide, and would then require a full stud to rotate, which would push the shoulders half a stud backwards.

How many parts do you use ?