Bionicle 2015 Discussion

[Jetrax99]

I really don't understand why people want Teridax back. He lost his appeal in the later years. Even if this is a remake, I'd like Teridax to stay dead.

Edited September 23, 2014 by Jetrax99

[Chro]

Lego is primarily a toy. The media (including plot) is secondary to the actual building sets, even in Bionicle. Star Trek is not the same way, Nynrah. :P

Edited September 23, 2014 by Chro

[The Kumquat Alchemist]

Lego is primarily a toy. The media (including plot) is secondary to the actual building sets, even in Bionicle. Star Trek is not the same way, Nynrah. :P

Perhaps it is not a perfect analogy, but if BIONICLE's story had no effect at all on consumers, it would not have been made so complex. That complexity was its downfall in the end, but a healthy level of it can get consumers interested in products that otherwise they might not buy. The target audience does need to have some initial love for buildable action figure toys, but a story like BIONICLE's can encourage purchase of the sets by the target audience far better than an excuse plot, like that of Robo-Riders, to give an example.

Edited September 23, 2014 by The Kumquat Alchemist

[King of Nynrah]

Perhaps it is not a perfect analogy, but if BIONICLE's story had no effect at all on consumers, it would not have been made so complex. That complexity was its downfall in the end, but a healthy level of it can get consumers interested in products that otherwise they might not buy. The target audience does need to have some initial love for buildable action figure toys, but a story like BIONICLE's can encourage purchase of the sets by the target audience far better than an excuse plot, like that of Robo-Riders, to give an example.

Aye. While the focus of the franchise is indeed the sets instead of the story, BIONICLE's story activated my imagination more than any other franchise during my childhood. Perhaps it was that humans had no part to play. Perhaps it was that these radically different beings banded together to discover the secrets of their universe. It was a universe which I spent a long time in as I wrote fanfic and slavishly read comic after comic, book after book. But whatever the team in Denmark was going for, they got it, because I bought as many sets as I could afford every year on top of that.

Now when Hero Factory was introduced, I bought one set, Von Nebula, to see how it was. The actual set was good, but it didn't feel special in any way because I didn't know the character. So I tried to get into the story, but it was boring and unoriginal (robots are built to fight defective robots!) and to be fair, there wasn't much of it to sink my teeth into anyway. I bought Evo 2.0 the following year just to see what the new building system was like, and while I loved the new ball sockets, the build just seemed so much simpler than anything that had come before... it was literally just a skeleton with armour on top, nothing more. I remember at the time, one of my friends said that "HF is to Bionicle what Duplo is to System". That was the last HF set I ever bought.

I am optimistic about #BIO2015, and I like the designs because they seem to be blending CCBS with Technic a lot more, even including a gear system. But if the story is very simple like HF's rather than sprawling and ambitious like Bionicle's was, I just won't be able to bring myself to care about the new line.

[TheGreatSpirit]

Sets > Story. No exceptions.

[Dorek]

I think it's more likely to make a difference to people who grew up with BIONICLE, rather than new buyers (or perhaps people who only got into it in 2009/10). We're now conditioned to expect a certain standard from the story, which will in turn affect how we perceive the sets. The brand new target audience is going to be more reminiscent of how our generation was back in 2001; they don't have much to go on, so it will seem remarkably different to them.

I don't think story is necessarily a requirement for enjoyment of the toys, but something that has been a constant in constraction lines is personality. Going all the way back to Slizers, even with that bare-bones plot, the environment and the atmosphere exuded a certain sense of flavor. It may not be to everybody's liking, but I have yet to see a constraction line that didn't have its own identity (Superheroes comes the closest, perhaps because it was a licensed theme, but regardless). And sure, comics/books/etc sold me on the PLOT of BIONICLE, but that was the steak. The presentation is the sizzle.

Personally, I think all of the sets look absolutely fantastic (even Skull Krata and his dopey face), so I'm definitely going to try and get them all.

Edited September 23, 2014 by Dorek

[I AM THE DUCK MAN]

Greg said "at that point there was no one besides me paying any attention to the old universe." to what sounds like a time where the new bio was in the works, does that confirm a reboot or...?

[King of Nynrah]

Greg said "at that point there was no one besides me paying any attention to the old universe." to what sounds like a time where the new bio was in the works, does that confirm a reboot or...?

He also compared it to DC comics, and how they "reboot" their universes all the time - the old stories still happened, just in another universe. So I guess that settles it.

I remain hopeful that, like DC, they choose to keep some of the characters and themes from the old Bionicle (beyond the Mata Nui era...) in the reboot. We haven't seen much of that so far, with only stuff from '01 being mentioned, like the Mata and golden masks. Maybe we will just have to wait until 2021 for Barraki 2.0 after all =P

[Aethersprite]

I'll definitely make an effort to get all six Toa. I never took the chance to get a full team before, and I don't want to waste that opportunity again. I'll probably skip LOSS in hopes for better Summer villains. I haven't decided which Defenders I'll pick up yet, (if any, Toa and DC come first) but Stone would be top priority, then Ice, Earth, Fire, Water, and Jungle, in that order.

Same here. I've never owned a full team, Bionicle or HF. I'm definitely getting all the Toa, and I'll probably end up skipping LOSS. I'd like to get all the Protectors but unfortunately I won't have the cash for it, given all the outstanding sets Lego is releasing next year. I'll most likely be getting just 1 or 2 Protectors that catch my eye, like the Jungle and Earth ones.

[SirPuddings]

Is the Polynesian-sequel mask thing from the standee being scrapped?

Polynesian-sequel?

[Aanchir]

Polynesian-sequel?

I think that's an autocorrect attack on "Polynesian-esque". Anyway, I have a feeling that might have just been a preliminary concept for the Mask of Creation. But I guess we won't know for sure until the official, finalized sets and marketing materials make their appearance.

[The Kumquat Alchemist]

I don't think story is necessarily a requirement for enjoyment of the toys, but something that has been a constant in constraction lines is personality. Going all the way back to Slizers, even with that bare-bones plot, the environment and the atmosphere exuded a certain sense of flavor. It may not be to everybody's liking, but I have yet to see a constraction line that didn't have its own identity (Superheroes comes the closest, perhaps because it was a licensed theme, but regardless). And sure, comics/books/etc sold me on the PLOT of BIONICLE, but that was the steak. The presentation is the sizzle.

You bring up a very good point here. Though I gave Robo-Riders as an example of an excuse plot, its presentation was not at all lacking. When younger I used to pore over pictures of Robo-Riders and Throwbots packaging, just because of how bizarre and interesting the settings were.

Living deserts? Giant space arenas? A sentient, hostile swamp? Though stories were lacking, I feel like the late 1990's and early 2000's were a high point for the presentations of LEGO themes, not just constraction themes alone.

Edited September 24, 2014 by The Kumquat Alchemist

[Lind Whisperer]

You bring up a very good point here. Though I gave Robo-Riders as an example of an excuse plot, its presentation was not at all lacking. When younger I used to pore over pictures of Robo-Riders and Throwbots packaging, just because of how bizarre and interesting the settings were.

Living deserts? Giant space arenas? A sentient, hostile swamp? Though stories were lacking, I feel like the late 1990's and early 2000's were a high point for the presentations of LEGO themes, not just constraction themes alone.

Ironically, I've actually been working on a possible Ideas submission, of a sort of "finale" Throwbots set. Not sure if there's really enough of a fan crowd for Throwbots for it to have even a tiny chance...

I'm actually a bit proud of how I circumnavigated the "No New Parts Rule," seeing as how it's almost certain that the throwing arm mold has been thrown out. Brick-built bows that shoot 2x4 bricks. Of course, that kind of negates the whole "Throw" part of their name...I've hand-waved it as technology has been shoved back because of the whole meteorite thing...

Edited September 24, 2014 by Lind Whisperer

[Lord-Vorahk]

I really don't understand why people want Teridax back. He lost his appeal in the later years. Even if this is a remake, I'd like Teridax to stay dead.

I think he lost his appeal when he went from godlike force of eldritch destruction to generic evil overlord, but he gained it back to a huge extent in 07-08.

[Chimaninja454]

I think that the 2001-2010 theme is Greg Farshtey's BIONICLE. He said in the LEGO Message Boards that there is a team based in. Denmark, which is making the new theme! :P

[Lyichir]

I really don't understand why people want Teridax back. He lost his appeal in the later years. Even if this is a remake, I'd like Teridax to stay dead.

Well, in a reboot, Teridax (who for all we know might just be called "Makuta") would have the potential to remain more like his persona in the earlier years. Personally, I don't care one way or the other if he returns... but if the main villain for the new story is a similar shadowy shapeshifter or sorceror, it would make more sense to just go ahead and call them Makuta than to avoid using the same name just because some older fans were tired of the character. In other words, I'd prefer the main villain either be completely new or be Makuta again, rather than be Makuta-in-all-but-name.

[Lord-Vorahk]

Well, in a reboot, Teridax (who for all we know might just be called "Makuta") would have the potential to remain more like his persona in the earlier years. Personally, I don't care one way or the other if he returns... but if the main villain for the new story is a similar shadowy shapeshifter or sorceror, it would make more sense to just go ahead and call them Makuta than to avoid using the same name just because some older fans were tired of the character. In other words, I'd prefer the main villain either be completely new or be Makuta again, rather than be Makuta-in-all-but-name.

That's a good way to put it.

[Nekchir]

So...Can we agree that we ran out of things to talk about?

[Chimaninja454]

Hmm. I have noticed the Breakout torso armor in Onua,

[Jetrax99]

Hmm. I have noticed the Breakout torso armor in Onua,

The Hulk/Stormer XL/Gorzan chestplate? Of course you did. Everyone did.

We've officially run out of thing to talk about until Friday.

Edited September 24, 2014 by Jetrax99

[Leewan]

Hmm. I have noticed the Breakout torso armor in Onua,

Really ? Because I rather see him being built that way :

EDIT :

The Hulk/Stormer XL/Gorzan chestplate? Of course you did. Everyone did.

Wait, wasn't he talking about this part ?

Edited September 24, 2014 by Leewan

[Jetrax99]

Really ? Because I rather see him being built that way :

EDIT :

Wait, wasn't he talking about this part ?

Nope. Because it isn't there.

[arc]

We've officially run out of thing to talk about until Friday.

and even then it's probably just something very obscure. An hd pic at most. But it's something I guess.

Come on comic con, we're waiting...

[Metalshadow]

Question, guys. The way the masks attach to the heads - do we think they are they going to have friction? Reason I ask is because I'm afraid they're going to be like the Knights Kingdom action figures, where (IIRC) the helmets were frictionless and would just flop around depending on how you held them.

I've heard it's probably going to be similar to the jaws of Chima Chi Cragger - is this true? From what I've seen his jaw joint has friction, so that gives me hope.

Edited September 24, 2014 by Metalshadow

[Aanchir]

Question, guys. The way the masks attach to the heads - do we think they are they going to have friction? Reason I ask is because I'm afraid they're going to be like the Knights Kingdom action figures, where (IIRC) the helmets were frictionless and would just flop around depending on how you held them.

I've heard it's probably going to be similar to the jaws of Chima Chi Cragger - is this true? From what I've seen his jaw joint has friction, so that gives me hope.

Rather than just friction, CHI Cragger's jaw has locking points kind of like a click hinge from LEGO System. So it has a couple fixed positions. I don't see anything like that on the Mask of Creation.

I do not personally expect the new masks to have a lot of friction, but to be honest I'm not entirely convinced that they even actually hinge. It's entirely possible that the new head will be designed in a way that holds them in place, kind of like how this minifig helmet holds a regular visor in a way that keeps it from opening or closing.