Bionicle 2015 Discussion

[Lyichir]

I kinda hope this doesn't happen, I liked it in 2001 where we had different matoran with different masks, colors, etc.

And I may have said before, but I'm not exactly thrilled with the protectors all having the same mask. But on the bright side it is a good mask and allows for recolors. (Would've preferred mask packs though.)

At the very least, the Toa masks will provide one alternate mask option for each of the Protectors. Maybe we'll see more in the future.

I still think it would've been neat if each Protector set had featured a bonus recolor of one of the Toa masks, as a substitute for mask packs. But I can see how that might be a logistical nightmare...

As a final note, I wonder if the Protectors having a different mask from all the Toa is meant to finally provide visual representation for powerless Matoran masks? The idea that Great and Noble Kanohi had distinct appearances but that Matoran masks could look like any type of mask always seemed confusing to me. Maybe the Protector masks are meant to represent powerless Kanohi. If that's the case, of course, it'd still be nice if they were different from one another... but again, I can see why distinct masks for small sets like we had in 2008 might not be economically viable.

[TheBatstan]

Didn't the original leak source say something about a mask dispenser?

[Mesonak]

Didn't the original leak source say something about a mask dispenser?

The original leaker read something in a document that contained the word "dispenser." He couldn't verify what it was for, what its appearance was, or if it was 100% connected to BIONICLE (although it WAS grouped in the same folder).

Edited October 5, 2014 by Mesonak

[Agent Fusion]

If there was a mask dispenser, I think we would have heard more about it by now.

[Lyichir]

"Dispenser" more likely than not simply refers to the cardboard display shelves in the original leak.

[Agent Fusion]

That's probably it.

[Grima]

It was already going to bother me if the Protectors are individual Matoran because I really don't like them all having the same mask. Yes, they stand out from each other in other ways, but masks are one of the most personality-filled aspects of a Bionicle design. It's like if every lower-price Hero had Evo's helmet.

If they clone the sets to produce entire villages, it will annoy me even more, because then it's not just six Matoran with the same exact mask, which is something that happened in-story, though never in one wave of sets, it's an entire island of Matoran with identical masks. That's like if EVERY background Hero in Hero Factory had Evo's helmet.

[arc]

It was already going to bother me if the Protectors are individual Matoran because I really don't like them all having the same mask. Yes, they stand out from each other in other ways, but masks are one of the most personality-filled aspects of a Bionicle design. It's like if every lower-price Hero had Evo's helmet.

If they clone the sets to produce entire villages, it will annoy me even more, because then it's not just six Matoran with the same exact mask, which is something that happened in-story, though never in one wave of sets, it's an entire island of Matoran with identical masks. That's like if EVERY background Hero in Hero Factory had Evo's helmet.

this is pretty much what I was trying to say, just worded much better.

[Agent Fusion]

I just had an idea: What if "The Protectors" are an army "Protecting" the villages from the Skull Spiders while the Masters are away looking for the masks? Think about it, each village has their own variation, and the identical masks are like a uniform. Just an idea.

[GK733]

Well it didn't came out half that bad: http://gk733.deviantart.com/art/BIONICLE-2015-sketch-haul-486632096

[Antrozek]

if all the defenders got the same masks, then that would make the toa masks really really special

but it could be that there are matoran who have distinctive masks and the Defenders of the villages who use the same masks, like a soldier with an uniform

hopefully. i wouldn't like every matoran being Jaller mahri

[Dorek]

Even if there isn't a storyline reason for it, I like that they have the same masks but in different colors. It makes customizing that much more accessible. I mean, it'd be great to have some extra options, but the jury is still out on mask packs (seems unlikely to me, but still), so this is a fun way to give options while keeping the line cost where they want it.

[DuckBricks]

Dunno if this has been mentioned before, but Okoto has been confirmed on the Lego.com videos page...

[Lord-Vorahk]

This kills the Ohwunners.

[TheBatstan]

Well it didn't came out half that bad: http://gk733.deviant...-haul-486632096

Why does the Fire Protector's mask remind me of the Cat in the Hat?

Edited October 5, 2014 by TDKR2012

[arc]

Dunno if this has been mentioned before, but Okoto has been confirmed on the Lego.com videos page...

someone brought it up this morning actually, but they didn't have a screenshot, so that's nice.

[Dorek]

So, Okoto's legit, eh? Sweet.

[Toa of Gallifrey]

Yup, which would suggest the rest of the info we got is legit. I wonder why they'd go with 5 (presumably) titan-sized sets for the summer wave. I had heard the 2001 Rahi didn't sell very well and neither did many ~$35+ titans later, which is why HF canned them after Drop Ship. Was that true or false?

Edited October 5, 2014 by Toa of Gallifrey

[Jacen Torq]

Interesting... I assume the rest of the documents found are accurate now as well. I'm actually really looking forward to the mini animations. Hoping for stuff like the original Toa Mata CGI stuff. I remember buying Tahu as my first Bionicle set, starting up the mini CD from the can, entering his mask code and watching that... It was awe-inspiring, I'd never seen anything like it.

If LEGO can recreate that feeling for new customers, they've got this down.

[TwistLaw]

[...]

I quote your post just to say that putting togheter Evanjellyon and HF was the most unexpected crossover I've ever, EVER, faced.

Thank you so, so much.

[Aanchir]

Yup, which would suggest the rest of the info we got is legit. I wonder why they'd go with 5 (presumably) titan-sized sets for the summer wave. I had heard the 2001 Rahi didn't sell very well and neither did many ~$35+ titans later, which is why HF canned them after Drop Ship. Was that true or false?

Well, it could be that part of the reason larger sets haven't traditionally sold so well is that there are too many new smaller sets being released at the same time that they have to compete with. The large sets in 2001 and 2002 were released separately from the smaller sets, but if the sales of those were weak it could have been on account of other factors like their usually limited articulation. I'm sure the LEGO Group understands that kind of thing better than we do.

Releasing a lot of smaller sets in the winter and a few larger sets in the summer is consistent with the marketing strategy the LEGO Group has for a lot of their non-constraction themes, so I can see how it might have some promise. But with that said, we don't know exactly what kind of sets to expect in the summer. They might just be $25 and $35 sets, since we haven't seen any of those in the current wave. They might even include some larger sets priced $50 or higher. Or they might be the exact same price points we've seen in the winter. No telling at this point.

Another thing that's worth considering — perhaps part of the reason for so few sets in the summer might be that the LEGO Group is planning on a constraction sub-theme of one of their other product lines, like the Chima constraction sets these past two years. Even though the Chima constraction sets have struggled in the United States, it could be that a series like that could perform better on a global scale if it didn't have so many other constraction sets to compete with.

Edited October 5, 2014 by Aanchir

[Aethersprite]

The past two years of HF didn't have extra large (mind the pun) sets either, and probably for good reason. Lego might have realized that they didn't sell as well as the smaller or medium sized sets, when it came to CCBS at least.

Edited October 6, 2014 by Lockon Stratos

[Clone 01354 Productions]

Okoto......I guess I can like it. But is this just the island, or will it also be a character? From the very start of Bionicle, we knew that Mata Nui (island) was named after a Great Spirit. So is this a Great Spirit Okoto, and they named their island after him? Or......is this just an island?

Also, I really hope that Summer wave is small; my wallet will need a break, since I plan on buying every set, from every wave......no matter how bad.

[Dorek]

The past two years of HF didn't have extra large (mind the pun) sets either, and probably for good reason. Lego might have realized that they didn't sell as well as the smaller or medium sized sets, when it came to CCBS at least.

Not sure what you mean by extra large? The biggest HF set was Drop Ship, valued at 50USD, and from there it's a collection of $35 sets: Witch Doctor, Speeda Demon, Jet Rocka, and Queen Beast (et al), respectively by year. For all the fluctuations in the set count, the price range of the sets has always been pretty consistent.

The big constraction sets have always been known to be less effective item movers ("impulse" sets make up the bulk of that), so LEGO must be confident that introducing only larger sets will work for them for whatever reason. Aanch's point about redirecting focus by specifically not including smaller sets is certainly a plausible one.

Okoto......I guess I can like it. But is this just the island, or will it also be a character? From the very start of Bionicle, we knew that Mata Nui (island) was named after a Great Spirit. So is this a Great Spirit Okoto, and they named their island after him? Or......is this just an island?

Also, I really hope that Summer wave is small; my wallet will need a break, since I plan on buying every set, from every wave......no matter how bad.

BIONICLE's habit of using the same names for multiple things always cheesed me off, so I hope it's just the island.

[Clone 01354 Productions]

^What? I see no problem with that, since Mata Nui was named Mata Nui because Mata Nui brought the Matoran to Mata Nui to protect Mata Nui after Mata Nui crashed and created Mata Nui over Mata Nui........Oh, wait, that is a problem.