Bionicle 2015 Discussion

[mysteriouspi]

^I haven't been affiliated with any recent TLG games for upwards of nine years but open world would like be a must for a game, I would also like a level of seriousness without any childish humor, that would just ruin the tone for me.

Unfortunately for you, those two things tend to be absent in children's games.

Considering the quality of Bionicle games we got in Gen 1, I don't have high hopes for any good ones now.

[MakutaOfWar]

Why doesn't TLG try something like a top notch game though? If they create something cool and unique they can obtain new fans in a different territory like the gaming industry.

If they do right by it nobody will say, "Oh, it's just a Lego game." and brush it off. If it won awards or got a lot of hype they would make more money then what would be expected from another licensed game of theirs. And look at large videogame franchises like World of Warcraft, Halo, Call of Duty, etc., they all have merchandise and people who buy them. I mean, even Titanfall got merchandise BEFORE it was even released, gamers might just pick up sets to display.

So with a great game, Bionicle equals:

Kids who collects the figures.

Gamers who buy the games.

Gamers who buy the merchandise.

=A ton of money rolling in. It doesn't even take much to make a best selling game(looking at you lack-of-content Destiny).

Edit: Also I think the Breakout torso looks more like the Bionicle aesthetic then the Brain Attack one being used.

Edited February 24, 2015 by MakutaOfWar

[ToaDraco]

Of the Hero Factory torsos, the BA one is by far my favorite and works well for Bionicle IMO. The Breakout torso is my second favorite and I would like to see it used in gen2 if it isn't discontinued. The 2.0 torso used on Tahu on the other-hand, is terribly bland and I'm sick of seeing it.

[Dorek]

Why doesn't TLG try something like a top notch game though? If they create something cool and unique they can obtain new fans in a different territory like the gaming industry.

If they do right by it nobody will say, "Oh, it's just a Lego game." and brush it off. If it won awards or got a lot of hype they would make more money then what would be expected from another licensed game of theirs. And look at large videogame franchises like World of Warcraft, Halo, Call of Duty, etc., they all have merchandise and people who buy them. I mean, even Titanfall got merchandise BEFORE it was even released, gamers might just pick up sets to display.

So with a great game, Bionicle equals:

Kids who collects the figures.

Gamers who buy the games.

Gamers who buy the merchandise.

=A ton of money rolling in. It doesn't even take much to make a best selling game(looking at you lack-of-content Destiny).

Edit: Also I think the Breakout torso looks more like the Bionicle aesthetic then the Brain Attack one being used.

Because they don't have an unlimited budget and the amount of revenue it would hypothetically bring in is unlikely to outweigh the costs of a game you have in mind, assuming it's not a total flop at all (which I'm sure is something their past research shows, since we never got a console game past 2006). Big production values don't guarantee success.

The cross section of people you mention is likely to be very small as it is anyway. TT games work because it's cheap for them to produce (because they have the same game engine) and because minifigs are widely recognized. They also happen to be good, or at least, they were initially, so it benefited from word-of-mouth. They've since iterated upon that formula rather than evolving it, but one can say the same thing about, say, Assassin's Creed or Halo games.

A decent selling BIONICLE video game in this current climate is a stretch, which is why they stick to mobile games. Not to say it can't be done, but personally I think they would need to go a little outside the box; they've tried a lot of genres that don't really stick (tower defense, 2d platforming, action/shooter) so something different might be the key.

[Bigger Fish]

Because they don't have an unlimited budget and the amount of revenue it would hypothetically bring in is unlikely to outweigh the costs of a game you have in mind, assuming it's not a total flop at all (which I'm sure is something their past research shows, since we never got a console game past 2006). Big production values don't guarantee success.

The cross section of people you mention is likely to be very small as it is anyway. TT games work because it's cheap for them to produce (because they have the same game engine) and because minifigs are widely recognized. They also happen to be good, or at least, they were initially, so it benefited from word-of-mouth. They've since iterated upon that formula rather than evolving it, but one can say the same thing about, say, Assassin's Creed or Halo games.

A decent selling BIONICLE video game in this current climate is a stretch, which is why they stick to mobile games. Not to say it can't be done, but personally I think they would need to go a little outside the box; they've tried a lot of genres that don't really stick (tower defense, 2d platforming, action/shooter) so something different might be the key.

Maybe a Kingdom Hearts esque Action-RPG? Or maybe a turn based Strategy RPG?

[MakutaOfWar]

Because they don't have an unlimited budget and the amount of revenue it would hypothetically bring in is unlikely to outweigh the costs of a game you have in mind, assuming it's not a total flop at all (which I'm sure is something their past research shows, since we never got a console game past 2006). Big production values don't guarantee success.

The cross section of people you mention is likely to be very small as it is anyway. TT games work because it's cheap for them to produce (because they have the same game engine) and because minifigs are widely recognized. They also happen to be good, or at least, they were initially, so it benefited from word-of-mouth. They've since iterated upon that formula rather than evolving it, but one can say the same thing about, say, Assassin's Creed or Halo games.

A decent selling BIONICLE video game in this current climate is a stretch, which is why they stick to mobile games. Not to say it can't be done, but personally I think they would need to go a little outside the box; they've tried a lot of genres that don't really stick (tower defense, 2d platforming, action/shooter) so something different might be the key.

But how would they know unless they try? It's a hit or miss, kind of relatable to Gen 1 Bionicle.

[CabooseBM]

While I think something that emphasizes the team and building aspect would be ideal(A Strategy RPG would be perfect for that.), I gotta say I would be all over a Diablo-style dungeon crawler, which while missing the team aspect, would let you "build" your character through armor, weapon, and mask "loot".

Edited February 24, 2015 by CabooseBM

[MakutaDreadscythe]

Honestly something that plays like Monster Hunter or Dark Souls (albeit without the difficulty) would be cool, both games have an explorative aspect to them and in a series which was based on a mystical island, I feel people underestimate how cool just exploring can be. Perhaps a 3DS game like most recent LEGO games?

[Mandate]

Just bought Tahu, PJ, PE and PF. Loved Tahu and PJ, didn't really like PF very much and the PE is such a garbage set (my opinion, you don't have to agree with me at all) it's lucky I'm not scrapping it now. Tahu's got some issues, but I absolutely adore Protector of Jungle.

[Blast]

are the dark red shells that come with Worriz and Pyrox metru red?

[Logan McOwen]

are the dark red shells that come with Worriz and Pyrox metru red?

Correct!

[TheOneVeyronian]

On torso shells: the Breakout torso has always been my favourite of the torsos, I was sad to see it only used in 2012. I love that it gives a sort of biomechanical abs look which is perfect especially for my original characters MOC's who are supposed to look strong and toned and biomechanical. I think they would have worked quite fine on the Toa. In fact, here's my Tahu (modified) using a Breakout torso to illustrate what it looks like (in fact, I did this as I needed a normal red torso shell for another model):

70787 Tahu mod by TheOneVeyronian, on Flickr

I certainly agree that the normal torso shell has got boring as a torso, but I always appreciate getting it in new colours and it works very well as a larger armour cladding.

[Aethersprite]

That looks good. I might swap out my Tahu's torso for a Breakout torso; I have so many of those left over from Iron Man.

[Kalhiki]

To be totally honest, I think I like the 2.0 torso better. Weird.

Also, on an unrelated note, I have an urge to rebuild Skull Scorpio into a bird a la Nui Jaga alternate build.

[Logan McOwen]

Veyronian, I did some very similar modifications to my Tahu! The only differences on the legs are the upper legs (5M shells, no addon, 5M hinge bone, friction joint), 3M shells for the "calves", gold addons attached to the 2.0 torso shells to add kneepads, and gold feet. His lower arms have trans-orange hands and bones, and he has the Chima addons protecting his shoulders, as opposed to the new addons.

Edited February 24, 2015 by LewiMOC

[Lyichir]

I generally prefer the 2.0 and Brain Attack torsos to the Breakout one, largely because of the Breakout torso's weird triangular shape. The 2.0 torso broadens near the bottom, resulting in a much more continuous waistline and a fuller figure, and the Brain Attack torso does the same while having a slightly more slender appearance. The Breakout torso, on the other hand, narrows to a point, with a ridiculously thin 3M waistline that's exaggerated by the "utility belt". Also, the molded pecs and abs of the Breakout torso make it less versatile for other parts of models, such as Tahu's legs or LoSS's abdomen.

I am also interested in the look of the new torso shell from Luke Skywalker, which seems like it could have a lot of potential for non-mechanical figures.

[TheOneVeyronian]

Also, the molded pecs and abs of the Breakout torso make it less versatile for other parts of models, such as Tahu's legs or LoSS's abdomen.

Yes, I agree with this. I'd never want the 2.0 torso shell to go, I use a ton of them. I remember thinking what a mistake it was to use Breakout torsos for Iron Man's shoulder armour (though it did give me a good supply of plain red ones, so there's that). It's actually rare I use them alone though since they have such a skinny waistline, but they do work quite well on my "signature" torso construct where there is normally 2 4M shells either side of the Breakout torso, which I think does something to flesh out the skinny waistline. I'd show a picture but I haven't got a good picture of it unfortunately.

[Ikaatril]

A bit late, but regarding the earlier game discussion I noticed someone said they wanted a serious game without a hint of childish humour. Fortunately (or unfortunately), that's never going to happen. LEGO likes a bit of humour here and there, and there's also the fact that serious does not equate with 'good'. Secondly, there's also the fact LEGO is aimed at children in general. There can be children's stuff which is serious, but very little of it tends to be 100% serious. I mean, look at the LEGO Movie. That had humour but a lot of people really loved it and it managed to be a bit serious at times. If there's ever a BIONICLE game it should be in the same vein as TLM was, IMO. Not some super-serious thing that's so serious it becomes serious to an almost self-parodying level.

Now about torsos, I do believe that the 2.0 torso is probably one of the best because of its simplicity. IMO, the BA torso is far too complex-looking for use as anything other than a torso, reducing its versatility. It also contrasts a bit with the generally smooth CCBS shells, unlike the BA or 2.0 torsos. The BA torso's also pretty good, it's one of my favourites. We just need to see it recoloured to something other than silver or gunmetal. It's especially egregious on Gali because of this, because she has very little silver and they went and used the silver BA torso instead of the gunmetal one like they should have.

Although I do wonder if the skull torso has any application as limb armour like the 2.0 torso shell...

[DraikNova]

I like all of the torso shell types. The Breakout shell, while not as good as the Brain Attack or 2.0 types when used for actual torsos, is far better for large MOCs, for the exact same reason: the triangular shape.

Edited February 24, 2015 by DraikNova

[GK733]

I know I know, I'm very late to the game dscussion!

Someone mentioned diablo, and I think that would benefit Bionicle well. A game where you play as toa with custom colored armor and loot ancient temples and other places around Okoto while having some little story in it. every time you slain enemies along the way they drop credits that are used to buy those customizing pieces. And here is when the nasty habit of free to play mobile games kick in. You need vast amounts of those parts to buy the different colored shells and stuff. And they present you with an Onua bundle that costs 50$ and gives you 100000 parts. Personally I'm fine with that model when it stays in cosmetics but when it steps to affect your progression it's a no.

[ToaDraco]

If an actual console game gets made, it has to be third person/over-the-shoulder. I hate FPS and I hate topdown view.

[MakutaOfWar]

^I like FPSs :( lol and even though they have made a Bonkle FPS I agree that can't be the perspective of a new game.

[Dorek]

Dungeon crawling turn-based adventure game.

Yes, I want Persona BIONICLE. Why wouldn't I.

[Quisoves Pugnat]

A BIONCLE world-simulator in the manner of Dwarf Fortress would be amazing.

[MakutaOfWar]

Gen 1 RPG: Missed opportunities.

It could of had factions that the characters join(Order of Mata Nui, Brotherhood of Makuta, Dark Hunters.) Each with respective leaders that the players could have collected missions from. Different Islands to explore. Imagine Helryx giving out a kill order or something against Karazahni and sends the player to do it. XD *Sighs* It will never be...