Bionicle 2016 Sets Discussion

[The Outsider]

For the Creatures, I'm guessing Melum is different from the others given he's in a "Unity" set: either the other Creatures are agressive/under Umarak's control and he befriends the Toa first, or they are imprisoned by Umarak and he is saved by the Toa before being captured.

Also, maybe the Toa aren't meant to unite with the Creatures, but unite the Creatures themselves (either as a pack/team or as an actual combiner model).

And for everyone worried about Kopaka's size: wasn't Kulta the same size as the tallest Toa this year? Although to be fair he had less armor to compensate

[Kalhiki]

I'm still holding out hope that the Creatures will have two masks in the set: A regular one and an infected one.

Also, I'd love it if they were all unique animals. Like the Jungle Creature would be a bird, Stone could be a scorpion, etc.

[TheDesuComplex]

So the 'missing set' is Kopaka and the Creature of Ice named 'Melum'. I am hoping that this is a two-pack of a $10 Creature and $15 Toa.

I really want to see Kopaka as a $15 Toa, because it will mean that he is a bit smaller than before. I remember pretty much the only complaint against the set was how bulky he is being uncharacteristic for Kopaka- a complaint that leads me to realize that I would like to see Kopaka as a smaller set, where his bulk is not indicative of his power.

For the Creatures, I'm guessing Melum is different from the others given he's in a "Unity" set: either the other Creatures are agressive/under Umarak's control and he befriends the Toa first, or they are imprisoned by Umarak and he is saved by the Toa before being captured.

Also, maybe the Toa aren't meant to unite with the Creatures, but unite the Creatures themselves (either as a pack/team or as an actual combiner model).

And for everyone worried about Kopaka's size: wasn't Kulta the same size as the tallest Toa this year? Although to be fair he had less armor to compensate

I still think that the Creatures and Toa will combine, fusing into an even more powerful Toa. It would be a good way to address the people thinking that the 'Powered Up' combos were disinteresting.

[Dorek]

The very first pages of the new book (the ones that are available to everyone, even non-Prime members) describe a village that was taken by the Skull Spiders. Beyond that, considering this is a creative toy, play potential is almost as important, if not MORE important, than the actual events of the story. Having the potential for conflict is essential to a wide number of play scenarios, and is more important than whether a specific fight actually transpires in the story itself.

Right, but creating or setting an atmosphere that promotes that kind of play is paramount, especially in a story driven line like BIONICLE. Hero Factory actually did a good job of establishing the Brains as a creepy kind of enemy, right up until the actual episode, which made them something of a joke. Right now, BIONICLE seems to have the reverse issue, where the Skull Spiders don't seem very intimidating (especially given their poor affixation to most of the sets anyway), but which can be redeemed through good examples of how they are a threat.

The Bohrok did a good job of both; you understood from the sets how these things were dangerous, and the story reinforced that through one of the scariest moments of the original line, when Lewa stumbles upon his entire village with Krana on their faces.

I still think that the Creatures and Toa will combine, fusing into an even more powerful Toa. It would be a good way to address the people thinking that the 'Powered Up' combos were disinteresting.

Or what if the Toa give their extra armor to the creatures and then RIDE them yes this should be a thing

[GK733]

Or what if the Toa give their extra armor to the creatures and then RIDE them yes this should be a thing

10$ is not enough.

This could be possible only with Kopaka's case. I really, really want an ice wolf size of a toa. The rest are just small critters which couldn't be used as mounts.

[Aanchir]

(especially given their poor affixation to most of the sets anyway)

You kept bringing this up in your BS01 reviews too, and I don't see why it's a serious issue? The Skull Spiders attach to the faces just as well as any other mask. You often can't wrap the legs around the head like the misleading images on the back of the boxes tend to indicate, but there's nothing saying they have to be that way, and in fact the comics that come with the Toa and Protector sets just show the legs dangling. I'd call that a problem with bad CGI rather than bad storytelling or bad Skull Spider designs, same as how Tahu's box art has one of his shoulder armor pieces attached at an impossible angle.

Anyway, I should make a correction on Andrew's summary of the book preview, which actually establishes that many villages have fallen to the Skull Spiders (a change from G1 that not a lot of people seem to have made a big deal of is that on Okoto there appear to be several villages per region). I think the animations that show massive swarms of Skull Spiders also do a pretty good job establishing them as a credible threat. It at least shows that a full swarm is something that nobody but a Toa with their powers fully realized could hope to hold off indefinitely.

[Dorek]

10$ is not enough.

This could be possible only with Kopaka's case. I really, really want an ice wolf size of a toa. The rest are just small critters which couldn't be used as mounts.

Not necessarily ride them all in a typical fashion, but at least integrate them more than just stealing their weapons and leaving hem defenseless, which is what we got this year =P.

You kept bringing this up in your BS01 reviews too, and I don't see why it's a serious issue? The Skull Spiders attach to the faces just as well as any other mask. You often can't wrap the legs around the head like the misleading images on the back of the boxes tend to indicate, but there's nothing saying they have to be that way, and in fact the comics that come with the Toa and Protector sets just show the legs dangling. I'd call that a problem with bad CGI rather than bad storytelling or bad Skull Spider designs, same as how Tahu's box art has one of his shoulder armor pieces attached at an impossible angle.

Poor CGI is one thing, but the only way to actually affix them (the way you mentioned) often hinders head poseability (and in some cases can't attach at all), which defeats the whole purpose anyway.

If you're going to include a gimmick, make it functional is all I ask.

Anyway, I should make a correction on Andrew's summary of the book preview, which actually establishes that many villages have fallen to the Skull Spiders (a change from G1 that not a lot of people seem to have made a big deal of is that on Okoto there appear to be several villages per region). I think the animations that show massive swarms of Skull Spiders also do a pretty good job establishing them as a credible threat. It at least shows that a full swarm is something that nobody but a Toa with their powers fully realized could hope to hold off indefinitely.

My issue is that it doesn't really show what the spiders can do, aside from overwhelm in sheer numbers, so there's nothing that shows why they should be so threatening. I'm sure the upcoming media will do a good job, since it has time and space to let these moments impact; the second novel's title is "Revenge of the Skull Spiders", so I have a pretty good feeling about that =P. But just where we are now, the Skull Spiders haven't been a particularly imposing villain, so I'm hoping they take the good aspects of the gimmick (conflict in a box, compatability with the sets) and improve upon them for the next wave.

[Mandate]

The very first pages of the new book (the ones that are available to everyone, even non-Prime members) describe a village that was taken by the Skull Spiders. Beyond that, considering this is a creative toy, play potential is almost as important, if not MORE important, than the actual events of the story. Having the potential for conflict is essential to a wide number of play scenarios, and is more important than whether a specific fight actually transpires in the story itself.

Hearing of an event is entirely different to actually seeing the event. If you had merely been told that Le-Koro had been completely taken over by the Bohrok, as a kid you would get a better understanding of why the Bohrok were so menacing. But, you actually saw the affects of the Krana: characters you had come to enjoy seeing in the story (something G2 has an utter lack of at this time) such as Turaga Matau, the entirety of Le-Koro and Lewa being mind-controlled by ta parasite attached to their face. The latter is far more interesting as a lot device, it gives evil a name, a face and a presence and shows you first-hand what it does. Heck, in the '02 animations the Bohrok behind the Le-Matoran were already in position to launch Krana at Kongu and Tamaru.

And even beyond the story and into the play functions the Bohrok's Krana-flinging action is far better than what the Skull Spiders can do. Better still, the Krana were functional both plot-wise and set-wise in sooo many different ways: they were collectable both IRL and in-story, they had roleplay purposes with the Bohrok Va, they had roleplay purposes with all of the Matoran and Toa, and as I noted earlier you could fling them out of a Bohrok towards a Toa. Sure, they never actually latched on like in the story, but neither do the Skull Spiders. The Krana also don't have the "conflict in a box" scenario, but sets where so cheap back then you didn't need to, even if you account for inflation.

I really hope we never see the Skull Spiders again, they don't really do a lot other than look good for MOCing purposes.

[ToaDraco]

I really like that they actually have names and that we are getting creatures. I just hope they are like rahi and not like the brain attack monsters. I really hope that kopaka rumor is false, I mean he's a super popular character. Even if it is true, I've always been a Toa of Earth fanboy, especially Onua. A combo set of Kopaka And a creature would be awesome. I'm picturing Jaller Mahri

[Quisoves Pugnat]

I really hope we never see the Skull Spiders again, they don't really do a lot other than look good for MOCing purposes.

They don't?

They are figures in their own right, they can serve as masks, and they provide "conflict in a box." That's more than just looking good, if you ask me. Perhaps the story has underrepresented them, but that's no fault of the sets.

EDIT: They also provide a reason for the good guys to fight each other, which is rather dandy.

I really hope that kopaka rumor is false, I mean he's a super popular character.

As Starparu has demonstrated, Kopaka is part of a set featuring both himself and something called "Melum."

Edited August 6, 2015 by Quisoves Pugnat

[Timeline15]

Hmm, so Kopaka's coming packaged with another figure, presumably his creature counterpart. Either that or an exiled fire tribe Glatorian #Malum2016confirmed :P

If this set shares a price point with Ekimu vs Kulta, then hopefully Kopaka will retain his size. the name "unity" would suggest that the two can combine. Hopefully this is the case, and it's not just a bad translation of 'team'. If "unity" is the new name used for combiner, that would be very fitting for Bionicle, especially since the three virtues allegedly got a big push in the recent chapter book.

Hope these creatures are diverse in terms of builds. Jungle could be a monkey or bird, ice a wolf, water a fish or turtle, etc...

Hope they're being controlled via corrupted masks as well, partially for nostalgia's sake, partially for MOAR MASKS

[TheDesuComplex]

Hmm, so Kopaka's coming packaged with another figure, presumably his creature counterpart. Either that or an exiled fire tribe Glatorian #Malum2016confirmed :P

If this set shares a price point with Ekimu vs Kulta, then hopefully Kopaka will retain his size. the name "unity" would suggest that the two can combine. Hopefully this is the case, and it's not just a bad translation of 'team'. If "unity" is the new name used for combiner, that would be very fitting for Bionicle, especially since the three virtues allegedly got a big push in the recent chapter book.

Hope these creatures are diverse in terms of builds. Jungle could be a monkey or bird, ice a wolf, water a fish or turtle, etc...

Hope they're being controlled via corrupted masks as well, partially for nostalgia's sake, partially for MOAR MASKS

Oh man, you just gave me an idea. As shown by the MoCr's stand and the 'Villain Pack', Lego needs to come up with some sort of part to hold masks snugly. It would be a very cool thing if they came up with some part that holds masks and has a technic connection, but isn't a full head; this way you could make a mask stand without the masks flopping around or connectors getting bent and damaged, but its primary use in sets could be to put infected masks on non-humanoid beasts without a humanoid head.

[Lyichir]

Oh man, you just gave me an idea. As shown by the MoCr's stand and the 'Villain Pack', Lego needs to come up with some sort of part to hold masks snugly. It would be a very cool thing if they came up with some part that holds masks and has a technic connection, but isn't a full head; this way you could make a mask stand without the masks flopping around or connectors getting bent and damaged, but its primary use in sets could be to put infected masks on non-humanoid beasts without a humanoid head.

The piece you're describing already exists, and I have no idea why Lego hasn't been using it for that exact purpose (also, I should really memorize the part number given how often I end up linking it :P)

[Mandate]

and they provide "conflict in a box."

If you call a giant bug being squashed in an instant by a Toa "conflict", sure. The only time they really provide conflict is in a Protector set or when you've got multiple spiders.

[DraikNova]

Personally, I like the idea of the Toa having pets/allies/whatever. My guesses are that Earth will have a mole or other burrowing creature, Stone will have a termite (yes, I know, termites are also burrowing creatures), Fire will be some kind of salamander-esque creature, Ice will be a wolf or fox (or a moose ? Beware the death Meese of the icy wastes!), Jungle will be a bird (bonus points if it has a reddish-brown beak) and water will be a seal, crocodile or other creature with an amphibious lifestyle, to allow it to join in with land battles. Pretty much the only animal of that kind I think we can rule out is a penguin.

[TheDesuComplex]

The piece you're describing already exists, and I have no idea why Lego hasn't been using it for that exact purpose (also, I should really memorize the part number given how often I end up linking it :P)

No, that's not what I am talking about; they probably don't use it because the connections on the mask are under 2 studs wide, and putting them on the axle connections might be out of system and make the masks more loose over time. The connections they have been using work well, but do not use the ridges in front of the connection to stabilize the mask and as such it flops around. (If you are wondering what I mean, take a look at the head piece; the connection the masks use is smaller than the one for the eyestalk.)

Not sure how to describe the part I have in my mind well. I am picturing a piece like the head, but without the head features, ball cup, and space for the eyestalk; it would probably be about the size of the friction extender.

Edit: Okay, I went and looked at a headpiece; I will have to admit that my concerns over the connection being out of system are probably overblown. I'm still not sure if it will hurt the connection over time though.

Edited August 7, 2015 by TheDesuComplex

[CabooseBM]

I think it'd be a really cool homage if the Creature of Earth was a crab.

Edited August 7, 2015 by CabooseBM

[Mandate]

I think it'd be a really cool homage if the Creature of Earth was a crab.

Bonus points if they put a stud shooter on top of him and pair him with Tahu.

[davidr]

Bonus points if they put a stud shooter on top of him and pair him with Tahu.

Didn't he rather think about Pewku?

Edited August 7, 2015 by davidr

[Shakar]

Pretty sure Mandate is making a reference to Jaller Mahri and his Hahnah crab.

[DuplexBeGreat]

Pretty sure Mandate is making a reference to Jaller Mahri and his Hahnah crab.

Yes, but CabooseBM was talking about Pewku, I think. Edited August 7, 2015 by DuplexBeGreat

[MakutaOfWar]

I hope the sets come in boxes again not... bags. *cringe*

[Dorek]

I hope the sets come in boxes again not... bags. *cringe*

I kinda liked the bags, but even if I didn't, I'd gladly take them over the boxes we got this year. So fragile and useless. Hopefully we get something more usable next year.

[Voxovan]

If you call a giant bug being squashed in an instant by a Toa "conflict", sure. The only time they really provide conflict is in a Protector set or when you've got multiple spiders.

>implying that Krana couldn't be squashed by a Toa

I'll take Skull Spiders over Krana any time. Krana were nothing without Bohrok (and vice versa), they were just legless, armless, wierd little squishy faces. Skull Spiders at least can do SOMETHING on their own. If you knock a Krana off Toa's face, then it's over, but if you do the same with a Skull Spider, it can still try to jump back on Toa's head and try to take control over Toa's mind. Also, Skull Spiders did a plenty of "menacing" stuff - they destroyed the entire village, took control over Bingzak and nearly killed Narmoto and other Protectors while the Toa were getting their golden masks. Sure, not all of this was shown in the animations, but the animations aren't the only media we're getting this year. Plus, I wouldn't say that seeing things is superior to hearing about them - that's when imagination comes to play.

Edited August 7, 2015 by Voxovan

[Iben]

I actually would love to see a more "camouflaging" colour-scheme this year. Less gold and silver, not because they are inherently bad colours ( although they sometimes don't work as well as I'd wish they did ), but simply because it would be cool to have a kind of "wild" environment where the Toa would have to "catch and tame" the creatures. I'd love to see what Lego does with a theme where the heroes have to camouflage themselves, and I hope it goes somewhere along those lines.

-Iben