Bionicle-2010?

[iLego94]

I really don't understand what's with all the Greg bashing. I think Greg's a really good writer, and that he has done so much for we as BIONICLE fans to enjoy the story so much more than we would if any other writer was doing the story. Not only that, but he lets the fans interact with the story in endless ways. I don't see anything bad about him, his style of writing, his 'limitations' (Which would probably be worse if we had a different writer because LEGO would keep a bigger eye on them.), or any other complaint you guys have about him.

Agreed. Greg is also a very nice person - I met him in CT - I should know. What people keep forgetting is that Greg is really just a part of the story team. You can only complain if you don't like his writing voice, if you don't like anything else, complain about the story team. If you remember, Greg is usually the one with the better choices, Vakama staying good (obviously voted down), a female Makuta in 2008 (Gorast) and many more. I don't know too many authors that can deal with both 9 year olds and hardcore fans. Greg clearly thinks about us, if he didn't, why would he bother with the serials - it isn't 1935, most young kids don't read serialized stories. If Greg was to leave, I may very well leave BIONICLE, as far as I'm concerned as a fan of the story, Greg is the voice of the line.

~iL

[God Iron]

On the bright side, at least they didn't do a Vahki star set.

Are I hope you are joking there!

The Vahki were incredible!

Anyway I don't think it's Greg's fault about the story, there are others involed as well you know!

That said though, 8 year olds? Most 8 year olds think Bionicle is babyish (At least where I live!) Its more 5-7 year olds who hardly follow the story...

[VBBN]

3D Brickthing said:

In the actual photos, Skrall seems to be taking advantage of some lovely black/lime marbles Av-arms. The lime double connectors for the should armour are also in a new colour, which I welcome.

Yet the cansiter image shows them plain black, which is my bet, seeing as it is the cheaper route.

And in any case, those two binocular bits on skrall are first appearing in lime green

[Zarkan]

Agreed. Greg is also a very nice person - I met him in CT - I should know. What people keep forgetting is that Greg is really just a part of the story team. You can only complain if you don't like his writing voice, if you don't like anything else, complain about the story team. If you remember, Greg is usually the one with the better choices, Vakama staying good (obviously voted down), a female Makuta in 2008 (Gorast) and many more. I don't know too many authors that can deal with both 9 year olds and hardcore fans. Greg clearly thinks about us, if he didn't, why would he bother with the serials - it isn't 1935, most young kids don't read serialized stories. If Greg was to leave, I may very well leave BIONICLE, as far as I'm concerned as a fan of the story, Greg is the voice of the line.

~iL

Agreed. Seriously, Greg F. is no George Lucas, nor is he a bad writer. Sure, not everything he has done is perfect, but he's only human, and I find it annoying that people constantly complain about him when he has done so much for us. And don't give me the whole "Bionicle would be better if Greg wasn't involved in it" - everyone should know by now that many of the things we don't like about the storyline weren't his fault, but were the fault of TLC or the movie producers. I honestly find it amazing that Greg and the story team have been able to fit together nine years of sets and create unique personalities and backgrouds for them that all fit together in the same timeline. Had this been done like most kid's toys (Power Rangers, for example), each new set of villians and heroes would have almost no connection to each other and would not fit into an overarching timeline at all. There would be no years devoted totally to flashbacks, no story serials with exclusive content, and each set of villians and heroes would have exactly the same personalities as the previous set. Bionicle has not had any of these problems (no, not even the last - seriously, try to compare the Toa Mata to the Toa Metru to the Toa Inika someday), which IMO makes Bionicle's storyline one of the best of any toy-based line, if not the best.

[Zip]

Hell, look at MB's Neo-Shifters. Similar looks to Bionicle, different story that does nothing but showcases the sets. I'm not even sure how Neo-Machines' story was created. >_<

Greg's alright. Especially for his marketing brand.

[Zarkan]

Hell, look at MB's Neo-Shifters. Similar looks to Bionicle, different story that does nothing but showcases the sets. I'm not even sure how Neo-Machines' story was created. >_<

Neo Shifters actually has a story? News to me.

Edited September 28, 2009 by Grevious

[~Wrack'n'Ruin~]

I'm not bashing Greg, It's just that after soever many years of his style and writing, I'd like something new and interesting.

That doesn't involve an army of evil parallel Takanuvas.

Seriously, What the hell is this.

[VBBN]

- 

[Artahn]

Are there any leaks other than the Bionicle Stars? If/when there are, could someone PM them to me?

I'm both curious and lazy...

[ShaddowCroc]

Are there any leaks other than the Bionicle Stars? If/when there are, could someone PM them to me?

I'm both curious and lazy...

It's kind of looking like the BIONICLE Stars are all we're getting Winter next year . . .

[Omicron]

I'm not bashing Greg, It's just that after soever many years of his style and writing, I'd like something new and interesting.

That doesn't involve an army of evil parallel Takanuvas.

Seriously, What the hell is this.

Agreed. :)

I find it annoying that people constantly complain about him when he has done so much for us.

Just remember, everyone is subject to criticism and complaints, even those who do so much.

-Omi

[The Alchemyst]

Just remember, everyone is subject to criticism and complaints, even those who do so much.

-Omi

Truth. Look at the President of anywhere. >.>

But really I don't care, I've been falling out of the story since 2009, I still don't get what the heck happened in the past and what's with all these Magnas and whatnot but whatever.

[-TA-]

[dviddy]

create unique personalities

Wait, what? When has Greg ever created a unique personality? He uses the same ten for everything. And not only that, but once he became the novelist, many of the personalities from the previous years were drastically altered. The man is not a good writer. Not even in the relaxed standards of science fiction writers. He can't set a scene, he can't write dialogue, and he relies far too much on juvenile violence. It's like if Michael Bay wrote children's books. He's nice in his interactions with fans, and he's done a lot of giving of time and energy to BZPower and fans he didn't have to interact with. He's thrown a lot of random things into the story because fans have asked. But that doesn't make his writing any good. I respect the man in many areas, and like I said, he's been good for the fanbase. And Lord knows he tries to get things through sometimes. But... no.

Edited September 29, 2009 by Darth Vader

[~Wrack'n'Ruin~]

Amen. Loner, Hothead, Rookie, Wise dude, Empathic female, Cheerful guy, Machiavellian villain, Reluctant hero, insane criminal, noble warrior...

Sometimes it feels like TVtropes.

Edited September 29, 2009 by ~Wrack'n'Ruin~

[Omicron]

Amen. Loner, Hothead, Rookie, Wise dude, Empathic female, Cheerful guy, Machiavellian villain, Reluctant hero, insane criminal, noble warrior...

Sometimes it feels like TVtropes.

Oh god its the character lineup of FFVII and VIII. Shocking. :P

-Omi

[Brickthing]

I'm pretty sure that the stereotypical personalities of the Toa Mata have existed since before Greg wrote for them, and I doubt that he's the only person who has a say in what each new character will be like.

Despite me wanting more interesting characters too, BIONICLE story is written to sell toys to kids, so it's not trying to give us the Da Vinci Code.

[~Wrack'n'Ruin~]

Oh god its the character lineup of FFVII and VIII. Shocking. :P

-Omi

Pretty much, but at least they're more dimensional. Then again, Bionicle is supposed to just be for kids.

[CabooseBM]

*Cough*

[Tyranide]

I have a nice bit of information for ya...

(still no catalogue, I was just busy playing TRON 2.0 and watching House M.D. here...)

Two words.

Matoran Universe.

Stay tuned for more, I'm gonna have clear date tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll be able to deliver something except a couple of BIONICLE bandanas.

[Clonie]

I have a nice bit of information for ya...

Two words.

Matoran Universe.

...

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF-

[ultimate antrozek]

I have a nice bit of information for ya...

(still no catalogue, I was just busy playing TRON 2.0 and watching House M.D. here...)

Two words.

Matoran Universe.

Stay tuned for more, I'm gonna have clear date tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll be able to deliver something except a couple of BIONICLE bandanas.

i remember that bink said that in the 2010 winter. the sets have thornax launchers. so it can't be the matoran universe

Edited September 29, 2009 by ultimate antrozek

[God Iron]

Makuta? Oh dear... Gresh and Skrall in the Matoran Universe... This ain't gonna end well. Anyone seen that unity thing yet? Is that off the film? I haven't seen it yet...

[Omicron]

I'm pretty sure that the stereotypical personalities of the Toa Mata have existed since before Greg wrote for them, and I doubt that he's the only person who has a say in what each new character will be like.

While that is arguably true, they don't need to be recycled every year. :P

Clone personalities are almost as worse as clone sets.

Pretty much, but at least they're more dimensional.

And more pleasing to the eye sometimes too.

-Omi

[Zarkan]

Wait, what? When has Greg ever created a unique personality? He uses the same ten for everything. And not only that, but once he became the novelist, many of the personalities from the previous years were drastically altered. The man is not a good writer. Not even in the relaxed standards of science fiction writers. He can't set a scene, he can't write dialogue, and he relies far too much on juvenile violence. It's like if Michael Bay wrote children's books. He's nice in his interactions with fans, and he's done a lot of giving of time and energy to BZPower and fans he didn't have to interact with. He's thrown a lot of random things into the story because fans have asked. But that doesn't make his writing any good. I respect the man in many areas, and like I said, he's been good for the fanbase. And Lord knows he tries to get things through sometimes. But... no.

You see, this is one of the reasons why I find it difficult to have a decent discussion with certain members on this site. Because, for some reason, they feel as though their opinions have somehow evolved into facts.

Seriously, everyone has different standards on what makes good writing, and I for one think he's fine. You've got to remember - the books he writes are aimed as kids, and thus they can't be nearly as complex or as detailed as books aimed at teens or adults. However, for what it's worth, they're also far better than most childrens books, and they manage to be entertaining enought that at least some teenage Bionicle fans have enjoyed them (including me). Like it or not, Vader, there are people that like his writing, and you can't explain away their opinions just because you have a different one.

Also, I get tired of people claiming that the earlier character's personalities have been changed. Perhaps this is because I never thought they had that much personality to begin with, as my standards of personality revolve around more than just dialogue (which, by the way, is all we got in the comics and MNLOG). For me, unless I can hear a character's voice or at least see what their thoughts and feelings are at the moment, it's very difficult to find personality in Bionicle characters, who because of their masks and fairly expressionless eyes look pretty much the same in the MNLOG and comics no matter what they do. This is why I would argue that the bionicle books of 2002 were superior to the MNLOG and Comics in describing the characters, although I still would call Greg's writing superior. By showing actual emotion and the thoughts of the characters, you're able to get a much better perspective on who they truly are. Can't say the same about the other forms of Bionicle media that everyone else loves so much, however.

And what's this about juvenile violence? Seriously, the current level of violence in the books and comics doesn't even come close to the level of of Michael Bay's violence or even violence in most modern comic books. If Greg was truly like Michael Bay, there would be pretty much nothing but mindless action, and thus we would not get scenes like Kopaka talking to Solek or Mata Nui, Ackar, and Kiina exploring the Great' Being's lab. I feel personally that Greg has achieved a good balance of violence for the most part, and the battle scenes he writes are excellent. Violence =/= juvenile all the time, Vader - otherwise practically ever epic fantasy or sci-fi story would be juvenile in your eyes.

Despite me wanting more interesting characters too, BIONICLE story is written to sell toys to kids, so it's not trying to give us the Da Vinci Code.

And besides, there are people who would argue that Dan Brown is no better a writer than Darth Vader thinks Greg F. is. Seriously, you can't win or lose a debate like this, because it consists totally of subjective opinions that neither side can claim as fact. That's why I get sick of the attitude that "Greg's a bad writer and if you think he's good, then you have no literary taste." If you don't like Greg, fine, but don't act like your opinion is suddenly better than the opinion of somebody who does like him.

Amen. Loner, Hothead, Rookie, Wise dude, Empathic female, Cheerful guy, Machiavellian villain, Reluctant hero, insane criminal, noble warrior...

Sometimes it feels like TVtropes.

Tvtropes Will Ruin Your Life

Seriously, you spend enough time on tvtropes, and pretty much every literary character or storyline will look like a cliche.

Edited September 29, 2009 by Grevious

[Refia]

Eh, Greg proved to me he can write by writing "Shadows in the Sky". Ever read the chapter where the Ignika makes its body? That's good writing right there, and I know it could have been far, far worse. People just like to complain for the sake of being "rebellious". That's really all there is to it.