Hero Factory 2010

[ultra hamster]

Please mention a kids toy-line storyline that does not have generic characters.

[Darkness Falls]

I don't remember any cliche good guys or bad guys in the later years. They all seemed fairly unique up until the end, besides the Skrall who were alike in all ways short of a hive mind. If you could give an example of a character who was a generic good guy or bad guy, I might be able to give that statement some credence, but as it is it seems like you either didn't read the books or read them and ignored any parts but the fight scenes. Of course I know you better than that, but obviously something didn't connect between the actual material and what you saw of it.

And I don't see why every location should be by necessity an arbitrary mish-mash of environments-- you can't just set every story on a tropical island with massive glaciers, a conveniently active volcano, a plethora of inhabitable tunnels, a dense jungle, and a barren desert. A universe where all the locations are like that is unrealistic, and makes each individual location feel like the same old, same old.

I also don't see how any of this has to do with Greg. After all, he's had a pretty strong hand in the story from the beginning (the comics have been the most consistent story medium throughout BIONICLE's nine-year run), and the only real places where he was given absolutely free reign were the story serials and the early 2003 Bohrok-Kal story arc. Which may in fact be bad compared to other story content, depending on your opinion. But that doesn't explain why, for instance, you opposed single-element environments (which were planned for the 2006, 2007, and 2008 story years since near the beginning), or why you singled out Greg as the cause of literary atrophy in later years.

Really from your posts it's hard to tell you're discussing the same story as I am. I understand how it's a matter of opinion whether the BIONICLE story was any good, but you seem to think that it ripped some firm and absolute rules of storytelling to shreds, when in fact I saw none of that even in the later years. What I saw were unique characters (Ackar, Kiina, Tarix, Makuta Gorast, Makuta Krika, etc.) whose presence positively influenced the story. Greg's no literary genius, and I never expect to see him getting a very big name even in the comics world, but I can't say the BIONICLE story would have been any better in the hands of another writer (Hapka certainly didn't contribute much with her three books).

Yeah, uh... Elemental controller of fire being a hothead, water being serene, earth being tough, air being carefree, ice being a loner... You tell me those aren't stereotypes? Even the Piraka were stereotypical BAMFs, Ackar was a stereotypical wizened warrior, and Kiina was a stereotypical, well... girl. The Barraki were all pretty one-note, but in all, the dialogue for every. Single. Character. Was boring and waaaaaay too predictable, as in "I say malicious creepy/hardcore/ancient line here and then you respond with heroic reply!"

[Destructive Soul]

I think at this point in history, almost every single character ever written ever can be associated with a certain stereotype.

Uh, but that's just me.

Edited July 6, 2010 by Destructive Soul

[Aanchir]

Aanchir, are you seriously unable to think of any generic characters from the last years of Bionicle? Do I even need to drag out the "big stupid brute" of Nocturn? The evil megalomaniac of Icarax? It goes on.

There was some depth I thought, and I was always really proud of how characters like Krika turned out, but the more and more I think about it the more I realize the amazing personality and depth I remember were products of my own imagination more than anything else.

I'm sorry. By "no generic characters" I meant none whose archetype was overused in BIONICLE. For instance, Nocturn and Krekka were the only big stupid brutes really (some would say two is too much, but in a story where you have to introduce scores of new characters every year to match an ever-expanding toy line there have to be some stock personas to fall back on). And I can't think of any other characters quite like Icarax (ambitious but hopelessly outdone by Teridax, the Big Bad). Other villains tended to each have their own individual motivations and character traits. And it certainly wasn't as though all villains were generic, which is what Darth Vader seems to be indicating.

As for the heroes, there was a lot of great characterization in 2007 and 2008. 2009 also did a pretty good job, especially considering that pretty much all the characters were brand new (sure, we knew Mata Nui before, but only as that one sleeping dude everyone liked ).

Overall, considering that BIONICLE is above all else a toy line, I think it was very impressive how well it maintained such an epic, ambitious storyline. Now, that may be because unlike some BIONICLE fans I was never part of a lot of other toy fandoms like Transformers. Nevertheless, I think BIONICLE had a good, strong lifespan, and its primary downfall was the inability of new fans to identify with a story that depended very heavily on prior knowledge.

[Darkness Falls]

I'm sorry. By "no generic characters" I meant none whose archetype was overused in BIONICLE. For instance, Nocturn and Krekka were the only big stupid brutes really (some would say two is too much, but in a story where you have to introduce scores of new characters every year to match an ever-expanding toy line there have to be some stock personas to fall back on). And I can't think of any other characters quite like Icarax (ambitious but hopelessly outdone by Teridax, the Big Bad). Other villains tended to each have their own individual motivations and character traits. And it certainly wasn't as though all villains were generic, which is what Darth Vader seems to be indicating.

As for the heroes, there was a lot of great characterization in 2007 and 2008. 2009 also did a pretty good job, especially considering that pretty much all the characters were brand new (sure, we knew Mata Nui before, but only as that one sleeping dude everyone liked ).

Overall, considering that BIONICLE is above all else a toy line, I think it was very impressive how well it maintained such an epic, ambitious storyline. Now, that may be because unlike some BIONICLE fans I was never part of a lot of other toy fandoms like Transformers. Nevertheless, I think BIONICLE had a good, strong lifespan, and its primary downfall was the inability of new fans to identify with a story that depended very heavily on prior knowledge.

Really? Carapax wasn't a dumb brute?

[CabooseBM]

No, Carapar was slow, but he was still pretty smart, just all the hypnosis Takadox tossed on him made him somewhat less speedy in his thinking.

[---Vertea---]

hey gents- I know y'all are getting into this discussion, but might you perhaps move this to another topic please? I can't help but get annoyed when I check the Hero Factory topic for news or related discussion and all there is is a lot of debate over Greg's writing.

[Phantoka_Chirox]

We get to here Furno and Zib's voices in the Hero Factory FM :O

[Nightmare]

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=437301

Pics of Von Nebula courtsy of BZPer Argentum :)

EDIT: And some new pics of Makuhero, too: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=4555125

Edited July 7, 2010 by Nightmare

[Monasti]

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=437301

Pics of Von Nebula courtsy of BZPer Argentum :)

EDIT: And some new pics of Makuhero, too: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=4555125

Good on Argentum for doing that! Woohoo!

Only close people to me will get that...

But yeah, I like Von Nebula's box. It's pretty cool. I've got the set too, and as it stated in his review (=D) the arms are a bit annoying. Oh well.

[CabooseBM]

Man, Makuhero just reminds me of Monsteropolis from Megaman more and more.

[The Crazy One]

So, they're depicting Furno as a teenager. Shame, I was hoping for a slightly older voice, but I guess kidies need to relate to something. I thought it didn't really suite his bio personally.

[VBBN]

Two different perspectives- Bionicle is a mature story that does a poor job of it by having characters that are dumbed down and not complex, or Bionicle is a kids story with slightly above average storytelling. 

[~~Natalie Breez~~]

I'm here :D

Someone has Corroder or any villians?

[VBBN]

Yes I’ll be getting meltdown and rotor

[~~Natalie Breez~~]

D'oh, I need the head stills of Corroder and Thunder, you know, these ones:

[VBBN]

I’m sure reviews will be out soon

[Phantoka_Chirox]

Wow it seems as if now people are all getting these sets. I'm jealous D:<

Anyways is Mak supposed to be a Hero ?

[Monasti]

Wow it seems as if now people are all getting these sets. I'm jealous D:<

Anyways is Mak supposed to be a Hero ?

Maks a DJ, may be a robot but we are unsure at this time O_O

[ultra hamster]

"Some Visorak are in my backyard, help quick!"

From herofactory.com

[duncan bulk]

I got Jimi Stringer in the mail on the 28th of last month and I bought William Furno at my local Toysrus so I have the leader of the rookie team and a member of the alpha team.

[The Crazy One]

Maks a DJ, may be a robot but we are unsure at this time O_O

He is a robot. Or a human who likes drinking warm oil. Ewww......

Also, we heard Stormer, Bulk and Stringers voice in the first podcast. Hehe.....Bulk.....' I never seen Tiger Ants run so fast '.

[~~Natalie Breez~~]

He is a robot. Or a human who likes drinking warm oil. Ewww......

Also, we heard Stormer, Bulk and Stringers voice in the first podcast. Hehe.....Bulk.....' I never seen Tiger Ants run so fast '.

Or a Robot in a Human dress that thinks that he's a robot... @-@

Where's Natalie Breez on the Podcast D:

[Rocketbilly]

You're lucky top have seen them!

I'm wondering, the villains mask/helmets....whatever they are- what sort of head do they use? I presume a Glatorian head for consistency (with the exception of Von Nebula of course, who I assume uses a Metru head) I hope they do have heads, and not just pseudo-masks that the Mistika Makuta had that had no face underneath.

Will/Rocketbilly

[VBBN]

Well, Xplode and Thunder both have Glatorian heads, I'm fairly certain Corroder does as well. Meltdown does not