Hero Factory 2012

[Aanchir]

I get that it's normal not to see hands all the time, and that they are robots, but Evo has a left hand, and if I'm understanding the design of the new launcher piece right, there's no particular reason not to use a hand piece (as opposed to the generic Y joint he seems to use) on his right hand. I just think that it's an odd design choice. I'll probably equip him with regular hand, but we'll see.

As for PAB, I imagine that they'll still update that. It's a lot cheaper to get parts from there than from LDD, which is probably part of the reason they discontinued the models. Plus, they're also keeping Recon team, and if they intend to update that (which I assume they would) then we should get new parts. Not sure about the actual palette, but if they still have the budget for software updates, I can only hope that they'll add patches to the program itself.

Well, we know from the news article that PAB/HRT will still be around and keep updating. I'm just wondering if anything might change if the ties to LDD end up being less significant.

[Dorek]

It says they'll still be around, not that they'll keep updating ;D. They will probably keep updating, but still. With LDD tanking, they might not find updating any of the other services a priority.

Any other sexy alternate pics of the 2012 sets?

[Aanchir]

It says they'll still be around, not that they'll keep updating ;D. They will probably keep updating, but still. With LDD tanking, they might not find updating any of the other services a priority.

Any other sexy alternate pics of the 2012 sets?

Not yet. The ones we've seen so far have been from LEGO's cache (well, from Brickset, but I'm pretty sure they came from LEGO's cache ultimately). And unfortunately, there are no pics at all of the other sets on LEGO's cache. Same situation with Ninjago-- Brickset and cache.LEGO.com both have lovely alternate images of like the first three or four new sets numerically, but none of the others.

And LDD's not tanking. According to Nabii, it'll still be getting regular updates in 2012. But there will definitely be changes of some sort since DesignByMe and LEGO Universe will soon be a thing of the past.

EDIT: Don't want to bump the topic for this, but was just looking for Jawblade pics and came across an image here that may interest some people. Combi-models! Not excellent ones, but far from the worst I've seen and quite imaginative. This one's Surge and Splitface.

Edited November 12, 2011 by Aanchir

[Dorek]

DBMe* sorry. Same diff, but still, you're right.

Weird how they took only the lime green elements from Surge =P. Quirky combiner, but I like the general spirit of inventiveness they've been having with the combi-models. Even the humanoids get an interesting spin. This one has some weird designs, but I look forward to seeing what else they come up with. They probably won't have any storyline reference, but ah well.

And they appear to be combining the same background ones (it's also good to see them finally include the villains). Wonder what they'll do with Rocka and BP?

[Vinyl Scratch]

That thing looks like the lovechild of a Scorpion, a Spider, Thornraxx and SplitFace.

And looks kind of $$$$ed up.

And bloody awesome.

Edited November 12, 2011 by Vinyl Scratch

[Play With Fire]

ಠ_ಠ

Oh dear. I can say that I am not a big fan of this, whatever it's supposed to be...

[vexorian]

I don't get the zipper. I thought when the images were really low quality that was an actual zipper - now I see it's just... a picture of a zipper. ?

Well, the pictures of the bags seem CGI to me. It could be that whoever modeled them didn't bother with an actual reproduction OR maybe the zipper is a brick that comes inside the bag and you need to put it manually and the image one is to advertise it (Current theory).

Either way, I am dancing on canisters' graves.

[Aanchir]

Well, the pictures of the bags seem CGI to me. It could be that whoever modeled them didn't bother with an actual reproduction OR maybe the zipper is a brick that comes inside the bag and you need to put it manually and the image one is to advertise it (Current theory).

Either way, I am dancing on canisters' graves.

I'm thinking it's just meant as a symbol to represent that there is a "zipping" function, even if it's just a Ziploc-type thing and not an actual zipper pull with teeth and so forth. It's a handy means of visualizing the resealable nature of the packaging.

[Front]

I get that it's normal not to see hands all the time, and that they are robots, but Evo has a left hand, and if I'm understanding the design of the new launcher piece right, there's no particular reason not to use a hand piece (as opposed to the generic Y joint he seems to use) on his right hand. I just think that it's an odd design choice. I'll probably equip him with regular hand, but we'll see.

I just checked him, and yes, you can replace the "y-joint" ball cup with a hand

But the "hand" is so hidden that maybe the designer thought that it would be a waste of a good piece, to hide it in there. Or maybe Evo lost his arm in battle, and had it replaced with a canon ?

Edited November 12, 2011 by Front

[Kalhiki]

Or maybe Evo lost his arm in battle, and had it replaced with a canon ?

That would be sweet. Okay, that's the official explanation for me. You guys can believe what you want.

Kalhiki

[Vinyl Scratch]

That would be sweet. Okay, that's the official explanation for me. You guys can believe what you want.

Kalhiki

This.

I can imagine Evo giving a brofist.

"Hey Evo, brofist!"

"You got that Rocka!"

*BOOM*

[Play With Fire]

Or maybe Evo lost his arm in battle, and had it replaced with a canon ?

That's a really cool explanation. But after he loses his arm in battle, couldn't he just go back to the factory to get a replacement arm...?

[Bfahome]

That's a really cool explanation. But after he loses his arm in battle, couldn't he just go back to the factory to get a replacement arm...?

He did. It was a cannon.

[Dorek]

I just checked him, and yes, you can replace the "y-joint" ball cup with a hand

But the "hand" is so hidden that maybe the designer thought that it would be a waste of a good piece, to hide it in there. Or maybe Evo lost his arm in battle, and had it replaced with a canon ?

Hah! That's awesome. If ever there was a time to lobby for fan canonization. Unfortunately, the TV show will probably show him with fingers, but it's still brilliant.

I guess hand pieces are just that much more expensive than the "y-joints" to produce, so they try and shave off a bit on production costs whenever they can.

[Play With Fire]

He did. It was a cannon.

Hush now, I meant an actual arm with a hand.

Or you're just joking around, it's kind of hard for me to tell on the internet.

[Bfahome]

Hush now, I meant an actual arm with a hand.

Or you're just joking around, it's kind of hard for me to tell on the internet.

I was half joking.

[Lyichir]

Hah! That's awesome. If ever there was a time to lobby for fan canonization. Unfortunately, the TV show will probably show him with fingers, but it's still brilliant.

I guess hand pieces are just that much more expensive than the "y-joints" to produce, so they try and shave off a bit on production costs whenever they can.

Did you say "cannon"-ization? (Sorry, I had to make that joke)

And technically, he didn't have a right hand in the 2.0 sets either.

[Aanchir]

Did you say "cannon"-ization? (Sorry, I had to make that joke)

And technically, he didn't have a right hand in the 2.0 sets either.

I think the reason people are confused is that there was a functional reason not to use a hand joint in the 2.0 sets (so that the weapon could be flipped around, although that wasn't all too relevant in Evo's case). In this case, a hand joint could have been used without any physical limitations.

However, I don't think cost is the primary factor. I think there may have been a genuine intent for Evo's weapon to seem like he had a cannon for a hand rather than just in his hand. For that, the lower arm shell, the lower arm, the hand, and the cannon have to seem like a cohesive unit. A glaring yellow hand would have disrupted that.

Arguably they could have just used a black hand joint, but in that case it probably comes down to cost (or perhaps just that Y-joints are more versatile pieces, which might have been a factor given the presence of combi-models).

[Play With Fire]

I say Evo's hand is supposed to be within the gun, Samus-style.

[kongumster]

ಠ_ಠ

Oh dear. I can say that I am not a big fan of this, whatever it's supposed to be...

Neither am I. It doesn`t look like it would be the nicest thing on the street.

[CabooseBM]

I just think Evo has his normal arm switched out for a gun arm.

[Aethersprite]

Any new pics of the other sets?

Also, I don't see the fuss about Evo's handless gun arm. Rocka and Furno are like that as well.

Edited November 13, 2011 by Lockon Stratos

[Studs Not On Top]

If only they could show Evo getting his arm blown off in the movie.... I understand that it might be considered too violent for the target audience, but they are robots. They can break.

[Phantoka Kopaka Nuva]

If only they could show Evo getting his arm blown off in the movie.... I understand that it might be considered too violent for the target audience, but they are robots. They can break.

It's possible though. Fire Lord's hand was ripped off in Ordeal of Fire. So blowing an arm off doesn't sound too violent for an HF episode.

[Dorek]

Any new pics of the other sets?

Also, I don't see the fuss about Evo's handless gun arm. Rocka and Furno are like that as well.

Rocka's is a bit different, and do we know that Furno is like that? It's impossible to tell from the hi-res pics, and the old prelim shots actually don't show anything.

I just thought it was a weird design choice; it CAN accommodate a new hand joint, and I don't see why it didn't. Doesn't matter in the long run, I was just curious as to why.