Hero Factory 2013

[Kalhiki]

^ What do you mean?

Simply put, the first wave was my favorite. We had good villains (aside from how Von Nebula was portrayed in the show), and good character designs.

I've expressed numerous times that I want revamps of the characters (at least the Heroes) in a future wave. And as for good villains, let's see: Fire Villains were too uniform. There wasn't the variety seen in Von Nebula's gang. Savage Planet had animals, which were good designs, but weren't exactly villains: just creatures held against their will. Breakout was the only taste of 1.0 I got: unique villains and Heroes reminiscent of their 1.0 forms. Then there's Brain Attack which, like Savage Planet, has animals held against their will.

So yeah. 1.0 For the win.

Kalhiki

[Bigger Fish]

Simply put, the first wave was my favorite. We had good villains (aside from how Von Nebula was portrayed in the show), and good character designs.

I've expressed numerous times that I want revamps of the characters (at least the Heroes) in a future wave. And as for good villains, let's see: Fire Villains were too uniform. There wasn't the variety seen in Von Nebula's gang. Savage Planet had animals, which were good designs, but weren't exactly villains: just creatures held against their will. Breakout was the only taste of 1.0 I got: unique villains and Heroes reminiscent of their 1.0 forms. Then there's Brain Attack which, like Savage Planet, has animals held against their will.

So yeah. 1.0 For the win.

Kalhiki

Ever notice that the 1.0 villains bore a resemblance to past bionicle villains? Here's the list.

Von Nebula: Makuta

Xplode: Piraka (Hakkan)

Rotor: Phantoka (Pohatu came to mind oddly)

Corroder: Both the Mistika makuta and Nidhiki

Thunder: Krekka (Because of the resemblance between the two I originally assumed that Corroder and Thunder were going to be a those two villains type of deal.)

Meltdown: Barraki (Kalmah and Carapar)

Vapor: Nocturn and More makuta mistika

Just putting that out there for you all to think about.

[Aethersprite]

Ever notice that the 1.0 villains bore a resemblance to past bionicle villains? Here's the list.

Von Nebula: Makuta

Xplode: Piraka (Hakkan)

Rotor: Phantoka (Pohatu came to mind oddly)

Corroder: Both the Mistika makuta and Nidhiki

Thunder: Krekka (Because of the resemblance between the two I originally assumed that Corroder and Thunder were going to be a those two villains type of deal.)

Meltdown: Barraki (Kalmah and Carapar)

Vapor: Nocturn and More makuta mistika

Just putting that out there for you all to think about.

Uhh... Those are kind of a stretch. The only one I agree with is Xplode looking like the Piraka, but that's it. Even though the 1.0 wave may not be my favourite, but I definitely agree that they were pretty unique. It'd be cool to see some of them revamped using the 2.0 system, especially Von.

[Takanuinuva]

Uhh... Those are kind of a stretch. The only one I agree with is Xplode looking like the Piraka, but that's it. Even though the 1.0 wave may not be my favourite, but I definitely agree that they were pretty unique. It'd be cool to see some of them revamped using the 2.0 system, especially Von.

Coinicdentally I am working on 2.0 versions of The Nebula Gang. I have all of them done except for Corroder and Meltdown. I need to get some remoulded Shadow Matoran feet for both and I need the yellow bones from Aquagon for Meltdown. However I may just post them after I get Aquagon.

[Aanchir]

Well, it was rumoured that Hero Factory might end because of that stuff about TLG doesn't want to keep too long on a single theme, and Brain Attack would had been the 3rd year for it by now.

So it wasn't a rumour like "HF is done after BA.", more something like "Is it possible that HF will end soon?

I wasn't also aware of any plotholes or cliffhangers in the story, since I don't pay attention to it at all.

Well, the specifics of Hero Factory's lifespan, as expressed in an interview about the theme from 2011, were that it was planned for a three-year initial run, and then TLG would see how much momentum it had to keep going. I'd say the fact that there are sets planned for 2014 suggests that sales from its first three years (2010-2012) were pretty good. At the same time, unlike with BIONICLE, no long-term plans for the theme have really been disclosed.

Part of the reason BIONICLE's cancellation came as such a shock was that there were indeed supposed to be new movies from Tinseltown Toons in 2010 and 2011 (that contract was instead amended for Tinseltown Toons to create the Hero Factory TV episodes). This was revealed as early as 2007. So the fact that the theme was cut short by a year and a half caught many people off-guard.

The fact that we haven't heard anything about Hero Factory's long-term plans doesn't necessarily mean that there aren't any, but it's understandable that people would be a little uncertain about how much life it has in it. But of course, some people take that a bit too far and point to anything and everything as a sign that this is Hero Factory's last year. And they've been doing that for almost as long as the theme's been around.

On a not so related side-note: I don't understand why apparently everything nowadays needs zombies. Granted, I question this mostly because I don't like those brain-munchers in the first place, but even if it would be something that I like (like... uhm... dinosaurs), I wouldn't want that included everywhere just for the sake of having it.

I kind of like the fact that Hero Factory is exploring different types of stories. In previous years one of the major criticisms of Hero Factory was that it was more or less a repetitive superhero story where the goal was always just to lock up the villains. This year, the story gets a major shift not only in its type of storytelling but also in its tone, taking on a bit more of a B-movie horror vibe. And this has been very enjoyable for me because the story can work with a whole different set of tropes.

With most of Brain Attack I get less of a zombie vibe and more of an alien invasion vibe, myself. And really all things considered it's sort of a mix of the two. It's got the shambling hordes, definitely, but the threat definitely is otherworldly.

Final HF set= Furockormer XXXXXL

Just an idea

All jokes aside if they are continuing, I really, REALLY want a theme to the heroes that is a bit more inspiring than the Brains. Western theme, Space theme, Apocalyptic, SOMETHING. Granted many people may enjoy the concept of brain attack, but for me it's just not striking any "wow" factors and this whole year has just been a money saver.

That set name sounds somehow very dirty... thank goodness you didn't condense it any further.

I've found Brain Attack quite nice, though the brains aren't really the primary reason I've liked the sets. Rather I just find many of the designs pretty neat, and they offer good parts to boot. I do wish the Brain Attack wave had more non-humanoid villain sets. Scarox, for instance, strikes me as extremely underwhelming, and I think more of a spider-like design would have made him much more impressive.

It'd be nice to explore some other themes. But at least the themes aren't just bland elemental themes like the whole "Rampant Oceans" and "Empire of Frost" hoaxes tried to convince people future waves would be.

Simply put, the first wave was my favorite. We had good villains (aside from how Von Nebula was portrayed in the show), and good character designs.

I've expressed numerous times that I want revamps of the characters (at least the Heroes) in a future wave. And as for good villains, let's see: Fire Villains were too uniform. There wasn't the variety seen in Von Nebula's gang. Savage Planet had animals, which were good designs, but weren't exactly villains: just creatures held against their will. Breakout was the only taste of 1.0 I got: unique villains and Heroes reminiscent of their 1.0 forms. Then there's Brain Attack which, like Savage Planet, has animals held against their will.

So yeah. 1.0 For the win.

Kalhiki

I liked the first wave as well, but I felt that Breakout did a great job both matching and perhaps surpassing the level of variety the 1.0 wave gave us. Non-humanoid villains are always nice.

Ever notice that the 1.0 villains bore a resemblance to past bionicle villains?

I think this is more or less a coincidence, since BIONICLE and Hero Factory villains alike just tend to use well-established character design rules for villains and robots. Hakann and the Piraka are both hunched over and spiky, sure, but that's because these are both tried-and-tested ways of making a character look fearsome. And the rest of your comparisons are a real stretch.

[cylex7]

I've always found 2010's HF sets to be similar to BIONICLE, keeping in with the "last hurrah" theme...

VN - Makuta

Rotor - 2001 Rahi (larger set, has a helicopter function)

XPlode - Piraka

Meltdown - Barakki

Corroder - Mistika Makuta / Vahki (alternate four-legs mode?)

Thunder - Bohrok (I always thought it was this because of the storyline roll-up-into-a-ball thing)

Vapor - Mistika Makuta

Also, I read Mirror World a few weeks ago and I am shocked... That ending, as well as how Greg confirms the color of a main villain next year... Anyone care to theorize?

[Bigger Fish]

What's the color? I haven't read it yet.

[Cahillrebel]

I do think they took some aspects of the Bionicle sets to make the first wave of Hero Factory. Also, what is the color of the villain?

[ToaJaller78]

I do think they took some aspects of the Bionicle sets to make the first wave of Hero Factory. Also, what is the color of the villain?

Probably Black, Silver, something like that.

I honestly want Von Nebula to appear in the Brain Attack story. Why? I still belive he plays a part in all this. Of course, In the end of Breakout, It WAS an animation slip up, BUT he may well appear again. The whole Brain Attack thing could be made by someone who WORKS for Von Nebula. This could be a plot to destroy Hero Factory, as well as keep the Heroes busy so Von could plot

Edited June 23, 2013 by ToaJaller78

[ZORK64]

Well, I guess we'll see leaks of the first 2014 wave in a few months anyway.

[Vinyl Scratch]

The villain in the end was crimson-armoured.

And apparently he has sleeper cells in the Hero Factory.

Call of Heroes: Factory Ops.

[SmoothJazz]

The villain in the end was crimson-armoured.

And apparently he has sleeper cells in the Hero Factory.

Call of Heroes: Factory Ops.

Crimson? As in Metru red?

[Vinyl Scratch]

Dunno, it only said crimson.

Probably Metru Red though.

[Chro]

Call of Heroes: Factory Ops.

Oh please no... XD

[MakutaNocturn]

Oh please no... XD

Saints Heroes Row could be better :> Anyway, what's going on with the black brain slug? Has somebody bought it?

[DraikNova]

It's only going to be available next month, after the contest is over, sadly.

[Zachattacx]

The villain in the end was crimson-armoured.

And apparently he has sleeper cells in the Hero Factory.

Call of Heroes: Factory Ops.

So basically an inside out plot to terrorize the hero factory....my god...that is evil.

I like it.

Edited June 24, 2013 by Zachattacx

[Bigger Fish]

The villain in the end was crimson-armoured.

And apparently he has sleeper cells in the Hero Factory.

Call of Heroes: Factory Ops.

Quick question, what are sleeper cells?

[Takanuinuva]

Quick question, what are sleeper cells?

I believe its people (or in this case robots) That have been brainwashed to do the users bidding but only once a trigger has been activated. Until then the sleeper doesn't know there a sleeper.

[Dorek]

That's sleeper cells in fiction, generally. Real world usage is just one that lies dormant for a certain period of time, waiting for the right set of circumstances or orders in order to start carrying out their goals.

[Chro]

But HF is fiction, so it could easily be either one. :P

[MakutaDreadscythe]

Ummm...I'm a little lost. What's this about a new villain?

[Zachattacx]

Ummm...I'm a little lost. What's this about a new villain?

Well apparently in the book Mirror World, they reveal of a crimson armored villain who has sleeper cells within HF.

Simple as that.

[Aanchir]

This is not necessarily confirmation that this character will play a role in the main story. The Secret Mission books are side-stories and have already had several characters who never appeared in the main story. This character seems a lot more likely to be in the main story than most of the others, just by virtue of being a villain with a vague physical description rather than a civilian or neutral party, but that's not the same as confirmation.

[MakutaNocturn]

Can somebody post a photo with Krahkanuva mask with a brain slug, please? I don't own any of the brains and I would like to see this. I wouldn't mind any of possible connections.