Hero Factory 2014 Discussion

[bacem]

if the employee itself isn't a lego fan, then it's most likely that he (or she?) confuses hf with chima ultrabuilds.

[EVO97]

I would take that with a great big grain of salt; I'm an Assistant Manager at LBR and haven't heard anything to support that.

Do you know when they are supposed to start appearing? August is the official date, but is it possible that they could show up sooner in the USA?

[Zorglorfian]

Do you know when they are supposed to start appearing? August is the official date, but is it possible that they could show up sooner in the USA?

I still hope that guy at the LEGO Store was wrong in saying that they're not coming to the US... First Chima and Now This!!!

Looking forward to finding some Chima soon!

[TwistLaw]

Now that Bonkles are back, what will be HF's future? Most say it will become small figure oriented.

[Aanchir]

Now that Bonkles are back, what will be HF's future? Most say it will become small figure oriented.

That's probably the most likely scenario if Hero Factory continues. It's unlikely that the two themes could coexist if they were both roughly the same sort of robot action figure with elaborate elemental fantasy weapons. If one is a mecha-based theme, though, that could be enough to keep them from cannibalizing each other's sales.

It's also possible that Hero Factory will end next year, possibly after a final half-year wave. No way to say for sure unless we start seeing more info related to next year's sets.

[ShadowWolfHount]

I don't think Hero Factory is going to be small figures, I think that was most likely a one year thing in my opinion.

I also do think Hero Factory would end next year because Lego mostly keep two lines of Action Figures and have one of them lasting a vary short time.

[Shakar]

Maybe Bonkles (lmao) will replace HF as the main full-year constraction theme, while HF takes Chima's spot as secondary one-wave-a-year line .

It'd make sense, "Fire vs Ice" Ultrabuilds aren't getting released in USA (heck, I bet we were lucky enough to get them only because they were finalized), while HF is. Obviously HF sells more than LoC Ultrabuilds do.

Or maybe HF ends with a bang in Winter, for BIONICLE to debut in Summer (that would be a painful wait). Like a reverse 2010, ironically enough. I hope not, I'd like if the two themes coexisted.

[VBBN]

Here's a rather obscure thought, Hero Factory being turned into a System theme, Or a system-constraction hybrid similar to Exo-Force in a way,

Probably one of my bad ideas, but it would certainly make things interesting if HF and Bionicle were to co-exist.

[Aanchir]

Here's a rather obscure thought, Hero Factory being turned into a System theme, Or a system-constraction hybrid similar to Exo-Force in a way,

Probably one of my bad ideas, but it would certainly make things interesting if HF and Bionicle were to co-exist.

I think it's unlikely — after all, even with minifigures, the Hero Factory building experience is one of its most distinctive traits. If Hero Factory were to continue, I think it would still have to be primarily a constraction theme.

There is, however, a possibility that one might be more Technic-intensive than the other.

[Kalmahiczek]

New ad (in polish).

[TheOneVeyronian]

Well, I was just browsing downloads on the UK Hero Factory microsite (I was actually looking for some pics of the "caustic" background for my latest project), and I was quite surprised to find downloads for some of the summer sets!

Tunneler Beast vs Surge

Crystal Beast vs Bulk

Queen Beast vs Furno, Evo and Stormer

(Links should lead directly to the download this time! They should all work too, I've downloaded them no problem, unless they're taken down...)

It's just the Beasts for the moment, but this surely means their release is imminent. But for now, I guess you can flick through the build, look longingly at the part inventory on the back process or peruse the comic

[Dorek]

They've sort of rolled out those downloads in stages for this website, but yeah, in the next few weeks they should all be out.

Hopefully this means the sets aren't too far behind.

[BrickBuilder3213]

I checked out my local Sainsbury's store to see if I could get Tunneler Beast Vs. Surge. They had all of the sets, but they refused to let me purchase the one that I wanted, even though they were on the shelf. >:c

[Aanchir]

Well, I was just browsing downloads on the UK Hero Factory microsite (I was actually looking for some pics of the "caustic" background for my latest project), and I was quite surprised to find downloads for some of the summer sets!

Tunneler Beast vs Surge

Crystal Beast vs Bulk

Queen Beast vs Furno, Evo and Stormer

(Links should lead directly to the download this time! They should all work too, I've downloaded them no problem, unless they're taken down...)

It's just the Beasts for the moment, but this surely means their release is imminent. But for now, I guess you can flick through the build, look longingly at the part inventory on the back process or peruse the comic

Ooh, good color quality on these instructions. Me gusta.

Annoying that Furno and Stormer's eye colors are mixed up in the instructions, though. That explains why the BZPower review had them wrong. Like the mix-up of Surge and Rocka's armor in Surge & Rocka Combat Machine, it's just sloppy.

Those combi models look nice. Can't wait until their instructions are uploaded!

The products page is also updated with Tunneler Beast and Queen Beast, though oddly they show up in the Heroes category rather than the Beasts category.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Aanchir

[TheOneVeyronian]

I checked out my local Sainsbury's store to see if I could get Tunneler Beast Vs. Surge. They had all of the sets, but they refused to let me purchase the one that I wanted, even though they were on the shelf. >:c

You mean they had all the summer 2014 sets out at your Sainsbury's already? If so, that would be great news, I literally live a minute away from a big Sainsbury's. I'll have to go check it at some point Shame they wouldn't let you buy it though, what's the point of putting them out if you can't even buy it?

[BrickBuilder3213]

Argos did the same thing last year with the 2013 Ninjago sets. It appeared that they couldn't bend the rules for just one day before their official release. :c

[TheOneVeyronian]

Argos did the same thing last year with the 2013 Ninjago sets. It appeared that they couldn't bend the rules for just one day before their official release. :c

Funny you should mention Argos - they're normally among the first UK retailers to get in the summer Hero Factory releases from experience (and usually the last to get in Winter releases), but the new catalogue doesn't come out until the 26th July this year... so it might be likely that someone else will beat them to it this year. Only time will tell

[Shakar]

Man, the art of the instructions mini comics is so cool. The Beasts just look fantastic.

Edit: holy crap I just realized. On the usual "Regroup the pieces for a better build experience" page, the minifig kid is building a Hero with red 4M shells and a red 2.0 torso shell. Which are pieces that do not exist. What?

Edited July 10, 2014 by Shakar

[Gatanui]

Man, the art of the instructions mini comics is so cool. The Beasts just look fantastic.

Edit: holy crap I just realized. On the usual "Regroup the pieces for a better build experience" page, the minifig kid is building a Hero with red 4M shells and a red 2.0 torso shell. Which are pieces that do not exist. What?

They just colored some random Hero Factory pieces without putting much thought into whether they actually exist in those colors or not. I fail to see the sensation. :P

-Gata

[Dorek]

The spreads in the magazine are quite nice. I haven't picked up any of this years sets yet, but I definitely will once the summer ones are released.

[Shakar]

@Gata I know, it just seemed like a really weird and random thing to do : P

Edited July 11, 2014 by Shakar

[TheOneVeyronian]

Well, I don't know if this is old news, but I found the product description on the Queen Beast product page rather interesting:

EVO, ride to the rescue in the 6-legged walker! The QUEEN Beast has captured STORMER and is trying to transform him into the ultimate beast inside the cocoon on her back. Now this menacing beast with many eyes is threatening to snatch FURNO with her poison claws and huge grab staff and cocoon him too. Repel the jumper with the walker’s firing shooter and flick missiles, defeat the monstrous QUEEN and use the rescue pod to transport your fellow heroes to safety. Includes FURNO, EVO and STORMER mini robots with weapons.

So the cocoons not only make jumpers, they also transform Heroes into Beasts? (sorry, wasn't sure if this came up earlier in the year, but I only learned this today ). To me, that just sounds a bit clichéd, but interesting nonetheless. Tunneler Beast's product description also seems to explain the use of a cocoon piece on it's back - it's apparently a freshly hatched Beast.

Oh, and on a vaguely related note, I also noticed the Summer 2014 Hero Factory sets are now available on backorder from Amazon.co.uk (and probably other Amazons). They should be the first 7 results in this link. Their release is definitely upon us

Edited July 11, 2014 by TheOneVeyronian

[Kalhiki]

*Patiently waiting for a US release*

Actually, I'll be going shopping tomorrow. I'll check, even though I doubt they'll be out.

Interesting about the Queen's product description. Definitely puts a spin on the story. Too bad that wasn't explored in the episode, but I doubt they'd have time to explain something like that in half an hour anyway.

[Agent Fusion]

I suppose it explains why they were kidnapping civilians. I do wish they put that in the episode, and it would almost excuse the mass genocide committed by the Heroes. I mean, people were probably killed, if that's the right word.

[TheOneVeyronian]

I mean, people were probably killed, if that's the right word.

Probably not "killed" as such, the kidnapped civilians may have even been turned into more Beasts for the Heroes to fight. If that's the case, then that's obviously a valid reason for the Heroes to go and eradicate the Beasts. You obviously don't want your town folk being turned into monsters I guess

But I suppose it begs this question: if the Jumpers turn into the bigger Beasts in a sort of "metamorphosis" cycle, where does the plunging of civilians or Heroes into cocoons fit in? Does it make them turn into jumpers, or straight into Beasts? I presume the latter, I guess the jumpers go into the cocoon to turn into Beasts (like caterpillars turn into butterflies). But then, where do the jumpers come from? Ah, I'm probably thinking about it too much, blame me having an A Level in Biology