Hero Factory 2014 Discussion

[Vinyl Scratch]

No, more like the Dark Maker possesed by a brain riding on Splitter Beast with new-full sized heroes using Hero Cuffs while piloting the Ultimate Mecha Super Dropship Jetpack. I would expect 5 different Rocka sets in this wave.

Nah, the whole wave is Rocka and Rocka recolours.

Anyway, apparently the friend that was possibly getting me a mid-sized Invasion from Below set seems to go to the USA instead of London. I thought he was going to London so he could get me Flyer Beast but ugh thanks lego for that March release date. This is so unfair.

[Bob C]

Just saw theJANG's review on Evo walker...wow, I totally agree with him that it's a garbage set. I guess one problem with the new beautiful bag art is that they distort the actual matter of the set.

[BrickBuilder3213]

Seeing as I have all the sets already, I'll gradually post my thoughts on each set.

Evo Walker is pretty good in terms of parts, but not as an actual set. The posability is terrible, the design needs some work and it needs ACTUAL feet, not ball cups.

The upside of having this set is that you get a "taster" of what 2014's sets have to offer. You get a mech, a cockpit with canopy, three Jumpers in various colours and a hero minifigure.

Overall, Evo Walker is only worth getting if you want a complete wave of sets or if you want to see what Invasion From Below has to offer. If you're only buying sets because of how good they are as sets, get Jaw Beast instead.

[DraikNova]

I see Evo Walker as the perfect parts pack. Both types of double-socket connector, plus the Drilldozer connector, plus a Stormer XL piece. And really, who doesn't want an army of jumpers?

EDIT: About the gimmick wave joke, I was actually planning a brain-possessed "normal"-scale jumper just before opening this topic.

Edited January 15, 2014 by DraikNova

[Logan McOwen]

Good golly, I need some of them beasties. I'm definitely grabbing Jaw Beast, but what about the others?

[Gatanui]

I have to agree with you on that plus in my opinion the arm and leg of the minifigs are bad. But i do like to see more of those helmet and body armor.

Personally, I think the minifigures are the best thing that could happen to Hero Factory and I hope to see them in the next years.

-Gata

[Aanchir]

Personally, I think the minifigures are the best thing that could happen to Hero Factory and I hope to see them in the next years.

-Gata

I'd like to see the minifigures remain in sets as well, but only if we can continue to see epic new designs based around them. After all, the constraction building experience should still be central to the theme. And we don't want another year of sets to feel like a complete thematic repeat of Invasion from Below.

Perhaps a journey beneath the sea with submarines and giant sea monsters, in the spirit of Atlantis or Aquaraiders, would be a cool new direction to take. Or, as some people have suggested, hero mechs versus villain mechs like in Exo-Force.

In any case, while I loved the full-scale figure sets, the minifigures have opened up lots of new possibilities for sets, and I don't think the Invasion from Below series has exhausted those possibilities.

[Shakar]

I would say I'm for more minifig sets only if the new minifigs were worth it. But I must say I'm already missing the full size Heroes- I'd like to see new equipment, helmets, torsos.. . Perhaps things could be inverted next year? But tiny evil aliens sound kind of ridiculous, unless they pull them off well.

That said, I finally got my first Invasion from Below sets today: Jaw Beast and Stealth Machine. I built only the first one so far, and I'm surprised how much I like it. Not that I didn't like it, but it's a GREAT looking villain, it's so much cooler in person. I'm loving the new pieces, especially the head halves. Stormer is pretty awesome as well. All in all, highly recommend set.

[CabooseBM]

All I hope for next year is they go back to their old studio for their HF episodes because this new one is complete crap.

[Mesonak]

All I hope for next year is they go back to their old studio for their HF episodes because this new one is complete crap.

I'm kind of in agreement with you there; I would much rather have the style, voice actors, and overall feel of the older episodes than the shiny Ghost visuals. :/

[Bigger Fish]

I'm kind of in agreement with you there; I would much rather have the style, voice actors, and overall feel of the older episodes than the shiny Ghost visuals. :/

As much as did like them at least trying to have personalities in the older ones, my friend and I just couldn't get over just how bad the writing was for them. Like the awkward forced humor and morals along with the anticlimax endings and pathetic fight scenes. I really liked the latest one even if it was corny as all get out.

[Aanchir]

I didn't have any problem with the new voice actors and animation style. I'd be fine with either studio in terms of voices, and I actually prefer Ghost's animation style in some respects — the heroes' faces don't look as skull-like, and the settings are far more colorful and memorable than those from previous episodes.

I would, however, like better and more memorable music in general. Even the old Hero Factory theme music isn't anywhere near as catchy as the theme from the BIONICLE movies or the Ninjago overture. The music from the most recent episode is downright forgettable.

[DraikNova]

I like the animation, it's just the plot that is completely and utterly horrible.

[Chro]

I can't for the life of me remember any Bionicle music, except maybe parts of the Mask of Light theme, so I'm not really one to talk... but yeah, HF's music hasn't been any better (or as good, I suppose).

[Kaijumeister]

I would, however, like better and more memorable music in general. Even the old Hero Factory theme music isn't anywhere near as catchy as the theme from the BIONICLE movies or the Ninjago overture. The music from the most recent episode is downright forgettable.

I still regard the soundtrack from Legends of Metru-Nui as one of the best I've ever heard, just get the chills listening to it!

Back on topic, the episode was nicely done! I liked the increased quality in animation but feel that the mechs were destroyed way too easily, but then again you can't put too much into a 22-minute time-slot.

The summer sets are shaping up to be pretty awesome, though I'm not too pleased to see the Furno and Evo duo again in another set.

I'm sure 2014 won't be the last we see of Lego fusing constraction and system-scale minifigures, and like many of you have said, heroes versus villains in mechs is most definitely a possibility.

[Aanchir]

I like the animation, it's just the plot that is completely and utterly horrible.

The writer in the credits is Adam Beechen, the same person who wrote "Brain Attack". He has a pretty good resume when it comes to animated TV episodes (including episodes from some childhood favorite series of mine like Static Shock, Teen Titans, and Jackie Chan Adventures), so it's kind of a surprise to me that he wrote "Brain Attack", which I found underwhelming when I finally got around to watching it.

Though I ought to mention something — as much as it bugs people to have the heroes talking about their weapons and gear in the last two episodes, I was personally impressed that the identities of the weapons and gear actually mattered. Prior to "Breakout", while the heroes' weapons had unique visual effects, they were more often than not used to exchange generic energy blasts. Thunder in "Von Nebula" and Stringer in "Savage Planet" even had to be given projectile/energy weapons that had no basis at all in the actual sets. The multi-tool ice shields in "Ordeal of Fire" were never used as multi-tools or as shields, and didn't even fire ice most of the time. So I'm glad that the actual identities and powers of the weapons in the last two or three episodes had some actual importance, even if it was a bit patronizing that the heroes had to explain those identities and powers to the audience whenever they used them for the first time.

The basic plot outline would also have been handed down from Advance, as with any of the other episodes.

Edited January 15, 2014 by Aanchir

[MakutaNocturn]

Well, at least that new episode was less predictable than the last 3 ones.

Edited January 15, 2014 by MakutaNocturn

[Jetrax99]

I'm kind of in agreement with you there; I would much rather have the style, voice actors, and overall feel of the older episodes than the shiny Ghost visuals. :/

Same. Then again it is for kids, but even so, it's a very bad move to keep episodes consistent for 3 years and then throw consistency out the window.

[BrickBuilder3213]

Thanks to the game, we have the official names of the Summer sets and confirmation that we'll be getting Blue-Backed Jumpers...

Rocka Crawler Machine

Tunneler Beast

Breez Flea Machine

Bulk Drill Machine

Crystal Beast

Surge & Rocka Combiner Machine

Queen Beast (+ Evo Spider Machine)

Edited January 15, 2014 by BrickBuilder3213

[_shaddow_]

I didn't want to create a new topic for this, so here you go, I tried to do an alternate build for the EVO Walker, with a more classic mecha frame. It made me enjoy the set way more, as I feel mechas are more versatile. However, it's in french, so don't hesitate to mute and get your playlist out, 'cause Evo do like some good hard rock.

I'm not sure embedded videos are welcome on the topic, so please tell me if it must be a link, and I will correct it.

[Mesonak]

I didn't want to create a new topic for this, so here you go, I tried to do an alternate build for the EVO Walker, with a more classic mecha frame. It made me enjoy the set way more, as I feel mechas are more versatile. However, it's in french, so don't hesitate to mute and get your playlist out, 'cause Evo do like some good hard rock.

I'm not sure embedded videos are welcome on the topic, so please tell me if it must be a link, and I will correct it.

This is fantastic for being an alternate build of that set! I'm almost tempted to get it now so I can just make that instead (and tweak it a little, maybe give it XT4 feet).

Edited January 15, 2014 by Mesonak

[_shaddow_]

This is fantastic for being an alternate build of that set! I'm almost tempted to get it now so I can just make that instead (and tweak it a little, maybe give it XT4 feet).

Thanks ! I really want to work with XT4 feet to do a mecha for Evo, but I'm not sure this is the frame to do it, quite frankly, as it would clash quite a bit with the overall design which is pretty thin on this one. While the alt was done using the EVO Walker from my friend's collection, I do plan on buying it since I really enjoy playing with the figure built this way.

[DraikNova]

Does anyone have a picture of the blue-backed jumpers? I haven't spotted them in the show or the game.

[BrickBuilder3213]

Does anyone have a picture of the blue-backed jumpers? I haven't spotted them in the show or the game.

They appear in the later levels of the game that take place underground. You can see them in TTV's latest part of the Let's Play for Invasion From Below. ^w^

[Takanuinuva]

Are we sure there blue backed and its not just the lighting?