Bionicle 2015 Discussion

[Grima]

Looks to me like his arms are just 5M or 6M, which isn't that bad. Even if they were how you've depicted them, they don't dangle any lower than the original Toa Nuva arms tended to (though perhaps you're referring to the elbow placement).

Yes, it's the elbows that are really getting me. Compared to his upper arms, his lower arms are far too long. There's only one studs length difference between arms and legs here, so the only reason they don't dangle lower is because of how high they've moved the shoulders.

[Lord-Vorahk]

also I could be looking at the picture wrong (I hope to god I'm looking at the picture wrong) but who's ready for terrible arm proportions again

I think you mean "Arm proportions like every Toa team except the Metru since 2001."

[TheLastToaofLight]

my favorite toa for this wave is vakama

Vakama is not in this wave. Do you mean Tahu?

[Shakar]

I..kinda don't mind Lewa having monkey-like proportions so to speak. Plus it's an easy fix, unlike classic BIONICLE where, most of the time, you'd end up using the Vahki lower leg piece, giving the character a pair of awkwardly bulky lower arms.

On the gold one I see an obvious "rim" around the eyes that echoes the shape of the original Kaukau's scuba visor. Gali's new mask might be my favorite Kaukau to date, definitely better than either version of the Kaukau Nuva that we got in sets.

I see it! My mind thought "goggles!", but a scuba visor makes so much more sense. It's a lot better than both Kaukau Nuva, on par with the Mata mask I would say.

[Grima]

I think you mean "Arm proportions like every Toa team except the Metru since 2001."

... why do people act like just because it's a flaw from the old sets, it cannot be criticized in the new sets?

[arc]

also I could be looking at the picture wrong (I hope to god I'm looking at the picture wrong) but who's ready for terrible arm proportions again

that's not actually supposed to be a guess at the gearbox, i just wanted the shoulder to be the right height

well I grew up with the inika, so it never bothered me. The way I see it, bionicles aren't humans, so they don't have to be the same.

[Jasonified]

Vakama is not in this wave. Do you mean Tahu?

'twas a joke, sorry

Edited September 28, 2014 by Jasonified

[Mandate]

I prefer personalized eye colors, like 01-05. I like more variety than "these eyes mean good, these eyes mean evil". And, as I said, in 2008, that was compounded with terrible color schemes. That was a terrible year for colors.

also I could be looking at the picture wrong (I hope to god I'm looking at the picture wrong) but who's ready for terrible arm proportions again

that's not actually supposed to be a guess at the gearbox, i just wanted the shoulder to be the right height

Pfft? Terrible arm proportions? Everything about CCBS is terrible proportions, from gigantic arms to fat shins (looking at you Kopaka), to overly skinny torsos and stilt-legs, and don't even get me started on how gappy everything looks with the shells.

[TheLastToaofLight]

'twas a joke, sorry

Oh

[Lord-Vorahk]

... why do people act like just because it's a flaw from the old sets, it cannot be criticized in the new sets?

That's quite simple. This:

The way I see it, bionicles aren't humans, so they don't have to be the same.

... is why. Members of the Matoran species, in all their forms, rarely ever have "Human" proportions. They've nearly always had longer arms, and in some cases, wider shoulders. They had human proportions once, and the upgraded, more refined version of that build restored the longer arms. Long arms are the norm. Long arms are life.

[Grima]

...riiiiight. Clearly, we have different ideas on proportions, because when I see something like the Mata Nui set from 2009, it bugs me to no end that they have ridiculous arm-to-leg ratios, even if "bionicles arent humans".

Not to mention part of the issue here is that his upper and lower arms aren't even in proportion to each other.

Edited September 28, 2014 by Grima

[Toa of Gallifrey]

While longer arms than legs bug me, something else that bugs me is longer thighs than lower legs and ditto for the arm equivalents.

[Chro]

Gah... is it just me, or does Kopaka have nipples? Still looks awesome, but I mean, LEGO, come on...

please don't be Mephek

[Mandate]

...riiiiight. Clearly, we have different ideas on proportions, because when I see something like the Mata Nui set from 2009, it bugs me to no end that they have ridiculous arm-to-leg ratios, even if "bionicles arent humans".

Indeed, but it's why a lot of System fans have a big disliking for Constraction. It's too far away from System, the "birth" of LEGO. I meant, take look at Chi Worriz or Tahu. They're streamlined, there's no studs or pin holes (that are very visible) or anything that could generally make you think "these were made by the same company". CCBS only made matters worse with the Shell system leaving everything ridiculously open and gappy, and attempts to solve this generally look unfinished or stupid. Another thing is the high amounts of specialization devoted just to Constraction, mainly during 01-10 but it's still a problem right now. Hero Factory's clean look solved a lot of specialization problems but it's only made things worse in the long run, now everything in Constraction set-wise has to look clean, smooth and shiny, with printing and color being the only way to attempt to break this. That's probably my biggest gripe with all the new BIONICLE sets, they look too clean and refined for my tastes, and then when they add printing in it makes thing look untidy (after buying Chi Worriz for parts yesterday I'm dreading printing on the Super Hero chestpiece)

[BFN]

please don't be Mephek

Huh?

[Refy L.S.]

Another thing to notice is that on Pohatus box art there are two large moons in the sky - which more or less rules out a continuation if they are on Spherus Magna, which would have been reformed.

[Mandate]

Another thing to notice is that on Pohatus box art there are two large moons in the sky - which more or less rules out a continuation if they are on Spherus Magna, which would have been reformed.

That's no moon(s). That's a space station(s).

[Grima]

oh hey just noticed LOSS is sneakin' around in the background of the box art. he's stylized so as to not look so ugly though.

edit: well, obviously he's not on his own, and i can't locate him on Gali's, but he's definitely on the other four.

Edited September 28, 2014 by Grima

[Element Lord of Milk]

Maybe it's just that growing up with Bionicle has permanently destroyed my sense of proper proportions, but I've never really had a problem with the odd proportions.

I'm really liking Pohatu. And these pictures seem to confirm that he's using a burnt orange colour similar to Hewkii. Still wondering why that Guurakh staff (Speaking of which, that's a really odd piece to bring back, out of all the other weapon parts throughout the years. I guess it does look the most spear-like though) is on his back though, it doesn't seem like it's up high enough to work with the gear function, and nothing's protruding out the other side of it, so it can't be a staff. Maybe it's supposed to be a dagger that he uses after he's thrown the boomerangs?

I'm also liking the look of Lewa, especially the Miru.

I'm not entirely sure what to think about the new Hau. The gold version is at a terrible angle and makes it look terrible, but the red version looks okay. The main difference I see is that the cheek vents are more covered.

Don't really have much to say about Gali and Kopaka, though Kopaka does look odd being that bulky.

LOSS looks interesting, but I'm still not seeing where his comparatively ridiculous piece count is coming from. Unless he has an anti rely liftarm built function or something.

Also it's looking like all the Toa have a custom gearbox piece.

[Aanchir]

While longer arms than legs bug me, something else that bugs me is longer thighs than lower legs and ditto for the arm equivalents.

Thighs slightly longer than calves are actually realistic. Just look at images of human skeletons. Generally the femur is either the same length as or slightly longer than the tibia. I have yet to see an image or diagram of a human skeleton where the tibia is longer, which is what longer lower legs would generally imply.

I'm not tremendously bothered by proportions not matching real human proportions, but there are times when it does start to look ridiculous, particularly if the wrists are lower than the knees. That starts to look gorilla-like, and if that's the impression you WANT, then great! But for your average hero that's necessarily the kind of build you want to go for. Proportions definitely don't have to be human like, but that doesn't mean the differences they have from human proportions don't matter or don't give the model a different impression than human-like proportions would.

For what it's worth, I don't think any of these sets' proportions are terribly bothersome. It looks to me like Lewa's lower arms are 6M rather than 7M.

[Grima]

For what it's worth, I don't think any of these sets' proportions are terribly bothersome. It looks to me like Lewa's lower arms are 6M rather than 7M.

It's almost definitely the foreshortening; I can pretty clearly see two connector holes. At first I thought the second one was from the hand socket, but it's not; I can see the edge of the hand socket past it.

If that is not the same piece as his lower legs, I will eat my hat. So far in this topic, I have not once had to consume my headgear when making such a wager.

[DuckBricks]

That, and the LOSS looks less derpy now. :D

Although it has a particularly good NPU with the chest piece used as eyes...

[Aanchir]

It's almost definitely the foreshortening; I can pretty clearly see two connector holes. At first I thought the second one was from the hand socket, but it's not; I can see the edge of the hand socket past it.

http://i.imgur.com/70ngANv.png

If that is not the same piece as his lower legs, I will eat my hat. So far in this topic, I have not once had to consume my headgear when making such a wager.

I've looked at the picture myself and I have a feeling that the "hole" you're seeing in the back isn't actually there. At first glance there appears to be a hole but I feel like it's more likely a shadow or reflection. In fact, if there WERE a hole there, I feel like it'd be too close to the ball cup (remember that that the beam remains straight for about half a module after the last ball or hole before it hits the curve for the ball cup).

[Grima]

No, I cannot see that as anything but a pretty clear hole. His arm's angle makes modules hard to judge because it's pretty severely foreshortened but there is almost definitely a second connector hole there.

edit: also I'm kind of confused that it's the one in the back you question; unless it's a new bone piece, there's no existing bone piece that has a connector hole below the ball joint but not above it. therefore, excluding the possibility of a new bone piece, the existence of the lower connector hole is evidence enough of the upper one.

I suppose a new bone isn't entirely out of the question, but it would be the first new one since the 3M double cup piece from Breakout, I think.

Edited September 28, 2014 by Grima

[Aanchir]

No, I cannot see that as anything but a pretty clear hole. His arm's angle makes modules hard to judge because it's pretty severely foreshortened but there is almost definitely a second connector hole there.

I guess we'll see soon enough. After zooming in on the image I'm expecting 6M beams but I won't promise any eating of hats in the event that I'm wrong. It'd definitely be efficient to use the same beams for the arms and legs, and it wouldn't be terribly out-of-character for an agile jungle-dweller like Lewa to have ape-like proportions, but it just doesn't look like that to me under close inspection.