Bionicle 2015 Discussion

[Chro]

Wait, is Artakha maybe the main villain?

Theoretically possible, though I personally find it unlikely.

[Aanchir]

I think LEGO wants to keep the gear functions Bio exclusive. The reason being that gear functions were a big part of what made Bionicle sell, so it'd make sense that, to boost bio's sales in its early years, they'd want to keep them exclusive.

Beyond that, things like the Super Heroes and Legends of Chima constraction sets usually aren't meant to look expressly mechanical like Hero Factory or BIONICLE sets are (Iron Man being the obvious exception). A gear function like these would be a lot more overtly mechanical-loooking than things like the wing/spike functions of CHI Fluminox and CHI Sir Fangar.

As far as the new packaging is concerned, it wouldn't surprise me if any other constraction sets next year might use it. After all, it makes more sense from a logistical standpoint to replace the Hero Factory pouches as a packaging method than simply to introduce yet another packaging design. Using the same design for more sets also probably helps the LEGO Group get their money's worth out of that design much more quickly.

I also wonder whether any larger BIONICLE sets in the future might end up using similar packaging — particularly if there are more of them than there were Hero Factory sets at the $25 and higher price points.

[Chimaninja454]

So, why are the gear functions exclusive to BIONICLE?

I think so...

[GK733]

Pffft. I really hope LOSS indeed features the new gearbox, othervise it uses some sick tricks because this what I did shatters easier than a real spider.

[Nekchir]

The 4 back legs are too close together, and that huge gap between the front legs--time to rethink your schematics.

[Lyichir]

From what I can tell, LOSS uses not one, but TWO of the new gearboxes. Here's my version without his back armor. The gearboxes attach on either side, where the axles are exposed. Here he is with back armor. The part sticking out of the back is a lever, by pulling it he grasps his legs together. Obviously neither is entirely finished since I don't know exactly how the new gearboxes will attach, but it should give you a good idea of his size and how his function works.

Edited October 4, 2014 by Lyichir

[Kalhiki]

Ooh. Those back legs. If they're lined up side by side like that, that's going to look kinda ugly. Too stiff. I'd prefer if they were splayed out in a more organic/natural look.

And I wonder what the technic bits poking out the back are. I figure it's a handle so you can hold onto something as you operate the function. If it's a grabby legs function, it seems like it'd make more sense to have a handle.

[MightySlickPancake]

Has anyone had a good look at the hands? It appears to me that the axle hole isnt restricted so the axle can go all the way though the fist, which is really nice. Ontop of this they have 4 fingers and a thumb, looks aesthetically nicer than 3 fingers. Something else thats bugging me is im sure the gap between the axle hole and the ball joint is empty, if thats the case then you could get another axle in that hole and it would be free moving. That would open up some very good posing for charaters with staffs, they could hold the staff in one hand and have it free floating in the other! I could be completly wrong, but thats what im seeing.

[Mutant Orc]

Ooh. Those back legs. If they're lined up side by side like that, that's going to look kinda ugly. Too stiff. I'd prefer if they were splayed out in a more organic/natural look.

I agree with that.

[Lord-Vorahk]

Has anyone had a good look at the hands? It appears to me that the axle hole isnt restricted so the axle can go all the way though the fist, which is really nice. Ontop of this they have 4 fingers and a thumb, looks aesthetically nicer than 3 fingers. Something else thats bugging me is im sure the gap between the axle hole and the ball joint is empty, if thats the case then you could get another axle in that hole and it would be free moving. That would open up some very good posing for charaters with staffs, they could hold the staff in one hand and have it free floating in the other! I could be completly wrong, but thats what im seeing.

I don't know. The hands look pretty similar to the classic CCBS hands.

[Mandate]

If that's the LOSS gear function, as clever as it is I think I'll only get Pohatu and the Protectors.

[Chro]

Has anyone had a good look at the hands? It appears to me that the axle hole isnt restricted so the axle can go all the way though the fist, which is really nice. Ontop of this they have 4 fingers and a thumb, looks aesthetically nicer than 3 fingers. Something else thats bugging me is im sure the gap between the axle hole and the ball joint is empty, if thats the case then you could get another axle in that hole and it would be free moving. That would open up some very good posing for charaters with staffs, they could hold the staff in one hand and have it free floating in the other! I could be completly wrong, but thats what im seeing.

I think Vorahk's right - they seem to just be the normal CCBS hands first seen in HF 2.0

[MightySlickPancake]

I don't know. The hands look pretty similar to the classic CCBS hands.

Well I have no idea, I never bought HF

[Mandate]

Well I have no idea, I never bought HF

Well, the hands were introduced waaay back in 2011, and haven't been exclusive to HF either.

[TheBrickPal]

I am pretty sure that's just the same hand. It's pretty sad that the only variant of hands for the Masters looks to be silver, though (other than Kopaka).

Edited October 5, 2014 by Puffle Pal26

[Nekchir]

Yeah, that's dandy.

Anyways, shouldn't we get some leaked photos of the sets IRL right about now? (Besides those catalog images) Being five days away from NYCC and all.

[Mandate]

Nope. We never get IRL photos of the sets before a convention? Or even leaked versions of IRL photos? I don't recall it ever happening in the past.

[Element Lord of Milk]

I am pretty sure that's just the same hand. It's pretty sad that the only variant of hands for the Masters looks to be silver, though (other than Kopaka).

Well, at least Onua has Black hands. I do wish there wasn't so much silver on them as well though.

At least the Protectors seem to have better variation. The Fire, Earth, and Ice protectors all have elementally coloured hands.

[SirPuddings]

Yeah, that's dandy.

Anyways, shouldn't we get some leaked photos of the sets IRL right about now? (Besides those catalog images) Being five days away from NYCC and all.

Yeah, we won't get any irl photos until NYCC rolls around. I don't think we've ever had any IRL photos before their public unveiling in the past, or at least to my knowledge.

[TwistLaw]

Okoto confirmed by bzpower!

[SoupOrFishOil]

I suppose that means that the rest of the packet was true too?

Edit: Speaking of which, does anyone have that link saved? I'm not sure how many pages to go back to find it.

Edited October 5, 2014 by Super Fish Oil

[Mandate]

New story in a nutshell: "six elemental heroes must collect six golden elemental plot devices to defeat a rising evil that has to do with the dead in some way" Boy, that sure sounds familiar.

(yes, I'm aware of the fact that the Kanohi were golden in the first year, but that was completely different in the manner they had to be collected and the fact that the "rising evil" was an already established rather than rising evil that had nothing to do with skeletons and would have conquered Mata Nui had the Toa not arrived when they did)

[SirPuddings]

Boy, that sure sounds familiar.

Mah boi, of course it does, for this story formula is... the way of the bionicle

[Mandate]

No, my comparison was with NINJAGO (don't bother bringing up the similarities of NINJAGO, the only one there at launch was Cole's color being black. Zane being a Nindroid was revealed in the second year, and even then only this year did they make a big spectacle out of it. And it's being changed next year. Ninjago being the sole continent in an endless sea was only revealed later on, and in the same episode at the end changed by Garmadon, and five episodes prior we learn of the Dark Island) I don't recall BIONICLE using undead (or stylized to be undead, as is the way of BIOG2) enemies. But frankly the whole "elemental heroes versus death-themed enemies" is getting repetitive now. It started with NINJAGO, the Chima did it too, now BIONICLE is doing it. There's nothing wrong with having undead enemies, Castle did it pretty well. But when you drag in the Elements, and then some kind of mystery plot device that needs to be contained, it's getting overdone after three themes have used it in the space of five years.

Edited October 5, 2014 by JayWalker

[Shakar]

I don't see where you get the Skull Spiders being undead from. They're likely called like that because they do look like skulls.

So if Okoto is the new island, that means the document IS real, so there is an animated series planned, Greg is writing the new books and the summer wave is composed from only 5 sets.