Bionicle 2015 Discussion

[meowmachine]

The problem I had with Hero Factory was that there was no goal for the plot. No overarching villain. In Bionicle, Makuta is an omnipresent threat.

[mysteriouspi]

I don't wanna read too much into it, but when he says

"As we speak, we are forging masks to unlock new elemental powers..."

does that mean what I think it does?

New elements in 2016/17?

I'm going to say "no," based solely on the fact that we've seen the winter sets and they're all the classic six. Probably just new powers for each of the current elements.

[Shakar]

The problem I had with Hero Factory was that there was no goal for the plot. No overarching villain. In Bionicle, Makuta is an omnipresent threat.

HF was gearing towards a main plot at the end of Breakout , there even was someone at Lego who ordered Greg to not reveal the creator of the Brains in his books (check his interview with TTV), but then they decided

to scrap everything and have BIONICLE return.

[Bbrink1996]

http://www.lego.com/en-us/club/member/articles/details/bionicle-designer-interview-db751c7745a742c7959930fc229efbab

Skull Basher concept art and an interview with the designer Thomas Bred, He also has a small tease for the next year.

That concept art is amazing! I hope they release concept art for the other skull villains as well especially for Kulta and Skull Slicer.

[DraikNova]

The problem I had with Hero Factory was that there was no goal for the plot. No overarching villain. In Bionicle, Makuta is an omnipresent threat.

Omnipresent villains are easy to deal with. Any seizure-inducing event anywhere would affect them. Seriously, if you're everywhere, you can be set on fire everywhere. And anyway, Makuta is still only affecting a small island in G2. The best he ever managed in G1 was two planets, after which his ability to plan degraded and he started to think that he could just easily defeat anything. Most of Hero Factory's villains at least had realistic plans to take over multiple planets and usually got very close (Witch Doctor got a lot closer to destroying a planet than Makuta did, and did we ever figure out what happened to Talos 5, where Fire Lord came from? I think he probably sucked it absolutely dry of all useful things, turning it into a barren wasteland at the very least), even if their execution tended to be pretty pathetic. Seriously, why make giant spiderlike things with exposed brains when you can make Cordiceps-like fungi that could spread without you needing to make more and which can't be removed as easily?

Edited October 10, 2015 by DraikNova

[mysteriouspi]

Omnipresent villains are easy to deal with. Any seizure-inducing event anywhere would affect them. Seriously, if you're everywhere, you can be set on fire everywhere. And anyway, Makuta is still only affecting a small island in G2. The best he ever managed in G1 was two planets, after which his ability to plan degraded and he started to think that he could just easily defeat anything. Most of Hero Factory's villains at least had realistic plans to take over multiple planets and usually got very close (Witch Doctor got a lot closer to destroying a planet than Makuta did, and did we ever figure out what happened to Talos 5, where Fire Lord came from? I think he probably sucked it absolutely dry of all useful things, turning it into a barren wasteland at the very least), even if their execution tended to be pretty pathetic. Seriously, why make giant spiderlike things with exposed brains when you can make Cordiceps-like fungi that could spread without you needing to make more and which can't be removed as easily?

To be fair to Makuta Teridax, he had conquered the entire universe as we knew it. It wasn't until after said conquering that we (and presumably he) learned there were other worlds. Also I don't think he ever intended to destroy a planet, so you can't hold his lack of planet destruction against him. He only wanted to rule the inhabitants (or in Bara Magna's case, step on them).

[DraikNova]

He tried to destroy Bara Magna with a gravitational wave shortly before being mooned.

EDIT: Also, his thoughts after taking over the MU were pretty much literally "Hey, now I don't need any subtlety anymore. I'll just crush everyone."

Edited October 10, 2015 by DraikNova

[Kalhiki]

He tried to destroy Bara Magna with a gravitational wave shortly before being mooned.

I laughed harder than I should have at this.

Speaking of Makuta and plans, I wonder what G2 Makuta's (or the MoUP, if that's the real villain here) plan is this time around. I don't believe we've ever learned that, have we? All we know is that he's been terrorizing the island and wanting masks of power, right? Surely that can't be his only goal.

Poor guy. All this because no one liked his masks...

[DraikNova]

I think he just wants to destroy all of Ekimu's greatest works, due to angry logic of the "if my works aren't appreciated, yours will not be either" kind.

[Shakar]

Smart villains tend to get a bit dumber once they get their power they longed for. They get too arrogant and put less work on their plans because they think brute force is enough. Look at Aizen in Bleach.

[TFGuy89]

I think he just wants to destroy all of Ekimu's greatest works, due to angry logic of the "if my works aren't appreciated, yours will not be either" kind.

Bitterness can be an extremely powerful motivator. If executed properly, it can make for very strong characterisation.

[The Outsider]

http://www.lego.com/...59930fc229efbab

Skull Basher concept art and an interview with the designer Thomas Bred, He also has a small tease for the next year.

I really like that design; feels much more powerful and menacing.

I prefer the current Bull Skull Mask, though, since it looks more like an actual bull's skull. The one on the concept art looks like a Skull Spider with a pig's snout to me.

EDIT: Also, his thoughts after taking over the MU were pretty much literally "Hey, now I don't need any subtlety anymore. I'll just crush everyone."

Smart villains tend to get a bit dumber once they get their power they longed for. They get too arrogant and put less work on their plans because they think brute force is enough. Look at Aizen in Bleach.

Actually, he said precisely that immediately after his takeover.

I am the ground you walk on ... the air you breathe. No longer must I fight you to rule a Universe. I AM the Universe!

- from Mata Nui Rising

And a little later.

Of one thing I am certain - I have nothing more to fear from Mata Nui. But this universe and its people have everything to fear from me.

- from BIONICLE: Makuta's Guide to the Universe

It's amazing how these villains forget their greatest strength the minute they get in power. But then again, if it didn't happen the heroes could never defeat them.

Bitterness can be an extremely powerful motivator. If executed properly, it can make for very strong characterisation.

"Properly" being the key word. Having him chase all these masks just to smash them, without any greater goal behind it, sounds way too much like a toddler's temper tantrum. But then again, that's just my opinion.

[MakutaOfWar]

Man, all of this talk of Teridax is making me realize how in 2010 they relied more on the story and less on the sets to conclude G1.

[DraikNova]

I really hope the question of whether or not LDD-built masks are allowed in the Mask Maker contest is answered soon. Judging from the facebook reactions, I'm one of the few people with enough CCBS parts to make a mask using real parts, but I've been working in LDD on my entry, so I really hope they are allowed.

[mysteriouspi]

I really hope the question of whether or not LDD-built masks are allowed in the Mask Maker contest is answered soon. Judging from the facebook reactions, I'm one of the few people with enough CCBS parts to make a mask using real parts, but I've been working in LDD on my entry, so I really hope they are allowed.

Lack of parts is gonna hurt a lot of people in this contest, I think. Especially if the masks actually have to fit over a human head...I'm hoping they don't because that somewhat restricts construction of said masks. It'd certainly be a bummer for my entries.

[DraikNova]

I've got two concepts in the work right now, both with vaguely outlandish but workable themes. How many are you working on?

[SpiderSpaceman]

I really hope the question of whether or not LDD-built masks are allowed in the Mask Maker contest is answered soon. Judging from the facebook reactions, I'm one of the few people with enough CCBS parts to make a mask using real parts, but I've been working in LDD on my entry, so I really hope they are allowed.

Wouldn't expect it. I just think it's ridiculous that it's technic or CCBS and not system.

[DraikNova]

Small amounts of system are allowed, as demonstrated by the designer's use of windshields as eyes. But large amounts reduce your chances of winning.

[mysteriouspi]

I've got two concepts in the work right now, both with vaguely outlandish but workable themes. How many are you working on?

None yet, I don't have a chance to until the weekend. Hope to get three or so good ones done.

Wouldn't expect it. I just think it's ridiculous that it's technic or CCBS and not system.

It's a Bionicle contest, so it makes sense that they want to restrict entries to using Bionicle parts. It makes building harder, but hey.

[DraikNova]

So, I've got to ask, is Gali a good enough set that she's worth getting two of? I don't like technic much, being a CCBS-only builder for the most part and I don't have any dark azure shells, nor have I made purchases to get tr. light blue bones yet, although I've wanted to get more of them.

[Bigger Fish]

So, I've got to ask, is Gali a good enough set that she's worth getting two of? I don't like technic much, being a CCBS-only builder for the most part and I don't have any dark azure shells, nor have I made purchases to get tr. light blue bones yet, although I've wanted to get more of them.

Yes, Gali is so nice you should definitively buy her twice.

[DraikNova]

The fact that I like the breakout armor so much kind of contributes too, I guess. I'll probably cannibalize the dark azure shells and make a deep sea version of Gali using the darker blue from HF (Earth blue?).

[Shakar]

You mean the Brain Attack armour. The Breakout armour is a piece forever forgotten in the depths of.. uh, forgetfulness.

[Quisoves Pugnat]

The Breakout armour is a piece forever forgotten in the depths of.. uh, forgetfulness.

Which is a shame, as it's a great piece, and wouldn't have gone amiss on one of this year's Toa.

It occurs to me that, with the introduction of the 2016 armor, we have enough CCBS chestplates for a whole team of Toa!

[Lyichir]

The fact that I like the breakout armor so much kind of contributes too, I guess. I'll probably cannibalize the dark azure shells and make a deep sea version of Gali using the darker blue from HF (Earth blue?).

I assume by "darker blue" you mean Bright Blue (known on Bricklink simply as "Blue"). Earth Blue is Metru Blue, and hasn't appeared in CCBS at all aside from the Skull Spiders this year.