Bionicle 2015 Discussion

[Zenerius]

Look, if I win, I'm selling it. I'll display it for a while, but I'd rather have the ability to purchase every LEGO set I want for the next few years than keep a piece I'm never going to use. Is it an awesome thing to have? Absolutely, I would love to display it. But I'd rather be able to purchase LEGO and still be known as the winner of that comp. forever

I agree. I would probably wait for gold prices to rise, then sell it for sets.

[Shakar]

I'm actually fine with Dark Orange (as I said, one of my favourites) if LEGO continues to make it the primary colour of the Stone sets so we can get some more Dark Orange recolours. But if LEGO does what it did between 2006 and 2010 and keep changing the primary colour of the Stone characters, it'll be extremely frustrating. During those years, it just seemed that, after Avak, they just couldn't decide on a replacement for Brown and so it kept cycling between Keetorange, Orange, Bright Yellow, Tan and then back to Keetorange (and one could argue Dark Orange as well with the new Pohatu and Stone Protector). And now Keetorange is being used on the Jungle/Air characters... which is slightly puzzling since one could argue that it defined many of the Stone characters after 1H 2006

Oh well, guess I'll never understand LEGO's design choices sometimes

Yup, 2006-2010 was a mess for Stone characters. I was ok with keetorange actually, especially when coupled with dark colours (Hewkii Inika rocked it). But still, the inconsitency was annoying. I hope we settle on Dark Orange for at least a few years. Same for Bright Green for the Jungle characters and Dark Azure for the Water characters. They're vibrant, fun colours- not too bright, not too dark.

Shakar, you forgot to mention dark green! That and Metru red are amongst my favourite CCBS colours, I was so happy to see them being used a bit more often. It's disappointing that they've been left out completely; hopefully we'll see them again in subsequent waves of Bionicle.

Actually, I wanted to lsit dark (earth) green at first but I remembered 2014!Cragger includes 4M shells (as opposed to the 3M shells from Ogrum). On the other hand, dark red was abandoned after Worriz (2013). And earth blue...

This comment reminded me of just how much I am desperate for a range of the Metru Dark Blue shells. My sigfig which I usually use as an avatar (okay, not at this moment as I'm showing off some artwork I'm proud of) is always depicted as Dark Blue in any artwork of him I do, yet his constraction model has had to be Mata Blue. Why? Because we have no Dark Blue shells whatsoever. We have Dark Red, Dark Green, even Dark Brown... but no Dark Blue

That said, is it too much to hope for a Titan set in the summer that has a sea of Metru Dark Blue shells in it? (pun not intended). LEGO, you've done almost all of the current colour palette in CCBS, apart from Dark Blue. So if you're expanding CCBS colours to almost all the opaque colours on the colour palette, you may as well do them all (no, just doing Skull Spiders in the colour doesn't count)

..yeah. It's my favourite Metru shade, always been, it's annoying they never used it after 2010. I hope the blue Skull Spider variant is a sign of things to come. Indeed, let's hope summer brings something..

[wghost]

Brown was always a "boring" color [...] Hopefully brown's here to stay. I hated the switch to yellow/orange.

Frankly, I was surprised, but certainly not disappointed. I think Dark Orange makes a prettier primary color.

I agree that dark orange is a more appealing color than brown - but I think the keetorange and yellow from 2006-2009 are still the best out of the bunch. Yellow is one of the three primary colors and, coupled with green, red and blue, one of the four most popular color choices in color-coded themes, and also visually more catchy than either brown, reddish brown or dark orange. However, I can understand people don't find it too earthy or stone-related, but then again, I never really quite got this earth/stone divide as separate elements. Another sixth element, such as lightning or wood would have been much better, IMO. (Now they've merged air and wood into jungle, it seems, which is also an interesting choice.)

[Aanchir]

Actually, I wanted to lsit dark (earth) green at first but I remembered 2014!Cragger includes 4M shells (as opposed to the 3M shells from Ogrum). On the other hand, dark red was abandoned after Worriz (2013). And earth blue...

Not entirely sure what you mean, since CHI Laval, CHI Cragger, and CHI Fluminox all use Dark Red. Not as a primary color, certainly, but all three of those sets feature two Dark Red 5M shells with gold printing on their legs, and CHI Laval has a Dark Red torso shell on his back and a gold shield with Dark Red printing in addition to those.

Edited October 24, 2014 by Aanchir

[TheOneVeyronian]

I'll be honest, if I got a gold mask I'd probably keep it, display it, take pictures of it with my sigfig etc. until something arises in real life that forces me to sell it on to a new home. Unfortunately that normally eventually happens with all the valuable stuff I own.

But at least the knowledge that I have possessed an incredibly rare and unique golden mask (and I mean 999 times rarer than that 1 of 1000 model car I have lurking in my cupboard from a previous hobby) would be enough of an honour for me

EDIT: I realised that my proofreading is so slow, the current topic has completely changed...

Edited October 24, 2014 by TheOneVeyronian

[Mandate]

I just noticed we haven't seen any of the paw pieces in use next year. Let's hope that's a trend

Edited October 24, 2014 by JayWalker

[GK733]

I just noticed we haven't seen any of the paw pieces in use next year. Let's hope that's a trend

Kopaka's shoulders?

[Mandate]

Oh whoops, forgot about them. Well, we haven't seen it used for HANDS at least

[Aanchir]

Oh whoops, forgot about them. Well, we haven't seen it used for HANDS at least

That's should surprise nobody. We haven't seen any villains, monsters, or machines besides the Lord of Skull Spiders, and he... doesn't have hands. If we see villains or monsters with hands, then seeing the paw pieces as hands would not be out of the question (and to be honest I would have no problem whatsoever with that).

[Shakar]

Not entirely sure what you mean, since CHI Laval, CHI Cragger, and CHI Fluminox all use Dark Red. Not as a primary color, certainly, but all three of those sets feature two Dark Red 5M shells with gold printing on their legs, and CHI Laval has a Dark Red torso shell on his back and a gold shield with Dark Red printing in addition to those.

I mean that no new parts have been introduced- those are the same 5M shells and torso shells we got with Pyrox and Worriz. It's the issue I've been discussing earlier, one of the biggest issues with CCBS actually: new colours get introduced, 2-3 parts in that colour are made, and that's it. Olive Green is a glaring example, but there's also tr. yellow, Toxic Reapa's lime green bones, Fire Lord's orange bones (in a SINGLE size, and one with limited use at that) and torso and many other examples. I'd argue they're making the same mistake they did with sets in general until they dramatically reduced the colour palette in (IIRC) 2007, cutting out a lot of useless colours. I'm not sure how long they can keep this up, I'm no expert but it doesn't seem like a good strategy to me.

[GK733]

I mean that no new parts have been introduced- those are the same 5M shells and torso shells we got with Pyrox and Worriz. It's the issue I've been discussing earlier, one of the biggest issues with CCBS actually: new colours get introduced, 2-3 parts in that colour are made, and that's it. Olive Green is a glaring example, but there's also tr. yellow, Toxic Reapa's lime green bones, Fire Lord's orange bones (in a SINGLE size, and one with limited use at that) and torso and many other examples. I'd argue they're making the same mistake they did with sets in general until they dramatically reduced the colour palette in (IIRC) 2007, cutting out a lot of useless colours. I'm not sure how long they can keep this up, I'm no expert but it doesn't seem like a good strategy to me.

Well Bionicle did use nearly all of the same armour from 2006 till the end. After 2016 kicks in, I believe nobody can mistake the sets as Hero Factory. Now that the basics are done in 2015, it's time for new shells in the next, hopefulluy even before on 2015 summer wave. Edited October 25, 2014 by GK733

[TheOneVeyronian]

I mean that no new parts have been introduced- those are the same 5M shells and torso shells we got with Pyrox and Worriz. It's the issue I've been discussing earlier, one of the biggest issues with CCBS actually: new colours get introduced, 2-3 parts in that colour are made, and that's it. Olive Green is a glaring example, but there's also tr. yellow, Toxic Reapa's lime green bones, Fire Lord's orange bones (in a SINGLE size, and one with limited use at that) and torso and many other examples. I'd argue they're making the same mistake they did with sets in general until they dramatically reduced the colour palette in (IIRC) 2007, cutting out a lot of useless colours. I'm not sure how long they can keep this up, I'm no expert but it doesn't seem like a good strategy to me.

This is exactly my sentiments on the matter, I honestly couldn't have said it better myself. It's the one thing that really really gets on my nerves. Especially when they introduce a whole new colour to CCBS for just one set. Like you mentioned, Olive Green is very guilty of this, with only 2 different parts only appearing in 2013 CHI Cragger (for argument's sake, I'm ignoring the appearance of the Olive Green 5M bones in the UA set Hurricane Heist). I'm willing to bet that we're unlikely to see an expansion of Olive Green (at least some shells in the colour would have been nice). Perhaps the colour is just too militaristic to be used in constraction, outside of being used on anthropomorphic constraction crocodiles? Don't know, just guessing really.

I'm also willing to bet that, by the time Metru Dark Blue does appear as a shell or bone colour, it's going to go in exactly the same direction as many similar colours in CCBS. 2 or 3 different parts get the colour, then that will probably be it despite it's apparent potential...

[Clone 01354 Productions]

We need more organic-feeling parts that make the characters look like they are actually people, not robots.. HF Shells are too sleek and robotic for Bionicle characters. Yes, I know that Matoran are 90% robot or something, but the original Bionicle pieces had a strange feel to them: they looked robotic, sure......but somehow, it felt like it was organic.

By the way, can someone answer a question that has bugged me since 2006: Why does Kongu Inika have a reptile-mask? Is that supposed to be his face, or.....?

Edited October 25, 2014 by LN-01354

[Toa of Gallifrey]

We need more organic-feeling parts that make the characters look like they are actually people, not robots.. HF Shells are too sleek and robotic for Bionicle characters. Yes, I know that Matoran are 90% robot or something, but the original Bionicle pieces had a strange feel to them: they looked robotic, sure......but somehow, it felt like it was organic.

By the way, can someone answer a question that has bugged me since 2006: Why does Kongu Inika have a reptile-mask? Is that supposed to be his face, or.....?

All the Toa Inika had organic Kanohi. They weren't their faces per se but they were almost alive.

[Mandate]

I mean that no new parts have been introduced- those are the same 5M shells and torso shells we got with Pyrox and Worriz. It's the issue I've been discussing earlier, one of the biggest issues with CCBS actually: new colours get introduced, 2-3 parts in that colour are made, and that's it. Olive Green is a glaring example, but there's also tr. yellow, Toxic Reapa's lime green bones, Fire Lord's orange bones (in a SINGLE size, and one with limited use at that) and torso and many other examples. I'd argue they're making the same mistake they did with sets in general until they dramatically reduced the colour palette in (IIRC) 2007, cutting out a lot of useless colours. I'm not sure how long they can keep this up, I'm no expert but it doesn't seem like a good strategy to me.

You do know that one set of Reapa's bones was heavily used in 2012, right?

[dviddy]

So...Yet another question from Monkey! What would ya'll do, if you won one of the 14k Gold Masks? Personally, I would keep it until someone offers me $$$$ I can't refuse, lol. Sad to say, but I'm not into 'mask collecting' as I am into the sets themselves.

If I won it I would post photos of it in my collection of masks and rare parts and watch anonymous fans on image boards complain about said ownership.

[Shakar]

Well Bionicle did use nearly all of the same armour from 2006 till the end. After 2016 kicks in, I believe nobody can mistake the sets as Hero Factory. Now that the basics are done in 2015, it's time for new shells in the next, hopefulluy even before on 2015 summer wave.

My post was about colours, but still, I agree. The Toa already look way different than any Hero. I disagree on the shells though- really, that'd be like replacing the classic System bricks. They're supposed to be generic, modular, and available in lots of colours. Unless you mean adding new shells to the roster, that I can agree with.

This is exactly my sentiments on the matter, I honestly couldn't have said it better myself. It's the one thing that really really gets on my nerves. Especially when they introduce a whole new colour to CCBS for just one set. Like you mentioned, Olive Green is very guilty of this, with only 2 different parts only appearing in 2013 CHI Cragger (for argument's sake, I'm ignoring the appearance of the Olive Green 5M bones in the UA set Hurricane Heist). I'm willing to bet that we're unlikely to see an expansion of Olive Green (at least some shells in the colour would have been nice). Perhaps the colour is just too militaristic to be used in constraction, outside of being used on anthropomorphic constraction crocodiles? Don't know, just guessing really.

I'm also willing to bet that, by the time Metru Dark Blue does appear as a shell or bone colour, it's going to go in exactly the same direction as many similar colours in CCBS. 2 or 3 different parts get the colour, then that will probably be it despite it's apparent potential...

Good point, I guess that olive green shells would give the character a militaristic look Lego (or rather, the moral watchdogs) wouldn't be ok with. It fits the Jungle theme well, though- maybe they can still exist as bones? I'd be be ok just with one more (longer) size.

My guess is that they're experimenting with lots of colours to see what sticks. But while Lego is about constant evolution and innovation, CCBS is ending its fourth year so I'd say it is time to estabilish some key elements, like the colour palette.

And I hope we get at least 3 shells in Earth Blue, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

You do know that one set of Reapa's bones was heavily used in 2012, right?

But they weren't new recolours. Read my post again (especially the dark red example) and you'll see.

If I won it I would post photos of it in my collection of masks and rare parts and watch anonymous fans on image boards complain about said ownership.

Oooooooooh snap.

[TheOneVeyronian]

Good point, I guess that olive green shells would give the character a militaristic look Lego (or rather, the moral watchdogs) wouldn't be ok with. It fits the Jungle theme well, though- maybe they can still exist as bones? I'd be be ok just with one more (longer) size.

My guess is that they're experimenting with lots of colours to see what sticks. But while Lego is about constant evolution and innovation, CCBS is ending its fourth year so I'd say it is time to estabilish some key elements, like the colour palette.

And I hope we get at least 3 shells in Earth Blue, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

I'll call it now - I'd be absolutely over the moon with joy if LEGO made at least the 3M, 5M and 2.0 torso shells in Earth Blue for my sigfig (which uses mostly those shell sizes). I'd add the 6M and the Breakout torso shells to that as they're my favourite shells to work with, but both of those have been out of production since 2012. Why LEGO? You brought back the (less useful imo) 8M shell, but not those two shells?

And while on the subject, CCBS is definitely nearing the end of the experimentation stage, so in future sets, even if we don't get new shells and bones, I'd still like to see an expansion of the colour palette of each shell. Like taking a look at rarely-used colours in previous sets and expand the number of CCBS parts available in that colour really. For example, taking Waspix's trans-yellow 8M shells and then make a 5M shell or a 3M bone in that same colour for a future set. They've already done this to an extent (e.g. keetorange), but I'd like to see that expanded to every uncommon CCBS colour really.

But I'd still like to see new shells and bones coexisting with the current ones

[Mandate]

But they weren't new recolours. Read my post again (especially the dark red example) and you'll see

Did you even read your own post? You complained about Toxic Reapa bones never being used again, and grouped them with the rest of the things you were whining over. I was saying that his lime-green lower limbs were used often in 2012 (although have not been seen since), which you seemed unaware of.

[Leewan]

Did you even read your own post? You complained about Toxic Reapa bones never being used again, and grouped them with the rest of the things you were whining over. I was saying that his lime-green lower limbs were used often in 2012 (although have not been seen since), which you seemed unaware of.

True, but his upper limbs were only used once. I guess that's what he was referring to.

[Toa of Gallifrey]

If I won it I would post photos of it in my collection of masks and rare parts and watch anonymous fans on image boards complain about said ownership.

You mean when you win. None of us are a match for your MOCing skills. xD

[Aanchir]

We need more organic-feeling parts that make the characters look like they are actually people, not robots.. HF Shells are too sleek and robotic for Bionicle characters. Yes, I know that Matoran are 90% robot or something, but the original Bionicle pieces had a strange feel to them: they looked robotic, sure......but somehow, it felt like it was organic.

I don't understand this perspective at all. Most BIONICLE parts felt close to 100% mechanical to me — nearly every surface of many parts was covered in mechanical details such as hinges, bolts, pistons, and accordion joints, not to mention that many parts had either deep, empty cavities or holes running all the way through. There's nothing about a Toa Mata leg, a Piraka torso, or the chest plate of Mistika Toa Onua that feels anything but mechanical. There were some parts that felt a lot more inherently organic, such as most of the colorful shells and head pieces from the Barraki. But these were the exception, not the norm.

To me, the CCBS feels a lot less inherently mechanical. It is characterized by smooth, sleek shaping. You can use it as the armor, skin, or clothing of an organic character, as the Legends of Chima constraction sets have done, or you can use it as mechanical body armor. The choice is yours! Just look at CHI Cragger from this year. I'd say the only BIONICLE set that comes CLOSE to looking less mechanical is Barraki Carapar, and even that set has obvious gaps and exposed pistons in its lower legs.

It says a lot that CCBS shells have a very similar smoothness to many parts from the Ben 10 Alien Force sets, which were in fact designed specifically for building organic characters.

[Lord-Vorahk]

Cragger still looks like a machine to me, just because of the black CCBS bones. Makes him look like a robotic endoskeleton with armour layered over it.

[Kalhiki]

For all we know, the characters in Bio15 will be pure robots.

[Aanchir]

Cragger still looks like a machine to me, just because of the black CCBS bones. Makes him look like a robotic endoskeleton with armour layered over it.

Well, you definitely have a point that Cragger doesn't look 100% organic. But my point is that the CCBS lets him look more organic than typical BIONICLE parts would ever have allowed. If he had been covered in obvious pistons and other mechanical greebles, he would have looked far more mechanical than the actual set no matter WHAT his colors were.