What was the worst construction set?

[ToaSalvus(lego)]

I don't see why people complain about the Inika builds being plain, they had more customizable options then ccbs has.

Finally! Someone who agrees with me!

[Logan McOwen]

I don't see why people complain about the Inika builds being plain, they had more customizable options then ccbs has.

You're comparing a single body build to an entire building system here. That's like comparing minifigures to System. Don't be silly.

[MakutaOfWar]

You're comparing a single body build to an entire building system here. That's like comparing minifigures to System. Don't be silly.

Body wise compare Inika to the 2.0/Breakout/Brain Attack/Gen 2 Bonkle builds, still more variety. Plus the Inika pieces can also be used, obviously, to create non-Inika build characters. I guess there were some faults in my original wording, but comparing the two generations, Gen 1 had more variety. Of course I love Gen 2 Bio as well, but I still find myself occasionally reminded of the plain-ness of CCBS. And I know that people might say "It's suppose to be more bland", but truthfully solely squares and rectangles isn't necessarily attractive, especially when coming from Gen 1 Bionicle, and it's predecessors, which were far more then just that geometry.

Also consider that CCBS is a complete building system, but they rarely tap the potential it has. 2 of 18 Bionicle sets this year are of a non-humanoid build. And of course HF had what, 9/10 ratio of Humanoid/Non-Humanoid builds? One thing for more complex builds is the double socket bone piece, a key piece for me, which is rarely in sets.

Edited April 20, 2015 by MakutaOfWar

[DraikNova]

Bwahahaha.

[One Very Agile Cat]

Completely agree, it happened with almost all the "mutant" sets, except maybe the Barraki, although some of the Barrkai were literally stick-thin (Ehlek, I'm looking at you with that Technic beam for a torso. No, the back armor/spikes don't count as a body...)

How do they "not count?" They're part of his body, not some optional feature that can be ignored. That's like saying OG Tahu Mata is awful because "he lacks a head. (and no, the head he comes with doesn't count)"

Also, the stick-thin bodies were cool. They made them look super creepy and lanky like half-fish-half-insects, and insects are cool.

[DuckBricks]

How do they "not count?" They're part of his body, not some optional feature that can be ignored. That's like saying OG Tahu Mata is awful because "he lacks a head. (and no, the head he comes with doesn't count)"

Also, the stick-thin bodies were cool. They made them look super creepy and lanky like half-fish-half-insects, and insects are cool.

I meant that if the spikes were to be taken as an excuse for a back, they wouldn't count as a back, as they are merely back "armor" and not an actual back. Take the spikes off and all you get is a Technic rod, which I guess is sort of ok for a mutant insect, but as I was saying, mutant characters are not an excuse for poor (stick-thin) design.

[Logan McOwen]

I personally loved the Barraki.

[TheOneVeyronian]

I personally loved the Barraki.

So did I. Ehlek was actually my first Barraki too, the thin design does make some sense given that he was referred to as "The Eel" (so, in that context, the back spikes don't make much sense ).

By the way (warning: pedantic statement coming up ), the only Barraki that could be considered as a true mutant insect is Takadox, and honestly, I'm surprised nobody mentioned him and "stick-thin" in the same sentence, he's more of a stick than Ehlek (then again, I did consider the back spikes part of the body so...). But given he's based on a praying mantis (or whatever the underwater equivalent is) which are already stick-thin themselves, the stick-thin design makes an enormous amount of sense. Sorry, I'm a bit of a Barraki pedant

[Logan McOwen]

Probably either a mantis or a shrimp.

[DraikNova]

Mantis shrimp?

[Logan McOwen]

Gosh, forgot about those things...

[Voxovan]

Evo Walker.

[DraikNova]

Evo Walker was one of those sets that seemed horrible until you had it in your hand, at least in terms of aesthetics. I managed to spend like two hours just building and rebuilding it. It was also excellent value as a parts pack. Great posability, too. Seriously, Evo Walker was great.

[Bigger Fish]

Yeah, Evo Walker was really interesting. Didn't hurt that it was on of the three 2014 Hero factory sets I bought that year along with Jaw beast and the Rock Crawler. (Mixels had me hooked and I was saving myself for BIONICLE.)

[TheOneVeyronian]

Mantis shrimp?

I was actually going to say mantis shrimp, I've seen enough of them when visiting aquariums... but didn't as, well, I personally see a LOT more praying mantis than mantis shrimp in Takadox... that and the mantis shrimp is a crustacean, a group that was already covered by Carapar.

Anyway... Evo Walker wasn't absolutely terrible in my opinion - it did have a couple of interesting build techniques and it did come with 3 jumpers (the creature kind, not the thing you wear ), but the articulation in the back leg (compared to articulation in the rest) was quite poor.

[MakutaOfWar]

Not sure if I posted this but I have an irrational hate for Surge Breakout. The color scheme really ticks me off. >^<

[Saberwing40k]

Not sure if I posted this but I have an irrational hate for Surge Breakout. The color scheme really ticks me off. >^<

The green is really neon, but other than that, the color scheme is not that bad. What makes it worse is that I don't think some of those sets ever made it to the US. I don't think that any thread like this will ever reach a consensus, because everything is somebody's favorite. Except the Surge & Rocka Combat Machine. Terrible name, terrible design, just no.

[DraikNova]

Best parts pack of any IFB set, looks great if you pose it well? I jumped at the chance to get two for the price of one.

[MakutaOfWar]

Saberwing^Breakout sets? They all made it(American here), but Breeze and Thornraxx didn't get shipped I believe until summer when they were originally due in winter. :P

Edited April 23, 2015 by MakutaOfWar

[Bigger Fish]

Not sure if I posted this but I have an irrational hate for Surge Breakout. The color scheme really ticks me off. >^<

You know, I think that Surge would've looked way better with yellow instead of lime.

[dviddy]

I don't see why people complain about the Inika builds being plain, they had more customizable options then ccbs has.

I've seen people saying this on a few forums now... How is this particularly true? Both have interchangeable limb lengths, both have multiple feet molds, several head designs, and different attachments. But the CCBS base parts have more connection points than the Inika style builds, and the shells can be connected in eight different configurations on one beam with just the socket connection (not to mention the connections that open up when utilizing the minifig ports) whereas the Inika armours and others could generally connect via a pin or axle in four configurations without the introduction of a socket connector that had axle holes on the sides, and that part was fragile and limited, and had the same problem as the other, just swapped to the side.

Having two parts with the exact same connection points, same length, that serve the same purpose, a la the variety of different leg molds used for lower legs in BIONICLE's run isn't really "more customizable". Not to mention all the different add-on parts CCBS has introduced allow for a similar swapping with CCBS. This argument just doesn't make any sense, and doesn't particularly ring true at all. If anything, the old system was more limiting, relying on brand new molds in order to introduce different connections.

[MakutaOfWar]

I've seen people saying this on a few forums now... How is this particularly true? Both have interchangeable limb lengths, both have multiple feet molds, several head designs, and different attachments. But the CCBS base parts have more connection points than the Inika style builds, and the shells can be connected in eight different configurations on one beam with just the socket connection (not to mention the connections that open up when utilizing the minifig ports) whereas the Inika armours and others could generally connect via a pin or axle in four configurations without the introduction of a socket connector that had axle holes on the sides, and that part was fragile and limited, and had the same problem as the other, just swapped to the side.

Having two parts with the exact same connection points, same length, that serve the same purpose, a la the variety of different leg molds used for lower legs in BIONICLE's run isn't really "more customizable". Not to mention all the different add-on parts CCBS has introduced allow for a similar swapping with CCBS. This argument just doesn't make any sense, and doesn't particularly ring true at all. If anything, the old system was more limiting, relying on brand new molds in order to introduce different connections.

Ah, arguing my opinions here as well. The old style of building could more easily implement technic piece connections, which in turn means you have gen 1 molds with technic molds, equaling a vast amount of customization. An Inika thigh armor piece could easily be connected to the shoulder piece with the help of technic, not even that really. And that's just an example, I'm saying the possibilities are more open. Usually when I moc with CCBS it's extremely difficult to create anything non-2.0 figure, but look at more complex Inika builds like Skrall, Kiina, Mahri Kongu, etc. Way more possibilities.

[dviddy]

Ah, arguing my opinions here as well. The old style of building could more easily implement technic piece connections, which in turn means you have gen 1 molds with technic molds, equaling a vast amount of customization. An Inika thigh armor piece could easily be connected to the shoulder piece with the help of technic, not even that really. And that's just an example, I'm saying the possibilities are more open. Usually when I moc with CCBS it's extremely difficult to create anything non-2.0 figure, but look at more complex Inika builds like Skrall, Kiina, Mahri Kongu, etc. Way more possibilities.

The new torso piece is nothing but pin holes. TECHNIC pinholes.

The possibilities with both systems are as open as you let them be.

[MakutaOfWar]

^Yeah, the TORSO.

[dviddy]

^Yeah, the TORSO.

Which is the only part that was customized on the "more complex" sets from the Inika area you mentioned. ;)