Why didn't LEGO match the color of the connector to the surfboard/

[Silent Nomad]

(I just noticed that the title got cut off. After the / it was supposed to say "shield," with a question mark.)

I've been wondering for a while if the part pictured below, used to join Tahu's "lava surfboard" and Kopaka's "frost shield," came in colors that corresponded to the colors of the parts they're used on (silver and white, respectively). I recently looked it up and it turns out that a white one does exist (last used in 2011), and although a "silver metallic" one doesn't technically exist, I was able to find one calling its color "silver" (last used in 2003), which is close enough for me. Given that, I thought I'd pose this question: why do you think the Bionicle set designers didn't use this piece in colors better suited to match the pieces they were used on?

I would have preferred if they had, because then the pieces wouldn't be so obvious or contrast so much, and I'll be replacing the piece with a silver one on my Tahu, once I get it.

-Nomad

Edited April 15, 2015 by Silent Nomad

[MakutaOfWar]

Discontinuation of those colors for that piece most likely. Constraction doesn't get the budget like it use to, and I'm guessing technic doesn't either. I could ask the same about Tahu's hands and feet not corresponding with his armor, even though red existed doesn't mean they will still use it, sadly.

[NathanR]

Almost certainly due to budget constraints. When Lego released the Ideas Exo-Suit, there was a lot of info given out about the design process, how each model is assigned a budget and that only so many colour changes were allowed, and that some parts are actually "colour-locked" and cannot appear in a new colour.

A quick skim on bricklink (http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=32184) shows part 32184 is only available for 2015 sets in red, light bley or black - Lego could have ordered it cast in a new colour, but there were already loads of new parts/colours: the gearing mount, the weapons, the Bionicle head and masks were new parts, and old parts were cast in new colours (such as the Hero Factory torso armour, new in red for Tahu). I would imagine there just wasn't any money left in the budget to change part 32814, or either the hands and feet, without making the set too expensive.

[DraikNova]

Although that doesn't really explain why they didn't at least use light grey for Tahu's surfboard.

[mysteriouspi]

Although that doesn't really explain why they didn't at least use light grey for Tahu's surfboard.

Sometimes color contrast is a design choice. Since TLG likely wanted to make it obvious that the piece can be removed or added at will, making it blend in to the surfboard would be counterproductive. A different color conveys that idea better.

[Aanchir]

Color contrast is practical for things like this because it shows where the sections separate when switching from one mode to another. Also, Silver has been discontinued since 2010 or 2011 when Silver Metallic was introduced.

There's also the fact that even White ones of that piece aren't even currently in production. Putting them in the set in that color would be as expensive as introducing any other new recolor. And in my eyes, that would be sort of a waste of a recolor since it's a tiny part of each set and it's already an unobtrusive neutral color. How is it really any different than the handles of Gali's trident and Kopaka's spear being black? Or for that matter, the pins on both Tahu's sword and Kopaka's shield being black? Yes, the contrast is obvious, but does it really do any harm?

[bidiminished]

There's also the fact that even White ones of that piece aren't even currently in production. Putting them in the set in that color would be as expensive as introducing any other new recolor. And in my eyes, that would be sort of a waste of a recolor since it's a tiny part of each set and it's already an unobtrusive neutral color. How is it really any different than the handles of Gali's trident and Kopaka's spear being black? Or for that matter, the pins on both Tahu's sword and Kopaka's shield being black? Yes, the contrast is obvious, but does it really do any harm?

Well, it's the one module protrusion that does more harm in my opinion. I would probably swap them for this piece. On the topic of piece colour justification, why does Lewa have his axes being half gunmetal and half silver? Wouldn't it be better to have the the blade part in silver to both improve the appearance and make it the only colour that the piece comes in to help with cost-cutting?

[Darking]

That was probably because of all the silver in his colour-scheme, the same way Gali's axe blades are silver, or even Pohatu's jetarangs are gunmetal. If all these weapons were the same colour used in armor, they wouldn't stick out that much in poses where both overlapped.

[TheGreatSpirit]

Probably the same reason axles are red and pin/axles (and double pins) are blue. It's a pity I have no idea what that reason is :I

[Darking]

Uh... to help differenciate them?

I can understand that, from an aesthetic point of view, having all of those technic bits in black or another neutral colour would look better in most cases... But seriously, when you have a huge amount of pieces in a bin, the different colours really help finding the piece you're looking for.

Also, younger or inexperienced builders could make mistakes when building the sets because they weren't able to tell one piece from another.

[TheGreatSpirit]

Uh... to help differenciate them?

I can understand that, from an aesthetic point of view, having all of those technic bits in black or another neutral colour would look better in most cases... But seriously, when you have a huge amount of pieces in a bin, the different colours really help finding the piece you're looking for.

Also, younger or inexperienced builders could make mistakes when building the sets because they weren't able to tell one piece from another.

I thought that too, but tbh its not that difficult to differentiate the regular pins with the double pins in most Constraction sets where you don't see a massive amount of pins. You're probably right about the technic stuff though.