Bionicle 2016 Sets Discussion

[MakutaOfWar]

I'll throw out a recollection of winter set leak timeframes the past few years.

2009- August 2008(?).

2010- September 2009.

2011- September 2010.

2012- August/September 2011.

2013- October 2012(?).

2014- October 2013(definitely because that's when I became a lurker here).

2015- July 2014(wow, July?!)

So I'm going to venture to say between 'anytime now' and 'October' is when we get pics.

[Scarilian]

So I'm going to venture to say between 'anytime now' and 'October' is when we get pics.

Well we should get them by NYCC in October - so seems like we'll get images by the end of the month and if not then NYCC.

[Aanchir]

IF Lego does do an NYCC event, it will probably be about Nexo Knights. That's a huge IF though. Also, I don't get what everyone is talking about with the Nexo Knights having constraction figures- it is pretty unreasonable (to me) to expect the $10 'Ultimate' sets to be CCBS-based. I am expecting them to be more along the line of Chima's Legend Beasts and this MOC, small System-based figures that implement the towballjoints.

I do not expect LEGO to talk much about Nexo Knights at NYCC. Obviously as a "big bang" theme it'll be a big deal for the company, but probably not something that they expect Comic Con attendees to care about until it actually begins. You didn't see them promoting Atlantis, Ninjago, Friends, Legends of Chima, or Elves at Comic Con prior to those themes' launch. It wasn't until Ninjago was up and running and actually had a fanbase of its own that LEGO started to hold panels for it at SDCC.

At these kinds of events, LEGO is much more likely to promote themes attendees are already familiar with on some level, like Bionicle or their various licensed themes. Unless LEGO repeats last year and focuses their entire NYCC presence on one theme, I think it's perfectly plausible that Bionicle will be represented on some level.

Fan Expo Canada was last weekend, and the LEGO booth featured Bionicle building tables. One of the official Fan Expo Canada tote bags was even Bionicle-themed, featuring the key visual of Tahu fighting Skull Grinder on the other. It was apparently their third most popular design.

[TheDesuComplex]

I do not expect LEGO to talk much about Nexo Knights at NYCC. Obviously as a "big bang" theme it'll be a big deal for the company, but probably not something that they expect Comic Con attendees to care about until it actually begins. You didn't see them promoting Atlantis, Ninjago, Friends, Legends of Chima, or Elves at Comic Con prior to those themes' launch. It wasn't until Ninjago was up and running and actually had a fanbase of its own that LEGO started to hold panels for it at SDCC.

At these kinds of events, LEGO is much more likely to promote themes attendees are already familiar with on some level, like Bionicle or their various licensed themes. Unless LEGO repeats last year and focuses their entire NYCC presence on one theme, I think it's perfectly plausible that Bionicle will be represented on some level.

Fan Expo Canada was last weekend, and the LEGO booth featured Bionicle building tables. One of the official Fan Expo Canada tote bags was even Bionicle-themed, featuring the key visual of Tahu fighting Skull Grinder on the other. It was apparently their third most popular design.

Thank you for the feedback. I said Nexo Knights because it is the new 'Big Bang' theme and it would make sense (to me at least) to debut it before the theme launches in January in a fashion similar to Bionicle's presence last year, with a giveaway, info about the fiction, and a panel debuting some sets featuring the designers of the theme; maybe not on the same skill, but still. It makes sense to keep up a presence of known themes though, and that's awesome to hear that it has a presence in Lego's appearances at stuff like conventions.

[dviddy]

With Star Wars coming out in December, I'd be surprised if the LEGO booth at NYCC isn't more Star Wars oriented than anything else, to be honest. I'd almost expect the January Star Wars set reveals before BIONICLE. Those hoping for and expecting BIONICLE set reveals I'm worried are setting themselves up for possible disappointment.

[Fulcrumfan91]

With Star Wars coming out in December, I'd be surprised if the LEGO booth at NYCC isn't more Star Wars oriented than anything else, to be honest. I'd almost expect the January Star Wars set reveals before BIONICLE. Those hoping for and expecting BIONICLE set reveals I'm worried are setting themselves up for possible disappointment.

As much as I dislike it, I have to agree with your statement. It would be more likely that LEGO would present TFA sets or figures first. Still, I don't think it's too far-fetched to hope that preliminaries may leak, or that LEGO themselves will release pictures soon.

[DuckBricks]

I'll throw out a recollection of winter set leak timeframes the past few years.

2009- August 2008(?).

2010- September 2009.

2011- September 2010.

2012- August/September 2011.

2013- October 2012(?).

2014- October 2013(definitely because that's when I became a lurker here).

2015- July 2014(wow, July?!)

So I'm going to venture to say between 'anytime now' and 'October' is when we get pics.

Pretty much this. There isn't anything new about this year, it's probably just going to be around the timeframe you suggested...

[DraikNova]

I had the weirdest dream about Bionicle 2016 leaks last night. The only recolor or new part were plain 5m shells in dark red, while the additional money from the recolor/new design budget resulted in Toa at least 30cm tall, with strange, semi-humanoid and extremely disturbing beasts as their enemies. I wonder how many parts per set could actually be gained if the budget for new parts was used to make the sets bigger?

[MakutaOfWar]

I had the weirdest dream about Bionicle 2016 leaks last night. The only recolor or new part were plain 5m shells in dark red, while the additional money from the recolor/new design budget resulted in Toa at least 30cm tall, with strange, semi-humanoid and extremely disturbing beasts as their enemies. I wonder how many parts per set could actually be gained if the budget for new parts was used to make the sets bigger?

The 5M shells in dark red already existed, I believe in the first chima ultrabuilds. Could be wrong though. :P

On the subject of colors though, I do hope we get more purple next year. Purple CCBS is amaaaaazing *sigh*. Also more tan would be nice.

Edited September 9, 2015 by MakutaOfWar

[DraikNova]

Yes, but weren't the 5m shells printed?

[MakutaOfWar]

http://brickset.com/sets/70204-1/CHI-Worriz

@DraikNova. I think there are printed ones but these don't appear printed. Those are dark red, right? XD They almost look brown.

[DraikNova]

You're right. My mistake.

Edited September 9, 2015 by DraikNova

[Bigger Fish]

I want an honest-to-goodness Medieval style broadsword and revolvers in 2016.

[Aanchir]

I want an honest-to-goodness Medieval style broadsword and revolvers in 2016.

On this note, I'm quite curious about what kinds of tools/weapons to expect in 2016. Will they do dual-function weapons for the Toa again or not? Will any of the sets have launchers, and if so, would they be new designs or adapted from existing designs? Will the Toa's weapons resemble the types of weapons they had this year (i.e. Lewa still using an axe, Tahu still using swords, etc), or will they change them up for variety's sake?

[Frozen Assasin]

I had the weirdest dream about Bionicle 2016 leaks last night. The only recolor or new part were plain 5m shells in dark red, while the additional money from the recolor/new design budget resulted in Toa at least 30cm tall, with strange, semi-humanoid and extremely disturbing beasts as their enemies. I wonder how many parts per set could actually be gained if the budget for new parts was used to make the sets bigger?

How disturbing ? Can you describe them ? Also, 30 cm Toa ? Oh Frack Yeah.

[Phoenix_Flare]

On the subject of 2016 Toa Weapons: I want to see them have the single weapons or maybe two but with more "Elemental flare" added.

Kopaka with a giant Ice climbing Pickaxe would be cool! And he could have a Trans light blue inika chain attached to his weapon!

[ToaDraco]

I don't know what to think about new weapons. On one hand I think the ones they have now are perfect, Onua's warhammer/shovels especially IMO. On the other hand as long as they can make them new and interesting I'm okay with something different as long as they can use weapons that fit their personalities. I'd kinda like to see Onua get working drill gauntlets that look something like the below image. I'd of course want them to have a spinning function that you could turn with a gear on the side or something.

[DraikNova]

I don't know what to think about new weapons. On one hand I think the ones they have now are perfect, Onua's warhammer/shovels especially IMO. On the other hand as long as they can make them new and interesting I'm okay with something different as long as they can use weapons that fit their personalities. I'd kinda like to see Onua get working drill gauntlets that look something like the below image. I'd of course want them to have a spinning function that you could turn with a gear on the side or something.

Funnily enough, I've wanted to make a drill like that as part of an Ideas project. All you really need are a good setup of joints and a couple of hair brushes to get a reasonable approximation.

How disturbing ? Can you describe them ? Also, 30 cm Toa ? Oh Frack Yeah.

As in movable teeth made from 4m limbs, hunched over and sticklike proportions, sickly colors that called to mind the sort of plants that smell like rotten flesh (amongst other things, keetongorange and normal yellow were mixed) and my mind automatically doing the horror movie style "darkening the edges of my vision" bit. I'm fairly used to that sort of thing, though, but I figured that's what other people would find most disturbing about the dream. Personally, I found the almost sack-like bulging purple back made from 4m shells that Onua had the most disturbing part. I think I have GK733 to thank for that bit, because I've been looking at his Cave Crawler a lot.

Edited September 9, 2015 by DraikNova

[Kalhiki]

I still want to see the Toa with giant, Hordika-style weapon arms.

Either that or G1-esque weapons. Loved the sheer simplicity of some of them. Gali with hooks was pure win.

[Vinyl Scratch]

Ugh, I just realized, I hope those Creatures and Beasts sets aren't another "mindless animals-kind" of enemies/allies and have personality and... Singularity I guess? (can't think of the word)

I absolutely dislike when they do sets like Savage Planet or Brain Attack beasts which are a representation of a single species. The Skull creatures (besides Kulta) kind of suffer of this too, but I'll admit that I love Skull Warriors. While they are still army-builders, I can see Skull Warriors being like Stormtroopers for example, an actual army. Creatures and Beasts sets bore me to death and I hope Umarak is as great as he/she has the potential to be.

[TwistLaw]

All this talk about Umarak will make all of us terribly disappointed when leaks will happen.

As a betrayed master once said, "I've got a bad feeling about this".

[Aanchir]

Ugh, I just realized, I hope those Creatures and Beasts sets aren't another "mindless animals-kind" of enemies/allies and have personality and... Singularity I guess? (can't think of the word)

I absolutely dislike when they do sets like Savage Planet or Brain Attack beasts which are a representation of a single species. The Skull creatures (besides Kulta) kind of suffer of this too, but I'll admit that I love Skull Warriors. While they are still army-builders, I can see Skull Warriors being like Stormtroopers for example, an actual army. Creatures and Beasts sets bore me to death and I hope Umarak is as great as he/she has the potential to be.

Interesting perspective. I personally would have expected lot of Bionicle fans to actually want creatures that represented whole species, for the sake of worldbuilding — after all, Mata Nui's diverse fauna is one of the things that set it apart from Okoto, where the only animal species we've seen in media are monsters like the Skull Scorpios and Lord of Skull Spiders. Creatures like Ussal Crabs, Gukko birds, Ruki snapper fish, and Hoto fire bugs helped the world of Mata Nui feel very alive and helped establish that the Matoran were a part of a larger ecosystem. Several of them even played an integral part in Matoran culture.

I can't particularly say I have a horse in this race. I am most interested in how the creatures will fit into the story, and I can see pros and cons to having them as either unique individuals or a larger species. Having them as unique individuals would be a great way to set them up as animal companions for the main characters, which is something I've been yearning for in either Bionicle or Hero Factory for quite some time. Conversely, having them represent entire species would help Okoto feel like a much more lively setting rather than just a world of constant danger.

[Vinyl Scratch]

Interesting perspective. I personally would have expected lot of Bionicle fans to actually want creatures that represented whole species, for the sake of worldbuilding — after all, Mata Nui's diverse fauna is one of the things that set it apart from Okoto, where the only animal species we've seen in media are monsters like the Skull Scorpios and Lord of Skull Spiders. Creatures like Ussal Crabs, Gukko birds, Ruki snapper fish, and Hoto fire bugs helped the world of Mata Nui feel very alive and helped establish that the Matoran were a part of a larger ecosystem. Several of them even played an integral part in Matoran culture.

I can't particularly say I have a horse in this race. I am most interested in how the creatures will fit into the story, and I can see pros and cons to having them as either unique individuals or a larger species. Having them as unique individuals would be a great way to set them up as animal companions for the main characters, which is something I've been yearning for in either Bionicle or Hero Factory for quite some time. Conversely, having them represent entire species would help Okoto feel like a much more lively setting rather than just a world of constant danger.

Individuality, that's what I want. Couldn't find the word.

I'd like to see species, but I do not want to see a full wave of EVIL or villain species with one main big bad guy (ehemsavageplanet) or just a generic member of the X species that helps the heroes do Z but remains part of the hivemind. I'd pretty much rather have individual creatures, that while they still are a member of a species, they still stand out and have their uniqueness by themselves. Something to set them apart from the rest. The first thing that I could think of when saying that is the Hahnah Crab that came with Jaller Mahri. It's not the perfect example for my argument, but it's the closest thing I can think of. Introduced a species and was cool by itself, he saved Jaller at one point I remember.

I'm not saying that having species as sets is bad. Just, I want them to be unique, and if they are not unique, at least make the one that is a set have SOMETHING that stands out from the rest of the species. Doesn't have to be a full personality with feelings or thoughts, just something so I could differentiate one from the rest.

[mysteriouspi]

I didn't recall anyone doing a URL check of the 40168 Deleted BIONICLE Booster Pack CM4Sci found, so I gave it a shot:

http://shop.lego.com/en-US/deleted-bionicle-booster-pack-40168 It yields a Product Not Available page.

I'm still not certain this guarantees a release since the title itself says "Deleted." Then again, it could be a keyword purposely removed. Hard to say.

Thoughts? And sorry if this is old news, but I looked again and didn't see anyone try it.

[CM4Sci]

I didn't recall anyone doing a URL check of the 40168 Deleted BIONICLE Booster Pack CM4Sci found, so I gave it a shot:

http://shop.lego.com...ster-pack-40168 It yields a Product Not Available page.

I'm still not certain this guarantees a release since the title itself says "Deleted." Then again, it could be a keyword purposely removed. Hard to say.

Thoughts? And sorry if this is old news, but I looked again and didn't see anyone try it.

Yeah, you.. you got it. Where do you think I've been getting everything?