Bionicle 2016 Sets Discussion

[One Very Agile Cat]

Kinda makes me wonder if the Mask of Time that they keep hinting at is their fallback plan for storyline if they go beyond 3 years.

I wouldn't be surprised. That way it's not just out-of-nowhere. Like how a TV show will end each season with clear strands to follow up on, should networks continue it.

[ToaDraco]

So I finally got Onua, hands down my favorite of the new wave(slight bias). Only changes I made were swapping out the ++O pin in his hammer drill with the OO+ pin from his PoU(which changes nothing for the unification feature) so the head of the weapon doesn't swivel so freely which is rather annoying and I'm unsure why they didn't do that in the first place. Second, I replaced all 3 of his grey upper joints with the trans purple equivalents and the result is glorious. I've also chosen to display him with his shoulder armor tilted forward slightly which really gives the appearance of bulkier shoulders.I love the mask, easily one of my favorites of G2 so far and I don't mind the silver, in fact I think it looks quite nice. Although it doesn't retain the similarities to the original Pakari,it is a clear evolution of the Mask of Earth and is rather reminiscent of the movie version of the Great Ruru. It's a far better Nuva mask than the Pakairi Nuva, that's for sure, I never liked how it looked like a tiki mask. Overall, I like this version of Onua a lot more than the previous one which I love so that says a lot. The main thing I didn't care for in the previous one was the exaggerated proportions made him look like a giant chest with short stubby limbs sticking out as opposed to a ripped brute. It made him difficult to pose and is generally more distorted looking, although I liked the individuality it afforded him. The only thing I dislike about Onua Uniter is the gold/trans clear crystal add-ons. It baffles and annoys me that we didn't get them blended with trans purple and it's a darn shame. The trans clear blend makes them look like prototype pieces that skipped finalization and really highlights how horribly the gold bleeds into the trans color on these pieces. It just over powers on all of the crystal add-ons and ruins what would otherwise be beautiful pieces. One minor thing is that purple is the only color that we didn't get the new blade piece in. It would have been nice if 2 were included with Terak or Quake Beast. I'm glad Onua doesn't have them though, his drill-gat-hammer is awesome and suits him well.

Edited January 30, 2016 by ToaDraco

[MakutaOfWar]

Little speculation on the MoUP, in set form what if it's a blend of different trans colors? Or is that even possible? It could be made out of different pieces, perhaps.

[DraikNova]

Maybe some sort of tr. red with black flecks*? I really hope it's not just another mask with two unevenly divided colors. LEGO has been going crazy with those recently, but they're so hard to use.

*It'd be a nice nod to the MoUP = Avohkii connection, since the latter originally also came in a glittery tr. clear with specks variation.

Edited January 30, 2016 by DraikNova

[Aethersprite]

Maybe some sort of tr. red with black flecks*? I really hope it's not just another mask with two unevenly divided colors. LEGO has been going crazy with those recently, but they're so hard to use.

*It'd be a nice nod to the MoUP = Avohkii connection, since the latter originally also came in a glittery tr. clear with specks variation.

Eh, that special Avohkii didn't look that good IMO.

Like the Masks of Creation and Control, the MoUP is probably going to be all-gold. But assuming it's not for the sake of discussion - while I agree that the blended masks make them very hard to MOC with, I'd like to see something like Umarak's mask. Clearly separated colours in some parts (like the right side of Umarak's "mouth"), and blended in others. It's very unique, and looks superb!

[VBBN]

The problem with the Avohkii was that there wasn't really any parts that matched it's color.

With that said, as much as I am getting tired of gold masks, I do hope we get a version of the MoUP in gold just so I can display it with the MoCo and MoCr and it'll look consistent (also hoping it has similar Okoto writing on it.) I totally plan to build some kind of system temple, with a totem in the middle and mounts for the masks on said totem.

Everyone (who even mentions it) keeps talking like that's still the Mask of Control on Umarak the Destroyer, but what if it's the Mask of Ultimate Power? I think it has all three outcrops on both sides, and the eyes might be the right shape. Look at how understated the Mask of Control turned out to be compared to the animation version. There's also all the runes like the other two have, which seems to add further credibility to my idea. We don't even know what the actual color of the MoUP is, since it was engulfed in smoke or something in the animations, so it could be gold, like all the other significant masks have been so far.

Given that we see Umarak put on the MoCo and turn into the Destroyer, there is a 0% chance it is the MoUP and no room for speculation really.

[TwistLaw]

I feel the same about 2016 as a whole. Great ideas, but the sets lack, almost entirely due to eveyrone but Onua using the new blade piece and the need for flat, empty backs for the Unity modes. Luckily, it's Lego, so they're not set in stone.

Every time someone mentions "flat backs" as a fault of the new sets my gears grind with the force of a thousand suns. Except last year BIONICLE sets have always been flat (the Mata torso was more like a box, giving a goofy appearance to the toys). Humans in real life have very flat backs, and if this doesn't concern you neither proportions ever should.

Edited January 30, 2016 by TwistLaw

[DraikNova]

Yeah, it's a little weird that that's a common complaint. It's just not that interesting visually, though. Hunchbacked characters have a lot of...well, character to them.

[SpiderSpaceman]

Little speculation on the MoUP, in set form what if it's a blend of different trans colors? Or is that even possible? It could be made out of different pieces, perhaps.

Honestly I know bionicle doesn't do this but I'd like a mask that's a black/dark red blend like phantoka wave, with a couple of discreet pin holes in the top that accept a "fuming effect" dark transparent piece, that would fit over the mask the way Ghost Rider's flames fit on his minifigure head. That way we could enjoy the pure design of the mask, but also the cool billowing shadowiness.

Is that the kinda separate pieces you're thinking?

Also there certainly is transparent blending, like this thing:

Edited January 30, 2016 by SpiderSpaceman

[One Very Agile Cat]

Every time someone mentions "flat backs" as a fault of the new sets my gears grind with the force of a thousand suns. Except last year BIONICLE sets have always been flat (the Mata torso was more like a box, giving a goofy appearance to the toys). Humans in real life have very flat backs, and if this doesn't concern you neither proportions ever should.

No, humans don't have flat back like the Toa. Humans have a curve to their spine. The 2015 Toa accomplished this by having the gearbox set their shoulders back from their hips. A single module of depth can make a world of difference.

Plus, the Toa aren't human. They're robots, and they look really weird with their bodies just stopping flat at the shoulders when they have such dimension everywhere else. It's uneven and looks awful. It's like they have no armour or "muscle" on their backs, despite having it everywhere else. Also, I don't know what "if this doesn't concern you neither proportions ever should" means. Are you trying to say that because one aspect of the sets are awful, another aspect (the proportions) aren't?

Also, jeez dude stop taking everything so personally. People saying children's toys look bad shouldn't grind your gears.

Yeah, it's a little weird that that's a common complaint. It's just not that interesting visually, though. Hunchbacked characters have a lot of...well, character to them.

It's not that they need "hunchbacks," they just need like an extra module of bulk so they don't look so uneven.

[ZORK64]

I'm a bit late to the party I guess, but that's not unusual for me - it's almost always that I don't check up EB just when the pics of new sets are revealed... '

Anyway, I actually like the entire Summer Wave from what I see. Most of them omit the awkward new torso armour, and their design looks overall more interesting to me. It probably helps that their proportions aren't as awkward as these of the current Bonkles. And they come with nice parts which look like they offer great MOCing potential.

I will most likely pick most of these folks up, if not all.

[Voxovan]

No, humans don't have flat back like the Toa. Humans have a curve to their spine. The 2015 Toa accomplished this by having the gearbox set their shoulders back from their hips.

They also accomplished an awful sight when you looked at them from the side.

[dviddy]

I don't understand why people complain about x, classic bionicle was full of x

As if we weren't complaining about x when it was G1 too. The things I hate about the new sets are the same things I hated about the latter-year sets in G1 too. I loved G1, but it was a flawed, flawed thing.

[One Very Agile Cat]

As if we weren't complaining about x when it was G1 too. The things I hate about the new sets are the same things I hated about the latter-year sets in G1 too. I loved G1, but it was a flawed, flawed thing.

Yup. Though in fairness, that's actually a point in favour of G2. Just having flat backs aren't as bad as entirely flat torsos like G1 had, but it's still annoying when just last year the Toa had a fine amount of bulk. Luckily I have no love for the Uniter gimmick as it exists so modding the backs is no problem for me as I plan to give almost all of them all gearboxes anyway.

Well, once Bricks and Pieces updates with them.

Edited January 30, 2016 by One Very Agile Cat

[ToaDraco]

I don't understand the flat back complaint considering it's necessity for the unification feature.

[One Very Agile Cat]

I don't understand the flat back complaint considering it's necessity for the unification feature.

But that's exactly my point. The gimmick isn't worth it.

[Silent Nomad]

Given that we see Umarak put on the MoCo and turn into the Destroyer, there is a 0% chance it is the MoUP and no room for speculation really.

Where do we see that? I never noticed it.

[GK733]

Where do we see that? I never noticed it.

The mobile game spoiled it.

[Vinyl Scratch]

I know it's a bit early, but thinking about it I'm sad that LEGO hasn't made a centaur set with the CCBS. I'm hoping there's one next year, but considering what's going on it'll most likely be Makuta and five other creatures from Okoto, calling it now.

[Ikaatril]

But that's exactly my point. The gimmick isn't worth it.

How so? I feel that, with the exception of Pohatu, the unification thing brings more to the Toa than it takes away, especially in the cases of Tahu, Lewa, and Onua.

[avatarbrickman]

How so? I feel that, with the exception of Pohatu, the unification thing brings more to the Toa than it takes away, especially in the cases of Tahu, Lewa, and Onua.

You're right about that. Maybe they should've gave Tahu, Lewa, and Onua the unification, and Kopaka, Gali, and Pohatu should have the 2015 gearbox.

[Kalhiki]

So, Tahu and Ikir arrived in the mail recently. Very nice sets, and I'm glad I went with them.

Ikir is cool, and the wings give him a substantial size. Function's fun to mess with. His feet feel a little big, though.

Tahu's cool looking. Never did mind the gold, so no qualms there. Love the addition of the blue, and hope that's a running trend in his color scheme for the future.

I appreciate the extend/retract function on the weapons, but it isn't necessary. But I do prefer these weapons over 2015 Tahu's awkwardly massive blades.

I think my biggest complaint are the friction joints. Especially the ones in the ankles. Makes him really hard to pose (kinda ironic, since they're there for stability in poses, but they make him harder to get into poses).

Also, I love his mask. It might be my favorite Bionicle Mask ever. Replace the crystal design with the original Hau's forehead vent and remove the silver blend, and it would be perfect.

[TwistLaw]

No, humans don't have flat back like the Toa. Humans have a curve to their spine. The 2015 Toa accomplished this by having the gearbox set their shoulders back from their hips. A single module of depth can make a world of difference.

Plus, the Toa aren't human. They're robots, and they look really weird with their bodies just stopping flat at the shoulders when they have such dimension everywhere else. It's uneven and looks awful. It's like they have no armour or "muscle" on their backs, despite having it everywhere else. Also, I don't know what "if this doesn't concern you neither proportions ever should" means. Are you trying to say that because one aspect of the sets are awful, another aspect (the proportions) aren't?

Also, jeez dude stop taking everything so personally. People saying children's toys look bad shouldn't grind your gears.

Hold on, I didn't mean to disrespect you nor your opinion. Neither I remember any other time I "took personally" a matter over toys. I like to be theatrical, that's true, but that's my cheeky way to promote discussion.

The 2015 Toa accomplished the emulation of the (very small) curve we have to our spine, that's true, but at the price of exposed ball joints (ew) and arms a little too rearward for my tastes.

My post wasn't of course directed at you personally, but to the general attitude I seem to see in the community.

The "if this doesn't concern you neither proportions ever should" part was refered to the fact that I see human backs as pretty flat, a little less than the 2016 Toa do have. BIONICLE sets not having human-like proportions is one of the main complaints the sets received during G1.

In general the part I fail to understand isn't exactly complaining about things that were already happening in G1, I was there and I remember how harsh we could be towards new sets. It still amazes me to see some people nowadays describing 2007 as "the best year" when back in the day "last nail in the coffin" was the average definition.

What gives me a hard time is understanding why a certain complaint happens (e.g. flat backs, that I personally see closer to the human shape) when a similar one (heroic proportions in Tahu15 being unhuman) was caused by opposite reasons.

[Maskmaker of Light]

By the looks of it, it seems like I'm one of the only ones who like 2016 sets better than 2015. Than again I'm a sucker for some good technic. Visually, the sets' colors may not be as good, but they feel like they have grown out much more compared to their 2015 counterparts. The 2015 sets were kind of clunky in some areas, and these are too, but definitely not as much, IMO. The torsos are a great example of this. They just look so much better and evened out, even though they are a little flat. This is just my opinion though.

[avatarbrickman]

By the looks of it, it seems like I'm one of the only ones who like 2016 sets better than 2015. Than again I'm a sucker for some good technic.

Bionicle should be half technic IMO.