Bionicle 2016 Sets Discussion

[Mandate]

A smaller cast is easier to manage and develop so I don't necessarily want a new Toa team in G2.

That's the reason why you change cast entirely, rather than keep every character around at once. If you mean overall cast, well, we've already got unnecessary character bloat going on already with the ~super unique Creature characters~ that LEGO insists on doing. There's a reason why the Bohrok were story-wise way cooler than the Bohrok Kal.

edit: that's not to imply that the Bohrok Kal were in any way better than the original Bohrok

man, i haven't been here in a while

and i don't mean to derail the discussion

because i'm not sure which topic (story or sets) to post this under

but Mask of Control iOS?????????

no

mask of control for glorious pc gaming masterrace first

Edited February 9, 2016 by Mandate

[xboxtravis7992]

At long last I can say: "There's Umarak!!!"

So my thoughts on the set: He looks great, but his bow prevents him posing well. His color scheme is spot on though. The Mask of Control is a bit underwhelming, it looks like they made it small to allow for the unity function, but it doesn't hold a candle to the Mask of Creation (although perhaps its design hints that Makuta was considered the "lesser" brother?). I don't like the waist function to much, since I have a unit with high friction which is causing squeaking (I might need a Lego safe lubricant to fix it!). That Piece of Unity is HUGE! I thought it was going to be the size of G1 thigh armor, but it is bigger than that. But ohhhh; Umarak is so much cooler than Kulta or the other Skull Villains were. He is such a good promising start villain-wise for Bionicle's future. Here is hoping the beasts will be just as fun once in hand.

[Aethersprite]

I've found that using a wet tissue/cotton bud to clean both connection points of the new torso piece elevates the problem of squeakiness. I've seen some recommend using certain chemicals to loosen the joint after it's been fixed, but I personally don't feel too comfortable exposing my sets to random chemicals. Who knows what side effects they might have.

[Lyichir]

That's the reason why you change cast entirely, rather than keep every character around at once. If you mean overall cast, well, we've already got unnecessary character bloat going on already with the ~super unique Creature characters~ that LEGO insists on doing. There's a reason why the Bohrok were story-wise way cooler than the Bohrok Kal.

edit: that's not to imply that the Bohrok Kal were in any way better than the original Bohrok

I am extremely confused by your comment. Specifically the idea that the creatures cause any sort of "character bloat"

Even if the creatures represented species with large populations rather than one-of-a-kind legendary beings, surely the specific creatures that the Toa unite with would represent distinct characters anyway? Otherwise, rather than the Toa forming a unique bond with their respective creatures, the creatures would be reduced to glorified power-ups, with Tahu being able to unite with any creature of fire that happened to be handy in a given fight. Instead of animal companions which the Toa could foster unique relationships with, they'd be interchangeable wildlife that the Toa could unite with "just because". To me, that seems much less interesting in terms of storytelling.

Also, I thought the Bohrok Kal were quite interesting in the original story, considering they were the very first team of distinct villain characters. Other characters like the Piraka and Barraki would do that better, with more unique and diverse personalities, but considering the "Shadow Toa" hardly got a spotlight in the story, the Bohrok Kal were one of the first decent attempts to give each Toa a distinctive individual foe, rather than just swarms of mooks and a few larger villains which they would face as a team. I don't know if I'd consider them better than the Bohrok, but the fact that they represented one-of-a-kind characters rather than swarms is hardly a reason why they were worse. In fact, it was one of the only good things the Kal had going for them. It'd have been even harder to tolerate a second wave of Bohrok if it had just meant another, stronger swarm of mindless mooks.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Lyichir

[Mandate]

I am extremely confused by your comment. Specifically the idea that the creatures cause any sort of "character bloat"

Even if the creatures represented species with large populations rather than one-of-a-kind legendary beings, surely the specific creatures that the Toa unite with would represent distinct characters anyway? Otherwise, rather than the Toa forming a unique bond with their respective creatures, the creatures would be reduced to glorified power-ups, with Tahu being able to unite with any creature of fire that happened to be handy in a given fight. Instead of animal companions which the Toa could foster unique relationships with, they'd be interchangeable wildlife that the Toa could unite with "just because". To me, that seems much less interesting in terms of storytelling.

You're under the impression that I think the "power ups" were a good idea and that they had any place in the story.

Also, I thought the Bohrok Kal were quite interesting in the original story, considering they were the very first team of distinct villain characters. Other characters like the Piraka and Barraki would do that better, with more unique and diverse personalities, but considering the "Shadow Toa" hardly got a spotlight in the story, the Bohrok Kal were one of the first decent attempts to give each Toa a distinctive individual foe, rather than just swarms of mooks and a few larger villains which they would face as a team. I don't know if I'd consider them better than the Bohrok, but the fact that they represented one-of-a-kind characters rather than swarms is hardly a reason why they were worse. In fact, it was one of the only good things the Kal had going for them. It'd have been even harder to tolerate a second wave of Bohrok if it had just meant another, stronger swarm of mindless mooks.

You're assuming my problem with the Bohrok stems from their portrayal in the story. If I were Greg Farshtey, Christian Faber or one of the writers we forget about I would have struggled to come up with a better story reason than the one they came up with. The Bohrok Kal were in general just a horrible idea that are a reflection of BIONICLE's later years, both set-wise and story-wise. Clone builds with excessive amounts of metallic pieces, and overall just pointless like the story bloat.

While having the Creatures be unique is arguably better than making them random fauna, it also means that we still really don't have a good look at what Okoto's wildlife in general is, and a lot is lost for that.

[Lyichir]

You're under the impression that I think the "power ups" were a good idea and that they had any place in the story.

You're assuming my problem with the Bohrok stems from their portrayal in the story. If I were Greg Farshtey, Christian Faber or one of the writers we forget about I would have struggled to come up with a better story reason than the one they came up with. The Bohrok Kal were in general just a horrible idea that are a reflection of BIONICLE's later years, both set-wise and story-wise. Clone builds with excessive amounts of metallic pieces, and overall just pointless like the story bloat.

While having the Creatures be unique is arguably better than making them random fauna, it also means that we still really don't have a good look at what Okoto's wildlife in general is, and a lot is lost for that.

Your specific words were "character bloat". My point was that even if the creatures WERE more common species instead of unique individuals (which would not necessarily be a bad thing), the specific creatures the Toa united with would probably still be distinct characters—in other words, there wouldn't be any fewer characters overall, and therefore, no less "bloat". I hadn't realized that you considered the unity feature itself to be a flaw as well, and were expressing your preference for fundamentally different wildlife sets.

As for the Bohrok-Kal, I DID assume you were talking about the story, considering you were comparing them specifically to the one-of-a-kind role of the creatures. The fact that their sets were underwhelming is part of why I emphasized that, outside of their story role as unique, "elite" Bohrok with actual personality, they didn't really have anything going for them. Their individuality wasn't a flaw; rather, it was really the only thing that justified their existence.

[Bigger Fish]

I really hope that if Bionicle lasts past 2017, we get that story they were going to do the first time around but couldn't where they get sent to the jungle moon and fight robot laser dinosaurs. That'd be pretty neat.

[arc]

I really hope that if Bionicle lasts past 2017, we get that story they were going to do the first time around but couldn't where they get sent to the jungle moon and fight robot laser dinosaurs. That'd be pretty neat.

yes. Skirmix was cool, but I want bonkle raptors. I guess the beasts kinda have that vibe, but I'm just not a huge fan of them.

[DraikNova]

If you want constraction raptors, I'm working on one actually.

[CabooseBM]

Is it a raptor raptor or a spielberg "raptor"?

It's an important distinction.

Edited February 11, 2016 by CabooseBM

[DraikNova]

Do not click the link if you don't handle gore well.

Well, my raptor is the scary kind.

Edited February 11, 2016 by DraikNova

[CabooseBM]

While I appreciate the answer, eeeeeeeew.

[Bigger Fish]

Do not click the link if you don't handle gore well.

Well, my raptor is the scary kind.

Looks like somebody has an eye for interesting subject matter!

[Quisoves Pugnat]

Do not click the link if you don't handle gore well.

Well, my raptor is the scary kind.

There is something bizarrely beautiful and moving about that photo, though I wouldn't want to stare at it for too long.

[DraikNova]

There is something bizarrely beautiful and moving about that photo, though I wouldn't want to stare at it for too long.

I can't help but think that the seal would be rather cute if it was still alive.

[Quisoves Pugnat]

I can't help but think that the seal would be rather cute if it was still alive.

Yeah. It looks so peaceful, which makes the spectacle seem a good deal less horrific than it otherwise would.

[Dorek]

The problem with wildlife sets is that people want vastly different things, and nothing ever seems to quite satisfy. I thought this year's creatures did a great job at capturing that idea, personally, even if in-story they're basically the Pokemon equivalent of dragon types.

Although, real talk, Umarak the Hunter is the best dinosaur set we're ever going to get.

[DraikNova]

Stag-antlered decomposing plant-covered humanoid != dinosaur.

Edited February 12, 2016 by DraikNova

[Toa of Gallifrey]

For creatures I basically want something like the G1 Rahi, creatures that vaguely resemble real life animals but have their own unique spin. Kinda like the creatures this year in that Akida is a shark with cannons. I really like the creatures this year and would love to see more on a larger scale.

[DraikNova]

I'd like to see a CCBS centipede. Large enough to serve as a threatening antagonist, but a non-malicious wild one. Not just a manipulated by Makuta sort of deal, but just that it happens to be in the way.

[Logan McOwen]

!=

what

[VBBN]

Do keep in mind this is for discussion of 2016 sets, not a wishlist of what we want to see in future waves.

[Ikaatril]

I really like the creatures this year and would love to see more on a larger scale.

This is why the beasts are so disappointing - they had the chance to be like the creatures, but larger, but instead we have humanoids with slightly bestial gaits and big teeth & claws. Such a good opportunity for something new, and it was wasted on cookie-cutter humanoids.

[MakutaOfWar]

So doesn't NYTF start tomorrow? :D

[DraikNova]

what

That's a "is not equal to" symbol.