Kalta the Noble Mind

that would be the worst scenario ever, a franchise or series ending not because of no consumer interest,or because of cost outweighing benefit, or any sort of practical logical reason along such lines but because some executive moneyman either thinking they know better than the creatives he hires to make product or the consumers who pay both him and his team for said product and decides to use his executive power to enforce is will despite all the detriment the professionals can see. in the pop culture podcasts I listen to, this is everyday happenings in the entertainment industry. like Doctor Who getting canceled in the 80s despite it being the BBC's most popular show merely because an exec producer hated sci-fi. Deadpool movie being delayed for a decade and almost not getting made until test footage made fan demand too loud to ignore and then giving it a small budget (which got to be the most highest grossing R-rated movie of all time!) just because some exec well known for bad decision making didn't like superhero movies ( i think) I hope the Lego Group doesn't have such executives on their board of directors and such because they have had just the perfect track record for consumer base satisfaction.

I am really curious to know why the decided to cut it one year short. I understand ceasing the line after its initial run but this smells of drastic measures, especially with the contest point towards it gaining interest and therefore continuation. the contest itself to stir up fan interest and community recognition and the MoUP hinting towards a new final wave. it is all so fishy and scary. in fact, I am getting flashbacks to 2010 where they cut off the next 2 planned years so Bionicle ends on a high note, or to cut its losses. was G2's 3rd year planned out and the higher ups cut it similarly? thirdly Lego is supposed to be the highest grossing toy company nowadays right? making so much money they are able to build their headquarters into essentially a small town! for sure they could have enough in the budget to create a 3rd wave, especially with their plan to plan out every new story based theme for 3 years. they could have gone the STArs route and given us 6 small toa and end it with a giant makuta titan with the sought after MoUP, just to milk some cash out of loyal fans. what has happened to go back on a brand new strategy and ,I hate to say it but, screw over a loyal customer base? I am not even going on fanboy entitlement but a legitimate concern for the company breaking a promise. but it was a good run while it lasted even with the abrupt end. the lego Group sure knew how to reinvent a franchise and showcased the potential of Constraction, doubly so with the unique action features implemented in all the waves. lets ope we get a G3 down the line :D i mean 3rd time's the charm right? also $50 says the Special prize for the makuta contest is the MoUP itself, being the only new element created for this phantom 3rd wave and the most hyped up relic in the lore terefor a most saught after prize.

I know correlation is not causation but wouldn't the doomsaying attribute to the clearing out of stock? like the line may be ending so get them while they last.

I don't believe it's the official design of the MoUP due to how it's obscured and slightly featureless. the mask of Time was displayed in full view of every detail which is done with official designs. you can chalk up the small glimpses of the MoUP as a narrative way to keep its mystery while showcasing it in the plot but most likely it is either not ready to be presented or not even finalized in-house. we saw the mask of time featured prominently in the more recent graphic novels and we see a mask passing a resemblance to it in the poster. we may be getting the mask of time then.

doesnt the G2 mask of time have 6 wings like the mask on the poster?

given prior to the contest? because that sounds shady. unless they got the parts in an unrelated incident like they were the prize from an unrelated contest. an earlier unrelated contest. if the former i am wholly against the practice because it gives the participant an unfair advantage since i doubt other contestants could have access to those unique parts. i mean rares and other secondhand oddities could give a similar advantage but they are till availible to the public just in very low quantities and for very high prices. using wholly unique one-of-a-kind prototype parts should be akin to using custom made elements like unique 3d printed parts or taking exclusive parts from compatibal competitors like those double studded plates from megabloks: perfect for your own creations to show off in a hobbyist setting but should be illegal in competitive settings like contests.

i think i am out of the loop but what contest had a MoC which contained protytype/unreleased elements? and i am hoping the unreleased elements in question were like rare misprints and whatnot purchased secondhand because otherwise it sounds like cronyism since the only way the winner would be able to get their hands on super new super secret superparts would be having a connection to an element designer ie know someone from the inside like insider trading.

are there any Bionicle sets in the official Lego Stores? I have only been to the one mall store near me in queens NY which only has the star wars buildable figures but I don't believe they have the summer waves yet so for all I know my lego store is just selling their remaining stock. would want to go to the manhattan flagship stores if they have the latest sets.

Reboot Robo-Riders as Lego's answer to Transformers? I can see the transformations and action features utilizing heavy technic. I am unsure if Exo-Force can work since Ninjago handles the Mech side of things. I heard the popularity of Monster High shows girls would enjoy a series with overt scifi-fantasy themes. so perhaps a girl's constraction line could be like Sailor Moon or something. how well did Bionicle's playsets from 2005-2007 do? because the got rid of them in 2008 but I enjoyed the concept of giving my favorite figures actual buildings and environments to fight in. maybe a future constraction theme could have a system sub-theme that can allow for two levels of play: one-on-one with the figures and I dunno roleplay with the minifig scale settings. and on somewhat of a tangent do you think Bionicle would work well as a system line? all those exotic locales can make excellent playsets. also do those Technic Figures count? because I enjoyed making vehicles for those and I can totally see a new buildable version that is compatible with CCBS ball joints and the minifig scale clip joints. also maybe a UCS type theme that uses the galidor style rachet joints for stability allowing for bigger and more detailed figures.

while it certainly helps passion from the content generators wasn't the key but a constant and consistent brand identity used across the campaign. the concept of narrative was explicitly referred to as "Legend" while refernce to the plot was regarded as "destiny" and any ability or collectible featured were enphised as "powers" ect. insisistant terminology that painted a specific picture about the toy. hell, i recall them even having a style guide that shown visual motifs that should or should not be used in promotional material and the "dreaded" reuse of the same artwork in every ad was done so to keep the association of those images tied to the toyline. everything was designed to be instantly recognizable with their uniqueness while being familiar in a sense via repetition of those same designs across vastly different media. but with G2 they were dangerously generic with the whole campaign. the commercials were written in the same style as the evergreen themes like city,where the concepts of firefighting and catching criminals are so universal you just need a bare-bones excuse plot to engage the audience. to apply that approach to an action fantasy makes it look like every other action fantasy on the mrket with the dded detriment of lacking a place in the cultural zeitgeist like the power rangers or the marvel/dc superheroes have that acts as the universal concept city life has. if i make sense. everyone knows what a policeman looks like or a knight or ho batman and superman and spiderman and the hulk are but nobody knows who that red guy with the swords is or the white guy with the eye lenses outside of the small batch of 20-somethings who followed the old series. and even they dont know who the horned skull people are orwhy that green elk person wants that gold mask due to them being unique editions to the new series. humans are creatures of habit and will gravitate towards brands they know over new things they encounter unless the new thing offers something the familiar brand doesnt. and lego was fully aware of this fact hence the excessive and agressive lore drenched ads i mentioned. got the audience familiar with the story and therefor familiar with the brand and shows they were doing something no other toy was doing.

the story was the foundation of the entire advertising campaign during G1's run. not only did it produce entertainment to get the customer hyped for the next product but they produced very viral or at least permeating memes that kept the product in your mind for the longest time, the main goal of any ad. they were using slogans and symbolism and show-don't-tell storytelling that put forth a lot of intriguing information in little time with (seemingly) little effort. they weren't pitching an action toy they were telling the legend of 6 heroes who wield the elements to fulfill their destiny in defeating a great evil. they had to find the power and you can live the legend. six heroes one destiny. and all other terms that told me this is an epic and intriguing tale I wanna follow. and as the Tumblr post said it was all freely accessible. not only the free online content that engaged but the very ads themselves put forth narrative. little films that showcased the exploits of characters in this ever expanding world. you weren't seeing kids working the gear functions of action figures you saw heroes demonstrating the abilities of these elemental champions. you did not see someone activating the action gimmicks of these unwieldy contraptions you saw the very danger these great beasts pose to the world and why the heroes must fight them. hell, you didn't see the second wave of canister sets showing off the latest bell and whistle compared to last year's line you saw a brand new intimidating foe that was nothing like the heroes encountered before. they were introducing the character while they introduced their product so you have a reason to buy the product. if I make sense. I got none of that with G2's ads. I had no idea what a skull spider was outside of it being a monster of the week like any other action show and that it gets stopped by some superhero people no different from the power rangers or another action team. and I don't know who skull grinder is outside of a scary big bad who wants to steal a MacGuffin no different from the hunter guy that came out the year after. too devoid of content for me to keep in mind and too generic to remember as its own thing. they had transmedia storytelling down pat back when the internet just hit the mainstream so I can't fathom how they don't use the same techniques in the age of social media. they had hashtags before twitter in the form of those slogans and any "confusing" terminology could be remedied with a google search that brings you to the official site! and I realized whatever techniques I wanted the Bionicle campaign to use was used for nexo knights.

what is the exact pipeline of the design process ie do they start with concept art and then concept sketch builds using existing parts and then decide what new parts will be added etc. i am super curious to how they choose when and how to integrate a wholly new element into a build. where they get their research reference and inspiration for designing the theme (specifically if they ever used fansites like BS01 for brushing up on the old series) how and why they came onto the Bionicle team as opposed to the other themes available. was it convenience? was it interest? were they fans of the old series or were even part of the original Bionicle team? what they personally hope to do with the theme be it practical or just dreaming. example being like design realistic armor for say the hypothetical Bionicle live action film or have the Toa fend of alien invaders etc. what were some concepts they cut (and are allowed to reveal).

the bionicle logo has runes in them!

i think the implication is that the Mask of time basically encompassed all powers related to time including time travel. and with the mask split each half contains a specific time power, with the Okoto Mask of time having the ability to view specific points in time (Chronomancy) while the G1 vahi had the ability to control the flow of time (temporalmancy). basically the map and engine where the former shows you where to go and the latter gets you there. that is how i understand it at least. on the subject of wild mass guessing wouldnt it be interesting if there is like a meta-verse which sort of dictates the happenings of sub-universes that make the multiverse? like how in Bioshock infinite there are constants and variables with the one Lighthouse being a prime constant appearing in every quantum reality. maybe in the bionicle meta-verse here are similar constants like there is always six prime elements with a hero representing each one and there is always an evil being named Makuta and he is always defeated by a prime mask of power that encompasses time. vakama technically had the other half of the mask of time but only in its power and purpose. being an inevitability to exist vakama was just the means for the vahi to be. and technically the mask of time on okoto isnt as old or as "broken" as the historians claimed but was forged "whole" like vakama did but with Okoto historians being either cryptic or just on the cusp of understanding reality misinterpreted the evidence of a Prime/meta mask of time that predated the universe with full power over time that their current mask of time emulates as said mask of time being so old and broken in half. if i make any sense. this could be a clever sendoff as the final year of G2 Bionicle as people claimed each year was representing one of the three virtues with the current year being unity and the past year maybe being duty. this final year could represent Destiny and show that in every concievible reality there are always Toa and there is always makuta and good always triumphs over evil, and the mask of time shows them this single destiny. could probably be a way to let the audience continue to support the series in their own fan-content from comics to writing to MoCs letting each one reality in a multiverse. or something. a more nutty just-for-fun theory can be Karzahni's Olisi being the future-vision upper half of the mask of time only with bits of junk grafted onto it so it looks "complete". the lower half got destroyed somehow so the great beings either sent vakama telepathic instructions to build said mask or makuta learned of how to make said mask and tasked vakama to do it, since he comissioned the project when disguised as Turaga Dume. that would be interesting! as for serious theories the one Lyichir heard about the MoUP being the "whole" mask of time with the great cataclysim sending each half into the past and future separately seemed most plausible and practical as the story team can delay the MoUP's reveal for as long as they want and basically be the mata nui story engine of G2. but my main concern would be the nature of mask making in G2 in that case. in G1 it was established that the kanohi were made out of kanoka with specific recipes resulting in specific powers but from my understanding you embue power into g2 masks by literally forging the element in question into its metal,like vines to get a mask of jungle or snow to get a mask of ice. so for 6 natural elements to embue a mask with time powers mans we're working on a recipe system like G1.

i am confused. how exactly do short runs and a collectors market make the theme sell well? is it a strategy to keep perpetual interest? the sets or going fast so get'em while they last? is it a production strategy as small batches mean less resource and manhours used and can be purposed elsewhere? is it a bit of both where small batches mean scarcity for collectors and more resource for designers and in turn designers can make a better product that the avid fan will ultimately desire? also it may be because i am ignorant of the whole dealie but going by what Blocks magazine says it sounds like the strategy has the proprihtary AFOL demographic in mind rather than kids. unless the modern 8-12 year old builds extensive collections like any 18-37 year old i would think a kid would buy for cool/fun factor therefor would not care how rare or special a particular toy is unless it's advertized (collect the gold bionicle!). though i do enjoy our preferred subtheme getting a bit of recognition :) i don't think i ever saw Bionicle mentioned anywhere in brickjounral and unless i am mistaken that was the premier lego fan's magazine.

i think twistlaw was referring to the 14 karat gold masks they had as contest prizes. G1 just had i think a single hau and one platinum avohkii for contests in 2002 and 2003 (along with those sterling silver and white metal krana). i think G1 paed itself with those precious metal masks as they saw the popularity of the toyline justify such fancy promotion while making 8 solid gold masks for the first year alone seemed like a waste as the hundreds of dollars used for the metal and craftsmanship could have been spent elsehwere.

i am curious to why there hasnt been much advertizing for G2? were they banking on old guard like us to spread the media itself word of mouth?

i heard of that. so our only way to indicate the success of the new medium is not avalible:(.

*shrug* 3 years in advance anyway. people kept saying if the line was successful they would expand the story to beyond the initial 3 years,and if it failed they can still have a proper ending. the doomsayers i was referring to were saying G2 was a failure and so will just go for its 3 year run, with the cancelation of the books and graphic novels being an indicator of lack of interest,if i make sense. hen again i am personally just making guesses. betting experts like Aanchir know what's going on. speaking of which does anyone have info on how well JtO went? if it had high ratings i am betting TLG is simply switching medium focus:D making Bionicle a fuller series using the budgets meant for the print media.

either the doomsayers were right that Bionicle G2 is going to end in 2017 or TLG realized the real story potential is in digital media like games and animation. i hope it is the latter as i felt G1 would have benefitted greatly from an episodic series.

i hope we are not having another Nechir situation here.

would agree with you there since it will be a needless rehash of a reveal which can never be topped. do hope the engine ties into their (bio?)mechanical nature like the great spirit robot had. but from what i have seen at least we're looking at a more fantastic universe with wizard magic and avatars of nature. also thinking about it now is the mask of ultimate power the story engine itself since that is the main thing that kicks off and drives the current plot?

is it to early to speculate on what G2's story engine might be?

high res imagery! is it me or does it look like the models used for the series were made using a spline based CADD app like Rhino3d as opposed to more traditional polymodel apps like maya or Cinema4d? this may very well be a trick of the cel shaded rendering but the curves and edges look way too sharp and crisp to have ben box modeled or even "carved" in a sculp app like zbrush. too mathematically precise. i ask because if it is done in cadd does it mean it's lego's own source files? i know lego gave animal logic all of their cadd data to make accurate cg models and i recall hearing lego uses Maya as an in house LDD with their own digital bricks so could lego have like an animation kit that let the studios behind ninjago nexo knights and Journey to One literally build assets that are consistent with the toys? if i make sense.

is it just me or does the tahu in the one-off sound more...teenaged than in the one minute animations? like spider man.