What would you ask the LEGO Bionicle team?

[VBBN]

Given the opportunity to ask questions to the LEGO Bionicle team, what questions would you ask?

Of course, these questions should be within reason- asking "what sets are coming out next year" probably isn't going to be as fruitful nor give as satisfying of an answer as "what is the primary reason for the cost of a set?" for example.

[TheBrickPal]

More like WILL there be sets next year?

Because that's a logical thing to ask, as it doesn't look like the line is doing the best. I'd definitely ask about its status.

[Bbrink1996]

I'd definitely ask about the design process of the Beasts and Umarak the Destroyer and what their own opinion is on The Journey to One.

[Logan McOwen]

I can think of a few...

• What's are the next evolutionary steps for the CCBS?
  
• What have you got in mind for future gear mechanisms?
  
• What's the most difficult thing about developing a Bionicle set?
  
• How does the design process for a Bionicle set begin? Where does the inspiration/concept come from?
  
• How different do Bionicle sets usually look from their initial prototypes? Which set is the most different from it's initial prototype?
  
• How do you come up with the names for Bionicle characters?
  
• How do you feel about the reception to G2 from fans of the original franchise?
  
• Is the G2 Bionicle storyline totally seperate from that of G1 Bionicle, or are the two universes connected or one-and-the-same?
  
• Who is your personal favourite Toa?
  
• Which is your personal favourite Bionicle set?
  
• Which would you rather fight; 100 Skull Spider sized Umaraks, or 1 Umarak sized Skull Spider?
  

Edited May 19, 2016 by Logan McOwen

[GK733]

Why Kopaka was chosen to be bundled with Melum.

Why the Uniter torso shell is one big part and not in two

Why instead of giving the beasts jaws that could be closed you gave them the "mask punching" function

Why Ketar has the old vorox armor mold in tan but Pohatu in silver and more why you chose to use so many different shades of brown on these two sets.

Was Kivoda the blue protector originally meant to be female and follow the design rules of G1?

Why Skull Grinder doesn't have more friction on his mechanism

Was Umarak the Destroyer originally meant to have a gearbox as shown in the build or was it in the beginning meant to be just part of the structure.

Why Ekimu, Umarak the Destroyer and the beasts use the old eyestalk mold and not the one introduced with the Uniters/Umarak The Hunter

Is there a design for the Ice trap that is different to the one in The Journey to One?

Can we expect to see concept art of the summer sets as well?

[xboxtravis7992]

Why do the villain sets have such an eclectic color combination (both 2015 and 2016 villains)?

[Junior Shark]

- How much influence do the G1 sets have on the design of G2, if any?

- How big a role does artwork play in the design process?

- What does the future hold for Bionicle?

[Leewan]

Is the implementation of mechanisms in Constraction sets a part of the evolution of the CCBS, or is it mainly a nod to the G1 ?

Have you ever considered releasing mask packs for the G2 ?

Could an artbook of Bionicle be published at some point in the future ?

And now the most important question : when will Galidor return ?

[TheOneVeyronian]

Okay, I'll come up with some, though how far the Bionicle team could answer them I don't know, as some of them might be more appropriate to ask LEGO's marketing department!

- Why in 2015 did Tahu and Gali get fully transparent masks coloured in their respective elemental colours, but the other 4 Toa got blended gold/trans masks instead? (or why weren't Tahu's and Gali's masks blended with gold?)

- Why did Melum not come with an Ice-themed Shadow Trap?

- (this is a question that alludes more specifically to the UK Bionicle market) Why were the 2015 Protectors and Small Toa/Skull Villains in 2015 priced at £10 and £13 respectively, while the 2016 Elemental Creatures and Small Toa/Ekimu/Beasts are only priced at £7 and £10 respectively (these are larger too!), despite the US prices remaining pretty much the same between 2015 and 2016?

- Since Ekimu's 2016 set is being called "EKIMU the Mask Maker", why was Ekimu given a far more generic name in the 2015 set "Mask Maker vs Skull Grinder"? (related question, why was Skull Grinder marketed as just "Skull Grinder" in that set when his name was revealed in the media to be "Kulta"? And why were the Protectors were given generic titles in their sets when they also had specific names?)

- What made you decide to put Tahu, Kopaka and Onua in the higher set price brackets, and Lewa, Gali and Pohatu in the lower set price brackets, especially since in G1 all six would have been put in the same price bracket?

- Why have the last two promotional Bionicle polybags (the Villain pack with gold Kulta mask, and the Accessory Pack with cape and MoCr) been restricted to just Russia? How were they intended to be distributed?

- How much say do you get in how many recolours you can put in a set?

- The amount of pistons included on the Uniter torso shell attracted much criticism. Why were so many "greebly" detailed pistons put on that one part?

- Why was Skull Scorpio designed with completely static legs, aside from "it gives you an exclusive recolour of the Chima rib piece in Titanium Metallic"?

- Why was Skull Slicer's gear mechanisms made so that it swung three arms in one direction and only one in the other direction? Wouldn't a "2-up 2-down" system have sufficed there?

I'm sure I'll think of more but this is what I have for now

Edited May 19, 2016 by TheOneVeyronian

[Fulcrumfan91]

Yeah my biggest question if any that I'd have for them is why did they get rid of the beautiful keetorange shells on Lewa the second time around? Also, why they chose to construct some of the legs (like Lava Beast or Lewa) by simply using small axle entry points?

[JekPorkchops]

Does a designer of the set also come up with ideas of new pieces like the masks or other tools and artifacts? Since a designer is most likely creating the overall look of the figure, does that mean he too has input in ideas for the mask? Or are there multiple people working together to find what is best for the appearance of a model (i.e. someone who is great at building figures designs most of the figure, but if that person lacks any conceptualizing skills for, say, new moulds, does he work with another graphic artist?). Maybe a designer is really great at both building a model and drawing and designing a new piece, so that he can fully take matters in his own hands.

[TwistLaw]

- The amount of pistons included on the Uniter torso shell attracted much criticism.

*by a vocal minority of an already small community.

Most of the hottest questions have already been posted. How about some pictures when Dorek gets there?

[Kalta the Noble Mind]

• 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).
  

[Lyichir]

They might not be able to answer this one, but with the success of the Star Wars constraction figures, is Lego considering expanding the constraction category into other System themes as well?

[Junior Shark]

Have you ever considered releasing mask packs for the G2 ?

Could an artbook of Bionicle be published at some point in the future ?

+1 on these.

Why are the 2016 Toa masks dual-molded with silver?

[The Outsider]

• Why have only Makuta and the Toa been adapted from the original line while all the other characters are completely new creations?
  
• Aside from the ones I've mentioned, can we expect to see other G1 characters and concepts adapted to this new continuity in some form (set, cryptic reference...)? Note that I don't want to know which, if any, will appear; only if they're considering the possibility.
  
• What concepts, set- or story-wise, had to be cut or heavily altered in these last years? Nevermind, Kalta beat me to it.
  
• Has the line met sales expectations so far?
  
• What other forms of media are you considering to explore int the (possibly) last year?
  

And a question to this forum: does this have to do with Dorek's interview? Or do I have to post in a different topic for him to take my questions?

EDIT: Almost forgot: do they plan on releasing the Ice Shadow Trap as a polybag, or is that a series-only design?

Edited May 21, 2016 by The Outsider

[VBBN]

Thank you for the wide range of questions so far!

And a question to this forum: does this have to do with Dorek's interview? Or do I have to post in a different topic for him to take my questions?

Eurobricks was given a similar opportunity to Dorek (who I assume was invited on behalf of Biosector01). The questions compiled from this list will be asked on Eurobricks' behalf.

[avatarbrickman]

Will there be a Takanuva set next year? As there was one in the third year of G1.

(I know, no chance now that there is Ekimu but I'm not giving up hope)

[Lyichir]

Will there be a Takanuva set next year? As there was one in the third year of G1.

(I know, no chance now that there is Ekimu but I'm not giving up hope)

It's not necessarily the case that there's no chance of a Takanuva set, but there is very little chance of this question being answered whether or not a Takanuva is planned (considering Lego Designers are required to be tight-lipped about unannounced sets).

[Junior Shark]

What's developed first, the sets or the story? Or are they developed in tandem?

[Leewan]

• How different is it to work on Star Wars figures compared to Bionicle ? On one hand, you seem to be able to use more different parts (I'm thinking of Cody, who has white shells in four different sizes, or Rey, who has a lot of recolors, or the brand new torso specially devlopped for the SW line), but on the other hand, you might be compelled to follow some instructions / rules from Disney.
  

• Umarak is said to be as old as Okoto. However, it took him thousands of years to put his hands on one of the Elemental Creatures he was meant to hunt. What did he do during all this time ? Is he a really bad hunter, or was he busy doing something else ?
  

• Can you confirm Umarak's design is inspired by the Wendigo ?
  

[Tazakk]

If it is not too late to add questions, I have one!

How did you become a part of the Bionicle team? What sort of instructions were the team given as a starting point for the reboot?

Edited May 31, 2016 by Tazakk

[Takanuinuva]

If it hasn't been asked already in this topic.

Was the black and white image we saw late 2014 leaked on purpose? As to build hype for Bionicle's return?

[Aanchir]

If it hasn't been asked already in this topic.

Was the black and white image we saw late 2014 leaked on purpose? As to build hype for Bionicle's return?

Having spoken to the designers myself last year I can answer that with a firm "no". Mind you, the person who leaked it did so on purpose, but they were not supposed to, and were breaking an NDA by doing so. It was not a promotional stunt.