The Kumquat Alchemist
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[REVIEW]: 70789 Onua: Master of Earth
The Kumquat Alchemist replied to VBBN's topic in LEGO Action Figures
I think the personality his build evokes is a matter of opinion. To me, he looks more like a slow to anger, slow to stop being angry sort of fellow who you do not want to push beyond a certain limit. -
Few Rahi have ever well-represented the real species there were nominally based on. Visorak "spiders" are a prime example of this, what with their four legs, the latter two being attached to the very back of the abdomen. Even with that in mind, LOSS is going to need some heavy Technic-based modding to be made displayable, while hopefully preserving the action feature.
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No need to get aggressive about it. Though vocal in his dislike, Dinobrick doesn't seem to want to offend.
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[REVIEW]: 70789 Onua: Master of Earth
The Kumquat Alchemist replied to VBBN's topic in LEGO Action Figures
This was a well put-together review, and I appreciate it for showcasing all of Onua's many interesting parts in detail. If there is one set I aim to get two of, Onua will be it. The abundance of unique purple, silver, and black components are wonderful to behold, and the wealth of basic Technic components makes it even more worth getting a second one for parts. -
Are connections via rubber bands gotten from LEGO sets allowed? I found myself attaching two armor plates to legs via rubber bands.
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To enter, or not to enter? The only thing I have to lose is dignity. I'll be hard-pressed to make a proper villain of decent size, when the majority of my HF shells are a friendly Mata Blue, but it might be worth a try.
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Good eye on the shoulder armor. Makes me all the more glad I bought an imported CHI Fluminox for the parts; I might be able to make an Ekimu MOC, sans mask.
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So, any other theorycraft we could discuss other than the Vahi? I can't help but wonder how long ago Ekimu and Makuta's conflict happened, compared to the arrival of the Toa. Though more clearly visualized than 2001's Mata-Nui vs. Makuta, if it happened in the distant past, there is the chance that what we were shown is actually a "modern" interpretation of the conflict, and not a completely accurate portrayal of events. I doubt that we're going to see the Giant Robot plot twist used again, but the potential for a plot twist is still there, depending on the accuracy of the Protectors' knowledge of the past.
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I'm curious, how much of the dislike stems from the price, and how much from the bad design? Though certainly lackluster in build compared to the other Minecraft sets, I think it would hold up decently if not for the outrageous price tag; due to what in-game elements are being replicated in this set, LEGO didn't have much freedom for variety or interesting builds.
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I quite like the preview we've gotten. The expressions are very nice and, well, expressive, all without making the mask look too rubber or organic, such as in the Mask of Light film; I suppose this is due to the new art style's very minimalistic use of detail. Though its antithesis in expressive ranges, the preview also reminds me of this picture: http://tfwiki.net/me...idesEmotion.jpg
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While fiddling with part 6100514, I thought perhaps it could be used for a skirt or dress. Around that inspiration, this was built: Huh, I didn't capitalize the 'o'
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Thanks! Your comments have shown me some interesting paths of research. Due to chronic penny-pinching (when not overspending on LEGO items) I think I'll mess with the white balance post-processing, using photo editors. If that proves ineffective, I'll probably make a proper light box and get a better camera.
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Disclaimer: I have no experience with professional photography, and use an awful camera. Hello, Eurobricks! Today I have come across an issue setting up a proper photography area, relating to the bulbs I use in my two lamps: Standard filament or fluorescent bulbs give my photographs horrible yellow tinge; this happens regardless of how the two lamps are positioned, or what other light sources there are in the room. Would daylight bulbs work better? LEDs? Halogen? Is it even possible to take decent photographs in such a setting, even if I were to get better bulbs?
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I'm glad to hear that. Yet another shade of brown would have done us little good.
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Favorite Bionicle Music! (Or least favorite)
The Kumquat Alchemist replied to DuckBricks's topic in LEGO Action Figures
This piece from MNOLG, used during the fight between the Toa Mata and The Makuta: Portions of this music were also used in the 2004 Vahki animations. I adore the themes evoked by this piece; the synthesized portions and ominous chanting create quite the contrast, and is reflective of 2001 as a whole: a mishmash of the primitive and highly advanced, with its aura of mystery not coming from one or the other, but from the artful combination of both. -
Thanks for this link, I'd forgotten how wonderful Bionicle Heroes's soundtrack is. Though my taste in games was quite undeveloped back when I first played it, I suspect I wouldn't have enjoyed it if not for its soundtrack.
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This will always be Makuta's theme to me: The sythesized, mechanical parts of the music, sometimes violent, sometimes sinister and mysterious, alongside the tribal chanting more fitting for Mata Nui, is representitive of The Makuta as portrayed in MNOG, a bizarre entity that does not belong.
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I've always assumed that LEGO's tendency to make <8-legged "spiders" is to keep part counts down, make posing and display easier, and make the build less tedious for young children. Apart, they are not very good justifications, but together I can imagine that they would discourage the designers from making more anatomically correct "spider" builds, for constraction figures at least.
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That I did. However, I ran across stability issues when trying to replicate it to a more perfect degree, and settled on my current design. However, I thank you for your criticism; I suppose I could extend a technic beam downwards to better duplicate the gearbox piece. As for the means of providing tension, I found it more economic to use a stud-ended rod than to find space for a secondary gearing system with tension pin, in a design that is already bulky compared to the piece which inspired it. I did this to allow for more connection points, as I am wary of supporting anything using only this part or similar, which I would have to do if not using my current system.
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Got a chance to upload some pics of a gearbox imitation I've been working on. There are further descriptions on Flickr:
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I suspect that LEGO wouldn't see it fit to actually list problems such as those. LEGO likely thought giving their new 2015 Toa heroes such (dare I say edgy?) flaws might paint them in a bad light, but still wanted to make the Toa feel like human beings, not paragons of perfection. The solution? List a few phobias for their failings. This doesn't mean that they can't have other flaws, or that the flaws listed will take the spotlight; it's just a way to make the Toa feel more relate-able to humans, while still making them sound like role-model heroes.
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Consider that the original BIONICLE was only planned as a 1-year line; I'd say LEGO is pretty optimistic if their starting point for G2 BIONICLE lasts three whole years.
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To all of you who managed to get ahold of the new gearbox piece, I have a question: Have any of you tried rigging up a kicking function like G1 Mata Pohatu? I'd imagine it would be quite clunky, but with enough upper back armor I'd think it could look alright; however, I'd like to hear the thoughts and opinions of people who actually own the piece so I can get a better perspective. I'm now imagining the voice as the Narrator in The Stanley Parable for some reason.
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I believe there is an image of all six Toa drawn in a style similar to that used in the animation. Here it is
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If he gets an Australian accent, I'll need to revamp him as a lanky, rifle-wielding lunatic.