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  1. Blog Reporting

     

    In the past, before the upgrades and the downtime, reporting things in the blogs was a complicated mess of PMing BlogAlert, linking the content, describing the broken rules, and hoping someone read the BlogAlert account in a timely manner.

     

    NO MORE!

     

    The "REPORT" buttons on comments and entries DO WORK. Before the downtine, they did not. Now they do! Hurray!

     

    So, in short, if you have something to report, click that button, describe the offense, and a blog staff member will receive the report and an automatic link the the offending content. (Please do not use this to report signatures)

     

    This is much easier on us, on you, the general populace, and also on kittens everywhere.

     

    -The Blog Staff

  2. Voltex
    Latest Entry

    Today is #810nicleday and so I thought I might use this opportunity to visit this old place to once again share some of the artwork that some fantastic folks have done for the campaigns I run over in the BZPGOT Discord server!

    But first things first: an invitation. If you're interested in potentially participating in any future games (or simply want to hang out with other Bionicle fans), you can click the invite link to join us!

    Anyway, onto the art. Today I wanted to highlight the series of covers that I commissioned for Verdant Wind two years ago. If I've done it right, you should be able to click the image to see a higher resolution.

    VWVariantCollectionsmll.thumb.jpg.bba5c2fe165f9458221ae6182d0bcdfe.jpg

    Verdant Wind was the ultimate culmination of five years' worth of stories. It served as a grand finale for every character and story that had appeared up to that point, and to celebrate the occasion, I commissioned several covers for it.

    The first cover, done by @TBK, is the official cover of Verdant Wind. It features the leaders of three player factions standing off against the game's main antagonist, with the broken pieces of my own NPC's mask in the dirt behind them.

    The first variant cover, done by @ToaTImeLord, features those same player characters standing off against each other - fitting, as Verdant Wind brought them back into conflict before bringing them together.

    The second variant cover was done by @xccj. In addition to the leaders, this cover features much of the other player characters - those who made up the core cast of the Edge of Dawn arc.

    The third and fifth variant covers were done by some of my IRL friends (and yes, that fifth one is watercolor!). Both feature the faction leaders.

    The fourth variant cover was done by @ZippyWharrgarbl. Like Xccj's cover, this one features much of the player cast, with a couple cameos and secrets sneakily inserted as well.

    The sixth variant cover was done by @Jakura Nuva. It features the three player faction leaders being crushed beneath the game's main antagonist.

    The seventh variant cover is a unique one; I commissioned it later than the others, as Verdant Wind reached its halfway point (and the big twist that would come with it - one that ultimately united the entire game world together). @Akaku: Master of Flight did a fantastic job bringing it to life; it features a set of characters who together represent every era of the games up to that point, working together.

    The eight variant cover is also unique. I am responsible for the design, but I take no credit for the artwork used - that's all TBK and Akaku.

     

    Anyway, that's all for today, folks. Hope you enjoyed!

  3. Bfahome
    Latest Entry

    I chose the name "Bfahome" in a desperate fit of non-creativity as I was signing up for the Kanoka Club on bionicle.com in 2004.  Maybe I should've thought about it a bit more, because in the following 16 years it remained my primary handle on pretty much any site or service that anyone here would find relevant.

    (It stands for "BIONICLE fan at home", loosely inspired by the "Adam@Home" comic strip I remembered seeing in the newspaper.  I was told not to use the @ symbol because it tended to not play well with systems, and "Bfathome" might be interpreted as using the word "fat" derisively.  So I went with "Bfahome".  I don't think I've ever mentioned the handle's full origin story but now seemed as good a time as ever.)

    So if you're wondering what becomes of me, you can find me on Twitter, YouTube, Steam, Twitch, Discord, Battle.net, and a slew of others I've forgotten about because I stopped using them or something.  Follow me if you want; occasionally I share cool things I've made, though most of the time it's just weird thoughts that pop into my head that I used to use this blog as an outlet for.

    With that, I'll be "officially" logging off of BZPower for probably the first time in the twelve and a half years I've been a member.  Right now I consider it a hiatus, however extended it may be, because I still want to believe that there'll be a site for me to come back to that I can feel good about associating with, promoting, and contributing to.  As it stands now, though, there isn't.  And maybe there won't ever be.  Can't tell, and it won't be just my judgement on the matter.

    I've certainly had my own shortcomings and I'm sure there have been things I've done that have contributed to the general climate of negativity that I've been ignorant of, and for those things I am sorry.  I've tried to become a better person over the years, and still have a long way to go in that regard.

    Anyway, it's been fun, mostly.  I definitely got my 35 dollars' worth at least.  But this is it, I guess.

    See you all on the other side.

    - Gabe

  4. I’ve been involved with a lot of awesome Bionicle Collaborative Mosaic projects that’s wowed the public at various conventions. (Or so I’d like to hope.) So I’ve decided to compile a list of em, with their size, where they showed up, and who helped make them. (I’m seeing a lot of repeated names too.) I've included some images, where I can find them. The first is the final design image that I got from the Mosaic Makers. (I still use Pic-to-Brick.) The second image is the finish mosaic at the convention. I’ll try to keep this post updated for future projects as well.

     

     

    Kopaka Mosaic

    Displayed at: BrickFair 2010

    Size: 96 x 96 studs

    kopaka.jpg_thumb.jpg*8-9-10BF10_mosaic_Kopaka1th.jpg

    This is the first BZPower Bionicle Mosaic, organized by Chocolate Frogs and Nukaya. (Well, I did some of the initial design work.) Kopaka was selected because of his neutral color scheme, which was easy to convert into a mosaic. Arpy made the largest contribution to this one, with the 64x64 upper right corner all being his.

    Contributors:

    Letagi

    Xccj

    Arpy

    Kohila Piraka*

    Jedi Master J

    Black Six

     

    Onua Mosaic

    Displayed at: BrickFair 2010

    Size: 96 x 96 studs

    a-onua-mosaic.jpg_thumb.jpg*8-9-10BF10_mosaic_Onua4th.jpg

    When the Kopaka mosaic got filled up, we pushed harder and came up with a second mosaic. Onua was selected because he also had a neutral color scheme with blacks and grays. This was again organized by Chocolate Frogs and Nukaya, and I provided the initial design.

    Contributors:

    Nukaya

    Jedi Master J

    Chocolate Frogs

    Xccj

    Black Six

    Toa of Dancing*

    Mr. Fibbles*

    Sisen

     

    Toa Mata Mosaic

    Displayed at: BrickFair 2011

    Size: 192 x 64 studs

    zall-toa-teaser.jpg*dsc02588.jpg_thumb.jpg

    The following year, Chocolate Frogs and Nukaya went all out and organized a brilliant mosaic with all six Toa Mata. (This time, I did nearly all the design work.) Even with all the awesome Bionicle creations that year, this mosaic was the highlight, IMO. Plus, this had most contributors so far!

    Contributors:

    Arpy

    Letagi

    Xccj

    Jedi Master J

    Black Six

    Sisen

    Chocolate Frogs

    Kakaru

    Razlak*

    Nukaya

    Disky

     

    Kaukau Waterfall Mosaic

    Displayed at: BrickCon 2012

    Size: 96 x 96 studs 

    kaukau-waterfall.jpg_thumb.jpg*8071554694_15862a1fa4_q.jpg

    This year I helped put together a mosaic based off a classic scene from the MNOLG. This one was a bit more challenging with the dithering pattern on the cliffs. Although for some reason I never got a full shot of the mosaic on its own, but luckily we did take a group shot.

    Contributors:

    Kopakanui

    Xccj

    Kakaru

    Razlak*

    Swert

    Letagi

     

    Lewa Protodermis Mosaic

    Displayed at: BrickCon 2013

    Size: 128 x 96 studs

    lewa-protodermis3.jpg_thumb.jpg*11678425183_4d67f93c88_q.jpg*10177155156_3f5583bb5e_q.jpg

    This year I designed a mosaic based off a classic Lewa promotional image from 2002.

    Contributors:

    Xccj

    Chocolate Frogs

    Kakaru

    Brickthing

    Swert

    Razlak*

    Kopakanui

    55555 (I think... otherwise why'd we let him in the group picture?)

     

    Gali Masters Mosaic

    Displayed at: BricksCascade 2015, BrickUniverse 2015, BrickFair 2015, BrickCon 2015

    Size: 96x128 studs

    gali-master-00-all.jpg_thumb.jpg*16237201374_ee5eccce9b_q.jpg

    I put together a new mosaic to celebrate the reboot of Bionicle, featuring the new Gali design taken from the animations. This one was interesting because I tried to include the dark azure color, which is still fairly rare. I did end up building nearly half of this mosaic myself, but it is also the first of our collaborative mosaics to show up at multiple conventions.

    Contributors:

    Xccj

    Chocolate Frogs

    Black Six

    Kayru

    Razlak*

    Danny316

     

    Pohatu Masters Mosaic

    Displayed at: BZPower 2015 - 2016 Convention MOC Circuit

    Size: 64x64 studs

    master-pohatub.jpg_thumb.jpg*22859816473_42aaeac97e_q.jpg

    This was a leftover design that got voted out against the above Gali design for the main mosaic of the year. But then Danny316 and I decided to throw this together at the last minute. The biggest change here is the use of side brick design for the mask, as opposed to the studs-out view of the rest of the mosaic, which gave it extra detail at a smaller scale.

    Contributors:

    Xccj

    Danny316

     

    BioniLUG Lenticular Toa Mosaics

    Size: Four mosaics at 96x128

    Displayed at: BZPower 2016 - 2022 Convention MOC Circuit

    gali-master-5.png_thumb.jpg*gali-mata-5.png_thumb.jpg*lewa-master-5.png_thumb.jpg*lewa-mata-4.png_thumb.jpg*pohatu-masters-4.png_thumb.jpg*pohatu-mata-5.png_thumb.jpg*tahu-masters-4.png_thumb.jpg*tahu-mata-4.png_thumb.jpg

    mata-masters-all-01.jpg_thumb.jpg*mata-masters-all-02.jpg_thumb.jpg

    This was easily the most daunting mosaic project I’ve been a part of. I had been contemplating the idea of making a Bionicle themed lenticular mosaic for a while. (These mosaics would have two designs that would change based on the angle they’re viewed from.) Because the number of cheese slopes required would be quite expensive, I never truly considered it, but then Black Six suggest utilizing LEGO’s RLUG Project Support Program to get all the elements we’d need. But the program had some requirements, so we had to think big for this!

    The basic idea was arrived at fairly easily; the lenticular mosaics would showcase the classic Toa in their 2001 Toa Mata forms and their 2015 Masters forms. We selected the four brightly colored Toa: Gali, Lewa, Pohatu, and Tahu. (Unfortunately, Kopaka and Onua didn’t make the cut with their blander color pallets.) I designed 8 mosaics with contrasting backgrounds, with some input from other members. Even with RLUG Support, we still spent over $1000, but we bought nearly all the available colors of cheese slopes available at the time.

    Black Six hosted some builds at his place, but we were still constructing these during BrickFair Virginia 2016! (I was lucky enough to attend that year and actually got to help build these, having spent months on the design process.) We got them completed just in time for the public event, and they’ve shown up to nearly every Lego Convention BZPower has been a part of ever since. There has been some discussion about dismantling them and making something new, but we’re not quite there yet!

    Overall, it was a probably the most ambitious project BioniLUG has done, but we rose to the occasion and got these ordered and pieced together! (And my design and parts inventory helped quite a bit too, if I do say so myself.) It was awesome to finally see these in person, and even more awesome watching the public’s reactions when they realized that the images were changing.

    Contributors: Too many people to count! We had a good number of BioniLUG members who provided the funding required to pay for the pieces, and then we had multiple members building the sections both before and during BrickFair Virginia 2016. And Black Six has continued to display them at various Lego conventions ever since.

     

    Onua Uniters Mosaic

    Displayed at: BZPower 2016 Convention MOC Circuit

    Size: 96x96

    a-onua-uniters.jpg_thumb.jpg*brickfair_2016_onua_uniters_mosaics.jpg_

    I wanted to complete a classic mosaic featuring the current (and ultimately final) line of Toa. We ended up selecting Onua, Uniter of Earth, with Terak, Creature of Earth, who had a significant purple presence. This has been the last big group mosaic we’ve put together.

    Contributors:

    Xccj

    Black Six

    Danny316p

    Valendale

    Shilo

     

    Kurahk Mosaic

    Displayed at: BZPower 2016 Convention MOC Circuit

    Size: 64x64

    kurahk-04.jpg_thumb.jpg*kurahk-06.jpg_thumb.jpg

    Chocolate Frogs and I decided to continue making smaller Bionicle mosaics, and CF wanted to focus on one of the Rahkshi. We eventually landed on this menacing design of Kurahk, the Rahkshi of Anger, with a contrasting blue background.

    Contributors:

    Chocolate Frogs

    Xccj

     

    Thok Mosaic

    Displayed at: BZPower 2018 Convention MOC Circuit

    Size: 64x64

    piraka-thok-03_a.jpg_thumb.jpg*piraka-thok-03_c.jpg_thumb.jpg

    After a year’s break, Chocolate Frogs and I tackled another classic white Bionicle character. This time we chose an image of the Piraka, Thok, with a striking red background.

    Contributors:

    Chocolate Frogs

    Xccj

     

    Slizer Ski Mosaic

    Displayed at: BricksCascade 2019 and BrickFair VA 2019

    Size: 64x64

    slizer-ski.jpg_thumb.jpg *48835024957_2d81ae2a71_q.jpg

    Chocolate Frogs wanted to switch themes but stick with a ice character, so instead we made a mosaic of the Slizer Ice / Throwbot Ski, based on one of the disc artwork designs.

    Contributors:

    Chocolate Frogs

    Xccj


    Takanuva Toa of Light 20th Anniversary Mosaic

    Displayed at: BrickFair VA 2021, BricksCascade 2022

    Size: 96x128

    takanuva09.png_thumb.jpg*52593620950_a5a6b12dfa_q.jpg

    It's been a while since we last had a big group mosaic, but BioniLUG came together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Bionicle with this Takanuva mosaic.  It also features lights behind the eyes, which is a first.

    Contributors:

    Allan O'Mara

    Black Six

    Chocolate Frogs

    Danny316p

    donutsftw

    Grayson

    Kanakalackin

    Ⲙⲁⲕⲩⲧⲁ Ⲗⲩⲣⲟⲕⲁ

    Xccj

     

    Gahlok Mosaic

    Displayed at: BrickFair VA 2022

    Size: 64x64

    gahlok03.jpg_thumb.jpg*52593971477_c9c1b7aebd_q.jpg

    To celebrate the 20 year anniversary of the Bohrok, we created a last minute Gahlok mosaic, complete with new DOTs style lettering.

    Contributors:

    Danny316p

    Xccj

     

    *Names have changed since then, but this is what I had listed in my blog entries.

  5. Any coffee aficionados here? Lately I've been drinking coffee in lieu of energy drinks, and I'm looking for different types to try. I'm not really into anything bitter, but I'm also trying not to use too much creamer or anything lol.

    Also, sometimes my dog rolls onto his back while he's laying in his bed, and I got this hilarious picture

    BBWkoXs.jpeg

    He just sat like that for about thirty seconds lol. He's whacked out

    Can you believe tomorrow is March?? Goodbye winter avatars and banners... ;-;

  6. :kaukau: Holy cow.  I really, really with that this guy's designs were sets that I could just buy.  They are BEAUTIFUL.  I especially like how consistent the colors are.

     

    24601

  7. Hey! Long time no blog.

     

    After a short hiatus, my BrickLink store is back open!

     

    Mention BZPower and get 10% off!

     

    More stock coming next week!

     

    -CF :kakama:

  8. So, I bought Pokemon Sword.  Due to having some open time in my schedule and the game ultimately being a bit short, I’ve already beaten the main story and the postgame episode.  I actually had a lot of fun.  The game may be riddled with problems, not the least of which being the cut of National Dex, but what it gets right it gets so right—heck, some of what it gets wrong manages to feel right, which appeals to my shounen battle anime heart.  I’m not here to spoil, just want to say I’d recommend giving SwSh a try if you’re on the fence.  Also, while I may not have Switch Online or an SD card to transfer screen shots, I fell in love with League Card customization and desperately wanted to share mine in some capacity, so:

    image

    image

    Pupil of Gym Leader Bea and new Champion of the Galar Region, Liam! (You can’t see it but I’m wearing the Champion shirt, plus my hair looks much cooler in-game I dunno why it looks weird here.)

    Team:

    -Spike the Coalossal

    -Steg the Rillaboom

    -Murun the Runerigus

    -Beat the Corviknight

    -The Smogington Brothers the Galarian Weezing (character limit made it Smogingtons but)

    -Zacian (in the post-game…)

    Between this and my recent replays I think I want to revise my old region ranking.  Stay tuned for that!

  9. Ta-metru_defender
    Latest Entry

    Well, after a brief Invision Board-based hiatus, we're back!

    Did you like that video review of Tahu and Takua? I haven't done one in a while and it was fun to dive back in, especially since, over the past year, I've moved to doing video post-production full time. I was freelancing for around a year at a couple of documentary houses until last month when I started as a staff Assistant Editor a trailer house. If you saw the trailer for Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny, that was us. I had nothing to do with that Indy trailer, but I did see a TV Spot I helped out with on TV on New Year's Eve, so that was pretty dope. There are a lot of projects in the pipe that I can't talk about (I'm NDA'd within an inch of my life) but it's super cool to, y'know, be doing this professionally.

    Part of the fun of the gig is getting to see how those trailers are made and see all the ways the Editors make them work. And then learn from them and use them when cutting something else.

    Like a video review for a Bionicle site.

    bioreviewsequence

    I put more effort into this than the other reviews I did, part because it's Bionicle and part because, well, I wanted to take stuff I've learnt out on a semi-dry run. There was an AfterEffects project too to enhance the glow in the opening too, plus some foley and externally-recorded sound. Then some funky sound design too 'cuz this stuff is fun.

    Because hey, I am a proper professional.

     

     

  10. Decided to flip the order of the serials, so just finished part 3 of PTB (yes, you actually don't have to wait six weeks for the next chapter -- I know you're shocked :) ) In this episode:

     

    * We meet the "Who Am I?" winner

    * We answer the age-old question, "What happens when Nynrah Ghosts have too much time on their hands?"

    * We go inside the red star for the first time, and while we don't come out knowing just what the heck is going on there yet, it sure SOUNDS disturbing

    * We get the return of some folks that neither you nor I EVER thought we would see EVER again (and special thanks to Biosector01.com for refreshing my memory about them) (and no, it's not the Makuta, relax :) )

     

    And in chapter 4: More red star, somebody hits the right switch and regrets it ... or is the wrong switch?, and there are some people who get very frustrated by long lines ... murderously frustrated, in fact. Oh, and what does all this have to do with the murders of Karzahni and Tren Krom? And will Kopaka and Pohatu get the chance to find out?

     

  11. I'm looking for some help from one of you creative types out there. I would like some overlay images we can use during BZPower's streams, both for builds and games, to help share info for people who tune in part-way through and give them more of a BZPower-feel.

     

    For a visual style, I'm thinking something like the overlays we use for our YouTube thumbnails, with the angled line and the gears, but obviously smaller so it takes up less space. Maybe one in the bottom left and one in the top right. One would have generic BZPower info, the site name, URL, and social media names and icons. The other would be mostly empty to be customized for each stream. For sets it would have the set name, piece count, and price. For games it would have the game name. An overlay with directions for the giveaways we do might be a good idea too.

     

    Resolution should be 1920x1080 minimum and the file format should be something I can easily edit in GIMP to add the required text, so XCF or PSD probably.

     

    I am ready to be wowed. :)

  12. GUESS WHO PUNCHED IT IN THE DING-DANG-DOODLY NOSE

     

    ME BAYBEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

  13. Hey, all! I'm still alive and kicking! I hope you are all doing well as I know it's been a long time since my last visit.

    Life has been uh... or I guess continued to be crazy? But things are mostly pretty good right now, there is still a lot that could be better but I'm still here and trying to move forward. My last entry was 2019... so a lot has happened. I'm back in my house thankfully. It's not perfect but it's livable so that's a good thing. Housing was questionable for awhile from hotel to RV to another rental. I'm a manager at a pharmacy so that's unexpected and I guess interesting. On April 4, 2021 my father passed away so that's been tough especially as we just passed the two year anniversary of that so Tuesday was a hard day. But I met more new friends and people I care about and twoish weeks ago we hung out for the first time and that was some fun that I found was sorely needed as I haven't done something like that in a long time.

    There have been ups and downs as that's life.

    Lately though I've been streaming on Twitch! I've recently become a Twitch Affiliate and early in the year streamed some Lego Building.

    And on Saturday I am going to be building a few sets on stream at 1pm ET!

    We're building:

    40581 BIONICLE Tahu and Taku
    40516 Everyone is Awesome
    ... And a couple more but one of them is unofficial... but for Bionicle fans of 2004 should be very familiar.

    There is a whole tweet that announces it and hints at it right here.

    I also plan to giveaway a few small sets I have during the stream. (It's nothing too huge but it's still free Lego.)

    I also stream video games with a lot of friends. So if you like that kind of thing feel free to check it out.

    If you feel like joining the Lego stream will be at 1pm over on my Twitch channel!

    And I'll try not to be a stranger.

  14. Bundalings
    Latest Entry

    I just found it in Alpha Sapphire! I wasn't even looking because that would be insane. Did they change the encounter system for Feebas from the original game?

     

    Edit: Looks like they did. There's now a 5% chance of encountering Feebas on any tile. Carry on, then!

  15. Ektris
    Latest Entry

    I sometimes really miss this community. And others I used to be involved in as part of the larger BIONICLE/LEGO fandom.

     

    So I occasionally peak in, see how things are going... Generally without comment, and usually leaving a little more saddened by not feeling connected to it anymore and that things in general are really rather... quiet. Which I suppose makes sense when the focal point and passion of the fandom is dead again.

     

    But man, what passion... I dedicated so much of my formative years to this, as did so many others. They're great memories. And I am glad to see some still chugging away at it and newer folks still somehow discovering it.

     

    I'm not sure what made this visit different. Anywhere I'm present online now, I more often than not just lurk and not contribute. Quite the contrast to how I used to be. Just don't have the time and energy to. So a mix of nostalgia, boredom, sorrow, and maybe a touch of hope. Reflecting a lot, I suppose. I know it's not going to change anything and I'm not really back - not even sure I'll respond to anything here. I just really, really wanted to say...

     

    Hi.

     

    And I miss you all.

     

    Those who will read this and those who have long since moved on before I did.

     

    And thank you for all those memories.

     

    ~|ET|~

  16. Monday, January 9, 2012

     

    Hello friends.

     

    It certainly has been a long time. I see now that I managed to go through all of 2011 without making a single post - anywhere on this website! The downtime throughout the entire summer probably did not help any. Now it looks like the Official Greg Topic, has just... stopped. And from reading the home page these days you would hardly know that this is a BIONICLE website.

     

    Anyway, even though this is a very busy period of time, I think it is important to take some time to wrap up an old tradition. So just in case you feel like you never got a proper conclusion to the Farshtey Feed, and even though this should be considered way out of date, I give you its last entry ever, corresponding to p328-334; 1-5. Enjoy. =)

     

    LIFE ON SPHERUS MAGNA

    • It has been a month or so in the story since the defeat of Teridax. [source] [source]

    • There are many species from the Matoran Universe in the new Matoran/Agori settlement on Spherus Magna, but there are far more Matoran than anyone else from the Matoran Universe. [source]

    • In the aftermath of the battle between Mata Nui and Makuta on Bara Magna, there are probably a little over 40 Toa left. [source]

    • Kualus and Nuju are not able to speak to the birds native to Spherus Magna in the way they can communicate with bird Rahi from the Matoran universe, because the languages are completely different. The biomechanical birds from the MU speak a variant of programming language, like the other languages in the Matoran universe. [source] [source]

    • The Order of Mata Nui will stay together. [source]

    [source]

    • Lightstones no longer work now that the Matoran Universe is destroyed. The Matoran did not bring any of them to Spherus Magna. [source]

    • The Makuta stone from the Amaja Circle tales was brought from Metru Nui to Spherus Magna. The Makoki Stone and other items of value would also have been taken when the Matoran migrated from Mata Nui to Metru Nui, etc. [source]

    • The Matoran did not bring heatstones to Spherus Magna. [source]

    • The Matoran military groups from Mata Nui/Metru Nui have not been disbanded since Makuta's fall. [source]

    • The Matoran will probably continue their sports and games on Spherus Magna when they have the time. [source]

    • Old enemies such as the Dark Hunters and Barraki will doubtfully be welcomed in to the new society. [source]

    • Now that the Matoran Universe and prototype robots have broken down, they will be used to build shelters on Spherus Magna. [source]

    • Some beings are holding out from evacuating the Matoran universe, primarily those who can survive without heat or light. [source]

    • The Order of Mata Nui will certainly try to establish a new version of the Pit, in collaboration with the Agori. Greg supposes that guarding the new Pit would be a shared responsibility between Glatorian and the Maxilos robots. Hydraxon's role is unclear, but he may be used as more of a bounty hunter. [source]

     

    CHARACTER STATUSES

    • Takanuva still has yet to fulfill his true destiny. Greg knows what this destiny is, and whether or not it will ever be revealed depends on whether it becomes important to story. [source] [source]

    • Takanuva and the Toa Mahri should be considered veteran Toa by now. [source]

    • Tahu is adjusting rapidly to his newfound Rahkshi powers. [source]

    • After the fall of Roxtus, Branar met up with one of the fragments of the Rock Tribe. [source]

    • The following characters/creatures have made it out of the Matoran universe and are on Spherus Magna: Voporak, the Rahi Nui, the Kardas Dragon, Tahtorak, the Kanohi Dragon, and Umbra. It is unknown whether Varian has made it. Tren Krom was freed from his island and allowed to escape, but it is unknown who. [source] [source] [source] [source] [source] [source] [source]

     

    STORY SERIALS

    • Greg, on the outcome of "The Powers That Be": "Best answer is to look at the title -- it's about power. BUT -- I will give you a clue -- in the end this story is not going to be about death and murder ... the story is about to take a BIG turn." [source]

    • Greg strongly hints that the Red Star is "causing trouble." [source]

    • According to Greg, the reason why Toa and Glatorian characters have been the ones seen settling problems between the Matoran and Agori instead of the Turaga and village elders is because the village leaders are busy trying to set up a social structure for their new society, and are leaving the handling of internal disputes to the respected heroes. [source]

    • Metus transformed back into an Agori because what Mata Nui did to him wore off. [source]

    • The gold-skinned fusion creature knew so much about Annona because it is telepathic. [source]

    • Annona was referring to Zaktan when he mentioned the "one thought dead." [source]

    • The elemental power inhibitor which Kabrua is using only works on Toa. [source]

    • Mavrah really is who he appears to be in "The Powers That Be." [source]

     

    SISTERS OF THE SKRALL

    • All of the Sisters of the Skrall who went looking for Angonce fell under Annona's power, as seen in "Sahmad's Tale." [source]

    • Unlike the male Skrall, all female Skrall have personal names. [source] [source]

    • The female Skrall of Bota Magna are much like the ones on Bara Magna. They too have psionic powers and do not get along with the male Skrall in their region, having formed an enclave of their own. The Skrall of Bota Magna in general are just as militaristic as the ones on Bara Magna. [source] [source]

    • If female Skrall have a male child, they give it back to the males. [source]

     

    ANNONA

    • The name of the red, tentacled creature from "Sahmad's Tale" is spelled "Annona." [source]

    • Annona has always lived on Spherus Magna. [source]

    • Greg sees Annona as female. [source]

    • Annona looks like a ball of energy with tentacles. [source]

    • Annona remained in hiding for so long out of fear of the Great Beings. [source]

     

    KESTORA

    • The Kestora, the beings found living in the Red Star in "The Powers That Be," are of the same species as the black and purple creatures seen in "The Journey of Takanuva," when Takanuva was visiting a pocket dimension. [source] [source]

    • Kestora are biomechanical and are creations of the Great Beings. [source]

    • The Kestora are the same beings Gali Nuva saw living in the Red Star through the telescope. [source]

    • Kestora appear to wear masks and hold bladed weapons, and are a little smaller than Matoran or Agori. [source] [source]

    • Kestora do not live anywhere else in the main universe besides the Red Star. [source]

    • The reason why Kestora were found living in a pocket dimension is an unclear topic. Greg once stated that there is no reason to believe that the Great Beings are responsible for their presence there. According to him, the Great Beings did create all of the pocket dimensions tied to the Matoran Universe, but they did not put the Kestora in the pocket dimension Takanuva visited. In his words, "How exactly the GBs created these entities [is] not yet known. So what they may have done is gotten the ball rolling, but the actual creation took place over time in the two different places, which would then explain some of the behavioral differences between the two groups. The ones in the City of Silver seem to be warriors; the ones on the red star are not." When asked later why the Great Beings put Kestora in such a place, Greg replied with a conflicting answer, saying, "Because the Kestora were good for what they wanted done there." [source] [source] [source]

     

    GAARDUS

    • Gaardus, in addition to teleportation, has the power of flight, enhanced senses, and considerable strength. He also wears a functional Great Kanohi Hau, which is the mask he wore as a Matoran. [source] [source] [source]

    • Judging from the combiner model of Gaardus, he was originally a Ta-Matoran. [source]

    • The Nynrah Ghosts who experimented on Gaardus were rogues who had been exiled from Nynrah and forced to work elsewhere. [source]

    • Gaardus was mutated before the Barraki rebellion and before Phantom was mutated as well. [source] [source]

    • The Order of Mata Nui, Brotherhood of Makuta, and likely Artakha as well all knew about Gaardus. [source]

    • Gaardus likely had no knowledge of the Red Star before he went there himself the first time. [source]

     

    OTHER CHARACTERS

    • Toa Chiara wears the Mask of Stealth, which she also wore as a Matoran. [source] [source]

    • The gold-skinned fusion creature does not wear any armor. [source]

    • Marendar keys in on Toa power to find Toa. [source]

    • The Element Lords are physically one with their elements. They do not wear extra armor. [source] [source]

     

    CHARACTER AGES

    • Perditus is older than Gelu. [source]

    • Tarduk is older than Berix. [source]

    • Tuma is probably older than Stronius. [source]

    • Greg has estimated how old these characters would be considered to be in human years:

    Gresh: mid-20's [source]

    Ackar: late 40's [source]

    Raanu: early 60's [source]

    Tarix: early 40's [source]

    Kiina: mid-30's [source]

    Tuma: mid-40's [source]

     

    STORY DETAILS

    • Orde, Zaria, and Chiara all fought in the battle against the Rahkshi during the final battle between Mata Nui and Teridax. [source]

    • In the serialized form of Journey's End, Makuta comments on Pohatu and Gali devastating half a legion of Rahkshi, whereas in the Bionicle comic book that covered that same scene, he comments on Pohatu and Gali devastating half a legion of Skakdi. Greg says that Skakdi were meant in both cases. [source]

    • Kyry is depicted differently in "All Our Sins Remembered" from his winning MOC contest entry because the artists were never aware of the contest or its results. [source]

    • The Order of Mata Nui destroyed most of the energized protodermis sources in the Matoran Universe with a counteragent. What's left is still inside the Matoran Universe. [source]

    • The Mistika Makuta's armor was the same color before they were mutated. [source]

    • Greg, explaining the different types of physical dimensions that exist in the story: "The main universe is the one in which the 2001-2009 story has taken place. It is the equivalent of Earth-616 in Marvel. We consider it to be the core reality for purposes of story. An alternate reality is another version of the core reality in which events unfolded differently. It is not linked to the core reality, it exists on its own. New alternate realities are formed whenever a decision is made in the core reality. A pocket dimension is a totally separate reality linked to the core reality. New ones are not constantly formed, and it need not have any relation at all to the core reality." [source]

    • Greg imagines that there were still problem Rahi with infected Kanohi on Mata Nui as late as the start of the 2003 story. [source]

    • Greg, on how Tahnok-Kal was able to retain its memories after its Krana was stolen in Comic 11: "Well, it would be fairly impractical if everytime a Bohrok changed its krana, it lost all its memories, etc. My guess would be there has to be some mental link between krana to insure things like that don't happen." [source]

     

    THE GREAT BEINGS

    • The Iron Wolves and biomechanical dinosaurs created by the Great Beings were modifications of existing creatures. [source]

    • Greg, on why Angonce chose to stay on Spherus Magna: "I personally feel it is because he felt more of an attachment to the Agori than some of the others did. Keep in mind, though, that there is no evidence the other GBs actually left the planet, just that they disappeared. No one knows where they went." [source]

    • Greg, on how the Great Beings built the prototype robot: "[T]hey did not build it with their own hands. There aren't that many GBs, it would have taken them ages to build something that big by hand. They mostly used construction robots and a few Agori." [source]

    • The prototype robot was not built with a machine analogous to the Red Star, since it was not designed to leave the planet. [source]

    • The Great Beings already knew how to repair Spherus Magna when they created Mata Nui, but for geological reasons the repair of the planet could not be safely done until 100,000 years had passed. Therefore they did not implement an immediate solution and programmed the task into Mata Nui to be completed after his journey through space. [source] [source]

    • Marendar and the elemental power inhibitor were developed more or less at the same time, but by different Great Beings. [source]

    • The Great Beings did not stay in contact with the Kestora inside the Red Star; otherwise, they would have known that Mata Nui crashed. [source]

    • The Matoran universe inhabitant who is a Great Being in disguise is not being controlled remotely. The Great Being put his consciousness into one of the Matoran universe beings at the time of its creation, so he was never who he appeared to be. This Great Being is confirmed to be male. [source] [source]

    • Greg, on whether the disguised Great Being's intentions are evil: "Who defines evil? All we know is that whatever he is planning to do, Orde objects to it and wants it stopped. But to the GB, it might not be 'evil' at all." [source]

    • Even though the disguised Great Being would have left his old body on Spherus Magna for the others to find after he transferred his consciousness, the other Great Beings could have done nothing to stop him if they did not know where he had gone, and they had no access to the Matoran universe once it was launched anyway. [source]

    • The disguised Great Being is not using his real name. [source]

    • A Great Being would not be able to transfer his consciousness to a non-biomechanical being like a Glatorian or Agori. [source]

    • The Great Being who was cursed by the Mask of Life affects everything within a certain range of himself, and the effects only last while those things are in range. It would be possible for the Mask of Life to lift the curse or revert affected objects. [source]

     

    MATORAN UNIVERSE HISTORY

    • It was not possible to travel between the Red Star and the Matoran Universe when they were docked together. [source]

    • The various forms of protodermis in the Matoran Universe were created artificially. [source]

    • Greg, on Tren Krom's original function: "He ran the universe - basically, he acted as the operating system for the machine until Mata Nui's AI came online. [... T]he MU was not turned on yet at that point, so he did not need to be wired into it to run it. Which is why once it was turned on, he wasn't able to do it anymore. All he had to be able to do was basically oversee the living things in the MU, and being telepathic, that was easy for him to do." [source]

    • Greg, on what Shadow Stealer did to protect the Matoran universe in the days before the first Toa: "There are always menaces -- remember, there was a giant robot being built in an area where there was wildlife and the robot was not sealed yet, so someone had to be defending the construction site from the inside." [source]

    • In the case that a planet did not have any large bodies of water, Mata Nui would have had to observe it from space. [source]

    • The Great Beings created the pocket dimensions tied to the Matoran universe, although we have not yet seen one which really served an important purpose. [source]

    • The lake of energized protodermis where Keetongu and Helryx encountered the Energized Protodermis Entity has existed in the Matoran Universe since 100,000 years ago. [source]

    • Lesovikk's mad Turaga, the one who sent all of his Matoran to Karzahni while Lesovikk's team was fighting Zyglak, went crazy all on his own; no external power caused him to go insane. [source]

    • During the Time Slip, the Order of Mata Nui did not hide more than one Av-Matoran in any one location, in order that they be spread out. [source]

    • The Great Beings did not create any male Ce-Matoran before deciding they should all be female. [source]

    • The Energy Hound species of Rahi was created by the Hand of Artakha. [source]

    • The Toa Mata were in training around the time when Mata Nui was being activated for the first time, and they were not even the first Toa team in existence. Even so, the Matoran Universe was constructed in a matter of months at the most. [source]

    • Protodites are biomechanical. [source]

    • Greg says that it is likely that all the Makuta had a Toa Hagah team at some point. Toa Hagah generally followed their Makuta wherever they went. It is likely that the Makuta employed Toa of Magnetism and Iron, given that they wanted Toa with those elements to be where they could keep an eye on them. [source]

    • Greg's opinion is that the fact that Life, Time, and Creation have legendary masks implies that these powers are considered beyond standard elements. [source]

    • According to Greg's belief, all the Nynrah Ghosts are Fe-Matoran. Therefore, Phantom was originally a Fe-Matoran, since he was a Nynrah Ghost. [source] [source]

    • When Av-Matoran become Bohrok, their consciousness does fade away, and they effectively die. From their point of view, it is a natural part of the cycle of life, and not something they fear. [source]

    • The primary color for the Iron element is metallic gray, like Zaria. Iron may also have other colors such as gold, bronze, and gray. [source]

    • Greg, on whether Matoran-language names are actually pronounced like they are spelled: "MU inhabitants speak programming language, so it may not sound anything at all like what our language sounds like. If I recall, one of the early online animations had them speaking in this very high-pitched way that sounded pretty much like programming noise." [source]

    • The inhabitants of the Matoran universe have mechanical eyes. [source]

    • Matoran of Plasma probably prefer hot climates like Matoran of Fire. [source]

    • Fe-Matoran would settle in environments near where metal can be mined. [source]

    • Matoran of plant life like to live in forests or jungles. [source]

     

    SPHERUS MAGNA HISTORY

    • According to Greg, the Energized Protodermis Entity is not as old as the Great Beings, since it did not achieve sentience that early. [source]

    • Vorox have always been aggressive, even before devolving into beasts. [source]

    • Like the Vorox on Bota Magna, the Zesk there did not regress into savagery either. [source]

    • The terms "Vorox" and "Zesk" are demonyms for members of the Sand Tribe rather than the names of species.

    • The Vorox and Zesk's tails are probably biomechanical. [source]

    • The Element Lord of Rock was not a supreme leader of the Skrall tribe before becoming an Element Lord. Basically, the Skrall were broken up into legions, and each legion had a leader. To Greg's knowledge, there was no overall supreme leader. [source]

    • Greg, on the whereabouts of Gresh's parents: "No idea. Probably still out there somewhere. Eventually, you do leave your parents and go out and make your own life, and that is what Gresh did." It is "not impossible" that they fought in the Core War. [source] [source]

    • A very popular delicacy among Glatorian is a particular species of hawk, for the reason that it is so hard to catch. It lives on mountain peaks. [source] [source]

    [source]

    • Aqua Magna may have had sand bars for seabirds to rest on in the time before Spherus Magna was reformed. [source]

     

    POWERS AND ABILITIES

    • Kanohi Nuva powers can be shared with the inhabitants of Spherus Magna. [source] [source]

    • The Kanohi Rau only works with languages of the Matoran universe. The Rau would be able to decipher codes as well, since codes are basically languages. [source]

    • Toa and Glatorian can channel their elemental powers through any of each other's tools; they are not limited to work with only one element. [source]

    • In terms of elemental power, the following rank from strongest to weakest: Makuta, Toa Nuva, Toa Hordika/Toa Inika/Takanuva, Glatorian. Toa Hordika have the same level of elemental power as normal Toa but less mental capacity to use it. [source]

    • Toa Tuyet is much more powerful than a Toa Nuva, but Greg argues that she is not as powerful as an Element Lord, since an Element Lord essentially is one with the element it controls, whereas Tuyet merely wields it. She has more raw elemental energy than a Makuta, but a Makuta has more willpower and mental discipline to be able to use its power more efficiently. [source] [source]

    • Tahu, with his new Kraata powers, is more powerful than Toa Tuyet with her Nui Stone. [source]

    • A normal Toa would not be able to use a Toa Kaita mask. [source]

    • When used above water, Lesovikk's sea sled does not fly, but hovers above the ground. [source]

    • Krahka would be able to change herself to look mostly like a Glatorian or an Agori but would not be able to make herself mostly organic like on of them. She would be a biomechanical version of one and not terribly convincing to anyone who really knew what one was like. [source]

    • The Shadowed One is not able to use Kanohi. [source]

    • A Mask of Rahi Control would not work on Spherus Magna wildlife. [source]

    • Takutanuva, like Makuta, had the ability to shapeshift. [source]

    • A user of the Mask of Intangibility avoids falling through the ground by willpower. [source]

    • It is known that Av-Matoran can access special powers when in contact with a Toa or Makuta. These same powers would be available to them upon becoming a Toa. Takanuva never found out what his Av-Matoran power was as Takua, so he cannot access it. [source]

    • The Kanohi Hau cannot block unseen attacks, so it would not be effective for blocking attacks from an invisible opponent. [source]

    • Makuta can only use one Rahkshi power at a time. The particular strength of these powers in comparison to a Kraata depends on the willpower of the individual Makuta. [source]

    • The quick healing Rahkshi power only affects organic components, not armor. [source]

    • Rahkshi powers like fire resistance need to be consciously activated. [source]

  17. almost 16 years since I joined this site as a kid. it was a major part of my life for so long. to say that my time and the people I met here was instrumental to my development would be an understatement.

    so many friendships came and went, even a relationship started and ended here, and the drama - so much drama. all the arguments, bullying right-wing bigots, carving out an identity and (infamous) reputation through so many different phases and identity crises. Laughin'Man, Scythey, Ryuujin, Serein, Heck - I changed so much from the time I started here till I faded away that it feels like I was five different people, and there's a little bit of every one that's made me who I am today.

    shout out to the 3 people who might see this and think, "hey, I remember him". and to the handful of people who joined after I left who are reading this and thinking "who's this weird old guy?" just remember when you're pushing 30 the people, places, and things that got you there.

  18. So around this time of year I hear a lot of scrooges trying to dampen the holiday mood by saying something along the lines of "You know, people commit suicide more often around Christmas. It's a shame how people get so stressed out over gifts that they end their lives."

     

    Well, no more! Because that is 100% false!

     

    I'm bringing this up right now because I've heard this four or five times in the last three days, and it annoys me incredibly. I don't even celebrate Christmas and I love the holiday season because of how cheery people get, and how they seem to be more generous, so people trying to dampen things by spreading misinformation about people dying gets under my skin. So please, next time someone tries to rain on the parade with that line, present the facts.

     

    A bit of a heavy topic for BZP, but I think that saying "Hey, people aren't killing themselves in droves, things aren't as bad as you might think they are!" is an acceptable reason to delve into a heavy topic.

  19. Trijhak
    Latest Entry

    When I was young I was very paranoid about a lot of things. In some ways I still am. 

    I used to imagine myself putting on a protective piece of headgear to... prevent people from reading my thoughts... at school. If I didn't I would be so afraid that people could read my thoughts. I don't know why I thought this other than just basic paranoia. Probably should have just tried to relax, which is difficult sometimes and is still now.

    Similarly, I used to stare into nothingness, and when I made sure nobody else was around, I would talk into this nothingness as if the world was a television show. I don't know why I did this. Still, it's something I just thought about for the first time in a long, long while. It would be nice, maybe, if we would stop being tools of humour in a televised sitcom. Hmm, maybe not, maybe one should be careful about what they want and wish. 

    This year hasn't been great, has it? It's like we all fell down some stairs and we keep falling down the next step hoping we regain ourselves but we seem unable to for some reason. I hope, therefore, that we right ourselves. Metaphorically, I fell down some stairs and managed to right myself very recently. 

    Of course I think I probably might have messed something up or a few. Threw myself out of the BZP Realms Discord after being there for quite a while in a rude manner. I'm sorry about that, for all those that applies to (a fair number of people if I recall). 

    Well, here's hoping things go better from now on. 

  20. Sumiki
    Latest Entry

    My grandmother died this morning at the age of 77.

     

    Words can’t even begin to describe the misery she went through in the past several years of her life. Her immense medical record was just about as long as the list of doctors who were mortified at the prospect of having to navigate the murky medical waters of a woman who, by all rights, should have been dead five times over. Between her assisted living facility, the various wards of the hospital, and rehab facilities spanning across several counties, she was a threat to sap the combined medical resources of the greater Charlotte area. 77 is not an old age, but aside from her thinning, yet stubbornly black hair, her body might as well have been 97.

     

    I don’t know, at this point, what finally did her in, but I can venture a guess that it’s something to do with the all-too-uncommon perils of someone with her comorbidities: her stage 2 kidney failure prevented her from taking the full dose of diuretics necessary to get the inevitable fluid buildup away from her heart and lungs, while her stage 3/borderline stage 4 heart failure had a hard time keeping up with the volume overload. People in her condition walk a thinner and thinner tightrope until they (or their loved ones) are forced into choosing death by kidney failure or death by heart failure.

     

    It was getting to a point where we would have been forced into making a difficult decision on her behalf. While she never suffered from any sort of neurological conditions (other than lifelong anxiety and depression), she was so tired—especially in the final months—that she could barely lift up her head, and her generally high creatinine levels (a byproduct of kidney failure) led to many a moment when the vivid imagination of her dreams got to her in her few remaining waking hours. She would have been in no condition to weigh the awful choice which was coming her way; a nursing home would have been the next step, and that process would have been an unimaginable emotional anguish for everyone involved.

     

    Her passing, while undeniably sad, is a weight lifted. Her condition would have killed a lesser person, and her life is a testament to a strength of willpower so strong that the rest of us would do well for ourselves in life if we had the tiniest fraction of hers.

     

    You often hear about deaths like this being sad, but not too sad, because they’re “expected.” As cliché as that might be, I can attest to its accuracy, having seen her on her deathbed on multiple occasions within the past several years. It was hard on those occasions because we grieved her passing and got through the emotions associated with such a loss, only for her to pull out and get through another two years.

     

    Even towards the end, she had good days, good weeks, and even good months. She found as much joy as possible in the little pleasures and comforts still available to her—watching the livestream of my graduation, hosting her bridge club for the final time—up through May. When it became clear that her body wouldn’t get back to the quality of life she once enjoyed, it shut down for good; that fight to get to the next goal, the next thing-she-was-looking-forward-to, just wasn’t there this time.

     

    If there’s anyone who taught me perseverance in the face of adversity, it’s her, and I hope that I can follow her example for the rest of my life.

  21. Kaleidoscope Tekulo
    Latest Entry

    I think I've been on this site for almost seventeen years.  In that time I've made a terrible comic series, had some fun in General Art, added a handful of unfinished stories to the library and made a few friends and acquaintances along the way.   If any of you here want to keep in contact, my twitter handle is attached to my profile.  It's goofy and weird and a bit of a mess, just like my time on this site.                           

     

    The more time has passed, the more I recognize that the only thing keeping me coming back to this site is my blog.  And really all I've used it for lately is to complain about life's frustrations.  

     

    I'm tired of being someone who only complains.  I know my content used to be goofy and silly and full of...  well, more than what it is now.  

     

    I've been lucky during my time here.  I can't say I've been a victim of any sort of prejudice or attacks.  But due to more recent statements, it appears I was ignorant to the other members that had been victims of such actions.  

     

    I also feel I haven't always been the most supportive member of the LGBT+ community on here to my fellow LGBT+ peers.  I feel I remained silent when I should have spoken out.  I feel I was inconsiderate during one or more occasions.  If I ever caused any grief, I apologize.  Being gay myself is no excuse for instances of lashing out due to internalized homophobia.

     

    This website held a lot of personal milestones for me.  When I was nervous about coming out to my family, I sought advice from an openly gay staff member of the site.  I came out publicly here before I did to the rest of my family and friends and was mostly met with support.  That meant the world to me.  I like to think the person I am today was molded in part by the experiences I've had on this site.

     

    However, it would appear bzpower is no longer a place where I feel comfortable or safe.  And so I shall be logging off.  I hope one day things will be better and I can feel comfortable logging back in again.  But I kinda doubt that will happen.

     

    So, for what is perhaps the final time...

    GET OFF MY LAWN!

    ~Tekulo <3

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