KYM Jacob

Kuhon Shaden got around to photographing Conjurer before I did (and fixed something that was incorrect with the way I did it. They have also done instructions for many of the contest weapons. Dark Hunter Conjurer https://www.flickr.com/photos/143319199@N03/albums/72157697382130974 Energy Extraction Rifle https://www.flickr.com/photos/143319199@N03/albums/72157696179070731 Vortixx Rhotuka Battle Axe https://www.flickr.com/photos/143319199@N03/albums/72157667971215537 Aqua Blaster Blade Instructions https://www.flickr.com/photos/143319199@N03/albums/72157670009347808 They also made instructions for Dark Hunter Kraata-Kal, though there does appear to be one minor difference in the instructions (step 31) from the model photos noted in the comments. https://www.flickr.com/photos/143319199@N03/albums/72157692255396410

@Downfall: There were never official instructions made of any of the playset alternate models save for the Caravan Crawler. I have not seen any fan instructions. @yoshiedude I've seen some people try to build it in the Beaverhouse discord but I've not seen explicit instructions for it (though I've also not looked just for that). The people who did build as close of an approximation to it said that it was not very structurally sound. I've been working on trying to build it myself but it's a little difficult as there are some empty gaps that are impossible on a real model.

@Downfall: There were never official instructions made. I have not seen any fan instructions. @yoshiedude I've seen some people try to build it in the Beaverhouse discord but I've not seen explicit instructions for it (though I've also not looked just for that). The people who did build as close of an approximation to it said that it was not very structurally sound.

So I've actually gotten some parts to try and do this (still need a few more). However, as near as I can tell, some of the build methods are a little further past illegal than I would like. The back legs use the technic ball joint (32474) with the silver Bionicle Toa Pohatu Lower Arm Section (60917). However, the way the arm is molded, the ball cannot really stay in this position without either stressing part of the arm a significant bit or without stressing the rod that holds the ball im place, and losing it's clutch power to the ball. You could cut that part off the arm, as it is hidden, though I'm not willing to do that quite yet with my parts. Alternatively, you could increase the rod length that holds the ball so it's further up the leg and not conflicting with this, but then is starts to mess up with the way the double Y joint sits in the leg. The next issue is with the shoulders. Because of the way the two Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular Double Split (41678) parts are attached to the Technic, Liftarm 1 x 7 Bent (4 - 4) Thick (32348) they will inherently create a large amount of stress on the liftarm, as they overlap in their occupational space with each other. This amount of stress makes me fear that it will cause at least one of the parts to break. The only real way I can see to fix this would be to break the center most rod holsters of each of the Axel and pin connectors (41678) so they nolonger have overlap. Because of both of these issues, I've shelved trying to build this one at the moment. Maybe someone knows of some newer technic parts that could be substituted to still have the same "feel" of the build while not having to cut any parts or having to stress the elements to an extreme degree. I would love to build it, even if modifications are needed so it doesn't break. ___________________________ Also I found that Flickr user Vahki6 has also made instructions for Lurker, the Hordika Dragons and the Proto Drake. Dark Hunter Lurker https://www.flickr.com/photos/143319199@N03/albums/72157694074146325 Dark Hunter Hordika Dragon https://www.flickr.com/photos/143319199@N03/albums/72157694990478215 Rahi Guide Proto Drake https://www.flickr.com/photos/143319199@N03/albums/72157666299975218

Brain Attack The best year IMO was the Breakout wave. Many new colors and parts, unique builds, all the villains and heroes felt very distinct. The only problems I had with that wave was that I felt the original 2.0 core holder on the torso looked a lot better than just a white core IMO (however this was extremely easy to fix with the previous years sets) and that it got rid of the hope that I've been holding onto that they would continue with the fire wave idea of having more customization to the masks/helmets (which I know is controversial for some, but I was really hoping since the Toa Marhi LEGO would actually give us a better way to have these masks/helmets change so "same face" could be avoided). Otherwise, there were no real issues for this year for me and was nearly "perfect". Brain Attack took the great bright colors of the Breakout wave heroes, and basically did what Bionicle did to the Toa Mata in 2008. Most of the bright colors were replaced with silver and (gunmetal) gray with very sparse highlights of the original colors. While I did like that they tried to ingrate back in some customization with the Hero Headgear, it was not backwards compatible with either of the old heads. Some of the heroes were just completely gone. The villains were less creative than last wave. While I do like them better than the fire wave they did need to go through another round of designs. The colors often had large amounts of silver and gunmetal, despite the fact they were supposed to be creatures, instead of matching colors to what their primary and secondary color schemes were. The "gimmick" with them was that they were being controlled by brain bugs, and that they weren't really "bad guys" if you removed these. However, they seemed to have completely forgot about the part of making them work without the brain bugs. My least favorite set for the entire Hero Factory series, Jet Rocka was just a watered down version of a hero we already had instead of one we didn't, with a large jetpack that was not stable for them to wear and stand up. Everything from this year felt like they had just copied things from previous years but with a blander color scheme an a gimmick that didn't really make sense. While I don't love the last year of Hero Factory, it at least did something new that LEGO had not really done before, fully CCBS Mechs. While I would have preferred the Hero Factory minifigs to resemble, say, the original version of the heroes in minifigure form, instead of just bulky armor that does not resemble anything ccbs had to offer, it was still nice to get HF minifigs. It does still suffer from the color issues that Brain Attack had, though as it was underground beasts versus literal machines, it made more sense.

I saw that a few sets were on minor sale (though mostly just through the shelf labels as the minor sale items had mostly all been bought out). They looked as if they would have been on sale independent of TRU closing or not. I went to two TRU before reading this article. The only set I found at either of them at a fairly good deal was the Chirrut Imwe constraction figure for $10. Not my favorite for parts, but being more than 50% off was enough for me to pick up one. I am disappointed that it looks like nothing else will actually be discounted that much. Back when I first really started going to TRU for LEGO they had some really good deals (though in retrospect, this was in 2005 when both TRU and LEGO were not doing so well).

I really can't address the mask question, but as for the second bit: The only time we saw the spear of fusion work in reverse on a combined being was with the Piraka Fusion that the Spear created. While there was no "full checkup" to confirm the Piraka involved were 100% the same as they were before the fusion, what we did see of them did seem to show them being the same afterwards. Granted this was of a fused being that the spear itself created, so the rules might change with a Kaita. The other time we saw it used in reverse on Vezok, it created Vezon. While Vezok wasn't really "the same" after the incident, he still physically looked the same. Overall, while I think interesting concepts could be explored by having a Kaita split with the spear of fusion not and having the split being perfect, seeing as it was destroyed and it was never used this way to our knowledge, I think Pohaturon's guess is likely what Greg would say. It would likely just split them against their will into it's component Toa without too much permanent ill effect.

@Transparency for Effect There are multiple bats (granted they all have the same build, just with different colors) One of them in the files is "ibat" and considering they appear in Ko-Wahi I'm pretty sure these are meant to be Ice bats. As the Ice bats in Ko-Metru lack any sort of image, I think they are a good place holder. There is also a Red bat in Ta-Wahi and a Black bat in Onu-wahi. There is also a Turtle which has not ever appeared in any other media to my knowledge (data>characters>turt), a snake which is basically just the head and neck of a Muaka (data>characters>ssss), a creature that looks like a small Muaka but has an extending torso, not an extending neck (data>characters>swrat), a small fish with the ball gears as a propeller for a tail (data>characters>tf02) the "fang Ussual" (data>characters>crb1) which we already knew about, a small scorpion (data>characters>isrp) which we already knew about in Peabody Sam's image, and of course the Fikou-Nui. After that, all the other rahi have shown up in other media, most having official sets. Unfortunately I do not know how to get the colors to work correctly on the programs I use, so they just show up as a white mass. Was able to get one of the people to try and render the snake on The Beaverhouse discord. Feels a little strange with white eyes and black body with not other color change than the grey fangs, but it might be an alpha issue. I've not seen it in any game footage to prove otherwise. Slightly unrelated but the Technic, liftarm 1x2 thin did not exist until 2002. I believe the part holing the Fikou-Nui's eyes is more likely to be a Technic, liftarm 1X3 thin. The 3D game model also seems to support this, as there is a gap between the eyes and the roborider part the lift arm attaches too, which would not be present if a 1X2 liftarm was used.

As The Beaverstream was able to find a fix to get to Le-Koro, I made a page on the Le-Matoran there. Bizarrely, teal does not appear on and Le-Mataoran in the game, though this could just be an issue with it still being in alpha. It is possible that the one with Green Miru and Green feet was intended to be Kongu, though he talks more about his missing blue spider than about any birds.

If someone has made them, we are unaware of it. Should be noted that we are also only aware of one image of it (the official contest photo used in the guide) and it is unfortunately extremely small and obscures part of the model. The only person I've seen build a relatively close replica of it is the runner of the TahuNuva2 blog. However, many of his replicas have some obvious inaccuracies (example: some contest winner replicas use CCBS parts). Their Kanohi dragon contains a few obvious errors just looking at it: 1) It uses the Matoran Marhi blade, a part not made until three years after the contest. 2) The head uses an orange Gali claw as opposed to the correct Orange Onua claw. 3) It uses the Bright red Metruan torso from Turaga, which was not released until after the submissions for the contest were closed. 4) The forelegs are missing the red Gali claw on them. 5) The silver bohrok eyes used for teeth are absent, 6) Bizarrely, the kanohi for which the creature is named are also absent. There are likely numerous other issues with parts and colors. While their replica isn't bad, it is inaccurate to the original.

Any tips on viewing the models outside of trying to play the game itself? I've been trying to get better views of the Rahi, but as this is something that I've never done, I really have no idea on the best method of trying to get the models out.

Was going to wait to make new post after I made Conjurer instructions but with the Legend of Mata-Nui news, thought I should post. I really hope to see more pictures of Rahi from the game as well. Saw what looked to be Muaka cubs, or maye a lesser Muaka in Ko-Wahi. Was also able to grab a screenshot of a bat in Ta-Wahi that I might be able to build, but I'd like to see it from another angle to be sure. In other news unrelated to Rahi, we have new Matoran! And several of them are possible to build as well! I was only able to see The Beaverstream's stream (might be able to use an old computer to fire it up myself), but was still able to find quite a few new ones. Unfortunately, all the Onu-Matoran shown are purple masked, which means no new ones can be made through purist means. Also the stream did not find any Le-Matoran. Of those that the stream did find, I did a break down. Some "new" color combinations to note as well. Wonder if there are other secrets hidden away in the game.

I hope that means we can get some better information/ views at some of the rahi in the game. While I know many aren't official canon, they look like they might be able to be physically built if you could see them from a few more angles. I thought I saw something in the stream in the Ko-Wahi are that looked like it could pass for an ice bat (though I only got a glimpse of it). I'm pretty sure that they are not intended to be that, but as no canon image of ice bats exist, might be a good fan placeholder.

I thought that the reasoning behind most of the G1 Onu-based sets being shorter (at least when they weren't clones) was because they were frequently underground and in tunnels. The shorter you are, the less volume you need to displace to make a tunnel comfortable for you, as well as being easier to fit in tunnels that may not have been made specifically for someone your height. This may have been a thing that in universe was intended when the matoran universe was created. I also seem to recall (though since I don't remember the source, I would not take it as canon unless you can confirm elsewhere) that G1 Onua, even without the Paraki, was one of the strongest of the Toa Mata (can't recall if Pohatu was stronger, but If I had to bet, Pohatu had more leg strength with Onua had more upper body strength.) As for the first G2 Onua, his chest is clearly much larger than the others. I felt it was a good balance between showing that he was very strong (but able to do so better than G1 sets of the era would allow) but also not being as tall as the others, as to harken to the original set. For both, I agree with most everyone else in that he is powerful, but in terms of height would still be shorter than your average Non-Earth toa.

In looking for other things, I found that Flickr user kuhon shaden made instructions for several of the Bionicle contest winners. Some of them already have had instructions posted in the thread (indeed some like Krakua and Kyry had instructions made by their creators IIRC) but it's still a good find anyways. Of the ones that I don't think instructions have been posted for in the thread already (though I may have missed them) there is: Dark Hunter Mimic https://www.flickr.com/photos/143319199@N03/sets/72157688127784415 Dark Hunter Darkness https://www.flickr.com/photos/143319199@N03/sets/72157688127784425 Dark Hunter Silence https://www.flickr.com/photos/143319199@N03/sets/72157688277314451 Dark Hunter Shadow Stealer https://www.flickr.com/photos/143319199@N03/sets/72157682495075834 Dark Hunter Ravager https://www.flickr.com/photos/143319199@N03/sets/72157664530285348 Dark Hunter Savage https://www.flickr.com/photos/143319199@N03/sets/72157690642083931