New shells for the reboot

[l1ft0ff]

I don't mind the new sets using the bone-and-cladding system, but since a large part of the set's appearance lies in the cladding with this system, I would appreciate it if they designed new shells for the system.  the toa as-is look a little similar to hero factory because they use the exact same shells (not to disparage them- shoutout to tahu and kopaka, my definite favorites)  I just think it would feel so much more like bionicle if the sets had shell pieces to match the 'bionicle' aesthetic.

 

I mean, the current shells from HF are kind of geometric, angular in construction.  in my opinion it's not a perfect fit for bionicle.  Can't really fault the 2015 sets for sticking with the old style, as that would be way over budget, but wouldn't it be nice to see a new visual style to use for all the cladding pieces?

 

Now does that mean I'd like to see shells with all the pistons and details that came to define the old bionicle?  well, no.  first off, a lot of people grew tired of that complexity from my 5 or so years of lurking have told me.  second, I feel that would kind of overreach the purpose of the shells; leave that level of complexity the system's third layer, like the amazing new detail piece.  In the past I've seen artists reinterpret the bionicle style as more biological, and it worked.

 

So maybe a new set of more curved, 'biological' looking shells would fit later waves of the sets and make a compromise between the two styles: detail pieces with the whole pistons-and-machinery thing going on, adorning a smoother look inspired by some past fan art.  What do you guys think?

[Toa Chuck]

Indeed, it is a bit odd. The 2.0 wave of hero factory had quite a few unique shell pieces, but they have not made any new shells since then(Unless you count the 3.0 paw). The odd thing is, if you look at drilldozer, he has a unique chest armor that no other sets have used, along with an extra long shell only seen again on waspix. While new cladding is always welcome, shells both old and new would be appreciated.

[T.B.O.C]

Personally, I'm hoping Bionicle will do what HF did initially, the first wave was different but very similar to it's predecessor, but in the later years it changes. However, I think the CCBS system is good, but different shells and armor attachments would be super cool, and I don't doubt we'll see some new ones.

 

I also think recolors of all the masks would be cool too, you know like, ehem, mask packs, but that doesn't seem likely.  

[Aanchir]

If we get more shells, I'd rather they be different shapes than different textures. The smoothness of the CCBS is one of its greatest assets, I think. And if given the choice, I'd much rather stick with this smooth aesthetic than see the new BIONICLE sets devolve into aesthetic clutter.

 

By "different shapes" what I mean are things like how Shell C 6M is different than Shell A 6M. Just one example: A 3M shell that's symmetrical and can snap to the bottom of a torso beam to act as a codpiece would be pretty cool, and would open up new opportunities for giving a figure custom armor for their upper body without their lower body remaining bare. Plus, like any shell, it could also be used on a figure's arms, legs, etc. if you wanted a different look from a traditional 3M shell. Alternatively, a 4M shell similar to Shell C 6M could be an interesting and potentially useful design.

 

Obviously, shell detail pieces like this are fine for adding detail, because that's the point. And ideally, these tend to result in both unique shapes AND unique textures — that square shell detail results in a decidedly different look from the round shell detail introduced in the same year. But what I don't want is for the basic building blocks of the CCBS to disappear from BIONICLE sets in favor of more specialized designs with more limited versatility. Yes, I know that's what classic BIONICLE was like. New BIONICLE can do better.

 

Indeed, it is a bit odd. The 2.0 wave of hero factory had quite a few unique shell pieces, but they have not made any new shells since then(Unless you count the 3.0 paw). The odd thing is, if you look at drilldozer, he has a unique chest armor that no other sets have used, along with an extra long shell only seen again on waspix. While new cladding is always welcome, shells both old and new would be appreciated.

Part of the reason Drilldozer's chest armor hasn't been seen since then is probably that it was an extremely specialized design even when it was new. I have a bunch of them that I bought at Brickfair Virginia a few years ago, and while I've tried to use them in MOCs, it can be dreadfully difficult sometimes. That's often how it is with parts in general — how long they remain in use can depend on how much usefulness and versatility their designs had to begin with.

 

The 8M shells have been used more recently than Drilldozer or Waspix, but not in a constraction set. Perhaps we might still see it again in future BIONICLE sets. But it, too, can be difficult to use — most figures don't need shells that long for their arms and legs, and a figure that's big enough to need them might be better served by an 8x5 torso shell of some variety.

Edited November 18, 2014 by Aanchir

[Lyichir]

Nope. I would rather they continue to use the exact same shells that they have been using, which are incredibly versatile and already exist in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. The only "new" shells I want to see are ones that provide new connection points or shapes, and I'd want those to stick to the same aesthetic as the existing ones, which I prefer greatly to the classic Bionicle's overabundance of detail.

I also wouldn't mind seeing more shell detail parts like the new one with the pistons and accordion joint, which is fantastic for adding selective detail to a model without having to have the model as a whole look as busy as classic Bionicle sets.

[l1ft0ff]

If we get more shells, I'd rather they be different shapes than different textures. The smoothness of the CCBS is one of its greatest assets, I think. And if given the choice, I'd much rather stick with this smooth aesthetic than see the new BIONICLE sets devolve into aesthetic clutter.

 

By "different shapes" what I mean are things like how Shell C 6M is different than Shell A 6M. Just one example: A 3M shell that's symmetrical and can snap to the bottom of a torso beam to act as a codpiece would be pretty cool, and would open up new opportunities for giving a figure custom armor for their upper body without their lower body remaining bare. Plus, like any shell, it could also be used on a figure's arms, legs, etc. if you wanted a different look from a traditional 3M shell. Alternatively, a 4M shell similar to Shell C 6M could be an interesting and potentially useful design.

 

Obviously, shell detail pieces like this are fine for adding detail, because that's the point. And ideally, these tend to result in both unique shapes AND unique textures — that square shell detail results in a decidedly different look from the round shell detail introduced in the same year. But what I don't want is for the basic building blocks of the CCBS to disappear from BIONICLE sets in favor of more specialized designs with more limited versatility. Yes, I know that's what classic BIONICLE was like. New BIONICLE can do better.

 

Indeed, it is a bit odd. The 2.0 wave of hero factory had quite a few unique shell pieces, but they have not made any new shells since then(Unless you count the 3.0 paw). The odd thing is, if you look at drilldozer, he has a unique chest armor that no other sets have used, along with an extra long shell only seen again on waspix. While new cladding is always welcome, shells both old and new would be appreciated.

Part of the reason Drilldozer's chest armor hasn't been seen since then is probably that it was an extremely specialized design even when it was new. I have a bunch of them that I bought at Brickfair Virginia a few years ago, and while I've tried to use them in MOCs, it can be dreadfully difficult sometimes. That's often how it is with parts in general — how long they remain in use can depend on how much usefulness and versatility their designs had to begin with.

 

The 8M shells have been used more recently than Drilldozer or Waspix, but not in a constraction set. Perhaps we might still see it again in future BIONICLE sets. But it, too, can be difficult to use — most figures don't need shells that long for their arms and legs, and a figure that's big enough to need them might be better served by an 8x5 torso shell of some variety.

 

 

 

Oh certainly no; I'd just like new shells that have a less angles, in favor of more organic contours.  The details and over stylistic statements should definitely reside in the detail parts as their name states.

[The 1st Shadow]

I agree with this. My main reason is for things like the Protectors. When you look at their chest armor, it seems to stick out really far, being attached to one of those 3-length liftarms with the ball joint, and then having the new shell detail piece over that. I wouldn't mind seeing some new molds of the shells with new details on them. 

 

It could be something so simple as adding the "vents" from the Vahki leg or reshaping it to contain a more ribbed look as seen in the Toa Mata torsos or the Metru legs.

 

 

 

It doesn't need to be overly detailed with pistons and bolts and stuff everywhere, but simple stuff like this that still carries the old BIONICLE feel but fits into the CCBS system as well.

 

Basically, if the detailed add-ons didn't add so much bulk and mass, they'd work just fine. But, for some designs, they're just too big. Having textured shells would be much better for getting the right shapes while still retaining a decent level of detail.

Edited November 18, 2014 by ~T1S~

[Pomegranate]

I'd like new shells for sure, even if it's something subtle like a different bend/extrusion on the sides of the shells, or a little engraved pattern like the little rectangles on the Nuva bellbottom legs or the circles on 2006-8 pieces. They certainly look good smooth, but they also look really bland. I think a little more flare and something calling back to the style of the original Bionicle a bit more would greatly improve them.

I'm not a big fan of the third layer for details because it just gets unnecessarily bulky, and limits what you can do with that armor and how you can mold it. Nice, detailed armor bits that go directly onto the skeleton would be really handy once in a while. It's good to have variety. The small sets will benefit from that for sure.

Edited November 18, 2014 by Pomegranate

[believe victims]

I think having a few detailed shells wouldn't hurt; I can definitely see having a mechanical-detailed shell that's functionally similar to another shell for instances when you want a mechanical texture but don't want to bulk up too much. Yes, it's nice that CCBS has a smooth, consistent aesthetic, but not every MOC wants that. There are more robots than just smooth, polished shells over an exoskeleton.

 

To me, having two shells that are functionally identical but one fulfills a niche texture that otherwise can't be satisfied is no more wasteful than having bricks with brick patterns.

 

And honestly, I can't think of too many different shapes they could make that wouldn't go too far into being overspecialized. The codpiece idea sounds fine, but otherwise, what else could they really make? They've covered torsos several times over, have shells for pretty much any length, and outside of that have a few other slightly more specialized shells. Are there really so many new shell shapes that need creating?

[bioniclepluslotr]

I want texture. I'm so sick of these flat smooth shells. I don't get why you want more of the same stuff. Sure, if you want to make a Moc, just buy the old sets cause every single one uses the same shell piece! Your Mocs will look as generic as the piece itself.

[Toa Chuck]

While overt textures are not really needed in the basic shell (the overlays do a good job with that), I would like to see some variety in the shapes. The alternate 6l shell is a great example.

[believe victims]

I want texture. I'm so sick of these flat smooth shells. I don't get why you want more of the same stuff. Sure, if you want to make a Moc, just buy the old sets cause every single one uses the same shell piece! Your Mocs will look as generic as the piece itself.

 

Now that's a little overdoing it. Nobody ever complained that LEGO system continues to use the same basic bricks as it ever did. The reason for having a unified aesthetic is that it is a building system, and thus should be cohesive within itself, rather than having to cherrypick similar textures in a way that reduces one's ability to be creative.

 

Generic MOCs is hardly something unique to the CCBS system, either (though the clunky monopiece torsos that I want gone definitely don't help); if you saw 95% of MOCs produced 2006-2010, you'd find an alarming trend of them basically just being the Inika or Piraka build slapped together in different colors (that weren't even guaranteed to be cohesive at all). That was a far worse scourge on originality than CCBS will ever be. CCBS has all kinds of potential to it.

 

While I think some textured shells could add to that potential so long as the texture doesn't take away from the overall aesthetic, I by no means would say it should abandon having a unified aesthetic altogether. That would be like making a LEGO brick in assorted mismatched textures then getting rid of the standard brick altogether. Like Squidward in Can You Spare A Dime?, that won't work.

[bioniclepluslotr]

I just find it annoying that MOCers think everything should be made so that their MOCs are better. Every time I mention that more detail would look cooler, someone shoots me down with a Moc-related response. I know that Mocs are a part of Lego but I hate how people feel entitled about it. Look where we ended up. LoSS doesn't even have a head mold; just a smooth piece.

Edited November 18, 2014 by bioniclepluslotr

[Makaru]

Gimme all the same shells, just stop making them all silver and iron.

[Aanchir]

I want texture. I'm so sick of these flat smooth shells. I don't get why you want more of the same stuff. Sure, if you want to make a Moc, just buy the old sets cause every single one uses the same shell piece! Your Mocs will look as generic as the piece itself.

So any model that doesn't use specialized bricks is generic? That's news to me. Leads me to wonder how Nathan Sawaya has become so successful. Maybe because most people people realize that using basic parts to create imaginative designs is the foundation of the LEGO experience.

 

The very reason the constraction category is vilified by so many AFOLS is its habitual dependence on specialized part designs. If you think that you can't make a creative model with basic parts as its foundation, you're kidding yourself, because regular LEGO System and Technic builders have been doing it for decades. The basic CCBS beams and shells simply updated the constraction category to be more in line with the dependable, systematic design principles that the LEGO brand's success was built upon.

 

Look where we ended up. LoSS doesn't even have a head mold; just a smooth piece.

And I think that's a fantastic example of how existing parts can be used imaginatively instead of depending on specialty molds for everything. The set wouldn't have been RUINED by a specialty mold (perhaps Scarox's faceplate from Hero Factory could have been put back into production), but it wouldn't have been nearly as impressive to me from a creative standpoint as this solution that used an existing mold in an entirely new way.

Edited November 18, 2014 by Aanchir

[Iblis]

Look where we ended up. LoSS doesn't even have a head mold; just a smooth piece.

 

...I don't think that really follows as I know myself & (at least) a few others would have preferred it if his head was made up of multiple parts — think Krekka, or Makuta Nui, or The Shadowed One, or Botar, ^{(or that other awesome semi-official thing with a Toa Mata head but massive teeth...)} — which could have looked fantastic as just a plain set, & also been anywhere from a piece mine to massively useful to MOCers. Or just look really interesting.

 

As to whether we need new shells or not I have no meaningful opinion as such, as I haven't owned anything that's used the CCBS system & frankly I like all the 13 Bionicle sets I've seen so far of G2; they look strangely smooth ... but it's not bad I don't think. So no solid opinion on that yet.

[believe victims]

I just find it annoying that MOCers think everything should be made so that their MOCs are better. Every time I mention that more detail would look cooler, someone shoots me down with a Moc-related response. I know that Mocs are a part of Lego but I hate how people feel entitled about it. Look where we ended up. LoSS doesn't even have a head mold; just a smooth piece.

 

MOCs aren't just "a part" of LEGO though. That's like saying transforming your Transformers toys is just "a part" of Transformers (well, there's play features and action figure usability, but the base function of Transformers toys is to transform.) LEGO is, at heart, a building toy. Above all else, what is important in a LEGO product is how well it works to build your own thing. If it has failed that, how can it even call itself a LEGO product? (Lookin' at you, Galidor.)

 

I don't know what you're getting at with LOSS. I hate his face chestplate for an entirely different reason than you, apparently. You apparently wanted it to be less creative, but I wanted it to be so much moreso. A custom-built face is far better than your idea of a molded face that they'd throw out the next year.

 

More detail would look cooler, if used responsibly. If they're just slapping detail willie-nillie and completely ignoring the fact that people are supposed to be building their own things with these pieces, they've lost sight of what makes LEGO, LEGO.

 

Gimme all the same shells, just stop making them all silver and iron.

 

end the tyrannical reign of metal colors

 

let vibrant hues rule the color schemes once more

Edited November 18, 2014 by Lucina

[Banana Gunz]

I think some extra shells would be great. I feel they should have some extra function along with them to keep them extra useful (like maybe a clip rod for expanding their usefulness. Just little things to keep them interesting).

 

A little more mechanical detailing would be cool, but if they add more of that I would prefer they keep it a good balance. The old Bionicle parts were cool, but they had very specific appearances that many can find to be annoying. I especially love the new add on armor made for this year; it has a nice balance with the mechanical detailing, while not going out of control.

 

One or two more shell types would be nice. I'd want to keep them closer to the simple side and have add on armor parts be more complex, and I'd like them to differ in shape a fair amount (but not too much. There ought to be a comfortable in-between). More types of shells would add a pleasant variety to sets, making them even more interesting/different from other ones.

[Ballom Nom Nom]

 

Gimme all the same shells, just stop making them all silver and iron.

 

end the tyrannical reign of metal colors

 

let vibrant hues rule the color schemes once more

 

I think overall though the recent constraction sets did a pretty good job at producing a lot of vibrant colors. A lot of them just seemed to be very limited in their distribution, like the dark red, dark tan, reddish brown, and purple shells.

 

Regardless, I do think there's been improvement since the later years of Bionicle when almost all armor and weapons were silver.

 

~B~

Edited November 19, 2014 by Ballom

[believe victims]

 

 

Gimme all the same shells, just stop making them all silver and iron.

 

end the tyrannical reign of metal colors

 

let vibrant hues rule the color schemes once more

 

I think overall though the recent constraction sets did a pretty good job at producing a lot of vibrant colors. A lot of them just seemed to be very limited in their distribution, like the dark red, dark tan, reddish brown, and purple shells.

 

Regardless, I do think there's been improvement since the later years of Bionicle when almost all armor and weapons were silver.

 

~B~

 

 

i'd definitely agree that we're seeing a wide variety of colors. I just think it's too often washed out by a ton of metal colors, exemplified well by the three smaller Toa sets next year, all three of which almost seem to have more metal color than primary color, which is disappointing.

[Lyichir]

Okay, since my initial post was a little extreme, let me rephrase. New, more "textured" shell pieces could be perfectly fine so long as they're versatile (not overly-specialized and compatible with at least a selection of past shell detail elements), unique (that is to say, not just a reskin of a traditional shell size, but rather something with a slightly different shape or some different connection points), and most importantly, USED SPARINGLY. Some people's comments about new small shells which could work to add detail to Protector-sized sets without adding too much bulk? Sounds great! New shells designed to add connection points or a unique shape (like the engine block shell or three-fingered claw shell)? Fantastic idea!

 

I certainly don't think that there are no situations in which a new shell would be a good idea, or where a non-standard texture would be a nice touch. But the topic initially sounded to me like so many dumb proposals to COMPLETELY REPLACE the fantastic standardized system of similarly-styled shells in a wide range of sizes (one of the best parts of the CCBS) with new shells with textures like scales or spikes or greebles or other details which would render them less versatile, less aesthetically pleasing, and less Lego-like in general. And indeed, some people who replied here seem to think that's what the CCBS needs.

 

News flash—it doesn't. A new shell here or there would be great, but there's a reason the standard CCBS shells have stuck around without significant changes or replacements, and that's that they were DESIGNED to be better and more versatile than the Bionicle parts which preceded them. There's no point in going back to the pattern of waste and overspecialization that characterized classic Bionicle parts. May the current shells remain in use for many years to come.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Lyichir

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

both.

 

the smooth ones look good for emulating a "blank" arm, while still giving it bulk,

 

but if we had some weird shapes that clung to the limb or had ribbing or vents or pistons, without being an "addon layer"

 

that'd help the system too, i think. :0

[fishers64]

What I want to see is some generic textured shells that they can used for the whole of Bionicle, that don't get old or look un-Bionicle after a few years. 

[bioniclepluslotr]

What I want to see is some generic textured shells that they can used for the whole of Bionicle, that don't get old or look un-Bionicle after a few years. 

Good point. I noticed a lot of people hyping over that new armor piece that resembles part of the Mata torso. It was even mentioned in one of the BZPower reviews that that style makes Bionicle Bionicle. I'd like to see more bits of mechanical details over flat surfaces.

[Zeb]

 

Look where we ended up. LoSS doesn't even have a head mold; just a smooth piece.

 

^{(or that other awesome semi-official thing with a Toa Mata head but massive teeth...)}

 

I believe you are referring to...

 

ULTIMATE DUME!!!

I love that "Dume=Doom" pun. Also, note that the version of ultimate Dume shown here is the regular combiner model that is missing the special exclusive Kraahkan. The set was also sold as a limited edition/store-exclusive that came with that exclusive Kraahkan.

[Zidonaro]

I've been hoping for new shells since 2012 and they still haven't given us any. It's "versatility"(If it actually had any) already ended. I hope the summer sets have new shells, or at least new add-ons to them.

 

New foot would be cool too.

[Ragnar Lothbrok]

I would like shells with extra detail, so that if I don't want to add the detail pieces, I don't have too. Shells on their own are bland and have no texture by themselves, whereas a Vahki leg or Metru leg did not require add-ons to add that beautiful Bionicle texture.

 

As people have said, Protectors do look bulky. I still like them, but if the detail piece had actually been a shell, it would look good too.

 

 

Hopefully the future sets do resemble Bionicle sets even more in the future whilst still using the effective CCBS.

 

 

 

 

 

Gimme all the same shells, just stop making them all silver and iron.

 
end the tyrannical reign of metal colors
 
let vibrant hues rule the color schemes once more

 

I think overall though the recent constraction sets did a pretty good job at producing a lot of vibrant colors. A lot of them just seemed to be very limited in their distribution, like the dark red, dark tan, reddish brown, and purple shells.

Regardless, I do think there's been improvement since the later years of Bionicle when almost all armor and weapons were silver.

~B~

 

 

i'd definitely agree that we're seeing a wide variety of colors. I just think it's too often washed out by a ton of metal colors, exemplified well by the three smaller Toa sets next year, all three of which almost seem to have more metal color than primary color, which is disappointing.

 

 

I am annoyed at the lack of the three 'new' colours of Bright Orange, Dark Azure and Bright Green, for favour of Silver and Gunmetal. The Protectors of Jungle and Water don't offer smaller shells of those colours, either.

 

Hopefully the summer sets address this issue.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Gathered Friends

[Aanchir]

I've been hoping for new shells since 2012 and they still haven't given us any. It's "versatility"(If it actually had any) already ended.

Where do you get that idea? We've been seeing new and innovative uses of existing CCBS pieces throughout the 2014 and 2015 sets. A design like Kopaka's articulated shoulder armor has never previously been seen in a set. Neither have we seen a build quite like the torso of the Protector of Fire, nor a set like Lord of Skull Spiders that uses a Super Heroes chest plate as a face, nor a set with Onua's stout, muscular torso proportions (despite his chest plate having appeared in three previous sets). That doesn't sound to me like a system that has run out of versatility.

 

I don't quite get how so many people seem to get the notion that you can't explore new ideas without new parts. Especially since we have been getting plenty of new parts, just not shells. There are 19 new parts in the Toa and Protector sets, and that's not counting new basic Technic parts like the new bushings used in Lewa's shoulders. Nineteen new designs in a single wave of sets is not too shabby, in my opinion — certainly more than a lot of LEGO themes tend to get in a single wave this size! Maybe not as many per wave as classic BIONICLE would often have (the first wave of sets in 2006 had 22 new parts, and I don't care to count the number of new parts in some other waves), but classic BIONICLE's unsustainable dependence on new molds was a problem to be solved, not an ideal to be emulated.

[The 1st Shadow]

 

I've been hoping for new shells since 2012 and they still haven't given us any. It's "versatility"(If it actually had any) already ended.

Where do you get that idea? We've been seeing new and innovative uses of existing CCBS pieces throughout the 2014 and 2015 sets. A design like Kopaka's articulated shoulder armor has never previously been seen in a set. Neither have we seen a build quite like the torso of the Protector of Fire, nor a set like Lord of Skull Spiders that uses a Super Heroes chest plate as a face, nor a set with Onua's stout, muscular torso proportions (despite his chest plate having appeared in three previous sets). That doesn't sound to me like a system that has run out of versatility.

 

I don't quite get how so many people seem to get the notion that you can't explore new ideas without new parts. Especially since we have been getting plenty of new parts, just not shells. There are 19 new parts in the Toa and Protector sets, and that's not counting new basic Technic parts like the new bushings used in Lewa's shoulders. Nineteen new designs in a single wave of sets is not too shabby, in my opinion — certainly more than a lot of LEGO themes tend to get in a single wave this size! Maybe not as many per wave as classic BIONICLE would often have (the first wave of sets in 2006 had 22 new parts, and I don't care to count the number of new parts in some other waves), but classic BIONICLE's unsustainable dependence on new molds was a problem to be solved, not an ideal to be emulated.

 

He's talking about the armor shells, specifically, not the underlying structure of the model. All of those armor pieces look identical, with the only real variation being in the torso shells.

 

As for those new parts, those are weapons and masks (designated to specific characters), with a grand total of ONE new armor piece: the Mata-torso-style cover. (If I missed one, forgive me, but I honestly can't think of any other new armor pieces.)

 

We're talking about shells here. Though I will admit that the use of the paw pieces on Kopaka's shoulders is a very innovative design.

 

To reaffirm what we're talking about:

Structure is the first column, armor is the second column, add-ons are the third column, and character-specific parts are the fourth column.

 

We are talking about the lack of detail on column 2 (or, rather, the lack thereof). The design is too simplistic, and there's only so many different ways they can be implemented. There is a limit to their usefulness. 

 

Add-ons provide more detail, and help break up the monotony of the otherwise blank shells.

 

Character-specific parts, like masks, have their own degree of detail, but only so as to make them easily distinguishable from other sets.

 

I think the simplest way of putting it is that we want to see the elements of column 2 having the detail of column 3 integrated into them without any additional bulk being put on top of them. It would look great! Like the gunmetal engine-like piece we saw a lot of back in HF 2.0. That was a glorious piece and I'm disappointed we didn't get more like it. Exhibit A:

 

Or this thing:

 

These had additional details that were unobtrusive, and looked great without going over the top.

 

All the regular shells with details carried over from the add-ons so that we don't have to worry with the add-ons. 

Edited November 19, 2014 by ~T1S~

[Makaru]

Okay but the lack of innovation on column 2 is (to me) intentionally offset by column 3 and 4. I think all the innovation to make that work in theory is there, it just requires a little more variation on their part in terms of colour and design.

 

And to me, while those last two shells look nice, ultimately they can only accomplish a limited number of things both in set design and in MOCing.

 

To me, Bionicle is taking a few really good steps by making those add-on pieces CLEARLY with Bionicle in mind (vent flaps, pistons, etc.), though it could stand to improve by [again] moving past metal colours.

[Lyichir]

Okay but the lack of innovation on column 2 is (to me) intentionally offset by column 3 and 4. I think all the innovation to make that work in theory is there, it just requires a little more variation on their part in terms of colour and design.

 

And to me, while those last two shells look nice, ultimately they can only accomplish a limited number of things both in set design and in MOCing.

 

To me, Bionicle is taking a few really good steps by making those add-on pieces CLEARLY with Bionicle in mind (vent flaps, pistons, etc.), though it could stand to improve by [again] moving past metal colours.

I like the metal colors. They mostly serve as nice neutral colors to help balance the color scheme.

 

But I do agree that the standardized, simple aesthetic on "column 2" is an asset and not a flaw. Again, I wouldn't mind a few new shells that has more detail and different connection points like the two they listed, but those kinds of shells are and (in my opinion) should remain supplementary to the main, standardized system. The smooth aesthetic is just usable in more types of models (both constraction and System) than the older, busier Bionicle aesthetic ever was. The last thing I would want is for that to go away just because old Bionicle fans who were conditioned to expect an absurd number of specialized parts with an impractical level of detail are "bored" with the new system.

[Zidonaro]

 

I've been hoping for new shells since 2012 and they still haven't given us any. It's "versatility"(If it actually had any) already ended.

Where do you get that idea? We've been seeing new and innovative uses of existing CCBS pieces throughout the 2014 and 2015 sets. A design like Kopaka's articulated shoulder armor has never previously been seen in a set. Neither have we seen a build quite like the torso of the Protector of Fire, nor a set like Lord of Skull Spiders that uses a Super Heroes chest plate as a face, nor a set with Onua's stout, muscular torso proportions (despite his chest plate having appeared in three previous sets). That doesn't sound to me like a system that has run out of versatility.

 

I don't quite get how so many people seem to get the notion that you can't explore new ideas without new parts. Especially since we have been getting plenty of new parts, just not shells. There are 19 new parts in the Toa and Protector sets, and that's not counting new basic Technic parts like the new bushings used in Lewa's shoulders. Nineteen new designs in a single wave of sets is not too shabby, in my opinion — certainly more than a lot of LEGO themes tend to get in a single wave this size! Maybe not as many per wave as classic BIONICLE would often have (the first wave of sets in 2006 had 22 new parts, and I don't care to count the number of new parts in some other waves), but classic BIONICLE's unsustainable dependence on new molds was a problem to be solved, not an ideal to be emulated.

 

 

Yeah we've been getting some innovative use of pieces indeed, but those shells are really stupid-looking. They're empty and boring. Maybe they work better for Hero Factory, but they don't work that well with Bionicle because they don't look technic-like. Of course, the add-on pieces will be fundamental to give us the technic feel, but so far we only have that Mata-Torso add-on.

[l1ft0ff]

 

 

Okay but the lack of innovation on column 2 is (to me) intentionally offset by column 3 and 4. I think all the innovation to make that work in theory is there, it just requires a little more variation on their part in terms of colour and design.
 
And to me, while those last two shells look nice, ultimately they can only accomplish a limited number of things both in set design and in MOCing.
 
To me, Bionicle is taking a few really good steps by making those add-on pieces CLEARLY with Bionicle in mind (vent flaps, pistons, etc.), though it could stand to improve by [again] moving past metal colours.

I like the metal colors. They mostly serve as nice neutral colors to help balance the color scheme.

But I do agree that the standardized, simple aesthetic on "column 2" is an asset and not a flaw. Again, I wouldn't mind a few new shells that has more detail and different connection points like the two they listed, but those kinds of shells are and (in my opinion) should remain supplementary to the main, standardized system. The smooth aesthetic is just usable in more types of models (both constraction and System) than the older, busier Bionicle aesthetic ever was. The last thing I would want is for that to go away just because old Bionicle fans who were conditioned to expect an absurd number of specialized parts with an impractical level of detail are "bored" with the new system.

 

 

Yeah, that simplicity is a huge asset that has boosted their versatility, but I feel it would be nice to have 2 or more aesthetical standards to choose from when constructing this arguably most important layer in a set/MOC's appearance.

Edited November 19, 2014 by l1ft0ff

[believe victims]

I like the metal colors. They mostly serve as nice neutral colors to help balance the color scheme.

The problem is, metal colors aren't quite neutral colors the same way black and grey are. Black and grey don't call much attention to themselves most of the time, but metal colors do. They're shiny-looking and metallic and everyone can tell it's metal.

 

I don't necessarily see their use as always being about balancing a color scheme, either. One thing I liked about the 2001 Toa was how vibrant their colors were, pretty much all over. Even the Toa Nuva had more vibrant color pieces than metal color pieces, and that was good, because while the metal may have given the impression of armor, the vibrant colors were what made the characters so eye-catching and visually pleasing. (This also plays into part of what I despise about the Mistika; their primary colors were dingy and boring, and their entire color scheme was washed out by silver thrown about everywhere. The Phantoka did similar, but with grey.)

 

There's nothing fundamentally wrong with metal colors, but I wish they relied on them less as filler to patch in the blanks on figures they just can't get enough color on. It leads to the smaller three Toa looking much duller than their original incarnations.

[Aanchir]

There's nothing fundamentally wrong with metal colors, but I wish they relied on them less as filler to patch in the blanks on figures they just can't get enough color on. It leads to the smaller three Toa looking much duller than their original incarnations.

I can understand your perspective, but I suppose we just are looking at the sets differently, because I don't see the smaller Toa sets this year using the metal colors as "filler." Take Pohatu, for instance. There's no reason the LEGO Group couldn't have simply colored all of his 4M shells Dark Orange — in fact, it would probably have been cheaper, from a logistical standpoint, since the set would require fewer distinct elements. So the choice to use Silver for half of them seems pretty deliberate. It controls the distribution of color throughout the model, so that it draws emphasis to certain parts of the model — like the energized "battle arm" and the chest plate.

 

Likewise, Gali's color layering seems very deliberate to me. Just as with Evo in 2012, the Titanium Metallic leg shells create the appearance of knee-high armored boots, and likewise her metallic-colored lower arms and hands create the appearance of gauntlets (I'd like to take this moment to say how great it would be if we could get Warm Gold and Titanium Metallic hands, since there have been feet in both of those colors for about three years but still no normal-sized hands in those colors, and sometimes you want a figure's hands to match their feet).

 

Even the way Lewa's color scheme is organized strikes me as deliberate. Silver Metallic is seen in two places: his outermost layer of armor (the chest plate and talon pieces on his upper body, and the piston details on his legs) and on his extremities (hands and feet). His arms, legs, and torso are primarily armored in Bright Green and Flame Yellowish Orange. The designers could have had his chest plate and talon pieces in Bright Green — after all, neither has been colored Silver Metallic in sets before. And in fact, doing that might have SAVED them money, since they could then give him an existing Silver Metallic torso shell, just like they did for Kopaka, Pohatu, and Gali. But instead they chose to recolor the torso shell Bright Green and recolor the chest plate and talon pieces Silver Metallic, since they wanted the Silver Metallic to represent the outermost layer of his armor.

 

I really like this kind of diverse color layering. I feel like it makes builds a lot more interesting than the more systematic sort of color layering seen in, say, the Toa Mata or the 2.0 heroes. And it allows for a lot more variety than having every character's primary, secondary, and tertiary colors occupy the same parts of the model. I feel like the variety of neutral-colored shells (whether that neutral color is Silver Metallic, Titanium Metallic, Black, or White) can really help with that.

 

Of course, I'm not under the impression that the frequent use of silver metallic and titanium metallic is purely an aesthetic choice. There's a cost component as well. Even if you don't think they're equivalent neutral colors like Dark Stone Grey or Black, they are still equivalent in the sense that they can be used prominently on a character with any primary or secondary color without clashing. And this means the same parts can be used across multiple sets in a single wave. In that sense, it's no surprise that shells in these kinds of neutral colors are more common than colors like Bright Red, Bright Orange, or Bright Green. It's the same reason why classic BIONICLE parts like Toa Mata heads, Y-joints, and even Toa Mata arm beams are more common in neutral colors than in brighter colors. And it's not specific to constraction — the Bricklink reference catalog has more LEGO parts listed in Black and White than in any other color.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Aanchir

[bioniclepluslotr]

 

Okay but the lack of innovation on column 2 is (to me) intentionally offset by column 3 and 4. I think all the innovation to make that work in theory is there, it just requires a little more variation on their part in terms of colour and design.

 

And to me, while those last two shells look nice, ultimately they can only accomplish a limited number of things both in set design and in MOCing.

 

To me, Bionicle is taking a few really good steps by making those add-on pieces CLEARLY with Bionicle in mind (vent flaps, pistons, etc.), though it could stand to improve by [again] moving past metal colours.

I like the metal colors. They mostly serve as nice neutral colors to help balance the color scheme.

 

But I do agree that the standardized, simple aesthetic on "column 2" is an asset and not a flaw. Again, I wouldn't mind a few new shells that has more detail and different connection points like the two they listed, but those kinds of shells are and (in my opinion) should remain supplementary to the main, standardized system. The smooth aesthetic is just usable in more types of models (both constraction and System) than the older, busier Bionicle aesthetic ever was. The last thing I would want is for that to go away just because old Bionicle fans who were conditioned to expect an absurd number of specialized parts with an impractical level of detail are "bored" with the new system.

 

The problem is "column 2" is that they use it on every set since the mold first came out. It didn't matter what the character was, a robot, a beast, an insect, a mech, an land creature, a sea creature, a hero, a villain. They all used the same piece repeatedly, covering every limb with the same style piece. Yes, it has variation in use, but given that, it takes variation away from appearance. If you want to use it on a Moc, there are close to a hundred sets and dozens of colors already available to choose from.

[believe victims]

 

 

Okay but the lack of innovation on column 2 is (to me) intentionally offset by column 3 and 4. I think all the innovation to make that work in theory is there, it just requires a little more variation on their part in terms of colour and design.

 

And to me, while those last two shells look nice, ultimately they can only accomplish a limited number of things both in set design and in MOCing.

 

To me, Bionicle is taking a few really good steps by making those add-on pieces CLEARLY with Bionicle in mind (vent flaps, pistons, etc.), though it could stand to improve by [again] moving past metal colours.

I like the metal colors. They mostly serve as nice neutral colors to help balance the color scheme.

 

But I do agree that the standardized, simple aesthetic on "column 2" is an asset and not a flaw. Again, I wouldn't mind a few new shells that has more detail and different connection points like the two they listed, but those kinds of shells are and (in my opinion) should remain supplementary to the main, standardized system. The smooth aesthetic is just usable in more types of models (both constraction and System) than the older, busier Bionicle aesthetic ever was. The last thing I would want is for that to go away just because old Bionicle fans who were conditioned to expect an absurd number of specialized parts with an impractical level of detail are "bored" with the new system.

 

The problem is "column 2" is that they use it on every set since the mold first came out. It didn't matter what the character was, a robot, a beast, an insect, a mech, an land creature, a sea creature, a hero, a villain. They all used the same piece repeatedly, covering every limb with the same style piece. Yes, it has variation in use, but given that, it takes variation away from appearance. If you want to use it on a Moc, there are close to a hundred sets and dozens of colors already available to choose from.

 

And this part has been used indiscriminately in houses, cars, dinosaurs, spaceships, sea creatures, landscapes, etc., all while never bothering to change its texture. That's what a building system does: use basic, versatile building blocks to build something larger.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Lucina

[Makaru]

You're going to have to look at the next few comments from a personal point of view, because it is entirely subjective.

 

There's too much silver and gold and iron. It's evidenced in my parts bin, it's evidenced in the heavy balance of pieces introduced this year, and it's heavily evidenced by the current showing of entries in the Battle for the Gold Mask competition.

 

There are a lot of enries that are just gung-ho on gunmetal. A lot of really really cool looking MOCs are, to me, very samey and blended into this huge blur of grey shiny mess. There are a lot of MOCs I think have the techical prowess to be great, but at the same time look like they've been dipped in liquid T-1000.

 

I kind of see a bit of a creative disservice not only with Bionicle 2015, but continuously for almost 14 years now with very few breaks in between. Everything HAS to have silver and I really want to see something besides "safe and shiny grey"

Edited November 19, 2014 by Makaru

[T.B.O.C]

Personally, I think what we need are more types of shells (the column 2 ones in relation to the post up a ways). I think we just need more shapes and sizes, as I've only seen a few (pardon me if I'm wrong, I haven't been in the know for HF parts whatsoever). Not necessarily detailed or different ones as much as more of a selection - for instance, leg parts that would wrap around more for Tahu's lower legs, stuff like that.

 

More detailed add on's would be cool, and I'm actually really surprised by how well those have worked. It'd be nice for them to be less bulky (and I think it's definitely possible), and maybe more varied, but I think the ones we have so far are good.

 

I like the idea of more colors though, more browns, greens, yellows, blues... etc. They've already done a pretty great job of that with all the transparent pieces (which makes me wonder why they didn't do more eye colors, hopefully that'll be in the near future).

[Lyichir]

 

 

Okay but the lack of innovation on column 2 is (to me) intentionally offset by column 3 and 4. I think all the innovation to make that work in theory is there, it just requires a little more variation on their part in terms of colour and design.

 

And to me, while those last two shells look nice, ultimately they can only accomplish a limited number of things both in set design and in MOCing.

 

To me, Bionicle is taking a few really good steps by making those add-on pieces CLEARLY with Bionicle in mind (vent flaps, pistons, etc.), though it could stand to improve by [again] moving past metal colours.

I like the metal colors. They mostly serve as nice neutral colors to help balance the color scheme.

 

But I do agree that the standardized, simple aesthetic on "column 2" is an asset and not a flaw. Again, I wouldn't mind a few new shells that has more detail and different connection points like the two they listed, but those kinds of shells are and (in my opinion) should remain supplementary to the main, standardized system. The smooth aesthetic is just usable in more types of models (both constraction and System) than the older, busier Bionicle aesthetic ever was. The last thing I would want is for that to go away just because old Bionicle fans who were conditioned to expect an absurd number of specialized parts with an impractical level of detail are "bored" with the new system.

 

The problem is "column 2" is that they use it on every set since the mold first came out. It didn't matter what the character was, a robot, a beast, an insect, a mech, an land creature, a sea creature, a hero, a villain. They all used the same piece repeatedly, covering every limb with the same style piece. Yes, it has variation in use, but given that, it takes variation away from appearance. If you want to use it on a Moc, there are close to a hundred sets and dozens of colors already available to choose from.

 

I agree with your entire post except for the second word: "problem". A more applicable word would be "advantage", since now we get parts that can be used for anything (rather than just a few limited applications) and in your own words, come in "dozens of colors". The variation in appearance, rather than coming from ultra-detailed and ultra-specialized parts which will need to be replaced the next year to keep things interesting, comes from the build itself—the new Toa are a perfect example, featuring hugely diverse builds and extremely distinctive silhouettes as a result. This year's Hero Factory range was even more diverse, delivering the most diversity in a year of constraction sets EVER (unless you count system-based constraction themes like Exo-Force which, just like the CCBS, relied less on new parts for their look and more on existing parts in different colors and configurations).