.

[user-402520536]

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Edited August 30, 2023 by user-402520536

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

I think the big factor here is that the Masters are not impulse sets. The Protectors fill that niche, and despite being fairly heavy on pieces, the Protectors themselves are not very complicated builds and relegate to the snap-build that the impulse buys usually consist of. 

 

Meanwhile, the Masters are more complicated sets, more equivalent to titans of the past line. It's hard to say really, as the wave formats have changed since 2010 until now. However, with the bigger size and heftier piece count comes the expectation for a more complex build - and that is just what they have given us. I think it is an ingenious mix of old technic and new CCBS, which functions wonderfully and allows for both playability and an action gimmick which is truly a tremendous feat. 

 

That being said, I think the complexity is great. I feel like Bionicle will have a higher reception for having builds that actually have kids think; instead of slapping armour on in a very go-to and easy build, you are instead given a chance to create a pretty technical mechanism that will actually link to the sets and add a feature they will most likely have fun with. All in all, I can't see this being a bad thing at all.

 

-NotS

[Aanchir]

I don't have any problem with the complexity of the new Toa. It's great! They combine the best aspects of 2001–2004 Toa and 2006–2008 Toa, and I feel they end up surpassing the Toa sets of both eras.

 

When I first saw the sets and learned their prices, I did have some serious reservations, in part because I've spent so much time doodling CCBS versions of the Toa on LDD that were similar in size to the Toa Mata or Toa Nuva and could conceivably be sold at a $10 price point. Part of this was pure nostalgia — one of the things that I loved about the CCBS when it first appeared in sets in 2011 was that standard heroes had returned to the height they had been in 2001–2002, and I didn't really want to see that go. But frankly, you can get a LOT more aesthetic flair, play value, and creative variety from the Toa at the $15 and $20 price points. And now, having gotten to build some of the sets myself, I can't imagine that the downgrades it would take to reduce their price to $10 would be worthwhile.

 

As far as the future is concerned, I feel somewhat reassured by past redesigns like this year's CHI Laval and CHI Cragger that the LEGO Group can "upgrade" a figure measurably without having to raise its piece count or price point. Those two sets are the same price as the CHI Laval and CHI Cragger sets from the previous year, and actually have FEWER pieces (mostly because Laval's claws are one piece each rather than two, and Cragger's weapon is considerably smaller and simpler). But even so, you can tell with no more than a glance which ones are the originals and which ones are the "upgrades". Just as importantly, you can tell at a glance that they depict different versions of the same characters.

Edited December 2, 2014 by Aanchir

[Evergrey: Toa of Music]

I feel like Bionicle will have a higher reception for having builds that actually have kids think

 

I can't agree with this more. When I was younger, I never cared that the gear functions went away. Then I stopped buying Bionicles in '08 because I didn't care much for the story. I got back into it after the cancellation and bought hero factory sets to have new parts to moc with. I built the heroes before using the pieces for moc-making and I was insulted that Bionicle had been so cool and the HF stuff so bland...I didn't really need the instructions for most sets: i could look at the picture for it. But having the gear boxes back makes me so happy! It'll reactivate parts of my mind that have been shut off for a while

[user-402520536]

In no way am I saying the complexity is bad- I'm mostly interested in what you guys think this will hold for the future.

[Evergrey: Toa of Music]

In no way am I saying the complexity is bad- I'm mostly interested in what you guys think this will hold for the future.

 

I predict that maybe (expanding upon the Lord of Skull Spiders) there will me more complex creatures, which much like the '01 rahi, will feature more complex builds with triggers to attack rather than turning a gear.

 

If not that, then huge titan sets with gear functions of some sort (maybe not in the arms).

[user-402520536]

CCBS Titans? Like real titans, not XLs? I'm all for it.

[Evergrey: Toa of Music]

Note: I'm 50% predicting and 50% saying what I would like to see. Anything is possible, but because it's Bionicle, I think the reboot wouldn't be complete without at least 1 Titan for the toa to team up against. That's just my opinion. What do you guys think?

[Iblis]

I think the reboot wouldn't be complete without at least 1 Titan for the toa to team up against. That's just my opinion. What do you guys think?

 

I reckon there will be a few Titans (as in piece count higher, at least around the 200 piece mark, or 300! ^{Dare I ask for more? Given people worrying about the price of Tahu! seriously I don't get the angst :/} )

 

I think the gearboxes are a great improvement, as a kid I always wished for something a bit more intricate, & I really don't see any of the 13 sets as being too difficult for a kid, apparently TLG is suggesting that some of them are aimed/good/etc. for 8-X (& 7-X), rather than 6-X, but I can't really think of a 6yr~ old I know that wouldn't be able to manage even LoSS.

 

I'm thinking that they might be a little too complex for the first wave compared to what we've seen before- the first waves of Gen 1 and Hero Factory had the protagonists as little more than impulse sets, but in no way does that make them any worse.

 

In the case of G1 I suspect that has a lot to do with it being still a relatively new sort of line, with HF introducing CCBS(?) I suppose the same can be said, but only more so.

 

Personally I feel like by itself it is selling itself short: ^{(I'm not so sure about how the year 2000 handled this but...)} In 2001 there were some very complex Rahi; so they had two extremes, which paints a broad picture for where the line can go;

(Unless I'm mixing up all my dates..?)

& in 2010 (July was that years first wave I believe) HF had about 5 sets of at least 85 pieces, which seems a fair amount of pieces to me; & they look kind of inviting to build.

 

In those two cases, and G2 there are at least 6 smaller sets with a fairly low piece count; around the 20 mark for HF, around the 30 mark for G1 (although promotionals were like 8), and the Protectors are in the whopping 60 count; but shell really seem to be fairly straight forward (in their use here); a shell & a bone (& maybe another piece or 3) seem to make up one limb segment; which whilst more steps and debatably more diverse uses than a G1 limb piece (or two) really isn't what I would call complicated.

 

So yeah, as it is whilst there are many more pieces, the way shells work is pretty straight forward, so realistically there aren't that as many complex arrangements as the piece count might make one think (I think).

 

As for Hero Factory's first waves impulse sets; the Rookies (or at least; 7164, 7165, 7166^{(Hello Imperial Shuttle?)}, 7167, 7168, 7169, & 7170), they might have appealed to some many people; but i suspect they're comparable to the 'Mctoran', who were awesome_^[ly]-cute, but were they needed to make a good intro? They helped make a fantastic one IMO, but I'm not sure if they were necessary for a good intro.

 

Why does an introductory wave need to have less pieces than any other given wave of a series? Ideally fans should be able to join a series at any point; so whilst this may be harder to do plot wise; I don't see why sets are bound in a similar way? Protectors seem a fine introduction, & as long as they have something of comparable complexity [to piece count] it should be fine.

 

I mean, I can understand a starting wave simply having less sets; but I don't see why the range of within those sets needs to be so drastically limited.

 

_{Personally I had no interest in Hero Factory, because the first I saw of them were the Rookies; who looked incredibly bland and generic & used this foreign building style which didn't look like it would mesh to well with my LEGO pieces, & generally it was more off-putting than enticing :/} 

[user-402520536]

Why does an introductory wave need to have less pieces than any other given wave of a series? Ideally fans should be able to join a series at any point; so whilst this may be harder to do plot wise; I don't see why sets are bound in a similar way? Protectors seem a fine introduction, & as long as they have something of comparable complexity [to piece count] it should be fine.

 

I mean, I can understand a starting wave simply having less sets; but I don't see why the range of within those sets needs to be so drastically limited.

 

I was thinking; what if the size/piece count of the sets keeps increasing with every wave, like with Gen 1? And what if the finale is pretty much the opposite of Stars, where every set is a Titan? That's probably not happening, but everyone loooooves what-if's!

 

Also, what do you guys think of the big yellow gear on all the Toa's backs?

Edited December 2, 2014 by Gukko Lord

[bioniclepluslotr]

I like the complexity. Most figures only get built once, so making the building process more complex can prolong the experience.

[AdaptingChaos]

 

Why does an introductory wave need to have less pieces than any other given wave of a series? Ideally fans should be able to join a series at any point; so whilst this may be harder to do plot wise; I don't see why sets are bound in a similar way? Protectors seem a fine introduction, & as long as they have something of comparable complexity [to piece count] it should be fine.

 

I mean, I can understand a starting wave simply having less sets; but I don't see why the range of within those sets needs to be so drastically limited.

 

I was thinking; what if the size/piece count of the sets keeps increasing with every wave, like with Gen 1? And what if the finale is pretty much the opposite of Stars, where every set is a Titan? That's probably not happening, but everyone loooooves what-if's!

 

Also, what do you guys think of the big yellow gear on all the Toa's backs?

 

I managed to get a bunch of those black gears so ill probably be replacing them eventually. 

[user-402520536]

 

 

Why does an introductory wave need to have less pieces than any other given wave of a series? Ideally fans should be able to join a series at any point; so whilst this may be harder to do plot wise; I don't see why sets are bound in a similar way? Protectors seem a fine introduction, & as long as they have something of comparable complexity [to piece count] it should be fine.

 

I mean, I can understand a starting wave simply having less sets; but I don't see why the range of within those sets needs to be so drastically limited.

 

I was thinking; what if the size/piece count of the sets keeps increasing with every wave, like with Gen 1? And what if the finale is pretty much the opposite of Stars, where every set is a Titan? That's probably not happening, but everyone loooooves what-if's!

 

Also, what do you guys think of the big yellow gear on all the Toa's backs?

 

I managed to get a bunch of those black gears so ill probably be replacing them eventually. 

 

Personally, I think they clash too much and the colors are purely unnecessary.

[Aanchir]

I was thinking; what if the size/piece count of the sets keeps increasing with every wave, like with Gen 1? And what if the finale is pretty much the opposite of Stars, where every set is a Titan? That's probably not happening, but everyone loooooves what-if's!

I would not like that. It would mean that fewer and fewer people could afford the sets over time, so the audience for the theme would get smaller and smaller. The reason the Stars were so small was to maximize their accessibility for a constantly-shrinking audience. Doing the opposite would have the opposite result.

 

Also, what do you guys think of the big yellow gear on all the Toa's backs?

I'm not bothered by it at all, really, any more than I was bothered by the grey gears on the back of the older sets. Most of the Toa use yellow, gold, or a similar color elsewhere in their color schemes anyway.

[user-402520536]

 

I was thinking; what if the size/piece count of the sets keeps increasing with every wave, like with Gen 1? And what if the finale is pretty much the opposite of Stars, where every set is a Titan? That's probably not happening, but everyone loooooves what-if's!

I would not like that. It would mean that fewer and fewer people could afford the sets over time, so the audience for the theme would get smaller and smaller. The reason the Stars were so small was to maximize their accessibility for a constantly-shrinking audience. Doing the opposite would have the opposite result.

My point exactly. Since the first wave has a building level so high compared to the Gen 1, the sets have to advance in a completely different way- I'm interested in what would happen.

[The 1st Shadow]

Meh, I would prefer it if LEGO designed a new piece that covers both the torso and gearbox rather than making it look like the Toa had their arms ripped off and were given a backpack with arms sticking out of that. It has room for improvement.

[user-402520536]

Meh, I would prefer it if LEGO designed a new piece that covers both the torso and gearbox rather than making it look like the Toa had their arms ripped off and were given a backpack with arms sticking out of that. It has room for improvement.

I was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaiting for someone to say that. I wholeheartedly agree.

[Evergrey: Toa of Music]

 

Meh, I would prefer it if LEGO designed a new piece that covers both the torso and gearbox rather than making it look like the Toa had their arms ripped off and were given a backpack with arms sticking out of that. It has room for improvement.

I was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaiting for someone to say that. I wholeheartedly agree.

 

I agree that a single piece for the body would've made more sense, yet the final product we are receiving doesn't look as bad as some people are saying (my opinion).

[user-402520536]

 

 

Meh, I would prefer it if LEGO designed a new piece that covers both the torso and gearbox rather than making it look like the Toa had their arms ripped off and were given a backpack with arms sticking out of that. It has room for improvement.

I was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaiting for someone to say that. I wholeheartedly agree.

 

I agree that a single piece for the body would've made more sense, yet the final product we are receiving doesn't look as bad as some people are saying (my opinion).

 

I mainly dislike the inconspicuous ball joints popping out of their shoulders. 

[bioniclepluslotr]

 

 

 

Meh, I would prefer it if LEGO designed a new piece that covers both the torso and gearbox rather than making it look like the Toa had their arms ripped off and were given a backpack with arms sticking out of that. It has room for improvement.

I was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaiting for someone to say that. I wholeheartedly agree.

 

I agree that a single piece for the body would've made more sense, yet the final product we are receiving doesn't look as bad as some people are saying (my opinion).

 

I mainly dislike the inconspicuous ball joints popping out of their shoulders. 

 

I don't even notice those joints. They aren't the first sets to have those though. Some of the HF sets had extended ball joints for the arms.

[user-402520536]

 

 

 

 

Meh, I would prefer it if LEGO designed a new piece that covers both the torso and gearbox rather than making it look like the Toa had their arms ripped off and were given a backpack with arms sticking out of that. It has room for improvement.

I was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaiting for someone to say that. I wholeheartedly agree.

 

I agree that a single piece for the body would've made more sense, yet the final product we are receiving doesn't look as bad as some people are saying (my opinion).

 

I mainly dislike the inconspicuous ball joints popping out of their shoulders. 

 

I don't even notice those joints. They aren't the first sets to have those though. Some of the HF sets had extended ball joints for the arms.

 

Extended? Maybe you mean unarmored?

[AdaptingChaos]

Those exposed ball joints on the chest piece are pretty easy to cover up I mean its Lego. You guys just have to use your imagination to cover it to your liking, if you do wish to cover it that is.

 

I personally didn't like it at first how Tahu had exposed ball joints near his shoulders. Its really an easy fix. You just take the top shoulder armors that are connected next to the arms on the "backpack", and then you just bring it forward and connect it to the exposed ball joints. The remaining ball joint on the back can then be replaced by a technic bush or anything that you wish to replace it with.

Edited December 3, 2014 by AdaptingChaos

[user-402520536]

Those exposed ball joints on the chest piece are pretty easy to cover up I mean its Lego. You guys just have to use your imagination to cover it to your liking, if you do wish to cover it that is.

 

I personally didn't like it at first how Tahu had exposed ball joints near his shoulders. Its really an easy fix. You just take the top shoulder armors that are connected next to the arms on the "backpack", and then you just bring it forward and connect it to the exposed ball joints. The remaining ball joint on the back can then be replaced by a technic bush or anything that you wish to replace it with.

Yeah, but if it's so easy to fix, then why didn't LEGO do that? 

[AdaptingChaos]

 

Those exposed ball joints on the chest piece are pretty easy to cover up I mean its Lego. You guys just have to use your imagination to cover it to your liking, if you do wish to cover it that is.

 

I personally didn't like it at first how Tahu had exposed ball joints near his shoulders. Its really an easy fix. You just take the top shoulder armors that are connected next to the arms on the "backpack", and then you just bring it forward and connect it to the exposed ball joints. The remaining ball joint on the back can then be replaced by a technic bush or anything that you wish to replace it with.

Yeah, but if it's so easy to fix, then why didn't LEGO do that? 

 

Some people might be annoyed by the exposed ball joints (I was too) and consider it a "problem" with the set, but i'm sure many fans will find ways to cover them up. I personally now prefer the exposed ball joints, as I realized about a week ago (week ago) that the way I covered the exposed ball joints, created an obstacle which sorta hinders movement from the arms when using the gears. 

And besides Lego doesn't really have to "fix" this problem because its not really a "problem" in the first place, sure it might bother some people but if it does then they themselves can cover up the exposed ball joints. However I will say that "fixing" this "problem" would just create an actual problem which hinders movement from the gears and completely faults the action these sets are advertised with. Im pretty sure a Lego designer didn't want to restrict the gear movement after it was clearly advertised on the box and didnt want a kid to build this set with the gear function in mind for it not to work correctly, just to cover up a cosmetic problem.

[user-402520536]

 

 

Those exposed ball joints on the chest piece are pretty easy to cover up I mean its Lego. You guys just have to use your imagination to cover it to your liking, if you do wish to cover it that is.

 

I personally didn't like it at first how Tahu had exposed ball joints near his shoulders. Its really an easy fix. You just take the top shoulder armors that are connected next to the arms on the "backpack", and then you just bring it forward and connect it to the exposed ball joints. The remaining ball joint on the back can then be replaced by a technic bush or anything that you wish to replace it with.

Yeah, but if it's so easy to fix, then why didn't LEGO do that? 

 

Some people might be annoyed by the exposed ball joints (I was too) and consider it a "problem" with the set, but i'm sure many fans will find ways to cover them up. I personally now prefer the exposed ball joints, as I realized about a week ago (week ago) that the way I covered the exposed ball joints, created an obstacle which sorta hinders movement from the arms when using the gears. 

And besides Lego doesn't really have to "fix" this problem because its not really a "problem" in the first place, sure it might bother some people but if it does then they themselves can cover up the exposed ball joints. However I will say that "fixing" this "problem" would just create an actual problem which hinders movement from the gears and completely faults the action these sets are advertised with. Im pretty sure a Lego designer didn't want to restrict the gear movement after it was clearly advertised on the box and didnt want a kid to build this set with the gear function in mind for it not to work correctly, just to cover up a cosmetic problem.

 

Good point, but wouldn't it just have been easier- and better- to create a new torso build for all the Toa?

[Aanchir]

Good point, but wouldn't it just have been easier- and better- to create a new torso build for all the Toa?

Depends on what kind of budget the designers were working with. Unless their budget increased, then introducing an additional new mold would mean cutting corners elsewhere. So for instance, they could have made the hips and gearbox one piece so it would still require just one new mold, but not only would that have been less versatile than two separate pieces, but it would have limited their ability to vary the proportions of the characters' torsos (currently, Onua, Lewa, and Kopaka all have different torso proportions than Gali, Tahu, and Pohatu). Or they could have introduced a new torso beam without built-in shoulder joints, but that might have meant one fewer new weapon mold.

 

As it is, I don't really find the exposed ball joints on the Toa bothersome. It's not as though they stick out from the rest of the model — they really just help fill the space between the shoulders and chest plate. What's more, I think the Toa actually look pretty cool with their shoulder joints set back slightly from the hip and neck joints. It makes the shape of the body feel less flat, kind of like the effect you got with the 2010 Hero Factory torso beam (that torso beam also had the shoulders set back from the hips and neck, just not quite as far).

 

I will say Kopaka makes possibly the best use of the basic 7x9 torso beam's ball joints. The way his bulky shoulder armor is mounted fills the space even more effectively than the ball joints do on their own. I don't think this works nearly as well with other Toa like Gali and Tahu, though — they benefit aesthetically from having their smaller shoulder armor mounted further back, as it is in the sets.

[NickonAquaMagna]

CCBS Titans? Like real titans, not XLs? I'm all for it.

 

Witch Doctor is a real titan. I wouldn't mind Makuta's ultimate form shaping up to be something like that. I mean... given how big the Toa are, you'd kind of HAVE to go that far for a new villain to seem like that much of a threat.

[Aanchir]

Witch Doctor is a real titan. I wouldn't mind Makuta's ultimate form shaping up to be something like that. I mean... given how big the Toa are, you'd kind of HAVE to go that far for a new villain to seem like that much of a threat.

I kind of disagree with this mentality. Don't get me wrong, I'd LOVE to see another $30 or $35 villain around that size. But there's more to making a character seem powerful than just making them enormous. Look at Axonn from 2006 — he was no taller than a Toa Inika, but his beefy armor made him feel like a powerhouse. If he were designed with more villainous motifs like sharp claws and black armor, I think he could definitely look like a serious threat to the Toa.

 

Even a "normal-sized" character can look dark and powerful if their design is handled properly. Look at the Knights' Kingdom theme as an example. The 2006 version of Lord Vladek is no taller than any other knight, but with an evil-looking sword, a billowing cape, and fearsome red and black armor, you can tell he's not just your average foe. Core Hunter from Hero Factory was not even a lead villain, but a lot of people consider him one of the scariest villains in the theme, not only on account of his jagged red and black design (the same height as any of that year's mid-size hero and villain sets) but also his serial-killer characterization.

 

You can also add a sense of energy to a character design to make it feel more powerful, like the aptly-named NRG minifigures from Ninjago 2012. These versions of the Ninja look like they're literally made of their elements, even more so in the character art from the instruction manuals and trading cards.

 

BIONICLE has not really dabbled much in this last method of making a character look more powerful, but can you imagine a heavily-armored figure around Tahu's height, wreathed in an eerie purple flame? Would that not give you a sense of a villain who is not to be trifled with? Size can be a great way to make a villain seem threatening, but it's certainly not the only way to do so.

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

 

Witch Doctor is a real titan. I wouldn't mind Makuta's ultimate form shaping up to be something like that. I mean... given how big the Toa are, you'd kind of HAVE to go that far for a new villain to seem like that much of a threat.

I kind of disagree with this mentality. Don't get me wrong, I'd LOVE to see another $30 or $35 villain around that size. But there's more to making a character seem powerful than just making them enormous. Look at Axonn from 2006 — he was no taller than a Toa Inika, but his beefy armor made him feel like a powerhouse. If he were designed with more villainous motifs like sharp claws and black armor, I think he could definitely look like a serious threat to the Toa.

 

Even a "normal-sized" character can look dark and powerful if their design is handled properly. Look at the Knights' Kingdom theme as an example. The 2006 version of Lord Vladek is no taller than any other knight, but with an evil-looking sword, a billowing cape, and fearsome red and black armor, you can tell he's not just your average foe. Core Hunter from Hero Factory was not even a lead villain, but a lot of people consider him one of the scariest villains in the theme, not only on account of his jagged red and black design (the same height as any of that year's mid-size hero and villain sets) but also his serial-killer characterization.

 

You can also add a sense of energy to a character design to make it feel more powerful, like the aptly-named NRG minifigures from Ninjago 2012. These versions of the Ninja look like they're literally made of their elements, even more so in the character art from the instruction manuals and trading cards.

 

BIONICLE has not really dabbled much in this last method of making a character look more powerful, but can you imagine a heavily-armored figure around Tahu's height, wreathed in an eerie purple flame? Would that not give you a sense of a villain who is not to be trifled with? Size can be a great way to make a villain seem threatening, but it's certainly not the only way to do so.

 

And Makuta 2001 was a Mctoran.

[Aanchir]

And Makuta 2001 was a Mctoran.

True, but I didn't mention that because 1) it was not a set and 2) that form was deliberately meant to look unimposing, in order to confuse the Toa and put them off their guard. As such, it's not really dangerous or frightening except in an existential sense — it's hard to imagine words that would make the Toa doubt their own mission more than "I am that which you have sworn to protect".

 

Set design is a whole different beast from storytelling. That form of Makuta was an incredibly successful and powerful design decision in terms of storytelling, because it showcased Makuta's powers of deceit and shapeshifting ability, challenged the Toa in a way that they never expected to be challenged, made even the viewer question their sense of good and evil by juxtaposing something the viewer associates with "good" (the Matoran) with something the viewer associates with evil (Makuta's infection). But from a set design perspective, it does not exactly offer the most play potential, nor is it a very apt reflection of Makuta's overall personality — not without the ability to transform into his subsequent "void form". If a kid first glimpsed that form of Makuta on a store shelf, stripped of its story context, they would not have any way to identify it as the Toa's most dangerous foe.

[NickonAquaMagna]

 

Witch Doctor is a real titan. I wouldn't mind Makuta's ultimate form shaping up to be something like that. I mean... given how big the Toa are, you'd kind of HAVE to go that far for a new villain to seem like that much of a threat.

I kind of disagree with this mentality. Don't get me wrong, I'd LOVE to see another $30 or $35 villain around that size. But there's more to making a character seem powerful than just making them enormous. Look at Axonn from 2006 — he was no taller than a Toa Inika, but his beefy armor made him feel like a powerhouse. If he were designed with more villainous motifs like sharp claws and black armor, I think he could definitely look like a serious threat to the Toa.

 

Even a "normal-sized" character can look dark and powerful if their design is handled properly. Look at the Knights' Kingdom theme as an example. The 2006 version of Lord Vladek is no taller than any other knight, but with an evil-looking sword, a billowing cape, and fearsome red and black armor, you can tell he's not just your average foe. Core Hunter from Hero Factory was not even a lead villain, but a lot of people consider him one of the scariest villains in the theme, not only on account of his jagged red and black design (the same height as any of that year's mid-size hero and villain sets) but also his serial-killer characterization.

 

You can also add a sense of energy to a character design to make it feel more powerful, like the aptly-named NRG minifigures from Ninjago 2012. These versions of the Ninja look like they're literally made of their elements, even more so in the character art from the instruction manuals and trading cards.

 

BIONICLE has not really dabbled much in this last method of making a character look more powerful, but can you imagine a heavily-armored figure around Tahu's height, wreathed in an eerie purple flame? Would that not give you a sense of a villain who is not to be trifled with? Size can be a great way to make a villain seem threatening, but it's certainly not the only way to do so.

 

 

 

I think a villain like what you described at the end would be great to have as a sort of rival character for the Toa, someone you could imagine Tahu dueling in a swordfight or something like that. I'm not saying a villain HAS to be super big, I was mainly using Witch Doctor as an example of a great set, because... well, he is! There's so many neat little things about the engineering in his legs alone... and THAT'S what I'd really, really love to see. Something that feels like a cut above the rest of the figures because it pushes the engineering as far as it can be taken, like Witch Doctor did. I personally find XL sets like Furno XL kind of underwhelming next to something like that.

 

Heck, even Evo's XL machine feels... incomplete, in a lot of ways. Almost everyone has at least one gripe about some part of that thing's construction. With the true return of gear functions, I'd like to think we haven't seen anything yet, that they could apply these gimmicks in all sorts of crazy new ways... and I'd like to think this will create an opportunity to see another figure on par with Witch Doctor in terms of the engineering feats crammed into it, if not something even more clever all around. I'm not saying a villain who isn't gigantic compared to the heroes can't be threatening. If we do get some core hunter-esque villains this year, though, I'd still like at least one of them to be big. I can't help it.

[user-402520536]

 

 

Witch Doctor is a real titan. I wouldn't mind Makuta's ultimate form shaping up to be something like that. I mean... given how big the Toa are, you'd kind of HAVE to go that far for a new villain to seem like that much of a threat.

I kind of disagree with this mentality. Don't get me wrong, I'd LOVE to see another $30 or $35 villain around that size. But there's more to making a character seem powerful than just making them enormous. Look at Axonn from 2006 — he was no taller than a Toa Inika, but his beefy armor made him feel like a powerhouse. If he were designed with more villainous motifs like sharp claws and black armor, I think he could definitely look like a serious threat to the Toa.

 

Even a "normal-sized" character can look dark and powerful if their design is handled properly. Look at the Knights' Kingdom theme as an example. The 2006 version of Lord Vladek is no taller than any other knight, but with an evil-looking sword, a billowing cape, and fearsome red and black armor, you can tell he's not just your average foe. Core Hunter from Hero Factory was not even a lead villain, but a lot of people consider him one of the scariest villains in the theme, not only on account of his jagged red and black design (the same height as any of that year's mid-size hero and villain sets) but also his serial-killer characterization.

 

You can also add a sense of energy to a character design to make it feel more powerful, like the aptly-named NRG minifigures from Ninjago 2012. These versions of the Ninja look like they're literally made of their elements, even more so in the character art from the instruction manuals and trading cards.

 

BIONICLE has not really dabbled much in this last method of making a character look more powerful, but can you imagine a heavily-armored figure around Tahu's height, wreathed in an eerie purple flame? Would that not give you a sense of a villain who is not to be trifled with? Size can be a great way to make a villain seem threatening, but it's certainly not the only way to do so.

 

 

 

I think a villain like what you described at the end would be great to have as a sort of rival character for the Toa, someone you could imagine Tahu dueling in a swordfight or something like that. I'm not saying a villain HAS to be super big, I was mainly using Witch Doctor as an example of a great set, because... well, he is! There's so many neat little things about the engineering in his legs alone... and THAT'S what I'd really, really love to see. Something that feels like a cut above the rest of the figures because it pushes the engineering as far as it can be taken, like Witch Doctor did. I personally find XL sets like Furno XL kind of underwhelming next to something like that.

 

Heck, even Evo's XL machine feels... incomplete, in a lot of ways. Almost everyone has at least one gripe about some part of that thing's construction. With the true return of gear functions, I'd like to think we haven't seen anything yet, that they could apply these gimmicks in all sorts of crazy new ways... and I'd like to think this will create an opportunity to see another figure on par with Witch Doctor in terms of the engineering feats crammed into it, if not something even more clever all around. I'm not saying a villain who isn't gigantic compared to the heroes can't be threatening. If we do get some core hunter-esque villains this year, though, I'd still like at least one of them to be big. I can't help it.

 

Whoa, I don't think you guys get what I'm trying to say-all I mean is that CCBS has the potential to bring forth such things as the Axalara, but for some reason LEGO hasn't used this opportunity.

 

 

[Aanchir]

Whoa, I don't think you guys get what I'm trying to say-all I mean is that CCBS has the potential to bring forth such things as the Axalara, but for some reason LEGO hasn't used this opportunity.

I definitely agree with this sentiment! We haven't seen a whole lot of vehicle sets making extensive use of the CCBS. Sets like Speeda Demon and Jet Rocka used it only for small bits of armor plating. Also, with the sheer number of sets in this wave, it wouldn't surprise me to potentially see some more sets at this kind of larger size in the summer wave!

 

At the same time, when you say "titans", I usually think of actual figures rather than vehicles, and I think a figure as large as the Axalara would be a bit excessive. Classic BIONICLE never had a single-figure set at more than a $50 price point, and the Axalara was an $80 set!

[user-402520536]

 

Whoa, I don't think you guys get what I'm trying to say-all I mean is that CCBS has the potential to bring forth such things as the Axalara, but for some reason LEGO hasn't used this opportunity.

I definitely agree with this sentiment! We haven't seen a whole lot of vehicle sets making extensive use of the CCBS. Sets like Speeda Demon and Jet Rocka used it only for small bits of armor plating. Also, with the sheer number of sets in this wave, it wouldn't surprise me to potentially see some more sets at this kind of larger size in the summer wave!

 

At the same time, when you say "titans", I usually think of actual figures rather than vehicles, and I think a figure as large as the Axalara would be a bit excessive. Classic BIONICLE never had a single-figure set at more than a $50 price point, and the Axalara was an $80 set!

 

 

 

Whoa, I don't think you guys get what I'm trying to say-all I mean is that CCBS has the potential to bring forth such things as the Axalara, but for some reason LEGO hasn't used this opportunity.

I definitely agree with this sentiment! We haven't seen a whole lot of vehicle sets making extensive use of the CCBS. Sets like Speeda Demon and Jet Rocka used it only for small bits of armor plating. Also, with the sheer number of sets in this wave, it wouldn't surprise me to potentially see some more sets at this kind of larger size in the summer wave!

 

At the same time, when you say "titans", I usually think of actual figures rather than vehicles, and I think a figure as large as the Axalara would be a bit excessive. Classic BIONICLE never had a single-figure set at more than a $50 price point, and the Axalara was an $80 set!

 

Oh no, for me, Titan and Vehicle are completely different classes too. I just used Axalara because it was one of the biggest sets in Gen 1 and I'm sure CCBS would excel at anything with a high price point/piece count.

Edited December 4, 2014 by Gukko Lord

[Takametru007]

On the subject of gear boxes, do the new toa have enough force behind their function to actually knock each others masks off? Or is the "mask ejection" feature meant to stand alone from the gear box function?

[AdaptingChaos]

On the subject of gear boxes, do the new toa have enough force behind their function to actually knock each others masks off? Or is the "mask ejection" feature meant to stand alone from the gear box function?

They basically stand alone from each other. Im pretty sure all of the new Toa have "two features" the gears and mask eject. Other "features" would probably be cosmetic and include the use of combining models for "Power-Up Toa", the dual-functionality of their weapons and the Gold mask I guess. 

[Aanchir]

On the subject of gear boxes, do the new toa have enough force behind their function to actually knock each others masks off? Or is the "mask ejection" feature meant to stand alone from the gear box function?

The gearboxes DO have enough strength, but it has to be a VERY precise hit for the weapon to deliver the full strength of the gear function, which is made even more complex by the fact that many of the Toa like Lewa and Gali have shoulder armor that can block strikes from certain angles. So from a practical standpoint it's certainly not easy. Edited December 17, 2014 by Aanchir

[bioniclepluslotr]

I likeh that each toa has a unique gearbox build (mostly).

[AdaptingChaos]

I likeh that each toa has a unique gearbox build (mostly).

Same! I really like how the gearboxes vary for each Toa and are still use the gearbox piece as its main base. I sure hope we do keep these gearboxes for the second wave of 2015 (really likely) and hopefully for 2016 and onward.

[Takametru007]

 

On the subject of gear boxes, do the new toa have enough force behind their function to actually knock each others masks off? Or is the "mask ejection" feature meant to stand alone from the gear box function?

The gearboxes DO have enough strength, but it has to be a VERY precise hit for the weapon to deliver the full strength of the gear function, which is made even more complex by the fact that many of the Toa like Lewa and Gali have shoulder armor that can block strikes from certain angles. So from a practical standpoint it's certainly not easy.

 

Would it make it easier to knock off the masks if you took out the friction gears?