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Advice for making CCBS Bionicle related MOCs?


Matoro Zeliph

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[if in wrong section, please move post to appropriate subject. If a similar topic has been already answered, please direct me to it (because I couldn't find it on the forums)]
 

 

I have no doubt that Bionicle Gen2 is going to continue using the bulky armor plates and ball&joint socket CCBS/Hero Factory piece design 90% of the time. I used to despise CCBS, but now I want to learn to build/like it (because of Bionicle coming back)!

 

I can see them working well for making custom Titan MOCs, but not very practical if you're trying to make a custom Toa or Matoran sized MOCs (because the pieces are just too bulky). 

Another problem I face is that I find it difficult to combine CCBS with Technic/Bionicle Gen1 due to the fact they don't have any axle and pin inserts. Is there a way to work around that? If so, that would be a big help!

 

 

For the record, I only own 3 CCBS sets. Stormer 1.0, Hero Factory Witch Doctor, and Kopaka Master of Ice. And I still cannot find any use from these pieces to use in my MOCs! :/

 

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance! 

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Basically, ball joints are your friends. I guess they always are, but especially when building with CCBS. I can't even count how many ball joints I've gone through since I started building with CCBS, but I keep ordering more on Bricklink and they keep disappearing.

 

There are several simple but nice techniques that are common, like this upper leg build. Smaller armor pieces can also make good shoulder armor, using the bar connections to attach the rest of the limb. I use a lot of limbs consisting of mainly two or more ball joints on a Technic axle with whatever other connections are needed to get all the armor and other connections on, but sometimes it's just easier to use a combination of Technic and CCBS limbs.

 

CCBS is actually really good for Matoran-sized MOCs as well, just because of those new, smaller limb pieces. They might not have much detail when compared to some Technic designs, but they are much simpler to create. Sometimes, it ends up really close to the Protectors though.

 

Hope this helps and turned out better than just me showing off some of my MOCs. :D

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I can see them working well for making custom Titan MOCs, but not very practical if you're trying to make a custom Toa or Matoran sized MOCs (because the pieces are just too bulky).

It can be done, as the Protectors amply demonstrate. In the course of about twenty minutes I was able to slap together this, using only extant pieces that seemed reasonably easy to obtain: chibi_monster.png

chibi_monster2.png

 

Alternate Coloring:

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chibi_monsterorange.png

chibi_monsterorange2.png

 

.LXF File

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(Credit to Nik the Three for the banner)

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Combined with technic, the limits of CCBS are practically nonexistent. That said, to me, the technic is practically a necessity; CCBS doesn't hold up on its own as far as making a variety unique custom creations, but then again, I don't think it's supposed to; separating CCBS from technic seems unnecessary, since the two are so linked.

 

TIPS AND TRICKS

  • avoid using the monopiece torsos unless you want those exact proportions and can get around the resulting hollowness. monopiece torsos are a plague that must be cured. (The exception is this one, which can be quite useful on a larger scale)
  • ball joints are good. other good pieces are this and this. The former is invaluable for CCBS, while the latter has been a lifesaver many times for me.
Edited by Wally
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What do you mean by "bulky" exactly? From what I have seen CCBS parts are roughly the same size as old Bionicle, or smaller. Just compare the 2015 Toa chest plate to an Inika chest plate, or a shell to the Inika armor. They are really not bulky by comparison.

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I made a MOC only using parts from Protector of Ice and Kopaka (excusing the 2001 Turaga Nuju ice pick). It's currently my profile pic atm, and I definitely suggest using a gear box. Disable the gearbox if you want, but if you want a better looking character (IMO), don't use the normal CCBS endoskeleton body for anymore than attaching the gearbox, armor, and legs.

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You're putting a lot of emphasis on the word "custom", and what challenges you face and what solutions you'll find depend heavily on what exactly it is you mean by that. Do you just mean "not a copy of a set"? Because in that case, you have all kinds of options. There are lots of different shells and beams, and lots of ways to use them to create different proportions. Even the Toa and Protector sets we've gotten demonstrate that, and they only scratch the surface of the possibilities.

 

This model of mine and this model of my brother's, both built at the LEGO store building event at New York Comic Con, showcase a number of building techniques that aren't employed in any of the new Toa sets, like the way my model uses head pieces on its shoulders and the spike/talon pieces from Lewa's shoulders on its lower arms, or the way my brother's model uses the "paw" pieces from Kopaka's shoulders on its upper arms. Other techniques include using masks and skull spiders as armor (they can snap to a model's hip or shoulder joints with relative ease in many cases, and even knee and elbow joints depending on how you build them).

 

But if you mean "custom" in terms of NOT just using a basic beam+shell+detail structure for the body and limbs... well, even then, you have lots of options. After all, even in the days of classic BIONICLE, smaller "custom" models of this sort often employed parts like basic Y-joints, Toa Hordika and Glatorian neck joints, single ball joints, and basic Technic connectors in place of prefab shells and beams like this and this. Most of those custom options are still available in the current sets.

 

Just look at the Exo-Suit set, which uses a custom Technic design for its upper and lower legs. If you wanted a bulkier or less greebly look for a model built in that fashion, it would still be fairly easy. Just swap the small wheels on the front of the upper legs with Y-joints, and you'd be able to attach a CCBS shell there. And don't forget there's no mandate that you stick to using current parts!

 

If you want a model with a level of complexity somewhere between those two examples, combining CCBS and Technic is easier than some people make it out to be. Since you have the new Kopaka, you've already seen one part that's useful for that express purpose: this one. A basic ball joint (with or without through hole), Glatorian neck, or Toa Hordika neck will likewise let you add CCBS shells to a Technic-based model. As for doing the opposite — adding Technic shaping and decoration to a CCBS skeleton — all 6M or larger CCBS beams include one or more Technic pin holes. Parts like this and this (both of which you have from Witch Doctor) or even a basic Y-joint can allow you to add Technic connection points to a CCBS beam in interesting ways. Now, what you do with those new connection points is up to you!

 

I've never been much for making elaborate "custom" models myself, and most of my classic BIONICLE and CCBS models alike have used plenty of prefab shells and beams to create their aesthetics. But I hope at least one of these suggestions suits the building style you're aiming for,

Edited by Aanchir
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Chro & Dark Blue:
Ok, Maybe "bulky" in a sense that there are some large shell and weapon pieces that are hard to work with for a Toa/Matoran sized MOC. Like I've noticed the Toa's weapons are way larger compared to 2004-2005 pieces. How are you supposed to make a custom design with that? I can see it easy customizing for Titans or if you want to make your character anime style characters with big weapons. But, eh. Idk.

Maybe that's just my nostalgic perception...that I really need to change soon.

 

 

Wally & Aanchir:
Thanks for the Technic/CCBS work around tips. I'm pretty sure if I have enough of those pieces, I can really take advantage of the shell armor on certain technic beams and whatnot. I already tried kind of doing that with my recent matoran MOC for his waist. 

 

I think I have a good idea of how to effectively use the shell pieces. However the limb pieces (arms and legs), especially the short ones are a bit trickier to customize but I think I'll figure a way around that. 


Thank you all for such great CCBS MOCing advice! 

Edited by Matoro Zeliph
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