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Bionicle 2017 on Fundrazr


Dark_Stranger

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Well, I've been mentioning it sporadically for a while now--and now it has officially begun!

bionicle_2017_teaser_1a.png
 
With some help from my siblings, I'm working on MoCing up sets and writing a storyline, but, as always, funds are low. Donations can help finance paint and Bricklink orders, as well as the time spent building and writing.

 

More to come soon!
 
https://fundrazr.com/bion_2017?ref=ab_26NoEc

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bionicle_2017_banner_3c.png

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And perhaps more importantly, how kindly is Lego likely to take a fan project asking for funding? Because some IP holders can be real jerks even about non-profit fanworks(Exhibit A: Nintendo's treatment of Metroid AM2R and Pokemon Uranium among others).

As we've seen in the past, Lego is usually fine with this kind of stuff until money starts changing hands. Because he's not specifically selling a product I think he's fine, but this is still pushing the envelope somewhat. 

bZpOwEr

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Yeah, I don't know how kindly Lego would take to you fundraising to create Bionicle MOCs, particularly if you continued using the names, logos, and other assorted trademarks associated with the theme. As a creative toy Lego does tend to be somewhat more lenient toward fanworks than some other brands, but they still have to protect their IP rights and avoid any chance of a fan-created model being confused for an official product. Even Lego Ideas forbids the use of the Lego logo in project images—I imagine the Bionicle logo would fall under similar scrutiny. That goes double for anything that you're earning money with, including crowdfunding or the sale of custom items.

 

Beyond that, even with the advent of crowdfunding, I'm skeptical of any sort of fan-made continuation, simply because we went down this exact same road when G1 ended. And while a few continuations that limited their scope primarily to fiction did sustain themselves for a little while, I don't recall any of the more high-concept, full-blown continuations featuring both sets and story really getting anywhere. Given how many of those projects ended up aborted, I wouldn't be keen on putting down money for someone promising the exact same thing.

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Formerly Lyichir: Rachira of Influence

Aanchir's and Meiko's brother

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Why should people give you money to do what you should be doing in your spare time? Does it mean that you would be producing bionicle sets to buy for the public?

If they are selling their own sets.

That is highly illegal.

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Hey I got a Flickr because I like making LEGO stuff.

https://www.flickr.com/people/toatimelord/
 

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And perhaps more importantly, how kindly is Lego likely to take a fan project asking for funding? Because some IP holders can be real jerks even about non-profit fanworks(Exhibit A: Nintendo's treatment of Metroid AM2R and Pokemon Uranium among others).

That's just how Nintendo is. They got pretty salty over Project M, that one Super Smash Bros. Brawl mod that gained critical acclaim. I have Project M; it was free even though I had to buy the SD card to get it. All Nintendo ever did about PM was ban everyone from discussing it on any/all of their official forums. However, LEGO is a different company and what they do in response to this project is up to them, of course.

 

Other than that, I'd be interested in seeing some of the cool stuff you're working on, Dark_Stranger.

mindeth the cobwebs

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lol im not giving you money to build mediocre mocs and write mediocre fanfiction

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In the time before time, the Great Spirit descended from the heavens, carrying with him the ones called the Matoran, to this island paradise. We were separate and without purpose, so the great spirit blessed us with the Three Virtues: Unity, Duty and Destiny. We embraced these gifts and in gratitude named our home Mata Nui, after the great spirit himself.

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The concept art looks very good. It's clear that you have a passion for building these things and I think we can all appreciate that. But your idea simply won't happen. Lego aren't ones to give up rights to things. If you wanted to bring this into existence the way you want it you'd need actual investors and a company. You clearly have very good art skills and I would suggest you make this into a comic or flash animation. I know bionicle meant a lot to a lot of us but I'm afraid it's time to let it rest.

It's time to move on.

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  1. This is illegal
  2. Who in their right mind would give you money to build MOCs that aren't even commissions? I mean, people could just use that money to buy sets/pieces and do this on their own while also having fun
  3. Let me reiterate - you want people to pay you to play with Lego

 

:kakama:

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:kakama: Stone rocks :kakama:

Model Designer at The LEGO Group. Former contributor at New Elementary. My MOCs can be found on Flickr and Instagram

:smilepohatunu: :smilehuki:

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Firstly, I suppose upon rereading that my phrasing was a bit vague, so I understand the confusion, but I am not selling anything. The story will be available for free. The set instructions will be available for free. The campaign is to fund Bricklink orders and paint--and obviously no one has to contribute, it would just be helpful and appreciated in the face of what is frankly a huge project. I could easily have just shared this with my little siblings and nobody else, but I thought I'd give a wider audience the option to see what I had in mind for a proper ending.

As for LEGO themselves, this is admittedly in their hands, which informed some of the phrasing on the actual contribution page. But I made sure to immediately post this project to the official pages for both Bionicle and LEGO as a whole, and I haven't heard anything from them yet, so unless that changes I figure they're fine with it.

Finally, I do intend to update the page regularly with content, and in fact I posted the first such update less than an hour ago. There isn't much physical to show yet, as the project is still in its infancy and much of it is still either in my head or in the phase where the prototypes are still half-built, full of parts substitutions, and overall kind of junky-looking. I'm working on getting them out of that territory, and they're slowly but surely getting there.

bionicle_2017_banner_3c.png

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I think the issue folks take with it is less the whole sharing a continuation and more the wanting to be paid for it. Are you doing this out of passion? We're more likely to get behind you if you've already started and put pen to paper (or ball to socket, as it were).

Hand-drawn, bespoke avatar by none other than Mushy the Mushroom.

 

a body adrift in water, salt, and sky

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  • 2 weeks later...

I fear what you are proposing isn’t exactly legal. Fan fiction is definitely encouraged by LEGO, however only as long as there is no monetary flow involved. Once money starts flowing – even if it isn’t purchasing, but merely donating, I believe it stops being fan fiction and starts being a bootleg – or like we Bionicle fans like to call it a Pectrotcr.

 

We all want Bionicle to live on but bootlegging isn’t the proper way of doing it. Wishing for the adventures of the Protectors to continue is a very noble goal, however we should beware that those Protectors don’t turn into Pectrotcrs. I personally am working on keeping Bionicle alive, however I would never expect to be paid for it. I am definitely not trying to bash you or anything like that, however I would like to point out all the legal problems that arise with an effort like the one you propose.

 

bricks_251pcs_bionlcie_6001,1438340276kl

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IhDIrLK.jpg

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I think the issue folks take with it is less the whole sharing a continuation and more the wanting to be paid for it. Are you doing this out of passion? We're more likely to get behind you if you've already started and put pen to paper (or ball to socket, as it were).

I understand where you're coming from, but part of being a professional artist (which I'll admit I haven't accomplished quite yet, but I'm getting there) is understanding that passion and dedication, while essential, aren't generally accepted currency. Passion is the engine, but it needs money to fuel it. Or maybe it's the other way around. You can't do without either, regardless. In this case, I'm not really sure I could get this project done in a timely manner without donations. Admittedly, I jumped the gun in putting up a donations page before I had anything more than a cover picture, but I should be able to show off some semi-presentable Toa soon.

 

As for the continuing legal concerns, I know there are at least a few people who accept token payment for instructions for MOCs based on licensed properties. If they can do it with no problems, I don't see why I would be prohibited from taking donations, which is far less capitalistic. And, again, I made sure to announce this project where Lego can see it; if they start chewing me out, I'll delete the donations page and just finish the project at a much slower pace. They haven't made an issue of it yet, so I haven't corrected the potential issue yet.

bionicle_2017_banner_3c.png

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I think the issue folks take with it is less the whole sharing a continuation and more the wanting to be paid for it. Are you doing this out of passion? We're more likely to get behind you if you've already started and put pen to paper (or ball to socket, as it were).

I understand where you're coming from, but part of being a professional artist (which I'll admit I haven't accomplished quite yet, but I'm getting there) is understanding that passion and dedication, while essential, aren't generally accepted currency. Passion is the engine, but it needs money to fuel it. Or maybe it's the other way around. You can't do without either, regardless. In this case, I'm not really sure I could get this project done in a timely manner without donations. Admittedly, I jumped the gun in putting up a donations page before I had anything more than a cover picture, but I should be able to show off some semi-presentable Toa soon.

 

The murkiness comes out of the fact that this is a fandom. Folks have been writing epics and building MoCs for years, for no other reason besides wanting to. Start the project first, get some traction going, show us your serious and worth our time; then start a Patreon or whatever for us to support you.

Hand-drawn, bespoke avatar by none other than Mushy the Mushroom.

 

a body adrift in water, salt, and sky

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This is almost as bad as the guy who started a Kickstarter for a Magic the Gathering MOC.

 

If this is a personal hobby project and not something you're going to sell, I think it should be funded by yourselves.

Alright, in this guy's defense, he's probably just trying to find a way to make everyone happy. It is sort of a gray area legally.

 

Yeah, I don't know how kindly Lego would take to you fundraising to create Bionicle MOCs, particularly if you continued using the names, logos, and other assorted trademarks associated with the theme.

That's true, though I believe that as long as the OP documents that he didn't turn a profit in any way, he is (technically) in the clear.

 

Well, Dark_Stranger, I am in awe of the detail and style of the main image that showcases Makuta and the MoC; what sort of tool did you use to make that? I'm curious to see more, for sure.

 

Find (digital) me under the name Azani on YouTube, Eurobricks, Discord, the BioMedia Project and the TTV Message Boards.

 

Please check out Project AFTERMAN on Tumblr and Facebook; I'm proud to have worked as their PR Manager and as a writer.

 

AAZZ.jpg

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