Bionicle themed LEGO Ideas Compendium

[tealc]

Firstly, it’s no coincidence I’m posting this the day Sokoda’s Legend of Bionicle set failed to pass muster. 
When I read the news, I felt defeated, depressed, and a little angry. But as the day wore on, I thought more and more about why this decision had been made. Among a number of other points I’ve made in the official topic for his project, one thing I realized is that we all put our eggs in one basket. 

There are several other Bionicle ideas on the site, and ALL OF THEM are and have been in the hundreds for months, while Sokoda’s shot to 10,000 in less than a month. 
We can still leverage that voting power and momentum for any and every Bionicle Idea.

 One Bionicle idea making it to review is a novelty and an exception, especially since both iterations of the theme, in the end, became unprofitable. Two Bionicle ideas making it is a coincidence. Four, five, six making it is enough for the powers that be to pause and say to themselves “...you know, I think there might be something to this.”

Here’s the point I’m trying to make: support Bionicle Ideas. Even if they have no chance because the molds were destroyed long ago, so what? Promote the brand. Don’t let them forget it. It’s not like it costs money to support an Idea, it takes less than a minute, and you’re not even promising to buy it (though it would be nice if you did, but life happens). 
 

But that’s more than enough ranting. Here’s the reason I started this topic. Below is a set of links to all current Bionicle Ideas, mostly compiled thanks to Lenny7092.

 

1. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/7df8a5e2-518b-473d-8c4a-056db1d754bc

 the Amaja Circle

2. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/b68c92b0-6a0c-4264-a2dc-d4dd6ffba149

UCS replica of 8534 Tahu

3. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/76618127-4e4d-4d8f-a6f9-2d53a2618f33 
TECHNIC piece revamp of the Toa Mata

4. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/b2d13635-4c8d-41a8-930d-15b40e98293b
Brickheadz Toa Mata, 20th anniversary commemoration

5. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/37e80913-962b-47c3-9d57-464c4b358030
Technic/CCBS remake of Takanuva

6. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/4fe87789-0310-4955-bee8-109a7d7034ff

The Temple of Time from Gen 2, but with a Gen 1 twist

7. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/8b81cdb6-59de-4eb0-9245-8db1b1789b2b

Micro map of the island of Mata Nui

8. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/79c2e738-3def-46a2-81f6-9b950ee955c6

Technic/System depiction of the Mata Nui Robot

9. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/a20506be-09e4-4760-a0de-f1d9dbe659aa
Mounted bust of Tahu’s Kanohi Hau

 

 I’ll keep this list updated as new Ideas go live. Why not share this with friends? Why not promote it on Bionicle social media groups? Why not discuss it in our own branches of the community? Why not try?

The ball is in our court. Play well.

Edited June 29, 2020 by tealc
Added new Ideas project.

[Lenny7092]

12 hours ago, tealc said:

Firstly, it’s no coincidence I’m posting this the day Sokoda’s Legend of Bionicle set failed to pass muster. 
When I read the news, I felt defeated, depressed, and a little angry. But as the day wore on, I thought more and more about why this decision had been made. Among a number of other points I’ve made in the official topic for his project, one thing I realized is that we all put our eggs in one basket. 

There are several other Bionicle ideas on the site, and ALL OF THEM are and have been in the hundreds for months, while Sokoda’s shot to 10,000 in less than a month. 
what. is. wrong. with. us.

 One Bionicle idea making it to review is a novelty and an exception, especially since both iterations of the theme, in the end, became unprofitable. Two Bionicle ideas making it is a coincidence. Four, five, six making it is enough for the powers that be to pause and say to themselves “...you know, I think there might be something to this.”

Here’s the point I’m trying to make: support Bionicle Ideas. Even if they have no chance because the molds were destroyed long ago, so what? Promote the brand. Don’t let them forget it. It’s not like it costs money to support an Idea, it takes less than a minute, and you’re not even promising to buy it (though it would be nice if you did, but life happens). 
 

But that’s more than enough ranting. Here’s the reason I started this topic. Below is a set of links to all current Bionicle Ideas, mostly compiled thanks to Lenny7092.

 

1. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/7df8a5e2-518b-473d-8c4a-056db1d754bc

 the Amaja Circle

2. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/b68c92b0-6a0c-4264-a2dc-d4dd6ffba149

UCS replica of 8534 Tahu

3. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/76618127-4e4d-4d8f-a6f9-2d53a2618f33 
TECHNIC piece revamp of the Toa Mata

4. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/b2d13635-4c8d-41a8-930d-15b40e98293b
Brickheadz Toa Mata, 20th anniversary commemoration

5. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/37e80913-962b-47c3-9d57-464c4b358030
Technic/CCBS remake of Takanuva

6. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/4fe87789-0310-4955-bee8-109a7d7034ff

The Temple of Time from Gen 2, but with a Gen 1 twist

7. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/8b81cdb6-59de-4eb0-9245-8db1b1789b2b

Micro map of the island of Mata Nui

8. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/79c2e738-3def-46a2-81f6-9b950ee955c6

Technic/System depiction of the Mata Nui Robot

 

 I’ll keep this list updated as new Ideas go live. Why not share this with friends? Why not promote it on Bionicle social media groups? Why not discuss it in our own branches of the community? Why not try?

The ball is in our court. Play well.

Love your ideas. You’re right. People should support these other guys. Let’s all convince our fellow fans to give them 10,000 votes. We would hope that at least one of them to make it. Convince their makers to follow Sodoka’s if they have to. I contact one of them about it. It’s time to set things right. For Unity, for Duty, for Destiny, for Bionicle!

[Distorted]

I really like your idea of sharing all the Ideas projects in one place and I commend you for doing it. Also, I think BZPower could do a better job of reporting new Bionicle Ideas projects (especially since the bonkle news has long since dried up).

I also really disagree with your reasoning behind the idea.

17 hours ago, tealc said:

There are several other Bionicle ideas on the site, and ALL OF THEM are and have been in the hundreds for months, while Sokoda’s shot to 10,000 in less than a month. 
what. is. wrong. with. us.

Nothing is wrong with us. Some fans just aren't interested those projects. Heck, I'm a Bionicle fan and only three of those projects interest me; and of those three, I'd probably only buy one of them. I probably wouldn't have even bought Sodoka's set.

Sodoka's project was somewhat unique in that it combined:

• a great display piece
• a likely interesting building experience
• play value (including minifigs)
• multiple story years (so whether you got into Bionicle at the beginning, nearer the middle or at the end, you had at least one scene you'd feel nostalgia for)
• and just generally very good project presentation - in an ideal world, the presentation wouldn't matter, but sadly it does

With all this, it's not hard to see why the community chose to support this project over others.

17 hours ago, tealc said:

One Bionicle idea making it to review is a novelty and an exception, especially since both iterations of the theme, in the end, became unprofitable. Two Bionicle ideas making it is a coincidence. Four, five, six making it is enough for the powers that be to pause and say to themselves “...you know, I think there might be something to this.”

No. The Lego Group is fully aware of Bionicle's continued fanbase and their loyalty. That doesn't mean they're going to give us an Ideas set just because we keep asking for them.

G2 was not a sales success for Lego. When weighing up Ideas projects, they ultimately have to choose the projects which have the best chances of profit vs the costs and risks of working on them; which means Bionicle is already at a major disadvantage .

Keep in mind that there have been at least four different 10,000-vote Zelda projects which have failed at the final review phase. One of those projects was based on BotW; aka the highest selling and most critically acclaimed Zelda game in recent memory, and that got turned down even after Lego had released Mario sets with Nintendo's blessing. (Not to mention the countless other projects that didn't even reach the 10,000 votes stage.)

Now remember that the Bionicle fan community is dwarfed by the Zelda fan community alone; not to mention the wider Nintendo fan community. I know Zelda is not the best franchise to compare to Bionicle, but if a set based on a world-famous, critically acclaimed, millions-selling franchise is still considered a bad investment by Lego even after at least 4 bites of the cherry and a partnership with the company that owns said franchise....  what makes you think repeated 10,000-vote projects will change their mind about Bionicle?

17 hours ago, tealc said:

Promote the brand. Don’t let them forget it. It’s not like it costs money to support an Idea, it takes less than a minute, and you’re not even promising to buy it (though it would be nice if you did, but life happens). 

Again, Lego aren't going to forget the franchise which arguably saved them from bankruptcy in the 2000s. Keep in mind that Bionicle made a small cameo in The Lego Movie, and a Bionicle set even appeared in concept art for TLM2. I have no doubt that Lego will continue to reference Bionicle in future media.

But I think the second part of your comment kind of proves my point above.

It does take less than a minute to support an Ideas project. But it takes a far more significant financial commitment to actually buy the set when it comes out - or to even remember that the set is coming out at all.

You're right; you're not promising to buy the set when you vote for an Ideas project. If Lego had 10,000 pre-orders for a new Bionicle set, they'd probably be a lot more inclined to release it. But votes aren't pre-orders; and 10,000 votes doesn't necessarily mean 10,000 sales when the set comes out. 

There was plenty of excitement in the community when we all caught wind of G2 happening. Sadly, for whatever reason, that excitement didn't lead to good sales numbers. Again, Lego has to pick the projects which offer the best chances of profit.

-

Finally, I want to pose a question to you.

Does it really matter if we never get another official Bionicle set from Lego?

We still have more than 10 years of sets, lore, games, promotional material and fan media. We still have parts to create our own MOCs, and the characters/settings to inspire our own art, stories and other creative media. We still have an engaged and loyal fan community; granted, it's a fair bit smaller than it was, but it's still fairly active. We even have some of the people from behind the scenes giving us new/unseen material from our favourite franchise; there's a whole series of canon contests happening right now on TTV, and Faber is even planning some sort of mysterious spiritual successor. 

And we have the memories of experiencing Bionicle and the Bionicle fan community in its heyday.

Do we really need another set to validate all that?

 

Edited June 24, 2020 by Distorted

[tealc]

2 hours ago, Distorted said:

I really like your idea of sharing all the Ideas projects in one place and I commend you for doing it. Also, I think BZPower could do a better job of reporting new Bionicle Ideas projects (especially since the bonkle news has long since dried up).

I also really disagree with your reasoning behind the idea.

Nothing is wrong with us. Some fans just aren't interested those projects. Heck, I'm a Bionicle fan and only three of those projects interest me; and of those three, I'd probably only buy one of them. I probably wouldn't have even bought Sodoka's set.

Does it really matter if we never get another official Bionicle set from Lego?

Do we really need another set to validate all that?

 

I truly appreciate both your encouragement, and feedback. 
 

I was too aggressive with that. I was still not in the best head space, and probably should take that out. I do still believe our community should support these ideas. Consistency over time could encourage growth in the direction we desire. We may never see constraction again, but only brickonicle. It’s something. 
 

Sokoda’s set would have been expensive, but something like the Micro Mata Nui map would be in a much lower price bracket, optimistically.  I also realize Lego Ideas encourage an interactive or play element which commemorations are not favorable to. Still, making it understood we’d like something couldn’t hurt our standpoint.

 Now, to answer your question: No. 

I would love another Bionicle set of some kind. I don’t believe it will be the death knell of our community if that doesn’t happen. We’re a pretty stubborn bunch. I’ve said elsewhere that we are the ones keeping the Legend alive. You illustrated all the ways we are.  We don’t need LEGO to validate us. I say it can’t hurt to try, just to see what we can get them to do. Not saying I’m thinking G3 or a big tribute set. I guess to sum it up, I think why not try and see what happens?

[Lenny7092]

Hey, guys. I got good news and bad news: 

The good news is that there is that Hau project. I’m not sure if that could be worthy of having 10k supporters, and it’s a little inaccurate, but alright. 
 

The bad news is that the guy who made the Technic/brick-built Toa Mata is gone. 
 

Basically, the guy who made the Temple of Time project is our best chance. He’s going to improve the project a little bit, to be honest, like dealing with pieces that has discontinued molds and prints. He should update anything in his project’s main page if you know what I mean.