I dunno, I'd rather not have Bionicle exclusively in the 20-35 price range. Plus the need to have functions cuts into what they can do too.

You do realize that "the Bionicle designers" designed these sets as well? The designer of Luke, Vader, Jango, and Cody also designed Pohatu, Onua, Skull Warrior, Mask Maker vs. Skull Grinder, and the Protectors of Earth and Stone. The designer of Obi-Wan also designed Kopaka. I don't know who designed Grievous.

Obviously, the Bionicle sets have much more mechanical-looking shapes and cartoony colors and proportions, but they're supposed to — they didn't have any real-life subject they were trying to replicate, so the designers were free to be a bit more imaginative. Plus, the Bionicle sets are designed with play value in mind. None of the Star Wars constraction sets from the first wave include a single action feature, while all of the Bionicle sets have at least two (a mask eject function and either a "battle arm" or a launcher), plus dual-function weapons in the Toa's case.

Making the $10 Protectors and $15 Toa as tall and lifelike as the Star Wars figures would have basically been impossible. Making the $20 Toa that tall and lifelike might have been possible, but it would have meant sacrificing many of the features that make Bionicle what it is.

...Aanchir, I never said I wanted BIONICLE to be 'lifelike'. I'm not sure where you got that from.

 

 

None of the Star Wars constraction sets from the first wave include a single action feature,

Perhaps for the better - Skull Scorpio is the best example where the function has overtaken the set. Skull Scorpio may as well be just the tail, it would certainly improve the set's quality.

Well, I think he came to that conclusion because much of the SW figs' solidness in design comes from the need for them to look somewhat lifelike. A Bionicle character that doesn't need to do that can be more "gappy" or loosely designed, since they're more mechanical in nature. There's also the fact that the lack of functions lends to making the sets feel more natural, something that can't really be done with a Bionicle set if it has a gearbox or something. Removing functions and gappier armor would basically be making the sets more lifelike, so...shrug,

Well, I think he came to that conclusion because much of the SW's solidness in design comes from the need for them to look somewhat lifelike. A Bionicle character that doesn't need to do that can be more "gappy" or loosely designed, since they're more mechanical in nature. There's also the fact that the lack of functions lends to making the sets feel more natural, something that cant really be done with a Bionicle set if it has a gearbox or something. Removing functions and gappier armor would basically be making the sets more lifelike, so...shrug,

Yeah, that's about what I was getting at. Generally the things that make the $20 Star Wars sets less "gappy and awkward" than sets like Tahu are the exact same things that make them more lifelike and less Bionicle-like — more human-like proportions, more solid armor, and less over-the-top armor shapes.

I forgot when I was making my previous post, but the designer who created Kopaka and Obi-Wan actually designed Skull Scorpio as well. He's going to be at BrickFair New Jersey. So that's the place to ask him why it's so much different from the Star Wars sets. I'm sure he could give you quite a detailed answer.

If I had to guess, it probably boils down to Skull Scorpio needing twice as many limbs as most of the Star Wars constraction sets plus a Technic function at a price point $5 lower than the smallest of them, coupled with "bony mechanical monstrosity" being the design brief.

How is Luke worse than the others?  Yeah, the color is bland and the head is... y'know, whatever it is... but the actual piece design is basically the same on him as on the others.  (In fact, I think he's better rounded than the other sets at his price point, in that he has fuller back armor on his torso and legs.  (Or can y'all just not look past the head?)

I just feel like I must defend Luke's honor.    But yeah, Vader is amazing.

How is Luke worse than the others?  Yeah, the color is bland and the head is... y'know, whatever it is... but the actual piece design is basically the same on him as on the others.  (In fact, I think he's better rounded than the other sets at his price point, in that he has fuller back armor on his torso and legs.  (Or can y'all just not look past the head?)

 

I just feel like I must defend Luke's honor.    But yeah, Vader is amazing.

 

I think while Luke is well-rounded, he does have some faults, even for a person like me who doesn't have any problem with the head. Namely, his costume is possibly the least interesting of any of the figures in terms of shape and color blocking. Vader, at least, has some Titanium Metallic accents to liven things up. Obi-Wan, Jango, and Cody all have accessories like that alter their silhouettes (a cape, a jetpack, and a backpack). Luke, on the other hand, has an all-black costume and a generic humanoid physique. It's well-crafted but still kind of boring.

I've heard quite a few comments on other sites that Luke would be a better set if he were in a more interesting costume, like his Rebel flight suit.