[url="http://www.bzpower.com/forum/index.php?automodule=blog&blogid=39&showentry=29997"][img=http://www.majhost.com/gallery/bonesiii/BZPstuff/powerpointfacecontst/powerpointfacecontest_sigsize.gif][/url]

Yall must use it, capisce?

That's a Normalfied Calix, a Coolified Kaukau, Coolified Jutlin from my recent Phankuta art topic, Coolified "Igniru"request from GB#1 that was used in the second of the art guides as an example, the original Coolified Vahi, a coolified Hapori Tohu, and finally, a Ninja King face I made for Ninjo a long time ago that he used as his avatar for a while.

These are a few of my faves from my own work; hopefully they can help inspire yall for the contest.

You can see these and other Powerpoint art on my brickshelf, if you want even more inspiration.

Elements

A lotta talk lately about new Bionicle or fanfic Elements. Personally I think the more official elements, the better -- even many that Greg has turned down, I would include if it were up to me, but many would simply be considered evil elements just like Shadow. (Acid, for example.) And I really like the idea of "Abstract elements", like "Mind" for intelligence, or "Emotion", in which actual elemental energy would control these abstract aspects of the Matoran's world. I think these would really help make Bionicle's physics even more different from our world, which IMT is a good thing.

Maybe more importantly, it would challenge and inspire imagination even better than "obvious" elements. I think imagination is a very worthy goal, 'specially considering this is LEGO.

And I think a more complete selection of Legendary elements would make sense, even if they are merely "considered" elements and not actually used in the story. Time and Life don't sound much like a complete list. Force is probably the best example of one I'd support; it's basically kinetics.

The best argument against Aether/Continuum/Space, I think, is that kids wouldn't understand it, and I admit I'm Mr. Physics so this is like kindergarten to me much more so than most people, but I think "the fabric of dimensions" is simple enough to understand -- and just say it can make wormholes, modify physics somewhat in an area, and maybe a few other limited things that could be compared to fabric -- but if it ruptures space, the whole universe pops like a balloon. Besides, all I really wish for is that it be considered an element. (Also, calling it "Space" would be confusing, so another good argument against it is that the alternatives are just as confusing for names.)

Another idea I've had is "Mutated elements" -- where the element itself is mutated, not just the weilder. So the normal rules for elements wouldn't have to apply, per se, and they could be mixed with powers in some ways.

A short list of some random, mixed up examples of elements I have now listed in my Paracosmos Notebook database as real elements in my fanfics:

Lava -- A classified weilder of this rules a volcanic island; fits Ta-Koro style.
Crystal -- Fits Ko-Metru, lightstones, heatstones, etc.
Void -- Vacuum element; I think it fits best as its own element with its own EE, not as a "sub-element" of all others. Plus fits Levhak Kal better.
Blue Fire -- The important element of the RPG, as fans of it already know -- probably best not done in Bionicle though.
Shade -- Similar to Shadow, but not inherently evil. So stories about heroes who use the darkness are possible here. Another that's probably kept to fanfics.
Music -- Sounds weird, but it's tied in with a classified physics concept of the BP that will be revealed in the Le-Koro RPG level. Is an abstract.
Ghost -- Control semi-tangible ghostly materials that can defy gravity.

Ocean -- a mutated element from Water; weilders can breathe water and repair wooden boats.
Garden -- a mutated Le element, similar to Plants, but more for growing crops for food and controlling plant arrangement.
Forge -- a mutated element from Ta; includes ability to make metal and melt it.
Shredder -- a mutated Po element, can shred stone into fine sand with energy beams.
Clockwork -- a mutated Onu element; can reshape any solid into clockwork parts and understand such machines inherently.
____? --- I still need a suggestion for a Ko-equiv for these mutated elements. Any idears?
[EDIT: The above six are the Kriitunga elements. Also, the Ko-element is stasis.]

Memory -- an abstract element
Psionics -- an abstract element
Venom -- an evil element
Frost -- painfully cold evil element
Tar -- an evil element
Creation -- a Legendary; includes ability to know how to make things work, and to make them from elemental energy.
Chaos -- a Legendary; includes ability to make order chaotic, plus understanding of "chaos theory" -- controlling things that seem random but are really more like complex dominoes, like dropping a feather, or hitting a target from a distance just right, etc.

And there are quite a few more that are too classified to reveal.



Petitions

As I had to say recently, many members seem to think it's wise to make petitions for any random feeling they have. If you wish Bionicle would go back to styles that sold poorly, you make a petition. If you wish LEGO could magically make prices go down with no reductions in sets, you make a petition. If you dislike Onua Mata, you make a petition. If you want free cookies for life, you make a petition.

Guys, that doesn't make any sense.

First, you must logically determine what LEGO actually should do. Not just what you personally want -- that's personal taste. Bionicle has to appeal to the majority taste, which isn't necessarily the same as your own tastes. And your tastes aren't "better" than everybody else's either. Everybody's equal; to imply otherwise is a form of discrimination, as I talked about in a past entry here.

Also, we are a very tiny minority among the fanbase -- sales results are a much larger form of "petition", and LEGO does listen to sales results quite a bit. So LEGO is concerned with what the fans want, enough to do focus group research and sales analysis and various other things instead of just making random things and hoping they sell. We shouldn't puff ourselves up so we think we're the only fans, or worse, the only fans that matter. Everybody matters.

"Die-hard fans" -- I've heard the argument that devoted older fans are somehow more valuable. I would actually argue the opposite -- toys are for kids. Have you ever seen those cereal ads where they say "These are for kids, silly!"? Well, us adult fans must always remember that we are guests to this experience. Devotion is great, but acting spoiled is not. We should be grateful for the many nods LEGO has sent our way (especially including the storyline reason the Nuva were brought back -- remember that was never motivated for set reasons anyways; it was to have the Nuva in story spotlight).

So petitions like that only send the signal that we want to bite the hand that's feeding us, I'm afraid.

Now, sure, petitions for logical, good causes are okay. I've supported one -- the "bring back the collectibles" one. But that was because the starter thought things through and came up with an idea that was actually plausible. That's the key.



Requests

No matter what I do I just can't seem to get in the mood to fulfill some art requests from some of you. I apologize for the rediculous delays, and I'm afraid the delays are just going to continue for another few weeks at least. I will try to fulfill the requests I have at this point.

However, from now on, I will not be accepting any art requests at all. No av requests, no banner requests, nothing. I just need to get that load off my shoulders so I can focus on other things. Sorry.



Mysteries

One of my favorite things, as a writer, is just reading storyline debates many of you have. Because recently some of my best ideas for Bionicle Paracosmos mysteries have come from things you guys have said. Obviously, I can't get specific or it would ruin the surprises. But the ideas can come from the least expected places.

Similar to how I got great new element ideas from the "What Don't You Want" topic (), I got a great mystery idea from someone else who was arguing recently about how something was impossible. Basically, it made me think "what if it was possible? What could cause it?" and I made a comparison to something in the real world that fits the scenario, and modified it to make it possible in Bionicle.

So keep on debating guys.



This Week and Next Week

Probably gonna be busy this week, as I've got a big to-do list from the Dreaded Real Life. I'm hoping to set a new policy in stone related to storyline so we can announce it soon. Don't worry, nothing unusual.

Not sure what to expect for next week's schedule but something has come up that might cause me to be away for several days.

If I do have time, I'm trying to catch up on all the Gold Key to Nongu nominations that have made. The problem is, some of the nominations seem so good I haven't had time to read them in detail due to their length.

Workin on it...



Next Survurlode Interview

I have three ideas for who to interview next, hopefully in May. But I can't decide which of the three it should be. I am leaning towards a Lawyerahk named Bob -- I usually interview somebody that was hinted at in a past interview, and Lawyerahks are the most obvious category of those. But there's someone else who should be very interesting and who was named in one of the older interviews that I haven't got around to yet (and would be well timed). There's a third new character who should be really fun, but he hasn't been hinted at or introduced at all.



Future Blog Contest

I got a great idea for another blog contest. But since I'm already running one right now, I'm keeping it classified for now. Suffice to say, whatever you are expecting, that's not it.