Importance Of Story

[Alyska]

I was talking to a couple of kids the other day, aged around eleven or twelve years old. The subject of Bionicle came up:"You know they're not making Bionicles any more, right?" said one."Yeah, I heard about that," I said. "But they still make something similar, right?""They make Hero Factory, which is kinda lame. " he said."The TV show is really bad. I mean, they all have guns and stuff, but because it's a kids' show, they can't actually shoot properly. They keep missing each other. ALL THE TIME." said his friend."They're like stormtroopers!"The kids still liked Bionicle sets, and still played with them, but neither of them had bought any Hero Factory sets. But from what I could tell, neither of them had been particularly interested in the Bionicle story- they didn't even seem to know the characters' names. However, they had encountered Hero Factory's storyline, and it was apparently enough to deter them from buying the sets.Now, this isn't necessarily a criticism of Hero Factory, since they might have just as easily been put off Bionicle if they'd happened to watch The Legend Reborn. But I think it illustrates how having a good- or bad- story can affect a child's enthusiasm for buying toys. Now, maybe it's just that Hero Factory is pitched at a slightly younger audience, but I think a few tweaks to the story and a different approach to the TV show would make it more compatible with kids over the age of ten.Another example- Beyblades. They're pretty ordinary as far as toys go- they're little more than dressed-up spinning tops. They didn't sell well in some Australia when they first came out...until Australian TV started showing the cartoon. Suddenly, everyone wanted one, and my mother spent several hours outside Toys 'R' Us in a long line just so my little brother could have a Master Dragoon for Christmas.So, for you, how do the Bionicle and Hero Factory storylines affect which toys you buy?

[Eeko]

I usually tended to get the sets whose characters I enjoyed more in the story, but I was never deterred from buying a set because I didn't like their story counterpart.

[Lewa Krom]

Whether or not I was engrossed with the Bionicle storyline affected if I bought the sets. Up until 2009, however, I was a very loyal customer buying pretty much every single set (one or two slipped through my fingers in 08, though). 2009 I faded away, reading only Reign of Shadows, until I saw The Legend Reborn. The whole Valley of the Maze story thing thrilled me and it pulled me right back into Bionicle, so I would say it definitely affected me. Of course, then, just when they had pulled me back, they killed it.I was slightly willing to give Hero Factory a try but once I heard the generally premise of the "story" I laughed and turned away. I guess you can say Hero Factory is just like Bionicle in that there's a group of six heroes confronting a dark evil mastermind. But Hero Factory basically everything that made Bionicle worthwhile - the mystery, being able to connect with the characters, a deep story - and through them out the window. Hero Factory's "story" (or lack there of) definitely turned me away from it.And going to other Lego lines - Exo-Force and Knights' Kingdom's story are what got me to buy their sets. Ninjago, however, I am deeply considering having seen that, lo and behold, it actually has a story.So yes, story is a major factor for me.

Edited December 1, 2011 by Lewa Krom

[Just A Dot]

I continued to by BIONICLE sets years after I stopped using them because of the story. So the storyline is pretty important to me. Hero Factory is kind of lamish with the story, so I don't purchase those sets. Although, had I been younger, I definitely would have gotten Hero Factory sets, but I would have out grown them long before I outgrew BIONICLE.

Edited December 1, 2011 by The Beninator

[Black Six]

Moving to LEGO Discussion...

[Toa of Nerds]

For me, the story was Bionicle. I first got into Bionicle off of the story alone, and picked the sets I bought almost solely based on their backstory. I was also drawn to the Knights Kingdom line later for the same reasons. I stopped seriously considering a Hero Factory purchase when I realized how sorry the story really was.-don't touch my pocket protector

[Sumiki]

I don't care, and I never really did care. When BIONICLE was ongoing I was a serial completist, but now that Hero Factory is here I basically buy sets that have nice parts when they go on sales.Hero Factory could have this epic story, but I decided that I'd have to change my ways of completist-ness as soon as BIONICLE ended.

[Lewa0111 Nuva]

The story has definitely been a big factor for me in buying BIONICLE sets, ever since '06. The Voya Nui/Piraka/etc. story really drew me in, and was what brought me back into BIONICLE after a three-year hiatus. I was 16 when I came back to the story, and right away I had to buy Zaktan and Vezok, because they were just so cool and such awesome characters. The first BIONICLE thing I bought after my hiatus was most telling: Island of Doom.I bought a few Hero Factory sets because they looked cool (Corroder, Breez, one of the fire guys from 2011) but without the story they just don't have the same impact for me. Lewa0111 Nuva

[Makuta_of_Oz]

I mostly buy based on species or faction. If I like the species, or if they're part of a major faction, I'll buy sets of characters from that species/faction. That's how I became picky of what Bionicle sets I bought. It's also one reason why I never got any HF sets.

[Toatapio Nuva]

I used to buy every single set between 2001 and 2006, no matter the story. However, it was the story that made me want to buy all the sets. Frankly, it was all about the great story and without it, I wouldn't have been interested in Bionicle for very long.Actually, after I got the Toa Mata, I didn't think there was anything more to the story, so I lost interest in it until the Rahi and the Bohrok came. That proves it.

[Ehlekdude]

For me the story matters a lot. For example, in summer 2009 when I saw the Glatorian Legends on a shelf for the first time, I immediately bought Mata Nui, just because he's Mata Nui! And there were sets there I found much cooler, but Mata Nui was Mata Nui, not some Vastus (who I thought was cooler as a set, and I still do) , who wasn't known well and had no story back then.Now in Hero Factory I just try to ignore the story and focuse on the sets...

[~Allegretto~]

Story doesn't really matter much to me when I'm buying sets. Most of the time I just got either the ones that looked cool, and split canister sets with my brother. I normally got Fire and Water, he normally got Ice and Air, and Earth and Stone we kinda shared.

[Peach 00]

'09's story affected me from buying the sets, I didn't want any of them because:A ) They were getting overpriced.B ) I was losing interest in the story.And C ) The sets didn't really appeal to me as much as the '08 or '07 sets.But at least the stormtroopers and Hero Factory have one connection: Mark Hamil is in the Hero Factory TV show.

[Aanchir]

BIONICLE's story was a factor in my becoming a fan of the sets, but I had also been a fan of Throwbots, Roboriders, and many other LEGO themes before them with weak or non-existent stories, so I don't think it can be called the primary reason I was a fan.Likewise with Hero Factory, I liked its story from the get-go, but mainly just because it's a lighthearted storyline that I don't have to take at all seriously. It gives me some breathing room after so many huge and epic stories I liked as a teenager like Harry Potter, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and BIONICLE have come to a close. The real reason I've invested in the theme, though, is the sets. Otherwise I'd have jumped in as soon as BIONICLE ended. Instead, it took the 2.0 sets with their brilliant new building system to make me take the plunge into both sets and story.Could Hero Factory's story be better? Definitely. Rise of the Rookies was pretty excellent other than the aforementioned stormtrooper effect (which frankly I never tend to care about). Ordeal of Fire was OK, but the pacing was awkward and there were a few jokes that seemed out-of-place. Savage Planet was pretty awful all-around, with lethargic pacing during the fight scenes and some of the worst jokes I've ever heard in a LEGO intellectual property (even though there were some gems in there). Compared to BIONICLE, which immediately knew what it was trying to be from a story perspective, Hero Factory is having a harder time hitting its stride, especially in the TV episodes.It should be noted, of course, that the TV episodes and comics aren't HF's only story media. The online podcast Hero Factory FM also is full of corny jokes, but it makes them work. They aren't just haphazardly dropped into high-tension fight scenes or mission briefings. It's truly enjoyable in its lighthearted silliness, and I think that's what the HF television episodes should aim for. The idea a lot of people have, that Hero Factory should try to be as serious and dramatic as BIONICLE, doesn't IMO seem true to the spirit of this theme. If it weren't so unique from BIONICLE in the first place I don't know if I'd have taken any interest at all from a story perspective.

[Studs Not On Top]

When I buy a set, I'm not just buying a figure, but also a character. I keep up with the Hero Factory storyline and I like to see how the characters develop; sometimes this makes me want one set over another. There are some Bionicle sets that I want because they are a really cool character in the story.

[Lair of Rockwhales]

Before I say anything is this Lego stories in general or Bionicle only?

[fishers64]

If Bionicle didn't have a story...I wouldn't even be a fan of Bionicle. At all. There are those few who don't care about sets who buy books, ya'know?Of course, that's a minority, but still...

[Alyska]

Before I say anything is this Lego stories in general or Bionicle only?

Well, I started it about Bionicle and Hero Factory, but if you have something to say about the other lines, go for it.

[Zarohum]

Well, the main thing that got me interested in Bionicle was the story. That's pretty obvious. I don't much care for the HF story, but I buy the sets just because they're all we have, and they're what we have for now. It affected my views on Bionicle more than Hero Factory.

[GSR]

It should be noted, of course, that the TV episodes and comics aren't HF's only story media. The online podcast Hero Factory FM also is full of corny jokes, but it makes them work. They aren't just haphazardly dropped into high-tension fight scenes or mission briefings. It's truly enjoyable in its lighthearted silliness, and I think that's what the HF television episodes should aim for. The idea a lot of people have, that Hero Factory should try to be as serious and dramatic as BIONICLE, doesn't IMO seem true to the spirit of this theme. If it weren't so unique from BIONICLE in the first place I don't know if I'd have taken any interest at all from a story perspective.

I've never seen a single piece of HF media, but just going off the concept it seems like if they're trying to play it dramatically they're going to fall flat on their faces more often than not. Bionicle's premise (comparatively speaking) lent itself to drama because the setting provided a slight air of mystery coupled with the fact that at the time the story picks up, good is not exactly in control. Whereas if I'm given to understand correctly, HF is a well-established organization of Heroes taking on directly-designated Villains in a comparatively modern, well-understood setting. Nobody's saying you can't have drama in the latter setting, it's just going to be more difficult to make plots wholly oriented around it. (Note for posterity: it was at this point in the post that I realized I was debating appropriate thematic elements for storylines for children's toys. Go figure.)Personally speaking, the story of Bionicle was what got me interested as a kid. We got LEGO Magazine for one reason or another, and one day there was this comic that came with it with these strange-looking characters on the cover. I opened it up, read the concept, ate up the issue, and was ready to add to my birthday list - and future issues and things like the MNOG kept me hooked for a while. Kids might not be connoisseurs, but if there's a story they enjoy to go along with a product, they'll be more likely to give the product a look.

[Axilus Prime]

I bought whichever sets were biggest (more fun in building and more fun to show off) and those I liked in the story.

[ankyfdarkness]

I think it's very important. My continual love of Bionicle was due, in no small part, to it's expanded storyline. It's easy to see why Lego has done away with that, though. Hero Factory is much more assessable to new comers.

[Kaleidoscope Tekulo]

Hmm... You know, back around 2005, my interest in Bionicle was thinning. Well, things were still very cool with Iruini and the sets were promising (I even liked Web of Shadows, despite what my brothers might argue in my taste. XD). Though, I was drifting from the story. There were other things going on in my life and I was starting to grow up a bit.And then 2006 happened.The story sucked me right back into Bionicle. A matoran resistance, the dark feel of the villains, the matoran characters I knew and loved (such as Kongu) coming back as toa! And some of them had really nice set designs (such as Kongu XD). Basically, I decided to stick with Bionicle a little longer, not because of the sets (although I did end up getting the Piraka and Inika), but because of how good the story was for that year. I also followed the story in 2007, and although 2008 didn't get as much attention from me, I still bought some sets. With Hero Factory, I've gotten three sets in total just to see what they're like. And, well, I think I'm good on Hero Factory sets for... the rest of my life (unless they bring back green, in which case I might consider another purchase -if the set is good-).2001's story got me into Bionicle as a child with MNOG, not to mention the sets were just enchanting with gear functioning rahi and things of the like. As the years went by, I didn't recognize the sets much anymore. That might have been the end of it if it hadn't been for the story.I'm not saying every fan goes through something like this, but that's the impact the story had on me as I was growing up. And now, here I am, still on BZP and writing my own epic and I have an entry in SSC#8.

[Taipu1]

Set content affects what sets I buy, I don't have any hero factory sets because they all seem to have simplistic builds, and pieces that just make MOCing so...easy. Bionicle is better, but I may just be a teeny bit biased against HF...

Edited December 6, 2011 by Taipu1

[The Great Spirit DM]

Well, I started because of the sets. I was in a store (not necessarily a toy store) with my mom. She went off to do something and told me to stay around an area. After a little while, I saw Gahlok in its nice little canister. I picked it up, convinced mom to buy it, and that's how I started. Boy that was a while ago.Now, I kept buying sets until about 2004 when my parents cut me off. Then I stayed with the story and didn't buy anything again until 2007, when I got Matoro Mahri because of his storyline role. After that, I bought a couple sets (like Velika for less than a dollar at TRU ) but never all that many. Mainly because of financial factors and parental annoyance. In 2010, I got Tahu Stars just because he was Tahu stars and a few months later bought Taka Stars because of who he was too. I bought those two out of the six. Why? Because I'd followed them and others in the story for years. The story was very important to me. The characters I liked in the story I wanted more than the others.

[avak3]

I loved the deep story with bionicle and all that mystery it had, and good writing too. so when the hero factory story fell flat I started to make my own version for fun. tweek a plot point or two add some more depth and shift focas to stormer and rase the stakes. If lego shares my veiw HF could be awsomer than anything current.

[King Joe]

When it come to Lego Bricks, for me at least, the story is merely a starting point. I will pick characters based on their appeal astetically, and story wise, should there be one. With Knights Kingdom, I liked Jayko from the start. I thought he looked cool. Then I liked him even more when I read his personality. But my adventures with him didn't stop at just what the story would allow. My Jayko would take himself apart and rebuild into a larger guy to take on the evil, he could fly, punch through walls, and his sword was magic. he got all sorts of superpowers. That's how I try to have it work with all my Lego Bricks. The story is a starting point. From there, the only limits are my imagination. I base my picks on what I think looks cool, and then go from there.

[flameman]

i never liked HF story, and i prefer bionicle story, but I still buy HF sets since i'm an MOCer, the difference is, say, I get bored to MOCing, i will still buy bionicle sets cause i like the story, but for HF, if i get bored with MOCing i will probably stop buying those HF sets

[Mr. Coffee]

For em to get into the story, i had to have a set first, then i went examining who is the guy i just built (I think my 1st was Toa Mata Pohatu). Since then the story was the main thing for me. I made a huge mistake though, and that was watching Mask of Light But LoMN fixed it. And that's why HF is very weak for me to buy any set.

[BenLuke]

I like it when Lego themes have a story of some sort, although it usually doesn't affect what sets I purchase. I buy a set because it looks cool or because it comes with useful pieces.

[Guest TahuOmega]

It's okay to have, gives something better relevance and meaning. Keeps it from being pointless.

[Visaru]

Agreed! When I was younger I would buy the characters I thought were cool in the story. Air toa as much as I could. The way the set looked didn't affect me. I loved the Bionicle story and that's why I bought the sets. I liked Knight's Kingdom and it's story as well. Once the story disappeared, I stopped buying the sets.So when Hero Factory's terrible excuse for a story came along, I stopped buying sets.

[Erebus]

Storyline is usually a huge factor for buying sets. I really liked Toa Ignika's appearance in the 2008 storyline and it made me buy the set.Same thing goes for Hero Factory sets, but so far, I have not bought one.

[Bambi]

Storyline doesn't effect what sets I get. I don't pay attention to the Bionicle story anymore, because it's practically over. I don't pay attention to the Hero Factory story, because it's cheap.

[Eragon3443]

Very good point, as I have said, a theme is only as good as it's story line.

[King Joe]

See, the storyline may influence what set I get, but if I really like how a set looks, its going to end up in my house anyway. Storyline may keep me buying one or two lines, but I'm still buying the sets that I like based on the sets usually.

[toa kopaka4372]

The story is VERY important to me when it comes to buying sets. I brought a set most of the time depending on which character I liked in the story. So even, for example, Set A looked better than Set B, but I liked the character of Set B in the story, I'd buy Set B most of the time.

[Ernst Stavro Blofeld]

I would have to say that it was the story, not the sets, which got me into Bionicle. My first set was Gahlok, which I got as a birthday party favour when I was 7, but back then I didn't know about the story. However, I always did want to learn more about Bionicle, but not because I thought the sets were cool: I just wanted to know about the storyline. Without the story, the Gahlok just became another random toy to occasionally play with. Then, in 2003, I saw the Bionicle guide, which taught me about what the storyline was really about, and from that point on I have been hooked on Bionicle. In fact, I have really been into Lego from then on, as well. Without the story to get me interested, I may have never become truly interested in Bionicle, and it's part of the reason I never thought that Hero Factory was really neat: it just didn't have a comparable story. So, yes, I would definitely say that the story is vital in bringing kids into the toyline and buying sets, and that it was and is a major factor in determining how interested I became in a new product.

[Velox]

I would have to say that it was the story, not the sets, which got me into Bionicle. My first set was Gahlok, which I got as a birthday party favour when I was 7, but back then I didn't know about the story. However, I always did want to learn more about Bionicle, but not because I thought the sets were cool: I just wanted to know about the storyline. Without the story, the Gahlok just became another random toy to occasionally play with. Then, in 2003, I saw the Bionicle guide, which taught me about what the storyline was really about, and from that point on I have been hooked on Bionicle. In fact, I have really been into Lego from then on, as well. Without the story to get me interested, I may have never become truly interested in Bionicle, and it's part of the reason I never thought that Hero Factory was really neat: it just didn't have a comparable story. So, yes, I would definitely say that the story is vital in bringing kids into the toyline and buying sets, and that it was and is a major factor in determining how interested I became in a new product.

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