Tafu

I decided to dust off my old account so I could throw in my two cents: For me, I would love to see something akin to a Lego SimCity* game combined with Lego Loco and Lego Creator, as others have suggested. Being able to build every building, vehicle, and item and then placing them in the world would be the ultimate feature; kind-of like the mechanics of Spore, but with a lot more depth and freedom to arrange things. Being able to share your creations with others would also be nice, especially when 'social gaming' has been an ongoing buzzword with the PS4 and Xbox One. It would also be appealing to kids who dream of having their own Lego-built city, like Bricksburg in the Lego Movie. I'd also like to see this hypothetical game be multi-platform, not just limited to PC or just one console. This would also give The Lego Company a chance to improve the tools they have with the Lego Digital Designer, especially if we could manipulate bricks with a console controller, not just a mouse and keyboard. As for my more realistic expectations, I would be willing to bet that a TMNT game with the TT formula will be coming soon if we're following Lego's usual equation of Major Movie Release + Tie-in Lego sets = Lego Game. A Hero Factory game might be nice, but I'd also like it to have more depth than any of the Bionicle games we've had in the past. Now that I think about, I'd love to play a Hero Factory game that was an E10-level third person shooter with RPG (gear) elements. Ultimately, I want to see a Lego game that: A) was a massive departure from the TT formula that was also multi-platform, B) included more focus on custom building rather than smashing or building pre-determined objects, and/or C) was themed around one of Lego's other ongoing themes, rather than one of their licenses or 'story' themes (Ninjago, Chima). And as much as I would like a new Bionicle game (I think? It has been a long time and it would depend on the quality of the game) I don't see it happening unless the series gets revived. *For the sake of everyone's sanity, let's leave the launch controversy for the latest SimCity out of this discussion. Please?

IC (Tunnels to Kra Karda): Almorn nodded slowly pulled his rifle up to his shoulder. It was times like these that he wished he had some more Ghost tech. He remembered that some of the engineers were working on some sort of portable motion-sensing device. It was supposed to be in the prototype stage before Kra Karda was evacuated. Maybe they could find it or its blueprints when they reached the city.The Toa walked on for a while longer before stopping and holding up his fist. Once his companions had stopped, he listened and then asked, "Did either of you hear something?"

IC (Tunnels leading to Kra Karda): Almorn scanned the area ahead as he slowly walked down the tunnel. They could have moved faster if they had found Ussal transport, but trying to convince any of the caravans to go to Kra Karda was almost impossible. Those that were willing to go to the ruined city wanted a cut of whatever was found there. He wasn't about to hand over Ghost tech to random strangers."Hey Grim," Almorn said, "Has there been any hostile activity along with route lately? Rahi or otherwise?"

IC (Outside Outpost Central): Almorn nodded and quickly strapped on his lightstone shoulder harness. He inserted a stone and opened and closed the shutter to make sure it worked. The tunnel leading to Kra Karda would be filled with mist, but it would thin out a bit once they reached the city.He then switched on his elemental rifle and gave it time to charge up. It made several beeps and lights flashed on at various points, until it gave a final buzz, indicating that it was ready. Almorn held the rifle loosely across his chest and started to walk down the tunnel. He knew the basic route to the city, but was ready to listen to whatever Sar'Jah suggested.

IC (Outpost Central): Almorn hesitated again. He could mentally contact the other Skrall if he just knew her name, but the fewer there were in their group the faster they could move through the flooded city."Then I think we should get moving sir," Almorn said, "Would you like me on point or Sah... Sar..?"He had forgotten the Skakdi's name again. For that matter, he could remember Kublai's name. He shook and stammered for a few moments before he let out a growl."Alright," Almorn said, "If I'm going to have a hope of communicating with you, I'm need to assign nicknames to everyone."He pointed to Sar'Jah and Kublai in turn."You're Grim and you're Commander. Does anyone have a problem with that?"

IC (Outpost Central): "Thats great," Almorn said to Sar'Jah, "But where is everyone else."As much as he prefered caution and careful planning when it came to exploration, he was starting to worry that every second they delayed, the the greater the chance that the lab would be robbed before they could arrive."Sir," Almorn said to Kublai, "What was the name of that female skrall that was with by the arena?"

IC (Just outside Outpost Central [i think]): Almorn looked down at his feet and rubbed the back of his head."Its not perfect, sir," he explained, "Whenever I hear someone's thoughts, I only get a vague direction of where they are located, unless they're standing right next to me. I also have to be careful with dealing with the Ul'kar. Some of the thoughts that I pick up can be... scary. I will activate once we start moving through the tunnels; that way I can keep track of everyone."

IC (Outpost Central): "Then you should grab them quickly," Almorn said to Sar'Jah, "You might also what to tell those other two Skrall that we're leaving soon."His eyes then widened as he realized that Sar'Jah had not actually said anything. The Toa had accidently let his mask activate since he was so stressed."Sorry about that," Almorn said.

IC (Outpost Central): "Outstanding," Almorn said, "According to all of the reports that I have heard, as long as we move quickly and find the Scout's lab and barrarks, we should be fine. I know that the building took a hit when the Ul'kar appeared, but it should still be standing."

OOC: You know, I'm getting some serious deja vu from this situation. And I'm not happy about it.IC (Outpost Central): So Sar'Jah had felt the call too. The good news was that Almorn wasn't going insane. The bad news was that other people had heard the call. Someone might have already found whatever had been making the signals."Sir," Almorn said to Kublai, "In light of recent developments, I suggest that we conduct a search of Kra Karda. There should be some Ghost tech left there from when everyone fled the city. It could help us if we try to find out whatever happened to the, uh, object."

OOC: If Fury has an owner now, is she not broadcasting the signal?IC (Near Outpost Central): Almorn could see that Kublai appeared to be slowing down and he adjusted his speed accordingly. However, he suddenly realized that something was missing. The mental call seemed to have vanished."Uh, sir! Hold up!" Almorn had forgotten the Skrall's name again, "I think something has changed..."

IC (Outpost Central): Almorn was certainly surprised when Kublai suddenly took off. This didn't exactly fill the Toa with hope; if his new commander was going to pull this stunt in the tunnels, then things would just go downhill fast."This guy is going to get me killed..." Almorn muttered to himself as he ran after Kublai. He wasn't sure if he was faster than the Skrall, but he could keep up with him. When Franon was still alive, he would have the Scouts run around whatever outpost they were stationed in at the time. Sprinting wasn't a foreign concept to him, especially when you had to keep out of reach of an advancing Ul'kar blob.

IC (Outpost Central): Almorn hesitated. If Yolof had already given him permission then everything should be find. But he wasn't just an random traveler, he was a guard. Even though he hadn't been given a assignment yet, he was still under Yolof's command; he would probably want to be informed that one of his guards was leaving. But then again, others were racing towards the source of the mysterious signal, so they couldn't wait forever..."Alright," Almorn finally decided, "You lead, I'll follow. So, what might your name be and who else is going on this expedition?"

IC (Outpost Central): "Yes I can fight," Almorn replied, "I've been fighting for years, primarily the Ul'kar. More importantly, I've braved the darkness many times before."Almorn paused and stared at the Skrall. He appeared to be looking past him, absorbed in his own thoughts. Ordinarily he would be able to pick up the other being's thoughts with his mask, but he made it a habit to suppress even its low level ability. He would often pick up too much noise and he considered it rude to be constantly reading someone else's thoughts when they didn't realize it.Almorn coughed slightly and continued, "Are we leaving immediately? I'd like to ask Yolof's permission to leave temporarily."

IC (Outpost Central): Almorn followed Sar'Jah as he approached the victorious Skrall. He was curious as to why he had been fighting. However, that curiosity disappeared when the Skrall mentioned that they would have to quickly to some destination."If you're short a member," Almorn suggested, "Would you be willing to accept a Toa in your group?"

IC (Outpost Central): "I'm not quite sure," Almorn replied to Sur'Jah. He wanted to mention the telepathic summons, but he was worried that he would just look crazy."I'm thinking Kra Karda. The Scouts had to leave a lot of tech behind when the Ul'kar invaded. Some of that stuff could still be around, if we can get to it."It was after that when Kublai decided to defeat his opponent."Well it certainly took him long enough..." Almorn muttered to himself.

IC (Outpost Central): "Same here," Almorn replied to Sar'Jah. The Toa rubbed the back of his head; was the mental draw from the mysterious being weaker? It felt as if it was distracted by something else..."Hey Sar'Jah," Almorn continued, "You're supposed to be a guide right? Would you be willing to help me do some exploring? I've gotten the inclination to try to find something..."

OOC: I'm a bit confused as to where everyone is in Outpost Central so I'm going to make some assumptions with this post.IC (Outpost Central): Almorn allowed Halnara to continue her chat and looked over at the two dueling Skrall. The concept of Skrall duels was completely lost to him. Sure he practiced hand-to-hand and knife combat when he could, but the semi-ritualistic nature of Skrall fights just seemed odd, especially now. From what he could see, the one standing in the middle of the field was attempting to humiliate the other one. Then a Skakdi appeared close to him."Oh, uh Sar'Jah, right?" Almorn asked as he struggled to connect a name to the face, "Would you happen to know why those two are fighting?"

IC: (Outpost Central): "Uh, no," Almorn replied, "Not really. I was on my way over there in order to ask that very question."He paused and then asked, "Um. Would you happen to feel some sort of... tingling in the back of your mind?"

IC (Outpost Central): Almorn paused for a few moments and then cut the connection with the psychic being. He had no use for more power. If he wanted to find his comrades, he could just make the journey back to Av-Metru and start asking around; he didn't need 'power' to do that.However, the mental pull was still there and he had the impression that others were feeling the same thing. He might want to find the source simply to keep it out of the hands of less than pleasant people.He found that he was approaching the dueling fields and could see that two of the Skrall were now fighting. Then another Skrall landed in front of him. He faintly recalled seeing her before, but he was terrible with names. The only one he had memorized so far was Yolof.Nervously, he raised a hand and said, "Hi?"

IC (Outpost Central): Why should I?The lash of pain had been too fast for Almorn to cry out, but he wasn't pleased either. Random knowledge wouldn't help if he didn't know how to use it and the fact that the... thing... had hurt him made him less inclined to look for it. Now if one of the Ghosts was still alive, the knowledge would be more useful.However, he had also pieced his rifle back together and he was now walking toward the group that he had previously spotted.

IC (Outpost Central): Almorn received a reply but he couldn't understand it. It almost sounded like one of the odd sounds that his rifle would make when there was a maintainence error. The mind he was connected too was also odd. It could think, but not in anyway that he was familiar with. There also seemed to be a lot there, but he couldn't see any of it, as if he was standing inside a large, pitch-black cavern.Where are you? What do you want?

IC (Outpost Central): Almorn sat on an old crate outside his assigned barracks, cleaning his rifle and letting his mind wander. He reflected on how the former Nynrah Ghosts were such skilled inventors; sure every Toa Scout knew how to maintain his or her weapons and armor, but the Ghosts could make a blaster out of some protosteel scrapes, some gears, and a half-charged heatstone. The Ghosts seemed to be more powerful than any Toa just from their creativity alone. And now they were gone...'No,' Almorn thought, 'Some could still be alive. I just don't know where they are...'He actually liked Outpost Central. While it certainly bared the brunt of most of the Ul'kar's attacks, it was also had the most guards. Almorn didn't have to worry about being one of only three defenders here. The Council had sent him here about a week ago, almost as a break after his last assignment. He knew that the Council's authority was slipping and there was little to stop him from disobeying them, but he kept at it. It was his job after all.A small group had formed a short distance away from him; a few Skrall, a Skakdi... He heard a few snippets of their conversation, possibly about plans to do a little exploring. He thought about joining them, but he was on guard duty. He couldn't just abandon his post.Then the psychic call hit. Almorn shut his eyes and groaned slightly. It was an odd feeling to be sure. He wondered if this was what people felt when he used his mask. The call seemed to promise him power, but he didn't want power; he wanted to protect others. But he was also a Scout. Wasn't it his job to delve into the darkness in order to find anything that could help those that had survived the Ul'kar.On a whim, Almorn activated his mask and tried to make a connection with whatever made the call.Who are you? he asked with his Suletu.

Name: AlmornSpecies and Gender: Male Toa of FireAppearance: Almorn’s primary color is bright red and his secondary color is yellow. He has a triangular-shaped metal plate over his heartlight; this plate serves as the link between his powers and his rifle and cannot be removed.Weapons and Possessions: Combat knife for hand-to-hand combat. Primary weapon is as Nyvrah Ghost-built elemental rifle. The rifle, which is permanently bonded to Almorn, draws from his own elemental power and can fire bolts or ‘grenades’ formed from his element. The weapon amplifies his power, but only in very specific (i.e. destructive) ways. He also has a shoulder-mounted harness for a lightstone, and he usually carries three stones at a time. Additionally, he has a backpack with some rope, a crowbar, flint and steel, and a few other survival tools.Mask: Suletu, Great mask of telepathy.Powers: While Almorn has control over fire, his powers have been altered due to his bonded weapon. He can only channel his power through his rifle and his rifle can only use his elemental power destructively.Faction: Franon’s Elemental Scouts (A small group of former Nynrah Ghosts and battle-hardened Toa. They were dedicated to blazing trails and delving into unexplored tunnels and caverns in order to find resources for those who had fled from the Ul’kar. They possessed high-tech weapons, armor, and gadgets thanks to the Ghosts. Almorn thinks that he is the last one alive, but he hasn’t had the chance search for any other members.Biography: Almorn was a rookie before the Ul’kar appeared, and he wasn’t the best of Toa. His heart was in the right place and he did his best to help Matoran and Agori communities, but he was physically weaker than most Toa and he had trouble effectively controlling his power. Since he couldn’t defend his charges, he was forced to focus on more constructive tasks, such as maintaining furnace fires and assisting Matoran in repairing their vehicles.That changed when the Ul’kar showed up. After its initial attack, Almorn found out that a group of Toa, led by a Toa named Franon, was talking with former members of the Nynrah Ghosts. Their hope was that they could better defend themselves against the ‘creature’ through technology and Almorn wanted in. To his surprise they recruited him and he was one of the first to be bonded to and elemental rifle. This weapon finally allowed him to easily control his power, as long as it was used to destroy, and he became stronger thanks to hours of drills and exercises with Franon and the other veterans.When the Ul’kar reappeared and the war began, Franon’s group fought back as hard as they could and Almorn was often on the front-lines. After he survived his first few battles, it was discovered that he actually had leadership potential and he would later be put in charge of protecting Matoran, Agori, and other non-combatants whenever a settlement had to be evacuated. His position of permanent rear-guard allowed him to survive while others perished and this has caused him no end of guilt.When the Ul’kar finally pushed the survivors underground, Franon reorganized his group into the Elemental Scouts and assisted in exploring and clearing out numerous tunnels and caverns as the refuges went deeper. Almorn assisted with these operations, but he was soon given a special assignment. After setting up in Kra Karda, he was to be put in charge of a special squad who would explore the darker and less mist filled areas of the underground. The remaining Ghost were attempted to create special suits and other gadgets that would hopefully protect them from whatever was hiding in those areas. Unfortunately, this never occurred as the Ul’kar attacked again. Cut off from the rest of the Scouts, Almorn only had enough time escort a group of Matoran to Av-Metru before Kra Karda was flooded. However, he was still able to witness Franon being consumed by the monster.Due to his high-tech weaponry and veteran status, Almorn has been ‘drafted’ by the Council and is on almost constant guard duty at one outpost or another. He doesn’t mind too much, protecting others is his duty as a Toa and a Scout, but the near constant battles are taxing. He thinks that he is the only Scout left alive, but he hasn’t had a break recently and as a result hasn’t been able to search Av-Metru for any of his comrades. Some of them might still live. He has also entertained the thought of returning to Kra Karda in order to retrieve what the Ghosts had been working on. He knew they were close to finishing, but he doesn’t know where the project might be.

Well, here is my character. I don't know how often I'll be able to post, but I'll try:Name: AlmornSpecies and Gender: Male Toa of FireAppearance: Almorn’s primary color is bright red and his secondary color is yellow. He has a triangular-shaped metal plate over his heartlight; this plate serves as the link between his powers and his rifle and cannot be removed.Weapons and Possessions: Combat knife for hand-to-hand combat. Primary weapon is as Nyvrah Ghost-built elemental rifle. The rifle, which is permanently bonded to Almorn, draws from his own elemental power and can fire bolts or ‘grenades’ formed from his element. The weapon amplifies his power, but only in very specific (i.e. destructive) ways. He also has a shoulder-mounted harness for a lightstone, and he usually carries three stones at a time. Additionally, he has a backpack with some rope, a crowbar, flint and steel, and a few other survival tools.Mask: Suletu, Great mask of telepathy.Powers: While Almorn has control over fire, his powers have been altered due to his bonded weapon. He can only channel his power through his rifle and his rifle can only use his elemental power destructively.Faction: Franon’s Elemental Scouts (A small group of former Nynrah Ghosts and battle-hardened Toa. They were dedicated to blazing trails and delving into unexplored tunnels and caverns in order to find resources for those who had fled from the Ul’kar. They possessed high-tech weapons, armor, and gadgets thanks to the Ghosts. Almorn thinks that he is the last one alive, but he hasn’t had the chance search for any other members.Biography: Almorn was a rookie before the Ul’kar appeared, and he wasn’t the best of Toa. His heart was in the right place and he did his best to help Matoran and Agori communities, but he was physically weaker than most Toa and he had trouble effectively controlling his power. Since he couldn’t defend his charges, he was forced to focus on more constructive tasks, such as maintaining furnace fires and assisting Matoran in repairing their vehicles.That changed when the Ul’kar showed up. After its initial attack, Almorn found out that a group of Toa, led by a Toa named Franon, was talking with former members of the Nynrah Ghosts. Their hope was that they could better defend themselves against the ‘creature’ through technology and Almorn wanted in. To his surprise they recruited him and he was one of the first to be bonded to and elemental rifle. This weapon finally allowed him to easily control his power, as long as it was used to destroy, and he became stronger thanks to hours of drills and exercises with Franon and the other veterans.When the Ul’kar reappeared and the war began, Franon’s group fought back as hard as they could and Almorn was often on the front-lines. After he survived his first few battles, it was discovered that he actually had leadership potential and he would later be put in charge of protecting Matoran, Agori, and other non-combatants whenever a settlement had to be evacuated. His position of permanent rear-guard allowed him to survive while others perished and this has caused him no end of guilt.When the Ul’kar finally pushed the survivors underground, Franon reorganized his group into the Elemental Scouts and assisted in exploring and clearing out numerous tunnels and caverns as the refuges went deeper. Almorn assisted with these operations, but he was soon given a special assignment. After setting up in Kra Karda, he was to be put in charge of a special squad who would explore the darker and less mist filled areas of the underground. The remaining Ghost were attempted to create special suits and other gadgets that would hopefully protect them from whatever was hiding in those areas. Unfortunately, this never occurred as the Ul’kar attacked again. Cut off from the rest of the Scouts, Almorn only had enough time escort a group of Matoran to Av-Metru before Kra Karda was flooded. However, he was still able to witness Franon being consumed by the monster.Due to his high-tech weaponry and veteran status, Almorn has been ‘drafted’ by the Council and is on almost constant guard duty at one outpost or another. He doesn’t mind too much, protecting others is his duty as a Toa and a Scout, but the near constant battles are taxing. He thinks that he is the only Scout left alive, but he hasn’t had a break recently and as a result hasn’t been able to search Av-Metru for any of his comrades. Some of them might still live. He has also entertained the thought of returning to Kra Karda in order to retrieve what the Ghosts had been working on. He knew they were close to finishing, but he doesn’t know where the project might be.