Cap'n Ikki

Thanks a LOT, Greg. Krika had me worried there.

 

I still cracked up when I saw it on that slang site.

 

-Ikk

Ditto.

 

I'm still glad that you've cleared this up. I don't see why so many people are bothered though. If they were searching the internet for these names, why bother if they knew they weren't gonna get anything decent?

 

I don't know....

 

TNN

Personally I googled these names to see if I could find any real-word-roots for them, like with the Phantoka Makuta. That might've given hints to their set shapes, such as Antrozoidae being a bat family. No luck there, though.

-Ikk

Thanks a LOT, Greg. Krika had me worried there.

I still cracked up when I saw it on that slang site.

-Ikk

I may do that -- depends on my post-08 schedules. Regardless, I have fun writing it.

-Ikk

I can't wait to finally find out the names of the Kanohi worn by the various Av-Matoran.

 

~

There ain't much chance we will, I'm afraid, at least not until they appear in powered versions on sets/combos. =-/

I quite like this fella, though -- interesting that Kirop ain't the leader still. Oh, and please get into the Av-Matoran soon.

-Ikk

You're drunk, mate.

-Ikk

Is this a new debate technique, eh? Can't see why you wouldn't agree, though... 'tis very simple. Superficial = subjective = not universal.

-Ikk

Sorry that I'm not here to discuss your actual entry, as it's mostly color scheme stuff which is pretty superficial/subjective[...]

If it's subjective, how is it automatically superficial?

Colors are one of the most deciding factors when I buy sets... so make no Hasty Generalization or whatever, bones.

-Ikk

Fru-Matoran!

Overall, I like yer ideas, though I think lime and orange may clash a bit with the white... I don't mind their current colors, since their brightness gives off nice light effects considering their background. Only thing I miss is two-part torsos, really -- these are just way too simple for $5 sets. Honestly, 16 pieces at best? Still, the masks/limbs/feet/heads do make up for that, so they end up being fairly good sets IMO.

How 'bout 'Ai-Matoran'? I use that And Ra would be good for the light-drained ones. Although Avo and Kra/Kraa would be more logical.

-Ikk

It's darn cold and stormy and gets dark early! Last winter we had to wait 'til March for it to actually snow! An' we're out of hot water 'round 'ere!

Happy December, folks.

-Ikk

Then for Taipu's sake, get me a link!

-Ikk

Thank you so much Bones. I hope all of the noobs on this site read this and learn from it.

Then what will you eat?

Your weird bones.

-Ikk

One tenth of a skull is better than no skull. Agreed on the points, bones -- personally, I think this may be a helpful thing for me... but we'll see how all turns out.

EDIT: Reply from Tilius --

Thanks for the reply bonesiii, and the Seal of Approval. To be honest I didn't expect you to relate to this at all. But that's cool, as I said, it's only for those that want it. People can just pick out the parts that apply to them, and do whatever they want with the advice given - ignore it or try to take it into account.

-Ikk

Blog entry may have to be postponed a bit due to schoolwork and social matters, but I won't forget it. It'll be pushed forward in the queue of blog entries if nothing else.

I ran across a curious and insightful thing the other day, actually -- while a lot of the new sets look immensely cool in style, color, and such, I find them somewhat lacking due to the function-less and (in some places) repetitive build. Take the Barraki, for instance; actual cool look, great colors, look like the characters they represent, nifty features, and so on. Still, part of the excitement a good set gives me comes not only from the challenges it provides, but also from a highly inventive construction. Something that inspires me and looks both coolified (whatever definition you're using!) and features clever build!

(All that IMT )

So I think that's a good guess at why a heap of the newer stuff fails to get me excited (and also a reason why I'm very excited about those bigger-than-Titans sets this year!). I actually do think the Newva sets do a nice job of staying true to their characters, while adding new interesting features; yet their overused construction will probably keep me from buying them.

Probably where we differ most, I say. Ah well, at least I now know why -- it ain't style (mostly) but build versus looks.

-Ikk

'tworked!

bones, you win so much! Though I'm not sure I got the Grouping thing right with that mask.

-Ikk

What, people go around saying "Hey, what's up, Toa Rocco: Toa Of Santa Hats!"?

-Ikk

Where would you have preferred to see them?

-Ikk

Bionicle or not Bionicle, it's dazzlingly awesome.

-Ikk

Attabones!

That's a good point to make, but it still leaves the question of whether doing it differently would be a wise move for LEGO. An upcoming blog entry will likely provide some of my suggestions for how to build a differently constructed humanoid with roughly the same amount of pieces, so that may be relevant...

Another thing is that the Newva reuse the construction of two past years' canister heroes (and in one case villains), as opposed to the Mata & Metru builds which neither were featured so excessively.

-Ikk

I can focus on the new stuff, and I can focus on that people don't agree with me. But I cannot act as if I find no fault in that argument, and I believe I did no more wrong than the people who go on and on about that "yellow orange isn't a stone color" or "Toa of air aren't broad-shouldered and short-necked." There are plenty of people expressing these opinions, and it is fine that they do so as long as they are prepared to have their opinion rebutted by evidence. I will present the edits, as Bonesiii has requested, and if you and he still fail to see any similarities then I will cease to argue my point here. However, I am not done arguing this point, as Bonesiii is not done arguing the points he so wonderfully posts here to be debated. That is the privelege of society-- disagreements can exist, and censorship need not be employed just to prevent their being brought to light.

Where did I mention censorship? Had I been supporting that, I would have never entered debates like this or been posting my own views on any matter. What I am actually objecting to, though in no way demanding censored, is bring these old, dead-horse-beaten subjects up over and over again, without ever reaching any further. The Inika were there for argument in 2006, and we're nearly in 2008 now. Not to say an unfinished topic should be left alone, at all; but this adds nothing new to it.

And the point is this -- I can easily find a plethora of similarities between, say, Matoro Mahri and Sidorak. Or Keetongu and Hafu. Or Tahnok-Kal and Pewku. The real question is, are these resemblances sufficient to act as a relation between the two sets in question, to the point of them being the same character in story? And that, of course, is all personal taste, which is why we'll never get any further than where we currently are. Only thing worth mentioning at this point is, that the majority of those who have entered debates on this matter seems to agree that the Inika are too far off their older forms in terms of sets.

Also, we must keep in mind that any similarity found between the McToran and the Inika are purely coincidental.

-Ikk

bones, you need a Mask of Summarization. I have skimmed your posts in ToM's blog and (obviously) read the ones here, but my brain went on strike afterwards.

-Ikk

Request heeded, bones.

I think where we differ is our view on clonism; whereas you approach the look and features of the set in question, I tend to look at construction mainly. Objectively speaking, it seems logical to say that the canister sets of this three-year arc are quite differentiated in terms of look, whereas they are very much similar, practically to the point of being clones, when it comes to build. Good, we're halfway to forty-two!

So, a well-reasoned guess could be that the majority of LEGO's fanbase cares little to zip about how the sets are built, and tons about how they look when actually built. That seems to match the fact that sets have gotten rid of complicated builds and likewise functions. That's interesting. I wonder why these kids are into a building toy in the first place?

Another intriguing question is, would it hurt LEGO to actually try out something groundbreakingly new in terms of construction? Obviously the sets can still be plenty humanoid, but sporting different techniques when it comes to assembling body, legs, arms, etc.

I hope and pray (actually just hope) that some of these things ARE going to be tried out after this arc ends... amusingly, the Barraki and seemingly the Phantoka-Makuta do actually feature, in part, new methods like I described. So, I would be mightily obliged if this began to appear in the hero sets as well fairly soon... who ever said you cannot please old and new fans alike?

Oh, BTW, I love the abundance of Old Pieces In New Colors (OPINC??), even if I may not have use for all of them. Just look at that orange Mata foot! And the Av-Matoran are delightfully sweet, as long as their bodies consist of more than one piece... as for the Phantoka, I'm so far kinda undecided -- I'll await differently angled pics for those.

-Ikk

Nonononono... I got naught against transformations, mate! I DO, however, have aught against clonism, whatever the story excuse. Similarities within set groups are great, perfect, excellent, but 30+ nigh-identical sets in three years? Please, no!

Oh, and regarding that trade of ours...

EDITSIES (oh great): bones, you stalker. I'll reply in a minute.

EDITSIES 2: Actually, it'll have to be later tonight... dinner's up an' ready! For the quick record, I lovelovelove Tanma...

-Ikk

Pirakahrinika!

Just that.

-Ikk

They play up differentiation from their old forms much more than the 2003 Nuva, but interestingly their masks and tools resemble their old ones much more so than the Inika compared to their Matoran forms or the Mahri to Inika.

 

PLEASE don't make me break out my Brickshelf edits again. The Inika masks, for the most part, looked plenty like their Matoran counterparts, as did the color schemes to some extent (Hewkii's being the exception). The Mahri bore even closer similarities in many aspects to the Inika, having even more similar color schemes and designs (with a little stylization), albeit with different masks entirely. While I do agree that these bear a great resemblance to their classic Nuva forms, they don't bear nearly as much resemblance as Toa have for the past two years.

 

Anyway, no time for a long review, but might I add that I, too, noticed the Kakama similarity? It is rather a fascinating coincidence that Pohatu's Kaukau was indeed orange.

Please. Can't you just accept that people do not agree with you? If you think the Mahrinika looked liked their old forms, fine, good for you, but most of us did not. At all. That's it, there's no more to it, and it's been debated to death and beyond. Can we put that behind us and focus on the new stuff for once?

-Ikk

The Inika had slight color scheme similarities to their Matoran forms, but pleased us by creating never-before-used color combinations that were on the whole aesthetically pleasing. The Mahri drew inspiration from them, creating more beautiful schemes. However, continuity is not in any way the reason Kongu and Matoro Mahri are my favorites. The reason lies in their personalities. The Toa Mahri were the epitome of sets that match the personalities of the characters, making Kongu and Matoro Mahri the epitome of the epitome.

I'm curious... you probably know by now I disagree wholeheartedly with that sentiment, but that's another discussion... but how well do you think the Toa Mata sets matched their personalities? To me, it was they who were the epitome and whatnot, something I have not seen in sets since them.

Whadya say?

-Ikk