Aanchir

 

Though technically, four out of the six Toa Metru tools had a dual functionality. Don't forget that Vakama's disk launcher could act as a jetpack. This might seem sort of out-of-nowhere compared to Whenua's jackhammer, Matau's wings, or Nuju's ice spikes

The three I referenced as obvious where Vakama's jetpack, Matau's wings and Nuju's snowshoes. I had no idea what Whenua's where supposed to be. I thought they were a 'jaws of life' of some sort, and this is the first I've heard of them being a jackhammer. It was a very poorly designed tool in my opinion, in both configurations. Nokama and Onewa didn't even have alternate weapon uses, just back storage.

 

And for what it's worth, I actually really liked the flames on Vakama's disk launcher. Even when it's not acting as a jetpack it gives it a really nice aesthetic that makes it look like it belongs to a Toa of fire.

 

Yeah, Whenua's tools are claws or shovels individually, but there are some Technic pieces that let you snap them together into... something (as can be seen in step 13 of his instructions). I always assumed it was a weirdly-designed jackhammer or drill (they're officially called "Earthshock Drills", so the latter might be more likely than it might seem from their design), but looking back, that's not at all how he uses the tool in his promotional video. He just sticks them together and then uses them to wedge away some rocks that are evidently so loose he might as well have just used his hands.

 

And yeah, I also like the flames on Vakama's tool. I was honestly rather disappointed when Toa Mahri Jaller and Mistika Toa Tahu didn't have flame motifs on their tools, and was quite glad when elemental motifs came back with a vengeance in the 2009 sets.

For multi-weapons, don't forget about the Piraka. They weren't as elegant as the Nuva or the Metru but each one definitely had two functions. Which as actually more than we can say for the Metru where only three of the sets had alternate weapon configurations with a recognizable function.

 

But, yeah, the duel functionality of the Nuva weapons is part of why I love them so much as sets. I thought they were elegantly integrated and added lots of fun playability, with the exception of Pohatu. I still have no idea what his alternate thing was supposed to be.

Yeah, I had forgotten about the Piraka, though really I like those even less than the Toa Metru because it was less like one tool that performed two functions and more like two tools mashed together into one larger and more awkward tool. When Hakann's tool was in claw mode, the launcher might as well not have been there, and vice-versa. Whereas with the Toa Nuva and Toa Metru tools, the exact same shapes that made them effective for one function also made them effective for their alternate function.

 

 

Though technically, four out of the six Toa Metru tools had a dual functionality. Don't forget that Vakama's disk launcher could act as a jetpack. This might seem sort of out-of-nowhere compared to Whenua's jackhammer, Matau's wings, or Nuju's ice spikes, but honestly the flaring sides with flames shooting out of them make far more sense in "jetpack mode" than they do as a launcher — at least, if you have it aligned with the flames facing down. The comics had it aligned with the flames pointing upwards, but I'd almost certainly chalk that up to an error on the part of the artist since the actual set's instructions show it the other way.

But the problem is that they don't look good AND they don't serve a functional purpose. They mess with the organic feel of the model, and I think that is true on Crystal Beast and Queen Beast too. They should've used those claw pieces that originated with Ben 10 sets (which have been used multiple times in Hero Factory anyway.)

 

If they had served some purpose, like for grasping a fig, I could handle them, but they don't even do that very well. I suppose this design is for the models that hold staffs... but I still don't like it.

 

I dunno, I think they look plenty menacing in the pictures from the Eurobricks review. Just as they do on the packaging. And I don't see how they mess with the organic feel too much either, since these figures are very insect-like in their design. The bony look of the claws seems to match the bony look of the legs.

 

As for the idea that they should have used the Ben 10 claws, it's entirely possible that those are discontinued, since they haven't appeared in sets for about three years. While they looked cool, their usefulness as building elements was rather limited (as was the case with most of the Ben 10 parts), so I can't say I would be too broken up if that were the case.

 

What confuses me most on this set (and Crystal Beast, for that matter) is that the color of the thumbs doesn't match the color of the other two claws. On Crystal Beast it's understandable, since there aren't any claws like this that exist in Tr. Light Blue, but on Tunneler Beast it's a bit confusing — really, it should have been cheaper and easier to use the same claw piece for all six digits rather than to use another, larger claw piece.

 

I would not mind modding this set to use claws more like Queen Beast's. No telling what I'd do for Crystal Beast, but I don't even know whether I'll be getting that set — with its fairly basic humanoid design, it may very well be the lowest on my wanted list out of all the beast sets.

I laughed.

Queen Beast uses a thumb design that I think works much better. I'm pretty sure that the only reason this set uses a different hand design is due to budget constraints — it already has more pieces than any of the other $10 sets this year (Crystal Beast doesn't necessarily have that same excuse, though).

 

With that said, I think its point is more to look menacing than to grasp anything. If you dropped the thumbs entirely it could still be just as effective in that regard.

Aw, you mean that's not the start of some newfangled motorized bacon rack?

Awesome design. I wish I had this sort of design skill. Or even this level of drawing skill. Sadly, the last drawing and design courses I was in were extremely traumatic for me so I don't know how long it might be before I'm fit to study those fields again.

Secretly, the Wii U character has eleven characters on the box. Kellam from Fire Emblem Awakening is there; you just can't see him.

All I have is a Princess Celestia button I bought at Cloudsdale Congress last year. I wear it on my hat in the winter. My brother has a matching Princess Luna button.

 

I somewhat wish I could get my hands on more LEGO accessories like buttons and wristbands, but the stuff on sale at LEGO conventions usually doesn't really speak to me, and the LEGO Group doesn't put out much of their own wearable merchandise besides T-shirts and costume supplies. Even my trip to LEGOLAND Florida proved rather fruitless in that regard, which was a bit disappointing (though obviously the trip as a whole was still barrels of fun).

I enjoyed Animorphs, though many of the pop culture references flew right over my head and I didn't follow it as closely as many people. No telling how many books I might have missed reading.

Aaah I still haven't seen the Book 2 finale!

 

I really need to get on that, but I had been watching the series with my mom and she's been very busy this past year, so I haven't found many times when it's convenient for everyone.

The winning entry's nice. A lot going on, but at least it has some visual movement to guide your eyes from top to bottom.

 

As for colors, I think colors that echo the key visuals we got of Metru Nui would be best. This one, for instance. A grayish-blue or bluish-gray T-shirt seems like it would work nicely (lighter than last year's BZPower T-shirt).

 

For the image itself, I'm thinking a red color, for contrast (and to evoke the ominousness of Makuta's looming presence). So think LEGO Dark Red (#720012) over LEGO Sand Blue (#70819A). Or whatever the closest ink and T-shirt colors to those are.

Amazing! I haven't even gotten started on my Benny costume, to be honest, and I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth it. As much as I'd love to be involved in the LEGO Movie cosplay scene, I have no idea how expensive a Benny costume might be... but I have a nagging feeling that even a pretend spacesuit would be awfully hot in the middle of summer in Virginia.

 

I fail to understand how AFOL's enjoyment of a Lego toy and kid's enjoyment of a Lego toy are mutually exclusive propositions. This is a false dichotomy and should be eliminated.

Aanchir got it kinda right, but I want to expand here: the reason this entry is called afols.png is because this is a lot like what I see with AFOLs on a lot of sites like Eurobricks and Brickset and even here, where LEGO becomes this super serious adult thing to them, and I feel like the message of the movie is to not be that kind of LEGO fan. If you see yourself in Will Ferrell, ask yourself what it is about a man who berates his child for playing with LEGOs that you relate to, and if that's necessarily a good thing.

 

Agreed 100%. Shockingly, even non-AFOLs here on BZPower have often been guilty of this kind of thinking. I remember the way some people here (many of whom were probably only in their early teens themselves) used to get angry at the "seven-year-olds in the focus groups" for any changes that they felt reduced the quality of the sets and story. They're just dumb kids! They're not as smart as us! Their opinions aren't as important as ours! We're the REAL fans!

 

Even now you see all sorts of comments on how either BIONICLE was or should have been aimed at an adult audience. Never mind that for a lot of people here, it might never have been such a formative childhood experience if younger kids had been excluded from the target demographic. Never mind that some of the greatest pieces of storytelling in the theme, like the Mata Nui Online Game, were thoroughly kid-friendly.

 

The worst part is that this almost seems to have gotten worse as the years go on, perhaps because many older fans who remember the earlier, lighter years have drifted away, while those who have stayed feel like they have to embrace or exaggerate the theme's more "mature" aspects just to legitimize their continued interest in it.

 

Every time I read a comment about how Mask of Light would have been better if Takanuva and Makuta got into a brutal physical confrontation with gratuitous robot carnage rather than a Kolhii match, I have to suppress my gag reflex. Some people's idea of "maturity" can be pitifully juvenile.

I fail to understand how AFOL's enjoyment of a Lego toy and kid's enjoyment of a Lego toy are mutually exclusive propositions. This is a false dichotomy and should be eliminated.

Well, yeah, that's what the movie was making fun of — the lengths some AFOLs go to to treat their LEGO hobby as something serious rather than just play.

"The box for this one said ages eight to fourteen!"

I'm waiting on the fancy "Everything is Awesome" edition with its exclusive Vitruvius minifigure and all sorts of nifty bonus features.

 

I dunno, my Toa Mata Kopaka has developed a bit of a "rag doll" effect in his hips.

To clarify, by 'rag doll' I don't mean the joints are worn and lose (although that would certainly apply). I mean that the design of the joint provides far too much freedom of movement and makes the set flop around. With Pridak it was incredibly difficult for me to pose any part of him without the whole top half turning to the side or bending over forwards. And this is how it was like brand-new out of the box seven years ago. It's a frustrating set to play with, I think.

 

All that said, I'm not opposed to a set having waist articulation. I don't think it's a necessary joint, but if I can be pulled off in a way that keeps the set sturdy then I'll have no reason to complain. I never got Maxilos so I can't comment on how well it worked for him.

 

I don't remember playing with Pridak being terribly bothersome, but it's been a long time. I do think that he did not benefit from the articulated waist nearly as much as a more realistically-proportioned figure would. A rotating waist, such as that of the original Makuta set or Evo XL Machine, might have suited him better than one that can rotate along three axes. But on a more realistic humanoid figure you might very easily want to see a more realistic range of movement, and that includes the ability to slouch, or to tilt the upper body from side to side.

 

Personally, part of the reason I am so fond of the idea of waist articulation is that it's basically the only joint from the Toa Mata that was conspicuously implied with a molded joint but never reliably actualized. We've seen articulation added in necks and wrists and elbows and knees, but hardly any sets have ever gotten real, honest-to-goodness waist articulation. And I think after thirteen years that's a real shame, since obviously it was important enough to the original BIONICLE designers to put a joint there, even if it wasn't one that actually worked.

 

But I find a solid build, with a good frame work and no more joints than necessary, to facilitate really satisfying play.

Reading this made me think of Pridak. The biggest flaw (among several) about that set has to be the attempt at waist articulation. It's good that the designers were trying to do something different, but the result was pitiful and made the set flop around like a rag doll. And that's how I felt just trying to pose the thing on a shelf, much less play with it. I'm glad that design never appeared again (that I can recall).

 

Anyway, I agree to an extent, but it really depends on what you want to do with the set. As a kid I never had issues playing with sets with less articulation since imagination always trumps set limitations (and there was no 'rag doll' effect). Now as an adult, with them sitting posed on the shelf... they look kinda boring. Certainly much less dynamic than the Toa Metru.

 

I dunno, my Toa Mata Kopaka has developed a bit of a "rag doll" effect in his hips. I guess as sturdy as those old joints were compared to some of the ones we got in later years, they still don't last forever. Even Pridak's waist didn't cause me any trouble at first, but I guess the top-heavy build resulted in that joint wearing out more quickly than it might have if it weren't supporting the whole upper half of the model.

 

Incidentally, I wouldn't complain one bit if we saw new attempts at waist articulation in sets. I've never quite come up with a design in a MOC that I'm 100% happy with, but it still strikes me as an admirable goal since there are a number of expressive poses that just can't be achieved with a fixed waist (including pretty much any contrapposto pose).

 

As a matter of fact, Queen Beast from the summer Hero Factory sets has a sort of waist articulation, which seems like it should be somewhat effective since it has two joints supporting the upper body rather than just one (sort of like Nidhiki's design in 2004, except slightly less limited). This will allow the upper body to flex backward and forward, as well as to twist slightly from side to side. Aesthetically, it's not the most effective, but I still have to admire the attempt, since it's arguably the first attempt at waist articulation to appear in a set since Pridak and Maxilos seven years ago. That set, however, is also a good example of a set that keeps its articulation in check. The front legs have one joint fewer than a typical constraction figure leg, presumably to make posing easier and better support the model's weight.

Meh. As I said in response to the original blog comment, I've always hated the Vahki. Many of their pieces were extremely large and specialized. They were clone sets to the extreme. And their piece counts were rather pitiful even for their time. A Toa Metru would get you between 44 and 49 pieces including unique mask and weapon molds, while a Vahki would get you just 32 pieces with just unique weapon molds — which, by virtue of their enormous size, could still be extremely hard to use.

 

Rahkshi were pretty cool though. Good piece count, and the best articulation any set of similar size could boast at the time. It's a matter of context, really — it says a lot that the only BIONICLE canister set ever with fewer parts than the Vahki was Toa Mata Onua.

I suppose I just yearn for Bionicle's aesthetic. A lot of sets, particularly the early ones (the Toa Metru being my favorite example) looked a lot more cohesive and complex than HF sets. For all its versatility, the HF system can't match the level of detail and unique character personality that Bionicle sets often had. I feel like the stark, geometric shapes of HF pieces aren't particularly "cool" or believable. The edges and backs of HF armor in most sets makes the character look incomplete. Maybe it's the nostalgia, but the pinholes and Y-sockets in the first four or five years of Bionicle never felt that out of place. Later sets, though very original build-wise in general and creative in their parts use, started to look less cohesive in many cases, but still more aesthetically pleasing to me that the last couple of years of HF.

BIONICLE definitely had a much more high-detail aesthetic, but I feel like that was both an asset and a liability. As a building system, such intricate, specialized detail could be limiting. It meant that most BIONICLE parts would only make sense on mechanical or biomechanical creations (what place would pistons have on a knight in armor, for instance, or a purely organic creature), and more importantly it meant you had to be particularly selective about which parts you used together on a model if you wanted the aesthetic to remain cohesive (I suppose this bothers some people more than others, since I often see Kalmah's shells used purely for their shape and color — something I'd pretty much never do unless I could somehow spread that extremely prominent motif throughout the rest of the build).

 

Hero Factory's smoother aesthetic feels more like what you might expect of a typical System and Technic set than BIONICLE. It adheres to the classic design principle "form follows function", and I think that gives it an advantage as a building system. Now, whether the actual sets look more beautiful than their BIONICLE predecessors is open for debate. Personally, I am fine with either high-detail aesthetics or more streamlined ones as long as the proportions are appealing and the motifs are stylistically consistent, and I think that gives Hero Factory figures a slight edge in my book since pretty much EVERYTHING is stylistically consistent as a matter of principle.

 

I find the sleek shapes of Hero Factory shells quite cool, and I don't see what is "unbelievable" about them. Robots can have any sort of textures — the textures of Hero Factory figures have a bit more of a streamlined automotive flavor to them than a more industrial flavor like BIONICLE's exposed pistons and 3D frameworks, but it still looks realistic to me, and I have not felt like I need to stylize or reimagine things in my drawings.

 

In most cases, I don't think Hero Factory's shells and beams have to leave the back of a figure looking incomplete. The limb beams generally don't leave the back any more incomplete-looking than a BIONICLE beam or shell, and a torso beam has no shortage of points with which to attach back armor, as the larger hero sets have done rather consistently since 2012.

 

Also, I feel that points of articulation are over-stressed in discussions of playability. Yes, as far as creating cool poses go, any and every joint adds new possibilities. And few key joints really matter- a lack of shoulder, elboy, knee, hip, or heat articulation is usually a bad thing. But I find a solid build, with a good frame work and no more joints than necessary, to facilitate really satisfying play (or just handling, if you don't "play" anymore [you do and you know it]). You can't adjust the pose of a set well in the middle of a dynamic fight scene without pausing and carefully adjusting each joint. Adjusting the joints involves forethought, dexterity, and the ability to change that one joint without your grip on the toy messing up the toy's whole pose. Designing sets to make posing quick, intuitive, and satisfying is what matters to me, and I don't think HF sets as a rule really facilitate that. There are exceptions, but for me most sets with many legs with multiple joints each are very inconvenient to pose, especially is those legs are too close or too far from each other. I love the Rahkshi and Vahki because they're so satisfying to play with. The single-piece arms lacked elbow joints but looked so dynamic and cool with their respective staffs you only needed that one joint- in fact, I had more fun with them because they lacked elbow joints to keep track of. I'm not saying that HF sets need similar functions, but the arm-waving gear function was convenient to use in a dynamic play environment and did more to produce and absorbing play experience than any number of joints. Their legs were well-proportions and fun to use.

Believe me, I don't really care about points of articulation in a lot of cases either. Thirteen is as many as you generally need for a humanoid model to function well. But I decided I might as well compare that in this case, since often when I talk strictly about piece count people will claim I'm ignoring other types of complexity. Tunneler Beast happens to fare remarkably well in terms of points of articulation, but it's not really a fair comparison with a normal bipedal humanoid model — however, I think it is one of the set's strong points, especially compared to similar bug-like models such as the Visorak or Gorast.

 

Generally I think Hero Factory figures tend to pose very well and very easily — most, no matter what their size, will either have a basic 13 points of articulation, or slightly more or fewer. With that said, I do love figures with additional limbs or an additional joint in the legs if they happen to be going for a more monstrous look, and if you're going to have additional joints like that, they might as well be articulated. I have no love for single-piece "pre-bent" limbs like on the Toa Mata, Agori, or 1.0 Heroes. They were bearable for their time, but the fixed angle reduces both the posability of the figure and the versatility of the part, and now that sets have finally moved past those I see nothing to be gained from going back.

 

I have always hated the Vahki. Let me get that out of the way. They were pitifully simple designs compared to other similarly priced sets even when they were new, their functions were not really anything we hadn't seen before with the Rahkshi, most of their new parts were incredibly specialized, and they were clone sets to the extreme, with nothing but color schemes and weapons setting them apart from one another. Even just comparing their piece counts to the Toa Metru, it's obvious which had a better value. I was surprised to find, when checking Brickset, that the Vahki were actually priced HIGHER than the Toa Metru, and I'm still baffled by this revelation.

 

I'm no longer the younger kid I once was, so the playstyles of the target age group have changed since then. But while HF set design has been getting truly excellent in creativity and value in the last few years, I feel like the direction they're going in as far as playability is concerned is a good. I will say that some recent play features I really love, like the soft-tube wing motion in the recently reviewed Chi sets. I just think that joints don't add as much to the product as a lot of people say they do.

 

Edit: Just realized how much I wrote. Um.

I'm not so fond of the soft-tube function in the Chima sets because it seems like the same thing we saw with Nidhiki's claws or the Nivawk's wings, only substantially less elegant. If the wings are going to be Technic-based anyhow then I feel like they should at least be expected to function as smoothly as Technic-based action features from 2004, especially since the rubber flex axles that those sets used are still present in sets to this day. This is also part of why I have yet to form a solid opinion on Surge & Rocka Combat Machine. I will have to see a review to determine whether that folding wings function has any impact on the design.

 

However, I do like how both last year and this year we've been seeing more play functions besides just launchers, without the need to introduce specialized gearboxes like so many of the most elegant BIONICLE canister set functions relied upon. The playability aspect is one of the reasons last year's Dragon Bolt set is among my favorite Hero Factory sets, and why I'm willing to tolerate some of Evo XL Machine's shortcomings.

 

And hey, don't be bothered by the amount you wrote, or the decision to make it a blog entry of its own. This blog entry of mine was supposed to be just a Facebook post, and I only decided to post it in my blog after realizing how LONG it had become. It's hard to express a lot of thoughts without using a lot of words!

Brilliant!

One correction I should make: you seem to be using 208 Light Stone Grey here, and I can practically guarantee that's not the color you're intending to use. 208 Light Stone Grey is Bricklink's Very Light Bluish Gray, known to BIONICLE fans as Thok White. The color you intend to use is presumably 194 Medium Stone Grey (Bricklink's Light Bluish Gray).

There's nothing wrong with wanting to impress people as long as you can find a way to use that desire to enrich others' lives rather than just for self-satisfaction. In other words, don't just try to have an impact on other people. Try to have a positive impact.

 

This is an attitude that motivates a lot of my own goals. I want to be a LEGO designer because LEGO has had a profound impact on my life and I want to have just as profound an impact on other people. Some day I want to be able to support a family of my own because I have always gotten so much support from the people around me and want to feel like I'm capable of doing the same. I take great care with my posts online because I want to be thought of not just as a rambling, opinionated person but somebody who is truly insightful, knowledgable, and open-minded.

 

No idea how you can overcome the issues you're facing, but the best I can suggest is to find a way not just to get attention, but to earn it. Perhaps cultivate some talent that people will respect and acknowledge you for, whether that be acting, art, music, or what-have-you. Maybe that will help? I don't know. I don't have any delusions of being knowledgeable when it comes to social concerns. But hopefully you can come up with some way to ensure that whatever attention you get is attention you can be proud of.

I like zoos, myself. Obviously many zoos in the past have been extremely exploitative, treating animals like a spectacle, pets, or even living trophies rather than like residents who are entitled to the same benefits they might experience in the wild. Today, I feel that a number of zoos have a far more egalitarian goal of increasing public awareness of biology, environmental science, and the beauty and wonder of the natural world. And as long as their animals are treated well I think that is admirable.

 

It should be noted that my particular favorite zoo, the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., is run by the Smithsonian Institution, which is non-profit, so they're not prone to the same conflicts of interest as a for-profit zoo or attraction like Sea World. Admission to the National Zoo is completely free, and money made from parking and donations is spent on things like animal care, animal research, and wildlife conservation (and obviously wages for the scientists and caretakers they employ).

 

I take issue with the idea that "if people want to go see animals from exotic places in the world, they should go to wildlife preserves in those parts of the world." It'd be amazing if this were possible for everyone. Unfortunately, it simply isn't. Very few people are wealthy enough to go on a globe-trotting adventure, particularly to very remote areas of the world where certain animals can be found. But just because people can't go to the Arctic to see the polar bears doesn't mean they shouldn't be aware of such animals and the environmental plights they face.

 

It goes without saying that zoos that are guilty of serious ethical missteps, like maltreatment of their animals, should face consequences including the transfer of animals that are considered to be at risk to more reputable zoos, or preparation for release into the wild if it is possible. Also, zoos that remove endangered or threatened animals from the wild to put them on public display are extremely morally suspect unless they have a long-term plan for reintroduction of those species to the wild.