V.M.Torious 4.0

As a long-time subscriber of the Lego Club Magazine since May/June 1996 (back when it was called Lego Mania Magazine), I enjoyed every issue of it, regardless of what themes Lego has at the time, and the magazine allows readers (like me) to find out the newest and latest Lego themes in a unique way that is interesting compared to finding information about upcoming Lego themes online. Even though the magazine's intended audience is kids 13 years and younger, the most unique thing I find about the magazine is that you can only get it through the mail or pick it up at a Lego Store, and you cannot find it at a supermarket or bookstore that sells magazines. I have kept every single magazine since the January/February 2000 issue of Lego Mania Magazine (I do not know what happened to my issues from 1996-November/December 1999), and every single Bionicle comic that came with the magazine from 2001-March/April 2010. It would be a complete disappointment if The Lego Group stops distributing the current Lego Club Magazine in its current format to teens and adults, because they won't have experience as when they were kids (or if their kids were reading the magazine). On a more realistic perspective, I understand that some magazines ended their run in the print format due to costs, low subscription rates, and the growing number of digital media, and there are also Lego magazines for TFOL and AFOL audiences, but unfortunately they are not officially published by The Lego Group. If Lego were to continue giving out/publish magazines for older audiences, then they should either publish their own TFOL/AFOL-oriented magazine in-house or enter a partnership with another magazine publishing company to create a separate official TFOL/AFOL Magazine. To distinguish it from the Lego Club Junior and Lego Club Magazines, it would include not only the latest Lego themes, but also have articles about the Lego industry, includes interviews with Master Builders, spotlight teen and adult Lego fans, and even have a throwback section looking back at a Lego theme from the past, or a series of Lego sets from the past. The TFOL/AFOL Lego Magazine should be monthly (unlike the current bi-monthly format used for Lego Club Magazine), and include an annual buyer's guide during the holiday shopping season. Or they could just make a Lego Magazine app for Apple and Android mobile devices and tablets, which could include a TFOL/AFOL digital magazine and access to previous issues of Lego magazine from the late 80s until now (including the BrickMaster versions). Hey, I would even pay $9.99 a month just for a one-year subscription to the TFOL/AFOL Magazine! Long story short, I believe it is completely wrong for The Lego Group to stop distributing Lego Club Magazine for older subscribers and fans. ~ VM 4.0

All I gotta say is... they're totally cute! You did a great job making those plushies of Hewkii and Macku, especially replicating their MNOG look as much as possible! I wish Lego should've sold those plush toys at their Legoland parks back when Bionicle started in 2001, but if they did I would definitely buy them! I hope you make more Matoran plush toys like this in the future! ~ VM 4.0

I really enjoyed playing some of the Lego games made by TT Games, but I think there should be some more Lego games based on their original and recent toy themes, since there's a bit too many Lego games based on licensed themes. Seeing that the most recent Lego games from TT Games are almost similar in gameplay since 2005 (with a few tweaks or so), here are some of my ideas for new Lego games: -A new Lego Racers game in the style of the Need for Speed racing games (such as Underground/Underground 2, Most Wanted 2005, Hot Pursuit 2010, World, and Rivals), where you can build and upgrade your own Lego racing car and drive it in an open-world environment (such as cities, the beach, forests, and deserts), participating in various races, challenges, and chases throughout the game. There should also be the option to play as the police, where you can pursue and take down rival racers too. The nitro/NO2 system should also be taken/inspired from Gameloft's Asphalt games and/or the most recent Ridge Racer games, where triggering a full tank of Nitro allows you to take down your opponents until you drift, hit a stunt ramp, or your nitro tank runs out. I would also love to see motorcycles incorporated into the game alongside with the Lego cars! -A Lego Ultra Agents console game for PS3, PS4, Nintendo Wii U, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The game can be a third-person shooter game that isn't too realistic or cartoonish, where you can battle Astor City's most notorious villains, and also allows you to ride vehicles. Plus there should be some strategy elements similar to the Alpha Team PC game from 2000, along with some puzzle mini-games (for example, portions of the game where you have to break into the villain's computer system and shut them down). -A Lego Space RPG where you create your own Lego space character (minifig, cyborg, or alien), build and upgrade your own spaceship, and join a faction such as the Space Police, Spyrius, Exploriens, and Blacktron. The game should also feature planets and spaceships from the entire Lego Space line, ranging from Classic Space in the 1980s to more recent Lego Space themes such as Space Police III and Galaxy Squad. -A Lego dance game similar to the Just Dance games or Dance Central for Kinect/Wii U/PS4. I know this idea may sound ridiculous, but I remember there was a Lego Rock Band game a few years back. The only problem I find with this idea is picking age-appropriate pop/dance/EDM songs as well as licensing fees to the songs, but if it worked out for Lego Rock Band, then it can work out for a Lego motion-based dance game too! Minifig customization also welcome. -And last but not least, a sequel to either Lego City Undercover and/or the Lego Island series. ~ VM 4.0

So here are my two cents about this comedy: it totally rocks! Why? Well, I was laughing out loud on the references to the old BZP forums (from 2009), as well as the jokes about the internet, as well as the BZP and Lego forums too! This comedy really brought back some memories of 2009, but here's one thing: I've changed my username from Vakama Montana to V.M.Torious 4.0, so you guys might want to add the name change starting with the next chapter, but please drop the "4.0" from "V.M.Torious 4.0" so it looks like "V.M. Torious". And regarding your chapters, Toa Gabriella, I really enjoyed it! You're great at writing script-style comedies, too! Happy New Year and keep up the good work! ~ VM4.0

Oh, really? Actually, this is the funniest BZP comedy that I've read in a long time! In fact, this is really Do NOT bypass the word filter -B6 funny! I don't understand the story, but I do really like the jokes! Can you please make a sequel to this (as long as B6 or any BZP admin finds out about this!)?~ VM4.0 p.s. Do you mind if I do a comedy similar to this? Just asking.

Happy Holidays everyone! I know it's Christmas Eve, but a lot of stuff has happened in the past month while I was gone! First of all, there have been a lot of controversy surrounding one of Lego's newest themes for 2012: Lego Friends, which is their latest attempt on getting girls to buy Lego Bricks. A majority of Lego claim that the new "ladyfigs' don't look like the old-fashioned minifigures used since 1978, and they look more like Polly Pocket dolls than actual Lego minifigures. Most Lego fans claim that the sets show stereotypical things girls normally do, such as taking care of pets or running a beauty shop. Also, there are more purple, aqua, turquoise, and pink bricks than any other current Lego theme out there. While some older Lego fans and guys would buy the sets just to get that certain brick or color for their MOC (such as a Perry the Platypus MOC), others would simply ignore the ladyfigs or the whole set together. Face it folks, the pink Lego brick has been around for a long time, even with the Paradisa theme of the 1990s, Lego's attempt on getting girls to play with the normal Lego bricks and minifigs boys play. I have to admit that I own at least 2-3 sets from the Paradisa theme (the Ice Cream stand and the beach playsets). Don't forget Belville, Scala, and the fashion-oriented, jewelry-like Clickit sets from 2003, which (partially) caused the financial meltdown over at the Lego company in 2004, when they recorded record losses. Since then, Lego re-focused their products on boys, especially on popular themes such as Star Wars, Bionicle, Racers, Creator, and City, with the occasional female minifigure or character (like Gali or Natalie Breez) thrown along. Still, those female minifigures weren't acceptable to some girls since it's not "curvy" enough for them, even with some of the collectible minfigs Lego has today. Tecnically, according to the Lego company's press release on their 2012 sets, these ladyfigs are called "mini-doll figures", and they have the same functions as a regular minifigure, such as hairpieces and hands, which can be compatible with Lego System elements such as cups, caps, and even those Star Wars lightsabers. Unfortunately, these mini-dolls are a bit taller than the regular minifig, curvier, skinnier, and has the ability to add additional accessories to the hairpiece, such as bows and headbands (bows definitely). And they won't fit into some regular sets and vehicles (too bad there's not enough room for them in those new Ninjago vehicles, unless you buy Kai's transforming motorcycle. Seriously, I dare you to). I have to admit that I came up with the idea of improving the Lego lineup towards girls back in February 2009, when Lego announced their partnership with Disney to bring Prince of Persia, Toy Story, and Disney/Pixar Cars to the Lego lineup. At that time, Disney Channel shows such as Hannah Montana and Wizards of Waverly Place are popular, so I figured, why not have them as Lego themes? I basically used social media sites to start up a petition to convince Lego to make Lego sets based on Hannah Montana and High School Musical, but that ended up as an epic failure. And think about the licensing fees too. Nevertheless, I heard about the new Lego Friends sets through Brickset and seen the pics, but I haven't seen the sets yet at the Lego section of my local Target (or most likely soon, the girls' section with all of the Barbie/iCarly/Victoria Justice stuff), but I'm impressed of the quality of the sets. Gone are the days of fairy-tale themes or playing "house" (no, no the TV show on Fox, the houses Lego released for their Creator lineup or the set that's going to be included in the Friends theme). And welcome to a world of much more modern stuff that we see in real life. Not only that, but there are things that I might get for my Lego minifigs too (like a pool)! And regarding about whether the theme will succeed or not, I think it will. If Lego pulls out all the right stuff for creating the sets and promoting the theme, then it will become the next Bionicle/Ninjago/Hero Factory, but for girls. It's time that Lego needs to listen to their consumers, fans, and Lego Club members on product input, especially with a girl's theme like Lego Friends. However, Lego needs to use social media websites (such as Twitter) to advertise and promote Lego Friends, as well as buying ad space on girls' magazines in order to get the word about Lego Friends out. Plus, having a couple of TV specials or a TV series (just like Lego did with Ninjago and Hero Factory) would help Lego Friends out too, whether they're online or on a cable TV network like Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network. If they focus more on the theme, then Lego can become a top toy company for girls just like what they did with boys during the past year. So, do you think Lego Friends will become the next big thing in the Lego universe, or end up as a publicity stunt just like Kim Kardashian's wedding and 72-day marriage? Comment and Happy Holidays! (note: All rules and regulations in the BZP forums and blogs will be enforced. Please keep it clean and report offensive posts to the moderators A.S.A.P.. Thanks!) ~ VM 4.0

I love the new perks, but there's only one problem... will regular members be able to keep their blogs on BZP after December 26?~ VM4.0

After reading the article, I think that Lego Friends could be Lego's best attempt on appealing to girls since the Paradisa theme from the 1990s. I still own the sets today, despite the number of pink bricks the set contains. The scale of the "ladyfigs" being similar to the minifigs from 1978 (as well as the design of the ladyfigs) convinced me enough to get at least one of the new sets, and I'm looking forward to getting some new brick colors for MOC-ing! Now if only Lego could get a mini-comic book and a TV series just like Hero Factory or Ninjago, then it would be more successful and more people would buy the sets. Hey, why not give them (and the girls) their own social media accounts on the web, too! (HeroBook or HeroFeed, anyone?)~ VM4.0

I like Bionicle more, but when it comes to technology, Hero Factory beats Bionicle, especially with the weapons. Watch the Hero Factory animated shorts and you'll see for yourself.~ VM4.0

Hello again! Here is the current voting tally for "Which Comedy Should I Bring Back to the BZP forums" (as of November 21, 2011): Inika Palace Hotel: 1 Club Nuva: 1 Bionicles on Lego Island: 0 The Many Farces of Toa Tuyet: 0 ...but don't worry folks! There's still enough time for you to vote for your favorite VM comedy! Just go back to the last post (Chronicle #2) and comment on which one of my classic comedies you would love to see appear on the new BZP forums! Thanks for the support folks! ~ VM4.0

Wow... over 3,000 words long per chapter. That's was the longest comedy I've ever read since coming back to the BZP forums! Here are some things that I like about this comedy. Even though I'm not a huge fan of prose-style comedies a lot, I really like how you developed the plot for your comedy, especially with the storyline. And I also like the jokes, especially with the emoticon jokes! But there is only one thing to work on, and that is to add some more humor to it. While I was reading this, it has that "epic" feel found in the Epics section of the BZP forums, but this could use a little bit more funny moments. Nevertheless this is a great comedy so far, so keep up the good work!~ VM 4.0 (formerly Vakama Montana0111)

Bionicle. And if it's not Bionicle, then I would go with Alpha Team, Space Police 3, and Racers.~ VM4.0

@OmiShad- You have to decide between one of them, but for now I'm counting your votes for IPH and Club Nuva.