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Gonna go ahead and test this... WELCOME NEW MEMBERS! HELLO AGAIN RETURNING MEMBERS! Take some time to introduce yourselves. If you're just coming back, let us know who you used to be!
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No, not Aang, or Korra, or the "Vultures Fly" guys. Five years ago when I did this for my signature, it got me my hilarious cheese wheel, so I'm trying it again. Simply put, I don't want Scarecrow to represent me anymore (even though it's still one of the best character designs of all time), but I also don't want to go back either my old coat of arms or even that glatorian on the back of Strakk's canister. (Also, it's so nice BZP lets you link to so many things in one post. Can't say that about the rest of the internet.) ANYWAY, my only idea is a fictional character I really like. First option is Charmcaster from "Ben 10", but other favorites include Grand Admiral Thrawn, Luna Lovegood, Samurai Jack, Jhin, Izayoi Aki...I could go on. I honestly don't know if I should go for something I like NOW or something I could be happy with forever if I decide I don't want to change it again. Any thoughts?
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-[July 11, 2009]- My blog is back! And my fingers are killing me. Unfortunately my parents are making me move to the US soon and I will have to take apart all my sets. I'll be writing entries regularly now.. Terakk
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It's been almost five years since I did one of these and the last time I did one I opened it with a cringey joke. Either way, I want to post here (before my ten year anniversary next month) and this is all I could come up with so ask away. Or don't, it's a free website. But I hope you do because it's kind of the point.
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I'm not judging anyone at all; I'm just curious. Why are you still logging onto BZPower after all this time? What do you do around here? I'd love to hear your answers and see what cool things I can still do and talk about on this site. The reason I still log on from time to time is mostly due to nostalgia. It's nice to look around a little bit, see my old posts, and wonder how everyone's doing nowadays. I also hope we get another surge of activity that breathes some more life into the forums, but a man can dream.
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As I'm sure you all noticed, yesterday was BZPower's sixteenth anniversary, which is a pretty impressive milestone on the Internet and in the LEGO community. With sixteen years of history, there have been a lot of memorable moments from our time in our home on the web, and we'd like to hear some of yours! To bribe encourage you to share, we'll draw some random names and give you some classic Bionicle sets as prizes. They're old, but not as old as BZPower! Since I doubt I'll be able to ship out the prizes until after BrickFair Virginia, we'll close things up at 11:59 PM Eastern on Monday, August 7th, giving you plenty of time to think of your absolute best memories! Here's what you'll have a chance to win: 1388 Huki 1390 Maku 1392 Kongu 1393 Matoro 8721 Velika 8722 Kazi 8723 Piruk 8724 Garan As far as rules go: you can post as many memories as you want, and reply to posts or share more memories that you think of later, but each member only gets one entry into the drawing. We reserve the right to pull anyone's name from the running if they post an inappropriate, inflammatory, rude, or otherwise not-in-the-spirit memory. We're trying to be fun and nostalgic here! She doesn't know it yet, but Tufi Piyufi and I will also be picking our favorite memory of all the ones shared here. That lucky member will win 8550 Gahlok Va and 8562 Gahlok! To close things out, I'd like to thank each and every member of BZPower over the years for the countless memories I have of this place and the community. I'm fast-approaching my personal sixteenth anniversary of joining the site, which is over half my life! I wouldn't be the person I am now without you all!
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That's right members of BZPower, pull out your lottery tickets! We here at Megaframe are ready to announce the winning numbers! Drumroll please! *Drumroll* Did you win? Were you one number off? Discuss the winning numbers! Kohaku
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After watching this amusing video on the BZPower YouTube channel, I began to muse upon the question about whether or not TTV website and BZPower are in fact in a state of competition. I would think that they are not, simply because BZPower is selling Premier membership - forum perks and blogging privileges - while The Three Virtues is selling a podcast. Therefore, they are selling different products to the same audience - it's like saying that pant manufacturers and shirt manufacturers are competing because they market to the same audience. Also, I would maintain that the two forums, in fact, cater to different audiences. BZPower's forum seems to mirror off the commerce of Premiership on which it is based, which makes it inspire intense loyalty from its community members, and importance on relationships between people. I see a long of topics here that talk about the feelings of the community on certain subjects. It also lends itself to long projects that take months or years of investment, like writing long epics or playing RPG. For the one truly invested in building relationships with other Bionicle fans, BZP is the place to be. But TTV isn't like that. Advertising revenue from the podcast requires a large number of people to make a very small commitment to watching the show (which only costs a few minutes) versus the amount of investment Premiership requires - you have to pay the money and stay around for months or years to use the blog. So the TTV website is more business-like, more about drumming up more content for the show than about inspiring loyalty. TTV caters to the casual fans, those who "remember Bionicle" occasionally and are like "dude, what's up with that now?". It's more future-oriented and ambitious, because the more the Bionicle cause is advanced, the more the TTV podcasts have to talk about. More content = more money. For the rest of us who just want to remember Bionicle and relax, TTV's forums are kinda like a cold wind blasting at 500 miles an hour. That's why I joined here - I wanted a friendlier atmosphere. So from my vantage point, it's like this graph: That's a formal analysis graph. BZP caters to a small group of highly invested fans, whereas TTV caters to the casual low-investment social media user. Also to people who want or need a large quantity of people, like games or Lego Ideas projects. But these two groups, while they may have some overlap, give the Bionicle community different services. The sites could even stand to learn from each other, possibly to understand how to be better at what they are and achieve their goals. However, it is possible that a counterargument could be proposed. Both websites have forums and YouTube channels, so it could be argued that if I'm spending time on one website I'm not spending time on the other (though I would maintain that the channels and forums have different content, so my appetite for Lego Twitch Gaming would never be sated by watching TTV, so different types of attention). It is also possible that you have information that I do not have access to or a different perspective on the matter. What do you think?
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So, seeing as BZPRPG is getting to the point of stagnancy which sees mosquitos start to look to it as a breeding ground, and it doesn't seem like that's gonna change for a while, I'd like to open a discussion (miiiight not be the right choice of words, considering I'll probably be the only one reading and discussing hahaha). -What NEW things would you like to see implemented in the new BZPRPG arc? -What OLD things would you like to see brought back? -For those of you with experience TBRPing on other forums: what are some things that worked in other TBRPGs that could work in BZPRPG? I had more questions, but now I'm distracted, so that's all ya get. Let me know what you all think! ALSO DON'T READ MY OLD BLOG POSTS OH BOY ARE THEY CRINGE-WORTHY.
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Hello everyone! I guess I'll be the one to kick off the revival of the General Art forum To celebrate the return of BZPower's forums and show my appreciation for the man at the helm, I've decided to draw something! (It's a thumbnail. Click it for the whole picture!) Thanks Andrew, for keeping Hapori's ol' gears turning all these years. I would've never expected BZP to still be running after all this time, hats off to you and the rest of the staff for keeping things going for so long! (Credit goes to Schizo Kaita for several elements of B6's design, namingly the head, hands, and color palette. Unfortunately I couldn't find the full picture B6 got his avvie from, so I worked with what I had ) Full Resolution of the Image can be found Here. --Akaku: Master of Flight
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Or considering the activity around here maybe I should call it an "Ask me nothing." Imma rite? Anyway, my premier membership is almost up so I thought I should do at least one of these in my time on BZPower before it finally runs out. So go ahead and ask me any questions you might have in the comments and I'll answer them when I can.
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Throughout this sites long history there have probably been many odd topics and bizarre storyline theories. So in your opinion what has been the strangest most bizarre topics ever created on this site. For me it would be a topic that discussed Bionicle being real in a parallel dimension and that the Illuminati is aware of its existence.
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Yeah, I just realized the other week that I don't have a signature below my posts; I'm sure I had a good reason for doing that, but still I...wait. Did I put a "C" instead of an "S" in the title? Oh well, might as well just roll with it. So, I did some browsing around the forums and noticed that, for one, a surprising number of people don't have a sig at all, but also that everything in sigs fell into a few categories: links, quotes, and occasionally a moc image or banner. And when I think back to what my sig has looked like over the years I realized that has used fallen into the same categories. First it was nothing, but links (there was a lot of stuff I wanted to link to back in the day!) then I got a banner with a model in it, heck I know I've even put silly quotes in my sig before. I'm pretty sure the last links I had right before I got rid of it were of this blog, my wordpress blog that I abandoned, the caption contest, and I think that's it. I'm open to any and all ideas as to what I should put down there; my only ideas right now are...you guessed it links (this blog, my flickr) or maybe a banner featuring the three most beautiful women alive (assuming I feel like putting in the work necessary). Or I could just get with the times and leave it empty. Any thoughts?
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Yep, today is my five year anniversary on BZPower. Not as impressive as it used to be either when I first joined or when I was a lurker, but whatever. This has gotten me thinking a bit, about how much my life has changed since I first joined and if you read through my profile feed (please don't) you can see me chronicling some of those changes. Me being me, I'm most interested in how much my music hobby has changed since then; back when I first joined my primary means of music consumption were youtube and radio, which just strikes me as kind of funny now. And that's not even mention how much my music taste have changed since then. But mostly my anniversary has gotten me thinking about what the site was like back then; all the members I used to hang out with (most of whom have left the site or hardly visit), the sub-forums I used to be super active in like S&T (where discussion has almost completely died). I remember how I used to post in almost every topic made in BBC, including every entry for that BBCC about video games. I remember that time I tried to join an RPG, how I used to be as active in the CoT games as the G&T ones (not sure why I stopped though), playing Mafia and always being the villager, hosting Hitman. It's all coming back to me. Well, times changed, people grow old, and all good things come to end. Even though you'd think that all BZPower is now to me is a place for nostalgia, I actually am thinking a lot about my future on this place. For some weird reason I just now started my career as a mocist and ain't done yet; plus I still have some ambition to host one more game of Bionicle RISK if I can get enough players. In the mean time I still plan to keep the caption contest going (by the way, is that the most active topic on the site now or am I just being delusional?) Alright, that's all I got, now I'm going to use my new Olmak to transport myself to some random pocket dimension or something.
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Parched. Sandy. Harsh. The desert planet of Bara Magna is no place for the faint of heart. It is also no place for the good-hearted. Generosity is frowned upon, for resources are very limited. As such, Glatorian warriors battle in the arenas to settle disputes over resources, scarce in the barren desert wastelands of Bara Magna, and yet even winning a battle does not guarantee the resources will be safe from the beings that prowl the deserts, such as the Vorox, Bone Hunters, the nomadic outcasts of the Iron Tribe, and if rumours are to be believed, the opportunistic Skrall of the Rock Tribe. Times are tough, and they only look grow tougher. It was only recently the Rock Tribe arrived, and since their arrival, the Skrall - warriors notably stronger and faster than the average Glatorian - have dominated in the arena matches. Tensions between Vulcanus and Tajun are rising, the former accusing the latter of killing two of its trainee Glatorian while its leader has gone missing. Iconox, the sole source of exsidian, sells it for extortionate prices when not fought for, and its Glatorian are suspected to use underhanded tactics both in the arena and out. Tesara, meanwhile, is on the brink of a civil war, its twin villages now opposed to each other, one wishing to accept an offer from the Skrall, the other very wary of the Skrall. Tajun, being one of the only sources of clean, reliable water, finds itself a frequent target of Bone Hunter raids. Atero too suffers such raids being a nexus between villages, though Glatorian visiting to fight in the Arena Magna often defend it. Roxtus, on the whole, has no immediately obvious issues, something it attributes to the 'wisdom of the Skrall, and the Mighty Leader Tuma'. The villages, troubled as they are, have been offered protection by Tuma, leader of the Rock Tribe, who claims the Skrall can solve their issues - by uniting Bara Magna under the banner of the Skrall. In such times, such an offer is a very attractive prospect. Because this is Bara Magna, and it is no place for the faint of heart. EPISODES: Episode Zero: Sands of Bara MagnaEpisode One: The Sound of SandEpisode Two: The Barbarism of Bara MagnaEpisode Three: The Shards of LifeEpisode Four: The Night Skies AlightEpisode Five: The Gathering StormEpisode Six: The Silent AwakeningEpisode Seven: The Tribes ApartEpisode Eight: The Tribes TogetherEpisode Nine: No Place for the Faint of HeartEpilogue: One Story's EndBig changes from canon, for the sake of the game: Each village (barring the Iron Tribe) has its own non-Glatorian army, led by a general. Should a general be unavailable, command falls to the tribe's Glatorian, and then Leader.Glatorian are not a separate species from Agori, but rather Agori trained from birth to be warriorsHow It Works The game will last for ten rounds (also known as episodes), during which you may make your moves. Due to the nature of the game, many things are open to interpretation - and manipulation. Or even able to be ignored! If you are uncertain whether a move you can make is possible according to the (few) rules, simply ask me or a co-host in a private PM. We will let you know if it is impossible or illegal. This game has two hosts - myself, and Voxumo, the Co-host. Players will be split between us based on role, though we will both be part of location and group PMs. Currently, we are aiming for ten episodes, though we'll see how that plays out - we might need less, we might need more, depending on how things go. Additionally, each episode will take roughly five three days, give or take. After Episodes 3 and 6, the game will go on a week-long hiatus so we can all gather our bearings, and to avoid both host and player burnout. MOVES Players will make their moves for each round via PM, of which there are two kinds - OFFICIAL and BACKDOOR. An OFFICIAL PM is any PM that involves me or Voxumo. and moves made in them are the only ones that will be included in the scenes for each round, meaning they are the only ones that will officially occur - so if you want to travel, or do something involving another player, you would have to do it in an official PM. But that also means everyone will be aware of what is happening. A BACKDOOR PM is any PM or any other method of communication that does not involve me or a co-host. Anything done in this will not be included in the scenes for each round, and will not happen, period - you cannot kill a player in a backdoor PM. However, you can scheme, plan, and manipulate where others except those you choose cannot see, and this will allow you to set up your own plans that may take a while- you may officially appear to be the most benevolent individual, yet secretly plotting to kill everyone else. Actions Travel - this is very simple, anyone can do it. To simplify things for all of us, Travelling between any village takes 24 hours, and must be performed in an official PM. Due to the nature of Bara Magna, however, travelling alone often tends to be a very bad idea - and creatures such as Vorox just might decide you'd make a tasty snack, or Bone Hunters might decide you've got something valuable. Vulcanus, Tajun, Tesara, Iconox, Roxtus, and Atero are the travel destinations you can go between. Here is a map of Bara Magna - an orange tint indicates dangerous area, other colour indicates which tribe the area belongs to. Light blue tint indicates Atero and Arena Magna, uncontested and neutral.Communication - the primary action, done every round without fail. Remember, before you can make use of any information you learn in a backdoor PM, you need to officially learn of it. Each tribe will get its own official PM, and other PMs will no doubt spring up over the course of the game.Arena Battle - This is an action between Glatorian, or anyone if it is a vehicle match. In Arena Battles, the two fighters will fight against each other, and this is one of the places where you'll likely use your stats the most - whoever wins will take whatever is at stake for their tribe. While not discouraged from an outside-perspective, a Glatorian who cheats or goes so far as to kill is considered dishonourable and may be exiled from their tribe, though intervention from others is not discouraged to save a Glatorian's life in such a battle - Glatorian are not infinite, and the tribes know this.Other Actions - There are many other actions you may decide you want to do. Perhaps you're feeling a little dishonourable and wish to rig an arena battle in your favour. Perhaps you wish to search the barren deserts of Bara Magna for something. Perhaps you wish to silence someone to be silenced for either a short or infinite time. As long as you can think of an action, you can try to pull it off.ROLES LEADER - These players lead their respective tribes. They make the final decisions, and their opinions can sway many Agori. If a Glatorian, General, or Diplomat does not do their job, or worse, it is up to them to fix that. The last thing a Leader wants is their Glatorian cheating or killing others, since that stains the whole tribe's reputation, or a Diplomat betraying their tribe, or a General being insubordinate and making a power-grab.GLATORIAN - These players are the ones fighting for their tribe in the arena for resources, and are often more adept at fighting than the other roles. They can also choose to serve as mercenaries, protecting others on journeys between the villages or excursions into the deserts.DIPLOMAT - These players are in charge of diplomatic relations between tribes, as well as trade - it is their job to ensure that supplies won in arena matches or sold and bought arrive in their destinations, and as such are also indirectly responsible for getting protection for others and themselves when travelling between villages.GENERAL - These players are in charge of their tribe's army - leading it, training it, and maintaining it, as well as the safety of the villages themselves. Should the tribe's leader die, they will assume command of the tribe.STATS These stats will help set players apart, and after posting to let us know you are signing up, you should fill out the following stat sheet. Do not show your stats to anyone else. You could fill it out to fit your desired role, but remember - you aren't guaranteed the role you want. You could also fill it out to make yourselves stronger and more intelligent, or more lucky and agile - fill it out however you want. Some players may get bonuses depending on their roles, some might lose stats in some areas for the same reason - but those modifications will only occur after you have sent your stat form it, and after the roles have been assigned (remember, this isn't Mafia - here, you'll determine your roles in your tribe PM, where you stand a chance at getting the role you want). Furthermore, in-game events may increase or decrease those stats. You will get 25 points to assign wherever you choose, and can assign a maximum of 10 points to any individual stat. Whenever you make a move that requires a roll, this will be added to a RNG roll out of 10 for a combined result out of 20. Strength (Determines attack damage, use of weapons, stamina, and how much you can carry): Agility (Determines ability to dodge, use of stealth, and anything that requires finesse): Intelligence (Determines ability to plan and other complex actions, ability to pilot vehicles, and perception, as well as partially affecting your ability to persuade others): Luck (Determines your luck, can be used to help your chances in difficult roles and mitigate failed rolls. May also determine how likely you are to run into something that wants to eat or kill you while travelling between villages if travelling alone.): When you have finished filling in, PM it to Trijhak and Voxumo with the title 'BZPBM: (Username)', where 'username' is your BZP Username.. Make sure you have 'Send to others as' set as Copy, instead of Invitation. This is necessary, as once roles are decided we will delete the PMs we do not need - I, Trijhak, will be handling players with the roles of Leaders, Diplomats, and the Iron Tribe. Voxumo will be handling players with the roles of Generals and Glatorian. Roles will be decided shortly before the game begins. If you are not premier, simply just send the PM to me - I will add Voxumo to it once roles are decided. TRIBES Fire Tribe The Fire Tribe is largely located in the village of Vulcanus, entrenched in a canyon. Currently, things are very tense - two of its trainee Glatorian never returned after being sent to Tajun, and the former leader, Raanu, has gone missing, while a new leader has yet to be established. Due to the lava flowing through the village, it is also where the vast majority of Bara Magna's weapons and armour are forged and repaired, and as such its main trades involve supplying said weapons and armour to the other tribes. Its military is roughly 400 Agori strong. Burnmad [Leader]A Forgotten Soul [Glatorian]General Quin Galum [General]ToaD [Diplomat] Water Tribe The Water Tribe is located in the village of Tajun, next to the largest oasis on all of Bara Magna. As of recently, it finds itself victim of a higher-than-average amount of Bone Hunter Raids, preventing it from completing its trades and somewhat souring its relations with other tribes. Unsurprisingly, it mainly trades water to the other tribes, since it does not have many other resources of its own. Some also say that the village is home to long-forgotten secrets. Its military is roughly 300 Agori strong Jed1ndy [Leader]Manducus [Glatorian]Terrorsaur [General]Underscore [Diplomat] Jungle Tribe The Jungle Tribe is largely limited to something very rare on Bara Magna: a wide area of dense plant growth. Unlike the other tribes, it has not one, but two villages, dubbed the 'Twin Villages of Tesara'. Currently, due to an offer made by the Skrall, its villages are deeply divided and may very well break out into a civil war. Due to its abundance of plant life, its main trade involves supplying food to the other tribes beyond the normal repulsive Thornax stew. Its military is roughly 700 agori strong, unevenly split between the villages. ToaTimeLord [Leader]Imrukii (Andekas) [Glatorian]capMARVELOUS (Lan) [Diplomat]Iaredios (Hyethyt) [General] Ice Tribe The Ice Tribe is largely located in the village of Iconox in the White Quartz Mountains, which sits atop the largest exsidian deposits on all of Bara Magna, a highly valuable and durable metal used in weapons, armour, and vehicles. It is no surprise that its main trades involve supplying exsidian to the other tribes, something it does very frequently - and, when not at stake in the arena, at extortionately high prices - something the other tribes only tolerate because there is no other known source of exsidian. Its military is roughly 450 agori strong. Iconox relies upon the Skrall for protection, and of its previous military, only 65 Agori remain, the others having been relieved of their positions. Iconox no longer relies on the Skrall, and to help rebuild its military, Vulcanus has sent 50 Fire Agori Soldiers to help. Since the Skrall have left, Iconox has tripled its native military size from 65 to 195. Toru Nui [Glatorian]FF [General]Nato [Diplomat]Rahkshi Guurahk [Leader] Rock Tribe The Rock Tribe is unique compared to the other tribes: it has no glatorian of its own, and it has no Agori leader. Instead, it has the Skrall, a race of warriors stronger and faster than even the most highly-trained Glatorian. It is led by the self-styled 'Mighty Leader Tuma', a massive, towering Skrall. In place of the glatorian, the Skrall fight instead. They are based in Roxtus, in the Black Spike Mountains, and do not trade anything to the other tribes, instead simply sending their Skrall to fight in the arenas for them - because they always win. Its military is 555 strong, of which 480 are normal Skrall, 25 Elite Skrall, and 50 Agori in support roles. A Civil War in Iconox has made it slightly smaller. ShadowVezon ['Leader']Onaku [General]Toa Smoke Monster [Diplomat]Pahrak [Diplomat] Iron Tribe The Iron Tribe is not located in any one place, and there are not many of them. Instead of staying in any one place, the few Iron Tribe Agori that can be found on Bara Magna are scattered and nomadic, wandering the wastes and never welcome in any place, as they are outcasts for a reason now forgotten by all but the Iron Tribe itself. As such, it does not provide anything in trade, nor does it take anything - its members just simply often resort to taking what they work by force. Sometimes, they are contracted by the Skrall to do certain jobs, though what they are, only the Skrall and Iron Tribe know. Due its status, it has no military. Voltex [Leader]Luroka [Glatorian] Bara Magna is no place for the faint of heart. (Credits to Onaku for the Bara Magna elemental banners, and credit to Luroka for the small vertical Iron Tribe banner)
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After BZPower's Bara Magna got started, I thought to myself "what other settings could work for these kinds of games", and I eventually settled on the original Mata Nui as being a potentially workable location. I'm working on a modified map, which I'll add to this once it's done. The biggest issue I had with both BZPGOT and BZPBM (I mean no offence to the creators of those games when I say this), was that there was usually an obviously-evil NPC faction that everyone was forced to side with or against, rather than players being completely free to make their own decisions. While this probably made the games easier to run overall, it also meant that (especially in regards to BZPGOT S2) certain factions and characters got screwed over pretty badly between seasons. With this game, I wanted to create a situation where each village had its own strengths, weaknesses, and motivations, and leave players free to their own machinations. Obviously, there are still some subplot elements that people will uncover as the game goes on, but nothing quite as blatant as an entire faction of nigh-unbeatable NPC villains. So, without further ado, I present: (Similar to Tex’s BZPGOT, and Trijhak and Voxumo’s BARA MAGNA, this story will take place in a drastically alternate timeline. The game will largely ignore most of the GSR stuff and forced genders, among other things, and focus on the more mystical aspects of the early G1 story. If seeing the early years of Bionicle distorted like this isn’t your cup of tea, back out now.) THE STORY SO FAR Long before Bara Magna, and even longer before Okoto, there existed an island mired in mystery and malice, an island where the forces legend and destiny were almost tangible, an island where two great spirits warred for centuries over the hearts and minds of the populace. The island of Mata Nui. For millennia, the island had existed in a delicate balance between good and evil, with the benevolent Mata Nui (after whom the island had been named), and the malevolent Makuta, fighting in an endless stalemate over the souls of the Matoran inhabitants. But, as time went by, the people lost faith in their legends, and Makuta was able to cast the weakened Mata Nui into an endless slumber, giving himself the freedom to wreak havoc across the island. All was not lost, though, as seven prophesised champions, the Toa, rose from obscurity to combat Makuta and reawaken Mata Nui. However, fate played a cruel trick on these heroes. The stories foretelling their destiny had been misconstrued, distorted, and skewed. Under the direction of the Turaga, the Toa ventured into Makuta’s lair beneath the island, and slew him. They never returned. Their mission had been to reawaken Mata Nui, and restore balance to the island. By destroying Makuta, they had instead destroyed what little balance remained, bringing about a disaster more catastrophic than anything Makuta alone could’ve managed. The island underwent an immense tectonic upheaval, the Mangai Volcano erupted, and, as a result of Ta-Koro’s attempt to redirect the lava flows away from destroying their own village, the jungles of Le-Wahi burned. With almost half the island incinerated, Ga-Koro soon came to hold the monopoly on water and food. With only limited land available to grow food and crops, they struck up a partnership with Po-Koro, who worked to maintain farms and fields on Ga-Koro’s behalf. However, ten years ago, Ga-Koro caught wind of rumours that Po-Koro was planning to invade and seize sole control of the food and water trade, and pre-emptively poisoned their next water shipment, slaughtering half of Po-Koro’s population. In the aftermath, the rulers of Ga-Koro made it clear that they would do the same to anyone else who crossed them, and even threatened to burn the fields and poison the water stores if they were invaded… a threat that, if carried out, would likely doom much of the island’s population to starvation. Now, change is on the wind once more. The villages have slowly recovered from the ravages of the cataclysm, their defences repaired, their populations growing, but resources remain just as scarce as always. Ko-Koro, having been quiet for years, has begun rapidly militarising, while the people of Onu-Koro have become even more elusive than usual, retreating into their defensive tunnels. Most concerning, Ga-Koro has recently undergone some manner of internal conflict, resulting in all of their leadership being replaced. Only time will tell if these new leaders will continue to threaten and extort the other villages, or seek a more peaceful path. HOW IT WORKS Although I imagine that most of you will be somewhat familiar with how these games work by now, I’ll give a quick rundown of the basics nonetheless. The game will consist of ten rounds, known as Episodes. These episodes will last 3-5 days, depending on how much is happening, and I will announce in this topic when each episode begins or ends. Over the course of each episode, players will use PMs to travel between locations, interact with other players, and a wide variety of other actions, which will be elaborated on further below. When each episode is concluded, the actions that occurred across the various PMs will be combined into a scene and posted in this main topic. Keep in mind that even if you, the player, knows something from reading the scene, that doesn’t necessarily mean your character will know those same things in-game. In regards to PMs, there are two kinds: OFFICIAL and BACKDOOR. An Official PM is any PM that I have been added to. Anything you say or do in these PMs may or may not find its way into the scene, so be careful. Actions and moves made in Official PMs are the only ones that will be acknowledged in episodes, so if you wish to travel, or communicate, or do anything that will actually happen, it needs to be declared in an Official PM. Each player and village will have an Official PM, and others will be established as the game goes on. (So please ensure you have room in your inboxes for multiple PMs). A Backdoor PM is any PM that I’m not included in. These are the PMs where you can form secret alliances, communicate covertly with other players, or whatever else you wish. Keep in mind, though, that anything you say or do in a Backdoor PM will not be acknowledged as having actually happened. Keep in mind, also, that information gained in a Backdoor PM can’t be used in-game unless your character has another way of learning it. MOVES There are a great many actions you can take over the course of an episode, and very few limitations to what they moves can entail, but here’s a brief overview of some of the more common moves you might choose to make. Communication – The simplest and most integral of moves, this is the simple act of talking to another player. Obviously, you need to be in the same PM as the other person for this to work, but aside from that, there aren’t many limitations to this. Remember, only conversations that occur in an Official PM will be included in the episodes. Messages – Each Koro also has access to a limited number of small Kewa birds. As scavengers, they’re easier to feed and care for than most other rahi species, and serve well at the task of delivering handwritten messages between villages. Due to their small size, there is a slight risk that they can be intercepted by larger bird species, but they still provide the best way of delivering anonymous messages. (In other words, if you send a message by bird, your name won’t be explicitly mentioned in the scene unless someone sees you, or you include your name in the letter). In addition to this, certain roles also have the authority to send NPCs to deliver messages instead. Combat – Depending on how you all choose to “negotiate”, this might happen a lot, or not at all. How it works is fairly straightforward – you describe your action, then the other player/s involved will describe their response, and counteraction. You might choose to ask me to roll for certain stats to better your chances of landing or evading a hit (more on stats later), in which case you’ll need to wait for me to determine the outcome of the dice rolls before proceeding further with the battle. Travel – Another straightforward action, this is the simple act of travelling from one location to another. How long this takes will depend on where you’re travelling, who you’re travelling with, and what might happen along the way. As a baseline rule, though, it takes roughly 24 hours IRL to travel from one Wahi to another in sequence (for example, if you went from Onu-Koro to Po-Koro), and 24 to travel further than that (such as travelling from Ga-Koro to Ko-Koro). It’s also possible to travel by boat, which will take roughly the same amount of time, but is generally a little safer overall. Of course, a boat can’t sneak past guards… Other – There are plenty of other things you can attempt. If you can think of it, and justify being able to pull it off, it’s probably worth a try. ROLES Turaga – In a slight divergence from canon, Turaga is simply the name given to the Matoran who’ve been appointed to lead each village. They get the final say in most decisions, and can potentially overrule the commands of other roles. As wise, experienced rulers, they also get slight buffs to their Perception and Intelligence stats. Captain – Serving as both Captain of the Guard, and Admiral of the navy in certain cases, this role oversees the protection and defence of their village, and is expected to take charge during combat operations. Should the Turaga be killed or incapacitated, it may fall to the General to lead the Koro in times of crisis. As a combat-oriented position, they get a small buff to Speed and Endurance. Diplomat – These guys handle trade, negotiation, etc. with the other tribes. Much of their time is spent travelling across the island, speaking with their counterparts in the other villages. Should something happen to the Turaga, the Diplomat may be forced to take over that role, depending on circumstances. Should a Diplomat be eliminated, or deliberately sever trade, it will take three episodes for the other villages to run out of whatever resource that diplomat was dealing in. As their primary duty revolves around mediation and compromise, they get slight buffs to Intelligence and Luck. Scout – A more polite word for spy, their jobs are to gather intel, infiltrate villages, listen in on conversations, and much more, depending on the agendas of themselves or their Turaga. While they hold no official place in the chain of command, they answer only to their Turaga, and have been known to take over as military leaders if the Captain is otherwise indisposed. As a stealth/espionage-focused position, they receive a minor boost to Speed, Perception, and Luck, but also get a small penalty to Endurance. GETTING STARTED Please post in the topic which village you would like to be assigned to, then send a PM to me entitled BZPMN: [Your Username]. Include in this PM your stat sheet (see below), your character’s pet (if they have one – see below), a short description of your character if you wish, and their name (if you want them to be called something other than your current username). Once all spots have been filled, I’ll gather everyone into their village PMs, where you can decide on your roles. These village PMs will also feature some information that isn’t included in this post, including a few Goals (these are suggestions only, and there are no penalties for failing or ignoring them), and a single Secret that may prove to be a decisive factor somewhere down the line. After roles have been settled, I’ll create a short, introductory prologue episode, and then the game will begin in earnest. STATS The stats below will help generate more divergence between players during actions and encounters. You have 30 points to distribute between the five categories, although you are limited to a maximum of 10 points for any given stat (the bonuses for different roles are exempt from this limit). Whenever an action occurs that requires a roll, your stat will be combined with a RNG roll out of 10, resulting in a total value out of 20. Please note, while you may feel that some actions require you to use multiple stats, please refrain from trying to spam all of your stats at once. This inevitably results in such wonderful exchanges as “I roll all of my stats to kill you”, followed by “I roll all of my stats to not die”, which somewhat defeats the purpose of having a stat system in the first place. Speed – This category pertains to any actions involving speed, agility, finesse, or quick reactions. Depending on your preferred combat style and choice in weaponry, you may use this or Endurance to decide attack effectiveness and damage. In addition, this value can also be used for stealth-based actions. Perception – This particular stat functions somewhat differently from the others, as it functions passively. Any time you enter a new area or situation, I’ll automatically roll for Perception, and detail what you see or discover, based on the result. Intelligence – This stat covers anything involving wisdom, charisma, manipulation, strategy, and much more. Basically, it encompasses anything that relates to planning something complicated, or trying to persuade someone of something. This is also the stat you use when trying to aim with ranged weapons, such as knives, bows, spears, or launchers. Endurance – This value relates to physical strength and fortitude. Whether you’re trying to overpower or pummel someone, or fight on past the pain of an injury, Endurance is the stat you’ll need. Again, dependant on your choice in weapon and type of attack, you may deign to use Speed for attack rolls instead. Luck – Can be used as a saving or aiding throw, to help your chances of accomplishing a complicated or risky manoeuvre, or mitigating the outcome of unfavourable rolls. It may also be used by me, alongside your Perception stat, to determine the likelihood of you finding, or being found by, something while you’re travelling. PETS While resources are somewhat scarce on post-cataclysm Mata Nui, there are nonetheless some Matoran in positions of power who can afford to own and care for rahi companions, which can provide certain benefits. Players are limited to only one rahi pet, which will share the same stat sheet as their owner, and are just as vulnerable to fatigue and attack. This is a bit of an experimental addition on my part, so we’ll see how it goes. Brakas – Annoying, noisy, ape-like rahi, these creatures are extremely dextrous, adept at climbing trees and walls. While not the brightest animals around, they do understand simple commands, and can be instructed to fetch objects and the like. However, they’re not the most stealthy of creatures, and are therefore better suited as distractions. Dikapi – Well acclimated to a desert environment, these creatures are known for their strong beaks, and heightened endurance. A Dikapi is capable of carrying two Matoran, or one Matoran and additional equipment, without reducing travel time. A Dikapi can make multiple trips across the island without needing any sustenance or rest, making it an ideal mount for those who plan to do a lot of frequent travelling. Ussal – Similar to the Dikapi, Ussal crabs can be used to carry two Matoran, or a single Matoran with extra gear, without impacting the time it takes to travel. As well as this, many of them have been trained to serve as mounts in combat, particularly in the Great Ussalry of Onu-Koro. Gukko – Graceful, four-winged birds, these creatures were frequently used as mounts in Le-Koro. The few that survived the inferno have found new homes in the other villages. Riding one reduces the travel time between any location by half, but once the destination is reached, the Gukko will require 24 hours IRL to rest before it can be used in this way again. The Gukko can still fight and travel during this cooldown time, if need be. Hapaka – Agile, dog-like rahi, these bipedal creatures are known for their sociable, curious nature, and sharp, barking cry. They understand basic commands, can track scents, and make for amiable companions or guard dogs. Kavinika – The bigger, meaner cousin of the Hapaka, these vicious lupine beasts are hard to control, and are useful for little else except as savage attack animals. Kahu – Cunning, hawk-like rahi, (for the purposes of this game, think of them as being more like a bird of prey, big enough to ride on your arm or shoulder), these intelligent avians have been trained to follow simple commands, and are even capable of intercepting and grounding their smaller Kewa cousins, without harming them. VILLAGES Ta-Koro A veritable fortress of stone and metal, Ta-Koro is encased in towering fortified walls, and surrounded by a moat of lava, with a retractable drawbridge to prevent enemy access during a siege. They primarily trade in metal and other goods mined from within the volcano. The village’s total population numbers at around 200, with 50 of those serving in the guard, and 50 more divided between Ta-Koro’s five military ships. Ko-Koro Making judicious use of the natural defences at their disposal, Ko-Koro is situated beneath a colossal block of ice that separated two glaciers, and is surrounded on all side by crevasses. The village has only a singular entrance, guarded at all times by a heavy contingent of Sanctum Guards, although there are rumours about a tunnel that leads somewhere out into the Drifts. With a population of skilled rahi hunters, they trade heavily in sophisticated animal traps, as well as various captive rahi and other animal goods. Their population also sits at approximately 200, with 50 serving in the Sanctum guard, and a further 50 divided between their ten navy vessels. Po-Koro Situated on the vast, open plains of Po-Wahi, this village lacks the imposing natural defences possessed by most of the other villages. The Po-Matoran are skilled carvers and masons, however, and have managed to establish a high stone wall around the village, with the surrounding landscape dotted with statues and monuments that are both visually pleasing, and make for decent cover in a firefight. Their population remains low after the poisoning, with many houses remaining empty, and their total population numbering at only 100. The majority of these work as labour in the farms and fields, with a measly 25 operating as a defensive garrison. With so many empty buildings, and the guards stretched thin protecting the city, and the workers out in the fields, Po-Koro has become a den for criminals and other unsavoury sorts. Onu-Koro Hidden away in a cavern deep underground, Onu-Koro suffered greatly during the cataclysm, with much of their tunnel network being damaged, or destroyed outright. With the subterranean highways connecting them to the rest of the island cut off, Onu-Koro initially struggled to re-establish trade, until they were forced to overcome their sensitivity to light and establish overland trade routes like everyone else. Their exports include minerals and metals mined from beneath the earth, although it’s rumoured that their engineers also have some kind of exclusive trade deal with Ko-Koro. Their population sits at around 150, with 50 of them serving in the Ussalry. Ga-Koro Nestled in the heart of Naho Bay, Ga-Koro is built atop a network of giant lily pads growing up from the seabed, connected by sturdy bridges and walkways, and held aloft by a series of pumps. With access to multiple waterways, the area around Ga-Koro remains extremely fertile compared to the rest of the island, and is home to a prosperous rahi population… including a significant number of tarakavas, which pose as much of a threat to the locals as they do to everyone else. Beyond their trade of food and water, their other goods include fish, rope, and bamboo. They have a sizeable population of 250, 100 of whom serve in the Ga-Koroan Navy. EPISODES As each episode occurs, it will be linked here. So yeah, that's the rough draft of what I've got so far. I've been weighing up whether I should change the stats and bonuses and whatnot, I just didn't want to outright copy the systems used in previous games. Any suggestions, feedback, etc. on the game concept as a whole would be appreciated.
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Dark forces are at work on the island of Mata Nui. Miners and explorers are vanishing all across the island, and sightings abound of strange insectoid creatures lurking in the underground. There are rumours about rusted, whispering masks being discovered in isolated corners of the continent, and enchanted Kolhii balls washing up on forgotten shores. Perhaps Makuta isn't quite as dead as everyone once thought. Suffice to say, bad things are coming. Ko-Wahi, Mount Ihu Summit (Two Weeks Ago) Turaga Nuju died screaming. Or, to be more accurate, he died making a shrill, strained whistling sound not dissimilar to that of a distressed Gukko bird. This sound broke off in an echoing crunch as his flailing, falling body finally struck the bottom of the ravine he’d just been pushed into. “What…” Matoro stammered, staring dumbstruck at the familiar being responsible for Nuju’s abrupt departure from the realm of the living, “…why?” “Why?” The other Matoran scoffed, taking a few steps away from the ravine edge, “Because your precious principle of peace is overrated. Because he was leading our people to stagnation and isolation. Because he was too weak to stop me. Because you were both stupid enough to agree to this meeting.” “Wha- what are you going to do to me?” Matoro whimpered, clawing at the flimsy bone knife strapped to his thigh. He finally managed to pull it free, and brandished it before him with his shaking hands. “What do you think I’m doing to do?” The other Matoran chuckled, withdrawing a compact crossbow from within the folds of his furred coat. “Are you afraid I’m going to kill you?” “Ye-yes.” Matoro looked to be on the verge of sobbing now. “There’s no need to be afraid,” the killer said gently, momentarily lowering his weapon, “But I’m still going to kill you.” Quick as a Doom Viper, he whipped his crossbow back up, and fired. Unlike his Turaga, Matoro didn’t even get to scream. The barbed bolt that lodged itself in his throat made sure of that. Onu-Wahi, Southern Mine Extension (Eleven Days Ago) “I’m not getting paid enough for this,” Mavrah whined, as he continued hacking away at the rockface before him with his pickaxe. Well, the pickaxe wasn’t his, per se. It had come with the job, and, just like the job in question, it was absolutely terrible. The useless tool broke off pieces of itself almost as often as it managed to chip chunks off of the rock wall. “None of us are,” snapped back the grizzled Onu-Matoran next to him, “You don’t earn the right to complain about it until you’ve been down here a few decades longer, boy.” “Pffft, I don’t think so,” Mavrah abandoned his pickaxe, and rounded on the older miner, “I’m getting out of here as soon as I make enough money to buy an Ussal.” “And what are you going to do with a crab?” the old miner scoffed, “Animals aint cheap.” “I know. But an Ussal gives me freedom. To travel, to explore. The island’s changed so much over the years, but no one’s made much effort to document those changes.” “That’s because no one cares,” the miner guffawed, “Now pick up your axe and get back to work.” Mavrah glowered at him a moment longer, then bent to pick up the dropped pickaxe. Ever though it had landed right by his feet, it still took him a few moments of fumbling to find it again. This was a natural tunnel that the miners had only recently burrowed down into. It was deep, and mostly unexplored, and as such, the lightstones that were normally strung up in the mining areas were few and far between in this new section. He and the old man had come across a promising-looking vein of ore while exploring, and decided to make a head start on digging it up. They only had one lightstone between them, and it seemed to grow dimmer the deeper they went. He heard a gravelly rustling behind him, followed by a gasp of surprise and a sort of wet crunching sound. The yellow-white glow of the lightstone on the floor behind him shifted to a grisly red. Mavrah turned around slowly, and what he saw was something that would have terrified his nightmares. The old miner – what was left of him, at least – was gripped in the pincers of a hunched, chitinous being, more and more of his twitching form being gradually shoved into the monster’s multi-jawed gullet. As Mavrah moved, however, the creature released its meal, and focused its narrow, beady eyes on him. Mavrah screamed. The creature lunged. His body was never found. Ta-Wahi, North Mine Entrance (Eight Days Ago) “You’re going to have to run that by me again,” Takua said, his patient tone contrasting harshly with his growing inward frustration. He was the Chronicler, one of the few Matoran on the island who could still travel free and unhampered through every village on the island, and here he was stuck in some backwater clearing in Ta-Wahi, listening to a grumpy – and quite possibly inebriated – miner boss, who was whining about a supposed ‘monster’ scaring away his workers. “What part aint you understandin’?” The Ta-Matoran burped, “Three o’ me workers quit yesterday. There’s somethin’ down there, I’m tellin’ ya!” “And what did this ‘something’ look like?” Takua pressed, “You need to give me something to go on beyond ‘big’ and ‘scary’, otherwise no one’s going to believe your story.” “They’ll defin’ly believe it if you’re the one tellin’ it.” “That may be so, but I don’t believe your story right now, either. You need to convince me to convince everyone else.” “I dun’t get it,” the drunkard frowned, “You think I’m lyin’ to you?” “No, I think that you think that there’s something down there… which doesn’t mean that there’s actually something down there. Belief doesn’t equal fact. You need to give me proof.” “If my word aint good enough for ya, then there’s nothin’ else I can do.” Takua sighed loudly. “Which way is the mine?” It was the last question he ever asked. Po-Koro, Dark Alleyway (Three Days Ago) Ahkmou was dying. He was slumped against a wall in a desolate backstreet. A spiked dagger was buried up to the hilt in the centre of his chest. Blood was seeping into his lungs. This was the end. He hadn’t expected to die like this. In truth, he hadn’t expected to die at all. He was protected, shielded from age and injury. Or so he’d thought. “I’ll take that,” his assailant bent down to pry a gleaming black object from his clenched hands. It was a Comet, one of the cursed Kolhii balls that Makuta had used to spread a terrible plague through Po-Koro almost one hundred years ago. It was, as far as Ahkmou knew, the only vestige of Makuta’s power left on the island, and somehow, it had kept him safe and ageless for all these long years he’d spent in hiding. He coughed up a mouthful of red. “How did you find me?” “You’re not the only one with Makuta’s blessing,” it was a woman’s voice, “He thanks you for your past service, by the way.” His response came out in a breathless wheeze. “Why?” “Because you stopped serving, Ahkmou. You hid yourself away, and exploited Makuta’s gifts to prolong your own miserable existence.” She slipped Ahkmou’s Comet into a pouch tied to her belt, and smiled coldly at him. “You squandered the blessings he bestowed upon you, so I’m taking them away from you. Along with your life.” “Wh- who… are…” “Who am I?” She purred, leaning in close to give the handle of her dagger a sharp twist, “I guess you can think of me as your… replacement.” Without warning, she ripped the dagger free. It was a cruel weapon, hewn of shimmery black metal, and covered in thorn-like edges. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Ahkmou. Goodbye.” The Po-Matoran was too dead to compose a reply. Ga-Koro, Docks (Present Day) Tuyet stepped off the ferry and made her way into Ga-Koro, unable to hide the growing smile on her face. Makuta was pleased. Everything was progressing as planned. It was good to be home.
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So I know that BZP has been going strong for maaaaany maaaaaany years and its well known within the Bionicle community but does anyone see reddit.com/r/bioniclelego thread as a possible threat to BZPower? Does anyone think that /r/bioniclelego will come out on top in the future as reddit in whole is a more popular platform? #BioTube2017
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No there is no app for BZPower, but what if there was one. What features would you want on it? How do you think it should work? Personally I would want it in a similar set up to how the mobile website works but with easier access to blogs, profile pages, and the BZP shop. I think you should be able to upload pictures straight from your device as well. So what are your thoughts? Would you want a BZP app?
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It's a little later than last year (by about two weeks) but still, I thought it might be worth doing again. So, what are your favorite memories from BZPower in 2016? Mine would be hosting the first season of BZPower's Game of Thrones, as well as writing the fake history tome Lore & Histories. BZPGOT was a rather experimental game but despite a few minor issues, I think it went very well - and hopefully the sequel will be even better with all the kinks ironed out. Lore & Histories was a rather unique writing project for me, and has been a rather fun way to explore some world-building (through the helpful lenses of Okoto). Despite being a bit of a drag at time, overall, I've really enjoyed it. How about all of you?
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I'm 400 away from ten thousand posts and kind of want to finally hit that milestone sometime this spring. My activity in the ever moving (albeit occasionally slow) RPG forum makes that relatively feasible, I think. It's been a while, though, and many members have since passed that mark since I was last genuinely active here. Is the big 10K still a notable accomplishment these days? (And hi, everyone!)
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Hello All, it's been a while. I've been relatively silent on here recently, which doesn't surprise me much honestly. Christmas came and went, with me receiving the last Six 2001 Bionicle sets that I needed to complete my collection for that year. In total I got all six Mctoran, the Nui-Jaga, Muaka & Kane-Ra, and seven noble Kanohi. I've still got quite a few missing as far as the Kanohi go, but I expected that. The Mctoran were all complete including their polybags, Muaka & Kane-Ra was kind of new in box (The previous owner had opened it just to put the treads in a Ziploc), and the Nui-Jaga were sealed in box. I did feel bad about opening them, but I really wanted to build them! Anyway, that is not the point of this entry. The point is that seeing all of the revived creativity in the art and library forums has reignited my interest in fixing and finishing my Bionicle Legacies series. The conversion I had been working on stalled, and I really don't have the motivation to continue it, and I'm taking a break from my High Fantasy book for a bit longer. The reposting/rewrite of The Return will start soon, and hopefully won't take too long. The majority of my ideas right now are towards the long planned prequel, and the incomplete sequel. The short stories that are part of the series will likely be posted before any of that, as most of them aren't that embarrassing. Mostly I'm just excited to revisit the AU that I created over ten years ago. How's everyone else doing?
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It looks like I got a new spinny yesterday and it just hit me I've been a member here for 12 years. I turned 24 last month. I've been a BZP member for half my life now.
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Here's the review topic for my newest epic, Shades of the Past. (More will be added later)
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I've heard a few other members talk about this important milestone, and at BrickFair VA this year I realized I had accomplished the same thing: Over half of my life has been on BZPower. How ridiculous is that?!?! For the amount of time I've been alive, more than half of that time has been deeply invested in the discussion of a particular LEGO theme, connecting with others who share that passion, meeting them, keeping in touch, and caring for everyone that has made an impression. Half. Of. My. Life. Thanks, everyone. Where would I be without BZPower? Without Bionicle? Probably not building with LEGO. Probably not traveling across the country to tour Pikes Place Market and hike the Cascade Mountains. Not visiting New York City multiple times. BZPower has always been about the people. From posting in the Forums chatting with strangers, to meeting them in real life and hanging out with internet friends. You all are what keep me coming back for more. And let's hope there isn't a point where half of my life hasn't been on BZPower. Or at least, without spending time with BZPower buddies. -CF