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Posted

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Reptilian sea creatures that prowl the waters around Okoto, particularly the islands of the Region of Water. Tarakava hunt their prey using lightning-fast strikes from their powerful arms, which swing fast enough to generate cavitation bubbles. The shock waves that result are fully capable of killing a target, and if it survives the Tarakava will go in for the kill with its powerful jaws and teeth. Underwater, Tarakava can move their streamlined bodies quickly with their muscular tails. They have also been occasionally seen resting on land, where they can aid terrestrial movement with their arms, albeit sluggishly.


The head was reverse-engineered from this head by Kingmarshy of Flickr, which inspired the MOC. I tried to interpret the Tarakava as a much more organic creature, with its strange tread becoming its tail, and its punching ability being like that of the Mantis shrimp.

Unfortunately, the photos make the teal appear a lot bluer than in person, but it certainly is indeed teal.

~B~
  • Upvote 6
Posted

I think it would look a bit better with some flippers somewhere along its length. Other than that, I love the look you gave it! Nice changes to the head while still keeping the same overall structure. Also, I love the look of the arms. Well done! :)

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Posted

This is rather excellent, like wow it looks excellent, I like the tail part. Perhaps some poseable fins/flippers wouldn't go astray though?

Tahu; Hau (x) Pakari (x) Kakama (x) Miru (x) Akaku (x) Kaukau (x). Lewa; Hau (x) Pakari (x) Kakama (x) Miru (x) Akaku (x) Kaukau (x). Onua; Hau (x) Pakari (x) Kakama (x) Miru (x) Akaku (x) Kaukau (x). Kopaka; Hau (x) Pakari (x) Kakama (x) Miru (x) Akaku (x) Kaukau (x). Pohatu; Hau (x) Pakari (x) Kakama (x) Miru (x) Akaku (x) Kaukau (x). Gali; Hau (x) Pakari (x) Kakama (x) Miru (x) Akaku (x) Kaukau (x). 

Vakama; Huna (x) Ruru (x) Komau (x) Mahiki (x) Matatu (x) Rau (x). Matau; Huna (x) Ruru (x) Komau (x) Mahiki (x) Matatu (x) Rau (x). Whenua; Huna (x) Ruru (x) Komau (x) Mahiki (x) Matatu (x) Rau (x). Nuju; Huna (x) Ruru (x) Komau (x) Mahiki (x) Matatu (x) Rau (x). Onewa; Huna (x) Ruru (x) Komau (x) Mahiki (x) Matatu (x) Rau (x). Nokama; Huna (x) Ruru (x) Komau (x) Mahiki (x) Matatu (x) Rau (x). 
Matoran; Hau (x) Pakari (x) Kakama (x) Miru (x) Akaku (x) Huna (x) 
Rahi; Infected Hau (x) Huna (x) Kakama (x) Komau (x) Pakari (x) Ruru ()

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Posted

Good job but I think this is a bit too much of a departure from the Tarakava we're used to seeing. I know it makes no sense to have tracks underwater but this is more like a complete rebuild than a revamp and I'm probably a little too much of a purist to get on board with your reimagining! On another note, I feel like he looks a bit too nasty with all those claws and teeth. I could imagine the Muaka and Kane-ra being re-designed in such as way as they already come across as fairly aggressive and vicious Rahi. The Tarakava however always seemed fairly placid to me and we only ever really see them fight when under the influence of infected masks. 

 

Overall, I think this looks a lot more like the Tarakava probably WOULD look in real terms as they're aquatic creatures but they seem a bit too predatory. Would like to see less vicious fangs and claws and also some form of underwater propulsion as was mentioned alreay I think. Would love to see you do Muaka and Kane-Ra some time!

  • Upvote 1

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Posted

Love this. You reimagined the Tarakava as actually looking like the slithery animal it was always described as, and it works. The picture of its knuckle-walking is my favorite; I can imagine the beast dragging itself along the shore like that. The jaws looks very nasty and messy like a deep sea fish.

Posted

It's interesting that soon after I posted my own '01 Rahi Revamps, I've seen several others pop up. While I do like the snake-like design, I feel as though this model has moved a little bit too far from the original, and isn't really recognizable as a Tarakava (save for the head). That being said, it is still quite amazing, just not very Tarakava-like, IMO.

Posted

I really like your Rahi Revamps joev but on this occasion I have to disagree. I think Ballom's Tarakava is way more faithful to the original model than yours. Sure yours makes more sense story wise but set wise it looks very little like the original. The arms on this design in particular are far more reminiscent of the original sets and it helps that it has the same upright posture in the main pic which aids comparison with the originals. If anything yours looks too much like a fish, and the tarakava wasn't a fish, it was a tarakava :P


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Posted

Shoot, I had been paying so little attention to the BBC forum that I didn't realize how many updated Rahi were being built. Now my Nui-Rama makes me seem like a trend follower. :P

 

I do like the creative way you interpreted the Tarakava, particularly its bizarre treads. Question—you say you tried to make the punching ability more like the mantis shrimp, but does it still function? I feel like maintaining some sort of function is an important factor for Bionicle 2015 revamps, considering that the grand return of gear functions is a defining feature of the new sets.

 

I had been considering doing my own Tarakava revamp, in a more setlike style. But I'm not so sure now that I know it's inevitably going to be compared against this incredible MOC!

Formerly Lyichir: Rachira of Influence

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Posted

Looking through those Flickr pics I'd say with 99% confidence that those arms rely purely on ball joints for posability and therefore no punching action... It would be pretty cool to see a revamp that retains the original play feature if someone is able to do it. And don't be afraid to follow others lead Lyichir, you make some great stuff and I don't doubt your tarakava will be the same! You could always make the dark turquoise one if you wanted your design to be unique! Personally I'd like to see the track retained somehow in a revamp. I know they made no sense but it's basically half of the build of the Tarakava. Tracks/head/arms. The second you change one of those things too much (let alone remove it) it becomes a lot less recognisable!


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Posted

I really like your Rahi Revamps joev but on this occasion I have to disagree. I think Ballom's Tarakava is way more faithful to the original model than yours. Sure yours makes more sense story wise but set wise it looks very little like the original. The arms on this design in particular are far more reminiscent of the original sets and it helps that it has the same upright posture in the main pic which aids comparison with the originals. If anything yours looks too much like a fish, and the tarakava wasn't a fish, it was a tarakava :P

I always thought if it as being something like a cross between an alligator and a velociraptor with big arms.

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Posted

 

... and the tarakava wasn't a fish, it was a tarakava :P

 

I always thought if it as being something like a cross between an alligator and a velociraptor with big arms.

I honestly never really thought it looked like anything. It always just seemed to be it's own think! It's a little like the boxing kangaroo from Tom+Jerry if anything :D

  • Upvote 1

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Posted

 

 

... and the tarakava wasn't a fish, it was a tarakava :P

I always thought if it as being something like a cross between an alligator and a velociraptor with big arms.

I honestly never really thought it looked like anything. It always just seemed to be it's own think! It's a little like the boxing kangaroo from Tom+Jerry if anything :D

 

Not that it looked like one, but just that it had some of those qualities. 

Yes, that's true. :P

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Posted

Beautiful! Just as I imagine it, perhaps with a stubby pair of legs.

I think it would look a bit better with some flippers somewhere along its length. Other than that, I love the look you gave it! Nice changes to the head while still keeping the same overall structure. Also, I love the look of the arms. Well done! :)

This is rather excellent, like wow it looks excellent, I like the tail part. Perhaps some poseable fins/flippers wouldn't go astray though?

Essentially, given that I see the Tarakava as a combination of crocodilian and snake, flippers are an appendage that members of neither of those groups have, so they would be out of place in that interpretation.

 

Good job but I think this is a bit too much of a departure from the Tarakava we're used to seeing. I know it makes no sense to have tracks underwater but this is more like a complete rebuild than a revamp and I'm probably a little too much of a purist to get on board with your reimagining! On another note, I feel like he looks a bit too nasty with all those claws and teeth. I could imagine the Muaka and Kane-ra being re-designed in such as way as they already come across as fairly aggressive and vicious Rahi. The Tarakava however always seemed fairly placid to me and we only ever really see them fight when under the influence of infected masks. 

 

Overall, I think this looks a lot more like the Tarakava probably WOULD look in real terms as they're aquatic creatures but they seem a bit too predatory. Would like to see less vicious fangs and claws and also some form of underwater propulsion as was mentioned alreay I think. Would love to see you do Muaka and Kane-Ra some time!

Well, that's fine. Everyone's views differ, of course, so I understand that you seem to prefer the treads to its tail. As for the claws and teeth, I always thought given how much of a threat to the Toa they were that the Tarakava were always meant to be rather vicious and aggressive by nature, as predators. The head design is, in addition, not fully mine, as I credit Kingmarshy for most of it, including those gnarly teeth.

 

Love this. You reimagined the Tarakava as actually looking like the slithery animal it was always described as, and it works. The picture of its knuckle-walking is my favorite; I can imagine the beast dragging itself along the shore like that. The jaws looks very nasty and messy like a deep sea fish.

Thanks! Glad you like the knuckle-walking picture, since that one was very difficult to get it to balance for! And deep sea fish was actually what I was thinking myself when looking at it, so spot on right there.

 

It's interesting that soon after I posted my own '01 Rahi Revamps, I've seen several others pop up. While I do like the snake-like design, I feel as though this model has moved a little bit too far from the original, and isn't really recognizable as a Tarakava (save for the head). That being said, it is still quite amazing, just not very Tarakava-like, IMO.

Interesting to see your version as well! Although this actually wasn't inspired per se by other revamps, as I had been intending to make the MOC for months but had school preventing me from doing so until Christmas vacation. Anyway, we seemed to emphasize different aspects of the creature in our respective versions. You emphasized making it streamlined, with the smaller arms with tendrils, and the fluked tail, while I concentrated on the reptilian aspects (whereas the tail on yours evokes whales in my mind, probably due to being horizontal instead of vertical like a fish).

 

Shoot, I had been paying so little attention to the BBC forum that I didn't realize how many updated Rahi were being built. Now my Nui-Rama makes me seem like a trend follower. :P

 

I do like the creative way you interpreted the Tarakava, particularly its bizarre treads. Question—you say you tried to make the punching ability more like the mantis shrimp, but does it still function? I feel like maintaining some sort of function is an important factor for Bionicle 2015 revamps, considering that the grand return of gear functions is a defining feature of the new sets.

 

I had been considering doing my own Tarakava revamp, in a more setlike style. But I'm not so sure now that I know it's inevitably going to be compared against this incredible MOC!

Don't worry about! I'm enjoying the new wave of Okoto-styled Rahi. It's definitely a nice new take on the constant pattern of revamping. So I'd encourage you to try your hand at your own Tarakava as well.

 

Munty is correct about the lack of a function. I couldn't see a space-efficient way of doing that while still making the arms look good, so I made them ball joints only.

 

Looking through those Flickr pics I'd say with 99% confidence that those arms rely purely on ball joints for posability and therefore no punching action... It would be pretty cool to see a revamp that retains the original play feature if someone is able to do it. And don't be afraid to follow others lead Lyichir, you make some great stuff and I don't doubt your tarakava will be the same! You could always make the dark turquoise one if you wanted your design to be unique! Personally I'd like to see the track retained somehow in a revamp. I know they made no sense but it's basically half of the build of the Tarakava. Tracks/head/arms. The second you change one of those things too much (let alone remove it) it becomes a lot less recognisable!

I'm not quite sure what you mean about making a unique design in the dark turquoise one. This MOC is dark turqoise (aka teal), although as I mentioned in the opening post the color looks a bit off. If this weren't the teal one, I'd have used the Pakari for the snout!

 

 

 

... and the tarakava wasn't a fish, it was a tarakava :P

I always thought if it as being something like a cross between an alligator and a velociraptor with big arms.

 

I honestly never really thought it looked like anything. It always just seemed to be it's own think! It's a little like the boxing kangaroo from Tom+Jerry if anything :D

 

Hmm, I don't know. I always got a distinctly reptilian vibe.

 

Thanks for all the comments, everyone!

 

~B~

Posted

This is pretty awesome, especially the head. The teal and dark green work well together. You may want to try making the lower torso/tail much, much bigger... to scale with the arms and head. Perhaps add a fin as well to make it more substantial. 

15037057692_2fb1ce338a_t.jpg     15034366641_d827682ab5_m.jpg     15037424595_cf284dac70_t.jpg


 


Toa Gali Nuva

Posted

This is pretty awesome, especially the head. The teal and dark green work well together. You may want to try making the lower torso/tail much, much bigger... to scale with the arms and head. Perhaps add a fin as well to make it more substantial.

If I had more of those dark green Bohrok arms, I would make a tail a little longer, but as I was going for it being approximately to scale with the original set, I'm mostly content with its size. A fin is a pretty good suggestion, although as I was inspired by crocodilians it might be a little out of place.

 

~B~

Posted

I'm liking all these new Rahi MOCs appearing in the BBC forum. It's even got two Tarakava floating around!

 

You and joev14 both have very different takes on the Tarakava, and I love both. Though, your execution really stands out; I think you did a great job in modeling it the way you wanted it to be-- reptilian. The design, particularly the torso, looks really smooth and compact. The upper arms look a little weird with the Mata foot in the back, but then again, it looks like removing it would make the arms look skimpy.

 

One thing I would like to see added is a spine; a line of spikes down his back and tail. Nothing large, like the Spinax spine. Something like a row of the Viking-helmet horns, or the Visorak eye pieces. I think it would make it even more reptilian. Also, it has a somewhat humanoid feel to it; adding a spine would give it a more Rahi vibe, if you know what I mean.

"What we see depends mainly on what we look for" -John Lubbock
Posted (edited)

I'm liking all these new Rahi MOCs appearing in the BBC forum. It's even got two Tarakava floating around!

 

You and joev14 both have very different takes on the Tarakava, and I love both. Though, your execution really stands out; I think you did a great job in modeling it the way you wanted it to be-- reptilian. The design, particularly the torso, looks really smooth and compact. The upper arms look a little weird with the Mata foot in the back, but then again, it looks like removing it would make the arms look skimpy.

 

One thing I would like to see added is a spine; a line of spikes down his back and tail. Nothing large, like the Spinax spine. Something like a row of the Viking-helmet horns, or the Visorak eye pieces. I think it would make it even more reptilian. Also, it has a somewhat humanoid feel to it; adding a spine would give it a more Rahi vibe, if you know what I mean.

It is indeed a glorious time for new Rahi MOCs. *sage nod*

 

The suggestion of adding a spine is intriguing, though. I actually hadn't considered one at all! It would probably be tricky to add on as the MOC currently is, though, due to few connection points on the dragon skull. Still, very interesting idea. I agree it would probably make him look more reptilian. Although, that would on its own be another fairly significant departure from the original set, so there's that to consider too.

 

~B~

Edited by Ballom

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