Conflict in the Box

[Ford]

As everyone who has gotten any of the new sets would know, each set (other than the Lord of Skull Spiders) comes with a Skull Spider. In future sets, do you think they will continue this "conflict in the box" play? If villain sets come out, do you think we will get smaller foes fighting the good fight, such as Okoto's villagers?

[Banana Gunz]

I would hope so! Honestly I don't know how well it would play out though. I mean, those skull spiders are real small and low in part count, and as cool as they look, only seem like a fair foe in bulk. Hopefully we'll get little villagers, but still of quality.

[Ford]

I would hope so! Honestly I don't know how well it would play out though. I mean, those skull spiders are real small and low in part count, and as cool as they look, only seem like a fair foe in bulk. Hopefully we'll get little villagers, but still of quality.

If that does happen, I hope for new molds for the villager masks to be more akin to the animations. If you notice in the animations, the masks that the protectors wear are larger than the masks that the villagers wear. If this happens, I hope the masks fit better on the heads.

[The 1st Shadow]

I personally don't see it happening, unless the villains are all huge boxed sets.

[Jobber]

Does anybody know if it costs Lego a lot to do something like this? If it doesn't cost that much to include a second 'character' in a 'box', then I could see this becoming a regular thing. 
I would love a lil' baddie with a couple of actual joints, though.

[dotcom]

Hard to say. The only bad set we have, the Lord of Skull Spiders, notably has no such conflict-in-a-box. Perhaps in this wave that was justified because every other set was an enemy....Hard to say how it'll be handled in future waves, though. If the summer wave is mainly bad guys just like the first one was mainly good guys, then I suppose there's a possibility that there might be some small figure included as a good enemy, but I can't imagine how it would be done. Without minifigures (like in HF) and without something like the Skull Spiders to provide small inexpensive conflict, it's tough to imagine something that could be included without taking away resources from the main set.

 

The only thing I can think of would be a set that can function as both a good guy and a bad guy. Technically all the Masters and Protectors fit this bill, since a corrupting Skull Spider is included in all of them, but I'm imagining something that is primarily presented as a bad guy. So it could be like the Brain Attack enemies, basically,. A character that is already corrupted by a Skull Spider or something? Best I can think of really.

[Latrodectus]

The only thing I can think of would be a set that can function as both a good guy and a bad guy. Technically all the Masters and Protectors fit this bill, since a corrupting Skull Spider is included in all of them, but I'm imagining something that is primarily presented as a bad guy. So it could be like the Brain Attack enemies, basically,. A character that is already corrupted by a Skull Spider or something? Best I can think of really.

Perhaps the villains are redeemed and join the heroes? Think Vegeta from Dragonball. So you can either use them as heroes or villains, depending on which time frame you have them in. 

[Rooster Nui]

I'm not sure if it will continue in the future, but I certainly hope so. It really adds play value and fun to these new sets, and I'd also love to see different variants of it in the coming years.

[Danska: Shadow Master]

I hope it continues. While the Skull Spiders are a bit too teeny to provide much in the way of conflict, their addition is still very cool and I like them a lot.

[aldero]

I think that the conflict already packaged in the box is a nifty little feature, but they shouldn't do it all that often.

 

If we keep getting this kind of thing over and over again, the novelty of seeing a 2-in-1 set is no longer present, and it would most likely suggest another swarm would be the Toa's new enemies, which shouldn't be overdone. 

[dotcom]

I think that the conflict already packaged in the box is a nifty little feature, but they shouldn't do it all that often.

 

If we keep getting this kind of thing over and over again, the novelty of seeing a 2-in-1 set is no longer present, and it would most likely suggest another swarm would be the Toa's new enemies, which shouldn't be overdone. 

The thing is that this is a pretty standard thing for most other Lego themes with conflict. It's not really a novelty, it's just a pretty normal thing by now to provide factions in a single set to increase playability. But it's always a lot easier in those since the opposition can simply be a lone minifigure or whatnot. Easy enough to put in there. It's tougher in constraction sets, but if they can make it work somehow I think it's fine to stick with it. 

[Munty]

Isn't the phrase that caught on 'conflict out of the box'? Or am I remebering it wrong?...

 

I think as far as having mini-goodguys with the summer sets goes this will be busted. As others have said, I can't really imagine what could function as a stand-in for the skull spiders for the forces of good. I do think it would be possible to see 'duelling' sets i nthe future though. One mid sized good guy along with one mid-sized badguy packaged in the same box (NOT in a two pack like the Hagah, actually the same box) Think of the later Hero Factory sets that were essentially duels. Even as far back as Karzahni we had several constaction figures in the same set. Of course this would impact price but I don't think that would be a deal-breaker as paying for 2 mid-sized sets in the same box wouldn't be any worse than paying for one large set (or buying two individual mid-sized sets at the same time!)

[UnderscoreChronix]

It would be cool if the summer sets included simple Matoran Protectors/Villagers like we see in the animations. 

[Xabla]

Isn't the phrase that caught on 'conflict out of the box'? Or am I remebering it wrong?...

 

I think as far as having mini-goodguys with the summer sets goes this will be busted. As others have said, I can't really imagine what could function as a stand-in for the skull spiders for the forces of good. I do think it would be possible to see 'duelling' sets i nthe future though. One mid sized good guy along with one mid-sized badguy packaged in the same box (NOT in a two pack like the Hagah, actually the same box) Think of the later Hero Factory sets that were essentially duels. Even as far back as Karzahni we had several constaction figures in the same set. Of course this would impact price but I don't think that would be a deal-breaker as paying for 2 mid-sized sets in the same box wouldn't be any worse than paying for one large set (or buying two individual mid-sized sets at the same time!)

Remember Bulk vs Vapor? Anyone?

[bioniclepluslotr]

 

Isn't the phrase that caught on 'conflict out of the box'? Or am I remebering it wrong?...

 

I think as far as having mini-goodguys with the summer sets goes this will be busted. As others have said, I can't really imagine what could function as a stand-in for the skull spiders for the forces of good. I do think it would be possible to see 'duelling' sets i nthe future though. One mid sized good guy along with one mid-sized badguy packaged in the same box (NOT in a two pack like the Hagah, actually the same box) Think of the later Hero Factory sets that were essentially duels. Even as far back as Karzahni we had several constaction figures in the same set. Of course this would impact price but I don't think that would be a deal-breaker as paying for 2 mid-sized sets in the same box wouldn't be any worse than paying for one large set (or buying two individual mid-sized sets at the same time!)

Remember Bulk vs Vapor? Anyone?

 

I want to see more like that, with two or more full figures. Maybe even special versions of the "canister" characters in a special boxed special set.

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

I really hope so. That is something I love about this new line. I recently picked up the Lord of Skull Spiders, which doesn't come with any conflict but since I own 4 other sets I already had a little mini-army for him. Plus it gives the Toa and Protectors something to hit immediately (something that bugged me about 2001).

 

-NotS

Edited January 15, 2015 by Nidhiki of the Shadows

[Hasreadit]

I feel like it works well for swarm villains

[Toa Smoke Monster]

I wouldn't mind seeing the trend continue. I think its neat for a set to have both a hero and villain in it, that way people playing with the set don't have to go purchase another one so that it can be an opponent to the first.

 

It would be cool if the summer sets included simple Matoran Protectors/Villagers like we see in the animations. 

I would love for the summer sets to have Villagers like the first wave had Skull Spiders. Though if they were the same size, set-wise, as the spiders, the Protecters would tower over them like giants.

[Ford]

I would love for the summer sets to have Villagers like the first wave had Skull Spiders. Though if they were the same size, set-wise, as the spiders, the Protecters would tower over them like giants.

With how buff the Protectors are, I thought they already towered over the other villagers.

[bioniclepluslotr]

I wouldn't mind seeing the trend continue. I think its neat for a set to have both a hero and villain in it, that way people playing with the set don't have to go purchase another one so that it can be an opponent to the first.

 

But that's the point of making toys. Give people reasons to buy.

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

 

I would love for the summer sets to have Villagers like the first wave had Skull Spiders. Though if they were the same size, set-wise, as the spiders, the Protecters would tower over them like giants.

With how buff the Protectors are, I thought they already towered over the other villagers.

 

What if they had like smaller, "kid" Protectors included instead? Snap apart a villager with like 15 parts or something.

 

-NotS

[Lyichir]

Frankly, I don't think "conflict-in-a-box" will be as necessary as it is for this wave of sets. The current theme is just starting out, and with a debut range of 13 sets there's not room for a full range of heroes, villains, and smaller villagers. The Skull Spiders, therefore, provide a vital role other than just providing conflict within a single set—namely, they allow any of the 12 "good" characters to be converted into an antagonist for another hero to fight. That way, the fact that Lord of Skull Spiders is the only dedicated villain set doesn't limit the theme's role-play opportunities.

That kind of pre-packaged conflict will be less of a concern in future waves, because even if they follow the same alternating good guy/bad guy pattern of the early Bionicle sets, there will always be both hero and villain sets available for purchase. So a kid who wants a foe for his new Toa set to face will have more options than just a single giant spider.

[bioniclepluslotr]

I don't think the Skull Spiders will have any significance after the first wave. It's gonna start going down that deeper lore with a hidden enemy etc.

Edited January 17, 2015 by bioniclepluslotr

[Jobber]

I hope the Skull Spiders don't go away...My faith in this reboot will go away if they do.

[Hasreadit]

The cool thing about getting a skull spider in every set is that you can amass a lot of them. I have all of the new sets but four protectors so I have a good sized army of skull spiders

[Nescent]

The cool thing about getting a skull spider in every set is that you can amass a lot of them. I have all of the new sets but four protectors so I have a good sized army of skull spiders

 

As someone who likes to build MOCs, the amount of Skull Spiders you end up with is amazing. If you buy all six Toa and Protectors, you'll have fifty Skull Spider legs! I imagine we'll see some interesting creations that use heaps of those legs.

[Spiffy247]

 

The cool thing about getting a skull spider in every set is that you can amass a lot of them. I have all of the new sets but four protectors so I have a good sized army of skull spiders

 

As someone who likes to build MOCs, the amount of Skull Spiders you end up with is amazing. If you buy all six Toa and Protectors, you'll have fifty Skull Spider legs! I imagine we'll see some interesting creations that use heaps of those legs.

 

Centipedes! *strikes a pose*

[Prowl Nightwolf]

Cool idea, Skull spiders, Skull scorpion, and skull centipedes. How are you going to connect all them legs to a body though? I mean the legs only have one viable connection point and that is the part that would connect to the skull itself. Unless you could somehow connect the skulls themselves.

[Spiffy247]

Cool idea, Skull spiders, Skull scorpion, and skull centipedes. How are you going to connect all them legs to a body though? I mean the legs only have one viable connection point and that is the part that would connect to the skull itself. Unless you could somehow connect the skulls themselves.

There is a piece with the LoSS that could connect two legs to an axle. So If you connected them to technic pieces, it is certainly possible.

[Ektris]

It's a really neat idea, even if I've decided that it doesn't work that well for me, but I don't think it needs to keep happening. It's helpful as things get started to instantly have this conflict, but once we.. hopefully.. get some more regularly released villain sets, it just won't be needed as much. I would personally rather have substantial sets for both sides than predominantly good guys with itty bitty bad guys.

 

Flipping sides between the primary set and the little opponent would be a great way to keep the trend going while keeping it interesting, though.

 

~|ET|~

[Hasreadit]

 

 

The cool thing about getting a skull spider in every set is that you can amass a lot of them. I have all of the new sets but four protectors so I have a good sized army of skull spiders

As someone who likes to build MOCs, the amount of Skull Spiders you end up with is amazing. If you buy all six Toa and Protectors, you'll have fifty Skull Spider legs! I imagine we'll see some interesting creations that use heaps of those legs.

As someone who is trying to get into MOCing, this will be really great! On top of that, Lego has been using more of those pieces in their system sets so I have a bunch from there too

[hiddenderek]

Cool idea, Skull spiders, Skull scorpion, and skull centipedes. How are you going to connect all them legs to a body though? I mean the legs only have one viable connection point and that is the part that would connect to the skull itself. Unless you could somehow connect the skulls themselves.

Nope, the connection bar on the skull spiders is the same size as the standard connection bars used for minifigure hands and clips. So anything that can connect to a minifigure hand can connect to the skull spider legs. Lots of potential for mocing.

Edited January 19, 2015 by hiddenderek

[32one]

I'd usually prefer more recolours and new parts for the characters rather than a small enemy, but the skull spiders seem pretty good from a moccing POV as they are a mask with 4 or 5 claw pieces.