Jump to content

The Future of BZPower after Bionicle


Irrie

Recommended Posts

Kind of surprised I haven't seen a topic about this already. 

 

Anyway, what do you all believe the future holds in store for BZPower now that Gen 2 has kicked the bucket? I wasn't around the first time this happened, so for any of you oldies who were, what sort of events unfolded as the community headed into uncharted waters? Do you predict that anything similar will happen now? 

bZpOwEr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We will most likely see a decline of active members overtime. That's what happened here after Gen 1 ended. Aside from that, I'm not sure what will happen. It just depends on how long the community stays around.

Everyone is one choice away from being the bad guy in another person's story.


 


pc0lX6T.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"WE'RE GOING DOWN! EVERYONE ABANDON SHIP! THERE'S NO WAY OUT OF THIS AND WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!"

 

:P

 

In all seriousness, some of the older members might loose interest, but we've seen lots of newcomers since then who are still learning how our community works. I imagine it'll remain relatively steady for a while, then gradually decrease after a year or two.

 

I, for one, will be sticking around. 

Edited by The 1st Shadow
  • Upvote 1

~Your friendly, neighborhood Shadow

 

sotpbanner.png

~Credit for Avatar and Banner goes to

NickonAquaMagna~

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Same thing will happen as when G1 got axed. The user-base will whittle down to only the most dedicated core members who will stick to BZPower and keep things alive in OTD and COT as well as posting MOCs every now and then. Then, when G3 happens, the site will once again get an influx of new members, and the old guard will be shaking their walking sticks at the unruly youngsters.

 

Or something like that.

 

Either way, BZP weathered one Bionicle cancellation already, and it can do so again. Like The 1st Shadow above me, I will certainly stick around.

 

:kakama:

  • Upvote 1

:kakama: Stone rocks :kakama:

Model Designer at The LEGO Group. Former contributor at New Elementary. My MOCs can be found on Flickr and Instagram

:smilepohatunu: :smilehuki:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We will most likely see a decline of active members overtime. That's what happened here after Gen 1 ended. Aside from that, I'm not sure what will happen. It just depends on how long the community stays around.

In all honesty, I've started to see that even long before it's announced cancellation. I'd say as far back as March of this year. With all of the hype around 2015 depleting, the average number of active users also started to dwindle. 

bZpOwEr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The original drop in member activity probably had as much to do with the long downtime as it did with BIONICLE's end.  Several months of trying to wrestle the IPB software into something effective meant no forums for a while, so that more than likely caused many members to go elsewhere.

 

Since I don't think that's about to happen again, there probably won't be such a big drop.  There'll be the inevitable trickle of members leaving, but Mandalore BZPower will survive.  We always survive.

  • Upvote 7

OpAXNpl.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We won't decline in the number of active users, in fact I think BZP will slowly increase at a fluctuating state of active members.

Edited by Toa Imrukii

Quote: "Love has no fear, and no vengeance." |

:t: :m_o: :a: :i: :m: :r: :u: :k: :i: :i: | mEaHKlH.pngAndekas

 

pure_muscle.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't speak for anyone else, but I stuck around because of G1 and its lasting impact on my childhood. While I was, of course, excited when G2 was announced, I never followed it all that closely. In the end it never really affected my interest in Bionicle. And since BZPower had its heyday when G2's target audience was in preschool, I suspect there's quite a few people here with this same mentality.

I really need a better signature.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, my hope is that the people who stuck around might become more receptive to other LEGO themes. But that might not be all that realistic. We on the news team will continue to keep this place a reliable source for general LEGO news, but Bionicle's the only theme that's ever commanded consistent activity on the forums. Even without new Bionicle media or sets to discuss, I still think it'll remain the focus of this site's most active discussions and fan works.

  • Upvote 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I suspect it'll be around for the foreseeable future. The core of the place focuses around creative endeavors, and there's nothing keeping those from popping up (even if in a different capacity).

 

It's also entirely possible that there will be an alternative constraction line to pivot to. Also entirely possible that Bionicle shows back up again in a year after a tune-up.

 

All possibilities are open. :)

  • Upvote 1

Makuta: Consumed By LightRebrick EntryTopic & BackstoryBlog
-----------------
2015 Sets: 18/18 + 3 • Polybags: 1/2 • SDCC x2, NYCC Clear MoF, Trans-MoF
2016 Sets: 17/17 + 6

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the plus side, at least BZP is not down for the cancellation of G2 as it was for G1. Unfortunately, without a place to stand together during the first cancellation when the site was having problems, the fanbase kind of started to decline on here. 

 

That being said, other than that being a possible factor, once it was cancelled, people seemingly lost interest in it, especially without the serials or any story material to discuss or look at. I've had many friends I used to talk to a whole lot on here suddenly just stop coming on here, having found other interests and having life sort of catch up with them, and I can see that. It's been hard on me as well, and I almost don't even pay attention to other Lego themes because I have so many things to do for college and eventually looking into entering the workforce that I can't dedicate myself as I used to. It's like I either buy this new set or I eat tonight, one or the other.

 

So back then, everyone just sort of went their separate ways and the once crowded forums that would sometimes go offline due to too much people being online at once sort of got quiet with what would be a fraction of what I used to see on here when I was around more. It's like, there'd almost always be someone online you could interact with. You could post in the library forum or general artwork forum and your topic would definitely get views and replies depending on how interested people are within that same week, if not even the same day, and the topic would eventually become a "hot topic" with over 30 replies, and your topic might even make the formerly "hot topics of the day" list that was on the front page.

 

Now, we don't exactly have that kind of activity. Topics might sit around and get replies here and there. In my case, if you get replies at all. I used to be a decent writer on here and people used to enjoy reading my topics. These days, if I try to write anything, it'll just sit there with no replies and I may not get the feedback I was used to getting back then, so I'll never be sure if I'm just a bad writer now or people just read but don't reply. There's not too many people online as much, and the number of members online at once is noticeably smaller. But there would be people online still, because there is still an interest in the line. It's just not as present as it once was back when G1 was thriving. However, because most of my friends left BZPower and because no one seemed to enjoy my work anymore, I became sort of like a "Phantom" on here as I like to call myself. I phase in and out whenever people least expect me, so I'm not gone from the forums but I'm not always there like I used to be in my younger years.

 

So my guess is that the forums might quiet down a bit without much story material to discuss, but forums that involve creation and fan work will still be open seeing as I imagine a lot of people will still want to contribute somehow to the Bionicle universe and share their work with other fans. Whether it's fan art, fan-fiction, web comics, etc, that won't go away. But forums like Bionicle theories and story discussion will most likely quiet down since we no longer have much story to discuss and some possible theories to go over, but not so much. Granted, G1 still has so many unanswered questions and I feel like we barely even got to know the world of G2 due to it being ended prematurely. 

 

As for what the site as a whole did without Bionicle, there was a transition to sort of just becoming a fan site for all Lego overall, even doing set reviews on sets from other themes and reporting news having to do with Lego as a whole. Since BZP still sort of does that, I imagine that will continue still. We just won't have as much Bionicle-related news on the front page anymore unless out of nowhere we get new sets, new story material, etc.

Edited by ShadowBionics
  • Upvote 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

 

The site will go down for maintenance for half a year and then will be relaunched with design cues from modern blogs.

 

can't wait for BZPowblr

 

we're gonna have some fine lego discourse™

 

>implying we don't already

 

we're going to have worse lego discourse™

Edited by McCree
  • Upvote 3

galijump.gif.f3271eeb2e5fad0ab8397c83797b5bba.gif
[BZPRPG]
(shout out to max)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn't take BZPower's continuance for granted. Sure, I don't expect it to just keel over like a bug in a jar of nail polish remover, but G2 definitely did not regain the full following that G1 had, and a fanbase is naturally expected to decline as the years go by without new content. After all, BIONICLE is not Star Wars, and even they survived primarily due to EU works like the Thrawn trilogy and having an iconic pop-culture film trilogy. BIONICLE has none of that. It does have the internet and websites like BZP, but I doubt the BZP-BS01 community's ability to serve as life-support for five to ten more years that I would expect BIONICLE's second hiatus to last. And, of course, if it doesn't come back within that time, there will not be much purpose in holding the torch anyway, and after that point, I would put the BZP-BS01 community on death watch.

 

There is a possibility that BZPower could abandon its BIONICLE identity and try to create a bigger tent as a pure LEGO site, but there's already more than a few forums like that, which means it would be an uphill path to make a new name amongst fierce competition.

  • Upvote 4
How well will you die?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm in a unique situation.

I have always been a Hard core Bionicle fan.

But I only joined BZPower community this year.

I plan and hope to say on this website tell G3 which I have a feeling might come sooner than some may believe.

 

But to keep BZPower alive tell G3 returns I think we could focus more on not only Bionicle but all CCBS or any new contraction themes. It would widen the window but still keep the website close to its beginning line.

Edited by ToaTimeLord

Hey I got a Flickr because I like making LEGO stuff.

https://www.flickr.com/people/toatimelord/
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But to keep BZPower alive tell G3 returns I think we could focus more on not only Bionicle but all CCBS or any new contraction themes. It would widen the window but still keep the website close to its beginning line.

BZP covers more than just other constraction themes and sets already. At least in their reviews. The discussion in non-Bionicle sub-forums might be lacking, but it is there for people that want to participate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

But to keep BZPower alive tell G3 returns I think we could focus more on not only Bionicle but all CCBS or any new contraction themes. It would widen the window but still keep the website close to its beginning line.

 

So basically keep doing what they've been doing for the last 6 years? :v

 

ON IT

  • Upvote 8

20383310448_7d514f8ffa.jpg

 

Spoiler Alert

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nah yeah, it's likely just gonna decline in traffic some. G1's ending definitely helped with that, plus the issues with the website contributed as well. People will still be around to talk BIONICLE or do what they do. Just not as much.

dat_logo_newer.png

qs56078.jpg
 My Brickshelf, please don't copy!

... :t: :b: :m_o: :c:...

Looking for shiny Regirock, Articuno, and Virizion!

(Can trade most any legendary for them!)

My 3DS friend list is full, sorry!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

But to keep BZPower alive tell G3 returns I think we could focus more on not only Bionicle but all CCBS or any new contraction themes. It would widen the window but still keep the website close to its beginning line.

So basically keep doing what they've been doing for the last 6 years? :v

Not exactly.

Instead of having just a Lego Disscusion section. Give other popular themes their own threads like you did with Ninjago. Lets say Nexo Knights gets really popular and becomes a huge success like Ninjago then it should earn it's own thread, I think Lego Star Wars at this point might meet this standard.

 

Also create new threads for classic Lego themes such as Creator or Technic.

 

So basically same old same old just expanded a bit more.

Hey I got a Flickr because I like making LEGO stuff.

https://www.flickr.com/people/toatimelord/
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

But to keep BZPower alive tell G3 returns I think we could focus more on not only Bionicle but all CCBS or any new contraction themes. It would widen the window but still keep the website close to its beginning line.

So basically keep doing what they've been doing for the last 6 years? :v

Not exactly.

Instead of having just a Lego Disscusion section. Give other popular themes their own threads like you did with Ninjago. Lets say Nexo Knights gets really popular and becomes a huge success like Ninjago then it should earn it's own thread, I think Lego Star Wars at this point might meet this standard.

Also create new threads for classic Lego themes such as Creator or Technic.

So basically same old same old just expanded a bit more.

The discussion taking place in the current non-Bionicle sub-forums, excluding LEGO Discussion, is lacking as it is. The Hero Factory sub-forum only has one active topic and the Ninjago sub-forum hasn't seen any activity for half a month. If anything should be done, I think these sub-forums should be merged into LEGO Discussion to remove unecessary fluff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's difficult to say whether BZP can last for a long time to come. On the one hand, it's pretty resilient. I mean, following the first Bionicle's end, the community survived the forums' complete absence for six months in 2011. But then, that was a huge community that'd been built up over the whole previous decade - that was ten years of Bionicle being active and mostly successful. This time round, the end of Bionicle hasn't come after such a long and solid buildup of members. It's come after a brief return that didn't catch many people's interest. The site's gained some new members, of course, but it's still not where it was at the end of the last decade. And I think we all know the site can't survive on discussion of other themes - Chima, Ninjago and even Hero Factory just didn't trigger enough activity to reverse the decreasing activity seen here between the first and second Bionicle.

 

Basically, the site's in a weaker state now than it was in last time. Will the site survive? We just have to wait and see.

 

I think there'll always be a core group of members (mostly on the staff) that'll remain active due to the personal connections that have formed, and interest in Bionicle (if only of the nostalgic sort) will never disappear completely. But - other than a full return of Bionicle happening - I don't see overall activity doing anything other than decreasing from this year on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's difficult to say whether BZP can last for a long time to come. On the one hand, it's pretty resilient. I mean, following the first Bionicle's end, the community survived the forums' complete absence for six months in 2011. But then, that was a huge community that'd been built up over the whole previous decade - that was ten years of Bionicle being active and mostly successful. This time round, the end of Bionicle hasn't come after such a long and solid buildup of members. It's come after a brief return that didn't catch many people's interest. The site's gained some new members, of course, but it's still not where it was at the end of the last decade. And I think we all know the site can't survive on discussion of other themes - Chima, Ninjago and even Hero Factory just didn't trigger enough activity to reverse the decreasing activity seen here between the first and second Bionicle.

 

Basically, the site's in a weaker state now than it was in last time. Will the site survive? We just have to wait and see.

 

I think there'll always be a core group of members (mostly on the staff) that'll remain active due to the personal connections that have formed, and interest in Bionicle (if only of the nostalgic sort) will never disappear completely. But - other than a full return of Bionicle happening - I don't see overall activity doing anything other than decreasing from this year on.

 

The site was in a pretty weak state last time, what with several months of downtime and the loss of a substantial amount of content. With BZP still active I don't think I'd consider the site in a "weaker state", since the downtime was just as much to blame for the site's post-Bionicle decline if not moreso.

  • Upvote 3

Formerly Lyichir: Rachira of Influence

Aanchir's and Meiko's brother

Link to comment
Share on other sites

serious reply time:

 

speaking from 10 years of experience on this site, BZPower has been on its last legs for a while. anyone who thinks the community has been remotely near thriving, or even healthy, for the past few years is in denial.

 

the 2011 downtime dealt a blow from which the site has never recovered, Bionicle's first end dealt another blow from which it just barely recovered, and Bionicle's second end will probably be the final nail in the coffin.

 

and it's not hard to see why. why would anyone go to a site that looks like a lost relic from the internet circa 2003 (because it is) that doesn't even have a functional staff (seriously, how many staff members do we even have now? and out of those, how many are actually active?) and was stuck in the social media stone age until just 3 years ago when newer, fresher, and much more popular places like (as much as I hate to admit it) TTV exist? the older fans have by and large left or lost interest in Bionicle altogether (though some of them, like myself, stick around for COT and the occasional drama) and most of the newer fans would probably rather go to TTV or one of the many other Bionicle communities on the internet.

 

BZPower has changed my life in ways I cannot begin to describe since I joined it a decade ago, so it pains me to say this, but I don't see it lasting beyond another 2-3 years at most.

  • Upvote 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Obviously there's no denying that BZPower is not the juggernaut it once was, but frankly I've been to LEGO sites (like http://classic-castle.com/forum/) that have MUCH less activity but still manage to avoid dying out entirely. How well BZPower can adapt to a changing userbase and a changing Internet landscape is something we're all still figuring out, but I don't think it's on the brink of disappearing entirely.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess those who at this point are here mostly for the community (and have been for the past few years) will remain active on this site until real life events get in the way or they lose interest. But as for how the site overall will change, no idea. Maybe another decrease in activity, unless there are enough ways to engage people (e.g. art/MoC contests). 

  • Upvote 1

20210512_strollin_banner.jpg

 My art collection topic - updated! (21/09/2021)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

The site was in a pretty weak state last time, what with several months of downtime and the loss of a substantial amount of content. With BZP still active I don't think I'd consider the site in a "weaker state", since the downtime was just as much to blame for the site's post-Bionicle decline if not moreso.

 

Obviously the downtime exactly didn't help, but it was only for some months, the front page was there throughout and it was promised that the forums would return so I think most people stuck around for that. It was only by 2013 that activity had really dropped - I recall someone on the staff saying the forums were getting an average of about 200 posts a day by then, compared to about 600 in 2011.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...