I posted this on another topic, but I wanted to repeat it here to garner some discussion.
Also, the article I mention and am largely responding to can be found here.
This is somewhat tangential, but Jang’s article has helped me pin down why I take issue with the recent trend of hating on specialized pieces, and why CCBS hasn’t completely won me over yet: personality.
I mean, overspecialized pieces that can only be used for one thing and one thing only (coughGalidorcough) are certainly something to be avoided, but then there are other pieces, such as the Slizer torso and the Vahki head, that can be used a number of different ways if you’re inventive enough to find them, and they have certain textures and shapes that come together to make bigger shapes that all have their own personality. Jang took issue with the way the masks were definitively associated with certain characters, but that is the case because those characters had personalities that were reflected in those masks - or maybe the other way around.
Now, while I don’t rabidly hate CCBS like some people do, I still take issue with it because it generally doesn’t have that same sort of personality. The Breakout(?) and Brain Attack(?) torsos are exceptions, but for the most part the shell pieces are very flat, very bland. Clipons help, but they are very definitively limited to being clipons. Shells are shells. Bones are bones. In a way, CCBS is far more restricting than the old system. I can take a Vahki head and use it as a shoulder or even waist armor, (and I have, in both cases!) but I cannot take a shell piece and use it as a bone.
Aah! Thank you!! I could never pin down my reasons for disliking CCBS, but you hit the nail on the head! (Not that I hate it, I just wish the pieces had more “personality.”)
Seriously though. They need new shells. (Hopefully the Winter 2016 wave will intro at least one new one…)
Indeed. I’ve got my fingers crossed for that to happen; after all, HF resembled Bionicle in its first year and Bionicle resembled Slizers for the first several years, so I’m hopeful that Bionicle will continue that tradition and drastically adapt the CCBS system as it goes on, hopefully for the better.
Yes! You understand! I have failed countless times at trying to tell others that old Bionicle pieces were easily more customizable with pin holes and axles from all directions. CCBS is definitely more restrictive in terms of increased creativity, the shells only having a ball socket and clip on holes (though you can still create awesome stuff with it).
Love what you said. And I would also argue that over-specialized pieces hurt LEGO. Overspecialized pieces makes it hard to reuse them in later sets. Which means LEGO has to spend more money making more over-specialized pieces, creating a vicious circle.
Also, many of CCBS pieces are rather plain. And I think LEGO could greatly benefit by using more stickers, in the same way Zoids or other Mechs use stickers. It’s a way to allow the purchasers to personalize their toy without having to make new plastic pieces with every set.
Indeed; stuff like the Galidor peices (and certain Bionicle pieces, such as the Visorak shells,) are almost impossible to use outside of the intended context, but I still think pieces such as the Hordika bodies and whatnot, where they have plenty of connection points and leave a lot for other pieces to do, yet still have some shape and texture of their own, are the best kinds. Lego can reuse them, and MOCists can play around with them and do all sorts of things.
Indeed, stickers might help, though I don’t want Lego to become over-reliant on them.
I never really saw the logic in Jang’s statement that the masks were exclusive to the characters and were limiting for MOCs. I mean, just about 90% of Bionicle MOCs use a mask and I hardly ever think about the set that mask came with unless the actual build is strikingly similar to it.
See, I think this is a pretty good explanation of the issues with the CCBS system. However, I beg to disagree.
See, CCBS was simply designed for the purpose of creating more versatility. Bionicle’s part aesthetic, while having its own form of “personality”, is actually fairly limited. The pieces may have many connection points, but they’re extremely specialized, and often don’t fit with an aesthetic. Aside from that, the “bits of care” the designers put into the piece used, i.e. pistons and the like, can conflict with other parts, resulting in a sort of “illegal” connection.
Now, as far as versatility goes, CCBS has many ways to create its own lovely combinations of pieces. Primarily using system to combine with CCBS creates a gorgeous aesthetic, and heck, can look like old Bionicle parts! For that matter, one could create his or her own limb out of shells!
Now, as for your analogy: that didn’t fit the general “apples to apples” comparison well. Yes, bones can’t be used as shells, but comparing it to Vahki heads as shoulders?
Now, using a Brain Attack head as a better analogy, I know it certainly could be upset as a better shoulder than a Vahki head. With a few ball joints, the BA head can properly swivel, and give much more motion to the limb than can the Vahki head. Aside from that, connection points give more allotted space for use of armor than Vahki heads.
Tl;dr: a single original Bionicle part may seem to have more personality than a single CCBS part, but it’s what’s done with multiple parts that make the CCBS system shine at the end of the day.
