BIONICLE G1 Canon Contests Discussion & Questions

He did say “Far as I know”, which is different to some of his more definitive answers.

I know that Greg is basically the word on canon, but a comment like the one above isn’t really a definitive “Yes. The Mahri masks are normal shape,” and I don’t feel as though we should treat it as such unless there’s an more definite answer backing it up.

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So if the mahri masks are supposed to have an underwater theme then what would you suggest they look like without the theme?
We know that the volitak is based on scuba gear so basing the normal version on a gas mask could work but I don’t know for the others.

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TBH - I am not sure. My go-to example for how most masks would look standardly would probably be the Metru-build Toa since they are the only ones out there that are canonically not specifically built (Toa Mata), mutated (Inika, Nuva), or wearing specialized gear (Mahri, Phantoka, Mistika).
I have seen several 3D-print designs floating around that would fit the mold, but nothing too concrete.

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Since Eljay instructed people to move over here for contest discussion, I’ll give my two cents here.

Honestly, I don’t know why people expect to have more polls over continuing the contests. While I do get that a few people have changed their minds, that’s nowhere near enough to change what was always a borderline irreversible decision. All sales are final, you know?

As someone who was initially against the contests and voted accordingly, I’m pretty satisfied with what’s won so far but that’ll probably change sooner or later. Are these contests something we need? Not really. Is not explicitly needing something a good enough reason to avoid doing it? Not really either. I could do without Bionicle in my life due to it not being a need but that doesn’t invalidate it.

Can’t say I disagree here. It sucks that the losing entries are kinda meaningless now. I’m not sure how else to put it, preferably less blunt. At least the winning designs are better than over 90% of the entries, so them being featured on what are basically fan wikis isn’t something I have strong feelings about. Same applies to the contests from about a decade ago.

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Kodiak kind of touched on what I’m about to say, but I think it’s still worth saying.

Do we “need” anything to do with Bionicle? Is there anything Bionicle provided that we’d all be much worse off without?

It’s not fair to say that the contests are providing a sort of “inessential” enjoyment without acknowledging that Bionicle itself has always been entertainment. I’m sure some people have had it impact their lives in genuinely positive ways, but it’s not like that’s through anything it was doing that these contests aren’t.

No, we don’t need the contests. But we don’t need Bionicle either. Yet here we are, talking about it nearly two decades since it began. So obviously it provided something that, though we didn’t need it, we still very much enjoyed it and were perhaps positively impacted by it. There’s no reason the canon contests provide any less valid a form of enjoyment.

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I’m honestly shocked that people still want to vote against continuing the contests after the incredible outcome of this last one. We’ve had such a dry spell of official Bionicle content over the previous four years, ten if you don’t count G2. And now we have an opportunity to not only experience minuscule additions to canon but create it ourselves, and people are actively opposing it? Talking about voting on whether or not the contests should even happen when it’s because of a previous vote that it’s happening in the first place is so hypocritical and redundant. Sure, the admins have been running this whole thing kind of poorly (no offense, of course), but that shouldn’t stop them from happening at all. I like Helryx’s design. I realize it’s not for everyone, but you can’t deny that it fits in the world of Bionicle and fits the character of Helryx. With Artakha, on the other hand, I don’t think there’s a single person who can doubt that the result is nothing but awe-inspiring. Why deny the community more Bionicle? Because a select few out of a majority of people who want this disagree?

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It’s not the KhingK mask I’m rioting

Look, if you want to be a killjoy there’s an entire fanbase around G2 there are other outlets.

Yes, that’s blunt. Yes, that’s me being a jerk. Yes, if the mods want to knife the post they are welcome to. But I’d think the guy who made a massive community collab to design the Makuta and who actually entered the last contest (if begrudgingly) would actually want new content for Bionicle and wouldn’t be so insistent that the opportunity needs to be abandoned because “Everyone has their preferences”.

I mean, how long exactly have we waited for this to occur again? I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’ve repeatedly kicked myself for never taking the opportunity to enter the prior contests, when not only was the bar lower, but massive communities didn’t have to regulate whether or not they happened and deal with absurd amounts of voter tampering just to have a successful result. Eljay and Meso have seriously beat themselves up in order to keep things regulated properly and I don’t think anyone on the boards would be willing to sacrifice their immediate health to keep a community contest going when naysayers are consistently nagging for the entire thing to be shut down.

And the majority of the community has already said yes.

So I’d like to hear from you an actual defense of the request you’re making. Why shouldn’t we have the contests? Creativity has not been quenched, prior canonical designs didn’t stop your Makuta collab from redesigning existing Makuta, and none of the staff, mods, or community heads are going to listen to the outrageous request to let people second guess the entire thing every contest.

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Because some people are realizing it really is not worth the stress, the fretting and potential heartache.

This is also a lot of energy the creators are expending. It can be a punch to the gut that a whole month worth of effort for some is shot to the four winds, it’s discouraging and it’s so much output for little to no return.

Especially when it adds fuel to the fire for people who just want to be toxic jerks and hang and dangle the win over other people’s heads in a HAHA YOU LOST!!! manner, who then call people who have gripes about such behavior as being ‘Salty’.

Like I’m going to be called, no doubt, I frankly do not care, if someone wants to call me salty for having ‘lost’, that’s on them.

I’m taking this as an opportunity to instead improve on my own mask of creation, and be content I placed 3rd in my poll for the semi-finals, that’s a win to me.

I’ve made an amazing piece of artwork, made new content, and have a new vid up on my youtube for my efforts. I’ve given people cake, but I can understand people who may not be as magnanimous.

It was very different when the contests were (A) ongoing, concurrent with the rest of the series and (B) more or less anonymous, as it wasn’t hosted online within the fandom, but rather submissions were sent to LEGO to be judged internally, or at the very least left up to RNG, not mob rule, no spite, no nothing.

It was clean and fair.

The only reason I would not want these to continue is because it’s fueling an unhealthy atmosphere, and I don’t think a literal trickle of new stuff made canon is worth the miasma.

But those are just my thoughts on the matter.

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What pfft cmon that’s ridiculous when does the Bionicle community ever have an unhealthy atmosphere

~High Emperor Ghid of the region of Stuff and Things makes a joke, circa 10:57 AM Japan Standard Time, 20th of November, Year of our Lord 2020

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I want you to show me even a single case of this happening.

Also:

“I don’t want there to be contests because some people will lose”

If we follow that reasoning, we should just get rid of all canon; that way, all MOCs are equally canon, and no one loses.

I also disagree with this:

Anyone who actually put a large amount of effort into this competition was probably going to be doing this type of stuff anyways; I don’t think anyone decided to suddenly get into drawing and spend 20 hours a week on their Art entry without having ever drawn before; WombatCombatPictures didn’t suddenly start MOCcing again out of the blue just for this contest; he was doing it anyways.

The contest just gives people a goal.

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Which is the right attitude to have in this community. We should all just take the time to improve ourselves in making our own creations. That’s what Lego was made for! Lego means “Play Well” so let’s all just say well played to each other and move on from these pointless politics.

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But KhingK’s mask didn’t win! The vote was rigged

Uhh who exactly is arguing with you though?

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I won this poll by A LOT!

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No one is auguring with me personally. But I listen in every once and awhile. and Bionicle Politics are just like Regular Politics. Everyone thinks they are right and that you are wrong. It’s the wrong attitude to have for a community that I see as one that builds amazing creations. Is it wrong for everyone to build each other up as well?

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Ah because the Bionicle fandom is all sunshine and daisies, no one’s ever been outright a jerk to someone else! :smiley:
Just because it hasn’t happened in your circles doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.
Just because it doesn’t happen on TTV’s message boards doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.

Also I’m pretty sure to do as you asked is against TTV’s rules and guidelines.

Thank you for putting words in my mouth :smiley: They’re delicious. But inaccurate!

I was merely answering E’s question about why people wouldn’t want the contests to continue by pointing out that some people are feeling down for losing, some even feeling discouraged from continued participation, which I can understand, not that I myself am such, I fully plan to continue participation, regardless if I win or not.

Also technically speaking, you’re not wrong because Greg made ALL AUs canon by way of The Journey of Toa Takanuva [Ie: Dark Mirror, Toa Kingdom, etc]. :clap:

But really…

Please actually read my real reason:

Oh yes, absolutely, That wasn’t really my argument, however. it was more that Art and MOCs, these things take energy to make regardless, and time, too.

Again, I was merely answering to E and playing Makuta’s Advocate as to why someone might not want them to continue.

No more, no less.

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Yes

you see here we build Bionicle figures

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Touche.

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I’ll admit, a lot the drama surrounding these contests is exhausting but how many people are actively following it? Most people probably just want to see mocs and cool artwork.

Look at the original canon contest topic. If you look solely at the posts, it seemed that the community was evenly split. But the actual polls showed overwhelming support. Those of us who actively check these topics and argue over canon, we’re the minority.

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Just on this one specifically, there were plenty of characters (Certavus, Surel, Nikila, to name a few) who, if I understand correctly, were handled in BZPower contests rather than mail-in, as well as actual short stories submitted to contests on their forums that became canon. :wink:

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