Biovival Discussion (aka Christian Faber's mysterious project)

LEGO BIONICLE
, ,
1130

This may not be far off. I wouldn’t be surprised if all Faber wants to do is produce Bionicle art and story on a website and make some kind of forum or creative mobilization behind it. It’s more of a Casey Neistat approach to Bionicle as opposed to the Disney version.

The problem with that idea is that he’ll be competing with existing community forums and infrastructure as opposed to working with them, an uncomfortable proposition for this community to say the least.

What I don’t understand is, if Faber can land these kinds of deals for his own project, why he wouldn’t be able to land them for Bionicle. Obviously he would have to get Lego on board with it, but that seems like a better direction than just producing web content. I think if he wants our contributions, we should level towards that direction instead of trying to organize the community.

The line between creator and customer in the Lego community has always been a blurred line, and Bionicle has turned that normal line blurring into a huge gray space, with all of the fan canonized MoCs and Greg answers and Faber producing semi-quasi-possibly non-official artwork. I don’t think we need an expansion of the gray space as much as we need something concrete to hang our hats on.

Sure, it would be great if we could put out our banners and say “This is what Bionicle stands for, and this is what we stand for, blah.” but since we can’t agree on that in general, it might be easier to just allow Bionicle to be a flexible concept idea to fit whatever theme is needed at the moment. Which I think Faber is thinking it is.

5 Likes
1131

A new post from Faber.

In response to a comment about the number of projects he is attempting to take on, considering all the Rebel Nature stuff:

@subnekt I need more horses in the stable. I dont know which one that will run​:thinking::crossed_fingers:t3::grinning::v:t3::rocket:

So I’d guess the crucial delayed meeting is still yet to happen.

5 Likes
1132

I suppose.

I think what he means by this is that he needs as many projects in the works, as he doesn’t know which will be successful.

4 Likes
1133

Why is he spamming peace signs?

1134

Obviously, because Lego sets have peaces, so he’s hinting at a collaboration with Lego.

8 Likes
1137

Recently I’ve been thinking about how Faber’s ideas have evolved thematically from Bionicle to Biovival. Faber clearly has something he wants to say about environmentalism using a world similar to the one he developed for Bionicle, and it has made me think about what themes are at the core of Bionicle and how Faber could be furthering them using the Biovival premise.

I made this comment a month ago on a different topic while thinking along the same lines:

What I’ve realized is that Bionicle has always been a story about survival. In the first three years of the franchise, the enemies weren’t characters, the enemy was the environment. It is a misconception that the Infected Rahi, the Bohrok and the Rahkshi are bad villains because they are simple hive minds; this would be true if they were intended to be characters, which they are not. Rather, they are an extension of the environment. The Rahi were beasts to be tamed, the Bohrok were infectious pests to be contained, and the Rahkshi were literal forces of nature. Even Makuta was likewise more of a force of nature than a character with specific motivations until Mask of Light. The two Metru years also had environmental villains; the Morbuzakh and Visorak were both invasive species.

Bionicle is about Man vs Nature, and is metaphorically about the survival element of Man vs Self because of the GSR’s creation as a metaphor for Faber taking medicine. Metaphorically, the Rahi were cells to be healed, the Bohrok were biological antibodies, the Makuta was a cancer and his Rahkshi were diseases which evaded destruction because the antibodies were not free to stop them.

Survival stories are stories about Man vs Nature, but Biovival appears to be about Man synthesized with machine learning to reconnect with- and ultimately synthesize just as well with nature. This is more interesting to me than a fight between the Toa and the bad guys of the year, and I think it’s a fitting struggle to coincide with Bionicle’s core themes of mystery and discovery. I hope this post isn’t too rambling to be followed.

Edit: This concept has a name: Biophilia
From Wikipedia:

The biophilia hypothesis (also called BET) suggests that humans possess an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life.[1] Edward O. Wilson introduced and popularized the hypothesis in his book, Biophilia (1984).[2] He defines biophilia as “the urge to affiliate with other forms of life”.[3]
“Biophilia” is “love of life or living systems.” The term was first used by Erich Fromm to describe a psychological orientation of being attracted to all that is alive and vital. Biophilia describes “the connections that human beings subconsciously seek with the rest of life.” He proposed the possibility that the deep affiliations humans have with other life forms and nature as a whole are rooted in our biology…
… American philosopher Francis Sanzaro has put forth the claim that because of advances in technological connectivity, especially the internet of things (IOT), our world is becoming increasingly driven by the biophilia hypothesis, namely, the desire to connect to forms of life.[22] Sanzaro applies Wilson’s theories to trends in artificial intelligence and psychoanalysis and argues that technology is not an antithesis to nature, but simply another form of seeking intimacy with nature.

9 Likes
1138

Not to mention, everyone on Bara Magna was fighting each other over resources that would help them survive.

5 Likes
1139

Alright Bionicle fans! THIS IS OUR NEW RALLY! Faber is our last hope! He will finish what Sokoda’s started! We will join forces and conquer all naysayers and make this dream a reality! Oh? You say all endings are merely beginnings? WELL, THIS IS OUR NEW BEGINNING! WE HAVE ONE HOPE, ONE DREAM, AND ONE DESTINATION! THIS IS THE JOURNEY TO ONE! /s

I’m sorry, I don’t like typing in all caps but I feel the joke and my depression needed it

5 Likes
1140

A BIONICLE project reaching the review stage on Ideas strengthens Faber’s pitch to LEGO and other potential partners, even if it isn’t made into a set.

It’s another example of the strength of the concept that people still care about it after so long.

It’s unfortunate for those who wanted that particular Ideas set made, but I think it wasn’t hard to see that it wouldn’t make it.

If you want BIONICLE to return, just keep the community alive, so that those who make the decisions can see. Enter / vote in the canon contests, post memes, support Ideas projects etc. Be patient with Faber’s project and don’t look for a repeat of the old story, but a new one.

Edit:
And a well-timed new Faber post, for those who might doubt the future:

#RIG21 getting serious now. #virtualproduction coming into view and who knows what legends could emerge and revive from this place🤔. Thanks @allanohanergo you are legend! #Rebelnature #biovival #2020rebel #rig21vpstudio​:grinning::+1:t3::muscle:t3::heart::moyai::robot::whale2::octopus::rocket:

10 Likes
1141

#ReleaseTheFaberCut

8 Likes
1142

Good old Rig21. The fact that Biovival is tagged in this as well kinda tells me that there is definitely more going on here than just concept art.

5 Likes
1143

Of course, that would also imply that #Biovival is just a part of Rebel Nature…

1144

No it wouldn’t, because it’s specifically been stated without any leeway that Biovival and Rebel Nature are not connected. Let’s consider: Rig21. From what I’ve been made to understand, Rig21 is some sort of software, or program, or otherwise. If this is the case, there’s every possibility that both Rebel Nature and Biovival will make use of Rig21, without being in any way connected to each other as far as storytelling is concerned.

EDIT: In fact, there’s a video on his YouTube on the very subject, some kind of VR setup using Unity as its backbone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLKjE-hgNIw

In the description, it’s described as a setup working on “virtual film production and Rebel Nature. We are at Unity and steaming ahead on the showcases for this new technology that will empower storytelling like never before.” (That last part sounds a lot like what he was talking about with the new eras of storytelling and such, no? No longer a finished product given to you to watch on a cinema screen, but an interactive experience coloured by you, the player.)

And Rebel Nature. Not for Rebel Nature. And.

In the video itself he also specifically refers to the “Biological Chronicle” as a separate item towards the end as one of the things to look forward to with this new “platform”/“tool” Rig21.

In case you couldn’t tell, I was waiting for that one :stuck_out_tongue:

7 Likes
1145

Ah, ok, I thought Rig21 was specifically a part of Rebel Nature, I must have been misinformed. (Edit: looks like it was a part of the name of the app game, I think in-lore the name of the Rig the girl grows up on?)
That’s quite interesting, though!

3 Likes
1146

Understandable. I made the same mistake initially, until this video helped open my eyes.

2 Likes
1147

Faber discussing virtual production and RIG21 at the Cannes NEXT 2020 Summit:
https://www.marchedufilm.com/live
(It’s the ”12:15 PM Paris time” video, starting at 53:40)

Here’s a summary of what he discussed:

  • His new elevator pitch for Rebel Nature is “The Jungle Book with technology replacing the jungle.”
    Imgur: The magic of the Internet
  • Rebel Nature will be a trilogy: the story of the parents, the story of the child, the story of the rebel
    Imgur: The magic of the Internet
  • Faber’s “Rebel” philosophy is about using commercial art and entertainment to inspire youth and raise greater awareness about how we can create a future where people have a more harmonious relationship with nature as well as each other. (In other words, he believes he has a Duty to future generations to use technology to foster Unity, so humanity can achieve its Destiny living in harmony with the planet.)
  • Faber wants to use virtual technologies to increase empathy by broadening and unifying people’s experiences. He uses an example of astronauts experiencing the Overview Effect, saying he wants to use virtual experiences to achieve the same psychological impact.
  • Faber believes virtual world-building is the best way to reach youth with messaging. The virtual world can make just as visceral of an impact on new generations as the real world can, because they have been raised on digital technologies for their entire lives so their experiences in both worlds are intertwined.
  • Good world-building starts with fun, and is strengthened by fan engagement; people must want to live in your world. Faber sees storytelling as a tool for optimists to envision the future they want to create, and world-building is the latest and greatest evolution of storytelling.

Overall, the bulk of the presentation was the same metaphysical talk we’re used to from him. It felt like a marketing pitch. I got the sense that he has an easier time using art to convey messages than he does when trying to put his ideas into words. He didn’t specify which technologies he plans on implementing in his projects, just that he and a group of likeminded people are developing their projects by way of the new RIG21 Studio, but if you look on his Instagram you can see he has made posts about VR gaming.

12 Likes
1148

The thing to remember with Faber is that he’s an ideas guys, not so much an executions guy.

Faber is the kind of guy who’ll have 5 different projects on the go and tell you about how great all of them are, and never actually see them get off the ground. He’s straight up admitted that 14B2020 was an attempt at generating hype (ostensibly by taking advantage of a rabid pre-existing fanbase). This is a man who gets paid to have ideas, and it shows. He’s got plenty of them, many of them good, but unfortunately Ideas do not always become reality, and that’s something I think the community desperately needs to remember.

Biovival may well happen, but based on his previous work I’m much less likely to believe that Biovival is anything other than another segue into Rebel Nature. Why? Because Rebel Nature tackles many of the same themes that Bionicle did. He’s been working on Rebel Nature since at least 2014, (he references that it’s a “Self Financed Project until Now” in this blog post) and more recently he apparently got some investment in the form of Rebel Nature being the first Production for Toon2Tango.

Both Pieces of information basically point to the fact that Rebel Nature is Faber’s priority, and while he might want to do something with the overarching themes of Bionicle, it’s also entirely possible if not likely that whatever it is he does will be under the umbrella of Rebel Nature. Rebel Nature is a Universe IP, meaning that it’s not a singular idea that Faber’s been trying to sell.

Calling out the “Biological Chronicle” separately from Rebel Nature does not in fact give us any indication of whether or not it’s connected to Rebel Nature. Why? Call me Pessimistic but I believe that Faber is the kind of person who is willing to get his ideas out there at any cost, and he is certainly not above using existing love for his previous ideas as leverage (because he basically admitted as much with 14B2020.). Not only that, but all of the same ideas that he believes are very important to convey are present in Rebel Nature just as they are in Bionicle - Man Vs. Nature and how at the end of the day we are more a part of the world around us than we are in control of it. These themes are integral to Rebel Nature, just as they would be to any Bionicle Revival helmed by him. Ask yourself this - would you be willing to put time, money, and effort into two ideas that are functionally the same? Or would you put all your ideas under the same umbrella, thereby hedging your bets that at least one of them works out?

Call me Jaded, but I can’t blame him for it either. This fandom is so eager to devour any hint of Bionicle that, collectively, we’ll foam at the mouth over nothing but a Hashtag. Sure, Faber created the concept of Bionicle, but let’s remember that there was an entire team of people at Lego who assisted with it.

Until Faber confirms otherwise (and not just through omission) I’ll continue to believe that Biovival is either a red-herring to get the Bionicle Community (whom he knows are rabid fans) to support him and thereby give him leverage for his investors meetings, or it’s simply a part of Rebel Nature. In fact, those two aren’t even mutually exclusive.

TL;DR: I hate being taken advantage of and that’s 100% what this is, one way or another. Either we’re being taken advantage of to Hype us up for a project that’ll be everything we want or we’re being taken advantage of to hype us up for a project that already exists.

11 Likes
1149

Faber is not just some “ideas guy”, but the single individual most responsible for the story, aesthetic, design and approach of BIONICLE. (See this recent article.) He is now running the company producing Rebel Nature and all its multimedia products.

Faber has stated many times that Biovival and Rebel Nature are separate projects.

Were it not for Covid-19, 14B2020 would have been the announcement date for the “Biovival” project. (The postponed meeting was likely with LEGO, over his use of the BIONICLE brand.)

They share a very broad message of treating the planet well, but they are fully distinct ideas. From what I gather:

  • Rebel Nature is a real-world future sci-fi, where robots and nature coexist in a world spoiled(?) by human technology and over-development.

  • “Biovival” is a fantasy sci-fi likely about biomechanical beings in a mysterious non-technological world. We’ve seen teasers of canisters emerging from melting ice and allusions to climate breakdown as a hint at how that story may begin.

If you try very hard you can maybe squash the two ideas together, but it isn’t necessary and runs contrary to what we’ve been shown so far. Just because two things are sci-fi it doesn’t mean they are the same.

TL;DR: It’s pretty frustrating when people on a fansite to the idea Faber created paint him as someone “taking advantage” of people just to build “hype”. He’s clearly a nice, well-meaning guy who cares about BIONICLE and wants it to return. He is under no obligation to show us the behind-the-scenes, but has chosen to anyway, and I am very grateful for that opportunity to have something to look forward to.

10 Likes
1150

While it’s true that Faber was only a part of the machine, he was there, from beginning to end, always being an active part of the process (the Ignika comes to mind, the single-most important mask in the franchise and the most thematically charged in its design, all thanks to Faber). If he really didn’t care about this franchise and what it means to so many people, why would he stick around so long?

Because you’re being ridiculous. Several people, you before in fact, have said these exact same things, while ignoring what he’s actually said on the matter. Without any room for misinterpretation, Faber has outright stated that this assumption is entirely incorrect:

You’re not just being pessimistic, you’re being factually incorrect, and arguing in bad faith. Faber is perfectly aware of how “rabid” the fandom is, and the moment they realised that something was up he would lose that supposed free built-in fanbase that he seems to care so much about. At this point, keeping up the deception would make pretty much no sense at all.

He has, as I’ve just shown, you’ve just elected to ignore it.

Now it’s your turn, where has he said this?

TL;DR: I hate the fact that you and so many other people are so convinced that nothing can ever go our way that you refuse to budge on these absurd claims even in the face of actual evidence. There’s being realistic, and then there’s being defeatist. You’re the only one getting worked up here by trying to lead a smear campaign against a guy who’s posted some images on Instagram. For the sake of your sanity, and ours, stop.

10 Likes
1151

Now’s probably a good time to point out that basically lying and saying he’s making a Bionicle project just to get us interested is a terrible idea, and obviously so at that. If Faber’s just baiting us for our attention, what does he think will happen when that deception is revealed? How long could he possibly keep up the facade before people lose interest? And most importantly, out of those hyped for Biovival and nothing else he’s doing, how many are really gonna stick around for the stuff he’s already been working on that they didn’t care about before? To say that he’s lying to our faces is to attribute not only malice to him without due cause, but also stupidity.

9 Likes