oh your revamp looks really good! the hand isn’t to large like Hachiroku’s but it brings over the better shaping, nice work
4 Likes
They shouldv done gali instead of Tahu. Then it would be a Gali With Purchase
11 Likes
YES. That would be perfect.
2 Likes
Finally got the word that my package would arrive tomorrow.
6 Likes
I also revamped the gwp Tahu but I went in a different direction:
Though still I agree the original set should have had more technic in it. However with the very strict rules on technic designs inside the company makes that kind of impossible (new information from the book secret life of lego bricks revealed that today Lego technic designers can’t make anything but current day designs for technic sets.)
6 Likes
I don’t think that’s quite how that works; my understanding is that designers can still use Technic parts in other non-realistic designs, and it’s just the Technic-branded sets in the Technic line that have to be realistic designs.
5 Likes
Oh I didn’t mean that system sets can’t have technic parts. Just that technic designer can’t do anything but models of real life vehicles. So a mostly technic Bionicle propably will never happen again.
3 Likes
Again, why? The Technic building system can be used in non-realistic models, provided that it’s not under the Technic logo.
As far as I know, there’s no rule preventing designers for other themes from making Technic-heavy, or possibly even Technic-exclusive, builds.
3 Likes
No such a policy is in place, I’ve already sourced the information for this. Technic designers are not allowed to design non realistic technic sets. Due to them not being instantly recognizable.
Again source is the book the secret life of lego bricks
3 Likes
Well
In the Bits 'N Bricks podcast, they have spoken to designers where designs have been rejected for being too similar to other themes. Internally at the LEGO Group, it is a big deal for a Nexo Knight set or a Monkie Kid set to not be mistaken for a Ninjago set. So if it’s too similar, it’s killed, modified, or gifted to what is considered the more appropriate theme.
Combine that with the limited part exclusivity to certain themes, it doesn’t look easily allowable. Sure, Technic pieces, specially the beams and panels, appear in other lines. But usually under the constraints of structural and function reasons, often getting covered up by System parts when possible. As chatted about above, that is largely to keep the theme within its visual identity. Which means that, if a product line is going to be featuring and using Technic very heavy, it is most likely going to go under the Technic branding. And if it doesn’t, it might confuse people why it isn’t.
Which is honestly the biggest problem, there is no precedent for this. Technic, until relatively recently, only produced a few select sets a year. And then that quota got split up into things like Mindstorms, Arctic, and then constraction until Bionicle split away. With all the children of Technic dead (Mindstorms, Bionicle, CCBS) and the expressed lack of attempts to do anything more…Well, seems like the Technic Team is stuck to one gimmick. One they enjoy, I imagine. But no other team is going to pick it up their library and try something new with it.
6 Likes
Again, you’re missing the point: this hypothetical “Technic Bionicle” isn’t a Technic set; it is a Bionicle set being designed by the Bionicle team. The use of Technic parts, even heavy use, doesn’t make it a Technic set. This is the exact quote from the Secret Life book:
Later, the idea of a challenging building experience would become one of the three principles to which every LEGO Technic model must adhere: Authenticity, Functionality and Challenging building, known internally as the ‘AFC promise’. Every LEGO Technic set must meet this promise, which is partly the reason that there are no historical or highly futuristic LEGO Technic sets, since it is difficult to make something feel authentic when people don’t see it around them in their daily lives.
There is nothing there that indicates to me that the “realism rule” is meant to apply to anything other than Technic-branded Technic sets.
This right here is the perfect example:
Mindstorms was made almost entirely of Technic parts, depicting futuristic-looking robots and such; again, the “realism rule” is only for the actual Technic theme.
6 Likes
Though Mindstorms, along with Bionicle, was in an experimental era. And now Mindstorms is gone. What’s left of it has been dissolved into the Education team, which might continue robotics within Lego. Depending on the demands of schools, that could go in the Technic direction, it could go more into the Boost direction…or die off entirely for cheaper alternatives.
2 Likes
Not to be rude, but this discussion has gotten quite off-topic.
3 Likes
Mindstorms has long since EV3 been a system theme with hints of technic. for example Boost and that GWP so no Mindstorm is no longer a technic theme
important edit because I poste to early:
A new Bionicle however unlikely to capture mass audience would likely have to go back to its roots to be succesful aka an off shoot of Technic. While most people have warmed up to gwp tahu there is still alot of people who weren’t pleased by the system design or want such a design for a full line up of sets. A portion of these people likely only bought it because its literally the only thing the company can put out for the theme in this day and age. Why because LEGO as systematical made more and more rules around how set should be designed since Bionicle that whether purposefully or not makes a proper Bionicle reboot not feasible. Take the no knees rule and now this no futuristic or historic models rule for technic. I doubt LEGO will make a new Bionicle design team so nor do I believe Bionicle has a shot in pure system for its longevity and I definately don’t see system designers giving up all their element frames to reintroduce just the standard bionicle sockets considering that the company and bricklink thinks they are technic parts. I’m not sure you’ve noticed but System designers care only about technic for stability and functions if it can be hidden.
1 Like
There is one way Lego could bring Bionicle back to something similar to what it used to be. Lego occasionally does go wild with special one-off molds and pieces unlike any of their other themes, but typically, this is only when they’ve teamed up with some other company, like Universal Music and Vidyo, Sony and the Angry Birds Movie sets, or Nintendo and the Super Mario sets. So if a big-name company were to partner with Lego for a project and specifically request to do a Bionicle reboot/continuation/something in-between, then I think they might do it. I’m not going to get my hopes up that a big-name company would do that, but it isn’t impossible (if I ever have a big-name company, you can bet I’ll try and make this a thing).
TBH, I think that Bionicle could be a really big hit with the D&D niche. It’s got a rich lore with various worlds, time periods, species, powers, etc. It also would be easy for you to create your own character! The kinds of people I meet that have owned Bionicle sets, have vague memories of Bionicle, or have at least heard about Bionicle are all within the age-range of the main D&D player base (At least from my experience). I’ve never played D&D, but if there were a Bionicle D&D, I’d definitely learn the rules!
5 Likes
I’m trying to make a mod for that, so when it’s finished, I’ll make sure to post it here!
2 Likes
I’ve had about a week to fiddle around with the set now and it is exactly what I hoped to have. I’m still in-awe with Takua, and methinks I’ll be bricklinking some parts for the other mctoran at some point.
3 Likes
That’s not exactly the same thing as an Angry Birds set or a Mario set, since Lego already owns Bionicle. Lego is the big-name company.
However, I think you’re correct that, if Lego were to do a continuation and/or adaptation of the G1 Bionicle story, they would want to work with a third-party company, perhaps even to the extent that Lego’s only involvement is providing the intellectual property. After all, there’s a lot of stuff in the story that, if depicted visually, Lego may not want associated too closely with their brand. Add to that the fact that Lego is generally more focused on selling toys than producing detailed fictional media, and it might be better for everyone involved if another company did the heavy lifting of producing the media.
The merchandising could also be interesting; if, hypothetically, another company were to make a Bionicle show, would Lego take the opportunity to make what are essentially licensed sets of their own intellectual property? Or could there even be figures from another company entirely (with Lego’s permission, of course)?
6 Likes
This seems like the best-case scenario to me. If a third-party company were to make the sets, then we might not even have these hoops to jump through about molds and budgeting against other themes.
3 Likes
Honestly, it wouldn’t even have to be “sets”, per se; straight-up action figures could be pretty cool. It might even be preferable, to really get all the biomechanical details of these characters.
4 Likes