Time for another batch of feedback! Just so you guys are on the same page about it, we’ve sent Greg some questions regarding several hot-button issues in this topic. Most notably, the ever-expanding controversy regarding the Hagah masks, their shaping, Pouks, etc. etc. We’re currently awaiting his reply on that as well as a few other questions, and when he replies we’ll let you guys know.
Yeah, that’s fine. We don’t care HOW they hold it, just that they do in their hands. Upside-down shields are also fine.
Vision mask is fine! So is the Mask of Elemental Energy.
That’s a really cool idea, but what we mean by “in the hand” is that they need to hold it how Norik and Iruini do. So… yeah. They need to hold it in the same stature as Norik and Iruini do.
@Toa-of-Snow is right that we don’t want to mandate people to draw characters that contests aren’t being held for. However, you do raise a good point about like it being beneficial. If we made the entry period long enough to make it a non-issue, I guess it could conceivably work. I’d like some more feedback on this point: what would you all think about mandating Norik and Iruini for the group art portion? This is something we can garner feedback on more as the contest goes on.
Unfortunately, the only way to restrict that possibility would be to vote on them as a grouping instead of a character-by-character basis, which we’re not going to do. If your scenario ends up happening, I agree personally that it would look weird, but it ultimately wouldn’t break any established canon, so it would be how it goes. People need to brace themselves for the potential that the metallic color ratios might not be perfectly even between the characters. I get it, I’m a fan of symmetry and even distribution myself, but things might not shake out that way.
Bingo. Props for pointing out a discrepancy @TheJerminator, but ultimately the quantity of times it’s been mentioned as a helmet coupled with the fact that they’re more recent means that’s how we’re going to treat it. It’s allowed. 
Unfortunately not, that’s way too specific of an edge case and it wouldn’t really fit into either category. I sympathize with the problem, though; if you run into trouble with time constraints, I’d heavily advise making a Studio build because that could help you out a lot. 
We want them to be held, displayed, and posed in the same stature as Norik and Iruini. That’s the whole point behind the stipulation. I get that it doesn’t make sense to some of you, but there’s a precedent set for how the Toa in G1 wield shields and we want to follow it.
Keep in mind: there’s nothing stopping you from including alternative storage methods, action shots, slamming the shield down, etc. or whatever you want as alternative photos in your MoC topic. We love seeing cool stuff, and it could help sell your creation and show it off. Your entry photo, though, has to have the shield be held in the hand or stored on the back.
We want to preserve the uniformity between the team. Norik and Iruini hold their shields in a certain way, ALL BIONICLE G1 characters with the exception of like… Onua Mistika hold their shields in their hand. This is commonplace. Ergo, we want to have that team cohesion with the other two Hagah who hold their shields normally. That being said, feel free to take alternative photos with the shield stored elsewhere or in cool action poses! You’re more than welcome to. **It just can’t be your entry photo; your entry photo has to have it be held in the hand or mounted on theri back.
We heavily considered it, but in the end, it’s not going to be allowed. There’s too much potential variation and ways that design parameters can be bent or subverted if we allow its inclusion. We’ve seen a lot of cool builds with it, of course, like the one that was circulated earlier in this topic, but ultimately allowing it would go against the spirit of what we’re trying to do.
Nope, we’re not gonna mandate any pose restrictions at this time.
Correct, we’re allowing its inclusion. There’s too much reasonable doubt for Hydraxon potentially being a public figure or otherwise known for his actions in the past with the Hand of Artakha, Order, or whatever, at which time someone could have potentially fashioned a Kanohi based on him. Unlikely? A little. Possible? Definitely. We’re not in the business of arbitrarily restricting unless there’s a direct contradiction, and that’s Greg’s philosophy as well; the “implied Kanohi” quote is a good point, but I think restricting this piece’s inclusion is a lot more trouble than it’s worth. Ultimately, I think this is one issue that could definitely be left up to the voters.
Sorry for missing it! Yes, that is totally allowed, and a really cool idea to boot! I was at first totally skeptical that it would have any functional benefit, but after reading your post, it makes perfect sense. Go for it!
That’s… actually a really, really good point. I see what you were getting at now, and honestly, I forgot about that key distinction. I do recall us calling them “exceptions” before, and in that context, it makes sense. What an interesting dilemma…
I’d really love some more feedback on this from the topic at large. What do you guys think about this issue? Does creative expression and freedom to create custom mask designs in the group art portion matter enough to warrant keeping this freedom, or would recognizing the mask design in the free-for-all as canon be more important in the long run? Thanks @ToaKebaka for articulating this. I see the merits of both and I’m not ready to say 100%, but I’d love to get some more dialogue circulating to gauge some other opinions. We think this topic deserves special focus, so we’re actually going to be making a new topic about it to gauge some opinions with a survey curated specifically for this issue. SO HOORAY FOR TOPIC #3, COMING SOON
First of all, these MoCs are exceptional and totally validate the decision to mandate Metru builds. You’re able to do a lot of creative stuff here and I respect it. As Eljay stated, the shields being held in their hand rather than mounted on the wrist and the feet needing to be metallic would be the only changes needed to make these acceptable. You can still have these kinds of dynamic action poses with wrist-mounted shields (if you want) as alternate images in your MoC topic; it’s just the entry photo that would need the shield to be held in the hand or stored on the back.
Unfortunately not. It’s the same way as wearing a watch on your wrist and having free movement in your fingers doesn’t count as the watch being in your hand. The fact that we can see their fingers automatically makes it a no-go. The type of connection we’re looking for is in keeping with Norik and Iruini and how they hold their shields; at least, for the entry photo.
GUYS I’M LITERALLY CRYING WITH LAUGHTER RIGHT NOW THESE POSTS HAVE ME SOBBING ON MY KEYBOARD WHAT A MOOD
Thanks for sharing your MoCs! Here’s what will need to be changed on a character-by-character basis, and it almost entirely focuses on color blocking.
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Bomonga: The upper-chest armor, shoulder armor (where the Skrall armor is), shield, upper-leg armor, and feet would need to be gold. The gold shin-guards would need to be replaced with a non-metallic color.
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Gaaki: 100% fine as is, great work (and creative torso armor design!)
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Pouks: Silver lower-leg armor would need to be replaced with a non-metallic shade, and the upper-leg armor would need to be silver.
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Kualus: The shield would need to be gold.
Additionally, right now usage of Glatorian helmets are banned, however we are considering allowing them under the caveat that the final art portion would re-draw them as another mask. That’s open for debate right now, and we will be making another topic about the issue for further discussion.
Thank you so much for the positivity, I just spent literal hours catching up and replying to all these posts and ending it on a positive sentiment was appreciated. It’s post 429… but better that than nothing. 