The Housecat Speaks: Metrupolis by Galikat Thursday, February 26, 2004 Hopefully, by the time I post this Ga-Metru information and bios will be up, but right now I'll give my thoughts on the new Ta-Metru information on bionicle.com that came out last week. There's some really interesting information out there, and it makes me really want to see the rest of it... but back to the point. The new information can be found in the Legends section of bionicle.com, and clicking on "Metru Nui" will take you to information on Metru Nui. Before you begin exploring, take a look at the sidebar about Metru Nui in general. (Guess what? The Coliseum isn't just something from the BZPRPG -- it's the sports center and power source for the city.) The last paragraph includes some information about the Vahki, which turn out to be robots of some sort. When you click on the Districts button, then on Ta-Metru, after the jumping Matau animation is finished you'll see a scene of the Protodermis Reclamation Furnace. The first paragraph in the sidebar seems to focus on Ta-Metru in general, which is described as "loud, grimy, and way too hot a place to visit" by Matoran from other Metru. If you scroll down a bit, you'll see why the furnaces are needed -- to recycle flawed Kanohi, Kanoka, tool, and anything else that doesn't fit Dume's standards. I recommend you go there and read exactly what Vakama thinks of this system. Click the right arrow (the left one won't take you anywhere) and you'll see Nuhrii's home. The small spelling error in the sidebar has been corrected, and there's some interesting information about protosmiths like Nuhrii. Click the right arrow again, and you'll see the foundry (with a Ta-Matoran standing by that you could build if you don't mind not having a proto-mask like the Metruan sets come with). The foundries are the second step in the production process on Metru-Nui, with the first step in Ga-Metru currently unavailible to see. You'll find some information there about Vakama's skills as a mask-maker... and a very familar mask. More on that later. Click the arrow again, and you'll find the protodermis vat control room. This is where flawed creations (melted down into liquid protodermis) are fed back into the system. This is also, I presume, where Toa Vakama rescued a Matoran who looked exacly like Nuhrii in comic #16. Click the arrow again, if you haven't done so already. This is the protodermis reclamation yard, where flawed creations (wait, Vhisola and Ahkmou's masks?) wait to be melted down and recycled. It is a "monument to failure", as bionicle.com puts it. Monument to failure it may be, I'm sure that every great artist on BZPower would love to get a mask from there to draw from. Clicky clicky. Here we come to the last place in Ta-Metru, an abandoned Ta-Metru dwelling where Nuhrii was found by Vakama. Now that you've seen everything, click on "Bios", then click on "Toa Vakama". Read through it, check out the buttons underneath it, then click "Matoran Bios" and check out Nuhrii. This is where it gets interesting. As it turns out, Nuhrii was Vakama's mentor at the forge, but soon grew jealous of Vakama's skill, especially when Dume requested VAKAMA make a mask of time. Vakama never realized Nuhrii was jealous of his skills. When Nuhrii discovered the location of a Great Disk, he decided to make the ultimate mask of power - regardless of the danger to the city. His quest led him to an abandoned Ta-Matoran house, where he got buried under a ton of rubble. Imagine his surprise when he saw his former pupil, now a Toa, coming to rescue him! (Say, that would make a good GaliGee epic... just about Nuhrii and Vakama! Hint, hint...) The Housecat Speaks: Virtual ToyFair by Galikat Thursday, February 19, 2004 Well, I was right. Those set pictures were prototypes, which everyone knows by now because they've seen the pictures from ToyFair-- either on BZPower or a different site. While I've never actually been to it myself, I have been enjoying the pictures on BZPower and a certain other site which I can't give a link to because it breaks a rule on BZPower. We all know about the Matoran Metru and Toa Metru, but what about the Rahkshi Metru? Okay, they're called Vahki, but I really think these guys somewhat resemble Rahkshi. Somewhat. The Vahki have normal sized eyes, but the eyepiece extends from their eyes to make a rather odd-looking head. Perhaps the absurdly large eyepiece has something to do with a new Vahki collectible... or maybe it just keeps the Kanoka launcher in the Order Enforcement Officer's maw. The Vahki arms are just recolored Toa Olda weapon arms, but the five new colors (black has been done in the Nui-Rama) should go over well -- especially the white ones. You'll also note that the MoLtoran (2003 Matoran, if you didn't know) torsos are in the Vahki -- also in five new colors. However, in this case the white is the only one already used (in the two Ko-Matoran). Buying a black Vahki, a Nuhvok-Kal, and Hafu will make you able to make a completely black Matoran, but it's unlikely that you'll be able to buy them all at the same time. (You'd better hurry up and get that Nuhvok-Kal if you want to try it. You might be able to find some MoLtoran at your local Wal-Mart -- I was able to.) Did I mention the gunmetal-grey Toa Olda feet? New pieces include the strangely wide leg pieces and the six cool staffs. More on those when they come out. Dume and Nivawk are really cool, and they have some neat new and recolored pieces as well. For instance, both silver Gali Olda hooks and silver Onua Olda claws appear (SIX silver hooks!), there is a black Rahkshi lower leg piece, and Turaga Dume has a part red, part black new mask that somewhat resembles a Great Kanohi Huna. (From the pictures on BZPower, at first I thought the black was transparent, but now I know better.) Note that Dume seems to have a Tahu red torso, which should help MOCkers make new Ta-Metruan. Krekka is nothing short of powerful, and although I've never gotten my hand on a Zoid in my life, Krekka has "Zoid" written all over it. (It certainly has plenty of room...) Krekka has a horde of old parts in new colors, including silver Toa Metru feet, dark blue Toa Nuva shoulder armor, and a dark blue Rahkshi foot. (The Rahkshi foot should come in handy for a Rahkshi moc or two, since we already have dark blue shoulder joints...) See if you can find other cool new parts. Nidhiki is a spider-like creature with plenty of dark green parts, including Rahkshi lower leg pieces in that color. From what I hear, the laws can really close, and from the pictures it looks like they'd actually be effetive for grabbing stuff. Dark green shoulder joints are present, and paired with another dark green MoLtoran torso in the set, it looks like you might be able to put together something that might pass as a Le-Matoran in the 2003 style by adding Lehvak-Kal arms, Lehvak Va feet,and a couple of pieces in other colors to fake as well as you can. More info will come as I get it! Speaking of which, watch for news about the new bionicle.com update! (I'd post it now, but the library computer won't access Lego.com flash.) Play well! The Housecat Speaks: Web Site Story by Galikat Thursday, February 12, 2004 The new www.bionicle.com is here, revamped for the first time in two years. Remember when it got a makeover in 2002? Well, this time things are a bit different. Almost everything that used to be on it (including the MNOLGs, the Kanohi, Krana, and Kraata listings, and the character bios) have been taken down to make room for the new stuff, but they've left us something new in return: [URL=http://www.lego.com/eng/bionicle/woh.asp?x=x]three Flash movies[/URL] of the first three years of Bionicle, which I recommend seeing. It also includes the original lexicon and links to websites that offer more about Bionicle. The websites are maskoflight.com, bzpower.com, and that other website I hinted to in my last blog. (Yes, it's on the official list, so stop censoring its webmaster's name from all posts on BZPower!) The lexicon still includes everything from air katana to Whenua. (Honestly, there aren't any Xs, Ys, or Zs there.) As for new information, until the Kanoka Club opens, there's not much on the characters -- just a [URL=http://www.lego.com/eng/bionicle/products.asp]product page[/URL]. However, if you're looking for information in general, check out the [URL=http://www.lego.com/eng/bionicle/buildinginstructions.asp]building instructions[/URL] section, where you'll find the names of the combiner models; and [URL=http://www.lego.com/eng/bionicle/thebuzz.asp]the buzz[/URL], where you'll find news about Bionicle in general. There's also a page for Bionicle: The Game and a link to maskoflight.com. Personally, I'm not too thrilled with the lack of content for now, but I'm looking forward to when they get new content up. Watch this space. (But, then, isn't that what I always say?) The Housecat Speaks: Prototypical? by Galikat Thursday, February 5, 2004 Have you seen the late 2004 set prototype pictures? "What do you MEAN, prototypes? They've got the box pictures arleady, don't they? Doesn't that mean they're the final design?" Well, while they DO have box pictures, so did the Hockey set prototypes. Remember the Hockey set box prototypes? They're hard to forget, considering they had Toa Nuva can lids, while the final design had the water bottle tops. The prototype tradition has continued with the Vahki cans, which are Rahkshi cans right-side up (or upside down, depending on your viewpoint). However, the Vahki do have a more "finished" look to them, so it's possible that they're the final cut indeed. However, you might not think hockey sets are good enough. You want Bionicle-based evidence? Right here. [URL=http://www.bzpower.com/story.php?ID=722]Behold the [b]2003[/b] prototypes![/URL] Remember those 2003 prototypes that every second person believed were the final product? MAN, I hated seeing people vote negative in the 2003 Bionicle poll ("What do you think of Bionicle in '03?") based on prototypes. Let's compare the prototypes with the final designs: TAKANUVA AND USSANUI -- The Ussanui is black. The Kohrak-Kal handshields are protodermic, but the silver Gahlok handshield is a black Pahrak-Kal handshield. There is no mask on the Ussanui. Takanuva himself has gold leg and hand pieces. Parts we wish we had are the gold leg and hand pieces on Takanuva, the black Air Katana on the Ussanui, and the black Pahrak-Kal handsheild I already mentioned. MAKUTA -- at first glance he looks just the same, but closer inspection reveals differences in design. The most obvious is the stark whiteness of his Avohkii "hands", which were silver in the final design. Also notice the lighter gray in the top part of his upper arms, which you can fortunately find in the Jaller & Gukko Bird set. (Assuming you can find the Jaller & Gukko Bird set -- your best bet is Toys 'R' Us.) Speaking of which... JALLER & GUKKO BIRD -- Green and protodermis, not Hewkii brown. The Air Katana are a boring protodermis, but the beak is protodermis as well, giving it a spot next to the white MoL on the list of parts we wish we had. Jaller is "riding" the bird backwards. TAKUA & PEWKU -- Is it easy being green? Well, Pewku is almost completely green, adding to our list of parts we wish we had with the green Lehvak-Kal claws. The ends of the legs are a transparent green (Pahrak eyes), and the tubing is protodermis. Takua is riding standing up, but at least he's facing the right way. Note that all four of the prototypes had more or less the same construction as the finished models, with slight differences (i.e. Pahrak-Kal handshield instead of Gahlok handshield) and different color schemes. Also, if you look WAY back to 2002, you'll see that the Bahrag were once red and yellow instead of red and blue. So, what colors should the 2004 sets be? Who knows? While I don't like to pass judgement on the sets this early, I would like to note that Turaga Dume (or prototype Dume -- prototype Nuparu looked a bit different from official Nuparu) is constructed like the other Metruan -- only with Bohrok limbs instead of Metruan limbs. Oh, and one more thing. Take a look at the prototypes for 2004 [URL=http://www.bzpower.com/story.php?ID=1689]here[/URL] -- and take a closer look at the edges of the boxes. Can you see Takanuva, Makuta, Pewku, and Gukko Bird? (Your best chance of seeing them is to look at the green six-legged guy's box.) See you next week! Watch this space for when the "final" 2004 sets make an appearance at the Toy Fair, as they most likely will. If you can't get there yourself (which wouldn't be surprising), don't worry, there will likely be an article about it (with pictures, too) on both BZPower and that other Bionicle site which no one mentions on BZP anymore. (I'll just say that its initials are the first three letters in modification.) What happened to Galikat? by Galikat Friday, January 30, 2004 In case you're wondering why my mom had to post this week's blog for me, let me explain. We were going to the library. I wanted ice cream, but someone else (I'm not telling who) didn't want to waste time. My dad came up with a plan where we wouldn't waste a second, but it didn't work. I wound up tripping (on the grass, and I have the grass stain to prove it) and spraining my ankle. I never did get to go to the library (and just when my computer priviliges were restored, too), but I managed to get my ice cream. (Of course, by the time I got out of the emergency room, whatever I hadn't already eaten was liquid, but I didn't mind. And, no, mom, this is NOT going to be an annual thing.) The Housecat Speaks: Spam in the third dimension by Galikat Thursday, January 29, 2004 [i][NOTE: Mama Nui is posting this for Galikat as she never made it to the library tonight (where she usually posts the weekly BLOG) because she badly sprained her ankle outside of Dairy Queen and spent her library time in the emergency room. Yes, this is the same Galikat who broke both arms last year but she claims this is not going to be an annual event. On with the blog. I hope I did this right.][/i] First of all, let me make something very clear: RZ HAS NOT LEFT BZPOWER. Got that? Don't wig out on me, guys. Okay, now that that's dealt with, I can continue. You see, Rahi Zaku made a 3-D Toa. Really cool, right? I agree! The problem is people were spamming the topic up so bad, he asked a moderator to close it. (And, no, you CANNOT use the BioBlog as a separate reply topic. I WILL NOT tolerate spam. AT ALL.) Given the fact that behavior like this has led RZ to leave BZPower three times in the past (in all fairness, he DID tell me he wasn't going to do something that stupid again), you'd think people would be more careful about things like that. But no, they just keep on spamming -- which shouldn't be allowed in ANY topic. If you're going to comment on a picture, story, or moc, describe something about it you liked. This shouldn't be too hard with something like RZ's 3-D Tahu -- just choose something you really liked and comment on it. "I like how you made the fire sword! It even has a small flame of fire on the other end." "That mask is neat! It looks just like Jaller's did in the movie" A little constructive critism is okay too. (Personally, the only thing I didn't like was the bare shoulders, which I think shouldn't have stuck out like that.) You might even give some suggestions. (Although "MAKE KOPAKA NEXT!!" isn't something you want to say to Rahi Zaku. Ever. Got that?) If you don't understand why you're supposed to go through all this trouble... post your own 3-D Toa and see. The Housecat Speaks: Metru Nui by Galikat Thursday, January 22, 2004 Haven't gotten the latest LEGO Magazine and Bionicle comic? Well, considering you can get one free with a coupon found inside most Lego sets, now's the best time before you miss out on the first installment of the [i]Bionicle: Metru Nui[/i] saga. My brother Lewanut is in the Proto Squad, and he got a Toa Whenua in his latest protopack. I have to say, it's pretty cool, even if it's hard to get those cool-looking diggers to stick together (hint: don't look to the instruction manual for answers). The arms are hard (almost impossible) to pose, and to tell the truth, my first impressions on it weren't all that good, but once you get used to the fact that they're different than the Toa we're used to, they're pretty cool. Also, the head can move, they can wear non-Toa Metru masks, and -- best of all -- the eye piece can disconnect from the head piece. All six Metru Nui eye colors are the same as the Bohrok eye colors, although the Ta-Metru, Onu-Metru, and Po-Metru ones are all mixed up. Toa Whenua is the only Toa Metru with the same eye color he has as a Turaga. Lewanut also has all six Metru Nui Matoran (Metruan), and for the record, he paid good money for them. (He did NOT get them from the Proto Squad.) Lewanut says that Ahkmou is his least favorite, and I agree -- the brown is too light-colored, and it doesn't look good with the protodermic part of his mask. The color reminds me of Dove chocolates, which will likely inspire somebody to play a practical joke on someone by presenting them a box of chocolates including that mask. Of course, the protodermic coloring would be a dead giveaway. (April Fool's Day is less than two and a half months away, in case you were wondering, and I'm not going to do that oh-so-predictable "I quit" joke so many people running important things do.) If you don't get LEGO Magazine and the Bionicle comic, you might want to read on. If you DO get them, then don't worry, I'm not going to post the LEGO Club exclusive Kanoka code. (Another reason to join...) A few messages from LEGO Magazine (originally written in Matoran language): Are you ready for the new Kolhii? (Note: I'd say I am! But wait, you mean the Onu-Matoran and Po-Matoran dispute that started Kolhii in the first place was on Metru Nui?) Do you dare enter the fire pits? Beware the dark hunters (Note: this might not be the exact way it was worded, given the fact that I let my friend borrow my magazine and am going from memory) Also in LEGO Magazine are bios of the Toa Metru (which are not word-for-word the same as the ones in the comic) and a Toa Metru pack for sale with Toa Vakama and Toa Whenua. However, since it's on back-order, and the Metru Nui sets are supposed to be making an early appearance at Wal-Mart, I'd advise you wait -- unless you're set on getting that randomly-packed Metruan that goes with it. As for the comic itself, it not only has a cool storyline (with plenty of new information), but it also has some intresting pictures. On the inside front cover is a picture that looks like a map of the city, and two Morbuzakh-like plants are extending vinesfrom opposite corners of the page. The one in the top-right corner has the Ko-Metru Great Disk in its vines, but this is probably just promotional artwork and not a prophecy of things to come. In the middle of the comic are, of course, pictures and short bios of the Toa Metru, with an interesting revelation -- the Kanohi that the Toa Metru wear are actually Great Mask versions of the Noble Masks. Yes, the Kanohi Huna, the GREAT mask of Concealment, does exist. The last page of the comic -- that is, the last page that is actually COMIC -- features the king root of the Morbuzakh, which apparently can speak (although it has an accent like Shadow from GaliGee's story Makuta Island). It mentions that it has been "commanded", which might mean that the "king" isn't the big boss. The comic also features how Toa Vakama found Nuhrii, the powers of the disks, and information on a new www.bionicle.com launching "this February". Are you ready? I'd say I am! Thanks for posting, GaliGee and Black Virus. Oh, and Black Virus, I hope this isn't embarrassing to you, but I'm actually a girl. I'm back... by Galikat Tuesday, January 22, 2004 Well, I'm back! I got into trouble and couldn't use the computer for a while, but I'm up to a half-hour of internet time a day now, so the BioBlog will continue -- but not The Bionic Quest, unfortunately, because our computer monitor is faulty and makes it harder to see to make the comic. PLEASE POST YOUR REPLIES!! On January 23, 2004, the BioBlog will have to shut down if no one posts, due to the thirty-day limit for topics. I NEED YOUR REPLIES!! Happy New Year! by Galikat Thursday, December 1, 2004 with sincere apologies to RZ Happy new year! As you make your new year's resolutions and predictions, let me give you some of my own: Resolutions I will not bother RZ. I will get back on track with The Bionic Quest. I will be nicer to everybody, on BZ and off BZ. I will do things worthy of recieving proto energy, and I will not hit the roof if I do not get any proto energy at all from it. I will not bother RZ. I will make sure I save all of my blogs before any more of them disappear. I will not use anyone else's Kanoka codes on my Kanoka account, not even the codes on the disks of the Metruan in the BZP article. I will not bother RZ. I will not flame. I will not spam. I will not get mad at people who flame and spam. I will not misue anyone else's avatar kits. I will not bother RZ. I will write a sequel to [i]A Kristmas Kraata[/i] -- sometime. I will finish and post [i]252 Reasons to NEVER Babysit the Rahkshi[/i] -- sometime. I will stop mentioning my stories before I post them so I won't be embarrassed when "sometime" turns out to be never -- sometime. I -- WILL -- NOT -- BOTHER -- RZ! Predictions: RZ will leave BZ. Again. Then he will come back. Again. GaliGee will finish Journey Into the Light -- sometime in 2005. She will, however, finish Makuta's Island before the year is half over. The Chilli God will continue to write his sprite comic [i]The Rise and Fall of the Toa[/i], and it will continue to be popular. It will not use the D-word anymore (it did in a couple of strips, so be warned). ToA and Natha will continue [i]Dreams of a Lost World[/i], just slowly. Mentioning a site that links to a forum is NOT allowed in the forum. will not get as popular as BZPower, and not very many people will care. BZPower will get 25,000 members by next December. Only half of them will be actually active, but people will party anyway. Many of the members that were active when BZPower first started will no longer be active in December 2004. This excludes the administrators, of course. There will be more moc contests, more artwork contests, more serious story contests -- but no more comedy contests. For a while, at least. The Plushie fad will finally die down, but an equally pointless fad will soon rise up, perhaps with its own resistance. Not that I don't like the Plushie fad, but really, what's the point? There will be more flash avatars. People will swap Kanoka codes online to improve their Kanoka accounts. The Bionicle Werewolf game will fade into obscurity. Someone will use the RZMK2004 in his own kit, and that will cause general unhappiness in certian parts of the forum. Someone will compare GaliGee to J. K. Rowling, but it sure isn't going to be me. Hopefully, more people will submit to the BioBlog. (Yes, that means you.) BZPower's next anniversary will be even better than the last one. No matter how hard I try, no matter how many times I promise not to, I will still -- shudder! -- bother RZ. Again. Some things never change. A message from Hapori Tohu by Hapori Tohu, reposted by Galikat Originally posted December 2002 -- reposted on Thursday, December 25, 2003 As this year in BZ-Koro draws to a close, Hapori Tohu reflects back upon the last twelve months. As a community we combined energy and resources with friends, and we became stronger. As a community we have seen great growth and the challenges such growth presented, and we prospered. And as a community we have endured attacks upon our village's way of life and freedom of expression, but we endured. Hapori Tohu has witnessed how a group of people, young and old, brought together by a single thread of commonality, can selflessly come forth with support and generosity for the good of the whole. And in retrospect, Hapori Tohu cannot but recognize this as the very definition of community. Wherever you call home when not visiting BZ-Koro, and however you choose to celebrate this annual season of holidays there, Hapori Tohu extends his most honest and sincere wishes for prosperity and happiness. The Heart of BZPower swells with pride, and Hapori Tohu is pleased. (Note: the final chapter of [URL=http://www.bzpower.com/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=27&t=102944]A Kristmas Kraata[/URL] has been posted. Go check it out!) This is Galikat... I guess I don't have to put the whole big three-line header for something as simple as a comedy update. Chapters 5 and 6 are now up in [URL=http://www.bzpower.com/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=27&t=102944]A Kristmas Kraata[/URL]. Oh, and please post what you think -- if this topic has no new posts for 30 days after the last post, it'll be subject to the topic revival rules, which could mean the end of the BioBlog. Please show your support! UPDATE: The climatic chapter is up -- Santoa versus the Kandy Kane Kraata! Don't miss the final chapter tomorrow -- what did Santoa bring? Apology... and something else by Galikat Friday, December 19, 2003 I'm sorry, but I wasn't able to write this week's blog because of computer problems. Actually, I was able to write it, but I wasn't able to save it. Even if I could have managed to save it, I wouldn't have been able to post it, and what with answering about 5000 PMs about RZ's and Swerty109's respective kits (I apologize for calling Swerty109 Swerty09), I've been internetted out. (No, that's not a real word.) Speaking of RZ, it looks like he has a little surprise for you. I'm not revealing anything he hasn't already revealed himself, but you might want to [URL=http://home.mchsi.com/~mjbiddinger/preview1.html]click here[/URL] -- and turn your sound on first. This is the same link RZ has in his signature that says "Check this out too..." Well, I'm sure not giving it away! Click it yourself! AKK a-ok by Galikat Thursday, December 18, 2003 Guess what? [URL=http://www.bzpower.com/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=27&t=102944&st=0&#entry1510211]Chapter 4[/URL] in A Kristmas Kraata is up, and HOPEFULLY I'll have a blog for this week. Hopefully. But hey, it's been a busy week... Taking the RZ out of the BZ: update (or lack of one) by Galikat Wednesday, December 17, 2003 After lots and lots of PMs from lots and lots of people involved in this debate, I have concluded that there's more to the issue than meets the eye -- and I'm sick of a lot of it. I've decided that the best idea would be to let Swerty09 and RZ work this thing out themselves, and that means that the general public stays out of it. I won't be posting anything from the numerous PMs I have recieved trying to set this issue straight -- as Pohuaki said in a message he sent me, there's more to this thing than you really want to know. If you knew all of the information that I do, you'de likely go :wacko: over it all. Holiday cheer, chapter 4 is here! by Galikat Tuesday, December 16, 2003 Even while trying to sort through all of this Swerty09 Mastra/Rahi Zaku buisness, I've been able to continue work on [URL=http://www.bzpower.com/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=27&t=102944&st=0&#entry1505332]A Kristmas Kraata[/URL]. Clicking on that link should take you directly to chapter 4. Merry Christmas, if that is at all possible. Taking the RZ out of BZ? by Galikat and Truki Tuesday, December 16, 2003 A message from Truki: RZ says Adios amigos for good: Yep, for the third time RZ has gone, but this time he asked to be suspended so I don't think we'll be hearing from him again. If he decides to come back thats his choice. And a message from Galikat: Yes, RZ has gone, and he's left us with one last 3-D image to remember him by. This IS the third time, and he DID come back the first two times, so at first I wasn't worried. However, for reasons unknown to the press at this time, RZ has become a suspended member, likely at his own request. Why did he go? Oh, a certian Mata-Nuian Builder (which I had formerly been supporting) had been using his kits without permission and refused to take them out because they had become "a MNB staple". A staple of what? Of copyright violation? Those kits are RZ's, they have always been RZ's, and they will always be RZ's, and no Swerty09 Mastra or whatever his name is is going to stop that. I will be making several PMs: To the makers of the MNB, to the moderators of the artwork forum, and last but not least to RZ himself. I want everyone to know that I'm not going to just sit down and let this pass without a fight. So who's with me? [color=red]Update from Galikat:[/color] Swerty09 Mastra says that RZ actually submitted pieces from his kits to the MNB. However, RZ says that this is untrue. He never actually submitted pieces from his kits, but he didn't really oppose it until it got out of control. And it HAS gone out of control. BioBlog announcement by Galikat Monday, December 15, 2003 Unfortunately, I have found that I don't have the time to post a Christmas surprise every day, so the BioBlog Christmas Countdown is officially over. Don't worry, I'll still be keeping the weekly blog schedule and the daily comics when possible. The Housekat Speaks: Has it REALLY been that long? by Galikat Thursday, December 11, 2003 As we approach the year 2004, and the bionicle storyline goes back in time, I thought I'd take a trip through time myself. Remember 2001, the real start of this millenium and the real start of Bionicle? Well, if you don't, let me remind you: Matoran were called Tohunga, came in happy meals, and had seven pieces each. Jaller was called Jala, Macku was called Maku, Hewkii was called Huki, and Hahli was nonexistent. There were no dark blue pieces in any Bionicle set. The only Bionicle set with silver pieces was Muaka and Kane-Ra, which had between ten and fifteen of them, and possibly Manas. All Ga-Matoran were called Ga-Koronans, had the same color scheme, and wore Kanohi Kakama in the MNOLG scene with the Tarakava. (Well, maybe not ALL of them in that scene. Besides, Maku didn't wear a Kakama.) No one but Gali was ever seen in public with a Kaukau, and Matoro was the only Matoran with an Akaku. In Ta-Koro, there were at least three Matoran who looked alike, and Jala was one of them. Nobody knew exactly what Takua looked like. Now we all know what he looks like; it's hard to mistake that gold armor and Mask of Light. Hafu came with the Powerpack, had his bio on bioniclemusic.com, and was always confused with Taipu. There was only one form of Tohunga, one form of Toa, and one form of Turaga. There was no Nuva anything. Protodermis was something they mined in Onu-Koro. In the original MNOLG, you could never have more than one of any object in your backpack. There was no harakeke, no bamboo, no disks, no skill-building mini-games, and no widgets -- plus you only knew the names of a handful of villagers. All Bionicle pieces had only one color of plastic. There were no poisoned Hau Nuva, no Bohrok headplates, no Metru-Nui Matoran masks. Metru-Nui was completely unheard of. Everyone assumed that the Turaga, if not always Turaga, used to be Tohunga. If someone had suggested that they used to be Toa, everyone else would have had a good laugh. Unity, Duty, and Destiny were just three words that sounded good together. Nobody knew that the Bionicle symbol stood for them. There were no kraata, although they were supposed to have been on the island for many, many years. Toa hands actually had fingers. What they didn't have was slots to fit weapons. Toa weapons could only serve one purpose. All masks could fit on both a Matoran head and the top of a Toa can lid. There was no movie, no PC game, no books, and no Proto-Sqaud. And we all survived! Bionicle.com was divided into three sections, one of which is now kaput, one of which has been redone (and will be redone again soon), and one of which now has a sequel running. (Guess which one is which.) All masks had codes. All disks did not. A skateboarder endorsed Bionicle. I can't even remember his name, it seems so long ago. Nothing was made of rubber except for the rubber bands, which were all black. All of the plus-rods in bionicle sets were black. Tan plus-rod/pins were grey, blue plus-rod/pins were nonexistent (and were black when they first came out). Grey was more of an straight grey than a bluish-grey. There was no BZPower -- there was "Bionicle Island" and "xTIANs Bionicle Corner", which became Kanohi-Power, which merged with BZCommunity, which used to be Bionicle Zone. All that kind of makes it hard to believe that after two and a half years, Mentioning a site that links to a forum is NOT allowed in the forum. is still Mentioning a site that links to a forum is NOT allowed in the forum.. (It kind of becomes Mask of Gorm on the first day of April every year, but let's not talk about ######'s sense of humor.) Mask packs came with Toa heads, which had only six eye colors. Everything Bionicle was labelled Technic, too -- even the trading cards. Now nothing Bionicle is Technic. Last, and most certianly not least... okay, so I don't have an inspiring ending for this one. Hey, I've been getting over the flu here! What did you expect? This is Galikat signing off. On the eleventh day of Christmas... by Galikat Thursday, December 11 I know, I know, I KNOW!!! So I'm behind again. Don't worry, this week's blog should be actually posted a little early. While you're waiting, check out [URL=http://www.bzpower.com/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=27&t=102944&st=0&]A Kristmas Kraata[/URL] chapter 3, and maybe send in your own links to Bionicle holiday stuff to be featured here! On the ninth day of Christmas... by Galikat Tuesday, December 9, 2003 If you clicked on yesterday's link, you've likely read my holiday comedy, A Kristmas Kraata. Well, chapter 2 is now up in it! If you're too lazy to click the link in the blog below this one, just click [URL=http://www.bzpower.com/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=27&t=102944&st=0&]here[/URL] to read A Kristmas Kraata from the very beginning. And no, it has nothing to do with Charles Dickens, I just liked the name. On the eighth day of Christmas... by Galikat Monday, December 8, 2003 No time to write a long, detailed explanation -- just [URL=http://www.bzpower.com/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=27&t=102944]see what I've come up with[/URL] this time. I've been suffering from a nasty bug (not a kraata, though), so I'm not exactly in the mood for a nice long chat. On the seventh day of Christmas... by Galikat Sunday, December 7, 2003 Okay, I admit it. I'm late. At least I've actually got something to make up for the blog I never posted on Thursday: an Orkahm set review. Yes, I know, that's the same Metru-Nui Matoran Bink focused on in his review, but it's also the one I had wanted to buy. (He matched one of my kraata. Seriously, that's why I bought him.) In Bink's review, he stated that the first thing you'll notice about them is their size. True; they are rather large -- larger than the Matoran for about the same price were (and definitely larger than the Turaga and Bohrok Va were). I have to say that these are very, very worth the money -- and they're also inexpensive. You get a lot of brick for your buck. (Bink says they're a bit spendy... but US $3.99 is a pretty good deal for characters this size.) Of course, you'll also notice the new pieces. For instance, compare a Metru-Nui Matoran's arm with a Bohrok arm. You'll notice that they're the smallest ball joint liftarms Lego has ever made -- which helps the Metruan (as they are called by BZers) look more well-proportioned. If the arm you're comparing it to is a Nuhvok or Onua Nuva arm, you'll notice that Lego has changed their gray color. Speaking of color, Orkahm's green is darker than Lewa's green. The obvious question: will the Toa Metru be the same colors as the Metruan? The obvious answer: you'll just have to wait and see -- although [URL=http://www.bzpower.com/story.php?ID=1523]this[/URL] should provide some sort of clue. Of course, the greatest piece of all, bar none, is either the disk launcher (it can go pretty far) or the new mask (I for one am hpping to see Metruan mask packs coming up soon), which is part protodermis and part dark green. (Although, if I look at mine real closely, it does seem to have a couple blue streaks in it.) Another piece people are sure to go wild about is the [SIZE=7]Lehvak-eye red Toa eyepiece[/SIZE]. For all of you who wanted this eyepiece (that includes myself), here it is. I can see that these Metruan will be very popular sets. Once you've got the whole thing assembled, it's pretty cool. (Man, the Rahi would have never stood a chance against THEM, would they?) It remains to be seen just what kind of enemy they'll be heaving their disks at -- although certian sources point to a plant enemy. Apparently, what they really need is a ten-foot Lehrahk. On the fifth day of Christmas... by Galikat Friday, December 5, 2003 Okay, so this was actually going to be for the fourth day of Christmas, but there were computer problems, so I couldn't do much yesterday. Due to lack of time, I was unable to write a blog for yesterday, and even if I could I wouldn't have been able to post it. That having been said, let's get right down to buisness. Remember when I posted my Bionicle Nativity scene and got on the top ten hot topics? Well, thanks to Rahi Zaku's Mega Kit, [URL=http://www.bzpower.com/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=14&t=102270]Bionicle Nativity 2[/URL] is here! If you're a Christian and want to stand up for your faith, put it in your signature and remember the reason for the season... On the third day of Christmas... by Galikat Wednesday, December 3, 2003 On the first day of Christmas, Santoa Claus came to town. On the second day of Christmas, the Kandy Kane Kraata appeared and started terrorizing the populace. Now it's the third day of Christmas, and this time around I've got something a little different. Remember the guy who, last year, put a Jingle Bells parody (crashing through the snow, on a pair of broken skis) in his signature? Well, I've come up with a Bionicle version of the song, related to the Mask of Light scene where Takua and Jaller crash the Gukko they're riding into the snow: I crashed in Ko-Koro, On a dizzy Gukko bird, Three bio deep in snow, I'm feeling quite absurd; My backpack's cold and wet, My friend is missing his, Next time I find a golden mask I'll leave it where it is! Like it? Feel free to put it in your signature (just give me credit, and remember only five lines of text allowed in your signature, so you should put a / symbol between lines) and spread the holiday cheer -- and watch for tomorrow's surprise! On the second day of Christmas... by Galikat Tuesday, December 2, 2003 On the second day of Christmas, the dread [URL=http://www.bzpower.com/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=14&t=101889]Kandy Kane Kraata[/URL] lurched through the town, unwrapping presents, undecking halls, and -- worst of all -- eating all of the peppermint in BZ-Koro. That explains its strange color -- I mean, people who eat too many carrots turn orange, don't they? (Believe it or not, that is actually true!) The Kandy Kane Kraata is part level 2 and part level 5 kraata -- which adds up to make 7, so it's very powerful. Strangely, it never infects masks -- it just makes them sticky. If inserted into a Rahkshi, that Rahkshi -- Chrisrahk -- will use its staff to make people gain weight. Hmm, maybe it should have turned up on Thanksgiving... Keep watching! [color=red]Merry[/color] [color=green]Christmas![/color] by Galikat Monday, December 1, 2003 Christmas time is coming (which anyone with a TV, radio, or even mall access knows), and at the BioBlog, we're decking the halls with boughs of Hahli like everyone else -- and we've got a lot of surprises for you guys out there. To kick off the month of surprises (which will actually extend through New Year's), I made [URL=http://www.bzpower.com/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=14&t=101713]Santoa Claus[/URL], one of many more surprises to come. Stay posted... P.S. Unfortunately, I have lost all of the blogs posted up to September 16. Don't worry, I'm going to make a BioBlog archive for the ones I haven't lost yet... I apologize for anyone whose blogs were lost (especially Vahi Legends, who did Epic of the Week).