Always read the instructions

As I said, I am first going to build Tahu. So, I had to figure out what parts I needed to use. How did I do this? Simple. I read his building instructions. I look through them, and I figure out what parts I need to make. So far, I have started makung some of the simpler pieces, shown below.

What you see is the Toa's shoulder/hip piece, as well as an axle 3 LEGO-Units (LU) long. I am slowly making more parts, and once I make them all, I will start assembling the various characters. I will have the next update in a few days.

Starting from scratch

So, like I said, I am going to talk about modelling. If you know anything about BIONICLE, you know that some characters are simple, and others are complex. And if you know anything about making 3D models, everything is made out of vertices, which are mathematical points. And I have to make anything from scratch. More fun for me. Now, the way I see it, there are two ways of making BIONICLE models.

The first method is complex, but rather simple at its basics. Simply, it is modelling each individual character vertex-by-vertex. It seems time-consuming, which it is. Which is why I have thought of the next method.

The other method is less complex and time-consuming, and it will be the one I will use. Instead of modelling the actual characters, I could model the pieces of the characters, duplicate the pieces, and put them together like actual parts. It saves time and energy.

Soon, I am going to start making the parts necessary to build Tahu, most of which can be used for the other Toa as well. Until next time.

Sights and Sounds

If you don't know, the first part of the BIONICLE storyline takes place on an island. So, I have to make the various areas look and feel like they do in the other games, books, movies, etc. I have decided to give it a islandish feel, and not making the areas too big and not too small. Otherwise, I'd end up with rediculously-massive, empty areas, or miniscule boss-fight arenas (oh yeah, don't worry, there are going to be boss fights). Not only that, but I would get a game that just wouldn't seem right.

I also have to get the music right. The BIONICLE series is also known for the music it uses in its various media areas. So, I started listening to some (old) music that was created just for the series, and decided to come up with a style that matches the setting and the story. It takes place on a tropical island, so I will put in various types of drum beats, as well as various wind and string instruments, using a program called Ableton Live. But, the game is also about biomechanical beings, so I will also add some synthesizers and other techno-style sounds. And, I have to somehow blend the two styles together. But I won't worry about that now.

That's all I have to say for now. Next time, I will be discussing how I am going to make the in-game objects and characters.

More info

Hello, again. I have decided to have an official name change for this game. From now on, it will simply be known as BIONICLE. But for the sake of releasing information, I will keep this blog name as it is, as to not cause confusion.

Anyway, here are my ideas. Each Toa will have the same basic movements and animations, which is too long of a list to post here. Anyway, they will also have a melee attack based off of that individual Toa's set's gear function. Tahu will swing his sword, Pohatu will kick and tackle, Onua will slash his claws, Lewa will slash with his axe, Kopaka swings his sword, and Gali will use her hooks. And like LoMN, they will also be able to fire special fruit at their enemies.

However, I am unsure of how to unlock each Toa. You start with Tahu, and then what? I have it narrowed down to two options. 1: Tahu will eventually reach the Kini-Nui. From there, the player can select which Toa he/she will play as. Or 2: Tahu will travel to, let's say, Po-Wahi, and once he reaches Po-Koro and speaks to Turaga Onewa, he unlocks Pohatu.

Oh, and I should mention that this game will be available for PC and Mac. If I can create my own website, you will be able to download it from there for free. And if I choose to do so, I may put up a demo.

I'm back!

Sorry about the wait. I was busy with other more important things. Anyway, I have been considering a name change for this game. The Quest for the Masks was the name of another game. Well, a card game. Now, I don't know if I should change it or not. And if I do change it, what could I change it to? If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

With that aside, I would like to say that I made more progress in planning out the game. It is going to be based considerably off of the cancelled Legend of Mata Nui (LoMN). The player starts out with a single Toa, in TQftM's case, Tahu, and eventually the player unlocks Pohatu, then Onua, Gali, Kopaka, and Lewa in that order. I have decided, for the simplicity of things, I have given up on the idea of each Toa have his/her own special ability. It is my first game, after all. But anyway, the player has to collect and use the various kanohi in order to progress further in their quest.

With that aside, I need advice. Since I am working alone (which I know is terrible for 3D games), should I just give up? After all, 3D games need at least 3 or 4 people working on them. If you would like to help me, let me know.

Expect more details soon. Until then, good-bye.

The Main Stuff

LEGO BIONICLE - Re: The Quest for the Mask will be an open-world action platformer with puzzles. The player must play as the six Toa, and explore the island of Mata Nui. They must collect six Great Masks for EACH Toa, and the player can collect six Noble Masks if they wish to do so. I'm basically doing what the unreleased game LEGO BIONICLE - The Legend of Mata Nui didn't. The player will have to use the powers of the masks, as well as the characters' own elemental powers, to battle creatures known as rahi of many sorts, and solving puzzles and riddles. And in the end, the Toa must face the evil that threatens the island and its inhabitants. That evil is the Makuta. And he is clever. The Toa will face many dangers along their quest, but whether they succeed or fail is up to you.

Why am I doing this, you ask?

Good question. You see, I used to be (and maybe still am, I'm not sure) a fan of what was once called BIONICLE, a series of constructible action figures created by LEGO, particularly the first year of the storyline. It was a story of heroes whose destiny was to awaken a being known as the Great Spirit, or Mata Nui. There were six biomechanical heroes, and each had powers over their respective element. Tahu, Toa of Fire. Gali, Toa of Water. Lewa, Toa of Air. Onua, Toa of Earth. Pohatu, Toa of Stone. And my personal favorite, Kopaka, Toa of Ice. They had great power, but it was not enough. They needed to collect various masks, called kanohi, which granted them special powers. They had to find the masks and triumph over evil.

Anyway, I haven't heard about BIONICLE in years. One day, I was pondering about ideas for a game I wanted to make, because I didn't know what the game was going to be about. Then, I noticed some of the figures on my shelf. The sight of them brought back good memories. And an idea. I hurried to my cabinet where I keep all of my notebooks, and sure enough, I found the ideas I had written down about a BIONICLE video game back when I didn't know how to develop games. Then, I started playing the old video games LEGO had released. In the past, I thought they were the best. But now, I'm disappointed by the astonishing lack of detail. I thought that I could do better. Then it hit me. "Hey! I know how to make video games! I will make my own BIONICLE game! Only BETTER!"

Now you know why.