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Saturday, September 10, 2011

I guess I need to change...

These days every time I release a new LEGO Hero Factory MOC, I get some complaints:
  • Colors
    • If I use more than one or two specific colors, even complementary colors or ones that are very nearby in hue and completely compatible, it's "too many colors"
    • If I use just one or two colors, "meh, too plain"
  • Parts
    • Bionicle parts make them "not Hero Factory"
    • Hero Factory only parts make them "meh, too plain"
  • Theme
    • MOCs made to look like they fit the theme when placed next to official sets are "meh, too plain"
    • Ones made with something a little different from the norm are "wrong" or "don't fit the theme"
  • Symmetry
    • MOCs that aren't 100% symmetrical left to right are "wrong"
I guess it's time for me to make some changes...
NAH! I don't think so!

You see, I'm just not afraid of:
  • Colors
    • I think the idea that everything needs to have just one consistent color, or one color plus black, silver, or white, or one main color and a teeny, tiny bit of another color is insanely limiting.  Just because the official LEGO sets have one main color each, doesn't mean everything in the entire universe needs to have just one color (or one main color and a teeny, tiny bit of another).  Red, orange, and yellow can work together.  Blue, purple, and black go together quite nicely. White, tan, brown, and black can form a theme.  You don't even need to look around at the entire world as a whole to see this.  Just look at other LEGO releases, things outside the limited Hero Factory & Bionicle arenas.  Look at City, Star Wars, or Technic sets.  Tons of colors!  Color is not a bad thing.
  • Parts
    • LEGO parts are nothing but shaped pieces of plastic.  LEGO used lots of Technic pieces in Bionicle.  They've used Bionicle pieces in System and Hero Factory sets.  Why can't I do the same?  These parts aren't "supposed" to be anything.  They're supposed to be used for whatever you want them to be.  Most MOC makers recognize and embrace this philosophy.  A foot can be used as a waist or a shoulder.  A mask can be made into armor.  A head can be a piece of a weapon. Open-mindedness makes life a lot more interesting and exciting.
  • Themes
    • What's wrong with making MOCs that look like they fit in if you stand them next to the official sets?  Conversely, what's wrong with trying something different?  Just because we've only ever seen a handful of "official" Hero Factory characters and themes doesn't mean no others could possibly exist.  One of the main points of everything LEGO does is to encourage imagination and creativity. If Hero Factory was supposed to be an extremely rigid and tiny universe where new things were never created and only the "official" characters and stories were allowed to exist, they would have been made as traditional-style action figures that cannot be disassembled. In fact, LEGO wouldn't have made them at all.
  • Symmetry
    • A lot of cool things in life are symmetrical.  A lot are not.  Symmetry means uniformity.  Too much uniformity makes everything the same.  What if everyone wore the same shoes or cut their hair the same way (parted down the middle, no less).  If all things were required to be symmetrical, there would be no front passenger seat in cars, just a centered driver's seat (driver needs to be next to a door, so no, you couldn't have passenger seats on either side).  Bringing it back specifically to LEGO Hero Factory, the visors of Stormer 2.0 and Surge 2.0 would have been disallowed if everything needed to be symmetrical. Out of all of the heroes of all 3 series so far, only Breez 1.0 would have been truly acceptable as she's the only one who normally uses identical weapons and armor left to right -- in 2.0 form her armor was not symmetrical at all!  Oh no, assymetry in an official set!  If somebody wants to make something symmetrical, let them.  If they want to make something asymmetric, let them!
So to anyone who wants to discourage me or anyone else from enjoying the full breadth of possibilities of LEGO MOC making, don't waste your breath!

51 comments:

  1. I know u dont need to change

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  2. *CLAP CLAP CLAP* (I WASN'T BEING SARCASTIC)

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  3. why should it matter? they are your mocs

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  4. Jang, i can only say this to you : Well said man! US moccers are constantly criticed by the public, if they don't like it how WE have done it for US then why don't they do it their own way and stop complaining? I am and always was on your side, moccers like us are artists! You can't tell a painter how to paint his canvas! You can't tell a singer how to sing his song! Unless you're the boss you can't complain! People need to learn respect these days, and not only on Lego-related stuff, everywhere you go on the internet you will see an army of haters waiting for you and it makes everything, like being the talented moccer you are, so difficult! So Jang i wish you good luck in what's gonna happen, as we say : ''If it has to happen then it will.'' and i also wich you good luck with your moccing and everything and whatever will be your choice, remember that Infinity (me) will always be on your side!

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  5. Props to you, Jang. You've got a spine, and that's awesome. Appreciate your fans, but don't let them change how you Moc. :)

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  6. Chronos, Lord of TimeSeptember 10, 2011 at 5:42 PM

    I agree with all that you said. I apologize if I have been a part of this... I know I've done this once or twice; I know I did this on Qiji and on Makk. I'm sorry. It was intended as constructive criticism, but in retrospect, it probably just seemed like nagging.

    On another note, you should never change your MOCing style, it is unique and creative; you should never have reason to do so, ever. When I saw the title of this post I was honestly scared.

    And, um...does this mean you're making a white/tan/brown/black hero? That would be awesome.

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  7. U don't need to change jang ur the Lego master I bet people r jealous and they r being negative, no one can top u in the gift u have

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  8. Jang, i just have one question for you? Why must you be so right and awesome all the time?

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  9. Haters gonna hate I guess. Your MOCs are amazing. Like you said, the great thing about buildable sets is you can make them whatever you want. Personally, I think assymetry makes it look cooler. Why limit yourself to one color either? Hero Factory sets can be whatever you want them to be.

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  10. I believe you just owned your haters just then

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  11. thank u finally someone who could actually stand up and tell people something

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  12. This is what I believe in, imagination is bound to no limits. If it did, what is there to imagine about?

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  13. I don't think you need to change. A lot of people, me included, like your MoC's just the way they are.

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  14. Testify but seriously I agree this from somegetmore on YouTube btw

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  15. It annoys me how controlling some people think they need to be about other people's work. If they think they can do better, give them the lime light and tell them to make something. See if they can form a fanbase from just that.

    Jang, you MOCs are awesome and creative. Just keep doing your thing man, either way, the immature kids who complain about what you did and didn't do will STILL be part of your fanbase (unfortunately) because you're a huge source of inspiration for MOCists! :)

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  16. Nice speech Jang,Very nice

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  17. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    1. Off topic dude. Jang, if anyone says you should change anything you do, dont listen to them. If you change what YOU make, it isnt yours anymore. I have given criticism before, so i am not speaking like i am perfect. My point is, MOC means MY own creation, so anyone can make their mocs however they like.
      -Will

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  18. I totally agree with you! I make more Bionicle and Hero factory mocs than you could fit into Legoland, and NOTHING limits me.

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  19. jang i dont care how youu make your mocs their awsome the way they are

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  20. People who say 'meh, too plain' or 'wrong' are wrong and plain themselves. You make excellent creations with your excellent imagination. Just keep doing what you're doing and let the haters hate (because what else are they gonna do? :P ) and you'll be fine.

    Oh, also applause for your awesome comebacks.
    :)

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  21. There's nothing wrong with some healthy constructive criticism, but many often take it too far.

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  22. i guess they expect more from you now since they saw all your truly awesome mocs and if there is just one that is just under the TRULY AWESOME status they call it WRONG! They expect to much...

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  23. it's your life do what ever you want with it and don't let anyone change you

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  24. I think you are right Jang. absoluely none of me hero factory MOCs are symetrical (at least the actual heroes arent). In fact I take the majority of my inspiration from you. for example in an earlier post of yours about how to put Savage planet villain heads on hero heads that caused me to discover a new method that in my opinion is more stable than the one in the videos and two of my current favorite hero MOCs have waspix and raw-jaw helmets. by the way the eyes don't line up but the helmets look like helmets not half masks.

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  25. You made a surge and breez 3.0, so where's evo?

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  26. i like your mocs i dont complain i just make my own versions of your mocs somtimes and then end up making completely original ones mocs out of them our my inspiration and entertainment for 5-10 minutes a day! see some of my mocs im tnlego29 i make the edited videos!

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  27. people r haters that hate wen they like it but many not like it but alot more people like or love ur mocs if u change u r not being u-Unstoppable0709

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  28. In what way are your MOCs ever plain, and I would like to see the complainers do better!
    I remember there was this guy that always made intense criticism of all your MOCs, and I got him to stop because I went to his blog and posted all the things wrong with his, based off of what he said about you. It kinda went like this:
    Me: So you said Jang's MOCs had this wrong with them, but I notice that you have that in half of your MOCs.
    He deleted his comments I think.
    His name was John or something.

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  29. anyone who thinks who need to change should try being dog poop. NOTHING is wrong with any of these. if people dont know that thats thier problum.

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  30. you don't need to change i like your mocs jut how they are as a great man once said "beauty is in the eye of the beholder'

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  31. mocs are mocs any way you slice it they're personal and can be any way you like. Jang if you wanted to make a character completely out of Bionicle and teknic parts than everyone should take your word and compliment it not criticize and if they do it should be constructive criticism so you can learn from your mistake. If people want to say your amazing mocs are wrong let them post there creation and see how bad they look!

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  32. @Anomymous!
    WTF, Jang just talked about ridicuous expectations, and now you are asking h im for Evo 3.0... UNCOOL!

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  33. MOC IDEA!! SLAMER DRAGON! it grabs its prey, flys really high then takes a nosedive and slams its prey into the ground!!!

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  34. Your very first Hero factory hero moc had absolubtly NO hero factory parts. I think your clever enough to make a hero with a hero core even before hero factory was realeased.

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  35. bro go on hero factory recon they have savage planet stuff!!

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  36. Anonymous 38th comment, that is completly off the subject! Jang most likley already knows that.

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  37. actully, none of the helmets are symettricle if you look closely.

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  38. Jang, i'm on your side i totally agree with you

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  39. summarize that and make it Lego's new motto

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  40. i think that you have spoken rightly. i found a quote from the danish owner of lego and he said that it was not just a toy, but a set of ideas and principles. keep doing your stuff mr jang you are a lego genius

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  41. if anyone of your ''critics'' can do HALF the stuff you can do, they would understand. but they can't, so i guess we should just ignore them.

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  42. Jang, you know what I've noticed? These people practically WORSHIP you. You are awesome and all(I'm a big fan), but awesomeness has a limit. You have a lot of fans and you should be proud of yourself. Loved the speech by the way, and I loved reading all the errors and typos in the comments especially!! I almost died of laughing!!!

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  43. Great! An MOCER I know thinks just the same way!
    Many of his creations use strange colors and asymmetric styles, and they still look great! All MOCers should use this philosophy; no everyone should. Colors and asymmetry make the universe unique.

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  44. those are the rules people often forget those are truely golden rules

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  45. You do not need to change at all.
    In fact, you were the one that got me into MOCing!
    If your other fans don't like what you do or how you do it,they need to start letting people do things they're own way.

    Sigy from Anonymous

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  46. When you said that a head can be used on a weapon you were 100% RIGHT! My brother made a hero sized villain with a head on his arm mounted cannon, it looked awesome! And that's pretty good for a 7 year old.

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  47. Nicely said, JANG! you really helped to define what the LEGO System is all about!

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