I think I'll hold off on this one for now. The grey ball joints and light floor are lame. 2x points is not a good incentive (extra 5%) versus a good GWP (15-20%).

Snap

I wonder why TLG refuses to produce the ball joints in other colors…

@CCC said:
" @lordofdragonss said:
" @merman said:
"I wonder why TLG refuses to produce the ball joints in other colors…"

Because of the grip. Its different on other colors according to designer, and grays won the durability tests"

That could well just be one of those LEGO statements that a single designer mentions once to avoid answering a question they don't want to answer.

It was known almost a decade ago that old balls (any colour) into the then new cups work perfectly well, as discussed on New Elementary. https://www.newelementary.com/2013/12/new-legends.html

I've never really understood the argument that a part with one dye colour has such a different performance to the same part with a different dye. More so if they are not used to hold much weight."

Old bricks were made differently than new ones.

Well, I have plenty of non-gray ball joints (obvs non-Lego) and can't say that there's a difference in grip. They've been through plenty of build/play/disassemble cycles and no issues whatsoever.

Got my set closing an eye on the grey ball-joints. What can you do?...

I'll try to MOC the floor, actually the whole stage - which looked beautiful - and attempt to reinstate the original submission design.

@CCC said:
" @lordofdragonss said:
" @merman said:
"I wonder why TLG refuses to produce the ball joints in other colors…"

Because of the grip. Its different on other colors according to designer, and grays won the durability tests"

That could well just be one of those LEGO statements that a single designer mentions once to avoid answering a question they don't want to answer. "

I don't have a link to the interview, but the designer did explain in quite some detail. The clutch power on the mixel joints is critical - too tight they won't be moveable, too loose and they won't be able to hold a position. The moulds were made to very high precision, more so than for regular bricks.

However, changing the dye that colours the brick affects the size of the final brick, only by a few microns, but it's enough to change the behaviour of the mixel joint. They had loads of test data for light and dark bluish gray bricks, so the parts were locked to those colours. Other colours would be nice, but my understanding was that they'd basically need to create a new mould for each colour they used.

Interesting to see that the self appointed "quality leader" is unable to do something that others can provide without issue (and at far lower cost one might add).
In LEGO's "defense", I believe that this isn't due to incompetence, but rather unwillingness.

After all, there are enough pieces in the current lineup that have quite bad clutch power right out of the box, no one at TLG seems to care about that as much as they apparently care about the Mixel ball joints.

I think I prefer the original. If at some point I decide I have to get it, I will, but right now there are other sets I'd rather have.

Does anyone know how Bionicle ball joints were made in tons of colors? Do they function despite color changes because they are bigger?

Another unattractive and pointless "Adult Icons" set from my point of view, but let the buyers decide. Soon to become a 30% discounted set everywhere, my bet.

I know the piano woman and trumpeter are black, but are the drummer and bass player white or hispanic?

@MugenLazlo said:
"I know the piano woman and trumpeter are black, but are the drummer and bass player white or hispanic?"

If you are asking what races are represented by these plastic characters, it's left up to your interpretation. But none of these are 'black' or 'white' or 'hispanic', they're just colored plastic caricatures.

I think I'll wait for a sale. I much preferred the original design on the figures even if they weren't as structurally sound.

@kingalbino said:
"Snap"
Crackle

@sjr60 said:
" @kingalbino said:
"Snap"
Crackle"

Pop

When they released the first images, it had a certain level of appeal.
Now, a week later, I have absolutely no desire to buy this.

@Zackula said:
"Does anyone know how Bionicle ball joints were made in tons of colors? Do they function despite color changes because they are bigger? "

Do I really need to mention the Brittle Lime Bionicle Joints Debacle of 2008? Some of the ones my family had broke if you used them once... and by that, I mean put something in the ball socket. Moving or removing would break it too.

This "new" problem with ball sockets isn't actually new.

@darkstonegrey said:
" @MugenLazlo said:
"I know the piano woman and trumpeter are black, but are the drummer and bass player white or hispanic?"

If you are asking what races are represented by these plastic characters, it's left up to your interpretation. But none of these are 'black' or 'white' or 'hispanic', they're just colored plastic caricatures."

I'm aware of that, but the pianoist and trumpeter do use a reddish brown color for the skin tone, so that makes them black. The bass player and drummer use what apeears to be a mixture of nougat and medium nougat for the skin tone. I can;t tell which race those two are. I'm Italian American BTW.

Now back on topic, the set looks quite good in my book.