Chopper is the best.

I love the noises he makes.

"BOP, BOP. WHOP WHOP WHOP, BAAAAAAAAH, BOP, BOP."

Also he's an ass.

*** *** ***

Both of those soccer ball droid gifs: I remember when they originally appeared on imgur. Nice to see them here.

What's wrong with the design?

If we use some of our Engineering skills and take the planets environment into consideration, that being a giant desert , this design starts to make sense. The large surface area of the ball might prevent the droid from sinking into the sand.

Normal astromechs have 3 thin, rolling legs that would (realistically) be prone to digging into the sand.

Think of it like this... you have two objects of equal mass trying to move across a beach, the normal astromech is a Bicycle, and the ball shaped astromech is a Beach Ball (with same mass as bicycle). Which one do you think moves more easily across the sand? (Have you ever tried to bike on the beach? I wouldn't recommend it, but maybe for some people it's a thing. I mean, people run miles with bags full of rocks on their backs, so anything is possible).

Maybe there is an issue with overcoming steep, sandy hills, but honestly, other astromechs probably have a just as bad (if not worse) time with climbing sand hills.

The internet upsets me sometimes! Getting mad at little things like a 4 second clip of some new idea a prop designer created for a movie...what has the world come to?!!!!

If we use some of our Engineering skills

This is where you made your mistake. Never ever try and apply real world engineering/physics/common sense/ANYTHING to Star Wars. Rule of Cool is all that counts and this thing is lame.

R2 has a cool name but if they call BB-8 'BB' throughout the trilogy then I'm going to be a hater.

Looks like its Jar Jars droid.

If we use some of our Engineering skills

This is where you made your mistake. Never ever try and apply real world engineering/physics/common sense/ANYTHING to Star Wars. Rule of Cool is all that counts and this thing is lame.

YES YES YES YES.

This man gets it!!!!

But remember it has to look like it functions too.

I have to ask who wins

BB-8 or mouse droid?

Mouse droids are really cute though.

This droid is awful but then I find I'm not a huge fan of most droids in star wars. Let us just say I can see why they don't serve their kind here and make them wait outside.

The thing is its *good* there are some designs you like in the films look and some you hate.

In real life im always seeing cars or motorbikes or clothes and going 'wow thats nice' or 'oh my god who on earth would buy that model... and in *lime green*'

Just makes it a more diverse and believable universe.

I mean its a miracle the amount of diverse styles of droids in the OT given the budget. I mean there are *dozens* just in the sandcrawler, some of them dont do anything but go 'gonk' but that diversity makes the films credible.

The beach ball droid is just one companies design isnt it. From what i've read i dont think its going to be a major element. I would *imagine* that given thar d2 and 3po were the the focal point around which the previous six films sort of include to a degree... i mean they are in every one and their actions have big effects. I'd imagine them to be in the next three.

They are the neutral narrators to a degree.

They are the bumbling thieves in hidden fortress caught up in events much bigger than them.

It's named, so I assume it to be major. Also Mark Hamill got to mess with it, and it's an actual prop. I doubt it's minor at all, really.

Kinda' similar to how there's a "Chopper" always running around at the place they make, "Rebels" at.

Im not so sure.

I think its clearly going to play a part but i dont think its going to be the 'new d2'.

I could be wrong.

Aside from trying to figure out how the "head" is attached to a ball shaped body I could see it being a fairly effective means of locomotion assuming the balance compensation keeps up. As a movement style it's certainly no worse than the Droideka.

I thought the droideka was kind of ingenious really.

As far as the shape goes...

Here, I made this for you guys. This is my theory on how BB-8 moves. Wheels are tilted, head is not (duh) magnetically attached, the wheels allow for solid control and the more important servos, systems, can be situated higher up where less moving parts are, reducing shock and potential damage. So if you guys want your answer as to how BB-8 moves, there it is.

It's not at all unlike a Dwemer Sphere from The Elder Scrolls.

They were really cool in skyrim. very eerie the first time you go into one of those ruins and find the automatons

Im not so sure.

I think its clearly going to play a part but i dont think its going to be the 'new d2'.

I could be wrong.

It might be. But I wouldn't mind that a lot, since R2 is Luke's droid. But who knows. Maybe R2 and 3P0 will come along.

But I'd not mind a fresh droid face around.

The internet upsets me sometimes! Getting mad at little things like a 4 second clip of some new idea a prop designer created for a movie...what has the world come to?!!!!

First world problems.

BB-8.. the BB stands for Big Balls - it is a droid line known for entertaining and large parties. Also, the droid is an AC/DC fan.

Wait a second.... isn't BB the small robot at the top? Isn't that just a normal ball that he's balancing on?

as a consumer, the ball is obviously superior to the drunken, teetering trashcan.

Personally I like the ball astromech and don't get the hate other than the usual fanboy reaction of "THIS IS DIFFERENT AND NEW AND I DON'T LIKE CHANGE! THEY'RE RUINING MY FAVORITE THING! >:C" Which sadly is all too common with Star Wars fans. Droids are one of my favorite things in Star Wars and I welcome new droid designs with an open mind as long as it isn't something horribly ugly and stupid.

I welcome new droid designs with an open mind as long as it isn't something horribly ugly and stupid.

I feel the same. Unfortunately this IS something horribly ugly and stupid.

Although if the rumors are true and BB-8 is just a minor bit of background flavor, that's fine. He's certainly no lamer looking than some of the background droids in the OT.

Star Wars has officially become known as Space Balls.

Oh, s**t. There goes the planet.

We have another designation for that droid.....R2FIFA.

And keeping with the gifs:

It's not a great design, but it's a better design than R2-D2.

May Jar Jar Binks ever haunt your dreams