Star Wars droid design

[Gorn Captain]

While I will always love R2 (the real hero of SW), I have to admit that BB-8's design makes a lot of sense. This droid can really be part of the action, instead of wobbling and rolling into the furniture.
And now that this dynamic design is out there, can they really go back to the old one?
Should R2 get a make-over, maybe adding some "balls" to his legs and torso? (ahum...)
R2 is going to be left out of a lot, when sticking to the original concept. Maybe they can upgrade his mobility, use some of that BB-8 versatility?
What do you think?

[Hedji]

If they don't ignore the Prequels, Artoo can fly... so, there's that. Ahem. (Love the Prequels, didn't care for that aspect).

It is an interesting concept, though. Artoo and Threepio are really old relics. By the time of Force Awakens, they're like 60 years old or something. Just think of how quickly we discard or upgrade obsolete technology. That'd be like us still using reel-to-reel computers. So their A.I. and computing power must still be valid. Why does the Resistance, or the Galaxy for that matter, keep these old droids around? Threepio himself has always stated his joints are a design weakness. Is it because they are autonomous and self-aware that they are protected from demolition or recycling? They could make Luke a flesh covered bionic hand, but we have yet to see full cyborg replicants in the SW Universe.

The trouble with building a Universe is there is a tendency for writers an viewers to need to fill in the gaps of logic that exist. You're absolutely right, the Resistance would probably extract Artoo's hard drive and load it into a new BB Astromech Unit.

[Klosterheim]

I think the R2 canister torso could hold more tools and a larger variety of them.

So, they would still have their advantages in an environment that contains higher technology.

As a movie, I'd never want them to abandon the look and style. In part nostalgia, in part practicality and in part that it's too superb of a design not to use.

Also R2 units mainly are supposed to stay with or on the spaceships, therefore planet exploration and emergency action speed are not a prerequisite.

Just because something is old, we do not throw it out.

The entire Star Wars Galaxy is based on old junk and a lived in world.

Currency levels are a great factor in all seven of the Star Wars live action films.

[Mikey]

Didn't see the movie yet but from the clips I've seen to me general shape kinda rips off V.I.N.cent

[Hedji]

I'd venture a guess that any similarities between V.I.N.cent and BB-8 are unintentional at best. I adore V.I.N.cent as the day is long, but Black Hole has really fallen off of Disney's radar. As one of their red-headed stepchildren, it hasn't even got a Blu Ray release.

[Gorn Captain]

If R2 is going to have a bigger part in ep8, which I reallly hope, he'll need a little update. But hopefully no jetpack and flamethrowers. I truly hated that in the prequels.