Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

Counterpunch wrote:

Fender Bender wrote:And this is why I've been championing for them to increase the production run of the "Custom Class" figure and sell the kits to attendees just like the other figures.

CP is right with everything being molded the way it is now, there really isn't much customizing going on anymore.

Like most issues I have with the club, I'll keep on saying something about this issue, knowing full well I'll be ignored by them.

Yeah, they're pretty good at hiding from the fan-dom for the most part. You pretty much have to flame the hell out of the club to get a response from them (which is funny AND sad at the same time). Usually it results in Pete defending their practices and not taking any of the negative criticism into account while promising a vague possible change, but never delivering.

The Club has flaunted the "Smaller Production Run = Higher Cost per Toy" excuse on Botcon exclusives and Club exclusives for YEARS. So how is it the club can afford to only make about 50 of these? Wouldn't that mean the cost of making this kit would be INSANE based on their logic?

In the interest of saving the club from going under by making such high cost/low production runs, I implore them to make more of these kits to sell.

its real sad to think ill never be able to get this one since i love the animated arcee mold

This one actually pisses me off. G2 Sideswipe already had me pissed since I wanted that one instead of having to make a custom.

This is a straight up retool and it's a limited custom figure? someone tell me where the logic is in that?

Cosidering that the oil needed for plastic is DIRT CHEAP compared to oil used for our cars, there is no reason convention figures are more expensive cause of lower production runs. They are priced higher because of the simple fact that they have the "convention exclusive" label.

I'm going to hope that this is an attendee add on or something cause if they are using retools now for the class then that's just wrong.

This figure should not have been the custom class figure.

Maybe I've just never looked hard enough, but I've never seen these Botcon CC figs on Ebay, therefore I too look forward to this being KOed.

My main question though, is don't those antennae impede her transformation? I haven't transformed my Animated Arcee in a few months, but isn't her head kind of snugly wrapped up inside her car mode?

You you what would be great? If someone casted the heads.
Then I'd make my own damn Minerva.

Bumblevivisector wrote:Maybe I've just never looked hard enough, but I've never seen these Botcon CC figs on Ebay, therefore I too look forward to this being KOed.

My main question though, is don't those antennae impede her transformation? I haven't transformed my Animated Arcee in a few months, but isn't her head kind of snugly wrapped up inside her car mode?

Not really. Her head is just in the back there covered up by her hands.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:What you guys should also take into account is that Fun Publications is a separate business, and that the molds they use require a license from Hasbro. In fact, everything they do, including BotCon uses some sort of Transformers license. And trust me, those don't come cheap.

So, they already have the license to make the things...

How about they make some more?

Counterpunch wrote:What a bunch of smelly bullshit.

No one is learning anything about customization here, they're learning how to put a Gunpla together.

Not to mention, there seems to be no reason that BotCon can't make the kits available as a convention add on for little to no cost if they're going to bother making them at all.

I haven't even wanted nor really been envious of the past two year's custom figures, but all this is is an assembly line class.

Well, as you put the figure together and paint it, you:
1) use the same techniques you would use in customizing a figure
2) learn more about the design and mechanics of a transforming figure.

Those came in handy when I was repairing my broken Universe Ratchet figure.

The customization class was my favorite part of BotCon last year. I'd recommend it to anybody, regardless of whether they were custom decos or not.

That said, I agree that FunPub should make these available to everyone. It would:
1) Give everyone a chance to own a figure they want, without having to pay ridiculous after-market prices.
2) Open up seats for people in the class who truly want to learn, and not just people who want the rare figure.

I've heard it said that Hasbro doesn't want kits going out, since it makes it easier for knock-off companies to rip off the molds. If so, they could easily provide kits that have been partially assembled. Instead of getting the pieces on the sprues, a fan would get two assembled arms, two legs, the head and the torso. They could paint and assemble the figure from there.

Or just make the damn figures available en masse. There's no reason for only 60 G2 Redux Sideswipes to be in existence, when well more than 60 want them.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:What you guys should also take into account is that Fun Publications is a separate business, and that the molds they use require a license from Hasbro. In fact, everything they do, including BotCon uses some sort of Transformers license. And trust me, those don't come cheap.

Plus, making a product costs more than just the sum of its parts (someone with a better understanding of the supply chain could explain this better). Factory time is way more expensive with smaller runs. Factories are likely charging Fun Pub more to produce 2,000 Animated Motormasters than they are charging Hasbro to produce 50,000 Crankcases (with missing fingers, no less). The reason for this is because Fun Pub doesn't have the clout to negotiate better prices, therefore they MUST charge more for lower run figures. Additionally, there's more hidden costs like marketing and shipping. That stuff's not free.