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Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

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Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby gbm » Thu Oct 18, 2012 8:48 am

Ok I was just thinking about this, and I can't seem to come up with any good reasons, so I thought I'd toss it out to the professional. ;)

Why do some toys show obvious, and total mess ups in design or color, etc?

Perfect example:

the Knock Out Prime figure having BLACK wheels when it's clear as day that the character on TV has GOLD wheels!? (even the Burger King toy got it right, as one Youtube reviewer so eloquently stated)

Well????
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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVSIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby GuyIncognito » Thu Oct 18, 2012 8:49 am

2 reasons:

Budget constraints

People make mistakes
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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVSIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby gbm » Thu Oct 18, 2012 8:58 am

GuyIncognito wrote:2 reasons:

Budget constraints

People make mistakes



Budget, I can understand...

but an OOOOPS, not so much.
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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby Jelze Bunnycat » Thu Oct 18, 2012 9:00 am

Motto: "The only good is knowledge, and the only evil is ignorance."
Here's another: prioritizing gimmicks over designs.
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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby gbm » Thu Oct 18, 2012 9:01 am

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Here's another: prioritizing gimmicks over designs.


Like most of us here, I'll take an accurate design over a kung-fu chop gimmick any day! :lol:
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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby alldarker » Thu Oct 18, 2012 9:03 am

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Budget restraints and production deadlines which need to be made are the primary reasons. Remember, these are children's toys we are talking about, not high-quality electronics (and even those often have design flaws). If it's flawed, then it's flawed: a kid's fantasy will just have to work around it.

Anyhow, on this note, I'm still annoyed by the poor design of G1 Astrotrain's arms and by G1 Broadside's completely lackluster transformations.
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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby gbm » Thu Oct 18, 2012 9:07 am

alldarker wrote:Budget restraints and production deadlines which need to be made are the primary reasons. Remember, these are children's toys we are talking about, not high-quality electronics (and even those often have design flaws). If it's flawed, then it's flawed: a kid's fantasy will just have to work around it.

Anyhow, on this note, I'm still annoyed by the poor design of G1 Astrotrain's arms and by G1 Broadside's completely lackluster transformations.



Hey! Kids deserve some quality control too ya know! lol
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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby Valandar » Thu Oct 18, 2012 4:26 pm

Motto: "It doesn't matter if the glass is half full or half empty, only that you work to make it full."
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gbm wrote:
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Here's another: prioritizing gimmicks over designs.


Like most of us here, I'll take an accurate design over a kung-fu chop gimmick any day! :lol:


But kids, who are the primary customer targets, would rather it do something cool - and nowadays, just transforming isn't enough.
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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby RAcast » Thu Oct 18, 2012 4:58 pm

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gbm wrote:the Knock Out Prime figure having BLACK wheels when it's clear as day that the character on TV has GOLD wheels!?

Because wheels are black.
Rims are gold.
And budget constraints on the initial use of a mold.
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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby Blurrz » Thu Oct 18, 2012 5:15 pm

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Designs for 'toons tend to change from pre-production to post-production. Toys usually get designs during pre-production.
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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby FortMacs » Thu Oct 18, 2012 11:15 pm

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Valandar wrote:
gbm wrote:
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Here's another: prioritizing gimmicks over designs.


Like most of us here, I'll take an accurate design over a kung-fu chop gimmick any day! :lol:


But kids, who are the primary customer targets, would rather it do something cool - and nowadays, just transforming isn't enough.



Ive always hated any toy with an action gimmick. even when i was a kid it aggravated me to no end that i couldnt make a certain toy do a pose because he was limited because his arm/arms or waist was used for a kung fu chop or some swing attack.

Articulation is the best "gimmick" Im sure i wasnt the only one to think this way as a kid.

I think its more of them thinking kids want a gimmick to make it more fun.

as for colors...well things change during production probably comes down to price and what they think looks better. or what they think kids may think looks better.
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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby Mykltron » Fri Oct 19, 2012 3:28 am

Motto: "If I win again I'm still the champion. If you win HAH! that's just impossible.

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How does one explain Leaders Ironhide and Jetfire coming out blue? Or RotF Voyager Megatron coming out green?
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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby Breakdown 2099 » Fri Oct 19, 2012 4:14 am

Mykltron wrote:How does one explain Leaders Ironhide and Jetfire coming out blue? Or RotF Voyager Megatron coming out green?


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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby Rushie » Fri Oct 19, 2012 6:53 am

Motto: "Eh, keep your little planet. I'll outlive it."
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I think that has to do with their desire to keep the line visually diverse and appealing to children and parents. A lot of movie designs are metallic greyish, especially Megatron, Ironhide and Jetfire lack colour.

So rather than make screen-accurate but boring decos, they chose similar tones that give the robot some more oomph. RotF Voyager Megatron's green seems to be based on him being rusty and rotten from lying underwater.
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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby gbm » Fri Oct 19, 2012 8:01 am

Regardless of the reason...

I still find myself laughing at myself for letting something like NO GOLD WHEELS on Knock Out being the reason for not buying him. :lol:

Can you paint them you think? (would it look ok?)
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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby Handels-Messerschmitt » Fri Oct 19, 2012 10:49 am

FortMacs wrote:Articulation is the best "gimmick" Im sure i wasnt the only one to think this way as a kid.


I thought like that, too. Transformation was enough of a gimmick for me. I won't say no to something sweet like hidden weapons or the like but it hast to be well done and not compromise the other modes. If the gimmick is seriously amazing in concept and in execution I can overlook a slightly flawed robot mode but I don't know what kind of gimmick that would be. A really good combiner, maybe?
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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby GuyIncognito » Fri Oct 19, 2012 10:56 am

Mykltron wrote:How does one explain Leaders Ironhide and Jetfire coming out blue? Or RotF Voyager Megatron coming out green?


I'm not sure what you mean. DOTM Leader Ironhide and ROTF Leader Jetfire are both black, with some blue inside-parts. It's a design decision that you may not like, but I wouldn't call that an "OBVIOUS mess up".

To me, an obvious mess up is something more along the lines of a figure that can't stand up in bot mode because it has too much back kibble, or something like that.
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Re: Discussion: Reasons for OBVIOUS mess ups in toys?

Postby Mykltron » Sat Oct 20, 2012 4:32 am

Motto: "If I win again I'm still the champion. If you win HAH! that's just impossible.

Weapon: tea cup."
GuyIncognito wrote:
Mykltron wrote:How does one explain Leaders Ironhide and Jetfire coming out blue? Or RotF Voyager Megatron coming out green?


I'm not sure what you mean. DOTM Leader Ironhide and ROTF Leader Jetfire are both black, with some blue inside-parts. It's a design decision that you may not like, but I wouldn't call that an "OBVIOUS mess up".

To me, an obvious mess up is something more along the lines of a figure that can't stand up in bot mode because it has too much back kibble, or something like that.


I agree that robots that can't stand is an obvious mess up but so is a black robot who's toy looks like he's wearing blue trousers. Go and take another look at Jetfire - he has blue external parts all over, as well as white. In the film he's black with gold parts.
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