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Down_Shift wrote:Wreck-Gar on the other hand I forgot to ask questions about.

I spoke to them at length about the Junkion set at the con. FP explained to me that the junkion release would be a two pack. So that the characters can ride each other like in the animated movie.

He did not specifically say it was Wreckgar himself, but confirmed they were junkions and that the set would NOT be identical molds. He actually told me they were entertaining the idea of one male and one female junkion.

Another tidbit was that the dolly that attaches the city/powered/shadow commander sets to the G3 trailer is not an add on piece, it actually flips out from underneath the main trailer.

We spoke about the combiner as well, they told me it will fit in nicely with a G1 display and will be very simple in its transformation to maintain the charm of a G1 combiner.

Finally, we talked about the superion limb upgrades (which looked FANTASTIC)
I asked him about the colour scheme, he said they are keeping it neutral, dark grey or black. This will make it work with both the energon and the movie release.

Some bad news was they wont be mass producing the mini classics megatron gun for classics starscream to hold, and that there are no plans to re-release the CJ set now that they could lower the cost.
He also told me there is no plan at this point to do a nemesis version of the G3 trailer, but if they did do one, it would be more than just a repaint.

If I remember anything else I will post it, they were great to talk to, extremely passionate and forthcoming. You really got the sense it was a fan talking to another fan.

I figure there are a few factors that may keep Has/Tak of FP's back. These figures will be at a considerably higher price point than any version Has/Tak will procduce and they will only be available thru online retailers. You'll never see a FP's item hanging on a peg at Wal-Mart right next to it's Has/Tak version for a similar price. FP products have a small production run. That combination of factors means for the most part only hardcore adult collectors are in their market, which Has/Tak has repeatedly stated only makes up less than 10% of their market. I hope that enough to keep Has/Tak at bay.

El Duque wrote:I figure there are a few factors that may keep Has/Tak of FP's back. These figures will be at a considerably higher price point than any version Has/Tak will procduce and they will only be available thru online retailers. You'll never see a FP's item hanging on a peg at Wal-Mart right next to it's Has/Tak version for a similar price. FP products have a small production run. That combination of factors means for the most part only hardcore adult collectors are in their market, which Has/Tak has repeatedly stated only makes up less than 10% of their market. I hope that enough to keep Has/Tak at bay.

I love what these guys do so I hope you’re right. That Junkion sounds really cool.

Copyright and trademark infringement is just that, no matter how you cut it (price point, volume, quality, etc.). FP is definitely not just dipping their toes into these waters now with their stand-alone figures; they’re diving right in. Things could get ugly if Hasbro or Takara decides to make an example out of them, especially now that they’re getting so much buzz.

Okay, so it might be difficult for HasTak to sue FP over 'Springer'. But they could try other means.

I mean, if Hasbro think FP are starting to step over the line, they could just sue them over the Magnus armour, or even the Rodimus armour. Sure, these are only add-ons, but add-ons that have the distinctive appearance of HasTak-owned property.

So if FP do continue to put out all these new toys, and maybe step on HasTak's toes, all they have to do is go back to the original - Ultra Magnus, and sue them over the design of that. Okay, so it's an add-on, but the character design is unquestionably based on a character for which FP do not own the intellectual rights.

However, in FPs favour, they are only (thus far) producing in limited numbers. I hope they don't get cocky and start producing in big numbers, because then that really WOULD get HasTak's attention.

Secondly, they appear to be a non-profit organisation, with every penny they make going back in to R&D (as I understand it, anyway). Hasbro might well take a dim view if FP start making serious money with their organisation.

Basically, however, my view is this. Magnus and Rodimus are Hasbro-owned properties, and FP are using their likenesses without permission. Now, we all like to portray FP as the nice guys and Hasbro as evil corporate scum, but in this case I'm on the side of Hasbro.

If (and it's a very big if) Habro want to sue FP, they will win, and win deservedly.

By the way, I asked if the other "myster TF" was Blitzwing and they quickly corrected me. So I think it just might be a Blitzwing.

The people at FP are painfully aware that they could be sued ... which is why the Megatron guns won't be sold. Too similar tin design to what HasTak makes. But, you know what? If the Impossible Toys crews didn't get sued over making the Quints, Kremzeek, Spike, and Sparkplug ... I don't think anyone will get sued.

There's just so many fan productions out there. Did anyone get sued over WS Dinos? How about the WSTF Seekers? King Toy's mid sized Seeker set? All those are full figures and some even transform.

Gauntlet101010 wrote:By the way, I asked if the other "myster TF" was Blitzwing and they quickly corrected me. So I think it just might be a Blitzwing.

Broadside actually.

Mkall wrote:

Gauntlet101010 wrote:By the way, I asked if the other "myster TF" was Blitzwing and they quickly corrected me. So I think it just might be a Blitzwing.

Broadside actually.

Then why did he react so quickly when I said "Blitzwing"?

Broadside is good too, though ....
*saves money for Springer*

Wow this is awesome, Springer is probably a stand alone...Warbot screams broadside to me... Rodimus looks awesome... I don't know about the combiners though... but collector looks cool

Dial up users beware.

While the onslaught of pictures are loading, I'll give you guys a brief summery of what else was covered on day 2 regarding FansProjects
--Collector (aka Wreckgar) is looking like a two-mech set, currently proposed is making one male and one female. This is done so that they can ride one another (double entendre is there)
--Currently they are debating which size is better for the as-of-yet unnamed warbot based off of Broadside. Big (he mimed about one foot tall!) would be in better scale, but smaller (voyager sized maybe) would be more affordable, both to the FansProject team and collectors.
--As it's been said before in the thread, the mini Megatron pistols and the matrix replicas will not see mass production. Not because of potential legal action though. It's because they just want to produce their own designs.

I admit some of these pics might not be of the best quality, but here's the more in depth shots Down_Shift and I took on day 2.

starfish wrote:I mean, if Hasbro think FP are starting to step over the line, they could just sue them over the Magnus armour, or even the Rodimus armour. Sure, these are only add-ons, but add-ons that have the distinctive appearance of HasTak-owned property.

Erm, to be honest, the Rodimus armor only looks like Hasbro's IP in its "Winnebego" form. The robot mode doesn't look like the med/late 80's versions of Rodimus Prime in the slightest, except for head and color scheme, IMHO.