MAAS Toys Tetra Jets

Discussion in 'Transformers 3rd Party Discussion' started by daimchoc, Jul 17, 2017.

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  1. Spence

    Spence Well-Known Member

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    I can only guess how that interview would go at the bank.

    MAAS - yes we would like to borrow some money to create this toy.
    Bank - Sure, can we see the designs and production numbers and all related information?
    MAAS - Sure, here is everything you need. *hands over book of papers*
    Bank - Very nice, everything is looking good, but this design, it seems familiar.
    MAAS - yes, indeed, it is based off an original design from a Transformers Cartoon in the 80's.
    Bank - You mean Transformers the show, owned by Hasbro.
    MAAS - yes indeed.
    Bank - denied.

    And obviously your knowledge on how FT, Gigapower or any of the other 3p guys got started is a little murky. There is very little in the 3p world that got started actually legit with legit money. There is also some pretty impressive documentaries on how some of the big companies 'got started'. I would suggest checking them out. Lego especially. Judging a company on the end result of 30 to 50 years of operation is just an unquantifiable equation. And yes, other 3p companies did get started using crowdfunding, only not as you know it today.

    FansProject's first big endeavor was fully paid for by the retailers. FP got all of the retailers to pay for their orders half up front, which covered the molding costs and then pay the second half months before delivery, thereby paying for the production. it was a very different time back then and retailers were more receptive to investing into product for production to provide something different to the marketplace. BBTS has heavily invested in many projects over the years and without them I can assure you that a lot of 3p never would have been able to get started.

    Oh and last bit, Hasbro recently crowdfunded for their Jabba Sail Barge. So your mulitmillion dollar company has indeed used crowdfunding for a project.

    Food for thought.
     
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  2. MasterScale

    MasterScale Loose, comes with baggage...

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    I actually like Impossible Toy's alt mode the best. Don't get me wrong: MAAS Toys is great looking all the way around. And for the price point, Hasbro's is great, too. And for all the complaints about the visible folded up robot parts on Hasbro's version (I complained about it as well, to be fair), it's really nothing terribly different (in terms of visible robo kibble) from their Airelbot's or subsequent remolds. Well, maybe a worse.
     
  3. jamarmiller

    jamarmiller S.K.A.R. LEADER

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    Yeah impossible toys tetra jet jet mode is by far my favorite g1 cartoon tetra jet . The robot mode on hasbro and mass toys are of course better
     
  4. LBock

    LBock Well-Known Member

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    October update from MAAS Toys on Facebook:

    Just a quick update on Renegade and where we are currently at with the project.


    Unfortunately at this time we are still waiting for people to put in their payment or contact us to make other arrangements, but we have sent out emails to everyone that they have until Oct 10th which is a few days from now. If we have not received your payment or an email contacting us regarding your payment, pledges will be cancelled and we will move on from there. We will be doing a full report on how many backers have covered their pledge and how many failed to fulfill their pledge in the end.

    In the meantime we have been in contact with our factory and as soon as funds can be sent we will begin the process of going over the 3d from the designers and making any changes that are needed according to the factory engineers. We will be going over all the different areas that need possible changes including the best way to go about doing the joints and ensuring they are enough to hold the weight of the figure and to maintain our very strict level of possibility required.

    In the meantime, be sure to follow our Facebook page or check our Website regularly. We will be posting an update each month on where we are at in our progress close to the beginning of each month and we will share that update on our site and on our FB page. Any comments and concerns are appreciated and welcomed. Use our social media channels to communicate with us or you can send us an email directly using our contact us page on www.maastoys.com.
     
  5. Pcm979

    Pcm979 Well-Known Mimber

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    Good to know. Once we're sure these things are going into production and we get some reviewer samples circulated I'll put in a pre-order for Wraith.
     
  6. Max Tower

    Max Tower Well-Known Member

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    This might not even be the only Tetra Jet we get (or at least ones that lean in the direction of FOC/Cybertron Starscream) as well as the Bumblebee Movie Seekers are not that far away from a Tetrajet.

    Perhaps the Cyberverse line might do something with it too - It would have been ideal for The Rainmakers/Welcoming Comittee to be like that.

    I don't want to be rude but yeah Impossible toys alt mode is the nicest so far. But yes everyone else's robot mode is better.

    P.s.

    I hope Maas is very stringent with the landing gear I remain concerned about them being a weak spot.
     
  7. LBock

    LBock Well-Known Member

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    I think everyone would rather pay for the figure when they receive it rather than ahead of time. However, I personally would rather participate in a crowdfund to get a new company with new ideas off the ground if it's the difference between a figure getting made or not. I'd rather see companies like MAAS take chances and produce figures like these than to see yet another G1 design. You're seeing a lot of 3P companies scale back on their offerings now because most of the G1 MP figures have been made and they don't want to take a chance on something they aren't sure will make money. If it takes a crowdfund to get a new trend started, then so be it.
     
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  8. Robogeek28

    Robogeek28 Proud grandpa

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    Dick move not paying out money that you've promised...
     
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  9. myrrh

    myrrh Knell-Mown Wember

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    ...so - just speaking for myself here - those of us who couldn’t afford to pledge during the campaign period but now find ourselves in improved financial standing might be in a position to take over some of those unfulfilled pledges...

    ...i know during the campaign MAAS occasionally encouraged folks to pledge even if they couldn’t afford to follow through, which i was unwilling to do due to the exact circumstances in which the campaign now finds itself...

    ...any possibility of opening up the renegade campaign for second-chance pledges with immediate payment?..all my skiff variants are looking awfully lonely...
     
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  10. ProtectronPrime

    ProtectronPrime Subjectively Objective

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    Without going too far down the rabbit hole, I'll second this. If you do a little digging, you'll find that almost every large company has some pretty terrible skeletons in their closet. Crowdfunding isn't a perfect thing, and there've been more than a few people burned out of cash here and there, but it's a far cry from the bad acts of some companies. Siemens is a particularly fun one. While I didn't toss money into the Tetras (I'm still on the fence on them, especially given the Neo WfC toys), I respect MAAS and it's like for what it's delivering.
     
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  11. CrackerBoy

    CrackerBoy Señor Member TFW2005 Supporter

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    I paid for mine when i pledged, that way i knew i wouldn't forget.
     
  12. alzabanur

    alzabanur Well-Known Member

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    Mayhem Mekanics Present Unrustable Bastards

    Currently going on
     
  13. Soundwave2

    Soundwave2 Banned

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    So it’s not looking good for BBTS’s 4th Qtr ETA, huh?:lol 
     
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  14. Superquad7

    Superquad7 OCP Police Crime Prevention Unit 001 Super Content Contributor

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    I think they've had their plate full with things. I'm anxiously awaiting my set. :) 
     
  15. LBock

    LBock Well-Known Member

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    No idea where BBTS got a 4Q 2018 ETA. When the crowdfund was going on last summer, @Spence said the estimate was possibly late spring and more likely summer 2019. Not sure what impact the change in factory has had on the timeline.
     
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  16. Kurisama

    Kurisama Pew pew pew!

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    Perhaps if everyone who pledged actually paid up, the project would be further along.
     
  17. Hicks_Royel

    Hicks_Royel Hurts feelings being honest.

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    Yep, BBTS' projected date was always inaccurate. For some reason, I was thinking fourth quarter 2019.

    ... Kinda ironic though.

    Still, this is why I ordered through BBTS instead of directly funding the effort. Knowing the fallout of the MM nonsense, I'd be sorely pissed investing in tetra seekers only to wind up with store credit and/or a raffled chance at the prototype. Especially given they're going to run out of Bastards to sell off at some point.
     
    Last edited: Dec 23, 2018
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  18. Scourgatron

    Scourgatron 4D Smart-ass

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    I just wanted Tetra modes so, I'm gonna buy the Seige Seekers and, pop my extra Mp Null Rays on there.
     
  19. Calabask

    Calabask Waspinator Cultist

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    I have the distinct feeling that the delays and lack of updates are not because of a delay or people paying money. I think most if not all people paid and I suspect there is more to this than what is shown. As everyone might recall the Funding was to be for the funding of /one/ seeker, and suddenly without an increase in the amount requested, suddenly all six were being funded instead of being stretch goals like they were originally by the same amount of money.

    There is also the rumor that towards the end a large portion of money was donated supposedly by a source towards the end, or a rather significant leap in the funding towards the end one that no one knows anything about. This is starting to seem like vapor ware, and I would highly consider seeking refunds via PayPal or the credit card company you paid through.
     
  20. edgecrusher

    edgecrusher "She wanted nothin', and I delivered." TFW2005 Supporter

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    :rolleyes:  It's easy to create conspiracy theories out of thin air. Like Company X took the funds pledged for Project 1, created Company Y and used the funds to create their first product, Project 2. And now Company X can't deliver on Project 1.5 because the funds that would have been used for that no longer exist. Companies do take risky bets at times, but without evidence, you're just spinning FUD and potentially endangering the ability for a legit crowdfunded product to come to market by sowing that FUD among the funding audience to get them to back out. When you can demonstrate your "feeling" is founded in evidence rather than some sort of personal grudge, people will be more willing to listen.
     
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