I just got my wave 3 FoC figures in today and from my casual observations, they seem to have a number more paint apps than the first FoC wave. I mean comparing Sideswipe to Jazz, Sideswipe just looks more detailed. They even painted a little silver on his arms and legs compared to Jazz. Starscream doesn't seem to be lacking any paint apps either. There isn't anything I see on him that jumps out as in need of paint. If my observations are accurate, mayhap we are past the worst of the cut backs?
i have noticed this as well. defiantly seem to be slightly more paint on them or maybe just in better places?
Dear god I hope so. Maybe the plastic quality and amount of it will be increasing soon enough. *crosses fingers*
I noticed size might be increasing to. Or plastic content. Soundwave looks pretty big from what we've seen, (like old Voyager size) and Grimlock looks to be the same size or bigger. (and has his electronics built-in) And the FOC Wreckers, while based on tiny toys, have big weapons in addition to their old ones to fill out the card so to speak.
So far, I see no reason to think anything has actually changed. With wave 3 of FOC, we're dealing with a wave that's primarily remolds, with only one of them actually being a heavy remold. All remolds and accessories were most likely designed along with the original figures since we know hasbro does that now, which probably explains why everything in wave 1 was trash (well, at least in my eyes, and I own all three). We also know that hasbro budgets and distributes paint apps by wave. Only two toys in wave 3 are completely new for this wave. Think about that. Everything else in there was done in wave 1, just not released. Wave 3 was cheap as hell to produce for them, so of course they could splurge on paint. FOC Voyager wave 1 is effectively one figure. So the size probably has a hell of a lot to do with that. Normal voyager waves are two molds these days. Not this time. One mold. That's saving them a lot of money, so they can throw more at the single mold in the wave and it's repaint. Sure, Blaster's remold was designed and budgeted with the Soundwave mold, but that's just a new head, chest plate, and gun. The Wrecker combiner was also likely designed and budgeted into the original Bruticus, so if you're wondering why those guys were so damn hollow and flimsy feeling, there's your answer. A lot of their plastic went into second heads and big guns. I'll start thinking things actually changed when we get a solid wave of new molds that are up to the same standards as deluxe wave 3 and voyager wave 1.
I could be wrong here - but I always assumed figures are budgeted by entire LINES, rather than waves?
Hasbro budgets paint apps by waves (we found this out during RTS/Generations, I believe), but yeah, they do actual figures in lines instead of waves as far as I can tell. 3/5 of Wave 3 is still all old stuff that was all included in the budgets and designs for Optimus, Jazz, and Shockwave. 1/5 is a very repaintable mold that needs no remolds to be sold again as different characters. I'm just trying to point out that nothing has actually changed, paint apps aren't making a miraculous return and figure quality isn't going up again because Starscream doesn't suck, it only appears that way due to hasbro's repaint/remold strategy to cut figure costs.
Yeah, to Valkysas you should listen. I don't wanna be a Negatron, but that's something very common when it comes to repaints/retools. It's simple. They've already spent the dough on design, engineering and mold-casting. Now (when doing a repaint of an already made mold) they can splurge a little on paint. Look at any repaint from the recent movie lines or even any other part of the CHUG lines... 9 times out of 10, the repaints have much nicer and more detailed deco's than the original release.
I just got Starscream, Kickback and Magnus and they are really painted well. Magnus looks 100x better than optimus. Starscream and Kickback feel like they're from a different line alltogether. solid figures. I hope it's a trend but I'm doubtful
I noticed this too. I thought starscreams legs were going to be that grey plastic, but then I saw a review for him and his legs are silver!
I'm just gonna cross my fingers and enjoy Wave 3 when I get my hands on them. Holy shit!! Well, he IS the shiniest, or at least, most noticeably shiny, character in the game. But I am shocked that they're actually bringing back DETAIL. Wait... Did anyone remember that Beast Optimus Prime? Makes me doubt that paint apps is a returning trend...