WTF @ TFW - 217 - September 13 2012

Discussion in 'WTF @ TFW Transformers Podcast' started by Vangelus, Sep 24, 2012.

  1. Vangelus

    Vangelus Long Live the New Flesh Moderator Content Contributor

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    WTF @ TFW - 217 - September 13 2012

    [​IMG]

    Typin' like madmen and Fittin' like Bittins are the crew of Vangelus, GogDog, and Seth Buzzard with another week's look at the news of the Trans4mers franchise and fandom.

    00:00:00 - Opening
    00:00:45 - Intro
    00:06:48 - TRANS4MERS
    00:16:16 - New Pic Picks
    00:37:09 - Beast Hunters
    00:50:07 - TakaraTomy Upcoming Releases
    00:58:14 - Listener Question from JimTheJIRRMan
    01:12:53 - Intermission
    01:14:54 - What We Got This Week
    01:54:01 - What Tools For Self-Improvement We Got This Week
    02:40:37 - Ending and Outro

    Want to leave an audio listener question outside of Youtube or Private Messages? Call our WTF Hotline! These questions may be answered in recordings outside of numbered episodes, but feel free to mention your preference if it really matters to you.

    That number is...
    (318) 775-9830 or (318) 775-WTF0

    iTunes users - You can subscribe to and review the podcast here:
    iTunes Store

    Zune users - You can subscribe here:

    zune://subscribe/?WTF@TFW=http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/external.php?type=rss2&forumids=404

    The RSS feed which includes a media link for the m4a file is:

    WTF @ TFW Transformers Podcast - TFW2005.com

    And if you want an MP3 version, it's linked below:
    http://www.tfw2005.net/podcast/WTF_TFW2005_-_217_-_Sept_13_2012.mp3
     
  2. Seth Buzzard

    Seth Buzzard R.I.P. Buzzbeak Content Contributor

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    I know what that thing in the show picture is!
     
  3. guard convoy

    guard convoy The Big Daddy

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    can't wait to listen!
     
  4. ThisGuy

    ThisGuy True Leader

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    I was real board and about to call it a night but then this shows up. Thank you guys, your awesome.
     
  5. Baltan

    Baltan Space Ninja

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    Couldn't have come out at a better time to hole away for later.

    And aw yeah, 2/3 of this podcast is all about the fitness. I'll be over here, eating all the junk you guys won't.
     
  6. guard convoy

    guard convoy The Big Daddy

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    oh that intermission :lol  oh kissplay radio drama
     
  7. Grimwing

    Grimwing Scientist Supreme

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    Right when I had nothing to listen to either.
    Kissplay.
     
  8. I AM UNICRON

    I AM UNICRON BIG BAD BOSS

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    nice!
     
  9. Megastar

    Megastar Well-Known Member

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    Cool!
     
  10. updatedude

    updatedude Well-Known Member

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    The funny thing is that if you're a purchaser or a merchandiser for a retailer, as far as the statistics (and stats don't lie) show, Bumblebee is your biggest seller.

    According to your stats, the last wave of 8 deluxes sold only 1 of each new character, but sold 2 or even 3 Bumblebees. So Bumblebee will see twice or trice as many figures sold as any other character. So if Hasbro comes to you with a wave of 8 deluxes with only 1 Bumblebee, you're going to insist on more Bumblebees than that. You need at least 3 or 4 Bumblebees to make sure you can keep up with demand, even if it means having 1 or 2 extra Bumblebees.

    The flaw in that logic is... in previous waves, the waves consisted of 4 new characters and 4 Bumblebees. Everyone bought 1 of each character (including Bumblebee) and then everyone else bought 1 or 2 Bumblebees because there's nothing else to buy. Or if you're a parent who doesn't care about Transformers, Bumblebee is one of the only characters you know. Or hey, all the shop has is Bumblebees, therefore Bumblebee must be the most popular toy!

    As a result, Bumblebee is your biggest seller because he's the one with the highest supply. No other character can possibly outsell Bumblebee because they only have 1 per case while BB has 4. If a collector buys one of each char in a wave, then each time a casual buys a BB, BB's ratio shoots up by 100%.

    But here's the thing, purchasers aren't Transformers fans. Oh, maybe some are, but how many of 'em are as nuts about Transformers as we are? And purchasers have to deal with loads of brands. There's Hasbro boys, Hasbro babies, Hasbro girls. There's Mattel boys, girls and babies. There's Megabloks and Lego and those vaguely KO/Bootleg toys. There's Ben 10, Transformers, Power Rangers, Hot Wheels, Sylvanian Family, MLP, Barbie and loads more. And they have to order for all their branches. It's not just one Toys R Us, it's every one for however large their area covers.

    So, the purchasers are overwhelmed. They have no choice but to look to the statistics when making purchasing decisions. And the statistics say, Bumblebee is their biggest seller. So they won't order any wave unless it has at least 2 or 3 Bumblebees.

    It's a vicious cycle.
     
  11. TedimusPrime

    TedimusPrime Full Time Toy Designer

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    Holy crap I missed this. I really needed another podcast. This is the second best way to wake up.
     
  12. Skeeve

    Skeeve Well-Known Member

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    Having new characters is part of a good strategy to sell more toys. The other part is making them into actual characters in the movie. Other than Prime or Bumblebee, what transformers on film were going to make kids excited to buy their toys? How many kids do you think would even notice what their names are? If Hasbro told Michael Bay to drop the American military in his Transformer films, there'd be way more for them to do, and several more reasons to be excited about them. Michael Bay, however, is never going to do this. Spielberg has already approached Col. Moreshower about being in the new movie, in fact.

    I don't even hate the idea of human protagonists in TF films, but the human military angle is really choking the potential out of a movie franchise about two sides of robots fighting each other. It's their war, and in order for the conflict to have any emotional resonance, we need to see it from their perspective.
     
  13. ToasterPrime

    ToasterPrime Toast maker

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    So I'm listening to the podcast via Quicktime, and adjusting the display box just for fun.

    them, suddenly, without any warning:

    [​IMG]

    Dam. I sneaked 'the Bay' on myself. Imagine that on a big computer screen.
    gotta be more careful in the future, this hobby can be dangerous...
     
  14. RyLegacy

    RyLegacy Well-Known Member

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    I agree with Seth about the "hasbro not controlling themselves" issue regarding movie characters. I am a big fan of movie Bumblebee.... and even tho I have quite a few of his toys, even I felt that Hasbro went way overboard with Bumblebee's for DOTM. Instead of having room for Leadfoot, Wheeljack and Soundwave.... there were far too many Bumblebees out there.

    I hope they do not get rid of him for the next movie... just tone down the damn toys, Hasbro... release one or maybe two and THAT'S IT.... don't release 7 or 8 different repaints. Make sure that you have enough room in the cases and waves for new movie characters and maybe even release toys for characters that aren't in it. Skids, Mudflap, Jolt and Skyhammer weren't in DOTM, yet they got good toys.
     
  15. excelhedge

    excelhedge Overseer of Weird

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    On the Bumblebee issue: A month ago I moved to Texas from Georgia, along the way I stop from 10 to 15 different stores (Toys R us, Wal-mart, Target) a found nothing but Movie & Prime Bumblebees with very few late Generations, and Woc Primes, Jazz , Shockwave that were few and far between. I couldn't even begin to tell how much of a disappointed I was to drive across all those states and haveing very little Transformers to show for it.
     
  16. Hypershock

    Hypershock Well-Known Member

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    i think the Beast Hunters slide was for another country, and they are behind on TF Prime, that's why it said 2013 for them because that is when it will come out for them
     
  17. Stardust262

    Stardust262 Moe is the Only Way

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    Live action Hot Shot go go go! :rock 
     
  18. AxionPrime

    AxionPrime Well-Known Member

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    Illini! Illini! We're called Illini! (Chicago native speaking)
     
  19. JimTheJIRRMan

    JimTheJIRRMan Droop Snoot

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    JimTheJIIIIIRRRRRRRRR Maan! xD I loved it. Thanks so much guys.
     
  20. RamenJunkie

    RamenJunkie Well-Known Member

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    Its not Illini, it's "Rednecks" (Non Chicago Illinoisian).