Botcon attendee freebie is Zaptrap

Discussion in 'Transformers News and Rumors' started by Autobot City Comics 2008, Jun 17, 2015.

  1. G1Prowl

    G1Prowl Prick, apparently

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    I guess, but I also didn't see Crosscut sitting on shelves whereas other molds did indeed stagnate. It's hard as hell to peg fans down, the Diaclone thing is supposed to be the hot ticket. Maybe there was something about the execution? No symbol? Would it have been better to throw a boxed set of Diaclone decos as Shattered Glass?
     
  2. Anguirus

    Anguirus Well-Known Member

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    I think there is a danger of conflation of vocality and numbers.

    This is exactly the trial balloon you'd float if you couldn't tell the difference between loud support and broad support. Assuming the rumors are true--which is a big ask--then yeah I would be surprised if a full Diaclone set was done.
     
  3. G.B. Blackrock

    G.B. Blackrock Autobot Ally

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    Folks seem not to be talking about the Kreon set (which, at a mere 900 sets made, was by far the most limited of them all). Did even that not sell out, even at a mere $29 for the set?

    Wow....

    (Can I also get confirmation that the Galva Convoy pre-assembled unpainted figures remained at the end of the convention?)
     
  4. Lbsammills51

    Lbsammills51 Well-Known Member

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    Given the speculation on Diaclone, a question - I wasn't at the 'con so I couldn't tell this for myself and haven't heard anyone speak to this, but how good did turnout appear, at least to the eye test? Did it end up the usual turnout, despite the late/brief registration period and the (according to more than a few) out-of-the-way location, or was there any noticeable drop-off in people milling around?

    Another factor regarding Botcon still attempting a Diaclone-themed set one year (for those like me that really want it) is the wish made by some to stick with a more consistent theme (pre-BW, SG, G2 sort of, Animated) over a catch-all theme that features various figures/ideas. That approach has its own pratfalls, but it's something that's not been done in awhile (closest being Machine Wars, which still had random stuff thrown in), so maybe something to think about.

    I want Classics Diaclone/Microchange as much as I want MP Diaclone/Microchange or reissues of the originals that haven't made their way out yet, and with Takara not exactly cranking them out I'm stuck with looking towards the Club.
     
  5. stad

    stad Well-Known Member

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    Turnout definitely seemed down, but I would peg that more towards the late registration than anything. I don't think location was that bad, especially as viewed by the amount of exhibitors. The uncertainty with registration, which would include the number of people that didn't go because they couldn't finalize flights/time off (most don't want to fly in on Tuesday if they don't know they'll be on a Wednesday class/tour) I think really turned off a lot of people, especially those that were borderline anyways.
     
  6. Lbsammills51

    Lbsammills51 Well-Known Member

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    Just noticed this thread with others backing up turnout seeming down:

    http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/trans...4929-botcon-2015-attendance-lowest-years.html
     
  7. Autovolt 127

    Autovolt 127 Get In The Titan, Prime!

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    I'm a bit surprised but then again, every year the souvenir sets never really sell out.
     
  8. dragon516

    dragon516 Well-Known Member

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    I am one of those that really want a diaclone set using molds from CHUG's past. Not the recent cheaper design that Skids and Hoist came from. Honestly I perked up a lot when I heard there was a diaclone set and was really hoping for the police sunstreaker that was rumoured since Onno-san was at the con. But at the end I got Hoist and Skids, molds that I loathe quite a bit in my CHUG collection. I think the show as a whole has been going down hill and sales has been reflected in the last few years. Over Saturation and exclusives fatigue really ending the botcon deal for me... If they chose to do a Diaclone homage once more, I might pick up the courage to go again. Like others said, they need to look at MP mold if they are going to charge these prices...I can get MP Track/Roadrage on preorder for ~40-45 bucks... That is about the prices for the exclusives at the con.

     
  9. Matty

    Matty @StayingInTheBox Veteran

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    I'm not sure I'd base the chances of a Diaclone set on this year's attendee exclusives. The attendee exclusives have been having a hard time selling out for a couple of years now, correct?

    It may be time to switch up the strategy of those exclusives. For 10+ years now the amount of exclusives has increased (for the most part). I may be in the minority, I'm not sure, but I'd enjoy less exclusives per person. It'd be easier on the wallet and make it feel more ... exclusive.

    - 5 or 6 figure box set
    - Attendee freebie
    - 1 or 2 figures for the at-show souvenirs
    - Yes, I would also gladly accept a really well done, high end leader class / Masterpiece figure. Just one.

    I typed the word "exclusives" quite a bit there ... :lol 
     
  10. Swoop Dogg

    Swoop Dogg Hi Yukio!

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    I agree. I'm getting tired of the box set packaging myself. It's just getting bland and boring. I realize that it isn't going to go away anytime soon, but I wish they would do packaging like the SDCC exclusives and Botcon exclusives from the past. The Ark/Autobot base playset that folded out from the SDCC Dinobots exclusive set was pretty cool. I'd like to see more of that type of stuff.
     
  11. Matty

    Matty @StayingInTheBox Veteran

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    That would be neat. I like the packaging, but am not opposed to SDCC styling either.

    I'm almost thinking it would be cool to run a poll in our toy forum to get a small snap shot of members feelings towards less BotCon exclusives ...
     
  12. G1Prowl

    G1Prowl Prick, apparently

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    One wonders if this was some sort of retaliation for the IP infringement ban, a boycott of either the con or the toys.
     
  13. Lbsammills51

    Lbsammills51 Well-Known Member

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    Yeah I'm hoping so. I'd rather the lesson from this year be something along the lines of "Don't start registration so late" or "Think about reconfiguring attendee exclusives" and not "Well we finally offered Diaclone like some were whining for and look what happened" or "We need to make these in ridiculously small numbers."

    I wouldn't mind switching up the format. I think I said this before when the subject came up, but I wouldn't mind just focusing on a (perhaps more coherent) box set as the main exclusives offered; it lets them focus on including the best options they can and perhaps brings back a special aura for those figures offered.

    One-offs like a Leader or MP taking the place of the attendee sets, or Swoop's idea about something creative like that fold-out playset would also be a nice change of pace. Hell, the Human Rodimus & Arcee figures are great ideas; offering something like that one year would be pretty cool.

    Having a ton of toys offered each year can help me more quickly check off certain ideas on a Classics roster, sure, but I'd still welcome a step back if they ever went in that direction.
     
  14. Swoop Dogg

    Swoop Dogg Hi Yukio!

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    There are a whole bunch of ideas that FP could explore with packaging. No one has done the Decepticon starship underwater base before. Or how about a Space Bridge? They could pull ideas from the IDW comics like Swerve's bar or the Lost Light for example. There are lots of possibilities and people clever enough to make them come to life.

    As far as toys go, a MP Ratbat redeco would be a no brainer in my opinion. Not sure if the mold is off limits though.
     
  15. robwhit1

    robwhit1 Well-Known Member

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    I wish the box sets weren't just a bunch of random characters thrown together with some wild theme. If you go shattered glass, then make the whole set SG. Same for G1, pretenders, ect. Also, don't offer a single figue from a group and just ignore the partner(s). The fact that we don't have flywheels just makes me think they are asking for failure.

    However, I would not appreciate changing the box set packaging. I love the ability to play with the figures and still keep the display quality you get from box set. I have every botcon box set and if they changed the "box", they would loose some of the appeal of collecting them.
     
  16. videriant

    videriant Well-Known Member

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    I think there's too many factors going on to really determine which has the most and least affect.

    * Even though the club said the exlcusives would be more limited it seems that the production count was still high (to me).
    * The TFSS figures fills a lot of holes and competes in price with Botcon exclusives.
    * The greater amount of 3P offerings compete with Botcon exclusives.
    * The MP line growing as it has been competes with Botcon and it's more CHUG offerings.
    * SDCC and Platinum additions are also competing, as SDCC used to be one, repainted figure and has now evolved to several premium painted figures.
    * The lack of a movie (even one directed by Bay) year means less overall attention to TF's.

    I'm too lazy to look but even three years back there was a thread discussing Botcon's future.
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2015
  17. Thundershot

    Thundershot Ratchet Fanatic

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    That's how I feel as well.

    I love the figures the club makes, but the boxed sets are often so haphazard... because they're trying to force random characters around their own fiction instead of taking a connected group of characters (pretenders, action masters, diaclone, G2) and making an awesome new story using them.

    This year had a step in the right direction with the attendee figures. Unreleased G2 and Diaclone.

    The best boxed set was still 2011, IMO. It was a cohesive team of characters, regardless if you wished to abide to the club fiction.
     
  18. Omegax80

    Omegax80 Using a Positive Rifle

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    I liked the 2010 set, it was a G2 theme through and through. The 2007 set, Classics, was also a great set (until the seekers got released at retail) but still, that Dreadwind sits on my shelf right next to Universe Darkwing. The Machine Wars idea was good, I liked that series, but I think some the wrong molds got used. They also included characters not originally in Machine Wars which was a bit odd. That's just me though.

    In terms of value, since the 2015 box and bagged sets are already available in the club store, watch the after-market values TANK.

    Unless you WANT to pay $200 for Pretender Oilmaster, just buy the set and sell what you don't want.
     
  19. dragon516

    dragon516 Well-Known Member

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    I think the last set of at con exclusives that sold out was the seeker set in 2013. I think FP has really lost touch with what interest us in both character selection and mold choices. 2013 was horrid in mold execution and only some of the characters were cool. 2014 was decent but was a bit mish mash. 2015 was interesting to a certain degree but the molds were abit lacking.The high end dollars is occupied by masterpiece and 3rd party with alot of people so if FP wants to charge those prices, they need to really step up their game.
     
  20. dragon516

    dragon516 Well-Known Member

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    2010 was my favorite set too. 2011 was also very coherent.