Burn me once...(What design choices make you pass on a figure?)

Discussion in 'Transformers 3rd Party Discussion' started by lordcryotek, Apr 15, 2019.

  1. Megasquared

    Megasquared Well-Known Member

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    Kibble on 3P figures. I'm paying a premium price for this?

    Panelformers - Looking at you Zeta Combaticons

    Transformation steps with inadequate clearance - I don't want to risk breaking expensive toys because I had to force something past something else.

    Overdone with Greebles - I don't need my figures looking like the surface of the Death Star.

    Paint that chips easily - Looking at you FT Hoodlum.

    Tabs so tight that I need a screwdriver or a spudger to pry them open - Looking at you TW Constructicons

    Unclear instructions - not really a design flaw but at some point can we get past tiny black and white images with the transformation step highlighted in purple or red.
     
  2. JohnHan

    JohnHan Let's see some of that!

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    Most things that interrupt posing.

    No articulation at feet, flaps at waists blocking legs to move, loose joints that can't be fixed...
     
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  3. RKillian

    RKillian http://www.rktoyandhobby.com

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    Minicons - hollow plastic, ball joints, clipped wheels, and inability to paint details don't mix.

    I also don't like when designers are lazy about proportions and have to fit every robot with a pair of skis to keep them from falling over. Do they do this because Hasbro hiring is nepotistic or only looks within a 10 mile radius of Providence?
     
  4. Jhund

    Jhund Screws>Pins

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    Bad face sculpts mostly . And some releases that has gundam like decals details all over the figure . Not really a big fan of those either .
     
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  5. RKillian

    RKillian http://www.rktoyandhobby.com

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    That's a good one. When I used to help a friend with cosplay projects, the number of gloves I saw with five equally sized fingers made me wonder if Chinese tailors had ever seen a human hand. Now I look at some of these toys and wonder if they've ever seen a face.
     
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  6. OverBleed

    OverBleed I Love This Show!

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    Raised faction symbols
    Light piping
    Unnecessary detail/line work just for the sake of filling a should be flat spot

    I always hope for alternate faces/heads, should be mandatory 2 extra facial expressions. Companies are starting to fallow what TT is doing, more articulation and accessories and with that comes more faces.
     
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  7. Barbarandroid

    Barbarandroid Well-Known Member

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    When the head is an undersized "pinhead" with a fugly, badly painted face sculpt.

    Yes, looking at you Maketoys Meteor.
     
  8. Barbarandroid

    Barbarandroid Well-Known Member

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    Why, hello again Maketoys Meteor!
     
  9. Slave IV

    Slave IV more wealth than you can imagine!

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    Rear bumper flaps on Maketoys Jazz and rear thruster flaps on Maketoys Seekers.
     
  10. general saberwi

    general saberwi legoformer

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    I'm kicking myself for not adding this to my first post. It's not a design choice per se, but it pisses me the hell off. Modes/parts that are not mentioned in the instructions. Especially things that are not readily intuitive. I for the most part don't need instructions, but there have been things that I needed the instructions for, and not having them available is really irritating.

    Also, something else that pisses me off is when a figure is fiddly, and really hard to line up for any mode. Like, seriously, did you test this?

    Speaking of, things that should have been caught in tests, but for whatever reason were not.
     
  11. RodimusZero

    RodimusZero Steezin fo no Reason

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    1. PAINT ON PARTS WITH LOW/NO CLEARANCE!!
    This was my biggest issue with MP-36, but some 3P's like FansToys are repeat offenders.
    If the toy's paint is going to scratch off just transforming the damn thing then that's inexcusable.

    2. Pieces/flaps less than 1mm thick--too thin, just asking for stress marks/breakage.

    3. Unnecessary chrome, especially in conjunction with #1. ↑

    4. Parts that are too sharp
    I'm all for figures looking pointy and being adult collectibles, but when you have to stab yourself pushing a piece into place, that's too much.
     
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  12. Detroa

    Detroa Well-Known Member

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    Design liberties on figures that are supposed to fit in existing lines.

    Just follow the existing style or make your own line but make up your mind already.
     
  13. David Hingtgen

    David Hingtgen Chromaticon

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    Raised or recessed areas for a faction symbol---they are NEVER the right shape, so any sticker you put there looks goofy, especially around the jaw/chin. And it greatly restricts the size/location you can use. Just leave it smooth/blank, so I can put the exact shape/style/size/location of insignia that I want.

    Conversely---putting raised details EVERYWHERE that makes it impossible to fit anything bigger than a 3mm-tall logo on the chest.

    In short: just "don't fight the consumer" when it comes to insignias. Don't mold in a location, but also don't mold in obstacles to using one. Just----leave a flat/blank spot or two.
     
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  14. weevil

    weevil The Visitor

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    The most poor plastic is Kfc perceptor.
     
  15. Ghilz

    Ghilz Derpticon

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    1) Sword-having characters whose wrist can't tilt forward. No one holds a sword at a perfect 90 degree from their forearm. It makes posing with the sword in any dynamic fashion impossible. You might as well not bother giving them a sword.

    1.5) Character with rifles or other two handed weapons who are unable to actually hold their weapon two handed. Pro tip, most humans can reach in front of their chest and touch their hands together. Your figure should be able to do the same. A special hell for figures with kibble on their chest (car hood, cockpit, animal head) that extends longer than their own arms can reach.

    The two above coz a lot of figures have on paper good articulation, but the two above really limit posing.

    2) Stuff that doesn't peg in from one mode to another. Dangly kibble.

    3) Poor feet design. Someone mentioned heel spurs, but also non supportive front of the foot.

    4) Flying alt modes with neither landing gears or included flight stand adapter

    5) Putting more diecast in the top of a figures robot mode than the bottom so if wants to topple over all the time because of the higher center of gravity.


    The heck are those?
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2019
  16. Hyoumaru

    Hyoumaru M.S.B.S. ver. 10.5

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    Headmasters. I couldn't tell you why, but I utterly despise the concept of Headmasters. If the toy doesn't NEED to remove its head to transform, then fine, but I hate it when removing the head is mandatory.

    Also, panels tabs or parts that require fingernails to operate, hurts like hell.
     
  17. Thinktank

    Thinktank Well-Known Member

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    The one that absolutely wears me out is when the manufacturer picks some safe but inaccurate color scheme.
    Then gets all "Cause I said so!" when interested customers are giving rational feedback.

    Also pretty much any "90% perfect!" product, and then they pull something bone-headed out of the ether to
    screw it up.

    Last but not least; If the elbows and knees do not bend at least 90 degrees, then I consider it a design failure.
     
  18. GeneralLeeSpkng

    GeneralLeeSpkng Purveyor of Futility

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    None, I don't get pissed off at toys. If I don't like the design I don't feel obligated to purchase it.
     
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  19. Aimless Misfire

    Aimless Misfire Banned

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    Coneheads! Stupid, goofy looking SNL Coneheads!

    Mini Bots were only mini because of the molds they used in G1. There is no reason for them to stay mini forever. Windcharger is a Pontiac Firebird, Warpath is a tank, Powerglide is an A-10. There is no logical reason why these characters needed to remain tiny. What happened to "MASS SHIFTING"?

    Human faces. These are ROBOTS! Not humans. WTF? Why does every goddamn Transformer need eyes, nose & a mouth. Shockwave & Whirl don't, so why do all the rest?

    Cartoon accuracy. The animators were lazy & trying to cut corners. Transformers wasn't popular at the time. It could have ended up flopping just like majority of the 80's toy lines. Do you really think they gave a shit? They were just blowing through a job trying to collect a paycheck. Cartoon shows were dime a dozen back then. They didn't actually give a shit that Rumble was the red one or if Jazz had door wings, it was just easier to draw him without wings. There is nothing I hate more than cartoon accuracy. I want toy accuracy. Wheeljack didn't have eyes! That's what made him so awesome! He had the coolest face of all the Autobots. Then the cartoon fucked everything up.
     
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  20. Windsweeper II

    Windsweeper II Banned

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    Weathering sucks.
     
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