Just wondering.....

 

Hasbro or Takara?

 

Weell imho no cause Hasbro has some really innovative design team.

 

They did use the animated paint apps on those 35th ann. exclusives at Walmart....3rd party idea...

 

Why not both 

 

If the figure is awesome, I don't care who makes it.

 

Learn what? Mathematics? Physics?

 

I just wanted to know if we were talking about mainline or MP.

 

No cause Hasbro has very talented designers

 

It's not really a matter of learning, though. Hastak's engineering skill is at least on par with any 3rd party, the problem is in their priorities. One part of the issue is plastic quality and QC, which is a result of intentional cost cutting. Another part is that they have been adopting a philosophy of "it only matters how a TF looks from the front", which again is intentional. And then you have Arcee, in which case I have no idea what the hell they were thinking, but I know it was extremely intentional. They have every capacity to make figures on par with 3rd party offerings (and they have been with the BW figs), it's just that lately they often choose not to.

 

Pretty much this. There's garbage on both sides, depending upon what you view as garbage. I won't go into my preferences because that will just derail the conversation, but you probably immediately thought of various figures based on just that one description alone so you hopefully understand what I'm getting at.

So what exactly do you think they need to learn? Which characters are popular, or simply in demand? What changes in engineering could they employ (keeping in mind that HasTak has to satisfy safety groups)? New ways to re-paint and continue selling the same figure/s? How to "borrow" someone else's design? Something about cinnamon crunch?

To answer your vague initial question, yes - they should. It's in anyone's best interest to try and learn from others doing the same basic task they are. The answer remains "yes" if you were to reverse your question, however, in that the 3rd parties should also learn from HasTak.

 

Well... Savant has an "abbcrunch" which is actually just X-transbots wanting to cut costs by not designing a way to lock that hinge. Sovereign has two big purple slabs on his back that don't tab in anywhere. Cell is probably not going to have wide enough rings in planet mode. New Age's Ironhide mold has a chest that doesn't lock in...

Even my favorite 3p designs have flaws they could have easily rectified. So do Hasbro's designs.
I think they should learn from each other where they should and pay attention to what customers think of their products.

 

They already did. Third parties came about because hasbro refused to update the g1 line. Hasbro saw the third party companies making money . Now they’re all in and third party companies had to move to a different scales.

 

Maybe

 

I think they could learn that they don't have to focus what will go on big box shelves and could instead sell adult oriented stuff through online retailers

 

They should develop more combiners both in the MP for older collectors and also other kid versions as Earth rise.After so many years I was afraid that after CW we shouod wait a lot for other versions of them. Now I'm a little more confident after Quintessons Judge but for me 3rd party is especially combiners, Hasbro and Takara should never forget that also Onslaught,Bruticus and so on are important as Optimus,the seekers and other toys for a lot of us collectors.

 

Yeah, ER Cliffjumper says "no."

 

Learn what? When Hasbro wants to, it can basically wipe the floor with the other 3p companies. But why try when you can overcharge customers for a mediocre product?

 

Hasbro is dead, and the Matrix with it...

 

3rd Party is free market research for Hasbro.

"Oh, the market will sustain more than 2 MPs a year. And people actually want combiners? Cheers guys, noted. Here's Combiner Wars / Unite Warriors and a $350 MP Optimus."