Hey everyone,

Over the past two years of browsing TF message boards (seibertron, TFW2005, and others) - I've noticed some... interesting replies when new 3rd Party products pop up.

Usually, it's pretty subtle jabs, then the topic fades away: I've heard that some customizers works get sold, recast, and reworked into igear, and other companies offerings - and in the end, no one really knows the origins of who sculpted the piece.

For example, I heard of a Ultra Magnus armor that was a garage-kit type project, and one guy who bought one just gave it to a 3rd party company - then mentioned it online, and the original fellow who made it read that post ... well, he wasn't too happy. I've heard similar stories about iGear's "Animated" style MP head (that was scaled down, and used with their "PPxx Faith Leader" mini-MP primes).

Can anyone shed some light on this with other examples, or explanations?

 

Are you saying that third-party companies might be stealing designs from customizers?

 

seems so  

 

Well igear is the exception so far when it comes to "3rd party" products. They are willing to blur the line between straight KO's and 3rd party products. No other 3rd party is so bold. If the 3rd party parade ends it will be igears fault.

 

iGear did use a custom as the base of their conehead MP. I believe the original was even posted in the Radicons forum here. They even copied the custom head.

iGear's anime version MP01 head is EXTREMELY similar to a custom head that showed up years ago, shortly after MP01 was first released, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if I found out they copied it directly. Looking at the low quality sculpting jobs of their other custom heads released with their faith leader, I find it hard to believe they had the skill to make that anime version head.

 

Yes, - but what I'm asking is for confirmation of this. I've read posts over the years claiming this, but rarely have I seen exhibit A vs B style proof.

Within the custom action figure communities, people borrow 'recipes' / part lists, or particular workarounds for their own customs - It just comes with the territory.

I've been on Figurerealm.com since 2007, and most people are nice enough to acknowledge if they rip off the look of your work.  

The difference is, with 3rd party companies - this isn't just 1 custom going up on eBay - it's a production line. I'm honestly curious if there's evidence of 3rd party companies lifting customizers designs.

 

The topic title accusation is wrong. The vast majority of most third party items are original engineering, not based on customs. The exceptions are iGear ripping off customs and hasbro, and X-transbots ripping off Jizaitoys' designs.

 

Didn't the original kitbasher do a deal with iGear? He's probably getting a percentage from the profits or something like that...

 

"Secret origins behind most 3rd party TFs?" is a wrong title? It's a question, not a statement, hence the question-mark.  

I didn't say every 3rd party figure is a straight up recast of someone else's original work - most of that engineering is done in 3D software.

However, the exceptions (like the examples you mentioned) are what I'm asking about.

 

Well, the fact remains that most are original engineering. some have questionable origins.

 

Somewhere on the toy he got a reference and credit.

 

iGear's PP line stands for "Partner Project" for a reason. But do keep letting the accusations fly. I always find it entertaining. =)

 

I love my PP 'Evil Leader' Prime, as I'm sure many others enjoy various iGear releases. I'd just like to see some actual evidence or clarification either way about the origins (hence my original post's title) of some 3rd party pieces. Many are original, engineered pieces - but it's these accusations I keep hearing over the past few years that makes me curious.

If anyone has links to other forums, or remembers threads where these issues are brought to light, feel free to repost.  

 

Corrected for fun...I've heard more of TF fan artists getting burned then collectors. Xovergen patriot, knight morpher and Sonicron are rips of tf artist desings that dont get compensated for their work

The most recent questionible design rip of recent is that new wheelie as nobody knows if that was done with the designers permision

 

Was the Xovergen patriot a ripoff of Encline's Rolling Thunder Prime or was that just coincidence.

 

One aspect that I do know is the WST "Wonderfest" Ultramagnus. People correlate the WST ultramagnus resin garage kit to Jizaitoys. Because he sold them at Wonderfest. However Jizaitoys did not make them. It is a separate person entirely. He made them a couple years before Jizaitoys struck up a deal with the creator and sell them at Wonderfest. It was a collaboration. Jizaitoys has the connections to get the 1-day license to sell Transformer garage kits. Not sure how exactly it works. I hear it is very specific. You have to apply for different license based on scale. Anyway the creator made the original WST upgrades and kits. Here is a list: Springer, Arcee, wheelie, Megatron upgrade set, UM, Sixshot, Stepper upgrade, Goldbug. His recent creation is the WST predaking.

 

Encline's is larger. He didn't create the idea of a Rolling Thunder Prime either, Don did. They both use the same source material. They didn't rip anything off.

Partner Project or not, I doubt they give any credit or money to Hasbro, whose molds they're directly ripping off.

 

I bet you one of those 'partners' wasn't Hasbro or Takara/Tomy.

 

I still don't understand how some people don't get this.

 

Please. Enlighten us unwashed masses.