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Post by choryujin on May 26, 2014 14:55:44 GMT -5
Gigapower stuff looks too busy with all the panels/details and doesn't fit with the newer MP look of sleek, smooth lines. It may look different when they finally come out with a color prototype but by that time FT will have 2 released with their none. Besides, even though some of the early animation showed the Dinobots that large, I prefer the later animation modeled ones that were a little over a head taller so FT fits the size and aesthetics for me.
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Post by Yumcha on May 27, 2014 10:22:58 GMT -5
BBTS has issued their preorder alert for Fans Toys' FT-06 Sever (Snarl). $180USD.
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Post by supergetterv on May 27, 2014 13:28:08 GMT -5
BBTS has issued their preorder alert for Fans Toys' FT-06 Sever (Snarl). $180USD. The price of these Dinobots are huge turnoffs. They look awesome, but I gonna pass on this. I haven't picked up any 3rd party MP stuff for my collection. I've purchased the FT Quakewave for a friend as a birthday present but nothing for myself. For whatever the reason, I can't justify their price because I am super cheap when it comes to MP transformers. I almost never buy the TakaraTomy version and alway get the Hasbro version with coupons. |
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Post by Yumcha on May 27, 2014 14:07:40 GMT -5
BBTS has issued their preorder alert for Fans Toys' FT-06 Sever (Snarl). $180USD. The price of these Dinobots are huge turnoffs. They look awesome, but I gonna pass on this. I haven't picked up any 3rd party MP stuff for my collection. I've purchased the FT Quakewave for a friend as a birthday present but nothing for myself. For whatever the reason, I can't justify their price because I am super cheap when it comes to MP transformers. I almost never buy the TakaraTomy version and alway get the Hasbro version with coupons. Well, considering the average price of an Soul of Chogokin, DX Chogokin (i.e. Macross Frontier e-street-fight for preorder if you can get it), or Metal Build is around that neighborhood, this is kinda the going rate for a diecast robot these days. And in some ways, I don't mind supporting the smaller outfits. Want to see them do well...but, I agree, it's adding up. I am currently not buying the Gigapower toys (due to no history whatsoever) but if they are as good as they look from the drawings and prototypes, I just may have to. And mamma-mia...time to do some heavy explaining to the First Lady.  |
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Post by supergetterv on May 27, 2014 14:36:10 GMT -5
But there is a big difference between 3rd party unofficial vs Bandai import goods. Price for Metal Builds or the DX Macross Frontier stuff I can justify. Because you are getting quality official brand name stuff. I feel better paying 200$ for Bandai chogokin vs 3rd party unofficial. It isn't like I don't buy 3rd party toys. I am buying the MMC Feral Con after all. My feeling is geared only towards the MP line and 3rd Party MP Stuff. When official like MP Grimlock cost me only $50 back when I got it, it just doesn't sit well with me to pay over 4x that for other Dinobots that I don't even care for. Generally speaking, if Hasbro and Takara made these, specifically Hasbro, they be priced at the 60$-$100 range. Which is why in my detolf displace case, I have a $50 MP Grimlock, $60 MP Rodimus, $70 MP Thundercracker, $100 MP Optimus and a $100 MP Soundwave. I guess what I am trying to say is I don't value MP as highly and I too me, the price of these 3rd party Dinobots aren't good value. This is the way I feel about MPs. It's different with stuff like SoC. I mean, if SoC GGG cost $200 plus I have no problem with that because that's an SoC.
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Post by Chen on May 27, 2014 15:40:08 GMT -5
Fanstoy Snarl.  |
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Post by Chen on May 27, 2014 15:45:37 GMT -5
They look quite similar actually.  |
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Post by Yumcha on May 27, 2014 15:55:15 GMT -5
What did you expect, Chen? It's not like it's Bay's movieverse farking up the G1 look?  |
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Post by Chen on May 27, 2014 15:59:09 GMT -5
Lol I meant detail-wise, grey prototypes and drawings really show of the little details but once they get colored a lot of it washes out. I always thought the FT ones were cleaner but it may just be that the details are just washed out and the same will happen to the Gigapower ones.
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Post by Yumcha on May 27, 2014 16:12:04 GMT -5
Gigapower appears to have a more "muscular" look...with the smaller head.
I'm going to hold off on buying their version until I hear more about quality and etc. since well, with TFs being so "hot" right now and everyone including their Granndma wants in on the market for rabid fans who'll pay anything...just gotta be more selective. But, who is Gigapower and where did they come from?
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Post by edge on May 28, 2014 23:20:35 GMT -5
But there is a big difference between 3rd party unofficial vs Bandai import goods. Price for Metal Builds or the DX Macross Frontier stuff I can justify. Because you are getting quality official brand name stuff. I feel better paying 200$ for Bandai chogokin vs 3rd party unofficial. It isn't like I don't buy 3rd party toys. I am buying the MMC Feral Con after all. My feeling is geared only towards the MP line and 3rd Party MP Stuff. When official like MP Grimlock cost me only $50 back when I got it, it just doesn't sit well with me to pay over 4x that for other Dinobots that I don't even care for. Generally speaking, if Hasbro and Takara made these, specifically Hasbro, they be priced at the 60$-$100 range. Which is why in my detolf displace case, I have a $50 MP Grimlock, $60 MP Rodimus, $70 MP Thundercracker, $100 MP Optimus and a $100 MP Soundwave. I guess what I am trying to say is I don't value MP as highly and I too me, the price of these 3rd party Dinobots aren't good value. This is the way I feel about MPs. It's different with stuff like SoC. I mean, if SoC GGG cost $200 plus I have no problem with that because that's an SoC. I totally disagree with justifying SOC/DX/BANDAI over 3rd party. They are around the same price and some are far better in quality. I love LOVE my DX Valks to DEATH but I own 5 of them and once I transform them ONCE all the limbs are F'ed and limp like I used an abused them. Now, you can fix these joints by taking the thing apart and making some mods but still? I pay over 200 bucks for these and I can only transform them once before it cant hold a pose. With 3rd party TFs I've not been let down in any means once and I own 3 combiners and a few MP scaled plus other small FP stuff. I guess its a matter of opinion  but no way can you say DX or SOC figure is on a different level than a 3rd party figure with quality companies out there. Metal builds are pretty amazing though... I love my Metal Build Destiny to death |
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Post by supergetterv on May 29, 2014 1:06:30 GMT -5
And I have to disagree with you too Edge. Take for instance either FP Menasor and Maketoys Devastator. Both easily cost more than $350. As nice as they are, You can't honestly be serious if you are saying that the quality on both of those are better than say SoC Daltaneous or SoC God Sigma or any of the recent SoC combiners. Heck even Miracle Productions Vehicle Voltron is better value versus those 3rd party combiners. In terms of both finish, paint apps and build, no 3rd party can even measure up to Bandai. And I am not a bandai Fanboy. Just calling it as I see it. Build quality aside on them Valks, you can't deny that their finish, paint jobs etc... and appearance aren't much better than a lot of these 3rd party figures. Maybe you are always lucky with your 3rd party purchases but I have seen way too many post about quality control no matter which 3rd party products. How many people have broken tabs on their FP Diesel? As much as I like my PE Warden, I remember everyone raving about the nice paint apps. Those people probably never own a SOC or SRC. Because even though Warden was pack nicely, it isn't as nice as one of them DX Chogokin. You can't deny that when opening up one of these $200 chogokins, you are getting your money's worth by just how well they are package, how well organized the parts are. These are all quality that I can justify when I am paying the $200. Not just a crappy cheap box sometimes with typos and just plastic trays. Quality stuff comes with styrofoam. No single sheet black and white instruction manual and some cheap plastic collector card.
And I don't even want to mention them combiners from TFC. I freaking hate them and I swear to never buy any of their products again. Spending $500 on any one of their combiners are a joke. The cheap plastic quality, crappy sloppy paint apps and god awful QC, I don't know why collectors can tolerate them and justify their toys at 80-100$ a piece. At their best effort, their toys can only be as good as a $50 takaratomy voyager toy and that ain't saying much.
Even when you bring in FT version of Quakewave. As good as it is, it's not way better than the regular Takara masterpiece, which again, in terms of quality isn't there when compared to Bandai products. And Quakewave was priced correctly where you don't get that I just got ripped off feeling. At the $150 they charge, it isn't much more than the Takara version of Soundwave.
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Post by Lejam on May 29, 2014 5:28:22 GMT -5
3rd party are expensive because of backup ressources. 1st producted toy eat the whole budget of these small companies: they win nothing, except the joy of making their own product. Step by step, they are producting toys and win a bit each time. But it´s few. Hasbro or Bandai have the production ressources because of the quantities. When they buy metal and plastic balls for injection (molding), they buy in huge quantity for several toy line. And they are thinking only about making money. Only Bandai made a choice (because of the tradition) to propose high collector grade figures (DX line and SOCs). These are expensive to develop AND to produce : the margin is poor. But sometimes they can offer a 16 million $ Real G Gundam... I already worked with Bandai on a project of tiny figure : the goal ? No matter what, each figure (4cm max) has to have production cost = 10 cents max ! That´s it. Money first. Yes 3rd P combiners are expensive but these are the real price. Look at the combiners made by Hasbro : cheap paint apps, hollow gap everywhere, pour design and features... Hasbro is thinking about mass productio, sell like candies and target kids only. |
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Post by supergetterv on May 29, 2014 10:33:35 GMT -5
3rd party are expensive because of backup ressources. 1st producted toy eat the whole budget of these small companies: they win nothing, except the joy of making their own product. Step by step, they are producting toys and win a bit each time. But it´s few. Hasbro or Bandai have the production ressources because of the quantities. When they buy metal and plastic balls for injection (molding), they buy in huge quantity for several toy line. And they are thinking only about making money. Only Bandai made a choice (because of the tradition) to propose high collector grade figures (DX line and SOCs). These are expensive to develop AND to produce : the margin is poor. But sometimes they can offer a 16 million $ Real G Gundam... I already worked with Bandai on a project of tiny figure : the goal ? No matter what, each figure (4cm max) has to have production cost = 10 cents max ! That´s it. Money first. Yes 3rd P combiners are expensive but these are the real price. Look at the combiners made by Hasbro : cheap paint apps, hollow gap everywhere, pour design and features... Hasbro is thinking about mass productio, sell like candies and target kids only. It's pretty much a given that the overhead/production cost is higher for these 3rd party company. I get that. But it still doesn't justify some of the prices they command. I am not saying they are all over priced. As mentioned before, in my example, some have really good value. $150 for FT Quakewave is fair. Again not overly expensive. IMO, it's $20 higher than it should be but the price is still fair and does not feel like a rip off. Warden also at $150 is fair. I feel that it is $30 over what it should be, cause I don't need that extra drone and the display base. But the price is still fair. Stuff like FP Assaulter, I think it was around $120 directly buying from FPCore website, good value for a Voyager size triple changer with DieCast metal part, priced is justifiable cause of the quality, material and complexity. Looking at these FT Dinobots, are they that much better than their Quakewave figure. Are they $50 better because FT and the retailers are getting greedier or is it $50 higher in production cost? |
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Post by edge on May 29, 2014 11:05:05 GMT -5
Oh I know some 3rd party stuff is a total rip off and although I would love to own them I refuse to pay. Lots of the 3rd party head masters are a total rip off, the battle tanker series by maketoys are outrageous. I'd die for a Hyper Novae but 200 bucks? What a joke and a half lol
As far as FT's goes though, at first I was totally put off by that 199 price as I thought they were going to stick with their more affordable and reasonable 150 but they've kinda proven themselves and instantly became a fan favorite so i'm willing to invest in them on this line.
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Post by Chen on May 30, 2014 11:47:24 GMT -5
Its got to do with parts count. The FT Dinobots have almost twice the amount Quakewave had thus the higher cost. It doesn't cost them $200 to make one obviously since you have to factor in dealer cost and profit margins at a minimum of 30 points. But parts count effect production/retail costs. The Gigapower Dinobots will be bigger but priced the same, I attribute that although they will have higher per unit material costs they will not have as complex lower leg designs in robot mode thus the need for fewer molds that will offset the price. Still like any 3rd party company you have to factor in profits and the fact that these are basically high end garage kits for mass production and not huge toy companies who get unique factory rates.
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Post by Chen on Jun 4, 2014 6:09:48 GMT -5
Got my payment notice from Scoria, $267Cdn! Wow I think I'm gonna stop using Automatom Toys from now on.
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Post by edge on Jun 4, 2014 16:22:49 GMT -5
Yeah thats pretty expensive... you can probably get it shipped express from over seas for cheaper lol
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Post by Lejam on Jun 11, 2014 2:07:42 GMT -5
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Post by Chen on Jun 11, 2014 6:26:42 GMT -5
I might have to stick with FT for my Dinobots. Warbotron is making a lot of stuff I want and with FT you basically get two Dinobots done with only three more to go while with Gigapower you will need to buy all five.
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