Quote Originally Posted by kup View Post
So what you say?

Well one thing is creating an Ultra Magnus kit that is very loosely based on Hasbro's intellectual property but is considerably different in engineering, design and appearance to anything that Hasbro has ever produced in the past as well as being something that there is absolutely no chance that Hasbro will ever do. Another is copying the almost the exact design part by part of an existing official toy - down scaling it and then selling it without any royalties given to the creator than invested 95% of the overall Research, design and engineering.

- A fan kit is like an unofficial Addon Map pack for an existing Video game.

- This smaller MP Prime is like grabbing an existing game, copying it on a blank DVD with your own custom cover and then selling it.

As much difference as Apples and Oranges

"loosely based on Hasbro's intellectual property"? ? ?



You seem to place no weight whatsoever in the character that Hasbro/Takara has built up. Sure in the case of CC, Ultra Magnus is no Optimus Prime. But if you take an unbiased view of it the simple cold and hard fact is that there is extreme value in the IP of a character. It's what transcends. Not the toy mold of the 80s but the character, Thats why a character remains recognisable in all his incarnations whether he be G1 Prime, RiD Prime, Optimus Optimal etc.

Hasbro/Takara have invested heavily in the character to make it recognisable, to make it valuable. They research the market, the design the character in their studios, run focus groups, refine their designs etc. That's not effort? That is some serious effort to build a character that kids will care about, that kids who grow into adults still resonate with. For some third party to take that value in the IP is not right for a single moment. Tell me that you brought CC b/c you thought it was loosely based on Hasbro/Takara's IP then. Or did you buy it b/c its the modern representation of Ultra Magnus?

I think the answer's pretty obvious.

Just b/c its engineered does not make it for a moment less significant than the IP within a character. CC Ultra Magnus is clearly intended to be the modern (classics/universe) representation of Ultra Magnus. Pure and simple. it's folly to assert that you bought it b/c

1.) "it was loosely based on Hasbro's intellectual property'"
2.) not deceptive nor fraudulent

Again, i don't disagree with u about the iGears Prime infringing IP but I'm trying to show you that the IP of a character is just as valuable, if not more, than a toy mold.

And that's what inspired the title of this Soapbox: "the Convenient Truth" b/c the reasons (excuses) levelled show a constant changing of goal posts by fans. Perhaps, as I propose, a better position is to realise we no longer occupy a tenable position and just ignore the issue altogether as otherwise we risk being hypocritical and coming up with convenient truths to justify why something is all so bad when something else is not.

You can't keep changing your goalposts. One moment its all about deception. The next moment its about engineering. The next moment its about Hasbro/Takara not wanting to do it anyway. The next moment its why should I pay so much for a toy when I can get a cheaper accessory set? It's as simple as the fact that we don't need convenient truths. Just accept the fact that we buy toys that impinge on IP and move on instead of trying to adopt some moral high ground.