How long do you play with your toys for?

[GoktimusPrime]

Personally speaking, the notion of buying toys and not playing with them makes about as much sense to me as buying a book and never reading it. If I ever start feeling inclined to stop playing with toys, that's when I'll stop collecting - and quite frankly I'd consider getting rid of any toys I don't play with anymore.

Some of you have seen my recent sales threads for various non TF toys like Marvel, DC, Street Fighter, Warcraft, Starcraft, Halo TMNT etc. -- these are all toys that I no longer play with, hence I've sold them. There are some other toys that I haven't played with in ages too (Star Wars, GI Joe, LotR etc.) which I am contemplating about selling (don't worry, you'll see me posting a sales thread for these toys if I do decide to part with them ).

I don't put my toys on shelves primarily for display purposes (although that is a secondary reason) - it's something I started doing as a kid to:
a/ Make them more accessible to play with (as opposed to rummaging through toy boxes)
b/ Protect them from damage if they were in toy boxes, as Transformers during my childhood were often the most easily breakable if squashed in a box full of MotU, GI Joes, Star Wars etc.

But recently, especially since my daughter was born, I'm lucky if I have time to play with my Transformers -- I very rarely have time to play with other toys, and as such I've done the unthinkable -- I've put them in storage!! Seriously... once a toy's in a closed box tucked away out of sight in my garage... what's the freakin' point of keeping those toys?!? To me that feels more like hoarding rather than collecting. So yeah... keep your eyes peeled on the non-TF sales sections folks.

[Bartrim]

Depends how busy I am. Sometimes a few minutes, sometimes a few hours. Sometimes if I'm building an exciting campaign I'll "pause" the play and resume it later. This usually means that the toys are left on the playroom floor overnight.

But unless I know I have more free time to spare, I usually play a "stand alone" story with my toys with a simple plot that can be finished quickly. If I have more time I'll try longer and more epic "complex" stories.

Just curious Gok, what sort of storylines do you play out? Do you renact old G1 stories or do you make your own up? If you make up your own where do you get your ideas from? Are your storylines simple childish cartoon stories or more mature storylines like you see in some comics?

[LordCyrusOmega]

I agree with Gok. Toys are meant to be played with. The only downside is when an arm accidentally gets twisted off.
When i get a new one i play with it for ages then it goes on the shelf. Sometimes whole lines get pulled off the shelf and live on the coffee table for a week while i play with them.
I like toys. I'm currently in the process of moving so they're all being bubble wrapped and packed and i hate seeing them like that. All imprisoned and without weaponry etc.
I understand people like keeping them mint in box/ on card, i could just never bring myself to do it.

[Hursticon]

I understand people like keeping them mint in box/ on card, i could just never bring myself to do it.

I'm with you on this one Lord Cyrus,

Whilst I have the utmost respect for those who have the will power to resist opening their figures, I myself just can't do it as it's my personal belief that toys/figures were designed to be handled, not imprisoned.

So far I've had Animated Soundwave for about 3 hours and I've transformed him at least 10 times now.

[SkyWarp91]

I like playing with my TFs too but if I keep them out my room is going to get hell messy, thus why i have to unfortunately store them away.

The only figures that I have are still MISB are Generations WFC Bumblebee (I can't be stuffed opening it) and Universe 2.0 Hound and Ravage (Bought it on eBay at a deadly price of $60 and still too butthurt to open it)

[Hursticon]

Universe 2.0 Hound and Ravage (Bought it on eBay at a deadly price of $60 and still too butthurt to open it)

LOL
That made me laugh good there Skywarp! "Butthurt"

$60 mind you is an incredibly steep price though, is that how much they're going for now?, as I'm glad I bought at retail for $25 then.

[kup]

It also depends on what one calls 'playing'. Some would say that fiddle play is still playing.

[gdmetro]

Universe 2.0 Hound and Ravage (Bought it on eBay at a deadly price of $60 and still too butthurt to open it)

Wow...

When did you get this may I ask? Was it during the period where all sold out and pre-announcement of Henkei reissue? Im guessing that's the case, especially when the Henkei version can be bought for around $30USD currently..


Anyway in regards to the thread topic:

I used to love playing with toys as a kid... but now I really want to play, but just can't find the urge to. I display most of my collection, and the way I "play" with them is to pose them to my liking, and that gives me great enjoyment. Once in a while I'll take a certain figure, transform it and admire the beauty/engineering and re-pose.

Maybe I am weird, but sometimes I watch a few g1 episodes and fiddling with the toy of a certain character that's in the episode is really fun, makes me appreciate it more. And when the series 1/2 ending music comes up- makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside I love that g1 music- so awesome!

I didn't know much about brawn, but I was watching an ep with him in it, and picked up the henkei brawn figure- made me appreciate the character and toy even more!! I think this is the reason why I prefer Henkeis for more show accurate paint schemes in the classics line.

[LordCyrusOmega]

I used to love playing with toys as a kid... but now I really want to play, but just can't find the urge to. I display most of my collection, and the way I "play" with them is to pose them to my liking, and that gives me great enjoyment. Once in a while I'll take a certain figure, transform it and admire the beauty/engineering and re-pose.

Maybe I am weird, but sometimes I watch a few g1 episodes and fiddling with the toy of a certain character that's in the episode is really fun, makes me appreciate it more. And when the series 1/2 ending music comes up- makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside I love that g1 music- so awesome!

I didn't know much about brawn, but I was watching an ep with him in it, and picked up the henkei brawn figure- made me appreciate the character and toy even more!! I think this is the reason why I prefer Henkeis for more show accurate paint schemes in the classics line.

When i get a new figure i'll put on an episode that they are featured in while i open it. I don't have enough imagination to roleplay them anymore. I just pose and transform them.

[Seraphim Prime]

Personally speaking, the notion of buying toys and not playing with them makes about as much sense to me as buying a book and never reading it.

But i do that too!

My current pile of "too read" books is getting quite high. :P

I personally have new stuff on a shelf that I recently bought, which sits next to my desk at home, so newer figs often get fiddle play every know and then as I try to work something out, but really I stopped doing the mass stories a while ago, when I stopped having enouigh hours in the day to set them up and take them down before I got to bed.