Transformers questions by newbies, and not-so-newbies

[griffin]

I think the lack of story behind it was a factor that made it difficult for fans to embrace it, especially as they were essentially new characters. (would have been better to have them as existing characters who gained drones or Minicons, similar to the Headmaster or Actionmaster plot devices).
And since the drones were non-transforming, with minimal articulation, the combiners were a bit flimsy.

I thought the concept was great, but the small size prevented better engineering of the figures and drones.

[kup]

I think the lack of story behind it was a factor that made it difficult for fans to embrace it, especially as they were essentially new characters. (would have been better to have them as existing characters who gained drones or Minicons, similar to the Headmaster or Actionmaster plot devices).
And since the drones were non-transforming, with minimal articulation, the combiners were a bit flimsy.

I thought the concept was great, but the small size prevented better engineering of the figures and drones.

I disagree. A good toy will sell regardless of fiction.

Look at FansProject Steelcore. That toy had a lot running against it by having an expensive price tag and an upstart online store that was unprepared for the demand volume. This toy is also not associated with any known fiction and a completely stand alone transforming robot that is not based on any known character with just a bit of unique Engrish fiction behind it.

However despite all that it sold well because it is a good and well crafted toy. There are even people who are demanding for more to be made.

A non-transforming robot example of good figures selling despite lack of fiction would be the Four Horse Men original designs such as their demons and Elephant warriors.

A good toy will sell itself. A 'not so good' toy requires more 'help' to move it along.

[Starscream77]

I don't mind some of the PCCs, agree the Dinobots one is below average but the rest happily sit in my collection and my like may be tainted by the fact I got them for $10 each at the toy sales

[Cat]

I think collector perception (and maybe that of some of the general parent factor) was a bit skewed with PCC: We're used to everything transforming into something else. If a drill-tank is there, it's an actual Transformer.

I think that if they'd have been actual Transformers, even the simplest conversion of standing them upright, we'd have viewed a 5-pack as containing 5 figures.

As it was, I think a lot of people viewed it as 1 figure and 4 accessories.

Thus making it less desirable and of less value to a buyer.

It became one overpriced scout, instead of one combiner.

[SuspectimusPrime]

The reality was that there was a recession in the late 1980s/early 90s and a lot of people were downsizing toys.

The sad reality of Transformers production I wonder if the FOC line would have been drastically different if it were released 2 years ago along with the WFC line.

Yeah, they did that with the Arms Micron repaints (e.g. Fracas, Aimless etc.) which did make them look a bit better, but they were still accessoryformers with not much play value. When I got Fracas, for ages I barely touched it until after I finally got Generations Scourge! But without Scourge, he's a really dull toy. I have Aimless, but there's no Classicsverse or Prime Misfire to go with him, so to me he's still a really dull toy! Just as well these toys were freebies (w/ TF purchases)... cos I wouldn't pay to have any of them on their own.

I paid a cheap Deluxe's price for Fracas and Haywire and considered myself lucky Am very happy with these accessoryformers, considering the cost that a 3rd party producer would ask for them. Still in the market for a United Caliburst for Energon Slugslinger I liked the Grey/Black colour scheme they were going with, but Aimless is a bit disappointing.

Look at FansProject Steelcore. That toy had a lot running against it by having an expensive price tag and an upstart online store that was unprepared for the demand volume. This toy is also not associated with any known fiction and a completely stand alone transforming robot that is not based on any known character with just a bit of unique Engrish fiction behind it.

I can only see three positive points in this paragraph

I don't mind some of the PCCs, agree the Dinobots one is below average but the rest happily sit in my collection and my like may be tainted by the fact I got them for $10 each at the toy sales

I'm sure paying RRP+ would not have improved their likability?

[Sky Shadow]

I disagree. A good toy will sell regardless of fiction.

Look at FansProject Steelcore. That toy had a lot running against it by having an expensive price tag and an upstart online store that was unprepared for the demand volume. This toy is also not associated with any known fiction and a completely stand alone transforming robot that is not based on any known character with just a bit of unique Engrish fiction behind it.

However despite all that it sold well because it is a good and well crafted toy. There are even people who are demanding for more to be made.

A non-transforming robot example of good figures selling despite lack of fiction would be the Four Horse Men original designs such as their demons and Elephant warriors.

Kup, your examples are terrible - 'Steelcore' and the Four Horsemen toys have production runs so small that they're not even a blip on the number of Power Core Combiners that sold at retail. If Hasbro had only sold that many of each PCC then they would have cancelled Transformers as a toyline altogether.

[kup]

Kup, your examples are terrible - 'Steelcore' and the Four Horsemen toys have production runs so small that they're not even a blip on the number of Power Core Combiners that sold at retail. If Hasbro had only sold that many of each PCC then they would have cancelled Transformers as a toyline altogether.

Perhaps but I still believe that a good toy will sell itself regardless of the fiction behind it or even production numbers - Crap toys would not sell well on their own regardless of the number produced.

It's not just other companies in which we have seen good toys sell without any real fiction or character recognition behind them. We have seen a fair few mainstream released Hasbro toys sell really well regardless of character recognition such as some of the non-movie ROTF toys and even some from DOTM line.

[GoktimusPrime]

I'm sure paying RRP+ would not have improved their likability?

Indeed. I personally gauge the value of a toy according to its RRP, because that's what the average consumer would expect to pay. Of course any toy is better value if you can get it below RRP, but RRP is the 'standard' by which I think value should be measured against, because it's what HasTak sets and expects retailers to charge for those toys.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Perhaps but I still believe that a good toy will sell itself regardless of the fiction behind it or even production numbers - Crap toys would not sell well on their own regardless of the number produced.

It's not just other companies in which we have seen good toys sell without any real fiction or character recognition behind them. We have seen a fair few mainstream released Hasbro toys sell really well regardless of character recognition such as some of the non-movie ROTF toys and even some from DOTM line.

I disagree on this. The non-movie ROTF toys were still under the name of "Transformers" and so they rode the wave of the movie line. They also had the same aesthetic as the other toys in the line. PCC didn't, they were a bit all over the place. I only have 2. Smo(u)lder beacuse I wanted to see what they were like (crap) and he was another evil 'rescue vehicle' and the Dinobots, coz they are DINOSAURS!

I suspect that in general retail there are 2 main factors that sell a toy.
1. It's license (story/fiction/character)
2. Price.

People will buy toys if it is a known character and they dont have to be good toys. Have a look at the Batman and Spiderman toys that came out for the recent movies. They were CRAP, especially the Batman ones. But they sold because of the license.

If a toy is cheap enough, then parents don't really care what it is, as long as Jr wants it. But of course cheap toys are generally not good ones.

Collectors will buy a good toy without any fiction behind it, but the general people won't.

[Bidoofdude]

I have a question regarding G1s. Should I start big and get the major ones, working my way down in size/price/rarity etc, or should I work my way up, starting with minibots and such, then cars and so on? Which is more effective in the long run?