JediTricks
09-14-2007, 06:24 PM
Didja forget that today would have Hasbro's answers to SSG questions for September 14, 2007? Because here they are. Thanks again to Hasbro for the answers, to all the folks who sent in questions and especially those who voted on them.
Hasbro Q&A for the week of September 14th
Q: In releasing the new Cantina bar curve sections, several issues have arisen for fans' cantina setups: The first is that the sharp curve of those sections is too close to allow for any future release of the drink dispenser. For that issue, if there ever is a dispenser made, would you consider including a shorter straight section to go between the curves? (Shorter because the current straight seems too long for this purpose, it would break up the look of the curve too much.) The second issue is that there is a mismatch between the look of the curved sections and the previously-released straight sections due to a number of paint and even sculpted detail differences. What about releasing more straight sections with a deco and sculpt to better match up to the curves, as well as add the removable barstool feature they have (perhaps with plugs to make a flat floor)?
A: We have been trying to figure out how the distillery section would work, and there are challenges as you point out but a few ways to solve. We have also thought about a smaller straight bar section, but that's an expensive piece for a small effect and collectors could probably just use another straight section (perhaps a good excuse to re-release). We will not be resculpting the straight bar section, though. If we release it in the future and if we do that, we'll look for deco to more closely match the curved section.
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Q: The Titanium Series 3" Star Wars vehicle collection is growing larger and larger. When counted against the Galoob's Star Wars Micro Machines line (the expansive original, not their die-cast), the math shows that there were 87 Micro Machines covering the OT, EU, and Episode I, if we subtract the reissues like battle-damaged, speederbikes with new characters, etc., there were 72 unique vehicles. Meanwhile, Hasbro's Titanium line has 101 Star Wars vehicles including single packs, exclusives, and 5-packs (but not gold or silver versions) counting up to 2007 wave 4. However, if we subtract reissues like repaints, there are just 48 unique Titanium vehicles - and 19 of those are reissues from the old Galoob Die Cast line. While we are thankful just to have any line of small Star Wars vehicles, one does wonder if 53 repaints out of 101 may have a negative impact. What does Hasbro think about this issue?
A: Repaints are an inevitability for a line like Titanium, and thanfully the range of on- and off-screen opportunities that have presented themselves over the years give us the confidence to commission new tools knowing that we will be able to get multiple decos out of them. We will say that we are going to be judicious about which ones that we are going to be repainting, and going more toward the fleet approach when it makes sense (Red Squadron, Gold Squadron, EU squadrons even) and less toward the pewter/battle-damage route.
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Q: With the success of the latest Jawa sculpt, might Hasbro consider creating a Jawa/droid-themed multipack or battle pack? One possible suggestion could be 2 or 3 Jawas perhaps with cloth capes, an ANH/Kenner vintage Gonk droid repaint, R1-G4, and perhaps R5-D4 that uses the R4-G9 retractable leg body. Has there been any thought given to creating such a set already?
A: That's a cool idea, but we're not ready to go with such a Jawa-focused set yet. The ideas for the droids are good ones and perhaps those can be used down the line, even if not in a set like this.
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And the questions at ActionFigs.com (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384):
While the last Jabba we got (Saga Ultra) looked nice, his limited articulation and hard plastic body don't lend him to many alternate poses, so he's a bit boring. What about the idea of doing a new Jabba with an internal skeleton/under-frame for more articulation underneath a rubber skin similar to the Jabba Glob Ep I figure which had a decent look and much more mobility? It seems a shame that action figures of Jabba - who is such a major character - can never be able to move his mouth, arms, and tail at least somewhat like he does in the film. (It could even be released in a special battle pack, or in the $20 vehicles wave, with a full throne and more, even possibly a resculpted sitting Slave Leia.)
At Comic-Con, you showed off '08 basic wave 1 and in it was the Octuptarra Droid. However, what was shown actually had the details of the much larger Tri-Droid - another ROTS droid that was an upsized, remodeled version of the smaller Octuptarra Droid - so the feet, guns, and eyes on what you showed are from the wrong design. Will these details be corrected so that it truly is the Octuptarra Droid?
In regards to the Indiana Jones line, what types of ideas are being considered? Would it be safe to assume that characters like Mola Ram, the giant Thugee guard, Temple of Doom "wear & tear" Indy with torn shirt and missing sleeve, Henry Jones Sr., Willie Scott, and Short Round are good possibilities? After all, they do all seem like logical choices. Will the Star Wars Battle Pack and Comic 2-Pack concepts be used in the Indiana Jones line? How about Indy role-play accessories?
Hasbro Q&A for the week of September 14th
Q: In releasing the new Cantina bar curve sections, several issues have arisen for fans' cantina setups: The first is that the sharp curve of those sections is too close to allow for any future release of the drink dispenser. For that issue, if there ever is a dispenser made, would you consider including a shorter straight section to go between the curves? (Shorter because the current straight seems too long for this purpose, it would break up the look of the curve too much.) The second issue is that there is a mismatch between the look of the curved sections and the previously-released straight sections due to a number of paint and even sculpted detail differences. What about releasing more straight sections with a deco and sculpt to better match up to the curves, as well as add the removable barstool feature they have (perhaps with plugs to make a flat floor)?
A: We have been trying to figure out how the distillery section would work, and there are challenges as you point out but a few ways to solve. We have also thought about a smaller straight bar section, but that's an expensive piece for a small effect and collectors could probably just use another straight section (perhaps a good excuse to re-release). We will not be resculpting the straight bar section, though. If we release it in the future and if we do that, we'll look for deco to more closely match the curved section.
- -
Q: The Titanium Series 3" Star Wars vehicle collection is growing larger and larger. When counted against the Galoob's Star Wars Micro Machines line (the expansive original, not their die-cast), the math shows that there were 87 Micro Machines covering the OT, EU, and Episode I, if we subtract the reissues like battle-damaged, speederbikes with new characters, etc., there were 72 unique vehicles. Meanwhile, Hasbro's Titanium line has 101 Star Wars vehicles including single packs, exclusives, and 5-packs (but not gold or silver versions) counting up to 2007 wave 4. However, if we subtract reissues like repaints, there are just 48 unique Titanium vehicles - and 19 of those are reissues from the old Galoob Die Cast line. While we are thankful just to have any line of small Star Wars vehicles, one does wonder if 53 repaints out of 101 may have a negative impact. What does Hasbro think about this issue?
A: Repaints are an inevitability for a line like Titanium, and thanfully the range of on- and off-screen opportunities that have presented themselves over the years give us the confidence to commission new tools knowing that we will be able to get multiple decos out of them. We will say that we are going to be judicious about which ones that we are going to be repainting, and going more toward the fleet approach when it makes sense (Red Squadron, Gold Squadron, EU squadrons even) and less toward the pewter/battle-damage route.
- -
Q: With the success of the latest Jawa sculpt, might Hasbro consider creating a Jawa/droid-themed multipack or battle pack? One possible suggestion could be 2 or 3 Jawas perhaps with cloth capes, an ANH/Kenner vintage Gonk droid repaint, R1-G4, and perhaps R5-D4 that uses the R4-G9 retractable leg body. Has there been any thought given to creating such a set already?
A: That's a cool idea, but we're not ready to go with such a Jawa-focused set yet. The ideas for the droids are good ones and perhaps those can be used down the line, even if not in a set like this.
- -
And the questions at ActionFigs.com (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384):
While the last Jabba we got (Saga Ultra) looked nice, his limited articulation and hard plastic body don't lend him to many alternate poses, so he's a bit boring. What about the idea of doing a new Jabba with an internal skeleton/under-frame for more articulation underneath a rubber skin similar to the Jabba Glob Ep I figure which had a decent look and much more mobility? It seems a shame that action figures of Jabba - who is such a major character - can never be able to move his mouth, arms, and tail at least somewhat like he does in the film. (It could even be released in a special battle pack, or in the $20 vehicles wave, with a full throne and more, even possibly a resculpted sitting Slave Leia.)
At Comic-Con, you showed off '08 basic wave 1 and in it was the Octuptarra Droid. However, what was shown actually had the details of the much larger Tri-Droid - another ROTS droid that was an upsized, remodeled version of the smaller Octuptarra Droid - so the feet, guns, and eyes on what you showed are from the wrong design. Will these details be corrected so that it truly is the Octuptarra Droid?
In regards to the Indiana Jones line, what types of ideas are being considered? Would it be safe to assume that characters like Mola Ram, the giant Thugee guard, Temple of Doom "wear & tear" Indy with torn shirt and missing sleeve, Henry Jones Sr., Willie Scott, and Short Round are good possibilities? After all, they do all seem like logical choices. Will the Star Wars Battle Pack and Comic 2-Pack concepts be used in the Indiana Jones line? How about Indy role-play accessories?