[Crazy Jetty]

Thread inspired by the news that the TMNT Secret Sewer Lair has been moved to being a store exclusive, and some of the discussion about it.

It's as simple as the title. Are playsets important?

I've always felt they are. If there is a location that's important to the characters, then to me, having a playset is just as important.
The quasi generic types like this hypothetical "Spiderman City Brawl" that's a random city corner, with break apart light posts don't mean much.
But I always felt Batman needs a Batcave.
The Turtles need their home.
Also, not every toyline can make use of vehicles (Like Spiderman), but a well thought out playset/lair can apply to any toyline.
I mean, the worst thing for Star Trek, is not to have a bridge set. The Enterprise is as much a character as Kirk, or Picard. And the Bridge itself has always been her face.

As a kid, anytime something didn't have a playset, I always tried to make one. (I made a control room backdrop for the Technodrome out of a big piece of cardboard with huge hole cut out for the dimentional portal, for Shredder and Krang)

I say kudos to Mattel for making quasi-playset Justice Hall facade as a C&C..

[Symbiote]

I think so. Referring back to my childhood, I always wanted the technodrome. It was like having another character. Castle grey skull is another one that is pivotal in the he-man universe.

Here's a theory, SDCC will usually have a hasbro marvel masterpiece figure that is there exclusive. When david vonner was still with hasbro he said last year at the sdcc panel that the big figures are far and few between. Well at least the ones that most ppl will recognize. Does that mean they will do away with the gigantic packs??? Greenskar was predicting that they may as well do vehicles in the future. Maybe one year we can expect to see the x-men blackbird be released, hopefully not with wolverine though.

[NerfTW]

The issue here is that playsets are expensive. It's not like back in the 80's early 90s. And it's not just cost of the plastic. There's the expense of shipping them, both in terms of gas prices and space on the trucks, and the space available in the toy aisle. Not to mention that most parents just don't have the kind of money to throw around on a playset when their kid will be happy with a shoebox base.


You're simply not going to see a playset anymore unless it's a really iconic location for the character, and even then it's not likely. A batcave in this day and age, for instance.

[yourfacehere]

Nope, when I was a kid, playsets were huge, but never big enough or accurate enough for the characters, to top that off they were expensive.

I always used to pretend bases were there, and I'd use my bed and tables as forts, and when that wasn't enough I'd make my own crude ones outta cardboard boxes. Had more fun that way too.

I always used to see playsets growing up, I had only one, and messed around with a few, but they were never what I wanted.


As an adult, I think they're a waste of money, and only really good if you've got kids or a room dedicated to dioramas. But in that case I'd actually try and make more accurate bases for my characters.


I always thought they were useless, still do.

[ToyAddict]

As a kid, I played with MASK a lot, but never had Boulder Hill.

I had a lot of MOTU, but never had Castle Greyskull.

I had a lot of GI Joe, but never had anything resembling a base. Closest I got was Rolling Thunder.

Fortunately I had friends that had those things.

For my kids, my daughter has Polly Pocket stuff. The biggest playset she has, she never plays with. My son had the Rescue Heroes base -- they (both kids) really liked that one but we ran out of room for it. He had the Cars playsets like Flo's Cafe and Ramon's Paint Shop, but we ended up selling those too. We do have the original racetrack still.

So, I guess unless they're REALLY applicable to the toyline and are really interactive, they're not that important. They're great for display but not very play-with-able.

But I do have the Narnia castle put away in case my son ever gets into the Jakks Narnia stuff or GI Joe.

[jjk1120]

I think they're important, but they don't need to be huge. Smaller playsets work, too...

[TheSymbiote]

Not to us, We have no room to store playsets.

[warmachine6]

yes , i think they are but nowadays i dont even hear of the word playsets in stores i dont think i ever owned a playset the close thing i had was lego. But now i wish their was a playset of 6 inch figures i know spiderman i think has some i remeber a NY bridge thing i thought of getting but i cant remeber the scale and thats it i have a picture of the playset i saw as a child and thats it. But other ones i cant rember its ashame that childern will soon not know what an actionfigure is hopefully not due to technology also that companies have gotten lazy or dont have the money to make playsets which is ashame.

[Crazy Jetty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NerfTW

The issue here is that playsets are expensive. It's not like back in the 80's early 90s. And it's not just cost of the plastic. There's the expense of shipping them, both in terms of gas prices and space on the trucks, and the space available in the toy aisle. Not to mention that most parents just don't have the kind of money to throw around on a playset when their kid will be happy with a shoebox base.


You're simply not going to see a playset anymore unless it's a really iconic location for the character, and even then it's not likely. A batcave in this day and age, for instance.

I don't think you understood the point of the post, or the question asked.
I'm not asking why they're not as prominant as they used to be.
Just asking everyone's personal opinion if they feel they're important or not (Either when they were kids, or now. Their choice)

[rodimus15]

Great points. I think playsets and vehicles are very important. Action figures bring a character to life. But with a playset or vehicle is gives it more personality. The problem is, playsets and vehicles are just way too expensive to be successful on a retail scale. Growing up I always wanted the pricey stuff. My parents would just tell me "you'll get bored with it in a week" and it was true. No way in hell am I paying $30 for a quin jet and $60 for a helicarrier when I know they'll get clearanced at some point. But I hope we get some sweet playsets in the future (danger room).

[proteus]

I personally think its about relevance,GI Joes for example can work as well from an APC or tank as a fixed base of operations,because they are soldiers,soldiers rarely fight siege actions,so they are good to go where ever they are,the same applies to SW figures really,they have a WHOLE galaxy to fight in,however the Turtles DO need a sewer and/or street playset because thats their context,Spidey is the same,he's bound to an urban setting,him swinging tree to tree out in the countryside just doesnt really work. Its a massive shame the TMNT set has been scaled down,BUT i do see why they have done it,it would be a big spend for me to pick one up,and i have no children/serious financial demands,so for parents to buy em i can see it being a struggle,maybe Playmates should have looked into making a series of smaller modular playsets,with interlock abilities,ie:
Turtle lair
street scene
hand dojo
sewer tunnels

The turtle lair,and sewer tunnel would form the bottom level,the street scene and dojo the top level,(the sewer tunnel could be used to "infiltrate" either the dojo or Turtle lair) that would have brought costs down for a slightly more affordable product,and still retained/encouraged the buying of further sections,throw in a limited figure(Casey Jones/Rat King etc) with each section,and bingo!!!(the only downside would be parents would have to fight almost the entire MU App. thread/H.I.S.S tankers,and anyone else who collects 3.75inch figures to even get a look in on them!!!

[Crazy Jetty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by proteus

I personally think its about relevance,GI Joes for example can work as well from an APC or tank as a fixed base of operations,because they are soldiers,soldiers rarely fight siege actions,so they are good to go where ever they are,the same applies to SW figures really,they have a WHOLE galaxy to fight in,however the Turtles DO need a sewer and/or street playset because thats their context,Spidey is the same,he's bound to an urban setting,him swinging tree to tree out in the countryside just doesnt really work. Its a massive shame the TMNT set has been scaled down,BUT i do see why they have done it,it would be a big spend for me to pick one up,and i have no children/serious financial demands,so for parents to buy em i can see it being a struggle,maybe Playmates should have looked into making a series of smaller modular playsets,with interlock abilities,ie:
Turtle lair
street scene
hand dojo
sewer tunnels

The turtle lair,and sewer tunnel would form the bottom level,the street scene and dojo the top level,(the sewer tunnel could be used to "infiltrate" either the dojo or Turtle lair) that would have brought costs down for a slightly more affordable product,and still retained/encouraged the buying of further sections,throw in a limited figure(Casey Jones/Rat King etc) with each section,and bingo!!!(the only downside would be parents would have to fight almost the entire MU App. thread/H.I.S.S tankers,and anyone else who collects 3.75inch figures to even get a look in on them!!!

That, I feel is the best way to make playsets more practical. Make several small sets that link together (In a variety of ways, perhaps?) to create one large diorama.
Reed Richards' Laboratory/FF Headquarters. Released in four pieces, at $25-$30 a piece. Each set comes with a member of the FF. Each piece combines into the larger whole.
Turtles could easily work the same way. One large mega set (Not quite as "mega" as what they're giving us), and several suplimentals that each comes with a character that adds onto the mega set, or works and connects with themselves without it, for the kids not fortunate enough to get the main set.
Can be supplimented for years this way.

[NoodleChow]

i would love that. like when toybiz had released those old danger room sets that i think you could link together. also the blackbird had multiple functions when you split it into 3 parts. or heck the sentinel had a ton of play features. we see that in some vehicles and playsets today but not all of em are as intuitive feeling as the stuff from the 80's and 90's. if the quin jet could have opened from the top and had space for like 5 figures, i'd have been super happy. heck it'd prolly be good for 6 characters with 1 in the cockpit, 4 in cargo hold with seats and consoles, and that clip thing on the side for iron man.

also another reason why i'm debating getting the upcoming TMNT playset. looks amazing but it's a ton of money upfront. right now i'd be more into buying smaller 20-30 dollar sets and combining em. much like how people have been building up their backdrops by collecting those spawn alleys and tech deck park sets.

and yeah if marvel figures came with parts of a larger base or set dressing like newspaper stands, street lamps, garbage bins, sewer covers, or parts of a rooftop diorama just to build the world. i think that's always been a want of mine since i love nick-nacks.

[FancyPants]

I got that pirates of the Caribbean ship on clearance. The damn thing is too big. I'm going to return it for store credit

[NoodleChow]

yeah there are just some things i don't have space for. i'd love to have a coffee table with that piratey ship on there instead of magazines or as the center piece of a dining table.

[Runamuck]

I voted yes. Speaking from a kids point of view, I think it inspires more imagination when playing with your toys. And gives your toys a "house" to live in. Not only that, but it's just cooler to play with your toys in a related playset, than a table top or the floor.

Now, of course this only works with smaller toys. Having HUGE playsets to accomadate 6"+ figures, isn't practical due to size. As cool as that would be, though.

When I was a kid, I had all 3 playsets for Masters of the Universe. And I played with those all the time. I wish I had the GI Joe base sets, but I did not. I had some of the smaller battle station ones, though. And Transformers....oh, man....I wish they would've produced one for them.

Now, personally, I love the large playsets. I'm sure there are reasons for that deep down, but I really can't tell you why I love them. That said, I do love smaller playsets too. Especially if they have a feature to connect together to form a large one.

Main point is, yes they're important. They not only look cool, but they add to and help expand the fantasy that you're already creating with your toys. Nicer to display in, too.

[trebleshot]

I voted for the third option. For me, I never needed a playset or anything for Transformers, since they fought all across the universe. About the only thing I ever wanted as a kid for my TFs was a version of Teletraan I (I tried the mail-away but got stiffed). Even back then, I knew that Cybertron and Unicron were impossible (well, until years later, that is). Years later a 3rd party released a brilliant version of it, but by that point, I no longer cared. Maybe I might pick it up some day at a convention or through a trade, but it's very low on my priority list.

Of course, I did have Castle Grayskull for my MOTU figures and some of the Joe vehicles I had doubled as mobile command centers. I definitely agree that some lines practically require playsets (like TMNT and MOTU). But I firmly believe that with a child's imagination, anything can become a playset, or any other prop.

As I said, I didn't have a lot of the playsets when I was a kid so I made do with what I had. Castle Grayskull became Destro's castle one day and Dr. Doom's the next.

Ultimately, I agree they can be important but it depends not only on the toys involved, but the kids involved as well.

[jjk1120]

I like the idea of the connecting sets.

[DogFashionDisco]

I had playsets, including the original TMNT sewer set, it was awesome. I didn't have a lot of them though because my family couldn't afford them, and I'm sure that is even more of an issue now for parents who are purchasing stuff for their kids. As far as the sets, I found that they added to the playtime experience, but not by much. A clever kid could easily make a sweet battle scene with some markers and a few boxes. I think this new sewer set appeals to adult collectors more than kids, and that probably kept it from getting scraped altogether. I'm sure plenty of Arkers are going to buy it and use it as their main diorama.

[tlasjr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazy Jetty

I mean, the worst thing for Star Trek, is not to have a bridge set. The Enterprise is as much a character as Kirk, or Picard. And the Bridge itself has always been her face.
..

You nailed it right there. I think the need varies by line but the Bridge is a 100% nessecity.

[kenm2474]

When I was a kid I made my own play sets with chairs pillows and afghans making mountains with a cave door and put flashlights inside with other odds and ends to make it a Base. I did that frequently with my Transformers, G.I Joe and Mask Figures. I liked the inside to be a bigger area and have battles inside and such.

[Iceman]

I do think it depends. I've never needed them but loved the ones I had as a kid. Personally, I would be all over a version of the X-Men's War Room a solid Batcave for 3.75 figures. The more generic ones depend on the price point. I can't imagine Joes without playsets/vehicles.

[Crazy Jetty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iceman

I can't imagine Joes without playsets/vehicles.

Yeah. My Renegades figures feel... wrong... without having the Coyote with them. (Of course, they also feel equally wrong without roadblock. )

[Iceman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazy Jetty

Yeah. My Renegades figures feel... wrong... without having the Coyote with them. (Of course, they also feel equally wrong without roadblock. )

Too true. It often seems as though Hasbro enjoys leaving teams one member short.

[Boba Fettuccini]

of all people to leave out, Roadblock... they did Law and Order, but not Raodblock... crazy.

That said, Playsets are cool but from where I stand, they're rather dangerous -

I think a huge part of child development is imaginative play - not holding to rules, but just letting your imagination dictate what kind of fun you have. I think playsets can be rather detrimental to that, because they remove a certain aspect of creative thought and that's not always good.

I myself never had any action figure playsets, just vehicles. I found creative ways to imagine settings for my heroes and create my own worlds with what I had. I had a hanger for my X-Wing that was a fruit display box from a grocery store turned upside down. I used tin foil and markers to detail it and make it all scifi ish. I think parents need to encourage more of that kind of behavior.

That said, as an adult collector now, I see playsets as a blessing of sorts. I love creating my own stuff still, but I don't always have time. Using bits and pieaces of various different kinds of playsets, I've cobbled together a city street with dirty alleys, loading docks, streetlamps, the works. I don't think I would have been able to think outside the box like that so much if I hadn't had to think so much WITH boxes, ya know?