[Snowflakian]

Quote:

Originally Posted by superquad7

Often times, cost is the determining factor for things like this. However, many of you have hit upon the design and marketability to the consumer for it as well. I think, mainly, it's a "best bang for the buck" type of mentality.

One trend I notice specifically with Hasbro is that they'll often include a figure with the playset. I really think this is a great move, as a playset may have to function as a standalone piece without any of the rest of the toyline. Why? Well, sometimes a consumer only has enough money for that single playset. One may be deterred if the playset isn't fully self-contained.

It's only for that reason that I'm not a huge fan of the smaller playsets combining into a full playset. Sure, a company may want a "collect them all" mentality, but if someone can only find a certain number, their whole brand loyalty may come into question because of frustration, etc.

Playsets are really risky business, but when done well they're simply EPIC.

That's an extremely good point, which is why that one, it has to as few as possible for a full mini structure, 3 at max if it can be avoided. Or in like the x-men's case a lot of repeated architecture with few differences barring doors and stairs or underground tunnels.

That becomes an issue, so you have to think around some of the larger ideas.
Some of the other issues are access too, how does a play set remain usable to play with the figure where ever. So while say an accuratte helicarrier would rock, where exactly is the cut off point to access the interior?

And then there's the characters you want to skip for various reasons losing their part. The BAF mentality is an issue. But one solved by a new trading aspect only with marvel world pieces. Especially, if for like the academy X kids it was just hallway doors to their rooms. If you don't want that character, why would you want that part for your mansion? Major architecture points repeated randomly through out the entire X-teams run.

Then they pile up like accessories you can also trade or sell on your own, but so bland they remain only fine with figures. But this would call for a universal joining squares that cover all sides to build connectable cubes. Even allows for panel reuse elsewhere for whatever reason. Think like how a dublo fence works. It wouldn't be much, but really with a playset do you need much as a kid? Heck styrofoam even came in handy back then. This could also appeal to collectors because we can fit the pieces to whatever displays we like, from exterior fire escapes, and starks armory all able to fit on a shelf. Thise way you control what or where, and the plates are really just there as background stuff. They could then use it for whatever other toys work as well, from gi joe, to DCIH, or terminator.

Not sure how well this would work with other lines. But if all the junction points were completely universal on this scale wih hasbro cross all lines, it'd be like legos all over again. Only with battlefields and apartments, or main dorm room stair areas. and mansion entrance, and just street panels and whatever else can be as mass used as say the MU bodies themselves are. This mass use, and incorporative featuers makes it easier for all to be used in any manner, and with them repeated at various wave points, per team figures, it'd make it easier on the BAF mentality by always being available later with something else.

The cost might rise to a good 13 or so bucks, but it'd beat stuff like the deadpool giant cannon, and even let old ones be adaptable like the weapon X chamber. Think of what plastic could have been used in gi joe to make that could help. Especially those that troop build.

That helps alleviate the playset issue some, but maybe not enough.
And that still leaves the issue of large scale vehicles and how you maintain detail and accurracy while keeping price in check and access for play value within. This sucker, and motion causes a massive issue. Look at the GI Joe recent one. Not bad, that couldn't be modded into better, but the open space causes some issues but allows for easier posing and play value, especially if you're a kid playing in a fort you made from pillows anyway. And it can also double in your fort as the NEST base as well, or some secret mountain base for shield or AIM, or Hydra, or even Cobra. Then there's the price, which isn't pretty at all. One of those toys you dream of but will never get. Like the transforming base PC in the 80s JC penney catalogs of circuit board warriors. But maybe not so much as an adult. (Speaking of which. what was that cartoon and toyline of little guys from the computer world that made real things become weapons in their war?)

But does marvel have the fanbase that would accept that? How far can they stray on the big ones without compromising all sales?
Especially with something like the helicarrier. Then there's also stability with the various ways it could open. etc. The millenium falcon bears a similiar problem and it's only one floor, with a hidden cargo hatch inside.

Honestly a BTR rebirth is the best move I can think of for this. And it'd be brilliant overall. Especially since they could incorporate characters into it too, by modifying some of the molds with BTR arm and leg points like the Joe line had. The problem with this, is it may alienate some younger buyers though as well, but with the small weapons already used in MU, should only be marginal. This method may only work with a character or two per corner set though. And even ships it'd have to be moderately slow and varied or expensive. Even if the helicarrier or armory could open up on hinges and be stable, that's a lot of plastic, and heavy/fragile. So limits it some as well. But it also boasts an amazing play factor of real debris during hulk/sentinel, thor gone made, ultron attack whatever debris too.

Something like stary armory alcoves that fit together could work though for Ironman 2's line. This way all stark armor has an alcove that can stack and connect to each other for one massive hall of armor. This way again if you skip a figure, it's no real loss either. and a special box set of tony stark with homer/jarvis with a main PC.

Giant vehicle or place exteriors are an issue it seams overall barring simplicity.
To this end I guess the best compromise is Marvel Transformers/Starwars transformers. Vehicles to scale in a real world are a plus always, but some things of great size that can't be foreseeably done to scale for awhile barring cut out section battle scenes, should probably go here for now in full accurate glory and scale. The Supreme Deathstar, Unicron, Primus, so why not a shield helicarrier one?

On the other flipside though, most of this talk is real world location stuff.
Every city has sewers, backyards, hallways, buildings, cathedral windows etc. So this works for a myriad of lines. But what about stuff like transformers with iacon? Or other things like the inhumans city? Or atlantis, or even mount cheyenne or stargate room?
That becomes an issue of how well would they sell. =/
The 'ark' playset coming up from the fan companies has me curious to this degree on what it'll cost with the low run. Something like that could work and even just be like buying lego base plate packs. Throw in a figure for added bonus if needed. But try to keep space consumption minimal.
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Long winded but condensed easier for a final point about this.
We have two schools of thought here that become an issue to balance.
The child who can use any and all materials handy to play with, and the collector who wants accuracy for a shelf, or display. The kid wants easy to reach areas, while still expansive, something that's not hard to have characters move around in or fight in, or even interact with while fighting. Some gimmicks to this end can come in handy. The collector doesn't want gimmicks, wants accuracy, and tends to frown on excess gaps.

How do you balance this to please the collector, while still giving the kid the fun factors they would want to buy and beg mommy for. Kids are creative from styrofoam to pillows, and even boxes, so it's amazing what they can come up with for their worlds even with open spaces, and it costs them nothing but what they have generally anyway. So how do you combine that into something collectors will also want, and then keep the price reasonable.
That seems to be the main complication here. Price alongside the dividing line of collectors to kid desires. How do you please both and keep it cheap?

I guess honestly the only ultimate solution I can think of is to do like the first legends and spiderman movie did. Individual plaque like pieces that fit to the character in question. A collector may appreciate it for his display, it completely dispels the BAF aspect while still potention staying connectable to each other for display purposes or play value, and permits randomness across the figures in accessories, like spidey's gargoyle, daredevil and a cathedral window, Ironman suits and armory slots. Bullseye and the cathedral window,
etc. Kids can combine for their own couch/chair/table war. While collectors get what they want to a degree as well.

I can't think of anything else that really works for large playsets. To be quite frank for an expensive one to succeed it has to be something that can stay on the market for awhile. And yeah be useable for all kinds of play.
I do think the millenium falcon could be done, but then that begs the question of what other ships deserve this? And how long before it's not feasible with the profit margins on production vs amount sold.

I do love what hasbro's done recently in GI Joe though with the backdrops, that does kind of allow all kinds of various ideas or slide in addons in the box to extend it or what not in just cardboard too. So Maybe that might be the best route, especially with allowing figures with it and play value. May not be a playset per se in name, but it's a good step forward at least.

Sorry if I ran on and on, but these are all the aspects I can think of on it.
Lots of things I'd like to see, but the feesibility and the how are grave issues.
Especially when you have to balance figure interactivity to play value and display and keep cost within reason.