[Raine24]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Designincase

So let me get this straight.

Let's go!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Designincase

Physically altering the figure is perfectly fine for you.

Maintenance of older figures is nigh-expected, and alteration of current figures to suit personal taste (like shaving down a ratchet or painting a pin) is acceptable depending on the price point. Customizing is a whole other rabbit hole, of course.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Designincase

But potentially you may need to dip a figure in some hot water for a minute one time is absolutely out of the question?

That's an acceptable practice in many cases (paint lock, for one, or after being kept in a particularly cold area) but every time in preparation for even swapping an accessory? Yes, that is out of the question for me, and I won't consider a toy that needs to be warmed up like a frozen dinner. I also won't consider high-end clothed figures that require cotton gloves when handling so my skin doesn't snag the fabric, if that makes any difference.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Designincase

Do you believe that for the figure I am talking about that if you want to do any posing, you must put it in hot water?

I've heard it straight from multiple people: they come back to re-pose the next day, only to find they need to heat the entire thing up again, and again the next week. That a handful of joints aren't as affected, but ones like the knees and hips will lock up entirely again, and hands will snap if you insert a weapon without heating them up. Vests are their own nightmare requiring tweezers or pliers with focused heat/cold cycles to keep them in place. Gun stocks snap off at room temp.

Like, this is kind of what the line's becoming best known for?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Designincase

Is that how you think that's something Marvel Legend/Gi Joe Classified/Star Wars Black/Lightning Collection/Neca/Mcfaralane figure owners have to do every single time they want to pose a figure?

No, not at all, I even said that I don't heat up my NECAs and have had no problems (at least not in a few years) and the only times I've heated up my Classified figures has been to pop them apart for mods or repainting. I'm pretty sure Valaverse is quite alone in needing a thermometer to strike a pose. Like I said, there are levels to all this. Taking extra care to swap a head or hand is always a good choice, and needing to take additional steps when modifying a figure to your individual preferences are on a whole different level from "basic functionality requires a heat gun".

It's a toy; if it can't be played with straight off the shelf then something is amiss. I don't get to hear people complain about NECA for years and years about crud QC, then have Vala gushers tell me I'm some kind of elitist idiot for not being willing to give my toys a bubble bath before playing.