TFViews questions for Hasbro, round 2

[Dominic]

With the ability to send in 5 questions every 2 months, we welcome everybody's participation. Please feel free to suggest new questions, and voice your opinion in favor of existing potential questions posted here. This month's deadline is November 30th...

Potential questions:

1. - Light-piping has been part of the Transformers line for quite a while now, but some figures appear to be designed for light-piping and then have these light-pipe designs circumvented through opaque materials or even paint. Why has the extensive use of light-piping been abandoned as a line-wide gimmick? Why are some uses designed, even cast in translucent plastic, and then painted over?
2. - With the tech-specs, who generally writes these? What is the process for writing tech-specs? Where does consistency within the theme of that line fall into the level of importance? Where does holding onto old copyrights fall there? Or are those and other issues largely up to the discretion of the writer?
3. - Does the TF team at Hasbro ever read fans' online toy reviews, and if so, what do they think about them? Are there times when a review will praise a toy that the designer wasn't expecting? What about criticisms, how are those taken? What could be better in reviews out there?
4. - What criteria guides the team to determine the size class that a particular character is assigned? Good examples of this are Universe Powerglide being an Ultra, Movie Bonecrusher a Deluxe, the upcoming Universe Jazz and Red Alert being just Legends. So what goes into that process for specific characters?
5. - Over the past 8 years or so, a lot of molds have been given new life in the form of repaints and reissues and even the occasional remold (Classics Starscream is epic in this department, enjoying all 3 situations), but like all tooling, after a while, time and use can take its toll causing mold damage. Hasbro's Star Wars brand even had to make an all-new Millennium Falcon after their previous tooling completely died. What efforts, if any, has Hasbro taken to ensure that the molds for newer figures will continue to enjoy use down the road rather than fail and lose that toy design to the ages? Are master toolings made which aren't used for production runs, or perhaps tooling is generated from computer files that can be recreated time and time again?
6. - First off, let us make clear that we do understand that repaints are part of Hasbro's business model, and that aspect is often factored into a new mold's budgeting, they are somewhat necessary to make the line happen. That said, why does Hasbro keep making many repaints as the same character, such as Animated Ultra Magnus and Megatron, rather than giving those repaints a new identity? While it might make sense for major characters like Optimus Prime and Bulkhead, something like Movie Jungle Bonecrusher could just as easily have been someone else, right?

[andersonh1]

Here are a couple of questions. Feel free to reword for clarity and focus if needed. That worked very well the last time.


- I've really enjoyed the fact that Universe is revisiting some characters we haven't seen remade before, such as Powerglide, Onslaught and Stormcloud. How are the characters that are to be included in the Universe line chosen?

- Along those same lines, what determines the size class that a character is assigned? For example, why did a basic like Powerglide get the Ultra treatment in Universe?

[onslaught86]

One new one for now:

- We know that past interns and freelance designers are sometimes called upon to assist with designs in TF lines, such as the Jungle Planet from Cybertron. Was this done with the 25th Anniversary Cheetor and Dinobot figures, or were they handled entirely by the current design team? As they're established forms revisted rather than entirely new takes on the characters, what differed in designing those versus other Universe figures?

Aaand the one we didn't get to last time:

- Does the design team read toy reviews? While the joy of seeing kids play and love the toys they design must be the best reward, kids aren't likely to go into the depth collectors do. If so, what's the most helpful feedback we can give?

[Dominic]

I really like that second one. When it comes time to list the questions, that one should top the list.



Here is my, considerably less thought provoking, question:

Any chance of getting American versions of the Japanese Thrust and Dirge figures in the US? And, if so, what kind of paint masking will they have?

Dom

[Onslaught Six]

Here is my, considerably less thought provoking, question:

Any chance of getting American versions of the Japanese Thrust and Dirge figures in the US? And, if so, what kind of paint masking will they have?

That seems like one of those "obvious" questions that I'm *positive* that every other TF site in the world is going to ask. I expect at least three sites to ask this and get the same canned answer.

[Dominic]

Good point. But, I want to make sure it is answered.

Dom

[Onslaught Six]

I suppose we could give it a shot in the third round, if nobody asks it this time. Mind, I fully expect someone else to.

...And this is the kind of generic fanboy question that I just don't really like asking. If Hasbro is going to release them here in some fashion, they either will or they won't--and we'll find out when they feel like telling us. I just fear these TF Q&As turning out like some of the GI Joe ones I see, where there's literally question after question of "Will we see [x obscure character from 1987]?" "No, why would you ask that? Nobody likes Zarana and Airborne and frigging Quick Kick. Why the hell did you want him? Do you know how crappy this guy was to make?"

[Dominic]

Ideally, Hasbro could take the question as a hint of sorts, and actually make the stupid things. Thrust and Dirge and respectable second tier characters, and there is call for them.

I am fine waiting for the next round though.

Dom
-still wondering if Hasbro would actually release a non-convention Thundercracker.

[Onslaught Six]

Ideally, Hasbro could take the question as a hint of sorts, and actually make the stupid things. Thrust and Dirge and respectable second tier characters, and there is call for them.

They're Hasbro. I'm sure they're well aware that we would love wide-scale releases of 'all' the Seekers, retailers and people-who-bought-the-Botcon-set be damned. I'm sure they don't need us to ask "Hey, you guys gonna release those Japanese coneheads?" for the idea to come into their heads. I'd like to give Hasbro more credit than 'that.'

I mean, sure, the occasional distribution problems are a pain, and we get the occasional clunker toy (Galvatron) but overall, I'd say they pretty much know what they're doing. At least the design team does.

[Dominic]

Wow. Just as Sparky is far too optimistic about the relative ignorance of people, you are far too optimistic about Hasbro making rational choices. Still, if you derive comfort from this delusion, I suppose we can indulge it.


Okay, here are my questions:

1) As the fan-base ages, will we see a broadening of the product line? For example, will we see laxatives with Astrotrain and Omega Supreme on the box? Perhaps "Headmaster" denture adhesives?


2) Has Hasbro made "master-molds" for any recent TF figures, such as "Classics" Starscream? With all of the potential use that mold gets, it would make sense to do so. Are there any other toys that have "master molds"? (Note: "Master molds" are sets of tooling used primarily to create additional sets of tooling that are used for production runs. This adds a small amount to the cost of a production run, but greatly extends the life a popular mold.)


Dom