The Fundamental Difference for having Battle Cat over other vehicles/beasts?

[PrinceAdam101]

Many of my threads end up somewhere after Page 5 on the thread lists after the first day, so I'll just ask this one question here:

What is the fundamental difference between developing Battle Cat for the MOTUC, but not a Wind Raider or another small-ish vehicle?

I was wondering about if Stridor counted as a possibility, and it dawned on me how stupid it would be if it didn't. Battle Cat, with multiple points of articulation, YES. Swift Wind? YES. Mechanical Horse? NO, THAT ONE'S MECHANICAL!

What's your opinion?

[Bulkhide]

Many of my threads end up somewhere after Page 5 on the thread lists after the first day, so I'll just ask this one question here:

What is the fundamental difference between developing Battle Cat for the MOTUC, but not a Wind Raider or another small-ish vehicle?

I was wondering about if Stridor counted as a possibility, and it dawned on me how stupid it would be if it didn't. Battle Cat, with multiple points of articulation, YES. Swift Wind? YES. Mechanical Horse? NO, THAT ONE'S MECHANICAL!

What's your opinion?

Wait, what exactly are you saying here? LOL. Why wouldn't Strydor have multiple POA's? And what's mechanical have to do with it? Sorry, its late and I'm lost.

[MegaGearMax]

What is the fundamental difference between developing Battle Cat for the MOTUC, but not a Wind Raider or another small-ish vehicle?

I was wondering about if Stridor counted as a possibility, and it dawned on me how stupid it would be if it didn't. Battle Cat, with multiple points of articulation, YES. Swift Wind? YES. Mechanical Horse? NO, THAT ONE'S MECHANICAL!

What's your opinion?

Parts re-use. The animal molds could all be re-used to make new characters.
The vehicles are one use molds, where repaints aren't applicable. Maybe the Battle Ram though...didn't the evil warriors have green Battle Rams in Filmation?

Battle Cat begat Panthor, Battle Lion and Clawdeen
Cringer begat Catra's cat form
Swift Wind begat Arrow, Storm, Teela's Unicorn and Crystal Sundancer
Stridor begat Night Stalker

[DO4M]

and Battle Cat is a KEY character in EVERY incarnation of MOTU... that happens on Eternia...

[Benedict Judas Hel]

and Battle Cat is a KEY character in EVERY incarnation of MOTU... that happens on Eternia...

I must agree with my fellow mulleted .org member. Battle Cat is an important character in the MOTU mythos. He is more than just a mere beast of burden for He-Man. I would dare say that Battle Cat is more important to the MOTU universe than Teela or Man-At-Arms. He is He-Man's constant companion and fighting partner. They share the same transformation secret and abilities. That is why Mattel made damn sure he was going to be made. It would be like making a Shaggy figure but no Scooby figure. Sure, you could have the Mystery Machine (Battle Ram) but without the Shaggy (He-Man) and Scooby (Battle Cat), it would be hollow. There would be something missing. And please, there is no need for Scrappy Doo (Orko) but we're getting him anyways...

[scott metzger]

It comes down to re-use; we would have waited a lot longer for Battle Cat if his body couldn't serve for Panthor and possibly Battle Lion and Clawdeen, regardless of how important he is. THat's what makes Stridor likely; you get both him and Night Stalker out of one set of molds. The sky sleds might be possible by the same token, but might be dicey if the evil version didn't appear anywhere but the Filmation cartoon.

[PrinceAdam101]

This thread was a late night rant on my part, and I still feel that it's a valid argument. I was wondering, literally, if Stridor qualified for the beasts slot because it is mechanical. I think the assumption is that it would qualify. But it started me thinking about how silly it is that the line can create giants with multiple points of articulation, detailed bodies and faces, and weapons... but a Wind Raider is a "no-can-do". There is no difference, except that the Wind Raider (to continue the example) is easier to design and develop.

All this may be a moot point, since TG hinted that news pertaining to vehicles may be shared at SDCC.

[mjharwood]

This thread was a late night rant on my part, and I still feel that it's a valid argument. I was wondering, literally, if Stridor qualified for the beasts slot because it is mechanical. I think the assumption is that it would qualify. But it started me thinking about how silly it is that the line can create giants with multiple points of articulation, detailed bodies and faces, and weapons... but a Wind Raider is a "no-can-do". There is no difference, except that the Wind Raider (to continue the example) is easier to design and develop.

All this may be a moot point, since TG hinted that news pertaining to vehicles may be shared at SDCC.

You're making a somewhat false assertion/assumption, though... We aren't getting "quarterly beasts", we are getting "quarterly large SKUs"... these include beasts, army-builder 2-packs, giants, and anything else that would not qualify as a standard $20 monthly figure (I think TG even said on the Matty forums that something like the Orko and Adam pack, were it not part of the SDCC stuff, would count as a quarterly large SKU item). Stridor would most definitely qualify (and, again, I think I recall seeing TG mention he is a possibility in one of the forums) and would be more likely than something like the Wind Raider... It comes down, as others have said, not to articulation (which probably doesn't play TOO much into tooling costs) but reusability of parts. Stridor can be remade as whats-his-name (Night Stalker? I can't remember the evil equivalent), but the Wind Raider is pretty much a single-use tool. Same can be said for Attack-Track and others. I'm sure we're getting closer to these single-use tools becoming a reality, but I think we are still a little bit away from that. Based on price points announced for next year, I wouldn't expect anything like the Wind Raider... yet.

Of course, I also wonder how these figures would sit in some of these vehicles. We have enough posing problems just standing them dynamically or getting them on beasts. I don't see them sitting very easily...

[PrinceAdam101]

TG has said many times before that there are no current plans to do vehicles/playsets. The quarterly "skus" have most often been referred to as "beasts", and no one on the site has ever suggested "what vehicle we may get next in that quarterly spot". It's always been beasts and giants. The $30-40 sku is still new, as it was only in February that we got Battle Cat.
From the answers I've seen, there has never been a confirmation of any kind that vehicles qualify in that spot, nor have there been anything to report. Hence, the question in the July Q&A's and the answer hints at something brand new.

[Kevenn]

If they do release vehicles, it'd had better not be in a new sku - i.e., not included in the all-inclusive subscription. That would infuriate me.

[Bulkhide]

If they do release vehicles, it'd had better not be in a new sku - i.e., not included in the all-inclusive subscription. That would infuriate me.

I would expect it to be infuriated then. Because I bet that they'll not be included in the 2011 sub.

[PrinceAdam101]

Yeah, they need to keep the race going strong. If they start releasing vehicles, it would probably be its own sku.

[Haradrel]

Just wanted to throw this out there, found it on a random google search:

[DO4M]

If they do release vehicles, it'd had better not be in a new sku - i.e., not included in the all-inclusive subscription. That would infuriate me.

They need for us to keep going to mattycollector.com and buy stuff. Extra money from "impulse buys". I'm 95% certain that if available vehicles WILL NOT be in the 2011 sub.

[griffen112182]

Actually if we ever get the Filmation rights the Wind Raider mold can be used again. In one of the episodes one of the characters had a custom made "Wind Raider" that was white and blue. It also had spider-leg like parts on the under-carrige. I believe it belonged it to Icer. So there is some hope for the Wind Raider molds to get reused.



MATTEL GET THE FILMATION RIGHTS ALREADY!!!