Answers to WTFWTK 2.96!

**JVS3** · March 19, 2013, 06:07am

**Prahvus** · March 19, 2013, 08:23am

1. facet: Will we ever see the Council of Elders as figures or learn more about them in the MOTUC bios?

If you are referring to the council from MYP episode 35, yes we would like to get to them one day. But likely not until 2016 and beyond.

"Likely not until 2016 and beyond" !? He sure doesn't take many risks, with such an answer ! We're not even sure that there will be a 2014 or a 2015 line, so speaking "about 2016 and beyond" is like speaking of the line's demise, IMO.

3. zodak74: Could the clip on Castaspella's shield be switched before she goes into production? The shields only snap on the left wrist of the female figures. But Castaspella's left hand is the open spell-casting hand. It would be great if the shield snapped on her right arm so she can raise her left arm and display the spell effect.

Alas, no , we won't be able to make this change.

Epic fail ! They don't even want to make such a small change ? Oh, but that's right, I forgot : this is a FEMALE figure we're talking here ! There's NO WAY that Matty would improve a FEMALE figure ! Cf. the sad case of Frosta's greyish slushy colour and the lack of accessories and headdress for Netossa...

**Dynamo of Eternia** · March 19, 2013, 09:24am

I'm not sure how much support there would be for it since they are somewhat obscure characters, but I could see the Council of Elders being done as a separate add-on sub like the Filmation sub. Over the course of a year, all 8 of them could be released as part of this separate sub.

That would be the best and probably only way to handle these characters IMO, if it were to come to pass. Even if we do get to a 2016 main Club Eternia sub, they would probably, at most, put 1 or 2 of the Elders in the sub per year, and I doubt that the line will last long enough to get to all 8 of them at that rate.

While they are somewhat obscure, they were a big part of the 200X canon and anyone who watched that series from the beginning knows who they are, so I could see there possibly being support for an Elders sub.

**Niki** · March 19, 2013, 10:07am

Originally Posted by Prahvus

...

Epic fail ! They don't even want to make such a small change ? Oh, but that's right, I forgot : this is a FEMALE figure we're talking here ! There's NO WAY that Matty would improve a FEMALE figure ! Cf. the sad case of Frosta's greyish slushy colour and the lack of accessories and headdress for Netossa...

More or less, yes you are right, i think it´s not thought through but changing it so it again only fits on one side would be wrong again.

Why can´t they make it work like in the vintage line with a swivel handle. Like that we could put it where we want and how we want to display it.

As a little side note...Castaspella did´t came with one back in the 80ties...

**Dynamo of Eternia** · March 19, 2013, 11:10am

Originally Posted by Prahvus

Epic fail ! They don't even want to make such a small change ? Oh, but that's right, I forgot : this is a FEMALE figure we're talking here ! There's NO WAY that Matty would improve a FEMALE figure ! Cf. the sad case of Frosta's greyish slushy colour and the lack of accessories and headdress for Netossa...

I don't think it has anything to do with her being a female figure. The shields of most, if not all figures are primarily designed to fit on the left side. They often have two clips of differing size based on the part of the left wrist/arm that those clips will fit over, and therefore don't work so well on the opposite side. I know this is the case for sure with Draegoman's shield that came in the most recent weapons pack.

And if I'm not mistaken, her shield is just an alternate colored reuse of She-Ra's shield. As such, they are using the same molds and tooling for it. Making this change would likely require all new tooling that hasn't been budgeted into the line for the year, and making such a change at this point may throw things off schedule.

**Uki** · March 19, 2013, 12:58pm

I'm not really bothered by Casta's shield's clips. (That isn't something we could fix, is it? I think where the clips are glued on, the spaces are different sizes, right?)

TheElders would be cool. I wonder if it would make more sense to do them as "Salt Shakers" (a phrase fellow SW collectors should know), where their robes are one solid piece. The males could share a body as could the females, with only new heads and a few sets of hands needed. It could cut costs for a nitfy set. I'd love them to GITD. Of course, they'rd be much more interesting in their mortal states...

And I just really hope we see that dungeon piece eventually.

**bcrduke** · March 19, 2013, 03:40pm

Originally Posted by Dynamo of Eternia

Originally Posted by Prahvus

Epic fail ! They don't even want to make such a small change ? Oh, but that's right, I forgot : this is a FEMALE figure we're talking here ! There's NO WAY that Matty would improve a FEMALE figure ! Cf. the sad case of Frosta's greyish slushy colour and the lack of accessories and headdress for Netossa...

I don't think it has anything to do with her being a female figure. The shields of most, if not all figures are primarily designed to fit on the left side. They often have two clips of differing size based on the part of the left wrist/arm that those clips will fit over, and therefore don't work so well on the opposite side. I know this is the case for sure with Draegoman's shield that came in the most recent weapons pack.

And if I'm not mistaken, her shield is just an alternate colored reuse of She-Ra's shield. As such, they are using the same molds and tooling for it. Making this change would likely require all new tooling that hasn't been budgeted into the line for the year, and making such a change at this point may throw things off schedule.

It's just a little silly that they couldn't change the shield a bit since they spent the money to change Clamp Champ's armor (when it didn't need to be changed), or Clawful and Moss Man's clubs.

**Niki** · March 19, 2013, 04:04pm

Originally Posted by bcrduke

It's just a little silly that they couldn't change the shield a bit since they spent the money to change Clamp Champ's armor (when it didn't need to be changed), or Clawful and Moss Man's clubs.

Add Kobra Khans gun to this list.

**Dynamo of Eternia** · March 19, 2013, 04:13pm

Originally Posted by bcrduke

It's just a little silly that they couldn't change the shield a bit since they spent the money to change Clamp Champ's armor (when it didn't need to be changed), or Clawful and Moss Man's clubs.

I see your point, but those were things that they thought to change for one reason or another in the process of planning and sculpting the figure, and budgeting for the line for the year. This shield issue didn't occur to them, and since it wasn't budgeted in, it's not something that they can easily flip the switch on and just change at the last minute. If they hadn't decided to put vines on Mossman's club and fans suggested it after the figure had been revealed, I doubt they would have gone through the trouble and cost of new tooling at the last minute because of it.

Plus it's not like the shield blocks her hand or something if she is put in a spell casting pose. It's just hanging there on the side of her arm as she casts the spell.

While I understand the logic behind the suggestion of giving her a shield that goes on the other arm instead, it's not like this was some intentional thing that they did to screw over the figure, and the fact that they can't change it at the last minute is not some kind of specific slight against female figures as has been suggested here.

Not to mention that, as Niki pointed out, she didn't even come with a shield back in the 80s. They could have just not even included one and nobody would have known any different. But they go ahead and include one and now it's this horrific thing that they've done to a female figure (at least according to Prahvus).

For that matter, to the best of my recollection, I can't think of any time during the course of this entire figure line in which after a figure prototype has been revealed, someone had suggested a change that would require new tooling and Mattel actually creating new tooling because of it (regardless of how much support there was for that change). Yes, we've had last minute deco changes and there was the deflocking of Mossman's ears, but those weren't changes that required new tooling.

Many people were disappointed in King Hsss's snake form when it was revealed, and they didn't drop everything to retool that.

**Nemisythe** · March 19, 2013, 05:20pm

And now for the Cliffs' Notes of this Q&A...

Question 1 Answer: As many have you voiced anything new will be (if able) AFTER we get all the main characters out.

- My thought with everyone's continuous voicing their opinions and opposition to anything new (at least right now) why ask.

Question 2 Answer: Right now, no. We are creating a new canon and want to stick to that one.

Question 3 Answer: When a figure is revealed what you see is what you get for the most part.

- At this point when you see a figure like Castaspella displayed, there is NO WAY to go back on the production as you see she has been in production terms: months old already.

Question 4 Answer: Yes but we will see after this Grayskull sale.

Question 5 Answer: See answer to question 4.

**Shokoti's Slave** · March 21, 2013, 10:06am

Originally Posted by Dynamo of Eternia

For that matter, to the best of my recollection, I can't think of any time during the course of this entire figure line in which after a figure prototype has been revealed, someone had suggested a change that would require new tooling and Mattel actually creating new tooling because of it (regardless of how much support there was for that change). Yes, we've had last minute deco changes and there was the deflocking of Mossman's ears, but those weren't changes that required new tooling.

I for one can not recall a time where Scott has told us REPEATEDLY that by the time a figure has been revealed, it is TOO LATE for changes to be made because of the production process. And yet, as you said, figures get revealed and people start asking for changes -- and get mad when Scott says it can't be done. It would be very nice if people would get it through their heads and listen to what Scott has told us time and again.

**Niki** · March 21, 2013, 10:45am

Originally Posted by Shokoti's Slave

I for one can not recall a time where Scott has told us REPEATEDLY that by the time a figure has been revealed, it is TOO LATE for changes to be made because of the production process. And yet, as you said, figures get revealed and people start asking for changes -- and get mad when Scott says it can't be done. It would be very nice if people would get it through their heads and listen to what Scott has told us time and again.

But that´s wrong.

Think of Snakemen Man-at-Arms they changed his whole body or the Griffin who got shaded wings. Netossa had her boots on the wrong side but it was caught and could have been changed.

Some of the changes weren´t even asked for like Frostas hair, which they changed color and plastic wise and in addition to that they even said they are still working on her one month before she was released.

Don´t give up to soon

**Dynamo of Eternia** · March 22, 2013, 10:51am

Originally Posted by Niki

But that´s wrong.

Think of Snakemen Man-at-Arms they changed his whole body or the Griffin who got shaded wings. Netossa had her boots on the wrong side but it was caught and could have been changed.

Some of the changes weren´t even asked for like Frostas hair, which they changed color and plastic wise and in addition to that they even said they are still working on her one month before she was released.

Don´t give up to soon

Here's the key to those changes and the ones that ToyGuru says cannot be changed.... they did not require any NEW TOOLING. Things like deco changes, deflocking Mossman's ears, occasionally fixing reverse parts when they are caught far enough ahead of time, etc.

Even the Snake Man-At-Arms changes did not require any NEW tooling. What they did instead was use different tooling that already existed from other previous figures to approximate a 200X-ish look for him.

The bottom line is that by the time figures are revealed, it is too late for them to go back and make any changes that would require a new tool (meaning a new mold) to be made to create the item. If the requested changes can be done using existing tooling and a change in paint deco, and if there is enough support for it, then yes, in some cases it can be done.

People seem to have a hard time understanding this and differentiating between why they can change the colors of the Griffin's wings but can't give Castaspella a shield configuring in a manner that they don't have an existing tool/mold for. The difference here is night and day.

I recommend that anyone who doesn't understand the complexity and cost of tooling to listen to what Cornboy of the Four Horsemen says on Roast Gooble Dinner #115. He lays out the process of making a figure and the costs involved, often using their own lines like 7th Kingdom and Gothatropolis as examples since he can't divulge the money that Mattel spends. At one point he explains that the cost of the tooling.... which is making the steel molds that are used to make the figures.... for one of their figures from a few years ago (I think 2007 or 2008 if I recall correctly) cost $25,000 to make. And the costs have continued to rise and the tooling cost for a more recent figure was about $35,000.

Now while we are talking about one little shield and not an entire figure, Mattel would still be looking at shelling out several thousand dollars that they have not budgeted for just to make a steel mold tool at the last minute to give Castaspella this proposed shield. When they changed Snake MAA, they did not spend several grand creating all new tooling. They instead simply changed what pre-existing, already paid for steel molds were going to be re-used in making this figure.

The difference is night and day.

**Niki** · March 22, 2013, 02:03pm

Originally Posted by Dynamo of Eternia

Here's the key to those changes and the ones that ToyGuru says cannot be changed.... they did not require any NEW TOOLING. Things like deco changes, deflocking Mossman's ears, occasionally fixing reverse parts when they are caught far enough ahead of time, etc.

Even the Snake Man-At-Arms changes did not require any NEW tooling. What they did instead was use different tooling that already existed from other previous figures to approximate a 200X-ish look for him.

The bottom line is that by the time figures are revealed, it is too late for them to go back and make any changes that would require a new tool (meaning a new mold) to be made to create the item. If the requested changes can be done using existing tooling and a change in paint deco, and if there is enough support for it, then yes, in some cases it can be done.

People seem to have a hard time understanding this and differentiating between why they can change the colors of the Griffin's wings but can't give Castaspella a shield configuring in a manner that they don't have an existing tool/mold for. The difference here is night and day.

I recommend that anyone who doesn't understand the complexity and cost of tooling to listen to what Cornboy of the Four Horsemen says on Roast Gooble Dinner #115. He lays out the process of making a figure and the costs involved, often using their own lines like 7th Kingdom and Gothatropolis as examples since he can't divulge the money that Mattel spends. At one point he explains that the cost of the tooling.... which is making the steel molds that are used to make the figures.... for one of their figures from a few years ago (I think 2007 or 2008 if I recall correctly) cost $25,000 to make. And the costs have continued to rise and the tooling cost for a more recent figure was about $35,000.

Now while we are talking about one little shield and not an entire figure, Mattel would still be looking at shelling out several thousand dollars that they have not budgeted for just to make a steel mold tool at the last minute to give Castaspella this proposed shield. When they changed Snake MAA, they did not spend several grand creating all new tooling. They instead simply changed what pre-existing, already paid for steel molds were going to be re-used in making this figure.

The difference is night and day.

Yes, you are right.

New tooling is something else than changes to the deco or what kind of plastic they use but maybe that question inspires them to make a new shield which is possible to clip on both wrists.

Don´t give up to soon

And once done it´s possible to include for a weapons pack in different colors.

**Prahvus** · March 23, 2013, 05:58am

I must say that tooling a shield that is supposed to fit on only one wrist is an utterly stupid idea, IMO ! They should have put the shield handle in the center of the shield right from the beginning. Then we could have placed the shield on the left wrist or on the right wrist.

It's a big design mistake to have put the shield handle on one side of the shield, because it limitates playability and forces us to place the shield on a specific wrist. I'm pretty sure we can thank Mattel's notorious "design team" for this... And of course, as usual, Mattel won't correct this, and is too stubborn to listen to the sensible things their customers tell them. It's just pitiful !

**Jeevesosiris** · March 23, 2013, 08:29am

My guess is that the shield was added as an accessory to the figure as an afterthought - once they figured out the tooling cost as well as confirmed the other accessories and the back wheel. They probably had in mind to add the shield if they could price it in and only then did they remember/realise it is designed to clip on one wrist. I don't think it is a huge issue myself and the way the shield has been designed initially does allow it to pose better on most of the figures.

**Shokoti's Slave** · March 23, 2013, 09:21am

Originally Posted by Prahvus

I must say that tooling a shield that is supposed to fit on only one wrist is an utterly stupid idea, IMO ! They should have put the shield handle in the center of the shield right from the beginning. Then we could have placed the shield on the left wrist or on the right wrist.

It's a big design mistake to have put the shield handle on one side of the shield, because it limitates playability and forces us to place the shield on a specific wrist. I'm pretty sure we can thank Mattel's notorious "design team" for this... And of course, as usual, Mattel won't correct this, and is too stubborn to listen to the sensible things their customers tell them. It's just pitiful !

Originally Posted by Dynamo of Eternia

Here's the key to those changes and the ones that ToyGuru says cannot be changed.... they did not require any NEW TOOLING. Things like deco changes, deflocking Mossman's ears, occasionally fixing reverse parts when they are caught far enough ahead of time, etc.

Even the Snake Man-At-Arms changes did not require any NEW tooling. What they did instead was use different tooling that already existed from other previous figures to approximate a 200X-ish look for him.

The bottom line is that by the time figures are revealed, it is too late for them to go back and make any changes that would require a new tool (meaning a new mold) to be made to create the item. If the requested changes can be done using existing tooling and a change in paint deco, and if there is enough support for it, then yes, in some cases it can be done.

People seem to have a hard time understanding this and differentiating between why they can change the colors of the Griffin's wings but can't give Castaspella a shield configuring in a manner that they don't have an existing tool/mold for. The difference here is night and day.

I recommend that anyone who doesn't understand the complexity and cost of tooling to listen to what Cornboy of the Four Horsemen says on Roast Gooble Dinner #115. He lays out the process of making a figure and the costs involved, often using their own lines like 7th Kingdom and Gothatropolis as examples since he can't divulge the money that Mattel spends. At one point he explains that the cost of the tooling.... which is making the steel molds that are used to make the figures.... for one of their figures from a few years ago (I think 2007 or 2008 if I recall correctly) cost $25,000 to make. And the costs have continued to rise and the tooling cost for a more recent figure was about $35,000.

Now while we are talking about one little shield and not an entire figure, Mattel would still be looking at shelling out several thousand dollars that they have not budgeted for just to make a steel mold tool at the last minute to give Castaspella this proposed shield. When they changed Snake MAA, they did not spend several grand creating all new tooling. They instead simply changed what pre-existing, already paid for steel molds were going to be re-used in making this figure.

The difference is night and day.

You must have missed this.

**rhea** · March 27, 2013, 06:45am

As much of a POP fan that I am, I really don't see a need for a new shield configuration. I think having both her spell casting energy bolt plus her shield displayed would be a bit busy looking (I'm from the old school D&D school where a spell had verbal and somatic components--so to me, it would get in her way.)

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