MOTUC Q&A's From Around the Net (6/15/2012)

[Weasel]

This is the perfect example of "drowning in a glass of water"... people making a big deal of a non-issue...
The preview videos, the samples or recording the SDCC panel are not an issue people... jeez... seriously...

I agree. They don't have to make videos at all. People should be happy they get something. Pixel Dan, Fwoosh, and other places make reviews already that are nice looking. They don't even have to have the Ask Matty each month either. You might not like the answers, but someone is still taking the time to answer them. Not very many companies even give you that.

[davidlogan]

I hope to see all the cut weapons included down the line, including Spector's whip. I prefer it over the knife.

[Tundra_Torque]

I'm pretty sure past attendees have said that wi-fi at SDCC sucks, I don't think streaming would be a happy making thing. More trouble than it is worth.

For me, the wi-fi at SDCC is unreliable.

[Uki]

Pooh! I'd love "Secret Identity/Origins" figures:

-Karak Nul
-Odiphus
-Kleffton (I imagine he could be the same species as Baddrah...)
-Trydor (Pre-Visor)
-Nicolas Powers
-Tuvar
-Baddrah
-Malcom (Great Unrest armor)
-Captain Randor
-MAA Dekker (I'd love any Dekker figure!)
-Light Spinner

Hmmm...Who else?

[Lord Anubis]

Im not sure how sliding your finger over to a higher resolution setting would cost more money. That being said, I could care less, we get enough defects in the line as is, please keep the budget where it belongs.

[slackrguy]

Hmmm...Who else?

Teela-Na

[Count Judas]

"Would fans prefer for us to shoot more video and put less into the toys? Let us know?

OK, Mattel and TG, please don't shoot more video and give us more paint apps!!

I wonder if these new videos take away from the toy budget as well (maybe in small portions) as TG says a higher production value will cost us a Ram Man (his fave excuse). Do they cut into smaller things like paint apps, as we have lost a few now but we gained these preview videos ... Just going on with whats been said regarding this matter, using his own words and logic...video production $ being tied in with the toy production funds.

[enoch]

Pooh! I'd love "Secret Identity/Origins" figures:

-Karak Nul
-Odiphus
-Kleffton (I imagine he could be the same species as Baddrah...)
-Trydor (Pre-Visor)
-Nicolas Powers
-Tuvar
-Baddrah
-Malcom (Great Unrest armor)
-Captain Randor
-MAA Dekker (I'd love any Dekker figure!)
-Light Spinner

Hmmm...Who else?

Photog is one.

[shadowfall1976]

"Would fans prefer for us to shoot more video and put less into the toys? Let us know?

OK, Mattel and TG, please don't shoot more video and give us more paint apps!!

I wonder if these new videos take away from the toy budget as well (maybe in small portions) as TG says a higher production value will cost us a Ram Man (his fave excuse). Do they cut into smaller things like paint apps, as we have lost a few now but we gained these preview videos ... Just going on with whats been said regarding this matter, using his own words and logic...video production $ being tied in with the toy production funds.

Taking personal time for his blogs cuts into the MOTUC budget too, each blog removes paint apps or something, the Teela blog removed Horde Prime's staff

[KingRandor82]

I've been referred to by many here as a Matty Apologist quite a bit in the past, but I want you folks to consider something here:

you're asking the same Mattel that hired a terrible photographer to take sample shots of many previous MOTUC figures on Matty to hire someone to do video work for their SDCC presentations?

Yes, very well thought out there.

I think several other sites already do a fantastic job covering it.

[phantom1592]

I've been referred to by many here as a Matty Apologist quite a bit in the past, but I want you folks to consider something here:

you're asking the same Mattel that hired a terrible photographer to take sample shots of many previous MOTUC figures on Matty to hire someone to do video work for their SDCC presentations?

Yes, very well thought out there.

I think several other sites already do a fantastic job covering it.

ROFL!!!!!

Excellent point, Matty STILL hasn't posted a corrected picture Battle Cat wearing his saddle properly.

[shadowfall1976]

I've been referred to by many here as a Matty Apologist quite a bit in the past, but I want you folks to consider something here:

you're asking the same Mattel that hired a terrible photographer to take sample shots of many previous MOTUC figures on Matty to hire someone to do video work for their SDCC presentations?

Yes, very well thought out there.

I think several other sites already do a fantastic job covering it.

Having bad sample pics is not a Mattel exclusive, pretty much every toy company I have seen is good for this, I mean just look at the pics that make it to the packages....Transformers that are so badly transformed, you don't what an arm is from a leg....OK that may be an exaggeration....point is every company does it....we're used to it....it's pretty much a given....even some of the other sites take bad pics or vids....it's no different.

Thing is to me, Mattel filming the thing is kind of pointless, because just like Scott doing 'previews" all we get is his take on the figures, and if it has flaws, he's sure as hell not going to tell us. We need outside unbiased minds to root out the good from the bad figures....and every MOTUC figure will be cool to Mattel, just look at what they did to Stinkor, and look at SMAA....yeah he's cool...

I myself can take better pics than some of the "professional" photographers these companies get to take pics of toys, and I can even transform a Transformer correctly, granted I know they don't always get instructions for them, but aside from that most pics look like a 5 year old took them and then drew on them with crayons.

[EtherianChronicles]

And I am sorry, but if Mattel doesn't see the value of having a legit video of the Matty panel at SDCC in order to promote Mattycollector.com, then they need some new blood.

And, really? The marketing budget is created based on the same source of money as the tooling budget??

It's just Scott and his typical "they don't know any better" silliness.

First, my phone can take HD video. Most new phones can. An HD one-touch camcorder goes for around $100 now.

To pretend they need to spend thousands of dollars on some big HD set-up is just silly. Yes, live streaming SDCC is unnecessary, but this is the same stuff being said about the little videos Scott has been doing as well.

Because the response on this people keep getting is just so absurd, it makes me really think they don't want us to get good looks at the stuff, so they can hide what they want (i.e. Sorceress' drums, etc.).


- - - Updated - - -

Why is TG back-peddling on his earlier claim that the Horde were always created for MOTU?

Perhaps *someone* (ahem!) unearthed something he didn't know about.

Scott's claims either way are irrelevant.

The makers of the TV show have verified (as well as others in the know, like Emiliano) that Horde was specifically created for PoP.

It makes perfect sense business-wise as well - they knew boys would watch the show as well, so integrating them into the existing MOTU line gave them ways to extend it once the He-man series ended production.

- - - Updated - - -

This is the perfect example of "drowning in a glass of water"... people making a big deal of a non-issue...
The preview videos, the samples or recording the SDCC panel are not an issue people... jeez... seriously...

It's the answers that are the issue - instead of just saying, "because we don't want to/need to/care to", it's "Oh it would cut into the tooling budget for figures!"

Which anyone with a lick of sense knows is utter nonsense.

[Orko's Magic Hat]

Pooh! I'd love "Secret Identity/Origins" figures:

-Karak Nul
-Odiphus
-Kleffton (I imagine he could be the same species as Baddrah...)
-Trydor (Pre-Visor)
-Nicolas Powers
-Tuvar
-Baddrah
-Malcom (Great Unrest armor)
-Captain Randor
-MAA Dekker (I'd love any Dekker figure!)
-Light Spinner

Hmmm...Who else?

Sharella.......

[vertigoink]

Did anyone not read my post where I clearly point out that Mattel DOES have a separate production department that could pay for it lol? The excuse of costing too much is an out and out EXCUSE. It saddens me that people will still make excuses for TG just because they somehow fear they will lose things. Pretty sure Scott will not personally take your favorite character and ban it from teh lien just because you speak up about something as he's far too nice a guy and more professional than that.

- - - Updated - - -

This is the perfect example of "drowning in a glass of water"... people making a big deal of a non-issue...
The preview videos, the samples or recording the SDCC panel are not an issue people... jeez... seriously...

Part of the issue is diversionary tactics that are implemented to stop fans from questioning things I think- the more potential media that is out there to showcase Mattel brands, the more likely it is that SOMEONE somewhere will see the return of MOTU through MOTUC and react with "HOLY #(%$ they brought back He-Man I need to check this out!".

[Barbecue17]

Every time Mattel sends you one of those emails that reminds you of a sale date, a figure loses a paint app.

Every time Scott makes a video or writes a blog, a figure loses an accessory.

Every time Mattel shows up at SDCC, one figure gets stuck with cheaper materials.

Every time Mattel shows up at Powercon, we get another Mighty Spector variant.

[Lookie]

I love the fact that Mattel wants people to come to the Mattycollector site on days OTHER than when figures go up for sale. Yet, other than the TG blog posts, is ther ANYTHING to go there for? The way to get people to come to your site more often is to have stuff available.

Such as, the MOTU museum that they talked about in 2009, better pictures of figures, videos from SDCC and other conventions. If filming a video takes money away from MOTUC, then please don't come to Power-Con as that MUST kill the budget.

[slackrguy]

I love the fact that Mattel wants people to come to the Mattycollector site on days OTHER than when figures go up for sale. Yet, other than the TG blog posts, is ther ANYTHING to go there for?

They have forums there, some people on the forums there are not on the forums here so while there's some of the same crowd, there's some different folks too. There is not nearly as much traffic as on here, and has a different vibe/tone.

[shadowfall1976]

They have forums there, some people on the forums there are not on the forums here so while there's some of the same crowd, there's some different folks too. There is not nearly as much traffic as on here, and has a different vibe/tone.

Like things they don't like to hear or answer, they remove really fast....or just never answer, and somethings they just don't answer anyway. I asked simple questions, and my posts were removed, I tried to contact a mod, because the forum wouldn't let me post in my own thread, and never got an answer back....that was months ago, and even with multiple attempts....nothing.

People have been banned for them just thinking they were someone else, without even looking into it, or asking the wrong questions.

But to be completely fair, there are things I don't like about here either.... .... ....

[slackrguy]

Like things they don't like to hear or answer, they remove really fast....or just never answer, and somethings they just don't answer anyway. I asked simple questions, and my posts were removed, I tried to contact a mod, because the forum wouldn't let me post in my own thread, and never got an answer back....that was months ago, and even with multiple attempts....nothing.

Ouch! Sorry to hear that.

[Sgt. Slaughter]

Was out of town when the answers come in, so here they are a little late. Consider it a special Father's Day edition of Ask Matty... Infinite Hollywood: Mattel Q&A Father's Day Edition

[Heli88]

Every time Mattel sends you one of those emails that reminds you of a sale date, a figure loses a paint app.

Every time Scott makes a video or writes a blog, a figure loses an accessory.

Every time Mattel shows up at SDCC, one figure gets stuck with cheaper materials.

Every time Mattel shows up at Powercon, we get another Mighty Spector variant.

You took the words right out of my keyboard.

I can only imagine what we've lost now that they photoshop up a nice poster and e-mail it out to subscribers. That's probably why they had to cut Horde Prime's staff.

[Nemisythe]

Pooh! I'd love "Secret Identity/Origins" figures:

-Karak Nul
-Odiphus
-Kleffton (I imagine he could be the same species as Baddrah...)
-Trydor (Pre-Visor)
-Nicolas Powers
-Tuvar
-Baddrah
-Malcom (Great Unrest armor)
-Captain Randor
-MAA Dekker (I'd love any Dekker figure!)
-Light Spinner

Hmmm...Who else?

See now this could be a pretty cool subline, although the majority may not like or support. So I'd take them as variants! Good lookin' out for puttin up Karak Nul up there; I submitted a question asking Matty about making him a figure considering that he seems to have been the closest character to possibly access Castle Grayskull...

[scott metzger]

A lot of the "if we spend money on this, you won't get Ram Man" blather is just that. Mattel doesn't just throw a wad of money at the brand manager and say, "Spend this on MOTUC." You have specific budgets for materials, development, marketing, etc, etc. If someone is taking money from the production budget and spending it on a digital camera, someone is likely going to be in trouble if it hasn't gone through channels. Now, sometimes such shifting does occur when absolutely necessary, something unexpected came up, costs went up without warning, etc., but that is going to be the exception, not the rule. We've been told how strict the budget constraints are, and there has been no talk of slipping some money from the advertising budget into giving Stinkor's accessories paint apps. If they get or don't get a better camera, it's very unlikely it would have any effect on the figures themselves because that money is already encumbered for the figures. Now, when a new yearly budget is proposed, they could include a camera in the overall proposal and money could be shifted around before any is set for production and such, but I seriously doubt they'd take money from the actual product for the sake of videos that are part of the advertising; it would more likely come at the expense of a trip to a convention or other things directly connected to the marketing budget.