[Ash Talon]

You can really tell that some people NEED things to be RAH-only. Some have even stated that's the intent of Haslab, which is a somewhat myopic take on the format. Haslab is just for items too large for retail. Any other "rules" are just being attached by some fans to fit their own desires.

When talking about traits of the MOBAT for instance. What kind of traits did it have? Green. Motorized. Commander stands in turret. Maybe the sensor on the turret is somewhat unique. There's not a lot to the tank which is unique. So take the Mauler and allow for it to have the commander stand in the turret (and have a hatch to not have the commander cavity always open) and throw a sensor on the turret. Is this no longer the Mauler? Is this completely unrecognizable? Is this really a bridge layer too far? Or have the tank in green or tan and have an unlock tier with alternate colored armor pieces. Like the covers to the HISS treads.

I know we wouldn't get a green Snow Cat via Haslab. I think it would have been a neat 3.75" variant (was there ever one?). However, I think it's worth considering something like a base color for a Haslab Snow Cat that is green or black. And has some swappable armor parts in white or green. Let's you modify it a bit for either environment. I'm not averse to some changes to make things a little more useful across different play patterns. I don't need exact replicas of RAH.

[280-CUSTOMS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeepJedi

I can see a Snow Cat being almost the size of the HISS if upscaled in the same way.. but the Thunder Machine doesn't strike me as big (I know the original toys were similar size). Guess it all depends on the size of the Haslab package and if they'd test new price points.

I still think Haslab Versus packs could work if the vehicles were smaller. Snow Cat vs Wolf for instance (Assuming the Snow Cat wasn't upscaled as drastically)

The Haslab is usually their version of being risk averse. So far they know that $99 and below price point is not an issue. It'll just be interesting to see if they're willing to test higher price points like $129.99 and $149.99. I think anything more than that is probably Haslab territory. And really $149.99 is a bit of tough pill to swallow but for the right package maybe not an issue. I suspect they'll test higher SKUs at some point or they'll never find out.

I'm a bit shocked we don't have any news of something at a higher SKU yet quite honestly. Even some of the obvious repaints haven't been revisted yet like the HMS/MMS.

Who knows what PulseCon might bring!

I think $149.99 is a high price point and if the thunder machine or another vehicle thats larger than the vamp comes in @ the price that might be the sweet spot for the line , i would still pick up 2 of them .
I think a 6 inch scale. Thunder machine would be awesome but I?m biased as I loved the original as well.

[Toa Maximus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash Talon

You can really tell that some people NEED things to be RAH-only. Some have even stated that's the intent of Haslab, which is a somewhat myopic take on the format. Haslab is just for items too large for retail. Any other "rules" are just being attached by some fans to fit their own desires.

When talking about traits of the MOBAT for instance. What kind of traits did it have? Green. Motorized. Commander stands in turret. Maybe the sensor on the turret is somewhat unique. There's not a lot to the tank which is unique. So take the Mauler and allow for it to have the commander stand in the turret (and have a hatch to not have the commander cavity always open) and throw a sensor on the turret. Is this no longer the Mauler? Is this completely unrecognizable? Is this really a bridge layer too far? Or have the tank in green or tan and have an unlock tier with alternate colored armor pieces. Like the covers to the HISS treads.

Yeah Haslab has never been defined as purely ARAH and frankly the HISS and Dragonfly differ quite a bit from their original designs.

MOBAT is a vehicle that we mostly all agree is flawed, so why not update it a bit? Fix issues like being able to sit figures in it properly.

If it's still green, called the MOBAT, is a military tank, and comes with Steeler is it not a MOBAT? Or is it only a mobat if you can't put figures in it and looks 40+ years out of date?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash Talon

I know we wouldn't get a green Snow Cat via Haslab. I think it would have been a neat 3.75" variant (was there ever one?).

The Club did it to modernize the HAVOC:

[JeepJedi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash Talon

You can really tell that some people NEED things to be RAH-only. Some have even stated that's the intent of Haslab, which is a somewhat myopic take on the format. Haslab is just for items too large for retail. Any other "rules" are just being attached by some fans to fit their own desires.

When talking about traits of the MOBAT for instance. What kind of traits did it have? Green. Motorized. Commander stands in turret. Maybe the sensor on the turret is somewhat unique. There's not a lot to the tank which is unique. So take the Mauler and allow for it to have the commander stand in the turret (and have a hatch to not have the commander cavity always open) and throw a sensor on the turret. Is this no longer the Mauler? Is this completely unrecognizable? Is this really a bridge layer too far? Or have the tank in green or tan and have an unlock tier with alternate colored armor pieces. Like the covers to the HISS treads.

I know we wouldn't get a green Snow Cat via Haslab. I think it would have been a neat 3.75" variant (was there ever one?). However, I think it's worth considering something like a base color for a Haslab Snow Cat that is green or black. And has some swappable armor parts in white or green. Let's you modify it a bit for either environment. I'm not averse to some changes to make things a little more useful across different play patterns. I don't need exact replicas of RAH.

Me being the "some people" in this case do not NEED anything to be anything. I don't care if they use Haslabs to create all new vehicles if that's what they choose to do.. however if you look at EVERY SINGLE HASLAB for every single brand.. they've only made things that very closely resemble things already in that property via movie/toy/comic or whatever.... It's simply connecting dots. Haslabs don't tend to be places to rock the status quo. So call it myopic if you wish but there's a fair bit of already existing evidence that that's not what they use crowdfunding for. Has anyone at Hasbro actually verbalized that... nope, but there hasn't been evidence to the contrary.

It's hardly even a theory at this point the Haslabs will be throw backs to retro vehicles. Making some changes is expected (and I stated the changes they've made already were a good balance in my opinion). I would absolutely think being able to put figures into the Mauler is a must..ultimately it's still the same vehicle. They've done stuff like this already with every single one.. but at their heart they've been the same ARAH vehicles we've all recognized. that's all I'm saying.

I was just adding my two cents to the thought that fans wouldn't care if it was just some blended vehicle amalgam and I don't think that's completely true. I'm perfectly fine with being wrong though.

[Jeffrozup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeepJedi

If you look at the ARAH Dragonfly and the Haslab Dragonfly.. there is zero doubt what it is. Adding a bit of black is not the same thing as making the Dragonfly part Tomahawk as well (admittedly an extreme comparison but it's easy to visualize what I'm saying).

If you look at a Mauler.. you sort of expect it to be tan. I'm not saying it can't be green but when you're building a brand based on nostalgia.. it probably should pass the eye test. And let's not kid ourselves.. this is a brand 100% based on nostalgia. Maybe a two tone similar to the Dragonfly is a good compromise but I think it has to be Tan forward to capture the look (assuming it's a Mauler for instance).

If the fandom cries for a pseudo tank blended from others then I'm happy for them to get it. I don't mind sitting on the sidelines for things that don't speak to me. I just personally don't see it.. .but I don't run a multi billion dollar toy company either..so there's that.

More important than running a multi billion dollar company is your support is what makes them exactly that. For comparison, look at the 25th anniversary vehicles and how they sold (all ARAH ideas but updated) compared to when Hasbro invented new vehicles in ROC and Retaliation. Those vehicles sat on shelves for years.

There's too much nostalgia left for them to do before they even consider making a new vehicle, especially one for the HasLab. Lenny and others have said the HasLabs are supposed to be the best of the best. For GI Joe that includes having some throwback associated with it.

There's a difference with that than Star Wars (for example) where they can just create a new vehicle as part of a series, like the Ghost, and have it becomes a desired vehicle. GI Joe does not have that type of fanbase or a show/movie connection to introduce something new.

[JeepJedi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeffrozup

More important than running a multi billion dollar company is your support is what makes them exactly that. For comparison, look at the 25th anniversary vehicles and how they sold (all ARAH ideas but updated) compared to when Hasbro invented new vehicles in ROC and Retaliation. Those vehicles sat on shelves for years.

There's too much nostalgia left for them to do before they even consider making a new vehicle, especially one for the HasLab. Lenny and others have said the HasLabs are supposed to be the best of the best. For GI Joe that includes having some throwback associated with it.

There's a difference with that than Star Wars (for example) where they can just create a new vehicle as part of a series, like the Ghost, and have it becomes a desired vehicle. GI Joe does not have that type of fanbase or a show/movie connection to introduce something new.

And even in the case of the Ghost.. it already existed in media.. it wasn't a new gamble they took in Haslab form.

*** Edit - Sorry I re-read what you said and realize I just repeated part of your point..

[Jeffrozup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeepJedi

And even in the case of the Ghost.. it already existed in media.. it wasn't a new gamble they took in Haslab form.

*** Edit - Sorry I re-read what you said and realize I just repeated part of your point..

Right. It wasn't just created for a HasLab. That would've bombed big time. Same with the Razor Crest. They created them as HasLabs because the fans in the Star Wars focus groups wanted them.

If only people knew which vehicles have been discussed in the previous GI Joe focus groups this generic vehicle idea wouldn't be mentioned ever again.


IT. WILL. NEVER. HAPPEN.

[wmichben]

Quote:

Originally Posted by txbart

I?m not trying to defend any potential scammers, but do you think they might have sent the item to a last mile delivery service?

That is possible. I'll give it a few days before I contact Walmart support. Even their form says to allow for two business days due to carriers marking packages as delivered prior to being delivered. But they did present me with a delivery rating form and I rated that 1 star with a comment saying it wasn't delivered.

[GIJohn88]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IzzyTipsy

Feel like the Snow Cat should be sized up to fit a couple troops inside. It always felt dumb to me to let the guys ride on the back and freeze their asses off.

The Tiger Force one was absolutely stupid though. I always assumed Tiger Force was jungle based so what was the point of a jungle snow vehicle...and that strange colored Frostbite.

I didn't have a problem with the Tiger Cat itself so much as I did with Frostbite himself. His Tiger Force file card even says he drives the Tiger Cat over sand dunes in the Sahara and the temperature is over 113 degrees. So why is he still wearing winter gear? lol. Must be sweating his balls off.

[RedAlert Rescue]

I think the ROC vehicle shelf-warming isn't so much the brand's fault as that Hasbro managed to con Target or Walmart into thinking their movie was going to be a smash hit.

Also a fair amount of the Movie toy line stuff wasn't always in the Movie.. and if someone was buying because of the Movie they'd be less interested in it, and if they were buying because of Nostalgia they'd be less interested in it.

But I think they just made SO MUCH of it.
There is often that old issue with places like Target that they send 200 of something to one store and 1 case to another store so one is way over stocked to the point that once the local needs have been addressed there is plenty left.. where as down the road the need isn't addressed at all.

They pull that all the time with their exclusives.

I also wouldn't be that surprised if Walmart and target have trained people to expect sales.. so if people see something in plentiful stock they are LESS LIKELY to buy it.

///

I'd say they have been quite crafty with the number of Gi Joe vehicle up until the Tiger Paw / Stinger anyway.

As up until then everything sold out (or seems too) even something less desirable to some like the Python Patrol Trubble Bubble wasn't massively shelf-hugging to a huge degree.

I think it is possible Hasbro might get themselves in trouble with those over priced 2 packs though, as I think people do realise they are over-priced. even if that is slightly compensated for by the extra accessories.. it isn't a good look to have 2 figures sell for MORE than 2 individually packed figures would. Especially when there characters like Tunnel Rat that come with lots and lots of stuff at the normal price and someone like Snow Job who barely qualifies for his deluxe status.

//////

I guess Cover Girl was nice enough to retrofit the Snowcat's modifications for cold to ones for heat.
Which may sound a bit daft.. but isn't that exactly what people do to say a Land Rover. Tweak it a bit for different terrain.. but it is still basically the same vehicle.

Speaking of the Snow cat.. I hope they keep the opening back end on any new Classified one even if you can only use it to dump backpacks, rifles and skis in the back.