Author Topic: A Death Star Playset?  (Read 16599 times)

Offline DSJ™

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Re: A Death Star Playset?
« Reply #30 on: May 20, 2009, 09:42 PM »
I think it's a mock-up for a Death Star Pińata.   :P   :D

Offline Corax

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Re: A Death Star Playset?
« Reply #31 on: May 20, 2009, 09:54 PM »
Just out of curiosity who is ghanima?  Adam May credits him for the photo at GH and ghanima is posting all kinds of details how this is a Galactic Heroes playset that has been floating around since '99 on Rebelscum.  To clarify he said it started out as a 3 and 3/4" playset but will be used for GH ad retail for $150-$200.  Is it a different user name for the two that gave you the photo Jesse or is it someone trying to exploit an opporutunity?

Offline CHEWIE

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Re: A Death Star Playset?
« Reply #32 on: May 20, 2009, 10:19 PM »
I think it's a mock-up for a Death Star Pińata.   :P   :D

I think you hit the nail on the head!

Offline CorranHorn

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Re: A Death Star Playset?
« Reply #33 on: May 20, 2009, 11:55 PM »
Don't you just love how the uninformed on the interwebs will get all riled up in situations like this? This is almost as funny as when the picture was snapped!  Ahh good times, good times. ;D

I think it's a mock-up for a Death Star Pińata.   :P   :D

I think you hit the nail on the head!

Oooh do we get Stormtroopers and Death Squad Commanders when the DS breaks? Cause that would make for a great party favor!
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: A Death Star Playset?
« Reply #34 on: May 21, 2009, 12:25 AM »
I have no clue who Ghanima is, nor have I ever seen that screen name that I can recall anywhere...  As far it being a Target exclusive GH Death Star, I think a Death Star playset makes more sense for the GH line since it's more geared at kids, however I cannot confirm that report at all.  I don't know any of the parties involved there.  Suffice it to say though that Ghanima is not one of the people who took the photo though.  One of them is right above me with a post there. ;)  The other is Delaton (Ash), who also works for www.FFURG.com where I'm loosely considered part of the staff (loose doesn't begin to describe that, hah).

I think, as a mock-up, it could be scaled up/down as needed...  In the image though, that is a 3.75" scaled mock-up, not a GH scaled mock-up, and the box of figures are not a box of GH figures, so Ghanima's battin' about a big goosegg so far on giving "details" about all this.

That box is, I believe, larger than a basic 3.75" figure's shipping box by a margin.  Also, the guys that took the photo at the time explicitly said to me that the mock-up was significantly large, and bigger than the BMF from what they saw.

Also, again, I was able to verify the Death Star from one of my other sources at the time I received the photo, and that this mock-up (and many, many, other items), get mocked up and passed around at meetings...  Kind of a "can we fit this in?" kind of a thing...  My other source is very trusted too, and came through with a number of Clone Wars launch details that came to fruition, and so I can verify that this mock-up has been passed around for a while for the 3.75" line...  Will it get scaled down for the GH line?  I think anything's possible...  Does the GH line have the "legs" to take a $200 playset on though?  That I question.

If it's chipboard like the Palitoy Death Star of old, and sold for significantly less, I could see it more realistically, but again I think anything is possible from Hasbro at this point.  I have no idea what the GH's line is getting though.

I just really enjoyed seeing what COULD be...  Or what's even considered.  And considering the great Playset Debate of...  well, 1995 to about now I guess...  I thought it made for a pretty cool picture.
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Offline efranks

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Re: A Death Star Playset?
« Reply #35 on: May 21, 2009, 02:01 AM »
One of the things that I find funny is that a lot of forum posters are always talking about how they would love to see playsets, even going to the point of getting questions into the Q&A session even though Hasbro's answer is pretty much always no, but they don't actually want playsets.

They want displays.  They want something that will sit on a shelf and look pretty while holding their action figures.

A playset should focus on the "play" part of the equation.  This Death Star model looks like it was built with the thought of adding the play value to it.  It's probably more of a concept to look at size and the number of rooms that could be housed in it and give them an idea of costing than it is a real model of what the final set would be.  But it seems that they have the play features in there with corridors and multiple floors.  It would be easy to put in a trash compactor space with a chute, a detention block hallway and a throne room for the Emperor.   Maybe cover the cavern swing and tractor beam as well.  Add a skin to one side with the turbo laser and some clear green "beams" or a shooting missile and you'd have a great playset that would sit in the middle of a room and let kids shoot at it with their starfighters or blow up planet couch, toss the Rebels out with the trash or force choke them before daddy tosses big bad down the drain.

That's what a playset should be and that's what I want to see from Hasbro if they ever feel that the cost/potential sales match up.

For people that just want things to hold their figures, why not go with Ultaramas and a few printed backgrounds?  Throw in accessory pieces that are already out like the Emperor's chair from the cinema scene and the small Death Star playsets from the POTF2 line.  Bingo, you have a display and the most creative thing you would have to do is image search Google for the backgrounds to print.

Realistically, if I were Hasbro, I wouldn't do playsets either because, in general, most of what people are asking for on the various forums and Q&A sessions aren't, IMO, actual playsets. 

   E...
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: A Death Star Playset?
« Reply #36 on: May 21, 2009, 03:27 AM »
I can't disagree with that assessment at all E...  That's why I've brainstormed how I can do it myself, add in things like opening doors, electronic features and whatnot.  For me, that's what I prefer... 

It's like the BMF...

Currently in our customizing area, there's a dude making a fully scaled for the 3.75" figures, Millenium Falcon.  It's amazingly huge, it's amazingly detailed so far...  It's sick.  I love it...  For me, I looked at the BIG Falcon model at the "Where Science Meets Imagination" exhibit in Columbus, and it's almost figure scale (insanely close), and something like that isn't practical, but man would figures look bitchin' inside/outside of it. 

The BMF rocks though, as a toy...  As toys go, I think the ARC-170 rocks, the Gunship rocks, the JSF's all rock, the X-Wings ol late rock...  They're almost all (JSF's aside) underscaled though, so for MY tastes they're not all something I want.  I bought a BMF because it's such a centerpiece to me, but really I'm so scale picky...  It saves me money, basically.

The Death Star mock-up would make an awesome toy I think, if it had all the similar bells and whistles of the BMF though.  Look at that thing!!!!  It's huge number one.  Bigger than the BMF...  Tons of rooms and stuff.  It rocks.  Much like the Terrordome from GI Joe, it is full of possibilities, and I loved me some Terrordome as a kid!  So as a toy fan, I think this Death Star has a ton of potential, if it were ever to happen (god knows, it could or not).  Look at what happened with the BMF?

But as a 31 year old collector...  Eh, I want stackable/uber detailed/uber featured (not "play" features, but more detail features) Death Star "rooms" or whatever.

I'm with you Eric, in that there's a big difference between toys and what collectors want.

Think about pre-posed figures for instance...  Do kids really love that?  I abandoned Star Wars in the 80's for GI Joe because GI Joe was poseable and way cooler.  Star Wars was not as much fun.  Hasbro cites articulation as a collector-friendly thing, but I think the reality is that articulation is something BOTH groups like a lot, but collectors have that smaller niche group that prefer posed stuff...  Articulation is, ultimately, a play feature and something that I think TOYS should have.  :)

Good side discussion here though E, thanks...  I think that's a big reason Hasbro sort of ignores the collector community over "playsets"...  I think there's just not been a verbal definition to put to it yet really, but collectors aren't thinking as much about "play" but instead details...  Kids just aren't there with that stuff.
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Offline Brian

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Re: A Death Star Playset?
« Reply #37 on: May 21, 2009, 09:29 AM »
Great to read the discussions going on here...if nothing else, this new pics has really spurred on some new action in the forums, which has maybe been a little slower lately with not as much new to report until SDCC.  I can see something like this having the aspects of a true "playset" as well, and not just being essentially a figure stand.  Although many to most of us would want this as a display piece, I don't know that Hasbro could sell it as just that.  If they were to make an item like this, they'd want it to be a holiday centerpiece that would sell to the parents/kiddos as well - and for that to happen, it needs to "do stuff" for lack of a better term.  I'm curious either way.  I mean, like the Falcon, its obvious we're not getting a "scale" Death Star or anything like that, but if its a well made toy - I'm still interested.  Like Jesse said, scale issues aside, things like the BMF, ARC 170, starfighters, etc. are just really nice toys.  The BMF is one of my favorite items Hasbro (or Kenner) has ever made, and if I had to sell it all, I'd at least keep it (and the VOTC/VTSC/equivalent figures).

As far as the Galactic Heroes issue - I guess that would still be cool as well.  That line really seems to have a good following now, and personally I still buy the OT sets (and others for our daughter, who loves them).  I don't know that the line could support a $200 Death Star (or even $100), but I guess you never know.  We just had our nephews spend the night at our house over the weekend (ages 7 and 9), and for two boys who basically do nothing but video games anymore, I bet they played with our daughters shoeboxes of Galactic Heroes (and Marvel SHS) for 3-4 hours straight, setting up battles and making up their own scenarios.  It is tough to say if the market could support an item that big for the GH line.  It would be neat either way, but I think I'd rather see one made for the basic figure line.  Also, as others have said, the BMF is essentially a "playset" as well (not really a "fly around" type of ship) - so that might be the best sort of option to get things like this out there.  A reasonably big Death Star that not only looks nice, but also has a variety of play features (that aren't obtrusive) could be another collection centerpiece.

Offline Corax

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Re: A Death Star Playset?
« Reply #38 on: May 21, 2009, 11:09 AM »
For those wondering or who haven't seen it yet Adam May over at GH updated his post.  He confirms the box is a Deluxe Tranformers case that's next to the Death Star and it measures in at 7 and 1/2 inches.  Oh and he finally credits Delaton for taking the photo.  Adam May also says this could be the right scale for the "Dream" Death Star.

Here's the link: http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7995&zoneid=2


Offline Brian

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Re: A Death Star Playset?
« Reply #39 on: May 21, 2009, 11:10 AM »
This might be totally unrelated, but I was listening to the SW Action News podcast (Episode CXCIV) - and at about the 45 minute mark their vintage reviewer has a short interview with a friend of his from Hasbro (not sure if she is ever named) that is discussing her idea for a recent contest Hasbro had for a grand idea.  She mainly talked about her idea (Hasbro Definitive Presentation Chamber), which didn't win and/or get made, but she also said that the winner's idea would be made later this year.  Now, this contest I believe was company wide (not just SW), but I thought it was at least a possibility that this Death Star concept was perhaps a winner.  Apparently this contest took place a couple years ago.  Anyways, just thought I'd pass it along.

Offline jedi_master_sal

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Re: A Death Star Playset?
« Reply #40 on: May 21, 2009, 01:04 PM »
Hmm, okay so I didn't go into the details about what each room would include. Fair enough, I thought that would be assumed.

So here goes in detail (my ideas based on modular AND stackable PLAYsets):

• Red Control room:
- rotating "closet" door with room for the droids to fit behind it
- two chairs that rotate to fit Imperial officers (and Han in Stormtrooper armor)
- blast door that can move up and down
- a few cargo containers as seen in the scene
- electronics include spoken lines from this scene.
- Exclusive Imperial Officer figure
- a couple of imperial blasters

• Hangar:
- room for the BMFalcon
- 2-3 sliding blast doors
- pit with working small elevator in middle of it (this would only move a couple of inches though)
- electronics featuring the lines C-3PO used during the trash compactor scene. When you buy the Trash Compactor set, these two sets can "talk" to each other. Push a button on one to talk and the other one is activated by the lines spoken from the other set to communicate with it. Lights around the edge of the "open" area of the docking bay where the Falcon escapes out of.
- exclusive Imperial officer or scanning crew or grey suited death star squad commander

• Conference Room:
- rotating seats for all of the officers
- rising "ball" from the middle of the table
- electronics featuring the lines from the scene, backlighting against the walls
- Exclusive Tarkin (correct OLD faced Tarkin with correct ranking pips on chest, NOT a reissue of the repainted ROTS version)

• Trash Compactor:
- crushing walls that turn by a small crank that kids can easily use. Though with a warning not to stuff too much stuff between the walls as it may cause the set to break
- various "trash" accessories, most  notable being the large pipe that Han uses to try and brace the walls
- exclusive Dianoga
- electronics featuring spoken lines from the scene. When coupled with the Hangar set will interact with it speaking the other lines from the overall scene.
- room enough in the bottom that if one wanted to put water in it they could. But only about an inch worth. Though this could pose a problem with the electronics.

• Throne Room
- rotating elevator door with room for two figures (Vader/Luke)
- rotating throne that fits the Emperor
- breakaway catwalk
- electronics featuring the spoken lines in the scene, lightsaber sounds (clashes, strikes, etc), these utilizing different buttons to activate so you can quickly make the sounds YOU want to instead of having to repeatedly hit the same button, hoping to get the sound you wanted to hear.
- low lighting to create the tone/mood of the scene, flashing blue light to act as the lightning coming from the Emperor's hands
-various cargo pieces as seen next to the chasm that Luke is electrocuted by.
- recessed area for the chasm. Is only an inch or two deep, but will have a printed piece on the bottom to reflect the depth
- exclusive Imperial dignitary (pick one that hasn't been made yet, Sate Pestage maybe? Hasbro has said they want to make him)

• Hallways (for long, short, and corner sets)
- attachable semi-circular "outcroppings" as seen on some of the walls in the various scenes
- sliding blast doors
- a couple of cargo pieces
- build a droid piece. Both legs for one set, head and third leg for another set, and the body for the third hallway set.
-----for the long hallway only, modular walls, one of which being the large blast door that Han jumps through. You can make the long hall, all hallway or part hallway, part blast door, YOUR choice. hasbro would include the extra parts

The exclusive figures and build a droid parts are negotiable here as it would increase the final cost.

Each set comes with the attachable parts to stack and/or connect laterally to other sets.

This is just off the top of my head, but there could be more.

So these are not, nor were they ever intended to just be set dressing or displays for figures.
« Last Edit: May 21, 2009, 01:05 PM by jedi_master_sal »
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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: A Death Star Playset?
« Reply #41 on: May 21, 2009, 01:33 PM »
Kickass breakdown of what a Death Star playset should be, Sal... modular, diorama-esque with features, pack-in figures, etc.

And for a visual... of maybe something a bit similar, at least in terms of appearance -

http://www.owenscustoms.com/VehiclesNewPageOneasofJan2006.html
« Last Edit: May 21, 2009, 01:36 PM by CHEWIE »

Offline efranks

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Re: A Death Star Playset?
« Reply #42 on: May 21, 2009, 03:40 PM »
Hmm, okay so I didn't go into the details about what each room would include. Fair enough, I thought that would be assumed.

No, I knew exactly what you were looking for Sal and I'll be honest, I'd never buy a single piece of this. 


Quote
So these are not, nor were they ever intended to just be set dressing or displays for figures.

And they're not, nor were they ever intended to be affordable. 

You have great ideas, Sal, but honestly, they're not realistic from a toy company that sells through Walmart.  As much as the ideas you have might be fun, even I wouldn't buy a box that really didn't have the full playset in it.  I've looked at some of the sets from Dwarven Forge, for example, and, although they're geared more for minis or MicroMachines, I never liked the concept of having to pick and choose what I was going to buy.  I really would prefer to buy one box and have everything that I need for the playset be in it.

I'm not counting out some ideas such as Hasbro doing the Saga Deluxe sets or the Droid Factory Padme where the accessory pieces could be joined together and added to the Geonosis Arena playset.  Those things enhance a playset.  But if I don't buy any of them, and just buy the Geo set, I get a relatively complete playset all in one box for an affordable price.

Even the concept that Playmates is using right now for Star Trek, while sounding good on paper, isn't sucking me in in reality.  I liked the idea when I first heard about it and saw photos, but when I look at it in stores I feel like I'm being forced into spending money I don't want to spend by having to buy a bunch of figures to get all the pieces I want.  I'd rather have paid another $10 for the playset, all in one box, and been done with it.

Same thing with a Death Star.  The cardboard piece we are looking at would be great if it were all in one big box.  If I had to buy two or three boxes and assemble it, I'd be less inclined to buy it. And honestly, even though I'm not a parent, I'm betting a lot of parents feel the same way.  If they see a box with a toy in it that their son or daughter wants, but they find out that they'll also have to buy two or three other boxes to "complete" it, my guess is they'd walk away.  Not all parents, but enough that it probably gives Hasbro pause. 

Some of your ideas, when put together, sound great, but how hard would it be for a 10 year old kid to talk his parents into spending $15 or $20 for a hallway?  "But mom!  I need this hallway to connect my trash compactor to my docking bay!  But it also comes with this disembodied R2 unit!"

I hate singling you out, Sal, because I do love the ideas you have, but you've put a face, so to speak, to the anonymous "forum members" I mentioned in my earlier post.  You aren't alone in wanting this type of thing.  I know Chewie is a big fan of this type of set as is Jesse and a lot of others.  But the hard core collectors on these forums aren't always the target audience for Hasbro.  Their target are toy buyers.  I'm still a toy buyer even though I'm collecting them.  I like the stuff I buy because at their heart, they're toys meant to be played with.  I've never been into prop replicas and have now cut off Sideshow because they aren't toys and don't have play value to them (exception for the FX lightsabers).  I do buy GG still because that does fit the desire I have to own a few higher end display pieces.  In general, though, I want my toys.  The playsets you talk about do have a certain amount of "toy" play value in them, but they still feel like high end display pieces, now with light and sound.

   E...
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: A Death Star Playset?
« Reply #43 on: May 21, 2009, 03:45 PM »
I bought both Trek playsets last night at Target on sale, and I gotta say, for $20 these are outstanding...

But would these sell to SW fans?  The Bridge of the Enterprise is relatively bland...  Really, it's just seats and viewscreens.

The transporter is more a toy, and more interesting...  It's small though, ala the carbon freeze chamber. 

It makes me wonder though, how something similar would do at retail for SW.  I really liked the Carbon chamber, but apparantly only I did.  Actually I may be the only person on Earth with one opened and displayed. :)

Seirously though, these are more in line with what collectors would want IMO (though the Transporter "works" too), and yet I don't think anyone really cares about them. 
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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: A Death Star Playset?
« Reply #44 on: May 21, 2009, 03:52 PM »
True Jesse, however the entire Star Trek line isn't selling either.  I don't know if it's fair to compare it to Star Wars.