TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack

[darth punkinhed]

It looks to me that they packed the trooper in backwards to make it appear as if he was approaching them. It looks like crap but that appears to me to be what they were trying to accomplish.

[ruiner]

Wow, I think you're right.

[Adam_Pawlus]

It looks to me that they packed the trooper in backwards to make it appear as if he was approaching them. It looks like crap but that appears to me to be what they were trying to accomplish.

I agree.  With the looking like crap part, I mean.  Who the heck packages a set with the most recognizable toy in the box with its backpack facing the buyer?     There's no reason he couldn't approach from the side, for example.

It's neat to see the spare moisture vaporator, but where's the Womp Rat?

[Jayson]

It's neat to see the spare moisture vaporator, but where's the Womp Rat?

Sniffing Beru's backside

[CHEWIE]

I don't really care how the figures are arraged in the package.  I'll be opening this thing.

[Adam_Pawlus]

I don't really care how the figures are arraged in the package.  I'll be opening this thing.

For us openers, it doesn't matter-- nor does it matter (as much) to internet buyers.  For people walking in the stores and seeing it, it might be a little bit more off-putting if you can't get a good look at what it is the packaged product is attempting to sell you.   If you can't see the trooper's face, or if you have to pick up and move around the box to get a good look at the womp rat, that's just poor package design.  The box should put your best foot forward, this set seems to hide it behind a middle-aged lady.  The packaging is one of the most important-- if not THE single most important-- piece of marketing a consumer will see before making the final decision to buy the product.  It needs to show all the wonderful features and benefits to the best of its ability, and pretty much every single box Hasbro makes does this.  Their vehicles show off the features nicely, the figure packaging shows off the character in such a great format we collect them by the hundreds, and even the Mighty Muggs packaging is so nice I'd argue it looks as good as or better than the figures.

But this?  Not so great.   When you're used to largely gorgeous packaging, anything less than wonderful is a little off-putting.

I'm curious, if there are any MISB collectors out there-- would you rather see the figure's face when you look at the packaged sample or do you prefer this quasi-diorama-ish packaging?  I thought the Endor and Hoth sets at Target last year were just about perfect (except maybe for the hidden Derlin repaint) when it came to showing off tons of toys in a great way, so this moisture farm set is a little jarring.

[CHEWIE]

I agree that the way the trooper is facing is weird, but that's just them trying to make it look like he's approaching them. 

Either way, I think this is aimed more at the collectors than kids or the casual buyer, and they should have included new sculpts for Owen and Beru.  And the real potential problem on this is if we're getting a real value for $50 - which in all reality, we're not.  But I think we all agree on that.

[Force Guy]

At $50, $40, even at a mere $20, I don't understand why anyone would consider paying any amount of money for such a crappy set.  I mean, you get two POTF2 repacks, a couple of Sandtroopers, and a horrible looking playset piece (which is the real reason most collectors would like to buy this set).  It's just not worth the price.  Maybe for $10.99.  Maybe.

[JangoTat]

At $50, $40, even at a mere $20, I don't understand why anyone would consider paying any amount of money for such a crappy set.  I mean, you get two POTF2 repacks, a couple of Sandtroopers, and a horrible looking playset piece (which is the real reason most collectors would like to buy this set).  It's just not worth the price.  Maybe for $10.99.  Maybe.

A couple of troopers? Did you even look at it man? We get one.

[Pete_Fett]

I'm curious, if there are any MISB collectors out there-- would you rather see the figure's face when you look at the packaged sample or do you prefer this quasi-diorama-ish packaging?  I thought the Endor and Hoth sets at Target last year were just about perfect (except maybe for the hidden Derlin repaint) when it came to showing off tons of toys in a great way, so this moisture farm set is a little jarring.

Speaking for myself - this exclusive sets me back $100 plus tax since I'll be getting two. Right there, I'm less than thrilled thanks to the price. It's not like I'm getting $150 worth of BMF value here. This set is hardly worth an eighth of the value of the BMF let alone a third. But I digress...

Like you, my opener side could really care less how it's packaged and as soon as new sculpts of Owen and Beru come out, these two figures go straight to the trash. It's really just a great chance to have the set piece, which isn't "great" - but it's "okay" and it will make a semi-nice display in my ANH cabinet.

My MISB side hates the way things are presented and yes, compared to the UBPs from Target last year, this thing looks like the same WalMart greeter who plans waves and case-packs also designed this. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this is an early sample and it gets fixed before mass production.

God, I need to get sleep, my answer sounds like a cheesy frosted mini-wheats commercial. My frosted side likes the Womprat, but my wheat side really likes looking at the ass of the Sandtrooper.... 

[CHEWIE]

I think the real problem lies in the price for what we're getting, and that might come down to the retailer that is carrying it as an exclusive.  If it was at Walmart, I think it would be about $20 cheaper.

Also, I look at it this way - the Legends line, and Wave 3 (repaints) are a waste of my money.  Whatever I'm saving by not getting those, goes towards this. 

[Biffette]

I think the design choice is actually a smart move on Hasbro's part.  If you rotate the box ninety degrees (and if that side of the box has transparent plastic) you will see Lars and Beru facing the Stormtrooper, and you will also be able to get a look inside the dome.  TRU can choose to display multiple boxes in a smaller area by simply "facing" the narrow end instead of the broad side.

[Darth_Anton]

This is one of those few instances in where the more I see of an item, the less I want it.

[Brian]

Yeah, I'm really on the fence with this one too.  The price is what gets me, mainly.  I'd really like the Lars "hut", and don't necessarily mind the Beru/Owen figures since I don't have them (although new would have been much better, and the Womprat is cool - but all of it just doesn't seem worth $50.  I would have felt more comfortable with $40 even, although $30 seems to be a little more fair - even considering TRU's higher prices on exclusives.

[Adam_Pawlus]

I agree that the way the trooper is facing is weird, but that's just them trying to make it look like he's approaching them. 

Either way, I think this is aimed more at the collectors than kids or the casual buyer, and they should have included new sculpts for Owen and Beru.  And the real potential problem on this is if we're getting a real value for $50 - which in all reality, we're not.  But I think we all agree on that.

Right, and that's bad packaging design.  You wouldn't see a carded figure of a Sandtrooper facing you backwards unless it was a factory accident.  However, I will totally agree with you on this not being a real value.    With 3 figures at-- and I'm being generous here-- $7.99 a whack, plus a Womp Rat which-- again, being generous here, let's put it at $8 with the moisture vaporator, we're looking at $32 for everything that ISN'T the home.

Which puts the home at about $20, meaning it should be at least as neat as a TIE Fighter or a new small vehicle.  And it isn't.  (Maybe this is going to be some supremely limited edition and a year from now everybody who passed on it will be crying.  Hey, it can happen.)  Call me spoiled after we've seen so many decent deals (Diamond's $35-$40 Death Star Briefing had 7 figures, EE's $70 Elite Forces set had 14 figures, Target's exclusive $20 Battle Packs typically have 5 figures, etc.) but this one is hard to peg.  The closest thing I could compare it to was the 2007 Bantha set at TRU, as that had 3 whole figures (4 if you count the toddler) and a refurred Bantha for $45.

...actually, with the Bantha pack in mind, this doesn't really seem all that far out there in terms of its pricing.  It's certainly reusing less attractive molds, but considering rising toy prices and the fact it's a new mold for a critter and a display area, eh.  I hate it when my gut feeling of "overpriced, blargh" becomes replaced by "well, I guess it makes sense given this and that."