JediDefender.com Forums
Collectibles => Past Hasbro 3.75" Lines => The Legacy Collection => Topic started by: iFett on December 29, 2009, 12:30 PM
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TRU Speeder Bike with Scout Trooper (http://www.rebelscum.com/photo.asp?image=http://www.rebelscum.com/2009/TRUspeeder.jpg)
I'm so hoping that's the last time they're releasing that old bike.
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One can dream...
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Glad to see something OT included in that line (although it is an exclusive), but yeah, I was really starting to hope we'd be seeing an all-new speeder bike at some point (maybe with the flying stand we've discussed here before). I thought Hasbro even hinted at it waaaay back in a Q and A, but I might be imagining that. Anyways, like I said, nice to see some movie stuff sneak into the line as well.
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Me too, but I'm not liking the math here.
2008: 2 figures and 2 speeder bikes = approx. $20-$24
2010: 1 figure and 1 speeder bike = approx. $15-$17 +/- $?.?? for being an exclusive
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Wow - awesome! I wonder how that picture got leaked. Is this something they're going to hold back until the Fall re-boot though, or is it likely to hit shelves this Spring?
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This probalby means they will release a new verison in 2011. I can totally see them doing that.
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I really do not understand why they do not use the 2003/2004 CW Speeder Bike tool. At least use the correct handle bars from it. I only have 4 Speeder Bike left 2 form the Target UBP and 2 from the Hoth pack. I sold the rest in hopw that they would update the OTC one.
Here's hoping 2011 see a new one and this 80's tool can be put to rest once and for all.
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We've also got the picture of the Scout w/Speeder Bike as well as a STAP w/Battledroid (http://www.JediDefender.com) deluxe set. Both TRU exclusives.
Meh, pretty dull looking items I guess. The STAP's a little more interesting than the Speederbike only because it's a substantially more accurate toy, plus I think it makes a nice army builder, but the Speederbike blows.
Prices on deluxe are sickening too, so I can't imagine these being a fair price.
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I like the STAP much better that's for sure. Too bad any kind of army building on these will be cost prohibitive.
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Yeah that's the killer for me. I'd like more STAP's in the CW deco but not at the prices they'll want. Even the battlepack set wasn't worth the cost at the time. I'll settle for cheap Episode 1 versions when I find them here and there instead.
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I might pick up a STAP because the only STAP I own is the Episode 1 preview version. I guess it depends on the deco, as the new one looks darker. Speeder Bike, I'll pass on that one for sure. No need for another one of those until we get a new sculpt. Sadly I feel this is going to be one of those items Hasbro says we HAVE to buy if we want a new one.
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This is (the bike that is) most likely a production item by the way, so what's the deal with the deco on it? It looks like the Hoth bike.
I'll be glad when they finally retire that damn sculpt. It's way too big, and I hate the handlebars and other poor details.
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Sadly I feel this is going to be one of those items Hasbro says we HAVE to buy if we want a new one.
I would hope not - especially since it's the same old mold we've seen over and over again. Hasn't Hasbro been saying for years that a new one is in the works? I would think this bloated price point would be the perfect time if any to see that new mold. Sigh...
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This is (the bike that is) most likely a production item by the way, so what's the deal with the deco on it? It looks like the Hoth bike.
I'll be glad when they finally retire that damn sculpt. It's way too big, and I hate the handlebars and other poor details.
Hopefully it's a mockup or something. I'm thinking that if the white/gray deco is final, it's supposed to be a throwback to the vintage toy.
As you and others have said, this sculpt blows. Hopefully this is the last release... four times in three years is too much when there is a better sculpt available.
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I have a question for anyone with insider info at Hasbro.
It was my understanding years ago that the Star Wars team that works on all the original, wide release product was separate from the team that worked on exclusives and, at the time, the 12" line (possibly other stuff).
Basically, the main SW team planned out the line, developed the new figures and vehicles, priced it all out and implemented it. And I would guess, offer up the exclusives. But it was this second team that took the exclusives and was in charge of designing them. Since, at the time, exclusives were nearly 100% re-pack and/or re-painted versions of existing stock, it made sense. They just dusted off the molds, produced the toys and shipped them with no design or planning really necessary.
Since, over the last couple of years, we've gotten to the point where exclusives may sometimes be new product, I've wondered if this two team setup wasn't in place anymore and it was one set of guys that did the whole thing.
However, whether it's two teams or one, from what Hasbro has hinted at in previous Q&A sessions, it always sounded to me like different factories had different molds at their disposal. So is it possible that when exclusives like this get made, Hasbro just orders up whatever version of the character happens to be at the factory they use for the exclusive products? So if this vintage Speederbike mold, for example, is the one at the plant with the Biker Scout they want, that's what we get? And could it also be that the factory that handles the exclusives gets handed down older molds where another factory that's doing more of the current stuff has the new molds?
I'm just guessing on a lot of this based on info that I've read about from various sources over the years, but would love to know if there's some logical reason for some of these decisions or if it's a coin flip on the factory end or what. I'm sure there's a cost factor to this, as in what's the cheapest mold available to press out an exclusive, for example. What one will make Hasbro the most money, still offer a good exclusive product for a retailer and balance all that with a retail price that consumers will pay?
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It was my understanding years ago that the Star Wars team that works on all the original, wide release product was separate from the team that worked on exclusives and, at the time, the 12" line (possibly other stuff).
That was indeed the way it was at the start of the line, one team based in Pawtucket, one based in Cincinatti (old Kenner), but a re-organization and office closing (http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2000/10/09/daily23.html) between ep1 and ep2 merged everyone together (and effectively killed Kenner once and for all by closing their Cincinatti offices). Since the early 00s, it's been one Star Wars team for the most part.
it always sounded to me like different factories had different molds at their disposal.
Yep, definitely. That's why we get certain crappy characters in the Legends assortment despite there being better versions out there - it all has to do with which molds can be used at which factory. Based on the different machinery used and differnt tool styles, some molds/tools simply can't be transferred between factories so we end up with loads of RotS Chewie in the Legends line when we really want more VOTC Chewies, etc.
There isn't one set factory for exclusives though. They are just run at whichever of the factories has the time to run them to meet the timeline of the retailer. I wouldn't say that exclusives are "forced" into using only old molds.
I'm just guessing on a lot of this based on info that I've read about from various sources over the years, but would love to know if there's some logical reason for some of these decisions or if it's a coin flip on the factory end or what. I'm sure there's a cost factor to this, as in what's the cheapest mold available to press out an exclusive, for example. What one will make Hasbro the most money, still offer a good exclusive product for a retailer and balance all that with a retail price that consumers will pay?
I think the last part is a big concern for them right now. I have no doubt that "cost" is the biggest reason for a lot of the decisions lately.
It may well be that the "newer" vintage Speeder Bike sculpt (the one with the corrected handle bars) has a tool that can only be used at a certain factory. It could very well be that in order to meet TRU's wanted timing for the product and in order to meet a certain desired price point, they had no choice but to use the oldest Bike Mold since that "fit" best.
That kind of decision happens all the time - exclusives, repacks, Legends, etc. Plenty of times in the history of the line, the cheapest alternative got chosen (CommTech Han) instead of the best choice (VOTC Han) and that was 100% due to costing goals.
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I would hope that with the 100% re-pack nature of these two sets, it will mean that TRU simply has two sets to sell at their $17.99 price point for the deluxe line that WalMart and Target can't get.
If that ends up being the case, I really see no fault with an exclusive like this.
I will probably pick up one of each to keep MIB and another set to open. If they are indeed priced at $17.99 then I'll combine them with a CW army builder when I buy them and use a $5 off $20 or more purchase. It would be great if they were actually $20 only from the perspective that it would make them $15 with the coupon. ;D
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TRU had their exclusive Joe figures fit right in with the basic price point for the ROC figures so maybe they'll do the same with these, fit them into the Deluxe price point. Hopefully. They certainly didn't do that with their Commander Ponds figure...everyone always wants a premium out of the SW lines.
Thanks for the info about Hasbro, Jeff.
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I would hope that with the 100% re-pack nature of these two sets, it will mean that TRU simply has two sets to sell at their $17.99 price point for the deluxe line that WalMart and Target can't get.
If that ends up being the case, I really see no fault with an exclusive like this.
Wasn't the TRU V-Wing and the Hailfire Droid repaints $29.99 or $34.99? Maybe I'm confused.. :-\
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I would hope that with the 100% re-pack nature of these two sets, it will mean that TRU simply has two sets to sell at their $17.99 price point for the deluxe line that WalMart and Target can't get.
If that ends up being the case, I really see no fault with an exclusive like this.
Wasn't the TRU V-Wing and the Hailfire Droid repaints $29.99 or $34.99? Maybe I'm confused.. :-\
Those were $40 each. They did have a pack-in figure, so despite a very similar box size they didn't fit with the other $20-$25 vehicle assortment. I think the recent Gunship was priced the same as the Y-Wing/ARC assortment, so that give me some hope that these exclusive deluxe sets will be $18.
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I would hope that with the 100% re-pack nature of these two sets, it will mean that TRU simply has two sets to sell at their $17.99 price point for the deluxe line that WalMart and Target can't get.
Is the STAP with Battle Droid really a re-pack? It looks like an update to the original TCW STAP that came with the B'Omarr BP. At least the Paint apps are updated from what I can tell. I can't say for sure if they did anything with the droid though because the pic resolution is not so great.
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I think the BD with STAP is a Clone Wars version, but I'm not positive. The background is from the CW series and the paint apps look similar to the ones released for the CW film.
Someone posted on RS today that they were in TRU and the new Deluxe sets were bumped to $19.99. Anyone else see that? I forgot to look at Target today to see if they had changed but that store is such a wreck right now I don't expect them to update shelf tags till they reset.
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The deluxe are $19.99 at my TRU. They can keep them (and they do).
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Is the STAP with Battle Droid really a re-pack? It looks like an update to the original TCW STAP that came with the B'Omarr BP. At least the Paint apps are updated from what I can tell. I can't say for sure if they did anything with the droid though because the pic resolution is not so great.
You're right - there are probably new paint apps on both sets, so they are not a straight re-release/re-pack - but like most of this line, they aren't anything "new" either. So far the only really "new" items in this line have been the canons that plug into the Turbo Tank, the Freeco Speeder, and the better articulated Obi-Wan and Dooku.
Coming up, we're getting a new AT-RT and then Anakin has what appears to be new goggles and a plastic cape, everything else that's been advertised is just a re-paint or re-release of previously released product.
So my point on price was that in this economy, for Hasbro and TRU to cook up a pair of low-effort exclusives like these, in a sub-line that is already priced at $18 for re-paints/re-packs, they should have these two pieces fit right on in with the mass-release pieces, just like, as someone already pointed out, they were able to do with the TRU Exclusive GI:Joe-RoC figures.
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Yeah, it does get confusing with so much "recycling" going on in the various lines.
I guess I tend to think of re-packs more like something that has already been released in that line previously, and ONLY the packaging is different.
I fully agree there is no justification for jacking the prices on these things so they are out of line with similar items. (ala TRU and Ponds)
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I've also seen the Deluxe at TRU at $20. I finally found the Freeco speeder, but no way was I shelling out that much cash for it.
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I'm so hoping that's the last time they're releasing that old bike.
Amen. I refuse to buy any more of the old one.
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A new picture of this surfaced...
(http://www.jedidefender.com/news/images/1-08/010Deluxe_TRUScoutBikeBoxed01_TN.jpg) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1263627459,66325,)
Clicky to check it out.
That's one grey deco on that... The Trooper's very clean looking too, but I won't cave and buy that just for an uber clean Scout Trooper.
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I picked this (http://www.yakface.com/TGuide2004/html/TLC/deluxe/speederbike_scout.html) up yesterday, definitely nothing to write home about. The Biker Scout has a virtually clean deco aside from the lightest of dirty washes on the boots. Also setting this version apart from the VOTC and the TAC Saga Legends figure is the fact that the boot soles were left white and not painted tan.
The speeder bike is the same ol' 15 years old mold we've been bludgeoned with only molded in gray. The saving grace of it is that it does have some weathering.
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I keep hoping it's like the AT-ST...
That it's showing up a little more frequent than usual maybe means it's getting resculpted. I really hope so because it's rough when you look at it. It's very out of whack.
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The speeder bike is the same ol' 15 years old mold we've been bludgeoned with only molded in gray.
15? Try 27.
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The speeder bike is the same ol' 15 years old mold we've been bludgeoned with only molded in gray.
15? Try 27.
Technically true, but I was going by the actual date on this mold which is 1995. ;)
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Can't believe they forgot(?) to paint the bottom of the boots.
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As ruiner said: itīs true Hasbro forgot to paint biker scout soles of his boots
a serious mistake...
why are they doing this? A way to save money on figures painting?
This happened frecuently
sometimes repacks come with an unpainted detail: belts, soles of boots, bracelets, badges, etc.
This attitude ruins the evolution presented in current toys ???
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why are they doing this? A way to save money on figures painting?
I do not think they forgot at all, I think this is the case here.
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I picked this (http://www.yakface.com/TGuide2004/html/TLC/deluxe/speederbike_scout.html) up yesterday, definitely nothing to write home about. The Biker Scout has a virtually clean deco aside from the lightest of dirty washes on the boots. Also setting this version apart from the VOTC and the TAC Saga Legends figure is the fact that the boot soles were left white and not painted tan.
Did this thing already get into stores or did you pick it up early by some other method?
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I've seen it at retail a few times.
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I picked this (http://www.yakface.com/TGuide2004/html/TLC/deluxe/speederbike_scout.html) up yesterday, definitely nothing to write home about. The Biker Scout has a virtually clean deco aside from the lightest of dirty washes on the boots. Also setting this version apart from the VOTC and the TAC Saga Legends figure is the fact that the boot soles were left white and not painted tan.
Did this thing already get into stores or did you pick it up early by some other method?
I picked it up in store the last month.
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Craaap. I haven't been looking and stopped at a TRU this weekend and didn't find it.