Droid Factory returns for 2013!

[Qui-Gon Jim]

I sort of agree CHEWIE...  I'd not turn it down anyway, espeically (again) with "wire" plugs for the limbs...  Could be neat.

But my bigger issue is 3PO is definitely "chromed" and so the dull sheen of the plastic used for the BAD figures would be a little downer.  I like a chromey shiney 3PO even if they dirty him up with a dirty paintjob.  I like seeing that shine underneath because that's how he is.

Now, do they have it in their power to make a more articulated 3PO?  I think so.  Even BAD style.  I don't think they would though and he'd wind up as just a dull coated one using the current mold...  I'm kind of ok with the removable panels one from the first vintage wave then...  But I'd probably be happy to get a 3PO using the existing mold too.  Not knowing what it's replacing and all.  It's a very sharp sculpt for sure.

The CW C-3PO was really well done, they packed a ton of articulation onto that little frame.  I am sure they could scale that up a bit for a realistic version.  Of course, vac-metalizing that many joints could be an issue...

[CHEWIE]

Yeah, the CW C-3PO was very well done, and the C-3PX was a good figure too... so that sort of paint application is fine by me.



I just want to see something like that above (note, that's U-3PO, just tweaked a bit in photo editing).  I don't care how, if it's a carded figure, or you gotta hunt for the parts.  It's the sculpt that I really dig.  I can't believe Hasbro hasn't used such a great protocol droid mold for one of the most popular characters in all of Star Wars.

[Mister Skeezler]

That U-3PO really is a stellar figure. I'm sold on needing a C-3PO with that sculpt, as long as they can get a shine to him, like they did with U-3PO. Vac metal would be even better, of course.

What's the current "best" version of Artoo?

[Jeff]

I'm hoping for BAD's of...

I like your ideas Jesse, with the exception of repacks.  I know HK-47 and some others were hard to get or very popular, but I really have no interest in collecting figures in order to re-build him just to sell him, you know?  I'd rather they focus on new droids. 

I'd really like to see some of those Disney parts make it into the line (Sorry people who spent the cash to get disney BAD parts ).  Stuff like the new R6, R8, R9 heads would be swell, along with the 8D8, EV-9D9, and 2-1B comments mentioned earlier.

[CHEWIE]

Yeah, I agere... I think HK-47 would be fine just as a basic carded figure.  I think the same goes for any other previous B.A.D.s that were hard to get.

[Jesse James]

The problem with vac-metalizing is you can't do it on that type of plastic...  That's not bad though.  But I prefer vac-metal on 3PO is all, since he was.  It's like R2's dome in reverse...  It was polished aluminum and I prefer it to look that way than the old vac-metal domes.  Unfortunately it only sticks to ABS and doesn't to PVC, and BAD protocol molds are made for PVC.

I'd like to see what they could do though, if they could acheive something fairly close with a highly metallic flaked paint/plastic additive.

And I agree on HK47 too...  Was just thinking of possible ideas.  I'd not mind it, but at the same time I'd be ok seeing him return in a multi-pack of KOTOR figures that maybe had a couple new ones, Bastilla Revan and Malak, and HK47.  A nice set to flesh things out for KOTOR a bit.

[Jeff]

Did that presentation say there were plans for 30 figures in all of 2013 or just "spring 2013"? 

If there are only 30 figures in the year, putting 2/3 of those in the first two waves seems awfully front-loaded...

Wave 1 = 12 figures; 2 BADs
Wave 2 - 8 figures; 2 BADs

That leaves only 10 figures (with what, 1x protocol droid and 1x astromech) left to reveal for the rest of 2013? 

[shmashwitdaclub]

I thought I heard 30 in 2013, and that is what Jedi Temple archives is saying too

[Rune Haako]

The slideshow says over 30 figures for 2013, so there could be more.

[Jeff]

OK, "over 30" makes a bit more sense.  Probably means they have 30 nailed down and are just working out the kinks an some more to balance out the waves with whatever BADs they have cooking.

[shmashwitdaclub]

I think over 30 means 30 figures and 7 BADs - and that is it!

[Scockery]

I read that 3 of the 4 announced BAD's are do-overs...i'm cool with making CW droids into realistic ones and an r/c droid a regular toy, but that's a tad disappointing to hear. There's almost no shortage of unmade droids, even repaints, they could do.

Like these two from Clone Wars

[Jesse James]

I think over 30 means 30 figures and 7 BADs - and that is it!

This was what I was thinking...  initial reports were 30 then 37 with 7 of those being BAD.

[Jeff]

Ok, so if you two (shmash and Jesse) are right with the "over 30 = 30 + 7 BAD" stuff, and we've seen 20 figures and 4 BAD so far...  that leaves 10 figures and 3 BAD...  how does that math work?

Seems like that would be a wave of 6 figs plus 1 protocol droid and 1 wave of 4 figures plus 1 astro droid.  10 figures plus 2 BAD. 

Either we're getting more figures to build that 7th BAD, or the 7 BAD thing was an error and there are really only 6 coming, or they have two funky 3-part mini-droids planned instead of the 6-part droid in my tally above.

Hmmm...

[Jesse James]

Hmmm...  Math makes my teeth hurt.

I could be entirely wrong on that then.  This'll be the next great mystery.  30 + 7 BAD's does seem a little short on figures for a whole year/line.  NOt that I'd mind.