Star Trek - Reincarnated from the Genesis Planet!

[tones]

"someone suggested a two pack of Will Riker and Data for TRU and a Tom Riker and Lore for LCS."

While that's fine and everything, I'd prefer this was not done in the same wave. Seriously, as much as I love Star Trek and want as much as I can get, how many waves do you think we'll get? Every production piece we can get is best, because there's so many quick-customs that can be done!

I'd do something like this:

Wave 2: includes:

TRU: Data / Geordi (TNG uniforms), Data with extra Lore head or reverse printed since the hair would cover it.

Specialty :Riker / Worf (TNG, Worf with removable baldric piece similar to TOS Klingon mate)

TRU: DS9 1st season Bashir / Dax

Specialty DS9 Quark / Odo

TRU: STIII Kirk / Commander Kruge

Specialty: ST IV Kirk / Spock in white robe

TRU: Enterprise: T'Pol and Trip Tucker

Specialty: Voyager: EMH Doctor and Hirogen Warrior

Wave 3: Includes:

TRU: Wesley in grey uniform / Dr Crusher with removable lab coat (TNG)

Specialty: Data / Troi (First Contact uniforms)

TRU: DS9 1st season O'Brien / Kira

Specialty DS9 7th season (FC style) Bashir and Garak

TRU: Tholian Web Chekov / TOS Romulan

Specialty: Kirk & Spock from A Piece of the Action (Gangster suits & Tommy guns!)

TRU: Voyager Tuvok / Chakotay

Specialty: Enterprise Hoshi / Reed in Space Suit

This way, you can head-swap Riker's head on any other TNG gold uniform to make a Thomas Riker. But such a ridiculously easy headswap character should NEVER take up a spot of another character, unless we were getting 50 waves like Marvel!

Furthermore, quick-customs from those pairings and wave 1 include: a base female blue TNG uniform & First Contact uniform, male TNG gold & FC uniform, plus male red TNG & FC uniforms. I don't care too much about the collar "pips", because the scale is too small to really notice if you leave them unaltered, and if you did, a dab with a silver or black sharpie would be all that's needed . But then waves 1-3 with enough extra packs bought would get you a full TNG cast in BOTH TV & First Contact uniforms, Full DS9 Cast with the Starfleet people in both 1st and 7th season uniforms, O'Brien in TNG, 1st & 7th season DS9, Thomas Riker, Redemption Data, Wesley in red uniform, hopefully Lore, and then maybe some Voyager crew stuff too (IIRC the communicator was the only difference between VOY & 1st season DS9 uniforms, which decals should work in a pinch)

THEN as the line progresses, DST is more than welcome to go back in and release some of the simple headswaps that makes sense *if they must* (i.e. if they were released in TNG uniform, then release FC uniform), but it would be more fun to get newly sculpted variations instead, as in any crew from Q-Pid (Data as Friar Tuck!), Sherlock Holmes & Watson Data & Geordi, LOCUTUS, Times Arrow variants, All Good Things variants. (And by variants, I mean variation in characters outfit, NOT 1 per case!)

So there it is. Not my ideal choice of waves, but there's so many choices on what to make, it'll take forever to get a lot out. I just hate seeing wasted "slots" Plus I continued with one Captain per wave. I love the crewmember & an alien strategy they've started so far, I just don't want to wait for potentially 7 waves before completing crew, with no guarantee how long this line will last.

I really, really hope we get some box sets! I'm surprised there's not a "Best of Both Worlds" 4-pack with Locutus! Throw in Data, Lt Shelby and either Riker or Dr Crusher and that'll get us afew 2-pack slots freed up, along with Shelby who would be a good exclusive, but a waste in a 2-pack (plus a red female body if you want to customize an Ensign Ro)

but the problem with setting up waves like that is, you split up the "main costume" crews between TRU and Specialty. ideally, the "definite sells" like those should be the most widely available for the casual fan as well as collectors. collectors will go to an LCS or get a wave online and typically want the more obscure character selection that won't go over well at retail.

also, releasing waves with the intent toward quick customs isn't going to be something that will benefit the line in the long run. that will contribute to an early demise as it won't do DST or TRU any good sales wise. sure you'll get ppl buying up the early waves to do head swaps and such, but if the TRU Marvel waves have shown me anything, it's that an instant sell out prompts thier system to re order so much of the current wave that the next wave oftentimes gets skipped. it is a fine line to walk. theoretically, Star Trek Minimates could last almost as long as Marvel has. if it's done properly, which i think they are heading in the right direction. just have patience and support the line and we'll get what we need/want, they wouldn't have brought these back if they were going in half-hearted.

***This way, you can head-swap Riker's head on any other TNG gold uniform

to make a Thomas Riker. But such a ridiculously easy headswap character

should NEVER take up a spot of another character, unless we were getting

50 waves like Marvel!***

and not to split hairs (pun intended) but Will Riker and Tom Riker have different facial hair. we(I) need Riker in clean shaven (Season 1/Insurrection), full beard (Season 2-7/Movies), Van Dyke (Thomas Riker), and Grey (All Good Things...) versions. not to mention battle damaged for all those fights he gets in.

[Liney]

Surely the speciality line is geared more towards variants like that? Characters that aren't essential to a collection but are still available if you want/need them. Like the above Riker's, different coloured Seven and so forth.

I guess I'm just a bit bitter that things like the TRU waves don't make it across the pond

[monkeycrumb]

and not to split hairs (pun intended) but Will Riker and Tom Riker have different facial hair. we(I) need Riker in clean shaven (Season 1/Insurrection), full beard (Season 2-7/Movies), Van Dyke (Thomas Riker), and Grey (All Good Things...) versions. not to mention battle damaged for all those fights he gets in.

Not true. When he wears the Gold uniform, he has the full beard. The only time he has the Van Dyke is when he's on DS9, where he's wearing red (Netflix FTW! s6 ep24 Second Chances)

As for your other argument, I don't consider Khan and the Borg Queen "hard sells". (even though we're getting a different Khan at TRU). By your argument, the specialty waves aren't allowed to have any "heavy hitters", which if I were a retailer I'd be pissed if TRU got *all* the good stuff.

My main point was, even if TRU gets ALL the TNG uniformed cast, I dont want each wave to repeat characters in both Specialty and TRU, i.e. Data version 1 at Tru and version #2 at specialty for the same wave. IF DST continues their model of one 2-pack per series in each wave, whatever the uniform, I'd prefer wave 2, 3, etc have separate characters between the TRU TNG pack and specialty TNG pack, because if we get Data or whomever repeated *in the same wave*, it'll take a long time to get the entire crew out.

And while you state that "theoretically, Star Trek Minimates could last almost as long as Marvel has", I highly, highly doubt it! I could easily plan out 100 waves of Star Trek minimates, but I doubt the retail support will be there to keep this line going even 3 years. I would *love* to be wrong!!

I have every intention of supporting this line 110%. But it's a matter of if they are playing the long game or not, because sales will likely drop once ST Into Darkness has left the theaters. Movie support is the reason TRU is buying Trek again. If sales start to hurt, I hope it can at least continue with one market instead of both dropping at the same time.

As far as head swaps, I don't expect everyone to play that game, but should the worst happen and the line is cancelled too short, then finishing off the cast should be easier with headswaps over customs. We're all armchair quarterbacking at this point, but again I really want to see how wave 2 & 3 are shaping up.

Surely the speciality line is geared more towards variants like that? Characters that aren't essential to a collection but are still available if you want/need them. Like the above Riker's, different coloured Seven and so forth.

I guess I'm just a bit bitter that things like the TRU waves don't make it across the pond

Maybe it would be better then to have the main stuff be specialty then? I really want to see some box sets, I think that would solve a lot of issues. But I shop at both TRU and specialty, so I'm up for whatever's best for the market & the line!

[tones]

and not to split hairs (pun intended) but Will Riker and Tom Riker have different facial hair. we(I) need Riker in clean shaven (Season 1/Insurrection), full beard (Season 2-7/Movies), Van Dyke (Thomas Riker), and Grey (All Good Things...) versions. not to mention battle damaged for all those fights he gets in.

Not true. When he wears the Gold uniform, he has the full beard. The only time he has the Van Dyke is when he's on DS9, where he's wearing red (Netflix FTW! s6 ep24 Second Chances)

As for your other argument, I don't consider Khan and the Borg Queen "hard sells". (even though we're getting a different Khan at TRU). By your argument, the specialty waves aren't allowed to have any "heavy hitters", which if I were a retailer I'd be pissed if TRU got *all* the good stuff.

My main point was, even if TRU gets ALL the TNG uniformed cast, I dont want each wave to repeat characters in both Specialty and TRU, i.e. Data version 1 at Tru and version #2 at specialty for the same wave. IF DST continues their model of one 2-pack per series in each wave, whatever the uniform, I'd prefer wave 2, 3, etc have separate characters between the TRU TNG pack and specialty TNG pack, because if we get Data or whomever repeated *in the same wave*, it'll take a long time to get the entire crew out.

And while you state that "theoretically, Star Trek Minimates could last almost as long as Marvel has", I highly, highly doubt it! I could easily plan out 100 waves of Star Trek minimates, but I doubt the retail support will be there to keep this line going even 3 years. I would *love* to be wrong!!

I have every intention of supporting this line 110%. But it's a matter of if they are playing the long game or not, because sales will likely drop once ST Into Darkness has left the theaters. Movie support is the reason TRU is buying Trek again. If sales start to hurt, I hope it can at least continue with one market instead of both dropping at the same time.

As far as head swaps, I don't expect everyone to play that game, but should the worst happen and the line is cancelled too short, then finishing off the cast should be easier with headswaps over customs. We're all armchair quarterbacking at this point, but again I really want to see how wave 2 & 3 are shaping up.

>Surely the speciality line is geared more towards variants like that? Characters that aren't essential to a collection but are still available if you want/need them. Like the above Riker's, different coloured Seven and so forth.

I guess I'm just a bit bitter that things like the TRU waves don't make it across the pond

Maybe it would be better then to have the main stuff be specialty then? I really want to see some box sets, I think that would solve a lot of issues. But I shop at both TRU and specialty, so I'm up for whatever's best for the market & the line!

okay, you got me on the Tom Riker beard thing, remembered there was something different (its filled in more under his lower lip) of course thats the one season i don't have on dvd so its been a while. so that makes 2 versions of Tom that i would like to see.

i didn't say that Kahn and the Borg Queen were "hard sells", i said that the main cast in their regular duty uniforms are a "definite sell". and should be availible at mass market (my apologies to our friends across the pond, i'll help out if i can) to maximize exposure to more than just collectors.

"theoretically, Star Trek Minimates could last almost as long as Marvel has". "theoretically" and "could" are the operative words here. i was saying that the amount of characters that could be done (spread out over all series and movies) is quite extensive and could fuel a line for a long time if it was designed to.

imo, the problem with the first (2 inch) line was that it filled out the core TOS crew too quickly. by the time they got to TNG and DS9 retailer support was gone, as a result of poor sales of (a sort of bland) wave 3. if wave 3 had the TNG and DS9 sets that ended up in waves 4 & 5 i think things would've been different. TRU on a whole knows what a good seller Minimates are, or they wouldn't keep getting exclusives.

what i'm saying about the headswap potential is that it really wouldn't be in DSTs best interests to make it that easy for us. if you can get everything you want quickly in this manner, will you still buy the official releases? it comes down to either getting what you want or what is best for the line. i'm right there with you, i've been clamouring for Star Trek minimates to return since the day they were cancelled. i'm chomping at the bit to flesh out the crews and adversaries, but not to the detrement of the line. i certainly hope sales don't drop once the movie is gone from theaters. i don't think wave 2 will be out by then.

regardless, we both agree. its great that these are back and they can't show up soon enough. i'm very anxious to see what the next waves will be. that should show us what DST has up thier sleeve. but whatever it is, i'll be there...buying cases

[Captain Paco]

tones: you have some valid point as do all of us that have been posting in this thread.

I have made customized versions of most of the TNG Crew but I would gladly purchase the originals from DST because they would be offical versions. I just hope that DST will do their best to get us the crews of each series before they cancel the line in the future. I am hoping to get three of each set that TRU will release but just when will this wave actually hit TRU pegs? Battle Beast still have not been seen in my local TRU. I am just hoping that Waves 2, 3, 4 ,5 and so on keep coming and keep interesting characters in the waves. The original wave 3 had Sarek and Brainless Spock and those in my opinion were duds. However, I would love to see a Vulcan or even Sarek in Vulcan Robes but we don't need more Kirks for a little while as variations of Archer, Janeway and Sisko can still be make. There are a few more variations of Picard but just don't make one series limited to LCS or TRU. Enterprise is only available via LCS and Voyager is only available via TRU in the Legacy Wave 1 releases. I just hope that TOS can take a backseat and let all four to the prequel/sequels could be focused upon and the once we get all the main crews complete then go back and do the countless variations of all the characters from all the series.

JMO, Thank you.

[DSTZach]

Because specialty sales are so dependent on pre-orders and retailer interest, we need definite sells at specialty as well as TRU. We're front-loading this line a bit to get traction, but notice that Picard, Kirk and Sisko are all at both places. Only the least popular series are at one or the other. I assume we'll do similar splits going forward, although I'm not sure if crew members will always come with an alien/villain.

Hope everyone understands now why we did it this way. We wanted to get the greatest number of Trek fans on board from the beginning.

And I have to imagine that having a few Picards is a problem that can easily be solved with a few QC customs.

[battlecat]

Well I'm pretty thrilled we're getting the TRU Picard, he looks great... plus I really didn't dig the Stewart likeness or the translation of the TNG uniform on the old one, and Die Hard Picard was the one thing I didn't like about First Contact. Although I guess with that angry LCS headblock someone can put their old Patch minimate to good use.

[monkeycrumb]

what i'm saying about the headswap potential is that it really wouldn't be in DSTs best interests to make it that easy for us. if you can get everything you want quickly in this manner, will you still buy the official releases?

Yep! I'm planning on buying lots of extras. And if they make an official version of a character I've QC'ed, then I'll still buy them and turn my QC into either another main cast or a background crewmember (still have lots of extra heads from other series, i.e Shield Agents, MAX, etc!)

But really, I don't expect everyone to do what I'm doing, but I want the line to have that specific potential, so that it 1) frees up slots for other variations of those characters and 2) should the line end before giving us our core needs, then we can hunt down the remaining stock if we need to to QC. For TNG & DS9, there are several major variations of both crews main duty uniforms before we even get to the cool episode-specific stuff like Picard, Data & Troi as Romulans, Klingon Warrior garb Worf, Sheriff Worf, Worf as "not a merry man", Dax in Klingon uniform, All Good Things future variants, DS9 Mirror Mirror variants, etc, etc. So give us TNG Worf at TRU, and Warrior Worf at specialty, which saves FC until later, which if it never gets made, you can QC one and still enjoy a Warrior Worf that would be harder to customize.

Now, I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting more than one of the wave one LCS Jem Hadar soldier. So I'll wind up with extra Sisko's. So I'll have extra red-undershirt First Contact style uniforms. So hopefully they will spare us on further re-undershirt FC uniformed characters for a few waves.

I definitely want everyone produced in their iconic uniforms. It's a slam dunk sale and good for the line. My suggestions are simply based on my point #2 above.

Zach, I totally understand what you're doing (at least as best I can with just one wave announced so far, feel free to share wave 2's lineup if you want ) and I support it. This line should run much longer than Ghostbusters! I'm glad to hear you're willing to double-up on crewmembers in the 2-packs. I love the aliens and villains, but again I want the core casts ASAP

I hope that we can get some extra heads packed in where it makes sense, like Ensign Ro coming with an extra head and collar to make Commander Shelby, or if you do a TNG uniformed O'Brien you would give us an extra head to make Barclay. (Actually, that's make a great 2-pack around wave 4 or so, Ro & O'Brien!)

Battlecat, I've already planned on making that version of Picard, just waiting for an actual minimate-scale Tommy gun! While I was hoping to get one with the upcoming Hulk 4-pack, now I'm holding out hope for an "A Piece of the Action" set to come out with 2 Tommy guns.

For everyone, I'm curious, do you prefer they get everyone released in the 2 main variation uniforms before getting to the unique variations like I listed above? I don't believe we should be forced to QC, but it's a great option to have available, and I love how they're using it in the Marvel line.

[Matty-lad]

Hey all,

Super excited about all these announcements. Just waiting to see the Kirk & Khan for TRU.....

Anywho, I've done the Picard custom we're all talking about:-

http://www.minimatemultiverse.com/index.php?showtopic=9185#entry263475

I hope this series goes on and on just so we can complete the crew as best we can. I don't mind filling in some of the gaps with customs as long as I get the main cast. There are some great ideas on here with different heads etc. so we get 2 for 1 figures......

Hopefully there is a great plan in action to make this line go on for as long as possible.

Take care,

Matty-lad

[Mystery Man]

Whoa!

Those "Patterns of Force" and "... Edge of Forever" sets are GREAT!

[Captain Paco]

The Enterprise apparently keeps getting stuck in space dock. Will we ever see the ship?

I really hope it is release on the new date if not before.

[MisterPL]

Hopefully the new post-"Into Darkness" release date will be better for sales. Seems like retailers would have wanted that on shelves beforehand, though. It's not like there's a Playmates line to compete with this time.

Release dates for the Trek Minimates were noticeably absent from the latest schedule as well. Not that I'm worried...

[mav-man]

on their facebook page they said their not sure why they aren't on the shipping list, but they think they ship the same time the enterprise does...so May possibly??

[Captain Paco]

Are they refering to the Ship or the Minimates Enterprise that has been delayed to March 13th?

I am really hoping we get this Minimates Enterprise this time around because this is the third or fourth time it has been delayed.

[MisterPL]

05/29/13 STAR TREK TOS ENTERPRISE MINIMATE VEHICLE

[Captain Paco]

I was going with what Luke has posted on his site. March 13 2013 is what he is stating now. I just hope that the wave of Legacy Minimates is on time and we get them in June or whenever we finally get the TRU wave.

As much as I have longed for the return of Star Trek mInimates, I am tired of waiting longer than we were originally promised. It is getting very old.

[DSTZach]

I've seen production samples, it should definitely be coming out. Sorry we've pushed it back, we want to get it right.

[Captain Paco]

I appreciate the "wanting to get it right". I just feel like it has been "hurry up and wait" for so long for the possible return of Star Trek minimates since the announcement of the Enterprise. I just wish we were also getting the once announced but withdrawn shuttle craft.

So at this point even with the delay in the TOS Enterprise, are any other ships coming out for Star Trek? A DS9 runabout? or Voyager Delta Flyer? or a TNG shuttle? or a Ferengi Marauder? or anything?

That would be sweet of DST to release a second Star Trek vehicle quickly after the Enterprise is finally released. I would appeciate it for all the delays we have suffered.

I know, Zach, you can only release the approved announcements and I am not taking this out on you. I appreciate you sharing with us. I am just disappointed with the retailers and such and how long it has taken for the Battle Beast Minimates to get to the stores (which they still have not made it to the local TRU in Bloomington, IL yet and it is frustrating as I really want the Moose & Bat. I have a feeling that when the time finally comes to release the Star Trek Legacy TRU Wave of minimates, I will never see them until months later. Star Trek is the primary line I collect and custumize for and I have been a diehard Star Trek fan for over 30 years. I just want to complete my crews in minimate form from all the Star Trek series.

Thank you for letting me vent.

Patiently Waiting as best I can,

Paco

[Big Ape]

For everyone, I'm curious, do you prefer they get everyone released in the 2 main variation uniforms before getting to the unique variations like I listed above? I don't believe we should be forced to QC, but it's a great option to have available, and I love how they're using it in the Marvel line.

Yes, I want main characters in main uniforms before we get obscure variations. To me, it would be awful to see a slot wasted on Sherlock Data or cowboy Worf before a main crew member in their standard uniform. Whether it be specialty or TRU. If this line is able to go into a high number of waves, then throw in some episode specific variant of a character. But please don't do it before the big names are released.

[DSTZach]

I appreciate the "wanting to get it right". I just feel like it has been "hurry up and wait" for so long for the possible return of Star Trek minimates since the announcement of the Enterprise. I just wish we were also getting the once announced but withdrawn shuttle craft.

So at this point even with the delay in the TOS Enterprise, are any other ships coming out for Star Trek? A DS9 runabout? or Voyager Delta Flyer? or a TNG shuttle? or a Ferengi Marauder? or anything?

That would be sweet of DST to release a second Star Trek vehicle quickly after the Enterprise is finally released. I would appeciate it for all the delays we have suffered.

I know, Zach, you can only release the approved announcements and I am not taking this out on you. I appreciate you sharing with us. I am just disappointed with the retailers and such and how long it has taken for the Battle Beast Minimates to get to the stores (which they still have not made it to the local TRU in Bloomington, IL yet and it is frustrating as I really want the Moose & Bat. I have a feeling that when the time finally comes to release the Star Trek Legacy TRU Wave of minimates, I will never see them until months later. Star Trek is the primary line I collect and custumize for and I have been a diehard Star Trek fan for over 30 years. I just want to complete my crews in minimate form from all the Star Trek series.

Thank you for letting me vent.

Patiently Waiting as best I can,

Paco

I do not think you will see another Trek vehicle immediately after the Enterprise. Perhaps a variant, but not a D or anything like that.

Ask DST if you want to see the Shuttlecraft, maybe we'll try again with it if the Enterprise does well.

Sorry for your suffering, but I think we are coming back strong with Trek, and I'm sorry your TRU is so bad.

[Macross-Junkie]

I've already mentioned my yearning for an Ezri Dax, but I'd also like to see some Starfleet Marines from the TOS movies, and maybe some MACO's from Enterprise...

[Macross-Junkie]

I was just browsing the pre-order inventory on the Entertainment Earth website, and they had a listing for THIS...

That's right people, the Mirror Mirror version of the ship is a EE Exclusive.

My only question is to Zach? Considering we still haven't seen the regular version of the Enterprise, which was supposed to be out last month, how accurate are the release dates of May 2013 for this item going to be, (especially since it has a variant bussard collector, different paint scheme, differnet stickers, and different figure) because DST seems to have a problem with release dates for Star Trek, even in a re-tooling...

[Politician]

Well that certainly changes things.

[MisterPL]

We all saw this coming. Another Enterprise, another variant Kirk Minimate I already own. I understand but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Wake me up when it's a ship and a character not already in my collection.

(Good sleuthing, though, M-J.)

What would be great is if DST would sneak a ship into their regular Star Trek vehicle line that just happened to be in the same scale as Minimates. You know, something like the Runabout that could double as a display piece for fans of authentic replicas and/or Minimates.

[DSTZach]

I was just browsing the pre-order inventory on the Entertainment Earth website, and they had a listing for THIS...

That's right people, the Mirror Mirror version of the ship is a EE Exclusive.

My only question is to Zach? Considering we still haven't seen the regular version of the Enterprise, which was supposed to be out last month, how accurate are the release dates of May 2013 for this item going to be, (especially since it has a variant bussard collector, different paint scheme, differnet stickers, and different figure) because DST seems to have a problem with release dates for Star Trek, even in a re-tooling...

Thanks for the heads-up! Both are being tooled and made at the same time. I have test shots in the office, possibly even painted samples. They should ship around the same time, and I'm fairly certain we revised the ship date for the regular Enterprise months ago.

Well that certainly changes things.

What changed?

We all saw this coming. Another Enterprise, another variant Kirk Minimate I already own. I understand but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Wake me up when it's a ship and a character not already in my collection.

(Good sleuthing, though, M-J.)

What would be great is if DST would sneak a ship into their regular Star Trek vehicle line that just happened to be in the same scale as Minimates. You know, something like the Runabout that could double as a display piece for fans of authentic replicas and/or Minimates.

I would hope you saw this coming, because I'm pretty sure I told you exactly what was going to happen earlier in this thread. Not a new ship, not right away, but maybe a variant.

And these ships have never been Minimate-ized, but if you're waiting for us to make a Minimates vehicle of a ship that has never been made in ANY medium, you might as well stop right there. We're HOPING this sells well, and this is the most famous Trek ship in the fleet. I can't see us rollign the dice on an untested ship.