Wave 59* **: X-citing possibilities. (*edited for posterity [**again])

[Nessex]

I may not be the marketing supervisor you want, but I'm the marketing supervisor you need.

Think that comment might have just won this thread.....

[buttheadsmate]

I guess I'm one of the quieter ones ....I just checked, I've made 5 one-liner posts in this thread out of 500 made . They're either positive or attempts at humour.

[MiniFiend UK]

I'm not one to speak up I don't think. I would have preferred a comic accurate uniform but its not as stated a deal breaker, I can just used Iced as the default. Somebody in QC does need a poke with some sharp impalements to get them motivated.

[DSTZach]

I appreciate the restraint, MiniFiend, but QC has nothing to do with this situation. Quality control makes sure every production piece looks like the approved painted sample, and works properly, i.e. doesn't break. I'm sure everybody will now start listing off ways our QC needs to be improved, but a painted sample EXACTLY MATCHING the approved paint master which EXACTLY MATCHES the approved control art is not a QC problem in this scenario. If the final product does not match the approved painted sample... well, in this case it will be because we changed something, BUT if it breaks easily, then that is a QC problem.

The product was developed early, and the reference art was changed. It happens with movies all the time. I'm sure there are dozens of examples of toys that were developed before they made some CGI tweak, resulting in a toy that looks slightly different from the final film. This case had more lead time, and if the product development teams at either company had noticed or been notified of the change upon publication, there would have been time to catch it, but both teams were occupied elsewhere, and only looked at the reference when approving the design, and the design when approving the prototype.

So the blame lies with me. I saw people's comments, and for whatever reason, I did not immediately notify anybody back when pictures came out. I saw that there were people here who preferred it, in spite of its inaccuracy, and opted to do nothing, and clearly that was the wrong call. Poke me with whatever you want.

[mcg031]

Zach you're better then me, I'd stop a long time ago providing answers to bad questions/comments. Comic book artist do take their own opinion on characters Peter Parker never looks the same in every comic...people chill out

[Valo487]

Seriously guys, I feel like all sides of this issue have been well represented at this point, is there any chance of us all agreeing to let it go for now? Or should I just avoid this thread for a while? I enjoy the conversation, and really like that Zach posts here, it allows us to get insight into what's going on with the line, but this amount of irritation over something so minor is really getting ridiculous.

[mcg031]

Seriously guys, I feel like all sides of this issue have been well represented at this point, is there any chance of us all agreeing to let it go for now? Or should I just avoid this thread for a while? I enjoy the conversation, and really like that Zach posts here, it allows us to get insight into what's going on with the line, but this amount of irritation over something so minor is really getting ridiculous.

Agreed!!

[MisterPL]

I'm just happy we've got someone from DST going to bat for us.

If the figure can be corrected, hot sex.

If not, I'll embrace it as a "concept figure."

But I refuse to accept anything that's intentionally half-assed. I want full-ass whenever possible.

[mcg031]

Try to look at it from my POV we have 59 waves of minimates..I honestly didn't think we'd get that many ( let alone a Scarlet Spider & Luke Cage) so be thankful and not pitch a fit over a minor error

[battlecat]

Uh, Zach's not a deer, he's not going to run away because we make too much noise about something.

[MisterPL]

And from my perspective you don't get to 59 series of Marvel Minimates by intentionally letting minor errors slip through because a few consumers accept it.

For my part, I know how it happened. I know it wasn't intentional. I know there's an attempt to correct it.

If it seems like I'm pitching a fit over it… well, you've never seen me pitch a fit. (Digger did, back in the day, but I don't think anyone has on this message board.)

Sorry to beleaguer the issue, everyone. Just wanted to be clear on my position and move on.

[Valo487]

Uh, Zach's not a deer, he's not going to run away because we make too much noise about something.

Yeah, but he also has no obligation to be here, I somehow suspect that in his employee duties it is not listed that he post on this message board. I know most people are well versed in how to complain without being petty or personal, but not everybody is, take a look in the TRU thread in Crisis if you don't believe me.

There's nothing wrong with expressing a concern, and we are lucky that Zach is trying to see if there's a way to fix it, but I have a feeling that listening to people complain constantly would get old for anybody, and since he has no obligation to us, if it gets to be too much of a hassle he'll just stop posting.

I'm just asking to keep things in perspective here.

[Tetton517]

Zach, any idea when we'll know the final decision? This debate and issue need to be out to rest.

[Mnemosis]

Poke me with whatever you want.

MisterPL, thoughts?

I want full-ass whenever possible.

Mmm. Mhmm. Mmm.

Edited May 27, 2014 by Mnemosis

[MisterPL]

[battlecat]

Yeah, but he also has no obligation to be here, I somehow suspect that in his employee duties it is not listed that he post on this message board. I know most people are well versed in how to complain without being petty or personal, but not everybody is, take a look in the TRU thread in Crisis if you don't believe me.

There's nothing wrong with expressing a concern, and we are lucky that Zach is trying to see if there's a way to fix it, but I have a feeling that listening to people complain constantly would get old for anybody, and since he has no obligation to us, if it gets to be too much of a hassle he'll just stop posting.

Yeah I guess, I just wonder how many years he'll have to post here before any significant complaint or dispute isn't followed by several "guys let's not drive Zach away" type posts. I don't mean to single out those posts this time, I just find it odd that it's still a trend at this point. I mean, he posts on way harsher boards than this one -- Zach's tough, he can take it! (Realllllly hoping he doesn't quit the board right after I post this.)

Edited May 27, 2014 by battlecat

[Zexion_Armando]

He is taking his ball and going home, he wont ever play with us again!

[Mnemosis]

battlecat... you can slap me in the face, i'm pretty tough. It PROBABLY won't kill me. But it doesn't mean I want you to slap me in the face or that you - in polite society - SHOULD.

The argument isn't so much "Can (insert board member's name here) take it?" but rather "Why should they have to?"

"Why did this figure end up with the wrong color scheme?" "Is there a way to correct it?" These are fair and reasonable questions. But some posts have been unduly harsh when you consider this is a VERY fan-friendly toy line from a company that has been exceedingly informative and transparent regarding their processes and decision making.

Basically, Zach/DST - no matter how unhappy any one might be about any given decision - deserve our respect, not contempt

Edited May 27, 2014 by Mnemosis

[Zylek]

^ Well put!

[stack32]

I'd love to know what those "unduly harsh" comments were because I've looked back through the thread and still haven't found them. Was there a little too much sarcasm and some impatience? Maybe, but I don't see anything approaching contempt.

[MrClean]

If he had little blue snow bunnies on his costume I wouldn't know any different since I haven't read any current books starring Marvel's-forever-changing-their-costumes-Mutants. Well-designed minimates practically sell themselves regardless. It's why we all love 'Best of' green dress shirt Banner.

[bigvis497]

I'd love to know what those "unduly harsh" comments were because I've looked back through the thread and still haven't found them. Was there a little too much sarcasm and some impatience? Maybe, but I don't see anything approaching contempt.

Yup. Was thinking the same thing.

[battlecat]

Usually when someone steps over a line into rudeness or personally attacking our peeps at DST/Zach, they're quickly called out on it by other members and staff -- I wasn't saying Zach should have to "take" that kind of thing, not at all, I was saying he has shown time and again that he can take the general discussion of things members are unhappy about without getting mad or quitting the board. I don't think discussing what we like and don't like about product choices is disrespectful to those making the choices. It's just, like, our opinion, man.

[karamazov80]

. . .over a line. . .It's just, like, our opinion, man.

[DSTZach]

Nobody needs to go to bat for me. I have said NUMEROUS TIMES, nobody should ever feel the need to defend me. They can defend DST, which is what I'm doing, because I work with a dozen or so people who work hard on this stuff, but I have never demanded respect for myself or DST here, nor do I automatically expect it.

And from my perspective you don't get to 59 series of Marvel Minimates by intentionally letting minor errors slip through because a few consumers accept it.

Except it's not an error. The figure was designed from provided artwork, a design approved by Marvel, a figure painted to look like the art and approved as a painted prototype. And the sample matches it exactly. What people here want (and I understand why they do) is an UPDATE to a finished, approved, accurate-to-art-provided figure.

I didn't fall over myself to request a change earlier because, while it could be MORE accurate based on new artwork, it would be extra work for an already busy design team, and another round of approvals for both us and Marvel. ANXM sells well, I believe, but I think many customers will be in the "not aware of the exact costume details" camp.