[The Wire]

MOTUC Castle Grayskull Q&A With Mattel's Scott Neitlich

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[shokker]

They try to work on the jawbridge? Do or do not. There is no try.

As for the interior negative walls, how stupid will that look next to the well sculpted prison cell? Should have left it as it was.

[JoeRhyno]

I'd rather have soem sort of brick looking walls, than a flat plain looking wall. And be lucky they're taking this much fan input on the thing, they said they're looking into lowering the drawbridge, most companies would just release it and you'd have to deal with it.

[megachickmagnet]

 shokker, on 27 February 2013 - 06:46 PM, said:

They try to work on the jawbridge? Do or do not. There is no try.

As for the interior negative walls, how stupid will that look next to the well sculpted prison cell? Should have left it as it was.

LOL... your right, I didn't even think of that... prolly because I wouldn't have used the prison walls. and the detachable handle is also fully sculpted and would kinda look funny against the reverse sculpt as well. Oh and the dome!

[Wheeljack35]

 shokker, on 27 February 2013 - 06:46 PM, said:

They try to work on the jawbridge? Do or do not. There is no try.

The best thing to do is to make the castle a tad taller for this to work

[JoeRhyno]

That'll never happen

[megachickmagnet]

The funniest thing about this is, the head clearance of the entrance is low because the base is thick to accommodate the pie piece with the Wind Raider stand hole which was Neitlich's idea in the first place. LOL! So it's all his fault.

[Eric]

Anyone who has read my posts would know I give Mattel their fair share of criticism, and anyone who reads my posts closely would also know I give them their fair share of credit when it's due. So I have to say that this is one of those times where Mattel deserves some credit and fans need to relax. I think Grayskull looks pretty impressive. As I said, it's unfortunate it didn't turn out quite as tall as the foam mockup, but it's not that far off, and the way fans are acting is pretty disappointing. I think unrealistic expectations are to blame, and I think fans should have realized by now how much cost rules this line. The price seems high, but based on how much they're gouging us for a regular figure now, I don't think it should be a surprise that $250 doesn't get you that much with MOTUC. :/ Not that Grayskull is that lacking in my mind -- it just couldn't have all the crazy things fans are hoping or asking for.

[Wheeljack35]

 JoeRhyno, on 27 February 2013 - 07:45 PM, said:

That'll never happen

No duh

[megachickmagnet]

Would you say a doorway that's about 81/2 - 9 inches high to accommodate the average 7 inch figure is an unrealistic expectation for $300?

Is it really unrealistic for fans to want their moneys worth for what should be the flagship, centerpiece for one of the best toy lines of all time?

As a consumer my only concern is that I get a half way decent play set appropriate in size, with a reasonable amount of useful accessories, and at a fair price. I believe any fan of this line who is of sound judgement would have the same criteria.

Unfortunately, Castle Grayskull does not meet these REALISTIC expectations. Mattel has taken their cost cutting, false advertising, and marketing tactics too far this time and It will be interesting to see what the outcome is in terms of how the sales of this play set effect the lines future.

[Wheeljack35]

I was looking at the prototype again and if they would lower the area the Jawbridge lands on it could have more of a clearance

[Monkey_Shuttle]

I'm glad they're revisiting the draw bridge. If I could change one thing about CG, that'd be it.
I really want to know what the logic of the Windraider feature is supposed to be. It seems a lot of problems and complaints have stemmed from it, it's not really wanted by the consumer base, and really makes no sense/adds to the play value of CG.

The reiteration that the floor piece isn't required, and I can just take it out if I don't like it - coupled with - we might have to make some more accessory cut-backs is a little off-putting, though.

Hey Mattel, fans want the dungeon, they hate the Windraider function, you need to cut some fat so why not do the logical thing? Cut the floor piece out, save the rest of the accessories, THEN go back and revisit the floor piece later as an add-on accessory pack with the thing retooled to no longer include the peg hole and put something fans might want like a portal to Etheria or hell, that really cool dungeon piece everyone already wants.

But no, Scotty-Boy wants his Windraider inside his CG so by gawd, we're all going to get that feature. It's synergy so Matty can cross-sell the Windraider and hopefully exhaust the rest of their stock...or some other kind of silly marketing "strategy."

All arm-chair brand managing aside, it does seem silly to me that I should have to *remove* a portion of a $250 piece just because I don't like it. I mean, by all reason, that thing's gotta account for at least $30 of the purchase price. Paying for a useless piece of plastic you don't want is almost like having to buy a Netossa because you've got a subscription... oh wait.

Par for the course, my bad.

[Dark Horse]

This Q&A made me go from 95% sure I'll cancel my preorder to 100%. TG could have just saved himself the time of answering those questions by just saying no to everything. His attitude on the Wind Raider port is nothing short of ##$%$#ed. 127 people out of 130 on the Org didn't like it.
So that means only TG, Pixel Dan and Val Staples voted yes, they liked it.

I shudder to think how bad the actual release will be. It's obviously going to get worse.

[megachickmagnet]

I'm in the process of getting the castle of power... I have to say I am actually more excited to get a fan made item than Mattel's abomination. It may not be a complete play set, but it is a better size... and that is more important to me than anything else.

[Eric]

 megachickmagnet, on 27 February 2013 - 08:54 PM, said:

Would you say a doorway that's about 81/2 - 9 inches high to accommodate the average 7 inch figure is an unrealistic expectation for $300?

Is it really unrealistic for fans to want their moneys worth for what should be the flagship, centerpiece for one of the best toy lines of all time?

As a consumer my only concern is that I get a half way decent play set appropriate in size, with a reasonable amount of useful accessories, and at a fair price. I believe any fan of this line who is of sound judgement would have the same criteria.

Unfortunately, Castle Grayskull does not meet these REALISTIC expectations. Mattel has taken their cost cutting, false advertising, and marketing tactics too far this time and It will be interesting to see what the outcome is in terms of how the sales of this play set effect the lines future.

The castle would stay the same size, so if you wanted less sculpt from the top of the jawbridge to the top of the castle, that's your preference, and I'm not calling that unrealistic. But the Horsemen didn't sculpt it that way.

If people are complaining now that the opening should be 9 inches tall and the entire castle should be scaled up from there, I think that's quite unrealistic.

I would guess most of the complaints are from people who wanted this castle to resemble the original ("OOOO, NOSTALGIA!!!"), so that meant with the overall height/size limitations to come within cost, the opening couldn't be that large without significantly modifying the appearance of the skull itself. That would have suited someone like me who loves MOTU, but it wouldn't have suited all the nostalgia-seekers who only want copies of the toys they had as kids, and they seem to be considered most with this line.

[PlayItLoud]

 Dark Horse, on 27 February 2013 - 09:25 PM, said:

This Q&A made me go from 95% sure I'll cancel my preorder to 100%. TG could have just saved himself the time of answering those questions by just saying no to everything. His attitude on the Wind Raider port is nothing short of ##$%$#ed. 127 people out of 130 on the Org didn't like it.
So that means only TG, Pixel Dan and Val Staples voted yes, they liked it.

I shudder to think how bad the actual release will be. It's obviously going to get worse.

Exact same feeling right now. I'll send my cancellation request after I receive my March sub, knowing Digital River they might also cancel my sub LOL, which I don't mind but I still want my sub exclusive since its already paid for.
But going back to this.... I'm just really surprised with all this blurb that this item or that item may not make the cut, I know this was already said during the pre-order rally that things may or may not make the cut but come on Mattel you have all the experience in playsets Barbie dollhouses anyone. You should have been able to cost it out better from the get go, we know its not for mass retail but you could have still cost it out before putting out a price and trying to fit the castle to the $250 you've set, even shipping you could have set the price more efficiently. Would I have went for it at $250 with a castle with just a working jawbridge, a throne and but the exact size as what was shown in the mock-up yeah I still would, heck they can offer all these other accessories as items to be sold at mattycollector ala weapons rack people would still probably snap it up or make it another sub LOL. But like what he said they are only going to try to work the jawbridge (keyword try) and everything else on the dimension is fixed no more changes, I'll accept that and just save my money. My final rant on the castle. I'll just enjoy the pics and drool from all thats going to get it.

[megachickmagnet]

I would say the assumption that Mattel will make any changes at this point isn't realistic. I would be real surprised if they actually modified the entrance. Scott said they were looking into it, but I think it's just another lie. I'm certain that come SDCC, fans will be getting the castle as shown with throne, elevator, flag, and laser cannon and MAYBE the robot/armor/computers. Everything else will be cut and probably issued in an expansion pack. I wouldn't be surprised if they eliminated the dungeon walls too... Only thing that will definitely stay is that goddam pie piece.

[TommyGoth]

 Dark Horse, on 27 February 2013 - 09:25 PM, said:

So that means only TG, Pixel Dan and Val Staples voted yes, they liked it.

Ha! Good one.

Did anyone else feel like the front end of this Q&A was more positive than the back end? I read it before bed the night it came out and at the beginning I was like "so there's hope!" Then at the end I'm like "They could be cutting stuff?" It seemed like in the middle there he just changed all his answers to "no."

[shokker]

how do sculptors work? is that just a one time thing or contract and once they are done they dont come back to change things?

[megachickmagnet]

I'm sure the 4H could move mountains... if Mattel allowed for it.

[shokker]

 megachickmagnet, on 28 February 2013 - 09:32 AM, said:

I'm sure the 4H could move mountains... if Mattel allowed for it.

that's true but everything is reduced to cost and everything has limits. thats what it is in the toyworld but i am curious though. since this castle was made in 2 weeks, how come it isnt possible to improve? is it like you make us one sculpt and thats it? do they have to pay the 4H again if they wanted to correct things? i don't know but it's weird how things like this are made in a hurry without even thinking of what makes sense and what doesnt. i don't know but me personally i would do it once and then see where the problems are and go back to it again.

[megachickmagnet]

Yeah, I'd say Mattel would have to pay them to make adjustments... and in this case, additional sculpting would probably be required. And remember, just because Neitlich said they sculpted it in 2 weeks, doesn't mean it's true... The guy is a compulsive liar.

[featofstrength]

WTF is "Roast Gooble dinner?" and why would a professional toy company use anything with a name like that as an outlet to address product questions?

also...

"20. Will this Grayskull ever be used for another incarnation of MOTU, such as 3 and ¾ figures?"

Any dildo fan that brings up another scale at a point like this in a line should be flayed.

[Wheeljack35]

 featofstrength, on 28 February 2013 - 03:35 PM, said:

WTF is "Roast Gooble dinner?" and why would a professional toy company use anything with a name like that as an outlet to address product questions?

I'm not really sure but I know its a Pixel Dan thing

[BigBot84]

Here's what I don't understand: Neitlich has mentioned that the board members of He-Man.org are a small minority of the total number of customers MOTUC has. If that's the case, shouldn't they be sending an email to all customers who currently have a preorder and ask them to submit 3 questions? I'm guessing doing it this way allows for "transparency," but in the end it doesn't matter since they are only a fraction of the fans who buy this toyline.