Ask Ken at Palisades

[BlueFrackle]

Luke,

I would much rather sound bytes from The Muppet Show.

I think that if a Fozzie figure came out with a chip that sounded like how Fozzie sounds now, I would really have to talk myself into buying it.

And then i would buy it because it is wrong, You know what i mean ?

It is just totaly not Fozzies voice.

See ya

 

[Luke]

Warrick

Ok yeah i know what you mean. Well in that case it would cost loads of money to take samples of anyone but a few of the characters. So maybe my idea was crap ! LOL !

Thing is, don't a lot of the Palisades characters look how they are meant to look NOW rather than when they are on TMS ?. Palisades are using the new style sheets to make the figures. So we kinda have that conflict anyway ! Muppetlabs was designed from MV3D was it not ?

 

[BlueFrackle]

Luke,

The Muppet Labs does resemble the Muppet Vision 3D labs, Because it has the cylinder in the back.

But i think that most of the Figures look the way they did on The Muppet Show , Nowadays Floyd looks different in his face, Fozzies head is a different shape and so is Kermits.
And all of the figures of those look how they did on the show.

Its only the pig that doesnt look how she did.

I dont think that the Chips are nessecary really, Do you ?
I dont think it would do much more, Except bump the price up.

We'd be stuck with Fozzie saying 'Wocka Wocka Wocka' all the time, Now if they could say what ever they wanted...

Hehee

See ya

 

[MuppetQuilter]

It's all good, Luke. I do think you've stated your views quite clearly, but I still disagree. Just don't think it is cost effective. I think cutting a couple extra joints into an existing sculpt is a lot cheaper than licensing voices. Plus, I have a bias toward toys that need to be played with and not toys that play for you, so I'm happy without the voice chips. (Of course I'd be fine if they were included, just don't feel a need for them.)

I believe the figures have the more modern look because that is what Henson wants. I think voices would probably be Henson's call, in the end, as well. Warrick has a valid point-- if we are dealing exclusively with TMS 25th Anniv figures, the old voices would be best. Personally, I found it a bit jarring to see Steve's more energetic Kermit doing the old TMS bit in the Weezer video. I'm pretty happy with Steve's Kermit. I completely support giving Kermit to an experienced puppeteer who was already a part of the Muppet family instead of bringing in an impressionist-- just feels more respectful and proper some how. But Steve's Kermit is younger and more vibrant and has so much more energy and bounce than Jim's Kermit, it just felt odd and a bit off watching him doing Jim's TMS bits. Maybe this would be less obvious with voices alone, but I'm not sure. Rowlf's voice was clearly in need of tweaking in the Making of Weezer special-- as a voice chip would it sound like Bobo had been placed in the Rowlf figure?

Anyway, it is pretty clear we won't be getting voice chips regardless of what we think.

As for the PVCs, I think they'll have appeal either way. I know plenty of toy collectors who would jump all over Muppet PVCs with or without articulation. I know several who would go nuts for the interconnecting arches. Displaying these toys can be a problem-- you need some sort of riser to really make good use of space, having that solution packed with the figures is a great idea. Having the arches mimic the look of the old TMS opening will add to the appeal. There are plenty of people out there who aren't hard core Muppet fans who still remember the opening of the show with fondness. I'll buy these guys either way. But I'm not at all convinced articulation is neccessary.

Okay, Luke, now you tell me again why you think articulation is necessary and then I'll post why I think it isn't, again.

 

[BlueFrackle]

Annika,

I also dont think Articulation is nessecary, Ive lived with the Wonderful Muppet Schleich figures all my life, So i dont mind more PVC's that cant move.

See ya

 

[The Count]

Muppet Figures

Just to sound off on the voice chips debate:
Luke, your idea was a good one. We just have to see how it could be done at a cost-effective level that the major action figure buying public would purchase the figures. But on the other hand, the actors should also be compensated.
*Warrick, I kind of agree with your view of a figure's limited vocabulary seriously hindering the line. I mean, do we really want these beautifully detailed Mega figures turned into nothing more than Muppet dolls?
Another thing I should've asked Ken & Crew before they hit the road to San Diego was with regards to one of Hasbro's new products. Before their DC Comics license ends this year, Hasbro has some surprises left, one of which I'm looking forward to is their Crime Syndicate line. However, the real nuance of Hasbro's figures to be released in the fall of this year, is that the packages feature four-colored opening bubbles. The bubbles are glued to the blister card backing and can be opened to remove the figure or placed back inside, without ever ruining the bubble or the card. I wonder if it's worth investigating to see if this same method can be used with future Muppet figure releases from Palisades. Perhaps it's past the point for Series 2, but since Series 3 won't have the bases for each figure, it might work out after all. Anyway, have a great summer while it lasts.

The Count.

 

[kansasteen14]

I just had an idea:

wouldnt it be great if palisades did mail order figures for the Muppets like Playmates does for simpsons.that away Janice and Rizzo could come out in series 4 and every series they could have an exclusive like series 3 the mail away could be Rowlf or something.(regular not tux)

 

[Luke]

Originally posted by MuppetQuilter
Anyway, it is pretty clear we won't be getting voice chips regardless of what we think.

All good points Anika (i always get confused - one N or two ?) but Ken didn't so much say that we wouldn't be getting voice chips. More that he'd love to do them but the licensing costs make it impossible right now. i was merely trying to provide some alternative suggestion of doing it.

Originally posted by MuppetQuilter
Okay, Luke, now you tell me again why you think articulation is necessary and then I'll post why I think it isn't, again.

LOL - for the same reason that the Muppet regular line has more points of articulation and better paintwork than the Simpsons figures. Any self respecting toy company (especially a fairly small one like Palisades) wants to top another and go beyond any previous benchmarks. It's Palisades way of showing the toy industry that they make the coolest stuff. An unarticulated PVC would be like presenting the world with circa 1978 figures - it's nothing new or special that will get the figures talked about and promoted to the people who are hopefully going to buy them. Like it or not, this line is being compared to the Simpsons and many of the WOS collectors are getting into the line - if you were to produce something of lesser playability then the Palisades line would always be known as the 'minis that didn't move like the Simpsons ones would' - it's not the greatest publicity or sales incentive once a magazine prints that. A Muppets line needs all the added bonuses it can get because it isn't as hot or popular a license as some others out there so a toy buyer (say at TRU) is going to want to buy the most innovative figures for the store - they won't be interested in just another normal everyday Muppets line, the last 15 years has shown us that. For a toy company with a moniker like 'Play with it' people would expect a figure you can play with as much as you could others out on the market and non articulation just wouldn't cut it with the kids of today or real dedicated figure collectors.

So maybe Muppet and to a smaller degree, toy collectors could be persuded to buy them unarticulated but to get them out there in the first place you have to prove yourself with something cool rather than passe - interactivity is very 'in' right now so it would get them noticed more than if they just had a cool paint job !

Ok, everyone can go ahead and disagree now ! LOL !

 

[coldgravy]

Im very new to the boards and was just wondering where I could find a list of figures that were goin to be made and what series they will be with. If the playsets could be included that would be great. Thanks

 

[MuppetQuilter]

Luke-- two Ns, Annika. Thanks for asking. But it is pronounced like Monica without the M. Can't explain what my parents were thinking.

Good point on the mini line articulation. Topping the other products out there, getting attention for the line, selling it to outlets-- all quite valid.

Of course I'm still not convinced it is necessary. I think Palisades might have something up their collective sleeve that could push non-articulated PVC to a new level. But we'll have to see. I'm not opposed to articulated PVC, but it would push up costs. Let's see what Ken has to say when he gets home.