3A HALO Thread

[RedAlert]

I completed my KAI Noble Team a few years back, and thought this MC would be "the definitive" Masterchief. I'll just have to wait for an improved version now.

 

[dude527]

Here is the message I sent to 3A's customer service. I would suggest you all do similar.

Hi,

Back in November, I purchased the Bambaland exclusive LightRifle version of the Master Chief that 3A just recently shipped out. I paid about $240 for it total, which seemed like a more than fair price based on the product description and the promotional photos featured on the website. However, I received the figure yesterday and have found that it lacks some of the most basic functions something sold as an "action figure" should be able to perform. Further, I have found the description of the product and the promotional pictures supplied by 3A to be false advertising. The description of the figure remarks on the astounding thirty-five points of articulation on the figure, including fully articulated fingers. The fingers, first of all, are completely useless when they're too thick to fit in the trigger guard on some of the figure's accessories, meaning the figure can't actually wield his guns. He actually can't even wield the weapons that DO fit in his hands. You guys haven't engineered the finger joints to be stiff enough. Every single one of the weapons falls right out, including the M11 Combat Knife.

The articulation you guys resplendently highlight in both the description and the photos is a huge lie. The figure features no stable articulation in its hips or thighs, making dynamic poses completely impossible, as the lack of joint stability in those areas causes the figure to fall over almost immediately. I can only get him to stand stably in a straight-up "musuem" pose - and even then, he's wiggly. So why did you guys post pictures of his legs spread, one forward and one back, knees bent? The actual retail figure can't do that.

Honestly, the arms and shoulders are no better. The forearm armor, for one thing, is too big. This inhibits the joint mobility, meaning you can't even get a ninety-degree bend - necessary for the character to wield a two-handed weapon - out of the joint. The size of the forearm armor is also not game-accurate - placing the figure alongside a Halo 4 gameplay render of the character reveals that the game featured a Master Chief with much smaller forearm armor. Reducing its size would increase the articulation mobility and also make the figure more game-accurate.

The shoulders are also noteworthy as being bad. They've got ratcheted outward joints that allow for the character to stably extend his arms straight out from his sides. However, there is literally no stability when trying to extend his arms out front - again, necessary for the character to wield a two-handed weapon. I keep finding, every single time I try, that the shoulders CAN extend in front of and behind the character, but that there are no ratchets ensuring the articulation stability, so, as soon as I let go of the figure, the arms roll back to his sides immediately.

This shoulder instability works together with the limited elbow mobility and unstable finger articulation to ensure that the Master Chief can NEVER hold ANY of his weapons. Once I get his fingers to FINALLY somewhat firmly grip his weapon, I have to contend with trying to find an angle to bend the elbows so that both hands can be on the weapon. Once I've contended with that, I then have to find a way to try and "lock" the shoulders. By the time I've found that angle, the tension from the character's articulation bending beyond its limits causes his fingers to rip quite easily from the weapon's handle, causing the weapon to fall out of his hands and his arms to fall back down to his sides. So why did you guys give us pictures of him holding each of his three weapons? He can't stably hold ANY of them. His shoulder joints don't allow him to hold his arms out. His elbow joints don't allow his hands to connect with his gun across his chest armor. It doesn't work on the retail figure - why advertise the functionality in the promotional pictures?

The magnets on the figure are also astoundingly weak. The figure's description reads "All Rifles Magnetically Attach to Shoulder Armor" and the promotional pictures show the Master Chief in all sorts of dynamic poses with a weapon slung magnetically across his back, like in the game. On the retail figure I received, I can't get the magnets to even weakly connect. If I lay the figure on its "stomach" and place the weapon on his back, I can feel a slight pull from the hidden magnets at work. However, as soon as I stand the figure back up, the weapon falls from his back. Why advertised magnet-mounted weapons if you're not even going to QA test the magnets to ensure they're strong enough to hold the weapon in a simple standing-up "museum" pose? It seems like the most basic possible quality to check to perform - "Can this figure perform this feature we advertised"?

My final gripe is that this figure is not game accurate at all. In some places, it's not even "Highly Detailed" (as the description says). Simply placing it next to a game render of the character from Halo 4 reveals that the gash across the character's chest is very inaccurate in its paint application, the small triangle of wedges protruding from the character's feet armor are arranged wrong, and the figure's "undersuit" is supposed to be black, rather than gray.

Honestly, your figure is crap. I paid $240 for a figure expecting a few basic things to be functional at a higher, premium level: articulation that would stably allow for some dynamic poses, finger articulation that allowed the character to stably grip his weapons, back and weapon magnets allowing the character to magnetically holster his weapon, and a game-accurate, super-detailed representation of this beautiful character. All of these features were showcased in the product description and the promotional pictures. They were clearly advertised and THAT was the figure I paid for. The one you guys sent me is not that figure. It has almost none of the advertised features. The one you guys sent me is an overpriced piece of crap.

I've also got plenty of evidence to indicate the problems I'm having are actually universal. Everybody I've spoken with who also ordered this figure is having the exact same problems. This isn't just my figure being supremely defective - you guys clearly were intentionally lazy in designing this.

I don't appreciate false advertising, so I am honestly tempted to not do business with 3A again. You guys have duped me. However, a few things would restore my good faith in the brand. If you could issue me even a partial refund, ideally without having to recall the crap figure already in my hands, that would be okay with me. If you guys recalled my figure and sent me one with all of my constructive criticism taken into account (basically a figure that is actually as advertised), I would really appreciate that the most. The best thing you could do would be to recall all of the figures and send out a completely new batch to everyone who ordered.

If you want documentation of all of my figure's problems, I would be happy to send you photos and videos showing off the figure's failure to fulfill the bullet points in its description. There are many people across the internet already sharing such documentation. Please get back to me as soon as possible.

Thank you,
Cory Strand

 

[dude527]

I don't blame you red. This figure really put me off as well and I'm a huge halo fan

Over 2 years ago Play arts released a superior Master Chief figure for 1/4 the price and in terms of being... you know... an action figure... it blows this 3A entry away The funny thing is these figs, while smaller and much more inexpensive than the 3A figures have full ratcheting ABS hip joints that are a kagillion times better than the 3A

Just look at what the PAK Halo figs can do...... After looking at my PAK halo 4 figs I cry when I look at my 4x more expensive 3A Chief wobbly statue ..er.. figure

This makes me sad. I just got the Halo 2: Anniversary Play Arts Kai Chief earlier this year and he's even more superior - and bigger - than the Halo 4 PAK one. He's got even more articulation, completely stable joints, and is just awesome. Blows the 3A statue out of the water.

 

[Captain Planet]

I completed my KAI Noble Team a few years back, and thought this MC would be "the definitive" Masterchief. I'll just have to wait for an improved version now.

I had no idea they released all of Noble team in the PAK line. I have Noble 6 and Carter but wasn't super impressed so I stopped getting them. Some of the joints were very loose and wouldn't hold a pose. Still better than this mess though.

 

[epitaph04]

Yeah just had a feeling this would happen with this figure. Damn 3A even done pissed Captain Planet off. Theyre gonna get it now!

 

[Captain Planet]

Here is the message I sent to 3A's customer service. I would suggest you all do similar.

Did you just send that to the info@ address?

 

[dude527]

Did you just send that to the info@ address?

I Googled the 3A website and sent it via one of their customer service forms.

 

[Barrow Roll]

Be sure to let them know on their social media platforms as well.

https://www.facebook.com/worldof3a
https://twitter.com/WorldOf3A

 

[spizzness]

thanks for the birthday post guys lol and yea I might copy and paste OR write my own rant about the figure. Kind of scared to get him now. I'm still going to try and like him but if it is what this forum is saying then I will be pissed and email them. They send replacement parts for their own 3A figures so hopefully they can do the Halo Franchise justice and at least give us hands that hold the guns. Is it illegal for them to post those pictures of him holding guns when he clearly cant?? How is that okay.

 

[doodler7]

Hey guys, just adding on to what you've guys already noted, but I've tried to pose Master Chief as much as I can. The first photo was the result, the body joints are lose and the rubber suit is too overpowering. The armor crotch area started to fall apart, paint chip, and the glue became undone. The magnet on the rifles seem to be reversed and not strong enough, the same goes with the magnets on the back. I've stretched the ball of the foot too far in trying to pose the figure and popped some rods from the socket. Here are some improvements that I've notice from previous HALO figures: better neck articulation, thicker/better fingers, and a new armor sculpt. The negative points: loose joints all around, rubber suit restricts movement, weak magnets, one set of hands and no alternates, and no figure stand. Please be careful stretching the legs too far, the paint began to chip and the rubber suits/armor part began to un-glued. Here are some photos:

 

[spizzness]

He looks so good. Still conflicted about this lol

 

[dude527]

Hey guys, just adding on to what you've guys already noted, but I've tried to post Master Chief as much as I can. I've tried to stretch and pose them as much as possible. The first photo was the result, the body joints are look and the rubber suit is too overpowering. The armor crotch area started to fall apart, paint chip and glue undone. The magnet on the rifles seem to be reversed and not strong enough, the same goes with the magnets on the back. I've stretched the ball of the foot too far in trying to pose the figure and popped some rods from the socket. Here are some improvements that I've notice from previous HALO figures: better neck articulation, thicker/better fingers, and a new armor sculpt. The negative points: loose joints all around, rubber suit restricts movement, weak magnets, one set of hands and no alternates, and no figure stand. Please be careful stretching the legs too far, the pain began to chip and the rubber suits/armor part began to un-glued. Here are some photos:

Definitely send these pictures in along with this explanation in an e-mail and a couple of social media posts to them. This figure is so cheap. I can't believe how much they conned all of us.

 

[spizzness]

Yea put them on blast on facebook (they're biggest following is there, as well as their new forum) I'm a museum-poser so I probably will be okay with how he turned out but it sucks seeing you guys, who have been waiting here with me all these months, being dissapointed because you can't get him in the poses of you're choosing. 3A is wrong for that

 

[Captain Planet]

This picture cracks me up and typifies this figure for me.

He looks like a drunken chief still trying lead a charge. You should add Emil and Carter in the picture trying to get him to go back to bed until he sobers up.

 

[doodler7]

Have any of you members/fans posted on the 3A Facebook or customer service regarding this figure? I'd like to post more photos on the 3A FB page, but I don't want to come at it looking like a whiner...nor come out as defaming their product and company. Fans and customers of HALO figures have given a lot of suggestions with the Commando and Emil/EVA release, but yet none of it have been addressed. I'm assuming that these HALO figures are below their list of top figure priorities. At this point, it's a great $230 statue, and that's just me bing too critical. Without being able to pose these figures in their iconic poses, it'll be better acquiring actual statues...or the Play Arts...or the NECA version.

 

[Barrow Roll]

Have any of you members/fans posted on the 3A Facebook or customer service regarding this figure? I'd like to post more photos on the 3A FB page, but I don't want to come at it looking like a whiner...nor come out as defaming their product and company. Fans and customers of HALO figures have given a lot of suggestions with the Commando and Emil/EVA release, but yet none of it have been addressed. I'm assuming that these HALO figures are below their list of top figure priorities. At this point, it's a great $230 statue, and that's just me bing too critical. Without being able to pose these figures in their iconic poses, it'll be better acquiring actual statues...or the Play Arts...or the NECA version.

Without having the figure myself all I can really do is lend my support by hitting that like button, but I'll be keeping my eyes on the Facebook page for these types of posts. I hope people try to keep it civil though.

Who knows, if enough people show their dissatisfaction, maybe they'll delay the non-Bambaland release to tweak it. Not very likely though.

 

[dude527]

Have any of you members/fans posted on the 3A Facebook or customer service regarding this figure? I'd like to post more photos on the 3A FB page, but I don't want to come at it looking like a whiner...nor come out as defaming their product and company. Fans and customers of HALO figures have given a lot of suggestions with the Commando and Emil/EVA release, but yet none of it have been addressed. I'm assuming that these HALO figures are below their list of top figure priorities. At this point, it's a great $230 statue, and that's just me bing too critical. Without being able to pose these figures in their iconic poses, it'll be better acquiring actual statues...or the Play Arts...or the NECA version.

Go ahead and post on their Facebook and send a message into Customer Service. I've done both, myself, with pretty thorough documentation of all the issues I've been having with my figure. The more people who post their stories and pictures, the better.

 

[Centrocal]

How big is this figure next to 3A Carter? is he bigger?

 

[beeratt12]

Mine has a defunct helmet. The light function will not work at all.

 

[Bob 121]

Mine has a defunct helmet. The light function will not work at all.

Are you sure? Mine stopped working after a while and I had to flip the batteries for whatever reason to make it work again. Then it stopped working because a magnet in the top part of the helmet was pulling them out. Then it stopped working again and I had to flip the batteries again.