Questions for Asmus

[Manannin]

George has finally posted back in here after disappearing for awhile. The tone of your posts is why I think he left for awhile. How about you dial it back a bit with the rhetoric of "demand improvement be made" and "complain together as a community". There, I chimed in.

I have to agree too. Not to pick on anyone, but complaining as a community seems a little counter productive to me. We had an active community member from the company we are discussing (which is quite rare and lucky in itself). They see if anybody raises an issue, they are probably even aware it's a shortcoming already (such as certain bodies). Creating a mob-like atmosphere here only drives the representative away and that is bad for all of us.

Let's keep the critisicm constructive, and hopefully they can incorporate it into the productions. I totally get it when things aren't as we would like, for example I recently got Frodo and Sam and I was a little disappointed with Sam's headsculpt (though both are much better in hand) and the mythril vest (the paper-like detailing is not my favourite). However the tailoring is unbelievable, the bodies are fantastic (neck articulation would have been nice I admit) and the amount of accessories is also fantastic (though I would have loved a metal Sting, the real chain for the ring more than makes up for it).
Overall so many more positives than negatives. We have never had LOTR figures of this quality, nor been so close to a full fellowship before and I for one really hope Asmus continue.
Basically yes there is room for improvement and they are here to get feedback, so let's give it and hope they agree!

 

[jankatana]

The level of detail and dedication to the line is incredible, despite some imperfections lotr has to be one of the most difficult artistic endeavours to take on. I salute you asmus, dont stop the hard work

 

[Indiana Fett]

The level of detail and dedication to the line is incredible, despite some imperfections lotr has to be one of the most difficult artistic endeavours to take on. I salute you asmus, dont stop the hard work

Well said!

 

[DioramaMaker]

I'm interested​ to see what they're gonna do with Gimli. No doubt they are going to need a new body, or a heavily modified Hobbit one at that - but I think we are likely going to get Thorin, because that lets them cash in a second time on the dwarf mold then.

Unless they use a KO Tyrion body...

 

[Sildedaspo]

Things I am most excited for in 2017: Asmus' Gimli announcement and the Cleganebowl.


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[Sildedaspo]

Also,
Gimli is going to need a completely new body given that his height and build is so uniquely in between the hobbits and men. He is a thick dude also so I wouldn't doubt him having fat suit. I think part of the reason it has taken so long getting a gimli out would be the cost of producing a gimli body coupled with a lot people's expectation that a smaller figure would have to be less expensive. So the cost/profit margin dwindles a bit.


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[D..C]

I believe Gimli was in the list of the first 5 releases Asmus intended to do but from memory they have said it was the beard and hair that was causing issues so I think the figure should be well in advance in its development. It's sad to see past teething issues always being mentioned when their recent releases are just getting better and better. I'm personally glad it's taking this long to get a Gimli or Legolas and I look forward to adding them to my shelves.


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[K.bowen]

Second question: I have noticed the teenager body has no neck articulation (only head articulation). Saruman, no neck articulation either. The same for Aragorn, and surely for many other figures from the line.

Isn't the lacking neck articulation a plain stupid design decision? This is a franchise were everybody is dressed up to their throats, and never get nacked (no GoT here). Neck articulation + head articulation gives a lot of realism to the figure... Come on... why not using Hot Toys-like bodies??

On top of that, news of these bodies' articulations being weak have cropped up through the years (weird wrist joint mechanism, fragile pegs, weak articulations...).

. from what you're implying it sounds like you don't personally own any of these figures, I've had no problems with any of mines bodies whatsoever. And no its not a stupid decision to have no necks just because the necks are part of the bodies doesn't mean there's no articulation.

 

[asgardianboy]

No need to own anything to be able to analyze it and criticize it.

The fact that you accept flaws doesn't mean that they don't exist, or that I must accept them too. On top of that, Asmus needs feedback. Even if they don't come here for it, it must go to them, and some of it must be negative. But they are grown-ups. They will survive to that. They may even imiprove their products after that. If everything they get from us is smileys they will go ahead and do their thing. Who knows... they may even be grateful for the heads-ups, don't you think?

My point stands yet: no neck articulation in totally dressed figures does not make any sense. Cost increase is close to nothing these days and we all know just how much realism a neck articulation provides to a figure, so Asmdus really should ask themselves why they did what they did, then explain to us. Why? Because their figures are damn expensive and there shouldn't be any obvious mistakes, or simply any mistakes.

One more thing: even if the necks are sculpted and painted for increased realism, there's no reason why there shouldn't be a neck articulation. They can do all that on a cut neck with ease. Articulation won't ever show, realism won't be hurt.

What does "just because the necks are part of the bodies doesn't mean there's no articulation" mean anyway?

Finally: the fact that a company guy maintains a fluent communication with the very people how buy their products, should be normal. Any company not doing that are XX stuff (that is, almost all of them right now). If we complained often organized as a community asking them to listen to us, Hot Toys and Sideshow would send guys here too, as Asmus does. Incidentally, I guess people at Asmus were so frightened of what they were taken on when they started up with LOTR that they took the wise decision to ask us before pulling the trigger. That's good, even if I am not sure they are really taking the feedback to their hearts: the Asmus representative appears (not very often actually), they leave their stuff here then fly (they very rarely interact fluently), we talk and talk and talk and talk, then they do what they do (and we assume that some of the talk has some impact), sometimes to flawed results as they acknowledge.

So: this is not a very fluent relationship (apart from our money fluidly flowing into their pockets), and if we want it to be more fluent (with Asmus or anybody else), we will have to complain in a organized way, as a community, instead of only talking and talking and talking and talking and talking down here. We should dearly value every penny we spend on our figures, and make manufacturers listen to our feedback in a rigorous way, not just as a casual gift and with little to no impact.

Regards,
m.

. from what you're implying it sounds like you don't personally own any of these figures, I've had no problems with any of mines bodies whatsoever. And no its not a stupid decision to have no necks just because the necks are part of the bodies doesn't mean there's no articulation.

 

[asgardianboy]

What does "Creating a mob-like atmosphere" even mean?

"Complaining as a community" has nothing to do with bullying, harassing or whatever you guys are frightened of.

We only hail Asmus. They need to get some complaining from time to time. Floppy articulations, crappy headsculpts, uneven quality, etc need some clear answer (which is not violence and retaliation, but organized, steady complaining).

Acting as a single body, with or without the company guy posting now and then, is no destructive criticism, and I believe it can be enormously productive. You just can't depend on companies being nice to you, which is exactly what you scaredly suggest. Building a vibrant relationship might be difficult, but might also give us the best figures ever, and set a precedent for other companies to follow and eventually become the norm.

We should pray for and hope that our feedback will be incorporated into the production. It should be. It must be. Period.

Finally: I don't know why I must say this, but it seems I should have said it. Here it goes: I like Asmus' stuff. It is the best we have ever got. It is not an easy task what their pulling, both technically and financially, with the movies being so long past.
OK enough? Now let's move on with organized community complaining.

Regards,
m.

 

[asgardianboy]

"The tone of your posts is why I think he left for awhile. "

What tone? I can't see anything wrong with expressions such as "demand improvement be made" or "complain together as a community". Instead, I have the impression that you are scared of losing a very little and weak something that right now is a gift from "above", when it should be a natural right for you to freely and completely exercise.

How do you know "my tone" is "why he left"? Can you provide examples supporting your statements by virtue of which organized complaining should be ditched immediately? Even if the company guy got some (maybe deserved?) flak, is it acceptable to just leave and ignore us buyers? Is it something we just must endure and accept? And if he leaves, why can't we address the company itself and talk to them as one single voice? It just takes agreeing on things, then sending emails to the company contact address regularly with our conclusions, and even contact them whenever they pop up on cons around the globe.
Yes we can do all that. It is exactly what I call for.

Regards,
m.

EDIT: added "regularly".

 

[K.bowen]

And ill say it again, the asmus figures I own have NECK ARTICULATION they have rubber necks with joints in them

 

[PG1973]

All my Asmus figures have articulated necks.

 

[hoodonit00]

 

[Wor-Gar]

No need to own anything to be able to analyze it and criticize it.

The fact that you accept flaws doesn't mean that they don't exist, or that I must accept them too. On top of that, Asmus needs feedback. Even if they don't come here for it, it must go to them, and some of it must be negative. But they are grown-ups. They will survive to that. They may even imiprove their products after that. If everything they get from us is smileys they will go ahead and do their thing. Who knows... they may even be grateful for the heads-ups, don't you think?

My point stands yet: no neck articulation in totally dressed figures does not make any sense. Cost increase is close to nothing these days and we all know just how much realism a neck articulation provides to a figure, so Asmdus really should ask themselves why they did what they did, then explain to us. Why? Because their figures are damn expensive and there shouldn't be any obvious mistakes, or simply any mistakes.

One more thing: even if the necks are sculpted and painted for increased realism, there's no reason why there shouldn't be a neck articulation. They can do all that on a cut neck with ease. Articulation won't ever show, realism won't be hurt.

What does "just because the necks are part of the bodies doesn't mean there's no articulation" mean anyway?

Finally: the fact that a company guy maintains a fluent communication with the very people how buy their products, should be normal. Any company not doing that are XX stuff (that is, almost all of them right now). If we complained often organized as a community asking them to listen to us, Hot Toys and Sideshow would send guys here too, as Asmus does. Incidentally, I guess people at Asmus were so frightened of what they were taken on when they started up with LOTR that they took the wise decision to ask us before pulling the trigger. That's good, even if I am not sure they are really taking the feedback to their hearts: the Asmus representative appears (not very often actually), they leave their stuff here then fly (they very rarely interact fluently), we talk and talk and talk and talk, then they do what they do (and we assume that some of the talk has some impact), sometimes to flawed results as they acknowledge.

So: this is not a very fluent relationship (apart from our money fluidly flowing into their pockets), and if we want it to be more fluent (with Asmus or anybody else), we will have to complain in a organized way, as a community, instead of only talking and talking and talking and talking and talking down here. We should dearly value every penny we spend on our figures, and make manufacturers listen to our feedback in a rigorous way, not just as a casual gift and with little to no impact.

Regards,
m.

What does "Creating a mob-like atmosphere" even mean?

"Complaining as a community" has nothing to do with bullying, harassing or whatever you guys are frightened of.

We only hail Asmus. They need to get some complaining from time to time. Floppy articulations, crappy headsculpts, uneven quality, etc need some clear answer (which is not violence and retaliation, but organized, steady complaining).

Acting as a single body, with or without the company guy posting now and then, is no destructive criticism, and I believe it can be enormously productive. You just can't depend on companies being nice to you, which is exactly what you scaredly suggest. Building a vibrant relationship might be difficult, but might also give us the best figures ever, and set a precedent for other companies to follow and eventually become the norm.

We should pray for and hope that our feedback will be incorporated into the production. It should be. It must be. Period.

Finally: I don't know why I must say this, but it seems I should have said it. Here it goes: I like Asmus' stuff. It is the best we have ever got. It is not an easy task what their pulling, both technically and financially, with the movies being so long past.
OK enough? Now let's move on with organized community complaining.

Regards,
m.

"The tone of your posts is why I think he left for awhile. "

What tone? I can't see anything wrong with expressions such as "demand improvement be made" or "complain together as a community". Instead, I have the impression that you are scared of losing a very little and weak something that right now is a gift from "above", when it should be a natural right for you to freely and completely exercise.

How do you know "my tone" is "why he left"? Can you provide examples supporting your statements by virtue of which organized complaining should be ditched immediately? Even if the company guy got some (maybe deserved?) flak, is it acceptable to just leave and ignore us buyers? Is it something we just must endure and accept? And if he leaves, why can't we address the company itself and talk to them as one single voice? It just takes agreeing on things, then sending emails to the company contact address regularly with our conclusions, and even contact them whenever they pop up on cons around the globe.
Yes we can do all that. It is exactly what I call for.

Regards,
m.

EDIT: added "regularly".

 

[Thainitty]

this is why we can't have nice things

 

[Sildedaspo]

... gimli?


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[WellCQCaboutthat]

Asgardianboy, did you write the bible? I think he was born the ramblin' man. As a lurker, this is my first contribution.

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[TripleCP]

Hopefully we'll see Gimli this year. He was probably delayed in part because Asmus is now choosing sculpted vs. rooted hair on a case by case basis, whereas I'm pretty sure I remember that their initial inclination was to stick with sculpted all the way. The other factor is that finishing the dwarf body became a secondary concern once it became clear that characters from "The Hobbit" weren't in high demand. It sounds like Thorin may be the only other dwarf that's even under consideration, which is too bad since I definitely would've bought Dwalin, Dain, and several others.

 

[Malgus]

I would be interested in a sauron.