Utapau 12"

[EVILFACE]

rinse and repeat

 

[The Josh]

rinse and repeat

 

[MaulFan]

Some changes have been mentioned in previous posts -- what changes are they?

What's changed is that there is now an octagonal recess at the "nose" of the helmet and the black piece inside it is more rectangular than square as it should be. The grey part of the aerators is now bigger too as it's covered with more paint than the proto.

What wasn't corrected is the curvature to the thin, grated area above the "mouth" area, the wide of the midsection of the visor is still quite thin, and the housing are around the aerators isn't the corrected style.

 

[Wor-Gar]

What's changed is that there is now an octagonal recess at the "nose" of the helmet and the black piece inside it is more rectangular than square as it should be. The grey part of the aerators is now bigger too as it's covered with more paint than the proto.

What wasn't corrected is the curvature to the thin, grated area above the "mouth" area, the wide of the midsection of the visor is still quite thin, and the housing are around the aerators isn't the corrected style.

Thank you!

I do see those changes. The "nose" looks a lot better as does the mic area. Unfortunately, its the aerators that still stand out for me (and many others apparently) as being left uncorrected.

It's OK though. I was looking for a reason to cancel and hold out for Cody.

 

[MaulFan]

I probably sound utterly dissatisfied the way I talk, but I'm not.

It's a really nice CT helmet, just not dead on.

However, being dead on, espcially now that those "nose" change has been done, seems doable, so my commenting is not to say "boo Sideshow you didn't fix anything, blah blah blah", it's to say, "good, you've taken a step in the right direction, you're getting closer, you're not there, but I believe that you can get there, so don't settle."

The remaining changes seem plenty doable enough that they could be worked for the next Clone Trooper, and I hope they will be. This is the perfect one to be experimental on and not get everything right, I think most folks aren't going to lose sleep if Utapau Clone isn't dead on, I think most people looking for corrections are thinking the future figures like plain white Clone, 501st, Shock, Cody, Gree, Bly, etc.

 

[JustinLuck]

I'm not sure why Sideshow would want to be experimental. All they are doing is losing money if they have to make the helmet again.

IMO, making helmets and making human portraits are completely separate things that have their own unique challenges.

When you are reproducing a helmet, you don't have to worry about choosing a human expression (the possibilities can be limitless) and capturing the likeness of an individual (which, when you take into account the number of contours of a face, has an almost unlimited number of tangent points).

Everything on a helmet or mask is static. The 'expression' is chosen for you. Also, the major geometric shapes that comprise the helmet design are basic and easier to define. The challenging part in reproducing a helmet is maintaining exact proportions within the scale you are working with and keeping everything symmetrical. This would be almost impossible to do simply by hand, but easy to do on the computer.

It was stated earlier by a Sideshow rep that the Stormtrooper and Vader helmets were reproduced digitally. I can only imagine they used something like SolidWorks and a 3D printer to produce the prototypes.

For the Clone helmet, everything is symmetrical, but their are numerous geometric distortions. That is why I initially believed that there was a complication in the physical production of the prototype, but not necessarily design flaws. Unfortunately, Sideshow reps have decided to remain quiet on the issues, so who knows what really happened.

 

[onethousandmasks]

I probably sound utterly dissatisfied the way I talk, but I'm not.

It's a really nice CT helmet, just not dead on.

However, being dead on, espcially now that those "nose" change has been done, seems doable, so my commenting is not to say "boo Sideshow you didn't fix anything, blah blah blah", it's to say, "good, you've taken a step in the right direction, you're getting closer, you're not there, but I believe that you can get there, so don't settle."
The remaining changes seem plenty doable enough that they could be worked for the next Clone Trooper, and I hope they will be. This is the perfect one to be experimental on and not get everything right, I think most folks aren't going to lose sleep if Utapau Clone isn't dead on, I think most people looking for corrections are thinking the future figures like plain white Clone, 501st, Shock, Cody, Gree, Bly, etc.

I hope you are right and this a "let's chuck to experience" deal. But, the way they have handled the SW license lately has made me doubt them. I really want to give them the benefit of the doubt, but did you see the PF scout trooper?

 

[screamingmetal]

Well Sideshow didn't correct everything they should, but I'm glad they did at least a few corrections.
I like it and I'm keeping my order, but there's NO excuse for there to be the same helmet inaccuracies on future Clone Troopers.

 

[Sachiel]

I don't understand why they fixed the middle 'chin', but not bother to change the the openings on each side of it. It's all connected. They could have added to the top of the openings and angle it.

It wouldn't have been perfect, but a lot more closer.

 

[The Josh]

I just don't see the issues even with those dots. The only things are maybe a smidge more space right above the black grey area and the black ring down a touch more. Otherwise I just don't see problems with it anymore. At this point I'm fine with every helm looking like this.

 

[MaulFan]

I just don't see the issues even with those dots. The only things are maybe a smidge more space right above the black grey area and the black ring down a touch more. Otherwise I just don't see problems with it anymore. At this point I'm fine with every helm looking like this.

It's not the dots Josh, if you look close at the real helmet picture, you'll see the black parts are inside an almost tear-drop type shape recess in the white of the helmet, but on the SSC helmet it makes a perfect circle around the black parts.

 

[JustinLuck]

Also notice that the mohawk thing on top comes down too far to the black rim. In fact, they couldn't even paint the orange triangle to a point because of its placement. There is not enough room compared to the original and the Gentle Giant bust.

 

[MaulFan]

Also notice that the mohawk thing on top comes down too far to the black rim. In fact, they couldn't even paint the orange triangle to a point because of its placement. There is not enough room compared to the original.

Well, looking at the photos, it doesn't really look like it comes down that much farther, and the not making a triangle is just that whoever painted the photographed figure at SSC didn't do it, not that it couldn't be done.

 

[The Josh]

It's not the dots Josh, if you look close at the real helmet picture, you'll see the black parts are inside an almost tear-drop type shape recess in the white of the helmet, but on the SSC helmet it makes a perfect circle around the black parts.

Sidshows is a tear drop it may not be quite as pronounced as the other helm but its there. Its something that shouldn't have been missed but I think its just barely off that I don't have a problem with it.

 

[EVILFACE]

Always what is wrong and not what is right. People must be so disgusted with their collections.

 

[MaulFan]

I think this is a different case than usual. If this is a one off figure, there might be some griping but probably not AS much.

The reason for being vocal is that in theory, this CT will be the foundation on which all future CT's are built, there's time to make further improvements before the next one, so why not aim for that.

 

[JustinLuck]

I buy what I like. So no, I am not disgusted by my collection.

 

[Anzik]

Hopefully I will be able to buy one from a dissatisfied clone collector.

 

[The Josh]

The reason for being vocal is that in theory, this CT will be the foundation on which all future CT's are built, there's time to make further improvements before the next one, so why not aim for that.

The thing is really outside of at least what I saw they've got the base settled for some very nice looking clones.

I buy what I like. So no, I am not disgusted by my collection.

It must be a small collection though.

 

[screamingmetal]

I'm not completely dissatisfied with Sideshow's version of the clone helmet, but I think it is inaccurate. I'm still going to be very happy with my figure if it turns out as good as the new pictures.
but this is what I think is wrong, please excuse the crude use of MS Paint, I don't own Photoshop.

In addition to this, that whole lower portion needs to move up a bit too.
If someone is a whiz at Photoshop, make the modifications and morph the old image into the new image, I think that will help explain.