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What articulation would you give up?
https://joecustoms.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=36396		 Page 1 of 3
Author:  MarkM [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 1:14 pm ]
Post subject:  What articulation would you give up?
The "Is Articulation Over-rated" and new TRU True Heroes thread got me thinking about something.
My only issue with Chap Mei figures, and the new $6 offerings from Hasbro, is the lack of arm/leg articulation. I'd be happy to give up the torso articulation, as thinking about it, I never really use it for any poses in my displays. So I guess if a toy company were to ask me, "How can we cut articulation to make expenses and not lose you as a customer?" I'd say get rid of the torso articulation and have the torso be two halves, with a T-bar for the legs, instead of four pieces, plus connectors and T-bar. I could maybe give up wrist articulation, too, but not the rest of the arm. Legs with hip and knee articulation are fine, but I really do like the ankle articulation. I don't like T-crotches at all, though, so that's a no-sell. I've butchered a couple Chap Mei figures to add articulated arms and legs, and those are really nice sculpts once you get past the arms and legs. They do some nice torsos.
So I guess the short answer for me would be cut torso articulation, then ankle, then wrist, in that order. If you could bend a company's ear and get them to save your preferred articulation points, what other points would you sacrifice?
Author:  Kilcarr [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 1:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What articulation would you give up?
Ankles, and the torso articulation you mentioned. Hell, I'd be happy with going back to an O-Ring format for that matter.
Author:  Lance Sputnik [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 1:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What articulation would you give up?
Yea, if I had to pick, I'd ditch those dang rocker ankles. Hate those anyway. And I haven't found I've missed the torso joint on Black Widow or Loki, the only Marvel figures I've got that had those changes.
Author:  J_Man [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 2:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What articulation would you give up?
I don't need double knees or double elbows. I don't really need ankle articulation. The torso joint can be a swivel waist or just move the torso joint to the waist, but there needs some sort of movement there. I don't have to have ball jointed hands, but swivel hands is something I think that's needed.
Author:  roguetiger [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 2:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What articulation would you give up?
J_Man wrote:
I don't need double knees or double elbows. I don't really need ankle articulation. The torso joint can be a swivel waist or just move the torso joint to the waist, but there needs some sort of movement there. I don't have to have ball jointed hands, but swivel hands is something I think that's needed.


agreed!
Author:  Redmao [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 2:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What articulation would you give up?
Mid thigh swivel, rocker ankles, mid torso articulation.

While I enjoy the double knee articulation on dynamic characters, it's far from being a necessity, specially with the soft rubbery plastic they're using these days. It makes the legs all warped. The Retaliation Cobra trooper doesn't have it and it's a pretty awesome and fun figure.
Author:  Doctor Robert Strange [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 2:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What articulation would you give up?
While I'd always have certain super-articulated figures in the line (ninjas, etc.), like a lot of collectors here, I'd probably ditch:

-Rocker ankles
-Double Knees
-Torso (I agree with replacing it with waist articulation)
-Thigh swivel


Especially on 3.75" figures, these are overkill-- impractical and redundant, a lot of the time. I'm an articulation fan, for sure, but some stuff is just a little too poseable, and they just end up being loose/floppy, with unnecessary cut lines... and more places for paint rub when customizing :-/
Author:  Dusty79 [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 3:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What articulation would you give up?
roguetiger wrote:
J_Man wrote:
I don't need double knees or double elbows. I don't really need ankle articulation. The torso joint can be a swivel waist or just move the torso joint to the waist, but there needs some sort of movement there. I don't have to have ball jointed hands, but swivel hands is something I think that's needed.


agreed!



I also agree 100% with this post
Author:  Macrossmaster [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 3:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What articulation would you give up?
Axe the torso joint and I'm thrilled. The others are rarities, but yes, rocker ankles are annoying unless you are Snake Eyes.
Author:  roguetiger [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 4:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What articulation would you give up?
I'm going to add the ankle articulation bit for Eels or underwater figures and ninja's but ditch it for the rest....
Author:  MarkM [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 4:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What articulation would you give up?
All good thoughts, guys. The more I read, the more I agree with the ankles. I still don't see any real need for torso articulation, though. It would suck for compatibility in customizing, but the "articulation as needed" approach, with a bare minimum set, would probably work for the best. However, I can also see complaints about articulation on various figures, and nobody agreeing on it. For example, most people thought 25th Roadblock was pretty decent (at least at the time), but I wished he had the swivel thigh like Scarlet or Baroness so he could do the classic little green army man heavy gunner pose (which I can't find a pic of now, but I remember having his leg twisted some).
Author:  Kilcarr [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 4:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What articulation would you give up?
I bought the Ultimate Thor in the Avengers line and I don't really miss the torso articulation.
Author:  danielb [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 5:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What articulation would you give up?
i think rethinking articulation would be key in improving modern figures,

a ball joint between the abdomen and crotch would go a long to improving modern figures, and would most likely be easier and cheaper to do than the current torso joint, i mean common you crack a modern figure open (literally) and the joint is overly complicated. It is a nasa space pen, when a soviet pencil would do. Same with the modern elbow.

but really looking at things objectively with a little tiny bit of common sense added to the mix I see the big companies missteps and misfires being a much larger waste of resources and funding than articulation on a toy line.
Author:  MarkM [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 5:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What articulation would you give up?
danielb wrote:

but really looking at things objectively with a little tiny bit of common sense added to the mix I see the big companies missteps and misfires being a much larger waste of resources and funding than articulation on a toy line.



Heh, yeah, but those aren't what they point to when they talk about the cost of figures.
Author:  Kilcarr [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 5:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What articulation would you give up?
danielb wrote:
i think rethinking articulation would be key in improving modern figures,

a ball joint between the abdomen and crotch would go a long to improving modern figures, and would most likely be easier and cheaper to do than the current torso joint, i mean common you crack a modern figure open (literally) and the joint is overly complicated. It is a nasa space pen, when a soviet pencil would do. Same with the modern elbow.

but really looking at things objectively with a little tiny bit of common sense added to the mix I see the big companies missteps and misfires being a much larger waste of resources and funding than articulation on a toy line.


I think a ball joint at the waist would be a mistake. Those ball joints get floppy all the time, and I don't know that for longer lasting toys, that that would be the best alternative.
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