449 replies to this topic

[Destructor!!!]

Though playmates still went and gave it the *mysterious variable geometry nose* for some reason. The movable nose that doesn't look right in either resting position, only half way in between... why the hell did they add that expense to the mould when it added precisely nothing to the ships accuracy or play value?

[Jay K]

Firstly Destructor, thanks for the comment on my profile page (got the email, and had no idea where to look for about 10 minutes lol).

Secondly, are you talking about the playmates Defiant? Even with that nose business, I wish I'd have gotten one as a kid (it came out at a time when I'd gone off Star Trek, that lasted for about a year, and I never saw one for sale again).

Thirdly, and this is something I've wanted to know for a while now, how does Art Asylum go about 'making' the toys? I don't mean manufacturing them, but the process of making them from the get-go. The only two ships (I think) I know about, are the NX-01 (which was laser-scanned from the studio model if I remember the box correctly, but there wasn't a studio model was there?), and the Enterprise D, which is the AMT/Ertl model kit (or based off of that). In other words, say with the Defiant in future, would they be likely to do what they did with the NX-01 (laser scan a studio model, or use a good CG-version, like Tobias Richter's version ), or with the Enterprise D (use the AMT model kit, which is based off of the uglier show-used CG model)? I'd hope they would use Tobias's sculpt of her, because it's so accurate, and isn't he making it for DS9 HD anyway? Either way, it's perfect, and I've got my fingers crossed that they do.

[flw]

I can bet my left testicle that it wont be Voyager, that would be an oddball out of the blue ship, they would do Defiant over Voyager

Nice bet, and you're probably right. But ... what if you lose? I don't wanna see that.

[Alex]

Nice bet, and you're probably right. But ... what if you lose? I don't wanna see that.

I had the same thought, Ftw. I guess if BadBunnyMike loses that bet, he could changes his name to Voltaire? Of course, I'll be busy having my jaw wired shut since it'll have broken from slamming into the floor at the sheer shock and excitement over what I'd consider the most pleasant surprise DST could offer in the way of ships.

Though playmates still went and gave it the *mysterious variable geometry nose* for some reason. The movable nose that doesn't look right in either resting position, only half way in between... why the hell did they add that expense to the mould when it added precisely nothing to the ships accuracy or play value?

You know, I've wondered this for years, and I've never been able to find a good answer. Believe me, it's been on my mind since I first got the aforementioned Defiant as a kid in the '90s; it was just one of those weird things that's never made any sense. (At least the FC 1701

[BadBunnyMike]

Nice bet, and you're probably right. But ... what if you lose? I don't wanna see that.

Then this Bad Bunny would be getting the Bob Barker treatment haha...but still a pretty safe bet to make

[Destructor!!!]

Jay, you're quite correct that there is no physical shooting model of the NX-01 in existance. I've never seen the back of the box for that one, so I can't offer any interpretation of that one... Maybe they scanned an art department maquette?

As for the Enterprise-D, while DST's early showings of the ship at trade shows were almost certainly pro-built AMT kits, the final toy differs MASSIVELY from the AMT sculpt.

I remember, during the design of the Enterprise-D toy, how the AA blog kept us up to date with it. The actual sculpt appeared to be an iterative process - in one blog entry, they got back a sample from whoever was creating the sculpt, and it had decks 3 and 4 (the keyhole shaped decks containing the main shuttlebay, under the bridge) flush with the surface of the saucer, just scribed lines.

The blog entry is unfortunately lost to time, now... But it was pretty clear that whoever was making that sculpt was doing it from blueprints, rather than a model, and that they were pretty unfamiliar with the drsign, to boot.

I wish those entries... Or even just the pictures, were still extant! They were fascinating.

Oh, and don't get me wrong about the PM Defiant, she's a great depiction of the ship, and in that case, definitely based on the AMT model (to the point where PM moulded and painted the sockets for the lower phaser cannons, which were apparently missing from their AMT kit), mistaking them for windows?!

[JonWes]

My wish list of these would be:
Voyager
Defiant
Reliant

But my luck they'll do them in the reverse order. When I sold my Voyager and Defiant, it really was with the expectation that DST would likely make those. At the time, I thought we'd get 3-4 new ships a year! LOL. Oh, how wrong I was. Still, hopefully they'll get to them in time.

[Jay K]

its been what 18 years since the Defiant came out from PM

Sorry, but that's the only appropriate response to the above! :/

Thanks for the info though guys. Do AA tend to share development information and pictures, then? I haven't followed them that closely since they shut the old forum down (t'is why I joined up here). I love seeing things like this progress from start, to finish.

My wish list of these would be:
Voyager
Defiant
Reliant

But my luck they'll do them in the reverse order. When I sold my Voyager and Defiant, it really was with the expectation that DST would likely make those. At the time, I thought we'd get 3-4 new ships a year! LOL. Oh, how wrong I was. Still, hopefully they'll get to them in time.

Dude, random suggestion, but if Voyager is your favourite ship, then I'd say you should consider seeking out one of the Bandai kits of her (one that snaps together, and lights up). It's stunning to look at, and has as much detail on it as you could possibly imagine. Probably a wee-bit expensive nowadays, but if you like it as much as I love the Defiant, then go for it. Mine sits on its landing-pegs, which is so cool.