PlaymoFriends
General => News => Topic started by: Richard on March 05, 2010, 14:01:34
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NüRNBERG TOY FAIR
For those of you who do not visit Klickywelt, you're missing out on a lot of good stuff!
Click HERE (http://www.klickywelt.de/messefotos-nuernberg-2010-t39489.html) for some pictures from the Nürnberg Toy Fair!
see attachment
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THANKS FOR THE PICTURES RICHARD!!!
:o
The new sets look ASWOME!
I really like the new Knights, even if they are system X...
Lots of cool things from other sets.
The wooden fence in the Japanese Zoo could be used for us non peacful types... ;) (It would make a good wall.)
Thank you again Richard!
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Thanks for the link to the new products, Richard :wow:! The major change I noticed there, is the update concerning the bathing suit figures interior frame, & the traditional old Klicky skeleton frames :o!
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THANKS FOR THE PICTURES RICHARD!!!
:o
The new sets look ASWOME!
I really like the new Knights, even if they are system X...
Lots of cool things from other sets.
The wooden fence in the Japanese Zoo could be used for us non peacful types... ;) (It would make a good wall.)
Thank you again Richard!
Our concern is that the new knights aren't even System X, WOT.
With the Spanish Lighthouse, Egyptian Pyramid and other sets Playmobil are using a clip system to hold their buildings together. It's very hard to get apart without risk of damage to the building, and almost entirely unmodifiable. The DragonLand fantasy castles, and these new Medieval Castles, look like they've now abandoned System X for this Clip system.
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Thanks for the link Richard. A mongol egg and a mongol special? That is sweet and hopefully the precursor of a whole theme. Love the zoo as well. Something to look forward to.
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The new castles do look good with lots of Play possibilities, it's just such a shame they couldn't make them with one of the modular building systems so we could incorporate new features in our existing castles.
I like the 4887 Fairy & St Nick blister, hope we get those in the US soon!
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Our concern is that the new knights aren't even System X, WOT.
With the Spanish Lighthouse, Egyptian Pyramid and other sets Playmobil are using a clip system to hold their buildings together. It's very hard to get apart without risk of damage to the building, and almost entirely unmodifiable. The DragonLand fantasy castles, and these new Medieval Castles, look like they've now abandoned System X for this Clip system.
I never liked system X much and never bothered buying the system X castles though I admit they do look nice . It seems the new castles have a more simplified approach to sets, one could say the system X was an attempt to make the buildings more challenging and more complex , seems it failed and returned to a simpler design... I dont like the idea of not being able to pull them apart easily and modify and add extras etc and miss all the great bespoke desings people have created like Richard's Castle :wow: . I have mixed feelings whether i should buy the new dragon sets or buy more steck. though i admit these sets with the new dragons look very nice !!! Probably end up buying both i guess but steck is and wil be always my favourite and I need some more .... :love: :love: :love: :love:
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Our concern is that the new knights aren't even System X, WOT.
With the Spanish Lighthouse, Egyptian Pyramid and other sets Playmobil are using a clip system to hold their buildings together. It's very hard to get apart without risk of damage to the building, and almost entirely unmodifiable. The DragonLand fantasy castles, and these new Medieval Castles, look like they've now abandoned System X for this Clip system.
Not even system X???
Uh oh... :(
Hmmm, I don't much like the idea that you can't take them apart easily... :hmm:
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Hmmm, I don't much like the idea that you can't take them apart easily... :hmm:
WoT, I call this "clip system" faux Steck! It can be an interesting building system if the "male" connectors are filed a bit before assembly. Proper filing allows easy dis-assembly and also holds the parts together a lot like real Steck.
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... the "male" connectors ...
:lol:
Thanks for the tip Richard!
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Thanks for the link, Richard!
Has it been confirmed that these new castles are not System X? When first looking at them, I thought they were System X but with some very large pieces. If they're not System X, I may not buy them, as I like to customize as many of my buildings as possible.
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I'm no expert on system x but is that three system x connectors next to the rocks on the tower?
(http://www.klickywelt.de/download.php?id=214819)
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I'm no expert on system x but is that three system x connectors next to the rocks on the tower?
Hello, Elric ...
It would seem that someone would have seen the new castles by now. And, it is difficult to believe that someone hasn't posted somewhere whether or not 4865 and 4866 are SystemX or something else.
Originally, it looked like these two new castles might have been SystemX. However, they now look like that they may actually be the "faux steck" that Geobra has been using lately ... (http://www.gardenwargamer.com/images/crybaby.gif)
see attachments
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I see the holes Elric, but they're not in a place that previous system X castles have had holes. That does beg the question, what are they there for?
Richard's close-ups convince me even more that this is a Clip system castle, like the Spanish lighthouse. It's suprisingly badly connected with gaps visible between the pieces. I wonder if they did that so they could easily take it apart again? :lol: I also notice the tower tops are no longer one piece like the System X tower tops, there are gaps visible there too.
Nota also that the Clip system can still sometimes incorporate System X connections, e.g. to hold the torch brackets in place, but the main connections between large pieces have changed.
I like the shapes of these castles, and I think it would be possible to expand and modify them, but it's going to require yet more pieces of clip system castle to do it. I really wish they'd done these in System X (or better, Steck) as I have plenty of spare System X I could have used to extend straight sections, and the new angled corners. 8}
It's a shame they never managed a full round tower in System X. Round towers have been popular for centuries, as they're stronger against undermining and wall-busting missiles.
Here's the keep of Rochester Castle in SE England. One corner was undermined and toppled during a siege by King John (he of the Magna Carta), by digging a tunnel propped up with timbers. They then stuffed the tunnel full of dead pigs and set them on fire. As the pigs burnt (nice and fatty) they burnt out the props, and hey presto, toppling tower.
When the keep was repaired they rebuilt the toppled towers round!
(http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/62/41162-004-902A550E.jpg)
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I'm waiting on theses castles instead of getting the dragon castles. I will save a little money that way.
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Really neat story Martin!
And Bacon saved the day! :lol:
I too will wait to see those new castles,
hopefully someone will be able to confirm whether they are faux steck, or system X...
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Based on Richard's picture, I think it's pretty clear that these new castles are not System X but the new clip system, which stinks. As Martin points out, the execution looks terrible with large gaps and those stupid clip holes. This is a shame, because I actually like the looks of these castles in a lot of ways, especially the gatehouse and the tall keep. I guess Playmobil has abandoned System X just as they did Steck. I agree with Martin that it's a shame Playmobil never made a System X round tower. Who knew Playmobil fans would long for the days of System X?
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It is a shame, but there is still hope! :prays:
Maybe playmobil made this faux steck because they heard us collectors saying that their new castles were bad and we wanted steck.
So in an attemp to please us, and to make their "bigger and better" castles they met at a half way point. ???
And after they realise we don't like these as well they might (just might) realise that steck is the way to go and finally change back.
They could even develope the 45* angled connector pieces! ;D
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Based on Richard's picture, I think it's pretty clear that these new castles are not System X but the new clip system, which stinks.
I totally agree with you, Justindo!
The new clip system ("faux steck") absolutely stinks!
However, the reason that I've been calling it "faux steck" is because with a little patience, and some gentle filing, the "clips" can be filed just a bit to allow good assembly and easy dis-assembly.
My first encounter with this horrible system was set 5746, the Tree House. I reviewed this set July 2008 at Playmofriends as the "WORST SET EVER?" (http://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=2382.0)
There are some good pictures in this "review" showing how "faux steck" fits together.
See attachments for a couple of pictures ... But, there are lots more in the "review" ... click HERE (http://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=2382.15)!
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Thanks for posting the link to Klickywelt, Richard!
Originally, it looked like these two new castles might have been SystemX. However, they now look like that they may actually be the "faux steck" that Geobra has been using lately ... (http://www.gardenwargamer.com/images/crybaby.gif)
Another thing that's wrong with this new "faux steck" system is how crummy and cheap it looks on the inside, as shown in this photo posted on klickywelt by quetzalcoatl:
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I hate the look of the inside merlins!
That is a very poor finish...
I wish they would give up trying (and failing) to make it better, and just go back to steck!
It is the worst system ever!
Even with the filing for easy assembly and disassembly how customisable is it?
Can we make out own castles with it?
If we got enough parts from the sets could we create taller towers, or longer walls?
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Excellent point, Indianna! I noticed that too. While I don't have any Steck walls, I do have many System X ones and while the interior isn't great (lots of holes!), at least they moulded the individual stones on the inside just like they did on the outside. This new system lacks this detail so we'll be forced to look at long expanses of smooth inside curtain walls. I guess one could pretend they were plastered over? (Actually, many Medieval and Roman stone fortifications had their stone walls whitewashed.)
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:wave:
Construction of the "newer" castles is very easy. Destruction is nearly impossible without causing some form of damage to the connections. I learned this when I was disassembling the drawbridge entrance of the Empire Castle. The wall and arched opening pieces snap right together... only problem is the "snapped" parts are many and end up "inside" the structure. :hmm: Getting a tool on them to apply pressure so they release is a task I wouldn't recommend to persons who do not possess, at the very least, the "patience of Job"! It took me a very long time to separate the two pieces . Perhaps there is a secret to it that I am unaware of.... ??? Anyway, I ended up making little mini wedges for each of the clasps and inserting them one by one around the structure until "vioila" it finally popped free!
Knowing that there are a lot of children and adults out there who have relatively short attention spans, Playmobil could end up with a significant increase in their profits. :cheerlead: Plenty of people are just going to break the darn things and call DS for replacement parts. I know I was close to taking a sledge hammer to the whole thing! :lol:
Rey
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Knowing that there are a lot of children and adults out there who have relatively short attention spans, Playmobil could end up with a significant increase in their profits. :cheerlead: Plenty of people are just going to break the darn things and call DS for replacement parts. I know I was close to taking a sledge hammer to the whole thing! :lol:
Rey
Alternately they may next time decide to buy a different product that CAN be disassembled for storage easily...
I think Playmobil may be going down a very dangerous road by creating castles and other structures which cannot be guickly and easily disassembled without prior modification (Richard's solution) or possible damage.
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I think Playmobil may be going down a very dangerous road by creating castles and other structures which cannot be guickly and easily disassembled without prior modification (Richard's solution) or possible damage.
I agree!
They should be very careful before they choose to make a really stupid desicion...
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While I find the look of these new castles are nicer than the System X ones, I have to agree that this new system is a terrible idea. Further reason for me to stick to figure collecting and old steck pieces. They really did have a good thing with steck. I don't think I will ever understand what possessed them to change. Arrrrg! :hissyfit:
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I am sorry but I really don't like the look of the new castles - the pieces look very cheap and nasty beside the fact thet the walls are only detailed on the outside.
And the thought of another building system as opposed to steck or even system X is a horrible thought and I just hope that Playmobil doesn't turn everything into this :no:
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Just forget this horrid cheapish new caastel sets that leave little to customisation and realistic designs and stick to steck , i am certain PM will eventually bring it back in spares catalogues if the pressure is mainted by collectors communities... steck is the best !!! :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow:
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Just forget this horrid cheapish new caastel sets that leave little to customisation and realistic designs and stick to steck , i am certain PM will eventually bring it back in spares catalogues if the pressure is mainted by collectors communities... steck is the best !!! :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow:
Yes... Stick to Steck!!! :D ;D
They will bring it back eventually! :woohoo:
They have to!!! :hehe:
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I think that the system x castles and these new castles both look rather cheap and unappealing, certainly in comparison with the Steck ones, and I wouldnt purchase either. They seem to be more Fisher Price than PM, which is really sad. Growing up, I've always admired the design of PM and have to say that I have been apalled how they have deviated from it's origins. Every company needs to grow and develop, but I find it disappointing that the value has changed for the worse. Color schemes, themes and general design changes over the years have made me wonder what motivates the creative team at PM. I realize it's a personal opinion and I tell myself it really is just a toy. But there have been so many great things about it and it has potiential for much much more! Having said this, I did vote to HELP PLAYMOBIL because I hope that we collectors/adult fans can help PM realize this. It almost seems as though PM WANTS to alienate its adult fan base for reasons I cannot understand. PM is certainly not the company that it used to be, and Im sure Hans Beck is turning in his grave as we speak. Still, we need to be positive that things can (and hopefully will) change.