a new construction system for playmobil...

[Tiermann]

After having been to the meetings in Germany and heard Playmobil management's views on the subject I think our best strategy would be to encourage add-ons that have the existing parts most desired. The Bakery is a great first step as there are parts there that have not been available for a long time. There have been attempts to make a plan for a tower set that would include the maximum number of different desired parts. In the longer term I hope we can encourage through the PCC and social media a contest for such a design with the prize being that Playmobil would put it into the add-ons catalog for a year and see how sales go.

[Indianna]

Tim, while you were in Zirndorf, did you hear anything about the gray 4-way connector campaign?  Do you think they might be willing to produce a new part like that? 

[socrates]

Tim, while you were in Zirndorf, did you hear anything about the gray 4-way connector campaign?  Do you think they might be willing to produce a new part like that? 

They are even mentioned in the protocol... 
Judith is going to check the possibility to produce them with the old molds.
So, obviously they knew the topic but did not do any action so far. 

best,
socrates

[cachalote]

it's wonderful to read this "old" thread and to see how "we" collectors can offer playmobil.
  it's also a bit sad to know how geobra seems not to be willing to reinforce thir systems building potential.
in fact they seem to have decided to go the other way - easier and even pre-assembled sets.
maybe they can wise up in the future and realize that a "smart" traditional toy should be "special" in all its potential.
,,, and to be able to build with playmobil parts (lile vauban so wonderfully does) should be regarded for all ages as an asset.
if a virtual 3d-modelling scheme (like sir pleamos so wonderfully uses) could be in place maybe this "way" could be improved.
kids love computers and tend to "neglect" the difference between "virtual" and "real".
to offer a computerized system could be a way to "bring" them into a "real" (and also buidable) system. 

[Giorginetto]

 

I doubt playmobil will ever try and market their products / sets as a direct head on replacement for lego. I think the market orientation from playmobil lines is different from lego though surely they share themes ( pirates, mediaval etc ) but they are toy lines different all together . As mist know I am a great supporter for steck and adore that system religiously , the new bakery is a great move from playmobil as its a response to us collectors and our ' needs' , bravo once again to the pilot team and its elected members . Personally i am pretty certain it wont be very long we see the 4 way connector out as a ' gift' to us collectors. A big company like Playmobil takes its time for such decisions , production shceduling etc , their New Product Development Cycle is in years I am sure not months ( once they decide on a theme / set and the time its on the shelves ) and thats usually  the case with toy manufacturers from the limited knowledge i have . either way we should be very pleased that the connector is on the cards. As far as full steck systems or a different construction system my view is i dont know . i think depending on the bakery sucess ( somehow i feel its doing well on sales ... from what i read and see on ebay ) that will determine if other steck sets will be produced again. Playmobil had its reason for going into system x and the clip system and even if i dont like them as much as steck i cant expect a company with a huge marketing department to know less than me or any collector. after all we surely represent a small fraction of their global sales and we should be thank of what has been achieved by the pilot group and its representatives . With all due respect cachalote i sense a lot of dissapointment and bitterness in your emails about the progress so far sir. Do you really believe realistically we can achieve ' more' and why being so judgmental of the work that has taken place so far? i think its very commentable  what has been achieved and its always very very easy for a third person to the elected ppilot repsresentatives even to teh pilot group to be so judgemental sir .. perhaps ( personal view ) its best to tone dowenn a bit your judgemment and so many proposals as we will end up micxing reality with dreaming . sorry sir i am using strong words ( but you are also ) but  your posts begin to sound like a broken record repeating over and over the same comments/ judgements and proposals . we all know hten sir believe me they are in so many threads and posts . lets give playmobil a chance to see what they come up with . they dont make cookies that they can make withing 24hrs !!!! i hope all this is taken as friendsly critisism as thast how its intended 

[cachalote]

  thank you for your friendly criticism giorginetto but i am sorry you feel this way.
  but you should not be worried my friend - i promisse i will never get to post 7 messages per day and i will leave the repeated "bring back steck" battle cry entirely in your hands.
  do you think that maybe we could just - like another "broken-record" playmofriend suggested (indianna) - "think about the future now that we all moving ahead" ?

[Wesley Myers]

I doubt playmobil will ever try and market their products / sets as a direct head on replacement for lego.

I think the scale of Playmobil is a HUGE limiting factor.

Don't get me wrong, I love the size of it, but let's face facts - it takes up a LOT of room.

[tahra]

I think the scale of Playmobil is a HUGE limiting factor.

Don't get me wrong, I love the size of it, but let's face facts - it takes up a LOT of room.

That is very true. And the buildings, planes, ships are tiny compared to what they really shoud be as is... I mean, a true cargo plane/ship in playmoscale would not fit in most of our houses, no?

I was amazed the first time I setup a train set (the "nostalgie" -or whatever it's called - RC), how much space it took - and it was such a small setup too..