darkSpyro

I've been into Skylanders for a while. Not as long as some of the people on here, but a while. I first starting playing the game and collecting the figures almost exactly one year ago. I can still remember how awesome it was, learning about the different characters and hunting down all of the figures for everyone. Since I started collecting them right as the last wave came out, all I had to do was keep searching the restocks at the various stores around me to see if I could get lucky. I would set full days aside just to be "hunting days" and I would drive out of town to look in stores I didn't normally go to. It was always such a thrill to find a figure I didn't already have hanging there from the shelf. I could grab them, take them home, and try them out. Get used to them and play with them for a while before I found the next one. Yeah, it was frustrating sometimes to go to several stores in a row and never find anything new, but it made finally completing my collection all that much cooler.

Sorry for the wall of text there, but this is my rant. I really miss that exhilarating feeling of hunting for skylanders, and finally finding the one you're looking for. I haven't had that feeling since I found the Camo/Warnado/Ignitor 3 pack about 8 months ago, the last thing I needed to complete my SSA collection. I never got that feeling at all during Giants. I knew all of the characters before the game even came out, and when the figures were released, all I had to do was go wait in front of my TRU, buy every figure from the new wave, then go back home and wait for the next new wave. Yeah, there might have occasionally been a new variant here or there to spice things up, but it was never as exciting as the old days.

I guess this recent drought of new skylander anything we've recently hit has been making me feel nostalgic. It's hard not to miss going hunting when lately all I've been doing is waiting for news of the last 3 LCs and S2 Drobot and not hearing anything. And don't even get me started on Polar and Scarlet... With Swap Force coming up in just a few more months, who knows what collecting for that game will be like... But I doubt it will ever be like hunting for SSA figures was...

I agree with you. All the times of me finding variants has just.. disappeared after Clear Stealth Elf..

I still need the Glitters, which are driving in price.

I've had the exact same feeling. After finding Camo and Warnado that was the last 'thrill' I had. Oh Well

Quote: Matteomax

I agree with you. All the times of me finding variants has just.. disappeared after Clear Stealth Elf..

I still need the Glitters, which are driving in price.

Sprocket appears to be dropping in price with the most recent listings ending ~$80.

Quote: czs716

Quote: Matteomax

I agree with you. All the times of me finding variants has just.. disappeared after Clear Stealth Elf..

I still need the Glitters, which are driving in price.

Sprocket appears to be dropping in price with the most recent listings ending ~$80.

Might as well jump the gun.

But Hot Head is about $200.. ;-;

last real giants thrill was calling my local gamestop the week before jade and getting spyro and ninjini, with wrecking ball arriving the day before.

Quote: nocturnalnathan

I've been into Skylanders for a while. Not as long as some of the people on here, but a while. I first starting playing the game and collecting the figures almost exactly one year ago. I can still remember how awesome it was, learning about the different characters and hunting down all of the figures for everyone. Since I started collecting them right as the last wave came out, all I had to do was keep searching the restocks at the various stores around me to see if I could get lucky. I would set full days aside just to be "hunting days" and I would drive out of town to look in stores I didn't normally go to. It was always such a thrill to find a figure I didn't already have hanging there from the shelf. I could grab them, take them home, and try them out. Get used to them and play with them for a while before I found the next one. Yeah, it was frustrating sometimes to go to several stores in a row and never find anything new, but it made finally completing my collection all that much cooler.

Sorry for the wall of text there, but this is my rant. I really miss that exhilarating feeling of hunting for skylanders, and finally finding the one you're looking for. I haven't had that feeling since I found the Camo/Warnado/Ignitor 3 pack about 8 months ago, the last thing I needed to complete my SSA collection. I never got that feeling at all during Giants. I knew all of the characters before the game even came out, and when the figures were released, all I had to do was go wait in front of my TRU, buy every figure from the new wave, then go back home and wait for the next new wave. Yeah, there might have occasionally been a new variant here or there to spice things up, but it was never as exciting as the old days.

I guess this recent drought of new skylander anything we've recently hit has been making me feel nostalgic. It's hard not to miss going hunting when lately all I've been doing is waiting for news of the last 3 LCs and S2 Drobot and not hearing anything. And don't even get me started on Polar and Scarlet... With Swap Force coming up in just a few more months, who knows what collecting for that game will be like... But I doubt it will ever be like hunting for SSA figures was...

The reason you feel cheated is because you started collection Giants before they where even out at the store.

Think about this:
You say that it is exactly a year ago you started collecting SSA. If you start Giants today, you would have a great time hunting for Giants, but because you started like most of us (When the gun sounded) you are now caught up with your collection and waiting for the last few characters.
I know it sucks, We all agree. If there is anyone out there that is just starting out, good luck with your hunt and have fun...

Classic.
People hate something, it gets solved, they want it back.

Quote: czs716

Quote: Matteomax

I agree with you. All the times of me finding variants has just.. disappeared after Clear Stealth Elf..

I still need the Glitters, which are driving in price.

Sprocket appears to be dropping in price with the most recent listings ending ~$80.

Someone had that auction ending at a weird time, and it was a zero feedback seller. The follow ups sold for around $100, which is going rate although I actually paid about $115 or so shipping included for mine. Kinda weird--couple of weeks with no listings and then 3 at one time. It does make a difference.

Quote: Matteomax

Quote: czs716

Quote: Matteomax

I agree with you. All the times of me finding variants has just.. disappeared after Clear Stealth Elf..

I still need the Glitters, which are driving in price.

Sprocket appears to be dropping in price with the most recent listings ending ~$80.

Might as well jump the gun.

But Hot Head is about $200.. ;-;

Minimum.

I disagree. I feel like the hunts till continues and my heart jumps every time I get near the Skylanders section.

Quote: Rand O M

I disagree. I feel like the hunts till continues and my heart jumps every time I get near the Skylanders section.

Yeah, hard to happen when we've all gotten everything that's available...maybe that's the problem.

I haven't gotten all that's available, far from it! Since I can only get Skylanders when on vacation or someone comes back from America, it makes it more exciting.
And I do expect a thrill if I can catch the elusive Scarlet.

@GhostRoaster,
One sold today for $81 and one yesterday for $85.

I have them all, but the hunt for finding the new ones makes it exciting.

Whenever I go to a store that sells landers, I always check for uncommons. Today at a really small Walmart, I found 2 chills and a S2 Eruptor. They only had 1 flashwing.

Stores are just flooded with S2 and Lightcores. I have never had an exhilarating feeling like that since I found Wham-Shell behind a few other characters last year in May. *sigh*

The hunt is still going strong for me since I only started collecting in Janurary and have only gotten serious within the last month.

What are opinions of Pop Fizz? I'm thinking of trying to get one.

Quote: Seiki

The hunt is still going strong for me since I only started collecting in Janurary and have only gotten serious within the last month.

What are opinions of Pop Fizz? I'm thinking of trying to get one.

Pop Fizz is one of my favorite to play with, plus I think he looks pretty cool. Fully upgraded he is a beast, even on nightmare mode. I would highly recommend picking him up if you can!

Quote: DoctorNick

Quote: Seiki

The hunt is still going strong for me since I only started collecting in Janurary and have only gotten serious within the last month.

What are opinions of Pop Fizz? I'm thinking of trying to get one.

Pop Fizz is one of my favorite to play with, plus I think he looks pretty cool. Fully upgraded he is a beast, even on nightmare mode. I would highly recommend picking him up if you can!

Ok, thanks. I've seen a few singles of him at the Walmart by my work the last 2 times I checked. (I check every week.) I think I'll pick one up next time I stop by.

Quote: CommanderGame

Classic.
People hate something, it gets solved, they want it back.

This.

I don't think it's fun going to stores for weeks and still only seeing the same outdated stock just shelfwarming there.

Quote: Seiki

The hunt is still going strong for me since I only started collecting in Janurary and have only gotten serious within the last month.

What are opinions of Pop Fizz? I'm thinking of trying to get one.

I ended up getting the 3DS starter just to get Punch Pop Fizz (weeeeellll, I tried this at Walmart, where I found a pack with a GITD Cynder, so I got it for her, too), even though I don't have a 3DS. I ended up liking him so much, and had such a hard time picking between two great upgrade paths, that I became inclined to get a normal one if I saw it, and now just ordered Lightcore Pop Fizz from Amazon Italy just the other day - as I was there for Polar anyway.

Pop Fizz is fun and varied, you end up with 3 different potions to toss and use, it feels like he has more attacks than anybody.

As for the thread topic, yeah. Last summer I would go out, and see what's there. A real thrill when I would find somebody I wanted. This time, I have everybody I'm willing to get that's out. I KNOW there's no point checking the stores, I know they won't have anybody I'm interested in, unless I manage the impossible and find a store with SSA characters, to get Boomer and Wham-Shell, the only SSA characters that neither I nor my nephews have. I doubt I need to tell anybody how impossible THAT would be.

My last thrill was walking into Walmart - which I had previously not even thought of having Skylanders, they didn't last year when I tried checking for SSA - and finding ALL FOUR Giants I was missing: Eye-Brawl, Thumpback, Hot Head and Crusher. At that point I had all the Giants except Ninjini. It was also a bit of a thrill to find out Scarlini was on Amazon Germany, though far less since it's online and feels theoretical. Got a bit of a thrill getting her in the mail, but I was expecting her. Nothing like finding a good figure in the store.

Trust me, I almost collapsed when I saw the variants.

Rock Whirlwind; I found her in a Triple pack on day 1, at ToysRUs.

Rock Zook: Got him at Walmart, after they sold one to a scalper.

Clear Stealth Elf: A TRU guy was unpacking a BILLION boxes, I was blabbing to him about variants, when he pulled her out! If I wasn't there, he would've bought it..

Quote: nocturnalnathan

I would set full days aside just to be "hunting days" and I would drive out of town to look in stores I didn't normally go to.

Some people, including myself, have better things to do than hunt for figures. I would prefer all stores to be fully stocked with a variety of figures so that I can just walk in, buy what I need, and get out.

Store prices (and store sales) would actually have consequences if this were the case. TRU wouldn't sell anywhere near as many figures at their regular prices if you could easily find them elsewhere for less. People would get the best deals, saving them money. But with stores selling out of new figures right away, you just have to buy it if you see it.

i started my collection late and it is even harder because i am thirteen and i cant drive.........it is quite hard to get my parents out there.....

Quote: Himewad

Quote: nocturnalnathan

I would set full days aside just to be "hunting days" and I would drive out of town to look in stores I didn't normally go to.

Some people, including myself, have better things to do than hunt for figures.

I don't usually agree with you but this statement is 100% how I feel. I am so OVER Skylanders thanks to the hunt. In fact, the past month that they haven't released anything I want has been glorious. Honestly, consumers shouldn't have to jump through hoops to go looking for these things. I'm so glad everytime an online route is available.

So anyways, good riddance to the hunt and I may just quit on Skylands after Giants after all. The hunt has definitely worn me out.

Maybe I'll change my mind after more information comes through from SwapForce but for now consider me unimpressed and not enjoying the ridiculous business strategy.

^ i have to agree, they should evenly distribute how many figures are being sent in for stock. This way there are not 30 shroomboom and chop chop battle packs and instead only a couple and some S2 slam bams and other wave 1 figures that i cant find because i started late

Here is a photo I took of a display at WalMart

Sounds just like what BahamutBreaker was saying---sad looking display.

Yeah, it's just row after endless row of sprocket, flashwing, cynder, whirlwind, swarm, hot head.

I do not have S2 whirly, because I'm waiting for polar.

Quote: Hexin_Wishes

Quote: Himewad

Quote: nocturnalnathan

I would set full days aside just to be "hunting days" and I would drive out of town to look in stores I didn't normally go to.

Some people, including myself, have better things to do than hunt for figures.

I don't usually agree with you but this statement is 100% how I feel. I am so OVER Skylanders thanks to the hunt. In fact, the past month that they haven't released anything I want has been glorious. Honestly, consumers shouldn't have to jump through hoops to go looking for these things. I'm so glad everytime an online route is available.

So anyways, good riddance to the hunt and I may just quit on Skylands after Giants after all. The hunt has definitely worn me out.

Maybe I'll change my mind after more information comes through from SwapForce but for now consider me unimpressed and not enjoying the ridiculous business strategy.

I don't blame you frankly...I really wish they could pull the bandaid and get all of these guys out in 6 mos...and then keep a stream going for the next 6 as the non hunters can get their fill. The hunt is both fun and exhausting--and imo they SHOULD give us a break before the next release. It feels like it's being crammed down my throat 24/7/365.

Another photo

That there in lies the problem that acti has made with the boxes. A smart shipment phase would have been to space it out in a way as it has been said on other posts to get things done within a six month time period and then rerelease the waves for those that missed them. This is how retailers get stuck with them and others do resort to finishing collections online by importing. It seems Europe got it right in how theirs is nearly complete before the states do.

I'm starting to wonder if acti over compensated this time on the giants shipments compared to SSA done at this time.

It's getting too hot outside for me to enjoy the hunt anymore. My son hates the heat, and his enjoyment of going out and running around is the only reason I ever liked it to begin with. It's time to order them and stay in, Activision's missed their shot at getting me to hunt exhaustively again.

^I'm the opposite. I loved hunting in the hot weather but HATED every second of it this past fall/winter.

I hate the heat, it's winter now in NZ, but there are a few hot days. We have recently had a small drought, so it was pretty hot!

Having just picked up LC Chill & Pop Fizz, realizing all that is left is LC Hex and S2 Drobot, I am quite ready to be done with "hunting"

A disadvantage at times of being in Sweden is that we didn't always get things as soon as others did, but the advantage was that once we did, they were always available. There is a GameStop in the mall I do my grocery shopping at and another near my physical therapy gym, so "hunting" just meant popping in on the way to buying milk or strengthening my knee and seeing if anything new was available. I'll be quite happy to be done with that.

Quote: ZapNorris

Another photo

*Giant image*

I'm surprised you haven't found one Glitter variant with all the Sprockets there...

Winters are typically mild here, otherwise if it was Chicago type cold I'd have ordered everything online lol. Hot or cold---the hunting gets old--on that I think we all agree. Acti needs to let the troops rest if they care to have anyone give a flip about SF.

Quote: Matteomax

I'm surprised you haven't found one Glitter variant with all the Sprockets there...

Variants never hit the shelf.

The hunt is rather strong for me since I've only been collecting since Janurary. However, it is growing abit old running to 5 different stores to find only 2 figures I want. :/ I will admit I pass up some of the shelf warmers to get later while focusing on certain figures when I'm out.

I've already decided my next purchase will be either a Giants starter pack (using the McD coupon) or a triple pack with Gill Grunt, Flashwing, and Double Trouble while remaining on the lookout for the ever elusive Ninjini, Darklight Crypt, and S2 Zap.

FWIW, I called Activision about the availability of the toys...of course support has "no information" in regards to this and of course there's no customer service line for me to express my beef. In fact, I get the impression that support knows "nothing" about anything outside of "break fix" items.

Oddly, Activision even refers to this site as a source for solving technical problems. It's kinda concerning that no one feeds Activision Support any information on this AND provides customers no venue to express concerns or feedback. I guess they can't be bothered with actually dealing with customers. Feeling kinda bummed actually. I know it's "just" a video game but it's their livelihood--and apparently they aren't treating it seriously.

At least I felt better expressing my opinion/concern, although it will be just a blip in a support ticket that no one in marketing or any other area of the organization will observe.

I got a nice lady when I called. She said:

"I recommend checking out darkSpyro.net! They help a lot! "

LOL

Right? If I'm now an extension of their support staff put me on your frickin payroll! I'm kidding of course but I'm not asking hard questions and I wasn't impressed with their knowledge of simple things like if they've patched their software since release.

Quote: Matteomax

I got a nice lady when I called. She said:

"I recommend checking out darkSpyro.net! They help a lot! "

LOL

Are you freakin' serious?

LOL

100% serious.

Quote: Matteomax

100% serious.

As am I. The support guy named this site BY NAME as a place to get problems solved. Maybe the site owner here needs to get a support contract set up with Activision and start paying us with bitcoins.

Quote: GhostRoaster

Quote: Matteomax

100% serious.

As am I. The support guy named this site BY NAME as a place to get problems solved. Maybe the site owner here needs to get a support contract set up with Activision and start paying us with bitcoins.

BITCOINS!!!

I woudn't mind getting money

Maybe... a dollar a question?

Quote: Matteomax

Maybe... a dollar a question?

What's your take on their support? I wasn't terribly impressed but it sounds like they aren't getting much information from neither marketing nor development. I'm kinda asking the question why they're there.

The few times I have called they have always been helpful. I never asked them the questions about stock or anything a long those lines as I figured they wouldn't have any info on it. They ended up sending me three copies of S:SA after mine would freeze when I put certain figures on it.

As it was stated in here before most of them are just trying to earn a living and don't know or care about what we want.