darkSpyro

Quote: Phoenix_Lord

For all of you freaking out over this Special Edition Gill Grunt...and you want one.
Its called go buy a S2 Gill Grunt for $10 bucks...then go to your local auto parts store, go to the auto paints aisle and find a metallic green that matches the one in the picture above, also get some pinstrip tape. Go home ...use the tape to mask off the orange base, use some elmer's white glue to mask off his eyes. (wait for glue to dry) mist the metallic green paint on in several thin coats till its well coated(letting each coat dry)Let it sit over night...use a xacto knife and score around the eyes and remove the elmer's glue carefully. TA DA ...all done you now have your very own Special Edition Gill Grunt

Quote: Zer0

Quote: Phoenix_Lord

For all of you freaking out over this Special Edition Gill Grunt...and you want one.
Its called go buy a S2 Gill Grunt for $10 bucks...then go to your local auto parts store, go to the auto paints aisle and find a metallic green that matches the one in the picture above, also get some pinstrip tape. Go home ...use the tape to mask off the orange base, use some elmer's white glue to mask off his eyes. (wait for glue to dry) mist the metallic green paint on in several thin coats till its well coated(letting each coat dry)Let it sit over night...use a xacto knife and score around the eyes and remove the elmer's glue carefully. TA DA ...all done you now have your very own Special Edition Gill Grunt

I disagree!


...I would recommend Silly Putty to mask off the eyes, instead of Elmer's White Glue, so as to minimize the chances of peeling off the eye decals. You don't have to wait for it to dry, either.

Also, from the picture, it looks like there's a little bit of a brown top coat in places, or maybe a bronze. It's hard to tell.

But yeah, seriously, it'll cost you $10, or less, to make your own with minimal skill involved.

Seeing as I'm someone with no artist skill at all i'd royal screw this up and prob spend $500 trying to get it right to begin with, but that's just me I never was a fan of art class to begin with.

Quote: Bazinga

I don't get it either. Why are people mad that they are giving this out at a toy show? No one was mad when the Special Chop Chop or Hot Dog came out.

The difference is that Chop Chop and Hot Dog don't come with strict instructions that they aren't to be sold. Also they were given to random strangers/the public. Employee Prism Break, and possibly this Gill Grunt, or only given to employees with directives not to sell them. Making them, in theory, literally unavailable, even for the highest price. The reality that a select few ignore this instruction means that while they can be gotten, it's for FAR higher than it should/would be, if it was properly released to the public.

Quote: UncleBob

Quote: niceguy1

Quote: UncleBob

Entitlement.

Nope. A call for justice and fair treatment.

Spend the money to go to a development college, work for years to prove that you can develop for a major developer, get hired on, then help the developer and publisher develop a billion dollar title that breaks all kinds of sales records. Then, you too can get cool gifts from your employer!

Sound fair?

No.

For MOST people, "fair" means "equally available to everyone". Not everyone can follow that path, in fact few can (for example, not everyone will be able to prove they CAN develop, some can't. Some can't afford the schooling, or can't afford the time not working. And some people are not geographically properly located, and are unable to move). Only appearing in stores makes it fair, then everyone has a chance at finding one.

Life ain't "fair", sweetheart.

This was a gift. It's asinine and childlike to be upset because someone got a gift for doing something and you didn't get a gift when you didn't do that same thing.

It's like when the three year old throws a fit because it's the 7 year old's birthday and the three year old didn't get presents too.

Welcome back to the Unclebob/troll herpaderp show!

On this episode, green fish and birthday parties!

Zap: It's hardly trolling to point out that someone thanking someone else with a gift isn't something to get upset over.

At this point, I'm beginning to think people are posting these "Woe is me, life isn't fair!" threads just to draw me out.

I have to agree with Unclebob here. Him and I have not always seen eye to eye on things but, on this one we are on the same page.


I was really trying not to go to this point but this thread has gone down that road....... The problem with kids/children/and some adults these days is they want everything but don't want to work for it or want it to be available on the same level to everyone. Couple of questions, I may have missed this in the other posts but who was told not to sell these? As far as I know they were given out at gamestops expo or whatever they call it.

In your world to make them available to everyone on the same basis then all of the variants that have been released(From GITD Sonic Boom, to Pearl Hex and everything in between) would have been in every box. Therefore lowering the scarcity. That would make it pointless to do any of these.

Yet, we have people on here who complain about not being able to get a green gill grunt. Really? Really? If that is all you have to worry about then great, you actually have a pretty sweet life. Mind you most of us on this site do, my biggest problem is worrying about where the money for my Mortgage is going to come from in a couple of weeks. Hopefully, my pay check will cover it. Have you taken a look in some of the other countries with the crap that is going on? How about the leader of a country using chemical weapons on his own people. Killing 100, now mind you it took that to get anyone to pay attention, this guy has already killed over 100k of his own people. Or take a look at the Middle East, we have crap going on in it that no one pays attention too. That is probably a little more important than a green gill grunt that you can not get your hands on. (Which if you tried hard enough you could.) Or take a look at what ever country you live in and see that people need help in your own community and help them. Instead of calling for fairness and it being equally available to everyone, Just be happy you have food and money to buy the regular figures that your friend may not have.

As Unclebob has said in other threads... /firstworldproblems.

Please put on some big kid pants and grow up a bit.

I know I will get people who will say this is over the line or has nothing to do with skylanders, but in a way it does. It tries to put stuff in prospective of what others go through and yet we have people complain because a Hunter said this or that. Or I can not get a figure.

/rantoff

To say it simply:
Life owes you nothing and you deserve nothing.

Quote: wgeorge111

To say it simply:
Life owes you nothing and you deserve nothing.

I agree, but here in the US folks seem entitled. To put it even more succinctly than yourself and Bazinga:GET OVER IT. Or if I'm reading these avatars here--DEAL WITH IT.

My complaint is the last minute variant hustle, and I'm doing both

A lot of y'all are playing the "entitlement card" way too heavily here.

I personally will never own a "special green Gill Grunt" and I do not care to; I've chastised others who bid 500 or more dollars on such a thing. I don't have a horse in this race, other than to make an important point about how Americans that trumpet the "anti-entitlement" theme are just as badly misguided as those Americans that are "entitled".

It's definitely true that Activision and the Skylanders franchise does not "owe" it to anyone to distribute special characters in any way other than exactly whatever way they see fit to distribute them. Anyone who thinks otherwise is really naive and/or just embarrassingly innocent about how businesses run in the USA.

However, this discussion has devolved (thanks again UncleTroll!) mostly in part due to the fact that some readers have misinterpreted genuine disappointment as "entitlement".

I'm not saying that there isn't a problem with entitlement in the current USA culture; there is. But that problem (like most controversial problems) is being blown WAY out of proportion by the minority segment of the society that the problem offends the most (which is predictably typical ... and almost as sad and disheartening as the "entitlement" culture itself).

The bottom line is this, in my opinion: Yeah, society doesn't inherently owe anything to any individual ... and yeah, younger Americans do need to get that through their brains. However! Grumpy old farts constantly complaining about "entitlement" is NOT going to have the effect that the grumpy old farts hope it should have. It just won't. Humans don't respond that way.

I think the problem is that grumpy old farts don't care if their statements make an impact or not

Quote: niceguy1

The difference is that Chop Chop and Hot Dog don't come with strict instructions that they aren't to be sold. Also they were given to random strangers/the public. Employee Prism Break, and possibly this Gill Grunt, or only given to employees with directives not to sell them. Making them, in theory, literally unavailable, even for the highest price. The reality that a select few ignore this instruction means that while they can be gotten, it's for FAR higher than it should/would be, if it was properly released to the public.

I'm sorry, but where on earth did you get that they were instructed not to sell these?

Quote: Zer0

Quote: niceguy1

The difference is that Chop Chop and Hot Dog don't come with strict instructions that they aren't to be sold. Also they were given to random strangers/the public. Employee Prism Break, and possibly this Gill Grunt, or only given to employees with directives not to sell them. Making them, in theory, literally unavailable, even for the highest price. The reality that a select few ignore this instruction means that while they can be gotten, it's for FAR higher than it should/would be, if it was properly released to the public.

I'm sorry, but where on earth did you get that they were instructed not to sell these?

This is part of the mythos surrounding these employee editions. Maybe someone mentioned it on an eBay listing. It's all dubious.

From a LEGAL standpoint, if it was given as a GIFT, you can do with it as you please. They may have REQUESTED that they not sell it, but they couldn't enforce it if they tried despite their legal counsel. Given just that little fact I learned from watching Judge Judy, I seriously doubt they made such a declaration.

There is one for $150 buy it now on ebay....fyi

I notice that one on eBay too....while there are a few others for over $200!? I don't get eBay sometimes, how one person gets an item to reach insane amounts. I know part of it is based on ending time, and how much feedback they have...but holy sometimes is there a difference!! There seem to be a bunch of these now for sale, I would imagine the price will drop as supply increases (like Bronze E3 HotDog)

Quote: shelly9871

There is one for $150 buy it now on ebay....fyi

Hehe ... good find, Shelly.

I bet the person that bought the first one for over $500 is feeling pretty deflated now.

Yep....for sure.....

Quote: UncleBob

It's like when the three year old throws a fit because it's the 7 year old's birthday and the three year old didn't get presents too.

Oooh, almost. This is like a 3 year old throwing a fit because he didn't get presents for HIS birthday, when he sees the 7-year old get presents for HIS birthday. Again, we're talking about wanting fairness. Do we all know "life isn't fair"? Of course. But with so much unfairness in the world, we must strive to minimize the unfairness, to strike it down wherever possible.

Quote: Bazinga

Couple of questions, I may have missed this in the other posts but who was told not to sell these? As far as I know they were given out at gamestops expo or whatever they call it.

Well, the whole non-retail-ness of it is extremely reminiscent of Employee Prism Break, and I've read FAR too many reports that EPB was under instructions not to sell, so it seems plausible that Metallic Green Gill Grunt might come with the same request.

Quote: Bazinga

In your world to make them available to everyone on the same basis then all of the variants that have been released(From GITD Sonic Boom, to Pearl Hex and everything in between) would have been in every box. Therefore lowering the scarcity. That would make it pointless to do any of these.

WAY to miss the point. Bravo. NOBODY is suggesting to make him - or any other variant - just as available as standard characters like Flashwing or whatever. I'm sure anybody arguing from the same standpoint as I am is just talking the same rarity as, say, the Metallic Purple variants. Releasing them for retail. Limited numbers is fine and expected. NO numbers is the problem (None available for retail, that is).

Quote: Bazinga

Have you taken a look in some of the other countries with the crap that is going on? How about the leader of a country using chemical weapons on his own people. Killing 100, now mind you it took that to get anyone to pay attention, this guy has already killed over 100k of his own people. Or take a look at the Middle East, we have crap going on in it that no one pays attention too. That is probably a little more important than a green gill grunt that you can not get your hands on. (Which if you tried hard enough you could.) Or take a look at what ever country you live in and see that people need help in your own community and help them. Instead of calling for fairness and it being equally available to everyone, Just be happy you have food and money to buy the regular figures that your friend may not have.

As Unclebob has said in other threads... /firstworldproblems.

Ah yes. The "I don't have a leg to stand on, and I know it, but instead of keeping out of it like a smart person, I'm trying to make people feel bad by bringing up unrelated stuff" argument. Otherwise known as the "First World Problems" argument. All it really does is make you look like an idiot. Not sure why you would want to do that, but you did. FYI: People wanting Metallic Green Gill Grunt to be available retail has nothing to do with the real problems of other countries. It's not like denying this Skylander to the general public will save lives or feed starving children. I'm sure if any of us had the choice between buying MGGG for $10 or solving the problems of the world, we'd solve the problems of the world.

But despite you trying to introduce it as a valid argument, these problems are actually completely irrelevant to this discussion. Sorry, nice try, but you fail.

Quote: Bazinga

I know I will get people who will say this is over the line or has nothing to do with skylanders, but in a way it does.

Nope, it doesn't. Not even a little. Not even in a way.

Quote: BahamutBreaker

However, this discussion has devolved (thanks again UncleTroll!) mostly in part due to the fact that some readers have misinterpreted genuine disappointment as "entitlement".

Exactly!

Quote: Zer0

Quote: niceguy1

The difference is that Chop Chop and Hot Dog don't come with strict instructions that they aren't to be sold. Also they were given to random strangers/the public. Employee Prism Break, and possibly this Gill Grunt, are only given to employees with directives not to sell them. Making them, in theory, literally unavailable, even for the highest price. The reality that a select few ignore this instruction means that while they can be gotten, it's for FAR higher than it should/would be, if it was properly released to the public.

I'm sorry, but where on earth did you get that they were instructed not to sell these?

Well, as I said earlier in this reply, this is feeling a LOT like Employee Prism Break, who most definitely came with instructions/request not to sell, judging from how many reports I've read to that effect. Notice I said "and possibly this Gill Grunt", because it seems likely this Gill Grunt will have the same instruction/request, something I find likely due to the similar non-retail nature of the figures. I have indeed heard no reports of this, it just seems likely to me.

Acti: oh look we just released a new figure. it's employe exclusive so unless you wanna go hunting on ebay trying to buy stuff from scalpers than your doomed

Really hate it when Acti releases a really cool variant and makes it employee exclusive.

Quote: MoonHorizons

Acti: oh look we just released a new figure. it's employe exclusive so unless you wanna go hunting on ebay trying to buy stuff from scalpers than your doomed

Really hate it when Acti releases a really cool variant and makes it employee exclusive.

THIS is all I'm really trying to say, LOL!

Quote: niceguy1

Quote: UncleBob

It's like when the three year old throws a fit because it's the 7 year old's birthday and the three year old didn't get presents too.

Oooh, almost. This is like a 3 year old throwing a fit because he didn't get presents for HIS birthday, when he sees the 7-year old get presents for HIS birthday.

Except not at all.

Anyone who met the criteria got one of these figures.

Anyone who met the criteria got a birthday present.

It's that simple.

Again, go to college, get an education, then get hired by an employee and help them create a billion dollar franchise. They'll probably reward you in some way.

Your complaint is just adolescent at this point.

I get a bonus every year from my employer based on my performance. Additionally, I get a Christmas present every year from my employer.

Would you say it's "unfair" that my employer doesn't also give *you* a bonus or Christmas present every year?

Quote: UncleBob

Except not at all.

Except exactly.

Quote: UncleBob

Anyone who met the criteria got one of these figures.

Anyone who met the criteria got a birthday present.

It's that simple.

Exactly. "who met the criteria". That's not everybody. That means not everybody has a chance. That means not everybody has a fair chance to get them.

Quote: UncleBob

I get a bonus every year from my employer based on my performance. Additionally, I get a Christmas present every year from my employer.

Would you say it's "unfair" that my employer doesn't also give *you* a bonus or Christmas present every year?

No, because YOUR bonus isn't in the form of a collectible figure which isn't available otherwise, making it artificially rare. If Activision gave their employees cash bonuses, nobody here would bat an eye. Also nobody is suggesting that they expect Activision to be giving THEM gifts. AGAIN, we're talking about releasing them for retail (it's getting tiring repeating myself, that's one thick head you have there).

That was a pretty stupid comparison, really. A comparison which shows zero understanding of how collecting works. Which means either you're stupid, or you're trolling. Caught again, UncleTroll.

So these employees are being rewarded bc I'm spending my moment making them sucessful. The fans make our break your product. I no longer consider myself a fan. Dark edition pre order canceled and if any of you had self control you would do the same and show activision nobody cares about the crap they spit out with no thanks to the consumers. It's like saying thanks to all the consumers that spent millions of dollars on ourc product as a thank you we ate giving our employees special variants. Hey guys Thanks for the money tho. Life isn't fair bit activision does not care about our hard earned money we spend making them a success.

Quote: niceguy1

No, because YOUR bonus isn't in the form of a collectible figure which isn't available otherwise, making it artificially rare.

Quote: UncleBob

Except not at all.

So, my employer also gives out nice little plaques for various achievements (5 years, 10 years, [...] of the year, etc). If someone decided they wanted to collect those, would it be the responsibility of my employer to make these plaques available for collectors?

Or little metal pins. There's lots of people who collect those from various companies - and they're often little things that companies will give their employees, thanking them for their years of service.

Coke made a special Atari game, limited to 125 pieces! This is unfair to both Coca-cola collectors and Atari collectors!

Then there's this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLQCjI74u0Q

Is it unfair that Nintendo often makes Mario items that they give employees?
http://itssamuraijosh.wordpres...niversary-gift/

Dude. Activision made some special figures as a "Thanks" to some folks who helped them build a billion dollar brand. I'm sorry that gets your feathers ruffled, but it's a very common practice.

Quote: niceguy1

A comparison which shows zero understanding of how collecting works.

And, by the way, let me assure you - I know exactly how collecting works. A few weeks ago, I made a 27 hour car trip over two days to pick up and bring home a nearly 30 year old (rough estimate says it was made in Jan '84. Close source says they were introduced to the market in Feb '84. Original buyer took possession in March of '84) piece of Nintendo history that cost me significantly more than any of these Green Gill Grunts have sold for.

Collecting isn't always 'go to the store and buy stuff'. Sometimes, it involves work, research, dedication and obscene amounts of cash.

What you're doing isn't collecting. It's whining.

it looks ok but not great or at least that image not trying to be rude

Quote: UncleBob

So, my employer also gives out nice little plaques for various achievements (5 years, 10 years, [...] of the year, etc). If someone decided they wanted to collect those, would it be the responsibility of my employer to make these plaques available for collectors?

Again, NO idea of collecting. It's sad, really, UncleTroll. FYI, they never WOULD be collectible, because you can go to trophy stores and have them made up, AND they're not something where they're made available to the public for purchase. So, such a faulty invalid comparison means an answer is not possible.

Quote: UncleBob

Or little metal pins. There's lots of people who collect those from various companies - and they're often little things that companies will give their employees, thanking them for their years of service.

Same thing, they can be made by anybody, and aren't available to the public for purchase. Oh, and another thing, their value comes from earning them (10 years of employment, whatever), collectibles are valued for collecting them together, and for their rarity, how hard they are TO collect.

Quote: UncleBob

Coke made a special Atari game, limited to 125 pieces! This is unfair to both Coca-cola collectors and Atari collectors!

Don't know the details, but sounds perfectly fair, just rare. AGAIN, clean your glasses or whatever, there's NO mention of rarity in our objections, not really. There are always rare items in collectibles, we expect this to be rare. We're just talking about being made available at stores.

Quote: UncleBob

Then there's this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLQCjI74u0Q

I'm not watching a 5 minute video to figure out what you're going on about, especially with your skewed views on all of this.

Quote: UncleBob

Is it unfair that Nintendo often makes Mario items that they give employees?
http://itssamuraijosh.wordpres...niversary-gift/

Show me other figures like that on store shelves, ready to start collecting, then I'll call it unfair. Otherwise, it's just a nice employee gift, perfectly fair.

Quote: UncleBob

Dude. Activision made some special figures as a "Thanks" to some folks who helped them build a billion dollar brand. I'm sorry that gets your feathers ruffled, but it's a very common practice.

AGAIN, the difference is that all the other "Thanks" items you mentioned AREN'T COLLECTIBLES. The goal of a collection is to complete it. Like they say in Pokemon, "Gotta catch them all!". With certain figures unavailable to the public, that makes such completion impossible. Things being rare because they were for sale 20 years ago and THAT one didn't sell well is one thing. THIS is rare and unavailable from the start! The whole advantage to getting these while current is so that we're in "on the ground floor", we're doing it while it should still be easy to find what we're missing. It's because of figures like this Gill Grunt and Employee Prism Break that I can't and won't even entertain the idea of collecting them.

Quote: UncleBob

And, by the way, let me assure you - I know exactly how collecting works.

No, you've made it quite clear you are completely confused about the concept of collecting. You underlined THAT fact when you started talking about the idea of people collecting award plaques and long service statuettes.

Quote: UncleBob

Collecting isn't always 'go to the store and buy stuff'. Sometimes, it involves work, research, dedication and obscene amounts of cash.

Of course. But again, that's supposed to be the difference with being in on the ground floor here. Usually the work, research, dedication and obscene cash comes from the objects being collected being hugely out of date and having to hunt them down due to low numbers, made lower due to age (objects wearing out and/or being thrown out in the interim). THESE are new and current. The work, dedication and obscene cash isn't supposed to kick in yet, but due to antics like THIS (antics which long ago convinced me not to continue with Swap Force), they've artificially cranked everything up, and we're asking for this stuff to STOP.

Quote: UncleBob

What you're doing isn't collecting. It's whining.

Actually, it's neither. As I said, I'm not collecting. And I'm not whining, I'm calling for justice, for fairness. Things we're supposed to be able to ask for.

Will you guys stop calling Unclebob Uncletroll how would you like it if someone called you that ? I'm sure he dosen't appreciate it

Quote: niceguy1

Quote: UncleBob

So, my employer also gives out nice little plaques for various achievements (5 years, 10 years, [...] of the year, etc). If someone decided they wanted to collect those, would it be the responsibility of my employer to make these plaques available for collectors?

Again, NO idea of collecting. It's sad, really, UncleTroll. FYI, they never WOULD be collectible, because you can go to trophy stores and have them made up, AND they're not something where they're made available to the public for purchase. So, such a faulty invalid comparison means an answer is not possible.

Quote: UncleBob

Or little metal pins. There's lots of people who collect those from various companies - and they're often little things that companies will give their employees, thanking them for their years of service.

Same thing, they can be made by anybody, and aren't available to the public for purchase. Oh, and another thing, their value comes from earning them (10 years of employment, whatever), collectibles are valued for collecting them together, and for their rarity, how hard they are TO collect.

Quote: UncleBob

Coke made a special Atari game, limited to 125 pieces! This is unfair to both Coca-cola collectors and Atari collectors!

Don't know the details, but sounds perfectly fair, just rare. AGAIN, clean your glasses or whatever, there's NO mention of rarity in our objections, not really. There are always rare items in collectibles, we expect this to be rare. We're just talking about being made available at stores.

Quote: UncleBob

Then there's this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLQCjI74u0Q

I'm not watching a 5 minute video to figure out what you're going on about, especially with your skewed views on all of this.

Quote: UncleBob

Is it unfair that Nintendo often makes Mario items that they give employees?
http://itssamuraijosh.wordpres...niversary-gift/

Show me other figures like that on store shelves, ready to start collecting, then I'll call it unfair. Otherwise, it's just a nice employee gift, perfectly fair.

Quote: UncleBob

Dude. Activision made some special figures as a "Thanks" to some folks who helped them build a billion dollar brand. I'm sorry that gets your feathers ruffled, but it's a very common practice.

AGAIN, the difference is that all the other "Thanks" items you mentioned AREN'T COLLECTIBLES. The goal of a collection is to complete it. Like they say in Pokemon, "Gotta catch them all!". With certain figures unavailable to the public, that makes such completion impossible. Things being rare because they were for sale 20 years ago and THAT one didn't sell well is one thing. THIS is rare and unavailable from the start! The whole advantage to getting these while current is so that we're in "on the ground floor", we're doing it while it should still be easy to find what we're missing. It's because of figures like this Gill Grunt and Employee Prism Break that I can't and won't even entertain the idea of collecting them.

Quote: UncleBob

And, by the way, let me assure you - I know exactly how collecting works.

No, you've made it quite clear you are completely confused about the concept of collecting. You underlined THAT fact when you started talking about the idea of people collecting award plaques and long service statuettes.

Quote: UncleBob

Collecting isn't always 'go to the store and buy stuff'. Sometimes, it involves work, research, dedication and obscene amounts of cash.

Of course. But again, that's supposed to be the difference with being in on the ground floor here. Usually the work, research, dedication and obscene cash comes from the objects being collected being hugely out of date and having to hunt them down due to low numbers, made lower due to age (objects wearing out and/or being thrown out in the interim). THESE are new and current. The work, dedication and obscene cash isn't supposed to kick in yet, but due to antics like THIS (antics which long ago convinced me not to continue with Swap Force), they've artificially cranked everything up, and we're asking for this stuff to STOP.

Quote: UncleBob

What you're doing isn't collecting. It's whining.

Actually, it's neither. As I said, I'm not collecting. And I'm not whining, I'm calling for justice, for fairness. Things we're supposed to be able to ask for.

You are whining. Whining because these are not made available in stores. Where is the injustice in this?

Maybe you should try and convince me that Super Bowl rings should be made available to everyone. I mean that is only fair and would bring justice to the world.

The gill grunts are on Ebay atleast 5 of them. The odds of you finding one in a store are slim to none. So you would have to go to Ebay anyways.

Grow up.

Quote: bigslam

Will you guys stop calling Unclebob Uncletroll how would you like it if someone called you that ? I'm sure he dosen't appreciate it

We call him UncleTroll because we're calling him out on his probable Troll activity, saying that we recognize that he's probably faking all this just to cause discord.


Quote: Bazinga

You are whining. Whining because these are not made available in stores. Where is the injustice in this?

Where the injustice is has been clearly pointed out multiple times. Guess you haven't been reading. Try again.

Quote: Bazinga

Maybe you should try and convince me that Super Bowl rings should be made available to everyone. I mean that is only fair and would bring justice to the world.

Wow! Another person who doesn't understand collecting! Amazing, both appearing in the same thread. Show me Super Bowl (or other football rings) appearing in stores, then I'll call it unfair and unjust. (*psst!* Super Bowl rings aren't collectibles)

Quote: Bazinga

The gill grunts are on Ebay atleast 5 of them. The odds of you finding one in a store are slim to none. So you would have to go to Ebay anyways.

No. Chances are none. That's the issue. If the chances of finding one in a store were SLIM to none, there would be no issue here. These are collectibles. We all accept the inevitability of chances being slim. We object to there being no chance whatsoever.

Quote: niceguy1

Again, NO idea of collecting. It's sad, really, UncleTroll. FYI, they never WOULD be collectible, because you can go to trophy stores and have them made up, AND they're not something where they're made available to the public for purchase. So, such a faulty invalid comparison means an answer is not possible.

Quote:

Same thing, they can be made by anybody, and aren't available to the public for purchase. Oh, and another thing, their value comes from earning them (10 years of employment, whatever), collectibles are valued for collecting them together, and for their rarity, how hard they are TO collect.

Anything can be collectible. Who are YOU to say something isn't collectable? There are people who collect rolls of toilet paper from hotel rooms. YOU have NO business telling people what they can and cannot collect.

...oh, and....
Quote:

not something where they're made available to the public for purchase.

These limited edition Gill Grunts weren't made available to the public for purchase. Isn't that supposedly the main point of your argument?


Quote:

Don't know the details, but sounds perfectly fair, just rare. AGAIN, clean your glasses or whatever, there's NO mention of rarity in our objections, not really. There are always rare items in collectibles, we expect this to be rare. We're just talking about being made available at stores.

Not surprised you don't know the details - it seems you're a fairly young individual with little to no knowledge of the gaming industry and the history of it.

Pepsi Invaders was a specially produced cartridge for the Atari 2600 that was given to employees of Coke (and was NEVER made for sale outside of this). I'm glad that you think this is fair because this is the EXACT same thing that has happened here.

Oh, no mention of "rarity" in your objections?

Quote: niceguy1

No, because YOUR bonus isn't in the form of a collectible figure which isn't available otherwise, making it artificially rare.

Try your previous post on the subject.

Quote:

I'm not watching a 5 minute video to figure out what you're going on about, especially with your skewed views on all of this.

You don't need to watch the video to see that this guy has a HUGE Mario collection, including...

Quote:

Show me other figures like that on store shelves, ready to start collecting, then I'll call it unfair. Otherwise, it's just a nice employee gift, perfectly fair.

...all kinds of Mario figures...

Quote:

AGAIN, the difference is that all the other "Thanks" items you mentioned AREN'T COLLECTIBLES. The goal of a collection is to complete it. Like they say in Pokemon, "Gotta catch them all!". With certain figures unavailable to the public, that makes such completion impossible. Things being rare because they were for sale 20 years ago and THAT one didn't sell well is one thing. THIS is rare and unavailable from the start! The whole advantage to getting these while current is so that we're in "on the ground floor", we're doing it while it should still be easy to find what we're missing. It's because of figures like this Gill Grunt and Employee Prism Break that I can't and won't even entertain the idea of collecting them.

AGAIN YOU don't get to decide what is collectable and what isn't. Sorry, Charlie, but you just don't have that much power over people.

Good for you. No one's forcing you to "collect" these, either the retail figures or the limited edition ones.

But, as I've said before, there's a reason Activision doesn't include all of these uber-rare variants on the posters and packages that say "Collect them all!" - it's because they don't expect anyone to collect them all. They never did.

Quote:

No, you've made it quite clear you are completely confused about the concept of collecting. You underlined THAT fact when you started talking about the idea of people collecting award plaques and long service statuettes.

...you know, because there are people who do...

Quote:

Of course. But again, that's supposed to be the difference with being in on the ground floor here. Usually the work, research, dedication and obscene cash comes from the objects being collected being hugely out of date and having to hunt them down due to low numbers, made lower due to age (objects wearing out and/or being thrown out in the interim). THESE are new and current.

Wow. And you say I know nothing about collecting? Why don't you go and talk to some collectors of things like Hot Wheels. Or Baseball cards. Hell, any trading cards. Go talk to some Magic: The Gathering or Pokemon Trading Card Game collectors. Talk to some action figure collectors. Hey, this Wii game came out a couple of years ago and is already selling for 2-3x the retail price and is rather hard to track down already. Oh, Oh... the 3DS, still a current and fresh system, the Pikachu 3DS is already selling for twice the retail price - it's new and current. I had a friend who wanted the Animal Crossing 3DS two weeks after it came out and I had to pull some research together to find one for sale at retail (roughly two and a half hour drive for her too). And this is all stuff that is for sale on the shelves of stores that takes time, work, research, dedication and the occasional obscene amounts of cash to get. To think you should just be able to walk into a store and buy something that you want to collect just because it's new is short sighted and asinine. To demand it is entitlement.

It's apparent to me that YOU know nothing about collecting.

Quote:

And I'm not whining[...]

Yes. Yes, you are.

For cryin' out loud...will you two knock it off...enough already....sheeseess

Quote: niceguy1

Wow! Another person who doesn't understand collecting! Amazing, both appearing in the same thread. Show me Super Bowl (or other football rings) appearing in stores, then I'll call it unfair and unjust. (*psst!* Super Bowl rings aren't collectibles)

HAHAHAHAHA... Wow. Super Bowl rings aren't collectibles? Really?

Someone should tell this guy that he's wasting his time and money...

Or this guy...

Or this guy...

Quote: niceguy1

Quote: bigslam

Will you guys stop calling Unclebob Uncletroll how would you like it if someone called you that ? I'm sure he dosen't appreciate it

We call him UncleTroll because we're calling him out on his probable Troll activity, saying that we recognize that he's probably faking all this just to cause discord.


Quote: Bazinga

You are whining. Whining because these are not made available in stores. Where is the injustice in this?

Where the injustice is has been clearly pointed out multiple times. Guess you haven't been reading. Try again.

Quote: Bazinga

Maybe you should try and convince me that Super Bowl rings should be made available to everyone. I mean that is only fair and would bring justice to the world.

Wow! Another person who doesn't understand collecting! Amazing, both appearing in the same thread. Show me Super Bowl (or other football rings) appearing in stores, then I'll call it unfair and unjust. (*psst!* Super Bowl rings aren't collectibles)

Quote: Bazinga

The gill grunts are on Ebay atleast 5 of them. The odds of you finding one in a store are slim to none. So you would have to go to Ebay anyways.

No. Chances are none. That's the issue. If the chances of finding one in a store were SLIM to none, there would be no issue here. These are collectibles. We all accept the inevitability of chances being slim. We object to there being no chance whatsoever.

Hmm.. A super bowl ring not collectible? Really. I'm pretty sure that fans of teams who have won a super bowl and have memorabilia from that team would consider that collectible. Anyways, I will take my leave from this thread to make sure that I go find some place for fairness and justice in the Skylanders world. You say Unclebob has a thick skull..... Probably about half as thick as yours if you think this is unfair and an injustice.

Quote: niceguy1

Quote: bigslam

Will you guys stop calling Unclebob Uncletroll how would you like it if someone called you that ? I'm sure he dosen't appreciate it

We call him UncleTroll because we're calling him out on his probable Troll activity, saying that we recognize that he's probably faking all this just to cause discord.


Quote: Bazinga

You are whining. Whining because these are not made available in stores. Where is the injustice in this?

Where the injustice is has been clearly pointed out multiple times. Guess you haven't been reading. Try again.

Quote: Bazinga

Maybe you should try and convince me that Super Bowl rings should be made available to everyone. I mean that is only fair and would bring justice to the world.

Wow! Another person who doesn't understand collecting! Amazing, both appearing in the same thread. Show me Super Bowl (or other football rings) appearing in stores, then I'll call it unfair and unjust. (*psst!* Super Bowl rings aren't collectibles)

Quote: Bazinga

The gill grunts are on Ebay atleast 5 of them. The odds of you finding one in a store are slim to none. So you would have to go to Ebay anyways.

No. Chances are none. That's the issue. If the chances of finding one in a store were SLIM to none, there would be no issue here. These are collectibles. We all accept the inevitability of chances being slim. We object to there being no chance whatsoever.

U know what you are not going to get everything you want in life so please do me a favour and stop complaining. "P.S Super Bowl rings are very collectible" .

Quote: UncleBob

Anything can be collectible. Who are YOU to say something isn't collectable? There are people who collect rolls of toilet paper from hotel rooms. YOU have NO business telling people what they can and cannot collect.

Oooooooh, you're confusing collecting with collectible. Sure, there are people who collect such things. But they're a select few, here and there. THESE are made to be collected by many people. That's why they're made in large numbers, to go to a large number of people. Those items you're "quoting" are made one at a time. It's not like there are enough collectors of "REVERE COPPER AND BRASS Employee 45 Years Service award pin badge"s that they can have a meeting, rent a hall. That's a small but significant difference here.

Quote: UncleBob

...oh, and....
Quote:

not something where they're made available to the public for purchase.

These limited edition Gill Grunts weren't made available to the public for purchase. Isn't that supposedly the main point of your argument?

You've made it clear that it's difficult for you to follow a cogent argument, but please try harder than THIS. I bought Stealth Elf. I bought Ninjini and Scarlet Ninjini. I bought Hex, as well as many others. Yes, Skylanders are INDEED available to the public for purchase. Where have you been? The "something" in this case is "Employee Award Plaques" vs. "Skylanders".

Quote: UncleBob

Quote:

Don't know the details, but sounds perfectly fair, just rare. AGAIN, clean your glasses or whatever, there's NO mention of rarity in our objections, not really. There are always rare items in collectibles, we expect this to be rare. We're just talking about being made available at stores.

Not surprised you don't know the details - it seems you're a fairly young individual with little to no knowledge of the gaming industry and the history of it.

Pepsi Invaders was a specially produced cartridge for the Atari 2600 that was given to employees of Coke (and was NEVER made for sale outside of this). I'm glad that you think this is fair because this is the EXACT same thing that has happened here.

Firstly, I'm probably older than you. Your arguments support this. And yes, I owned an Atari 2600. Check that, I STILL own one.

And you're right, I do classify this the same, that wasn't fair of them either. However, there still is a difference, Atari cartridges were never designed (as a whole) to be collected. Sure, some were, like this one, as well as these contest games we did have, but not as a whole.

Quote: UncleBob

Oh, no mention of "rarity" in your objections?
Quote: niceguy1

No, because YOUR bonus isn't in the form of a collectible figure which isn't available otherwise, making it artificially rare.

Again, UncleTroll, you have a sheer talent for purposely misunderstanding. The key word here is "artificially", not the "rare" part. I feel I've made it quite clear that the rarity isn't the problem.

Quote: UncleBob

Quote:

I'm not watching a 5 minute video to figure out what you're going on about, especially with your skewed views on all of this.

You don't need to watch the video to see that this guy has a HUGE Mario collection, including...

Ummmmm, all you're demonstrating here is that there are people who collect things. I know this. Completely pointless, including your eBay links. No bearing on the discussion at hand whatsoever. Bravo.

Quote: UncleBob

But, as I've said before, there's a reason Activision doesn't include all of these uber-rare variants on the posters and packages that say "Collect them all!" - it's because they don't expect anyone to collect them all. They never did.

They designed them as collectible, they intended for people to collect them, they intended this all along. You can't SERIOUSLY doubt that? Ooops, I forgot, you're UncleTroll.

Quote: UncleBob

Wow. And you say I know nothing about collecting? Why don't you go and talk to some collectors of things like Hot Wheels. Or Baseball cards. Hell, any trading cards. Go talk to some Magic: The Gathering or Pokemon Trading Card Game collectors. Talk to some action figure collectors. Hey, this Wii game came out a couple of years ago and is already selling for 2-3x the retail price and is rather hard to track down already.

Let's see. People who collect Hot Wheels, baseball cards, trading cards, Magic cards, action figures, all that stuff, the hunt is mainly about getting out of print stuff. I HAVE Magic: The Gathering cards. That was fresh and new and hot when I got them, in the early 90's, roughly 20 years ago. The cards I bought in the store are the kind of thing people might hunt for now. They hunt and pay high prices because many cards from back then are damaged now, maybe even thrown out now, and those that remain, only a select few are selling. All of these things drive up demand, by driving down supply, the normal laws of supply & demand are acceptable and normal. It's when companies try to manipulate matters when it's a problem.

The rest of their hunting is just like Skylanders, except I never hear about a baseball card which is never released to the public, never released to the stores. As for Wii/3DS games, as I said before, they're not designed as collectibles, they're designed as games. People form passions for collecting ANYTHING. It's only when it's designed for collection that some responsibility falls on the ones who designed it that way.

Quote: niceguy1

Oooooooh, you're confusing collecting with collectible.

Well, this pretty much sums it up.

You have shown, with this exact statement, how you simply don't understand how things work.

Quote:

collectable
col·lect·i·ble
adjective
1. capable of being collected.
noun
2. an object suitable for a collection, originally a work of fine art or an antique, now including also any of a wide variety of items collected as a hobby, for display, or as an investment whose value may appreciate.

By your limited and uneducated definition, paintings by famous artists would not be "a collectable". Yet, by the definition of the word, it's clearly "a collectable".

I guess that's the hang up. You don't know how words work.

Glad we could clear that up so we can all move on.

*shakes head*


Really, this is pointless. Niceguy really you are not going to win this argument because what you are doing is whining. If you really wanted to get this figure and were not just looking to argue you would go and buy one.


You keep saying that Unclebob is a troll. If you think he is a troll then why are feeding him?

Quote: BahamutBreaker

Quote: shelly9871

There is one for $150 buy it now on ebay....fyi

Hehe ... good find, Shelly.

I bet the person that bought the first one for over $500 is feeling pretty deflated now.

Last few has sold for a much more reasonable $220 or so. I think it will settle to the $175-$200 range.

Quote: niceguy1

I never hear about a baseball card which is never released to the public, never released to the stores.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2001-T...2-/380680662227

http://www.milehighcardco.com/...spx?lotid=24728

http://www.komonews.com/sports...-214801271.html

Three quick examples of Baseball cards that were never released to the public and never released to stores.

So, niceguy1, would you like to continue to show everyone how little you know about collecting? Because this is kinda fun.

Another topic de-railed. *sigh*

Quote: Matteomax

Another topic de-railed. *sigh*

For some of the collectors in this group, this is actually very much in line with how we go about buying these toys--and should be educational for some of the younger cadets. I agree however this would be better served in a dedicated thread. Is there a way to start a new thread and lift these thread components and put it in it?

C'mon, strut your Hunter stuff...

Don't worry folks, I've said my piece to UncleTroll, I feel like I'll be able to resist further feeding him now on this subject. I've said it before, I'll say it again. Trying to explain to him is like trying to hammer a banana into a stone. With a toy hammer.

However, I will clarify my statements which have been misunderstood by multiple people, all of whom don't seem to be following the conversation, as my meaning should have been clear in context. And THANK YOU UncleBob for providing the definition, I was all set to explain the difference, and you go and provide it for me. (And it amuses me that with the correct spelling right there in the definition, you STILL manage to misspell "collectible")

Quote: UncleBob

Quote:

collectable
col·lect·i·ble
adjective
1. capable of being collected.
noun
2. an object suitable for a collection, originally a work of fine art or an antique, now including also any of a wide variety of items collected as a hobby, for display, or as an investment whose value may appreciate.

Everyone saying that you can collect Super Bowl rings is arguing based on definition #1, the word as a descriptive term of the activity, the adjective. I used it under definition #2, the word as a category, the noun.

The difference?
Adjective: "This Super Bowl ring is collectible."
Adjective: "Super Bowl rings are collectible.", as in they can be collected.
Noun: "This Super Bowl ring is a collectible."
Noun: "Super Bowl ring is are collectibles."

Note the "a" and the plural "s". This use implies that's what it's made for, collecting.

So,
Adjective: "Can people collect them?" YES! "Do people collect them?" YES!
Noun: "Were they designed/intended to be collected?" NO!

As UncleBob pointed out, people collect ANYTHING. In fact, the main way I even know what a Super Bowl ring IS is by seeing sitcoms and such depicting people collecting one. I seem to remember one where the guy started wearing it to pick up girls. I just meant they weren't made to be collected, they're made as an award for the accomplishment.

Quote: GhostRoaster

Quote: Matteomax

Another topic de-railed. *sigh*

For some of the collectors in this group, this is actually very much in line with how we go about buying these toys--and should be educational for some of the younger cadets. I agree however this would be better served in a dedicated thread. Is there a way to start a new thread and lift these thread components and put it in it?

C'mon, strut your Hunter stuff...

I can't do anything in this section.

Wow. You say you're using definition #2, then completely make up your own definition consisting of "designed/intended to be collected" (which is in no way part of the definition).

You have shown, once again, that you simply don't understand how things work.

By the way, I love this statement...
Quote: niceguy1

I just meant they weren't made to be collected, they're made as an award for the accomplishment.

These specific Gill Grunts (along with the Employee Prism Break) were both made as awards. So, by your own statement, they're not meant to be collected and you're whining over nothing at all.

Also, what'd you think about those cool, non-collectible baseball cards I linked too above? It's funny, I remember back in my younger years, the whole George HW Bush trading card and remember folks talking about it at trade shows. The particular article I linked to is a major interest to me, because I *swear* I remember it being said back then that someone stole copies of the card out of the factory... but I might be crazy. All I know is that it was the freaking president (and I was young enough not to know good presidents from bad presidents) on a freaking baseball card that was going to be worth billions of dollars and I wanted one back then. If only I had known back then that it wasn't even collectible!

Oh no, corruption is upon are skylanders,

oh no niceguy1, oh no!

Quote: niceguy1

Well, as I said earlier in this reply, this is feeling a LOT like Employee Prism Break, who most definitely came with instructions/request not to sell, judging from how many reports I've read to that effect. Notice I said "and possibly this Gill Grunt", because it seems likely this Gill Grunt will have the same instruction/request, something I find likely due to the similar non-retail nature of the figures. I have indeed heard no reports of this, it just seems likely to me.

I'm sorry, but that just doesn't sound credible to me. In the absence of any kind of hard proof, I'm going to say that those "reports" you've read are likely to be just a rumor someone made up circling around to eat its own tail. I've never heard of a company restricting the gifts they give their employees and I've been collecting a wide range of different lines for years now.

Quote: Zer0

I've never heard of a company restricting the gifts they give their employees and I've been collecting a wide range of different lines for years now.

Well, duh! There's your problem! You've been collecting things. Employee gifts aren't meant to be collected (except, apparently, this one, individual figure). That's why you've never heard of it.

Quote: UncleBob

Quote: Zer0

I've never heard of a company restricting the gifts they give their employees and I've been collecting a wide range of different lines for years now.

Well, duh! There's your problem! You've been collecting things. Employee gifts aren't meant to be collected (except, apparently, this one, individual figure). That's why you've never heard of it.

To quote your earlier quote...you DID say people collect all sorts of stuff...who are you to say what someone can or cannot collect

I think we've all come full circle now. Dante's Divine Comedy comes to mind.

Well, I was mocking the idea that something isn't collectable unless it's sold in a retail store or something.

Quote: UncleBob

Well, I was trolling the idea that something isn't collectable unless it's sold in a retail store or something. Because, well, ya know, professional trolling is what I do here. But it's OK as long as I end every one of my posts with a smiley-face emoticon, OK?

Fixed for accuracy.


Please close this thread; have mercy.

Considering what you posted on someone's guestbook, I really don't think you have much room for giving advice on what people post here.