darkSpyro

I'm glad they haven't released any chase variants with Swap Force. I've found that I'm not wasting my time scanning through all the Swap Force figures on pegs at stores looking for something odd and rare. How about you guys? Do you feel you're saving time not actively hunting stores for these rare finds as with the past games?

I am personally not a fan of them because it just promotes people to scalp stuff for a game. A game that they are not even playing, yes people that don't even play the game will buy them and flip them on the market and all they do is make pure profit off people who do play Skylanders.

Quote: WickedRogue

I am personally not a fan of them because it just promotes people to scalp stuff for a game. A game that they are not even playing, yes people that don't even play the game will buy them and flip them on the market and all they do is make pure profit off people who do play Skylanders.

As a 'retired' flipper myself, that's not entirely true. I got into it because I was playing the game.

The thing that irritates me is a combination of things. The 'rarity' isn't consistent, for instance - Scarlet was easy to get my hands on, Pumpkin Eyebrawl is beyond excessive for a game that had run it's course, yet I can't get my hands on Sparkle Hot Head unless I want to put up $100 on eBay. the other thing that grinds my gears is them simply not updating the dag on game - so that chase variants are REAL variants. There is no reason why we shouldn't have a 'Blue Bash' in game, or even Pumpkin Eye-Brawl. There is just little to no point. Chrome Boomer would be awesome to have if he was really chrome. Red Drill Sergeant would be awesome if he looked like that in game.
- Unreall

scarlet was not a "chase" variant she is an in game variant.
and i also thought it was bad i never saw a chase variant and i work for a place that sales skylanders.
i have seen in every box of skylanders that we got in and not one chase.

Quote: Blueguy7k

scarlet was not a "chase" variant she is an in game variant.
and i also thought it was bad i never saw a chase variant and i work for a place that sales skylanders.
i have seen in every box of skylanders that we got in and not one chase.

No she wasn't a "Chase" variant, but the CONCEPT of a chase variant is what I speak ill of. All variants should function in game as a variant, that's the whole point of a 'game that plays the figure you put on it'. I can understand certain ones not being represented properly on the Wii due to processing power (crystal variants and blue/green/red), but I don't see why that's the case on other consoles and moving forward. The Wii U is coming with a chase Wash Buckler. Why won't it look like that in game? The console has the horses to show it properly, and the games are patchable.

There should be no issue with adding when necessary - chase variants to make them 'variants'.
- Unreall

Quote: Unreallystic

Quote: Blueguy7k

scarlet was not a "chase" variant she is an in game variant.
and i also thought it was bad i never saw a chase variant and i work for a place that sales skylanders.
i have seen in every box of skylanders that we got in and not one chase.

No she wasn't a "Chase" variant, but the CONCEPT of a chase variant is what I speak ill of. All variants should function in game as a variant, that's the whole point of a 'game that plays the figure you put on it'. I can understand certain ones not being represented properly on the Wii due to processing power (crystal variants and blue/green/red), but I don't see why that's the case on other consoles and moving forward. The Wii U is coming with a chase Wash Buckler. Why won't it look like that in game? The console has the horses to show it properly, and the games are patchable.

There should be no issue with adding when necessary - chase variants to make them 'variants'.
- Unreall

I consider chase variants to be non-in-game variants that have a "special" finish or color on them that fetch the big bucks on the secondary market (Ebay). I think they're quite useless to the average game player, but are quite valuable to the 0.05% of people who are out to get every figure and need that special or rare tag in the game and get a kick out of the competition to have the highest figure count in their game. At the end of the day, these people already have all the in game variants and one of every characters, so it's all for kicks and bragging rights. I for one am happy not to have to deal with any chase variants in my collection. If you consider green Gill Grunt and Pumpkin Eye Brawl as chase variants (which I don't), I guess I have those lying around. If I do find a real chase variant in store, it'll be up on Ebay so somebody that actually is collecting them can have it.

I don't really associate 'interest' with chase variant. It's all semantics, but a variant to me is a figure that appears different in game, and a chase variant is one that doesn't appear different in game but IS different physically. either way, for a game that has made so much money, for a company that knows HOW to patch, I just find it lazy that their exist figures that do not appear in game as they do IRL. I WOULD put out money for a Crystal figure if it was crystal in the game. But it's not, so it's just kind of 'dumb' to me. I'd pay solid money to get my hands on a purple metallic wrecking-ball if he showed up like that in game, but he doesn't.

Activision learned their lesson, everything they release these days has enough 'volume' to not do much on eBay. Looking at what's going for the high price now on eBay, its mostly stuff from Spyro, or a super exclusive like an E3. I'm not expecting ANYTHING from Swap Force to be worth more than retail. Maybe a year from now, the Legendaries will retain full value, but we won't have anymore GhostRoasters or Boomers.
- Unreall

Ah, so not everyone understands what a chase variant is to begin with, that explains a lot of things.

If the figurine is not coded to tell the game it is special, then the game can't do anything (e.g. SSA variants).

However, I concede the point that it would not take too much effort to code/patch the game to show a different skin if the fig is coded as special.

I perceive that the marketing decision of which figs to make non in-game (chase) vairants occurs well after game release but a patch would work (but alienate Wii users even more).

The only trouble is when a fig gets two chase variants and they need to then code types of special on the fig (which does not happen yet). For example, SG Sonic Boom had the (easy chase) GitD and Sparkle variants.

Back to the OP, chase variants are usually rare so would logically garner a premium price in a market (Keynesian economics wrt supply and demand). I don't hold it against someone to try to make a buck on them but do dislike attempts at profiteering by buying all the figs from an area (which doesn't happen much any more).

I'm glad that I theoretically don't have to dread if/when a favorite character gets a chase variant anymore.

Alt decos are a great substitution. They provide a new coloration to an old skylander that also shows up ingame and have their own separate release so you can prepare for them.

Of course the word "yet" is in our heads as we say happily "there's no chase variants for swap force"....

I would rather see chase variants go another route like a lays game or some other food. I

What are chase variants

Chase Variants are: Characters that are different in appearance (One Color) but show up the same in the game as the standard character. Very hard to find.
For example: Silver Boomer is all silver but looks like the regular/standard Boomer in the game.

In Game Variants are: Usually the second version of a character that is colored differently than the standard character. Easy to find during first month of release
For Example: Scarlet Ninjini is red, as for Ninjini is purple.

Special Holiday Variants: Same as Chase Variant, but is not one color and is easier to find/win during the first month of release.
For Example: Pumpkin Eye-Brawl; Pumpkin Fright-Rider

Quote: dinoah2005

Special Holiday Variants: Same as Chase Variant, but is not one color and is easier to find/win during the first month of release.
For Example: Pumpkin Eye-Brawl; Pumpkin Fright-Rider

Let's leave these still under "Chase variants". Otherwise someone's going to get them confused with Jolly Bumble Blast and so forth.

^Agreed....my think on the Variants is just the 2 types...

In-Game Variants(Scarlet Ninjini, Gnarly Tree Rex, Polor Whirlwind, Molten Hot Dog...ect.)

Chase Variants "Non-In-Game Variants"(Burple Eye-Brawl, Sparkle/Glitter Hot Head, Pumpkin Fright Rider, Transpearent Blue Bash, Clear Stealth Elf, GITD Cynder...ect.)

Yes i know some of you out there classify the "Chase" Variants as ones you have to "chase" after(Clear, Burple, Sparkle/Glitter) compared to the ones you don't have to(Pumpkin Eye-Brawl, Transpearent Blue Bash, Transpearent Red Drill Sergeant, GITD's) because there in abundance in the store.
Well we are chassing after all of them.

So i classify them all as Chase Variants, from the GITD's witch i have seen an abundance of them on the shelf's to the Clear's of witch i have seen none on the shelf's.

In my mind, VV and Activision has helped clarify with the following terminology:

1. Regular characters / roster (widely available)
2. In-game variants / Limited Availability Variants (limited supply but widely available)
3. Chase Variants / Treasure Hunt Variants (simply hard to find)

#1 is your standard roster of characters
#2 would be Legendaries, Scarlet Ninjini, GITD Cynder, Jolly Bumble Blast, Granite Crusher, Quickdraw Trigger Happy, Springtime Trigger Happy, etc
#3 would be Snow Flocked Prism Break, Blurple Eye Brawl, Glitter Sonic Boom, etc.

Treasure Hunt Variants is the specific terminology VV has used on numerous interviews for #3.

ANY character can be given "Legendary" status or "Lightcore" status.
Any character can have "Special" status in game but only some will appear differently as they had to be coded in advance.
This allows them to add "Special" variants after release that can't be faked by simply painting a normal figure (as it won't show up as special).

There are also several types of special tag for a character. It's all very confusing and has been an absolute pain for me to pin down in my app!

I use terminology such as easy chase - it is a chase variant but was not hold to get a hold off.

GitD Sonic Boom and Translucent Drill Sarge seemed that way in US and GitD Fright Rider was definitely like that here in Oz (literally shelves of them).

Quote: Pyrofer

ANY character can be given "Legendary" status or "Lightcore" status.
Any character can have "Special" status in game but only some will appear differently as they had to be coded in advance.
This allows them to add "Special" variants after release that can't be faked by simply painting a normal figure (as it won't show up as special).

There are also several types of special tag for a character. It's all very confusing and has been an absolute pain for me to pin down in my app!

From my perspective, it's because they seem to be flying by the seat of their pants.

with the fact they do apply patches to the newer swap force game, it shouldn't be that hard for them to *gasp* apply patches for the additional code of characters now, no excuse to say they can't do it

Quote: tigerdr

with the fact they do apply patches to the newer swap force game, it shouldn't be that hard for them to *gasp* apply patches for the additional code of characters now, no excuse to say they can't do it

The patch appears to be whatever they are using for the "low tech" online network stuff, not the game itself.

Quote: Kung Fu Man

Quote: dinoah2005

Special Holiday Variants: Same as Chase Variant, but is not one color and is easier to find/win during the first month of release.
For Example: Pumpkin Eye-Brawl; Pumpkin Fright-Rider

Let's leave these still under "Chase variants". Otherwise someone's going to get them confused with Jolly Bumble Blast and so forth.

I don't agree simply because you do not have to "Chase them", They are widely available during the first month release.
I do see your point as for getting them confused so here is my new way of thinking:

Chase Variants: Characters that are different in appearance (One Color - hard to find) but show up the same in the game as the standard character. Very hard to find.
For example: Silver Boomer is all silver but looks like the regular/standard Boomer in the game. Others: Gold, Silver, Sparkle, Purple, Flocked, Clear, Stone.

(Just) Variants: Usually the second version of a character (In-Game) or Store Special (May or may not show up same in game) that is colored differently than the standard character. Easy to find during first month of release (Except for Target: 1-2 weeks)
For Example: Blue Bash, Legendary =TRU; Polar WW = GameStop; Granite Crusher, Jade Flashwing = Target; GITD Sonic Boom, Green Gill Grunt, Red Drill Sergent - Walmart; Gnarley, Pumpkin EyeBrawl - ALL Stores.

The key is weather it is easy to find or vary hard to find, this is why I say Pumpkin EyeBrawl should not be in the Chase category.
Another key is that the "Very Hard to Find" are always one color. The easy to find may have one color Variants but they are exclusive to a specific store and are easier since they are exclusives to a Store.

Just remember that one person's easy to find is another person's chase.

Some of the things you classify as easy never appeared here in Oz. Likewise, I don't think GitD Fright Rider was nearly as accessible to other nations as it was here...

If it does 0 to the game that you see on the screen, as in color or stats and it's just cosmetic. Than it is a chase variant.

I'd like to offer a simpler definition of "chase variant", which has been re-named "treasure hunt variant" by Vicarious Visions: a "chase" or "treasure hunt" variant is one that is UNADVERTISED ... you don't find them in the official guidebooks, or on the Skylanders official website, or in retail store weekly ads or circulars. It's as simple as that, really.

Quote: BahamutBreaker

I'd like to offer a simpler definition of "chase variant", which has been re-named "treasure hunt variant" by Vicarious Visions: a "chase" or "treasure hunt" variant is one that is UNADVERTISED ... you don't find them in the official guidebooks, or on the Skylanders official website, or in retail store weekly ads or circulars. It's as simple as that, really.

Yeah that's just about perfect, I think. In the same vein, chase variants have nothing on the packaging indicating they're special either. Pumpkin Eye Brawl is labeled as "Special Halloween 2013 Edition", for example.

That's a good point, Torch, although I'm not sure it's fully accurate. My reasoning there is that some "chase/treasure hunt" variants originate from trade shows, such as the "E3" variants, and those do have special labels on the packaging.

I think a lot of fans on these forums are quick to disenfranchise "Pumpkin" Eye Brawl from the ranks of "chase" variants ... because he's ugly or because his sales have been disappointing (in other words, he didn't disappear from the store shelves overnight upon release). But the truth is, Pumpkin Eye Brawl is a chase variant ... he's just probably the worst one released to date.

At the very least, Pumpkin Eye Brawl represents the beginning of the inevitable "graying" of the imaginary "line" between chase variants and regular variants. That imaginary line will soon be even more imaginary and gray, too, once the "Special Gill Grunt" releases in January '14. Special Gill Grunt represents the end of our artificial distinction between "chase" and "non-chase". He's a specially-colored, limited edition variant that doesn't appear different from normal Gill Grunt in the games. He's not a store exclusive, and yet only one retailer will be offering Special Gill Grunt, and he's been advertised (although only as a promotional item; not for sale), and he does have special packaging details. That pretty much obliterates any and all previous sound definitions used to distinguish the "chase-ness" of Skylanders variants.

I hope that's a trend that continues. I know anal-retentive and obsessive-compulsive types will disagree, most likely, but I think Skylanders as a whole, and also our forum community in general, will be SO much better off once we all come to realize that attempting to collect every single version or variant of every single Skylander is an exercise in futility and frustration that devours the inherent joyfulness of collecting and playing Skylanders games.

No dinoah...now your mixing In-Game Variants with Non-In-Game Variants with your definition of "(Just) Variants"....like i said in my earlyer post ...we all are chasing them...and what chaosworrier said, depends on the location...some are easyer to get in different places.

Im sticking with my definition of "Chase Variant".

Quote: BahamutBreaker

That's a good point, Torch, although I'm not sure it's fully accurate. My reasoning there is that some "chase/treasure hunt" variants originate from trade shows, such as the "E3" variants, and those do have special labels on the packaging.

I think a lot of fans on these forums are quick to disenfranchise "Pumpkin" Eye Brawl from the ranks of "chase" variants ... because he's ugly or because his sales have been disappointing (in other words, he didn't disappear from the store shelves overnight upon release). But the truth is, Pumpkin Eye Brawl is a chase variant ... he's just probably the worst one released to date.

At the very least, Pumpkin Eye Brawl represents the beginning of the inevitable "graying" of the imaginary "line" between chase variants and regular variants. That imaginary line will soon be even more imaginary and gray, too, once the "Special Gill Grunt" releases in January '14. Special Gill Grunt represents the end of our artificial distinction between "chase" and "non-chase". He's a specially-colored, limited edition variant that doesn't appear different from normal Gill Grunt in the games. He's not a store exclusive, and yet only one retailer will be offering Special Gill Grunt, and he's been advertised (although only as a promotional item; not for sale), and he does have special packaging details. That pretty much obliterates any and all previous sound definitions used to distinguish the "chase-ness" of Skylanders variants.

I hope that's a trend that continues. I know anal-retentive and obsessive-compulsive types will disagree, most likely, but I think Skylanders as a whole, and also our forum community in general, will be SO much better off once we all come to realize that attempting to collect every single version or variant of every single Skylander is an exercise in futility and frustration that devours the inherent joyfulness of collecting and playing Skylanders games.

True, on all that, but if SGG is essentially dissolving the line, then PEB has already dissolved it, since it is sold and advertised separately. But yeah, the trade show chase variants do have special labeling. It's all good though, for me at least, because I definitely will never come anywhere close to "catchin' 'em all". I mean, I own PEB but not the regular version, and don't plan on ever getting the regular version; in fact, I would never have gotten him if there hadn't been a special release.

Smart.

Owning multiples of the same character is silly in my opinion. Unless one REALLY likes a particular character. Just as one example: one doesn't really need to own Magna Charge and Nitro Magna Charge. I mean, there's nothing wrong with buying both ... but if one does that, and then complains about Skylanders being a "money sink", then I have no sympathy for that person. There is no mandate that a fan has to purchase every single Skylander edition ... it's not a competition ... it's a game.

Quote: BahamutBreaker

I'd like to offer a simpler definition of "chase variant", which has been re-named "treasure hunt variant" by Vicarious Visions: a "chase" or "treasure hunt" variant is one that is UNADVERTISED ... you don't find them in the official guidebooks, or on the Skylanders official website, or in retail store weekly ads or circulars. It's as simple as that, really.

Sounds easy enough for me!

On your previous comment: OCD runs rampant for collectors, so unfortunately I can empathize with those that do it (I'm in that camp). I'm on the road to recovery this time though

Getting past denial is the first stage of recovery, GhostRoaster! You have my support.

Yeah, I only buy multiples of my very favorite figures. I have both Ninjinis, both Tree Rexes, and a few Eruptors. I have NMC and will eventually get the regular, but not for a long time, and only when there's big sale, like when they're trying to clear out inventory to make room for Skylanders 4.

tldr;
Chase refers to the toy having a chance of it appearing in a regular shipment. For example, a wave 2 SSA box would have a 1:50 chance(not actual number) of there being a silver Boomer inside. It's similar to shiny Pokemon.

A regular variant is shipped in a box with exclusively that character, so a shipment of blue Bash will be made up of entirely blue Bash. These are typically store exclusives or promotional.

Chase:
Silver Boomer, GITD Zap, clear Cynder, metallic Lightning Rod, etc

Not Chase:
Blue Bash, GITD Sonic Boom, E3 Spyro, Pumpkin Eye Brawl, etc.

*Ahem* Green Riptide