darkSpyro

I have been collecting Skylanders since the beginning, and through all four games, I have a complete collection minus treasure figures. Because Skylanders are a new thing for people to collect, and are kid-centric, the entire collector community at large has been misusing the word "variant," and every time I see it, it makes me cringe. "Variant" is a term used in the toy collecting community, not just a random word people chose to call alternate palette Skylanders. A variant, is an alternate or different version of an existing product, of the same SKU/UPC. For example, the treasure figures are all variants. Clear Tuff Luck is a randomly packaged version of stock Tuff Luck that shares the same SKU, the only difference in the entire package as a whole, is the color of the figure. By contrast, Dark Spyro and Legendary Spyro are NOT variants of Spyro, as they each have unique package art, a unique collector card, and appear as a different, separate character in game. The Skylanders community has taken to calling anything that is colored differently a variant, and this betrays the definition of the word as it pertains to collecting as a whole. It is even purposefully simple within the realm of Skylanders, to tell the difference. If the card it comes with is the basic, generic character, it is a variant; Silver Best Buy Sprocket is a variant, Flocked Stump Smash is a variant, all three Frito Lay Hot Dog figures are variants, all treasure figures are variants. If it has a unique card or a unique name, it is NOT a variant. The term variant is simply incorrect, and should be replaced with recolor, redeco, palette swap, or alternate palette. Any of those is fine, and more importantly, correct with the collecting hobby.

For those of you that are very active around here, please consider my plea, and possibly then lead by example. I am not super active here, but I have been more and more, and I make it a point to never use that word unless it relates to an actual variant.

I think the company used the word variant .

At no point did I ever specify the dictionary definition. According to the dictionary, "literally" now also means figuratively, and most people agree that is dumb. I specifically called into question the use of "variant" as it pertains to the collectors community, which Skylanders can easily be counted among. In collector terms, "chase" and "variant" are two different terms. I polled 5 of my friends about this, all collectors, and without specifying Skylanders as the context, and they all stated, separately, that a variant is al altered version of the same SKU. Also, five people I know means nothing, so I also started a thread on Reddit, in which I gave no context, and it was also unanimous. This bothers me so much because it IS incorrect. A variant is a change made to a figure DURING the production run of that figure. Dark Spyro was not a change made to Spyro, it was a completely separate production run. If they printed both the figure AND the card in alternate colors, it is not a varaint. Here is a link about what constitutes a variant, based on where variants became popular in the marketplace, sports figures.

http://www.sportsactionfigure....orts-figure.asp

And the Reddit thread...
https://www.reddit.com/r/Actio...t_is_a_variant/

Cool, but no, we'll keep using "variant" for any extra versions that a character has. Crystal Clear Tuff Luck is a variant of Tuff Luck. Polar Whirlwind is a variant of Whirlwind, Lightcore Shroomboom is a variant of Shroomboom.

I just bought the King Cobra Cadabra variant today.

Quote: newkill

Cool, but no, we'll keep using "variant" for any extra versions that a character has. Crystal Clear Tuff Luck is a variant of Tuff Luck. Polar Whirlwind is a variant of Whirlwind, Lightcore Shroomboom is a variant of Shroomboom.

Lightcores aren't variants...

Quote:

a form or version of something that differs in some respect from other forms of the same thing or from a standard.

******************

Instead of simply stating an opinion, defend your statement. The game treats clear Tuff Luck as Tuff Luck; variant. The game DOES NOT treat Polar Whirlwind as Whirlwind, NOT variant. If you are going to disagree with the accepted definition of the term by collectors, explain why.

For perspective outside of Skylanders, no one would argue that Thundercracker is a variant of Starscream. No one would argue that Dark Samus is a variant of Samus. Super Saiyan Goku is not a variant of Goku. LEGO War Machine is not a variant of LEGO Iron Man. And on and on.

Variants and palette swaps are different, but no one's getting hurt by using variant for both. People have been doing this for 5 years, good luck changing an entire fandom's opinion.

You have a high number of gems, have been a long time member, and acknowledge there is a difference. If you started using the term correctly, others would eventually follow suit. My "luck" would significantly increase with the help of people that understand the word is being misused. It is basically the same as people misusing the ellipsis, if your sig is serious and not just a quote from something. Boards would be a better place if people understood when and how to use an ellipsis, and you would (presumably) change that if you could. Skylanders is an ever growing collector community, and in collecting terms, "variant" means one thing, and is not simply interchangeable with other words.

Incidentally, I'm not a fan of the term "treasure". Pretty sure Activision officially calls them chase variants - but I could be wrong. I believe figures like Dark Spyro, Polar Whirlwindand such are called "Alt Decos".

Look, we get it, you want us to stop calling characters like Nitro Head Rush and Gnarly Barkley variants, and call the true variants like Clear Short Cut their true name. But, what would we call the pallet swaps? They usually have lengthy names, like Legendary Jawbreaker, and not everybody likes using the similes. If you want us to change what we call the pallet swaps (while not also naming pallet swaps, it gets tiring after a bit), then why don't you make a suggestion.

Also, why not just let the forum be? The term variant has been used for the entirety of the Skylanders series, starting with the like of Dark Spyro and the first three legendaries (Spyro, Bash, Chop Chop), then extended to variants that don't appear like they do ingame. As Bifrost said, it will be very hard to change the opinion of an entire forum, and so far just from looking at these posts (which are six posters), they all seem to be against changing the term.

The point is, in my opinion, if the character is not on the main collection poster, they are considered variants, or if they are reposes or Lightcores of an initial Series 1 character. Anything past the original series 1 is considered a variant to me (unless they are the new Superchargers reposes, as they have new movesets). And I think that holds true for a majority of the forum as well. They might not have the same SKU, but if people only want to collect one of each figure, or all of the different Skylanders, variants are anything different from the base figure, whether or not the SKU's different.

Assuming I have any influence because I'm a long time user is pretty far from the truth - if anything people just know I'll show up if the subject is Hex or the canon.
As UncleBob said, the official name is Alt Decos for any of the palette swaps and special palettes, but they didn't use it themselves a whole lot. People will just go with what's convenient.

Quote: zookinator

Look, we get it, you want us to stop calling characters like Nitro Head Rush and Gnarly Barkley variants, and call the true variants like Clear Short Cut their true name. But, what would we call the pallet swaps? They usually have lengthy names, like Legendary Jawbreaker, and not everybody likes using the similes. If you want us to change what we call the pallet swaps (while not also naming pallet swaps, it gets tiring after a bit), then why don't you make a suggestion.

Also, why not just let the forum be? The term variant has been used for the entirety of the Skylanders series, starting with the like of Dark Spyro and the first three legendaries (Spyro, Bash, Chop Chop), then extended to variants that don't appear like they do ingame. As Bifrost said, it will be very hard to change the opinion of an entire forum, and so far just from looking at these posts (which are six posters), they all seem to be against changing the term.

The point is, in my opinion, if the character is not on the main collection poster, they are considered variants, or if they are reposes or Lightcores of an initial Series 1 character. Anything past the original series 1 is considered a variant to me (unless they are the new Superchargers reposes, as they have new movesets). And I think that holds true for a majority of the forum as well. They might not have the same SKU, but if people only want to collect one of each figure, or all of the different Skylanders, variants are anything different from the base figure, whether or not the SKU's different.

Did you read my entire post, or skim it? Right there at the bottom is this sentence: "The term variant is simply incorrect, and should be replaced with recolor, redeco, palette swap, or alternate palette." Recolor is the same number of letters, and IS correct collector vernacular. Redeco is one letter shorter, and is also correct. Calling Skylanders Swap Force Spyro a variant of Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Spyro, as you suggest, is not only incorrect, it is egregiously incorrect. Now, I also have one of the posters right here in front of me. I think it came with the Dark Edition of Trap Team, but I am not sure. Dark Spyro is on this poster, which by your own logic, means he is not a variant. This poster also contains Punch Pop Fizz, so not a variant, according to you. Volcanic Eruptor, Lava Barf Eruptor, Dark Wash Buckler, Dark Blast Zone, Dark Stealth Elf, Dark Spyro (listed twice), and Dark Slobber Tooth; all of them on the official Activision poster, by your own individual logic, none of them are variants unless you alter the definition of the term. I am lobbying for the correct usage of the word, that is all.

I really don't think I could possibly agree with the TC more.

If it shows up the same as the regular figure IN GAME, then it is NOT a variant. If it a a recolor, lightcore, whatever... BUT IT IS IT'S OWN UNIQUE FIGURE. Dark Spyro is not a variant - he came with his own packaging and shows up different in game. The three Chills from Swap Force are not variants, they are three separate figures and thus, three separate playable characters. Halloween Fright Rider, Orange Eye-Brawl, Flocked Stump Smash... these are variants based on the fact that they don't represent unique characters IN THE GAME (i.e the MOST IMPORTANT judge of variant vs. non-variant). Sure, you can say they get "special" under their names, but once you scan Fright Rider or any other variant, there is no unique place for them on the character collection screen.

I, like TC, wish that measure - whether they are in-game unique or not - would be how actual variant toys were judged and classified. I have a 100% complete collection from the first four games, minus the three damn yawn traps. That means I have all the levels, all the power-up pieces (including the damn Platinum Treasure Chest that doesn't work like it should), all the games (Wii, Wii U and 3DS), all the traps and 254/254 figures total. THAT is a complete collection. I'll never have a Macy's Eruptor, a clear Tuff Luck (saw one but didn't buy it... because it is a variant and I don't collect those) or a fuzzy Trigger Happy; they are variants and not for me.

Here is a quick test for whether or not a figure is indeed a variant: Pull out Trap Team for the 3DS. If your toy doesn't have a unique entry on the character screen, its a variant. And you can see them all without having to scan... the portraits are just grayed out til you have that toy. So none of the 254 are variants, but anything outside that number most certainly is.

Want to see a REAL variant? http://imgur.com/a/VwYgR#0] I got this 3D printed statue when I visited Vicarious Visions for a press day before Swap Force came out. Only 35-40 were ever made.

So yeah, variants = not unique in-game. Easy peasy.

Thank you, vinzclortho37, for being a logical person. It seems hard to convince people around here.

Quote: UncleBob

Incidentally, I'm not a fan of the term "treasure". Pretty sure Activision officially calls them chase variants - but I could be wrong. I believe figures like Dark Spyro, Polar Whirlwindand such are called "Alt Decos".

Variants is a useless term since there are so many variations.

We have in-game/Alt Deco variants (common), chase variants (all of which are physical variants but produced in small quantities), physical variants (which are different on figure but not in game)...

UncleBob, Activision called them treasure years ago but it hasn't stuck. I don't like it either.

Is it that serious ? 5 games later. . Come on. . If you and your community of collectors want to use the proper terminology go for it. . If others want to call them whatever they would like to identify the figure, then so be it. .

Variant sounds cooler then recolor, redeco, palette swap, or alternate palette.


Quote:

Lightcores aren't variants...

Yes they are .

Just a suggestion, the Skylanders - Lost Islands game uses the terms "Special" and "Alter Ego" for these figures.

Characters like Jolly Bumbleblast and Polar Whirlwind who have physical counterparts are referred to as "Specials" while
characters like Fireworks Zook and Lucky Boomer who do not have actual figures are called "Alter Egos".

@LordElohim

I was referring to the posters inside the main console starter packs. The Dark Editions and the 3DS versions each contain variants in packaging, so therefore they included them on the poster.

Anyway, I define variants as to whether or not they are the base form of a character, the Series 1. If they are not Series 1, then they are a variant. If they are pallet swaps of a series 1, they are still considered variants. Also, I just define Mega Ram Spyro as a variant, sheerly because he is not the base form of a character. To others, he is not a variant, he is the base character of a game. As I said before, any character on the main poster is not a variant. Now, Dark Mega Ram Spyro is a different story, as he is a recolor of the regular form, but as he is included on the Dark Edition poster, he can be considered not a variant to those who bought it.

But, what about those like Nitro Freeze Blade, or Enchanted Hoot Loop? The only place they are known to count towards a figure total is the 3DS Version, and even then that is just showing you what characters you do not have available to select in your roster for Swap Force and Trap Team. I do not believe that in Giants they shown all of the variants, I may be wrong however.

Look, does it really matter whether or not people call the recolors something different than a variant? And even then, are all of the people in the forums going to read this topic? People attain habits of calling these figures something, like the Walmart Exclusive Red Drill Sergeant, it has been shortened to WEDRS. We can call them whatever we want, and most can tell exactly what the poster is talking about. Most believe that recolors of any kind are variants, whether or not they show up different in the game. That could be argued by saying that Green Goo Riptide shows up different in your collection and in the game, because he has the Special tag. Does it make him any different? No, but he identifies differently, and by your logic, the only true variants are the SSA variants like Red Camo or Silver Boomer as they do not have the special tag.

To end, this isn't really worth arguing for. It all comes down to preferences, just like if there was an argument stating 'Which book genre is better, fantasy or science fiction?', it could go on for ages and neither side would be any different. Everyone has their own interests and their own names to call things. That applies to Skylanders. It doesn't matter if what we say is a variant is ergonomically incorrect, this is a forum with its own history and sayings! Argue all you want, I don't think you'll start a new trend after five years.

vinzclortho37, you say in your first sentence of the first paragraph that if it shows up as the regular figure IN GAME, than it is NOT a variant. Isn't that what a variant is? Flocked stump smash for example reads just like the regular stump smash. So if that is not a variant, what is? Lord Elohim seemed to get what you said, but your whole post confused me from there on.

To be honest, this shouldn't be such a big deal. People will call different forms of a Skylander "variants", you can't really change that and it's something you're going to have to accept eventually even if it bothers you so much.

Skylanders isn't every other toy line created. In Skylanders a variant is any toy not on the poster and I will continue to use that logic until a figure of authority at TFB, VV, or Acti tells me otherwise.

ugh to much to read..... for me you got 3 types of figures, the normals ( spyro, tuff luck, head rush) variants ( nitro head rush) and chase ( clear tuff luck)

my rule, if its a different color version of the figure its a variant. may not line up with other toy collecting areas but thats the common naming here.

Quote: LordElohim

Instead of simply stating an opinion, defend your statement. The game treats clear Tuff Luck as Tuff Luck; variant. The game DOES NOT treat Polar Whirlwind as Whirlwind, NOT variant. If you are going to disagree with the accepted definition of the term by collectors, explain why.

For perspective outside of Skylanders, no one would argue that Thundercracker is a variant of Starscream. No one would argue that Dark Samus is a variant of Samus. Super Saiyan Goku is not a variant of Goku. LEGO War Machine is not a variant of LEGO Iron Man. And on and on.

Dark Spyro is Spyro in a different form, not a separate character, thus its toy is a variant of the same character.

Quote:

"Dark Spyro is a powerful dark form that Spyro gained during his fight against Gaul in The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night."

Love Potion Pop Fizz is the result of Pop Fizz taking a particular potion that turned him pink, he is not a separate character, thus its toy is a variant of the same character.

Quote:

"When his latest attempt to concoct the ultimate raspberry soda totally backfired, Pop Fizz was caught in a blast that turned him pink and gave him an alluring aroma."

Lightcore characters are not different entities, they are the same character borrowing the power of the Core of Light. Maybe the term "variant" does not apply to them, but they are not alt deco, recolor, etc. Maybe Reposed, but that term is usually used for the Series 2, Series 3 etc. Skylanders.

Quote:

"The Skylanders are protectors of the Core of Light, and in times of peril, they can call upon its power to ignite their own light from within and radiate with magic, becoming known as Lightcore Skylanders."

Did not know this. Now I feel like I can call them just "variants", rather than "figure-only variants". Never liked "chase", preferred "figure-only", but that didn't feel quite right either, just marginally better.

Personally, I'm more bothered by "reposes". Most people use that to refer to just Series 2, 3 and 4, or simply Series+ as I like to call them collectively. However, "reposes" is really more of a collective term, including lightcores and revamps (SuperChargers) in addition to Series+. Also minis/sidekicks may be considered part of it or not, depending on your viewpoint.

Regardless of my opinion on reposes, if we use "variants" to refer to the special figures outside of reposes/recolors, what should we use as the collective term for reposes+recolors+variants (everything except the original figures)? This is what "variants" is most commonly used to describe, other than reposes+recolors only (or even excluding reposes), while separating true variants as "chase/figure-only variants".

This is starting to sound like a race issue. I find it offensive to call an altdeco a variant. If you're not offended you should be and you just don't know it. I'm pretty sure all of us would not want to be classified as something we aren't.

Quote: newkill

Quote: LordElohim

Instead of simply stating an opinion, defend your statement. The game treats clear Tuff Luck as Tuff Luck; variant. The game DOES NOT treat Polar Whirlwind as Whirlwind, NOT variant. If you are going to disagree with the accepted definition of the term by collectors, explain why.

For perspective outside of Skylanders, no one would argue that Thundercracker is a variant of Starscream. No one would argue that Dark Samus is a variant of Samus. Super Saiyan Goku is not a variant of Goku. LEGO War Machine is not a variant of LEGO Iron Man. And on and on.

Dark Spyro is Spyro in a different form, not a separate character, thus its toy is a variant of the same character.

Quote:

"Dark Spyro is a powerful dark form that Spyro gained during his fight against Gaul in The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night."

Love Potion Pop Fizz is the result of Pop Fizz taking a particular potion that turned him pink, he is not a separate character, thus its toy is a variant of the same character.

Quote:

"When his latest attempt to concoct the ultimate raspberry soda totally backfired, Pop Fizz was caught in a blast that turned him pink and gave him an alluring aroma."

Lightcore characters are not different entities, they are the same character borrowing the power of the Core of Light. Maybe the term "variant" does not apply to them, but they are not alt deco, recolor, etc. Maybe Reposed, but that term is usually used for the Series 2, Series 3 etc. Skylanders.

Quote:

"The Skylanders are protectors of the Core of Light, and in times of peril, they can call upon its power to ignite their own light from within and radiate with magic, becoming known as Lightcore Skylanders."

I'd consider them reposed if they weren't originally Lightcore. After all reposed means posed a different way, and Lightcores are posed a different way indeed.