darkSpyro

I was thinking of some things regarding bases.

As you know, in every Skylanders game, the down part of the figure's box is the same color as the figure's base. The down part of the Spyro's Adventure packages is green, and the base is green. Same with Giant's orange, Swap Force's blue and Trap Team's red. The down part of the SuperChargers package is yellow. This means that, if they used the classic base style, it would be yellow.

Another thing is, I find that, very probably, the classic-style bases will come back in the next game. Just think: the SuperChargers, in the figure side, don't have almost any difference as other Skylanders. So, how to make people know that the SuperChargers are different from other types of Skylanders? Creating a Engine base. So, probably, in the next game, they will probably change to the classic base style, or, if there's little difference between the next Gimmicklanders and other Skylanders (in the figure side), they will create another type of base for these Gimmicklanders. Other proof? The Elite Skylanders doesn't changed the base this year. You can say:

Quote: You

But the Elites don't are from any game, so they used the classic base style.

It's a good point. But, if they maintained these bases for the Elites, why don't use then for the newer Skylanders in future games?

So, what's your opinion?

My opinion? Doesn't matter, it doesn't make it so. Go flip a coin how they do it next year. TfB tends to be the "Traditionalist" developer, so odds are good we may return...or depending on how sales of this game goes....they may tweak yet further. I both like and dislike what they did this year to the bases, so I guess the end result is 'meh'.

The bases are definitely there to give some visual indication that the SuperChargers are in fact SuperChargers. They've basically merged gimmicklanders and cores into a single pricepoint, and by using bases as the main distinguishing feature of each new group of toys they effectively remove the need to give the actual character designs a consistent visual theme (thus giving them the same freedom of design as cores, while also allowing for them to feature whatever the new gimmick is).

Quote: Muffin Man

The bases are definitely there to give some visual indication that the SuperChargers are in fact SuperChargers. They've basically merged gimmicklanders and cores into a single pricepoint, and by using bases as the main distinguishing feature of each new group of toys they effectively remove the need to give the actual character designs a consistent visual theme (thus giving them the same freedom of design as cores, while also allowing for them to feature whatever the new gimmick is).

This is exactly what I was talking about. But you give a good point in the question of freedom in character design. But, I generally like a consistent design. It make things more interesting. At least for me.

Quote: Crash10

Quote: Muffin Man

The bases are definitely there to give some visual indication that the SuperChargers are in fact SuperChargers. They've basically merged gimmicklanders and cores into a single pricepoint, and by using bases as the main distinguishing feature of each new group of toys they effectively remove the need to give the actual character designs a consistent visual theme (thus giving them the same freedom of design as cores, while also allowing for them to feature whatever the new gimmick is).

This is exactly what I was talking about. But you give a good point in the question of freedom in character design. But, I generally like a consistent design. It make things more interesting. At least for me.

Interesting, as in a way to somehow justify charging more but not really delivering more. I like consistency, but I realize the game has to move forward...and Activision needs to push forward more on game design that silly stuff like bases. It's all flash and no substance...for me at least.

In my (neon translucent plastic-loving) opinion, the bottomless bases look cheap (in that they have less "cool" factor).

Well something had to be done. There are only 7 colors in the visible spectrum rainbow, then gold/silver and perhaps black and white and clear and you are out of realistic base colors. You don't want to start getting them confused with red and sorta red and pale red, etc. I already get water and air crystal traps mixed up at fast glance, so using shapes like engines makes total sense. It is a pity though as I wanted to see Yellow and Purple bases before using shapes, but it's no biggie either.

Quote: fairyland

Well something had to be done. There are only 7 colors in the visible spectrum rainbow, then gold/silver and perhaps black and white and clear and you are out of realistic base colors. You don't want to start getting them confused with red and sorta red and pale red, etc. I already get water and air crystal traps mixed up at fast glance, so using shapes like engines makes total sense. It is a pity though as I wanted to see Yellow and Purple bases before using shapes, but it's no biggie either.

Yes, it can be confusing, but they can make elemental colors without getting confusing.
Look, we already have Life's green, Tech's Orange, Water's blue and Fire's Red. If they used normal bases this time, it would be Light's Yellow. It rests Magic's purple, Undead's grey, Earth's brown, Air's Light Blue and Dark's Black (this would be cool).
If they make right, you will not confuse.

Quote: Crash10

Quote: fairyland

Well something had to be done. There are only 7 colors in the visible spectrum rainbow, then gold/silver and perhaps black and white and clear and you are out of realistic base colors. You don't want to start getting them confused with red and sorta red and pale red, etc. I already get water and air crystal traps mixed up at fast glance, so using shapes like engines makes total sense. It is a pity though as I wanted to see Yellow and Purple bases before using shapes, but it's no biggie either.

Yes, it can be confusing, but they can make elemental colors without getting confusing.
Look, we already have Life's green, Tech's Orange, Water's blue and Fire's Red. If they used normal bases this time, it would be Light's Yellow. It rests Magic's purple, Undead's grey, Earth's brown, Air's Light Blue and Dark's Black (this would be cool).
If they make right, you will not confuse.

That's exactly how they should deal with it in my opinion.

The only thing I would change would be Undead being black and Dark being dark purple, simply because black and grey might end up being too similar as trasparent bases.

So, after reading Rift into Overdrive and playing the game I have to admit I actually feel rather excited to hold in my hands objects such powerful and important as the Rift Engines but that doesn't change the fact I don't like the way they look.
And that certainly doesn't excuse the fact the elemental pedestals themselves have been changed (some, like Undead, Light and Dark, more than others).
Frankly, yellow bases would have avoided that in a more elegant way, that's exactly their function: make you immediately understand from which game a figure comes from in a subtle way.

We certainly don't need big metallic engines when we have a color code.
And frankly the former still wouldn't have necessarily excluded the latter.
Especially since they bumped prices.

Regarding designs... How can you seriously say they didn't restricted themselves...?
I mean... Except for one, maybe two characters I could look at my entire collection and immediately spot the SuperChargers.
Not to mention all the characters this year are SuperChargers so a yellow base would have immediately solved the problem.
Revamps aside (who all have suits or racing gears of some kind) all the characters released along this year's game are upright and have more or less prominent car/pilot themes.

They have indeed restricted themselves once more, in terms of design just like they did with Swappers.
Except that was kinda "mandatory"... This time they could have been incredibly creative since all the characters can drive but... Nope.

Long story short: in my opinion colored bases are a much better way to make customers understand from which game a character comes from even if they are less obvious than other accessories which could end up ruining the general look of a figure.
And those as well as the elemental pedestals themselves are some of those features which in my opinion should never be touched; sincerely hoping TfB will bring them back.

Quote: Drek95

Regarding designs... How can you seriously say they didn't restricted themselves...?
I mean... Except for one, maybe two characters I could look at my entire collection and immediately spot the SuperChargers.
Not to mention all the characters this year are SuperChargers so a yellow base would have immediately solved the problem.
Revamps aside (who all have suits or racing gears of some kind) all the characters released along this year's game are upright and have more or less prominent car/pilot themes.

The only new SuperChargers with a pilot/driver theme are Thrillipede (who is more soldier/airforce themed overall) and Donkey Kong.

Astroblast is based on an astronaut.

Nightfall is based on an old-fashioned admiral of the British royal navy.

Dive Clops is based on a deep sea diver.

Fiesta is based on a mariachi musician.

High Volt is based on electrical power sockets.

Smash Hit is based on a demolition worker.

Splat is a magic faun with a paint gimmick.

Spitfire is some kind of flame spirit with dragonlike qualities.

Stormblade is based on a sky diver.

And Bowser is just wearing spiked battle armor.


All of those are wildly different themes.

To further elaborate your observations muffin man, Highvolt is based on a SWAT soldier and Splat is based on a martial artist literally and artistically.

What you said is true but really doesn't go against what I said.
Yes, of course there is variety but they all fall under the same pilot/driver/vehicle theme.

Astroblast is of course an astronaut but what are astronauts generally associated to...? Yep, spaceships.

Nightfall is inspired by an old-fashioned navy admiral so I think her association to ships is rather obvious.

Dive-Clops is one of the few character which I think really don't give away the theme of the game, at least until you see Dive Bomber.

Fiesta is indeed based on a mariachi musician but the black racing suit he wears really cannot be ingnored.
It just screams "pilot" to me.

High Volt is another character which frankly doesn't immediately shouts "racing" but some details do hint at that.

Smash Hit, as a Skylanders inspired by demolition workers, indeed makes me think about all the different vehicles and machines associated to that job.

Splat has various equipment which gives out the theme (particularly her goggles).

Spitfire is literally made up of vehicle parts even if assembled in a rather creative way.

Stormblade wears a suit of some kind and as a sky diver she perfectly associates to flying vehicles.

Bowser is one of the few characters which could work as a generic character as well.

As you can see there are just 2, maybe 3 characters which are truly free from the general theme.
All have a suit of some kind, racing gears and are inspired by pilots or vehicles themselves.

What do Giants and Trap Masters have in common, except for the size and the Traptanium weapons?
Or what do Swappers have in common except for the general body shape?
I'm sorry, the characters are really cool as always but they could have done much more and be truly creative like they were with SWAP Force's Cores.

Overall I think you are stressing minor details and associations when compared to the Giant's size and bulk, the Swapper's designs being based around swapability and movement types, or the Trap Masters all incorporating large crystal weapons.

As I said, SuperChargers are a merger between gimmicklanders and core. So yeah, maybe they aren't quite as diverse as cores, but they are more diverse than previous gimmicklanders.

What can I say... To me a transparent weapon, giant size and basic humanoid designs are still less restrictive than a whole theme which affects both the character him/herself and his/her equipment.
Swappers suffer from a similar problem but they all have very different themes (pirate, miner, living statue, wizard, spy, robot, ninja, hunter, boxer, cowboy, skater and so on).

When I look at the majority of the SuperChargers I simply see "bird pilot, demolition critter pilot, skeleton mariachi pilot, crystal astronaut pilot, jellifish creature pilot, faun pilot...".
They are not bad designs but are indeed really restricted.

That being said I do agree all the Gimmicklanders so far have had bigger and smaller restrictions and that's why I personally think Cores are still what represents this franchise best: creative designs (just look at how different Tread Head, Rocky Roll and Zoo Lou are from each other), great powers and absolutely zero restrictions.

SuperChargers as a concept are a step towards making Gimmicklanders and Cores almost the same thing... But design wise they are still too much "special".

I did have some problems with Dive-Clops' base but I thought it was mainly for the fact he's a really bulky figure, than anything else.
Enigma is my only other figure which ocasionally likes to fall down.

I got over the fact there were no colored bases this time around. I like to go with the logical joke that the rift engine is kinda yellow but is bronze so that technically counts.