darkSpyro

So Matteomax and I did some research on this using our related variants, and an interesting pattern emerges. The game does make a distinction between what kind of chase variant figures you're putting on the portal, as such:

Sparkle Sonic Boom: Rare
Sparkle Sprocket: Rare
Stone Zook: Rare
Toy Fair Chop Chop: Rare
Flocked Stump Smash (S2): Rare
Flocked Eruptor: Rare
Flocked Prims Break: Rare
Pumpkin Eye Brawl: Special
Glow Cynder: Special
Glow Sonic Boom: Special
Amazon Flameslinger: Special

As you can see, the variants you could buy from retailers utilize the 'Special' tag, while the chase variants, the figures that are in random assortments or through promotional events, get tagged as 'rare'. This debunks too the idea that the second chase variant you put on the portal will get tagged one way or another, as Flocked Eruptor gets rare from the getgo without anything else put on the portal.

So with this and looking at the information included in the 'toydata' file in the game, the flag isn't actually a flag at all but a string the game looks for. Depending on what it encounters it'll use one or the other, with 'Special' being the default if no match is found. It also means, other than having to create a new character texture, there's nothing stopping them from making some variants like Pumpkin Eye Brawl appear as their toys do in game.

Quote: Kung Fu Man

So Matteomax and I did some research on this using our related variants, and an interesting pattern emerges. The game does make a distinction between what kind of chase variant figures you're putting on the portal, as such:

Sparkle Sonic Boom: Rare
Sparkle Sprocket: Rare
Stone Zook: Rare
Toy Fair Chop Chop: Rare
Flocked Stump Smash (S2): Rare
Flocked Eruptor: Rare
Flocked Prims Break: Rare
Pumpkin Eye Brawl: Special
Glow Cynder: Special
Glow Sonic Boom: Special
Amazon Flameslinger: Special

As you can see, the variants you could buy from retailers utilize the 'Special' tag, while the chase variants, the figures that are in random assortments or through promotional events, get tagged as 'rare'. This debunks too the idea that the second chase variant you put on the portal will get tagged one way or another, as Flocked Eruptor gets rare from the getgo without anything else put on the portal.

So with this and looking at the information included in the 'toydata' file in the game, the flag isn't actually a flag at all but a string the game looks for. Depending on what it encounters it'll use one or the other, with 'Special' being the default if no match is found. It also means, other than having to create a new character texture, there's nothing stopping them from making some variants like Pumpkin Eye Brawl appear as their toys do in game.

The problem with this tho is how will that work with the Wii Version?

You mean as far as patching to support them? I doubt they'd even do it for the base game; if they do anything for them, it'd probably be in the next title.

What this does do however is significantly raise the number of figures the game will regard as 'unique', even if the next title introduces series 4's (as the 'rares' will show up appropriately). In giants, any one special fig counted for all of them: if you had Sparkle Sonic Boom and Glow Sonic Boom, it only added one "Special" to your list.

Here, it does both.

Quote: Kung Fu Man

You mean as far as patching to support them? I doubt they'd even do it for the base game; if they do anything for them, it'd probably be in the next title.

What this does do however is significantly raise the number of figures the game will regard as 'unique', even if the next title introduces series 4's (as the 'rares' will show up appropriately). In giants, any one special fig counted for all of them: if you had Sparkle Sonic Boom and Glow Sonic Boom, it only added one "Special" to your list.

Here, it does both.

Ah ok, I get what you mean. I just hope they don't add all of them with glowing and stuff now. Only because that will kill the franchise as majority of scalpers will just make more money off them for a more legit reason.

Just being curious are these chase variants that look different in physical form but just look like the standard character in game as i am/will be after the ones that look like their physical form in game if you know what i mean.

Chase variants are the ones you get in shops where the toy looks one way but the character normal; there's no way to make the character look like that in those cases. The "chase" part is because most are rarely packed in shipments and appear once in a blue moon.

Named variants, or alter-egos, look different in game.

if you read my query properly that is what i am/was saying like purple metallic wreckingball he is metallic purple in his box but in game he is blue like standard wreckingball and i will/am only be after the ones like molton hotdog,royal double trouble,jade flashwing and polar whirlwind for example.

Quote: dangerousbrian0

if you read my query properly that is what i am/was saying like purple metallic wreckingball he is metallic purple in his box but in game he is blue like standard wreckingball and i will/am only be after the ones like molton hotdog,royal double trouble,jade flashwing and polar whirlwind for example.

Yeah that is kinda my point, not sure if the game is being taken to that level where those count for in game also now.

Quote: Kung Fu Man

there's nothing stopping them from making some variants like Pumpkin Eye Brawl appear as their toys do in game.

What about variants made after the game is released? or did i misunderstand something?

Interesting find. I tested with a few of my own chase variants to see the results:

Blue Bash, Red Drill Sergeant, Green Gill Grunt: Tagged as Series 1
Bronze Flameslinger: Tagged as Special
Glow in the Dark Cynder: Tagged as Special
Gold Employee Prism Break: Tagged as Lightcore ppfff...
Purple Metallic Wrecking Ball and Lightning Rod: Tagged as Rare

Quote: newkill

Interesting find. I tested with a few of my own chase variants to see the results:

Blue Bash, Red Drill Sergeant, Green Gill Grunt: Tagged as Series 1
Bronze Flameslinger: Tagged as Special
Glow in the Dark Cynder: Tagged as Special
Gold Employee Prism Break: Tagged as Lightcore ppfff...
Purple Metallic Wrecking Ball and Lightning Rod: Tagged as Rare

So this whole "Rare" business---are you guys saying they appear on screen as "Rare" and is included in the inventory count in Swap Force?

Yep, look:

Yeah, my Rare Sprocket shows up in my inventory screen. I'm not sure how I feel about that... It's kinda cool but at the same time I just... Ehh. I don't have any other variants, so I don't know if I like her being the odd one out or not.

Interesting.

I will note that my 3DS version recongnizes my GITD Sonic Boom, GITD Cynder, and "Pumpkin" Eye-Brawl as "RARE," all of which are flagged as "Special" in the console versions.

Unfortunately those are the only series 2 treasure hunts I have, and I'm not about to dump a couple c-notes just to see what happens otherwise.

I really like the idea of the figures registering 'Rare' or 'Special'. It is definitely one way to tell if you have purchased a fake! It would be great to get a master list going, that lets people know which characters should register with these labels.
Also, has anyone tried registering series one chase variants, such as the gold and silver figures? These are the ones that are most easily faked, and so it would be great to know if they appear in the game as 'rare'.

I know that Red Drill Sergeant, Blue Bash and the non-metallic Green Gill Grunt are considered Series 1, not Special or Rare. This is probably the case with nearly all green-based chase variants sadly.

I have been told that in order to find most of the "rare" or "special" ones, well the super special ones, that you need to be at certain stores at the time they open on days they get their shipments. So far I know Fedex delivers to Target every Tuesday and they are on the shelf Wed morning at 8am... So collectors are there when they open the doors. Toys R Us gets their shipments randomly throughout the week, so they've told me to check back every other day early in the morning. I am honestly getting tired of looking for the rare ones since I've only ever found one or two and it's alot of work unless you want to pay big money on ebay lol

One more for the list:

Flocked Sprintime Trigger Happy: Special

just like the normal springtime trigger happy