regult Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 (edited) I am quite surprised it is so widely available in Hong Kong actual shops. I was so afraid it would be sold out quick like many past releases, and the second and subsequent batches would be more expensive..."unfortunately" there are still plenty and stay at HK$1,100 to HK$1,280. Not sure what to expect when the VF-25S is out, maybe the shops learned and will not get so many? maybe the same will be repeated so I making a preorder is just pointless? Edited November 15, 2011 by regult
nanoplasm Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 Oh I meant to say exactly that - you pay MSRP + divided shipping among group. So it's not necessarily the least expensive option. However you don't go though retail, so you get your items shipped directly to you - which is faster than coming through retail. GB is actually less expensive than most other options if you are living in the US. The starting price is already lower than most other commercial venue. And instead costing (for example) $40 to ship 1 items by EMS from JPN to US, it cost $120 to ship 12 items by EMS (EMS cost doesn't scale 1:1 with weight). So in the end, everyone's international shipping is only $10. Add another $5 domestic shipping to that, you just saved $25 in shipping. Hope that make sense. I am quite surprised it is so widely available in Hong Kong actual shops. I was so afraid it would be sold out quick like many past releases, and the second and subsequent batches would be more expensive..."unfortunately" there are still plenty and stay at HK$1,100 to HK$1,280. Not sure what to expect when the VF-25S is out, maybe the shops learned and will not get so many? maybe the same will be repeated so I making a preorder is just pointless? I think there is a shortage in Singapore. =P
Chronocidal Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 If the preorder has a discount included, I wouldn't call it pointless by any stretch of the word. Ok, the deal with the v.1 packs on the v.2 valk... it's mostly possible, but not without some decent modifications. I'd think anyone seriously into customizing would be able to pull it off decently. The boosters fit essentially as-is, but are not secure. They will stay on if you don't bump them, but the tabs that they lock on with are slightly different. You'll need to enlarge several of the attachment pegs on the other pieces so they stay in, since the holes are bigger, even though they line up. The packs on the legs will need a significant amount of work. The outer packs will basically attach with the legs dropped correctly, but they're loose at best. The packs on the backs of the calves won't fit unless you trim off the front tabs, because those will not latch into the smaller holes below the knee. The chest piece might fit with some tweaking. It doesn't interfere with anything, it just doesn't snap on well. Same with the intake armor, which will sort of settle into a place where it stays, but won't securely attach. The shoulder rocket packs have no place to go, so you'd have to drill holes through the shoulder plates to attach them. All in all, I'd say it's possible, though it'll take work. The real trick though is that I think they specifically manufactured the new VF-25 to make use of the old super packs as much as possible. The new packs should be almost identical to the old ones, with the changes mainly made to the tabs to attach them. I do hope they add more tabs to the legs to hold them in place though.. even if it does fit, that vertical tab on the wings is really not a very sturdy way to hold the legs up.
ff95gj Posted November 15, 2011 Author Posted November 15, 2011 I am quite surprised it is so widely available in Hong Kong actual shops. I was so afraid it would be sold out quick like many past releases, and the second and subsequent batches would be more expensive..."unfortunately" there are still plenty and stay at HK$1,100 to HK$1,280. Not sure what to expect when the VF-25S is out, maybe the shops learned and will not get so many? maybe the same will be repeated so I making a preorder is just pointless? You never know. So I don't think you were a paranoid when you rushed to get it on day 1 (or in week 1). From the past experiences, it is often a cycle. e.g. Chogokin GX-59. Many people didn't pre-order it, and the price shot up. GX-60 is an even more popular robot, so - buyers expected the situation would get even worse. Therefore they all went out to pre-order. - sellers thought it would be another hotcake. They ordered more units. As it turned out, GX-60 is now on discount in shops, even cheaper than the preorder price. The same cycle happened for Saint Seiya, SHF Rider, Super Robot Chogokin, GFFMC and other toy lines. Motto 1: If you think the price is right, buy it. Motto 1a: Don't look back. Motto 2: You never predict it right what is the best time to buy. So refer to Motto 1. Motto 2a: If you think you can figure out a way to predict the price, spend the time on the stock market.
kaos13 Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 (edited) I specifically said cockpit, not canopy, on purpose. The canopy is longer so as to create head-room for the back-seater without having a very weird curvature at the back. But the basic dimensions of the cockpit area are the same, bulkhead/frame-wise. AFAIK much of the avionics in the rear cockpit area of an F-15 are in fact fairly optional (as in, it can still fly and fight without them)--that is why the F-15B and F-15D have inferior defensive systems than the A and C model---because that's what was removed--mostly ECM-related stuff. (there's not really that much there from what I've seen---raise the turtle decking and it's mostly an empty space---the black boxes are all along the walls, but the middle's empty). Removing this equipment was unacceptable for the F-15E due to its mission, so instead they put the ECM avionics in the gun's ammo bay area, and the F-15E has a much smaller ammo capacity than the C as a result. (and even that required bulging the ammo bay outwards just to have that much room---the bulged/moved ammo bay is an oft-missed physical feature of the E-model) i got u. and i know about the moving of the eqipment boxes/racks thats not y i comented..the nose of the acft is bulkier...have u sat in a f 15E..theyre bigger bro.. f 15c are more confined..ive sat in both cock pits..and mind u my buddy works on 15e's.. Edited November 15, 2011 by kaos13
kyekye Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 GB is actually less expensive than most other options if you are living in the US. The starting price is already lower than most other commercial venue. And instead costing (for example) $40 to ship 1 items by EMS from JPN to US, it cost $120 to ship 12 items by EMS (EMS cost doesn't scale 1:1 with weight). So in the end, everyone's international shipping is only $10. Add another $5 domestic shipping to that, you just saved $25 in shipping. Hope that make sense. I'm not trying to argue about it. I'm only trying to find a least expensive option. For VF-25S which I pre-ordered from Amiami already -with 27% off discount - 10150yen ($132) + $20 SAL shipping, it's gonna cost me $152. That's gonna be hard to beat. So It makes sense for the exclusive items (such as Super Pack) and/or 'Preorder Closed' items
regult Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 Motto 2a: If you think you can figure out a way to predict the price, spend the time on the stock market. Good one
Lolicon Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 So, what are the chances of a renewal VF-27? I know a lot of people like the VF-27, but I think it still looks rather chunky. Sure, it looks much better than the original DX VF-25, but that's not saying much. It wasn't until I had the renewal VF-25 in my hands that I felt that Bandai finally released a quality valkyrie toy. Would also like to see them release the VF-27 fast packs. With ghosts.
Axure Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 Forgive me if this has been discussed already, but does the front crotch piece on the superparts, and armor completely replace the crotch piece on the naked fighter, like they do on the 1/72 model? If so, awesome.
eugimon Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 Forgive me if this has been discussed already, but does the front crotch piece on the superparts, and armor completely replace the crotch piece on the naked fighter, like they do on the 1/72 model? If so, awesome. I think that will be the case. The front panel on the the v2 is designed to come off.
regult Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 I've been quite satisfied with the VF-25F renewal and the VF-27 Gamma sitting side by side in fighter mode, but in battroid (or gerwalk for that matter), the proportions on the -27 look obviously wrong. It's not just the crotch "thrust" or the placement of the hips, it's also the overall look of the waist area. After seeing the renewal -25F in battroid I began to understand the shape of the nosecone: it looks different than the model kit or probably the CG model, but it's perfect in battroid. The -27 by comparison looks "lazy". That said, I am not expecting a renewal -27 nor fast packs as shown in the second movie.
eugimon Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 yup, the 27 looked great next to the v1 25 but the renewal does it no favors. I put my 27s back into fighter mode
kyekye Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 yup, the 27 looked great next to the v1 25 but the renewal does it no favors. I put my 27s back into fighter mode I'm pretty sure it will be a better version if Bandai re-do VF-27, but I'd rather see this guy done before that!
jenius Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 I heard from a bird that Bandai is going to give us a nice dx surprise next year... I also heard from another bird that yamato has some tricks up their sleeves too. Muhahaha! finally got my renewal version but i'm hosting a dinner party tonight and won't be able to start playing with it until the guests go home.
charger69 Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 I heard from a bird that Bandai is going to give us a nice dx surprise next year... I also heard from another bird that yamato has some tricks up their sleeves too. Muhahaha! finally got my renewal version but i'm hosting a dinner party tonight and won't be able to start playing with it until the guests go home. Birds these days...
David Hingtgen Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 I'd like a DX Battle Galaxy to go with my -27.
charger69 Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 I would be very happy with a DX Battle Frontier
Mommar Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 I'd like to know what this bird was chirping about instead of getting all of our hopes up with various unsubstantiated speculation.
eugimon Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 good luck with that. For some reason, macross toy news is treated like state secrets. Actually, state secrets are pretty easy to come by.
pud333 Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 I'm pretty sure it will be a better version if Bandai re-do VF-27, but I'd rather see this guy done before that! x2. I desperately want a 171. Preferrably EX Nightmare. And armoured. Must be armoured. I heard from a bird that Bandai is going to give us a nice dx surprise next year... I also heard from another bird that yamato has some tricks up their sleeves too. Muhahaha! finally got my renewal version but i'm hosting a dinner party tonight and won't be able to start playing with it until the guests go home. This bird wouldn't be a canary, would it? At any rate, I am really looking forward to 2012. Bandai and Yamato hopefully will take copious amounts of my money. And I won't regret a single dime. BRING IT!
505thAirborne Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 I'd like a DX Battle Galaxy to go with my -27. +1
jenius Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 (edited) I don't think the quarter sold all that well so I wouldn't expect another capital ship. Edited November 16, 2011 by jenius
Archer Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 (edited) Is it a Vf-27 renewal??!!! That would be awesome!!1 Also, yep, birds these days know way more than even we do. Maybe I should consider buying one for my own intelligence gathering purposes. Also, as an honest question, why is macross info so heavily guarded? In gundam, pretty much EVERYTHING about ANYTHING is released WAAAYYY before any of it come out. For example, people know what Gundam AGE 2 and 3 look like, and its only episode 5 or 6. There is also a lot of AGE 2 and 3 merchandise revealed as well. What benefits does a manufacturer get by keeping things secret. I would suspect that if they just come out and say what they will make, they would better be able to guage interest and potential profits, or if the item will tank in sales. Also, it could be used to REALLY hype things up. The version 1 of the VF-25 sold like hotcakes. Although this may be out of desperation by fans, I also believe a component of it is due to the rediculous amount of advertising and what not that they did. Who knows? Clearly, I'm not an economist Edited November 15, 2011 by Archer
jenius Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 it's not guarded as closely as one might think, it's more a matter of timing. There's a lot that can stop a project before it finishes so it's best not to start hyping it too early. Too often words from birds end up being just chirps. Also, I heard a member rubbed a lot of people the wrong way here once by letting yamato news slip so clearly companies would rather have a flashy way of telling you then letting the birds give it away. Magazines probably like breaking the news so maybe toy companies get a kick back.. Who knows... But the good news is that if i'm hearing things we probably all will soon!
ALEXD Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 Hey just bought it off of hlj, and i wanna know when are they going to let me pay for it? they never let me pick a credit card when using paypal! HELP!
badboy00z Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 Hey just bought it off of hlj, and i wanna know when are they going to let me pay for it? they never let me pick a credit card when using paypal! HELP! Sign into your account and you should be able to select your payment option.
ALEXD Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 Sign into your account and you should be able to select your payment option. I selected paypal the first time but I never got to choose the credit card and no money has come out of any of my cards on paypal.I didnt make a billing agreement and I cant sign it they are doing maintenance
Archer Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 it's not guarded as closely as one might think, it's more a matter of timing. There's a lot that can stop a project before it finishes so it's best not to start hyping it too early. Too often words from birds end up being just chirps. Also, I heard a member rubbed a lot of people the wrong way here once by letting yamato news slip so clearly companies would rather have a flashy way of telling you then letting the birds give it away. Magazines probably like breaking the news so maybe toy companies get a kick back.. Who knows... But the good news is that if i'm hearing things we probably all will soon! Thanks for the info. I thought Graham was the only insider of Yamato that is a member here. Guess I don't know too much then eh? I hope its a VF-27 though. I think Bandai has perfected that transformation class of fighters that a v.2 vf-27 would be brilliant (and I think it would sell as well). If its a VF-171 though, I'm happy for all the members that are interested (although I personally am not)
Dobber Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 I'd personally love either a 171 or a v2 27. Hope it happens. Chris
MacrossJunkie Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 I would be ecstatic with the news of a DX Battle Frontier, Battle Galaxy, or a VF-171EX. An announcement of any of those three would really make my day.
pud333 Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 (edited) I hope it is a 171 with armor. Anything else will be disappointing to me. Edited November 16, 2011 by pud333
valid Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 i hope it's vf 171(bandai) and vf 4 (yamato), and another new series or ova for the 30th annisvesary .. wait..i think the last hope is for another tread
Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0 Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 it's not guarded as closely as one might think, it's more a matter of timing. There's a lot that can stop a project before it finishes so it's best not to start hyping it too early. Too often words from birds end up being just chirps. Also, I heard a member rubbed a lot of people the wrong way here once by letting yamato news slip so clearly companies would rather have a flashy way of telling you then letting the birds give it away. Magazines probably like breaking the news so maybe toy companies get a kick back.. Who knows... But the good news is that if i'm hearing things we probably all will soon! Magazines sometimes pay(good money at that) months in advance for exclusive images. It's one of their only ways to keep their readership as almost everything is seen much earlier online. Japanese companies seem to keep a much tighter lid, whereas in America most of the toy mags are gone with mainly only one(Lee's Action Figure Toys And Review) still around and one of the few in recent years to get exclusive info before it hit the net. For example, anything that was shown in Toy Fare magazine within the last few years, before it folded, was almost always leaked online much much earlier. I've got a good feeling for next year, hopefully it will be fun, though I know it will be expensive.
shiroikaze Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 I selected paypal the first time but I never got to choose the credit card and no money has come out of any of my cards on paypal.I didnt make a billing agreement and I cant sign it they are doing maintenance Did you get an email confirmation from HLJ for your order? If not, maybe it didn't go through... If you did get one, you'll probably get another email asking for payment.
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