BlueMax

I believe that is pretty much the case as far as mark-up is concerned. Additionally, this is also assuming that Yamato will lower the MSRP for this, which I very much doubt. Instead, I think yamato should retail this through the usual channels, as our best chance for reasonably priced valks is through this, but to make this product work, maybe they can use some marketing spin on it. Instead of a "blank", market/ advertise it as some prototype variant or something (when all us fans know it is actually/ essentially a blank valk... if they can manage to convince us otherwise, even better: See VF-11C....well , not exactly, but pretty much a blank if not for the new toolings on the mould used). Besides, if Yamato's web shop proves and they decide to go for it in future for everything else just because it is built to order (0 wastage) and they can charge full MSRP for it.... we have everything to lose and if that day should ever come, it will be a dark day for macross fans outside of Japan indeed.. Edit: Maybe this is the way that Yamato is keeping prices down for us out of Japan.... other than outright lowering the MSRP.

I agree, Macross webshop exclusives normally are not at all beneficial to fans outside of Japan. Basically Yamato is charging full MSRP for webshop patrons. For us overseas buyers, we have to rely on 3rd parties to get them for us (HLJ, overdrive or otherwise). They get charged MSRP just like anyother buyer nad they will re-sell to us with a considerable mark-up or convenience fee(understandable since they have to stay in business).We have seen that from all the webshop exclusives so far, and the general conclusion is web exclusives do not benefit non-japanese fans.

blank valk! great for customizers!

The 1st most often is the survival of your partner... the 2nd or 3rd condition varies. If your mission is to protect someone/ something, the remaining health of the object your are supposed to protect is pro-rated in the scores. sometimes, the condition is to clear all remaining/reinforcement enemies brfore the main enymy is destroyed couple of others, but i have not fugured them out yet

If you are referring to my writing about marginal costs, yes, marginal cost: the cost to produce 1 more unit. That is exactly what I mean For example, all the VF-1s are are based off largely off the same mould, thus they all share the majority of the fixed costs, like the licensing/ mould/ CAD costs. With each new VF-1 produced (at the very least with the A S and J variants, since it is really only the head that is different), the average cost and marginal costs would continue to drop, especially when the fixed costs are high.

your defense/ block stats can only be boosted by, erm, defending. Basically, the easiest way is to place yourself infrom of a starred enemy unit and once they are activating their specials, press the L shoulder button to block. only by doing blocking movements can your stats for defence be increased.

actually I like to read his posts... analytical stuff, which is the type of stuff I like to read.

Nice setup Maverick! I am thinking of making a exhibition theme as well for my collection as well.... but first... i need to get a house! been hunting for one but prices are through the roof...

It is something wrong as far as I am concerned! See my sig! it is suppossed to stay in place.... locked. However the locking mechanism doesn't seem to do a good job, especially after locking/unlocking a few times, and with the weight of Super packs, it just seem to be too much for it. It seems to be a fairly common problem, but some people don't seem to have it, even though they have seemed to transform it a few times.... For myself, I have not tried nail varnishes. What I have done is take a piece of paper, and used it as some sort as a wedge by putting that piece in between the locking mechanism, so that the damn thing will hold by friction. I know, it ain't the best solution, but if you are just displaying these things in battroid form with little to no playing, it works... at least it does for me.

The poster in the background with the TV version SDF-1 is apparently for the pachinko game (jodging by the word "fever").... i wonder if Yamato has any sort of tie-in with Sankyo (make of the game) or is yamato simply using "ambush marketing"? While they are at it, do it for the vf-1s as well! lol~!

Okie.... so you don't really like the design for some reason....but not need to get that emo over it though....

Hm... with this kind of exposure, Yamato should actually do a marketing tie in with Sankyo! I mean, this game is about VF-1s and the titular ship Macross as well, which Yamato is releasing next year.... this can be considered divinely lucky for yamato, who has the products on hand, and superb quality ones at that (i presume the 1/2000 Macross will be good as well)! edit: there might actually be... just that it doesn't seem explicit

Likewise, I really cannot see that anime toys are getting cheaper as well. Pete, you said that the anime industry is doing all it can to lower prices. maybe you can elaborate a little more so that all of us can have a good insight as to what the hell is going on?

Shows that people like a well designed valk in toy form... even if it comes with a face! Basically people who don't like Macross 7, dislike it for a few reasons.... kiddified designs (the Einstein with its collosal E=MC square anyone)?... booby valks.... but mostly because of 1 main reason: Basara (and the fact that he sings the same songs all the time in the show!)

Thanks. Though it has been posted in teh games section, this is still a good heads-up for people who don't frequent that part of the forums.

Haha... somehow I figured that we would be pointing our fingers at HG for this.... yes, i believe they are part of the problem, but only a part of it. Ultimately, it is up the business to see how they can work around the restrictions placed upon them.. Unfortunately, without delving too much into the licensing issues about HG (there is a dedicated thread for this), I believe they are the non-Japanese version of Bigwest. All SDF: M (though most are cautious about its claim to its derivatives as well) right outside of Japan are OWNED by HG.... i.e they don't get a license.... they hand out licenses for people to make Macross and/or row-boat-tech stuff.

What a coincidence. Up til 6 months ago, I worked for my local cable company as well, and similarly, loads of disgruntled customers grumbled about how much they are paying, especially for English soccer (Barclay's English Premier League), similarly, we did not have a choice for exactly the same reasons mentioned. In this case, all the money went to the owners o the clubs and the insane paychecks of the players.... hundreds of thousands of pounds each week! With the fans footing the bill and we at the cable company getting all the blame for the high prices! but back to the topic Pretty much my sentiments.... I consider myself very fortunate: an above average income earner and with no financial obligations... . I was pretty much OK with the VF-1 pricings.. found them reasonable, but with the newer ones, especially with the bulk of canon VF-1s done pretty soon, that means all non-VF-1s will bear the price tag of 18800 yen or thereabouts, seeing their pricing scheme now. Effectively a higher price tier. As I've said, I remain committed to buy Yamato's macross products and will continue to do so as long as they maintain their quality and I can maintain my economic status, but these are just my own sentiments although... others might give up along the way if not already because of the price.... What i am afraid is that Yamato is pricing themselves out of the market. Alot of macross fans and casual fans buy only selectively or just a few representative pieces because they know these are expensive and they have obligations that take priority over toys.. and rightly so of course. But with the new price tier, even these fans might be put off by the price of each unit and buy even lesser or not at all! I agree with Pete's (and some others) argument about the Paradox of Waiting for Bargains. Low perceived demand-> low production commitment-> higher cost per unit-> higher price per unit. However, that is only 1 side of the story. The reason why people why people only buy during clearances is because clearance prices tell consumers how much prices can be lower (up to 60% or even 70% off?!) and as a result they are not willing to pay the much higher asking price again. Can't blame them really. I myself feel tempted to do that sometimes.... especially the valks i spend so much money on goes into the bargain bin just a few months later.... On a seperate and maybe positive note, I believe Yamato is the beneficiary of some form of ambush marketing lately! Besides the "gate guardian" VF-1A in Hikaru's colors, the recent Pachinko game and its ads on prime time TV should have generated quite abit of awareness for the SDF: M and especially for the VF-1J in particular. This should only bode well for Yamato... all the publicity for nothing!

CAUTION: LONG RANT AHEAD. If you are alright with how much you are paying for your valks, you probably do not need to read this thread. To be sure, I love Yamato valks and I am very thankful to Yamato we are getting them but...I am very concerned about upcoming valk prices: Maybe some of you have already realised this long time ago, maybe I was in denial, but the full realization only hit me recently, especially with the announced prices for the VF-11C (no change, and the VF-11B was noted for being very pricey) and M&M VF-22Ss. I was hoping against hope that the prices for these babies will be slightly lower, since we know from basic economics and conventional wisdom that the average and marginal cost for producing each additional unit can only get lower, but maybe the prices have already taken into account this. But then again, the YF-21 (and possibly the Vf-11B) was produced when Yamato probably have not secured the license for the Macross (Dynamite) 7 valks. True, the YF-21 was 3000 yen more expensive than the VF-22Ss, but the difference can be attributed more to the lack of a stand for the VF-22Ss rather anything else. Add insult to injury: The Yen has been appreciating against most currencies and shows no signs of abating anytime soon... means we are suffering a double whammy.... No... wait, if we take Bandai's DX line into the picture, the folks at Bandai seemed to have taken cues from Yamato: the prices are on par, if not higher than Yamato valks. Add the super export-unfriendly web exclusives, makes for a triple or even quadruple whammy for valk lovers who wants valks from each series. Fast forward to next year, where we will probably be getting some or all valks from the VF poll that Graham had made, how much will we have to pay for each valk? This is even when some of the valks, like the VF-19s, can be milked for a few variants (VF-19 Kai, F, S, P: Normal, P: Whale blood edition). I know that they can't be milked as much as the vF-1, but I seriously suspect that all these non-VF-1 valks will be priced at 18800yen or higher, and this is something I can't really justify in the long run for each purchase. Each of this is almost like 10% of my net income! Sure, I DON'T HAVE to buy everything that is released, but I know that some day I will be going after "the ones that got away". They might be cheaper or more expensive to get later, but mostly more expensive and way more troublesome to find, should anyone of them become rare. While I welcome wholeheartedly the new valks, I sincerely hope that the prices can come down. While I know this may be a long shot, I sincerely wish that Graham can give some feedback to Yamato regarding the prices. Like I said, this is just a rant. I will still buy whatever valk that Yamato comes out with, as long as the quality is good and I can afford it.

Not too happy about the ostrich neck? Well.... fighter mode! Anyway, most of my V2 valks are/ will be in fighter mode.

removing arm armors? SLIGHTLY pull the connecting tabs at the side of the arms outwards?

When I visit Macrossworld EVERYDAY and spend a gazillion dollars on valks.....

Ah... I think I know... its the filler for the nose portion in fighter mode, where the legs attach in battroid mode.

I believe the the long awaited VE-1 is finally..... *drum roll* released! LINK

Basically, the "pilot" has no command skill. You as a player can only use the "supporting" character's command skill. I've actually used Max from SDF:M era as my pilot for the leet character stats and Mac 7 era Max as support for his time stopping skills... works like a charm! . Still pretty ok for normal missions, but playing chronicle missions means you can't use any of them... but that is made up by the fact that you can use all tune points earned for the particular mech on chronicle missions unlike MAF. Oh, and congratulation on "S"ing the AFOS!

Booooo! You are bad! Bad!!! Yes, I would love to have it.... at a lower price point though, since it doesn't have any accessories (IIRC), and not even landing gear.