KiwiKiller
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Post by KiwiKiller on Jun 15, 2021 10:48:04 GMT -5
Pardon me if this has been brought up before but is there a reason why Mattel has never done molded knee pads with articulation instead of the rubber knee pads with the calf-covered kickpads? The reason I ask is because sometimes the knee pads restrict articulation and also aren't acurate to the actual kickpads. For example, Sasha Bank's kickpads pull over her knee and aren't disconnected but her figures' kickpads look clunky because they are two parts. Not a huge deal but I think it would make a big difference for some figures. I remember Toybiz used to do molded kickpads which is why I remembered. Maybe people don't like those though! Just curious if this has been brought up before.  |
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Post by stc13 on Jun 15, 2021 10:53:56 GMT -5
From a design perspective, there's a lot more flexibility doing knee pads as a separate part. Earlier lines were working off of a much smaller parts library and were less concerned about scale. Even though Mattel hasn't been as great about scale lately, they're still working with a huge parts library.
The molded knee pads are far from perfect, but the only ones that really pose a mobility problem are the big leg sleeve style. And even then, the problem is moreso that those knee pads are used incorrectly 90% of the time.
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crush
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Post by crush on Jun 15, 2021 10:54:40 GMT -5
Personally, I wish there was more use of molded kneepads and elbow pads as part of the sculpt in the line, but that's definitely a minority opinion around here judging by the reaction anytime it's done. Would also make reuse of parts much harder, which is also a legitimate strike against it.
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Post by PJ on Jun 15, 2021 10:58:49 GMT -5
I am going to guess because not all wrestlers wear pads so that would mean every limb mold would need another so they’d have one with and one without. So it’s probably cheaper to use the removable ones. I will say back when they got the license I was hoping for molded on ones, because if these are anything like the material Jakks used on their pads, jackets & hair pieces they will become extremely tacky over time. And it’ll be damn near impossible to keep dust off them.
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KiwiKiller
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Joined on: Feb 10, 2018 13:35:57 GMT -5
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Post by KiwiKiller on Jun 15, 2021 11:07:44 GMT -5
Personally, I wish there was more use of molded kneepads and elbow pads as part of the sculpt in the line, but that's definitely a minority opinion around here judging by the reaction anytime it's done. Would also make reuse of parts much harder, which is also a legitimate strike against it. It makes me think what the line would be like if we had Hasbro making the figures. I say that because although the ML has some issues, they generally find creative ways to mold individuality to a lot of figures. |
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Post by POOR-ly Cuyler on Jun 15, 2021 11:42:58 GMT -5
Personally, I wish there was more use of molded kneepads and elbow pads as part of the sculpt in the line, but that's definitely a minority opinion around here judging by the reaction anytime it's done. Would also make reuse of parts much harder, which is also a legitimate strike against it. It makes me think what the line would be like if we had Hasbro making the figures. I say that because although the ML has some issues, they generally find creative ways to mold individuality to a lot of figures. Hasbro also hasn’t had to make figures for a line like WWE in so long. WWE figures come out after people have been on tv for awhile. Hasbro makes stuff for movies and other tv that gets reference shots and usually made before the shows come out even. They also reuse tons of parts and since the stuff is made before usually, looks can change or be off from the final production. Like the Endgame suits colors being grey and not white. They seemingly use the same female head for every comic character and change the hair. |
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KiwiKiller
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Joined on: Feb 10, 2018 13:35:57 GMT -5
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Post by KiwiKiller on Jun 15, 2021 11:46:42 GMT -5
It makes me think what the line would be like if we had Hasbro making the figures. I say that because although the ML has some issues, they generally find creative ways to mold individuality to a lot of figures. Hasbro also hasn’t had to make figures for a line like WWE in so long. WWE figures come out after people have been on tv for awhile. Hasbro makes stuff for movies and other tv that gets reference shots and usually made before the shows come out even. They also reuse tons of parts and since the stuff is made before usually, looks can change or be off from the final production. Like the Endgame suits colors being grey and not white. They seemingly use the same female head for every comic character and change the hair. Very true but Ive been blown away by some of their newer MCU stuff. Not only is the photo-real great but the articulation has been amazing. |
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Post by Deep Figure Value on Jun 15, 2021 11:56:24 GMT -5
They did this on the E76 Otis figure, and people lost their minds for some reason.
Personally, I think it was the best choice for that figure, which wound up being one of my favorites that year.
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Post by HandsomeHollywood on Jun 15, 2021 12:11:07 GMT -5
I hate molded knee pads. So I hope they never fully adopt them.
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Post by 💯ULTIMATE💯 on Jun 15, 2021 12:51:44 GMT -5
I prefer the knee pads to be separate. A couple of reasons why...
- Smoother look / appearance
- The fact that if the molded knee pad is inaccurate, there's nothing we can do about it.
- example: All Rocks and Austins have inaccurate knee pads. If they were molded, I couldn't have swapped them out to correct the inaccuracy.
With that being said, I hope molded pads never happens,
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Post by CM Tusk on Jun 15, 2021 13:25:08 GMT -5
I loved the molded knee pads on the R3 Big Show.
Since I just use figures to display it doesn’t make a difference to me. If I were a kid playing with them, I’d probably prefer molded.
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Post by shanieomaniac on Jun 16, 2021 1:58:54 GMT -5
Reading this, I immediately thought of the Otis Elite and how they did it there.
Sometimes, it works for a figure. Otis was one of these cases.
But most of the time I think it's easier for Mattel to just slap a pair of knee pads on there and call it a day. They'd have to have individual leg molds for every type of pad variation and it just isn't cost effective.
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JL24FPS
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Post by JL24FPS on Jun 16, 2021 7:28:04 GMT -5
Although technically not molded, I liked the fact that ECW Matt Hardy and Elite 82 Keith Lee having their elbow pads painted on. Something like that definitely helps with the range of motion and, to me, looks cleaner in these cases.
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Bobby Heenan
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Post by Bobby Heenan on Jun 16, 2021 10:16:55 GMT -5
From a design perspective, there's a lot more flexibility doing knee pads as a separate part. Earlier lines were working off of a much smaller parts library and were less concerned about scale. Even though Mattel hasn't been as great about scale lately, they're still working with a huge parts library. The molded knee pads are far from perfect, but the only ones that really pose a mobility problem are the big leg sleeve style. And even then, the problem is moreso that those knee pads are used incorrectly 90% of the time. Man, do I wish those leg sleeve molds would break already. They've always been inaccurate (in shape if not size... no one's ever used quilted pads like those) and look like crap unless they're used on Triple H legs. |
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Post by kiloinnorcal on Jun 16, 2021 15:20:58 GMT -5
Simply, it's probably cost effective to have to make a little rubber knee pad as opposed to a whole leg everytime they release a character with different knee pads.
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Post by Tye Hyll on Jun 16, 2021 16:29:10 GMT -5
Pretty sure my Samoa Joe has molded knee pads
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Post by Back to the Codyverse on Jun 16, 2021 18:53:38 GMT -5
Molded ones can look better if it’s the right situation. The knee and arm pads do hinder articulation and over time can become loose and look wonky.
I personally don’t care if that hinders Mattel’s ability to reuse any parts. I contribute to their bottom line. I don’t manage it.
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Post by poindizzle on Jun 17, 2021 8:57:49 GMT -5
I thought it was well executed on Otis and they could do it right if they tried. They don't need to but I think they could get it perfect if they decided that was the route to take. The only thing they need to do right now for sure is pack the mold for the knee sleeves into a tiny rocket and fire it into the sun and never design something so terrible again.
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Post by Hound on Jun 20, 2021 18:53:02 GMT -5
some times it wroks sometimes it does not. Cena's molded kneepads do work but Luchasaurus does not.
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I dont know good luck 
