My topic of musings and ideas

[engledogg]

I just noticed that the photos of the loose 1985 Seekers are mistransformed.

e.g. G1 Ramjet
SHMAX's image: http://www.shmax.com/part_details/867 (the stickers are also horrifically misapplied, but anyway)
Correct transformation: http://tfwiki.net/w2/images2/c/c0/G1Ramjet_toy.jpg

So take some new photos...

And as far as "horrifically-misapplied stickers" go, when you get figures secondhand, as some users no doubt do, you're sort of at the mercy of the previous owner.

MIKE
engledogg

[shmax]

An idea about this concept would be that the "reporting" of one's collection be able to be separated from other things. For example, once Diaclone is added to the database (a non-TF property) there should be differences in how it is reported. You can have either an overall collection, with subsections for Diaclone or Transformers.

I'm thinking of how things are currently reported. If you were to add G.I.Joe, how would this reflect in the Collector ranking? Currently the ranking is only for TF products, but if I were to add G.I.Joe items, that ranking could increase. That particular ranking would only be related to "total toys" instead of the "total TFs" as it is now. It would be the chagrin of people that only collected Transformer items if their numbers were skewed by hardcore collectors of other products, such as Star Wars which has more items than Transformers does.

How to figure out the best way to do this, I can't say. But once new lines are added, there should be a separation so that collectors of different things can relate to other people who collect the same things they do. Third Party TFs or KOs shouldn't count towards a total TF count, but if a user wants them to, they should. Maybe in the future, the different types of series could be chosen at random to reflect one's collection. Whether this be on some leaderboard, or even in the Shmax signature.

Can't we have entirely separate databases for toys outside of the Transformers franchise? I for one would definitely be miffed if my ranking was affected because I was being compared with people who were including toys outside of the TF franchise in their collections.

Would it be possible to have different ranking options/settings? e.g. allow people to choose if they want to display their ranking as a specific franchise collector (e.g. Transformers) or as an overall toy collector? Or can the database display both ranks?

Yes, guys, the whole plan is to segregate the different toylines, and this includes rank. We're sort of getting ahead of ourselves here, as we're just getting started on this, but I think there will a sub-site for each domain, so that when you're viewing "Transformers", everything you see, including rank, sig, and everything else, is just about Transformers. Same for G.I.Joe, Star Wars, and the rest. There will also likely be an "All" category, that lets you browse everything, or generate a sig that shows your overall rank.

Please, be patient, and have a little faith!

[GoktimusPrime]

I'd have more faith if that 3rd party item category weren't there. Can't it just be removed from the Transformers database? If people want to have a database for it and any other not Transformer toys, then these can be added to appropriate separate databases. Why lump them in with Transformers, even as a temporary measure? It's not as there's GI Joe, Star Wars, Macross, My Little Pony etc. currently residing in the Transformers database... so I see no reason why the 3rd party category should be existing there right now.

[shmax]

Why lump them in with Transformers, even as a temporary measure?

Because we've had several requests from Transformers collectors over the years to track them, they're at least Transformers-related, one of our users has volunteered to begin taking photos, one of our mods has volunteered to administer the data, and technically it's harmless, as we have the ability to move the section easily when the time comes.

It's not doing you or anyone else any harm at the moment, and I've already told you that it's just a temporary workaround. Can you really not just roll with it for a while, or is this actually causing you real distress?

[engledogg]

I'd have more faith if that 3rd party item category weren't there.

What do you mean by "have more faith"?  For God's sake, the category has ONE ENTRY IN IT, as of this writing.  

You managed to join right at the beginning of a transition point - the transition from only Transformers to other toylines, so please be patient, sit back and enjoy the ride.

And as far as adding a new database, it's not a "me add new database, me get it done in ten seconds" situation.  This takes time, especially if you want to do it right.

Your rank, percentages, and all that stuff will be fine because as shmax said, toys like this will get their own devoted category(ies) in the near future, so this is just a TEMPORARY situation.  

I don't collect third party products, either, but I realize that it had to be done this way.  It's a temporary solution to allow users to enter their third party products now, which will cut down on time entering them in the future, when they get their own category.

My advice, chill out and make do with that one entry.  Or, if you really are bothered that much, take a leave of absence for a while, and when you come back, bask in the glow of one of the best toy databases that you'll find on the Internet today.

MIKE
engledogg

[Tripredacus]

Does this lone Third-Party TF count as a figure? I am asking because (example) my Skywarp Numeral Candle or the magnet set doesn't count as a figure... Unless that was changed... I should add my napkin sets then.  

[engledogg]

A candle or a magnet are classified as merchandise.

And to answer your original question...it's currently in the database as an accessory.  It will also likely be labeled as such once it is ported over to the upcoming 3rd Party category.

Something like that 3rd party Springer (the name escapes me at the moment), once it is added, will likely be called a figure, following the qualifications for a figure that we currently have in the database.  I would imagine SW, GIJoe, etc. would also be subject to similar criteria.

MIKE
engledogg

[Tripredacus]

OK so is there an easy way to create a product record by using an existing one? I got some more data for Canadian G1 I'd like to add. For example.. .

http://shmax.com/product_details/1779/grimlock

Take this product, put into 1986 Canada G1. Remove the photo for the box and instructions. Change product name to Grimlock / La Menace. The product and assortment code are the same.



Similar for Doubledealer.
http://shmax.com/product_details/1195/doubledealer

But I don't know the year! If it follows the standard, it would probably 1989, since Canada is usually a year behind. Product Code is the same, no assortment number. Name is Doubledealer / Doublejeu. The powermaster engines do not have a French name on the box.

I got some photos from a guy on TFW.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v208/TheShape84/canadian%20boxes/

[shmax]

OK so is there an easy way to create a product record by using an existing one? I got some more data for Canadian G1 I'd like to add. For example.. .

http://shmax.com/product_details/1779/grimlock

Take this product, put into 1986 Canada G1. Remove the photo for the box and instructions. Change product name to Grimlock / La Menace. The product and assortment code are the same.



Similar for Doubledealer.
http://shmax.com/product_details/1195/doubledealer

But I don't know the year! If it follows the standard, it would probably 1989, since Canada is usually a year behind. Product Code is the same, no assortment number. Name is Doubledealer / Doublejeu. The powermaster engines do not have a French name on the box.

I got some photos from a guy on TFW.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v208/TheShape84/canadian%20boxes/

We have basic moderator tools for doing this kind of thing, but I have yet to get around to exposing them for general usage. Can ya keep on roughing it for a while?

[Tripredacus]

Yes, eventually. Maybe I can later today. Can't you tell I was secretly asking a mod to do this work for me?
I knew about that mod ability already, I think it was brought up before.