[Exoray]

Call me crazy, but as a business don't you crunch those numbers before you plunk down a gym bag full of cash to the Sony folks for the license? You'd figure they would have known the costs going into it rather than after a prototype was built, etc...?

Or they had a project goal price (ie the $1000 price tag) and would attempt to bring the prop to life within that goal... Sadly, sometimes, until you get to a certain level of progress do you realize that the goal can't be met and have two choices, bail out or go over budget... And in many cases the market can justify and increase in goal price, but with the world economy in the toilet and this being a luxury item already, over budget equaled disaster in this project...

[namebrand]

Call me crazy, but as a business don't you crunch those numbers before you plunk down a gym bag full of cash to the Sony folks for the license? You'd figure they would have known the costs going into it rather than after a prototype was built, etc...?

A lot of the details are either unknown to me or I don't feel it's appropriate for me to give out given it's MR's business, but I can tell you that this was less about realizing that GB prop items would be costly to produce and more about MR actually surviving as a business. Also the nature of MR and Sony's licensing relationship is a little different than it would be with others, which means that access to the licenses from Sony is perhaps a little easier for MR.

[darklantern2]

Thanks for the insight, Namebrand. I don't imagine MR is a very big company, and if one huge project like this were to fail miserably, it's understandable that they'd bail out of survival.

I don't know the history behind the hatred of MR. Perhaps that is a topic for another day.

DL2

[PeteVenkman_Jedi]

Thanks for the info on how this whole thing went down. Kinda crappy it worked out the way it did. The way the licenses are divided and preventing any one company from providing a decent wearable pack etc. with out stepping on each other is kinda stupid and shows how messed up the legalities of the whole thing are.

And on a side note, Devil's advocate you understand, because it has to be said, you know I love you guys and you're my friends, but why the hell did you bother approaching MR in the first place? You were, along with myself, some of the most vocal against the whole idea. It kinda irks me you caved in like that when you were offered a piece of the pie so to speak. Why not stick to your guns and do it independently? Integrity boys, it's more valuable than money in the long run. You know I'll forgive you ....this time. LOL

Again thanks for the insight, it's quite the jumbled legal mess in the world of licensed merchandise.

[Ron Daniels]

You know, from my whole little PreLaw standpoint I find this entire situation fascinating.

[AJ Quick]

You know, from my whole little PreLaw standpoint I find this entire situation fascinating.

If there were Junkyard cats involved.. this could be a made for tv movie!

[GuntahKela]

Very, very insightful. Thanks for sharing. I was, actually, looking forward to their product.

[rockstar232007]

I think that this was a matter of the company not being financially viable, and not just because of today's economy. Tom even stated awhile back, right after the initial GB line announcement, that MR was having problems with labor costs, and trying to think of a feasible way to keep the labor costs, and the price of the finished product equal or lower, but that's is nearly impossible, especially with these types of licenses. Hey! Maybe MR should move to Mexico! (no, that isn't an ethnic joke!)

[njukgb]

To echo PeteVenkman_Jedi, full respect to what you folks put together in the community, but:

"As it stands if you're wearing/displaying a pack you or someone else put hard work into it (hard being relative in some cases). All the efforts fans have made in researching, building, re-building, re-researching, companies (or just other people with no vested interest in the "community") swoop in and use it all and start profiting. The value of hard work and effort is diminished by it all."

And yet it all seems fine because some folks were offered involvement which, I am sure, included some form of sundries or financial coverage.

Whilst I can see your position of having true-fans having strong influence in the design, look, feel of the finished product... you all deserve a big with a dose of

[namebrand]

To PeteVenkman_Jedi and njukgb, if you think this was some sort of get rich plan on our part or that we're sell outs then you're very much mistaken. There isn't a lot of money to be made consulting or building prototypes. As for integrity, I think it takes more integrity to be able to change your opinion when faced with new information.

MR was going to move forward regardless of how the fans felt. When I first called them it was just to tell them that fans were pissed, and he gladly listened to my critique. We found that there was an opportunity to help guide something that was going to happen in a direction that would benefit most of the hobby (by way of more accurate details coming out if nothing else). I too came down on them for the notion of mining all the hard work of past fans in order to re-sell it to people with not so much as a thanks. I made no qualms about telling them how I felt, but the truth was that they had their own photos and research materials (less so for the trap). We would have been using plans I would have created based on my own research.

As I said, we figured we'd catch some heat from some people, all I can say is that all 3 of us were against MR, and we found that they actually did care about the hobby and the fans. Again, call us turncoats if you like, but we at least did it for the right reasons.

[bradboss12]

well, I'm guessing the prop builders are breathing a sigh of relief. Like I said, I can build my own for probably under 300 (I'm not as anal as some folks, but I have resin parts I cast, build my own stuff, use scrap wood, etc.) If I used MMM's thrower kit ($150) and Exoray's V-71 shell ($350) and his electronics ($400), it would stil be under a grand.

[Master784]

That really sucks, i was going to save up my money for the proton packs one day!

[PeteVenkman_Jedi]

Ok, after much discussion, I have come to see things a little differently. Although I just washed my hands of the MR situation I have come to understand where namebrand and the others were coming from.

They really did have the best interest of the community in mind when they approached MR with their services. Where I would have, and did, walk away to let them (Master Replicas that is) hang themselves with their own rope, these guys saw the bigger picture. They saw that this was going to happen with or with out the help of the community they figured they could help them to get it right. If there is going to be a licensed pack out there that would be considered canon by most of the casual observers, why not get it made by the guys that are the most knowledgeable out there. Who better for the job than these guys. Honestly, if there was anyone who could and would get the details and specs right it is these guys. I failed to see that and wrongly assumed it was a grab at glory. These guys (namebrand, java and Cam) are bigger than that and have had nothing but the community and making the best possible props in mind from the get go. They did it for all the right reasons, I just assumed differently. Now I'm still not a huge fan of MR, yes I do own some of their FX sabers, but I respect the effort they made to try and make this a positive thing for us, the fans.

Sorry I doubted you fellas. I am only human.

[Spooky]

I have not much else to say about this but some of the hypocrisy I have read just makes me laugh and laugh

Not only that I would like to thank everyone I have read about that seems to have called or emailed MR to speak for all of us "pissed fans" thanks

[namebrand]

You've made it clear many times that you have nothing but contempt for me Spooky so would never think that you'd be happy about my involvement in anything. As for hypocrisy, I changed my opinion about something when presented with new information and a new point of view.

[irricanian]

What about scaled down replicas? Like the mini lightsabers and blasters they did for StarWars? Was that ever a topic of discussion with them? 1:45 scale Proton pack, trap and pedal, PKE, gigameter? Perhaps the small collectible versions may be an easier task.

Just a thought

[PeteVenkman_Jedi]

Please see my edited post above.

[Kingpin]

Not you too Pete! It's night of the bodysnatchers!


Seriously though... I don't feel it's worth getting any more bent out of shape over a product that's now not likely going to ever see the light of day then we already are.

Disappointment? We're Ghostbusters fans, it's a requirement of the badge we wear. I won't speak for John and Scott as they've made their points, they knew they ran the risk of not winning any friends from it.


I just hope that the cancellation hasn't cost Cam too much in addition to what he's already lost the last year.

[docshiv]

namebrand...I remember reading your opinions on MR and the whole GB replica issue, and they were strong.

I respect the fact that you have an open mind and I think it speaks to your character. Good on ya. I don't view that as hypocrisy...just evolution of thought.

I hope you 3 get the opportunity to resurrect your involvement.

[Chace]

If there were Junkyard cats involved.. this could be a made for tv movie!

Charlie-perco is on the job!

[Master Spider]

THE PROP BUILDING SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY RIDES ON!!!

[PeteVenkman_Jedi]

Hey, Master Spider, you forgot to include the soap box I use to be able to get up on that high horse. You'll need to re-shoot the picture.

[FeinDTacticS]

im glad and sad.. but more glad since i already dedicated myself to building my own. but once I got into this community MR was a huge eye catcher with their catchy phrases of replicas coming out for the ghostbuster fans

*back to work*

[hawaiiangb]

build it and they will come......

[Master Spider]

Hey, Master Spider, you forgot to include the soap box I use to be able to get up on that high horse. You'll need to re-shoot the picture.

I just figured you leapt

[PeteVenkman_Jedi]

I just figured you leapt

Only with out my pack on. LOL

On a serious note though. I honestly detached myself from this community for a while because I just couldn't take this stupid the propers against the rest of the community crap. So Spider, I hope you are just being funny. I don't have the energy to get bogged down in pettiness. So I'll poke fun at myself with no problem or hesitation at all. I'm not perfect. And to be honest some folks are taking themselves WWWWAAAAYYYY too seriously. So I really hope, Spider and everyone else, that you can see the humor in some of this and keep it lighthearted. For crying out loud it's a frigging fan community for a 25 year old piece of fiction. Anyone who takes this too seriously needs to give their heads a shake. So when it gets to petty bull arguing I just can't be bothered and will just walk out the door. Hell I was taking this way too seriously and needed to completely remove myself to regain perspective.There is more to life than what happens on a computer screen. I'd much rather spend an afternoon sipping coffee on the patio watching pretty girls go by than get into fights online with uptight nerds busting blood vessels over things that don't amount to a hill of beans in the long run.

[rodie]

I liked how they had the phone number as a special site dedicated to the props. Hopefully they'll set up that address to go to the game site or something.

[Master Spider]

I'd much rather spend an afternoon sipping coffee on the patio watching pretty girls go by than get into fights online with uptight nerds busting blood vessels over things that don't amount to a hill of beans in the long run.

ARE YOU CALLIN' ME AN UPTIGHT NERD?!

[PeteVenkman_Jedi]

I'd much rather spend an afternoon sipping coffee on the patio watching pretty girls go by than get into fights online with uptight nerds busting blood vessels over things that don't amount to a hill of beans in the long run.

ARE YOU CALLIN' ME AN UPTIGHT NERD?!

Can't tell if you were being serious there or not.

So for the record, No, I am not. I'm just saying I don't have time to argue with any.

[Spooky]

I just figured you leapt

I'd much rather spend an afternoon sipping coffee on the patio watching pretty girls go by .

Toooo easy