±Recent Visitors

Recent Visitors to Com-Central!

±User Info-big


Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: HighestAce
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 6648

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 483
Total: 483
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: Community Forums
02: Home
03: Home
04: Home
05: Home
06: Community Forums
07: Home
08: Community Forums
09: Home
10: Community Forums
11: Your Account
12: Photo Gallery
13: Home
14: Home
15: Community Forums
16: Photo Gallery
17: Community Forums
18: Home
19: Community Forums
20: Member Screenshots
21: Community Forums
22: Member Screenshots
23: Photo Gallery
24: Member Screenshots
25: Home
26: Home
27: Statistics
28: Community Forums
29: Home
30: Community Forums
31: Home
32: Community Forums
33: Member Screenshots
34: Statistics
35: Downloads
36: Home
37: Downloads
38: Community Forums
39: Photo Gallery
40: Community Forums
41: Community Forums
42: Home
43: Community Forums
44: Member Screenshots
45: Community Forums
46: Downloads
47: Community Forums
48: Home
49: Photo Gallery
50: Community Forums
51: Community Forums
52: Community Forums
53: Community Forums
54: Home
55: Statistics
56: Photo Gallery
57: Photo Gallery
58: Home
59: Community Forums
60: Photo Gallery
61: Member Screenshots
62: Community Forums
63: Member Screenshots
64: Community Forums
65: Member Screenshots
66: Community Forums
67: Community Forums
68: Community Forums
69: Community Forums
70: Community Forums
71: Photo Gallery
72: Downloads
73: Photo Gallery
74: Member Screenshots
75: Home
76: Home
77: News Archive
78: Community Forums
79: Home
80: Photo Gallery
81: Home
82: Home
83: Home
84: Photo Gallery
85: Home
86: Statistics
87: Community Forums
88: Community Forums
89: Home
90: Home
91: Your Account
92: Community Forums
93: Photo Gallery
94: Photo Gallery
95: Photo Gallery
96: Community Forums
97: Photo Gallery
98: Community Forums
99: Community Forums
100: Community Forums
101: Home
102: Home
103: Your Account
104: Community Forums
105: Member Screenshots
106: Home
107: Community Forums
108: Member Screenshots
109: Community Forums
110: Photo Gallery
111: Home
112: Photo Gallery
113: Community Forums
114: Home
115: Community Forums
116: Community Forums
117: Community Forums
118: Photo Gallery
119: Photo Gallery
120: Member Screenshots
121: Photo Gallery
122: Community Forums
123: Community Forums
124: Community Forums
125: Community Forums
126: Photo Gallery
127: Community Forums
128: Community Forums
129: Home
130: Community Forums
131: Downloads
132: Photo Gallery
133: News
134: Community Forums
135: Community Forums
136: Member Screenshots
137: Community Forums
138: Photo Gallery
139: Downloads
140: Photo Gallery
141: Community Forums
142: Home
143: Photo Gallery
144: Downloads
145: Downloads
146: Community Forums
147: Community Forums
148: Community Forums
149: Community Forums
150: Photo Gallery
151: Community Forums
152: Home
153: Photo Gallery
154: Community Forums
155: Member Screenshots
156: Community Forums
157: Photo Gallery
158: Member Screenshots
159: Community Forums
160: Home
161: Home
162: Community Forums
163: Home
164: Community Forums
165: Your Account
166: Downloads
167: Community Forums
168: Statistics
169: Downloads
170: Member Screenshots
171: Community Forums
172: Photo Gallery
173: Community Forums
174: Photo Gallery
175: Community Forums
176: Photo Gallery
177: Community Forums
178: Home
179: Downloads
180: Home
181: Member Screenshots
182: Downloads
183: Community Forums
184: Community Forums
185: Statistics
186: Member Screenshots
187: Home
188: Photo Gallery
189: Community Forums
190: Community Forums
191: Member Screenshots
192: Your Account
193: Home
194: Community Forums
195: Photo Gallery
196: Home
197: Photo Gallery
198: Photo Gallery
199: Home
200: Downloads
201: Community Forums
202: Community Forums
203: Member Screenshots
204: Community Forums
205: Downloads
206: Photo Gallery
207: Home
208: Community Forums
209: Photo Gallery
210: Home
211: Home
212: Your Account
213: Home
214: Community Forums
215: Community Forums
216: Member Screenshots
217: Member Screenshots
218: Community Forums
219: Downloads
220: Downloads
221: Member Screenshots
222: Community Forums
223: Member Screenshots
224: Home
225: Home
226: Home
227: LinkToUs
228: Photo Gallery
229: Home
230: Community Forums
231: Community Forums
232: Community Forums
233: News
234: Home
235: Community Forums
236: Home
237: Downloads
238: Community Forums
239: Community Forums
240: Community Forums
241: Your Account
242: Member Screenshots
243: Home
244: Home
245: Community Forums
246: Downloads
247: Home
248: Home
249: Photo Gallery
250: Home
251: Photo Gallery
252: Photo Gallery
253: Home
254: Community Forums
255: Home
256: Statistics
257: Community Forums
258: Home
259: Photo Gallery
260: Downloads
261: Home
262: Community Forums
263: Home
264: Home
265: News Archive
266: Community Forums
267: Member Screenshots
268: Community Forums
269: Member Screenshots
270: Community Forums
271: Photo Gallery
272: Home
273: Your Account
274: Home
275: Home
276: Community Forums
277: Downloads
278: Community Forums
279: Your Account
280: Photo Gallery
281: Community Forums
282: Community Forums
283: Member Screenshots
284: Community Forums
285: Member Screenshots
286: Community Forums
287: Photo Gallery
288: Community Forums
289: News
290: Community Forums
291: Member Screenshots
292: Home
293: Photo Gallery
294: Photo Gallery
295: Photo Gallery
296: Member Screenshots
297: Member Screenshots
298: Home
299: Home
300: Community Forums
301: Home
302: Community Forums
303: Home
304: Community Forums
305: Home
306: Home
307: Statistics
308: Home
309: Community Forums
310: Home
311: Home
312: Member Screenshots
313: Community Forums
314: Downloads
315: Home
316: Photo Gallery
317: Home
318: Photo Gallery
319: Photo Gallery
320: Statistics
321: Community Forums
322: Home
323: Community Forums
324: Community Forums
325: Photo Gallery
326: Home
327: Home
328: Statistics
329: Downloads
330: Home
331: Home
332: Community Forums
333: Community Forums
334: Community Forums
335: Home
336: Community Forums
337: Community Forums
338: Home
339: Member Screenshots
340: Photo Gallery
341: Home
342: Photo Gallery
343: News Archive
344: Downloads
345: Home
346: Photo Gallery
347: Statistics
348: Photo Gallery
349: Home
350: Home
351: News Archive
352: Downloads
353: Home
354: Community Forums
355: Home
356: Member Screenshots
357: Member Screenshots
358: Community Forums
359: Home
360: Photo Gallery
361: Community Forums
362: Community Forums
363: Home
364: Home
365: Home
366: Home
367: Home
368: Photo Gallery
369: Home
370: Member Screenshots
371: Home
372: Home
373: Photo Gallery
374: Home
375: Your Account
376: Home
377: Home
378: Home
379: Photo Gallery
380: Photo Gallery
381: Downloads
382: Home
383: Community Forums
384: Community Forums
385: Community Forums
386: Photo Gallery
387: Photo Gallery
388: Home
389: Member Screenshots
390: Home
391: Community Forums
392: Downloads
393: Home
394: Community Forums
395: Home
396: Your Account
397: Community Forums
398: Community Forums
399: Home
400: Home
401: Home
402: Home
403: Photo Gallery
404: News Archive
405: Downloads
406: Photo Gallery
407: Community Forums
408: Your Account
409: Community Forums
410: Home
411: Community Forums
412: Community Forums
413: Community Forums
414: Home
415: Community Forums
416: Member Screenshots
417: Your Account
418: Photo Gallery
419: Community Forums
420: Downloads
421: Member Screenshots
422: Home
423: Photo Gallery
424: Community Forums
425: Home
426: Community Forums
427: Home
428: Statistics
429: Community Forums
430: Community Forums
431: Home
432: Community Forums
433: Your Account
434: Home
435: Member Screenshots
436: Downloads
437: Home
438: Community Forums
439: Home
440: Home
441: Community Forums
442: Photo Gallery
443: Member Screenshots
444: Home
445: Downloads
446: Home
447: Home
448: Home
449: Community Forums
450: Community Forums
451: Photo Gallery
452: Community Forums
453: Community Forums
454: Photo Gallery
455: Photo Gallery
456: Photo Gallery
457: Member Screenshots
458: Community Forums
459: Your Account
460: Member Screenshots
461: Home
462: Member Screenshots
463: Community Forums
464: Community Forums
465: Home
466: Member Screenshots
467: Community Forums
468: Home
469: Photo Gallery
470: Home
471: Member Screenshots
472: Home
473: Community Forums
474: Community Forums
475: Downloads
476: Community Forums
477: Community Forums
478: Community Forums
479: Home
480: Home
481: Home
482: Photo Gallery
483: Community Forums

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
Misdirected competition, and...
The AFV ASSOCIATION was formed in 1964 to support the thoughts and research of all those interested in Armored Fighting Vehicles and related topics, such as AFV drawings. The emphasis has always been on sharing information and communicating with other members of similar interests; e.g. German armor, Japanese AFVs, or whatever.
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page     Forum Index ›  AFV News Discussion Board

View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
geoffsteer
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 114

PostPosted: Tue May 30, 2006 11:54 am
Post subject: Misdirected competition, and...

Hi Guys-
I have probably covered this before. Am I the only one who does not like to see competition between companies that results in two companies releasing the exact same version of a particular subject instead of each company doing a different version? Dragon and Tristar are both releasing Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) Ausf. E/F kits putting the two companies in direct competition with each other. I would be happier to see one of them do the Ausf. E/F and the other do the earlier version with the stepped driver's plate. I realize Dragon and Tristar are not likely to confer with each other over their releases in order to do as I suggested. However, making what appears to be a deliberate effort to go toe to toe does demonstrate a knowledge of what the other guy is doing, why not use that knowledge to do a different version? As you are all aware, the 38t is not the only example of Dragon and Tristar trying to match each other kit for kit, the Panzer IV Ausf C being one other example.
I also would prefer kit manufacturers release kits of AFVs that have not been kitted before rather than do new versions of older kits. Okay, some older kit releases are now showing their age and need replacing. One example being the Italeri 38t. Never the less, if we already have a kit that needs some work, that kit is still better than no kit of something else.
Thanks for listening-
Geoff Steer [;-{/) Shocked
Back to top
View user's profile
bsmart
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 23, 2006
Posts: 2523
Location: Central Maryland
PostPosted: Tue May 30, 2006 2:10 pm
Post subject: Re: Misdirected competition, and...

Why do you end up with a McDonalds and a Burger King next to each other on the highway? Or a Kmart and a Walmart across the road from each other?

Market Research. Each organization does their research and come up with 'the traffic we want is best at location X' or Modelers want a Pz 38 that was used in the battle of ????.

So they start the process to produce such a kit or build a store there. During the process they probably learn what their competitor is doing but they have started the research, made the molds, leased the property., or whatever the preliminary steps are. They don't want to throw away that investment and the certainly won't admit that since the competitor is entering the same market they should avoid it. So you have Mcdonalds next to Burger King when I wished one of them had built a mile or so dwn the road so I could have a place to stop when I am at that end of the shopping district. Or Kmart and Walmart across from each other when I really would like one of them to be on the other side of town so I can pick up odds and ends when I am visiting Mom.
And two Pz 38E/F .

_________________
Bob Smart ([email protected])
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail
mike_Duplessis
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 236

PostPosted: Tue May 30, 2006 2:10 pm
Post subject: Re: Misdirected competition, and...

Kit manufacturers seem to be running into the same problem as classical music CDs. There's the standard canon of 'old warhorses' (Tiger I for models, Beethovan's 5th for classical music), then there's the more esoteric products with a more limited appeal (BT fast tank for models, Alfred Schnitke for classical music). After awhile the producer starts to run out of new product (a finite number of tank types/classical composers); or starts to run out of ways to cleverly market old product ('limited edition' releases); or to run out of customers for his product in an already glutted market! And like classical music fans, there's always that one obscure piece that people beg to have... then don't buy it when it finally comes out Mr. Green
Back to top
View user's profile
Sabot
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 380
Location: Kentucky
PostPosted: Tue May 30, 2006 3:42 pm
Post subject: Re: Misdirected competition, and...

I see this more an issue of industrial espionage. Tristar, Trumpeter or whoever gets in touch with several notable model experts to assist with development of the latest "ultimate" tank kit.

Those guys start putting out feelers from their online friends for information on that type of tank. Those guys help out their friend and provide information readily available on the web.

One of those friends has a friend who has helped Dragon develop kits in the past and mentions that Tristar/Trumpeter/etc. is looking for info on a particular type of vehicle.

Dragon gets wind and rushes to produce a similar kit. Since they have an extensive product line, they can produce that variant much more quickly using the hull/tracks/suspension of an existing kit.

Dragon uses cheaper Chinese labor and then trumps the other manufacturer to get their kit out quicker and for less money.

Buzz is already being created for this variant by the hints for the original kit dropped on various modeling forums. Dragon pops out similar kit, perhaps with some aftermarket items added or the 3 in 1 features and cashes in on the buzz.

Hard to look at the Tristar PzKpfw IV Ausf. D at the $40+ price when Dragon has one for less money with a PE fret and aluminum barrel, indiviual track links, etc. for $15 or so less.

_________________
RobG
Back to top
View user's profile AIM Address
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index ›  AFV News Discussion Board
Page 1 of 1
All times are GMT - 6 Hours



Jump to:  


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum