Controversial opinions on dinosaur toys

[Tyto_Theropod]

I find pretty much any ceratopsian figure to be as enticing a prospective purchase as a packet of Twiglets

Ceratopsians aren't my favourites either, but I really do like accurate dinosaur toys so thanks to Doug they are very well-represented in my collection! Doubtless David Silva will be helping to fill my shelves with even more horned, frilled glory within the next year or so...

[Halichoeres]

Just a few off the top of my head... the new Papo Spinosaurus is a bit of a damp squib for me, I find pretty much any ceratopsian figure to be as enticing a prospective purchase as a packet of Twiglets, and the Schleich Replica-saurus Baryonyx is a masterpiece and a saint. A saint.

I have missed your humor on the forum!

Also, adding, since the topic is controversial opinions, I want there to be no more T. rex figures made for the next ten years.

Disagree. In this situation, what with the amount of research that's done on T. rex, it's likely that all available figures of it would end up looking outdated as reconstructions of what the animal might actually have looked like. Can definitely understand your opinion, tho.

The two most consequential things that COULD be discovered that would affect how this animal is reconstructed are a) extent of feathering and b) extent of lips. I think we're unlikely to get definitive answers to either one very soon, which means any other updates to the models will probably be pretty trivial.

[suspsy]

Also, adding, since the topic is controversial opinions, I want there to be no more T. rex figures made for the next ten years.

Disagree. In this situation, what with the amount of research that's done on T. rex, it's likely that all available figures of it would end up looking outdated as reconstructions of what the animal might actually have looked like. Can definitely understand your opinion, tho.

Well, we know for a fact that Creative Beast Studio will be producing a T. rex (along with many other tyrannosaurs) in a couple or so years, so that's one new figure right there.

As far as controversial opinions go, I think a lot of the Battat figures are rather ugly. The Carnotaurus and the Ceratosaurus especially don't hold a candle to their counterparts from Safari, CollectA, and Papo.

[Brocc21]

Also, adding, since the topic is controversial opinions, I want there to be no more T. rex figures made for the next ten years.

Disagree. In this situation, what with the amount of research that's done on T. rex, it's likely that all available figures of it would end up looking outdated as reconstructions of what the animal might actually have looked like. Can definitely understand your opinion, tho.

Well, we know for a fact that Creative Beast Studio will be producing a T. rex (along with many other tyrannosaurs) in a couple or so years, so that's one new figure right there.

As far as controversial opinions go, I think a lot of the Battat figures are rather ugly. The Carnotaurus and the Ceratosaurus especially don't hold a candle to their counterparts from Safari, CollectA, and Papo.

Yeah while I love the Battats some of them (especially older ones) are a bit iffy.

[Silvanusaurus]

I find pretty much any ceratopsian figure to be as enticing a prospective purchase as a packet of Twiglets

Ceratopsians aren't my favourites either, but I really do like accurate dinosaur toys so thanks to Doug they are very well-represented in my collection! Doubtless David Silva will be helping to fill my shelves with even more horned, frilled glory within the next year or so...

I do appreciate that there are excellent figures of them around, there is just something about the look of Ceratopsians themselves that I find very unattractive. That sounds very shallow but I have very particular tastes, my attention being drawn much more toward creatures of a rarer refinement, grace and dignity...

[Brocc21]

That's hideous.

[Shonisaurus]

The bad thing about the old Schleich figures in the Humbold Museum in Berlin is that the dinosaurs wear out a lot because of abrasions due to friction or falls. Fortunately I have the figures as new without flaws but I see that the 2002 Schleich baryonyx of photography has suffered a lot over time. In his day for me he was a cool figure, but honestly with the new models he has no point of comparison.

On the other hand, speaking of unpopular opinions, I really like the animantarx de Schleich 2019 competes in the same degree of genius with the current figures of Safari 2019. I know it is a controversial opinion that's why I quote it but for me Schleich's animaantarx is a great figure.

[Tyto_Theropod]

...I have very particular tastes, my attention being drawn much more toward creatures of a rarer refinement, grace and dignity...

THIS. This cracked me up! 

[Ravonium]

After reading plenty of posts about the various new Spinosaurus models, I realised there's another controversial (quite possibly unpopular) opinion I have about that subject: I don't mind seeing crocodilian scutes on Spinosaurus reconstructions, whether it be toys, paleoart etc. There's no reason why it's impossible for them to have convergently evolved, and I also just personally like the look of them.

[suspsy]

I've never had any problem with crocodilians scutes on Spinosaurus. I'd much rather have those than an eel's tail!

[stargatedalek]

I personally hate scutes on Spinosaurus (and I absolutely consider this an unpopular opinion, seeing how often it's done). Spinosaur "dino-crocs" are a stereotype that encourages provably false behavioral comparisons and a misunderstanding of genetics in dinosaur reconstruction. It's more harmful than other copy-paste appearances because it actively promotes misunderstandings.

The Papo Spinosaurus tail is not a "proper" eel-tail, or any fish-like tail really. It's a collection of little spines leaning against each other and I think it looks terrible, but at least it's something different. It looks like they based it on a diagram of an eel where the wrinkles of the fins are exaggerated and not on an actual eel.

[Killekor]

I don't like cocodrilian scales on Spinosaurids too, although not for scientific/accuracy reasons. I simply find the resulting models bad and ugly.

I also like when a dinosaur figure color scheme is based on an existing paleoart. I find it a tribute to the artist whose artwork was inspired to, and personally when I see an illustration that I really like of a dinosaur I always hope for a figure with that paint scheme. In fact some of my repaints are based on existing illustrations.

Plus, I don't understand when people say that they don't like Papo's models because they look like monsters. Ok, a dinosaur it's an animal etc etc... but for me they are monsters, and this is one of the reasons why I like many Papo and REBOR models. "Natural looking" dinosaur figures tend to be more boring than modern animal figures, at least for me (naturally with some exceptions, like Carnegie amargasaurus or CollectA edaphosaurus). [Note: I'm not referring to pterosaurs nor marine reptiles, which are another story].

Killekor

[Shonisaurus]

For me, Papo spinosaurus of 2019 (limited version), is the best figure of spinosaurus made to date corroboro what Killekor says.

On the other hand I really like the two tyrannosaurus models "Killer Queen" by Rebor that will soon be commercialized. I do not care that they are not scientists are very detailed and the teeth are a dark yellow (at least the presentation) and that is very similar to the teeth of most animal species.

[Libraraptor]

CollectA Guidraco is an overrated figure. The crest is painted incredibly ugly and so are the eyes.

[Halichoeres]

CollectA Guidraco is an overrated figure. The crest is painted incredibly ugly and so are the eyes.

A genuinely unpopular opinion! The crest does bear a slight resemblance to candy corn.

[Fenestra]

I always had a feeling that Guidraco colours were based on the puffin bird.
IMO they used the beak colours for the head crest.
I must admit, I'm not a fan....

[Shonisaurus]

I really like the Collecta caiuajara with these blue picnofibers, sincerely what most attracts me most to that pterosaur, apart from the fact that it is a great figure, its paint details on the cranium, the crest is masterfully good.

Honestly I like the quetzalcoatlus latest version of Schleich version of the Humbold Museum in Berlin (I do not know if I've mentioned it before) than its Safari counterpart. Surely the quetzalcoatlus of Safari is more scientific but in this case the size matters and I like the last quetzalcoatlus of Schleich version of the Humbold Museum in Berlin, the size and its striped colors like the zebras give it a fun and attractive look.

[Fenestra]

I think the new Schleich Spinosaurus looks like a cigar with legs.
To me it is weirdly proportioned when it comes to the ribcage.
The ribcage is smaller than its neck. That must be some heavy sail on its back...
Poor Spino. 

[Brocc21]

looks like a cigar with legs.

That's why the Cubans love it.

[Silvanusaurus]

Could it be that while everybody has been stumbling to explain the aquatic interpretation of Spinosaurus, it's true ecological niche; as a rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco leaves, has been grossly overlooked?