David Silva's Beasts of the Mesozoic: Ceratopsian Series - WAVE TWO SHIPPING!

[LeapingLaelaps]

All I have to say about this is:

If you're going to claim that David "doesn't seem to care", maybe post a screenshot of his actual response and include your criticism so the rest of us can see the actual context. Because after reading your response regarding the lack of basal species (I saw it yesterday and honestly found it rude and figured that it couldn't have been your comment) I would have responded with "Wow" too.




Maybe it's just because I have Autism and sometimes struggle to recognize tone or intent behind words, but to me, those responses seem unnecessarily hostile. From what I've seen, David has ALWAYS appreciated constructive criticism or advice for improving the accuracy of his figures and has taken a lot of it into account. I don't really see any constructive criticism in these comments, just nitpicking over everything looking similar.

I would love to see some of the more basal species, but I completely understand why he chose the species that he did. Their bodies are similar, meaning it would be much easier to produce the parts for them, lots of shared parts = less time taken to make a lot of individual, unique parts. I don't know much about toy making, but it seems a lot easier, efficient and cost effective to me to make part A and B, instead of parts A, B, C and D.

I haven't been able to find your other comment regarding the inaccuracies of the Psittacosaurus, but at the end of the day, no one is forcing you to buy these figurines, or to support David, his Kickstarter, or his "mediocre" choices of species.

[suspsy]

Maybe it's just because I have Autism and sometimes struggle to recognize tone or intent behind words, but to me, those responses seem unnecessarily hostile.

Ugh. I don't have autism and those words most definitely come off as rude and hostile to me. A little tact probably would have gone a long way.

From what I've seen, David has ALWAYS appreciated constructive criticism or advice for improving the accuracy of his figures and has taken a lot of it into account. I don't really see any constructive criticism in these comments, just nitpicking over everything looking similar.

Fully agreed. I don't do Instagram, but based on my observations on Facebook, David has always been pleasant and accommodating to people's constructive criticism—so long as it is given politely. The sad thing is, amargasaurus probably is right about the anatomical details, and I generally share his desire for more basal ceratopsian figures like Aquilops or Udanoceratops. But you simply can't expect people to heed your words when you express them in such a manner. Again, tact.

[tanystropheus]

Maybe it's just because I have Autism and sometimes struggle to recognize tone or intent behind words, but to me, those responses seem unnecessarily hostile.

Ugh. I don't have autism and those words most definitely come off as rude and hostile to me. A little tact probably would have gone a long way.

From what I've seen, David has ALWAYS appreciated constructive criticism or advice for improving the accuracy of his figures and has taken a lot of it into account. I don't really see any constructive criticism in these comments, just nitpicking over everything looking similar.

Fully agreed. I don't do Instagram, but based on my observations on Facebook, David has always been pleasant and accommodating to people's constructive criticism—so long as it is given politely. The sad thing is, amargasaurus probably is right about the anatomical details, and I generally share his desire for more basal ceratopsian figures like Aquilops or Udanoceratops. But you simply can't expect people to heed your words when you express them in such a manner. Again, tact.

He's not claiming that you have Autism.

[tanystropheus]

@terrorchicken You can change your pledge amount and reward as many times as you need to before the campaign ends. If you only want the Avaceratops, though it has not been funded yet, you can select the Zuniceratops as the reward for the meantime, and pledge the amount needed for the Avaceratops, the $45, or whatever. Once the Avaceratops unlocks you can switch your pledge to that, and add on any remaining amount if there is any. If the Avaceratops does not get unlocked prior to the campaign ending, you would still have selected the Zuniceratops as your reward, but you would want to change the amount (to the $25 or whatever), though you can also cancel your pledge too, if need be.

Edit: If you want both, keep the Zuniceratops as the reward, and addon the $47 or $50 for the Avaceratops to your pledge total, or if the Avaceratops is unlocked you could switch your pledge to that and addon the amount for the Zuniceratops (at $27). So the total for both would be about $72 minimum.

If you are short on funds for these when it comes time to the backerkit survey, you can always pay the addition then, as well as add on/pay for more figures if you would be interested and/or can afford to do so then. It's likely what I will be doing for any of these stretch goal figures that I will unlikely be able to afford with all four figures and the print when the campaign ends (which is $242).

Also keep in mind Avaceratops is a Wave 2 figure (est shipping March 2021), and Zuniceratops is a Wave 1 figure (est Shipping Sept 2020).

I didn't read all the information but I did make a pledge for Monoclonius as a guest login and received a confirmation email. If I go back to the Kickstarter campaign and make a pledge for Zuni, would it override my previous pledge or would it be registered as a new order?

[suspsy]

Maybe it's just because I have Autism and sometimes struggle to recognize tone or intent behind words, but to me, those responses seem unnecessarily hostile.

Ugh. I don't have autism and those words most definitely come off as rude and hostile to me. A little tact probably would have gone a long way.

From what I've seen, David has ALWAYS appreciated constructive criticism or advice for improving the accuracy of his figures and has taken a lot of it into account. I don't really see any constructive criticism in these comments, just nitpicking over everything looking similar.

Fully agreed. I don't do Instagram, but based on my observations on Facebook, David has always been pleasant and accommodating to people's constructive criticism—so long as it is given politely. The sad thing is, amargasaurus probably is right about the anatomical details, and I generally share his desire for more basal ceratopsian figures like Aquilops or Udanoceratops. But you simply can't expect people to heed your words when you express them in such a manner. Again, tact.

He's not claiming that you have Autism.

. . . say what?

I think you need to go back and reread what I wrote more carefully. I'm saying that him reading those words as rude and hostile is not due to his autism.

[tanystropheus]

Maybe it's just because I have Autism and sometimes struggle to recognize tone or intent behind words, but to me, those responses seem unnecessarily hostile.

Ugh. I don't have autism and those words most definitely come off as rude and hostile to me. A little tact probably would have gone a long way.

From what I've seen, David has ALWAYS appreciated constructive criticism or advice for improving the accuracy of his figures and has taken a lot of it into account. I don't really see any constructive criticism in these comments, just nitpicking over everything looking similar.

Fully agreed. I don't do Instagram, but based on my observations on Facebook, David has always been pleasant and accommodating to people's constructive criticism—so long as it is given politely. The sad thing is, amargasaurus probably is right about the anatomical details, and I generally share his desire for more basal ceratopsian figures like Aquilops or Udanoceratops. But you simply can't expect people to heed your words when you express them in such a manner. Again, tact.

He's not claiming that you have Autism.

. . . say what?

I think you need to go back and reread what I wrote more carefully. I'm saying that him reading those words as rude and hostile is not due to his autism.

I'm so confused 

[Faelrin]

@tanystropheus If you want both, select either the Monoclonius or Zuniceratops for your pledge reward, and then add on the amount for the other one to your total pledge amount. You'll get to select the additional figure when the survey is sent out.

[terrorchicken]

@terrorchicken You can change your pledge amount and reward as many times as you need to before the campaign ends. If you only want the Avaceratops, though it has not been funded yet, you can select the Zuniceratops as the reward for the meantime, and pledge the amount needed for the Avaceratops, the $45, or whatever. Once the Avaceratops unlocks you can switch your pledge to that, and add on any remaining amount if there is any. If the Avaceratops does not get unlocked prior to the campaign ending, you would still have selected the Zuniceratops as your reward, but you would want to change the amount (to the $25 or whatever), though you can also cancel your pledge too, if need be.

Edit: If you want both, keep the Zuniceratops as the reward, and addon the $47 or $50 for the Avaceratops to your pledge total, or if the Avaceratops is unlocked you could switch your pledge to that and addon the amount for the Zuniceratops (at $27). So the total for both would be about $72 minimum.

If you are short on funds for these when it comes time to the backerkit survey, you can always pay the addition then, as well as add on/pay for more figures if you would be interested and/or can afford to do so then. It's likely what I will be doing for any of these stretch goal figures that I will unlikely be able to afford with all four figures and the print when the campaign ends (which is $242).

Also keep in mind Avaceratops is a Wave 2 figure (est shipping March 2021), and Zuniceratops is a Wave 1 figure (est Shipping Sept 2020).

thanks Faelrin!  I know it will be a while before avaceratops gets shipped, but that's ok. If it doesn't get unlocked Ill stick to zuni or maybe just switch to the monoclonius. Again I really wish Chasmosaurus had colors I liked more, as it would have been my top choice, sigh.

[stargatedalek]

Personally I think early ceratopsians are diverse enough they should have been their own series reserved for later on, and only include a few "obligatory" representatives like Protoceratops and Psittacosaurus in this series. Yes that is what ended up happening, but it isn't what was initially proposed. The original "drafts" (public concept art and plans) included several other early species and significantly less derived ceratopsians. More like 3-5 early representatives out of 12-15 total species, which is a much more balanced amount given the inevitable public preference for the latter. Since then several of the early species were cut and the derived ones doubled in number.

At the end of the day this is Mr. Silva's line and the decisions are up to him, but it definitely set a false expectation.

Early ceratopsians could just as easily share parts, Psittacosaurus alone could easily be 2-3 distinct enough looking figures through changing the head sculpt and quills. Things like Leptoceratops and Microceratus could share parts, etc.

This campaign has definitely suffered compared to the raptors by spreading itself thin, even without including many basal ceratopsians, so cutting them was probably the right decision (if so many additional species were truly necessary). Still extremely disappointing.

[Halichoeres]

I was also bummed when the more basal species were largely axed from the line, in favor of fast-tracking popular chasmosaurines. I can't really say I blame Silva for that, though. In addition to being a money-saving move, there had been a lot of clamor on his social media sites for Triceratops and other chasmosaurines, so he was just responding to that. The problem here is just that so many people only know a handful of the most popular dinosaurs, and they're the ones who are loudest on FB and Instagram.

Personally, I've pledged a lot less to this campaign than I did to the dromaeosaur campaign. Except for Velociraptor and Microraptor, every species in the previous campaign was one that didn't have good representation in plastic, and often had none at all. Ceratopsians, however, especially ceratopsids in particular, are frequently made into toys, and frequently done well. So I'm only pledging for holes in my collection. There's a Spiclypeus-shaped hole in my collection, but there isn't a Triceratops-shaped hole. If Silva had included Udanoceratops, Leptoceratops, Cerasinops, Turanoceratops, etc., I'd have pledged perhaps twice as much. But from a financial perspective, he probably made the right move by replacing those with the household names.

[Flaffy]

Even with all the hype, 12 days and the Ceratopsian series still isn't funded... Getting a little bit worried.
The raptor series got funded in 12 days with BotM being relatively unknown.

[stegosauria]

Now it's funded: 150, 001$!

[Flaffy]

Now it's funded: 150, 001$!

Okay, now that's epic. Guess I spoke too soon.
Onwards with the stretch goals! Really hoping we'll reach Sinoceratops, Torosaurus and Triceratops.

[postsaurischian]

The raptor series got funded in 12 days with BotM being relatively unknown.

  ..... which might have been the reason.

[Flaffy]

The raptor series got funded in 12 days with BotM being relatively unknown.

..... which might have been the reason.

I don't think you understood what I meant.

I meant that despite the exposure, hype and well known-ness of the BotM series now, compared to back then (during the raptor campaign) when it wasn't well known. The ceratopsian series still took the same amount of time as the Raptor series to get fully funded.
Which was surprising to me. I expected the Ceratopsian KS to be funded in a week and a half tops.

[Ravonium]

The raptor series got funded in 12 days with BotM being relatively unknown.

..... which might have been the reason.

I don't think you understood what I meant.

I have a feeling postsaurischian meant that as people now know [insert perceived issue here], they're less likely to back the project.

The ceratopsian series still took the same amount of time as the Raptor series to get fully funded.
Which was surprising to me.

To be fair, the goal this time around was significantly more than that for the raptor KS.

[postsaurischian]

The raptor series got funded in 12 days with BotM being relatively unknown.

..... which might have been the reason.

I don't think you understood what I meant.

I have a feeling postsaurischian meant that as people now know [insert perceived issue here], they're less likely to back the project.

  That's right. I might have pledged for a ceratopsian or two, but after my experience with the raptor campaign I haven't.

[Flaffy]

The raptor series got funded in 12 days with BotM being relatively unknown.

..... which might have been the reason.

I don't think you understood what I meant.

I have a feeling postsaurischian meant that as people now know [insert perceived issue here], they're less likely to back the project.

  That's right. I might have pledged for a ceratopsian or two, but after my experience with the raptor campaign I haven't.

I see, that's understandable.

[suspsy]

Goal achieved with more than 20 days to spare. I don't know about you, but I'd call that an unmitigated success!

I like what @Halichoeres observed earlier. As appealing and unique as basal ceratopsians are, I think if David had included more of them in the lineup at the cost of axing some of the centrosaurines and chasmosaurines, he'd be inundated with complaints. Big guys with big horns and frills are simply more popular, as sad as that is for some to hear.

And as it stands, the series is a good mix of genera that have lots of toys (Triceratops, Styracosaurus, Pachyrhinosaurus, Protoceratops), genera that have some toys (Torosaurus, Chasmosaurus, Pentaceratops), genera that have maybe one toy (Utahceratops, Medusaceratops, Xenoceratops) and genera that have never had toys (Wendiceratops, Spiclypeus, Avaceratops, Albertaceratops, Zunicerarops, Centrosaurus), at least AFAIK.

[Flaffy]

Goal achieved with more than 20 days to spare. I don't know about you, but I'd call that an unmitigated success!

*17 days to spare

As for basal ceratopsians, I hope David will consider doing them after the Kickstarter. But I'm personally not holding my breath for them, we'll see how well the Ceratopsian kickstarter goes first.