Factory Entertainment's 'Assault Phaser'

[137th Gebirg]

You're forgetting something Mr. Chekov. The now defunct (And stealers of my hard-earned cash) ANOVOS did release a Discovery Phaser replica back in 2018, and it didn't feature an orange cap. TrekCore's review of the replica can be found here.
...
Maybe this has more to do with 'where' the replicas are sold...

You're absolutely right, I did forget that.

However, I did also mention that whole Diamond Select line, including the very real-looking-gun-like Klingon Disruptor, were also sold in the same kind of big box stores, targeted to kids, all without red caps (with the one fore-mentioned exception of the ENT phase pistol). As far as I could tell, the "where" there would have been identical to the McFarlane line, and yet, an arbitrary and capricious double standard of regulation enforcement ensued.

We work within the laws or violate them and risk the consequences.

See, this is the problem with ambiguously worded laws and the corrupt law enforcement agencies that choose to enforce them at their own convenience, will and pleasure. Either it's law or not. Either it's enforced or not. Yes, we are a nation of laws, but when the laws are flawed from the beginning to check a few feel-good checkboxes by politicians who argued, "hey, at least we did something" and then subsequently ignored by the establishment (until they're not...because reasons), confidence is lost in the so-called system of "justice".

And since we're starting to swim dangerously close to real-world topical political waters outside the toy industry, I should probably return back to the beach and get my tan on.

 

[fireproof78]

You're forgetting something Mr. Chekov. The now defunct (And stealers of my hard-earned cash) ANOVOS did release a Discovery Phaser replica back in 2018, and it didn't feature an orange cap. TrekCore's review of the replica can be found here.

When Master Replicas released their version of the Assault Phaser, it also didn't feature an orange cap. Since the new version shown at the convention did not feature an orange cap, it's reasonable to presume that Factory Entertainment won't have this issue wither.

Maybe this has more to do with 'where' the replicas are sold. McFarlane definitely has their toys available in everyday stores like Walmart and Target, where children go with their parents on a regular basis. Having children of all ages see that phaser likely presents an issue where an orange cap was mandated. However, ANAVOS sold their replica without an orange cap through their own website and that didn't create any problems.

Or how they are imported. Maybe McFarlane didn't want to go through the waiver process.

 

[drt]

I suppose the whole orange cap thing could have simply been a made-up excuse to back out of releasing it at all -- after all, the McFarlane Trek figure line had a grand total of two releases before they abandoned it.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Possibly, yes. It would be an even greater shame if that were the case.

 

[Jeyl]

Looks like SDCC and STLV got us some new info this year! For the first video, Factory Entertainment’s creative director Barry Eldridge was on hand to give a nice look at the Assault Phaser.

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Observations:

• The P1 is now electronic and emits a bluish-white light. Sadly the phaser only has the 'Kill' setting (Star Trek VI Sound).
• There seems to be some sort of 'interruption' with how the trigger is handled. It could be just a glitch, but it does sound like if you let go of the trigger, the sound stops.
• ALL METAL on the top portion of the phaser! Barry demonstrates this by dinging it with his rings.
• The rear green indicator light is now always illuminated when the phaser is turned on. This change makes the phaser inaccurate since the indicator light and the emitter light were supposed to turn on simultaneously when the trigger was pulled. This is how the MR phaser functioned as well.
• There appears to be a whole second-long delay between pressing the trigger on the P1 phaser before it actually fires. This doesn't appear to be an issue in the Adam Savage video.

Adam Savage's video covers the same replicas, spends more time on each replica. The assault phaser portion begins at 12:00.

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Observations:

• The removable magazine no longer has a light at the top and is now completely flush.
• RAPID FIRE ENABLED! At 14:26, Adam Savage pulls the trigger multiple times and each time he does it, the phaser fires again even before the sound effect finishes! YES!
• I don't recall if the MR phaser did this, but if you leave the phaser on a specific setting, putting the magazine into the phaser will play the magazine sound first and THEN the selection sound made from the setting knob immediately after. That's a pretty cool idea that would make inserting the magazine very satisfying.

Overall, I think every issue I had with the MR rendition has been addressed with even more stuff added! I think I can safely say that this is now a must buy. Here's to a successful rollout! And maybe I'll even make a video review comparing the original to this one. Granted it would have to use footage from my original video, but boy. I'm eager to tackle it again.

 

[zirconic]

Overall, I think every issue I had with the MR rendition has been addressed with even more stuff added! I think I can safely say that this is now a must buy. Here's to a successful rollout! And maybe I'll even make a video review comparing the original to this one. Granted it would have to use footage from my original video, but boy. I'm eager to tackle it again.

I'm cautiously optimistic. Both those phasers look really nice.

Sidenote: both of those prototype phasers were stolen at Star Trek Las Vegas along with a staffer's backpack, and apparently somebody from FE also had their car stolen. It was a bad con visit for them. I have not heard any indication that anything was recovered.

 

[137th Gebirg]

These props/toys are positively beautiful and look amazingly faithful to the originals.

It's also interesting to observe that literally none of the new weapons props in this series have the allegedly-mandated orange/red cap. Hmmm... Fascinating indeed...

And no, I'm not gonna let this one go... Some stupid things just simply need to be mercilessly and perpetually mocked.

 

[fireproof78]

These props/toys are positively beautiful and look amazingly faithful to the originals.

It's also interesting to observe that literally none of the new weapons props in this series have the allegedly-mandated orange/red cap. Hmmm... Fascinating indeed...

And no, I'm not gonna let this one go... Some stupid things just simply need to be mercilessly and perpetually mocked.

If they are not being shipped through California but another port they might bypass that regulation.

 

[drt]

It may also be because McFarlane is a well known and established “toy company” they get held to a different legal/safety standard than a fly-by-night “prop replica company”.

 

[Tomalak]

The assault phaser and the SNW phaser are stunning. I would be very tempted when they become available for pre-order.

 

[Q2UnME]

Though beautiful faithful recreations, these are really for the serious collector with ample means. The $7,000 + price tag will limit the buying pool .... and DEFINATELY not me!

 

[Tomalak]

Though beautiful faithful recreations, these are really for the serious collector with ample means. The $7,000 + price tag will limit the buying pool .... and DEFINATELY not me!

Where do you get that from? Their other phasers are in the hundreds, not thousands.

 

[Jeyl]

Though beautiful faithful recreations, these are really for the serious collector with ample means. The $7,000 + price tag will limit the buying pool .... and DEFINATELY not me!

Are you looking at the prop replicas, or the studio scale replicas?

 

[Q2UnME]

Are you looking at the prop replicas, or the studio scale replicas?

at the ~29:00min mark, it's stated that the SNW phaser costs $7K to make. After watching it again, he might be referring to the actual SNW production cost on the actual production prop.

 

[137th Gebirg]

That sounds more likely. It takes a lot of time to build the 3D models that the printer/fabricator uses to make the prototype. The R&D takes up most of that cost. If this is licensed (and I believe it is), they can simply use that same mesh data file to print the mass-production prototypes at far less cost than building something new from scratch like in the olden days. Eaglemoss was able to do this for a lot of their newer series/movie models (before they died as a company, of course) that were all digital from day-zero. That's why many of these things from Kurtzman-era Trek are 100% accurate and faithful to the originals. They essentially are digitally identical to the originals, just not screen-used.

 

[fireproof78]

at the ~29:00min mark, it's stated that the SNW phaser costs $7K to make. After watching it again, he might be referring to the actual SNW production cost on the actual production prop.

The context suggests that it is the original prop, since he says they were only given a limited number to work with for their reproduction purposes.

 

[Tomalak]

Yeah that's clearly the original prop.

I think the point he's making is that their version will be much cheaper and has more features, and will probably end up being used on screen.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Would make sense. Eaglemoss models have been used, both in physical and digital form (the latter in association with Cryptic & Star Trek Online designs), in Trek productions for several seasons now - mostly PIC.

 

[Tuskin38]

at the ~29:00min mark, it's stated that the SNW phaser costs $7K to make. After watching it again, he might be referring to the actual SNW production cost on the actual production prop.

He was talking about the show prop. I think I remember the same number being said on one of the Ready Room segments.

 

[Jeyl]

Show props can be expensive, especially if they involve electronics.

You can also hear Barry mention that they might have their replica phasers be featured on the actual show. Wouldn't that be cool to have another 'Eaglemoss Enterprise D' scenario?