November updates!

 What a year.

We are currently in the sample stage on the final FAREWELL TO ROBO FORCE wave.

Above, see a candid picture of the Maxx Zero and Robo Force half of Nazgar that many of you have already pre-ordered. These are not final, still some tweaks to come.

Even here at Toyfinity, we have been hit by the slowdowns caused by the global pandemic. With that said, we are expecting to still be able to sell the rest of the wave and delivered the pre-ordered quantities in 2021.

New Release - Darkness Falls - Again!

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Once again, the Knight of Darkness is facing the forces of good with his own army of evil!
will the newest member of the Robo Force, Coptor the Enforcer, be able to fight against the Knight on his first day after Dynagenesis?
Available in the store now!

THE GREAT HUNT - PART II! All-new release!

It is time once again to journey back to ZETON and learn the secrets of the Robo Force!

When Maxx Zero is faced with his greatest test at the hands of ZEMO the HUNTER and his robotic brotherhood of Hunters, who will survive?
Jump over to the store now to add these new challengers to your collection!

EDIT: all orders are shipped as of 8/18/2018!

New release TONIGHT! Zero Point!

Maxx Zero used the tracking robot found in the library at Dorchia, an image forming in his mind of where Zerak, the missing Prime Zeroid needed to open the Zero Lock found by Zintar, was. However, Maxx's advanced weapon systems reacted to the energies of the tracking robot in an unexpected way.
During the DYNAGENESIS which had originally awakened him, Maxx Zero incorporated the weapons and systems of hundreds of different entities as a function of his unique adaptive Z-Core...but he was not given the ability (or knowledge) to access all of those weapons. The combination of the tracking robot's power and a dimensional jump mechanism stored in Maxx's bank of unknown systems teleported Maxx to Zerak's location in the blink of an eye.

Maxx found himself in an ancient space station of a construction he had never seen previously. The sounds of battle reverberated through the empty corridors, drawing Maxx's attention.
He quickly found himself in a battle of wills between a group of red Darkness Soldiers and NEO ZEROID ZERAK.
Maxx joined the fray, only to find himself attacked by Zerak!
What was this station?
Why was Zerak attacking Maxx?
Would the rest of the Robo Force find him in time?
And would any of them survive the gaze of...the Knight of Illumination?

Toyfinity returns tonight at 9 pm EST with an all-new release, including the long-awaited ZEROID ZERAK!
Add these warriors to your collection...you will need them for the war to come...

DARKNESS WILL FALL! New Toyfinity Release - the Knight of Darkness, Zobor, and more!

Tonight at 9 pm EST, Toyfinity returns with a long-awaited release!

Finally, DARKNESS WILL FALL!

Maxx Zero has finally found Zintar the Explorer, one of the Prime Zeroids. Now they must find the other Prime Zeroids, starting with Zobor the Transporter.
Little does the Robo Force know that NAZGAR has finally called in his enforcer, his shadow battling against the light - THE KNIGHT OF DARKNESS!
But the Knight has not come alone. Accompanying him are the deadly Guardian Darkness Soldiers and the vicious Shadow Mordles!
Has Maxx Zero finally met his match? Or will his power combined with Zobor's be enough to turn the tide?

Add these fantastic new releases to your collection tomorrow at 9 PM EST- only at toyfinity.com!

New release this Friday 6/24/2016 - DARKNESS WILL FALL

The long battles on Diavolus were over...
MAXX ZERO and the Robo Force had gained new friends in Neo Zeroid Assassin and Zeroid Striker, as well as a new mission: find the Prime Zeroids and unlock the secrets of planet Zeton!

The journey took Maxx, his second-in-command and hotheaded brother-in-arms Sentinel the Protector, Assassin, and Striker deep into sections of the galaxy untouched since the explorations of the STAR TEAM generations before.
The signal of a Zeroid Sensor Station drew the Force's attention; Assassin demanded they investigate, in case any Zeroid was still functioning on the planet.

Deep in the foliage of a jungle planet, the Robo Force discovered a forgotten tribe of HUNTER NEO ZEROIDS...

led by the first-constructed of Zeroid Zemo himself, ZEMORIAN (picture coming soon!).
Burnt-out circuitry and faulty memory chips had driven Zemorian into a paranoid state. He believed that any visitor to the planet was trying to take their jungle away - and would have to prove their claim to the planet by undergoing Zemo's test - the Great Hunt.


Stripped of their weapons, Maxx and the team must once again find a way to prevail over a superior foe - another impossible mission for the Robo Force!

But there was a greater problem on the horizon...
What the Hunters did not know was that another group had tracked their signal - a group that believed the resurgence of the Zeroids would lead to the destruction of the universe.
And so, it was time for the shroud of Darkness to fall once again.

The DARKNESS SOLDIERS entered the jungle with simple orders - bring back any mechanoid powered by a Z-Core (the energy source at the heart of the Prime Zeroids AND Maxx Zero) and destroy the rest.

 

Who will survive this conflict of wills in the primal elements of a planet untamed by technology or men?
The Hunters? The Hunted? Or a literal legion of Darkness?

THE ALL-NEW RELEASE FROM TOYFINITY GOES ON SALE THIS FRIDAY, 9 PM EST!
The new era of Toyfinity begins here!

WAR OF THE ZEROIDS - STRIKER AND SUPER ZEROID BLACK!

Neo Zeroid Assassin has an assistant in his divine mission - ZEROID STRIKER.

 This older-model Zeroid was created long ago, and serves as protector and soldier to Assassin.
And Assassin needs him, because they are constantly being thwarted by...

 

SUPER ZEROID BLACK!

 

This mechanoid and his assistants, the TECHNICIAN ZEROIDS, are on the same quest for Zeroid technology, though Assassin cannot recognize the design of SZB from his database...not that he has been able to contact Zintar The Explorer for a number of years now to discern the origin of SZB.

WE DID IT!

 

It's taken me a couple of days to get my thoughts together on Club Zeton...but the important thing is WE DID IT!
Club Zeton is a go! We needed a minimum of 100 people to make the club go forward, and there were some hairy times along the way, but in the end, a surge in the last two days pushed us well over the 100 member mark. There was no number fakery along the way - no mysterious meters popping up nebulous "progress" which means nothing. I had no reason to - it was you guys and girls who held the fate of the club in your hands.

I feel a lot like I have after past San Diego Comic Cons or an NYCC - the adrenalin rush when the outcome is unclear is something I wouldn't recommend to everyone.

I want to send a thank you out to everyone who decided to join the club (including those of you who bought multiples), everyone who helped promote it, and all of you who put up with my promotion of the club along the way.
I truly appreciate the feedback received during the membership period. To those that suggested Kickstarter, I'm taking that under careful consideration for future projects.

I want to reclaim the concept of a club being a fun thing and not just a pre-order system/pain to deal with.
It's why Club Zeton is structured as it is - there has to be some MYSTERY in the mix!
If you love Robo Force or Glyos, you are going to have a fantastic time over the next year as the full scope of Club Zeton is revealed - Imperious Maxx and his Demonslither cronies, the stickers, an all-new Zeton figure later this year, Mystery Maxx...and that's just what you know about right now!
We have many aspects of the club planned out to give you an enriched experience over the next year or so - and I'm sure there will be things I haven't even thought of yet that will add excitement along the way.
(Club Members, look for an email in the next two weeks to talk about some changes in the way I communicate with all of you directly that I think will streamline some of the issues I've had with Club Mordle.)

This week I nailing down a few of the production aspects, and will pass along an eta of when you can expect the club assets as I have the timeframes solidified.
I want to especially thank everyone in the Glyos creator family for their support and assistance with the process. The kindness that everyone shows as we continue to create a universe together is always a surprising revelation to me that humanity doesn't always have to be about "me" - and for this I am grateful and humbled.
To my brothers Matt Doughty and Jesse Moore, I can only hope to someday live up to your examples of family support. Your generosity will not be forgotten.
So, once again, thank you.
I promise to give everything I can to make this the best club you've ever been in.

Lenticular Maxx sticker details!

(above is the raw graphic before the finishing applied by the sticker manufacturing. There won't be white outlines around the word and colors on the final product.)

So, the lenticular sticker...when I look at the original Maxx Steele from the 80s Robo Force line, I love the detail on his chest. It would be hard to replicate exactly with paint - too many small areas for them to paint, and the shapes and sizes of the circles and squares, as well as the shift in colors of the Maxx name. After I watched the cartoon again, I had inspiration - what the animators had done was had the lights on the chests of the Robo Force characters flicker on and off as the characters spoke and moved. How could we make that happen on the current toys? With lenticular stickers.

Many people are familiar with the lenticular shields that were included with the original Mattel Secret Wars figures. You can see a gif of the original shields and how they worked on this Secret Wars archive page over at the RavingToyManic site.
I just recently learned how lenticular stickers worked via a few YouTube videos! Basically, using the principles of 3D, two or more images are printed in a special process and a lens material allows us to see both images as the lens is moved. This will allow us to replicate the action from the cartoon as the lights on Maxx's chest will shift from black to "on" as you move at the image. The same will occur with his name plate.

While it is theoretically possible to print lenticulars "in your garage", Toyfinity will have them professionally printed by a renowned sticker manufacturer. A quote has already been obtained. The price for the above design in the size fitted to Maxx's chest is pretty expensive; I would have to retail them at $10 each, which I consider a high price. This may also be why we don't see many independent toy projects using lenticulars!
However, if you sign up for Club Zeton, you will get TWO of the above lenticular stickers for use with your Maxx figures as part of the club membership price of $75.

Check back later today for a preview of the Maxx Zero - Imperious Edition!

Important - heat up those Maxxes!

A quick reminder - with the Northeastern US in freezing conditions, it is important to heat up the Maxxes if you are going to:
A) build with them or
B) put together some of the leg parts properly. The factory is always striving to make the best functional product, and the hole on the center legs section is pretty tight on this round. We've seen some deformation on the pegs if you try to cram them into the center part while cold.

Here's Matt's recommended method (from the long-ago year of 2010!):

Matt 

January 11, 2010 at 2:11 PM

Thanks guys! If you want to use these to build with, I have a couple suggestions. Take a small box (like the folding type we send out) and cut about a 5 inch slice into a mini flap on the top of it. Throw your FEMALE parts in the box and then stick the front of a hairdryer in the flap on the top of the box (be careful) once the box is closed. After about 20-30 seconds of applied heat the box will get warm and the higher temp will soften up the hard parts. Use the rigid male limbs to assemble the figures and things should go much easier. Just heat in intervals and watch the temp on the hairdryer. 

It will make customizing easier and more efficient when using the harder figures.

You can also put the parts into boiling water, or use a hair dryer directly on the parts.

Above all else, BE CAREFUL!

Toys are supposed to be fun, not dangerous.

SHIPPED!*

Big shipping day!
Because of the postal holiday yesterday, I was able to get every single Classic Maxx order packed up.
All of the US-bound packages that have had their addresses confirmed (per my e-mails last week) have shipped! So many of you should be seeing your Maxxes this week.
Still waiting for 21 confirmations so I can ship out your packages.
Pete Parnin - if you read this, shoot me an e-mail. Getting a bounce on your e-mail address.
Non-US addressed packages that have confirmed their address will ship tomorrow.



Details on Club Zeton this week!

MAXX-AH-AH!

From my Instagram - the Maxxes have arrived!
Happy to say all the paint applications look great, and the figures feel really nice.
I think we actually increased the weight of the Ultimate Maxx with all the paint.

So, the buyers of these Maxx Editions will receive an e-mail in the next day or so with a special link asking them to confirm their addresses. Shipping should begin end of next week - in one of those strange occurrences, a box containing the switch pins for every Ultimate Maxx was not included in the order and is being rushed to Toyfinity HQ as we speak. Shipping for orders without Ultimate Maxxes will begin once the address confirmation link is confirmed.
Thanks to everyone for going on this journey with us - I'm super-excited for you to get these figures in your hands!

Inspiration and Descendant

Pictured: a Block in robotic configuration, and what Matt D. calls "Tomy Maxx".



The lineage of robotic figures goes all the way back to the walking tin-toy robots of the 1950s, passes through various Marx and Ideal figures in the 60s, Star Wars, Micronauts and Star Team in the 70s, Robo Force and Transformers in the 80s, Z-Bots in the 90s, all the way through to today.
I bring this up because a lot of people ask me about licensing. Over the years, all of these different lines had robots, but they each had something unique to bring to the table. So my question to "you" is - what do you want a license for?

Manufacturing is a gamble. Any business is a gamble. You are trying to express something (or/and make some cash while doing it) and why would you want to hamstring your business by being locked-in to something which manages expectations? Is the robot in the above picture Maxx Steele/Maxx Zero, the invincible warrior of the Robo Force? Some people have stated they don't think it is, because their view of Maxx is something different - a bulky, suction cupped, bendy arm robot. Or a giant personal assistant robot who could actually talk. Nothing that anyone can do would meet those expectations.

Given a choice, I would have pursued my own original property*. I've spoken about it before - we were actually thisclose to an entirely different original concept being the launch line from Toyfinity. What expectations would people have if the line was something never before seen? None. It can be anything, as Glyos is. The relevance of the Block in the above pic, for people who are somewhat new to Glyos, is that the partial inspiration for it WAS Zeroids and Robo Force. That's part of what I love about the Block, and Glyos overall - it is like many things in aspects, but it isn't a copycat.
So, my advice to anyone who has dreams of starting their own toy line is to ask themselves "what is it that I want to have inhabit my life for the next few years?" Do you want to be dealing with licensors and quotas and all of the rest that goes into a standard license? Where's your inspiration? Why settle for "Crystar" when your Crystar is out there?


*I know this begs the logical question "why did you get licenses then?" The answer is really two-fold: one, I wanted to bring back the Mordles, and I'm sure any original property I would have conceived would have had a Mordle-inspired figure in it somewhere. Two, as I have said many times previously, Maxx didn't get a fair chance at retail because of the environment he was introduced into. If Robo Force was released in 1982, the conversation might be entirely different; 1984 was not a place where Robo Force as a concept was going to be able to stand up against Transformers and Go-Bots. Letting Maxx rot away forever in limbo was not something I was willing to let happen.

New Mordles page! Maxx pre-order update! Happy Anniversary Robo Force cartoon! And more...

 

The Mordles comic is updated with a new page! 

Also, friend of Toyfinity Daniel Hartzler reminded me that the Robo Force cartoon first aired 30 years ago this week. So jump over to YouTube and watch the one-and-only Robo Force cartoon!

 Robo Force cartoon! (part one)

So, update on the Maxx pre-orders - it looks like the figures will be shipping to you in January.

Let me explain why. Matt Doughty and I received samples of the figures, and there were some tweaks that needed to happen to make the Maxx editions they best they could be.

First, this was the first time we have detail-lined the Maxx figure. There were a few areas that we added, and a few we subtracted, to make it look the best that it can. Secondly, we had to remove two of the paint applications on the Ultimate Maxx. His elbows will no longer be a shade of gray. You can see how the unpainted elbows look in the picture below.

There were two reasons for this - in the original concept, we were going to run the arms in plain black, and then paint the elbows on this edition. However, we would have wound up with a situation where the black on the arms, guns, hands, Maxx's head, etc would have been a shade different than the arms. So we made the decision to paint the arm tubes for the most aesthetically pleasing look.
What you can't have on this particular figure, as was clear from the samples, are three painted parts touching each other so tightly. Ever wonder why a McFarlane figure might break right out of the box? In some instances, the PAINT bonds to other paint and it fuses together. There was a concern of that happening, so we removed the gray application from the elbows. I'm not too sad about it though - if you want a preview of what it might have looked like (and have the Genesis Edition of Maxx), swap those elbows onto the Ultimate Maxx. It isn't as aesthetically pleasing as leaving the elbows what we have now officially named "Maxx gray".
We also had to lose the black paint application on the center core part of Maxx's chest:

I took a chance because I wanted to add a new level of detail to a figure of this type. But it isn't possible to do (and maintain the integrity of a paint application of this type) because of the ability to disassemble the figure. I didn't want people to get their kits and have that paint app scratched just from the figure being assembled in the factory (and in turn, easily scratched when you assemble the figure), so we cut the paint application. It also had a tendency to leave black marks on the other parts of the figure. Lesson learned. You might see that paint app again if we ever use the chest as the head of a figure.

If anyone has any questions about these changes, please feel free to send me an e-mail.

I'd rather have the figure be great and delayed a month than to rush something to you that isn't going to work.

We're working on Cruel to be the next Ultimate Edition. More info on that project soon, as well as the debut of the Chronicler Mordles!

Classic Maxx samples are in!

What a wild ride it has been.

When I started the process of bringing back Robo Force with Matt Doughty and my partners in Toyfinity, I had visions of a Maxx which was painted well beyond what Ideal could (or would) do in the 80s. And now he is here.

I'm proud to say I am very pleased with this early sample. Now, some revisions have to be made; this is the first time we have detailed lined Maxx, and there are some areas which need revision from this sample. The elbows you see here are placeholders on the Ultimate Edition - the final ones will be the same highlight grey from the rest of the figure. I'll keep you updated as to when we might expect the full order to arrive in the US (we might miss Christmas on this guy), along with some behind-the-scenes pics of the work that goes into reviewing a sample.
Painting a figure this small with so much paint has been a big experiment. If we do more Ultimate figures in the future, there are a few paint apps on this figure which may not ever be replicated - so this guy is going to be unique even if demand rose to make him again.
I think the level of paint has thrown some people, because you just don't get a lot of figures in this scale which are so heavily painted. The chest was a particular challenge - the original Maxx had a very specific stickered chest which made it easy to put color in whatever patterns they wanted. I think we had over ten revisions of the chest pattern before picking the one you see above.

Keep an eye on my Instagram (@toyfinity) for more quick pics of the figure with other figures, as well as more Toyfinity fun.

THANK YOU!

You guys rock!
The order period for Classic Maxx is closed, and I am very pleased with the results.
The best seller was the Ultimate Maxx, followed by the Basic version. A bunch of people picked up blanks for customizing- I can't wait to see what you do with them!
We're hoping to see production samples in November sometime - as soon as I have pics, I will share them.

It's incredibly difficult to have a completely independent toy company in 2014.
Financing is tough. How do you connect with the fanbase that is out there when you can't see the product in person anywhere?
But you, the fans, have made me happy with your support.
YOU make it happen.
 
What's next? That's something I have been thinking about. I'd love to mix it up a bit - who'd like a nice Ultimate Cruel to battle your Robo Force? Is Hun-Dred who you are jonsing for more? Or how about a Volkruia Sentinel? How about a pink Robo Force kit? Let me know what you think in the comments.

Maxx Zero Pre-Orders end Saturday! New Glyos release Sunday over at Onell HQ!

Just a reminder - pre-orders for the Classic Editions of Maxx Zero (Ultimate, Basic, and Unpainted) end tomorrow around 11 pm EST.
The response has been great! I appreciate all of the support so far.
I have checked in with the factory and everything looks great for delivery in December at this time.
I can't wait to get some production samples to show you guys!


Don't forget there is a new Onell Design Glyos System release this Sunday, including this monstrosity:

He'd look great against your Robo Force!

Ultimate Maxx Zero Mechanicals

And here are the mechanicals for the Ultimate Maxx Zero!
I'll give my thoughts on what you see below later this week - business trip tomorrow and Wednesday!

The Long and Winding Road - of Toyfinity, Classic Maxx Zero, and Choices

Hello there, Toyfinity fans.
Been a while since we had a nice long chat.
2014 is a year where I'd be happy with a do-over. 2013 too, for that matter.
The initial plan was that we'd have Manglors this year, Knight of Darkness would make an appearance, probably a new Mordle or two, and we'd have the classic Maxx and Hun-Dred on our shelves. You know what they say about the "best laid plans..."
The schedule has been transformed by many different events behind the scenes, and most of those projects will not see fruition until 2015. What you will see this year is the first entry in the Classic Robo Force series.

All along, I've had a vision in my head of what my version of Maxx Zero would be. 
Because he existed as a vintage toy, we had a blueprint of sorts to start with - but the figure I was imagining was much more complex in terms of paint. Maxx is my Pheyden, my Mickey Mouse...I imagined his look would evolve in complexity after hundreds of adventures and accomplishments.
The figure would be, at his core, in the classic colors of Maxx, but potentially not what everyone would want as their Maxx.
I didn't want to exclude the fans who love the primal nature of the paint applications and details of the original Ideal Toys version. I also saw an opportunity to provide a product that the customizers of the world have asked me for - a completely blank Robo Force kit in a nice base color that would be easy to paint.
What would be the best way to reconcile these varied approaches to Maxx Zero?

And that is the beauty of being truly independent of corporate interests.
Toy companies since the beginning of time have been hamstrung by production realities - paint masks cost money. Assembly costs money. Paint applications cost money. There is only a certain level of complexity that a figure can have and still hit a retail pricepoint. The majors have an idea that a premium figure has to sell for a 400% mark-up when put into a box with a folding lid.
Toyfinity is not limited in that way. I believe we've been clear with you about why figures cost more as we add paint applications and pieces.
YOU, the fans, can make the decision yourselves - with one minor change to the overall process of how you have bought these figures in the past.

For the first time, Toyfinity is going to offer you the opportunity at three Robo Force kit selections as pre-orders. It's a reality that costs have jumped to create mass-production items, especially at low production runs. Knowing this, I can't place an order for a massively expensive and complicated figure (or figures) without knowing for sure what you, the fans, want. After delivering multiple quality products to you in the past, I believe the time is right for a pre-order.

To create this Maxx, we started with one key thought: the base color of the figure was key to his vintage image. Without the classic "Commodore 64 grey/beige", there was no point in undertaking this project. So we sent the factory a classic Maxx figure to match the plastic as exactly as they can.
Packaging will be the same as previous waves - Maxx will be packed in a baggie. There may potentially be a Robo Force logo sticker on the baggie - still working that out.
From there, we get into the options:


#1 - Maxx Zero Basic Edition.

The ultra-Classic Steele-Forged Hero!
At $18, we have the Basic Maxx Zero. He's a standard 41 piece kit, including all of the pieces that you get with any Robo Force kit. The intention of this figure is to provide a nicely-balanced figure that is a pure update to the vintage Maxx figure, with slightly more color than the vintage on some parts. The full schematics for this figure will be provided later today for your perusal.

#2 - Maxx Zero Unpainted Edition
Exactly what the customizers have asked for! For $12, you get a completely paint-free figure that you can customize in any way you want.

#3 - Maxx Zero Ultimate Edition

The big man himself. For $35, you get a Maxx which will have over ONE HUNDRED PAINT APPLICATIONS and is 100% detail lined!
Again, on Monday, a full set of mechanical drawings will be posted which show where all of the paint applications on this figure will be placed. Over sixty of these applications are brand-new and never before used on a Robo Force kit.  This figure has more paint applications on it than some import figures which sell for double the price!

I look at an Ultimate Edition much like Takara-Tomy looks at Deluxe Transformers - Hasbro has a one-size-fits-all box that they must fit a Deluxe Transformer into (that costs exactly $15). TT will take that deluxe figure and put 3x the paint applications on the figure because they know it will look better - and because they aren't locked into that US retail price on their figures.

I want this to be a showpiece in your collections, as it will be in mine.
As such, THIS EXACT KIT WILL NEVER BE PRODUCED AGAIN.
There may be other Ultimate Editions in the future, but never again this exact Maxx Zero in these exact colors.


So, now that you know the details, let's talk about the Toyfinity pre-order process.
This isn't Matty-style pre-ordering - there is no "sellout" that will magically pop up before the end of the order period. There is no "magical minimum order" that will suddenly be announced as missed and the project canceled. Whatever editions you order during the order period will be produced and delivered to you. There are no limits on any of the editions. Most importantly - no stock is being produced for sale in the Toyfinity store later. If you skip them now, you will NOT be able to purchase them from Toyfinity later.
Pre-orders are live in the store now. The full mechanical drawings for the Basic and Ultimate Editions will be posted later on Monday so you make your decisions.
The pre-order period starts now, and ends at 11 pm EST on 10/25/2014.
Payment is due when the order is placed, and the figures are currently scheduled to be delivered in December. I will keep you updated to any changes or issues that arise during the process.

What else to discuss...I suppose that's everything!
If there are any questions, send me an e-mail at [email protected]
It's a new time for toys. We're in this together, my friends. You have choices as to what Maxx Zero kits you want in your collection, and if it works, in many of our products going forward.
I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to provide you those choices.

PREMIUM