Play pattern
25% WHOOOOOSH
30% PCHOW PCHOW PCHOW
5.999% INVISIBLE FORCEFIELD
0.001% I HAVE ALL THE GUYS EVER MADE
In the world of toy design, play pattern is fancy murky industry-speak for "how are kids supposed to use this toy?" You'll find it used a lot in the written description of patent applications. Any feature of a toy that is intended to be used in a particular, specific way is part of some play pattern.
Some sample play patterns:
- Conversion: toys that transform from robot to vehicle, of course. It's the fundamental play pattern that defines the Transformers brand.
- Combination: A feature introduced by toys such as Superion and Menasor, both composed of smaller toys.
- "Micro play:" used by Hasbro reps at BotCon 2002<ref>Botcon 2002 report</ref> to describe the play pattern of the tiny Mini-Con toys in Armada (and, by extension, their Micromaster predecessors.)
- "Aspirational Play:" A somewhat more abstract, design-centric factor, that Hasbro has referenced as a play pattern. Aspirational Play describes a child's preference to go "vroom-vroom" and "whoosh whoosh" with a Lamborghini or Fighter Jet rather than the family station-wagon or a feather-duster.
- "Puzzle play:" The play pattern associated with converting more complex Transformers toys. Since 2014, Hasbro has moved to de-emphasize this play pattern in their film/cartoon tie-in toylines, in favor of simpler and automatic transformations.
If all this seems insanely pedantic, consider that the play pattern is distinct from other potential but unintended uses of the toy. For example, converting Fortress Maximus from city to base to robot? Intended play pattern! Using Fortress Maximus as a blunt instrument to crush your little sister's dollhouse? Not the intended play pattern, but still awesome! Or: converting Megatron from robot to gun? Intended play pattern! Using a G1 Megatron in gun form to rob a bank? Get use to prison food.
Footnotes
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