Play pattern
25% WHOOOOOSH
30% PCHOW PCHOW PCHOW
4.999% 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, leaving puzzle play to the Generations and Masterpiece lines.
- "Battle play": Knocking over action figures and the one who doesn't fall over wins.
- "Ecosystem": The intentional compatibility of toys released as part of different size classes, like in Combiner Wars, Titans Return, Power of the Primes, War for Cybertron: Siege, War for Cybertron: Earthrise, War for Cybertron: Kingdom, and Transformers: Legacy.
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 cool)!
- Converting Megatron from robot to gun? Intended play pattern!
- Using a G1 Megatron in gun form to rob a bank? Get used to prison food, you maniac!
References
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