Post by donlock on Aug 25, 2008 10:39:24 GMT 1
I picked up a Character Options 12" R/C Supreme Dalek from Argos this weekend for £39.99 (Catalogue Code 387/6190).
Sorry, no pics of the packaging as my digi-cam's batteries were flat and I couldn't wait to get at the contents! Externally it's very similar to previous offerings, however, including the cut-out hole in the clear front section where an enquiring finger can press a hemi to activate the 'try me' voice function. Internally some changes have been wrought. Suffice to say that CO have reached new heights of impregnability. Some of the twist-ties have been discarded in favour of other methods of holding the Dalek in place. It's now fixed to the base packing piece using small Phillips screws, similar to the way in which scale die cast cars are attached to their display plinth. Be warned - you will need a long, slender screwdriver to reach two of them. The eye protection piece is now heat-sealed and taped together, as well as retaining a twist-tie! On my example this was cut so short that unwinding was almost impossible and cutting it with wire-snips very difficult. In fact it was a miracle I managed to get the blasted thing off at all without detaching the eye. I definitely wouldn't recommend leaving a child to unpack a Supreme by themselves; it had me fuming with frustration!
Once the Dalek is free it turns out to be a very nice representation of the full-size prop.
Setting aside the obvious design differences between this variant and a 'standard' Dalek, CO have taken the opportunity to change some of the components and mouldings, mainly to increase accuracy.
The 'battle-action' chest swiveling feature is now missing.
The arm is longer and more slender than previously seen, and the plunger of smaller diameter.
The eye disks are smaller and have a more angled profile.
The eye lens either now has a 'focusing spot' at its centre, or the LED has been mounted further forwards (although I don't think this feature actually renders the lens more accurate).
The dome moulding now incorporates the previously missing rear indents.
The cowl base plate has moulded scale hex bolts instead of rivets.
The large, U-shaped cut-out in the cowl top seen on previous examples has been replaced by a smaller slot, with a raised rim around it on the top surface.
The gun is also a different, more slender moulding, although still as prone as ever to warping of the soft plastic gun rods. In fact, on my example, the rods suffered from the worst crimping and misalignment that I've yet seen (and I've got a fair few 12" Daleks!). A considerable amount of effort heating the component in hot water and then trying to manipulate the rods into their proper positions was required to achieve anything like an acceptable appearance. They still look pretty naff, and I may have to resort to replacing them with wire at some point.
Once the appendages were attached and the batteries installed it was time to put the critter through its paces. My example performed identically to other CO 12" Daleks in my collection, in terms of speed, control response and radio control range. Under power the eye lights up with a bright blue LED and the dome and eye stalk performs the familiar automatic side-to-side/up-down scanning movements. All three dome lights (the Supreme has an extra one at the rear) light up when using the speech functions.
The Supreme has been provided with a new voice and a new script. I don't know if the voice has been sampled directly from the TV sound track, but it sounds pretty authentic to me. Bizarrely the 'Exterminate' cry remains unchanged, using the same voice as provided on previous versions, and thus sounds extremely incongruous.
Character Options are to be congratulated on improving the accuracy of what is, after all, a toy rather than a scale model. The Supreme Dalek design isn't to everybody's taste, although I have to admit it's growing on me! If you don't actually hate this version, liked CO's previous 12 inchers and have the shelf space, then I can recommend the Supreme as a great addition to your mini Dalek collection.
Sorry, no pics of the packaging as my digi-cam's batteries were flat and I couldn't wait to get at the contents! Externally it's very similar to previous offerings, however, including the cut-out hole in the clear front section where an enquiring finger can press a hemi to activate the 'try me' voice function. Internally some changes have been wrought. Suffice to say that CO have reached new heights of impregnability. Some of the twist-ties have been discarded in favour of other methods of holding the Dalek in place. It's now fixed to the base packing piece using small Phillips screws, similar to the way in which scale die cast cars are attached to their display plinth. Be warned - you will need a long, slender screwdriver to reach two of them. The eye protection piece is now heat-sealed and taped together, as well as retaining a twist-tie! On my example this was cut so short that unwinding was almost impossible and cutting it with wire-snips very difficult. In fact it was a miracle I managed to get the blasted thing off at all without detaching the eye. I definitely wouldn't recommend leaving a child to unpack a Supreme by themselves; it had me fuming with frustration!
Once the Dalek is free it turns out to be a very nice representation of the full-size prop.
Setting aside the obvious design differences between this variant and a 'standard' Dalek, CO have taken the opportunity to change some of the components and mouldings, mainly to increase accuracy.
The 'battle-action' chest swiveling feature is now missing.
The arm is longer and more slender than previously seen, and the plunger of smaller diameter.
The eye disks are smaller and have a more angled profile.
The eye lens either now has a 'focusing spot' at its centre, or the LED has been mounted further forwards (although I don't think this feature actually renders the lens more accurate).
The dome moulding now incorporates the previously missing rear indents.
The cowl base plate has moulded scale hex bolts instead of rivets.
The large, U-shaped cut-out in the cowl top seen on previous examples has been replaced by a smaller slot, with a raised rim around it on the top surface.
The gun is also a different, more slender moulding, although still as prone as ever to warping of the soft plastic gun rods. In fact, on my example, the rods suffered from the worst crimping and misalignment that I've yet seen (and I've got a fair few 12" Daleks!). A considerable amount of effort heating the component in hot water and then trying to manipulate the rods into their proper positions was required to achieve anything like an acceptable appearance. They still look pretty naff, and I may have to resort to replacing them with wire at some point.
Once the appendages were attached and the batteries installed it was time to put the critter through its paces. My example performed identically to other CO 12" Daleks in my collection, in terms of speed, control response and radio control range. Under power the eye lights up with a bright blue LED and the dome and eye stalk performs the familiar automatic side-to-side/up-down scanning movements. All three dome lights (the Supreme has an extra one at the rear) light up when using the speech functions.
The Supreme has been provided with a new voice and a new script. I don't know if the voice has been sampled directly from the TV sound track, but it sounds pretty authentic to me. Bizarrely the 'Exterminate' cry remains unchanged, using the same voice as provided on previous versions, and thus sounds extremely incongruous.
Character Options are to be congratulated on improving the accuracy of what is, after all, a toy rather than a scale model. The Supreme Dalek design isn't to everybody's taste, although I have to admit it's growing on me! If you don't actually hate this version, liked CO's previous 12 inchers and have the shelf space, then I can recommend the Supreme as a great addition to your mini Dalek collection.
