PlaymoFriends

General => What is this??? => Topic started by: Macruran on July 02, 2015, 20:18:49

Title: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: Macruran on July 02, 2015, 20:18:49
I got one in an Egyptian set, I think the desert house one. It looks like there's some sort of backstory to it, some larger play system it's meant for. The snake, adventurer head, and pirate ship suggest it's intended to work with multiple themes.

Anyone know what the deal is?

(http://i.imgur.com/egzIGgZ.jpg) (http://imgur.com/egzIGgZ)
(http://i.imgur.com/TsUSXxK.jpg) (http://imgur.com/TsUSXxK)
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: Tiermann on July 02, 2015, 21:39:24
There are two sizes that have been around since about 2005. I don't think there's any other story to them except as added treasure for sets that require treasure.
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: Macruran on July 03, 2015, 01:30:23
Seems weird to me that they used real stones instead of making playmo gems. Those would be cool.
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: Pynedor on July 03, 2015, 03:19:26
Seems weird to me that they used real stones instead of making playmo gems. Those would be cool.

I always thought it was cool that they didn't make plastic ones and did use real ones. Perhaps they realise that the beauty of the natural stones cannot be recreated by plastic...  ;)
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: Birdie on July 03, 2015, 05:40:27
Yeah I think it's great that they're not made of plastic.
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: Macruran on July 03, 2015, 05:47:42
Okay I'll grant the real stone aspect, but what about the dotted arrows connecting the gems, that seem each to be associated with a continent? Like you have to arrange them in sequence or something.
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: Tiermann on July 03, 2015, 14:05:40
Could be to simply create a sense of movement, or to imply the action of collecting them.

Thankfully we collectors never overthink these things...
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: Indianna on July 03, 2015, 16:12:05
. . . . Thankfully we collectors never overthink these things...
:lol:

I always thought these Playmobil polished pebbles were quite disappointing - all earth tones and no real "gems" in the bunch.  When I was young there was always some kid with a rock tumbler which produced shiny rocks after many many hours of operation - the results of all that noise and electricity looked pretty much like the ones in these Playmo packets.
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: Pynedor on July 03, 2015, 16:17:30
Okay I'll grant the real stone aspect, but what about the dotted arrows connecting the gems, that seem each to be associated with a continent? Like you have to arrange them in sequence or something.

That is supposed to indicate where the stones were found. In other words, the continent on which each stone is positioned is one of the places on the Earth where such stones can actually be found.

Could be to simply create a sense of movement, or to imply the action of collecting them.

That's what I'd say too. The ship and adventurer on the map make me think that the treasure (the stones) was accumulated throughout world travels. Each stone was collected by some Playmobil adventurer in a different place and put together. ;)

Thankfully we collectors never overthink these things...

Of course not... :lol:

I always thought these Playmobil polished pebbles were quite disappointing - all earth tones and no real "gems" in the bunch.

Some of those could be considered gemstones. I know what you mean though, but I reckon it'd be quite expensive to include rare and valuable ones. And children would likely lose them anyway. :lol:
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: Birdie on July 03, 2015, 17:31:23
That is supposed to indicate where the stones were found. In other words, the continent on which each stone is positioned is one of the places on the Earth where such stones can actually be found.

It seems so obvious, now you explained it   :)  I didn't have a clue.
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: JLMatterer on July 27, 2015, 20:33:52
I found this today in an old storage bin at a toystore.

(http://i.imgur.com/HQeVf5Y.jpg)

http://playmotrade.com/catalog_parts/37430 (http://playmotrade.com/catalog_parts/37430)
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: Macruran on July 27, 2015, 23:03:02
Interesting. The same part but different packaging, and no map card.
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: Macruran on July 27, 2015, 23:35:53

http://playmotrade.com/catalog_parts/37430 (http://playmotrade.com/catalog_parts/37430)

What's up with this site? I can't see much for sale yet. Seems like it could be a great way to source parts.
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: JLMatterer on July 27, 2015, 23:47:20
What's up with this site? I can't see much for sale yet. Seems like it could be a great way to source parts.

I wondered about that. I tried to register for the site & am not able to.
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: Macruran on July 27, 2015, 23:53:21
I managed to register but with hiccups, and even though I'm now logged in it's still showing the register boxes.

It seems very new and not properly worked out yet. How did you find out about it?
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: Salamander on July 28, 2015, 00:17:23
Heh, they're using Think Geek's April Fool's Day product of a Playmobil Apple Store to illustrate the "trade" part of the website.  :lol:
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: JLMatterer on July 28, 2015, 00:28:57
I managed to register but with hiccups, and even though I'm now logged in it's still showing the register boxes.

It seems very new and not properly worked out yet. How did you find out about it?

I still can't register; I see that they have members going back to Sept 2013, but the site does seem very new & incomplete. It's probably doing nothing & going nowhere - too bad. I discovered it when I did a word search on Playmobil 30 88 0132.
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: Macruran on July 28, 2015, 00:43:19
It's a really great idea - a central parts market, of the kind that the Gnomes of Zirndorf have thus far inexplicably failed to set up.
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: JLMatterer on July 28, 2015, 00:52:27
It's a really great idea - a central parts market, of the kind that the Gnomes of Zirndorf have thus far inexplicably failed to set up.

I'm going to continue to try registering; maybe I'll have luck doing it from my phone or tablet.
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: sbblabotw on July 28, 2015, 10:58:16
They've taken my parts images to populate their catalogue, descriptions and categories as well. Not impressed. The images themselves are copyrighted to Playmobil, but the photos and data certainly are not. I'll have to write them, that's not acceptable.
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: Indianna on July 28, 2015, 13:41:54
So not cool that this guy is using Playmodb data without permission!  >:(  I noticed this site about a year ago but, as others have noted, it doesn't seem to be operative.  The fellow who set it up works as a computer professional and is a LEGO guy accustomed to a rich variety of independent LEGO parts websites - my guess is he noticed the absence of Playmo parts sites and took a crack at setting one up.  Not being much of a Playmo person, apparently, his efforts have not been successful so far. 

The quest for some type of Playmo part sales website (either by Playmobil or independent) has been going on for as long as I can remember and predates even the birth of PlaymoFriends.  Just waiting for somebody to do it up right.  ;)

And . . just to be on topic . . . I think Playmo gems ought to look like real gems in bright shiny colors rather than like a handful of pebbles from a creek bed.  :)
Title: Re: Packet of gemstones - what is the story behind it?
Post by: JLMatterer on July 28, 2015, 16:36:33
Thanks for the info on the website!