If you could see/want a positive BJD breakthrough...

I second the 'seconds' thing. Almost-perfect dolls at a lower price would work so well, especially for people like me who don't care as much... especially if the imperfections are in places that would be covered by clothing or wigs anyway.

I also want sneakers that fit my boy that don't cost a million bucks. 8D But I'm sure I can find those if I look hard enough.

Oh, and prettier Souldoll option hands. ^_^

 

I'm quite easy to please on this one, essentially all I want is a UK distributor. That's it. I'd KILL for a shop, even if it was teeny and based somewhere in the middle of nowhere, I'd go out of my way to get to it and keep it in business and I suspect a lot of the other UK collectors would too Somewhere I could walk about in and look at clothes and accessories in person would just be perfect

Course, in an ideal world there are other things I'd like, more hand options for the minifee's, hispanic skintone that's not orange and is capable of being modded, clothes that FIT my boy without me needing to tweak them, someone to make some decent furniture that doesn't cost more than mine, to win the lottery, get backstage passes for the next darkness tour, that kinda thing

 

More mini girls with big boobies, or big booby options.

Girls like the minifee are skinnier than most MSD girls, and I've heard bluefairy is hard to get skintone match.

 

Listings for dolls (ebay, companies, here, where-ever) that actually include the most vital stats, since not all of us are walking encyclopedias. Height. Wig size. Eye size. That would be such a huge, huge help!!

More patterns for clothes! Having said that... I can find lots of patterns, but either they don't say what size they were intended for originally, or don't give you a clue what enlargement ratio to use. It would be great to, for example, have a pattern that said "copy as-is for 1/6 scale dolls; 130% for... " and so forth.

(Neither of those issues is an unsolvable problem, but if you're a working person trying to juggle four schedules at once... time becomes an issue. If I want to engage in treasure hunts, I'll go rent a metal detector! :P )

As to the dolls themselves... maybe a few more face shapes/expressions? It really seems to me as though most of the companies try to resemble Volks or Luts. It gets to the point where you have to fall back on the "clothes make the man" adage to tell the players apart. Unless you get really creative with faceups or mods, and not all of us want/have the talent to do that.

 

Hmmm. OK, here goes.

1. I wish that everybody who believes that the companies are out in some way to rob us had an opportunity to work in one of those companies and/or own their own company for several months, and then get back to us.

2. It would be great if everybody in our community who wants to see clothing made available more cheaply could learn how to sew. It takes just as much work (and time) to make clothing properly for a doll as it does for humans -- this from more than 40 years of sewing experience, folks. Oh, and shoes? Shoes for dolls are put together the same way that shoes for humans are. Same work, different scale. And it's much more difficult to make them in the smaller scale. I have full admiration for the companies who do so well for us. I suppose if we wanted really cheap shoes, we could petition somebody like Mattel to mold pumps and tennis shoes, like they do for Barbie, eh? If there's a market, somebody is bound to be willing to fill a need.

3. Inventions are not perfected overnight. Truthfully, the BJD world hasn't been around for so very long, unless you look to the dolls of the 19th century which were ball jointed and strung (no, not with fiber wrapped rubber bands .. that didn't happen until fairly recently). Please admire what the companies have managed to achieve. If it hasn't happened quickly enough for you, try to sculpt a doll on your own. It really is amazing how far this hobby has come, and how quickly.

4. There are less expensive lines of BJDs for those who cannot afford the resin dolls. Although I believe the joints are different (screwed rather then strung?), aren't the Obitsus and DDs less expensive? If we wanted Barbies, we'd buy Barbies, right? There are also some extremely expensive BJDs. That is consistent with collectibles in general, around the globe. It can feel really, really good to save and bring someone special home. BJDs are a choice we make -- we choose them over game consoles, whatever.

5. We need to develop thicker skins. I mean, who cares if somebody tells us we're silly to spend money on a doll. That's our business, not anybody else's. If somebody tells you that, unless it's your partner and you've just inappropriately used the mortgage money, thank him or her for the opinion (if you're that gracious!), then state, quite firmly, that it is none of his or her business.

6. I hear you on the postage. I dislike spending a fortune on fees and postage, too ... but ... it beats airfare, folks. And, as somebody who has chosen surface mail options in the distant (thank goodness) past, I can tell you that if your wig or eyes took six or eight weeks to get to you, you would be no happier then you are spending what you do for registered or EMS mail. Asia is really, really far away for many of us.

7. Permit the Asians a bit of national pride. There is nothing wrong with making different products available solely to your own populations. The USA does it, too. Think of it this way ... some of this choice might be based on practicality -- it can be prohibitively expensive to ship furniture (as an example) across the "pond" to other continents. If we think shipping DOLLS is expensive ... !!!!

I think that if there were enough talent and interest, a small group of people could get together and form, say, a US company that makes furniture, clothing, shoes, what have you (fill in the blank). If the initial startup costs and labor were divided across several people, the task would be easier. Another observation -- some stores have started to carry lines of clothing by local artisans. Encourage those you know who sew very well to see if they can develop a relationship with one of the newer shops carrying BJDs and accessories.

Peace! I love bjds just as much as anybody. Let's use them to bring us together, not to push us apart.

 

If you go on Ebay, good sneakers usually only cost between 7 and 20.00 depending on the shoes.

 

I'd suggest checking out Dollmore depending on the size of your dolls feet. They have a lot of nice inexpensive sneakers. However I don't think they have them for the really large feet. The only one of my dolls that the SD sized sneakers will fit is Clover and he's on a Fair boy body which are fairly small for boy bodies.

 

Amen! I was just thinking about this earlier... how lovely it would be to have beds, dressers, etc. all perfectly proportioned to BJDs.

Maybe more variety in the clothing styles for BJDs too. I'm having to compromise on my girl's style because I can't find store-bought items that really suit her. I'm learning to draft patterns so I can finally get the look I want for her finally. ;_;

Other than that... an online FCS for Volks, and an end to all that nasty "dolly elitism!"

 

Cheaper BJDs. Because I don't mind if everyone and their uncle can get one if I can get one cheap. The entire point for me is to customise them into things I enjoy looking at and playing with. I don't see why it should cost a fortune and a half to do so.

Or if there really are price issues, I'd like to see less of cheap dolls that go into the hands of little children (or adults that act/think like children) and end up looking... sad. I don't mind if they want to own them; I just don't want to see them, or even stumble upon them by accident. They're such expensive things.

 

Oh, and tanned dolls that don't look uneven/have patches of lighter colour/other defects, so that they'd actually be worth the extra money paid for them.

-_-

 

To see less scalpers. I don't mind paying good money for a Limited doll I really want, but it irritates me to know that to some people, it's only about the money that they can make off of a doll.

 

1. I'd love for there to be more US distributors. Just having an English-speaking middle-man makes me feel more at ease. The layout and translations of Asian websites are often confusing to me. It makes me leery when I mean to drop a lot of money on something. You really have to research companies before you buy in this hobby. I've recieved orders packaged in taped-up paper grocery bags, and it's hard to complain about things like that when there's a language barrier. As an American I'm used to shopping being straightforward and easy, and since there are so many American buyers I'm surprised there aren't more American distributors. While there are many people who enjoy the exclusivity of this hobby, the BJD world is less enjoyable to me because ordering is frustrating and worrisome.

2. A variety of BJD-sized furniture is way overdue. It seems like the big companies mostly make upholstered furniture, like sofas, for display. That's not helpful if you're trying to create a realistic apartment. For instance, I'm looking for a four-poster bed for my girls, and I've been reduced to looking at fancy dog beds. Most of the things I want for them I can make, but I'm no carpenter or metal-worker. Someone could make a fortune making intricate furniture for BJDs. How many people would buy stoves and appliances for their dolls?

 

1.) I think I've only seen one person view this opinion. Maybe I'm just not on enough. One of the things I like about this hobby is how a lot of the members understand the value of the sculpting and the time and effort that goes into the creation of these dolls.

2.) Some of the doll clothing prices ARE riddiculous. Some are not. It varries widely. For instance I've seen a lot of overpriced t-shirts and cloaks. Why? Because a T-shirt is freakishly simple even in BJD size and cloaks arn't expensive because of how hard they are to sew. Things like cloaks and a lot of large dresses and goth loli dresses are expensive because of the materials cost. The ammount of yardage that goes into a full person cloak is kind of crazy, especially once you get into the nicer fabrics. For a doll though the material cost is practically nothing. A yard of nice silk might be 15 or 20 dollars. Think about that, you can make more than one garment from that yard of silk. Depending on how wide the bolt is you might get 3, 4, or even as many as 6 from it.

I mentioned goth loli dresses as well. Depending on the design the stitching really can be what prices the dress. Though what drives the price up in many cases is the cost of the ammount of fabric because ruffles take a lot of fabric, and the cost of lace. Because lace is expensive and when you decide your dress should have 8 yards of it splattered everywhere the cost adds up and the lace for a dress and pettycoat can easily cost 80 dollars alone. On a doll you only need maybe half a yard of a small lace to get the exact same effect.

And unless you're making something complicated like a tailored shirt that has things like cuffs you need to sew on separately and a standing collar it IS quicker to make doll clothes. For one thing the time spent cutting the fabric is drastically cut down. Instead of spending an hour or two cutting out a long complicated jacket properly it takes about fifteen minutes.

I'd like to see the prices go down on things that are marked up or at least for more detail to be added to make those things worth the price. I'd also like to see some of the more detailed intriquet and hard to construct stuff go up just a tiny bit. I've seen some things that were drastically underpriced as well and as much as some people might hate me for saying this I feel that people should get what a garment is worth. I can understand if an idividual artist wants to make their clothes available to people who couldn't afford it otherwise. That's awesome. But I mean the ones who don't realize what their work is worth.

I'd also like to see more people take detailed photos of the finishing on their garments. Half the clothes or more that I see for sale on the board I can't tell if some of the little details I'd look for are there because either the picture is slightly blurry or it's taken from so far back you can't even tell if a jacket is lined or not.

3.) Even if BJD's haven't been around, dolls have, even ball jointed ones. Some of the designs are frighteningly similar in base design. The mechanics aren't really anything new. I AM impressed with the number of different styles that have come out though that modify the mechanics of the dolls. And yes sculpting takes awhile but asking to compair if one of us has made one isn't fair or something that'll give accurate information. The people who make the keys for the dolls we buy for the most part are trained sculptors. They've had more training. I know someone who sculpts with clay at my school who can sculpt human faces with a speed that slightly scares me. So I think it's not too terrible to wish for more headmolds and things. It's not like anyone thinks we're entitled to them, it's just a wish.

4.) The point with people wanting less expensive BJDs is you can't really get the style anywhere else. There are very few vinyl heads that look like BJDs. I wouldn't want to get a DD head or most of the Obitsu heads or the Obitsu body for that matter. Not because of price but because I don't find them asthetically pleasing.

5.) I agree! It's just hard when people you care about dislike something. And that's not due to over sensitivity. It's just because most people like pleasing the people they care about. I'd like it if people who complain were less adament about it. That way owners or potential owners who get nagged at by friends could say how they feel and the friends would accept it instead of harping on it.

6.) I've gotten things in the post that way before. I really don't mind a long wait for some things. When I've ordered a lot I want it fast. But if it's something like a single wig I wouldn't mind waiting a month or two if it meant I didn't have to pay more than the wig cost in shipping.

7.) There will always be limited stuff. I just wish it would stick with clothes and not move over to doll sculpts... Tenshi no Sato! Why have you forsaken me!


Sorry for the long post. Some of that stuff irked me a little and I felt like mentioning it. This isn't meant to offend. I agree on people banding together though. I like how tightnit this community is at times.

 

Another thing I'd like to see is specific sizes on clothing and shoes. Telling me it fits an SD13 girl doesn't do a whit for me. I'd like measurements of the clothing posted whereever they're being sold. Things like waistline, bustline, overall length. Interior food width and interior length for shoes (I've seen these in ONE place, and not even on all of the shoes!).

I don't so much care about baggy things like t-shirts and the like, but fitted clothing and anything with sleeves...Gah! I need measurements to compare to, pleaaaaaase!

The sizes of dolls vary so much, it's hard to be sure that something will fit the doll I'm planning to buy, and I'd really rather not order anything that I'm not absolutely sure will fit.

 

Id just really like ta see more company's in America. Like Volks USA in CA, it'd be nice to have factories that make BJD in other parts of the US. I'd just love to work in one if that did happen *dream job*

 

Yep, that's kind of what I was getting at earlier. Between school and my profession I have so many little arcane pieces of info stuffed in the brain that it's hard to learn more codes. (I'm old, what can I say). So ... SD13 is... a big boy? a medium boy?

It's one of those dumb things like enjoying football. Some people can memorize every player on every team and all his stats without batting an eyeball, and some of us just know the rules and enjoy the flow of the game. The code names for dolls will, much as I hate to admit it, probably never stay with me.


Oh and as a little P.S.... I understood the original question as a "wishlist" kind of thing. So, who wouldn't like to be able to spend just a wee bit less of their hard-earned money on these lovelies? I don't see that as something to criticize, more as a "wow, in a perfect world..." kind of reaction

 

I've read thought this whole thing and I haven't seen it so here I go!

One thing that would be great is Optional parts for Tanned dolls ((CP in particular for my Lishe)) I know its probabl won't happen in my life time but it would be nice to buy an extra head or get a NORMAL hand for my Tanning Lishe so I can stop hating the DOOM PINKY she has for some reason. I know that the resin Won't match but I don't care. I can just paint it or something. I don't mind and isn't something that happens with normal Skin and White skin too? Blah. Anyway. I want to do a modd but I'm scarred to do it cuz I can't just order another head from Luts. I'd be lucky to see one in the market place! So yeah...tanned parts.

 

simply put
~1. lower prices
~2.more things for msds *the goggles XD*
~3. others minding there own buisness who arent fans of the hobby -then nagging about there rude opinouns on bjds

 

Hmm, I don't know anything about Lishe, so I may be completely wrong, but if you were going to paint them anyway why would it matter if the resin underneath was tan or pale?

 

That wouldn't work because, who would pay 600$ for a perfect doll when they can get one for 450$ and pay 50$ for someone else to repair it? No one would buy the perfect ones and the companies would lose mass amounts of money.