What would you want SAFARI Ltd. to do?

[sbell]

Oct 18, 2008 23:02:39 GMT stoneage said:

How about Cameroceras which was shown in Chased by Sea Monsters, Pterygotus shown in Before The Dinosaurs I believe, Barylamda, or Borealosuchus.

I'd love Borealosuchus--we have a couple different species, from different ages (during and after dinosaurs), here in Saskatchewan. But they don't look much different from your average crocodile/alligator, so it would be hard to justify (compared to Sarcosuchus/Terminonaris, which are not only unique looking, but haven't been done at all, are very large, and are actually not part of the modern crocodile line at all).

[kuni]

I think it's still a legit choice, perhaps call it "Azhdarchid" instead of "Quetzalcoatlus". After all, the last Safari Pterosaur was just called "Pterosaur" and that seemed to be fine.

The important thing is for the Safari folks to see that picture of a standing Quetzalcoatlus next to a human, the "dramatic" one. That'll sell them.

[bolesey]

Oct 18, 2008 19:08:30 GMT sid said:

A nice Tsintaosaurus would be cool...

Maybe it's just that particular interpretation, but I reckon a 'family friendly' company like Safari is probably more likely to go with one of the many other varieties of hadrosaur that don't have a giant phallus stuck on their head, quite so literally.

[stoneage]

Oct 19, 2008 0:55:00 GMT kuni said:

I think it's still a legit choice, perhaps call it "Azhdarchid" instead of "Quetzalcoatlus". After all, the last Safari Pterosaur was just called "Pterosaur" and that seemed to be fine.

The important thing is for the Safari folks to see that picture of a standing Quetzalcoatlus next to a human, the "dramatic" one. That'll sell them.

;D Maybe Schleich should do it since they already have the little man. ;D

[stoneage]

Oct 19, 2008 1:25:59 GMT bolesey said:

Oct 18, 2008 19:08:30 GMT sid said:

A nice Tsintaosaurus would be cool...

Maybe it's just that particular interpretation, but I reckon a 'family friendly' company like Safari is probably more likely to go with one of the many other varieties of hadrosaur that don't have a giant phallus stuck on their head, quite so literally.

I hadn't noticed until you mentioned it. What have you had on your mind a little freudian slip. ;D

[sid]

Oct 19, 2008 2:25:33 GMT stoneage said:

Oct 19, 2008 1:25:59 GMT bolesey said:

Maybe it's just that particular interpretation, but I reckon a 'family friendly' company like Safari is probably more likely to go with one of the many other varieties of hadrosaur that don't have a giant phallus stuck on their head, quite so literally.

I hadn't noticed until you mentioned it. What have you had on your mind a little freudian slip. ;D

Poor dinosaur...

d**n you,Freud...d**n you!! ;D ;D

[[][][]cordylus[][][]]

so sbell- Have you contacted safari yet?

[sbell]

Oct 26, 2008 17:56:49 GMT [][][]cordylus[][][] said:

so sbell- Have you contacted safari yet?

I have--but not about this. I don't have time right now to get the proposal together, but I have organized myself enough that I know the short list contenders. I give it to you all now:

Brontotherium*
Entelodon/Daeodon (=Dinohyus)*
Sarcosuchus*
Xiphactinus*
Crassigyrinus* (I don't remember if this actually cam up, but my son asked for one, so there you go)
Anomalacaris
Eryops
Quetzalcoatlus/other azdharchid pterosaur in resting/stork pose
Helicoprion
Xenacanthus/Pleuracanthus
Megalodon (Carcharocles megalodon)
Masiakasurus
Thescelosaurus
Rajasaurus/abelisaurid
Synthetoceros
Gorgonopsid (Lycaenops, Inostravencia, Gorgonops)
Diplocaulus
Sanctacaris
Bostrychoceras
Ichthyostega
Tiktaalik*
Sacabampaspis
Acrocanthosaurus
Basilosaurus
Shonisaurus
Kentrosaurus
Groenlandaspis
Rhomaeleosaurus
Albertonykus/Mononykus
Coelophysis
Herrerasaurus
Tsintaosaurus

This list is based upon two parts of the criteria I set out at the beginning. I needed pictures. It had to be novel (no repaints, no resculpts). I may have edited or altered the name from what was given in the posts, but the spirit should remain.
From there I will determine which ones to actually include (I have included the pictures I am using in the table, but not here). The list will also include justifications (the * means it is already on the list). That is the toughest part, but it will also make it easier in some ways, since if I have to think too hard about the justification, then convincing a critical audience will be even harder. And of course, I want to keep the list to around 12-15.

[kuni]

Entelodon/Daeodon (=Dinohyus)*
Sarcosuchus*
Xiphactinus*
Crassigyrinus*
Quetzalcoatlus/other azdharchid pterosaur in resting/stork pose
Xenacanthus/Pleuracanthus
Rajasaurus/abelisaurid
Gorgonopsid (Lycaenops, Inostravencia, Gorgonops)
Tiktaalik*
Coelophysis

This is the 10 I'd go with, with Crassigyrinus and Dinohyus as the first to be cut from here.

I think Rajasaurus and Tiktaalik are the most likely to be successful figures.

I'd like to see an azdharchid, Xiphactinus, and Crassigyrinus the most, personally. Thanks for mentioning Crassigyrinus - it's a wonderfully weird little creature!

[tomhet]

I think an invertebrate would work too, I mean, at least Anomalocaris.

As for amphibians, Platyhystrix was even weirder!

[sbell]

Oct 30, 2008 7:34:49 GMT kuni said:

Entelodon/Daeodon (=Dinohyus)*
Sarcosuchus*
Xiphactinus*
Crassigyrinus*
Quetzalcoatlus/other azdharchid pterosaur in resting/stork pose
Xenacanthus/Pleuracanthus
Rajasaurus/abelisaurid
Gorgonopsid (Lycaenops, Inostravencia, Gorgonops)
Tiktaalik*
Coelophysis

This is the 10 I'd go with, with Crassigyrinus and Dinohyus as the first to be cut from here.

I think Rajasaurus and Tiktaalik are the most likely to be successful figures.

I'd like to see an azdharchid, Xiphactinus, and Crassigyrinus the most, personally. Thanks for mentioning Crassigyrinus - it's a wonderfully weird little creature!

I won't cut the Dinohyus (selfish reasons! Also, easily marketed in museums worldwide).

I'm more likely to cut the pterosaur, simply because Safari already has a few. I know it would be cool, but so would most of the suggested critters.

[Dinotoyforum]

You misspelled Rhomaleosaurus

[sbell]

Oct 30, 2008 13:18:43 GMT Dinotoyforum said:

You misspelled Rhomaleosaurus

I copied and pasted it fro somewhere--oddly, it isn't in my spellchecker!

[Dinotoyforum]

Oct 30, 2008 13:20:13 GMT sbell said:

Oct 30, 2008 13:18:43 GMT Dinotoyforum said:

You misspelled Rhomaleosaurus

I copied and pasted it fro somewhere--oddly, it isn't in my spellchecker!

Oh no -I hope it wasn't from me! now that would be embarrassing:-[

[sbell]

Oct 30, 2008 13:23:33 GMT Dinotoyforum said:

Oct 30, 2008 13:20:13 GMT sbell said:

I copied and pasted it fro somewhere--oddly, it isn't in my spellchecker!

Oh no -I hope it wasn't from me! now that would be embarrassing:-[

Who else would have written it! Honestly, I don't know.

[tomhet]

You also misspelled Sacabambaspis too

[sbell]

Oct 30, 2008 19:10:18 GMT @tomhet said:

You also misspelled Sacabambaspis too

Honestly, while I think it's neat, that one won't make the finals.

I fogot one thing--I found a different picture of Tsinatosaurus (in case I go that way). Just couldn't let the Freduian thing in there! Ther emay be others that I hunted down different pics as well; the key was that I wanted pictures provided with the suggestions. Hopefully by next week I will have it all done.

[sbell]

All right, I'm waffling here--I think I have a dozen down, but I am torn in the last spot. The break down is 2 mammals, 2 sharks, 2 large reptiles, 2 dinosaurs, 1 fish, and 2 amphibians. And I am likely to throw in a 13th spot for a marine reptile.

Would the preference be a 3rd amphibian (Diplocaulus), a pterosaur (the azdharchid, although I am not convinced), or another dino (probably a hadrosaur)? Please let me know over the next couple days. I only want one of the three.

I know, no inverts. The problem is they are looking for mass, worldwide appeal. Big toothy 'lizard' or 'dino' or 'shark' or 'mammal-like' things are easier to push for.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Hadrosaur or Ptero... I know both of those were popular when I used to go looking when I was younger. :?

[sbell]

I tried looking at it from, how many of each have they made (including Carnegie and Wild Safari). Turns out the numbers are quite even--counting next year, there will be 5 and 5 (I don't count babies). So that was no help.

I am leaning toward hadrosaur, but I realized that I have included Thescelosaurus on the list; nobody makes any small plant eaters, and they (and their relatives) are common enough as fossils and in displays that I think that would be a good one. That said, I think the large hadrosaurs have also been relatively ignored even though they make obvious foils for the many predators made--really, every company should try and make at least one that works in the same time and place (roughly) as their predators' figures. It makes me lean toward Ouranousaurus, only because I do not believe that there are any African plant eaters out there as figures (and the sail/hump would at least make it distinguishable--I realize that the iguanodon would likely work anywhere). Is there a South American suggestion that has a unique look or unique head crest? As I write my reasonings, I try to tie the suggestions to existing lines/figures, which is why I ask.