Let's Chat: Play Along Toys King Theoden on Horseback - Okay but Not Okay

The Chat GPT tries hard to produce a good image, unfortunately it can sometimes go further than what I'd like. Case in point: while I prefer to keep my toys looking like the toys I photographed (with the exception of removing bases from the figures), but surround them with realistic texture and backgrounds, sometimes that doesn't happen. Most of the figures I've shown here have retained their toy-like look, but in a few cases the Chat program altered the figure to look more realistic - and I didn't catch it. It's still a terrific image, but my toy has lost its identity. I now have to specify in my prompts to "remove the base from the figure but do not add details or otherwise change the features" of the toy I want re-imaged.

Ed

This Theoden figure is from Play Along Toys AOME Warriors and Battle Beasts series.

This was the image I chose

The Chat GPT image looks more like Bernard Hill than it does the toy.

Ideal No. I-2136 U.S. Army Signal Corps Truck - Olive Green HP

Another Ideal Army truck rolled into the motor pool this week an Ideal No. I-2136 U.S. Army Signal Corps Truck. While this has been on my bucket list for some time I just never got around to pursuing it  and when this came up for a decent price I grabbed it. The truck's stowage compartment doors open and it has two removable ladders. The only issue this has at the moment is that the front axle isn't pressed into the supports all the way making it appear a bit lopsided. I didn't want to tackle that yet because if the support had broken before I took the photos that would have sucked, so for the moment the photos show a lopsided truck and I'll deal with that issue later. The truck measures 6.5" 16,51cm) L x 2.25" (5,71cm) W x 2.5" (6,35cm) H to the very top of the ladders.

Ed

FOV #82005 German Kübelwagen Type 82 Normandy 1944 (2004) - Pt 3 Top Down

This diecast Kübelwagen is loaded with extra features - so much so that I marvel that these FOV vehicles were available back in the day for such a low cost. We'll look at each feature below.

Ed

Plussed-up with Chat GPT

'Somewhere in France 1944'

The driver's legs come off to enable him to sit behind the wheel. Believe me, it took me a while to figure this one out as he would not fit in the seat without taking him apart - even with the removable steering wheel taken off.

The Kübelwagen is already weathered and doesn't need anymore. The 'top down' cover is installed.

The vehicle measures: 5" (12,70cm) L x 2" (5,08cm) W x 2.125" (5,39cm) H with top up

The officer's arse firmly planted on top of the door

You can't tell from these shots that the driver's legs were removed

Both doors open

The windshield folds down

The engine compartment cover opens to reveal the engine

The wheels turn left and right

Battle Scale Figures (International) - Ringwraith / Nazgûl

It seems that I unintentionally walked into a new series without realizing it. After watching Peter Jackson's 'Lord of The Rings' trilogy on TV as well as seeing short clips from Ralph Bakshi's '70s animated feature on facebook reels, I started messing with Chat GPT and plussing-up my Play Along Toys photos taken many years ago. Along the way I've come across several toys that were never blogged back in 2011 or 2015 when I was hot and heavy into this stuff. Like today's toy. 

This is from Play Along Toys Battle Scale Figures (International) series with French script on the packaging that I believe was marketed in Canada. This is the last of nine figures that I have in the collection, the other eight having already been blogged. I believe there were ten total but I never got around to hunting for the last one. They all came packaged on a blister pack but Frodo also came in a window box. Here's what I do have:

-AOME Battle Scale Figures (International) - Frodo (window box) 

-AOME Battle Scale Figures (International) - Frodo Baggins (blister pack)

-AOME Battle Scale Figures (International) - Gandalf the Grey

-AOME Battle Scale Figures (International) - Legolas in Helm's Deep Armor

-AOME Battle Scale Figures (International) - Moria Orc Bowman

-AOME Battle Scale Figures (International) - Moria Orc Runner

-AOME Battle Scale Figures (International) - Orc with Mace

-AOME Battle Scale Figures (International) -  Ringwraith-Nazgul

-AOME Battle Scale Figures (International) - Sam Gamgee

Ed