Another rant on backdrops and props...

 I have complained about the Tim Mee battle mountain being too small for MOTUC and compatible lines. I've commented on needing props and backdrops countless times. I bring back the Tim Mee battle mountain, because I'm thinking now on Organic backdrops. Rocky outcroppings, plateaus, cave entrances, trees. Even swampland. (No real water needed). 

The idea is that these organic backdrops can be combined in multiples to make a larger displays. I think I mentioned something similar on a MOTUC Playset rant. But it's not just getting multpiles to make a display like getting multiple of the trees set to make a forest. That's one part of it. The idea is that you could, for example, get the different rocky outcroppings, plateaus, cabe entrances and combine it with some props and say, make a Batcave Diorama for Batman dsiplays. In a different arrangement with some of the sawmpland displays, MOTU could have a Caverns of Fear Display. The Rocky outcroppings on a black background could work for a Silverhawks display... 

The trees could be used for a Northampton farm display for the Movie TMNT. Again, most of this sounds same old same old. Where's the new you might ask. The swamp is what's new.

The swamp. As I said, it would have rocks, fallen logs, tree stumps, lilly pads, mud mounds and other stuff to "bring it to life". The instructions could explain how to make fake "water for the swamp." Personally, I'd go for a combo of blue. Clear, and green cellophane. Using a hole punch, make a ton of little cellophane disks to use as water. The green and blues will make the water look murkier. It's not perfect, but allows for modular displays and have characters tread water. 

Tropical Jungles could be useful for a certain Theme Park, or some ugly mother...  There are so many other backrounds/prop themes that can be used:

Desert, snow, ice cave, grasslands, beaches, and others.

So I was thinking that maybe some company could maybe exploit the whole backdrop/diorama/playset thing.  Like having the back wall pieces be between 15"-17" tall, which makes it work on most scales. Super big back wall for 1:18 figures, kinda big backwall for 1:12 and 1:10 figures and an OK back wall for 1:6 figures. The idea is to make them appealing for most collectors in general.

Unlike the Tim Mee Battle mountain, these should have a slightly weighted base at the bottom. But it shouldn't judt be the back wall. It should come with a few extra bits. 

Let's say, the "Wasteland playset" comes with a rocky formation similar to the Tim Mee Battle Mountain. It also comes with a small Plateau and 2 rocky outcroppings where a 1:6 figure can crouch behind of. It also comes with a dead tree in 3 scales (1:18, 1:12, and 1:6)

Then the expansions could be more rocky outcroppings, trees, tumbleweeds, etc. But wasteland backdrop can also be compatible with the desert expansion packs. Beach expansions can borrow from both Tropical jungle and desert sets. Tropical jungle, swamp and forest can share parts and combine. 

Sonce they're not tied to a specific toyline, they could keep going for years woth expansions, redecos, etc. Like cavern set being repainted into Magma caverns Desert and wasteland could turn into Mars while a retooled Beach with wasteland elements can be turned into a nordic beach... (a Hideo Kojima Walking Sim reference)

But once again, I'm just rambling here.