ULTIMATE COMMTECH GUIDE
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PROTOTYPE ARCHIVES
COMMTECH 4.0 BATTLE STATION

In 2000, Hasbro planned on releasing a deluxe CommTech reader. This reader was not designed to replace the original 1999 CommTech reader, but to provide a more interactive experience for users. This second generation CommTech reader would feature interchangeable sound cartridges on the right side of the Battle Station. Additional sound cartridges were planned to be sold separately. The red buttons at the bottom would've been used to access the sound effects for each cartridge. The speaker was located on the left and the RFID antenna was located at the bottom beneath the Star Wars logo. The large blue buttons could each store the data tags from any of the CommTech chips. The design of this Battle Station featured elements from hyperdrive unit found in the Queen's Royal Starship.
Conceptual Design
Conceptual sketches were created to pitch different design concepts. There were several concepts considered for this new design including a Commlink and laptop like playset.
Foam models were developed to provide a physical 3D view of what the reader may look like. Early designs reveal that the replacement sound cartridges would be shaped like the hyperdrive unit from the Queen's Royal Starship.



Model Development
As development continued, the reader's main design began to transform. The sound cartridge was relocated to the right side of the reader. The following represents the stages of development. There were several working examples used to test the functionality of the reader.

Foam Mock-Up

Early First Shot

Hardcopy Shell
First Shot
(Working Example)
