You're welcome
Simon!
I totally understand the lack of informative pictures by the manufacturers. Many, seem to be glam shots meant to inspire an impulse buy. While I've been tempted many times, I'm way to cautious to spend that much money on an impulse! There are some manufacturers that offer factual pictures and I applaud that (T-pose from different angles, front, side, and back) Starpery didn't have that, but they did have enough variety of poses and picture angles across different sets that gave me the insight I wanted. (video does help also)
They either don't get that a smart consumer is purchasing a product and wants to know how it performs and its capabilities (that includes how the joints bend and how the material deforms) or they just want us to make that impulse decision and don't care whether we're satisfied or not.. I think it's more the former because most of them want good reviews. You don't just buy a car on how it looks right? Is it comfortable when you sit in it, how does it handle, gas mileage etc... She's not a car but when I take her home I do expect her to look good in pictures in different poses and I really expect her to perform like the real thing (flexibility and pose-ability)
I'm glad I helped you. Just know that no doll is perfect, there are just certain specs we should be more concerned with and not to be lured by those glam shots.
Regarding the skeleton... I don't see the benefit of a gear design. So far the only thing I can tell is that it is more limited than the ball joint design I experienced before. I would buy Starpery again, it's not a deal breaker, I just hope they either improve their skeleton or design something new. Nothing has broken, yet, but a couple joints have become more loose. I didn't ask for extra tight joints on this one. I did ask for extra tight joints on my last doll and one of the legs was so tight that I bent the femur trying to move it! If possible I would ask for extra tight knee joints, maybe elbows and neck... if you can specify by joint.
My other doll for your reference:
6YE 163F N97 Photoshoot Cassandra
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* 4891d - I haven't taken off her silicon socks in a while. Her feet have take some damage from my clumsy handling but I'll inspect them soon and give you more info. I think they have helped but I'll look at them and let you know.