David Hingtgen

I think it has more to do with the fact that Ozma's has a different chestplate than Alto's, but the DX ignores this fact and uses Alto's chestplate with Ozma's head---thus, the head looks too low. (because the chestplate's too high--Ozma's chestplate is physically shorter than Alto's) Specifically--Ozma's chestplate has a big "curve" at the top, to accomodate the head in fighter mode---this is also a nice "cut-away" to reveal the neck, since Ozma's has a long chin. By using the Alto chesplate, the upper edge of the plate is higher and straight, covering up the neck, and almost touching the chin. I'll try to draw and post a sketch later.

Yup, gotta darn-near transform the entire lower half. And I'm pretty that's in the instructions, as that's how I know to do so...

We've got pics of Galaxy now:

One of MW's Japan residents needs to find a vending machine that still has them, buy them out, and ship them here.

You know, if they had just MOLDED IT IN CLEAR PURPLE I'd be done with the fuselage now... I know Bandai can mold clear green, clear neon-yellow-green, clear blue, clear pink, clear orange, and clear red. I bet they can do clear purple... (also annoyed that I had to paint the visor green, when it seems Ozma's will be molded green)

Sigh---still having problems with clear purple. While I did finally get a decent purple paint mix, actually applying it is insanely difficult. All the molded-in tabs and mounts cause the paint to pool, and the canopy is so "U" shaped as opposed to "half-circle" that the paint pools along the top of the canopy--even if left to dry inverted! Capillary action in the extreme. I had a decently tinted canopy at one point, but the streaks/pooling was way too obvious at too many angles. I also literally sat there for half an hour, swirling the canopy around constantly, so that it couldn't pool. Still didn't work. Spent an hour stripping paint and hoping the canopy's not ruined. Will see if airbrushing it tomorrow works any better. (A big part of the problem is trying to make a "obviously tinted, but not too dark" color---if I just flood the thing with paint, it'd be more even, but also be more like purple sunglasses, than "a purple tint") I may just go with transparent blue, as no purple mix I've made "behaves" well. I'm also going to "dip" the canopy in Future, to clear it up and maybe make the purple behave better, as it'll then be going over a paint-like substance rather than raw plastic.

Remember everybody, this is the just the first sample that looks VERY much like an "idealized" version of the G1 toon design. Wait until they ask Kawamori to "tweak" the design...

Which YF-23 prototype? Either way, neither one had a "unique" scheme---PAV-1 was overall gunship grey, PAV-2 wore compass ghost.

I still say my Nora is the best valk I've ever owned.

Nah, I need Milia. Milia purple suit, Milia red suit, M7 Milia red suit...

If anyone wants a very short summary of the "important to the game" bits of the 2nd ME book, look here:

If anyone wants a very short summary of the "important to the game" bits of the 2nd ME book, look here: ::edit:: Going to put this in the ME2 thread too, where it really should go.

I'd try one at a time, a month or two apart.

Really, it should be called "Shawn and Graham's Macross bitchfest".

Kawamori has been making valks more and more plausible/possible in the 3D world lately, this started with Zero. He now starts with LEGO, he no longer uses retractable hands, etc. All seem to be "concessions" to being able to actually make them in 3D, as opposed to the YF-19 and YF-21, which simply cannot maintain proportions across modes in real life. The fact that the MOST PLAUSIBLE/REALISTIC one ever translated so poorly into actual 3D, says a lot about what Bandai's doing.

Yeah, the lack of new ME DLC is surprising. I don't think anyone thought "one" with all the hype the developers were making about filling the gap between games. That, or ME 2 is two years away and there is "annual" DLC...

Also, the chestplate is Ozma's, not Alto's. (they're subtly different). He must have got some weird hybrid test-shot, that had Ozma's head and chestplate, but Alto's backplate. Thing is--chestplate, backpate, and some head parts are all on the same sprue (M). Did he get individual test-shot pieces or something, and not a full sprue? PS---did he use YF-21 landing gear? It's the right color, and it's definitely not from a Blue Angels Hornet or Phantom kit.

Possible Ozma head explanation: If you compare the model kits, it's not just the head, but the chestplate too that is different. (and the backplate too, actually) There are specific chestplates and backplates for every VF-25 variant from the model kit team. Bandai's DX team seems to be using the "Alto" chestplate and backplate for all of them, and modifying the head/neck to fit that. See how poorly the head lasers and their mount fit in fighter mode? That's because the slot on the backplate is shaped for the laser and mount of Alto. That, is just plain laziness---we know changing the slots for the lasers in the backpack isn't going to affect durability/transformation.

I think I finally found an acceptable mixture of flat base+future that'll work well. Definitely glossier than I'd like, but dries smooth and even. (took probably 10 or 15 attempts---flat base is so thick it's impossible to measure, so it will be very difficult to make more of the exact same mix) PS--Future and Tamiya do NOT mix. Nor do Future and MM Acryl in my experience--at least, grape pearl sure doesn't mix with it.

Anything that long is pointless/stupid. Once you "figure it out" there's no fun at all in running the same pattern of attack/heal 43 times in row until it's dead. I keep waiting for Square to do "Chaotic Omega Weapon XII, mk 2" with literally 40 million HP, with a 9999 cap, just to see how many people will do it and talk about it at Gamefaqs...

"We are sorry but we will not accept nor reply to any requests for multiple parts"

I want scans too--I'm still building mine, so it'd be easier to incorporate a few pegs etc.

Did they get the paint scheme right? A M7-era Milia VF-1J should have black striping instead of white.

I don't think it's a QC issue, but a design issue.

Hey hey hey---keep movie news (and especially potential spoilers) in the movie thread.