1/60 Yamato VF-4G Web-Exclusive Toy

[Reïvaj]

VF5SS is right, that old line art is -as you said- the one that appeared in FB2012, but it was revised around 1995 AFAIK in order to allow transformation. Compare:

Source: Macross Mecha Manual

[sketchley]

?

How do we know that the person who made the scan didn't distort the vertical height (by mistake) when scanning?

BTW, the fighter mode images were not revised in order to allow transformation. The image on the right is the one used in FB2012. Ref: "Best Hit Series SDFM FB2012 Graffiti", pg 55 [First edition 1987.10.15].

Edited July 10, 2012 by sketchley

[VF5SS]

Right but as far as materials given to license holders so that they can make a product based on the VF-4, I don't think any of the line art from the Musasiya kit is used. So a lot of the more obscure minutiae about the design is considered unimportant. Some of the text stats from years ago carried through like the presence of hard points or an optional gun pod, but the specifics as illustrated in artwork are not recognized as being a part of the final transforming design.

Like the VF-1 is so well documented with artwork depicting all aspects of its design that date back to its creation, while the VF-4 has more a split between when it was finally finished and a lot of older artwork was simply forgotten or omitted.

It's kind of like how most Valkyrie toys and model kits do not have underwing pylons if the artwork does not depict any.

[Reïvaj]

?

How do we know that the person who made the scan didn't distort the vertical height (by mistake) when scanning?

It must be that.

BTW, the fighter mode images were not revised in order to allow transformation. The image on the right is the one used in FB2012. Ref: "Best Hit Series SDFM FB2012 Graffiti", pg 55 [First edition 1987.10.15].

Oh, I see. As you seem to be very informed about this subject, could you please post the images you’ve got of the VF-4 in battroid and gerwalk mode that were published by the year 1987?

[sketchley]

Oh, I see. As you seem to be very informed about this subject, could you please post the images you’ve got of the VF-4 in battroid and gerwalk mode that were published by the year 1987?

Now you're contradicting yourself.

To clarify:

fighter mode design: finalized when FB2012 was made. HAS NOT BEEN CHANGED HENCE.

GERWALK and battroid mode designs: rough design finished for DM:VF-X (yes. Rough design*. That's not a typo or mistranslation. See "MDM VF-X Flight Manual" pg 86 [first edition 1997.04.10])

But hey, if you want alternates or works in progress, check out Pg 69 of "SK Macross Design Works" for the SD type.

* This opens up a can of worms... as the designs that Yamato is working off of to create battroid and GERWALK forms is, ultimately, a rough design.

Edited July 10, 2012 by sketchley

[DarrinG]

VF5SS is right, that old line art is -as you said- the one that appeared in FB2012, but it was revised around 1995 AFAIK in order to allow transformation. Compare:

Source: Macross Mecha Manual

So up until 1995 this fighter design was not meant to change to other modes at all?

[sketchley]

So up until 1995 this fighter design was not meant to change to other modes at all?

Nope.

It has been described as variable from the onset. The unique thing about it is that what it transformed into wasn't publicly released for about 10 years.

[MichaelS]

I wonder why we have not seen a vf4 before, it seem like a very popular design and now you say it took 10yrs for them to show a transformation. Was it not popular when released or not intended to be anything more than back drop?

[DarrinG]

They could not figure out a way to get battroid mode to look decent...

[Mommar]

I think battroid looks awesome to I guess that isn't true.

In other news, i was looking at all of those new shots and I think despite the crazy engineering involved to make everything work that the transformation on this thing is going to be relatively easy. That gunk in the middle of Battroid looks intimidating but with the way all of the surfaces line up a few pegs/holes/whatever should be relatively easy to line up. I guess that depends on how Yamato approaches the design though. Also, the legs are definitely going to be housed in the fuselage and not just flip up into the legs like some have speculated. You can clearly see the gap about mid-calf in the Gerwalk photos where the thigh will protrude from. I wonder if they'll provide leg covers like on the 19 since the back of that calf is going to be GAPING, though it was pretty much left open on the lineart as well. At the very least some sort of mechanism to cover up that mid-calf gap (or extra pieces.) The hands do have the "trigger finger" built in. That doesn't mean it will be coming with a gun pod (I'm betting it absolutely won't" but if you feel like pilfering one from an extra VF-1 I'll bet it holds that gun just fine.

[Chronocidal]

Well if you fold the thighs into the engines, you can't have a perfect transformation. I know people think there would be room there, but I doubt there will. Plus, most line art shows the thighs housed in the center of the wing, so I don't know why they would change that.

What does need to happen is that the knee joints will probably be somewhere mid-engine in fighter mode, and will have to slide forward into the intake. I've seen various ways people have covered that gap in the past, and it might just be as simple as a sliding cover that pulls forward along with the knee joint.

One thing that does concern me a bit is that the hip joint will likely be very similar to the YF-21's, since it will need to rotate sideways and fold flat. While I don't think we'll have the balance problems the YF-21 has, I know the hips on mine aren't very stiff (though that may be due to the way they're designed to disconnect).

[Reïvaj]

One thing that does concern me a bit is that the hip joint will likely be very similar to the YF-21's, since it will need to rotate sideways and fold flat. While I don't think we'll have the balance problems the YF-21 has, I know the hips on mine aren't very stiff (though that may be due to the way they're designed to disconnect).

I wouldn't worry about that. The rotation mechanism needed to rotate sideways and fold flat seems to be very different from the YF-21's. This time it's on the fuselage rather than on the thigh itself, were there's a much simpler ball joint.

[Mommar]

Well if you fold the thighs into the engines, you can't have a perfect transformation. I know people think there would be room there, but I doubt there will. Plus, most line art shows the thighs housed in the center of the wing, so I don't know why they would change that.

What does need to happen is that the knee joints will probably be somewhere mid-engine in fighter mode, and will have to slide forward into the intake. I've seen various ways people have covered that gap in the past, and it might just be as simple as a sliding cover that pulls forward along with the knee joint.

One thing that does concern me a bit is that the hip joint will likely be very similar to the YF-21's, since it will need to rotate sideways and fold flat. While I don't think we'll have the balance problems the YF-21 has, I know the hips on mine aren't very stiff (though that may be due to the way they're designed to disconnect).

I only mentioned where the thigh would be based on some comments earlier on in the thread where someone was speculating the thigh would fold back into the calf like one of the garage kits does. It would be nice if they had a sliding panel to cover that gap in the calf but I'm not holding my breath.

[David Hingtgen]

"No delimiter mode" on the -4 will solve 90% of the -21's hip issues.

[VF5SS]

whatever you say, chief

[Reïvaj]

I only mentioned where the thigh would be based on some comments earlier on in the thread where someone was speculating the thigh would fold back into the calf like one of the garage kits does. It would be nice if they had a sliding panel to cover that gap in the calf but I'm not holding my breath.

I might be wrong, but I think we can already have a hint of how the gap will be covered. Considering the existing rough line art IMO it’s acceptable though perfectible.

[Reïvaj]

"No delimiter mode" on the -4 will solve 90% of the -21's hip issues.

...the remaining 10% being the heavily reduced propulsion?

[Chronocidal]

Actually, the legs are still going to have to rotate completely sideways to stay attached to those ball joints.. the ball joint will just have to come out the top of the leg, instead of rotating around the side like on the YF-21.

[Loop]

Do we know if there is a limit for how many can be ordered off of the Yamato site?

[EXO]

I don't think there is one. I think I'm one of 4 from a friend over there.

[Ahab]

I hope yamato will interpret the "thighs" a little differently than they have so far. Looks a bit out of place considering the rest of the mech's design. The resin kit, pictured a couple pages back, had an aestheticly pleasing solution.

Am I alone here?

[Loop]

I don't think there is one. I think I'm one of 4 from a friend over there.

Is pricing confirmed?

[jenius]

I hear yamato will announce msrp at wonder fest 7/30

[EXO]

Is pricing confirmed?

pricing won't be announced until they get an idea of how many people are going to pre-order it. That's why they have the non-committal pre-pre-order that comes with a 5% off until July 30th. I'm pretty sure if we ran a poll of how many is thinking about ordering that number won't significantly affect the number they need to make a decision. In fact I'll add a poll to this thread and advertise it we can see what MW's total would be.

[David Hingtgen]

Where's the "I'd buy it for sure *if* it came in FB2012/Hikaru colors" option?

My desire for a VF-4 is very high, but I hate the proposed scheme. Bland bland bland. It alone is deterring me.

I have no problem with this being the most expensive valk I'd ever own. But not if the final version is almost as boring and grey as the unpainted prototype...

[EXO]

Sorry David. That wouldn't be a realistic count. Yamato already announced the color scheme and the pre-order is for that toy only. I think most of us, if not all want the Hikaru version. As for now the poll only concerns what number MW would come up with were they able to join in on the pre-order and how that would affect the final price of the toy.

[EXO]

Source: Macross Mecha Manual

I never noticed that the intakes look like 2 clowns screaming their heads off... creepy.

[raptormesh]

I never noticed that the intakes look like 2 clowns screaming their heads off... creepy.

Can't unsee...

[sketchley]

I never noticed that the intakes look like 2 clowns screaming their heads off... creepy.

. . .　

[Ignacio Ocamica]

What's wrong with you people??? First kermit the tomahawk frog, now this!!!

[jvmacross]

Don't live in Japan....already pre-ordered it.....

[Kyp Durron]

Don't live in Japan....already pre-ordered it.....

How? I thought you couldn't if you were outside Japan.

-Kyp

[wm cheng]

How? I thought you couldn't if you were outside Japan.

-Kyp

+1

[Kyp Durron]

Other than putting my last name first, then my first name, I have no idea how to fill out their pre-order form, even with Google Translate.

-Kyp

[DarrinG]

What's wrong with you people??? First kermit the tomahawk frog, now this!!!

What's wrong with you people??? First kermit the tomahawk frog, now this!!!

Kermit the Tomahawk Frog look can be fixed by lowering the head guns down...