The Transformers Thread (licensed) Next

[mikeszekely]

Do you have the legends class Shockwave for Bruticus to hold? I think it is intended for him to have him as a gun since the G2 set has Shockwave included. Shockwave is basically the WhatsHisName/Blackjack/Groove of the Combaticons.

Yeah, I wrote a review a page back. He's my favorite Legends-class of the line, and like I mentioned sorta necessary if you want Bruticus to have a weapon that isn't his back guns (and you don't have Leader Megatron's fun to steal). But officially, his instructions have him fit into the gap where Bruticus' head goes in Onslaught mode, like a backpack.

can somebody post a pic of CW bruticus using the 2 guns of CW Cyclonus at his back cannon?

i saw it on the net and didnt save the pic..

Hmm. Well, CW Cyclonus only has one gun (just a silver recolor of Silverbolt's.

I gave it a try, though. I didn't even bother with a picture. On the face of it, it almost looks like it'd be cool with longer, thicker barrels, but depending on the angle you're viewing it from there are a ton of hollow spots on the barrel. Plus, the peg are meant for Cyclonus' hands, and the peg holes on Bruticus' back are shallower. That pushes them out to the side, so they're in the way even if you put Onslaught's arms in the official position.

You've got me thinking that 3P replacement barrels would be a great add-on, though. Maybe Perfect Effect will get on that.

Edited January 15, 2016 by mikeszekely

[Kanedas Bike]

Sorry if this is common knowledge, but I checked a few sites and conducted a search and could find any details on if this is an actual release, a model or a custom;

http://www.elljay-hobby-collection.com/2016/01/14/optimus-prime-evasion-mode-xxz/?wq=

Does anyone know?

Thanks,

-b.

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

My guess is that it's the oversized KO of Evasion Prime that is in the works. I can't tell if that is the final product or a gussied up custom of one.

[Kanedas Bike]

My guess is that it's the oversized KO of Evasion Prime that is in the works. I can't tell if that is the final product or a gussied up custom of one.

Cool, it looks damn nice - hopefully if it is a KO it'll be available to buy at some point, and hopefully as photographed.

Thanks much.

-b.

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

After some browsing, I've found it's the Weijiang M01 Commander. It just hit the market, and those pics are of the final product.

[Dangard Ace]

Picked up PE06 and 07 for Devastator. Completely fixes up his cub foot and the individual robot elbows. Could not care less about the Prowlevastator head. Purple Devy hands are nice but the ball joint wrist isn't strong enough to hold up Devastator gun. Currently drying after being dipped in some Future. Working excavator arms and shovels are a plus.

[mikeszekely]

More detailed reviews forthcoming, but suffice to say that the Feralcons impressed me enough that I ordered Felisaber with no intention of using him as part of Rex.

I also preordered a set of CrazyDevy's guns for the individual Feralcons.

[Scyla]

I opened two more Q Transformers today. Black Megatron is ok but more of the same. Nemesis Prime is great though. They are just so much fun and addicting. I think I got enough now since I got all my regular Transformers characters I'm interested in. Maybe a Galvatron and Cyclonus would get me back.

Honestly if you shop at a store that offers some kind of warehouse you should throw a few into an order. They are a great finger candy.

[edit:]

More detailed reviews forthcoming, but suffice to say that the Feralcons impressed me enough that I ordered Felisaber with no intention of using him as part of Rex.

I also preordered a set of CrazyDevy's guns for the individual Feralcons.

You should order yourself a MMC Metal Slug tank.

Edited January 16, 2016 by Scyla

[mikeszekely]

You should order yourself a MMC Metal Slug tank.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted now.

But whoops, I meant to post that in the 3P TF thread, not this one. So, let me get back on track... I hear that GCIToys, who work with Dr. Killenger, are doing an upgrade set for CW Bruticus that will have better barrels for Onslaught/Bruticus' back. I'm excited.

[Scyla]

I have a few Takara Transformers items in focus. The first one is Legends Sprung (Springer). I think he would look good with the Reformatted bots but since I don't have any Wreckers I think it might be not worth the effort. Sadly I passed on the MechIdeas toys and now they are gone (well there is an Ironfist on preorder at BBTS). I guess I would be in for the transformation.

The second one is Super Mode Armada Starscream. I would much rather have an Armada Skywarp. The problem is this will be the freebie for the TFCC subscription service I believe so I'm not sure if I can secure one and if they will be able to release it since Hasbro seems to have pulled the license from Funpub. I really like the mold and the blue color scheme looks good so I'm tempted.

[JET7]

[JET7]

did some fixing on the arms

[Dangard Ace]

Future/Nail polish fixing on the wrists or something else? Not sure about the arm extenders. Looks great lifting the arms up for a more G1 look but the chest piece loses some pegging in points on the treads. Also the treads now dangle loosely. I may 3d print some kind of locking struts to fix that.

Oh yeah, and Canadians looking for Devy, walmart.ca has him for $90cdn right now. http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/transformers-generations-combiner-wars-devastator-figure-set/6000193258501

[mikeszekely]

I gotta get me a 3D printer...

Yeah, I'm definitely not a fan of the arm extenders. It does stick the arms out a little more like the G1 toy, but CW Devy is a good fit for the cartoon.

DA, JET7, are the PE sets with the elbows separate from the set with the cab for Mixmaster? I wouldn't mind giving my Constructicons better elbows, but I think instead of trying to "fix" Hasbro's Mixmaster I'll probably just replace him entirely with Dr. Wu's not-Mixmaster.

[Scyla]

So MP Roadrage and Tracks arrived today and I made the mistake to open Roadrage first. With this version the whole mold just falls apart. Besides the not so stellar Tracks, Roadrage has a few additional problems. First she isn't able to hold her own gun because they thought the slot in the wrist joint is a good idea which is to swallow for a save connection. You can turn the wrist 180 degrees and it will fit ok but than you look at the top side of the fist in certain poses. Designing the gun so it goes over the forearm and slot into the tab from the fist transformation or having a flap that encloses the whole fist would have solved the issue. Next it seems like the base head plate seems to be redesigned so now it can be forcefully snapped into the chest like on Tracks. So Roadrage has a free floating platform that is out of whack as soon as you touch the figure and relies solely on the friction of the transformation joints. If this joint is loose the head won't be able to stay in place. This is a serious bummer. I also haven't found a place to peg in the gun in car-mode (not flying-car).

Now back to the original mode. After handling the figure I got the idea that it was forcefully designed to not be fun. The backpack is too far away from the back of the bot and too high but every attempt of a fan mode is in vain because the joints are designed in a way so you can't collapse the backpack or lower it which would be in the range of possibility but they designed a nub into the joint so it is limited in rotation. Otherwise you could collapse the backpack which would look better once the toy is on display. Same goes for the wings which could have used an additional joint to fold them to the outside of the trunk but the way they are the hinder shoulder articulation you could move them out of the way for certain poses but they start to look unsightly. The whole backpack is just a mess it could be really cool was it able to collapse on itself but it has no movable parts in them. Looking at the figure it seems rather easy to have the sides of the trunk fold int and collapse the rear bumper thus having a smaller backpack that sits closer to the back reducing the overall gaps on the toy. Also with Tracks Takara decided that the small car-bots need now ratchets (knees and elbows) which have absolutely no benefit for the toy and limit articulation. I can't get her forearm into a natural looking pose.

The toy has some good sides though. The leg transformation is creative and fun. Same goes for the forearm. On the QC side Takara was able to paint all the white opaque enough so that is a smooth solid surface. The mold also is able to create a good looking flying-car mode. The back is than hollow but I guess some panels to cover them up was not in the budget.

Overall the mold is disappointing. Doubly so because I was really looking forward to MP Tracks (and MP Magnus) because those where the first toys where Hasui had no say on the final toy and it shows. And the toys show this. MP Ultra Magnus (Hasui and Kobayashi co production), MP Star Saber (Yuki) and MP Tracks (Kobayashi it seems) are a letdown to what we got since MP-10. They are all not up to par and I think MP Ironhide will show this also. They are not bad but comparing them to what was released before leaves a stale taste. From handling MP-10 - MP-21 I know MP Roadrage could have been awesome and knowing this is a huge detriment in my enjoyment of the toy.

MP Laserwave looks awesome from what I've seen so all hope is not lost. Than again MP Hot Rodimus looks so terrible (a scaled down MP-09 with aweful proportions) so maybe Laserwave will be the last hurray.

Oh well maybe Takara will switch to MP Beast Wars so I could finish my MP collection and be done with. It saddens me to say that some 3rd party companies doing a better job, FansToys and MMC in particular so more money will go to them. At the moment I would say I skip MP Hot Rodimus in favor of FansToys offering.

[edit:] Quick addendum. I saw many reports on the side view mirrors. On my road rage I noticed that they didn't sit flush (and would fall out all the time) so I tried to push them in until they where flush with the car. Not they won't fall out anymore and I haven't noticed any stress marks on the toy.

Edited January 17, 2016 by Scyla

[Dangard Ace]

I gotta get me a 3D printer...

Yeah, I'm definitely not a fan of the arm extenders. It does stick the arms out a little more like the G1 toy, but CW Devy is a good fit for the cartoon.

DA, JET7, are the PE sets with the elbows separate from the set with the cab for Mixmaster? I wouldn't mind giving my Constructicons better elbows, but I think instead of trying to "fix" Hasbro's Mixmaster I'll probably just replace him entirely with Dr. Wu's not-Mixmaster.

Elbows and guns are one set. New cab, purple hands, better scoop, extending arm, Prowlestator head, and new shoulder are the other set.

[VFTF1]

I am back into Transformers and all. I am now waiting for TFC Minos and Thanatos. It's been a while Macrossworld!

[Scyla]

Opened and transformed MP Tracks for QC check (gotta get two more items done in the 11 day window). Yeah he is the better one of the mold I was pleased to see that all of the windows have the same tint. Due to the inside of the car the rear windows look like they are different from the front one but they are all the same. On the other hand why not choose a color that would look consistent throughout. The included stand is ok. The included fixed pose Raul not.

A few odd things I noticed this time around. There are some peg holes where the stem of the ankle rests. The part even has a peg but I can't get it pegged in. Is it supposed to do that? Yes the plate at the base of the head can lock in but Tracks looks kinda stupid that way and while I really love the leg transformation I think he would have looked better if the cut outs on the shins where on the other side. I know it is not line-art accurate but it just looks not great with half the knee joint showing on the outer side and on the inner side the panel has nothing behind it. If they could slide 5mm outwards it would look way better. THE BACKPACK IS A MESS and really is a detriment to the whole toy. I can't stress that enough. The ratchets in the arm make them look stiff and unnatural in every position.

Sadly Tracks has some QC issues. The biggest would be a defective ratchet in one of the knees where the leg dangles freely between two clicks. The other are mostly loose joints compared to Roadrage. Tracks also has one of those too big pegs that hold the lower legs together. I thought I would break something transforming him for the first time.

This toy is a mess.

I'm probably a bit unfair now and I'm partly to blame. I usually buy one MP toy per mold but I made an exception for Roadrage since she is the first female MP Transformer and looked rad in the images with the big gun and all the remolding done. Sadly having to check both toys for QC issues on the same evening made the feeling worth that they where not worth picking up two of them. I get it, it is purely my fault. I thin Vangelus from the TFW podcast said it best. When you played with the Hasui MPs there was a point where they felt you where done. Everything lined up and they stand there proud. With Tracks you always have the nagging feeling that something is not right. something is not aligned correctly he doesn't have a stance.

I'm now even less thrilled with the upcoming MP Ironhide... maybe I should quitting my MP collection now.

I should probably give it a few days to let it sink in.... ....on a different note I still have the unopened VF-0S to cheer me up.

[Sandman]

Future/Nail polish fixing on the wrists or something else? Not sure about the arm extenders. Looks great lifting the arms up for a more G1 look but the chest piece loses some pegging in points on the treads. Also the treads now dangle loosely. I may 3d print some kind of locking struts to fix that.

Oh yeah, and Canadians looking for Devy, walmart.ca has him for $90cdn right now. http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/transformers-generations-combiner-wars-devastator-figure-set/6000193258501

Wow great price. I might buy him now even though I originally had no intention of doing so.

[David Hingtgen]

MP Tracks:

Yes, knees are loose. Easy fix though, see here: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/tutorials-how-tos/1055985-mp-25-masterpiece-tracks-loose-knee-leg-fix.html In short---slip a little sliver of plastic under the pawl-piece. Note that the instructions are based around not actually taking the legs apart, but merely "loosening them up so that all the parts move out of the way, to provide access to the interior"---which is actually much easier than removing then replacing plarts. Your goal is to swing the outer part of the shin around, revealing the ratchet mechanism.

Front bumper is INSANELY tight. I spent half an hour with an xacto knife the first time very carefully prying it apart, then sanded all around it. And it's STILL really really tight.

[Scyla]

Thanks David, I will look it up.

[Tking22]

Looks like someone got a hold of a prototype MP Ironhide.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bEJ-KSxEow&feature=youtu.be

He looks good! My excitement factor is well over 9000, I'm ready for him and Ratchet.

[M'Kyuun]

I think he looks good,too. Definitely Ironhide. Looking forward to Ratchet as well.

A couple nitpicks(this is MW, after all): I still wish they'd figured out a way to integrate his main cannon into his back for deployment in both modes, but c'est la vie. I'm not too crazy about the G1 inspired "face" plate that shows through the windshield in his van mode; I think it's part of the hinge to move the windshield into his chest position, and likely will not be able to be folded out of view. Not a deal-breaker, but I could have lived without it. Judging by the vid, those butt wheels and red van side skirts are non-negotiable by design. Shame they didn't hinge them so as to cover those wheels. Everything else looks pretty solid, though. That transformation system is interesting.

On the whole, though, I'm pretty pleased with what I see thus far. I know some folks don't like the ratchets in the joints, but on a fig this size, they maintain the longevity of the figure and prevent floppiness. My 80's Galvatron still has nice tight ratcheting joints, so despite that they impose limitations on fine-tuning poses, ratchets do impart a degree of integrity over the long term. I don't really play with my figs, so once I find a good pose for them, that's how they remain until I get a sudden urge to take them off the shelf and either transform or re-pose them.

I'm still looking forward to Takara's UW Bruticus revelation. I'm curious if they retooled an existing mold, or just created a new toy, like UW Groove. I hope the latter, but I'm dubious. Anyway, I want a G1 faithful Bruticus, with Space Shuttle alt mode for Blast Off, and I have faith that Takara will once again deliver.

On the subject of shuttles, nearly a year has passed and still no news concerning the Soul of Gokin Machine Robo/Gobots toys that were shown at the 2015 Japan Dynamic Toy Show last Feb. I was hoping to get several of those figs, including Spay-C. I hope they haven't been round-filed.

[Scyla]

I think he looks good,too. Definitely Ironhide. Looking forward to Ratchet as well.

A couple nitpicks(this is MW, after all): I still wish they'd figured out a way to integrate his main cannon into his back for deployment in both modes, but c'est la vie. I'm not too crazy about the G1 inspired "face" plate that shows through the windshield in his van mode; I think it's part of the hinge to move the windshield into his chest position, and likely will not be able to be folded out of view. Not a deal-breaker, but I could have lived without it. Judging by the vid, those butt wheels and red van side skirts are non-negotiable by design. Shame they didn't hinge them so as to cover those wheels. Everything else looks pretty solid, though. That transformation system is interesting.

On the whole, though, I'm pretty pleased with what I see thus far. I know some folks don't like the ratchets in the joints, but on a fig this size, they maintain the longevity of the figure and prevent floppiness. My 80's Galvatron still has nice tight ratcheting joints, so despite that they impose limitations on fine-tuning poses, ratchets do impart a degree of integrity over the long term. I don't really play with my figs, so once I find a good pose for them, that's how they remain until I get a sudden urge to take them off the shelf and either transform or re-pose them.

I'm still looking forward to Takara's UW Bruticus revelation. I'm curious if they retooled an existing mold, or just created a new toy, like UW Groove. I hope the latter, but I'm dubious. Anyway, I want a G1 faithful Bruticus, with Space Shuttle alt mode for Blast Off, and I have faith that Takara will once again deliver.

On the subject of shuttles, nearly a year has passed and still no news concerning the Soul of Gokin Machine Robo/Gobots toys that were shown at the 2015 Japan Dynamic Toy Show last Feb. I was hoping to get several of those figs, including Spay-C. I hope they haven't been round-filed.

Regarding the ratchet joints. I love them they are great, the more ratchet joints the better. BUT they have to be good designed to not be a hindrance. Most problems stem from ratchets that have few indents. On MP Tracks for example you can't get the arms in a natural, neutral expression. On most of the recent Hasbro Transformers you can have the legs either be stock straight or at a 45 degree angle. This starts to be an issue on the collectors end too where you have $200 third party masterpiece style figures that can't pose well. If this is the case I would rather take a friction joint that is maintainable than a ratchet joint who is not useful.

[M'Kyuun]

Concerning ratchets, I see where you're coming from, and agree 100%. If ratchet joints are going to be implemented, they need to have numerous indents for greater range of motion, otherwise, what's the point?

I haven't handled my Tracks that much, and honestly didn't really notice the limitation in the elbow. I put him in a pose I liked, and that's how he remains. I'll have to go mess with him a bit to see how limited it is.

[mikeszekely]

Brought it up in the 3P thread, but worth mentioning here. GCIToys (aka Dr. Killenger) just went live with a new web store. They're taking preorders (with early bird pricing) for some Bruticus upgrade sets. I preordered one with new back cannons and new feet for Bruticus and a new head for Blast Off.

[Scyla]

Concerning ratchets, I see where you're coming from, and agree 100%. If ratchet joints are going to be implemented, they need to have numerous indents for greater range of motion, otherwise, what's the point?

I haven't handled my Tracks that much, and honestly didn't really notice the limitation in the elbow. I put him in a pose I liked, and that's how he remains. I'll have to go mess with him a bit to see how limited it is.

The problem with Tracks is that you can't get a straight standing relaxed pose with the ratchets. The arms are either straight or bend too much for a relaxed pose. They just look wrong and unnatural. On the other hand maybe this is another one of my robot fetishes.... elbow joints.... weird. Because I have specific issues with the elbow design of MMCs Commotus and Anarchus.

[JB0]

Concerning ratchets, I see where you're coming from, and agree 100%. If ratchet joints are going to be implemented, they need to have numerous indents for greater range of motion, otherwise, what's the point?

It's a tradeoff, though. Ratchet joints are generally used where you need a more stable joint than a friction fit affords. And the fewer ratchet teeth you have, the deeper each one can be, and thus the more stable the joint is.

Too many teeth and you start to wonder why they didn't just use a friction joint. (Classics Roadbuster has this problem in his shoulder joints.The ratchet makes a satisfying clickclickclick, but isn't very good at holding a pose, because each tooth is very shallow, and the pawl is tiny and flimsy.)

I make no comments on the specific case of MP Tracks, because it's not a toy I own.

[M'Kyuun]

I agree with you, JBO...there's always compromise when using ratchet joints. Like anything else, they need to be customized for their particular application. In Tracks' case, the forearms aren't that heavy, and more indents likely could have been used. There are only three from straight to 90 degree bend. Not much posing to be had there. A double hinge would have been nice, but it is what it is, I guess. Having messed with my copy this evening, Scyla's critique is valid. Tracks is still a decent figure, but still not as well done as Sideswipe, Wheeljack, or Prowl. When I ordered Tracks, I was on the fence concerning getting Road Rage, but in the end I relented. Glad I did now.

I'm hoping Ironhide will release next week (26 Jan, IIRC). I'm looking forward to getting him, and hope overall he's a better designed figure, esp since I've already preordered Ratchet. After watching the vid above, the pros are outweighing the cons so far.

Toyfair season is coming up soon, as well. I always look forward to new TFs and LEGO stuff. I hope we get a Kickback figure to go with the previous Insecticon releases (the atrocious FOC version doesn't count). I'm not too plussed about headmasters (for sentient robots to take off their heads so they can transform into their little driver bots is beyond the pale of stupidity for reasons that should seem self-evident), but I must confess that Titans Return Galvatron, and possibly Powermaster Prime, have my attention. Hopefully there are a few surprises that haven't leaked...it makes these things fun to follow, and I enjoy the anticipation.

Edited January 20, 2016 by M'Kyuun

[JB0]

I agree with you, JBO...there's always compromise when using ratchet joints. Like anything else, they need to be customized for their particular application. In Tracks' case, the forearms aren't that heavy, and more indents likely could have been used. There are only three from straight to 90 degree bend.

That is... a REALLY low tooth count, especially for a lightly-loaded joint. Were they originally planning to make the arms out of solid gold or something(limited-edition electrum variant!)?

[Scyla]

That is... a REALLY low tooth count, especially for a lightly-loaded joint. Were they originally planning to make the arms out of solid gold or something(limited-edition electrum variant!)?

One can only speculate. But Tracks is loaded with strange design decisions. It is almost like when Hasbro decided to add chrome to collector figures (Leader Jetfire) because collectors love chrome. I assume the same thought process could happened with Tracks where they thought that collectibles should have ratchets joints because it is a collectible and then put them in. The same goes for the knee joints that have ratchets for no apparent reason.

I guess you could say that the ratchet helps to keep the arms straight in flying car mode but they are solidly pegged into place so I don't get it. Maybe they help to align different parts in the various modes. I have to transform the toy a bunch to get a better idea where this comes from.

[Dangard Ace]

UW Bruticus with shuttle and 4 bladed Vortex confirmed.

[Scyla]

I don't know if a four bladed Vortex is a good idea if the helicopter blades are unable to fold up. The shuttle looks nice though.

[mikeszekely]

It looks like UW Bruticus has the same dark head as CW Bruticus. I was really hoping it would be silver or light gray.

I agree on the 4-bladed Vortex, could cause more problems than it solves. The shuttle Blast Off looks good from what I can see.

[sh9000]

UW Bruticus will be my first UW gift set I'll consider buying.