Guest davidwhangchoi Posted December 31, 2014 Posted December 31, 2014 (edited) Nice New Year gift to yourself David! glad you got getting your 3x as well!!! Happy New Year (coming soon) Edited December 31, 2014 by davidwhangchoi Quote
Gakken85 Posted January 1, 2015 Posted January 1, 2015 (edited) So. I opened up UM before going out tonight... His size and shape pretty much save him from being a dud. You want to rip this guy out, and I was really impressed looking at him in his casing. However I noticed right away that the mold breaks on his arms look terrible. How did that get past QA? .. . If it wasn't so massive and just larger than life ... I'd really hate it. Edited January 2, 2015 by Gakken85 Quote
Valkyrie2008 Posted January 1, 2015 Posted January 1, 2015 I told you not to look from his behind, now you've blinded yourself. I have to agree, from looking at UM backside, it is big disappointment, but I'm not planning to display him his backside. Quote
RD Blade Posted January 1, 2015 Posted January 1, 2015 I opened mine yesterday and transformed it to carrier and back. Ho-lee-hell. The transformation is amazing. They could easily have gone with a shell-former and given his arms the exact process as the G1 toy. But no. I think the MP transformation has been taken to a new level with this figure. There are details like the rear wheels folding away and being replaced by the little wheel-like nubs found on the character model. In carrier mode, the shoulder launchers have the same two configurations as the original toy...minus the need to remove and reattach them. The engineering on Magnus is very outside-the-box. Add to all that the decent price I paid for it and I'm absolutely satisfied with my purchase. Quote
treatment Posted January 1, 2015 Posted January 1, 2015 Appreciatin' MP Bumblebee's size/scaling...Bigger and don't crash as often... Quote
Valkyrie Hunter D Posted January 2, 2015 Posted January 2, 2015 Why is Cosmos teabagging Spay-C? Because Bumblebee likes to watch. Quote
technoblue Posted January 2, 2015 Posted January 2, 2015 Having fun with MP Ultra Magnus... This big boy can be very dynamic, but I still find myself wishing for some waist articulation to finish off sweet poses, even if he had a simple limited joint. Again, I'm also really impressed with the head sculpt on MP-22--and the standard face that comes fit out of the box. The head has a lot of articulation and is easy to move around and pose at different angles. I was pleasantly surprised by this, seeing as how Magnus's chest and shoulders are quite blocky. I thought the blockiness might interfere, but it does not. The white shins/ramps come laying flat on two blue tabs, which spaces them apart from the legs by a quarter of an inch or so. This has caused some controversy. I'm not bothered by it, but it was cool to see that you can optionally place these pieces behind the blue tabs to reduce the gap significantly. Note that in this close-up shot I tried to enhance the gap effect for the sake of comparison (left leg-forward: standard transformation, right leg-rear: alternate transformation). The cab doesn't look bad from the side either. IMO. I like how it is hinged so that you can get it out of the way altogether if you don't like it or move it slightly for certain poses. This is UM's under-side profile. I do think a second hinge would have helped satisfy most complaints, though. Now to try and transform him! Quote
Gakken85 Posted January 2, 2015 Posted January 2, 2015 Finished my review Probably going to sell mine too btw. Quote
technoblue Posted January 2, 2015 Posted January 2, 2015 Good review, Gakken. You raise a number of fair points. I REALLY agree with you about the compromises made to get this guy out the door. A white Convoy in armor should have been the ultimate goal. That said, I also appreciate what we did get. I hope TT revisits City Commander's design in the future. For now, bring on Star Saber! Quote
Gakken85 Posted January 2, 2015 Posted January 2, 2015 (edited) It's just a weird toy. It only looks... decent from certain angles. I'm not feeling it. Hope it makes UM fans happy though if that's what they want. It's a good effort and the best one yet, if anything. And yes, Star Sabeeeeeeruuuuuuuuu will avenge the masterpiece line! Edited January 3, 2015 by Gakken85 Quote
kanedaestes Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 I know the original toy was a white convoy in armor which is why everyone expects this but honestly he was never shown like that in the cartoon or movie and the only reason it was made like that is because that's where toy technology was back then. Granted this is beating a dead horse but I like how they made a full functioning Magnus transform with out being a clone of Optimus with armor. That's just me I guess. Quote
technoblue Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 I know the original toy was a white convoy in armor which is why everyone expects this but honestly he was never shown like that in the cartoon or movie and the only reason it was made like that is because that's where toy technology was back then. Granted this is beating a dead horse but I like how they made a full functioning Magnus transform with out being a clone of Optimus with armor. That's just me I guess. Ugh. I didn't really want something like the original G1 toy. A friend of mine had him when I was a kid, and the G1 toy was even more of a brick. Compared to that toy, MP-22 is stellar. When I think of a powered armor set, I think of FansProject's TFX-01 City Commander set for Classics Ultra Magnus. Something like that for the Masterpiece line would've been wicked. It's too bad it wasn't in the cards this time. Quote
Golden Arms Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 (edited) I concur with Kanda's points. If they would've made him as a parts forming MP-10 he would be even more of a brick than he is now. The designers made the right call on the compromises. As a parts_former the armor would have to be small enough to allow more articulation and large enough to allow the cars to fit in trailer in alt mode. That would've never happened. Adding armor to MP-10 likely would've compromised the articulation beyond what we have now. They would've had to redo MP-10 completely just to make the armor work. The Yamato 1/48 GBP armor is a perfect example of what you get when add armor to a design after the fact. I like that fact that the toy we got integrates the trailer and cab into the transformation, much like the cartoon. Since it does so, Magnus by default should be much bigger than prime. I also like that they have kept the autobots in scale with each other since MP-10. The gaps in the legs don't really bother that much as when I pick him up, I usually grab him by the chest. The butt flap too, isn't as bad as in person. I prefer to leave it swung completely down as I think it looks silly pointing out. As much as I love articulation, I'm able to give the lack of articulation for Magnus as a easy pass since I believe they nailed the bot mode. Plus Magnus has never struck me as a very dynamic Character anyway. He's mostly going to be in the background barking orders at the other bots! I wish that they would've included a matrix as an accessory. Edited January 3, 2015 by Golden Arms Quote
Gakken85 Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 (edited) I don't think that's true. The 1/48, ok as the 1/48 is a pretty flawed designed to begin with (large nose cone and giant chest), but not the 1/60. MP's are much more in line with the 1/60 mould and scale and I imagined it more like the super/strike parts for the 1/60. Plenty of articulation and movement, but plenty of bulk. Even the GBP for the 1/60 has a fair bit of movement. I mean this version is pretty much a shell former with better cohesiveness. They hid the shell in a bunch of folded panels. The legs are barely connected so I don't see how snap on armor would be any worse. All they would need to do is add some snap on bits... and changing the mp-10 mould a bit to tweak the transformation and connections would be a good thing. But beyond that they could have gone this route... making it a perfect transformation without armor parts, but with better ideas and designs. I would have gladly payed 200+ for a more impressive figure that isn't just folded panels and open spaces. I think too many people are giving this toy too many passes on every level, but that's just my opinion. I was going to live with the butt flap, and the giant forearms... and even the lack of a real waist... but then the legs are a mess and the head is too big... it just keeps adding up for me to the point that it's just... too goofy looking. Why the heck would I want this when picking it up isn't even fun? It doesn't look like the same scale on my shelf either when I keep looking at MP-10 and Soundwave ect. Yeah, you can stack other toys in front of him but that's not how my display works. I can only really get one decent pose out of him... that gun forward and kind of tilted on his giant metal slab feet. Not much to it. Anyway, its done and over. I hope they come back to it one day and do something more pleasing. But I think my point is valid that Alt mode scale (Not alt mode accuracy) 1. Shouldn't be the main design consideration, and 2. will eventually have to be scrapped to bring any of the combiners or decepticons to the table. They can't just keep releasing autobot cars to pull out of primes trailer. But that brings me to another point... Primes cab could fit a lot of Autobots in the cartoon, but in the toy he only fits two, or so. Why burning desire to fit 4 with UM who isn't even based off a real truck? Shrug. Edited January 3, 2015 by Gakken85 Quote
JB0 Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 But I think my point is valid that Alt mode scale (Not alt mode accuracy) 1. Shouldn't be the main design consideration, and 2. will eventually have to be scrapped to bring any of the combiners or decepticons to the table. They can't just keep releasing autobot cars to pull out of primes trailer.But, but... I'm waiting with bated breath for an in-scale MP Powerglide... Quote
Golden Arms Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 (edited) That's why I mentioned the 1/48 Yamato's, specifically the GBP armor. Yamato was able to take what they learned with the 1/48 scale and incorporate that directly into the V2 1/60. They designed the 1/60 out off the box with the intention of making it ready to accommodate the GBP armor. The fast packs in both scale worked fine enough without hindrance to articulation or accuracy. The GBP armor on the other hand is more in line with what Takara would run into if they decided to make Magnus an armored MP-10. Once you start adding all of the armor onto an existing toy that was never designed to accommodate such armor, it quickly becomes a challenge in terms or accuracy and movement. Unlike the GBP, Prime would need to be completely covered in armor from head to foot to replicate cartoon Magnus. Head, chest, back, feet, thighs, forearms, etc. Which at the point would be much easier to start over with a fresh design, which they did. I agree with you that there are a number of compromises that were made with the version that was released. I just feel that with those in mind, the actual toy worked well enough for my needs. KFC had the opportunity to make an armored version of MP-10 and they too went the same route as Takara by integrating the cab and trailer into the transformation. Once I had seen video of the KFC version alongside the Takara Magnus I was justified in my decision to skip the KFC version even though it had superior articulation. I never liked the original 80's take on the toy and thought a revisit of the character should be a unique design and transformation into itself and not an armored prime ala 1980's. The MP trailer can't accommodate more cars because it's too short and you have the battle mode pieces added. I can live with that as the trailer mostly stays in the box. MP cosmos is the one I want to see pulled off!!! Edited January 3, 2015 by Golden Arms Quote
jenius Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 It looks like YOTG Soundwave is shipping now. Do we think this will end up at TRU since it looks like it has the new MP packaging? Quote
JB0 Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 MP cosmos is the one I want to see pulled off!!!I grabbed Powerglide because he has a real-life alt mode with a known real-world size for scaling purposes, while still being in the "non-combining autobots" camp. If we're not limiting ourselves... MP-scale Metroplex. Let's go big or go home. Quote
Guest davidwhangchoi Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 I grabbed Powerglide because he has a real-life alt mode with a known real-world size for scaling purposes, while still being in the "non-combining autobots" camp. If we're not limiting ourselves... MP-scale Metroplex. Let's go big or go home. i was thinking mp astrotrain in life size alt mode. if ultra magnus can fit 4 cars, he should be able to fit everyone except megatron, insecticons, skywarp and thundercraker. Quote
Gakken85 Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 i was thinking mp astrotrain in life size alt mode. if ultra magnus can fit 4 cars, he should be able to fit everyone except megatron, insecticons, skywarp and thundercraker. And your living room couch? I think a scaled size space shuttle would be about the size of the 1/72 Monster Lots and lots of folding panels haha Quote
skullmilitia Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 i was thinking mp astrotrain in life size alt mode. if ultra magnus can fit 4 cars, he should be able to fit everyone except megatron, insecticons, skywarp and thundercraker. Wat? Megatron could sit on his dash / real scale Quote
mikeszekely Posted January 3, 2015 Author Posted January 3, 2015 Wat? Megatron could sit on his dash / real scale It's a reference to the movie. "Jettison some weight, or we'll never make it to Cybertron." Megatron, Skywarp, Thundercracker, and the Insecticons were the guys who got tossed and became Galvatron, Cyclonus, Scourge, and the Sweeps. Quote
Gakken85 Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 Transformers weigh a lot, with all that matter reduction. Very dense. Quote
RD Blade Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 Plus all that lack of gravity in space. Wait... Quote
Guest davidwhangchoi Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 (edited) It's a reference to the movie. "Jettison some weight, or we'll never make it to Cybertron." Megatron, Skywarp, Thundercracker, and the Insecticons were the guys who got tossed and became Galvatron, Cyclonus, Scourge, and the Sweeps. +1 Plus all that lack of gravity in space. Wait... +100 well, the youth in me says astrotrain meant he didn't have enough fuel to move that much mass to cybertron hell, in two seasons, neither autobots nor decepticons had enough energon to fuel their ships to make it past earth's gravity. or starscream made him say that as an opportunity to dump megatron. Edited January 3, 2015 by davidwhangchoi Quote
Gakken85 Posted January 4, 2015 Posted January 4, 2015 With all my bitching about UM... I love Bee, and I'm not even a big Bumblebee fan. The transformation is simple and satisfying, he looks great. Really great representation. I wished the vehicle mode was more like the cartoon version but I'll take it. Quote
Gakken85 Posted January 4, 2015 Posted January 4, 2015 (edited) Found this in the Star Saber thread: Yuki Super ginrai sketch. Edited January 4, 2015 by Gakken85 Quote
mikeszekely Posted January 5, 2015 Author Posted January 5, 2015 Just a sketch, or is this really happening? I'm not sure how I feel about it, honestly. I love Prime, and MP-10 is just about perfect. I love the idea of Prime being able to power up. But I've never cared for Ginrai's toy-accurate, truck on the front and back animation model, and I don't necessarily want that as an MP. Then again, there could be a masterpiece Godbomber... Quote
RD Blade Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 Hold on...That's recent?? I thought that sketch was a vintage piece. Aside from the sloped windshield, there is no difference from the original toy. Quote
Guest davidwhangchoi Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 Hold on...That's recent?? I thought that sketch was a vintage piece. Aside from the sloped windshield, there is no difference from the original toy. thought the same as well Quote
dizman Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 Too early to tell if that is the next MP but I really hope it is. That sketch does look like the old toy so probably not. Quote
Gakken85 Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 It was on his twitter. I think its a recent sketch by him. What was second on the list of fan favorites? I'd love to see Yuki do a separate MP line that isn't always G1 Cartoon focused. The quality and love he brought to star saber so far would be great. Quote
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