VOTOMS

[tninfko]

What's your guys' opinion on the Votoms figures from CM's Corporation? I'm been thinking about getting a Testa Rossa but not too sure about what the quality's gonna be

[promethuem5]

CM's generally makes very high quality toys... I've actually been looking at the Funny Devil fig.

[promethuem5]

Got my DMZ Turbo Custom today and I've gotta admit, I'm SUPER impressed! I love my Yamatos and all, but the one I handle the most and actually play with was pissing me off the other day, so I put it aside on the shelf... this new fig was just the thing I needed. It's a much more manageable size for actual play, and has great tight joints with a superior range of movement and balance. The posable hands look good and preform decently due to the light-weight build of the accessories, but I worry about their longevity. The microman Chirico fig is mostly balls, but that's to be expected... just gotta use some clear nail-polish to make the missiles stay put, and I've got my new play 'Dog toy.

[eriku]

Got my DMZ Turbo Custom today and I've gotta admit, I'm SUPER impressed! I love my Yamatos and all, but the one I handle the most and actually play with was pissing me off the other day, so I put it aside on the shelf... this new fig was just the thing I needed. It's a much more manageable size for actual play, and has great tight joints with a superior range of movement and balance. The posable hands look good and preform decently due to the light-weight build of the accessories, but I worry about their longevity. The microman Chirico fig is mostly balls, but that's to be expected... just gotta use some clear nail-polish to make the missiles stay put, and I've got my new play 'Dog toy.

Oh wow, for some reason I thought you had a DMZ already. Glad you like it! They're my favorite between DMZ and the Yamatos, but I love the Yamato's, too. Their "OMG that thing is huge!" factor alone makes them worth having.

Edited December 20, 2007 by eriku

[mpchi]

Got my DMZ Turbo Custom today and I've gotta admit, I'm SUPER impressed! I love my Yamatos and all, but the one I handle the most and actually play with was pissing me off the other day, so I put it aside on the shelf... this new fig was just the thing I needed. It's a much more manageable size for actual play, and has great tight joints with a superior range of movement and balance. The posable hands look good and preform decently due to the light-weight build of the accessories, but I worry about their longevity. The microman Chirico fig is mostly balls, but that's to be expected... just gotta use some clear nail-polish to make the missiles stay put, and I've got my new play 'Dog toy.

Looks like we DMZ people got a new convert!

However, I actually bailed out on this DMZ Turbo Custom. Partly I already got Red Shoulder Custom and Rapidlydog. Partly because of the big price, but not a lot of difference to offer from what I already have. Just too many other stuff to get. Looks like the DMZs don't run out of stock very fast either. So maybe I'll wait and see if there is a better Turbo variant later on. Still think Gregory's Red Shoulder Turbo with the lens guard & the tank treads looks the sickest of the bunch. Hope they'll make that one.

[promethuem5]

I agree with you on all accounts there mp... the DMZ TC was expensive, and the version with the tank-tread armor is far superior. Being my first for the line, however, I'm pretty thrilled with it.... now I'm trying to decide if I don't want another one, but I'm pretty much set on Scopedog Variants, unless they release a DMZ Brutishdog, which I would def. buy.

[emerson]

(Sorry for the shameless plug, but if anyone needs DMZ's, I'm selling #1-4 in the For Sale section!)

Personally, I never had the pleasure of watching the anime as a kid, so the nostalgic value's not quite there for me. It's a shame really. I'm keeping all my 1/12's though, because they're just damn huge and look great on the shelf together, armed to the teeth. I'm sure the play value of the 1/18's is great, but I really don't play with my toys. I just sit and ogle...blasphemy, I know.

[mpchi]

I agree with you on all accounts there mp... the DMZ TC was expensive, and the version with the tank-tread armor is far superior. Being my first for the line, however, I'm pretty thrilled with it.... now I'm trying to decide if I don't want another one, but I'm pretty much set on Scopedog Variants, unless they release a DMZ Brutishdog, which I would def. buy.

Yeah. Funny that the Brutishdog is still not in the line up of the DMZ, when you would have thought it would be like the second or third one easy. Maybe TakaraTomy try to to collide head on with Yamato's lineup? But if DMZ is going to have a Gregory Turbo Custom variant, or a DMZ Burglarydog, they'll end up being part of my collection for sure. I do want a Turbo Custom. Just not sure the current one is the right one for me...especially when it cost as much as a big SOC.

[hellohikaru]

So the Yukes PS2 game has been out for a while now anyone here bought it yet ? Looks awesome though.

[promethuem5]

Oh man, a DMZ Burglarydog would be nergasmic!

I would personally love to see the DMZ line charge ahead of Yamato and start releasing some enemy/not-Scopedog designs.

[mpchi]

Oh man, a DMZ Burglarydog would be nergasmic!

I would personally love to see the DMZ line charge ahead of Yamato and start releasing some enemy/not-Scopedog designs.

Ditto. That'll probably one way for TakaraTomy to be ahead of the game, even though it post a great risk. DMZ Bloodsucker, Fatty Ground, Berserga, the Beetles & Tortoise are sure welcoming items. Just don't know how well they would sell as a big toy.

In terms of the PS2 game, I bought it. But since I got a PS3 lately, haven't really been playing the game other than checking it out for like 30 mins when it arrived. Came with the nice preorder freebie book that shows all the mechs in game with some brief character & story info. All the pics of the mech are in-game CG models. From the little time I had, the CG rendered intro video look like arse. Hate the way Chirico looked in it. Nothing look like Chirico other than the hair & outfit. Its the most horrible CG rendtion of any PS2 games I owned. But the in-game chirico is not bad, looks completely different and closer to the TV show. The control on the Scopedog is pretty smooth (Namco worked on it), but control is simple with not a lot of complicated manuvers. When Chirico is on ground, his control is limited too. With the hand gun that has very limited shots on a clip, but it recharges when empty after a few seconds. You can kidnap mechs or hop on any empty ones lying around. In game graphics are passable, but not impressive. Some environments are just really big textures boxes (not that the TV show has a lot more detail). Though the game supposed to cover all the TV and OVA story (even with a bonus mech or two from Pailsen Files & Commando Vorct, but most likely no story element from those two series), it has a very good mech line up. Pretty much all mechs you see in TV and all the OVAs (minus Mellowlink, which is excluded). So bottom line, it can be a fun game, especially when you love the series. But don't expect it to be very deep or a visual blast. It reminds me very much of the PS2 Macross game from a few years back (also Namco worked on it with Bandai I think). Very authetic in terms of the show content, all the voices, sound effects, music, and story are there. Decent simple gameplay (but nothing very innovative or deep), but with mediocre graphics (PS2 can do much better than this, especially in late 2007). It really depends how much you love Votoms to determine whether its worth picking up.

[promethuem5]

So, I was trying to mount the weapons on my second Actic Gear fig, the Standing Tortoise, and it was just such a mess I got so mad that I decided to sell both my Actic Gear figs... gave up on keeping my SPEC Eva fig as well...

[mpchi]

Just played my PS2 Votoms game a bit more. Think I start to like it more as I got more familiar with the control. Main control involves something like below other than the basic run and shoot:

Turning ON/OFF the Roller Dash - to allow you to walk or dash much faster around.

ESCAPE Manuver - allow you to do like a split second dash or spine to dodge attacks. You are invincible at that split second.

Optional 1st Person Camera for slightly more precise aiming - you can zoom once in this camera, while you can still move the mech around, like first person shooter. Applies to both the mech and Chirico, but chirico has no zoom.

Auto lock on - let you lock on mechs one at a time. You mech will keep circling the locked on enemy. You can always turn it back off whenever you feel like you want to get back your normal directional control, if you no longer want to engage this particular enemy or if you feel like running away.

Mission Disc - This is a big one. You get to find various mission discs (a lot of them) through out the game. To activate a mission disc, you have to have your MD gauge charged up fully (takes about 10-15 secs). Once fully charged, you can pop out the MD menu (hold L1 button), which allows you to do some special moves, based on which button/option you choose. Some reloads your ammo on your main gun immediately (kind of useless as the gun reloads itself automatically after 5-10 secs.), some give you basic punches and kicks, some give you super finishing moves that gives a lot of damage. However, most of these super moves needed to be landed in very close distance, and it takes a good couple seconds before the moves activate after you pressed the button, which you can get interrupted by your opponant's firing sometimes. Different mech can use different mission discs, with the basic green scopedog being the more versatile than others with more usable ones. And if you want new weapons, kill the enemy mech with combat moves, so they drop their gun as they die. Then you can pick it up and use them. But this is not a necessity since you don't really run out of ammo. Only need this when you see a cool gun you don't already have, or switch a gun that fits the situation more.

The Stages break up into various missions, on a honeycomb grid. Once you play through one, you unlock others that attaches to it on each sides. Some of these are story mission, others are just side missions that gives you extra things to do. Uoodo alone has 16 missions, and you can pick and choose the ones you unlocked on which ones you wanna play first. There are usually some anime stills (screen grabs from TV show), and Chirico's monologue right before each mission. Sometimes other characters chime in and speaks. Very similar to the way the PS2 Macross game tells the story.

Right now, I still have the very low level mission discs. But looks like you can do some pretty cool stuff as you advance with the higher level mission discs. The mech animation is great. Though Chirico's running animation can be better. To capture mechs, you need to have Chirico on ground and land some 'critical shots' on enemies mech's cockpit, so you kill the pilot instead of blowing the mech up. then you can hop in and use it as you please. So overall, still pretty simple control. But its not too bad. Wonder if it will get pretty epic with you battling a bunch of mechs at the same time, like in the OVAs. That would be sweet.

(First mission, showing various basic gameplay with the Scopedog)

(Rabidlydog in action. Graphic looks better here with the vast outdoor in bright daylight) Edited December 22, 2007 by mpchi

[hellohikaru]

CG opening for the yukes game is at youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7xru0dCcgM

Chirico looks more like Junichi Inamoto than any Chirico from the shows. Fyana looks pathetic as well.

[mpchi]

CG opening for the yukes game is at youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7xru0dCcgM

Chirico looks more like Junichi Inamoto than any Chirico from the shows. Fyana looks pathetic as well.

I know, dude. That Chirico looks like walking a catwalk rather than a bad arse soldier there...sigh. Not to mention the proprtion is all wrong. Chirico is an anime character for crying out loud. Not a realistic looking midget.

The game really starts to grow on me though. Smooth control, while feels good manuvering the Dogs. Too bad not a lot of guys picked it up seems like. And the forum over GameFAQs.com is pretty dead too.

Edited December 23, 2007 by mpchi

[promethuem5]

I'm seriously LOVING my DMZ TC... I'm looking at getting the RabidlyDog, which is on-sale for around a hundred bucks on HLJ... any reason I won't love it as much as my TC? I'd kinda like to get the StrikeDog as well, but it's expensive, and VOTOMS toys typically have big problems holding rocket-launcher weapons like that...

[hellohikaru]

I know, dude. That Chirico looks like walking a catwalk rather than a bad arse soldier there...sigh. Not to mention the proprtion is all wrong. Chirico is an anime character for crying out loud. Not a realistic looking midget.

The game really starts to grow on me though. Smooth control, while feels good manuvering the Dogs. Too bad not a lot of guys picked it up seems like. And the forum over GameFAQs.com is pretty dead too.

They should really stick to the anime style opening instead or dont even bother with it in the first place. I guess it is more of a fan service than anything.

Its good to hear the controls are smooth, the previous Votoms for the psx were not really good. From the clips i see the special moves become repititive after a while and all.

As for mellowlink maybe they will include it in a special edition of the game. I hope for english version yet this seems unlikely given the show's low profile outside japan. I hope it doesnt end up like the trio of japanese only starblazer/yamato games.

[promethuem5]

I'd like to get this, but then I've gotta bite the bullet in modding my PS2 some way, or doing the disk swap... fortunately it's a fatty PS2.

[mpchi]

I'm seriously LOVING my DMZ TC... I'm looking at getting the RabidlyDog, which is on-sale for around a hundred bucks on HLJ... any reason I won't love it as much as my TC? I'd kinda like to get the StrikeDog as well, but it's expensive, and VOTOMS toys typically have big problems holding rocket-launcher weapons like that...

There is really no reason you won't love the Rabidlydog, if you love the Turbo Custom. It comes with less stuff obviously, but its a lot cheaper (still don't know why HLJ has it on sale 30% OFF from day one, up til now...), and has gimmick TC doesn't have. I love mine a lot. The only issue I can see is the claw being a bit heavy (diecast). It doesn't affect the joints (very tight and ratchety), but might throw off the balance of the figure a bit in some pose. I did the mod of adding more weight (dimes secured by kneaded eraser) inside to feet to give it a lot more weight on the bottom, so the claw is not an issue for me anymore. But for people with no mod on the feet, you might get bothered by it slightly. My backpack need some help to attach securely, but not sure if its just too tight or too loose now, after finding out what happen to my RSC backpack. Thought it doesn't lock and too easy to come off, turn out its too tight that I never push it hard enough to lock it. All it needs is a little grease to help the hook slide in to lock that thing. So not sure if the Rabidlydog's backpack has that same issue. But I already sticked some foamie on the hook, so no need to take it all off to find out anymore. Oh, and the Chirico microman head looks like crap.

So a couple minor things, but overall an awesome DMZ addition, especially at 30% OFF.

[mpchi]

They should really stick to the anime style opening instead or dont even bother with it in the first place. I guess it is more of a fan service than anything.

Its good to hear the controls are smooth, the previous Votoms for the psx were not really good. From the clips i see the special moves become repititive after a while and all.

As for mellowlink maybe they will include it in a special edition of the game. I hope for english version yet this seems unlikely given the show's low profile outside japan. I hope it doesnt end up like the trio of japanese only starblazer/yamato games.

They love to do CG version opening of the show though. This is not the first time a CG Votoms opening is done. But sadly, this much older PS1 version looks better than the new one in a lot of aspect (even though its lower-tech). The Japanese just love to do CG openings for a lot of anime-related game titles. Seen other games that has that too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSOm8fE-fOQ

And if the anime OVAs have such a hard time coming over to have a U.S. release, I really doubted this PS2 game will make it.

[mpchi]

Wow. Just unlocked the Blue Knight Berserga in the game (not even sure what I did). Looks like the PS2 game has more stuff than just the TV show and the OVAs. At least a few extra mechs to play with, if not any additional story missions.

[Auto Pilot Off]

anyone of u guys bought the dmz-05? it seems that its already out in the market..

[promethuem5]

Yeah, we were talking about it a little on the last page, it's the DMZ Turbo Custom... I just got it, and it's my first DMZ and I absolutely LOVE it. Can't stop playing with it... all the joints are immaculately tight ad nerdgasmically clicky... the accessories are awesome, and the articulation is incredible. If I were going to nitpick, and this is a real big nitpick, besides the Microman pilot (all Microman toys suck), my only issue with the whole toy is that the turbo boosters are mounted on the legs instead of the feet (a common cheat for this design), so you cannot pose the boosters in-line with the feet at any angles.... BUT, they are spring-loaded in the legs, which is just awesome. The paint job is slick without being overdone as well, and with the entire toy being pained, it looks incredible.

[GRAND CANNON]

Shinsen has subbed Eps 1 & 2.

[bsu legato]

Shinsen has subbed Eps 1 & 2.

Just saw that myself. Downloading now....should be ready for me in the morning. A happy new year indeed!

[wolfx]

Shinsen has subbed Eps 1 & 2.

Is this a new VOTOMS anime or the old one?

[GRAND CANNON]

Is this a new VOTOMS anime or the old one?

New one ... Soukou Kihei Votoms: Pailsen Files

Edited January 1, 2008 by GRAND CANNON

[promethuem5]

Ooooey! I've got RAWs of the whole first DVD, but I do still need subs. Can anyone provide the link to the subs? Either here or in a PM?

Edited January 1, 2008 by promethuem5

[Graham]

Watched the Shinsen sub of ep# 1of Pailsen Files last night. While the combat is nice and realistic, the CG really looks like PS2 cut scene standard....bah!

Graham

[Auto Pilot Off]

any of u guys seen this?

DMZ-06 from amazon.jp

[promethuem5]

Alright, so I've seen the first two eps of Pailsen Files subbed, and they were amazing... anyone know when the next eps will be released or subbed?

[Abnolds]

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up, sorry if this has been mentioned before. Recently the rubber hose on my Microman Chirico helmet broke, I think it just dry-rotted, but I also think it has a lot to do with the way it's attached to his belt. I think I left it attached too long and the stress eventually broke it. If I were you, I'd put the helmet on, but don't attach the canister at the end of the hose to his harness. Did this happen to anyone else? Superglue didn't work, so I had to use a very short piece of guitar string and some glue to hold both ends together.

[promethuem5]

It's unlikely to have dry-rotted already... the second explanation of awkward stress is much more likely... sucks either way.

[eriku]

I could never get mine attached so I just keep Chirico helmetless. Sorry to hear yours broke.

[bsu legato]

Alright, so I've seen the first two eps of Pailsen Files subbed, and they were amazing... anyone know when the next eps will be released or subbed?

Funny you should mention that. Shinsen Subs has just released episode 3 of Pailsen Files. Commence torrents!