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Here's a video comparison of the available not-Devastator combiners from Maketoys and TFC.



c/o TJDuckett.



http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transform ... les-5.html

dispite all the hype in the video about the alt modes being HUUGGGEE! i think people will be dissapointed when they see just how close they are in size. especially given the price differences.

personally im glad i went with giant/buildking as ive already got my classics devy and will gladly wait till takara does an update mp version which considering recent reveals seems much more likely.

Herc blows Giant away, no contest. Glad I went that route. However, I do hope they KO Giant so I can get a Yellow Devi for my G2 shelf.

Anyone got the links for this guys comparison of robot modes or combiner modes ? This video only compares the vechicle modes...

I'd love to see a good comparison/review video of these two sets.

edit: as it is though, at least the video does give me an almost decent look at each one (not much of an idea of the full range of vehicle articulation because I don't have x-ray eyes, and some of it just wasn't covered - do either of the cranes rotate like the original Hook's could?)

from a purely aesthetic comparison, I like the Maketoys versions better. The TFC ones, whilst bigger, do seem a lot less real to me. They're more like Cybertronian vehicles than the Giant ones. I do like that some of the Hercules cockpits (on the bulldozer for example) look like the G1 versions, but there are definitely a lot of updates made to the designs. The only TFC vehicle that I feel is really much better is the dumptruck, and I'd still liked to have seen if either of them could actually tip the back of the truck, or if the stuff in those barrows could be removed.

Right now, not regretting holding off on making a decision, and thinking Giant might be the way to go. Bring on the robot comparisons!

Video was announced to be up tonight... Here's the TFW2005 link that shows pictures.

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transform ... vs-ty.html

The difference in sizes is nowhere near as big as I thought it would be, at least when it comes to Long Haul, Mixmaster and Hook. The other three are noticeably smaller.

That's probably the biggest issue I have with MakeToys' offering: the sizes. In vehicle mode Bulldozer, Excavator and maybe even Front Loader are smaller than the rest. In robot mode Mobile Crane and Dump Truck are much taller. With TFC all six figures are universally sized in both vehicle and robot modes.

I think I'd have to agree with this guy's conclusion on the vehicle modes. TFC put a lot more effort into each figure's construction equipment, and a lack of wheels on Excavator and Bulldozer is pretty poor.

Aesthetically I'm not too bothered either way. I'll admit MakeToys is closer to the G1 originals but if I wanted G1 then I wouldn't be happy that Universe Prowl is a 370Z and not a 280Z.

I have Herc. I want Green Giant. My only regret in getting Herc? Paying too much. Shoulda known they'd come down in price.

Maybe I ought to wait for GG to come down too, but I just can't help myself ...

The size difference is not one of height, not really.

It's a matter of mass. Giant uses a lot of hollow parts. For example, Mixmaster on Herc is a solid cab. It's heavy. Giant's Mixmaster has the hollowed out cab due to how it transforms for the foot mode.

There's a lot of parts on Giant that are 3/4th pieces, meaning that there's 3 out of four sides to an arm or such. Herc doesn't do that at all.

There's some things I really like on Giant but there's a lot more stuff that bothers me. Giant's Mixmaster and Scrapper don't feel like they are internally consistent with their own scale. Scrapper's shovel looks too small and MM is a mess size-wise.

I think Giant may be more bang for your buck. I'm not sure the extra $150-200 for Herc is worth it for most collectors. If money is not an issue, go TFC, if it's a consideration, your choice is more difficult.

I'm glad TJ did these vids...I've been meaning to see a good comparison of the bot modes. After seeing them next to each other, the only MT bot I can definitively say I like better is Mixmaster, who is actually totally out of scale to all his counterparts..so while I like his design better, I don't like him with the rest of his own team. I'd probably like Scavenger better from MT as well, but I don't like the yellow (or green) head and I don't like how the digger arm is stuck on the bot arm. TFC's Bonecrusher sucks in stock form with the **** black chest, but if you get that painted green, it pwns MT's. All in all, get Neckbreaker/Bonecrusher's blade painted green and the Shapeways kit to get the blade on Herc's shoulder and TFC smokes MT.

I think "think" robot mode comparison has sold me on Giant. much more posability and personality in each bot. Again, Dumptruck is the weak link in the team, particularly when compared to Heavy Labor who is really cool and probably my favourite of the Herc team.

I'm confused as to why Daimchoc didn't just link to the full thread, since there are full photo galleries, discussion, etc. etc.

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transform ... cules.html

TJ Duckett wrote:I'm confused as to why Daimchoc didn't just link to the full thread, since there are full photo galleries, discussion, etc. etc.

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transform ... cules.html

It's in the first/fifth post.

daimchoc wrote:

TJ Duckett wrote:I'm confused as to why Daimchoc didn't just link to the full thread, since there are full photo galleries, discussion, etc. etc.

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transform ... cules.html

It's in the first/fifth post.

Derp! MY bad! Thanks for sharing this Daim!

TJ, I'd just like to say thanks for your comments in your bot-mode comparison vid about the Giant bots looking like a team of individuals, as opposed to the Hercules bots. I'd been thinking the same thing buy couldn't really find the words. When you said that, and about the "which set of guys would I rather see in a Constructicon comic?" really made it click for me why I like Maketoys guys better.

Haven't watched the gestalt mode comparison yet, mind you, so there's still everything to play for.

Was a good set of reviews and nice supporting info with the pictures. He pretty much underscored what I've been saying from day 1 of this debate; regardless of which set you go with, the fact that we have two very solid Devastators to chose from means, as collectors, we're all winners.

And now that that feel good moment is out of the way, I'm glad I've decided to go with the green Giant set and set C of the yellow version. In the end, for me it all comes down to aesthetic and I just prefer the MT designs.

Agreed. Each looks very cool, and if there was only one to choose from, I'd probably have got it, and regardless of which, I would have been happy. In comparison, despite him being a bit smaller all over, I'm going to have to go with Giant. Holding out for the lime flavoured one, even though the lemony fresh one does look good.

I don't like some of the aesthetics of Hercules. I feel the Maketoys vehicle modes are more realistic, and more uniform, and like how the robot modes evoke G1, whilst still adding their own flair to things, whilst the TFC versions are more...experimental. Hercules does have those nice vehicle mode play features, and the options to remove cranes, shovels, etc is good, but the Giant bots are more poseable and neater robots for the most part.

The gestalt modes for each are good, but I prefer Giant's more G1 look, as well as his proportions and stability. Hercules seems very loose already. TFC giving their combined mode the better hands is fair enough, he's more expensive, but that's the only real area that I feel their gestalt is better, other than size. I can only afford one, and honestly, don't feel Hercules is worth that extra money when Giant ticks so many of the boxes I'm looking for in a Classics Devy.

After seeing the robot mode comparison, I still am not feeling Giant. While the alt modes might be more G1, the robot modes are so far from G1 compared to Herc. The Maketoys Scrapper and Bonecrusher look nothing like the G1 cartoon. Why would they have with cockpits on their chests ? The Maketoys versions of Scavenger and Hook have their construction tools on their arm instead of their backs making them look so "Hasbro" (hence RTS Grapple, ROTF Hoist, etc) and Maketoys Hook has a stupid yellow head and a Devi head as a foot. Maketoys Long Haul is ok TFC Long Haul but not as G1 as the TFC version due to the arm kibble. And I believe the Maketoys Mixmaster is more G1 than the TFC version, but they screw it up by making the hood over his head all black. And as for combiner mode, they both look equally G1 with the exception of the heads. But at least with Hercules, you have plenty of head/face options from TFC, Crazydevy, Dr. Wu, etc.

I've just received set C and I'm disappointed to report that notScrapper sucks. He has almost no shoulder articulation! Any attempt at posing him results in making look like he's trying to cover pit stains.

I shipped my POL from BBTS and should have my Giant Wednesday! All 3 sets at once! And with all this talk of individual bot modes, I feel the need to point out that I will transform them into botmode once then they are going into combined mode and may very well never leave it again.

G2 Devastator will finally be mine!

after hearing what he said about the joints on hercules im glad i passed as im scared to think how well hell stand in a few years time

also curious as to no mention of giants hand accessories for the combined mode and yet 2 minutes is spent on the visor for herc?

I have had Giant in my possession for almost a week now, and I love it.

headsortails wrote:I have had Giant in my possession for almost a week now, and I love it.

Same goes for me. I think he's fantastic. Not 100% perfect but he's damn close.

WoW!! iv'e got to get a Hercules, the scale is fantastic and it looks very menacing are they still making these or are they going to become hard to get hold of soon? ...just need to sell my left nut and a few toe's

Grimlock75 wrote:WoW!! iv'e got to get a Hercules, the scale is fantastic and it looks very menacing are they still making these or are they going to become hard to get hold of soon? ...just need to sell my left nut and a few toe's

should be able to pick up a 2nd run of them with all the fixes already done. I think.