The Energon Pub

News Credits: 2 · by **Banjo-Tron** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 3:16 am

Hi all, I thought it would be fun to have a poll where we could vote for our favourite 3rd party? These guys have worked tirelessly over the last 5 years or so to enhance our enjoyment of our beloved Transformers and I thought it would be interesting to pit them all against each other in a poll. Unfortunately I am too much of a Luddite to know how to make one.

I was thinking that we could have one vote for best third party manufacturer and one for best third party add-on manufacturer. Maybe even a seperate one for best 3rd party combiner manufacturer?

Off the top off my head we have a few to choose from: FansProject, BTS, MMC, iGear, Maketoys, TFC, Mechideas, Headrobots, Beelzeboss, Renderform...

Any takers?

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 9:17 am

You mean other than Fansprojects? FP has it's detractors, but they're always the frontrunners; the benchmark. They're my favourite; I'm almost always impressed with their stuff (although Assaulter and Code didn't impress me as much as I hoped they would). I think everyone's looking forward to Menasor.

Second favorite" is tougher. I have a whole lot from a whole lot of companies. Maybe ... Maketoys? I like Giant a tad more than Herc at the moment (although Herc is in my "A" display due to how he fits in there), so i guess Maketoys is my second favourite. Although second place shifts constantly any time I get something new and pricey. First place is far easier to determine.

I think you have all the major players (and a few minor ones; BTS hasn't really wowed anyone since their trailer sets). Impossible Toys gets my attention a lot, but I wouldn't say they're anyone's favourite.

by **Rated X** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:31 am

It's a tossup between Fansproject and TFC. Some people are going to hate on TFC, but they still have done one thing Fansproject hasnt done yet: Make a combiner from scratch, no hasbro parts needed. I know Menasor is in the works and will be awesome, but it took TFC Hercules and Uranus to shift Fansproject into 2nd gear and go for a whole combiner. We also have to keep an eye on MMC. With Sixshot and Predaking, they just might steal the crown.

News Credits: 2 · by **Banjo-Tron** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:36 am

I have been waiting for MMC to produce something to my taste for ages. Predaking is definitely it! Although I have always admired their engineering on the HOS stuff and nearly bought Knight Morpher before.

I forgot Perfect Effect too. I love their tiny bots, and heard good things about Motobot too.

News Credits: 402 · by **Mkall** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:36 am

Right now it's a tie in my oppinion. MMC is neck and neck with FansProject. MMC had a bit of a shaky start but they've come out swinging with their new releases. There's very little seperating these two right now. Both are quality figures and fairly regular releases.

Next up is MakeToys. We just haven't seen enough of their stuff yet to fully judge what they're capable of.

Next in line I think would be TFC. Even though I'm not a fan of their asthetics, one cannot deny they put quality out there. However the occasional QC issue keeps them at number 3.

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:45 am

I like what I see from MMC, but since I have nothing from them so I can't really list them.

TFC is also great, but those QC issues ... yeesh. They always seem to mess up something small, but important.

Perfect Effect is definitely worth mentioning. Everything they make is quality. Or at least the things I've bought (the Ultimate Set for City Commander and their TAW sword).

News Credits: 2 · by **paul053** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 11:03 am

It's hard to say since I don't own much either. But for the 5 I've owned, 4 are from FansProject and 1 from MakeToys. So I will vote them one and two. However this year I will have 2 more coming in from MMC (Six Shot and Predaking). Their rank might jump up until I have them. Still debating on FP's Menasor. After Six Shot and Predaking, I probably won't have too much toy fund allowance this year, plus I'm not a big fan of Menasor either. If they have the whole set postpone to next year, that will be a different story.

News Credits: 2 · by **xyl360** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 12:52 pm

For me it's definitely TFC right now. Nothing excites me more than the combiners they've been creating.

In second place is probably PerfectEffect, if only because they're the only ones to tease anything related to Beast Wars so far.

News Credits: 10 · by **Agamemnon** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 2:14 pm

Rated X wrote:It's a tossup between Fansproject and TFC. Some people are going to hate on TFC, but they still have done one thing Fansproject hasnt done yet: Make a combiner from scratch, no hasbro parts needed. I know Menasor is in the works and will be awesome, but it took TFC Hercules and Uranus to shift Fansproject into 2nd gear and go for a whole combiner. We also have to keep an eye on MMC. With Sixshot and Predaking, they just might steal the crown.

^ This. Though I've been hammering you in the Genesis thread, Rated, there are times when I cannot help but agree with you.

I haven't received anything from MMC yet, but I'm optimistic on Predaking and Sixshot. I have TFC Herc, and I love him. I've steered away from the Aerialbots due to money and having the FP add-on set, but I might just pick up Eagle and Harrier based on nostalgia for what I had as a kid. I would also agree with those throwing Perfect Effect into the conversation. Arcee is very decent, and, though small, Reflector is awesome!

I've been fortunate to not purchase anything I would consider junk. I got Alicon, and though not stellar, it is decent enough. I need me some sharkticons now to go with the rest of my Quintesson shelf. Bring on Gnaw already!

News Credits: 33 · by **Genocide G2.0** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 2:27 pm

Tie TFC & MMC. I am so glad i'm not one of those collectors who only buy Hasbro/Takara waiting for the day that will never come when they dish out combiners that blow minds like we are getting this year , i bet even the most hard headed hasbro lovers are one click away from turning to the dark side.

News Credits: 1 · by **rpetras** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 2:31 pm

For me it is TFC. The minor QC issues don't bother me because in every instance they fixed the problems. Mistakes happen, it's what you do about them that counts in my book.

Next up is MMC. Their stuff is detailed to an artistic level no one else even approaches. However, this makes their stuff more fragile. The props on the HoS seekers are easily broken if you aren't careful, and transforming HoS Shockwave, while you marvel at the engineering, can be terrifying at times.

FP has Lost frontrunner status for me. They still make nice stuff, but they are off in their own world aesthetically. That's not a bad thing necessarily, but I find it increasingly difficult to fit their stuff into my collection. I'm excited for their Stunticons, but I'd like to see what TFC has in mind for those guys before I plunk down my pennies.

by **Ginrai Minor** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:49 pm

Maketoys for me....I've got giant, first release battle tanker and ordered the two latest CCC battle tanker sets, which need to get here now!!! =P~

My only fans project figure is function X code I need more :-(

So I guess I'm biased in that regard but I'm just thankful we have these companies to give us great renditions and offerings of killer transformers!

News Credits: 2 · by **Banjo-Tron** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:01 pm

Autobot Genocide wrote:Tie TFC & MMC. I am so glad i'm not one of those collectors who only buy Hasbro/Takara waiting for the day that will never come when they dish out combiners that blow minds like we are getting this year , i bet even the most hard headed hasbro lovers are one click away from turning to the dark side.

Speaking of hardhead, lets not forget toyworld, who took on Megatron, and also the throttlebots, adding combiner playability to boot, and the aforementioned headmaster homage.

My personal fave is FansProject, followed by Maketoys then Perfect Effect, though I suspect MMC's predaking may change all that.

News Credits: 4 · by **craggy** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:20 pm

its a long time since City Commander made FansProject's name but it's still a good one. Protector is pretty nice, The Insecticons and the Headmasters and the Stunticons all make me put FP still at number 1. But they are getting some decent competition now.

iGear have definitely turned themselves around and kept getting stronger. They've got a lot of potential if they just keep doing more stuff like the MiniWarriors and the Ratchet and Ironhide. Keep improving too.

TFC's stuff looks good, no doubt, but it just isn't that much to my taste. MMC's line was like that, but the Predacons and SixShot have my attention. Perfect Effect have impressed me a lot, but I want to see them put out more complex things like the Reflector set than they seem to be planning. Optimistic for Black Arachnia though. A few of the add-on and accessory makers have been catching my eye as well. Full figures are great, but so are inexpensive improvements to retail ones, and Dr Wu and the like can really help a figure stand out.

I'd pick Maketoys as my 2nd favourite 3rd Party company. Haven't yet sold the kidney for Giant, but Powerglide and Seaspray are cool little guys and Battle Tanker is the best add-on armour set out there. It makes a figure I passed on twice into one of my favourites.

News Credits: 10 · by **Arctorro** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 9:25 pm

In first place it is a toss up between;

TFC - love Herc, and the first two Uranos figs have just shipped so they will be in-hand soon.

FP - OP Trailer is just fantastic. Insecticons are nice but the transformation annoys me. City Commander = awesome. Defender is a bit hit and miss with weak knees and overly engineered design. Assaulter and Code are shipping atm so can't comment yet. I guess they are hear more because of numbers than anything else. Some of FP's designs are a little out there in my mind.

Second place is;
iGear - Ironhide and Ratchet are really nice, but would've preferred a cheaper option without all the pointless weapons. The mini-bots that I've got so far are fantastic (though Rager needs to be bigger).

ToyWorld - Grind Rod is superb and can't wait for Aurora and Hardbone. Hegemon is currently shipping so can't comment on him yet.

Third is;

Perfect Effect - Got their Not-Reflector and like him. Don't have anything else from them so they are down here.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MakeToys - Waiting on Mobine to get my first figure from these guys. So can't rank them yet.

MMC - Never bought anything from these guys before either, but have Hexatron and their Preds on pre-order. I see MMC as the wildcard, they could be equal first in the near future.

BTS - These guys are ****! Sonicron is the single worst transforming toy I have ever bought and his cassettes Tremor and Frequenzy weren't much better.

So, for me, there are five main 3P companies; TFC, FP, MMC, iGear and ToyWorld.

News Credits: 33 · by **Genocide G2.0** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 6:50 am

Forgot to mention Headrobots to me they can't put a foot wrong the skyhammer mindwipe and banzaitron up grades :BOWDOWN:

and not to mention Big Road he did get the go a head didn't he? any way he looks spot on and if they pull him off we could have a new contender on the way .

News Credits: 2 · by **Banjo-Tron** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 7:35 am

Autobot Genocide wrote:Forgot to mention Headrobots to me they can't put a foot wrong the skyhammer mindwipe and banzaitron up grades and not to mention Big Road he did get the go a head didn't he? any way he looks spot on and if they pull him off we could have a new contender on the way .

My only issue with Headrobots is that we haven't seen much from them in a long time. All of the upgrades you refer to are unreleased AFAIK. Having said that, the Bludgeon upgrade is excellent and I would love for any 3rd party to give us a deluxe-scale Trailbreaker (And Hoist!)

News Credits: 461 · by **mooncake623** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:45 am

I love FP. but I'm not really feeling their recent stuff (code). Also Defender is falling apart is kind of souring FP, Hopefully Menasor will change this. TFC is awesome too with HERC but they have some busts too like their take on reflector looks pretty horrible... for MakeToys I only have Giant and it is incredible! Can't wait for my tankers to ship. I love headrobots as well.. Stronghold and the blood set is awesome. Can not wait for the drone set. I do not own any MMC stuff but I'm eagerly waiting for the Predacons.

So in order with anticipation of upcoming releases

1. Still Fans project
2. MakeToys
3. MMC
4. Headrobots
5. TFC

Honorable mentions: Beelzeboss, PE, Toyworld, Impossible toys

News Credits: 33 · by **Genocide G2.0** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 1:36 pm

Banjo-Tron wrote:
Autobot Genocide wrote:Forgot to mention Headrobots to me they can't put a foot wrong the skyhammer mindwipe and banzaitron up grades and not to mention Big Road he did get the go a head didn't he? any way he looks spot on and if they pull him off we could have a new contender on the way .

My only issue with Headrobots is that we haven't seen much from them in a long time. All of the upgrades you refer to are unreleased AFAIK. Having said that, the Bludgeon upgrade is excellent and I would love for any 3rd party to give us a deluxe-scale Trailbreaker (And Hoist!)

That's true There not really ones for regular updates which is a shame because they will loose interest from fans and sales.

The last i remember Tauros is to follow the Drone and i'll take it Ronin after him so saying that Darksol & Savant should be due right about this time next year :lol: