The Energon Pub

^ I completely agree, these are amazing figures. To be honest, I don't know why Habro didn't use ratchet joints for the limbs. Those babies can take a helluva lot of punishment.

I'd rather a new Arcee mold was made though, as that one isn't particularly great...

Overcracker wrote:

Sledge wrote:Those pictures have nothing to do with Classics 2.0/Universe. They're unused Titanium prototypes, and I hope to God/Primus/Buddha/Allah/the Matrix that they stay unused.

Why?

I think the Bumblebee/Cliffjumper, Cosmos and Shockwave molds are pretty good. I'd rather see them used in Universe, than not at all.

By making them out of plastic instead of die cast metal, most of the problems Titanium had would be gone.

Most of the Problems in Titanium were weight related. Plastic joints couldn't take the weight of the die-cast pieces, so they'd just pop off. Or would not stay in place.

If they are made of plastic, they are lighter and the joints can support the weight, and hold together.

The molds are really good, and I "hope to God/Primus/Buddha/Allah/the Matrix" that they do use them in Universe.

Yes. Plastics are so much better than die-cast. Most people would think die-cast is cool. Because it's Japanese. Because TF started out with die-cast. Because plastic toys in the 80s were not so impressive.

But plastics of today do make a lot better details. Able to take on the colors into the plastic itself, rather than be painted, only to flake off later.

Just a little taste of what could have been. I colorized the BB proto in yellow, and copied the head Hasbro conveniently provided for Cliffjumper, and colorized the proto red.
and you have Universe/WWI BB and Cliffy.




Ohh and you can see the colorized Shockwave in my Sig.

I have no clue who this guys is... if any one knows...

some are just experts...

Overcracker wrote:
Are you serious???

That's War Within Bumblebee.

with Cliffjumper's head down by his feet.

pretty much more or less the nearest correct basis for this concept BB. though it's much more modified compared to the WW DonFig incarnation. if i REMEMBER it correctly the 1st episodes had their robot modes pegged in, only the alt modes were Cybertronian.

Haha. Nice coloring job. Now they look more enticing.

Auto Bot wrote:

Overcracker wrote:

imotron wrote:I have no clue who this guys is... if any one knows...

Are you serious???

That's War Within Bumblebee.

with Cliffjumper's head down by his feet.

Something like that. The the Bumblebee in Cybertronian mode of the very first episode in 1984. If you can remember that.

It was planned for the Titanium series. But that series was abruptly halted. Some of them may make its way to the Classics 2.0 release. But we don't know if this Cybertronian BB will be among them.

Ok ok ok I never saw all the WW comics... SORRY!... I just found the prototypes pictures few days ago and the website stated that they were *in a way* related to classics 2.0... oh man!... any way those prototypes are interesting... I am going to be honest, I kind of like for the first time Cosmos...

Yup. This new Cosmos looks good. It's a more serious design. With interestingly more complicated transformation.

The G1 version is a joke.

Why don't I like them? First of all, they don't look anything like the existing Classics. A very different design aesthetic. So there'd be a bunch of characters who ostensibly are Classics, but don't fit in with the line. Like displaying Armada Prime next to Movie Bumblebee.

Also, the Titanium line in general was riddled with problems. Why bring back molds that in all probability are flawed. Let 'em go! Hasbro can and has done better.

Finally, I plain don't like the molds. They don't look like updates of G1 characters. Shockwave looks far too skinny and simplified. Cosmos appears to be entering some kind of heavy metal phase with all those spikes. And Bumblebee... doesn't look as good as the existing Classics Bumblebee.

Hasbro is getting better and better at this. Evident in some of the newer Movie toys. Plus the Onslaught preview is really good. The trend is moving towards more realism, and more elaborate tiny details. This is good.

Auto Bot wrote:Hasbro is getting better and better at this. Evident in some of the newer Movie toys. Plus the Onslaught preview is really good. The trend is moving towards more realism, and more elaborate tiny details. This is good.

Agree 100000% with you... now how well are the other new classic molds coming out? Or I have such high expectations that in a way I could end up disappointed?
Seeing at some pre-prototypes art designs Sideswipe and Sunstreaker are, in my opinion a must buy.
I am wondering also if there are any plans in the near future to release a Classic version of Hound or Tracks!

Sledge wrote:...
Also, the Titanium line in general was riddled with problems. Why bring back molds that in all probability are flawed. Let 'em go! Hasbro can and has done better.
...

That's the point i tried to make earlier. Te molds aren't flawed. Its the use of die-cast that carried the problems. Making them all plastic removes those problems. And you get functional toys.

Heck even some of the Titaniums did not have such flaws, proving the molds are sound.

Thundercracker, Rodimus, Primal Prime, they can all stay together and pose well. I don't have him but I heard also good things about The Fallen.

So they where disasters like Megatron, Soundwave etc.. but not everything was a failure.

They fit in with the classics, as pre-earth forms. we did get to see those in the cartoon/movie at one point. And I think they are pretty close to the classics aesthetic, unlike movie or animated.

Anyway to each his own. I personally like them, and do wish they use them.

Auto Bot If you ever want to run for president... you got my vote already!...

I am just curious here, but so far out of the Classics released so far, which one is your favorite?

Mine is Mirage, sleek, you can actually have him on any position you wish, his robot mode is just the best, I dare to say that is one of my favorites ever

I hope I have a job by the time Classics 2.0 arrive. I also really hope they do as good a job on these as the they did Classics 1.0 and oh Primus please let them make a Classics Galvatron, Rodmimus Prime, Ultra Magnus and springer. Oh and fingers still crossed for Predaking, I can dream can't I?

imotron wrote:Auto Bot If you ever want to run for president... you got my vote already!...

If i get enough signatures to back me up, i just might.

I kind of run myself into a snag, so i'll be passing on the Classics and universe lines, and Just buying the Masterpiece from now on, the pocket and wallet I have will be on relieved...

imotron wrote:I am just curious here, but so far out of the Classics released so far, which one is your favorite?

Mine is Mirage, sleek, you can actually have him on any position you wish, his robot mode is just the best, I dare to say that is one of my favorites ever

In terms of overall satisfaction, I'd say Mirage. I just love articulation! He's the most abused toy in the bunch. I'd change his pose ever so often. (My only fear is that he'd get loose joints sooner than the others, a direct side effect of his extreme playability)

But for the physical design, as in aesthetically, i'd go for Bumblebee and Hot Rod. For display value, they are the hottest (or coolest?). Both for robot mode and car mode.

I have the Botcon 2007 Springer. He is nice and his bot for does look like him, however I would love a proper triple changer version of him. Springer has been one of my favorites.

Would love to see the 86 movie cast get the classics treatment down the road. Magnus and Hot Rod were nice but would love to see Rodimus Prime and the Real Ultra Magnus.

Sounds like Hasbro may be up to the challenge.

skywarp-2 wrote:I kind of run myself into a snag, so i'll be passing on the Classics and universe lines, and Just buying the Masterpiece from now on, the pocket and wallet I have will be on relieved...

In that category... I'd go for Skywarp all the way.

And lately, the US Masterpiece Starscream is also a blast!

In my opinion, i mean for my own personal taste, these 2 are the only molds in the group worthy of the tag "Masterpiece".

imotron wrote:

Auto Bot wrote:Hasbro is getting better and better at this. Evident in some of the newer Movie toys. Plus the Onslaught preview is really good. The trend is moving towards more realism, and more elaborate tiny details. This is good.

Agree 100000% with you... now how well are the other new classic molds coming out? Or I have such high expectations that in a way I could end up disappointed?
Seeing at some pre-prototypes art designs Sideswipe and Sunstreaker are, in my opinion a must buy.
I am wondering also if there are any plans in the near future to release a Classic version of Hound or Tracks!

Looking at the new Onslaught pic, and concepts of Sideswipe and Sunstreaker... I'd think, more likely, the biggest disappointment, or let down, that we will have to contend with, is that these new toys will out-do the currently existing classics, and render them old-timer and too simplistic.

In other words, Perceptor, (pun intended) the old ones won't match the new ones. And they'd look like 2 separate groups. As opposed to the idea of a "Classics sequel" of sorts.

Auto Bot
I believe that the main intention of having them on board (Sideswipe and Sunstreaker) is to bring the cool cars that we had with G1, now the art may look simple, but, my opinion the first time I saw classic Jet Fire... a prototype was scary, since I thought exactly what you are saying now, in fact, there lots of people that believes that classic Jetfire is the most amazing Transformer ever... and worst still not January 25th!!!

In the other hand, not seeing the big picture, for me, G1 is and will be #1... now, having the opportunity of seeing this guys upgraded, or rather bring to this new century is what matters.

Auto Bot, I wouldn't be overly concerned with 2.0 making the 1st line of Classics look obsolete. I would expect(and hope for) inevitable improvements in the line as Hasbro becomes more and more experienced with developing highly poseable moulds that expound on the high points of 1.0(Mirage and BB's ingenious simplicity and articulation, Jetfire's stellar G1-esque design) while fixing some of the weaknesses(kibble on Astrotrain and Prime's arms, a better overall triple changer than Astrotrain).

I cannot imagine the *look* of the characters will differ all that much; after all, these are designed with G1 in mind. However, I expect the improvements to become evident beyond what the eye can see, e.g. even better design that makes for better transformations and a better looking and posing robot.

One of the biggest issues I saw during the release of Classics 1.0 was the lack highly poseable mould of such as Hot Rod, as stated above by No Death for Prowl, Hasbro expertise has improved a lot during the last year on this matter, what could we expect? I really hope that not much recoloring Cybertron lads, that was one of the biggest deceptions I had when I got Springer... even when I have the toy, and I like it, it is a shame that it is not a real triple changer... Same could happen whit Botcon exclusive set for this year, last year, was a success, in my opinion, thanks to Thrust, Dirge and Thundercracker. I am trying to think about a character that could be added to the collection besides Smokescreen and Bluestraek based on the premise that Prowl is going to be released.

May I say it again??? please???


Now is time for all us to vote for Optimus Prime for PRESIDENT