The Energon Pub

Cobotron wrote:Calling all interweb savoy robros. (looking at you Cary and Cram)

I'm working on some more Microman posts here. One thing I have noticed is the intranetz is severely lacking in Microinfo. Especially photos. How can I better get these photos I'm taking to show up in web image searches? Does it have to do with how you label the actual photos?

Thanks for any help duders.

Well I'll do the best I can do. I think that posting pictures here (seibertron) is going to be tough to get exposure. I think two things are going to fight you.

One: seibertion doesn't really associate a name with the image just a link, unless you upload a low res picture here

Two: well I guess the same thing, you are linking off site to photobucket or another site.

It's all about databases with webpages and search results. For example take the way seibertron organizes his photos. Broken down by series then size then character. Almost every time I search for a transformers character I get multiple hits to seibertron, especially image searches.

So with that said, you may want to try and work with Seibertron to create a database of Micromen, find a better host that will allow you to better categorize the figures or just a different website all together to start micromania.

I've come across some of my own pics that are stored here on random searches, but I think its some old ones before I started using photobucket.

It sounds like you wanna do something pretty serious and that's awesome. I would reach out to seibertron and see if they wanna make a lil micronook or maybe play with some of the photo host sites out there and upload some pics and see if searches return any hits.

You may also wanna get some of your robros to help you search because we are in different parts of the world and will be accessing different DNS servers. Speaking of DNS servers, if you do create a huge online database, allow that info up to 48 hours to propagate.

Hope that helps

EDIT: Well I just searched by name for a few of my pics and they did show up in results that linked to seibertron. The name was in the file name stored on photobucket, but photobucket didn't have a title or description.

So maybe play around with file names and titles and descriptions.

Anyway, throw me some search queries if you wanna see if anything shows up from my part of the world.

Yer smart bro!

It's weird, I searched for Microman Biomachine (that chromy dude I posted) thinking some of the shots I took would show up but they didn't. Than I searched Microman Seibertron.com. I came across a bunch of photos I had taken that weren't of Micromans, but what did come up were a bunch of Will's shots from the latest photo challenge that had 1 or 2 Micromanses in them. I right clicked for image info but could not see if he used the word Microman in his file name. I did also find my pic from the challenge of Sunstorm and Acrocleve, which I know for a fact was not named anything Micromany, but I labeled the photo in the post. i.e. I typed the word Microman in the post it's self.

The link to a Photobucket pic definitely contains the file name in it, but I name my files things that make sense to me or the order I need to post them. Not necessarily a description or proper name of the subject.

With this next post, I will name my files more appropriately and see what happens.

Thanks for your help m'man.

P.S. Seibertron's galleries database has a Microman heading, but of course there is no data because Ryan doesn't collect Microman toys. Maybe if I stepped up my photo game, Ryan would let me start user submitted galleries.

So in that wonderful haul from Japan, I got two Microdudes that complete a line I got into almost 16 years ago.

LED Powers hit in late 1999. It is the third iteration of the original Microman reboot that began in '98. These are among my favorite Microman toys, and favorite toys, period. The sculpt on these guys is fantastic. Cast in translucent plastics, no less, which I am a fiend for. They of course were rocking their signature chromed heads. Which, as always, are a nuisance to photograph, but believe me they are awesome little head sculpts.


These little guys (and gal) are 8cm or 3.25in tall, and are really well articulated for such tiny heroes.

Laser Microman - Walt, Odin, Arthur, Izam, and Edison (Walt and Odin are the new acquisitions)


They featured three neat little gimmicks.

The first being the carry over from the previous lines. Magnetic feet.

2nd, they had a red LED in their chests, powered by batteries in their back packs. LEDs were pretty new on the scene for toys then. The packs were a great idea because they didn't have to comprimise the size of the figure. It is also nice that the packs are detachable.

The lit LED.


3rd, each figure came with a weapon and a small shield. The weapons could be configured in myriad of ways, and the shields could form Magneshield.

Arthur with a hand to hand configuration.


Another notable feature is, they have a few 3mm ports on their bodies and packs to holster shields and weapons.

Walt with a projectile configuration.









Of course there are VILLAINS at play here too!





Laser Acroyears, Acro-Jekyll (blue) and Acro-Hyde (red)

These evil jerks rock this awesome half organic, half mechanical theme. They include the magnet and LED gimmick, but sport a firing rocket on their techno halves, and a flip out death saber on their bio halves. It should be noted, as it is hard to make out, that their organic hand is a DRAGON HEAD!


Their back packs are creepy as all get out. Alien insecrustationoids!

Michael Vick ain't got nothin' on these two maniacal evil doers.



MicroBATTLE!







Addendum:
I had originally thought the extra set of weapons that Walt is wielding came from the LED Powers, Shining Tector series of figures I have, but after a little doubt and some research I re-discovered...
There was a second wave of two figures released in 2000, called LED Series Master Microman. Of which I have Laser Master Zett.


The Masters came with a full set of weapons and magneshields, as well as their own unique weapon and shield. They were two new characters, and sported gold chrome. Zett is Arthur's brother.
It's hard to make out, but Zett's head sculpt is amazing, His helmet is a dragon head and his face is looking out of the dragon's mouth.


And of course if you need more on these magnificent micro mates, you can always head over to Microforever.

Damn it!! Cob .

Your photos make this bunch look much better than the images i searched . seeing a complete set looks really nice , Those Acromonsters look badass .

They would look great fighting my 12" Henshin Cyborg

@Willy - You mad genius! You have now been added to the "Interweb Savoy Robro" list. Thanks for your help.


@Geno - Thanks! I hope I'm not feeding your habit ... too much.

Can you split the acroyers so that one is fully organix while the other is fully mechanical?

william-james88 wrote:Can you split the acroyers so that one is fully organix while the other is fully mechanical?

Unfortunately no, but the follow up Acroyear releases looked like this.


President AcroZenon & Machine AcroShadow

If I ever find these guys...

Ya know on second thought, I suppose it could be possible to pop the arms and legs off and swap them. They are ball joints. I don't think I'll try it though.

Cobotron wrote:If I ever find these guys...

Ya know on second thought, I suppose it could be possible to pop the arms and legs off and swap them. They are ball joints. I don't think I'll try it though.

I wouldnt either, we wouldnt want these getting as loose as the later magnet guys.

Micro Boy was the first vehicle released for the LED Powers series in early 2000. There were two identical toys aside from their head sculpts. One in blue, Blue Gun, and one in purple called Purple Sword.

Disguised as an ordinary hand held gaming device.



Micro boy Blue Gun came with Laser Edison and was the only way to get this figure.




Good thing Edison is the science wiz of the team. I'm sure he's just the guy to figure this one out. But first, a little leisurely gaming.



Edison's back pack includes an extra gimmick aside from being a battery pack for his LED. The pack contains an infra-red emitter, that when aimed at a "secret" sensor on Micro Boy, causes him to unlock. When activated, the 3 panels that form the front face of the gaming device spring open. Thus beginning his transformation into his 3 modes.

The first mode is the Mission Control Base mode.


Here he becomes a control module that can be manned by A Microman.

The second is called Speed Roader mode.



A land based vehicle that does actually have little wheels and can roll quite nicely.

The third, and most important mode, Armored Suit mode.




What I love most about this toy is how he is a call back to so many ongoing themes from all the past Microman toys. Micro Boy completely solidifies the notion that Microman are really 8cm tall space men who have come to Earth and hide their technology in everyday Earth objects. He is a great Neo-Microchange character, that reminds us where Transformers got their origins. The fact that he is a piloted mech suit points directly back to Robotman. He is everything I could want from a re-boot of something I already love.





Love this head sculpt. It maintains everything that the Takara design aesthetic stands for. I would even venture that the designer who did these sculpts could very well be the same that gave us all the great character design in the Car Robots/Robots in Disguise line from the same era.



Edison's new clothes.







Though, when it comes to the Acroyear, Micro Boy don't play no games.

Have you ever tried searching for Micro Boy on e-bay? It gets a bit too distracting.

That Micro Boy is sexy!

But with them flaps open...

Cobotron wrote:

I couldn't help but think of this...

william-james88 wrote:Have you ever tried searching for Micro Boy on e-bay? It gets a bit too distracting.

Are you referring to this?
I've always wanted a gameboy micro, but could never justify the price.

OK, back to Micromen. Super cool stuffs and it's fun getting my learn on. It's not quite as fun feeling like I missed the boat

Keep em coming. I'm loving that Micro Boy, so up my ally. I really like the idea of little dudes hiding around the house raging war. Reminds me of some of the coolest cartoon and video concepts (lil dudes and dudettes living in our world) of my youth.

This show comes to mind for some reason...

carytheone wrote:

william-james88 wrote:Have you ever tried searching for Micro Boy on e-bay? It gets a bit too distracting.

Are you referring to this?

No, I was referring to micro boy shorts.

william-james88 wrote:No, I was referring to micro boy shorts.

Well...

carytheone wrote:

william-james88 wrote:Have you ever tried searching for Micro Boy on e-bay? It gets a bit too distracting.

Are you referring to this?

I think he is referring to the abundance of banana hammocks unfortunately associated with the search words "Micro man" and "Micro boy".

carytheone wrote:That Micro Boy is sexy!

It's like a beach in Europe with too many German tourists!

carytheone wrote:But with them flaps open...
I couldn't help but think of this...

what is that lil contraption?

carytheone wrote:OK, back to Micromen. Super cool stuffs and it's fun getting my learn on. It's not quite as fun feeling like I missed the boat

I'm glad you are getting some enjoyment from it. I think you, Will, Cram, Geno, and sometimes Donny are the only ones who see my mad musings.

carytheone wrote:Keep em coming. I'm loving that Micro Boy, so up my ally.

I knew you'd like it. Can't wait to see what Cram thinks.

...and The Littles. Loved that show as a kid!
That reminds me I need to see this Miyazaki movie.

Cobotron wrote:what is that lil contraption?

There is nothing little about those contraptions. They are various "upgrades" to the OG Gameboy, which was already huge. A magnifying light, speakers, button extenders, maybe a battery pak. They used to have some crazy stuff for handhelds.

...and The Littles. Loved that show as a kid!
That reminds me I need to see this Miyazaki movie.

I used to get a little flak in grade school over The Littles. That movie looks cool, but you had me at Studio Ghibli.

I played a game by Level-5 that had Studio-Ghibli's art & anime in it just last year. Ni No Kuni - its the first game in a long time that made me feel like a kid on an adventure. Cherished moments on that one. I still need to go back and finish the post game content. Oh, got a bit of the chills just watching the trailer.



Highly recommended. Great story, script, acting, art; but a bit of an old school got to catch em all grind fest. Have I ever mentioned I love the grind?

That game looks AMAZING!

Cobotron wrote:That game looks AMAZING!

Easily one of my favorite game experiences in a long time (like maybe 5-10 years). I was sad to end it. There is a lot I could say about finishing a game, especially RPGs. You spend so much time developing these relationships, sharing hardships and triumphs and just existing in their world; to lose it all once you complete the game and turn it off. I'm always a little sad to finish a good game, to lose my friends

Fortunately Ni No Kuni has a good chunk of post game content, but it's not the same. Just stuff to do, no more story/character development.

Unfortunately that game is a PS3 exclusive. There is a version that came out for the 3DS before the PS3 version. The PS3 version is like the directors cut, if you will.

carytheone wrote: You spend so much time developing these relationships, sharing hardships and triumphs and just existing in their world; to lose it all once you complete the game and turn it off. I'm always a little sad to finish a good game, to lose my friends

Exactly why I haven't finished a Zelda game since Majora's Mask.

Currently playing South Park the Stick of Truth and Majora's Mask AND Ni No Kuni are on my list of games to play next. I have them both.

Cobotron wrote:

carytheone wrote: You spend so much time developing these relationships, sharing hardships and triumphs and just existing in their world; to lose it all once you complete the game and turn it off. I'm always a little sad to finish a good game, to lose my friends

Exactly why I haven't finished a Zelda game since Majora's Mask.

Bittersweet is the word, I think.

william-james88 wrote:Currently playing South Park the Stick of Truth and Majora's Mask AND Ni No Kuni are on my list of games to play next. I have them both.

Dood, I almost picked up South Park on clearance this week for $10. I've heard good stuff about it, but it's been years since we watched South Park.

I wanna give Majora a chance, but time limits make butt hurt.

Which version of Ni No Kuni you got? PS3 I hope, it's really quite excellent. Them feels, they'll get you. In fact I think you should just shuffle that to the top of the list.

Will, you better get busy before the baby starts walking. Young children have a way of leaving you no time at the end of the day for gaming. Good news is, they can grow up to game with you.

Cary - do you know who did any of the VO for Ni No Kuni. I swear I recognized the female British accent at the beginning of the trailer, and is that Billy Connolly as the little lantern nose dude?

Cobz you always have some of the strangest shenanigans going on in your room...

Microman to plum smugglers (i.e. banana hammock) to video games always a trip!

I love these microman figs and I hate ( ) when you showcase them coz it makes me want to run out and spend money I don't have LOL

Hope your weekend is shaping up to be a good one Coblerone.

Cobotron wrote:Will, you better get busy before the baby starts walking. Young children have a way of leaving you no time at the end of the day for gaming. Good news is, they can grow up to game with you.

Cary - do you know who did any of the VO for Ni No Kuni. I swear I recognized the female British accent at the beginning of the trailer, and is that Billy Connolly as the little lantern nose dude?

Drippy is awesome, mon! Esther (Esthel as IMDB has her) is the British blonde.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2648178/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2

IMDB to the rescue!

carytheone wrote:I wanna give Majora a chance, but time limits make butt hurt.

You have to be an oaf of a gamer for time to run out in Majora's Mask. I am a semi-oaf and I think time ran out 4 or 5 times for me. But, when time does run out, it is terrifyingly AWESOME!

HA! I recognize Esther's voice from a Tinker Bell movie my daughter watches often.

the reast of the Cast? Never heard of 'em.