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Gimmicks that are GOOD.

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Postby Leonardo » Fri Apr 20, 2007 8:22 am

Brakethrough wrote:
Nujevad wrote:You know, here's one I don't get. If some of the classics line had missiles that fired, why didn't Megatron have that feature? Since he didn't look like a real gun, it would've been fine to make him shoot.


For one, I don't think they wanted to compoun d the difficulty of selling a toy gun by making it fire (also it's effectively impossible given how the toy is designed). Also, if they just put the firing in the scope, it would eliminate the see-through gimmick of it.


:shock: Are you telling me you can see through that scope? Because when I look through it it's like looking through a reservoir glass of absynthe.
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Postby Nujevad » Fri Apr 20, 2007 8:22 am

They could have put the firing mechanism on Megatron's green wings instead of the body itself.
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Postby JetfireUK » Fri Apr 20, 2007 9:23 am

Leonardo wrote: :shock: Are you telling me you can see through that scope? Because when I look through it it's like looking through a reservoir glass of absynthe.


Leo, you're doing it all wrong - DRINK absinthe first THEN look through Megatron's scope :P
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Postby Leonardo » Fri Apr 20, 2007 9:31 am

JetfireUK wrote:
Leonardo wrote: :shock: Are you telling me you can see through that scope? Because when I look through it it's like looking through a reservoir glass of absynthe.


Leo, you're doing it all wrong - DRINK absinthe first THEN look through Megatron's scope :P


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Postby Brakethrough » Fri Apr 20, 2007 9:33 am

Leonardo wrote:
JetfireUK wrote:
Leonardo wrote: :shock: Are you telling me you can see through that scope? Because when I look through it it's like looking through a reservoir glass of absynthe.


Leo, you're doing it all wrong - DRINK absinthe first THEN look through Megatron's scope :P


Jetfire, Jetfire, Jetfire...I make it a rule to have a touch of the emerald elixir prior to doing anything.


That'd explain some of your posts here.

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Postby Leonardo » Fri Apr 20, 2007 9:42 am

Brakethrough wrote:
Leonardo wrote:
JetfireUK wrote:
Leonardo wrote: :shock: Are you telling me you can see through that scope? Because when I look through it it's like looking through a reservoir glass of absynthe.


Leo, you're doing it all wrong - DRINK absinthe first THEN look through Megatron's scope :P


Jetfire, Jetfire, Jetfire...I make it a rule to have a touch of the emerald elixir prior to doing anything.


That'd explain some of your posts here.

badabump!


:lol: Meanie.
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Postby JetfireUK » Fri Apr 20, 2007 9:43 am

Leonardo wrote:
Jetfire, Jetfire, Jetfire...I make it a rule to have a touch of the emerald elixir prior to doing anything.


Now that is the best idea I've heard all day! I might have to join you!
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Postby Leonardo » Fri Apr 20, 2007 9:53 am

JetfireUK wrote:
Leonardo wrote:
Jetfire, Jetfire, Jetfire...I make it a rule to have a touch of the emerald elixir prior to doing anything.


Now that is the best idea I've heard all day! I might have to join you!


You're more than welcome, of course.

I've remembered another gimmick that I thought was good. Following on from the Headmaster notes earlier in the thread, I liked the fact that when the Nebulans were inserted it allowed the tech specs to be displayed on the chest. While there were less categories, I always thought it was nice to have them there rather than referring to the boxes.
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Postby JetfireUK » Fri Apr 20, 2007 9:55 am

True.

Actually my favourite gimmick was Snapdragon - the only triple changer headmaster that looked good.

Skorponok never quite look 'right' IMHO.
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Postby Leonardo » Fri Apr 20, 2007 9:57 am

JetfireUK wrote:True.

Actually my favourite gimmick was Snapdragon - the only triple changer headmaster that looked good.

Skorponok never quite look 'right' IMHO.


I liked how Snapdragon and Apeface had Nebulan partners that were also triple-changers, too.
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Postby Brakethrough » Fri Apr 20, 2007 10:00 am

Leonardo wrote:
JetfireUK wrote:
Leonardo wrote:
Jetfire, Jetfire, Jetfire...I make it a rule to have a touch of the emerald elixir prior to doing anything.


Now that is the best idea I've heard all day! I might have to join you!


You're more than welcome, of course.

I've remembered another gimmick that I thought was good. Following on from the Headmaster notes earlier in the thread, I liked the fact that when the Nebulans were inserted it allowed the tech specs to be displayed on the chest. While there were less categories, I always thought it was nice to have them there rather than referring to the boxes.


That falls under the same category as shouting out what your attack is so your opponent knows what's coming, though.

Stupid anime!
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Postby Leonardo » Fri Apr 20, 2007 10:03 am

Brakethrough wrote:
Leonardo wrote:
JetfireUK wrote:
Leonardo wrote:
Jetfire, Jetfire, Jetfire...I make it a rule to have a touch of the emerald elixir prior to doing anything.


Now that is the best idea I've heard all day! I might have to join you!


You're more than welcome, of course.

I've remembered another gimmick that I thought was good. Following on from the Headmaster notes earlier in the thread, I liked the fact that when the Nebulans were inserted it allowed the tech specs to be displayed on the chest. While there were less categories, I always thought it was nice to have them there rather than referring to the boxes.


That falls under the same category as shouting out what your attack is so your opponent knows what's coming, though.

Stupid anime!


Only on the show, where they chose to display their powers at every opportunity! With the toys, one could keep tech specs a secret by not opening the flap.

You've reminded me of how no-one gets attacked when they transform. Blasted cartoon science!
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Postby Dr. Caelus » Fri Apr 20, 2007 10:57 am

Leonardo wrote:You've reminded me of how no-one gets attacked when they transform. Blasted cartoon science!


Except in Beast Wars. I remember characters getting fragged a couple of times mid transformation.



Anyway, I like the minicon gimmick actually - but it would have been cooler if it had used magnets instead of pegs.
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Postby Nujevad » Fri Apr 20, 2007 11:05 am

I remember some of the combiners also getting interrupted in mid-sequence.
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Postby Swerve » Fri Apr 20, 2007 2:18 pm

This one is sort of cheating, but my favorite gimmick is that in every line, the Transformers are supposed to be robots in disguise. However, without fail, some pick their disguise more poorly than others. Who wouldn't shrug off a metal robot walking down the street?
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Postby Exulted Unicron » Fri Apr 20, 2007 2:37 pm

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i always did like partner gimmicks too. Thats why I think Darkwings was actually so successful
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Postby Leonardo » Fri Apr 20, 2007 3:56 pm

Exulted Unicron wrote:i always did like partner gimmicks too. Thats why I think Darkwings was actually so successful


O, yes, good one. I had forgotten about those sorts of things.
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Postby JetfireUK » Fri Apr 20, 2007 3:58 pm

Actually that has to be the only combining Alt form that ever worked. Ever.
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Postby Zeedust » Fri Apr 20, 2007 4:12 pm

Motto: "Nothing says more about us than the futures we left behind."
Weapon: Anti-Thermal Cannon
JetfireUK wrote:Gen 1 Megatron firing bullets - not only is Megatron a bloody accurate pistol but you can actually terrorise your child/pet/better half with him! Heck this is one thing the original figure has over his Masterpiece release!

Powerful spring missile launchers - the original series of figures had them until Hasblo neutered them :-x



Both times: Safety laws.

(And frankly, I'm perfectly happy that certain people don't have toys that they can mug people with.)

JetfireUK wrote:Actually that has to be the only combining Alt form that ever worked. Ever.


I dunno, the Mini-Con weapons work fairly nicely for me. The sheild more than the others, mind you.

Caelus wrote:Anyway, I like the minicon gimmick actually - but it would have been cooler if it had used magnets instead of pegs.


Disagree. Partly because it would have made it impossible to actually have the little buggers cause the Amada gimmicks to work in that case, and partly because the magnetic parts would be heavy, leading to the same problem we see a lot in the Titaniums. But mostly? Forget having any toys from that line near your computer. :P
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Postby Redimus » Fri Apr 20, 2007 6:31 pm

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JetfireUK wrote:Actually that has to be the only combining Alt form that ever worked. Ever.

What about some of the combining alt mode micromasters? Some of them were pretty nifty.
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Postby Zeedust » Fri Apr 20, 2007 10:44 pm

Motto: "Nothing says more about us than the futures we left behind."
Weapon: Anti-Thermal Cannon
Redimus wrote:
JetfireUK wrote:Actually that has to be the only combining Alt form that ever worked. Ever.

What about some of the combining alt mode micromasters? Some of them were pretty nifty.


At the cost of not having separate alt modes... I was under the impression this was limited to "non-robot gestalts", or I'd have mentioned Tidal Wave.
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Postby Swerve » Sat Apr 21, 2007 11:35 am

Nemesis Primal wrote:Disagree. Partly because it would have made it impossible to actually have the little buggers cause the Amada gimmicks to work in that case, and partly because the magnetic parts would be heavy, leading to the same problem we see a lot in the Titaniums. But mostly? Forget having any toys from that line near your computer. :P


I have name tags of places I used to work at that used tiny powerful magnets instead of a pin and they don't weigh anything. They are no bigger than a watch battery and I doubt they put off more of an electromagnetic field than your PC speakers. I think it would have been cool because those magnets are so powerful, you just get it near the other and it flies over to it. Would have looked cool on Minicons.
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Postby ShockwaveUK » Sat Apr 21, 2007 12:54 pm

Targetmasters, Combiners, Headmasters, Pretenders, all gimmicks I liked, none were hindered too much in alt or robot form because of them.
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Postby ShockwaveUK » Sun Apr 22, 2007 9:48 am

I forgot to mention bases/battlestations that house smaller figures, is that a gimmick? :-?
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