The Energon Pub

Official vs unofficial doesn't even matter to me any more.

Not even in the slightest...

Everyone is making money, everyone is getting product, and we fight to get in line to pay for it.

I'll stick to getting what's best for me. It's the only voice I (we) have any more since voting with dollars does not work.

Counterpunch wrote:I'll stick to getting what's best for me. It's the only voice I (we) have any more since voting with dollars does not work.

There's a new wave of TF collectors coming back into the hobby. They have $ to burn. And that's good. I think it's about time for me to bow out of it. Wasteful spending in light of current events have become something I'm willing to alter in my lifestyle. I'll stick around for the banter here on Seibertron, but I really need to let these noobs have their "Games of Deception"s and "Shadow Scyther"s.

Skyfire-5 wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:I'll stick to getting what's best for me. It's the only voice I (we) have any more since voting with dollars does not work.

There's a new wave of TF collectors coming back into the hobby. They have $ to burn. And that's good. I think it's about time for me to bow out of it. Wasteful spending in light of current events have become something I'm willing to alter in my lifestyle. I'll stick around for the banter here on Seibertron, but I really need to let these noobs have their "Games of Deception"s and "Shadow Scyther"s.

What does that mean?

Counterpunch wrote:What does that mean?

I mean that no matter how you "vote"; vocally @ cons, spending habits, or through forums like these - there will continue to be an audience that is willing to spend ever increasing amounts of money. Voting with dollars is kind of irrelevant... there's fans and non fans of Animated, Beast Wars, and Armada Trilogy. They all made money. Voting with dollars has saved only one line (at least in my flawed memory): Classics (the ultimate fans choice line).

On topic: I thought it was relevant to say this set is special because it is my last Transformers purchase in light of personal growth. It's been a fun ride, but as some will learn, it's an addiction of fantastic compulsion. You'll spend money on Games of Deception only to be pie-in-the-face'd by a Takara a la mode. They'll deal with retailers with psuedo limited supplies only to uncover a greed fueled business practice. Forgive me, but I enjoy the over reactions (nerd rage), the innuendo, the dumb jokes, and the over all Ass-Shenaneganry

Not to attack you but I find it hard to accept your "personal growth" when most of what I've seen posted by you in recent weeks is borderline textbook trolling. So forgive us if we don't quite buy it. If you feel you've been pied in the face over figures, that's your choice to feel that way. It certainly isn't the truth of the matter though. The Botcon figures are exclusive in their way as are the Henkei releases and Hasbro releases. Feeling butthurt about it doesn't get you anything and certainly doesn't attest to personal growth. It's sort of like saying you hate the Twilight franchise and then explaining why you've seen all the movies. Just an example, no intended offense in it.

These guys look pretty nice. Smaller than I'd really like but I do like them. More than the other offering so that is. If I can find these at Botcon, I'll pick em up.

For me anymore, it's not about what is official and what's not. I'm going for whomever comes up with the best representation of said characters. If it's hasbro/takara, then they get my money, if it's another 3rd party product, then they get my money. Hasbro will cater to us, but then they are also a business and will do what they see fit to expand their brand/product. Unfortunately, those visions don't coincide with mine (looking at all the movie-esque designs), enter the 3rd party groups. They cater to a specific group. They don't have the capital or marketing or even the distribution that the big hasbro/takara have. So I think hasbro is perturbed with all the 3rd party stuff and them just being a thorn in their side, but in no way are they going to overtake this market. The only way to really beat them is to make better and superior products. Cream always rises to the top!

For me, they win some battles (Warpath, Jazz, Tracks, Wheeljack, etc.) and lose some (PE Rumble/Frenzy > Hasbro Rumble/Frenzy). Even in between the 3rd party companies it's a battle like the Reflectors, in this case I'm choosing PE>TFC. I am impressed with TCF's reflector, but PE's design is more of what I want from these characters. Other may want the TFC version over PE's. To each their own, but that's what each group is trying to figure out.

This can be good and bad at the same time. I do feel that the 3rd party market is getting kinda over saturated, so at this point, I'm just sticking with the select few (listed in my sig below). I hope that competition breeds better toys for us, the collectors, the consumers.

Counterpunch wrote:They look amazing.

PE makes some of the best small figures out there. What they've done with the engineering in these things is awesome.

Perfect Effect IS expensive. No getting around that. But it's obvious with all of their stuff (Ratbat aside) that a LOT of engineering goes into these things.

And in the end...they're cheaper than a lot of Mini-Cons I lust after.

Counterpunch wrote:Official vs unofficial doesn't even matter to me any more.

Not even in the slightest...

Everyone is making money, everyone is getting product, and we fight to get in line to pay for it.

I'll stick to getting what's best for me. It's the only voice I (we) have any more since voting with dollars does not work.

Couldn't have said it any better CP. And IMO, 30 bucks a figure isn' that bad or any more expensive than their previous releases. Was the size of these guys really a surprise?

amcgrath929 wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:They look amazing.

PE makes some of the best small figures out there. What they've done with the engineering in these things is awesome.

Perfect Effect IS expensive. No getting around that. But it's obvious with all of their stuff (Ratbat aside) that a LOT of engineering goes into these things.

And in the end...they're cheaper than a lot of Mini-Cons I lust after.

Counterpunch wrote:Official vs unofficial doesn't even matter to me any more.

Not even in the slightest...

Everyone is making money, everyone is getting product, and we fight to get in line to pay for it.

I'll stick to getting what's best for me. It's the only voice I (we) have any more since voting with dollars does not work.

Couldn't have said it any better CP. And IMO, 30 bucks a figure isn' that bad or any more expensive than their previous releases. Was the size of these guys really a surprise?

I got turned onto the PE stuff due to the incredible engineering in that tiny space. The development time these guys must take is amazing. I think the price is close to justified. I'd be thrilled if PE came down in price by 20%, but I'll still enjoy them for what they are.

Since we're on the topic I thought I'd add that I do find PE's products very appealing and I would buy them if I could, but I just can't justify $90 for three tiny figures. Maybe at $60 I would bite. I can't even justify two scouts for $60 (Takara Frenzy/Rumble).

amcgrath929 wrote: Was the size of these guys really a surprise?

Yes.
I love, as we seem to be putting it in this post, unofficial....they can do an awesome job at times.

Flux Convoy wrote:So forgive us if we don't quite buy it.

Fair enough.

Can't really say that they're too expensive for their size seeing as I drop huge rocks on Microns.

I dunno.. there's more lust to complete some other toy lines and get some other characters than getting a Reflector.

moneycon wrote:

amcgrath929 wrote: Was the size of these guys really a surprise?

Yes.
I love, as we seem to be putting it in this post, unofficial....they can do an awesome job at times.

Oh, well all of PE stuff is tiny and some of the first news released on this set was that it was just going to be slightly bigger than the Shadow Warrior set.

kirbenvost wrote:Since we're on the topic I thought I'd add that I do find PE's products very appealing and I would buy them if I could, but I just can't justify $90 for three tiny figures. Maybe at $60 I would bite. I can't even justify two scouts for $60 (Takara Frenzy/Rumble).

I agree these are expensive!

However, I choose to view it as it's $90 to get Reflector into my collection and not so much as trying to justify the price because they are tiny figures.

I'd like to see these doubled in size though. I'd by a larger version if there was a choice.

amcgrath929 wrote:

moneycon wrote:

amcgrath929 wrote: Was the size of these guys really a surprise?

Yes.
I love, as we seem to be putting it in this post, unofficial....they can do an awesome job at times.

Oh, well all of PE stuff is tiny and some of the first news released on this set was that it was just going to be slightly bigger than the Shadow Warrior set.

I know, but seeing is believing.

Finally got my Reflector in the mail after waiting at the mailbox for months, salivating on the mail man every time I thought he had a package.

This guy(s) is really cool. All three have the same transformation but talk about OPTIONS! These guys are armed to the TEETH! The camera's tripod becomes a gatlin gun that actually has a rotating turret! The badass military knifes that store on their backs are just the icing on the cake. And the 3 piece assembling sniper rifles is just freaking awesome. They LOOK just like their G1 selves but BETTER! You definitely get a TON of accessories for the price. And talk about articulated! The ONLY point of articulation that you will really miss is having wrists that turn, other than that, they are basically tiny deluxe figures! Which is my only real complaint. I knew they were small but I didn't realize they were going to be MICROmaster sized... sorry, mini-con fans. HOWEVER, after putting them next to my Classics, they actually are in pretty good scale with them which was surprising! I just LOVE how all the accessories fit into their alternate mode, that is probably my FAVORITE feature. Oh, and my only other complaint is that the camera "button" is obviously a head when looking at it from the back. I would have thought they could have made the head where it pushed down or bent over/down to hide the face, but it really is a minor flaw in an otherwise flawless toy. And it is made EXTREMELY well for a 3rd party toy. I'm REALLY happy and it was definitely worth the wait!

moneycon wrote:

amcgrath929 wrote:

moneycon wrote:

amcgrath929 wrote: Was the size of these guys really a surprise?

Yes.
I love, as we seem to be putting it in this post, unofficial....they can do an awesome job at times.

Oh, well all of PE stuff is tiny and some of the first news released on this set was that it was just going to be slightly bigger than the Shadow Warrior set.

I know, but seeing is believing.

I see.

TFSource has just recieved their stock over the weekend and will start processing orders on Monday.

Just wanna post something regarding the "camera button" head. The face of the figure can be hidden by rotating the head backwards and tilting it against its body as in the pictures.





This step is in the instructions, by the way.

Just got my shipping notice from BBTS!

ZenPrime wrote:Just got my shipping notice from BBTS!

As did I. I just hit ship on my largest, and most expensive Pile of Loot ever from BBTS.

Can't wait to get them all on my shelves and post it all on the toy haul thread.

Mine has, too. And I've shipped.

Mine shows it arrived at U.S. Customs on the 29th, and it is still pending inspection. Anyone know how long it usually takes something to go through customs?

Going to be enjoying these little guys tonight!

Great review as usual jON!