xyl360 wrote:Rated X wrote:megatronus wrote:I personally don't think your comments are BS. You often force me to think about how I came to an opinion, which is extremely valuable. Yeah, you tend to get kicked around more than most, but you are definitely an appreciated presence.
But, it feels like you miss the point sometimes - this feeling is compounded when you fail to acknowledge the validity of others' views.
If they were going to "fix" WFC/FOC designs, then they would probably have just done a separate, Classics Swoop. But they're not doing that; they're giving us a WFC/FOC Swoop. Sure, we've developed this concept called Classics or neo or whatever that allows us to accept liberal interpretations of character designs, but that doesn't work for everything. Especially when it seems logical for fans of the video game to want a video game accurate figure. Call me crazy. Plus, Planet X already knows this is a money maker; Genesis did fantastically well, and that was a $360 toy!
As to the WFC/FOC designs themselves, you're free to think they're crap, but I like them a lot. I think a lot of your criticism (outside of size issues) comes from Hasbro's poor toy execution of the designs. High Moon did a great job on the designs themselves, I think, which really comes through in the games.
Also Sludge was killed as part of the FOC backstory, which is why he doesn't have a playable character model.
I appreciate that.
It's no secret I’m not a big FOC fan. I will argue to the end of time that Vortex's puke color was an error. They probably sent Activision a picture of Energon Stormcloud by mistake and they rolled with it. But that’s just my opinion. I guess I’m a little harsh on Planet X because fans have been calling for 3rd party Dinobots way before WFC/FOC ever existed. And when we finally get some, the company wants to do something so niche. It’s kind of a slap in the face to those who have been collecting classics figures for years and want to complete the G1 lineup. (Just my personal opinion as well) I’m sure we’ll see Planet X Shrapnel and Bombshell in the future. I might actually buy those because the Insecticons actually did come from Cybertron. I kind of see WFC/FOC the same way I see Hearts of Steel. It’s a niche continuity that will never get a full line of toys. MMC had plans for HOS Insecticons and I think Megatron too. But they eventually moved on when they realized classics was where the money is at. My guess Planet X will do the same. We will all see how well WFC/FOC sells once the Swoop figure comes out. It might be a hit or it might flop. Then we shall see how many “hardcore” WFC/FOC fans there really are. Genesis is still in stock at BBTS because everyone who wanted one already has one. But the high price might also be a factor that it isn’t selling like it first did. Or of course it could be the Monkey Arms, lol. That’s the only reason I went with YOTS Omega. Only time will tell how Planet X will fare in today’s 3rd party market. More and more companies keep popping up out of the woodwork.
See, I think your logic is flawed there. Classics/Generations etc. obviously is "neo" or whatever, but WfC/FoC is its own continuity/style so a company doing "neo" (Classics/figures designed to fit in with Classics) can do that all they want, but a company attempting to do screen accurate versions of WfC/FoC should stick to the source material and attempt to make them as accurate as possible.
If you want truly "G1" then go for MP. Then you won't have to worry about the whole "neo" thing, the "video game" thing, the "movie" thing or any other "thing" you don't like. But you won't do that because they take up too much space on your shelf apparently. Sure, there are plenty of collectors still holding on to hopes of someday completing their "G1" Classics collections, but the reality is that at least for now, Has/Tak are working from the IDW comics more than they are the G1 cartoons and fiction for their Generations line and they're putting all of their "G1" efforts into the MP line. The third party "Classics" scene will dry up before long I think, as soon as more collectors finally reconcile the idea that to get the "ultimate" G1 lineup on their shelves, MP is the way to go, not Classics/Generations.
As for me, just as long as Planet X keeps doing the game accurate figures of characters that Has/Tak won't do from WfC and FoC, I'll keep on buying them and I'm not alone. I think Planet X's business model is very smart. They found a niche market of collectors that no one else is catering to and they're running with it. If they compromised that to try and cater to the "Classics" crowd as well (the crowd that pretty much every other third party is fighting over, hence the 2 Devastators, 3 Predakings, 2 sets of Headmasters etc.) then they'd be competing with every other third party out there plus Has/Tak. That doesn't seem like smart business to me. If FP, MMC, Maketoys, TFC and all these other third parties keep trying to fill the same gaps (the "Classics" gaps) then eventually some of them will go out of business unless they start doing what companies like Planet X here are doing, namely catering to a part of the collector market that no one else is.
On MP stuff, I’ve never been a fan of big figures. Their height kind of gives me the “Barbie doll” creeps. I did buy MP Grimlock because he scales with classics nicely. I bought MP Soundwave just for the cassettes and have yet to transform him once in over two months lol. I have a military formation of MP Seekers on my coffee table because they make a great conversation piece. But that’s where my love for MP figures ends. But the 3rd parties are bringing “neo” to the MP scale. MMC Hexatron is my primary example. He is truly MP scale by the G1 cartoon standards. And if you look at Warbotron’s individual robot modes, notice Vortex has his helicopter cockpit on his chest similar to the FP/Energon mold. Onslaught also has his cab windows on his chest giving him a very Prime like appearance. So “neo” is invading the MP scale universe, unless of course you only buy Has/Tak MP figures and live with their gaps all over again. And I just cant see obscure characters ever getting a MP figure from anyone. MP Dion ? MP Alicon ? How about MP Counterpunch ? I don’t see it happening with MP scale. And if it ever did, would they make an MP Metroplex the size of a human so they can have a base that’s “in scale” ? The MP scale is much more suited for buying your favorite characters than trying to assemble a cast of any G1 season in my honest opinion.
On FOC being used as “neo” it’s just sugarcoating on behalf of the collector and Im pretty sure Im not the only one who does it. I do the same thing with TF Prime figures. I use Beast Hunters Shockwave with my classics and just call all his spikes and more sleek cannon “neo”. FOC Soundwave, Soundblaster, Blaster and Twincast (custom) have all been my classics shelf for some time. Their crappy “discs” have been upgraded to Perfect Effect, KFC, and MP cassettes which scale perfectly by G1 cartoon standards. And good old G2 FOC Bruticus sits with my G2 classics Decepticons, also as a “neo” tribute to what Bruticus might have been reformatted into by the time G2 started. I use the Takara versions as the “renegade Decepticons” on my ancient Cybertron shelf since it is a G1 reference from my favorite episode “Starscream’s Brigade”. I know I’m not the only one who does stuff like this. I’m fairly confident Planet X Swoop will end up in a lot more classics shelves than it will WFC/FOC shelves. That’s just my personal opinion of course. Maybe some hardcore WFC/FOC collectors will put him next to their totally screen accurate FOC Air Raid. That is unless theyre too busy trying to decide which Prime they want to be the leader (WFC or FOC) to ensure total screen accuracy without leaving a gap. FOC Wreckers anyone ? I’m just playing, but you get my point right ?
When MMC came out, everybody thought that they were strictly HOS. Then all of a sudden the switched to classics and I bet they have no regrets. As I said before, Im fairly confident Planet X will do the same. I heard they were going to do a Trypticon. Im pretty sure they might try to fill the insecticon gaps. But all these things take years if they happen after all the Dinobots are finished. And in years will WFC/FOC still be relevant ? Or will Hasbro have a new game and bless us with yet another Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee, and trio of Seekers ?
On IDW molds, with the exception of Bumblebee and Megatron, all the other figures are reminiscent of their G1 incarnations and work fairly well on a classics shelf for most (Blurr, Drift, Orion Pax, Trailcutter, Hoist, Springer, Toyworld Orion, etc)
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