The Energon Pub

Yeah I don't want lights and sounds in the collectors market, Ectotron isn't really getting marketed for kids afterall. The way it should have been seen, and the way the comic explains it, a new transformer character comes down to earth and scans the iconic alt mode, not the iconic vehicle is transformed into a robot from, say, the all spark.

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:Regarding the price, you're overlooking the licensing + niche markup. "Thin upper legs with big upper legs" is NORMAL in Transformers and always has been. What toyline have you been buying for the past several years?

As for the robot mode not looking more Ghostbusters outfit-ish... this isn't Crossovers. The robot mode is supposed to be its own character, not a mech/Transformerization made in the image of one of the Ghostbusters or Hasbro miraculously making your fanart into a real toy.

And finally, why would you want him to be saddled with a AA battery box and a speaker that could quite possibly get in the way of transformation and/or articulation?

Transformers toys have mostly evolved from having looks of parts set back (like g1 Grimlocks head) or having great big gaping holes (compare Megatronus to Ectotron). ectotron has fifty steps taken backwards so much so its worse than a lot of the bad g1 figures.

As its own new character or a bad looking with less features generic armada hotshot? debatable.

To be fair most transformers toys started out as wooden blocks and some designers even use lego (like Shoji Kawamori) so its not that hard as a fan to design fan art that has possible transformations in 3d as a real toy, side note I couldnt be bothered mocking up 3d renders and did play around with the lego set for some ideas.

How many recent transforming toys with lights and sounds have you bought that need a AA battery? wtf LOL

Playmobils still one of the best Ecto1's out there even for adults, with lights and sounds, hopefully the transformers Delorean can live up to playmobils standards (which their ecto certainly doesnt) and no sounds required (they would probably be from the japanese dub of back to the future anyways...j/k ).

I doubt they'll put electronics in the tf delorean, playmobil did because it's a kids toy?

Also I don't think comparing playmobil ecto 1 to tf Ectotron is fair as one if designed to be transformed, the other just has to roll around and fit the playmobil Ghostbusters

To me the Transformers ecto misses a lot of the iconic things about the vehicle (the hood reduced to kibble, ghostbusters logos or even a tf one, red trimming/flare thats hidden behing the toys blockiness and of course the lights and sounds) even before its flaws as a toy, which is why im skeptical that they might miss some of the iconic things of the delorean and why I would want it to be better.

I'd say basing it on more of a studio series approach than CW might help but if Ectotrons botmode rear wheels arent reminiscent of a ss bee then I dont know what is. The street fighter cross overs were tied mainly into figures that could hold the poses, ghostbusters on a comic design, the delorean doesnt need to be a slave to either so it should give it room for a kick ass bot.

IMO the Ecto-1 was disappointing as a bot. His transformation was just "flip it on it's back and pull out the arms and legs." Like a turtle. So I hope that the BttF Delorian will have a more complete transformation and a more interesting robot mode.

Ahhh to dream... It's KINDA coming true!

Well of all the cross-overs I would REALLY lover a Titan Class USS Enterprise from the comic crossover... but I would settle for a Commander or Leader class.

-Kanrabat- wrote:IMO the Ecto-1 was disappointing as a bot. His transformation was just "flip it on it's back and pull out the arms and legs." Like a turtle. So I hope that the BttF Delorian will have a more complete transformation and a more interesting robot mode.

Maverick seems like an all-new mold, so I have hope.

blackeyedprime wrote:

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:Regarding the price, you're overlooking the licensing + niche markup. "Thin upper legs with big upper legs" is NORMAL in Transformers and always has been. What toyline have you been buying for the past several years?

As for the robot mode not looking more Ghostbusters outfit-ish... this isn't Crossovers. The robot mode is supposed to be its own character, not a mech/Transformerization made in the image of one of the Ghostbusters or Hasbro miraculously making your fanart into a real toy.

And finally, why would you want him to be saddled with a AA battery box and a speaker that could quite possibly get in the way of transformation and/or articulation?

Transformers toys have mostly evolved from having looks of parts set back (like g1 Grimlocks head) or having great big gaping holes (compare Megatronus to Ectotron). ectotron has fifty steps taken backwards so much so its worse than a lot of the bad g1 figures.

Ha ha no. Set-back - or rather, set-FORWARD in Ectotron's case - lower legs are still a thing, when forced by the altmode. Such is the case with Ectotron, although it could possibly have been averted with telescoping legs (which Hasbro doesn't use anymore). Then again, a station wagon has a looot more back to it than a sports car.
And all things considered, the legs being set forward is minor. So minor, I didn't even notice it until you whinged about it.
You were also whinging about the upper legs being thin compared to the lower ones, which is an invalid complaint because that is the default in Transformers outside of the movieverse. Also, "fifty steps taken backwards so much so its worse than a lot of the bad g1 figures"? Get real.
He has excellent molded detail, clear glazing, decent proportions, and of course a complete articulation scheme. That last part alone puts more holes than Swiss cheese in your remark.

blackeyedprime wrote:As its own new character or a bad looking with less features generic armada hotshot? debatable.

. Every word from "or" onward is completely and totally wrong. He has a cool unique face, the hood becomes a badass-looking set of paldrons, he has a chestplate to give him a hint of Ghostbusters uniform, and he blends in fairly well with the existing G1 designs modeled by the Masterpiece line. With the look of the collapsing legs, the feet, and the hood becoming his shoulders, not to mention having full articulation he's more comparable to Cybertron Hot Shot (in fact, the latter falls short on articulation).

blackeyedprime wrote:To be fair most transformers toys started out as wooden blocks and some designers even use lego (like Shoji Kawamori) so its not that hard as a fan to design fan art that has possible transformations in 3d as a real toy, side note I couldnt be bothered mocking up 3d renders and did play around with the lego set for some ideas.

In case you couldn't tell, I was scorning your seeming expectation that Hasbro would have made your precious special Crossovers-esque design into a real toy.

blackeyedprime wrote:How many recent transforming toys with lights and sounds have you bought that need a AA battery? wtf LOL

Okay, fair enough, Cerebros only used AAA batteries rather than AA like the movie 1 through 3 Leaders were saddled with (Grrrr). But that's as small as Hasbro would go, and would probably have resulted in either a fat back, or the battery box or speaker hanging off his aft, or his backpack being oversize...
...Movie 1 Megatron, ROTF Megatron and Jetfire, and DOTM Ironhide have thoroughly murdered any trust I had in Hasbro re: lights and sounds in a Transformer. And those were Leaders. Who knows how badly Hasbro would **** up a Voyager with lights and sounds?

blackeyedprime wrote:Playmobils still one of the best Ecto1's out there even for adults, with lights and sounds,

As has been pointed out to you, that is a nontransforming toy designed to hold Playmobil figures. They didn't have to fit robot limbs and joints in there.

blackeyedprime wrote:hopefully the transformers Delorean can live up to playmobils standards (which their ecto certainly doesnt)

Apples to oranges, pal.

blackeyedprime wrote:To me the Transformers ecto misses a lot of the iconic things about the vehicle (the hood reduced to kibble,

Becoming a set of cool shoulder pads sure is "reduced", yep What did you want, a hood-chest made using a station wagon hood?

blackeyedprime wrote:ghostbusters logos or even a tf one,

Yes, there sure aren't any Ghostbusters logos on it. OH WAIT. If you're talking about a lack of Ghostbusters logos on the hood? That's movie accurate. The Ecto-1's hood in the movie was plain white.

blackeyedprime wrote:red trimming/flare thats hidden behing the toys blockiness

The movie Ecto-1's red trimming was minimal and it's all present. And not really "hidden"; they even added some red onto his arms to go with it.

blackeyedprime wrote:and of course the lights and sounds)

Get your head out of your exhaust port and get over it already.

blackeyedprime wrote:I'd say basing it on more of a studio series approach than CW might help but if Ectotrons botmode rear wheels arent reminiscent of a ss bee then I dont know what is. The street fighter cross overs were tied mainly into figures that could hold the poses, ghostbusters on a comic design,

The comic design was based on the toy, which itself was designed to blend in with G1 MPs as best as possible.

blackeyedprime wrote:the delorean doesnt need to be a slave to either so it should give it room for a kick ass bot.

Assuming you'd know what one looked like if it fell on your head.

@Zelda hahahaha there is a picture just for you here.

download/file.php?id=61355&mode=view

You know and I know you know about MP44 and beastwars megs to say to some one what toylines have they been collecting for several years whilst completely setting yourself up for a prat fall with your ending was darn funny even if your specifying HASBRO so you dont get called out on it/have a counter argument. Hey no calling out or counter argument needed, I already creased myself.

Ectotron can be mistransformed to counter some of his short goings with his legs by making him...shorter but he didnt even keep the ratcheted shoulders and the hips are much softer ratchets, so yeagh in my opinion steps taken backwards figure for sure. At least the delloreans weels should be able to fold into its body as part of it's on screen accuracy as well as a transformation step to hide kibble.

I don't understand that picture or what it has to do with the matter at hand. Personally, I'm happy with how ectotron looks, enough to be excited for Maverick and delorean bot (or time train bot). I think ectotron design knocked it out of the park of invoking both franchises. Also helped that the crossover comic series was fantastic, far better then the last one that was sold (tf vs visionaries). So, again, I'm looking forward to this

shame we didnt get more visionaries, sieges soundwave alt mode tape deck still vaguely reminds me of some of their vehicles. a time train would be cool and it is nice to see cross over figures getting their own dedicated molds and with the previous gaming cross overs no need to limit cross overs to just 80's films, nice to see different things being tried.
Tho I never got the appeal of the transforming baseball caps or a singular shoe -tho I think I actually wanted the shoe transformers at one point.

Collecting, It's strong and it's sudden and it's cruel sometimes.

blackeyedprime wrote:You know and I know you know about MP44 and beastwars megs

Both of which would have been better off without their electronics jacking up their prices and making MP-44's backpack bigger than it ought to be and more unsightly with those speaker holes.

Man, even quoting power of love isn't getting this thread back on topic :p

Yeagh but they still ain't AA batteries and it didn't effect megs looks. Was the screamy Japanese g1 galvatron reissue still a 9v battery? Been a long time since I've seen mine and I'm hoping I didn't leave a battery in him now. If I had a time machine I'd be able to check...

Im trying.

1. Did it ever once cross your mind that although he was designed to sort of scale with them Ectotron is not, in fact, an MP? Nor was he ever labeled as one?
2. Actually, I didn't know what size batteries MP-44 and BW Megs use. TFwiki doesn't specify, so I had to Google it. But guess what? They're Masterpieces. They get privileges that other Transformers don't. Which brings me to why I mentioned Hasbro and not Takara: Starting with the 2007 movie line, or possibly even Cybertron, Hasbro has forced anything that isn't a Masterpiece to use the easier-to-find AA and AAA batteries instead of space-efficient button-cell batteries (which Takara is perfectly happy to use).
3. Reissue Galvatron uses AA batteries instead of 9-volt, which is a lateral move in terms of space occupied. But then, the mold was already designed for a big battery compartment so going with smaller would have been pointless.

As for losing the arm ratchets... He is also not a combiner torso, nor does he have hefty arms or a really heavy weapon, so he doesn't need them.

Thanks for the info, I'm 50/50 on whether or not my galvatron will look like he got into a fight with acid storm I should really catch a non time train or a vehicle that doesn't have to reach 88mph to check my shiz out but if I do that, I will probably be forced to bring them back with me than keeping them in storage.

Excited to see we will be hearing more on this next week. shame I'll be away until Sunday with no service where i can't see it. Something to look forward to!

I hope for both a Delorean and a train, and an Astrotrain retool for the latter would be OK with me.

And since you guys brought it up, the deloreon will go with Vector Prime and Heinrad to be the Guardians of Time!

Ectotron was a great figure, still really fun and really good. I'm looking forward to more like him.

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:
And since you guys brought it up, the deloreon will go with Vector Prime and Heinrad to be the Guardians of Time!

Heinrads awesome, but then the team will need some digi form Cronos or whatever they were called and all the variants I've only seen and dreamed of as a child on box packaging (plane, car, scorpion etc) and obvioulsy a transforming watch frozen Elsa KO.


*image added to haunt viewers and scar them for life, having said that I rate it higher than Ectotron o.O flees from forum.

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Excited to see we will be hearing more on this next week. shame I'll be away until Sunday with no service where i can't see it. Something to look forward to!

I hope for both a Delorean and a train, and an Astrotrain retool for the latter would be OK with me.

And since you guys brought it up, the deloreon will go with Vector Prime and Heinrad to be the Guardians of Time!

Ectotron was a great figure, still really fun and really good. I'm looking forward to more like him.

You know, that guardians of time team is missing one (or two) member(S), one that would be most excellent!. And could be easily redecoed into a blue police phone box.

Mindmaster wrote:NEED

The timing of this is poetic; I just rewatched the trilogy over the weekend and thought how cool it’d be to have a Transformer that was a DeLorean.

That is hilarious to hear Mindmaster as I too just watched the trilogy a week ago with the wife who not only sat and watched it with me never having watched it the whole way through but was really interested from one movie to the next.


Can you imagine if they use Biff for the face/head on this? Man what a total "Butthead" it would look like in anyone's collection!

Anyway I hope this comes out well in the end and maybe some really cool fire track effects can be included with this here time vehicle.

G1 Swindler was always a Delorean.

Sabrblade wrote:G1 Swindler was always a Delorean.

Great Scott!!! I had no idea!

ZeroWolf wrote:

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Excited to see we will be hearing more on this next week. shame I'll be away until Sunday with no service where i can't see it. Something to look forward to!

I hope for both a Delorean and a train, and an Astrotrain retool for the latter would be OK with me.

And since you guys brought it up, the deloreon will go with Vector Prime and Heinrad to be the Guardians of Time!

Ectotron was a great figure, still really fun and really good. I'm looking forward to more like him.

You know, that guardians of time team is missing one (or two) member(S), one that would be most excellent!. And could be easily redecoed into a blue police phone box.

I don't watch Doctor Who, your theme is sadly lost on me

Doctor Who was the second idea in there. The first was two hard rocking amgios whose music gives us a rocking future, and are due a third film out this year...

One thing in common with all three figures we have confirmation on so far: 35th anniversary. Top Gun's 35th is 2021 which is when it will be released. Ghostbusters was last year. BTTF is this year. They seem to want to tie them together with legitimate movie anniversaries.

35th anniversary movies with vehicular "main characters" from 1985 and 1986:
Back to the Future
Top Gun
Big Trouble In Little China

35th anniversary TV shows with vehicular protagonists/"main characters:
Thundercats (I will kill for a transforming Thundertank!)
Street Hawk

Other Upcoming Anniversaries:
30 Years: Back to the Future 3 in 2020 (TIME TRAIN)
35 Years: Star Trek: TNG in 2022
35 years: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 2022
40 years: Knight Rider in 2022
40 years: Blue Thunder in 2024
40 years: Airwolf in 2024
30 years: SeaQuest DSV in 2023
70 years: Original War of the Worlds in 2023


Anniversaries they missed and would have been awesome Transformers:
The Last Starfighter
Tron (won't ever happen because Disney...jerks)
Airplane! (It could look like a big Tylenol...)

As for names, that's the big question: my money is on Flux or Gigawatt.

Madmax might happen around time of the new sequel but I'm not sure if they will go with more than pg13 tie ins. No chance for maximum overdrive, Robocop/ED209 or Dukes of Hazard.
Never thought seaquest was popular, even less so than space precinct. Goonies pirate ship maybe (would even settle for pirates of the caribean)? Screw tie ins, a cool pirate ship and a ghost ship would be awesome.

A really niche chase hq set might be nice in legends scale car vs truck. If they want to do an Armada sized Unicron Pacman that could be interesting.