The Energon Pub

They're not alt modes though ...

Burn wrote:They're not alt modes though ...

'sa joke ^^

Burn wrote:They're not alt modes though ...

Lighten up, this is supposed to be fun, not acurate.

Whiner-tron wrote:

Burn wrote:They're not alt modes though ...

Lighten up, this is supposed to be fun, not acurate.

What someone's forgotten they wrote in the first post of this thread wrote:If you want to defend someone’s alt mode, feel free

Justicity wrote:

Insurgent wrote:But as pants, you can run around and kick people.

Ah, very good point. Well then, I'd say those that transform into the TOP parts of those combiners. Yes they can punch & see & hear & speak, but they can't move XD Poor fella's...

Those guys can crawl Terminator Style

Burn wrote:

Whiner-tron wrote:

Burn wrote:They're not alt modes though ...

Lighten up, this is supposed to be fun, not acurate.

What someone's forgotten they wrote in the first post of this thread wrote:If you want to defend someone’s alt mode, feel free

Yes, defend someone's alt mode, not simply state it isn't an alt mode and ruin everyones fun.
You din't say the alt mode was useful for anything, you just said "It isn't an alt mode", not that it could do anythig.
And I say that any form that is not the primary robot mode IS an alt mode.
I'm sorry if I'm being harsh, but this is just how I feel. I've seen too many threads turn into bitter arguments and I don't want it to happen hear.

I'll defend an alt mode when we're talking about an alt mode.

Powerlinking has nothing to do with alt modes, hence "They're not alt modes..."

I've seen far too many threads turn off topic and this one was heading that way from discussing alt modes into lamest gimmicks.

I would just like to interject a few thoughts here, hopefully to prevent argument.

1) The opening use of 'alt-mode' in this thread did leave a lot of leeway to personal opinion of definition.

2) I'm not sure 'Powerlinking' and 'Combining' can be considered the same thing here. In the former, one or more members become a tool for the other, as demonstrated by the combined form retaining the singular personality of the head portion. Combining, such as the gestalts was always referenced as being an amalgam of minds, so all members are still somewhat active in this.
On which note, the only bio for one of these combined tapes showed it to be an amalgam personality.

3) If the thread is going to continue, instead of arguing the point, how about simply doing a vote right here on whether or not combined forms count. Say 24 hours from 6am GMT August 26th. Then no one has to argue.

I personally would put my vote for counting them since it is some mode other then their primary sentient mode.

Or we could simply define "alt mode" as being the Transformers main form aside from it's robot mode.
Because whether it's "powerlinking" or "combining" it's still just a gimmick.

Burn wrote:Or we could simply define "alt mode" as being the Transformers main form aside from it's robot mode.
Because whether it's "powerlinking" or "combining" it's still just a gimmick.

Yes, still just a gimmick, but it's also a major part of the TV series for that line. Transforming in itself is a gimmick, yet it's counted as more than a gimmick because it's the main part of the series, and for that particular part in the Unicron trilogy so is Powerlink.
My vote would be yes, they can be counted as alt modes. Hope I'm in time.

I am probably too late to vote, but I would say yes. They transform out of their primary mode, thus taking on an alternate mode.

Two points:

First: Perceptor did have an "official" alt mode other than the microscope... he could turn into a TANK. Yep, that's right.

http://www.tfclub.com/TFFILES/CHARACTER ... eptor4.jpg

Second: As far as Hitchhiker's Guide goes... before it was a series of books, it was actually a 12 part radio show, written by the same guy. The first 8 parts were adapted into books 1 & 2... but the last 4 parts are way different (including finding a planet of people who have evolved into birds due to the 'Shoe Event Horizon' catastrophe). Definately worth a listen.

The TV show was okay, if you don't mind old Doctor Who type special effects. Here's an example for ya...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hisEMGMn1mU

Black Bumblebee wrote:Two points:

First: Perceptor did have an "official" alt mode other than the microscope... he could turn into a TANK. Yep, that's right.

http://www.tfclub.com/TFFILES/CHARACTER ... eptor4.jpg

Second: As far as Hitchhiker's Guide goes... before it was a series of books, it was actually a 12 part radio show, written by the same guy. The first 8 parts were adapted into books 1 & 2... but the last 4 parts are way different (including finding a planet of people who have evolved into birds due to the 'Shoe Event Horizon' catastrophe). Definately worth a listen.

The TV show was okay, if you don't mind old Doctor Who type special effects. Here's an example for ya...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hisEMGMn1mU

Another fact to add to that list there. The series looked like Dr. Who because Douglas Adams who wrote Hitchhiker's Guide also wrote for Dr. Who. Another fun fact I belive it was the 8th Dr. although I may be wrong on that part but one of the Dr.'s his wife was the Ditzy Blond playing the part of Trillian verry badly and he allso had a cameo apperace as "The Dish of the day".

Um..anyhow, another uselesss alt mode:

http://www.seibertron.com/toys/index.php?f_series=44

No alt modes.

Sherade wrote:Um..anyhow, another uselesss alt mode:

http://www.seibertron.com/toys/index.php?f_series=44

No alt modes.

How can it be a "useless alt mode" if it doesn't have one?

Say it with me. "Non-transforming junk".

Oh and the powerlinking thing, consider this. Alt modes generally allow the robot to still move and function under it's own will, as "pants" the only will the robot has is to seperate, for the most part they're controlled by who's on top. Still don't see how you lot consider powerlinking to be an alt mode as it's not part of a disguise which is primarily the basis of the alt mode.

Burn wrote:Oh and the powerlinking thing, consider this. Alt modes generally allow the robot to still move and function under it's own will, as "pants" the only will the robot has is to seperate, for the most part they're controlled by who's on top. Still don't see how you lot consider powerlinking to be an alt mode as it's not part of a disguise which is primarily the basis of the alt mode.

I thought the primary basis of an alt mode was a mode that was alternative to the robot mode...
Surely that would include ANY form that isn't the robot/main mode...

Burn wrote:

Sherade wrote:Um..anyhow, another uselesss alt mode:

http://www.seibertron.com/toys/index.php?f_series=44

No alt modes.

How can it be a "useless alt mode" if it doesn't have one?

Say it with me. "Non-transforming junk".

Oh and the powerlinking thing, consider this. Alt modes generally allow the robot to still move and function under it's own will, as "pants" the only will the robot has is to seperate, for the most part they're controlled by who's on top. Still don't see how you lot consider powerlinking to be an alt mode as it's not part of a disguise which is primarily the basis of the alt mode.

I agree with the first, not with the second.
First, Robot Replicas are an embarrassment to Transformers fans everywhere.
Second, I am officially announcing that any mode other than the primary robot mode is to be considered an alt mode as far as this forum is concerned.

Justicity wrote:I thought the primary basis of an alt mode was a mode that was alternative to the robot mode...

I don't see it quite clear cut like that, especially in the case of powerlinking. Because to me that's their "Powerlink Mode" not their "Alternate mode".

What about when Prime Powerlinks with Omega Supreme? Is Omega Supreme's headless robot form suppose to be his Powerlink form?

In most cases the "Alternate mode" is their disguise. Be it vehicle, animal, appliance etc.

If we're going to consider Powerlinking as an alt mode then how about Pretenders? Are they considered alternate modes under this way of thinking? Admittedly they could be because it disguises the robot.

But what about Headmasters and Targetmasters? The Masters are disguised by becoming heads or weapons of robots, but then that defeats the purpose of the robots being in disguise doesn't it?

Not quite so clear cut is it?

Whiner-tron wrote:Second, I am officially announcing that any mode other than the primary robot mode is to be considered an alt mode as far as this forum is concerned.

Your thread doesn't automatically make it your rules. But hey, if you want to make up rules to stiffle a decent discussion so that you can have things your way go right ahead, until I see a Mod step in and tell me otherwise i'll continue to discuss what I like. I mean it's not like i'm calling anyone anything offensive, i'm just adding my thoughts ...

I'm gonna quote myself for this little discussion on Alt Modes.

Insurgent wrote:They transform out of their primary mode, thus taking on an alternate mode.

The alt mode has nothing to do with them being in disguise, that's a marketing campaign. Ooo, robots that can disguise themselves as cars and planes and guns. The whole point of transforming is to become a vehicle that can be used in war. That can be an offensive weapon (fighter jets, cannons etc.) or a defensive weapon (cars for speedy getaways etc) or devices to help the war effort (communication arrays etc). An alternate mode is simply something that is different to the primary robot mode.

Pretender shell's are not alt modes because it is a shell that surrounds the robot. The actual robot itself has an alt mode, the vehicle it transforms into, but that is not the shell.

Headmasters and targetmasters have alt modes of heads and guns. It has nothing to do with disguise, it's simply the alternative mode to the robot.

Insurgent wrote:The alt mode has nothing to do with them being in disguise, that's a marketing campaign. Ooo, robots that can disguise themselves as cars and planes and guns. The whole point of transforming is to become a vehicle that can be used in war. That can be an offensive weapon (fighter jets, cannons etc.) or a defensive weapon (cars for speedy getaways etc) or devices to help the war effort (communication arrays etc). An alternate mode is simply something that is different to the primary robot mode.

Thank you for not only refuting my argument, but also proving my point about powerlinking.

Powerlinking is a gimmick like cyber-keys, mini-cons, Masters etc. Power-ups. Plain and simple.

Oh and Mega-Pretenders had transforming shells. Moving on ...

Minicons have alt modes. They too transform into vehicles.

And yes, Powerlinking is a gimmick, I never said otherwise, but they still have to transform to do it (I haven't actually watched any Energon so I am out of my league here ) making the pants an alternate mode. Masters and minicons are indeed gimmicks too, but they are characters that have transformation abilities, and so, an alt mode. Gimmicks with alt modes.

Mega pretenders? The likes of Thunderwing? Well, I guess that could be classed as the shell's alt mode, instead of the robot's alt mode. But the robot controls the shell, so it could be an alt mode. I don't know. That one needs more thinking about. Does the shell act on it's own? Otherwise, it could be classed as a drone, so you could say the drone/shell has the alt mode, unless the robot transforms into the same vehicle the shell does.

So let me pose this question then.

If the powerlink mode is considered an alt mode (wonder if we should talk Mkall into adding THEM into HMW ...) then are all Energon Autobots to be considered Quad-Changers?

Robot, car, pant, what's the fourth mode? Or can they become either the bottom or the top?

And I suppose they can be, in much the same way G1 scattershot, or the cityformers can be classed as a triple changer, even though they are not officialy listed as such. Same with the Transmetals.

Pants and Torso yeah.

Thing is though, the robot is suppose to be fully functional in it's alt mode. Unless powerlinked they can't really do much.

I guess that would depend on your definition of 'fully functional'. To use the obvious examples, Megatron and Laserbeak. Which count as 'functional' Alt-modes. Neither can use their own alt-modes though others can, the same way as the 'pants' and 'tops' of powerlinking or the limbs of gestalts. Another example, God Bomber. A non-sentient transector with two transformations, a trailor for Ginrai or armor for Ginrai. Both are supplamentary transformations so do they not count? If Megatron's counts as an alt mode then surely the targetmasters must as they have exactly the same system in place. If they count why shouldn't the headmasters or powermasters, whom can't use themselves but are absolutely necessary for others to operate but only in these secondary modes. If not them, why not the pants and tops as they do exactly the same thing? Personally I think alt-mode says it all. Quite literally 'alternate mode' as in not their primary form. It is not vehicle mode, useful mode, or independent mode but alt-mode.

On a side note, I can't believe that I am defending the powerlinking here. I personally hated the whole Unicron Trilogy and saw only a couple episodes of each to gauge if they were any good. I am a child of Gen-1. Owned the first issue and watched the pilot when I was 4. :-p I even have every single japanese G1 episode. Oh well.