The Energon Pub

Weres the clip?

Megatron_Wolf wrote:Weres the clip?

Same here. All I'm getting is a frog.

ImageShack SUCKS.

I'd just like to make it clear that I don't think, nor did I ever say 'Automorphing' was a bad gimmick. Is actually a pretty cool gimmick, but it is nothing new. On the other hand I don't like what I have seen so far of the Movie toys or the movie and do not look forward to either dominating the Transformers market later this year and for the foreseeable future. If I came off as overly negative I am sorry. I may be proved wrong yet and maybe I should be a little more optimistic.

Yours AK

Funny how one seemingly unassuming news topic has opened the floodgates of emotion and opinion.

I would like to think I can see where both sides are coming from on this issue. I understand where Ryan is coming from in terms of the fandom complaining about every little thing. There are other un-named Transformers sites that have WAY to much of that nonsense, that's why I've always liked this site because it had the least of that kind of hostility. I think part of that is due to the fact that this "little" fandom and hobby of ours is a lot bigger than it was ten years ago. There's a lot more people with the ability to bitch about anything they want than say, 10 years ago.

On the other hand,
I get where AK is coming from in a way too. If you look back on the history of the Transformers, many "gimmicks" have seemed to come full circle. Some fans feel that they want some imagination in the gimmicks that they are being given with each new line. Something DIFFERENT. Mini-cons to me seemed like a throwback to the Headmasters & Micro Masters of the Late '80's. Or re-paints? Combiners have gone and come back how many times?.

Perhaps it's too much to ask of the fandom to "play nice" with each other when it comes to expressing our voice and opinions on everything Transformers. Typing those opinions certainly does not compare to real, human communication or contact and all it takes is a few grammatical errors to turn a benign conversation into something else entirely.

Personally, I'm not very thrilled about some of the designs I've seen for the new movie, but hey, if someone else likes them, fine. I don't think they are ruining the Transformers by liking what I don't. I may not go out and purchase the new movie Starscream, but I think it's cool that Ryan has photographed it. It helped me make my decision that much easier. I'm sure that he has photographed a bunch of Transformers in the past that he might have thought was a "crap" design or toy. And someone may have really liked that "crap" toy. Who cares. Let everyone enjoy what they want.

But really, let's stop the nonsense of who's right, who's wrong, who's on first, etc. before it get's out of hand.

Bot Marley wrote:I can't wait to check out the Automorph technology for myself!

My dream would be a Beast Wars Movie where the animal alt modes look all hairy and fleshy....maybe someday! You know the technology is there to do it.

I'm not a beast wars fan or a Beast mode fan for that matter. But I always thought it would be cool to see someone like Leobreaker covered in hair. Even as a toy. Or when he's in bot mode, putting the piece of his main that hangs off his head up in a poney tail. To me that would be interesting to see, to see how a Transformer would react and almost "groom" themselves as robots. I can't remember a lot of beast wars, but I remember very few moments in the show where, while in animal mode they ever groomed themselves. All I get is a mental picture or terrasaur pecking under his wing.

As for the automorph tech, it seems interesting. Mind you, I'm a little late for the party and I've missed the guest of honor so I didn't see exactally how it worked. I think this will be a very interesting gimmick to say the least. Quite the step forward from simple spring loaded mechanics.

Down_Shift wrote:As for the automorph tech, it seems interesting. Mind you, I'm a little late for the party and I've missed the guest of honor so I didn't see exactally how it worked. I think this will be a very interesting gimmick to say the least. Quite the step forward from simple spring loaded mechanics.

Honestly it was not that impressive. You know how when you push together the hips of Energon Cruellock his shoulders pop out and his head flips back? It's similar to that.

Yours AK

Alex Kingdom wrote:

Down_Shift wrote:As for the automorph tech, it seems interesting. Mind you, I'm a little late for the party and I've missed the guest of honor so I didn't see exactally how it worked. I think this will be a very interesting gimmick to say the least. Quite the step forward from simple spring loaded mechanics.

Honestly it was not that impressive. You know how when you push together the hips of Energon Cruellock his shoulders pop out and his head flips back? It's similar to that.

Yours AK

So was that the only "Automorph" feature to Ratchet or will there be more then just the leg dohickies. It sounds interesting if it's a slide that moves many parts, but somewhat of a let down if its just a spring loaded "boing". I'll have to see more of the transformation to have final judgement over him. Thanks for the description though.

Maximal Prime wrote:I'm sure that he has photographed a bunch of Transformers in the past that he might have thought was a "crap" design or toy. And someone may have really liked that "crap" toy. Who cares. Let everyone enjoy what they want.

Oh, let me tell you how many figures I own now that I could care less about but I bought them so that I could create galleries to share with all of you.

Since the original image/animation/whatever is not available, I just have to comment on the 2 images Seibertron posted about SS's Automorph thingy: Holy crap, Starscream is the most ridiculous, st00pid, ugliest, retarded, misshapen piece of cheap plastic I've ever seen!!!! That thing makes me ashamed to be a TF fan.

Seibertron wrote:Oh, let me tell you how many figures I own now that I could care less about but I bought them so that I could create galleries to share with all of you.

I know man. And as a fan, I thank you

polymorphic wrote:Since the original image/animation/whatever is not available, I just have to comment on the 2 images Seibertron posted about SS's Automorph thingy: Holy crap, Starscream is the most ridiculous, st00pid, ugliest, retarded, misshapen piece of cheap plastic I've ever seen!!!! That thing makes me ashamed to be a TF fan.

Usings zeros in place of regular o's should make you ashamed of yourself. Period.

Down_Shift wrote:

polymorphic wrote:Since the original image/animation/whatever is not available, I just have to comment on the 2 images Seibertron posted about SS's Automorph thingy: Holy crap, Starscream is the most ridiculous, st00pid, ugliest, retarded, misshapen piece of cheap plastic I've ever seen!!!! That thing makes me ashamed to be a TF fan.

Usings zeros in place of regular o's should make you ashamed of yourself. Period.

S0rry. I th0ught it w0uld cause me t0 c0me acr0ss as L337 h4x0r, but, alas, I am ashamed 0f myself. Thanks f0r sh0wing me the err0r in my ways.

polymorphic wrote:

Down_Shift wrote:

polymorphic wrote:Since the original image/animation/whatever is not available, I just have to comment on the 2 images Seibertron posted about SS's Automorph thingy: Holy crap, Starscream is the most ridiculous, st00pid, ugliest, retarded, misshapen piece of cheap plastic I've ever seen!!!! That thing makes me ashamed to be a TF fan.

Usings zeros in place of regular o's should make you ashamed of yourself. Period.

S0rry. I th0ught it w0uld cause me t0 c0me acr0ss as L337 h4x0r, but, alas, I am ashamed 0f myself. Thanks f0r sh0wing me the err0r in my ways.

I have no clue what you just said... are you coming on to me?

Im slightly confused, and unwilling to wade through all this nagging. This is parts sliding like Primus's chest and shoulders did? just more of an autmatic instead of tearing up your hands in pushing the Omega Lock?

I guess I misunderstood Automorphing and understood it as being electronic on the better figures, which seriously would be a step up from Beast Wars basics. Depending on execution, possibly a very big step up. If it's just interconnection of parts, I'm not as impressed, but nevertheless, if it's executed in such a way that practically every part moves some other part, that would be impressive.

Down_Shift wrote:

polymorphic wrote:

Down_Shift wrote:

polymorphic wrote:Since the original image/animation/whatever is not available, I just have to comment on the 2 images Seibertron posted about SS's Automorph thingy: Holy crap, Starscream is the most ridiculous, st00pid, ugliest, retarded, misshapen piece of cheap plastic I've ever seen!!!! That thing makes me ashamed to be a TF fan.

Usings zeros in place of regular o's should make you ashamed of yourself. Period.

S0rry. I th0ught it w0uld cause me t0 c0me acr0ss as L337 h4x0r, but, alas, I am ashamed 0f myself. Thanks f0r sh0wing me the err0r in my ways.

I have no clue what you just said... are you coming on to me?

I dunno. Do you look like Arcee or Bay's Starscream?

I just want to see the damned animation. How did NO ONE host this??? Send it to me and I'LL host it!

Ultra Magnus wrote:I just want to see the damned animation. How did NO ONE host this??? Send it to me and I'LL host it!

It seriously wasn't anything special. I would have snagged the image if it actually really showed anything, but it didn't. It basically looked like a close up of a lever moving up and down.

Flashwave wrote:Im slightly confused, and unwilling to wade through all this nagging. This is parts sliding like Primus's chest and shoulders did? just more of an autmatic instead of tearing up your hands in pushing the Omega Lock?

Yes, and it's just one section of parts. On Starscream, it's his chest and upper shoulder area. That's it.

Well, since I can't see it, I guess I'll have to go on what I've seen from Ryan's gallery & what I've heard. The gimmick dosen't seem all that great. It sounds like they put in a near-worthless gimmick just so they could slap "hey, gimmick! look!" on the side of the package. Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't stores like Wal-mart anymore have hasbro come up with some kind of gimmick for no other reason than to say that this year's line of toys is completely different than last year's, therefore giving little billy a justifiable reason for his soccer mom to buy him another toy?
You know, kinda like how all the Sigma 6 Commando figures now have a pointless LED light in the package. They've come up with better gimmicks in the past. & aside from the general design of it, there would also be the possible problem of it not working properly, making a TF with lop-sided features.

You know, one thing I think would make a neat gimmick would be heat-sensitive battle damage. Just have certain panels & such on the TFs that when you touch it, it changes color & looks like it has some carbon scoring on it. I've seen it on one of my daughter's littlest pet shop toys to make a sick gecko have spots that come & go....& it's a neat little feature that would be great for making a TF that didn't have to be designed to work around a mechanical gimmick.....

....but that's just me.

Anyway, gimmick or otherwise, I'll be getting probably at least 1 figure per character, so wether you consider my opinion negative or not, I'll still be funding said gimmick for those that just really like it.


But as far as people complaining....I know it seems disheartening at times, but as far as I can tell, complaining as a whole has done nothing but make for stronger lines, & better & more detailed TF's, & more of the characters we care about. I mean, somewhere down the line, somebody complained that there never was a figure for Unicron made....& now we have one (or should I say 2?). People complained that they didn't have any Combiners since G1, & they made 3 new ones for Energon. Some one complained that there never has been a version of Prime that transformed that looked show-accurate in robot mode, & now we have the 20th Prime. Some one complained that they never made a decent homage to both G1 Skyfire & Jetfire, & now we have the perfection of the Classics version. Some people complained about slapping a Ravage head on Tracks's body, & now they're making the Jaguar version of him. People complained that they weren't making toys of the War Within designs, & now we have some via the Titanium series, with more to come. Sure, none of the examples have gone without complaint, but with each valid complaint came a better and more awsome figure.

Anyway, there's my 35 cents.

Er....AK's kinda right. Even G1 Hound had this feature. Swing his front tires back during transformation and his iddle biddie arms popped out. Kinda too bad he didn't have a storage compartment for all the extra crap you had to leave off in robot mode (gas can, spare tire, 50 Cal.).

Maximal Prime wrote:

Seibertron wrote:Oh, let me tell you how many figures I own now that I could care less about but I bought them so that I could create galleries to share with all of you.

I know man. And as a fan, I thank you

Me Too

As for the topic, I refer to my previous statment, and hope for some cool toy gimmicks to come out of all this. But until, I see it for myself, I reserve judgement.

As for my reason in quoting this, well Terorgator is one of my favorite Beast Wars figures. He never made it to the show, and died out with the rest of the Fuzors who didn't make the show. Nobody gave him a chance, but I think he offers great posability and has cool weapons. Still he's shunned as a joke.

The point, one man's trash is another's treasure, or for better words, to each their own, so give it a try.

Seems cool.
That pic of Starscreams "automorphing" actually looks pretty b!tchin, kinda like some of the cyber-key stuff, but without the weapons...

Another Movie thread in ruins...alas.

Either way, this is a great gimmick. No stupid keys or Mini-Cons, but something that isn't very noticable. Subtle. Okay, maybe not subtle. But still, it's obvious that the movie will not revolve around their special function used when they transform, so no worries. Cybertron, Energon, and Armada season 1 went down in quality because the gimmick was the show's basis.

Sounds cool to me. I just want a Bumblebee now!