The Energon Pub

Sun Jul 13, 2014 3:17 pm

I find it weird that the $10 One Step Changer and $12 Power Battler versions of Optimus both have more cohesive robot modes and less kibble than the $40-50 Leader Class figure.

Sun Jul 13, 2014 4:10 pm

Evil_the_Nub wrote:
Shuttershock wrote:Credit where credit's due, EM Optimus is an engineering marvel. True, his arms might be a little skinny, but his robot mode is condensed, tight and impressively poseable.

What's really impressive is it's so simple, he basically turns inside-out. Hound even transforms in a similar way. I don't know why they didn't take that approach with leader Optimus and Galvatron.

That's what annoys me even more about Galvatron's design. In the film (spoilers), he "transforms" by basically dematerializing into cubes and reforming as a robot, meaning that absolutely NO care has to be put into parts from vehicle mode fitting in. Because of this, they've just had to make him a shell-former with a semi-backpack.

In short, the movie designs and sensibilities are hindering the engineering of the toys.

News Credits: 332 · Sun Jul 13, 2014 6:03 pm

Shuttershock wrote:
Evil_the_Nub wrote:
Shuttershock wrote:Credit where credit's due, EM Optimus is an engineering marvel. True, his arms might be a little skinny, but his robot mode is condensed, tight and impressively poseable.

What's really impressive is it's so simple, he basically turns inside-out. Hound even transforms in a similar way. I don't know why they didn't take that approach with leader Optimus and Galvatron.

That's what annoys me even more about Galvatron's design. In the film (spoilers), he "transforms" by basically dematerializing into cubes and reforming as a robot, meaning that absolutely NO care has to be put into parts from vehicle mode fitting in. Because of this, they've just had to make him a shell-former with a semi-backpack.

In short, the movie designs and sensibilities are hindering the engineering of the toys.

A lot of that has to do with the fact that Hasbro is basically made to sit in a corner while Paramount handles most of the movie stuff. I really think Hasbro needs to step up and insist that the movie designers work alongside the toy designers.

News Credits: 5 · Sun Jul 13, 2014 6:09 pm

I suspect the reason for having so little screentime for the robots in the previous movies is due to their "unrealistic" nature. I also suspect that this is why we see "melting" transformation, it's cheaper. By saving money on animating the very complex conversions on screen they were able to get more robots more screentime. If they had made blocky robots with a feasible transform they would have saved oodles of moola on the polygons alone.

Mon Jul 14, 2014 1:32 am

What I don't understand is this: How is coordinating thousands of tiny cubes to coalesce into a humanoid form "cheaper" than what we've seen for the past 3 movies?

Mon Jul 14, 2014 2:03 am

Metro Prime wrote:What I don't understand is this: How is coordinating thousands of tiny cubes to coalesce into a humanoid form "cheaper" than what we've seen for the past 3 movies?

Hard to say. It seems like the cube thing would be a difficult but programmable particle-like effect, as opposed to having to take the time to figure out how car parts shift into place. Movie Galvatron has no visible truck parts because he digitizes, which to me cheapens the transforming aspect of this movie even more.

I get the feeling that the people designing the robots don't have a sense of engineering with their designs. It seems like they are just shown cars, told to draw robots and then leave it to Hasbro to sort out how one becomes the other.

News Credits: 5 · Mon Jul 14, 2014 6:17 am

As a side note: You don't see Skids and Mudflap transform behind a curtain because it "looks cool". You don't see Drift transform behind a building because it "looks cool". You don't see a bunch of Transformers transform because the camera is zoomed all the way in on the knee or the shoulder during conversion. It can't look cool because you can't even see it.
These are cost saving measures.

EDIT:

chuckdawg1999 wrote:A lot of that has to do with the fact that Hasbro is basically made to sit in a corner while Paramount handles most of the movie stuff. I really think Hasbro needs to step up and insist that the movie designers work alongside the toy designers.

I'm a little surprised I'm only just now learning that Hasbro takes a back seat when it comes to the movies. In every other iteration I know of the fiction is based on the product with the exception of the non toy based characters.

News Credits: 7 · Mon Jul 14, 2014 7:50 am

Metro Prime wrote:What I don't understand is this: How is coordinating thousands of tiny cubes to coalesce into a humanoid form "cheaper" than what we've seen for the past 3 movies?

Both methods of transformation involve thousands of tiny little pieces moving everywhere. With "real" Transformers, you need to individualize the parts (i.e. gears, springs, pistons, etc. for each and every bot) and to make sure they all move in a believable fashion. With the KSI bots, you only need one actual model for everyone's parts (i.e. a cube) and they don't really need to worry about believability as much. It's still hard work, no doubt, but it probably takes only a fraction of the time/effort.

Mon Jul 14, 2014 11:26 am

The reasoning for the "cubified transformations" was to show that KSI really didn't fully understand the transformers technology.

News Credits: 5 · Mon Jul 14, 2014 2:01 pm

1PrimeProductions wrote:The reasoning for the "cubified transformations" was to show that KSI really didn't fully understand the transformers technology.

I understand that they explained the cost saving measures with "plot".

News Credits: 462 · Mon Jul 14, 2014 4:17 pm

1PrimeProductions wrote:The reasoning for the "cubified transformations" was to show that KSI really didn't fully understand the transformers technology.

According to what source?

Mon Jul 14, 2014 4:28 pm

Sabrblade wrote:
1PrimeProductions wrote:The reasoning for the "cubified transformations" was to show that KSI really didn't fully understand the transformers technology.
According to what source?

If you think about it, it makes sense. The humans just started building transformers and it's very unlikely they knew exactly what they were doing.

After all, Megatron was able to take full control of his new body and the drones without anyone knowing. Also, when Joshua was showing that girl transformium, it didn't transform either. It "cubeformed" into other objects.

News Credits: 462 · Mon Jul 14, 2014 4:44 pm

1PrimeProductions wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:
1PrimeProductions wrote:The reasoning for the "cubified transformations" was to show that KSI really didn't fully understand the transformers technology.
According to what source?

If you think about it, it makes sense. The humans just started building transformers and it's very unlikely they knew exactly what they were doing. After all, Megatron was able to take full control of his new body and the drones without anyone knowing. Also, when Joshua was showing that girl transformium, it didn't transform either. It "cubeformed" into other objects.

My post was in response to your phrasing it like a confirmed fact, rather than as speculation.

Mon Jul 14, 2014 6:48 pm

Sabrblade wrote:
1PrimeProductions wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:
1PrimeProductions wrote:The reasoning for the "cubified transformations" was to show that KSI really didn't fully understand the transformers technology.
According to what source?

If you think about it, it makes sense. The humans just started building transformers and it's very unlikely they knew exactly what they were doing. After all, Megatron was able to take full control of his new body and the drones without anyone knowing. Also, when Joshua was showing that girl transformium, it didn't transform either. It "cubeformed" into other objects.
My post was in response to your phrasing it like a confirmed fact, rather than as speculation.

It may not have been DIRECTLY said by any character in AoE, but once again look at the scene with Joshua and that girl when he was showing her the transformium. It reacted the same way when it changed from thing to thing.

News Credits: 462 · Mon Jul 14, 2014 8:25 pm

1PrimeProductions wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:
1PrimeProductions wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:
1PrimeProductions wrote:The reasoning for the "cubified transformations" was to show that KSI really didn't fully understand the transformers technology.
According to what source?

If you think about it, it makes sense. The humans just started building transformers and it's very unlikely they knew exactly what they were doing. After all, Megatron was able to take full control of his new body and the drones without anyone knowing. Also, when Joshua was showing that girl transformium, it didn't transform either. It "cubeformed" into other objects.
My post was in response to your phrasing it like a confirmed fact, rather than as speculation.

It may not have been DIRECTLY said by any character in AoE, but once again look at the scene with Joshua and that girl when he was showing her the transformium. It reacted the same way when it changed from thing to thing.

Still, that's just your interpretation, one of many, not official.

Not saying it's "wrong", just that it's a guess.

News Credits: 668 · Tue Jul 15, 2014 5:34 am

Today we have a sighting for you, by Seibertron member Starscream.

The newly released Transformers themed Mr. Potato Head toys are available at Family Dollar, and for the low price of $5.00 each! The store was located in the Chicago area, so if the midwest is having these show up, they should be coastal soon, if not now.

The assortment he saw consisted of Optimus, Bumblebee and Grimlock. He also provided visual proof below:

If you find these or any new toys, please post your sightings here and help your fellow collector/fan out!

Keep your optics tuned to Seibertron.com for the latest in news and updates, plus the best galleries around!

News Credits: 3 · Tue Jul 15, 2014 8:34 am

dang. I saw these at my local family dollar a few months ago. I thought it was old stuff or else I would have reported it

Tue Jul 15, 2014 1:22 pm

My theory is that what the humans are creating aren't really Transformers; they're just blobs of Cybertronian metal programmed to vaguely resemble them. It's like making a Transformer out of Play-Doh. There's no panels shifting or anything because the entire robot just gets "molded" into a different form.

News Credits: 123 · Tue Jul 15, 2014 2:18 pm

Metro Prime wrote:My theory is that what the humans are creating aren't really Transformers; they're just blobs of Cybertronian metal programmed to vaguely resemble them. It's like making a Transformer out of Play-Doh. There's no panels shifting or anything because the entire robot just gets "molded" into a different form.

Wouldn't straight up T2-style transmutation be more technologically advanced than transformation?

Tue Jul 15, 2014 4:22 pm

Metro Prime wrote:My theory is that what the humans are creating aren't really Transformers; they're just blobs of Cybertronian metal programmed to vaguely resemble them. It's like making a Transformer out of Play-Doh. There's no panels shifting or anything because the entire robot just gets "molded" into a different form.

That's a pretty good theory. Makes a lot of sense especially since the transformium was programmable. Does anyone think that perhaps the transformium wasn't exactly "pure transformium?" I only say this because of the fact it didn't transform, but cubeformed.

News Credits: 5749 · Tue Jul 15, 2014 7:57 pm

eToysJapan has listed two new Transformers: Age of Extinction Platinum Editions sets. The first is an Optimus Prime with Trailer and bonus figure rumored to be Stinger. The second is a set of all five Dinobots rumored to have new darker colored decos. Each set is scheduled for release in October. Unfortunately the pre-orders only have silhouettes, but you can check them out below:

ransformers First Edition Optimus Prime + Trailer Platinum Set limited by Hasbro. Condition: Toy C-10.0 Box C-9.0 factory sealed. Pictures are for illustration only, actual product might be different.

Transformers Generation Dinobots 5 Pack Platinum Set limited by Hasbro. Condition: Toy C-10.0 Box C-9.0 factory sealed. Pictures are for illustration only, actual product might be different.

News Credits: 5749 · Tue Jul 15, 2014 8:04 pm

The Transformers Columbia Facebook page is at it again! This time they've posted official images of Transformers: Age of Extinction Deluxe Wave 3, which features Concept Camaro Bumblebee, Snarl, and Hot Shot. Enjoy the images mirrored below: