The Energon Pub

News Credits: 11 · Thu Apr 24, 2014 8:30 am

Parts-forming is probably hated because if you loose an "essential" piece, the figure will probably more likely look weird. I've always been a big fan of parts-forming figures! Maybe it is just the nostalgia or perhaps the thrill of going through friend's old childhood toy boxes, swap meets, eBay and now Botcon to complete a figure. I am all for it... so YAY!

News Credits: 6188 · Thu Apr 24, 2014 8:31 am

MightyMagnus78 wrote:
Burn wrote:
MightyMagnus78 wrote:That's a fantastic idea, and with the 30th anniversary coming up it's probably the right time to do it.

Why stop there. You should do your own thrilling thirty but with a 'then' and 'now' comparison?

Sounds like too much work.

I'll get Va'al to do it.

We can talk about this.. :-?

News Credits: 3 · Thu Apr 24, 2014 8:31 am

Fire Convoy/RID Optimus Prime gets a pass because prior to 2000 he was various animals or about 5 years.

I think during the time of his release we overlooked the whole parts forming issue for him and Ultra Magnus. Armada Optimus Prime is a slightly different case since his parts forming was switching pants. Cybertron Optimus Prime I think takes the cake and the gold because he has so many homages going on at once again you forget his full mode is also parts forming.

I have no problem with parts forming so as long that is the accurate way of creating the toy from it's show, comic, or design.

News Credits: 3 · Thu Apr 24, 2014 8:43 am

I thought the description for MP Ultra Magnus stated that it can be transformed without parts-forming, while also having the cab able to transform into the smaller robot separately if desired?

News Credits: 12 · Thu Apr 24, 2014 9:06 am

MR Optimus Prime wrote:I thought the description for MP Ultra Magnus stated that it can be transformed without parts-forming, while also having the cab able to transform into the smaller robot separately if desired?

That's what I read.

News Credits: 2 · Thu Apr 24, 2014 9:18 am

For me, parts forming has a valid place in TF toy design when the parts are incorporated in multi use purposes.

Fire Convoy/RiD Optimus Prime is a great example of parts forming done well. You aren't left with an assortment of loose pieces of a toy if you decide not to armour up Optimus. The extra parts can be used to create a battle station.

Thu Apr 24, 2014 9:43 am

For me it's simple, and the RID and Cybertron Primes you showed I have no issue with.

The simple question is: Can at least the basic robot be formed without removing parts and placing them somewhere else?

If the answer is "Yes", it's good in my book. In the case of Cybertron / Galaxy Force Prime (I don't have RID, I dunno), only the super mode 'backpack' is partsforming - and that's only for the calf pieces. The rest is one big block.

However, if the entire thing is basically a LEGO set, like (in my ever so humble opinion) Energon Omega Supreme and repaints... umm, no thank you.

Gun is a part of the alt mode but partsforms to fit the hand? No problem. Arms and legs partsform? No thank you.

I should note that numerous G1's get a "bye" on this, simply because the toy engineering wasn't there, and even the entire "transforming robot" paradigm hadn't settled. G1 Omega Supreme, the fists/hips/chestplate of Devastator, I can deal with those simply because of what they represented to future figs.

News Credits: 1 · Thu Apr 24, 2014 9:54 am

I have no issue with parts-forming as long as all parts are incorporated in the various modes.

Where I really dislike parts-forming is in the case of the old G1 stuff where I needed a bag to store all the extra bits that were essential to one mode or the other, typically bot mode.

For some G1 figures, especially the gestalts, they at least tried to incorporate the extras into "battle modes". Things like seeker hands are the extra parts that really bugged me.

RID Prime is an example of good parts-forming. Like G1 Ultra Magnus, all the parts form an armor around a central bot. It is a warrior donning an extra suit of armor, not "Oh, crap! Where is my left hand?"

Thu Apr 24, 2014 10:16 am

I dislike parts forming. I would rather have everything attached. It's harder to lose pieces and easier to display figures that way. Don't get me wrong, it won't dissuade me from buying a figure though.

News Credits: 23 · Thu Apr 24, 2014 10:24 am

I love parts-formers, allows for greater engineering on a figure without worrying about the extra parts until later

News Credits: 12 · Thu Apr 24, 2014 11:41 am

This makes me want an RiD Optimus.

Thu Apr 24, 2014 11:45 am

Ugh, RID Omega Prime I would actually say is one example of parts forming NOT to follow due to poor weight distribution and insecure connection points caused by a weird spinal structure, as well as several other compromises to accommodate it all.

As a general rule though the only places I tolerate parts-formers is in combiners and armor up type characters, and in both cases only so long as the individual mechs don't require parts-forming to convert back and forth between their base robot and alternate modes.

Ultra Magnus is something of a conundrum in this regard as I realize what would otherwise be considered his armored up mode is actually portrayed as his true robot mode in most primary fiction, but at the end of the day there's no denying G1 Magnus is a white Convoy in a big suit, or... well a white somebody in a big suit if IDW is anything to go off of.

News Credits: 8 · Thu Apr 24, 2014 12:25 pm

I tend to run on a case-by-case basis, but in general, I;m not a fan. Now, caes like RID Landfill guys where a shovel becomes a weapon, I'm fine with. And I think the reason we are okay with RID Prime is because there's a perfectly acceptable robot mode in there without cheating. And one that is "acceptable". as Optimus Prime.

On the other hand, I sold my CIty Commander and Ultra Magnus figures. He looked cool, but he was more annoying to me to transform than anyhing else because of all the pieces. And yes, "Naked Magnus" is an acceptable figure on its own, but its not "Ultra Magnus" like we see all the time. Its like seeing your favorite Football player without 300lbs of shoulder pads. Different person. If I have to transform someone with that many steps, I'd rather see it integrated. And Fire Prime, I tended to leave him unassembled anyway, but we also saw his basic mode as much as we saw the armor mode, so its a different case. (for me)

News Credits: 8 · Thu Apr 24, 2014 12:29 pm

GuyIncognito wrote:
MR Optimus Prime wrote:I thought the description for MP Ultra Magnus stated that it can be transformed without parts-forming, while also having the cab able to transform into the smaller robot separately if desired?

That's what I read.

Right now, as far as we can tell, MP22 is a large-scale Titaniums Ultra Magnus

News Credits: 8 · Thu Apr 24, 2014 1:53 pm

Parts-forming doesnt bother me if done right but i still prefer non part formers. G1 seekers & power/headmasters are the best examples of bad part formers, needing to take important parts like hands off then set them aside somewhere to play with the alt mode is a terrible idea. In the case of the masters needing a part to allow it to transform or be a complete robot is a really bad idea, the point of a transformer is to transform it from alt to robot but you cant do that if you lose the toys little buddy. And if its a head master then you have a headless robot, some might find this appealing but i dont. Yes i know some of you are saying "just press the little button" & "they make replacements now" but thats not the point here and back in the day we didnt have 3rd party replacements.

Now on the other hand when done right you can get a pretty cool figure, case in point RID prime. Everything sites nice and neat in alt mode but then when you transform him you can have either a robot & a base or just a giant robot. Nothing is just thrown aside to sit there & get lost like G1 prowls shoulder launchers or the extra parts needed to for a gestalt. RID magnus is another good example, you take the trailer off but it turns into his legs so again not sitting for long. Id rather see parts-forming become a thing of the past cause theres always that chance something is going to get lost or broken but as long as we dont get anymore G1 style ones i can live with it.

News Credits: 226 · Thu Apr 24, 2014 3:09 pm

joevill wrote:Maybe it is just the nostalgia or perhaps the thrill of going through friend's old childhood toy boxes, swap meets, eBay and now Botcon to complete a figure.

When I got back into collecting TF's a bit over ten years ago, this was one of the things I enjoyed most. Tracking down all those little bits and pieces to slowly complete a figure.

That being said, Scorponok was a bitch to complete because prices for his smaller parts are ridiculous!

Thu Apr 24, 2014 7:14 pm

Yay.

Parts-forming has it's charm. Omega, Super Fire Convoy, nor Ginrai, would never be as interesting to me, without the quality of splitting into a couple dozen pieces, then magically reconstituting in thin air.

;)^

Thu Apr 24, 2014 7:42 pm

parts forming works well with add on armour, combiners, city bots and bases like omega supreme
but since the early days there were advances in engineering so no need for fist or any small piece to be removed for transformation, i'm all for it. What i am not for is shellformers!

Thu Apr 24, 2014 9:48 pm

Ultra Markus wrote:parts forming works well with add on armour, combiners, city bots and bases like omega supreme
but since the early days there were advances in engineering so no need for fist or any small piece to be removed for transformation, i'm all for it. What i am not for is shellformers!

The two non-gimmick traits that I don't like:- Shellforming and Faux Parts.

Shellforming is just too lazy. And Faux Parts is cheating beyond a normal form of cheating. Which is why I hate DOTM primes.

Thu Apr 24, 2014 10:24 pm

zwann wrote:
Ultra Markus wrote:parts forming works well with add on armour, combiners, city bots and bases like omega supreme
but since the early days there were advances in engineering so no need for fist or any small piece to be removed for transformation, i'm all for it. What i am not for is shellformers!

The two non-gimmick traits that I don't like:- Shellforming and Faux Parts.

Shellforming is just too lazy. And Faux Parts is cheating beyond a normal form of cheating. Which is why I hate DOTM primes.

Oh yeah, i forgot about the Faux parts i really don't like those either!
a good example: Prime Smokescreen

News Credits: 12 · Fri Apr 25, 2014 12:04 pm

I find partsforming quite annoying myself. I like the idea of a Transformer toy being able to "believably" transform in one piece without swapping bits and pieces. It just bugs me.

That said, I don't mind partsforming so much when the bits actually have somewhere to go. RID prime, for example, has his base mode, which is pretty cool and a good way of keeping everything together.

I'd say one example of partsforming done sort of right but wrong in other ways is the Fansproject Bruticus. Combined, he's awesome. However, the individual robot modes are somewhat terrible with all those bits of combiner stuck onto them. The fact that you have to swap weapons between the individual bots when transforming them from robot to vehicle mode (so essentially you can't transform one without transforming them all) is really annoying, and I can't help but feel the robots were sort of used as dumping grounds for the parts.

Swindle and Blast Off aren't so bad, as they just need to have their own weapon and one extra weapon (I give Swindle a bazooka and Blast Off one of the hand things, which I like to think are multi-barreled flamethrowers) but Vortex has his massive shoulder rocket pods which, whilst cool on paper, are a pain in the arse- especially in copter mode, Brawl just looks kinda goofy duel wielding enormous guns (although the tank mode looks a lot better with the bazookas instead of the recommended rifles) and Onslaught comes out by far the worst, with a great big double-barreled cannon that strains even his might arm ratchets and also has that irritating crotch-plate (which loves to fall off), a gun whose stock stops him from holding it forward, and those Unicron-spawned rocket pods/feet, which NEVER STAY ON HIS SHOULDERS and also severely restrict arm articulation. To his credit, the vehicle mode is brilliant and manages to be totally different from his (already cool) missile truck mode.

It's a shame, because the parts are really good quality, the 2 robots are really good (with the exception of Blast off's loose waist...) and aside from the habit of falling apart, the combined mode is great. But the fact that the individual Combaticons end up being hindered so much is a let down, as is the massive amount of parts leprosy required when transforming any of the Combaticons into any other mode. Now I know most people will just display him in combined mode, but for me as someone who cherishes and plays with his toys, that's not good enough. If I just wanted a really big robot I'd get a single big robot. The whole point of a combiner is that it's multiple toys that turn into one bigger toy.

It's still a good set, and I commend it for what it did right, but the partsforming majorly detracted from it in my book.