The Energon Pub

News Credits: 1 · Wed Mar 25, 2015 4:33 pm

If they don't reach the headshots Vol 1 level (and it does not look like they will) I'm lowering my pledge to just get the 2 TF homages.

I like enough about these figs to try 'em out. However, the figures I really want are all stretch goals so far in the stratosphere we will never see them. At least not as part of the KS.

News Credits: 402 · Updated Oct 21, 2022

Ringbot wrote:Hiring Frenzyrumble to paint their proto, who is known for scamming multiple TF fans, shows just how ignorant they are of the fanbase they want to milk.

That guy's still around? I thought the angry mob would've caught up with him by now.

News Credits: 12 · Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:20 pm

Wait, what? Did something happen with him?

News Credits: 10 · Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:55 pm

Mkall wrote:
Ringbot wrote:Hiring Frenzyrumble to paint their proto, who is known for scamming multiple TF fans, shows just how ignorant they are of the fanbase they want to milk.

That guy's still around? I thought the angry mob would've caught up with him by now.

Delta Magnus wrote:Wait, what? Did something happen with him?

FrenzyRumble? I think he's still on the hook for several customs. I think I remember hearing about him getting banned somewhere for not communicating with his customers. That was some time ago, I believe.

And "Ringbot" sounds a lot like another regular around here, without getting outright accusing...

News Credits: 5 · Wed Mar 25, 2015 10:34 pm

I have to agree with everything that is being said... PWTToo set out intentionally not to do TF homages because, A.) they were sick of the brand, and B.) IP issues and not wanting to step on Hasbro's toes. They tried to cater to a lot of fandoms because it would help bring in more customers, but also they have interest in other things. Unfortunately, they have nothing I actually want to buy besides Wastelander and Skull-FCKR whom will not be seeing the light of day with the KS funds. I want to support them for doing what they love, especially after what Hasbro pulled and the bullshit they're putting out now, but these toys do nothing for me besides having one as a novelty...

News Credits: 767 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 5:35 am

I'm taking back what I said, I no-longer think they'll unlock a good deal of their stretch-goals. I do think they'll get funded, but I don't think they'll make their stretch-goals.

I was a bit overwhelmed with all the figures they kept teasing and announcing, so I thought most of them were going to be part of the main thing, but they're literally all stretch goals. This is the same problem the Skeleton Warriors KS had, they only had one figure, with all the other characters being super extremely high stretch-goals.

If you look at the most successful toy kickstarters, they all had actual toy lines planed, with the funding going towards multiple figures, and the stretch-goals being extras.

But yes, they'll likely get funded, but won't make the stretch-goals.

News Credits: 33 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 5:54 am

News Credits: 33 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 5:58 am

I've decided i'm pulling out of the the project there's just to much other stuff i want to buy right now that i need so much more than these figures .

News Credits: 5 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 8:31 am

Agreed that it's overwhelming. I was originally going to fund them $100, but now I feel like I should use that money for other things...

Thu Mar 26, 2015 9:26 am

not feeling it at all...eventually a company might do more TF pretender options. Best of luck for PWTT but this lines not gonna be for me.

News Credits: 5 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 9:45 am

Ginrai Minor wrote:not feeling it at all...eventually a company might do more TF pretender options. Best of luck for PWTT but this lines not gonna be for me.

Yeah, that's the problem with creating an original line that's not really connected to anything... fans of other lines that were used as inspiration won't probably be interested, so you have to bank on appealing to new people and creating new fans.

News Credits: 14 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 10:32 am

Alert: Vaguely Related Post

I wonder if a Kickstarter would work well if someone produced a Voyager sized 'Seeker' in a 3-pack with all the 'relevant colour apps' but with the swappable parts option, assembled so as not to upset Hasbro and their IP?
Cheeky? Yes! Possible? Perhaps?

News Credits: 122 · Sun Mar 29, 2015 8:15 pm

Less than 2 hours to go, and they still need close to $12,000.

Guess we'll know if they make it soon enough...

News Credits: 5 · Sun Mar 29, 2015 8:47 pm

megatronus wrote:Less than 2 hours to go, and they still need close to $12,000.

Guess we'll know if they make it soon enough...

They plateaued hardcore... wow :-(

News Credits: 122 · Sun Mar 29, 2015 10:06 pm

Funding unsuccessful - 406 backers, with $71,625 out of the required $80,000 raised.

Well, that was interesting!

News Credits: 10 · Sun Mar 29, 2015 10:09 pm

Yeah, 90% funded. Not bad, but I don't have a lot of experience with these sorts of things. Perhaps they will try again with a smaller number of characters and more stretch goals? I think there is a lot to be learned from this attempt. I'd still like to see that Diablo homage on my desk.

On the other hand, my wallet is appreciating this outcome...

News Credits: 5 · Sun Mar 29, 2015 10:17 pm

So what happens? Do they proceed with what they got, or do people not get charged since they don't have the funding to produce what people backed for?

News Credits: 10 · Sun Mar 29, 2015 10:20 pm

Nothing gets charged to the backers. PWTToo doesn't have to pay Kickstarter either.

At this point, PWTToo has several options. They can certainly try again with another Kickstarter, or go the more traditional route, or give up altogether.

To me, this is one of the brilliant aspects of Kickstarter. There was really no risk to me as a backer. And PWTToo can go ahead with another project if they want to. They are really only out the money so far in prototypes, design work, and art. And perhaps any commissions they needed to put up.

News Credits: 122 · Sun Mar 29, 2015 10:23 pm

Agamemnon wrote:Nothing gets charged to the backers. PWTToo doesn't have to pay Kickstarter either.

At this point, PWTToo has several options. They can certainly try again with another Kickstarter, or go the more traditional route, or give up altogether.

To me, this is one of the brilliant aspects of Kickstarter. There was really no risk to me as a backer. And PWTToo can go ahead with another project if they want to. They are really only out the money so far in prototypes, design work, and art. And perhaps any commissions they needed to put up.

I was under the impression that once backers pledged money, that was it. Poof, it's gone. :-?

News Credits: 10 · Sun Mar 29, 2015 10:32 pm

megatronus wrote:
Agamemnon wrote:Nothing gets charged to the backers. PWTToo doesn't have to pay Kickstarter either.

At this point, PWTToo has several options. They can certainly try again with another Kickstarter, or go the more traditional route, or give up altogether.

To me, this is one of the brilliant aspects of Kickstarter. There was really no risk to me as a backer. And PWTToo can go ahead with another project if they want to. They are really only out the money so far in prototypes, design work, and art. And perhaps any commissions they needed to put up.

I was under the impression that once backers pledged money, that was it. Poof, it's gone.

Nope. Let me find the email from Kickstarter:

Kickstarter Email wrote:
Hi there,
Thanks for being a backer of Play With This Too - Lost Protectors Unfortunately, this project did not reach its funding goal by its deadline. Because funding on Kickstarter is all or nothing, your pledge of $145.00 USD has been automatically canceled and your card will not be charged.
The fact that you showed your support is still appreciated! If you’d like to follow along with the creator’s next steps, stay tuned to their updates You can even drop them an encouraging message or comment on their project page
Thanks again for supporting this project.

News Credits: 5 · Sun Mar 29, 2015 10:35 pm

I knew you weren't charged until it was over, so what Agamemnon says makes sense.
I'd like to see them do more obscure TransFormers, like the Vok and Botanica's crew... things that are TF related, but nothing Hasbro would really care that much about

Sun Mar 29, 2015 11:36 pm

megatronus wrote:
Agamemnon wrote:Nothing gets charged to the backers. PWTToo doesn't have to pay Kickstarter either.

At this point, PWTToo has several options. They can certainly try again with another Kickstarter, or go the more traditional route, or give up altogether.

To me, this is one of the brilliant aspects of Kickstarter. There was really no risk to me as a backer. And PWTToo can go ahead with another project if they want to. They are really only out the money so far in prototypes, design work, and art. And perhaps any commissions they needed to put up.

I was under the impression that once backers pledged money, that was it. Poof, it's gone.

Some other crowd funding sites are like that, but with KS the project has to meet the stated goal within the allotted time.

I believe Scaleface stated in this thread a few times regarding KS' policy of collecting funds.

News Credits: 767 · Mon Mar 30, 2015 3:12 am

A shame, they should try it again, just this time with four guaranteed figures + the kickstarter exclusives and a couple of cool stretch-goals, with at least the second stretch-goal being a new mold.
And this time not announced like 50 thousand figures and overwhelm everyone with that.

News Credits: 12 · Mon Mar 30, 2015 4:12 am

Well that's a pity. Still I doubt this is the last we'll be seeing of these guys. They've clearly put a lot of work into it and I'd hate to see it go to waste.

Mon Mar 30, 2015 10:03 am

I wasn't a big fan of this at first but the more I ready and saw of it the more I liked it. Then I pledged some funds to the project...I am super bummed they didn't make it. I hope they do another kickstarter.