The Energon Pub

All of us here on these forums like one thing: Transformers. But I honestly can't believe that our opinions on things are so different. One thing I can't get a grasp on is how my opinion on toys is completely different than everyone else's.

Take a look at Armada Sideswipe. I'm pretty confident that everyone here hates this toy's existence. But if you actually take a look at it, it's actually not too bad. Is Movie Deluxe Brawl any better than it? Perhaps worse?

Now we come to my point.... For months I've searched for Movie Deluxe Bumblebee and Arcee simply because a whole storm of you guys here believed that these two were great. And since I live in Alberta, I waited and waited for it's arrival. When they finally came, Bumblebee and Arcee weren't even that good. Just the hype of the toys wasn't what I expected it to be. A week later I bought Longarm.. and when I opened it I was jumping for joy. Heck, the toy wasn't even half-bad.. and in fact, I'm thinking it's better than BB and Arcee.

Why did I think like that?

It's because the opinions of others is just so influential. When I first came to this forum, I claimed that it was great to have the opinions of others like me, so I could avoid figures that may be bad. But over time, I've realized that opinions are just opinions. They shouldn't affect what you buy, because you might end up liking it. What I propose to everyone is that we should be less subjective and more objective towards toys. Sure.. BB might be 'awesome' and 'the best', but why not simply say it's 'alot more articulated than the rest of the deluxes?'. I also think that we should give figures a chance. If we personally don't own a figure and just make remarks on it just from looking at a one-angle picture, than subjective opinions like 'horrible' or 'ugly' shouldn't even be typed!

Hahaha.. wow, anyways.. I dont even know why I rambled there. My main message is.. Get Longarm. It's a half-decent figure, really under-rated, and it has a big-arse weapon!

:d

Cheers

I agree that when people start threads like "worst molds of the century" they are inviting opinions that have no basis past personal taste.

I dont mind the opinions, but a little more explanation than "Energon Snowcat sucks" would be helpful.

I stayed away from that mold at first despite how much I liked it, simply because a lot of posters ripped on him. I am glad to say that I eventually bought him anyway and love him. Snowcat is a great homage to gijoe, and is one of the few snow vehicle transformers.
His look in bot mode is very G1 and he has great little details like the ice frosted windows.

Take opinions with a grain of salt, you could be missing out on something great.

Really good post, and I agree with you. I've found that I like molds that alot of other people don't like, i.e. Titanium Soundwave. I am also in agreement with you that CC Bumblebee is highly overrated. But that is my opinion and it differs from most others.

Blurrz wrote:All of us here on these forums like one thing: Transformers. But I honestly can't believe that our opinions on things are so different. One thing I can't get a grasp on is how my opinion on toys is completely different than everyone else's.

Take a look at Armada Sideswipe. I'm pretty confident that everyone here hates this toy's existence. But if you actually take a look at it, it's actually not too bad. Is Movie Deluxe Brawl any better than it? Perhaps worse?

Now we come to my point.... For months I've searched for Movie Deluxe Bumblebee and Arcee simply because a whole storm of you guys here believed that these two were great. And since I live in Alberta, I waited and waited for it's arrival. When they finally came, Bumblebee and Arcee weren't even that good. Just the hype of the toys wasn't what I expected it to be. A week later I bought Longarm.. and when I opened it I was jumping for joy. Heck, the toy wasn't even half-bad.. and in fact, I'm thinking it's better than BB and Arcee.

Why did I think like that?

It's because the opinions of others is just so influential. When I first came to this forum, I claimed that it was great to have the opinions of others like me, so I could avoid figures that may be bad. But over time, I've realized that opinions are just opinions. They shouldn't affect what you buy, because you might end up liking it. What I propose to everyone is that we should be less subjective and more objective towards toys. Sure.. BB might be 'awesome' and 'the best', but why not simply say it's 'alot more articulated than the rest of the deluxes?'. I also think that we should give figures a chance. If we personally don't own a figure and just make remarks on it just from looking at a one-angle picture, than subjective opinions like 'horrible' or 'ugly' shouldn't even be typed!

Hahaha.. wow, anyways.. I dont even know why I rambled there. My main message is.. Get Longarm. It's a half-decent figure, really under-rated, and it has a big-arse weapon!

:d

Cheers

Your opinion is absolutely right. Get Longarm. If posed right his weapon makes him as tall as Voyager Prime.

All you've got to do is look for reviews that are more informative than opinionated, and some nice galleries.

it's all about doing your homework before you make a purchase.

It's all about knowing who's opinion to take, and who's to take outside and shoot.

You're right, you should never just blindly accept someone else's opinion as gospel. However, opinions are, by their very nature, subjective.

What I have tried to do is identify those fellow Seibertronians who OFTEN share my point of view, as well as those who's opinions are very different from my own. If someone who's OPINION I trust to be close to my own says they like or don't like something, then I might assume that I will feel the same way. But, I'm still going to do my own evaluation.

Of course, others' opinions are actually becoming LESS important to me, as I seem to be becoming more and more "completist" as time goes by, for the simple reason that there have been figures that *I* judged as not worth buying in the past, but now wish that I owned. So I'm buying figures that I'm not sure of, and just leaving them mint in their packaging, and I'll look at them again in, say, a year, and see if there are any new online photogalleries or reviews that might change my mind about opening them up and checking them out for myself.

I would rather have a figure I'm currently unsure about and just sell it next year if I still don't like the look of it, then to have to hunt something down that turns out to be cooler than it initially seemed to me.

i agree w/ u. okay, there are a few guys that i dont like but i will never make a post "making fun" (in my eyes) of people who like it. like the tits. soundwave is REALLY cool. if you collapse in his legs and it is the thighs and the big blocks he is great. people hated the fallen becuase he couldn't pose very well. he is awesome! he looks better standing straight up!i hate CC BB. mine falls apart and is a pain in the ass to transform. but i do like swindle/camshaft. he is cool in my eyes. he is a decent toy. he is fairly pose-able and has a big cannon! just becuase of the weird head people didn't like him! tit. megatron (G2) was cool too! his legs fall of but they can always be re-atached!! the whole animated thing: G1-ers are hating it! i love it! if you go in with a clean mind, fresh with new ideas maybe you will like it too! so there you have it!

The longer you collect the more you can trust your own judgment. I know I make fewer bad decisions than I did when i first came back to TFs.

Realise that people have very different criteria for judging a toy. For example, strictly as a piece of toy engineering, I can see why many dislike Energon Snowcat. But the GI Joe homage, the head sculpt and the ski gimmick make it worthwhile to me.

I agree that movie BB was somewhat overhyped, but that had a lot to do with so many being unable to find it. As for movie Arcee, I actually think the general fan reaction was more negative than positive, along the lines of 'great bike mode (but why isn't she a pink car?), passable robot mode but fugly head'.

Wow, that's a good shot from the hip if I've ever read one. Good on ya!

I'll save you the efforts, Landmine is the only other figure in the line worth looking for.

Your welcome.

I agree with you 100% with you on this. Here's the thing on transformers or really anything to be honest, Everyone has opinions on what they like and dis-like. opinions are NOT fact they are more like suggestions.

For Example, if you go to a movie that may have a bad review or two. You MAY like it, may not. I find it's best to step aside from the crowd and follow my own thoughts about if I really want such and such or not.

I'm glad you brought this to people's attention because this has been needed to be heard for some time now.

Thank you,

-0ptimus__Prime

Blurrz wrote:What I propose to everyone is that we should be less subjective and more objective towards toys. Sure.. BB might be 'awesome' and 'the best', but why not simply say it's 'alot more articulated than the rest of the deluxes?'. I also think that we should give figures a chance. If we personally don't own a figure and just make remarks on it just from looking at a one-angle picture, than subjective opinions like 'horrible' or 'ugly' shouldn't even be typed!

I've both written and read reviews that went out of their way to be objective, and I've come to the conclusion that it makes for pretty dull going. I'm passionate about transformers, and trying to be fair about it takes away from the enthusiasm. Y'know?

Opinions will always be subjective, but it's always worth trying to break things down a bit; explain why you feel that way about a figure. It's okay to think it sucks, if you can elaborate on that and give your reasons.

No one's opinion is gospel. Despite all the grand pronouncements fans like to make about this or that, ultimately, it amounts to nothing more than an individual's opinion. So let's hear it for strong opinions! Love to high heaven, hate to death, ... anything beats indifference!

Wow. Impressive post Blurrz. And like everyone else I agree with you 100% myself. I only pay attention to other people's opinions or reviews just to get a feel of what the fandom is feeling for a figure. I picked up Armada Sideswipe myself when it was released. Do I like him? Meh, he's alright. Do I hate the figure? No, not really since I like his car mode quite a bit.

Bottom line, I go with what appeals to me via pictures and the look of the figure when it's on the shelf. Even then, sure there are some that if I could go back I'd have left them on the shelf. But in the end, I exercise my choice and make my own decision on a TF.