The Energon Pub

A kick-ass Liokaizer!

I did and still do think that Hotspot was a real cool toy. Plus IIRC Defensor was the first combiner to intergrate the head of the gestalt robot into the body of the commander instead of snap on style. Very cool. Unfourtunantly the other four toys sucked. It could be cool if they do it well but the componants of Defensor are kinda odd balls.

One leg is an ambulance and the other is a motorcycle. Then a helicopter and a car for arms. Its a scale nightmare.

Why I like the stunticons, 4 cars and a badass truck. Huge potential for awesomeness

Deffo up for a Computron. I'd like to see fansproject or perfect effect. They're both really good at the angular, futuristic look.

I'll also point out that Computron was my least favorite G1 Combiner.

At this point I'd like the state that I would only buy a combiner that is based on a G1 US released combiner, Dinoking being the exception. That being said, I'm not going to buy every piece of crap that comes down the line. A Dinobot combiner? Oh hell no. On the other hand, if somebody came up with a clever way to make Groove have a sidecar that added bulk to Defensors leg, I'd be all over it!

zodconvoy wrote:At this point I'd like the state that I would only buy a combiner that is based on a G1 US released combiner, Dinoking being the exception. That being said, I'm not going to buy every piece of crap that comes down the line. A Dinobot combiner? Oh hell no. On the other hand, if somebody came up with a clever way to make Groove have a sidecar that added bulk to Defensors leg, I'd be all over it!

I think I'm at the point where I'm only going to get G1 homages from 3rd parties. I don't really want to scramble about for figures that have no emotional ties to me.

Now if Hasbro were to put out something cool and original that would be different (and cheaper).

The only other combiner I can see myself paying Hercules-sized money for at this point would be Predaking. Having modernized Voyager-sized versions of his component members would be utterly amazing!

I'm tentatively interested in the heavily-rumored Fansproject Menasor, though how interested is going to depend on how they execute it and the relative and absolute sizes of the component robots (the fact that the cars that made up the limbs were completely out of scale with Motormaster was always a turn-off for the original set). There's no way that is going to be an over $500 purchase, though.

I'd probably also bite on more G1-ish versions of Onslaught, Brawl and Vortex to go with Munitioner and Explorer.

Most of the rest of the American-released combiners have components that are all over the place as far as the relative scales of their components in vehicle mode (I'm looking at your absolutely-mammoth-motorcycle-limbs, Defensor and Computron). This is not a problem with Abominus or Piranicon, but I don't have enough emotional resonance with the originals to want to pay big bucks for them unless they had utterly extraordinary individual robot modes.

So, Predaking it is. Who's going to make one for me?

(I know iGear teased a Predaking at one point, but if one were to jump at everything iGear teased one would have a permanent case of blueballs....)

metaphorge wrote:The only other combiner I can see myself paying Hercules-sized money for at this point would be Predaking. Having modernized Voyager-sized versions of his component members would be utterly amazing!

True enough. He is the only one I'd be interested in at a slightly larger scale.

metaphorge wrote:I'm tentatively interested in the heavily-rumored Fansproject Menasor, though how interested is going to depend on how they execute it and the relative and absolute sizes of the component robots (the fact that the cars that made up the limbs were completely out of scale with Motormaster was always a turn-off for the original set). There's no way that is going to be an over $500 purchase, though.

FP would make it similar to the Crossfire set for Bruticus. It wouldn't surprise me if each of the four cars came with the few pieces of Motormaster's trailer that are the combiner kibble just to spread the price around to keep the limbs at around $50 like Munitioner & Explorer and Motormaster at the $80-95 range like Defender and City Commander & Protector were. I wouldn't expect their Menasor to cost more than $250 shipped.

metaphorge wrote:Most of the rest of the American-released combiners have components that are all over the place as far as the relative scales of their components in vehicle mode (I'm looking at your absolutely-mammoth-motorcycle-limbs, Defensor and Computron). This is not a problem with Abominus or Piranicon, but I don't have enough emotional resonance with the originals to want to pay big bucks for them unless they had utterly extraordinary individual robot modes.

Like I said earlier, a sidecar would do Groove a world of good. Not really enough to balance out an ambulance but it would be a start. Afterburner gets a pas from me on scale due to having a cockpit. There really is no way to know how big he's supposed to be!

zodconvoy wrote:

metaphorge wrote:I'm tentatively interested in the heavily-rumored Fansproject Menasor, though how interested is going to depend on how they execute it and the relative and absolute sizes of the component robots (the fact that the cars that made up the limbs were completely out of scale with Motormaster was always a turn-off for the original set). There's no way that is going to be an over $500 purchase, though.

FP would make it similar to the Crossfire set for Bruticus. It wouldn't surprise me if each of the four cars came with the few pieces of Motormaster's trailer that are the combiner kibble just to spread the price around to keep the limbs at around $50 like Munitioner & Explorer and Motormaster at the $80-95 range like Defender and City Commander & Protector were. I wouldn't expect their Menasor to cost more than $250 shipped.

Those are my thoughts as well. The bonus is that the individual cars/limbs would scale well with Windcharger and (eventually) the Incredible Shrinking Deluxe cars Hasbro is putting out.

I wonder if Hasbro will start over with G1 cars in their new, smaller default scale? At least then they'd all actually be in scale with Voyager Optimus Primes for a change....

zodconvoy wrote:

metaphorge wrote:Most of the rest of the American-released combiners have components that are all over the place as far as the relative scales of their components in vehicle mode (I'm looking at your absolutely-mammoth-motorcycle-limbs, Defensor and Computron).

Like I said earlier, a sidecar would do Groove a world of good. Not really enough to balance out an ambulance but it would be a start. Afterburner gets a pas from me on scale due to having a cockpit. There really is no way to know how big he's supposed to be!

That's how I always sort-of justified Afterburner as well.

In truth, if a third-party wanted to tackle either Defensor or Computron it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all if they changed Groove's and Afterburner's alt-modes into something that fits in better with the rest of their respective teams' vehicle scales, though they'd still have to be relatively inexpensive for me to want to bite.

Predaking & Devastator>Bruticus>Menasor>wannabees

If they're going to be $100 per bot, I'm honestly not sure how much interest I'd have in the others. There's definitely interest, but probably not at that price.

zodconvoy wrote:FP would make it similar to the Crossfire set for Bruticus. It wouldn't surprise me if each of the four cars came with the few pieces of Motormaster's trailer that are the combiner kibble just to spread the price around to keep the limbs at around $50 like Munitioner & Explorer and Motormaster at the $80-95 range like Defender and City Commander & Protector were. I wouldn't expect their Menasor to cost more than $250 shipped.

but... $(50 x 4 Cars/Limbs)+85-90 > $250

craggy wrote:

zodconvoy wrote:FP would make it similar to the Crossfire set for Bruticus. It wouldn't surprise me if each of the four cars came with the few pieces of Motormaster's trailer that are the combiner kibble just to spread the price around to keep the limbs at around $50 like Munitioner & Explorer and Motormaster at the $80-95 range like Defender and City Commander & Protector were. I wouldn't expect their Menasor to cost more than $250 shipped.

but... $(50 x 4 Cars/Limbs)+85-90 > $250

I low-balled the Motormaster price at $80 and went with BBTS POL shipping for the estimate. Sue me.

Now that I ponder, yeah. I'd go for American combiners first. Scale... see the sig. Doesn't matter to me, but a sidecar for Groove? Yeah.

zodconvoy wrote:

craggy wrote:
but... $(50 x 4 Cars/Limbs)+85-90 > $250

I low-balled the Motormaster price at $80 and went with BBTS POL shipping for the estimate. Sue me.

I would, but if I understand what you think you're saying, then you'll probably have no money to make it worth my while.

Kibble wrote:If they're going to be $100 per bot, I'm honestly not sure how much interest I'd have in the others. There's definitely interest, but probably not at that price.

After finalizing Hercules, and gearing up for Giant, I'm definitely feeling burn out over purchasing several premium-priced figures to create a team. Also, knowing that a Sixshot, Megatron, and Shockwave are on the horizon and will hit the $100 price point... yeah, gotta start being more discerning in my purchases.

I've been such a big fan of the Stunticons and really hope that FP is working on this project and will be available before the end of the year.

New question: what do you all think about the distribution of these 3rd party combiner sets? Do you prefer picking up individual figures (TFC's Hercules), "packs" of figures (FP's Bruticus upgrade or MakeToys' Giant), or do you want to drop it all on a single gift set (MakeToys' rumored green Giant)?

It was easier for me to spend $100 x 6 in intervals rather than dropping $600 at once, but was this pattern and rushing to meet deadlines a factor in some of the issues reported with individual Hercules' figures? Would waiting until they had prototypes of all group members and some rigorous QC testing have prevented some of these issues? Imagine the outrage if, when purchasing a gift set, multiple QC issues were identified spread against all figures.

craggy wrote:

zodconvoy wrote:

craggy wrote:
but... $(50 x 4 Cars/Limbs)+85-90 > $250

I low-balled the Motormaster price at $80 and went with BBTS POL shipping for the estimate. Sue me.

I would, but if I understand what you think you're saying, then you'll probably have no money to make it worth my while.

Ah, damn it. I see what I did now. Okay, $300. I'm trying to put furniture together and keep up with the thread at the same time.

necr0blivion wrote:

Kibble wrote:If they're going to be $100 per bot, I'm honestly not sure how much interest I'd have in the others. There's definitely interest, but probably not at that price.

After finalizing Hercules, and gearing up for Giant, I'm definitely feeling burn out over purchasing several premium-priced figures to create a team. Also, knowing that a Sixshot, Megatron, and Shockwave are on the horizon and will hit the $100 price point... yeah, gotta start being more discerning in my purchases.

I've been such a big fan of the Stunticons and really hope that FP is working on this project and will be available before the end of the year.

New question: what do you all think about the distribution of these 3rd party combiner sets? Do you prefer picking up individual figures (TFC's Hercules), "packs" of figures (FP's Bruticus upgrade or MakeToys' Giant), or do you want to drop it all on a single gift set (MakeToys' rumored green Giant)?

It was easier for me to spend $100 x 6 in intervals rather than dropping $600 at once, but was this pattern and rushing to meet deadlines a factor in some of the issues reported with individual Hercules' figures? Would waiting until they had prototypes of all group members and some rigorous QC testing have prevented some of these issues? Imagine the outrage if, when purchasing a gift set, multiple QC issues were identified spread against all figures.

I agree with spreading it out, it made buying Herc easy for me. No way I would have been able to pay $600 at once (or even $250). I don't think they had to rush to meet deadlines, but they did. They had early prototypes of all of the figures very early on, but I guess they just didn't play with them enough to find all of the QC problems. Thankfully they rectified most of them and they were easy fixes for the most part.

I'd totally pay $600 (or more) for a new Computron set, but I would prefer that they kept Afterburner as-is (I don't care about 'scale' when referring to a vehicle that is totally fictional and futuristic by design.

I don't like the staggered approach one bit...especially if we're dealing with unfinished product! While I love Herc, I'm still pissed about the black blade deal and don't blame anyone if they're upset about the green drum. It probably wouldn't have been enough to pass on it altogether, but I'd definitely be less butt-hurt had I known before I was already 'pot committed' there was something I strongly disliked about it and had the opportunity to say no thanks. Not to mention it probably ended up costing at least an extra $50 in shipping being staggered. You could just as easily buy the thing up front on a CC and pay that extra $50 in interest paying it off slowly.

craggy wrote:

Delicon wrote:I'd be up for just about any of the G1 Combiner teams as klong as they are made by HASBRO. I know it's something they have shied away from for a while, but if history has taught us anything, never say never.

Am I the only one who thinks that Hercules is the biggest rip-off in the history of Transformers (3rd party or otherwise?)

I'm curious as to why you'd think, in the 3rd party toys and knock-offs forum, that they'd have to be made by Hasbro? Do you consider Hasbro to be the best at creating the kinds of toys you want to see, and delivering on them? Is it a price thing? It sure as slag can't be an availability thing.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be able to go into TRU and pick up a set of Hasbro Stunticons/Predacons/Seacons/Koalabots combiners, and pay maybe £80 for a big ol' robot made up of other cool robots. I even believe that Hasbro could, if they wanted to, make one that was as good, and better, than the various 3rd party offerings we've had to date. I don't, however, believe that Hasbro has any intention of doing so.

Yes, suddenly I don't seem so crazy...

Delicon wrote:

craggy wrote:

Delicon wrote:I'd be up for just about any of the G1 Combiner teams as klong as they are made by HASBRO. I know it's something they have shied away from for a while, but if history has taught us anything, never say never.

Am I the only one who thinks that Hercules is the biggest rip-off in the history of Transformers (3rd party or otherwise?)

I'm curious as to why you'd think, in the 3rd party toys and knock-offs forum, that they'd have to be made by Hasbro? Do you consider Hasbro to be the best at creating the kinds of toys you want to see, and delivering on them? Is it a price thing? It sure as slag can't be an availability thing.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be able to go into TRU and pick up a set of Hasbro Stunticons/Predacons/Seacons/Koalabots combiners, and pay maybe £80 for a big ol' robot made up of other cool robots. I even believe that Hasbro could, if they wanted to, make one that was as good, and better, than the various 3rd party offerings we've had to date. I don't, however, believe that Hasbro has any intention of doing so.

Yes, suddenly I don't seem so crazy...

actually, this most recent comment makes you seem more so. Recently revealed official FOC Bruticus doesn't change the facts at the time either of us made our original posts, nor does the reveal change my opinion that your post was either trolling or misunderstanding of the terms "knock off" and "3rd party".

Kibble wrote:I don't like the staggered approach one bit...especially if we're dealing with unfinished product! While I love Herc, I'm still pissed about the black blade deal and don't blame anyone if they're upset about the green drum. It probably wouldn't have been enough to pass on it altogether, but I'd definitely be less butt-hurt had I known before I was already 'pot committed' there was something I strongly disliked about it and had the opportunity to say no thanks. Not to mention it probably ended up costing at least an extra $50 in shipping being staggered. You could just as easily buy the thing up front on a CC and pay that extra $50 in interest paying it off slowly.

Good points. For the first issue, I'd say play it safe and wait next time to see what all final versions in the set will look like and for the shipping issue, I bought them off of BBTS so they went into my POL with many other purchases, which saved me a bunch on shipping.

Of course, it's tough to wait on something like this when staggered because we also never know how many they'll produce and by the time the last figure in a set gets released, the first figure or two might be sold out and out of production. I still suspect there's more coming for Herc though, as I stated earlier, and that might include a purple barrel, but I doubt they'll replace the black shovel.

craggy wrote:

Delicon wrote:

craggy wrote:

Delicon wrote:I'd be up for just about any of the G1 Combiner teams as klong as they are made by HASBRO. I know it's something they have shied away from for a while, but if history has taught us anything, never say never.

Am I the only one who thinks that Hercules is the biggest rip-off in the history of Transformers (3rd party or otherwise?)

I'm curious as to why you'd think, in the 3rd party toys and knock-offs forum, that they'd have to be made by Hasbro? Do you consider Hasbro to be the best at creating the kinds of toys you want to see, and delivering on them? Is it a price thing? It sure as slag can't be an availability thing.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be able to go into TRU and pick up a set of Hasbro Stunticons/Predacons/Seacons/Koalabots combiners, and pay maybe £80 for a big ol' robot made up of other cool robots. I even believe that Hasbro could, if they wanted to, make one that was as good, and better, than the various 3rd party offerings we've had to date. I don't, however, believe that Hasbro has any intention of doing so.

Yes, suddenly I don't seem so crazy...

actually, this most recent comment makes you seem more so. Recently revealed official FOC Bruticus doesn't change the facts at the time either of us made our original posts, nor does the reveal change my opinion that your post was either trolling or misunderstanding of the terms "knock off" and "3rd party".

I know what 3rd party stuff is and I do own TF-themed 3rd party products not made by Hasbro. The thing is, when I see people paying $500+ for combiners that frankly are flawed at best I do have to question their sanity. That's not "trolling", that's common sense.

I've always thought Hasbro could and eventually might make another Combiner, hence the "never say never" in my original post. I didn't see it being this quickly, but obviously it makes me happy.

Delicon wrote:

craggy wrote:

Delicon wrote:

craggy wrote:

Delicon wrote:I'd be up for just about any of the G1 Combiner teams as klong as they are made by HASBRO. I know it's something they have shied away from for a while, but if history has taught us anything, never say never.

Am I the only one who thinks that Hercules is the biggest rip-off in the history of Transformers (3rd party or otherwise?)

I'm curious as to why you'd think, in the 3rd party toys and knock-offs forum, that they'd have to be made by Hasbro? Do you consider Hasbro to be the best at creating the kinds of toys you want to see, and delivering on them? Is it a price thing? It sure as slag can't be an availability thing.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be able to go into TRU and pick up a set of Hasbro Stunticons/Predacons/Seacons/Koalabots combiners, and pay maybe £80 for a big ol' robot made up of other cool robots. I even believe that Hasbro could, if they wanted to, make one that was as good, and better, than the various 3rd party offerings we've had to date. I don't, however, believe that Hasbro has any intention of doing so.

Yes, suddenly I don't seem so crazy...

actually, this most recent comment makes you seem more so. Recently revealed official FOC Bruticus doesn't change the facts at the time either of us made our original posts, nor does the reveal change my opinion that your post was either trolling or misunderstanding of the terms "knock off" and "3rd party".

I know what 3rd party stuff is and I do own TF-themed 3rd party products not made by Hasbro. The thing is, when I see people paying $500+ for combiners that frankly are flawed at best I do have to question their sanity. That's not "trolling", that's common sense.

I've always thought Hasbro could and eventually might make another Combiner, hence the "never say never" in my original post. I didn't see it being this quickly, but obviously it makes me happy.

because you either can't afford, or can afford and choose not to spend $5-600 on a 3rd party combiner doesn't make you any better or worse than any person who did. are you saying that it'd be crazy for someone who makes $6million a year to spend $500 on some toys?

other people can spend what they want on stuff. as long as you're happy with what you're doing surely that's enough? or did everyone who bought Hercules personally offend you at some point?

I'm glad that we're getting a new Hasbro Bruticus too. I hope I'll be able to get one. But there's room for the argument that it's only happening because so many people were willing to pay so much for unofficial combiners that Hasbro has realised the demand.

craggy wrote:because you either can't afford, or can afford and choose not to spend $5-600 on a 3rd party combiner doesn't make you any better or worse than any person who did. are you saying that it'd be crazy for someone who makes $6million a year to spend $500 on some toys?

other people can spend what they want on stuff. as long as you're happy with what you're doing surely that's enough? or did everyone who bought Hercules personally offend you at some point?

It's not like I haven't dropped some major cash on a single figure, I own a decent amount of exclusives and do have designs on getting a Fort Max someday. I don't begrudge anyone for dropping money on their collections but to me that Hercules is extremely overpriced for what it is. Would that be a better way to put it?

And no, I don't lose sleep over it at night or want to create dartboards with the faces of all who have bought Hercules, but yes, I think there are a lot cooler things, official OR 3rd party they could have dropped money on.

ok, I personally think Hercules is pretty cool. There's a few reasons I don't own it. Money being one of them. Regardless of all that, it is good that Hasbro finally decided to put out a big bot again.

craggy wrote:Regardless of all that, it is good that Hasbro finally decided to put out a big bot again.

I think almost all of us would agree on that!