The Energon Pub

Non-locking parts

Since my toys spend a significant amount of time in hand, it drives me nuts when pieces flop around or become easily untabbed.

As much as I like Generations Scoop, I have to hold his chest any time I rotate his arms. Classics Perceptor had the same issue, but with his backpack.


I finally picked up the Classics Optimus mold via the recent TRU 2-pack and was so disappointed by the floppy roof (and flaking chrome) that I returned it.

@wetwithwaterwings

Floppy parts? That poopy Voyager Biltzwing mold is nothing but floppy parts.

Also, as for your Classic OP from the AoE 2 pack, I blame mold degradation. The dude have been remade and repainted a billion times already so it was bound to happen. I have 3 of him: Henkei Optimus, Hasbro Ultra Magnus, and Hasbro Nemesis Prime. All 3 are rock solid in either modes. No floppy parts at all.

You'll just have to spend a wee bit more $ and order a older version of the Classic Optimus mold. Becasue of that 2-pack, the older Primes must have became somewhat cheaper. Good luck hunting!

-Kanrabat- wrote:@wetwithwaterwings

Floppy parts? That poopy Voyager Biltzwing mold is nothing but floppy parts.

Also, as for your Classic OP from the AoE 2 pack, I blame mold degradation. The dude have been remade and repainted a billion times already so it was bound to happen. I have 3 of him: Henkei Optimus, Hasbro Ultra Magnus, and Hasbro Nemesis Prime. All 3 are rock solid in either modes. No floppy parts at all.

You'll just have to spend a wee bit more $ and order a older version of the Classic Optimus mold. Becasue of that 2-pack, the older Primes must have became somewhat cheaper. Good luck hunting!

Now that you mention it, that's probably another reason why we have Combiner Wars Optimus Prime coming up. The Classics mold is so old and used, and since Motormaster is similar to Prime nowadays (as the various repaints can attest), they're probably pulling it out just for a last hurrah before retiring it in favor of the new Voyager.

-Kanrabat- wrote:@wetwithwaterwings
Floppy parts? That poopy Voyager Biltzwing mold is nothing but floppy parts.
Also, as for your Classic OP from the AoE 2 pack, I blame mold degradation.

I've made a habit of watching/reading several reviews before purchasing figures so I knew in advance that the Blitzwing mold would drive me insane which is why I never bought it. Plus, that mould contains one of my other pet peeves; kibble that hangs below the butt. (Edit: that's just how it's packaged. I forgot that the cannon flips around)

That's good to know about Classics OP. Is the hinge on the roof supposed to be tight enough to keep it solidly in place? On the 2 pack version, the gun/smoke stack was the only thing keeping the roof from flipping all of the way back. I felt like I was playing with a clacker toy.

wetwithwaterwings wrote:

-Kanrabat- wrote:@wetwithwaterwings
Floppy parts? That poopy Voyager Biltzwing mold is nothing but floppy parts.
Also, as for your Classic OP from the AoE 2 pack, I blame mold degradation.

I've made a habit of watching/reading several reviews before purchasing figures so I knew in advance that the Blitzwing mold would drive me insane which is why I never bought it. Plus, that mould contains one of my other pet peeves; kibble that hangs below the butt.

That's good to know about Classics OP. Is the hinge on the roof supposed to be tight enough to keep it solidly in place? On the 2 pack version, the gun/smoke stack was the only thing keeping the roof from flipping all of the way back. I felt like I was playing with a clacker toy.

Woah. I never, EVER heard of that issue. That hinge is supposed to be ridiculously tight. It is on my 3 classic OP molds. Seriously, classic OP is a great figure despite his arms panels. Just buy an older version and it will be all right.

A sealed Classic OP is around 70$. However, Heinkei is still absurdly expensive. If you'd just like the mold, you could get a Ultra Magnus or better yet, a Nemesis Prime. It's around 60$.

By the way, shameless plug. I have a Universe Nemesis Prime for sale, WITH the real fanproject Armor upgrade set for sale. Only 100$ for the lot.

wetwithwaterwings wrote:As much as I like Generations Scoop, I have to hold his chest any time I rotate his arms. Classics Perceptor had the same issue, but with his backpack.

Gonna add a few more peeves to Scoop. I really do enjoy the figure, but, as I've said before in relevant topics, Scoop was my first Transformer. I still have the figure. I enjoy the figure regardless. But the Generations version:

-Lacks a visor. The goggles did something!

-Lacks a mounting point in front of the canopy. That was my favorite place to put my(one, cause I lost the other) Targetmaster on the original G1.

-The canopy is translucent. Why?

-Most importantly, has useless mounting points on the sides of the vehicle in alt. mode, and the arm points are too low to utilize. Seriously, the wheels can't even roll. Poor design there.

So yeah, good, but with a few tweeks could have been so much more.

Robot modes that seem to have nothing to do with the alt modes, because 1) it'll probably end up leaving a lot of kibble everywhere, and b) it ruins the whole illusion of transformation.

"Faux kibble" like G2 Prime's window chest or Legends Movie Jazz's roof-chest-grille...thing. If you can't get the actual part there, then just detsil it to look like something else. RID Prime did it well, with that awesome chromed robo-torso which homaged the classic "window and grille chest" without using false parts or trying to convince you it was his actual vehicle mode front end.

Noideaforaname wrote:Robot modes that seem to have nothing to do with the alt modes, because 1) it'll probably end up leaving a lot of kibble everywhere, and b) it ruins the whole illusion of transformation.

A.K.A shelformers.

I can accept shelforming to a decree, but if the bot wear shell parts everywhere. However, if the shellforming is clever and the shell parts dissapear or become parts of the robot mode, it's all OK. Like with AoE Leader Optimus, DOTM Leader Sentinel Prime, Animated Wreck-Gar, and so on.

Honestly I don't mind shellforming unless it hinders poseability, stability or just looks plain ugly. Cybertron thunderblast is a total shellformer but she still looks good and she has a very distinctive silhouette from the "boat wings".

Delta Magnus wrote:Honestly I don't mind shellforming unless it hinders poseability, stability or just looks plain ugly. Cybertron thunderblast is a total shellformer but she still looks good and she has a very distinctive silhouette from the "boat wings".

I love this mold (Elita-1) but even though it looks great it's slightly top heavy and I fortunately knew someone that knew how to remove the pin holding the wings and now looks epic! I think one thing that could have solved this mold's problem was to have given it some heel spurs to start...IMO.

I love this mold too and Voyager Silverbolt (Takara a must) as well. It's clearly a hit or miss for all. The weapons gimmick on shark mold definitely sucks ass and I personally ignore it. But I really dig my 2 Botcon Sharkticons and United Axalon. The improvements towards perfection was a better primary weapon, better feet and not rubber ones, and hindering caused by fins under arms...IMO.

wetwithwaterwings wrote:Non-locking parts

Since my toys spend a significant amount of time in hand, it drives me nuts when pieces flop around or become easily untabbed.

As much as I like Generations Scoop, I have to hold his chest any time I rotate his arms. Classics Perceptor had the same issue, but with his backpack.

I had the same problem with my Generations Perceptor, however, it is a matter of transformation rather than design. I read on this site that the backpack is supposed to click in place, and once it does, it's quite secure and the figure is solid at that point. This worked for mine, though it took a few moments to figure out.

fenrir72 wrote:Use die-cast AS NECESSARY only, especially on parts that are prone to stress or breakage (I'm talking about you 30th Jetfire and that nose cone connector)

Wait, what?

I've transformed my Jetfire a plethora of times since getting him, and thus far he has seemed a pretty solid figure. I may have some other design complaints re: hollow parts or excessive use of chrome, but durability has never seemed an issue to me. Am I missing something?

Anybody Who Said Anything About Shell Formers wrote:Shell formers!

Or Just Excessive Panels That Hang Off Of the Robot Mode wrote:Panels!

For the most part, I tend to agree this. The most elegant figures are those who manage to take a realistic vehicle and turn it into a robot without too many excessive bits flopping uselessly about.

This, of course, excludes kibble necessary for the look of a character. Seekers, for example, wouldn't look quite right without their wings on their backs. And certain characters who turn into cars just demand to have their doors splayed out from their backs.

But for the most part, I like everything to have a place to go, and to fold up nicely and be unobtrusive.

That being said, while I remember thinking them a bit obtrusive in 2006 when I first got the figure, I suppose over time Classics Voyager Prime's arm kibble has grown on me and now I can't imagine that figure without it. Likewise Classics Megatron's giant shell forming wings.

Also, while I would usually absolutely hate this much shell-forming on a figure, someday I want to get me a Break.



'Cause he's a mother f-ing penguin! How could you not want that! (Hey, Hasbro, how about a Generations Break?)

wetwithwaterwings wrote:I finally picked up the Classics Optimus mold via the recent TRU 2-pack and was so disappointed by the floppy roof (and flaking chrome) that I returned it.

Well, that's unfortunate. As others have suggested, that must just be a sign of mold degradation. Really, after the Seeker mold and the Sideswipe mold, Voyager Prime has to be the Classics mold that has been reused the most! Only natural it would be showing some wear, I suppose.

I almost picked up that two pack myself! The chrome, being a good use of it (as opposed to the Jetfire I griped about above), was calling to me. Of course, you also complained the chrome was flaky... so double boo. So glad now I just decided to stick with my original Classics Prime.

If you like the idea of the mold, definitely try to track down an older use of it. It is a mold worth having!

Here's one that need's a name.

It can be done really well, but when it's bad, it's BAD.
When panels are hinged to one another and fold around to create, or try to create a solid form.
I think this is maybe a technique that came about with the Movie toys?
Been racking my brain to come up with more than one "bad" example. But can only think of this one for now.

Gen Megatron's legs.

It just seems like a cheat. Some examples of this done well are, Prime Ratchet's fore arms, and MP Sideswipe's legs. If the pieces lock together well, then it works. But even when it's good, it feels like a cheat.

Does this have a name? What should we call it? Box-forming? Plate-forming?
Please feel free to give more "bad" examples if you can think of any.

Yotsuyasan wrote:

Anybody Who Said Anything About Shell Formers wrote:Shell formers!

ONLY EXCEPTABLE WITH BEAST WARS.

wetwithwaterwings wrote:I finally picked up the Classics Optimus mold via the recent TRU 2-pack and was so disappointed by the floppy roof (and flaking chrome) that I returned it.

I only ever had Target Exclusive Magnus. I figured The Evo 2-pack was cheaper than an old version so I got it. Along with the floppy hinge, It just doesn't feel right. It feels like a KO. Something about the plastic used maybe? I'll keep it though. I think he sport's the best Gee-Juan paint job to date, and he get's to have that sword that came with the other. pile-O-poo Prime in the set. (That sword is one of the Pred's from G1 Predaking, BTW)

@WaterWings, Where was your chrome flaking? His legs? Mine's OK.