The Energon Pub

8 bit wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

Hellscream9999 wrote:

8 bit wrote:I haven't been collecting Combiner Wars figures so far, but that Powermaster Prime is wow!

Man, really? You comfortable with that choice, you don't want any combinery goodness in your life

Agreed. Before it's over, you need to get at least enough members to make a combiner. They are really good

Thanks for the input guys, but I've been winding down on collecting. I would probably consider getting this Prime as a stand-alone though; maybe the Takara version if it had red eyes and few other nods to its G1 counterpart.

Pity on the wind down. sorry to hear that. That Prime would make a nice figure though, i will agree, especially for anyone who did not get Magnus

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Agreed. Before it's over, you need to get at least enough members to make a combiner. They are really good

No they're not really. A line with far, far too many reuses ruining the individuality and uniqueness each character had in their original incarnations and the most of the molds they do have are quite bland and uninteresting to look at. I couldn't even justify buying any when they were all price reduced in a sale recently. Nope, not a fan. I might get Sky Lynx just cos he's Sky Lynx but I'm not planning to attach any limb guys to him and in fact quite resentful that he can't split into his two forms because he's been hindered with being a combiner which doesn't suit his character at all.


Not liking the base modes of these Titan toys. Mainly cos the little Titan guys themselves are so awful looking and can't do anything but stand around like dorks. At least Cyberverse figures had some reasonable articulation.

The grey panels under the forearms are starting to bug me. They look shellformery enough but the way they go right under the hands is what gets me. They'd get in the way if you want Prime to hold things that might need to reach under and through the bottom of the hands. Like the handles of the Matrix perhaps. Or picking up an 'con to throw at other 'cons. If only they could fold in much more so they don't obscure the hands at all, and also come up on the inner side of the forearms so they actually be of use and cover up the hollow parts. Oh well.

The large panels on the sides of the legs bug me too but they don't seem as intrusive as those on the arms.

Hellscream9999 wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:

Hellscream9999 wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:Will Apex/Hi-Q (?) be a power battery or a "face" master? Either way instant buy!

Addendum: Will the Japanese branch of Lightfoot Industry initiate the Godbomber Project? Did Grand send in the blue prints already?

Said in the news post: "This version of the character no longer has a "Powermaster" engine, but instead continues the trend of Titans Return by having a head that transforms. As with Galvatron and Blaster, a "helmet" fits over the standard sized head."

If you got the gist of my post, it's about the new background of ole Op. If you recall, original Powermaster Op concept actually would have come with "both" engine and headmaster gimmick. Then we got cost cutting and a useless head kibble. Roller/Buggy was supposed to be the head + the humanoid engine.

So is "Apex" Optimus or a separate entity with merged personalities. What happens to the "crest" that makes up the rest of the head? Is the story background on Op such that by merging with a "head" powers him up?

As for all the other complaints on being hollow, they propbably didn't own the original. Aside from the cab torso, almose everything in the Powermaster OP + Godbomber/ Apexbomber was "hollow"

I have no idea, guess you'll have to wait for the comics, or whatever, to catch up to the titan wars fiction.

As for the hollowness, I only noticed that um was stupidly light, but I feel that it is now the default complaint to go to for people who feel the compulsion to b!tch about new figures.

(and, no, I didn't get the gist of your post, I wasn't around for G1 and never 'looked into' the older figures before)

Shouldn't discretion be the better part of valor then? Like shooting at the hip without knowing the target?

Now concerning the "hollow earth theory", one of the butt kickingly good UM was from the Car Robot series. That bruiser was like hollow to the core (his legs and arms, even the body once the electronic gimmick is removed, very hollow.

G1 UM, super duper hollow (or should I say flat)

G1 POP. Cab robot version. Stiff brick, hollow forearms and thighs. Trailer torso (hollow for the cab) and fore arms (the JP version adjusted this for the retractable fists)

The part below his "knees", hollow as a coconut (must have been a hold over from the dumped plan to make Roller the head component of the set)

Again, not an apologist for TT/Hasbro but hollowed up figs especially in the TF line is not without precedent (Legends Jetfire forearms and thighs do suck bigtime). MP figs also have hollow parts (cough cough Sideswipe/Lambor) which did a good job in hiding the hollow parts. Maybe we should concern ourselves if the plastics are tougher and not soft like Optimus Maximus and the likes.

Hollowness doesn't matter if it is hidden. This so called "powermaster" prime doesn't attempt to hide it. It's lazy and cheap. Especially when charging 45 dollars for it. These pics make it worth 20 tops.

We know Hasbro can do better, because they used to. The movie era leaders were bigger, heavier, and had hollowness hidden. They cost five bucks less too.

Ironhidensh wrote:Hollowness doesn't matter if it is hidden. This so called "powermaster" prime doesn't attempt to hide it. It's lazy and cheap. Especially when charging 45 dollars for it. These pics make it worth 20 tops.

We know Hasbro can do better, because they used to. The movie era leaders were bigger, heavier, and had hollowness hidden. They cost five bucks less too.

Sadly I dont think we will ever see those movie leaders again. Those were an apex in terms of what you could get for 40$. The transformation was at its most complex, there were a ton of parts and it had lights and sounds.

My favourite of that era is Leader Starscream though ROTF Optimus and DOTM Sentinel Prime are up there as well.

william-james88 wrote:My favourite of that era is Leader Starscream though ROTF Optimus and DOTM Sentinel Prime are up there as well.

I miss my RotF Buster Optimus and DotM Sentinel. Had to sell them cos of bills and I did get a nice profit but yeah. I never managed to get Starscream. I've been after one for a while but I always get outbid on eBay and have just been making do with my little Deluxe version (which for the size class is still a very impressively well-engineered version and did only cost me about £1. Missing mechtech weapons but I put a couple of G1 Screamer missile launchers on his arms/under wings and they fit nice though I need missiles).

Carnivius_Prime wrote:

william-james88 wrote:My favourite of that era is Leader Starscream though ROTF Optimus and DOTM Sentinel Prime are up there as well.

I miss my RotF Buster Optimus and DotM Sentinel. Had to sell them cos of bills and I did get a nice profit but yeah. I never managed to get Starscream. I've been after one for a while but I always get outbid on eBay and have just been making do with my little Deluxe version (which for the size class is still a very impressively well-engineered version and did only cost me about £1. Missing mechtech weapons but I put a couple of G1 Screamer missile launchers on his arms/under wings and they fit nice though I need missiles).

He's a work of art, like tf origami; if you dislike these new lines so much, maybe you should prioritize getting a movie leader starscream, as he is so worth it

Carnivius_Prime wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Agreed. Before it's over, you need to get at least enough members to make a combiner. They are really good

No they're not really. A line with far, far too many reuses ruining the individuality and uniqueness each character had in their original incarnations and the most of the molds they do have are quite bland and uninteresting to look at. I couldn't even justify buying any when they were all price reduced in a sale recently. Nope, not a fan. I might get Sky Lynx just cos he's Sky Lynx but I'm not planning to attach any limb guys to him and in fact quite resentful that he can't split into his two forms because he's been hindered with being a combiner which doesn't suit his character at all.


Not liking the base modes of these Titan toys. Mainly cos the little Titan guys themselves are so awful looking and can't do anything but stand around like dorks. At least Cyberverse figures had some reasonable articulation.

I'm not saying he should get them all, I am saying that the molds are good and if you get 4 limbs and a torso you would be happy with pretty much anyone. Get a character using 4 different molds and it really works out

Hellscream9999 wrote:He's a work of art, like tf origami; if you dislike these new lines so much, maybe you should prioritize getting a movie leader starscream, as he is so worth it

It's not so much I dislike the entire lines. I'm more of a pick n' mix guy. Combiners kind of annoy me since their correct configuration is often one or two figures I kinda like then several I don't and I feel like I have to combine them cos that's the entire point of them and why the limb-bots have that darn peg in the chest. I'm likely get Sky Lynx and not have him as a combiner though.

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:I'm not saying he should get them all, I am saying that the molds are good and if you get 4 limbs and a torso you would be happy with pretty much anyone. Get a character using 4 different molds and it really works out

I guess so. It's up to the individual how they wanna collect Transformers. There's not really enough the Combiner line to make me want to really even 'complete' a gestalt though.

But yeah I've some figures from Generations and the rest are Movie. And that Starscream really appeals to me but he's just so darn expensive these days and I don't like paying much for a figure cos then I'll be too worried about breaking it and losing all that value. I don't buy anything I can't afford to replace... which at point in time means I'm not buying much at all.

Carnivus Prime, if you want to pick up a beautiful and well done figure from the Combiner Wars line, try Blackjack. He's just one little dude, but he is a marvel and it is so amazing to see a totally new and different transformation for a simple little car. I am more impressed by his engineering than all the combiner wars deluxes.

william-james88 wrote:Carnivus Prime, if you want to pick up a beautiful and well done figure from the Combiner Wars line, try Blackjack. He's just one little dude, but he is a marvel and it is so amazing to see a totally new and different transformation for a simple little car. I am more impressed by his engineering than all the combiner wars deluxes.

He is right. the Blackjack mold is incredible, simply, yet works very well, is interesting and unique. Plus he's only $10 retail, so it's not too bad a buy.

Ironhidensh wrote:Hollowness doesn't matter if it is hidden. This so called "powermaster" prime doesn't attempt to hide it. It's lazy and cheap. Especially when charging 45 dollars for it. These pics make it worth 20 tops.

We know Hasbro can do better, because they used to. The movie era leaders were bigger, heavier, and had hollowness hidden. They cost five bucks less too.

It seems that both hasbro and TT are following a business model of maximizing to the point of absurdity the base molds of their products. (Cough cough Jetfire/Seekers, Superion/Superion 1,2,3,Scattershot, Defensor/Bruticus with the latter being the most pathetic (just adding Brawl and Swindle(?) )

So I don't expect them to ramp up the scale in the near future aswe already gearing up for Titan Wars.

fenrir72 wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:Hollowness doesn't matter if it is hidden. This so called "powermaster" prime doesn't attempt to hide it. It's lazy and cheap. Especially when charging 45 dollars for it. These pics make it worth 20 tops.

We know Hasbro can do better, because they used to. The movie era leaders were bigger, heavier, and had hollowness hidden. They cost five bucks less too.

It seems that both hasbro and TT are following a business model of maximizing to the point of absurdity the base molds of their products. (Cough cough Jetfire/Seekers, Superion/Superion 1,2,3,Scattershot, Defensor/Bruticus with the latter being the most pathetic (just adding Brawl and Swindle(?) )

So I don't expect them to ramp up the scale in the near future aswe already gearing up for Titan Wars.

Hasbro is at the very least, I think TT is just getting screwed by being obtusely constrained by hasbro's 'corporate directives' to maximize profit everywhere possible. I mean, look at what they intended for devs, look at bigroove and blast-off (although I still maintain that hasbro will be releasing both to 'help increase profits'); TT clearly want to go the extra mile, but are being obstructed by hasbro at every turn (and hasbro's stuff has questionalbe quality at best in my experience )

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:I'm not saying he should get them all, I am saying that the molds are good and if you get 4 limbs and a torso you would be happy with pretty much anyone. Get a character using 4 different molds and it really works out

I appreciate the sentiment D-Max, but I do have a fairly decent TF collection that I started back in '05 with the Cybertron line, and then '06 and onward with Classics/Henkei/Generations/3rd party. Priorities in life change sometimes.

Ironhidensh wrote:Hollowness doesn't matter if it is hidden. This so called "powermaster" prime doesn't attempt to hide it. It's lazy and cheap. Especially when charging 45 dollars for it. These pics make it worth 20 tops.

We know Hasbro can do better, because they used to. The movie era leaders were bigger, heavier, and had hollowness hidden. They cost five bucks less too.

I agree, most of the leader movie toys were pretty amazing, Brawl's my favorite. And the leader class figures from the Cybertron line were outstanding; you definitely got your $50 worth with Prime and Megatron/Galvatron.

Carnivius_Prime wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:I'm not saying he should get them all, I am saying that the molds are good and if you get 4 limbs and a torso you would be happy with pretty much anyone. Get a character using 4 different molds and it really works out

I guess so. It's up to the individual how they wanna collect Transformers. There's not really enough the Combiner line to make me want to really even 'complete' a gestalt though.

I'm confused as to your reasoning here, do you dislike the combined mode, or do you dislike that you feel the need to display them combined when you wish to display them individually to fill gaps in your collection? Do you really dislike superion that much, or is it the repaint aspect - I'm really seeking to understand this

I guess this would be where you could get away with getting cyclonus and leaving him combined, that way, he won't be stepping on anyone's toe's and you can get a combiner.

Hellscream9999 wrote:

Carnivius_Prime wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:I'm not saying he should get them all, I am saying that the molds are good and if you get 4 limbs and a torso you would be happy with pretty much anyone. Get a character using 4 different molds and it really works out

I guess so. It's up to the individual how they wanna collect Transformers. There's not really enough the Combiner line to make me want to really even 'complete' a gestalt though.

I'm confused as to your reasoning here, do you dislike the combined mode, or do you dislike that you feel the need to display them combined when you wish to display them individually to fill gaps in your collection? Do you really dislike superion that much, or is it the repaint aspect - I'm really seeking to understand this

I guess this would be where you could get away with getting cyclonus and leaving him combined, that way, he won't be stepping on anyone's toe's and you can get a combiner.

Pretty sure what they are saying here is that they don't really like the characters in the line or have a decent collection from years past and just don't feel the desire to get the figures, or just can't due to costs.

correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what I got

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

william-james88 wrote:Carnivus Prime, if you want to pick up a beautiful and well done figure from the Combiner Wars line, try Blackjack. He's just one little dude, but he is a marvel and it is so amazing to see a totally new and different transformation for a simple little car. I am more impressed by his engineering than all the combiner wars deluxes.

He is right. the Blackjack mold is incredible, simply, yet works very well, is interesting and unique. Plus he's only $10 retail, so it's not too bad a buy.

I passed on the Rodimus version in the shop (mainly cos it just doesn't do Rodimus justice at all and I'm making my own version with spare Gen Springer) and the car mode is just too small to fit with my usual Deluxe/Voyager vehicles. Always nice to see a different attempt at transformation though so maybe I'll get it at some point during a sale (just the Blackjack one, not Rodimus) and have a look.
And those CW Legends figures are about £10 here which is a lot more than the $10 (almost double) which is ridiculous when back in 2007 I got several Deluxes for £7.99 each. CW Deluxes seem to be RRP of £16.99 which is more than what Voyagers used to be (£14.99). Is crazy. Paying more for less toy.

Is it a good thing or a bad thing that Titans Returns is seemingly so heavily slanted to either Headmasters or characters that interact with the bigger toys like the "DataPads" do ?

Or am I the only one a little concerned that a Headmaster Blurr isn't such a great idea - or at least less preferable than a Targetmaster Blurr might have been ?

Carnivius_Prime wrote: Paying more for less toy.

Isnt that the case with all recent leader class toys? Zing!

Anyways, that small rodimus is there to represent the micromaster rodimus toy:

Speaking of reply buttons did this site ever have a 'Quick reply' function ?
As it sorely lacks one now.

william-james88 wrote:Anyways, that small rodimus is there to represent the micromaster rodimus toy:

The micromaster still looks more like a proper Rodimus even just due to the chest flames. The CW figure just comes across to me like he's wearing a generic boiler suit cos he couldn't find his own clothes sorta thing. The mold just does not work for him in my opinion. Fine for Blackjack and certainly works nice for Runabout I saw in the takara stuff (apart from the godawful symbol sticker which thankfully is removable without leaving an indent on that figure). It's a very lazy Rodimus. Even sticking some exhausts on his sides for his arms would give him a better look and some firearms (the lousy looking 'axe' made out of the spoiler is just silly)

Hellscream9999 wrote:I think TT is just getting screwed by being obtusely constrained by hasbro's 'corporate directives' to maximize profit everywhere possible. I mean, look at what they intended for devs, look at bigroove and blast-off (although I still maintain that hasbro will be releasing both to 'help increase profits'); TT clearly want to go the extra mile, but are being obstructed by hasbro at every turn (and hasbro's stuff has questionalbe quality at best in my experience )

Hasbro isn't holding Takara back from anything. They're doing their own decos, some new molds and retooling in the case of devastator. As far as the quality goes Hasbro stuff and Takara stuff is made in the exact same factory with the exact same plastic and paint so in essence it's the same quality.

I was not too big a fan of all the characters being headmasters (Galvatron especially), but after seeing some of the results, I feel more confident in the titan master gimmick

RAR wrote:Speaking of reply buttons did this site ever have a 'Quick reply' function ?
As it sorely lacks one now.

That;s what this topic is for : got-an-idea-to-improve-seibertron-com-let-us-know--t75296.php