The Energon Pub

[-Kanrabat-]

I am ok with 3 p companies doing it first. Fans can either wait for takara or buy placeholders and takara can take their time and learn from other people's mistakes. I wouldnt be able to afford all the MPs if they came out all at once. This year is crazy enough.

That, I agree 100%. The early impatient bird will get the 3rd Party figure. The patient one will wait for the official MP.

Also, it's not just about MP. Regular figures can blow 3p figures out of the water. Just look at Generations Springer or most of the Combiner Wars line. Many GREAT 3p figures drop down in price dramatically just because the official is out and everyone are selling their 3p figures. That's why I could get the Energon Bruticus team with the 3P "Swindle" and "Blastoff" and all the accessories for peanuts.

[Big Grim]

The official Inferno DOES look great but to be perfectly honest, I am more than happy with MakeToys Hellfire. Same as I am with FanToys Quakewave. Those are excellent figures, with excellent build quality that fit the aesthetic I want. I ain't selling them for the officials.

It all comes down to personal preference. There's no right or wrong here.

[-Kanrabat-]

It all comes down to personal preference. There's no right or wrong here.

[Evil Eye]

:HEADHURTS: where is trailbreaker?
where is jazz?
I could make more money on toys that haven't already successfully been produced, marketed, and sold already by 3rd parties. That being said good job on a toy that someone already did a passable job on.

By that logic, the ORIGINAL CREATORS of Transformers should just close shop and give the keys to 3rd party companies.

With the exception of the Masterpiece line (and even that has had stinkers, like Tracks), I'd be happy with that. Most modern mainline Transformers toys are simplified, hollow garbage made of cheap crappy plastic. I, for one, am not about to wait ten years for HasTak to make a competently engineered Defensor with good-quality plastic and proper hands and feet. MakeToys has already done that and once I get my Himed and Vulcan in, they'll be my Protectobots.

My advice to the third parties would be to focus on MPs of characters unlikely to ever get an official Masterpiece release (For example, I can't see us ever getting an MP Clench) or making new, better versions of characters Takara drops the ball on.

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

Looking at those catalog photos, it's possible that some of the sculpted detail is being obscured by glare and the fuzziness.

Also looking at said photos, the arms actually seem to do a decent job of looking like the corresponding area of a Mitsubishi Fuso FT/Fighter fire engine. Unlike the original toy.

Delta Magnus, you literally just said you want the Transformers to die entirely as a brand in favor of (often-ugly, looking at YOU Fansproject) high-price third-party stuff that exists to serve a niche market of GEEWUNners with big wallets. Speaking as someone who got into Transformers via a later series that he very much enjoys and hopes future generations can have the same experience... Sod. Off.

[william-james88]

With the exception of the Masterpiece line (and even that has had stinkers, like Tracks), I'd be happy with that. Most modern mainline Transformers toys are simplified, hollow garbage made of cheap crappy plastic. I, for one, am not about to wait ten years for HasTak to make a competently engineered Defensor with good-quality plastic and proper hands and feet. MakeToys has already done that and once I get my Himed and Vulcan in, they'll be my Protectobots.

But the protectobots arent called Himed or Vulcan, so technically those arent the protectobots and that isnt Defensor.

[Evil Eye]

Delta Magnus, you literally just said you want the Transformers to die entirely as a brand in favor of (often-ugly, looking at YOU Fansproject) high-price third-party stuff that exists to serve a niche market of GEEWUNners with big wallets. Speaking as someone who got into Transformers via a later series that he very much enjoys and hopes future generations can have the same experience... Sod. Off.

The way the brand is going at the moment? Too damn right I want the brand as is to die off. Hasbro has no idea how to manage the brand, and they're obviously perfectly willing to sacrifice the quality of their products in favour of higher profits. With the exception of (most) MP releases, the toys have taken a nosedive, ESPECIALLY the new RID stuff. If I had children I wouldn't buy them most RID toys- I'd rather get them Energon/Cybertron toys that actually look good and aren't made of recycled nappies. As for the Generations line, most of it is still made from awful, awful plastic, the engineering and articulation are insultingly simplistic and ultimately sub-par, aesthetically they're often far uglier than even the worst-looking third party figures, lacking in paint and awfully hollow, and 99.9% of the releases are pandering either to G1 or IDW- and they can't even get that right, given their habits of shoehorning in gimmicks the original characters never had (Headmaster everyone, Combiner everyone etc), doing a bare-bones repaint of another mold and calling it a day as the "proper" representation of a character (Hasbro Lightspeed) and of course just really crap engineering/design work (CW Menasor). And that's assuming we even get the toys in the first place (Thank you Hasbro UK for your wonderful 4/5ths of a Superion, thank you SO much).

Besides, even if Hasbro died on its arse, the brand wouldn't necessarily die out. Someone else hopefully less awful would pick it up.

As for the MUH COST argument, you get what you pay for. Simple as that.

So, no. How about YOU sod off?

But the protectobots arent called Himed or Vulcan, so technically those arent the protectobots and that isnt Defensor.

The Protectobots aren't six inches high and made of plastic either. And the Decepticon Headmasters aren't called Terri-Bull, Skullsmasher or Wolfwire.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

That's all the farther that needs to go. Back to Inferno please

[-Kanrabat-]

I always wondered. Why he's called "Inferno"? It's a name more fitting to a pyromaniac rather than a firefighter .

[Sabrblade]

I always wondered. Why he's called "Inferno"? It's a name more fitting to a pyromaniac rather than a firefighter .

Cuz he can take the heat!

[Kurona]

I am ok with 3 p companies doing it first. Fans can either wait for takara or buy placeholders and takara can take their time and learn from other people's mistakes. I wouldnt be able to afford all the MPs if they came out all at once. This year is crazy enough.

That, I agree 100%. The early impatient bird will get the 3rd Party figure. The patient one will wait for the official MP.

Also, it's not just about MP. Regular figures can blow 3p figures out of the water. Just look at Generations Springer or most of the Combiner Wars line. Many GREAT 3p figures drop down in price dramatically just because the official is out and everyone are selling their 3p figures. That's why I could get the Energon Bruticus team with the 3P "Swindle" and "Blastoff" and all the accessories for peanuts.

Are you... sure about that? Last I checked, the Fansproject Explorer and Munitioner are really expensive due to their popularity and limited run. Not to mention the Energon Bruticus molds THEMSELVES are really expensive just due to how much Fansproject upgrades them.

As for third party vs official... get what you like, really. Personally I prefer to go official each time as it just kind of feels better, the toys tend to be modern interesting updates rather than just straight-up reproductions of the show, and... uh... cost. Cost is a really big thing, and I'm not willing to dig into Third Party prices every time - especially with a cast as enormous as G1. Hell, even in the first season there were 27 characters! I can't afford Third Party prices for every single one of those!
Ideally, if Third Party offers something HasTak can't, or I just find something interesting about them, I'll go for it. Things like obscure characters, differing sizes like a Voyager-sized Fort Max we'll probably not get from HasTak, or a design from a past comic or game like Fall of Cybertron or Hearts of Steel that in the modern market is likely not going to get made unless it's just the big names of Optimus, Megatron, Starscream and Bumblebee.
Personally I find third parties best for upgrades. Things like the Perfect Effect feet and hands work out well for me in every sense - it's not trying to replace anything so I don't feel bad in any way about it, they don't cost that much, they improve upon the look that's already there instead of drastically changing it; and it's not like I'm saying Hasbro did a bad job - I understand why they done the Hand/Foot/Guns they did, but it just unfortunately can't work out for me. That's where Third Parties come in best for me.

... ANYWAY. Masterpiece Inferno! That ladder magic science is very fun. I wonder if they'll have to face any challenges for Grapple considering he has a crane instead of a ladder...
why do i always bring up the inevitable grapple remold here im thinking too far ahead

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

I always wondered. Why he's called "Inferno"? It's a name more fitting to a pyromaniac rather than a firefighter .

Because it was a cool-sounding fire-related name and they didn't think of the pyromaniac connotations until Beast Wars

Right, Delta Magnus is on my foes list for being a salty baby about the plastic used on retail TFs (I own *actual* bootleg TFs, and while I don't own any figures older than 2011 I've handled them. You people are whining about nothing IMO) and for wanting there to be no more retail TFs. You can mockingly say "BUT MUH COST" all you like, doesn't change the fact that the third-party figures are not something a kid can save their allowance up for and buy from the store, or ask their parents to get them... That kind of callous attitude in a fandom really bothers me. You don't like the retail products? Don't buy them, that's fine. But saying that they shouldn't exist as an option for fans with lesser means or for general consumers is nothing more than spiteful snobbery.

[Kurona]

I always wondered. Why he's called "Inferno"? It's a name more fitting to a pyromaniac rather than a firefighter .

Because it was a cool-sounding fire-related name and they didn't think of the pyromaniac connotations until Beast Wars

Right, Delta Magnus is on my foes list for being a salty baby about the plastic used on retail TFs (I own *actual* bootleg TFs, and while I don't own any figures older than 2011 I've handled them. You people are whining about nothing IMO) and for wanting there to be no more retail TFs. You can mockingly say "BUT MUH COST" all you like, doesn't change the fact that the third-party figures are not something a kid can save their allowance up for and buy from the store, or ask their parents to get them... That kind of callous attitude in a fandom really bothers me. You don't like the retail products? Don't buy them, that's fine. But saying that they shouldn't exist as an option for fans with lesser means or for general consumers is nothing more than spiteful snobbery.

There is a bit of truth in that the plastic quality has decreased in recent years, but to me it doesn't necessarily make the figures awful - speaking as someone who had and still has Cybertron toys, I still love Combiner Wars toys as much as them.

[Evil Eye]

I always wondered. Why he's called "Inferno"? It's a name more fitting to a pyromaniac rather than a firefighter .

Because it was a cool-sounding fire-related name and they didn't think of the pyromaniac connotations until Beast Wars

Right, Delta Magnus is on my foes list for being a salty baby about the plastic used on retail TFs (I own *actual* bootleg TFs, and while I don't own any figures older than 2011 I've handled them. You people are whining about nothing IMO) and for wanting there to be no more retail TFs. You can mockingly say "BUT MUH COST" all you like, doesn't change the fact that the third-party figures are not something a kid can save their allowance up for and buy from the store, or ask their parents to get them... That kind of callous attitude in a fandom really bothers me. You don't like the retail products? Don't buy them, that's fine. But saying that they shouldn't exist as an option for fans with lesser means or for general consumers is nothing more than spiteful snobbery.

OK. Good riddance.

[Bumblebee21]

Can't wait for inferno. Why do we have another red autobot don't we have enough

[Sabrblade]

Can't wait for inferno. Why do we have another red autobot don't we have enough

G1 had a lot of red Autobots.

[Kurona]

Just watch the next batch of Masterpieces be Cliffjumper, Gears, Warpath and Windcharger.

... wouldn't mind a Masterpiece Warpath, come to think of it...

[Bumblebee21]

Just watch the next batch of Masterpieces be Cliffjumper, Gears, Warpath and Windcharger.

... wouldn't mind a Masterpiece Warpath, come to think of it...

[Bumblebee21]

Can't wait for inferno. Why do we have another red autobot don't we have enough

G1 had a lot of red Autobots.

Wonder why

[Emerje]

The plastic may be thinner these days on some figures, but is it actually worse? I feel like they've found a good chemical balance between light weight and strong. I forget the last time I've actually broken a figure just using it like normal, certainly not any of the modern figures since they've mostly eliminated GPS. And I'm finding at least on the Hasbro side the molds are holding up very well (all of my CW figs hold together well with great joints, including the three Sub Service figures so far, but my entire Takara Tomy UW Grand Galvatron set is loose). They're far, far from feeling like bootlegs and we loss some of the gumminess from 10-15 or so years ago so I think we're in a good place with the plastic choices right now.

Emerje

[Kurona]

Can't wait for inferno. Why do we have another red autobot don't we have enough

G1 had a lot of red Autobots.

Wonder why

Just in case this isn't sarcastic - hope that didn't sound insulting; it's genuinely hard to detect sarcasm on the internet sometimes - Red in children's franchises is generally used as a warm colour to designate a heroic character. It's often used for leaders of heroic groups; the red ranger and of course Optimus Prime for instance, but due to how appealing it is it can be used for many in a large cast.

... also the fact that since it's transformers we're dealing with here, many of the vehicles are commonly red irl. Inferno's Fire Truck mode for instance.

[Bumblebee21]

Can't wait for inferno. Why do we have another red autobot don't we have enough

G1 had a lot of red Autobots.

Wonder why

Just in case this isn't sarcastic - hope that didn't sound insulting; it's genuinely hard to detect sarcasm on the internet sometimes - Red in children's franchises is generally used as a warm colour to designate a heroic character. It's often used for leaders of heroic groups; the red ranger and of course Optimus Prime for instance, but due to how appealing it is it can be used for many in a large cast.

... also the fact that since it's transformers we're dealing with here, many of the vehicles are commonly red irl. Inferno's Fire Truck mode for instance.

It wasn't sarcastic . Probably why the autobot symbol is red to. Forgot that inferno was a fire truck and they are usually red. Except for hotspot. Thanks!

[Hellscream9999]

Can't wait for inferno. Why do we have another red autobot don't we have enough

G1 had a lot of red Autobots.

Wonder why

Just in case this isn't sarcastic - hope that didn't sound insulting; it's genuinely hard to detect sarcasm on the internet sometimes - Red in children's franchises is generally used as a warm colour to designate a heroic character. It's often used for leaders of heroic groups; the red ranger and of course Optimus Prime for instance, but due to how appealing it is it can be used for many in a large cast.

... also the fact that since it's transformers we're dealing with here, many of the vehicles are commonly red irl. Inferno's Fire Truck mode for instance.

It wasn't sarcastic . Probably why the autobot symbol is red to. Forgot that inferno was a fire truck and they are usually red. Except for hotspot. Thanks!

Well, it technically can vary by town, all the one's near me are neon lime, that would've been a nice standout among the ocean of monotonous red figures

[Cyberpath]

HQ scan, click to enlarge --



Source: facebook.com/loopaza

[Hellscream9999]

So is the interior ladder also hinged, or is it in separate pieces?