The Energon Pub

[galvatron00]

I really don't mind the backpack TBH, it's no more prominent that MP-09 or Bee and Magnus. Non issue for me.

Non-issue here too. I just hope he stays balanced. I was playing around with MP TRU Rodimus last night and had a little bit of issues trying to balance him out...I really don't know how the hinge on his backpack broke

Do you have a pic of the broken hinge?

I'll have one tonight! But in the meantime..The blue represents the break.

r_rodimus-prime-256.jpg

That sucks man! any chance of being able to fix it?

Yeah it does! To be honest I don't know if gluing it would be a good idea or not. I wish I knew how it happened. He's been in bot mode almost his whole existence, thinking back I'm fairly certain I did transform him once from bot to car and back. I'm guessing he fell over one too many times. Weaksauce.

So let's hope this new MP Hot Rodimus stays together better and is up for being transformed.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Maybe Roddy should have tried out the PRiD Vehicon boots?

[Rodimus Prime]

Here's a nice comparison shot I stumbled across:

That's a bit misleading though, isn't it? I mean, MP-28 is going to be the size of Prowl and Blue Streak, correct? Or maybe just a bit bigger? That's still smaller than MP-09. So the same size backpack would be bigger on MP-28.

[Ironhidensh]

I've come to accept backpack kibble on Transformers as a fact of life. It's nothing new at all. Many figures just don't look that great from the back. I understand, though, that with the title of "Masterpiece," expectations are a LOT higher, and there have been some amazing successes so far, but that just can't be done with every character model. The 1986 characters especially seem to have a hard time reconciling cartoon models with largely minimalistic kibble and arbitrary placement of vehicle features with a toy that functionally transforms between one mode and another. MP-28 Hot Rod looks great from the front, which is about as good as I need. Also, remember that the camera adds about 20 lbs. That backpack might not be so prominent when viewed in hand. I missed out on MP-9, but now I'm glad to have a chance at a lower cost alternative in a better scale (for Hot Rod, at least).

This exactly.

To those who are taking issue with this I think the main point should not be why is the kibble so big, it should be where else would the kibble be put. Frankly if you cannot answer that question then you should not be complaining.

I would've found a way to at least put his "wings" on the inside of his backpack. That would have improved so many things visually speaking. They hang out so far, on both versions, that Hotrod just looks ridiculous. He'd still be a shell (or panel, no difference to me) former, but at least he'd look a hundred times beer.

[fenrir72]

I've come to accept backpack kibble on Transformers as a fact of life. It's nothing new at all. Many figures just don't look that great from the back. I understand, though, that with the title of "Masterpiece," expectations are a LOT higher, and there have been some amazing successes so far, but that just can't be done with every character model. The 1986 characters especially seem to have a hard time reconciling cartoon models with largely minimalistic kibble and arbitrary placement of vehicle features with a toy that functionally transforms between one mode and another. MP-28 Hot Rod looks great from the front, which is about as good as I need. Also, remember that the camera adds about 20 lbs. That backpack might not be so prominent when viewed in hand. I missed out on MP-9, but now I'm glad to have a chance at a lower cost alternative in a better scale (for Hot Rod, at least).

This exactly.

To those who are taking issue with this I think the main point should not be why is the kibble so big, it should be where else would the kibble be put. Frankly if you cannot answer that question then you should not be complaining.

I would've found a way to at least put his "wings" on the inside of his backpack. That would have improved so many things visually speaking. They hang out so far, on both versions, that Hotrod just looks ridiculous. He'd still be a shell (or panel, no difference to me) former, but at least he'd look a hundred times beer.

At what way? At the cost of inflating the price of the final fig? Looking at the prototype I don't see any space to fit it in without affecting the transform mode.

[Ironhidensh]

If they can make MPs out of Ultra Magnus and Bumblebee, they could have found a way.

[Hellscream9999]

If they can make MPs out of Ultra Magnus and Bumblebee, they could have found a way.

Thats not really fair, they were both very straight forward and have been done to death as toys, so there was a lot of reference material to draw from. But I agree, there has to be a way to have done this correctly.

[Sabrblade]

I would've found a way to at least put his "wings" on the inside of his backpack. That would have improved so many things visually speaking. They hang out so far, on both versions, that Hotrod just looks ridiculous. He'd still be a shell (or panel, no difference to me) former, but at least he'd look a hundred times beer.

Wings are supposed to be on the outside of his back, though.

[Hellscream9999]

And this is why we will never get a nice mp hot rod, because you cannot shove that much shell into a body that has that little kibble

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Could try to manipulate the backpack down into the legs some, like the back window and roof, that would have lessened the pack, like the Prime Vehicon

[fenrir72]

If they can make MPs out of Ultra Magnus and Bumblebee, they could have found a way.

MP UM did not come out of the drawing board unscathed. The designers were more likely aiming for a robot core. As early teaser super imposed images of MP-10 and the then future UM were released showing the public the team's goal. But as we read in a Figure/Hobby related magazine interview, the engineers were specifically instructed not to break the bank.

So the lesser of two evils........no core robot plus they get a free pass as in the original cartoon, UM never really shed of his armor. Sometimes we fans expect too much from them engineers. If the design stumps them, they do a shortcut. Parts swapping or just hey let's leave it be.

Analogy point, in SoC Toshio Daimos, the original Tranzer head such a humongous head but in the anime, when fully transformed, it becomes proportion in size to the body. SoC which aims for a proportional anime look....cheated with parts swapping. Change the cab post Tranzer into Daimos (i.e. proportion in size)

So given how the model sheets show a very proportional back pack with the yellow spoiler, that's in the show. But in the toy, really doubtful can be done without sacrifing some other part of the vehicle/figure.

[Rodimus Prime]

The more I read this thread, the more it makes me appreciate my MP-09, both versions. I haven't messed with them in MONTHS, but now I'm paying more and more attention to them.

[galvatron00]

The more I read this thread, the more it makes me appreciate my MP-09, both versions. I haven't messed with them in MONTHS, but now I'm paying more and more attention to them.

What's pretty funny to me is even though I have issues with my TRU MP Rodimus, I still want the Takara MP-09.

Still can't wait for Hot Rodimus, backpack and all

[leakin' lubricant]

Here's a nice comparison shot I stumbled across:

That's a bit misleading though, isn't it? I mean, MP-28 is going to be the size of Prowl and Blue Streak, correct? Or maybe just a bit bigger? That's still smaller than MP-09. So the same size backpack would be bigger on MP-28.

I wouldn't say it's misleading, the Hot Rod proto has been resized to MP-09 size in that image just to show that he is proportionately very similar to MP-09. The backpack is still proportionate to that of MP-09, it's just on a smaller scale.

[Ironhidensh]

I would've found a way to at least put his "wings" on the inside of his backpack. That would have improved so many things visually speaking. They hang out so far, on both versions, that Hotrod just looks ridiculous. He'd still be a shell (or panel, no difference to me) former, but at least he'd look a hundred times beer.

Wings are supposed to be on the outside of his back, though.

Its on the back of his back, yes. Not the back of his backpack that is on his back.

[Sabrblade]

I would've found a way to at least put his "wings" on the inside of his backpack. That would have improved so many things visually speaking. They hang out so far, on both versions, that Hotrod just looks ridiculous. He'd still be a shell (or panel, no difference to me) former, but at least he'd look a hundred times beer.

Wings are supposed to be on the outside of his back, though.

Its on the back of his back, yes. Not the back of his backpack that is on his back.

The backpack is (part of) his back.

[fenrir72]

Here's a nice comparison shot I stumbled across:

That's a bit misleading though, isn't it? I mean, MP-28 is going to be the size of Prowl and Blue Streak, correct? Or maybe just a bit bigger? That's still smaller than MP-09. So the same size backpack would be bigger on MP-28.

I wouldn't say it's misleading, the Hot Rod proto has been resized to MP-09 size in that image just to show that he is proportionately very similar to MP-09. The backpack is still proportionate to that of MP-09, it's just on a smaller scale.

And you also have to contend with Hotrod's original design. He's got all 4 wheels in one package just like MP-09, which is kind of his stretched version.

[Cyberpath]

According to this at least, Hot Rod will be 21 cm tall (that's about up to MP-10's shoulder.) But it doesn't quite add up with this image. Typo?

[fenrir72]

image.jpg

According to this at least, Hot Rod will be 21 cm tall (that's about up to MP-10's shoulder.) But it doesn't quite add up with this image. Typo?

Unless the figure is just as tall as the original MP-09?

[Cobotron]

Really?! That tall? I have Prime next to Magnus on my desk right now. Looking at that picture and these two next to each other, that would seem about right.
But, why I ask? Shouldn't he be the same as the other cars? This has me mildly frustrated at the moment.

[Sabrblade]

image.jpg

According to this at least, Hot Rod will be 21 cm tall (that's about up to MP-10's shoulder.) But it doesn't quite add up with this image. Typo?

Looks about right to me. That Magnus was quite tall compared to MP-10.

'Course, Magnus is kinda leaning in the second pic, rather than standing up straight like in the first:

[william-james88]

Really?! That tall? I have Prime next to Magnus on my desk right now. Looking at that picture and these two next to each other, that would seem about right.
But, why I ask? Shouldn't he be the same as the other cars? This has me mildly frustrated at the moment.

Why would he be the same? He never shares a scene with them, even as Hotrod (right?). He is a taller bot, just not as tall as Optimus and Megatron, you can see that he's even big enough to go against Galvatron (but not big enough to win). I always felt that Kup as a picKup was bigger than the others, and Rodimus is as tall as him, so it makes sense to me that he would be Mega sized (taller than a voyager but smaller than a leader).

[Cobotron]

Why would he be the same?

Because in my mind he is, and everything in my mind is right!
I don't know. Because most of his past toys scale with the other cars. Sports cars aren't that big usually. Even in the future? Maybe?
The cabin of his car mode is scaled to accommodate humans like the rest, so I always figured his bot mode scaled accordingly.

[william-james88]

Why would he be the same?

Because in my mind he is, and everything in my mind is right!
I don't know. Because most of his past toys scale with the other cars. Sports cars aren't that big usually. Even in the future? Maybe?
The cabin of his car mode is scaled to accommodate humans like the rest, so I always figured his bot mode scaled accordingly.

Well that is why this toy (and Takara) is brilliant. The car itself scales with the other cars in alt mode. But the bot scales as he should in bot mode. So, in short: you, the fan, wins

[Sabrblade]

Why would he be the same?

Because in my mind he is, and everything in my mind is right!
I don't know. Because most of his past toys scale with the other cars. Sports cars aren't that big usually. Even in the future? Maybe?
The cabin of his car mode is scaled to accommodate humans like the rest, so I always figured his bot mode scaled accordingly.