The Energon Pub

[Gearslide]

I wonder how different Onslaught's mold is compared to Hot Spot as far as transformation goes.

Because I bet the Combiner for "Mayhem Maximus" has Bludgeon's Pretender Skull head (hence why his voyager has a head modeled after the "inner" robot's head of his G1 toy), and if the transformation works the way I think, you can probably have a Skull-Headed Bludgeon, without him being in Combined mode, by doing some in-between transforming (albeit the head might be a bit large).

That's a lot of assumptions, but I'm positive about the Skull head at least.

[Hellscream9999]

I wonder how different Onslaught's mold is compared to Hot Spot as far as transformation goes.

It;s the exact same, the vehicle is just reversed. the only difference would be how the backpack is dealt with. And the torso has onslaughts arms rotate up so the wheels face upwards.

[Gearslide]

I wonder how different Onslaught's mold is compared to Hot Spot as far as transformation goes.

It;s the exact same, the vehicle is just reversed. the only difference would be how the backpack is dealt with. And the torso has onslaughts arms rotate up so the wheels face upwards.

The Backpack is exactly what I was referring to. I can't tell if it just unfolds sideways, or hinges up and changes configuration.

[Hellscream9999]

I wonder how different Onslaught's mold is compared to Hot Spot as far as transformation goes.

It's the exact same, the vehicle is just reversed. the only difference would be how the backpack is dealt with. And the torso has onslaughts arms rotate up so the wheels face upwards.

The Backpack is exactly what I was referring to. I can't tell if it just unfolds sideways, or hinges up and changes configuration.

From the pictures, it looks like it will just sit there, and the wings on the side flip up onto the side's of the backpack.

[Gearslide]

Ah, I found shots of what I wanted to see in the Botcon Gallery.




So it looks like the Bruticus bits flip over Onslaught's shoulders, and a panel locks into place over Onslaught's chest, while the Chestplate ends up on Onslaught's back. So, while you'll have a funny looking box on Bludgeon's chest and a winged backpack with buttguard on his back, you COULD give him the Combiner's head (you'll have to spin it 180 to face the right way) in his robot mode if it does end up being the Skull head.

[william-james88]

Sky Lynx could also work as dotm Hatchet

and follow that up with first aid as dotm crankcase, streetwise as Barricade, breakdown as Crowbar, and Alpha Bravo as Tailwhip

I think that would result in more anger than praise from the fans. Ask anyone how they feel about movie designs. So this would be repaint/retools as movie designs. I don't think Hasbro wants to fear for their lives.

Are we considering Sky Dive and Air Raid to be the same mold? They have different shoulder transformations. Air Raid is closer to Firefly in that both just pull their arms out. Sky Dive has this rotating shoulder mechanic.

You know, I thought the same thing when I got them all at once with UW 01 Superion. Skydive, Firefly and Air Raid felt as different/same from one another. They all transformed in a similar way with the head, arms, legs and cockpit, but all had small mold differences. For me, the engineering is the same on all G1 Aerialbots and 3 of them have different molds. That is how I see it.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

Are we considering Sky Dive and Air Raid to be the same mold? They have different shoulder transformations. Air Raid is closer to Firefly in that both just pull their arms out. Sky Dive has this rotating shoulder mechanic.

You know, I thought the same thing when I got them all at once with UW 01 Superion. Skydive, Firefly and Air Raid felt as different/same from one another. They all transformed in a similar way with the head, arms, legs and cockpit, but all had small mold differences. For me, the engineering is the same on all G1 Aerialbots and 3 of them have different molds. That is how I see it.

Air Raid and Skydive are reshells of eachother, although they share very few parts. The most notable parts are the lower legs which match in detailing, and they share the same weapon.

[Hellscream9999]

Sky Lynx could also work as dotm Hatchet

and follow that up with first aid as dotm crankcase, streetwise as Barricade, breakdown as Crowbar, and Alpha Bravo as Tailwhip

I think that would result in more anger than praise from the fans. Ask anyone how they feel about movie designs. So this would be repaint/retools as movie designs. I don't think Hasbro wants to fear for their lives.

What? I love most of the movie designs; about 90% of them. I also liked a lot of the animated and prime/rid designs. There's no reason tf has to capitulate to the same sameness. Diversity should be what helps the franchise grow (despite all the G1 sameness we've got going in the generations line )

[gothsaurus]

Thanks for the spreadsheet! Quite interesting. Really glad to see the G2 sets. Also really glad Hasbro is coming through with the remaining vehicle combiners. Bravo there.

The femmebot combiner is growing on me. Maybe it will look better in person. I'm actually glad they minimized the white. I think that would have made it look more Christmas than it does now. (Heres hoping they release it for holiday time.) While I do hold the fans 100% responsible for the color choice, I do think even providing that option might have been ill advised. I can't help thinking how awesome this set would have been in another color scheme like black and purple.... black and red... etc. etc. Maybe Takara will do a repaint?? I'd buy that.

The head sculpts and resculpted bits like hands and feet look really good.

As for everyone moaning about the repaints and retools... that's what Scramble City and this series are about, reusing similar molds so you can mix them up. I have no complaints about that.

I think my only gripe has been some of the G1 cars that change the transformation significantly. Prowl without his hood chest, Ironhide without his windshield chest, etc. These bother me more than others.

BUT even that said, I have to say those head sculpts are nailing it. Makes me want to pop off the heads of my Classics to put these on them. Bravo there.

[william-james88]

Are we considering Sky Dive and Air Raid to be the same mold? They have different shoulder transformations. Air Raid is closer to Firefly in that both just pull their arms out. Sky Dive has this rotating shoulder mechanic.

You know, I thought the same thing when I got them all at once with UW 01 Superion. Skydive, Firefly and Air Raid felt as different/same from one another. They all transformed in a similar way with the head, arms, legs and cockpit, but all had small mold differences. For me, the engineering is the same on all G1 Aerialbots and 3 of them have different molds. That is how I see it.

Air Raid and Skydive are reshells of eachother, although they share very few parts. The most notable parts are the lower legs which match in detailing, and they share the same weapon.

I personally find them more than just reshells, especially for how the wings transform. Dark Crumplezone and Streetwise are good examples of reshells where they maintain the same engineering and just create new sculpting around the same mold outline. Skydive and Air Raid have a whole different engineering involved, as different as either of them to Firefly. At what point is something still a retool and not a different mold? Offroad is a different mold than Skydive even if they share the same leg articulation and all the G1 Scramble molds are different to one another even if they all have basically the same transformation. So how is this case that much different than that? According to the "Theseus' Ship" mind experiment, we are nearing the point where these are technically different toys alltogether.

[Robogeek1973]

I'm looking forward to seeing those G2 boxsets, even if I can't afford them when they're released.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

Air Raid and Skydive sharing parts is enough for me to consider them mold twins, no matter how different they are. The arms are the only transformation-altering part swaps, but everything else matches up.

[william-james88]

As for everyone moaning about the repaints and retools... that's what Scramble City and this series are about, reusing similar molds so you can mix them up. I have no complaints about that.

If the point of Scramble City is to mix and match molds, then wouldnt it go against the principle to keep releasing the same molds? Optimus Maximus and Menasor use the exact same molds with no retooling on the limbs in limb mode.

Unrelated CW Hotspot Question

Any reason for his combiner head to split open?

[Hellscream9999]

As for everyone moaning about the repaints and retools... that's what Scramble City and this series are about, reusing similar molds so you can mix them up. I have no complaints about that.

If the point of Scramble City is to mix and match molds, then wouldnt it go against the principle to keep releasing the same molds? Optimus Maximus and Menasor use the exact same molds with no retooling on the limbs in limb mode.

Unrelated CW Hotspot Question

Any reason for his combiner head to split open?

I think it's to simulate a bucket a firefighter would stand in, and to hide the face, as the head is tall enough to look weird. Also to alleviate even more weight, so as to make the combined mode even more stable. Hope this helps

[Hellscream9999]

So upon further investigation, my streetwise is not only two shades of 'white', white lower leg shells, cream hood, arms and folding window panel, but one arm is creme and the other is white... What's up with that

[gothsaurus]

Awwww. Sorry to hear about the cream arm. Guess he must have been riding with one arm out the car door window getting a sun tan.

[william-james88]

Hey guys, remember at Botcon when they made this pretty cool tease?



Well now we know it was Betatron:



Why would Hasbro tease something that just uses the exact same limbs they revealed that same day?!

[ZeroWolf]

Because the torso is the main tease I'd wager, unless of course they're pulling a fake out and next April fools reveal the true techno bots....yeah its a long shot isn't it

[Hellscream9999]

Been messin' around with my new protectobots; here's what I got:

Rook can be a 'base' if you will...

Rook Base 1.jpg

Rook Base 2.jpg

Superion's been bulkin' up...

Bulky Superion 1.jpg

He has a built in riot shield...

Riot shield Superion 1.jpg

And puts hotspots' guns to far better use...

Shoulder cannon Superion 1.jpg

Shoulder cannon Superion 2.jpg

And everyones 'favorite' minicon can become a pilot for superion

Ramjet Pilot.jpg

[Hellscream9999]

Because the torso is the main tease I'd wager, unless of course they're pulling a fake out and next April fools reveal the true techno bots....yeah its a long shot isn't it

Well it took optimus 4 waves to get 'his' limbs, so it is possible, plus isn't this not actually scattershot?
I was a little confused but some of the better informed users have said that this isn't... something to do with computron, so I don't know (please help )

[william-james88]

I love that minicon Pilot! I will try it out!

[prjkt]

Air Raid and Skydive sharing parts is enough for me to consider them mold twins, no matter how different they are. The arms are the only transformation-altering part swaps, but everything else matches up.

To me, Air raid and Skydive share the same legs and arms below the shoulders. The arms and legs have slightly different detailing, but you can tell they were retooled from the same mould design, and from memory the clmbiner peg is the same part too, with a slight bump in the chest. Other indicators are the same weapon and hand/foot/gun.
Main difference between the two figures is the core torso with the shoulder transformation, and the Altmode wings and cockpit of the jets.

In comparison, you've got the Dead End/Streetwise mould, where it is a complete re-shell, car bonnet, torso, legs and chest plate etc. are all quite different, while sharing identical engineering/transformation and thigh pieces.

It's kind of tough to tell which has been retooled more than the other.

[Hellscream9999]

I love that minicon Pilot! I will try it out!

Thanks glad to help

[william-james88]

Because the torso is the main tease I'd wager, unless of course they're pulling a fake out and next April fools reveal the true techno bots....yeah its a long shot isn't it

Well it took optimus 4 waves to get 'his' limbs, so it is possible, plus isn't this not actually scattershot?
I was a little confused but some of the better informed users have said that this isn't... something to do with computron, so I don't know (please help )

Firstly, the wave 4 autobot limbs were not made for the first wave Prime torso. That first wave red torso was always advertized as Ultra Prime and on every advertising he has the wave 1 limbs. He was made to simply be a prime torso that connects to everyone (like Galvatronus).





The wave 4 autobots are to be combined specifically to make Optimus Maximus. That has been all over the artwork from way back. Sure it's scramble city so they can go wherever you like but I just wanted to make it clear that the wave 4 autobot are not advertized to be Optimus' limbs.



Notice how you have 2 Optimus combiners but only one uses the wave 4 stuff and it's the white one.




Now to answer your other question. It was said in the panel (supposedly) that Betatron was meant to represent the Prototype version of another combiner. What that MIGHT mean is that the Scattershot they give us is not the actual Scattershot that combines to make Computron (which would explain why he doesnt have the right deco for his combiner head). Instead, he is just a torso meant to combine with other figures. Hopefully that means that he will get a redeco and be part of a later line with his own technobots. That is how I saw it but I admit it is confusing and giving me hope for probably nothing.

[ZeroWolf]

Because the torso is the main tease I'd wager, unless of course they're pulling a fake out and next April fools reveal the true techno bots....yeah its a long shot isn't it

Well it took optimus 4 waves to get 'his' limbs, so it is possible, plus isn't this not actually scattershot?
I was a little confused but some of the better informed users have said that this isn't... something to do with computron, so I don't know (please help )

Oh it is scattershot, it's just not computron he combines into.