The Energon Pub

[Hydrargyrus]

So it seems that if I were to purchase Hasbro Computron, I could sell each figure (and the hands/feet) individually to different people, and make some people happy (as well as a profit). Is this correct?

To provide background, I decided that Computron was only worth it for some of the Takara molds (namely Nosecone and Lightspeed), and I missed the pre-order anyways, which I don't mind.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

I put Computron together today. He looks good, he really does. The big problem for me though is again, Scattorshot. That torso is just Superion in a different colour.

One of my main things.

Also completely forgot about the weapons. Have been looking at pictures and I knew he came with new weapons, just never thought about it

[william-james88]

Yup, they all have new weapons













3 of which combine to form a big gun:



Which is something that is getting ignored a bit in the debates. For comparison here is Hasbro with no new weapon:



And Strafe's ship guns are not removeable (at least thats what I gathered from every review)

I mean that 3 barrel shotgun was cool the first time, but I have enough of it now

[Mr Skram]

And Strafe's ship guns are not removeable (at least thats what I gathered from every review)

That is correct, unfortunately.

To add some variance I stick Cybax on the Superion gun in combined form. It's not much, but it's something.

[nycPrime]

Anyone know if the Computron set will be available in the US through non-online toy stores? So Walmart/Target/TRU/Amazon? Thanks.

[Sabrblade]

Anyone know if the Computron set will be available in the US through non-online toy stores? So Walmart/Target/TRU/Amazon? Thanks.

Highly doubtful. These kinds of sets don't normally make it to U.S. brick-and-mortar retail stores. Online stores tend to be where they're usually found in the U.S.

[X3ROhour]

Anyone know if the Computron set will be available in the US through non-online toy stores? So Walmart/Target/TRU/Amazon? Thanks.

Highly doubtful. These kinds of sets don't normally make it to U.S. brick-and-mortar retail stores. Online stores tend to be where they're usually found in the U.S.

What a stupid policy!

[Sabrblade]

Anyone know if the Computron set will be available in the US through non-online toy stores? So Walmart/Target/TRU/Amazon? Thanks.

Highly doubtful. These kinds of sets don't normally make it to U.S. brick-and-mortar retail stores. Online stores tend to be where they're usually found in the U.S.

What a stupid policy!

Not a policy. Just a matter of which stores are willing to buy stock of these items from Hasbro. If brick-and-mortar stores don't want them, then these sets have little choice but to go to online stores, lest they not get released at all.

[nycPrime]

What a stupid policy!

Agreed! I'm hoping Amazon at least carries it. They're better at discounting things that don't sell well, and I don't get the sense CW Computron will sell. Hoping to snag it at a nice discount. Victorion can be had for $72 from Amazon.

[Emerje]

Can't really blame the stores. The box sets are huge and take up far too much space for stores to justify carrying them. It's the same reason why most stores wont carry Titan class either. A lot of stores will only take a risk on boxes this size around Christmas, but Hasbro made them year round this year. If you want to blame anyone then blame Hasbro, they're the ones that wanted huge display boxes, they could easily fit a full set of combiners in a package about the size of a leader box with the right packing.

Emerje

[Kurona]

Can't really blame the stores. The box sets are huge and take up far too much space for stores to justify carrying them. It's the same reason why most stores wont carry Titan class either. A lot of stores will only take a risk on boxes this size around Christmas, but Hasbro made them year round this year. If you want to blame anyone then blame Hasbro, they're the ones that wanted huge display boxes, they could easily fit a full set of combiners in a package about the size of a leader box with the right packing.

Emerje

I... I agree with this for the most part, but I think saying you can put a voyager, four deluxes, a legends and all their weapons - especially Computron's hands and feet - in a Leader-sized box is a tad bit exaggerated.

[Mr Skram]

If they were packed in vehicle modes in the plastic insert, with weapons taped to the underside instead of their own slots it would compact the space quite a bit. I don't know how small you could get the box, but it definitely could be smaller.

[Emerje]

Can't really blame the stores. The box sets are huge and take up far too much space for stores to justify carrying them. It's the same reason why most stores wont carry Titan class either. A lot of stores will only take a risk on boxes this size around Christmas, but Hasbro made them year round this year. If you want to blame anyone then blame Hasbro, they're the ones that wanted huge display boxes, they could easily fit a full set of combiners in a package about the size of a leader box with the right packing.

Emerje

I... I agree with this for the most part, but I think saying you can put a voyager, four deluxes, a legends and all their weapons - especially Computron's hands and feet - in a Leader-sized box is a tad bit exaggerated.

I said about, not exactly the same size. You also need to think in three dimensions. Vehicle modes tend to be more compact so picture Silverbolt in jet mode in the back of the box with the weapons and HFGs and then the four other jets in the four corners in front and Powerglide in the center over Silverbolt. For the Stunticons do Motormaster at the top of the box, then line the cars up on end, roof to roof in pairs, with Blackjack on end behind Motormaster and the weapons and HFGs filling in the gaps. For the Protectobots stick Hot Spot in the middle on end and fill the corners with the remaining members. It's very do-able, I've got a bunch of Japanese figures that stick accessories in baggies and tape them to the empty space on the back of the bubbles, they just choose not to.

Emerje

[Sowndwave76]

One more thing I'll add to the convo--

After seeing the pics that WJ88 posted of the individual UW bot modes,
once again I'm reminded that not only do they really look like the Technobots,
4 of the 5 (I wouldn't necessarily include Scattershot)
look like NEW figures, even though they're re-tooled.
Now, with Afterburner, it is the big difference in color scheme which also helps, but I don't look at him and see Groove, like I see Streetwise when I look at Hasbro's "Lightsteed".
Same could be said about looking at Hasbro's 'cone and just seeing a re-painted Brawl.
Back to Afterburner, this is a great example of how much a different headsculpt can alter the look of a figure.
Sorry, I've forgotten who posted it (thanks by the way), but the comparison picks of Hasbro's Comp and two Superions also show the importance of a good (and relatively accurate) headsculpt in helping create the look of a character.
For me, that was a huge selling point (as well as the re-tooled chest).

I get being happy with Hasbro's set if cost or not being a big fan of Comp is an issue.
But outside of that, I still have a difficult time understanding how anyone wouldn't want the UW version... As much as we have to deal with repaints, TT took it up a big notch and really delivered this time.
I know Scrounge is an important factor in all of this, but does he really trump the 4 beautiful limb figures of the UW set? I guess maybe he does...
What will be interesting is if Hasbro releases him later separately in a future Generations line.

[Kurona]

Is Dezarus' Dino head actually new? TFWiki says it is, but I can't quite see it...

[Hydrargyrus]

Yes. Look at the eyes.
(Referring to Dezarus' new head)

[Hellscream9999]

Is Dezarus' Dino head actually new? TFWiki says it is, but I can't quite see it...

At the very least the top part with the fins and eyes is new

[Kurona]

Is Dezarus' Dino head actually new? TFWiki says it is, but I can't quite see it...

At the very least the top part with the fins and eyes is new

Yeah, that's the thing... TFWiki seems to imply the whole head is new, but only the fins and eyes seem possibly new

[Hellscream9999]

Is Dezarus' Dino head actually new? TFWiki says it is, but I can't quite see it...

At the very least the top part with the fins and eyes is new

Yeah, that's the thing... TFWiki seems to imply the whole head is new, but only the fins and eyes seem possibly new

Yeah, just the eye's:

[william-james88]

Anyone know if the Computron set will be available in the US through non-online toy stores? So Walmart/Target/TRU/Amazon? Thanks.

Highly doubtful. These kinds of sets don't normally make it to U.S. brick-and-mortar retail stores. Online stores tend to be where they're usually found in the U.S.

What a stupid policy!

Not a policy. Just a matter of which stores are willing to buy stock of these items from Hasbro. If brick-and-mortar stores don't want them, then these sets have little choice but to go to online stores, lest they not get released at all.

Wait so none of you in the Us ever saw one of the G2 box sets at retail?

Just curious though, why does having them at retail matter? For those asking, I mean. Because this question being asked on a tf forum means that you guys are comfortable with the internet and aware of their existence. So why would them being at a store make any difference to you owning it?

Even though I saw G2 Menasor in stores, I still just bought him online since Amazon was so much cheaper than TRU. Him being in stores made no difference to me.

[Hellscream9999]

Just curious though, why does having them at retail matter? For those asking, I mean. Because this question being asked on a tf forum means that you guys are comfortable with the internet and aware of their existence. So why would them being at a store make any difference to you owning it?

Even though I saw G2 Menasor in stores, I still just bought him online since Amazon was so much cheaper than TRU. Him being in stores made no difference to me.

cuz it's the hunt man

[nycPrime]

Just curious though, why does having them at retail matter? For those asking, I mean. Because this question being asked on a tf forum means that you guys are comfortable with the internet and aware of their existence. So why would them being at a store make any difference to you owning it?

One of my goals is to get figures at a low price, so the more stores that carry stock, the better my odds. Right now Computron is only available at the online toy stores. From what I can tell, those stores won't discount new stuff. For example, Victorion is still available at BBTS and Toy Dojo for $99. I'm hopeful Amazon will carry Computron since their pricing system is more dynamic. They'll drop prices for slow selling items more quickly. As previously mentioned, Victorion is available for $72. Also, the platinum triple changer set is currently available for $37!

I'm also a fan of HTS since it's pretty easy to get a discount code for them. Lastly, I'm hoping TRU carries Computron. I remember a couple of weeks ago they had a pretty good discount on the G2 box sets. To answer your question, I don't remember ever seeing a G2 box set at a brick and mortar in the NYC area.

[Sabrblade]

Yeah, that's the thing... TFWiki seems to imply the whole head is new, but only the fins and eyes seem possibly new

I've amended the Wiki page's prhasing to better reflect the actual changes made to the Sky Lynx mold.

Wait so none of you in the Us ever saw one of the G2 box sets at retail?

Not that I've seen or heard, no.

The only big sets of recent years I've seen at retail are the Titan class figures and a small amount of very specific Platinum Edition figures, and all of these were only at Toys'R'Us (as all of which were shelfwarmers).

[william-james88]

Was looking at this video https://www.facebook.com/transformers/v ... 268642866/

And its just funny to hear John Warden say Lightsteed's name. Though saying explicitly that this toy is a response to what fans wanted is a bit too in your face for me. Also, he says Scrounge has a special arm, so I can see how a lot of the marketting ignored Payload as an extra character.

[Sabrblade]

Also, he says Scrounge has a special arm, so I can see how a lot of the marketting ignored Payload as an extra character.

Lucky for Cybaxx that his name is included in the instructions.