The Energon Pub

[triKlops]

May Haul:

Prime
-Vehicon; TT ed.
-Skystalker

[MenaceRX]

I broke down today and purchased my first round of Arms Micron Prime Figures... picked up the following ones..

- AM-33 Darkest Megatron
- AM-24 CYRUS Breakdown
- AM-30 & 31 Frenzy/Rumble

Excited to get these. They just look so much more detailed then the Hasbro lines. I am sure I wont be disappointed.. Now where is Metroplex and Ultimate Predaking so we can set up for a all out war!

[MenaceRX]

I do have one question for you collectors out there which Optimus would you pick up in the prime line if you were only getting one!

AM-01 Exclusive at BBTS with Shield or AM-25 Nemisis Prime

[-Kanrabat-]

At last, I finally found Prime Sergent Kup and Prime voyager Shockwave at my local TrU!

Unfortunately, both were at full price. Cost nearly 60$ for the pair with the taxes.
Oh well, I'm gonna enjoy them.

[King Kuuga]

Today's acquisitions...


I didn't really want that $58 anyway, Toys R Us. Don't feel bad about your pricejacking. <_<

[Transformers Hoarder]

[King Kuuga]

Nice one!

[MenaceRX]

Got my BBTS Pre-Order of BH Grimwing and Ultra Magnus. Only con I really have with Grimwing is his head doesnt lock into position, so I am not to happy about that, But I kind of like him better how he is in my picture. Seems more menacing and like a true-predacon.

BH Ultra Magnus wings are transplant-able to any Prime Voyager mold prior to the BH re-mold. I have them on Nemesis Prime now.












I need more shelf space, so I can expand the collection.

[Autobot032]

Got my BBTS Pre-Order of BH Grimwing and Ultra Magnus. Only con I really have with Grimwing is his head doesnt lock into position, so I am not to happy about that, But I kind of like him better how he is in my picture. Seems more menacing and like a true-predacon.

Swap the green chest pieces around and you can swing them inward to lock his head in place. It works very well.

[MenaceRX]

Got my BBTS Pre-Order of BH Grimwing and Ultra Magnus. Only con I really have with Grimwing is his head doesnt lock into position, so I am not to happy about that, But I kind of like him better how he is in my picture. Seems more menacing and like a true-predacon.

Swap the green chest pieces around and you can swing them inward to lock his head in place. It works very well.

Got a picture of what you mean?

[MenaceRX]

I have been playing with it and I think I understand what you mean, only part that sucks with that, is you now dont have the predacon symbol facing the correct way.

[Autobot032]

I have been playing with it and I think I understand what you mean, only part that sucks with that, is you now dont have the predacon symbol facing the correct way.

The symbol doesn't really matter. The Terrorcons have the same issue.

[MenaceRX]

Your pic isnt showing. But based on what you said this is how I have them positioned and it locks it all down pretty well.

[Autobot032]

Here's the correct link.



Sorry about that. Not sure why the link didn't work.

[MenaceRX]

Ok I see, you removed and repositioned the chest parts to opposite sides. I like that a little better just because the symbol comes out better that way positioning wise. And it wont hurt the transformation sequence so think thats what I will go with.

[Autobot032]

....

[Autobot032]

Ok I see, you removed and repositioned the chest parts to opposite sides. I like that a little better just because the symbol comes out better that way positioning wise. And it wont hurt the transformation sequence so think thats what I will go with.

It works very well. I've had no problems with it since I got it working.

[Dagon]

Hey everyone,
I recently bought Skystalker, and I'm pretty let down. I like the Predacons, but the Deluxes really do just stand up into robot mode. Skystalker is not any different. His wing launchers are a total dud, and the big deal about him (I gather) was that his robot head is inside his dragon mouth. It's not really that cool.
To transform him you straighten his legs and spin his front claws around. Done! I know there was a lot of crying around here when people were pointing the stand up transformation patterns out from the early pictures of the Predacons, but it really is true. That's pretty much all they require.
Now, I like the Predacon deluxes, and I really like Laserback, if that serves as any reference point. And to be honest, I think Skystalker looks awesome, in both modes....but more so in dragon mode. I'm not poo pooing the toy, as he's kind of a lot of fun in hand. He just doesn't really seem to do anything "right," and he's the weakest of the dragons thus far.

Just my opinion, and I just felt like dropping in to share it. Hope everyone is doing well!

[Dagon]

This is a different kind of swirly. It's a new technique that puts random "weathering" patterns in the plastic. I've yet to see one in person, so I can't really give an honest opinion about it.

I think it looks awful. If it's supposed to be a weathered look, shouldn't it be more even? For the most part, on all my figures, it's localized in like one area. So I have a Laserback with a weathered shoulder, but no where else. Ripclaw has a splotch of weathering on one wing.
To me, it makes them look cheap. On Laserback, since the shoulders are black, it looks like white stress marks. I'm not a fan of the look or idea at all.

[RAcast]

This is a different kind of swirly. It's a new technique that puts random "weathering" patterns in the plastic. I've yet to see one in person, so I can't really give an honest opinion about it.

I think it looks awful. If it's supposed to be a weathered look, shouldn't it be more even? For the most part, on all my figures, it's localized in like one area. So I have a Laserback with a weathered shoulder, but no where else. Ripclaw has a splotch of weathering on one wing.
To me, it makes them look cheap. On Laserback, since the shoulders are black, it looks like white stress marks. I'm not a fan of the look or idea at all.

Yeah, the only one it really works on is Wheeljack...but to be fair, it REALLY works on Wheeljack! Gives him that "I just smashed through the side a building, a burning building, just so I can reach you and kick your ass," look.

[King Kuuga]

Hey everyone,
I recently bought Skystalker, and I'm pretty let down. I like the Predacons, but the Deluxes really do just stand up into robot mode. Skystalker is not any different. His wing launchers are a total dud, and the big deal about him (I gather) was that his robot head is inside his dragon mouth. It's not really that cool.
To transform him you straighten his legs and spin his front claws around. Done! I know there was a lot of crying around here when people were pointing the stand up transformation patterns out from the early pictures of the Predacons, but it really is true. That's pretty much all they require.

You have to straighten out his back and there's this nifty/annoying thing with the wings where you can slide them in and out of the shoulders. As it's been pointed out, it makes sense for primitive creatures to have primitive transformations. That being said, I can understand the frustration of seeing that repeat with every deluxe Predacon. They each have some small, nifty things to offer (Lazerback's namesake, Ripclaw's tail, Skystalker's wings) but their appeal to me is largely the fact that they look cool. The commanders manage some nifty feats for their small size, and the voyagers seem to be a little more complex than "Stand up beast, fold back beast head". If they're not everybody's cup of tea, I totally get that. I like 'em and that's good enough for me.

[RAcast]

As it's been pointed out, it makes sense for primitive creatures to have primitive transformations. That being said, I can understand the frustration of seeing that repeat with every deluxe Predacon. They each have some small, nifty things to offer (Lazerback's namesake, Ripclaw's tail, Skystalker's wings) but their appeal to me is largely the fact that they look cool. The commanders manage some nifty feats for their small size, and the voyagers seem to be a little more complex than "Stand up beast, fold back beast head". If they're not everybody's cup of tea, I totally get that. I like 'em and that's good enough for me.

That's an aggravatingly terrible excuse for how poor the deluxe Predacons are. :\

[Dagon]

Yeah, the only one it really works on is Wheeljack...but to be fair, it REALLY works on Wheeljack! Gives him that "I just smashed through the side a building, a burning building, just so I can reach you and kick your ass," look.

To be fair, I don't have Wheeljack but from pictures I do agree. On Wheeljack the swirl looks good. It's just not so good on the ones I do own.

You have to straighten out his back and there's this nifty/annoying thing with the wings where you can slide them in and out of the shoulders. As it's been pointed out, it makes sense for primitive creatures to have primitive transformations. That being said, I can understand the frustration of seeing that repeat with every deluxe Predacon. They each have some small, nifty things to offer (Lazerback's namesake, Ripclaw's tail, Skystalker's wings) but their appeal to me is largely the fact that they look cool. The commanders manage some nifty feats for their small size, and the voyagers seem to be a little more complex than "Stand up beast, fold back beast head". If they're not everybody's cup of tea, I totally get that. I like 'em and that's good enough for me.

I don't really think "you have to straighten his back and lock in his wings" counts as transformation steps to me, and it most certainly is not enough to make me reconsider my thoughts on the toy.
The primative creature/primative transformation works for me a point of the fiction, and it's not like I can't understand it or support it as a piece of said fiction. But that also does not come near enough to making me reconsider my feelings on the toys.
All in all though, you are absolutely correct, they look good, and that is also enough for me. I think I mentioned that in my initial post: I think Skystalker looks very, very nice, in both modes. I just find his transformation disappointing. I think the deluxes so far have all offered something neat, like the legs on Ripclaw, but Skystalker is a real back to basics kind of letdown for me. A good looking let down, but still.

[Evil_the_Nub]

I can forgive the simple transformations because the dragon modes are so well done. They looks good and they have great articulation. Thundertron on the other hand has a more complex transformation, but his lion mode sucks. The front half is a total brick, and it looks like the front legs are coming out of his neck. I can't even tell whats going on with the rear legs, it's like they're too long and on backwards.

[Dagon]

I can forgive the simple transformations because the dragon modes are so well done. They looks good and they have great articulation. Thundertron on the other hand has a more complex transformation, but his lion mode sucks. The front half is a total brick, and it looks like the front legs are coming out of his neck. I can't even tell whats going on with the rear legs, it's like they're too long and on backwards.

Yeah, Thundertron has some problems.
I am afraid that somewhere over the course of these posts, people have lost the thread of my liking Skystalker primarily for his appearance, and are instead focusing on the calling out of a simple transformation. I think his transformation is lame, but my overall opinion of the figure is actually quite high.
I don't equate complexity with quality or whatnot. Everyone holds up the ROTF toys as so awesome and complex.....I think the ROTF toys blow, largely because of their over-reliance on complexity. So, I at least am not ragging on Skystalker for simplicity, but I am not a fan of stand up = robot transformations. It was at first at least just a personal statement.