Stormbringer Astrotrain seems to work much better than Sentinel does - perhaps it's the cleaner look to his design. or that it actually looks like a train more than Sentinel does.
I hope that the inevitable Astrotrain version is heavily remoulded to be a Shinkansen at either end then he'd be a much more attractive toy.
It's nice to see all the modes as I'd only previously seen the robot mode.
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I was reading this :
http://www.tfu.info/issue14/hasbronycc15.htmI thought it also warranted some comment too :
1) Sarah Carroll (Hasbro Senior Manager Global Marketing) :
i) Seems like Hasbro has essentially transmogrified Generations into another Unicron Trilogy only without the 22 minute long Japanimation.
ii) The down side is that some people liked how Generations was a bit all over the place - and now that it's not I'm left wondering - well what about those ideas that now get abandoned as they don't fit the theme ?
iii) Will they still make Minibot in the Legends Class line - will they Make Sunstorm, Ramjet, Thrust or Dirge as a Leader now as they are not Titan-Masters ?
iv) What about the Beast Wars Anniversary will it be ignored ?
2) Sarah Carroll (Hasbro Senior Manager Global Marketing): She does confirm that Generations will carry on even in Movie years - notice they don't ask if RID will as that is pretty obviously toast isn't it likely even before the next Movie/s comes out.
3) Sarah Carroll (Hasbro Senior Manager Global Marketing): Titan's Returns release date is "Fall" 2016 - a Little later than I was expecting really I was thinking June/July or August at the latest, after all the 2016 Wave 1 will be out before the end of the year they SkyReign will follow in early 2016 (March perhaps) then all they have to do is get those Boxed sets out somewhere - and shoehorn in the G2 Bruticus one someplace... It looks like you would be missing a wave - perhaps it's just some breathing space to allow them to shift the old stock before releasing a new line.
4) Ed Masiello – Hasbro Product Design Manager :
He mentions Activision as a Design Partner - is that implying Devastation toys of some sort ?
5) John Warden – Hasbro Product Design Manager : (To many Managers not enough Indians)? Anyway...He calls the toy Skullcruncher I noticed on the slides that it's not called that.
6) Ed Masiello – Hasbro Product Design Manager : interesting that he's bragging about the "Scrab lines" (Scribe lines?) as it was of the first things about Sentinel Prime I didn't like - but they usually get washed out in person so it may not be an issue in hand that they've got a bit to crazy with them.
7) John Warden – Hasbro Product Design Manager : I can see the point of mix-and-match with Combiner Limbs that has always been at least a possibility in the background of the concept - and that is why I strongly support Alpha Bravo and Off Road as an "addition" not replacement to the normal limbs.
But swapping heads to me is a bit of an oddity idea wise. I could perhaps see it working if you had less "Named Characters" in the line - but it's not like I will be wanting to see one of the $5.00 heads take Galvatron's body for a joyride. at best they will be a second upgrade hitching a ride, powering a weapon etc.. or providing extra fire power via their mini-vehicles/animals (hidden) gun forms.
John Warden – Hasbro Product Design Manager :
Interestingly he implies that the bodies of the Titan-Masters main robots are meant to be remould-friendly - so perhaps they might do something like make an allicon out of Skullcruncher for example.
or Impactor out of Hardhead.
9) Ed Masiello – Hasbro Product Design Manager :
All accessories store - good I appreciate that... But I hope that it does not hamstring the use of basemode connection ramps because of that.
10) John Warden – Hasbro Product Design Manager :
No Demolishor for the time being.
11) Ben Montano – Hasbro Marketing Director :
He describes RID as a long term Universe - oh please no - just kill it already why at least some people still retain some affection for it.
They have already shown a lack of confidence in it by cancelling the originally planned 3rd season of the TV show - now if that is because they realise they've gone "to kiddy" and push it back a bit more in the TF Prime Direction I'd be happy - but I can't see that happening as then they'd be stepping on 'Generations' / TF:TR's toes.
I'm sure there is a way to make a cartoon that doesn't turn off everyone over 10 and is treated with apathy by the fandom.
I'd rather have the mix of boredom and frustration in Transformers Prime that attempts at humour - But I suppose played for laughs or not - what I'd want from any kids show is for it to actually have a purpose and I don't think either Prime or RID-15/16 have or had one.
I'd want some decent writers and some direction before I though that any conclusion or extension to make a 3rd show in the same Universe would be worth more than further consumer apathy.
I'd almost rather they cancelled it out-right and bootstrapped up Rescue Bots instead to cover more ages, at least that is a substantially better written TV show.
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That is all for now.