The Energon Pub

@cobo I want to see pictures when both clubs are open do tempted to do a joke comic about that but my skills are sub par...

Anyway, what's being discussed currently...

*skims rest of the posts*

@ironhidesh you can dislike them but we all know the goal of businesses is to increase profits and one way of doing that is reducing costs. It sucks that each character can't have an unique mold but unless the resources for the toys become high quality for rock bottom prices, it's a pipe dream.

Discussion on shelves: see I don't have that problem of mishmash styles as the only separation I have is height wise, other than that they mingle freely doesn't stop me from wanting the lost lighters to join in on this mind.

As for retools from titans returns, not sure there's any I can add from the ones already mentioned, oh! Maybe skullsmasher with a megatron head and mindwipe with a prime head

I'll also accept a full packs worth if weird wolf made to resemble different breeds of wolves.

Oh and alpha trion -> leobreaker.

Just occured to me. Has anyone ever weighed their Titans Metroplex? Asking 'cause given Fortmax is a re-tool of sorts and may fall within give or plus minus the same range, would the mold still be the same weight as the original Fortmax?

That being said, what got them safety OCD big brother government types the go ahead to allow the recent Titans and yet not allow the original Fortmax mold?

ZeroWolf wrote:
I'll also accept a full packs worth if weird wolf made to resemble different breeds of wolves.

I like how you think!

I imagine it would be something like the drop test. The original Max is made in a way that he will shatter/break/do something dangerous when dropped and he breaks. Maybe has sharp jagged edges from broken pieces? The new one will be engineered in such a way he passes those tests. That's why you get the new guys but can't get the original reissued.

Insurgent wrote:I imagine it would be something like the drop test. The original Max is made in a way that he will shatter/break/do something dangerous when dropped and he breaks. Maybe has sharp jagged edges from broken pieces? The new one will be engineered in such a way he passes those tests. That's why you get the new guys but can't get the original reissued.

That might be true. Good observation.

Insurgent wrote:I imagine it would be something like the drop test. The original Max is made in a way that he will shatter/break/do something dangerous when dropped and he breaks. Maybe has sharp jagged edges from broken pieces? The new one will be engineered in such a way he passes those tests. That's why you get the new guys but can't get the original reissued.

No, this new Fort Max did not go through the drop test, it was confirmed by Hasbro, we had even newsed it:

Drop only pertains to a flying toy which Fortress Maximus is not. It's a ship he turns into...as you can tell by the aircraft ramps. For that reason he did not have to withstand the height and drop tests.

Wolfman Jake wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:
I'll also accept a full packs worth if weird wolf made to resemble different breeds of wolves.

I like how you think!

Shocking

fenrir72 wrote:Just occured to me. Has anyone ever weighed their Titans Metroplex? Asking 'cause given Fortmax is a re-tool of sorts and may fall within give or plus minus the same range, would the mold still be the same weight as the original Fortmax?

Metroplex is 11.58 pounds

G1 Fort Max is 14.59 pounds

fenrir72 wrote:Just occured to me. Has anyone ever weighed their Titans Metroplex? Asking 'cause given Fortmax is a re-tool of sorts and may fall within give or plus minus the same range, would the mold still be the same weight as the original Fortmax?

BBTS weights tend to be accurate, they say in box Takara Tomy Metroplex was 12.54 lbs and Fort Max is 12.6 lbs while the original Max as 14.59 lbs. I imagine the story would be similar between the Hasbro versions and probably intentional.

That being said, what got them safety OCD big brother government types the go ahead to allow the recent Titans and yet not allow the original Fortmax mold?

That would be the infamous "drop test" where if dropping a figure from a certain height result in a bunch of sharp or small pieces it fails. The original Fort Max failed this test, but Generations Metroplex passed because it's less rigid and modern Transformers are made to break (and pop back together).

Emerje

Emerje wrote:Generations Metroplex passed
Emerje

Do we have evidence of this? Has it actually been mentioned by Hasbro that the drop test was done on Metroplex? Because Hasbro is on the record for saying that the current drop test...

only pertains to a flying toy

- http://bwtf.com/events/toyfair2016-roundtable-interview

One of you mentioned something about the test applicable to a jet or something and 'max being a boat or something so they (Hb and the government regulators) didn't have to drop test him. So why was that rule not applied to the original then?

Again, just asking. Already have the original waaaaaaaaay back so no problemo. But aside from the previous imports of Encore, the domestic fans would have to fork out a hefty sum just for the shipping. Too bad the original can't be released "officially"

And just to be clear, I'm gonna shoot myself in the wallet again and pick up this new version too.

fenrir72 wrote:One of you mentioned something about the test applicable to a jet or something and 'max being a boat or something so they (Hb and the government regulators) didn't have to drop test him. So why was that rule not applied to the original then?

What do you mean? The original was released back in 87 so he surely didnt have to pass tests then either.

These rules change all the time though so it could be that at some point that was the case. But it wasnt the case back in 87 and it sure isnt the case now. Which means that Hasbro could reissue the original right now. But they wont because its not worth it. Has nothing to do with the drop test (as if kids could afford a 400$ reissue). And especially when the Takara one is still warming warehouse shelves even on high liquidation: http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/prod ... ode=retail

ZeroWolf wrote:
@ironhidesh you can dislike them but we all know the goal of businesses is to increase profits and one way of doing that is reducing costs. It sucks that each character can't have an unique mold but unless the resources for the toys become high quality for rock bottom prices, it's a pipe dream.
.

yes and no. The biggest reason Hasbro has started shoving so many repaints at us is because they have learned we will still buy them.

Maybe I should be more angry at my fellow fans for not demanding better product.

Ironhidensh wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:
@ironhidesh you can dislike them but we all know the goal of businesses is to increase profits and one way of doing that is reducing costs. It sucks that each character can't have an unique mold but unless the resources for the toys become high quality for rock bottom prices, it's a pipe dream.
.

yes and no. The biggest reason Hasbro has started shoving so many repaints at us is because they have learned we will still buy them.

Maybe I should be more angry at my fellow fans for not demanding better product.

Maybe you shouldn't be mad about anything because they're just toys.

Ironhidensh wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:
@ironhidesh you can dislike them but we all know the goal of businesses is to increase profits and one way of doing that is reducing costs. It sucks that each character can't have an unique mold but unless the resources for the toys become high quality for rock bottom prices, it's a pipe dream.
.

yes and no. The biggest reason Hasbro has started shoving so many repaints at us is because they have learned we will still buy them.

Maybe I should be more angry at my fellow fans for not demanding better product.

On the other hand... it can work out. They've been stepping up their retool game recently, one of the better examples being Onslaught and Hot Spot - they require different transformations, their vehicles start and end from completely opposite directions and aside from the thighs their torso modes are absolutely 100% indistinguishable from one another. If that's the sort of thing that's gonna keep happening... I can't say I can complain.

Ironhidensh wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

Kurona wrote:Maybe not a direct answer to your question, but I've heard of that rumour where Hot Rod's gonna be a retool or something of Chromedome - which I would totally take because damn we need a new Hot Rod. It's been 10 years since the classics one

Hot Rod will be his own mold, but Chromedome is getting a redeco as Getaway: http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/ ... ore/34811/

Most of these are already getting redecos. Almost all the titan master vehicles are getting redecos (already by wave 2, sigh).

For deluxes, there is Chromedome/Getaway and Blurr/Brainstorm. And Triggerhapy is coming, watch him be a retool of Highbrow.

For Voyagers there is already Astrotrain and Setinel.

And none of the Leader or Titan molds are unique since Blaster and Soudnwave share a mold while Powermaster Optimus is the Ultra Magnus mold. And Fort Max is a retool of Metroplex.

So for those last ones, I hope they dont get further retooled and redeco'd since they are already retools themselves

And people wonder why I'm so negative at Hasbro.

Because they run a business with the intent to maximize return on investments, and transformer molds are extremely expensive investments?

Kurona wrote:On the other hand... it can work out. They've been stepping up their retool game recently, one of the better examples being Onslaught and Hot Spot - they require different transformations, their vehicles start and end from completely opposite directions and aside from the thighs their torso modes are absolutely 100% indistinguishable from one another. If that's the sort of thing that's gonna keep happening... I can't say I can complain.

That's not what "indistinguishable" means.

william-james88 wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:One of you mentioned something about the test applicable to a jet or something and 'max being a boat or something so they (Hb and the government regulators) didn't have to drop test him. So why was that rule not applied to the original then?

What do you mean? The original was released back in 87 so he surely didnt have to pass tests then either.

These rules change all the time though so it could be that at some point that was the case. But it wasnt the case back in 87 and it sure isnt the case now. Which means that Hasbro could reissue the original right now. But they wont because its not worth it. Has nothing to do with the drop test (as if kids could afford a 400$ reissue). And especially when the Takara one is still warming warehouse shelves even on high liquidation: http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/prod ... ode=retail

I didn't mean the 86 release (should have made it clear) as it is the proof in the pudding of it's availability in the domestic market albeit limited due to its price back then. The second release or should I say the Bravemax RID version (whose release got blocked).

He couldn't pass the drop test (year 2000 ) then so now the rules have changed? Or did it?

As for Hb not releasing it now, ahem....Asian market? If Trypticon is any indication and Sixshot (the latter being over pimped/priced) it can be done.........for Asia. But most likely won't as Encore was just recently (if you call 4 years ago recent)

As for releasing 'max domestically (North America), Hb has this knack of lowering the price range. Mp Optimus was a bit cheaper than MP -10 etc. The massive unsold stock of BBTS means nothing to Hb as it is already considered sold TT stock.

But release the mold in like "Grand" Maximus colors or Bravemax, I assure you people will line up and slobber over them (Grand especially with the Pretendah gimmick)

steals_your_goats wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:
@ironhidesh you can dislike them but we all know the goal of businesses is to increase profits and one way of doing that is reducing costs. It sucks that each character can't have an unique mold but unless the resources for the toys become high quality for rock bottom prices, it's a pipe dream.
.

yes and no. The biggest reason Hasbro has started shoving so many repaints at us is because they have learned we will still buy them.

Maybe I should be more angry at my fellow fans for not demanding better product.

Maybe you shouldn't be mad about anything because they're just toys.

You could be right. It may be time for me to start ignoring this tread again, stick to Masterpiece and 3rd party.

Cheers to all, I truly do hope you enjoy the line.

That Bot wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

Kurona wrote:Maybe not a direct answer to your question, but I've heard of that rumour where Hot Rod's gonna be a retool or something of Chromedome - which I would totally take because damn we need a new Hot Rod. It's been 10 years since the classics one

Hot Rod will be his own mold, but Chromedome is getting a redeco as Getaway: http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/ ... ore/34811/

Most of these are already getting redecos. Almost all the titan master vehicles are getting redecos (already by wave 2, sigh).

For deluxes, there is Chromedome/Getaway and Blurr/Brainstorm. And Triggerhapy is coming, watch him be a retool of Highbrow.

For Voyagers there is already Astrotrain and Setinel.

And none of the Leader or Titan molds are unique since Blaster and Soudnwave share a mold while Powermaster Optimus is the Ultra Magnus mold. And Fort Max is a retool of Metroplex.

So for those last ones, I hope they dont get further retooled and redeco'd since they are already retools themselves

And people wonder why I'm so negative at Hasbro.

Because they run a business with the intent to maximize return on investments, and transformer molds are extremely expensive investments?

Kurona wrote:On the other hand... it can work out. They've been stepping up their retool game recently, one of the better examples being Onslaught and Hot Spot - they require different transformations, their vehicles start and end from completely opposite directions and aside from the thighs their torso modes are absolutely 100% indistinguishable from one another. If that's the sort of thing that's gonna keep happening... I can't say I can complain.

That's not what "indistinguishable" means.

Lol I'm dumb.

Still, you get the idea. Aside from the thighs, Onslaught and Hot Spot's torso modes have no similarities.

I wanna gush on Highbrow for a minute.




This is everything I wanted out of a Highbrow. It's going to be a $20 retail toy. I'm so happy about it! Ridiculously named Headmaster partner, double guns, double blades, and man do I appreciate these toys with chests instead of the side of a combiner peg.

The only drop test I'll be doing with this line is dropping money for Highbrow from any point required. So good.

Alternately, a little disappointed with Mindwipe, but that's more in the realm of the bat mode's aesthetics.

william-james88 wrote:

Wolfman Jake wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:
I'll also accept a full packs worth if weird wolf made to resemble different breeds of wolves.

I like how you think!

Shocking

ScottyP wrote:I wanna gush on Highbrow for a minute.
This is everything I wanted out of a Highbrow. It's going to be a $20 retail toy. I'm so happy about it! Ridiculously named Headmaster partner, double guns, double blades, and man do I appreciate these toys with chests instead of the side of a combiner peg.

The only drop test I'll be doing with this line is dropping money for Highbrow from any point required. So good.

Alternately, a little disappointed with Mindwipe, but that's more in the realm of the bat mode's aesthetics.

I agree. I really like Highbrow and look forward to him!

That Bot wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:And people wonder why I'm so negative at Hasbro.

Because they run a business with the intent to maximize return on investments, and transformer molds are extremely expensive investments?

But Takara is a business that also wants to maximize returns for shareholders and yet they made sure their combiners were more unique, They gave new heads to all their technobots and Hasbro couldnt be bothered. They also gave us new molds for the Unite Warriors line. They are adding more paint to TR Blurr. They also gave a voyager Grimlock for the Adventure line (which granted, was a retool) which can be bought individually and is in no way exclusive, and they run the entire MP line. And, like Hasbro, their primary market is kids too. But they have pride in their work and believe that kids deserve more. Case in point, these toys are sold to the same audience at the same price but the difference is striking:




So I dont take the excuse that Hasbro must run things a certain way (what does anybody here know?!), Takara is proof that you can put some more effort and still run a business that generates viable profit. They sold their Devastator for the same price as Hasbro's, and yet Hasbro didnt want to use their added articulation for "cost reasons", meaning that Takara is willing to take a smaller cut but deems it worth it for their reputation.

fenrir72 wrote: so now the rules have changed? Or did it?

They must have unless you think there is a reason for Hasbro's top designer to lie about drop tests

william-james88 wrote:

That Bot wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:And people wonder why I'm so negative at Hasbro.

Because they run a business with the intent to maximize return on investments, and transformer molds are extremely expensive investments?

But Takara is a business that also wants to maximize returns for shareholders and yet they made sure their combiners were more unique, They gave new heads to all their technobots and Hasbro couldnt be bothered. They also gave us new molds for the Unite Warriors line. They are adding more paint to TR Blurr. They also gave a voyager Grimlock for the Adventure line (which granted, was a retool) which can be bought individually and is in no way exclusive, and they run the entire MP line. And, like Hasbro, their primary market is kids too. But they have pride in their work and believe that kids deserve more. Case in point, these toys are sold to the same audience at the same price but the difference is striking:

[img snip]


So I dont take the excuse that Hasbro must run things a certain way (what does anybody here know?!), Takara is proof that you can put some more effort and still run a business that generates viable profit. They sold their Devastator for the same price as Hasbro's, and yet Hasbro didnt want to use their added articulation for "cost reasons", meaning that Takara is willing to take a smaller cut but deems it worth it for their reputation.

Yeah now that I think of it, the Takara figures are so expensive for us mostly because of the import. So, yeah you're right I suppose.

Also, you forgot to mention that Takara also retooled Blurr's head to add the cool little antenna for character accuracy! Also, it seems like Tomy's Scourge also has a retooled head with a new antenna also. I am now kinda wanting to get three of the Tomy Sweeps just because of the better coloration and head-sculpts. Also, MAN does Hasbro's TR Galvatron look cheap next to the TT Legends one. They didn't even bother to paint the face silver on the Hasbro one! So lazy! That really made me ashamed for them.

Also, fingers crossed for a voyager Rodimus Prime so I don't have to get MP Hot Rodimus.

SillySpringer wrote:
Also, you forgot to mention that Takara also retooled Blurr's head to add the cool little antenna for character accuracy! Also, it seems like Tomy's Scourge also has a retooled head with a new antenna also. I am now kinda wanting to get three of the Tomy Sweeps just because of the better coloration and head-sculpts. Also, MAN does Hasbro's TR Galvatron look cheap next to the TT Legends one. They didn't even bother to paint the face silver on the Hasbro one! So lazy! That really made me ashamed for them.

Also, fingers crossed for a voyager Rodimus Prime so I don't have to get MP Hot Rodimus.

I didnt mention those because its not true. Hasbro also has those deployable antennas on their figures, they just kept them down at the show.

william-james88 wrote:

SillySpringer wrote:
Also, you forgot to mention that Takara also retooled Blurr's head to add the cool little antenna for character accuracy! Also, it seems like Tomy's Scourge also has a retooled head with a new antenna also. I am now kinda wanting to get three of the Tomy Sweeps just because of the better coloration and head-sculpts. Also, MAN does Hasbro's TR Galvatron look cheap next to the TT Legends one. They didn't even bother to paint the face silver on the Hasbro one! So lazy! That really made me ashamed for them.

Also, fingers crossed for a voyager Rodimus Prime so I don't have to get MP Hot Rodimus.

I didnt mention those because its not true. Hasbro also has those deployable antennas on their figures, they just kept them down at the show.

Wait, they're deployable? I didn't know that!

Well, the Takara ones look better paint-app-wise.