The Energon Pub

[Va'al]

Seibertron.com member and voice actor jON3.0 pointed us towards an interesting article from CNet.com about Hasbro's latest business partnership, with 3D Systems. The company specialises in 3D printers and software, and it looks like the two are looking at releasing some form of make-at-home printer based product, with an eye on children's toys and educational settings. But what might this mean for Transformers? Will customisers and collectors be able to exploit the introdcution? Read the whole article here, and discuss your thoughts in the Energon Pub!

3D-printed products from multinational toy company Hasbro -- which oversees brands such as Transformers, Star Wars, Scrabble, and Monopoly -- may be a future fixture of children's playrooms, classroom show-and-tell, and family board game night thanks to a partnership that could accelerate the adoption of 3D printers in mainstream settings like households and schools.

The Rhode Island-based company announced Friday that it has partnered with 3D Systems, a maker of wide-ranging 3D printers and accompanying software, to "co-develop, co-venture and deliver new immersive, creative play experiences powered by 3D printing for children and their families later this year."

[DELTA_prime]

I'd love a 3D printer to be able to make my own accessories and heads for my TFs like Generations Preceptor that could use and IDW inspired sniper rifle and head.

[User897]

Dammit, where's that battle axe?

Just make a new one!

Oh yeah....

[Rated X]

It would be nice to print and assemble my own transformers instead of buying them from hasbro.

[Fuhzimota]

...And there is the million-dollar idea. "New this holiday season- Print Your Own Transformer Battle Set! Each set comes with software to print and assemble one heroic Autobot and one evil Decepticon,so you can Build The Battle with your own hands! And when the battle is over, you can tear down and reassemble your Transformers in any crazy combination you like! Only 399.99! The Optimus Prime Versus Megatron Battle Set also has a bonus - The Orion Pax and Megatronus Bonus Parts pack! Now you can have twice the building fun with both of your home-printed Transformers!" If this ever becomes a reality, I am sooo gonna buy one....

[craggy]

"Tea, Earl Grey, hot.


but yeah, it could be a good thing.

[Sodan-1]

Interesting stuff. I'll be tempering my excitement as the end result probably won't be anything like what my imagination wants it to be.

[frogbat]

its good for hasbro to jump in at the front of this tech cos if it does indeed become successful it will have repercussions for their industry

my main use tho would be to print out replacement parts for my old g1 toys and 3rd party designs as well as missing pieces of modern ones. my mp starscream for example has a broken null ray cannon... a 3d printer would come in handy there. in the future 3rd parties will release their designs for download probably too.

[Spleenzorio]

So since Hasbro would be making this, does that mean there will be better third party ones for four times the price

[Flashwave]

See, as much as I want to see something that looks like it should be in Shockwave's lab, Let's be realistic, what if what Hasbro is planning isn't the printer but starter sets and plans for the printer?

Yeah, it doesn't exactly fit the children and education departments, but what if the software is "pre-loaded" with parts and designs for a series of figures, and you buy the bag of screws, plastics, snd software, "design" your Transformer, and poof, instant kit. That way, Hasbro has some reign on people bootlegging genuine Hasbro-made parts while still beiing in the game.

Obviously, someone somewhere would have to buy the printer of course, but I see that being "Mom/Dad" not "Kid"

Then again, there's the Easy-Bake Oven for cookies and pies, that'd be kinda freaky if there were a plastic printer in the same style...

[Fuhzimota]

So since Hasbro would be making this, does that mean there will be better third party ones for four times the price

Yep! And the starter set would include Not-Optimus and Not-Megatron as *GASP* Triple-Changer, Target_Master,Head-Master, Breast-Force Combiner Limbs for Not-Metroplex and Not-Trypticon... all for the reasonable price of 1599.99!!!

[Ultra Markus]

sure just go to your local walmart and purchase a 3d printer,
realistically these printers are way expensive,to justify using this to make TF toys or replacement parts? it would be cheaper to just buy an original TF! maybe if the price on these dropped to under 300 it would be more worth it

[Tresob]

They should design it to look like the Allspark Cube.

[Mkall]

I'll get a 3D printer when it can dye the material and add paint apps to whatever it makes.

[El Duque]

Remember back in February when we reported that Hasbro had announced a new partnership with 3D Systems, a company specializing in 3D printing technology? Based a recent Hasbro trademark application it appears they are moving forward with this venture. On May 9th they applied for ALLSPARK under the following identifications:

International Class 009: Computer software for creating, designing, modifying, customizing, sharing and saving computer generated representations capable of being printed by a three dimensional printer to create physical objects, namely, jewelry, ornaments, arts objects, artifacts, household goods, toys, games, hobby models, accessories, office products, and various other consumer products
Intent to Use: The applicant has a bona fide intention to use or use through the applicant's related company or licensee the mark in commerce on or in connection with the identified goods and/or services. (15 U.S.C. Section 1051(b)).

International Class 028: Toys, games and playthings
Intent to Use: The applicant has a bona fide intention to use or use through the applicant's related company or licensee the mark in commerce on or in connection with the identified goods and/or services. (15 U.S.C. Section 1051(b)).

International Class 040: Custom prototype fabrication via three dimensional printing for others of new parts, components and models for others, namely, jewelry, ornaments, arts objects, artifacts, household goods, toys, games, hobby models, accessories, office products, and various other consumer products
Intent to Use: The applicant has a bona fide intention to use or use through the applicant's related company or licensee the mark in commerce on or in connection with the identified goods and/or services. (15 U.S.C. Section 1051(b)).

International Class 042: Providing a website featuring technology that enables users to download, modify, and share three-dimensional designs on the Internet for use with computer driven machines for making three-dimensional embodiments of the designs; providing online computer games and interactive multiplayer online games via global networks
Intent to Use: The applicant has a bona fide intention to use or use through the applicant's related company or licensee the mark in commerce on or in connection with the identified goods and/or services. (15 U.S.C. Section 1051(b)).

[Peridot]

I would love to have an Allspark that actually creates Transformers.

[Seibertron]

Wow ... this is happening much faster than I had anticipated.

[ILL-Star]

My brother preordered a 3D printer some time ago and still hasn't gotten it. I'll be darned if this is released first let alone turns out to be just as good. I'd much rather have something called an Allspark. It would be cool if this included exclusive designs that could be downloaded. If that's how it works. My brain isn't much wired for technology.

[Fires_Of_Inferno]

Ooohhhh, I like this idea!

[welcometothedarksyde]

I would love to have an Allspark that actually creates Transformers.

If it's actually a good quality product I'd love to get one and create an evil army with it

[craggy]

very cool. at the very least we should be able to use it to create new heads for some bots, weapons too. At most, whole custom bots could be assembled.

[Bumblevivisector]

Cool idea, but I've just got a bad feeling this was greenlit for the purposes of giving Hasbro some sort of legal edge to beat back 3rd party and KO companies, and possibly even dictate what customs fans are allowed to make.

I hope I'm wrong and there will be no trouble in Transtopia, but I'm still pissed about the KOTOYS crackdown, and even moreso by Impossible Toys going out of business, so that's just the lens I see this through.

Or is there no way any I.P. owners could prevent these printers from doing any design in particular? Or sue a person creating an I.P. violation for themselves with no intention of selling it?

For that matter, do these things have built in scanners, or would you have to buy that separately or just program a design into it? Getting back to Impossible toys, it'd be neat to take a TRNS apart and reproduce it in some Arcee variants they never got around to (Orange like the Blurr remold proto, purple like Marvel), maybe tweaking some improvements into the design along the way.

And perhaps best of all, considering how often these printers have been used to make actual gun parts, these things could surely crank out a few Megatrons that Hasbro will never consider selling themselves.

[Burn]

Hasbro NEED to do this for the simple fact, 3D printers are becoming more and more affordable and will soon become common place in households.

When they do, people will be hitting up sites like Shapeway more often and "printing" off their own toys.

We've discussed it here at work (one aspect of our business is engineering design) and this IS the future and a lot of kids that are starting school will be more focused on design.

[OptimalOptimus2]

very cool. at the very least we should be able to use it to create new heads for some bots, weapons too. At most, whole custom bots could be assembled.

Also to mention that you could photoshop the picture and make your own comic book. Then I'll be able to make something better for the Creative Roundup than a boring, Revenge of the Evil AOE Grimlock.

[El Duque]

Shapeways has released a press release regarding their partnership with Hasbro. The initial launch featured five artist working with the My Little Pony franchise, which seems to have a success. They are now moving forward and expanding into other properties including Transformers! See the full press release below:

An Invite to Submit Your Designs to SuperFanArt

Shapeways is super excited to be working with Hasbro to help bring more 3D printed awesomeness to the masses via SuperFanArt. The first wave of the groundbreaking Intellectual Property and 3D Printing partnership was a huge success, and now we are ready for you to help take it to the next level. Following is an open letter inviting the Shapeways community to participate.



As you may have heard, Hasbro and Shapeways are working together to encourage artists to create and sell 3D designs based on Hasbro’s iconic brands. Our July launch of SuperFanArt.com featured five artists and their My Little Pony-based designs. We’ve generated substantial press and attention for the artists, Shapeways and Hasbro with our story of a major entertainment company empowering fans to engage with their brands. Given this early success, we want to expand this opportunity to include more artists, more Hasbro brands and more 3D printed awesomeness.
This letter is an invitation for you to become part of SuperFanArt and the broader Hasbro and Shapeways communities, so we can help you promote and sell your designs to other fans. If you have a passion to develop 3D-printable art based on any of the following brands, we’d like to hear from you:

• Dragonvale
• Dungeons & Dragons
• Monopoly
• My Little Pony
• Scrabble (to be sold in US and Canada only)
• Transformers

Get your designs ready and visit SuperFanArt.com on August 22 for instructions on how to upload your work for promotion and sale. We hope you’ll join us in expanding the power of 3D printing by becoming a part of this exciting movement!
Your friends at Hasbro & Shapeways.