Edit 2: oops, I seem to have forgotten one thing: when the parts aren't being use for Chibi-Devs, the extra parts can also be link together to form a base mode! It's basically just a few cannons and ramps you can have the six Chibi-Structicons driving around in. Pics coming soon!
EDIT: I am now on the Shapeways blog! Huge thanks to Duann for featuring my newest print, it's been on their site for less than half a day and they've already featured it!
Hey all! So glad to finally have my exams back, looking forward to what will hopefully be a straight A report by my calculations (stupid policy that prevents teachers telling us our grades...). So, what better way to celebrate, than by spending ~$300?
This. Is. Chibi. Devs.
For a while now, ive been working my way up the ladder of designers on TFW, remaining competitive but hopefully friendly. This, i hope, cements my place here, and proves just why i deserve to be here, and why people should buy my stuff!*** This is my first combiner, completely, 100%, totally designed from scratch, not a single part taken from any other sources. All printed (sometimes badly) by Shapeways. And, it is fully functional. A few loose joints because WSF is a bitch, but functional nonetheless.
Chibi-Devs does split into his six Chibi-Structicons, all of which transform individually from robot to vehicle and back. Chibi-Devs himself is articulated everywhere, with the ubiquitous joints all there, knees, hips, shoulders, neck, elbow. There is an upper arm swivel, but due to Shapeways' printing its too loose so i had no choice but to glue it in place. The shoulders, admittedly, do sag slightly, but im glad to say that the little vertex i placed to counteract that does help as i'd hoped.
Perhaps what I'm most proud of of this piece is the fact that Chibi-Devs himself, i think i got the proportions almost dead on. He's got a bulky upper body, strong legs and huge lower arms (I based them on Cybertron Primus, so thanks to Ptitvite for that idea). That's what Devs has always symbolised to me, and i'm glad Chibi-Devs resembles his inspiration.
Of course, it's not all good news. I almost wanted to chuck it out, as Shapeways' printing is getting worse and worse. The pins which i use to hold some joints together, are far, far, far too thin, while the ball joints...some hold tight as all hell, and yet others have no friction whatsoever. I'm glad the hip ball joints, which are the largest, hold like superglue on steroids, but the smaller figures can be loose in some places. Still, if i wanted perfection i'd have gone to China and not Shapeways.
I hope you guys like it, because it's certainly a dream come true for me, and no doubt if i ever get the chance to become a toy designer, this thing will be the first thing put on my CV. I know this is said too often now, almost cliche'd, but this is definitely the centerpiece of my collection, and it's gonna take a hell of a lot to knock it off that pedestal.
Now, enjoy the pics!
Painted pics coming soon!
EDIT 3: Base mode!Yes, you heard right, when you're not stomping cities down with your very own combiner, you can build your very own fortress armed with four high power cannons and everything you need to run your evil construction crew, to rebuild the city how you want to!
Yes, the base mode is basically an afterthought. I sort of designed it in, but it was a half-assed job, i have to admit. Still, it's no crappier than Hasbro's Micromaster 'spaceships'. Take that, DOTM Cyberverse Playsets!
In these pics, i have Chibi-Crusher operating the controls in the center, heavily fortified behind what is in actual fact Chibi-Devs' thighs. Chibi-Scrap is manning the cannons on one side, and he'll blast any intruders coming his way, while Chibi-Haul loads up on materials at the other side (the loading bay is the inside of Chibi-Devs' heel, which was hollowed out not by design, but for cost-savings, it just conveniently works here).
I'll have the individual bots painted up soon.
[ Click to attempt signal recovery... ]
