Transformers and More @ The Seibertron Store
Details subject to change. See listing for latest price and availability.
Mkall wrote:There are several groups out there that produce top notch work. I'm really surprised with ToyWorld moreso than many others for some reason. Their figures feel like proper Transformers that came out of Hasbro. They're not overly fiddly like FansProject or MakeToys, they don't rely on partsforming like PerfectEffect, and their sculpting is pretty good, with the single exception of Orion's head.
My top 5 groups are (in order):
5) MakeToys - They have good designs, but are very fiddly and complex - still they look really nice.
4) FansProject - Similar to MakeToys, but FP is a step higher because they have a couple lines going simultaeneously, making it feel like where waiting less time between releases.
3) Perfect Effect - There is more partsforming going on here than other 3rd parties, but the end result is very nice.
2) Planet X - Sure there's only been 2 (soon to be 3) releases, but it's been top notch quality each and every time.
1) Mastermind Creations - Brilliant designs that are relatively simple to figure out. They obviously take great care in making sure that everything is proper when released. To top it all off, they actually have a customer service and public relations person.
That said, who are my least favourite? Also in order they are:
3) KFC - They have run slipshod over QC in an attempt to get stuff to market faster and it shows. There is talk that this is changing, but the proof is in the plastic.
2) TFC - Why are they on this list? It's because everything they do is "close, but no cigar" to what they're trying to homage. It's like they are given a design brief containing colours, features, altmode and robot mode proportions, but no image of the original G1 character. The end result is a bland design that looks more like a knockoff than a homage. Surprisingly there's a large fanbase out there who supports them. The company should have folded IMO.
1) ImpossibleToys - Everything other than their Quintessons failed due to poor design choices and them not understanding what modern TF collectors were looking for. Poor plastic quality for outrageous prices didn't help either. Finally, they had the audacity to blame those fans for their failing business in their "goodbye" speech as well. I'm glad they folded.
2) TFC - Why are they on this list? It's because everything they do is "close, but no cigar" to what they're trying to homage. It's like they are given a design brief containing colours, features, altmode and robot mode proportions, but no image of the original G1 character. The end result is a bland design that looks more like a knockoff than a homage. Surprisingly there's a large fanbase out there who supports them. The company should have folded IMO.
Delta Magnus wrote:2) TFC - Why are they on this list? It's because everything they do is "close, but no cigar" to what they're trying to homage. It's like they are given a design brief containing colours, features, altmode and robot mode proportions, but no image of the original G1 character. The end result is a bland design that looks more like a knockoff than a homage. Surprisingly there's a large fanbase out there who supports them. The company should have folded IMO.
I don't agree with this one bit. From what I've seen, TFC's "issues" are entirely in the realm of the subjective- they tend to depart a fair bit from the source material, but they feel more like total re-imaginings of/homages to the existing characters rather than a straight-up reproduction- they aren't trying to be spot-on G1, and are definitely very much there own thing. They feel to me more like production-level fanart than totally slavish versions of the G1 designs, which I feel gives them a tad more legitimacy. In many ways they're a relic of the early days of the 3P world, when absolute accuracy was less important than just making cool toys, which shows in their product (which is very "toyetic" compared to the more display-piece products made by other companies).
So while you can say their aestethic doesn't appeal to you, it's not fair to say it's actually bad- beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all.
Also, to the best of my knowledge their releases tend to be really solid and highly playable, with fairly simple but still engaging transformations and thick, chunky plastic- from what I've seen of Hercules (who I reeeeaaallly want!) I'd have no problems giving him to a considerate 12-year-old fan. Their stuff seems like it's meant to be played with, as opposed to stuff like MakeToys' products (which whilst awesome are also very fiddly).
Delta Magnus wrote:Also, to the best of my knowledge their releases tend to be really solid and highly playable, with fairly simple but still engaging transformations and thick, chunky plastic- from what I've seen of Hercules (who I reeeeaaallly want!) I'd have no problems giving him to a considerate 12-year-old fan. Their stuff seems like it's meant to be played with, as opposed to stuff like MakeToys' products (which whilst awesome are also very fiddly).
fenrir72 wrote:3rd Part Stuff I own
FP City Commander and add on weapon set 5 out of 5
Tsutsukakushi wrote:fenrir72 wrote:3rd Part Stuff I own
FP City Commander and add on weapon set 5 out of 5
Had FP City Commander and Protector but got rid of them.
City Commander Just didn't look G-1 enough in either mode. Rate it better than Protector.
Protector looked visually good from miles away. Didn't like that 80% of the trailer didn't combine with the 1.0 Rodimus Robot mode. The super Rodimus Prime robot mode was a joke as it was barely 6 & 1/4 inches tall.
Hoping that 3rd parties improve on the City Commander and Protector ideas and designs.
Like to see a 3rd party create another Protector. This time doing a MP styled Rodimus that has a 7 inch tall robot mode. With a Trailer-armor that attaches to 7 inch MP Rodimus's robot mode to create a 9+ inch leader scaled Rodimus Prime super robot mode.
Love to see a Third part do another City Commander at the Leader scale and that looks more the cancelled CHMS G-1 styled Ultra Magnus in both modes.
VioMeTriX wrote:I have purchased both hand sets this guy produce. one set was a bad mold job and fingers would just fall off, the other set couldn't hold anything. Keith I hope you are reading this.... great concept, terrible execution... wish I could've returned those hands, but by the time I got around to installing them was like 30 days. my bad for not opening immediately, as I would have returned them.
fenrir72 wrote:This is similar to what happened to MP-01. For its time, he was state of the art, now MP-10 floors it in every way.
Delta Magnus wrote:Saw Vangelus's review of those guys and I kinda want them. They look pretty great.
leakin' lubricant wrote:I'd like to add Mech Ideas to the list of high quality 3rd Party producers, recived their Apex and Geminus (Topspin and Twintwist) tis week and damn they are good toys!
Cobotron wrote:Hey! You seemed to have attracted a wild Megatronus. They're hard to find, but boy are they fun when you catch one!
megatronus wrote:leakin' lubricant wrote:I'd like to add Mech Ideas to the list of high quality 3rd Party producers, recived their Apex and Geminus (Topspin and Twintwist) tis week and damn they are good toys!
These guys have a relationship with MMC, so it's no surprise the quality is top-notch.
I liked Apex & Gemini so much, I bought the TFcon recolors, which are also super fun.
I have Piston, but haven't opened him yet. Gauntlet is on the way, too .
Delta Magnus wrote:Threadromancy i know, but speaking of MMC (who to the best of my knowledge have never released a bad figure- in fact I really, really want their Hearts of Steel Seekers) what's the general opinion on Cyclops and the little mini-sub he comes with? I was actually considering getting him and having him as my Legends Shockwave (hear me out- I like the idea of the mini-Shockwave being the "real" Shockwave and Cyclops being a drone/suit that he controls) but he seems to be pretty expensive on the secondary market and I don't know much about the general opinion on him. I know Vangelus found him kinda scary to transform and his mini-Cyclops was a tad loose.
Return to Unlicensed and KO Transformers Toys
Registered users: Bing [Bot], Glyph, Google [Bot], Google Adsense [Bot], MSN [Bot], sprockitz, Yahoo [Bot]