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Well I did another set of rounds today on my mission to find PotP figures in Australia and while - spoilers - long story short, I didn't have any luck, I do feel way better about it than I did the other day.

Customer service reps at all three stores (well actually just two; the third store moved its customer service desk some time last year and I haven't been able to find it since ) were really nice and helpful; one store tried to help me for what must've been a solid half hour before they apologised for not being able to find anything. They didn't seem to recognise the concepts or examples of DPCI or manufacturer codes so no luck there, but they searched all through the systems as best they could.

The main information I got out of this, aside from the fact that my local stores probably don't have any PotP stuff yet, is that 1) Every store-chain gives items their own individual database codes, so more general ones might not actually be much use, and 2) It's practically impossible to look up a figure in the database if you don't already know the code of the thing you're looking for (especially if you're not sure whether it's even in the database yet to begin with).

So on the Australian end at least, I think the conclusion here is "sit tight and they'll come eventually". And also "gee I wish there was something like Brickseek that'd work for Australian stores".

I remember how long it took us to get the first waves of combiner wars in Australia. So I know it will a small wait until we see any of the POTP figures show up. Really keen for Jazz since I want to add him to Optimus Maximus.

I think it was very near to Christmas (like the week before) before Ireland got the first wave of CW and I think TR, so I'm suspecting something similar. Then again we haven't gotten TR wave 5 yet.

Seibertron wrote:As is the case with all of the deluxe Dinobots, his body isn't wide enough or something, which I've also complained about with some of the Aerialbots and Vortex (off the top of my head) [...] Dreadwind and Blackwing both suffer from the too-thin or not-wide-enough bodies of the aforementioned Combiner Wars figures.

I only felt that way about Brawl. I prefer the 'narrower' figures because otherwise TFs can get so 'puffy' that they look like they would have #TRexProblems. I like having a few guys that are relative Hulks in their proportions (characters like Blitzwing, Grimlock, Lugnut, Strika, etc.) but I prefer most characters not have that Dreamwave-Era top-heaviness.

All in all, though, I wish Predaking had been one of standard combiners, and Volcanicus had been the Titan Class combiner for the line. Having the Dinobots each be Voyager-sized would have been good, and having their combiner come in at the same height as Devastator would have also been nice. But then we go down the rabbit hole of wishes and wants (e.g., Sludge/Slog should be the torso component, and Grimlock an arm).

Qwan wrote:So on the Australian end at least, I think the conclusion here is "sit tight and they'll come eventually".

January.

Nightbeat339 wrote:I've loved TR, but to me PotP seems like a step down. Grimlock looks awful in Dino mode! The other two dinobots look decent, but I really wish they had some chrome on them.

Most of My transformers are displayed in Robot Mode, the exception that I saw, was the Dino Bots. I don't even think I would combine them, I was probably going to leave them in Dino Mode....except for grimlock... that backside....

As far as the Chrome goes, I expect that come SDCC they will have a volcanous set with the vac metalized gold coloring, and maybe the smoked plastic like the original dinobots.

What I find funny is that the Dinobots are rather slavishly G1 and people aren't happy.

Skritz wrote:What I find funny is that the Dinobots are rather slavishly G1 and people aren't happy.

They didn't combine in G1 and that seems to be one of the reasons that in some ways these new figures are worse than the ones from over 30 years ago.

leokearon wrote:I think it was very near to Christmas (like the week before) before Ireland got the first wave of CW and I think TR, so I'm suspecting something similar. Then again we haven't gotten TR wave 5 yet.

CW probably, but likely not TR unless they were reeeeaaallly late or early since TR started mid year (June/July 2016) instead of at the end/beginning like CW and PotP.

Carnivius_Prime wrote:

Skritz wrote:What I find funny is that the Dinobots are rather slavishly G1 and people aren't happy.

They didn't combine in G1 and that seems to be one of the reasons that in some ways these new figures are worse than the ones from over 30 years ago.

They're close to being slavish, but I think that's what the problem is. The deluxes are fine for what they are but they all have issues which stand out even more since they're close but not quite, but Grimlock is a flat out disaster in trex mode and in robot mode he has none of his appropriate weapons, and therefore volcanicus doesn't have a weapon.

I agree about the dinobots should have been the amazing titan class set, predaking should have been a regular combiner. To see devastator and volcanicus duke it out since they are arch enemies, that would have been amazing and given devastator an in scale rival.

Caelus wrote:All in all, though, I wish Predaking had been one of standard combiners, and Volcanicus had been the Titan Class combiner for the line. Having the Dinobots each be Voyager-sized would have been good, and having their combiner come in at the same height as Devastator would have also been nice. But then we go down the rabbit hole of wishes and wants (e.g., Sludge/Slog should be the torso component, and Grimlock an arm).

This.
It would have been so much better as you've described here.

Ditto! I would have sprung for Voyager scale combiner Dinobots, but the oversized Predators are unlikely to go into my collection. I will still pick up the Dinobots, but I would have preferred the reverse, as other posters have commented.

As much as many have disliked these figures, I have to say I’m pretty pleased. Maybe I have lower standards, but the minor issues strike me as... well, minor. I loved Combiner Wars. I liked Titans Return, too, but was still irked CW was killed off without the addition of some more combiners (not simply recolonization/minor remold). PotP is really CW2. I could live without the gimmick, true, but it doesn’t bug me. It is geared towards their primary market—actual kids. I will probably pick up the Prime Masters, but they are pretty low on my list. I will probably skip the Shattered Glass Rodimus that others seem to like, the Predacons (unless they really blow me away in quality, which I find unlikely), and possibly some of the other leader Class figs (recolonization, especially... may skip monkey Prime, too).

Combiners or not, I'm just glad I will finally be able to have all five Dinobots.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Omegatron. wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:I'm a little skeptical about there being 12 different cards for every single figure in the line.

So far it's looking like there is.

Someone give the writers of their bios a raise... and a week off.

This is Awesome!

leokearon wrote:Combiners or not, I'm just glad I will finally be able to have all five Dinobots.

Agreed, plus a new little dinobot member! I'm actually pretty excited to form Volcanicus, combining dinobots is still cool to me

I would've gone for a Titan-class Volcanicus.

Dreadwind looks great - everything I expected, really. He's my first incarnation of the character, and I can't wait to get his partner...

MECHdirge wrote:ented.

As much as many have disliked these figures, I have to say I’m pretty pleased. Maybe I have lower standards, but the minor issues strike me as... well, minor. I loved Combiner Wars. I liked Titans Return, too, but was still irked CW was killed off without the addition of some more combiners (not simply recolonization/minor remold). PotP is really CW2. I could live without the gimmick, true, but it doesn’t bug me. It is geared towards their primary market—actual kids.

I thought RID was more directly for the kids hence the bright colours and simple blocky characters with goofy faces and these all being G1 characters that most kids won't know or have any attachment too were aimed at more at teens and 'adults'. Either way it's full of badly executed designs. There are characters here I would like to buy great figures of but these are definitely not those figures at all...

Seibertron wrote:I agree about the dinobots should have been the amazing titan class set, predaking should have been a regular combiner. To see devastator and volcanicus duke it out since they are arch enemies, that would have been amazing and given devastator an in scale rival.

See, I don't think of the Volcanicus and Devastator as rivals. The Dinobots are enemies of Devastator, sure, but Devastator's direct rival in battle is Omega Supreme. A Titan Omega Supreme would hit sooooo many check boxes in my collection. That's what I'm holding out for.

+ we may still see Volcanicus & Dev Duke it out in Machinima Power Of The Primes

Carnivius_Prime wrote:

MECHdirge wrote:ented.

As much as many have disliked these figures, I have to say I’m pretty pleased. Maybe I have lower standards, but the minor issues strike me as... well, minor. I loved Combiner Wars. I liked Titans Return, too, but was still irked CW was killed off without the addition of some more combiners (not simply recolonization/minor remold). PotP is really CW2. I could live without the gimmick, true, but it doesn’t bug me. It is geared towards their primary market—actual kids.

I thought RID was more directly for the kids hence the bright colours and simple blocky characters with goofy faces and these all being G1 characters that most kids won't know or have any attachment too were aimed at more at teens and 'adults'. Either way it's full of badly executed designs. There are characters here I would like to buy great figures of but these are definitely not those figures at all...

Well, being toys, technically all the lines are primarily geared towards kids. I'm pretty sure someone else mentioned that adult collectors make up about 30% of their market, so directing an entire line towards only that market at a retail pricepoint would likely kill off the line. There simply has to still be a kid appeal, which is where line wide gimmicks come into play. A kid nowadays, may not have any clue how Swoop is as a character, but a team of 5 dino/robot transformers, that also combine into a big guy? That is going to be some serious pull for a kid.

Basically this is Hasbro trying to satisfy both ends of their demographic, which will typically never fully satisfy either side.

zodconvoy wrote:

Seibertron wrote:I agree about the dinobots should have been the amazing titan class set, predaking should have been a regular combiner. To see devastator and volcanicus duke it out since they are arch enemies, that would have been amazing and given devastator an in scale rival.

See, I don't think of the Volcanicus and Devastator as rivals. The Dinobots are enemies of Devastator, sure, but Devastator's direct rival in battle is Omega Supreme. A Titan Omega Supreme would hit sooooo many check boxes in my collection. That's what I'm holding out for.

Titan omega supreme would be the s**t!

We all seem to have different opinions which is nice...but I'm a fan of consistency. To me it would be nice if ALL the Combiners were the same size, since in the original animated series, this was the case. Having all 6 Constructicons as deluxe size would have made them roughly the same height as the other combiners. Predaking as a Voyager and 4 deluxes (made to be compatible with all others) would have been nice as well. I get why Hasbro did Devastator as 6 Voaygers, as a "BIG" toy is more appealing for playability...but Dev being bigger than all the others is still an eyesore in some respects.

Also as many have said, I think if there ever is a new Omega Supreme, it will be Titan Scale to match Devastator, being the same size, but not as big as Metro or Fort Max (although FT is...but that's another story...).

However with Predaking being made of 5 voyagers, although it is considered a "Titan" size toy, it will be in this odd size class, slightly taller than the standard combiner, but a little shorter than Devastator...I'm sure it will look great, but the size again will be off, and being his Rival is technically Sky Lynx (Sky Reign in this case), we will have another mismatch on our hands.

o.supreme wrote:it would be nice if ALL the Combiners were the same size, since in the original animated series, this was the case. Having all 6 Constructicons as deluxe size would have made them roughly the same height as the other combiners.

I'm still hoping for deluxe class Constructicons that solves the 6 deluxe figure problem. Then we could get Raiden, Liokaiser done right, Landcross, and some of the Micromaster combiners but done as regular sized. I'd be very happen with that. They just need to figure out how to get 2 deluxes to become the torso instead of a Voyager.

^Exactly. I like the way you think. Though I don't think Takara or Hasbro has this in their Grand Plan. I don't think making 2 deluxes into a Torso would be too difficult (jusat take the existing CW Devastator and scale it down accordingly), but conforming them to mix/match with other 5 team combiners certainly would be quite the daunting engineering task.

Just to be clear. I would not require that 6 member combiners like Devastator, Raiden, Landcross etc... have the cross-compatibility with other combiners, but just be scaled to the same size. Though, TBH, if we get 5 member versions of Landcross, or Monstrucor/Dinoking that are cross compatible with the others, I would no be too upset.

I'm sorrry but does anyone else feel Volcanicus is a dumb name for the combined form? It's like they tried TOO hard... something more simplistic (like the bots who make up the big guy) would have been more suitable. "Dino King" (play off Predaking) or "King Grimlock" (Nod to the big guys ego) or maybe even simpler "Dinotron".... I just feel Volcanicus just doesnt roll off the tongue easily.... anyway, at least the toys are kick ass!

o.supreme wrote:^Exactly. I like the way you think. Though I don't think Takara or Hasbro has this in their Grand Plan. I don't think making 2 deluxes into a Torso would be too difficult (jusat take the existing CW Devastator and scale it down accordingly), but conforming them to mix/match with other 5 team combiners certainly would be quite the daunting engineering task.
Just to be clear. I would not require that 6 member combiners like Devastator, Raiden, Landcross etc... have the cross-compatibility with other combiners, but just be scaled to the same size. Though, TBH, if we get 5 member versions of Landcross, or Monstrucor/Dinoking that are cross compatible with the others, I would no be too upset.

Having all the combined at the same scale would be nice and all but it really doesn't bother me all that much
What I think would be cool and I know that it won't ever happen is to scale them all to the CW Devastater so we would have all these massive combiners