Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 2:11 pm**

Diem wrote:
LiKwid wrote: How often do we actually get what we want out of our addiction to this plastic crack?

Judging by how excited most collectors are about Generations, RTS and United pretty often, I'd say.

I'd agree with that. We've been pretty damn spoiled for quite a long time. Can't win them all though.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 2:19 pm**

After I walked away from the compouter and took some time to assess the situation, I will admit that this set really doesn't wow me with what I've come to expect from Botcon.

My first Botcon was 2009. My it's because it was my first Botcon, but I love that set and all the exclusives. To me, it was everything I wanted to make my first Botcon enjoyable. Regardless of what some people say, I feel that Wings of Honor was one of the cooler sets. Yes, the paint jobs were a little bland in several aspects, but overall it was a unique stroyline which went more in depth on a group we heard about in Animated. (I remember when people were fearing Animated molds being used in 2009)

I also traded my second 2009 boxset for 2008. To me, Shattered Glass was my all time favorite set. I'm the type of person who likes things that are unique and not really a mainstream idea. SG fits that bill perfectly. The mold choice, art style, and overall feel of the SG set was love for me. To me, if Hasbro had made an actual retail Shattered Glass set, I would be a very happy camper.

Now let's go to 2011. Of all the sets that have been released this one sticks out from the rest. Mostly because of mold choice. Animated's downside is that the figures themselves do not blend with other portions of our collections. For the first time Animated is being brought into a convention set and while I feel that this was wanted for a while, I think the execution of the idea is not what is pleasing everyone. I personally love Stunticons and I do like these figures, but what I don't like is that they are being put into a Botcon set. If these were an exclusive to an other set I think I would be all over them. However, if everything works out in the next couple weeks, I will still be getting a Primus package.

I think the real issue here is the exclusive themselves, but the distribution of the figures. Had these been any other retail release we would have all been clamouring for them, but because this isn't, it's causing a little bit of controversy.

I will admit that I like idea of the new head being on Wreckgar and I'd rather not have an Animated Shattered Glass Prime with a square head. The fact of the matter is that I have no say in the matter and the Wreckgar mold was obviously not in the intended list of molds for the creators.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions while this set is going to wow some it will do that for others. For me, it's just kind meh. I still like the figures, but I don't like how they're being distributed. I think they'd wow me more had they not been distributed through Botcon means.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 2:39 pm**

Seibertron wrote:Sorry, Starscream GaGa, I kept quiet for the past 3 BotCons despite being sorely disappointed (especially with the 2009 set and the incorrectly named G2 set last year). I know that the BotCon folks are more talented and creative than giving us yet another black Optimus Prime of which we've already had a black TFA Optimus Prime from Japan and I have enough black Optimus Primes. I certainly didn't need one with an out-of-place block shaped head. I don't have a problem with the head, I have a problem with that head on Optimus Prime's body.

I agree that we are an unpleasable fanbase -- but that doesn't mean that those who think there is room for improvement should sit quietly in the background and not speak their mind. And for any of you who think that I shouldn't use Seibertron.com to speak my mind once a year or so, you must not have been around that long because I have a long tradition dating back to the beginning of this site of speaking my mind when I feel it's appropriate. It's happened only a few times, to be honest, but I have no qualms with speaking up when needed. And it's not like the big real world news companies don't do the same thing with sensationalizing news.

My well known little Transformers 101 stint more-or-less started the internet shitstorm that followed which lead to the movie folks changing Megatron's face thankfully.

Seibertron.com isn't NPR. I can use it once in a great while to let people know when there's a large group of us disappointed in something. And I'm a passionate enough fan that I'm not ashamed to let my voice be heard once in a great while when needed.

Hmm, I've seen a lot of ambivalence/conflict in this thread regarding the mold. Perhaps someone should start a poll thread to determine what "we" actually wanted.

That would make it less editorial-esque and bump it up past the threshold Fox considers to be news.

I would also be interested in seeing how many discontent people are actually abstaining from purchase as a result.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 3:08 pm**

Caelus wrote:
Seibertron wrote:Sorry, Starscream GaGa, I kept quiet for the past 3 BotCons despite being sorely disappointed (especially with the 2009 set and the incorrectly named G2 set last year). I know that the BotCon folks are more talented and creative than giving us yet another black Optimus Prime of which we've already had a black TFA Optimus Prime from Japan and I have enough black Optimus Primes. I certainly didn't need one with an out-of-place block shaped head. I don't have a problem with the head, I have a problem with that head on Optimus Prime's body.

I agree that we are an unpleasable fanbase -- but that doesn't mean that those who think there is room for improvement should sit quietly in the background and not speak their mind. And for any of you who think that I shouldn't use Seibertron.com to speak my mind once a year or so, you must not have been around that long because I have a long tradition dating back to the beginning of this site of speaking my mind when I feel it's appropriate. It's happened only a few times, to be honest, but I have no qualms with speaking up when needed. And it's not like the big real world news companies don't do the same thing with sensationalizing news.

My well known little Transformers 101 stint more-or-less started the internet shitstorm that followed which lead to the movie folks changing Megatron's face thankfully.

Seibertron.com isn't NPR. I can use it once in a great while to let people know when there's a large group of us disappointed in something. And I'm a passionate enough fan that I'm not ashamed to let my voice be heard once in a great while when needed.

Hmm, I've seen a lot of ambivalence/conflict in this thread regarding the mold. Perhaps someone should start a poll thread to determine what "we" actually wanted.

That would make it less editorial-esque and bump it up past the threshold Fox considers to be news.

I would also be interested in seeing how many discontent people are actually abstaining from purchase as a result.

I don't think Seibertron is stating what "we" wanted. He is stating what he wanted and that he is disappointed.

I find it rather annoying that people love to complain about anything as long as they don't like it, but as soon as you voice you do not like something they do, you are completely out of line. And the comparisons to FOX news is beyond ridiculous.

The set isn't bad, but it isn't great. There isn't anything in this set that would win me over and encourage me to come to Botcon. I'd go for the experience and to meet my fellow Seibertronians, but not this set. Honestly, most of the positive feedback I've read on this set, is that they are animated figures. The love for the TF: Animated universe will make this set popular, not the design creativity(or lack there of) based on what I've seen.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 3:11 pm**

amcgrath929 wrote:I don't think Seibertron is stating what "we" wanted. He is stating what he wanted and that he is disappointed.

I find it rather annoying that people love to complain about anything as long as they don't like it, but as soon as you voice you do not like something they do, you are completely out of line. And the comparisons to FOX news is beyond ridiculous.

The set isn't bad, but it isn't great. There isn't anything in this set that would win me over and encourage me to come to Botcon. I'd go for the experience and to meet my fellow Seibertronians, but not this set. Honestly, most of the positive feedback I've read on this set, is that they are animated figures. The love for the TF: Animated universe will make this set popular, not the design creativity(or lack there of) based on what I've seen.

Bullseye.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 3:11 pm**

chuckdawg1999 wrote:What was a beautiful discourse between Ryan and Derrick Wyatt on Twitter has now dissolved into the beginnings of an ugly flame war. I like both versions and I see the validity in each argument

This.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 3:28 pm**

I'd like to see the aforementioned poll, just to see what folks think. I haven't said anything because I didn't think I'd add much by posting, but I also agree Wreck-gar would be better now seeing the head. Originally I had held out hope for Bulky.

A poll would hopefully get folks who aren't posting to cast their vote anon. Then I could get a better idea of what really is the majority/minority here.

What say you? Can we have a poll?

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 3:43 pm**

poll thread.

the-great-motomaster-debate-you-vote-t74231.php

Problem is I can't figure out for the life of me how to turn it into a poll. I know the option used to be easily founfd, but I can't find it. Am I just missing something?

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 5:39 pm**

wouldn't have been getting it regardless, but kinda glad because a) not collecting Animated, so the whole set was an insta-pass anyway, b) I think Wreck-Gar would have been a better choice for MM and c) I wants my Classics/Generations combining Menasor please!

edit: also a little sad, because even though I've never had the money to go to Botcon or the funds to buy the figures, it's always nice when they're ones that I think "oh, thats so obvious" and am envious of those who do have them.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 7:24 pm**

Counterpunch wrote:
amcgrath929 wrote:I don't think Seibertron is stating what "we" wanted. He is stating what he wanted and that he is disappointed...

Bullseye.

So...

Ryan's started referring to himself in the third person?

amcgrath929 wrote:And the comparisons to FOX news is beyond ridiculous...

Well, when I used to actually spend time here, Ryan was really determined to make this the #1 site for Transformers news, and espoused values consistent with responsible journalism - accuracy and fairness.

Using the medium to promote a personal, subjective point of view and declaring that it is fact by virtue of popular mandate runs counter to that and tarnishes the site's credibility as a news source. It's the same thing Fox News does when they fill their prime-time slot with blowhards that jabber on about their personal feelings/beliefs and insist that 'the American people have spoken/support/agree' etc., and thats why FN is a joke. Given, they have the most viewers of the news networks, so from a technical standpoint maybe that sort of rhetorical tripe would be good for Seibertron.com.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 7:54 pm**

Caelus wrote:
Counterpunch wrote:
amcgrath929 wrote:I don't think Seibertron is stating what "we" wanted. He is stating what he wanted and that he is disappointed...

Bullseye.

So...

Ryan's started referring to himself in the third person?

The Seibertron.com staff has known about Voyager Prime being the mold used for Motormaster for quite a while. We've had a lot of discussion about it long before this was announced. I think I can safely speak for the majority of the staff when I say "we". The conversation in this topic also made me feel comfortable saying "we" and the poll we have going also reassures my statement as well.

the-great-botcon-tfa-motomaster-debate-you-vote-p1187196.php#p1187196

Caelus wrote:
amcgrath929 wrote:And the comparisons to FOX news is beyond ridiculous...

Well, when I used to actually spend time here, Ryan was really determined to make this the #1 site for Transformers news, and espoused values consistent with responsible journalism - accuracy and fairness.

Using the medium to promote a personal, subjective point of view and declaring that it is fact by virtue of popular mandate runs counter to that and tarnishes the site's credibility as a news source. It's the same thing Fox News does when they fill their prime-time slot with blowhards that jabber on about their personal feelings/beliefs and insist that 'the American people have spoken/support/agree' etc., and thats why FN is a joke. Given, they have the most viewers of the news networks, so from a technical standpoint maybe that sort of rhetorical tripe would be good for Seibertron.com.

It's not the first time that I've used Seibertron.com to express my opinion. I'm a die-hard collector. I'm very passionate about this hobby. I've been doing this site for almost 1/3 of my life (11 years now) and a fanzine newsletter for the 4 years prior (15 years total so creeping up on half of my life). I've been collecting since 1984. So once in a while I like to use Seibertron.com to express my opinion. I don't do it that often, but maybe once a year or once every two years something gets my hot button going.

I think the last time I did something like that was with the Transformers Ongoing's artwork from Don Figueroa. Considering how the art direction has changed, including Figueroa's, I'm thinking that I chose a good hot point to jump in the pulpit.

Not a fan of ol' Fox news. But if any of you think that Fox News is the only biased news channel, you've got to take another look. All of the channels have a biased view. Fox News just gets the most criticism because they are a conservative channel in a liberal medium. ABC News had a headline last month that was one of the worst news headlines I had ever seen -- it looked like something ripped out of foxnews.com. I can't remember what it was, but it was just an asinine headline. All of these sites and companies are guilty of this. I'm not ashamed that our opinions might come across as being biased from time-to-time. I've never claimed that this site is unbiased.

And stirring up some controversy with the site isn't all bad. This is a discussion board, right? What fun is a discussion board without opposing views? It's no fun if we all agree with each other.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 8:26 pm**

TF news is hardly professional journalism .... I don't see why Seibs'd have to be unbiased about anything. And even in professional journalism there's still opinion pieces.

Still, I think the last time an opinion was stated was Counterpunch's small head. With the Beetlejuice banner. I think that was after the TF art comment.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 8:33 pm**

Gauntlet101010 wrote:TF news is hardly professional journalism .... I don't see why Seibs'd have to be unbiased about anything. And even in professional journalism there's still opinion pieces.

Still, I think the last time an opinion was stated was Counterpunch's small head. With the Beetlejuice banner. I think that was after the TF art comment.

You are correct. Forgot about that. And none of these examples compare to Transformers 101, which Seibertron.com survived ... and started the Internet craziness that lead to Megatron's head getting changed.

Ah, good times.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 8:34 pm**

Seibertron wrote:It's not the first time that I've used Seibertron.com to express my opinion.

I know - I wasn't keen on the idea before.

I'm a die-hard collector. I'm very passionate about this hobby. I've been doing this site for almost 1/3 of my life (11 years now) and a fanzine newsletter for the 4 years prior (15 years total so creeping up on half of my life). I've been collecting since 1984. So once in a while I like to use Seibertron.com to express my opinion. I don't do it that often, but maybe once a year or once every two years something gets my hot button going.

I didn't say you had didn't have the right to do it (although I'm not really sure what throwing out the age card has to do with it), I was just saying that it was presumptuous to use 'what we wanted' in the head line without an a priori idea of the overall site's (and for that matter fan-base's) disposition toward the decision was. Even if the staff were overwhelmingly in favor of the Wreck-Gar idea, they are a small and unrepresentative sample of a larger population of people who are 'members' of Seibertron.com.

Maybe it sounds nit-picking, but I just don't think it's that hard to either run a poll before putting up a headline like that, or phrase the headline in some way that seems less like you're trying to declare yourself to be some sort avatar for the will of the fan-base.

I think the last time I did something like that was with the Transformers Ongoing's artwork from Don Figueroa. Considering how the art direction has changed, including Figueroa's, I'm thinking that I chose a good hot point to jump in the pulpit.

Maybe, but maybe not. I would speculate that the art would have moved on anyway but there's no way to know. Like most of life's decisions, we just have to pat ourselves on the back when things go right and blame fate when they don't. And of course, as I recall there were members of the site who liked the movie-style art, so I doubt there as thrilled with the way things turned out.

Not a fan of ol' Fox news. But if any of you think that Fox News is the only biased news channel, you've got to take another look. All of the channels have a biased view. Fox News just gets the most criticism because they are a conservative channel in a liberal medium. ABC News had a headline last month that was one of the worst news headlines I had ever seen -- it looked like something ripped out of foxnews.com. I can't remember what it was, but it was just an asinine headline.

Well, we could bicker about that one all day, but (a) I'm sure that if we're going to cite anecdotal evidence that we don't remember I would trounce you, and (b) I'm well aware that my own field isn't unbiased, when (by definition) it damn well should be, so I have fairly low expectations of the media in general.

All of these sites and companies are guilty of this. I'm not ashamed that our opinions might come across as being biased from time-to-time. I've never claimed that this site is unbiased.

Hmm... I thought I remembered you saying that you did want to keep things fair and balanced, but I guess I was wrong. Although, I'm not sure that the 'everyone else does it' rationale should really be grounds for not being "ashamed".

And stirring up some controversy with the site isn't all bad. This is a discussion board, right? What fun is a discussion board without opposing views? It's no fun if we all agree with each other.

Past experience with this site has shown a tendency for disagreement and witty banter to spiral down into immaturity, enmity, cyberbullying, and the closing of entire forums. Especially when the staff stacks overwhelmingly on one side of the issue. Or when Don Murphy is involved.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 8:44 pm**

Caelus wrote: ...

Thank you for your insights into all of this. Hope you'll continue to participate.

Posted: **Sat Feb 26, 2011 12:07 am**

Gauntlet101010 wrote:TF news is hardly professional journalism .... I don't see why Seibs'd have to be unbiased about anything. And even in professional journalism there's still opinion pieces.

Professional journalism or not, you are very correct.

As a member of the Society of Professional Journalists (yes, it's a real organization), I feel obligated to re-emphasize what you said. Everyone take note. There's nothing wrong with opinion pieces, and since Seibertron is the publisher, he can decide what opinion pieces to run.

Posted: **Sat Feb 26, 2011 12:33 am**

I haven't read every post since Motormaster's reveal yesterday, so I don't know it this has been brought up already.

Motormaster looks a lot like Lemmy from Motorhead.

Posted: **Sat Feb 26, 2011 1:14 am**

El Duque wrote:I haven't read every post since Motormaster's reveal yesterday, so I don't know it this has been brought up already.

Motormaster looks a lot like Lemmy from Motorhead.

Interesting.

BotCon Transformers: BotCon
@
@DerrickJWyatt Because he's not our Motormaster. He's a macho bot. A bearded lemmy. A Stunt Convoy!

Posted: **Sat Feb 26, 2011 8:20 am**

The Transformers Collectors' Club posted a couple of new images on their Facebook page of upcoming Botcon 2011 Stunticons.

The first image is the group photo of all 5 Stunticon members in alternate mode.

The other image is the resin prototype of the new head sculpt of Stunticon's leader - Motormaster.

You can view the original TCC's Facebook page by clicking here.

Seibertron, Ultimate Transformers Resource!

Posted: **Sat Feb 26, 2011 8:53 am**

i love these guys! i cant wait to get them!

my animated cons are out numbered and they would help a lot!

im starting to warm up to the motormaster :-?

Posted: **Sat Feb 26, 2011 10:49 am**

El Duque wrote:I haven't read every post since Motormaster's reveal yesterday, so I don't know it this has been brought up already.

Motormaster looks a lot like Lemmy from Motorhead.

The only Motormaster you need is the Ace of Spades.

Posted: **Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:42 am**

Wow this is a popular discussion.... Ok, this is meant for anyone who is still on the fence about this set.....WHAT IF? What if some clever 3rd party company makes an armor upgrade that will allow these figures to combine? I know, it's unlikely being that they are Animated, BUT, now that I know the molds, I'm working out the armor myself and going the non-attended route this year(sux). If, god forbid, FANSPROJECT made a Crossfire for this unit, would not it's awesomeness be unrivaled? Yeah.

Posted: **Sat Feb 26, 2011 12:24 pm**

It Is Him wrote:
El Duque wrote:I haven't read every post since Motormaster's reveal yesterday, so I don't know it this has been brought up already.

Motormaster looks a lot like Lemmy from Motorhead.

The only Motormaster you need is the Ace of Spades.

This has officially become the greatest toy ever. The only thing that can top it is if they do a figure with a Freddie Mercury head.

Posted: **Sat Feb 26, 2011 12:31 pm**

El Duque wrote:I haven't read every post since Motormaster's reveal yesterday, so I don't know it this has been brought up already.

Motormaster looks a lot like Lemmy from Motorhead.

HAHAHAHAHA! That is great.

Posted: **Sat Feb 26, 2011 12:51 pm**

Well they do look good together in alt modes.

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