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What is the greatest development in transformer toys?

Posted:
Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:48 pm
by shortround
I know that is one of those question where everyone will have different idea. I guess for me it has to be the introduction of constructicon because without those six vechicle we would not have the combiners like stunticons,combaticons and so many others. Those six constuction vehicle started a whole new sub catagory of figures. So I sulute both takara for inventing them and hasbro for reintroducing them as decepticons to whole generation of childeren who to this day still collect transformers.

Posted:
Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:55 pm
by Homer
That one's easy.
Takara for the Microman and Diaclone lines.
Hasbro for the idea and story of the Transformers.

Posted:
Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:33 pm
by Thanatos Prime
Ball joints, turned G1 bricks into BW awesomeness.

Posted:
Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:51 pm
by Zeds
Thanatos Prime wrote:Ball joints, turned G1 bricks into BW awesomeness.
At the cost of die-cast alongside cheaper plastic being used. I want my G1 designs back. Better quality and more sturdy.

Posted:
Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:53 pm
by lanzajr26
g1transformers wrote:Thanatos Prime wrote:Ball joints, turned G1 bricks into BW awesomeness.
At the cost of die-cast alongside cheaper plastic being used. I want my G1 designs back. Better quality and more sturdy.
If losing die-cast = toys like Classics, then I'll make the sacrifice.

Posted:
Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:58 pm
by God Magnus
Thanatos Prime wrote:Ball joints, turned G1 bricks into BW awesomeness.
I couldn't have said it better myself. Ball joints, although a seemingly simple innovation, really provided for a much greater degree of design possibilities as well as better poseability.

Posted:
Fri Aug 03, 2007 10:06 pm
by AbsumZer0
g1transformers wrote:Thanatos Prime wrote:Ball joints, turned G1 bricks into BW awesomeness.
At the cost of die-cast alongside cheaper plastic being used. I want my G1 designs back. Better quality and more sturdy.
How many G1 figures after the original Diaclone/Microchange moulds even had Die-cast? I don't remember any of the post-movie figures having die-cast parts and the plastic used on Micromasters and Pretenders doesn't seem any better than that used for G2 or Beast Wars.

Posted:
Fri Aug 03, 2007 10:12 pm
by Phenotype
Thanatos Prime wrote:Ball joints, turned G1 bricks into BW awesomeness.
Totally agree, ball joints
drastically improved articulation and advanced what designers could do with their concepts by tenfold.
g1transformers wrote:At the cost of die-cast alongside cheaper plastic being used. I want my G1 designs back. Better quality and more sturdy.
I feel sorry for you, I really do. Is change really so frightening to you? Do you never strive for anything better? Do you fear change so much that you are willing to sacrifice innovation for nostalgia? G1 had it's time in the sun but you cannot even compare those figures to todays figures, they aren't even on the same LEVEL.

Posted:
Fri Aug 03, 2007 10:12 pm
by Flux Convoy
Screw die-cast. The vast majority of Titaniums are garbage because of it IMO. Give me classics anyday over anything die-cast. Sure it worked for the original toys and those are great but I want figures that move and can be posed. I grew up, why shouldn't the toys?


Posted:
Fri Aug 03, 2007 10:59 pm
by Blurrz
Ball Joints. Oh yah. No more brick-formers.

Posted:
Fri Aug 03, 2007 11:13 pm
by Great Atlas
On my list:
Ball joints
Beast wars toys
alternators
classics
automorph
(take note i don't own alts or classics yet, but just from the looks)

Posted:
Fri Aug 03, 2007 11:56 pm
by zemper
ball joints hands down. without 'em, TFs wouldn't be as playable as they are today. also, it's what made the Beast Wars toys great.


Posted:
Fri Aug 03, 2007 11:57 pm
by ThunderZap
Thanatos Prime wrote:Ball joints, turned G1 bricks into BW awesomeness.
god..i really hate the racheting joint..they aren't easy to make different pose for my tf

Posted:
Fri Aug 03, 2007 11:58 pm
by zemper
Great Atlas wrote:On my list:
Ball joints
Beast wars toys
alternators
classics
automorph
on a side note, i couldn't help but notice that all of your listed innovations stem from one thing: ball joints.
well, except automorph as it uses springs & gears to facilitate the transformations.

Posted:
Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:00 am
by zemper
ThunderZap wrote:Thanatos Prime wrote:Ball joints, turned G1 bricks into BW awesomeness.
god..i really hate the racheting joint..they aren't easy to make different pose for my tf
ratcheting joints are good for parts that move only in a back-forth direction, like knees. it's more sturdy and lasts longer than ball joints.

Posted:
Sat Aug 04, 2007 1:56 am
by shortround
Yeah ball joints have improved action figures in general with out them we would still have joints like original starwars figures had. I mean if you really want talk about were ball joints started it was with gijoe back in the 80's granted they were really primative back then but that is really were they started.

Posted:
Sat Aug 04, 2007 7:13 am
by microclone
AbsumZer0 wrote:g1transformers wrote:Thanatos Prime wrote:Ball joints, turned G1 bricks into BW awesomeness.
At the cost of die-cast alongside cheaper plastic being used. I want my G1 designs back. Better quality and more sturdy.
How many G1 figures after the original Diaclone/Microchange moulds even had Die-cast? I don't remember any of the post-movie figures having die-cast parts and the plastic used on Micromasters and Pretenders doesn't seem any better than that used for G2 or Beast Wars.
some predakings have diecast. kup, hotrod and maybe blurr.
:/

Posted:
Sat Aug 04, 2007 9:53 am
by Autobot Skids
I really think it's pointless to argue over which is better G1 or others because Hasbro/TakaraTomy have actually NOTICED that people like different TFs and we have reissues, mainline, bw, classics, Alts/Bts and lots other other goodies so whatever you like you can find and what you don't like you don't have to buy... it's not like the companys are screwing over people who like G1 or the other way around....
And yeah...dang it... ball joints wins hands down.
not just for the poseability etc ... but the notion of parts that can snap off and be reattached rather than break off forever.
Granted - I'm sure if you purposely snapped them off then the joint would crack...
But sometimes accidents happen in transport etc. and it's really nice to be able to just pop a leg back in its' socket rather than have a broken toy.
Skids

Posted:
Sat Aug 04, 2007 10:51 am
by tom brokaw
Automorph Technology.

Posted:
Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:22 pm
by Duke of Luns
Ball joints are great, but I have another to add to the list:
Weapons incorperated into the alt. mode. In some cases they don't look good(Energon Hotshot, Rodimus, Prowl, and Downshift to name a few), but more of than not they provide a place to put the weapon while transformed.
The downside though is if you lose it, you sometimes end up with a Tranformer without a tail or back or something.

Posted:
Sat Aug 04, 2007 1:01 pm
by Zeedust
Blurrz wrote:Ball Joints. Oh yah. No more brick-formers.
I was gonna generalize more and just say articulation... Ratchet juints are cool too, less likely to get floppy over time.