The Energon Pub

[Counterpunch]

So someone brought up on the TF CC site the question as to whether people would want a set of TF Legends or Spychangers as BotCon exclusives. They proposed that they could be redeco-ed into Stunticons or other assorted G1-ish figures.

This would be done in an attempt to cut down prices and make the sets easily available to any who wanted them. In theory, it would make BotCon less expensive to attend as well.

THIS IS NOT A RUMOR OR POSSIBILITY. It is a discussion point.

So, is it worth the trade off? Overall inferior toys (and don't you dare argue that they are not. Legends and Spychangers are not on the same level as Cybertron and Classics....) and a more populist approach to the convention?

[waaaaghlord]

Probably not something that I'd go for. Then again this year's set was something of a stand out and the first time that I've been able to justify the cost of the set. Only previous figures that are high on my wants list would be the 05 Ironhide and Ratchet. As unpopular as this view is going to be I think they need to keep producing sets with the sort of desirability they managed this year if they're going to be able to shift all the units produced again in the future. Given the exclusivity mark up I just can't see myself paying through the nose for Spychangers.

[Sarri]

Well, so far I haven't seen anything interesting among the Botcon exclusives, but smaller figures would make it even less likely that I find something interesting. The smaller classes are too simplistic (in transformation and detail) for my taste.

As a weird sidepoint, the lower price would also be a turn off, I'd have to import those things and the shipping options they offer aren't that cheap, it is difficult to justify buying something where the shipping cost is equal or higher as the price of actual merchandise.

[Dagon]

I agree with Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaghlord. This summer I devoted my hunting to Botcon figures, and have to say that even though they are very expensive you do have a sense of getting what you pay for. The new style of Botcon figures that come in the box set is a better idea than the single figures of years past like Ape-linq and Catscan, and even though the figures are more expensive I don't think even G1 homages would be worth the price for 5-6 Spychangers, and paying $100+ for a box of Legends figures would amount to highway robbery. I hope that this idea does not pass.

[skywarp-2]

How about 2 or 3 figures that are exclusives, and not widely known characters like Thundercracker, deluxe class or classics sizes, but that's it.. no huge Box sets of figures that should have been a wide released run..

[Counterpunch]

How about 2 or 3 figures that are exclusives, and not widely known characters like Thundercracker, deluxe class or classics sizes, but that's it.. no huge Box sets of figures that should have been a wide released run..

They did that dude.

Seriously.

The truth of that scenario is that by the time you buy the 2 or 3 exclusives at the convention, you've spent as much as you would on the box set.

I don't mind if they cut back the numbers, that's fine. You should know that your scenario has actually happened though. It ended up just as, if not more expensive in the end than the current set up.

[Dagon]

How about 2 or 3 figures that are exclusives, and not widely known characters like Thundercracker, deluxe class or classics sizes, but that's it.. no huge Box sets of figures that should have been a wide released run..

Well, pretty much every Botcon figure save for 07 has been just that, really. If you look back at the exclusive figures they are just repaints that are given new names and personas. The 06 Dawn of Futures Past set took characters we already know, but how many people really would run out and buy Cybertron-mode Primal? Like, just from Target? That set was a pretty good idea that gave us exclusive figures that were't really a part of the main continuity. I agree that the rest of the seekers would have been awesome in general release, and that it was odd that they were released as an exclusive set, but what are you gonna do? CP mentioned they might paint up a bunch'a Spychangers as the Stunticons, but what use are they really if the don't combine? I think, SKywarp 2, that it's really a question of what do you want to get for your money: some exclusive Deluxes or some expensive Micromasters?

[Dagon]

How about 2 or 3 figures that are exclusives, and not widely known characters like Thundercracker, deluxe class or classics sizes, but that's it.. no huge Box sets of figures that should have been a wide released run..

They did that dude.

Seriously.

The truth of that scenario is that by the time you buy the 2 or 3 exclusives at the convention, you've spent as much as you would on the box set.

I don't mind if they cut back the numbers, that's fine. You should know that your scenario has actually happened though. It ended up just as, if not more expensive in the end than the current set up.

I got to thinking about that yesterday. I've got a bunch of Botcon figures but have never yet made it to a Botcon, and I was thinking that if you have 3 or 4 exclusive figures at the convention that you have to buy seperately, then why did it take so many years for them to move over to the boxed set format? I know it was two different companies, but I figured it must have cost about the same as a set as opposed to individual toys.

[Lapse Of Reason]

I like the current way. I want my exclusives to be hard to find and expensive (ie collectable).

I also want my exclusives to be characters AND figures I care about tied into a storyline. This year's set was perfect and will be tough to do better.

I can see the legends or spychangers as an additional exclusive souvenior set maybe, but only if they fit in with that year's Botcon storyline.

[craggy]

personally, I think that Botcon exclusives have gotten a bit too overboard with their ideas and such.
nothing wrong with making really cool looking toys, but making said toys versions of characters that would easily sell twice or 3 times (or more, i'm not really a sales numbers guy) at normal retail in more profitable mass-market versions would be a lot better.
there's a lot of molds that would work as other characters, especially if they continued their head swapping idea. heck even just straight repaints. for example, cartoon colours classics astrotrain.

edit: i like the idea of a set of little guys. be it micromasters or minicons or WSTFs or whatever they could be cool. probably not as the main exlusive. better to keep that as a big sized repaint. more like megazarak or nemesis prime or something.

[Tigertrack]

No thanks on Legends or Spychangers.

Now possibly Minicons if they did they well enough. But spending $$$ for Legends or Spychangers just does not sound appealing to me at all.

The good news would be that I would have more money to spend on the dealer room on collectibles I would actually want, but there would not be any cool con exclusives that I liked.

Now if they were as creative as what many cons in Japan have had for smaller figures maybe. WST Ultra Magnus and armor...HELL YEAH! Wonderfest Dai Atlas! The very interesting Choro Q G2 Megatron, and Ghost Mirage figs...

But no, no thanks on the Legends or Spychangers.

[DoubleOScorpio]

I like the current way. I want my exclusives to be hard to find and expensive (ie collectable).

I also want my exclusives to be characters AND figures I care about tied into a storyline. This year's set was perfect and will be tough to do better.

I can see the legends or spychangers as an additional exclusive souvenior set maybe, but only if they fit in with that year's Botcon storyline.

I couldn't say it any better myself. I totally agree.

[i_amtrunks]

Last thing the Transformers-dom needs is more repainted Spychangers.

Convention exclusive sets should be good quality figures that you want to spend your money on.

[UltraPrimal]

No. No Spychangers. No Legends. I think the BotCon sets are OK as it is. I like the deluxe and voyager sizes. If anything, I'd like to see bigger more expensive sets. Like with a leader or even supreme class figure in it. The only way I'd like to see a small set of figures is if it's 1 of the G1 gestaltsm and not 1 you can find a KO of. I've mentioned it in the past I'd like to see the Stunticons repainted and remolded as the Autobots who impersonated them in that 1 episode.

[megatroptimus]

Not smaller, AFFORDABLE and NOT IN THE HANDS OF SCALPERS.

[Gutter Bunny]

two words: "no"

[Foallen]

I think the sizing now is pretty good. I don't think I'd have any interest in spychangers or legends figures. I own very few of them overall and have no plans for any more. I prefer bigger figures, even if they cost more.

There's no point in producing figures everyone can afford if no one really cares about buying them...

[Tigertrack]

Not smaller, AFFORDABLE and NOT IN THE HANDS OF SCALPERS.

You don't want much do you! One they can control to a degree, and one they really have no control over besides what they are currently doing.

[Bonger]

Not smaller, AFFORDABLE and NOT IN THE HANDS OF SCALPERS.

You don't want much do you! One they can control to a degree, and one they really have no control over besides what they are currently doing.

Actually, unless the "scalpers" have alrage families and paid for them all to go to Botcon, an overwheling majority of Botcon sets on ebay were sold by your fellow collectors, and that oo, probably the most dedicatred US collectors at that.

Regarding the Spychangers, it really does not compute for me. Botcon is always going to cost 300 plus and will cost more as time goes by. Tht is what they want from you to attend. The figures are just a bonus to add to the fun. Spychangers for exclusives would just mean crappier gifts for us, and not necesarily a cheaper Botcn ticket.

I think a lot of people who got riled up about the exclusives were the ones who did not go to Botcon and viewed the price of the set as humungous, which it was for just a few toys. However, for those who actually went and made full use of the 300 dollar ticket/set, it was definately worth the whole 300 for the experience.

So in short, nay to Spychangers, unless it is just as an additional purchasable souveneir, not the primary attendee exclusive.

[Leonardo]

I think a lot of people who got riled up about the exclusives were the ones who did not go to Botcon and viewed the price of the set as humungous, which it was for just a few toys. However, for those who actually went and made full use of the 300 dollar ticket/set, it was definately worth the whole 300 for the experience.

I concur.

[Counterpunch]

I think a lot of people who got riled up about the exclusives were the ones who did not go to Botcon and viewed the price of the set as humungous, which it was for just a few toys. However, for those who actually went and made full use of the 300 dollar ticket/set, it was definately worth the whole 300 for the experience.

I concur.

Doctor.

Doctor.

I concur as well.

The idea of a major convention serving up what are essentially inferior toys in comparison to what past BotCons have given is just crazy. Not only would I likely not make my way out to the convention for those esxclusives, I probably wouldn't order them either.

[Tigertrack]

I think a lot of people who got riled up about the exclusives were the ones who did not go to Botcon and viewed the price of the set as humungous, which it was for just a few toys. However, for those who actually went and made full use of the 300 dollar ticket/set, it was definately worth the whole 300 for the experience.

I concur.

Doctor.

Doctor.

I concur as well.

The idea of a major convention serving up what are essentially inferior toys in comparison to what past BotCons have given is just crazy. Not only would I likely not make my way out to the convention for those esxclusives, I probably wouldn't order them either.

Well if they want to do something similar to the Botcon where they released G2 Wildrider, I'm all for that...it's smaller, but quite a cool exclusive.

They did use a spychanger as one of the very first Botcon exclusives. Nightscream or something, and it was the first female TF toy, supposedly.

[waaaaghlord]

Nightracer? That's just off the top of my head. First US female TF anyway. Japan had already had Minerva/Minelba/whatever the correct spelling is suposed to be.

edit - Yep Nightracer:

http://tfu.info/1995/Decepticon/Nightra ... tracer.htm

[Tigertrack]

Nightracer? That's just off the top of my head. First US female TF anyway. Japan had already had Minerva/Minelba/whatever the correct spelling is suposed to be.

edit - Yep Nightracer:

http://tfu.info/1995/Decepticon/Nightra ... tracer.htm

Thanks, I can always count on you to follow up with all the facts!!!

[waaaaghlord]

IQ of 145 and nothing better to do with my days...