The Energon Pub

Hey All,
I'm moving into my own apartment and I have a pretty decent collection of Transformers. I've had many of them out on a bookshelf in my parent's home.

BUT I'm finally getting my own place and debating if I should have them out or put some of them out in several places in the apartment.

Thoughts... please note I'm a 33 year old single guy who is wondering if a girl is going to be weirded out by seeing Transformers out.

Do what you want to do with them. I kept all of mine on display, in my room when I had roomates (mostly so they wouldn't play with them and possibly break one)

when I got my own place, I had an extra bedroom that I turned into my collection room.

I never had a problem with a woman and my collection. one or two didn't really get it but none ever gave me a hard time over it. or ran when they seen it.

If a woman did have a problem might not be the one for you.

Just my opinion though...

Never go full collection, bro. Never. Rotation is cool and keep em guessing. Get nice display cases so it looks like you give a **** about things you care about. Thats what women are most interested in.

Meh- go full collection. Just do it, nerdpride! I've never had a problem with it.

just go with it . It's less an issue than you think

Regarding girls, you shouldn't even worry about that. If they're "weirded out" by it, then you wouldn't want to date them anyway. When you bring a girl home and she says "Oh, COOL!" you'll know you've found a good one.

In other words, think of it as a test instead of a hindrance.

When I met my wife, I told her almost immediately that I collect Transformers and have a large collection. She was impressed that I was so honest and unashamed about it. She said "It took my sister's husband a whole year to tell her he plays D&D and paints figurines!" When she tells people about how we met, she always mentions how impressed she was that I didn't hide my hobby from her.

Do a nice display, put it all out there if you like.

However, I would advise leaving it to one area or room of the house. There is a difference between having a collection (large or small) and doing your interior decorating with toys.

Even among girls who will not gripe about the toys, having a bunch of toys around the house is kind of sloppy.

No girl is impressed by sloppy. Keep it clean.

I also agree with CP. Sloppy is the real thing to avoid. Devote an area for them and create a nice display. Just because they are toys doesn't mean they can't be shown with sophistication.

Keeping them all in one space (even a large space) will make them think TFs don't rule your life.

If you don't show fear or nerves when you first take a lady home they probably won't mind, unless they're just not worth your time!

I moved about a year ago, because my girlfriend and I wished to get a place together.

So first I think as far as the, "Is a girl going to be weirded out?" question, I agree with what a few of the other posters have said. Assuming you're hoping for something long term, then obviously she's going to have to become aware of your interest in Transformers eventually. So get it out in the open as soon as you can, I say. Be proud! Have your Transformers on display!

The girl I am with now, I first met her online... So before we had even met in person, I said to her, "Yeah, I'm in my early 30's, I'm into sci-fi and anime, and I have huge collections of DVDs and Transformers." She didn't run screaming, and three years we are still together.

If I had tried to hide such things, perhaps I would have ended up trying to connect with someone who would be less tolerant of such hobbies, leading to trouble when they eventually came out. I'll admit, it may make your dating pool a bit smaller... but you'll have a better chance of ending up with someone who will make for a good long term prospect.

As for how to arrange them... In my case, it is true that the Transformers are a little bit all over the place... Just because there are so many of them! But even within those confines, they are arranged in what is hopefully a pleasing manor, rather then just being a big mess of robots.

What the heck, here's some photos. These are a bit old, as they are from shortly after the move. but things aren't too different these days.

First, a couple of panoramic shots just to give you an idea of what sort of layout I had to work with. (These are from early on in the moving in process, as evidenced by the fact that there are still boxes everywhere.)




Next is the entertainment center, with many Transformers on the right. (And a few Macross Valkyries on the left.) There is a shelf seen here with Optimus Primes on it. Those have since been moved, and that shelf now has Maketoys Green Giant and a Fansproject-augmented Bruticus on it. (With room for Fansproject's upcoming Menasor, as well.)



This nice big metal rack is a rescue from when I used to work for KB Toys. At the time of this photo, it had two shelves of Optimus Primes on it. For some time, it had three (after I moved the Primes mentioned above.) But it is currently back down to two and I made a decision to pack away the Bay-verse Optimus Primes. I know it won't be until towards the end of the year before it comes out, but I suppose I wanted to start planning on making room for the new Metroplex.



I've got some displayed in the bedroom, as well.



And we have one other room, which is for us kind of a combo office / spare bedroom. Of course, there has to be a few in there, as well.



There is one room that has no Transformers... I suppose in your new place I might suggest it isn't necessary to have any in the bathroom!

Finally, it should be fairly obvious, but here's my unsolicited recommendations on the actual moving process. Assuming your Transformers are out of their packages, I'd recommend getting plenty of big boxes and plenty of newspaper. Transform your guys into whatever seems their most compact and durable mode (usually vehicle mode), wrap em' up good, and pack them semi-tightly into the boxes. I had everything come through my move unscathed, and hopefully you will have the same.

Good luck in your new place!

When I moved out I didn't take them all. I have several collections and since it was growing at the time I took my Classics/Universe, etc. In retrospect I'm glad because I was robbed. He didn't take any of my TFs except Music Label Optimus Prime's trailer (IPOD Station) but still that is something to consider.

As for girls, I'm too socially awkward to have to worry about that.

I had some on display in my room when I started dating my wife. She called me a nerd, then I proceeded to show her the rest of my collection proudly. after getting a place together I bought a display case where I rotate my collection. She doesn't seem to mind but still calls me a nerd.

Just wondering for the bachelors out there. How does one display their collection? Lets say you're not looking for a long term relationship or anything. does one explain their hobbies to every girl they bring back to their apartment? Do you not display? do you have a rotating hiding book shelf gimmick or something? Because original poster did said he was single, maybe he is not looking for a long term prospect.

As people have said, just display them and if a girl doesn't like it, well you can hope the door doesn't hit her on the way out.

I never made a secret of my hobby and now I'm in a situation where most of my collection is at my fiance's and our spare room is my (well technicaly now our) collection room, with a dining table displaying the USS Flagg, 2 timber display cabinets, the wardrobe full of my collection and now we're talking about getting 2 detolfs to display the excess. Meanwhile my Hot Toys Tumbler Batmobile and Hot Toys 89 Batmobile will be getting custom made display boxes and displayed under the Flagg table.

Anyone you wind up with is a package deal of what makes them who they are. People either love the package deal or they don't. If they don't love the package deal in your case, then they're not worth loving - end of story.

Another vote for displaying the figures in one room or area.

Also, to Yotsuya - is that Emma, a Victorian Romance on the screen?

datguy86 wrote:Another vote for displaying the figures in one room or area.

Mine aren't in one area... but that is, I suppose, because of the quantity involved... they wouldn't all fit in one area! But I try to keep them within a few designated areas.

datguy86 wrote:Also, to Yotsuya - is that Emma, a Victorian Romance on the screen?

Why yes, yes it is.

Yotsuyasan wrote:

datguy86 wrote:Another vote for displaying the figures in one room or area.

Mine aren't in one area... but that is, I suppose, because of the quantity involved... they wouldn't all fit in one area! But I try to keep them within a few designated areas.

datguy86 wrote:Also, to Yotsuya - is that Emma, a Victorian Romance on the screen?

Why yes, yes it is.

Dude. I still need to see that.

Some other advice for moving - pop over to Home Depot and pick up the materials to add shelves to the wall. It adds some respect value to visitors when they know you did this project on your own.

mooncake623 wrote:Just wondering for the bachelors out there. How does one display their collection? Lets say you're not looking for a long term relationship or anything. does one explain their hobbies to every girl they bring back to their apartment? Do you not display? do you have a rotating hiding book shelf gimmick or something?

Personally, I keep the majority of my collection in my man cave. Whatever TF's I do display are HA, high-end Alternity and MP ones. They're also mostly in alt mode, so any girls I bring home wouldn't bat an eyelid at what would seem like your average scale model cars and vehicles.

There's the occasional Yamato Macross VF and AC model kit, but they're placed like display pieces, and don't call any attention to themselves.

That's the beauty of TF's, after all; they have the ability of hiding in plain sight.

The last girl I brought home didn't even bat an eyelash at the sight. Other visitors (romantic or otherwise) are just blown away by the sight of 300+ robots. I'm not so bad at social interaction so it doesn't come across as a weird obsession.

Mykltron wrote:The last girl I brought home didn't even bat an eyelash at the sight. Other visitors (romantic or otherwise) are just blown away by the sight of 300+ robots. I'm not so bad at social interaction so it doesn't come across as a weird obsession.

Not all of us are charismatic rock guitarists, you know?

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:

mooncake623 wrote:Just wondering for the bachelors out there. How does one display their collection? Lets say you're not looking for a long term relationship or anything. does one explain their hobbies to every girl they bring back to their apartment? Do you not display? do you have a rotating hiding book shelf gimmick or something?

Personally, I keep the majority of my collection in my man cave. Whatever TF's I do display are HA, high-end Alternity and MP ones. They're also mostly in alt mode, so any girls I bring home wouldn't bat an eyelid at what would seem like your average scale model cars and vehicles.

There's the occasional Yamato Macross VF and AC model kit, but they're placed like display pieces, and don't call any attention to themselves.

That's the beauty of TF's, after all; they have the ability of hiding in plain sight.

Hahah nice! Just wondering how it's being done. I haven't been single for a while and didn't start collecting until after I met my girlfriend. I don't have a man cave so if this relationship doesn't work out I guess I'll have to put all 500+ transformers into alt mode before I bring anyone over =X

Since we recently bought a new house, my fiancee and I got a room to house our collections. I got the finished basement for my transformers and she got a spare bedroom for her Snoopys.

At our old place, I had one shelf that was allowed to have transformers on it. We didn't have a lot of space so I had to rotate the collection once in a while.

I would certainly recommend that you keep the figures in a designated space in the house. I would not make it the dominating force in a main area of the house or scattered all over the place. No one wants Optimus Prime staring at them while they are using the bathroom. Designate a room (basement, mancave, spare bedroom) to house the collection. That way you can be selective as to who sees your collection. Example: if you have a bunch of people from your work/business, your collection might not be the best representation of who you are, business-wise.

When I met her, I just included the toy collection as one of the things I was into. Women want you to be honest with them. If you tell them about all of your hobbies and leave out that you have 1,000 Transformers in your house, they are going to think you hid if from them. They then immediately think "what else is he hiding?"

mooncake623 wrote:Hahah nice! Just wondering how it's being done. I haven't been single for a while and didn't start collecting until after I met my girlfriend. I don't have a man cave so if this relationship doesn't work out I guess I'll have to put all 500+ transformers into alt mode before I bring anyone over =X

Bah why do people need mancaves when they usually have access to perfectly good spare rooms?

mooncake623 wrote:

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:

mooncake623 wrote:Just wondering for the bachelors out there. How does one display their collection? Lets say you're not looking for a long term relationship or anything. does one explain their hobbies to every girl they bring back to their apartment? Do you not display? do you have a rotating hiding book shelf gimmick or something?

Personally, I keep the majority of my collection in my man cave. Whatever TF's I do display are HA, high-end Alternity and MP ones. They're also mostly in alt mode, so any girls I bring home wouldn't bat an eyelid at what would seem like your average scale model cars and vehicles.

There's the occasional Yamato Macross VF and AC model kit, but they're placed like display pieces, and don't call any attention to themselves.

That's the beauty of TF's, after all; they have the ability of hiding in plain sight.

Hahah nice! Just wondering how it's being done. I haven't been single for a while and didn't start collecting until after I met my girlfriend. I don't have a man cave so if this relationship doesn't work out I guess I'll have to put all 500+ transformers into alt mode before I bring anyone over =X

Well, you can also just get a massive glass cabinet installed and display them inside.

For some reason, placing your collection in a glass display seems to make chicks not notice them--could be that they're instinctively drawn to their own reflection on the glass.

I once had a Hot Toys RE5 Jill Valentine Battle Suit Version out on display when I brought a girl home. That would have sounded some massive geek alarms, but she didn't seem to even notice. Incidentally, it was housed in a clear acrylic display case.

Either that, or she's totally cool with guys collecting figs.

*edited for typos.