The Energon Pub

[First Gen]

This is something thats been getting to me ever since I first seen SWTF's on shelves.

I never really understood the point behind them, as the two have absolutely nothing to do with each other, and besides a Jin Bash, I can't see the purpose behind purchasing any of them.

Do you think that HASBRO's invention/ marketing team came up with the idea thinking "Hey, Star Wars is mega famous, TF's is mega famous, lets make TF's outta SW figures and sell them to the dopes"? Thinking that the popularity of the two franchises will be "automatic" sales?

This has got to be a pretty weak way to capitalize on the two. In concept it sounds cool, but the figures really don't appeal to me, even with the subtle Diaclone hints you see in them?

[Dr. Z]

If SWTF insult you, then you're taking this hobby way too seriously. They're toys for kids to enjoy, nothing more. They sell well, so people must be liking them.

[Rushie]

No they don't insult "us Transfans", because they are merely toys and thus incapable of throwing offensive remarks at us.

They cannot insult us for they are actually 100% Star Wars toys, transforming from SW vehicles to SW mechs piloted by SW characters, armed with SW weapons. There's no Energon, Cybertron, Vector Sigma, Matrix or AllSpark. Instead there's the Force, Hyperspace, dozens of SW planets and lightsabers. There's no Optimus Prime, Megatron and Starscream.

You know the saying "if it can't transform, it's not a TransFormer." ? Apparently it's also true the other way around. If it can generally shift shapes, it must be a TransFormer. Heck, there are Hot Wheels ModifighterS, Marvel Shape Shifters and Marvel Megamorphs, Neo Shifters, Robotech/Macross, Gundam and so forth. And then there are SWTF. Are these transforming robotic figures? Yes indeed. But they are not TransFormers.

The only things they have in common with TFs are the Tech Specs, which are a very minor part of TF lore, and the name. The Star Wars TransFormers label is merely a ploy to attract attention from both fanbases, with quite the success if I may add. The crossover name has kept these things a hot topic for almost three years now.

Even if you dislike these things with every fiber of your soul, then it's still merely a bad toy line, not an insult to your very existence as a TF collector. You don't like them, you don't buy them.

Could everyone just stop the blatant SWTF bashing, for it gets really old now.

[Dr. Z]

We could even say that Transformers are an insult to old transforming super robots like Dangard Ace or Reideen, which were sold in the late 70s/early 80s, well before the days of Transformers. Transformers are a ripoff! :p

[First Gen]

The only things they have in common with TFs are the Tech Specs, which are a very minor part of TF lore, and the name. The Star Wars TransFormers label is merely a ploy to attract attention from both fanbases, with quite the success if I may add. The crossover name has kept these things a hot topic for almost three years now.

My point exactly and WHY I say it can be viewed as an insult. TF's are a line all there own. Its own genre, its own history. Using the TF name and various things there of, lends it to being part of the TF universe, NOT a seperate faction. Yes it uses all SW fanfare, but with a TF twist.

[Cheetron]

I have to yes.

Everytime I go to Walmart to hunt for new Transformers, all I can find are the SWTF. Only bare pickings for TFs. I know it's not the stores fault and it could possibly be that the SWTFs are not selling but it feels like a slap in the face to me.

The only filled pegs are Eon Kid and SWTF. Where are the Transformers?

[First Gen]

We could even say that Transformers are an insult to old transforming super robots like Dangard Ace or Reideen, which were sold in the late 70s/early 80s, well before the days of Transformers. Transformers are a ripoff! :p

You could ALSO say SWTF are a direct ripoff of Diaclone themselves. Man operated robots and such.

My point isnt if they are ripoffs. Its if the idea behind SWTF's is insulting to TF fans as in "We'll buy it cause it says Transformers".

[Rushie]

If you're seriously forcing yourself into buying a line you hate, just because it says TF on the packaging, it's time to rewrite your personal rules of completism.

[First Gen]

If you're seriously forcing yourself into buying a line you hate, just because it says TF on the packaging, it's time to rewrite your personal rules of completism.

I don't think you quite get what Im saying. I see your side of the argument, which I agree with, but lets say your really into Mc Farlane Figures (sporst, military whatever) and Mc Farlane takes Ben 10 figures and decos them out like the originals. Its a stretch I know but no more of a stretch than the toys in question.

Wouldn't that kinda tick you off. Ben 10 is HUGE with kids right now, and it will sell, but what the heck does it have to do with awesome poseable Mc Farlane figures?

[ShGarland_1383]

I have to yes.

Everytime I go to Walmart to hunt for new Transformers, all I can find are the SWTF. Only bare pickings for TFs. I know it's not the stores fault and it could possibly be that the SWTFs are not selling but it feels like a slap in the face to me.

The only filled pegs are Eon Kid and SWTF. Where are the Transformers?

I don't agree that SWTF (in and of itself) is an insult. The insult is something like this where you can't find anything but SWTF or slim pickings for movie figures.

[Aeros]

If your a well ajusted human being then the answer is No.

If your a emo, I feel sorry for myself, I have to see only the negative about everything then the answer is to STFU.

If you don't like it don't buy it. Why would you feel insulted by a toy. 2 awesome things put togeter is cool. Ya they might not be the greatest TFers ever but they did a good job with what they had.

Your buying 10bucks worth o' plastic, not a picaso

[GuyIncognito]

I don't like some of the regular Transformers; should I be insulted by that as well? After all, isn't Hasbro assuming that I should want Swindle just because he's a TF? Should I be insulted by that? Should I be insulted by every product I don't want every time I go shopping?

[First Gen]

If your a well ajusted human being then the answer is No.

If your a emo, I feel sorry for myself, I have to see only the negative about everything then the answer is to STFU.

If you don't like it don't buy it. Why would you feel insulted by a toy. 2 awesome things put togeter is cool. Ya they might not be the greatest TFers ever but they did a good job with what they had.

Your buying 10bucks worth o' plastic, not a picaso

First off, lmao.

Second, I can agree with you to a point. But putting two awesome things together doesn't necessarily make one awesome thing.

[First Gen]

I don't like some of the regular Transformers; should I be insulted by that as well? After all, isn't Hasbro assuming that I should want Swindle just because he's a TF? Should I be insulted by that? Should I be insulted by every product I don't want every time I go shopping?

You're not grabbing the whole concept of what I mean. Im talking about the idea of Star Wars figures as TF's and HASBRO's possible assumption that the masses will flock to them due to the popularity of both franchises mixed into one.

[WasPWNator]

You're not grabbing the whole concept of what I mean. Im talking about the idea of Star Wars figures as TF's and HASBRO's possible assumption that the masses will flock to them due to the popularity of both franchises mixed into one.

That's not an insult, that's called marketing. I'm not saying that Hasbro isn't aware that collectors exist, or that there are people who won't buy these toys just because they're two massive brands, but Hasbro's job is to produce toys, and that's exactly what these are.

I do find them slightly irritating; it irks me a little to see the actual Transformers logo (by logo I just mean 'Transformers' written in the traditional font) on the packaging of a toy that isn't connected to the TF universe in any way, but other than that I've no problem with them. I actually think the Turbo Tank / Clone Commander Cody one is pretty cool.

SWTFs are Star Wars toys, and there's no two ways about it, which is why having the TF logo did bother me a little when I saw them at first, but it's pretty easy to get over it when you realise that marketing staff still have a job to do. It's like the whole TaTu are they lesbians/are they not? thing. It was annoying as hell, but man did it sell records!

[Aeros]

You're not grabbing the whole concept of what I mean. Im talking about the idea of Star Wars figures as TF's and HASBRO's possible assumption that the masses will flock to them due to the popularity of both franchises mixed into one.

No someone at hasbro, like me and countless others enjoyed BOTH SW and TFs. and Like me and others dreamt of seeing lukes Xwing transform robotech/binaltech style and Fighting Darthvadar's tie fighter. Ya sure they are hopeing to pull the transformers fanbase into SW and the SW fanbase into TF a little in hopes of making the lines more sucessful. Should it insult me that they are trying to make a profit so they can continue to bring me awesome figures?.........the answer is no. Ppl are flocking to it because it's a great idea.

[Liege Evilmus]

If they replaced the TF line altogether, I'd say yeah.

But like so many other things that say TRANSFORMERS on it, it's just a side deal, same as Robot Heroes, the role play stuff, and so on.

I'm not gonna say they insult me. I don't realy care for them and I wish they'd aply the effort that goes into these elsewhere, but it's not like I have to buy them just cause it sayes TRANSFORMERS on the box.

In the end though I geuss it's a matter of oppinion. Take Animated, for the most part, I think THAT is insulting, but alot of people seem to like. So whatever, it is what it is, and if you don't like it, you can always skip it.

[Aeros]

Since we are on the subject of insulting.....Would it insult you if you saw a "Tranmorphing Star Wars figure on the shelf. Obviously ripping off the vehichle to robot idea
'Made famous" by transformers. Would you see it as them Ripping off transformers? using the idea of transforming SW vehicles to make moeny?

They own the rights to both the toys liciences, why not use them. See it as them Honoring Transformers by putting it in 'Traditional font'(that actually made me laugh a little).

[ReinaHW]

A few of the SWTF's are alright, but the story being made for them is very strange. Somehow I can't imagine Yoda sitting back and controlling a giant robotic version of himself. "Step on you I will, messy stain you make, yes?"
The Millenium Falcon isn't bad, the Death Star isn't bad and the Commander Cody is pretty good, for some reason I get a kind of Sentinal Prime vibe when looking at him, that design could look impressive if reworked to have a kind of Prime look or a Warpath look.

Just the story that Hasbro's made is very odd, if Star Wars did have the various vehicles transform, then I guess it would be understandable, but as it is it's very odd. Imagine the Obi Wan and Darth Vader fight in the fourth movie - "You are weak, old man, submit!" "I will never submit to evil, Vader" *squish* "Ewwwww! I just stepped on that kid of mine!"

Tony.

[Rushie]

Wouldn't that kinda tick you off. Ben 10 is HUGE with kids right now, and it will sell, but what the heck does it have to do with awesome poseable Mc Farlane figures?

Nothing, therefore you simply don't buy it. I understand you are 'ticked off' (best way to put it, indeed) by these things interfering with and maybe even downright invading your beloved toyline, but in the end it doesn't really matter. You just don't accept them as part of TFs and you don't buy them.

That's my point. I accepted them as a niche line of Star Wars, even though it was SWTF that got me from SW to real TFs in the first place. They are in no way connected to TF storywise and even the size, construction and durability is unlike any TF line. They're fragile things halfway between Deluxe and Voyager, have pilot minifigs no regular TF has and very weirdly designed PoA and transformation joints no TF uses.

Let's face it, it's a fact these things were designed by the SW brach of Hasbro. The TF department had nothing to do with them. That should be enough evidence that these were merely designed as morphing SW toys and only got the SWTF monicker at the request of some executives at the last moment.

In that respect, it's similar to the Asylum 'mockbuster' movie TransMORPHERS. The director wrote the original script and called it Robot Wars (admittedly bland, yes) he never intended the film to be a TF rip-off, that's the fault of the producers who decided it should be a last-minute cash-in with a major summer blockbuster. The film itself features huge living alien morphing robots, yes, but they lack any characterization and the human storyline is more like a Terminator/Matrix rip-off.

[WasPWNator]

They own the rights to both the toys liciences, why not use them. See it as them Honoring Transformers by putting it in 'Traditional font'(that actually made me laugh a little).

Lol, an admittedly odd way of putting it, but you know what I mean :p

And you're exactly right. They're Hasbro's toylines, and it's Hasbro's perogative whether they choose to combine them or not. I as a fan don't feel insulted, and I actually agree about them being a TF niche- theough they're Star Wars toys, they share a little shomething with the TF fanbase and that's quite a cool thing (I know I've kind of totally switched around my opinion there a little bit but hey, things change).
I'm under no pressure to buy them, so I won't (except maybe Cody), and you shouldn't either if you don't want to Aeros. If you feel it's necessary, you could just go 'they're not real Transformers, they're just Hasbro trying to make more money' or something to however's standing near you when you see them in shop. It might make you feel better....

[Aeros]

I think your confused "the cactus" I'm argueing that if you don't like them don't buy them. you shouldnt feel insulted. I actually own Most of the TF SW and ill admit some a kinda crappy, some are awesome

[WasPWNator]

So were you just asking if they insulted us out of interest? My bad.

[Bonger]

An insult? No. As far as collectors go, it is a pretty dumb concept though.

I'm not a big fan. I have a small SW collection, and a huge TF one, and I have non interest in these. I can't imagine too many collectors do.

However, I think they are defiantely a cool twist that kids would enjoy.

[First Gen]

Okay, let me pose another question then: Would the SWTF line be MORE or LESS acceptable if the robots that the various crafts and vehicles changed into were NOT huge versions of the pilots?