by ZeldaTheSwordsman » Fri Oct 12, 2018 7:23 pm
- Motto: "Earthrise restock or riot"
Yeah, that looks like it can actually act as a space saver when storing boxes of the same size side-by-side, and the overall shape is "Rectangular solid with a corner cut off", so they should still stack reasonably well. Unlike certain RiD (2001), Universe 1, and Unicron Trilogy packaging.
My thoughts on all who've been revealed so far:
Optimus: Want him even though I already got CW Optimus as my Generations Voyager Prime, because he's the best yet from what I've seen. Yeah, he's been done multiple times... but IMO I would rather have them keep trying and keep improving until I feel they make the grade.
Classics Voyager Prime is undersize and some of the design and aesthetic choices made rub me the wrong way. Combiner Wars Prime is better in size and he's passable in both modes (and has a version of the G1 gun), and the combiner torso thing has fun value to it, but that same feature limits him in other ways. Titans Return Voyager Optimus is fine... but he's a new version of Laser Optimus Prime, so he doesn't fit the particular bill.
Sideswipe: Want. Design looks good and the Universe version is rarespensive now. And unlike some people I'm willing to wait for them to do a Sunstreaker.
Red Alert: Probably pass, on account of already having the Generations one.
Hound: Maybe. I have an incomplete Universe Hound, but he might save me some modding work and he's probably bigger.
Chromia: Take my money. A good execution even if the transformation scheme is inaccurate.
Ironhide: Want.
Ultra Magnus: Take my money. The RiD-homage vehicle mode promises better car carrying capacity in the constraints of the Leader price point, and the robot mode looks awesome. The separate cab that becomes a Voyager-size robot is great for scale, and opens up the possibility of a 3P or homemade G1-style trailer for a bigger armor mode. And speaking of the G1 trailer, it's kinda amusing to me that in a line with the Cybertronian alt-mode schtick, Ultra Magnus got a trailer that's more earthly-looking than his original toy's (which aesthetically is more in line of the regular Diaclone mechs than it is with the "Real and Robo" Car Robots, and thus looks futuristic/alien)
Fire"drive": Want but needs modding to be a more accurate Firebolt. Also wonder if he could be turned into Recoil.
Lionizer: Finally one of these little guys that's a sword. Looks pretty cool, I'd like at least one.
Cog: Yes please. The C.O.M.B.A.T. system promises to be fun, and he makes Fort Max more complete. And he saves me the trouble of making a G1-style gun for Cerebros myself. It's kind of a pity that both his guns are Cerebros' gun instead of one being his own gun, though.
Starscream: Looks alright, might buy to have a less-buff Voyager Starscream. I like the Tetrajet mode on him. It's not the greatest, but it's decent. And in a way, it's amusingly accurate because just like the cartoon he goes from Earth robot mode with F-15 kibble... to a quasi-pyramidal Cybertronian mode. And I'll definitely get the others if they're made.
Megatron: Kinda disappointed they didn't go the Submarine-that's-totally-not-a-raygun route, but what they did doesn't look bad. And I like the sword. I'm hoping that his transformation engineering will allow approximating such a "submarine" mode with little to no modding, but I won't be upset if it doesn't.
"Refraktor": Take my money thrice. Looks like an awesome update of the little guy(s), and provides us with cartoon-style Spectro and Spyglass. And his robot mode probably is more Legends-size, with the accessories making up the rest of the Deluxe mass. I actually have the original Reflector as it happens, but a version that's more cartoon-accurate and has less-bricky robot modes will be sweet.
Skytread: Looks good, and like the name (I mean really, if you consider what it is everyone always says about Flywheels). It's a little disappointing the components don't have robot modes of their own like with Battletrap... but only a little. After all, it's not like the components had separate robot modes on the original, and doing it with PotP Battletrap really comes down to two factors: The "All retail Deluxes are combiner limbs" thing barring him from the Deluxe price point, and just trying to see how best to sell a Duocon under the modern price-point system. And it had its drawback - people being able to find one half, but not the other. That won't be an issue with Skytread.
Shockwave: Voyager-size robot mode looks good, I think the armor mode is alright, it's basically a weapons harness rig. I think it looks cool. It might lean more toward function-over-form... but that's kinda appropriate for the character XD. The core Voyager figure forms a serviceable "submarine" mode on its own, and I think the Revenge-esque combined cruiser mode can probably be fanmoded into a larger version (that may even be intended, given the duplicated calf detail on the add-on parts. As for why they made him a Leader in the first place... I would guess for the sake of having a Leader-class Decepticon on the shelves at all. A "Submarine" Megatron could have worked for that too, considering the add-ons for the original's gun mode, but I would guess that Shockwave's Leader design was already ready to go. (EDITED AFTER READING THE THREAD PAGES I'D SKIPPED, AND THEREBY REFRESHED MY MEMORY OF SOME DETAILS)
Also, who is this Energon Bulkhead people keep comparing him to? The only Energon Bulkhead I know oof is the one from Transformers: Energon who forms the torso of Bruticus Maximus.
Soundwave: Want. I'm okay with the Cybertronian hoverbarge mode, and we've had confirmation of the lamp-post mode so that's good too... And honestly, looking at his knee joints and the transformation joints for his shoulders... Odds are good that a cassette-player fan-mode is possible with little to no modding. I also love that he has an extended index finger to push his eject button with.
Brunt: Want. And some compatibility with Trypticon is practically a given even without modding, considering the 5mm peg standard.
Blowpipe: Want (Since I plan to get TR Triggerhappy) but needs modding.
Aimless: Same as with Blowpipe.
Laserbeak and Ravage: Want, but dunno if I'd keep Laserbeak's head as Cybertronian. I think this size (basically their original toys' size, looks like) will work better for scaling with Generations toys than the Legends/Scout versions from TR. I would treat those as upgraded versions. Looking at them though, I do have to wonder.... Am I the only one who can picture Eaglebreast and Tigerbreast retools of them?
Other Micromasters: Maybe, but lower-priority. Also, looking at some of them... Who wants to bet on a con-exclusive retool set involving three of them, as the Star Saber from Armada?
Omega Supreme: I'll have to wait and see, but he's a probable want.
Re: G1 Trypticon and his being bigger and correspondingly more expensive... Remember that the whole "rigid price point" thing hadn't been fully codified yet. It would probably take threat of violence to snap Hasbro out of the mentality now, and that's a path we don't want to go down. The only palatable and moral way to do it would be buying enough of a stake in the company to make them listen, but I highly doubt that's going to happen either. What we got in Titans Return looks to be a solid enough figure with lots of play value.
Last edited by
ZeldaTheSwordsman on Fri Oct 12, 2018 10:26 pm, edited 4 times in total.
WANT:
* Cybertron Galvatron key, missiles
* Omega Lock
* Primus Cyber Key, coattail panel
* Powerlinx Comettor
* Cyb Jetfire R gun and missile
* RiD Galvy dragon head, beast arms
* DotM Ironhide windshield, R hood assy.
* ROTF Jetfire R JTFR panel
Di Bonaventura is not a credible or trustworthy source. And most fans do like the diversity push, thanks.
Trading MOSC MMPR fliphead Pink Ranger for ER Fasttrack or SIEGE Refraktor
