The Energon Pub

[Va'al]

Concept artist Emiliano Santalucia has just updated his blog with a small write-up about the process that went in to the creation of one of the latest Legends figures: Generations Cosmos and targetmaster partner Payload! Check out the images and info below.

Time from another of my Transformers Generations figure designs!
Transformers Generations Legends Class Cosmos and Payload! These were done at the same time of Rhinox and Waspinator, but as the last ones. There was very little time to complete them so I had to rush just rough pencil sketch. Overall, they are the ones that turned out to be more different in the final product, especially Payload which Alt Mode was changed. I guess it was also due to the technical needs of the figures.
But lots of the details remained the same!
Next time, Rattrap!

[shockblast2]

Excellent story and cool artwork!

Now, lets see them at retail Hasbro!!

[Hans]

Great design. I had some problems with the head on this figure, as it's not nearly as accurate as the legends figure from a couple of years ago. Both the G1 toy and the cartoon appearance of Cosmos had a pretty distinctive head design. Strange Hasbro changed that on the actual toy this time, as this design by Emiliano clearly has the correct G1 head...

[shockblast2]

Great design. I had some problems with the head on this figure, as it's not nearly as accurate as the legends figure from a couple of years ago. Both the G1 toy and the cartoon appearance of Cosmos had a pretty distinctive head design. Strange Hasbro changed that on the actual toy this time, as this design by Emiliano clearly has the correct G1 head...

Do you all have this at retail at this point in the Netherlands?

[Hans]

I don't think these figures will come out at all at retail over here, officially. But certain dealers import them here. I got mine at www.comictoys.nl

[Va'al]

Toy concept artist Emiliano Santalucia has updated his blog once more, and it's time for a look at the biggest Transformers toy out there: Titan Class Metroplex. Refresh your memory of the big guy by looking at the Seibertron.com galleries here (and here for the SDCC exclusive version), then head below to read more and check out the concept sketches.

Wow, it was almost a year ago... When Transformers Generation Metroplex went on sale and also made an appearance as an exclusive at San Diego Comic Con.

As some of you may know, I did some work on that giant sucker. But I didn't do the whole design. What I did was work with Chris Hicks on a concept to pitch the idea and work out the general shapes and features. After that, he was properly designed and engineered, but as you may notice, some spots remained faithful to what I had drawn, like the chest area. As you can see also, those panels on the shoulders were supposed to open up. Hasbro kept them, but they are now part of the shoulder sculpt and don't move.
Overall, I believed I had to go for TF Prime aesthetic, I wasn't aware this was for Generations.

Oh, and yes, it's a pretty rough sketch. But many of these things start like that!

[Sabrblade]

Looks like Takara's white runways may have come from this.

[Nemesis Maximo]

I really like this design. I wish some more of those little features went into the finished product.

[welcometothedarksyde]

I would actually greatly prefer this to the one we got

[atraus]

I wish they had kept the should wing foils for the "starship" mode! Those really gave it more of a starship feel!

[xyl360]

Wow, that concept looks 10x better than the Metroplex we got. It's too bad they went with the safer/more G1 blocky design. It's still not faithful to FoC, but it's definitely a step in the right direction and all the curves make it look fantastic in every mode as do the additional little details and gimmicks. Those red hands look better than the black ones too. I might just take a paint brush to mine after seeing this because they really look good in that color.

[Ultra Markus]

the white runways was originally from the G1 toy thats where takara got the inspiration
this design looks alot sleeker and i love the wings that unfold on the shoulders

[morphobots]

Very interesting that he had the same idea for the hands that MegaMoonMan later produced with his upgrade kit. So many things for robot mode that would have been great play features for kids rather than Metroplex just standing there, especially those vehicle launchers in the feet.

[El Duque]

Artist Emiliano Santalucia has taken to his blog, Santalux, to share his concept art for the recently released Transformers Generations Deluxe Rattrap figure. Check out the image below:

Yet another of my Transformers Generations figure designs!
Transformers Generations Rattrap! This was done shortly after Rhinox, Waspinator and Cosmos, and I got to do only the Robot mode. But it's one of my favorite sketches and I love how the toy turned out!

[Dead Metal]

Wow, that concept looks 10x better than the Metroplex we got. It's too bad they went with the safer/more G1 blocky design. It's still not faithful to FoC, but it's definitely a step in the right direction and all the curves make it look fantastic in every mode as do the additional little details and gimmicks. Those red hands look better than the black ones too. I might just take a paint brush to mine after seeing this because they really look good in that color.

Yeah I know this post is a little old but, Generations Metroplex is G1 Metroplex, not FOC Metroplex.

Wow, that Metroplex design is awesome, a shame it wasn't used completely for the final toy. I really, really like all the "curved" armor parts.

Rattrap, looks pretty much like the final toy, save for a few small things here and there, most noticeably the missing tail.

[Sabrblade]

Yeah I know this post is a little old but, Generations Metroplex is G1 Metroplex, not FOC Metroplex.

Erm, well, a two-page illustration depecting a large battle on Cybertron in the Covenant of Primus book depicted Metroplex with his Generations toy body, making it a repurpose. So now the toy can be either one.

It also showed us Lugnut in his 2010 Voyager toy body (plus a new axe weapon the actual toy lacks), making that one also a repurpose.

[Dead Metal]

Yeah I know this post is a little old but, Generations Metroplex is G1 Metroplex, not FOC Metroplex.

Erm, well, a two-page illustration depecting a large battle on Cybertron in the Covenant of Primus book depicted Metroplex with his Generations toy body, making it a repurpose. So now the toy can be either one.

It also showed us Lugnut in his 2010 Voyager toy body (plus a new axe weapon the actual toy lacks), making that one also a repurpose.

Still not the same, the toy was meant to be a classics style G1 Metroplex, and was released as such. It does not look like FOC Metroplex, and the poopy Covenant of Primus featuring it in some battle does not make it FOC Metroplex, it can be used as an incarnation of that Metroplex, but calling him FOC Metroplex due to that is like saying you could use ROTF Optimus Prime as AoE Optimus Prime.

Or that G1 Megatron is a Transformers Animated character and therefore you should display his toy alongside your Animated figures.

[Sabrblade]

Still not the same, the toy was meant to be a classics style G1 Metroplex, and was released as such. It does not look like FOC Metroplex, and the poopy Covenant of Primus featuring it in some battle does not make it FOC Metroplex, it can be used as an incarnation of that Metroplex, but calling him FOC Metroplex due to that is like saying you could use ROTF Optimus Prime as AoE Optimus Prime.

I only said that it "can" be, not that it "is". I know who it's meant to be first and foremost. Just pointing out that it's officially been given a secondary use as a repurpose.

Or that G1 Megatron is a Transformers Animated character and therefore you should display his toy alongside your Animated figures.

Now now, we know good and well that that blocky-looking gray robot seen in the history vid wasn't identified as anyone noteworthy.

But I would laugh if someone did put that old toy on their Animated shelf as a joking reference to that.

[Hans]

Actually, about the Metroplex design, Emiliano said in the description that he thought he was supposed to go for a TF:Prime aesthetic. He wasn't aware it was for the Generations line. So technically, I'd say it's more of a "universal" design, at least not intended to be Fall of Cybertron

[Jelze Bunnycat]

Actually, about the Metroplex design, Emiliano said in the description that he thought he was supposed to go for a TF:Prime aesthetic. He wasn't aware it was for the Generations line. So technically, I'd say it's more of a "universal" design, at least not intended to be Fall of Cybertron

And with that, we finally have a justification for getting all three Hasbro, TakaraTomy and SDCC Metroplexes