The Energon Pub

News Credits: 7 · Thu Mar 15, 2007 11:10 pm

It like every third post I read somebody loves these figure. Then the rest of the people who talking about them say what a giant pile of crap these figures are. Which is it are Titanium figures great or do they suck.

Thu Mar 15, 2007 11:17 pm

Well, from the experience I had with mine, they are great till you try and keep them standing or posed......then everything crashes down.

However, I do love my titaniums, theyre just a pain at times.

News Credits: 7 · Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:30 am

They're really a mixed bag, from where I'm standing. SOme are fairly nice, and they've got a pleasant heft, but they're hard to keep balanced in a pose, and Megatron, War Within Prime, and Soundwave have floppiness issues (Soundwave less than the other two by far, though). Thundercracker and Scourge are very nice, and Starscream uses Thundercracker's mold (though he loses points with me for being Starscream and thus overused and annoying as a character), and I like Optimus Optimus too but that might just be me. Jetfire is kinda blase, and Soundwave only really saves himself by having battery-guns and Laserbeak. Avoid the two first-wavers and you should be fine if you lik die-cast.

News Credits: 5 · Fri Mar 16, 2007 1:16 am

Bonger wrote:Well, from the experience I had with mine, they are great till you try and keep them standing or posed......then everything crashes down.

Except for RiD Prime. I have him in a pose similar to this and he stands perfectly.

Fri Mar 16, 2007 3:17 am

What about Titanium 'The Fallen'? Any problems with this figure?

News Credits: 337 · Fri Mar 16, 2007 3:49 am

Well I happen to be a big fan of the 6" Titanium series. The only one who was not that good was megatron. I have had little to no problems with the others, just a little chipping on WWI Prime.

(What do you know a third post!)

Fri Mar 16, 2007 3:53 am

I don't have Prime as he isnt G1. I got Rodimus, Soundwave, Scourge, Thundercracker and Starscream and look forward to Ultra Magnus. I passed on Jetfire, since well, he just doesn't look right to me.

They do have a nice heft. However they suffer from cheapness in that though the torsos are metal, but the limbs are plastic. So the ones I have are top heavy. This means the slightest bump and over they go. Mine seem to either lean forwards or backwards, non e can stand up str8. Need to send these boys to military school. :lol:

This being said, as I mentioned earlier, I do really like them and would definately recommend them. They more than make up for their balance issues. An especially cool factor is that they pose with the Classics real well, being about the same size.

Scourge is probably my fave though the Ultra Magnus might take over. Looks really nice from the pics. I posed my Titanium Scourge next to my G1, and my G1 cried tears of envy.

Fri Mar 16, 2007 4:06 am

I don't own any as I haven't seen any on the shelf yet. But from the pics, they look good and could be well worth owning for some small shelf space.

It also appears Hasbro has done well on doing the 3" and the 6" scale to provide collectors with the opportunity to get static ones for desk displays or the full sized transforming ones if they so wish.

As I don't own any, I can't say if I like them or not. From the sounds of the collectors, it seems the problems they have aren't just limitd to one or two figures in production. Its also came to mind that soundwave is a good looking figure but one they really should go back and look at in terms of engineering and design

thats just my 0.02 cents

News Credits: 1 · Fri Mar 16, 2007 4:13 am

Bonger wrote:Scourge is probably my fave though the Ultra Magnus might take over. Looks really nice from the pics. I posed my Titanium Scourge next to my G1, and my G1 cried tears of envy.

Bonger, my boy, how big is Tit. Scourge compared to G1 Scourge when they're in robot modes? I can't get a clear idea from Ryan's gallery.

Fri Mar 16, 2007 4:16 am

Soundwave was actually pretty close to being freakin awesome. A better cassette door, stronger legs and no diaper and he would have been amazing. I still ike him though.

As far as the 3 inch, I have them all. I opened Thundercracker only and well, don't have enough interest in the line to waste the time opening the rest. Doesn't quite do it for me. Maybe I'll pop the Ark open at some point.

Fri Mar 16, 2007 6:43 am

Leonardo wrote:Bonger, my boy, how big is Tit. Scourge compared to G1 Scourge when they're in robot modes? I can't get a clear idea from Ryan's gallery.

The Titanium one is std Deluxe height (like Classic Starscream, Astrotrain, and Ramjet) whereas G1 Scourge I'm pretty sure is the equivalent of a Voyager/Mega in height.

News Credits: 226 · Fri Mar 16, 2007 7:39 am

I think what got people so excited over Titanium's was the years spent crying out for a return to the die cast style of the original G1 figures.

So Hasbro listened and using modern technology developed "Titaniums".

Unfortunately modern technology seems to incorporate a heavier metal, as well as plastic joints which are simply not strong enough to support the heavier metal.

Frankly the majority of Titanium's would be great figures if they were plastic. And i'm sure a lot of people feel that way as well but the years spent crying out for die cast has them biting their tongues and not wanting to say anything bad so they simply show their excitement over classic characters getting a new look as well as some characters who have never had a figure before.

News Credits: 1 · Fri Mar 16, 2007 7:54 am

So what's wrong with the original, lighter metal they used to use? Is it costly? Unavailable? Ecologically unsound?

News Credits: 5 · Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:31 am

I got Rodimus and Starscream.

Love 'em

News Credits: 10 · Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:39 am

Leonardo wrote:So what's wrong with the original, lighter metal they used to use? Is it costly? Unavailable? Ecologically unsound?

I think the new casts might be thicker. It's probably still steel, though aluminum would be cool (heck, maybe I should wish for real titanium... :-?

)

As far as my thoughts on Titanium, I'd give them 3 stars out of 4, though I do not have Megatron, RID Prime (I have the original) or Optimal Optimus (I also have this original.) In order of ranking:

1) Scourge ****: This is one heck of a great nod to G1 Scourge. I do not have a G1 (lost the only two times I tried to get him on E-bay) so I was delighted when I found him. His transformation is simple, but in this case, I think it's best. Alt mode very show/movie accurate. Robot mode fantastic. The only addition might have been a gun of some sort, but I'm okay as is. Of all the Titaniums, I find him the most playable, both transforming and in either mode.

2) Rodimus Prime ****: Finally, a figure worthy of Rodimus Prime!! The G1 figure...well...he sucked! Titanium Rodimus has a great transformation, good posability, good looking fairly accurate robot mode, and a decent truck mode. Yes, he has a couple of issues with a gaping hole through the side of his chest, and the head and shoulders may sit a bit too far forward, but these are really minor nitpicks.

2a) Thundercracker ****: It was really hard to put Thundercracker here behind Rodimus. I think my G1 leanings tend to trump my opinion. That and I'm not real crazy about the War Within designs. However, Thundercracker has all the benefits of Scourge as far as transformation and playability. I do think it's funny how similar the transformation is to Legends Starscream/Sunstorm. Also like Scourge, this figure could use a gun. Still, excellent figure!!

3) Soundwave ***: I never owned a G1 soundwave or Soundblaster so this figure was well received. At least he was until I got the reissue. Aside from his right leg being loose (which I've worked around) and his somewhat awkward looking robot mode, he does have some playability to him. Still, like others have commented, he was so close to being an excellent figure.

4) Jetfire **: I loved the alt mode. It appeals to the Macross fanboy inside me. However, the fact that the "backpack" falls off so easy really makes this toy suffer, in my opinion. You just can't play with him in robot mode. So there he sits on my shelf, all but untouched until I feel like fiddling with him in plane mode.

5) War Within Optimus *: Arms are loose so he cannot hold his gun up. At all. The robot mode looks alright. The transformation is simple, but not tight. Alt mode looks kinda blah. Yeah, my low opinion of War Within is probably showing through right now. This is one I wish I hadn't purchased.

Future Titaniums:

I expect G1 Ultra Magnus to maybe supplant Scourge. He is the one figure I have anticipated almost as much as Classics Jetfire and Megatron. I try to not have too high an expectation, but I was not dissappointed with Rodimus, so maybe this'll be good too.

I like the look of The Fallen. Again, I'm not a fan of War Within, so we'll have to see once I get the figure in my hands. Plus, this might make me actually go out and find the War Within stories. I like what I've read on the concept behind the character.

News Credits: 5 · Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:43 am

Why can't they redo the Titanium Line and call it the Expanded Universe line, different from alternators and TF Universe, and redo the titaniums in plastic, with better joints and polish up the csculpts. It would be a great compliment to the classics line,a nd I would actually buy them in that way, versus in titanium.. they never stand up for long, can't pose them too well, and the paint on the metal looks seriously bad!! all in all, I thin Hasbro would benefit more if they tookl the molds and made them all plastic with an expanded Universe Tag-Line attached, that way they could include figures and bots from all genres and still keep the lines name broad ranged..so if you choose to add War Within prime to the classics section of your collection its cool.. or cheetor to your Beast Wars section its okay as well..because its an expanded line..

News Credits: 1 · Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:45 am

skywarp-2 wrote:so if you choose to add War Within prime to the classics section of your collection its cool.. or cheetor to your Beast Wars section its okay as well..because its an expanded line..

I do that anyway! I don't need words on boxes to tell me how to display my figures.

Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:47 am

Leonardo wrote:
skywarp-2 wrote:so if you choose to add War Within prime to the classics section of your collection its cool.. or cheetor to your Beast Wars section its okay as well..because its an expanded line..

I do that anyway! I don't need words on boxes to tell me how to display my figures.

Preach it, brother!

Fri Mar 16, 2007 11:09 am

Leonardo wrote:
Bonger wrote:Scourge is probably my fave though the Ultra Magnus might take over. Looks really nice from the pics. I posed my Titanium Scourge next to my G1, and my G1 cried tears of envy.

Bonger, my boy, how big is Tit. Scourge compared to G1 Scourge when they're in robot modes? I can't get a clear idea from Ryan's gallery.

G1 Scourge is about 30-40% larger, height and width wise. Posed together, Tit looks dimunitive. However, Tit. looks just fine posed with the Classics.

And I disagree with giving Rodimus 4 stars. He is 3 stars imo due to the very fragile looking hollow chest. Alt mode looks real sweet though, albeit a little small.

News Credits: 10 · Fri Mar 16, 2007 11:30 am

Bonger wrote:And I disagree with giving Rodimus 4 stars. He is 3 stars imo due to the very fragile looking hollow chest. Alt mode looks real sweet though, albeit a little small.

It may look fragile, but in handling him, I find him very strong.

Now with the looks, I can understand that point of view. Just a bit of additional engineering would have fixed that.

However, compared to the brick that is G1 Rodimus, this one is fantastic. Compared to the problems encountered in the other Titaniums with loose joints, Rodimus Prime is fantastic. I understand the point of view on dropping him because of his chest, I just don't agree with it.

News Credits: 129 · Fri Mar 16, 2007 11:40 am

Bonger wrote:Posed together, Tit looks dimunitive. However, Tit. looks just fine posed with the Classics.

Indeed...

Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:36 pm

OOh, nice pic. What stands are those that you are using for the Sweeps? They look mighty sweet.

News Credits: 14 · Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:39 pm

From the Tits I have the only real disappointment was Megatron, and I knew before I bought him, that would be the case, as it had been said numerous times, but I wanted him any way.

The rest are Very solid, stand up well, and have good enough poseability.

Optimal Optimus, Very Heavy, but his legs actually hold up well. His Arms are a bit floppy, but still hold together well.
8.5/10

Thundercracker: Outstanding. Stiff joints. Very nice. I like the Cybertronian seeker mold, looking forward to Sunstorm. 9/10.

Rodimus Prime: Outstanding Alt Mode. Great Robot mode, bar the hollow chest. Stands up well. Does tend to droop to one side, because of the hollow chest but other than that great mold. 9/10

Now the thing i see, is that some molds are really good, but then you get some incredibly low quality ones like Megs. and even though most molds are not the greatest thing ever in terms of transformation, but the fact that they are Die Cast makes up for that.

I think we all understand that the ball joints can't stand up to the heaviness of the Die Cast but, allow for extra movement. The reason the G1 figures worked with die cast is because the joints did not have to support the wait of the Die cast part, as there were very small joints, and few of them, and the die cast was usually limited to the chest areas of the robot.