The Energon Pub

Mechtechs are in fact a far better gimmick then what we received in the 2007 or ROTF line. They're customizable and highly collectible, as well as fun. It actually gives a little MORE incentive to buy figures, because of the collecting value of the Mechtech figures.
People may argue that they prefer bigger toys, but the Mechtech gimmick is a hook that is difficult to stop once you start. Buy a Sentinel Prime and you soon want enough Mechtechs to fill everyone of his ports.

I personally am loving the DOTM line. Sure there are some duds (Voyager Optimus and Leader Bumblebee) but all in all its unfair to hate on it when it is a complete improvement from the ROTF line, particularly in the Deluxe and Voyager side.

It dawned on me last night that the Mechtech weapons remind me a lot of the Cybertron line. Only there aren't those annoying keys to worry about.`

I don't like MechTech particularly well. The parts don't look good and just seemed tacked on to otherwise simple figures simply for the sake of giving them a forced play feature.

I also have a generally negative opinion on the DOTM toys, out of the current line up there's maybe three or four figures I'm interested in. Due to a general lack of paint applications many of the figures just look like downgrades in comparison to former releases of the same characters.

On top of that, I'm completely confused as to why we needed a leader class Bumblebee and Ironhide over Megatron or Shockwave. I've never been fond of the Leader class price point, but those choices don't make any sense to me.

When did Transformers quit being fun?

Nekoman wrote:When did Transformers quit being fun?

During the age of the NEVER

Nekoman wrote:I don't like MechTech particularly well. The parts don't look good and just seemed tacked on to otherwise simple figures simply for the sake of giving them a forced play feature.

I also have a generally negative opinion on the DOTM toys, out of the current line up there's maybe three or four figures I'm interested in. Due to a general lack of paint applications many of the figures just look like downgrades in comparison to former releases of the same characters.

I don't remember where I read this from [IIRC, it's from a post in the toy forum], but it seems parents started complaining to Hasbro about the difficulty of transforming ROTF toys. This supposedly resulted in lowered complexity, which IMO is a very bad thing for movieverse toys, given their designs in the movies.

Personally, I think that's only half the story. Since the movie included brand new gimmicks like Mechtech and "stealth" mode, Hasbro designers were obliged to include it into the toys. Now from what I know, designers are given a limit to budget, moving parts and plastic volume. So when you have to add a mechtech weapon for each toy you're designing, the amount of plastic and moving parts needed for the weapon obviously have to be deducted from the main toy. Either that, or you raise the price.

Gyrotron wrote:On top of that, I'm completely confused as to why we needed a leader class Bumblebee and Ironhide over Megatron or Shockwave. I've never been fond of the Leader class price point, but those choices don't make any sense to me.

Playing it safe, maybe? Bumblebee's always popular with the kids, and Ironhide...I dunno.

Either way, I'm hoping for a yet-to-be-announced LC Megs or Shockwave, like they did with LC Starscream.

but it seems parents started complaining to Hasbro about the difficulty of transforming ROTF toys.

Screw the complaints! We had great figures from the line and its successor, HftD. Hasbro released the toys for younger kids for a reason. If the kids can't handle grown up toys, they can play with the baby Transformers or switch to another brand. They don't need to ruin it for the collectors, who actually have brains. Are the kids scared of reading the instructions? Geez.

Treetop Maximus wrote:

but it seems parents started complaining to Hasbro about the difficulty of transforming ROTF toys.

Screw the complaints! We had great figures from the line and its predecessor, HftD. Hasbro released the toys for younger kids for a reason. If the kids can't handle grown up toys, they can play with the baby Transformers or switch to another brand. They don't need to ruin it for the collectors, who actually have brains. Are the kids scared of reading the instructions? Geez.

THIS!!! So much this.

But I love the mechtech weapons! They're the best thing about the DOTM toys. I've been so tempted just to buy the toys, keep the Mech Tech weapon, then take the toys back to the store. Especially with the DOTM Sideswipe. He looks like crap, but that weapon is awesome! Same with Voyager Optimus.

Gyrotron wrote:

Nekoman wrote:When did Transformers quit being fun?

During the age of the NEVER

Agreed.

So far the only mech tech I like is Megs so far myself, but knowing me, there will be more I warm up to.

To answer the title question...........

I do.

Except Powerglide who I am simply Meh on as opposed to outright dislike/hatred.

i hate all the movieverse toys

Treetop Maximus wrote:

but it seems parents started complaining to Hasbro about the difficulty of transforming ROTF toys.

Screw the complaints! We had great figures from the line and its successor, HftD. Hasbro released the toys for younger kids for a reason. If the kids can't handle grown up toys, they can play with the baby Transformers or switch to another brand. They don't need to ruin it for the collectors, who actually have brains. Are the kids scared of reading the instructions? Geez.

I have been playing with Transformers since 1984 and I found some of the ROTF toys to be needlessly complex and frustrating. Especially Leader-class Prime. And this includes with the instructions.

And for the last damned time, collectors aren't the target audience. Kids are! Kids who find the toys to be frustrating and hard to transform. Problems I can empathize with since I, a 32-year old adult found them to be needlessly complex and frustrating!

RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:

Treetop Maximus wrote:

but it seems parents started complaining to Hasbro about the difficulty of transforming ROTF toys.

Screw the complaints! We had great figures from the line and its successor, HftD. Hasbro released the toys for younger kids for a reason. If the kids can't handle grown up toys, they can play with the baby Transformers or switch to another brand. They don't need to ruin it for the collectors, who actually have brains. Are the kids scared of reading the instructions? Geez.

I have been playing with Transformers since 1984 and I found some of the ROTF toys to be needlessly complex and frustrating. Especially Leader-class Prime. And this includes with the instructions.

And for the last damned time, collectors aren't the target audience. Kids are! Kids who find the toys to be frustrating and hard to transform. Problems I can empathize with since I, a 32-year old adult found them to be needlessly complex and frustrating!

> Implying I stated that collectors are the target audience.

You best read through my post again.

> Kids who find the toys to be frustrating and hard to transform.

That's exactly why Hasbro released the kiddie toys. If kids can't learn the transformations, they can play with baby Transformers. Adults, too. RotF Leader Prime struck me as awesome. I love the complex transformation. It allowed the toy to be far more movie accurate than its predecessors.

Treetop Maximus wrote:

RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:

Treetop Maximus wrote:

but it seems parents started complaining to Hasbro about the difficulty of transforming ROTF toys.

Screw the complaints! We had great figures from the line and its successor, HftD. Hasbro released the toys for younger kids for a reason. If the kids can't handle grown up toys, they can play with the baby Transformers or switch to another brand. They don't need to ruin it for the collectors, who actually have brains. Are the kids scared of reading the instructions? Geez.

I have been playing with Transformers since 1984 and I found some of the ROTF toys to be needlessly complex and frustrating. Especially Leader-class Prime. And this includes with the instructions.

And for the last damned time, collectors aren't the target audience. Kids are! Kids who find the toys to be frustrating and hard to transform. Problems I can empathize with since I, a 32-year old adult found them to be needlessly complex and frustrating!

> Implying I stated that collectors are the target audience.

You best read through my post again.

> Kids who find the toys to be frustrating and hard to transform.

That's exactly why Hasbro released the kiddie toys. If kids can't learn the transformations, they can play with baby Transformers. Adults, too. RotF Leader Prime struck me as awesome. I love the complex transformation. It allowed the toy to be far more movie accurate than its predecessors.

They don't need to RUIN it for the collectors. As in less-complex toys somehow ruin it for you. As in how dare Hasbro release these less complex toys for the kids!

And no, ROTF Prime's transformation sucked. I don't mind sacrificing some accuracy to be able to enjoy the damned thing and not wanna throw it against the wall! 2007 Prime is a hell of a lot better in that regard.

Treetop Maximus wrote:

but it seems parents started complaining to Hasbro about the difficulty of transforming ROTF toys.

Screw the complaints! We had great figures from the line and its successor, HftD. Hasbro released the toys for younger kids for a reason. If the kids can't handle grown up toys, they can play with the baby Transformers or switch to another brand. They don't need to ruin it for the collectors, who actually have brains. Are the kids scared of reading the instructions? Geez.

This is beautiful. Kids don't have brains? Did you aquire brains when you stopped being a kid? From your comment I'd say you A) do not know what a brain does, or B) you're still a child by your own definition.

Personally, I think movieverse toys are something of a quandary. Their base designs are near impossibly complex in the first place to look more realistic and lifelike on screen. When that translates to toys, you'd naturally have an exceedingly complex action figure if you want screen accuracy.

Mind you, the CG model for OP allegedly had 10,000 moving parts.

Whether a toy is too complex or not really depends on the individual's patience and love for transforming TF's. Thing is, kids probably love the screen-accuracy of deluxe, voyager and leader class figs, but many just don't have the perseverance to patiently follow the instructions. In short, they want to have their cake and eat it.

IMO, Hasbro did what it had to do to keep its target audience by offering a compromise between complexity and easy transformation in DOTM. The problem is that simplistic designs don't gel well with visually complex movieverse TF's.

But to Hasbro's credit, at least they gave us Leader Class Sentinel Prime, retaining the same complexity of ROTF leader class figs.

That said, hopefully when the DOTM hype's died down sufficiently and they aren't banking on the kiddie market as much, Hasbro will start another HFTD line and return to more complex designs for us adults.

As in how dare Hasbro release these less complex toys for the kids!

Wrong. How dare they release these less complex toys as their main line?

This is beautiful. Kids don't have brains? Did you aquire brains when you stopped being a kid? From your comment I'd say you A) do not know what a brain does, or B) you're still a child by your own definition.

Don't take things so literally. It impairs your ability to understand English. You should also stop defending kids. Kids are (generally) obnoxious brats who don't listen to their parents and make unnecessary noise in public. Kids (generally) disgust me. I hate (most of) them in "real life" and (even more of them) on the internet.

I deleted some junk here, back to the last (mostly) civil post.

Counterpunch wrote:I deleted some junk here, back to the last (mostly) civil post.

Man, it must have blown up! I missed it, hence the reason why I dislike when mods erase posts. It is amusing to watch people argue....kinda like Jerry Springer used to be!!! Plus there is nothing wrong with a good debate.

I think the new Mechtech stuff is ok, but at the same time I dislike how you cannot keep some in a different mode. Like Roadmaster and Shockwave. I would have a hard time buying a lot of these now though as I am buying some of the deluxe ROTF stuff at Walmart for $5. Especially for figures like Bumblebee and Optimus because they make so many of them.I personlly don't like the movie stuff, but my two boys do so I give them to them.

Went to Wal-Mart today and took another look at the figures. They didn't bother me as much this time around (except for the MechTech, which I hate). The green guy is the tiny one. I think that memory stuck in my head and I accidentally associated it with the other figures. Voyagers are still noticeably smaller, though. And the lack of paint aps still bothers me.

When I saw the previews of the DOTM toys, I too was initially disappointed. Once I got to see them in person, though, I softened up my opinion considerably. I started with just a few deluxe figures of new characters and found them to be just as enjoyable as the previous movie toys. The vehicle modes ARE noticibly smaller, but the robot modes aren't nearly that far out of scale with the earlier movie figures. Looking over my movie collection so far, there are several deluxe figures that are shorter (though squatter) than the likes of Roadbuster, Topspin, and Crankcase. Leader Sentinel Prime is great. He's definitely not out of place with the previous Leader Class figures in the movie lines. I got Voyager Megatron just to have some representation of his current form, though he won't be going in my "proper" movie-verse display. I plan to get Voyager Shockwave, of course, and then I'll wait and see what comes along in later waves.

I don't see why the "inferior" DOTM incarnations of established characters like Bumblebee or Optimus should bother anyone. If you're that hardcore of a collector, you already have the superior 2007 or ROTF versions. There's no need to re-buy them. DOTM is going to be a relief on my wallet this year. I count that as a blessing.

I am willing to buy people's unwanted MechTech weapons.

Please contact me if you want to sell them.

Posting alluring plastic to make sure that this message is read by all: