Release Dates Revealed for TFC Toy's Project Hercules

I have this horrible sensation that I'm going to end up with one third of a Hercules than....something will go wrong....

When I saw the pre-order on BBTS for the first figure in the "Not Devastator" line I got excited....then I saw that they are gonna be $100 per figure plus shipping...... $100 for something that is roughly scaled between a deluxe and voyager class is way too pricey...I'd love to get these figures, but I'm not paying $600 for the total combiner. But that's just me.

not getting them. Price and lack of interest in the individual robots. does look quite a decent figure though, and I like the colours.

bit I'm going to miss out on most, aside from not owning a complete, honking big Devy, is going to be missing out on the opportunity to get all excited and post "I have my Mad Blender!" or "I have Dr Crank in my hands!". Those are two classic names, shame about the rest.

edit: good luck to everyone that's getting these.

meh.....other than the fact that I think it's hilarious that people are actually buying it! suckerrrrrsssss.

Y'know, with that release schedule, I may go ahead and get them. Depends on if Exgraver is still around somewhere on the 15th.

The schedual works for me. Nice and slow. Sure, in total it'll be very expencive, but bit by bit it's not too bad. And the price per size is compera ble to Defender as well.

i reaaaaaaaaaaaallllllly want to get these but they are waaaaaaay too damn expensive. i will try my best to get them

I wish I could just say no to this set.. I really do.Every time I convince myself that Im not going to get it, something cool comes out. The release schedule works 2 ways though, 1 it gives people time to save and the other, more time for something to go wrong...

I wish that people would stop saying warbot isn't a good example of proper pricing.

Warbot has things going for him that this simply does not. Diecast, heavy detail, complex design, good plastic quality, it can transform into two different vehicles, and when you buy Protector you aren't making a commitment where you want to buy the other combiner parts. On top of all that, Fansproject has an overall better track record than TFC.

I think the biggest thing is actually the commitment though. Thinking about how much these will all cost in the long run, just so you can have a devastator. You never know when Hasbro will decide to do their own. It's not like I think that Hasbro will never make a Classics Springer figure.

Hasbro did make a Classics Springer. And a Classics Devestator. But they were both just repaints. People tend to forget about them, but they exist.

That release schedule definately makes it more financially viable, and will mean we won't have to commit to the later figures until we've got a good idea of how they're going to turn out. Hopefully the fact that they are not coming out altogether will mean good quality products. While I do share other folks' concerns of TFClub losing interest/encountering difficulties, 9 or 10 months isn't all that long.

Staying positive.

Gauntlet101010 wrote:Hasbro did make a Classics Springer. And a Classics Devestator. But they were both just repaints. People tend to forget about them, but they exist.

Doesn't mean they wont do it properly down the line. They've shown us they're willing to do that in the past.

In my case at least, I don't have the money for this. I'm already down for FP's Insecticons and other possible projects in the future, also I have to wonder what iGear's Impactor will cost. Considering all the cons going for this Devastator set I mentioned, my priorities lie elsewhere. Maybe a review will completely change my mind IDK...

I'm leery of the prospects of a proper Classics Springer and even moreso of classics constructicons.

Not only have they done the Constructicons, but look at the other classics combiner teams: not combiners anymore when they are new figures. Even the RotF Devestator didn't seperate into individual robots for the properly sized version.

They could make a new Springer, I guess. It's not as far off as the Constructicons. But it just seems like they did it and got it off their checklist, and it was done at a proper size to boot.

Does it look like RiD Grimlock at all to anyone else? Am I the only one at this party who is hanging out in the room with the elephant?


I have Exgraver preordered at BBTS, actually, 5 of them. From what we've seen of this team, I think it looks really good. Though his likeness to gridlock is jarring. As far as things going wrong are concerned, the only thing I am worried about is that the color palette is the same for all 6. And by that I mean, the same purple, bright green, black, and silver for highlighting purposes. The samples of other testshots from the team that we have seen are radically different in appearance. I'm not down with that.

JRFitzpatrick7 wrote:Does it look like RiD Grimlock at all to anyone else? Am I the only one at this party who is hanging out in the room with the elephant?


I have Exgraver preordered at BBTS, actually, 5 of them. From what we've seen of this team, I think it looks really good. Though his likeness to gridlock is jarring. As far as things going wrong are concerned, the only thing I am worried about is that the color palette is the same for all 6. And by that I mean, the same purple, bright green, black, and silver for highlighting purposes. The samples of other testshots from the team that we have seen are radically different in appearance. I'm not down with that.

Agreed on all fronts. I am going to pissed if they drop the ball on uniformed greens and purple. I give some wiggle room for detail colors, but everyone who gets this, will want him combined. And combined (exclusively for the Constructicons) should be one color palette. IMO.

JRFitzpatrick7 wrote:I have Exgraver preordered at BBTS, actually, 5 of them.

Why? By that I mean why did you buy 5 Exgravers?

That's $500 and 5/6 the price of this figure.

He does look lik RID Grimlock, but RID Grimlock looks like G1 Scavenger, so it all evens out.

I was concerned about different shades as well, but the test shot colors don't look much like the final either. So I won't worry about it.

robofreak wrote:

JRFitzpatrick7 wrote:I have Exgraver preordered at BBTS, actually, 5 of them.

Why? By that I mean why did you buy 5 Exgravers?

That's $500 and 5/6 the price of this figure.

Scenario A:
Since this I preordered through BBTS, I have not paid for them yet, when these preorders come in, my debit card will be rejected because it won't have 500 bucks in checking to pay for these, this will give me an additional 2 weeks to come up with the money.

Scenario B:
I'm a baller. Need proof check out the gallery of LD Unicron.

Sure, we may see another Devastator by Hasbro/TakaraTomy some day but how long will that be? Will it be the ideal incarnation that hardcore fans like us wish for? How many compromises will be made in its design? I like the Energon combiners and I like the PCC figures(well, some of them) but they aren't platforms for providing fan-centric versions of characters we desire. We basically need add-on sets or completely new figures to provide that.

If the Exgraver figure delivers what TFClub promises then I think the price tag is par for the course. In the current 3rd party product market where relatively basic add-ons like a replacement head sculpt or weapons are $15 or more, a price tag of $90-$100 for a Deluxe/Voyager sized figure of good quality materials and functional design makes sense to me.

$100 plus import/shipping fees makes this figure a prohibitively expensive purchase, especially because its quality and design are unknown at this time. It also will be a purchase that leads to further investment since it's a combiner figure and it's unlikely that anyone would want a single figure or just a partial set of figures rather than a complete combiner set. By the time Hercules is completed, one would have to spend over $600.

To me, the choice of whether or not one should purchase this figure and the rest of its combiner family is fairly easy. If you are a fan of Devastator, if you have the financial means to purchase the figures with funds you can set aside that aren't meant to be spent on your regular expenses, and if you are prepared for issues that can arise in non-mass produced figures, then you are probably the type of person that is ideal for buying the Hercules combiner figures.

It just comes down to this: You've got to pay to play. If you want to get in on products that are unlikely to be made by Hasbro or TakaraTomy, then expect to pay higher prices for these products. Products designed for niche markets, which are made by small organizations that have limited funding, will not be cheap. If you really want to look at some high pricing for non-official products, take a gander at garage model kits. Even licensed garage kits such as those by B-Club can be quite expensive.

GetRightRobot wrote:I have this horrible sensation that I'm going to end up with one third of a Hercules than....something will go wrong....

I am nervous about that too

Thanks to a TFC Toys TaoBao listing another question regarding TFC Toy's soon to be released Exgraver has been answered, partially anyway. The combiner hand does integrate into the figure's alt mode. However, the images do not show the hand integrated into the robot mode, but the black clip the hand attaches to in alt mode is visible on the robot's back. It might be possible to attach the hand to his back forming a "backpack" of sorts. That's merely speculation though. Check out the mirrored images below.

You know... I don't think I'll regret getting him, even if Devastator's not complete.

If Devestator's not complete at least one of your Energon Combiners can have one GIGANTIC arm!

This figure looks very cool, but i'm hoping the green will be more like the G1 version when you have it in hand. Also the chest looks blue hoping that is purple. One other thing those guns need to be black or silver, red and purple (or blue?) looks fake to me.

I'm not too worried about the Devy hand not having a place to go in Exgraver's alt mode. Once I have all six, he will be in combined mode almost all of the time.

the hand connects to him in vehicle mode. also, presumably, it's possible to give him a weird giant hand growing out of his shoulder or his bum in robot mode.

ARG! I should have gotten him after all!

The hand does store in alt mode, it's unclear if it stores in robot mode.

El Duque wrote:The hand does store in alt mode, it's unclear if it stores in robot mode.

Looks like it, the same clip ends up on his back in robot mode, it might not look that good though.

Glad I pre-ordered !!!

I wish the legs could be purple instead of black to give it a more G1 vibe, but I guess they went with the black to make it look more real life. Thats cool I guess. And Im loving the hands, I can already picture Devastator on my shelf doing his best Stone Cold Steve Austin impression !!!

This figure's levels of 'WIN' continues to increase. We're potentially looking at a team of Constructicons who can incorporate every accessory into the main figures. I know this won't be enough for some people as Hercules' hand and Exgraver's digger arm and cab are simply detachable peg 'n' hole pieces, but those people can continue to go through life sucking on those lemons. As far as I'm concerned the design of this figure is top (I mean COME ON!! Moving hydraulic pistons on the digger). Only its production quality can let it down now.

I wonder what, if any, point there is in having two physically identical guns in different colours. Their fairly simple design makes me hope that the whole team's weapons will be able to combine Power Rangers style into a large weapon for Hercules.

The details are great. I am not diggin the coloring though. It looks like it's from the Energon series with the bright green and blue.

Stormrider wrote:The details are great. I am not diggin the coloring though. It looks like it's from the Energon series with the bright green and blue.

You know, at first, I really liked the blue. But now I feel like the purple would have been nice. So long as they are the same shades of green and blue throughout the set, then I will be fine. Boy, TFClub better not release these guys in one big box set with G1 green/purple and chrome weapons, I will be pissed!
And considerably more poor.

Hand in alt mode affirming my decision to pay $97. This. Will. Be. Epic.

Yeah. If the QC is moderately good, I won't be regretting this one.

GetRightRobot wrote:

Stormrider wrote:The details are great. I am not diggin the coloring though. It looks like it's from the Energon series with the bright green and blue.

You know, at first, I really liked the blue. But now I feel like the purple would have been nice. So long as they are the same shades of green and blue throughout the set, then I will be fine. Boy, TFClub better not release these guys in one big box set with G1 green/purple and chrome weapons, I will be pissed!
And considerably more poor.

We are thinking a like. I keep wondering if the creators are planning to release a more G1 accurate version a year from now.

I swear I must have Pre-ordered this thing and then cancelled it like 10 times already...

LiKwid wrote:I swear I must have Pre-ordered this thing and then cancelled it like 10 times already...

If you are on the fence man, I'd just wait until Exgraver is out and you hear the initial response on the final quality and colors. It doesn't appear to be selling out anywhere.

I really hope that the blue in those pictures is just strange lighting. In the first (unpainted) colour picture of Exgraver, (The one of him sitting crosslegged on his back shovel) the purple seemed dead on, though the black seemed more of a grey. I Preordered and paid for him, so I guess I will find out sometime this month.

Then it will be a case of mixing up the right shades of green and purple/blue paint to do some paint apps. I like my constructicons to have Purple windscreens, and I think Scavenger should have a bit more purple on his track mechanism (not the tracks themselves) and the base that supports the digger arm should be green, not black. Since I think every one of them will need some paint apps I guess I will mix up a lot for standardisation across the set.

Dread_Wing wrote:I really hope that the blue in those pictures is just strange lighting. In the first (unpainted) colour picture of Exgraver, (The one of him sitting crosslegged on his back shovel) the purple seemed dead on, though the black seemed more of a grey. I Preordered and paid for him, so I guess I will find out sometime this month.

Then it will be a case of mixing up the right shades of green and purple/blue paint to do some paint apps. I like my constructicons to have Purple windscreens, and I think Scavenger should have a bit more purple on his track mechanism (not the tracks themselves) and the base that supports the digger arm should be green, not black. Since I think every one of them will need some paint apps I guess I will mix up a lot for standardisation across the set.

.

I am confident that the different shades of blue and green are just mismatching white balance settings on the cameras used. There is no reason to them to make a Devastator that has blue accents.

Jesterhead wrote:

Dread_Wing wrote:I really hope that the blue in those pictures is just strange lighting. In the first (unpainted) colour picture of Exgraver, (The one of him sitting crosslegged on his back shovel) the purple seemed dead on, though the black seemed more of a grey. I Preordered and paid for him, so I guess I will find out sometime this month.

Then it will be a case of mixing up the right shades of green and purple/blue paint to do some paint apps. I like my constructicons to have Purple windscreens, and I think Scavenger should have a bit more purple on his track mechanism (not the tracks themselves) and the base that supports the digger arm should be green, not black. Since I think every one of them will need some paint apps I guess I will mix up a lot for standardisation across the set.

.

I am confident that the different shades of blue and green are just mismatching white balance settings on the cameras used. There is no reason to them to make a Devastator that has blue accents.

Except to sell a G1 paint accurate set later.

amcgrath929 wrote:

LiKwid wrote:I swear I must have Pre-ordered this thing and then cancelled it like 10 times already...

If you are on the fence man, I'd just wait until Exgraver is out and you hear the initial response on the final quality and colors. It doesn't appear to be selling out anywhere.

yeah I think in this case it will be better to be safe than sorry. It's not so much the quality Im worried about it's the specualtion on wether or not the set would be complete. I can eat the cost but a couple of NotConstructicons wont do me alot of good without the rest of the crew. Tis my biggest concern...

I hadn't seen this pic before. Shows Exgraver, and it is definitely a good constructicon Purple.

Dread_Wing wrote:I hadn't seen this pic before. Shows Exgraver, and it is definitely a good constructicon Purple.

And for everyone wondering about size, that's a good indicator: That one limb is the length of the combined mode's height.

This thing is massive.

That's not exgraver and it doesn't look near big enough. it's hands are energon style..somethings not right.

moneycon wrote:That's not exgraver and it doesn't look near big enough. it's hands are energon style..somethings not right.

Exgraver is the larger arm attached to the energon style Devestator, giving us an idea of scale and showing off compatiblity (if that matters to you).

Looks good to me!

Sadly, I had to cancel my preorder. My TF budget for this month will be blown thanks to all those preorders coming in from Fansprojects and TFcon coming up.

seeing that picture makes me wonder? if they are using energon type connectors how will the posability be affected with that additional weight probably double from the image will be be left standing there? i just cant see those connectors supporting the weight of the arms let alone the legs.

on the bright side you couls order 2 exgravers and 2 legs and have a somewhat functional devy albeit with a tiny head

Midnight_Fox wrote:

Dread_Wing wrote:I hadn't seen this pic before. Shows Exgraver, and it is definitely a good constructicon Purple.

And for everyone wondering about size, that's a good indicator: That one limb is the length of the combined mode's height.

This thing is massive.

Thanks for pointing that out, I kept looking at the pic and only saw Classics Devastator - didn't realize Exgraver was attached as a limb.

Color scheme is great with that set, I hope the rest of Hercules keeps the same color.

BBTS updated my Exgraver preorder to "Late July", so I'm hoping TFC actually starts shipping the figures out this week to make that time frame.

Can y'all imagine the fun we can have doing "Misformers"? Using pieces from Classics, Hercules, and Build to combine Devastator - I'm sure it would be a fun project, although deformed in some areas.

New Pic from robotkingdom:

I'm actually really looking forward to this guy. I might ship before hearing reviews. And this devastator's gonna be massive.

...

If all the robots are made, that is.