BotCon 2015 Transformers Exclusives: Comparison Images of Possible G2 General Optimus Prime

If this does turn out to be General Optimus Prime, I'm really glad they left the head alone and didn't make a more Optimus Prime-like headsculpt, since one of the things that made General Optimus Prime special was his being a straight redeco of a non-Optimus Prime toy, resulting in his headsculpt not looking like the traditional Optimus Prime headsculpt design. Keeping that aspect intact is the right way to go.

G1 accuracy or not, I'd actually prefer a Prime-style head. Without it, he's just kinda...GI Joe Roadbuster.

UltraPrimal wrote:G1 accuracy or not, I'd actually prefer a Prime-style head. Without it, he's just kinda...GI Joe Roadbuster.

To be fair, the green one didn't look like prime at all. It isn't really even Prime-like if you think about it.

Would have been better if they used Combiner Wars Long Haul for General Optimus Prime.

MR Optimus Prime wrote:Would have been better if they used Combiner Wars Long Haul for General Optimus Prime.

They can't use a mold for a toy that hasn't even come out yet.

Why didn't they use the original mold it was meant to be? Is it not available?

And hes not part of the souvenirs ....Yes....

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:Why didn't they use the original mold it was meant to be? Is it not available?

Cuz this one's better? It can actually be played with as an action figure with articulation and isn't a gimmicky brick.

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:Why didn't they use the original mold it was meant to be? Is it not available?

Probably not, It seems when they use pre millennium molds, they're recent reissues. The scorponok head was actually a retooled Encore Spike Witwicky (Cerebros's head). Now for dirgigun, I have no idea where he came from.

It's a cool deco, but it's not what I want for an Optimus Prime, and while I liked someone's suggestion that it's a retake on AOE Hound to go with "Totally Not Movie Megatron", that's not a character I NEED.

Sabrblade wrote:

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:Why didn't they use the original mold it was meant to be? Is it not available?

Cuz this one's better? It can actually be played with as an action figure with articulation and isn't a gimmicky brick.

If they're going to do unreleased toys, I'd rather get the unreleased toy... I have no need for an update on a toy that doesn't exist in the first place, let alone looks nothing like his namesake

SW's SilverHammer wrote:

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:Why didn't they use the original mold it was meant to be? Is it not available?

Probably not, It seems when they use pre millennium molds, they're recent reissues. The scorponok head was actually a retooled Encore Spike Witwicky (Cerebros's head). Now for dirgigun, I have no idea where he came from.

And Big Convoy, although he was rereleased in 2003

SW's SilverHammer wrote:

UltraPrimal wrote:G1 accuracy or not, I'd actually prefer a Prime-style head. Without it, he's just kinda...GI Joe Roadbuster.

To be fair, the green one didn't look like prime at all. It isn't really even Prime-like if you think about it.

LOL, what a dirtbag!

Weird.The idea just weirder than Transmutate.

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:Why didn't they use the original mold it was meant to be? Is it not available?

Cuz this one's better? It can actually be played with as an action figure with articulation and isn't a gimmicky brick.

If they're going to do unreleased toys, I'd rather get the unreleased toy... I have no need for an update on a toy that doesn't exist in the first place, let alone looks nothing like his namesake

Except we're not getting any unreleased toys in their original molds. Oilmaster's shell is a brand new mold only inspired by the original shell mold. And all the Waspinator redecos use the Generations mold. This one's just following in suit.

And it wasn't an unreleased mold. It got released in G2 as Dirtbag, in Beast Wars Second as Autostinger, and in the Korean Car Bot line as Scoutstinger.

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:

SW's SilverHammer wrote:

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:Why didn't they use the original mold it was meant to be? Is it not available?

Probably not, It seems when they use pre millennium molds, they're recent reissues. The scorponok head was actually a retooled Encore Spike Witwicky (Cerebros's head). Now for dirgigun, I have no idea where he came from.

And Big Convoy, although he was rereleased in 2003

Certain Beast Era molds are evidently still available. Pete's even gone on record that they tried yet again to get Transmetal Fractyl (the one 3H never released) into this year's set, but couldn't fit him in, so that TM Terrorsaur mold has got to be still around. But most of anything from G2 and back seems to now be off the table for the Club.

Sabrblade wrote:Certain Beast Era molds are evidently still available. Pete's even gone on record that they tried yet again to get Transmetal Fractyl (the one 3H never released) into this year's set, but couldn't fit him in, so that TM Terrorsaur mold has got to be still around. But most of anything from G2 and back seems to now be off the table for the Club.

I wonder if that was the original transmetal version, or the Armada version they were going to use.

SW's SilverHammer wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:Certain Beast Era molds are evidently still available. Pete's even gone on record that they tried yet again to get Transmetal Fractyl (the one 3H never released) into this year's set, but couldn't fit him in, so that TM Terrorsaur mold has got to be still around. But most of anything from G2 and back seems to now be off the table for the Club.

I wonder if that was the original transmetal version, or the Armada version they were going to use.

Hopefully the original, but if the Armada one is also available, I wouldn't be opposed to the Club or anyone finally giving us a toy of Ravenus, complete with the Dinobots Terranotron Spark Crystal retooling to include the Doomstone.

Sabrblade wrote:

SW's SilverHammer wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:Certain Beast Era molds are evidently still available. Pete's even gone on record that they tried yet again to get Transmetal Fractyl (the one 3H never released) into this year's set, but couldn't fit him in, so that TM Terrorsaur mold has got to be still around. But most of anything from G2 and back seems to now be off the table for the Club.

I wonder if that was the original transmetal version, or the Armada version they were going to use.

Hopefully the original, but if the Armada one is also available, I wouldn't be opposed to the Club or anyone finally giving us a toy of Ravenus, complete with the Dinobots Terranotron Spark Crystal retooling to include the Doomstone.

That'd be interesting, it seems that, usually, one of the molds outside of the troopbuilder, is used twice. Like a box set with TM fractyl with Ravenus as like a souvenir, or vice versa.

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:Why didn't they use the original mold it was meant to be? Is it not available?

Cuz this one's better? It can actually be played with as an action figure with articulation and isn't a gimmicky brick.

If they're going to do unreleased toys, I'd rather get the unreleased toy... I have no need for an update on a toy that doesn't exist in the first place, let alone looks nothing like his namesake

And yet, the what-almost-was level of obscurity is exactly what a few BotCon/TFCC toys should be, since only the most obsessive and die hard of fandom will get it. Seems totally appropriate for the same BotCon with OilMaster and so soon after Car-Zap, both of whom are even more obscure, IMO.

Though it is still obscure enough that a green camo Roadbuster makes me think "Convertors Defender Wheels" waaaay before "cancelled Autoroller deco".

http://www.toyarchive.com/Convertors/Defenders.html

It wouldn't be that much of a stretch. Zardak and the Maladroids got mentioned in Club fiction, and I don't think Bandai could complain about a toy representing a character from long-gone Select.

Still, I like this idea because of how much I love Dirtbag. In the dying days of G2, he carried the tradition of TF dump trucks having the coolest names to new heights, and it gave me hope.

The most interesting part of this might be his bio explaining what the "General" aspect means, other than his deco. An Optimus who was a general in the Great War long before he became a prime, so he kept the title even once he had the Matrix?

Sabrblade wrote:

MR Optimus Prime wrote:Would have been better if they used Combiner Wars Long Haul for General Optimus Prime.

They can't use a mold for a toy that hasn't even come out yet.

Or some other dump truck(ish) mold.

Sabrblade wrote:

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:Why didn't they use the original mold it was meant to be? Is it not available?

Cuz this one's better? It can actually be played with as an action figure with articulation and isn't a gimmicky brick.

If they're going to do unreleased toys, I'd rather get the unreleased toy... I have no need for an update on a toy that doesn't exist in the first place, let alone looks nothing like his namesake

Except we're not getting any unreleased toys in their original molds. Oilmaster's shell is a brand new mold only inspired by the original shell mold. And all the Waspinator redecos use the Generations mold. This one's just following in suit.

And it wasn't an unreleased mold. It got released in G2 as Dirtbag, in Beast Wars Second as Autostinger, and in the Korean Car Bot line as Scoutstinger.

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:

SW's SilverHammer wrote:

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:Why didn't they use the original mold it was meant to be? Is it not available?

Probably not, It seems when they use pre millennium molds, they're recent reissues. The scorponok head was actually a retooled Encore Spike Witwicky (Cerebros's head). Now for dirgigun, I have no idea where he came from.

And Big Convoy, although he was rereleased in 2003

Certain Beast Era molds are evidently still available. Pete's even gone on record that they tried yet again to get Transmetal Fractyl (the one 3H never released) into this year's set, but couldn't fit him in, so that TM Terrorsaur mold has got to be still around. But most of anything from G2 and back seems to now be off the table for the Club.

I would have much rather had TransMetal Horrorcon Waspinator as well, and the other unreleased toys in this set. Unreleased concepts in different molds is so unsatisfying.
I didn't say unreleased mold... I say unreleased toy, implying General OP.

So they could have done Fractyl but decided to do a bunch of random crap instead? Can't say I'm surprised.

You know who would have been a fitting mold for General Optimus, although also supposedly "Off the Table"? Energon Demolshor. Dump truck, with like a gazillion Missiles.

Flashwave wrote:You know who would have been a fitting mold for General Optimus, although also supposedly "Off the Table"? Energon Demolshor. Dump truck, with like a gazillion Missiles.

Yes any dump truck!

MR Optimus Prime wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

MR Optimus Prime wrote:Would have been better if they used Combiner Wars Long Haul for General Optimus Prime.

They can't use a mold for a toy that hasn't even come out yet.

Or some other dump truck(ish) mold.

They can't use onscreen movie molds either.

Show me a post-G2, non-movie, Deluxe or bigger, non-green dump truck mold from previous years that has a headculpt that looks enough like Dirtbag's head.

Flashwave wrote:You know who would have been a fitting mold for General Optimus, although also supposedly "Off the Table"? Energon Demolshor. Dump truck, with like a gazillion Missiles.

Redecoing a primarily green dump truck into a primarily green dump truck is not a very inspiring selling point.

Sabrblade wrote:Redecoing a primarily green dump truck into a primarily green dump truck is not a very inspiring selling point.

Didn't stopped them with Deathsarus, and Cyclonus from 3H... not drastically different decos, as purple and blue aren't terribly different

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:Redecoing a primarily green dump truck into a primarily green dump truck is not a very inspiring selling point.

Didn't stopped them with Deathsarus, and Cyclonus from 3H... not drastically different decos, as purple and blue aren't terribly different

Purple to blue and blue to purple is still more drastic than green to green.

Sabrblade wrote:

MR Optimus Prime wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

MR Optimus Prime wrote:Would have been better if they used Combiner Wars Long Haul for General Optimus Prime.

They can't use a mold for a toy that hasn't even come out yet.

Or some other dump truck(ish) mold.

They can't use onscreen movie molds either.

Show me a post-G2, non-movie, Deluxe or bigger, non-green dump truck mold from previous years that has a headculpt that looks enough like Dirtbag's head.

Why would I have to SHOW you that when we are posting our opinions that are much more fitting than the mold they chose? There is no physical law in the universe stopping them from using a dump truck, they choose not to.

Sabrblade wrote:Redecoing a primarily green dump truck into a primarily green dump truck is not a very inspiring selling point.

Neither is repainting a weak figure into a character who bears no resemblance to the toy being repainted that's supposed to reference a toy that never was. Oilmaster is a fairly inventive figure, and a much better use of the long-lost concept figure idea than this weak repaint. TFCC has gotten real lame with some of these exclusives in recent years, but this Roadbuster repaint is all kinds of lame.
Just my opinion, as this seems like it's one of those threads where disagreement earns you a bevy of TFwiki info that's somehow supposed to change your opinion. I'm not a hater of the TFCC, but I also don't feel the need to vehemently defend everything they do as being great when something like this figure is a clear sign of reaching for a reference that doesn't really work. Energon Demolisher would have been a much better choice if this was what they were going for.

True, I only picked the movie Long Haul because of the arm rockets like the original Dirt Bag and wheel placement in robot mode.

MR Optimus Prime wrote:Why would I have to SHOW you that when we are posting our opinions that are much more fitting than the mold they choose? There is no physical law in the universe stopping them from using a dump truck, they choose not to.

Ya already showed one option (an unusable one, though), so there's the precedent for my asking to show another.

If you don't want to SHOW one (not that posting a pic is even that difficult), then just TELL of one in text form. What dump truck mold could they have used that came out in previous years, after G2, is a Deluxe or bigger, is not a Paramount-owned movie mold, isn't green, and has a headsculpt that could pass for G2 Dirtbag's head?

Dagon wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:Redecoing a primarily green dump truck into a primarily green dump truck is not a very inspiring selling point.

Neither is repainting a weak figure into a character who bears no resemblance to the toy being repainted that's supposed to reference a toy that never was. Oilmaster is a fairly inventive figure, and a much better use of the long-lost concept figure idea than this weak repaint. TFCC has gotten real lame with some of these exclusives in recent years, but this Roadbuster repaint is all kinds of lame.
Just my opinion, as this seems like it's one of those threads where disagreement earns you a bevy of TFwiki info that's somehow supposed to change your opinion. I'm not a hater of the TFCC, but I also don't feel the need to vehemently defend everything they do as being great when something like this figure is a clear sign of reaching for a reference that doesn't really work. Energon Demolisher would have been a much better choice if this was what they were going for.

Please look back at all my posts on this matter and tell me if I ever said that this was a good mold choice for this figure? Because I don't recall having done so, instead having only explained why they didn't go with other options suggested on here.

While Energon Demolishor possibly could have worked better, is there really an incentive appeal in owning a premium version of that figure in colors that are more or less within the same spectrum as the original toy's deco? With Energon Demolishor already being predominately green as he is, what's to stop someone from ignoring an official General Optimus Prime toy from that mold and instead just taking and repurposing the original toy as a permanent stand-in? Though not army camo, its colors are "close enough" that it could serve as a General Optimus Prime repurpose as it is. The deco seen on this Roadbuster mold, however, is dramatically different from the original mold's "primarily orange and brown with some green" deco, enough that it's more likely to appeal to those who wouldn't mind owning a version of the Roadbuster mold in a deco so different from the original.

There's also the matter of mold availability to consider. Aside from Scorponok last year, the Club hasn't used any Unicron Trilogy molds since 2011 (SG Galvatron from Cybertron Evac), so it's very possible that they no longer have easy access to those molds, demoting them to now being very special cases like last year's Scorponok. But since Scorponok proved to be well worth the effort they likely went to to get that mold last year, I frankly just can't see General Optimus Prime from Demolishor (or from any mold, really) having the same kind of universal fan appeal as to warrant the Club pursuing the Energon Demolishor mold. So instead of spending more money than they'd likely make, they seem to have gone with what was readily available for them to use and chose from that selection, as it's most likely that the majority of their budget for this year went into making Oilmaster's shell.

But as far as MY own personal views on whether or not the Energon Demolishor would have been a better choice, all I'll say is that, while I can sympathize with preferring a dump truck mold, I do think that the Roadbuster mold's headsculpt bears a bit of a closer resemblance to Dirtbag's head than Demolishor's head does. And that's all I'll say on that matter since I in all honesty don't care that much about General Optimus Prime to be bothered that much by his being a dump truck or an armored off road vehicle or anything that isn't too outlandish or too far from the source material. It isn't that I favor this mold over Demolishor, I just don't care enough about the original unreleased figure to get that upset about this updated version.

MR Optimus Prime wrote:True, I only picked the movie Long Haul because of the arm rockets like the original Dirt Bag and wheel placement in robot mode.

That's understandable. But it's simply just not a mold that the Club is permitted to use.

All of this apparent hate (which in actuality only seems to be 5 vocal posters here) should mean that this will be cheap to get in the aftermarket for those of us not going, right?

I like the camo look but Generations Roadbuster is just such a half-hearted figure to begin with. Horribly basic for a Voyager mold (especially when compared to Springer) with plenty of room for improvement (why they just left the wheels hanging off the forearms I just don't know).

I gotta agree with all these guys. Energon Demolisher would have been the way to go. To me the two decos are radically different types of green. Fluorescent green on the energon toy and puke green on the G2. Add in some camo and you got an aesthetically accurate general optimus prime. And give him a new head because funpub can do that. Either way, im still buying this for my G2 shelf.

I don't know if it's been said recently, but exactly what is off the table for the club? I've seen several people reference it, but I've never seen a definitive list. Could somebody post a link to it?

Carnivius_Prime wrote:I like the camo look but Generations Roadbuster is just such a half-hearted figure to begin with. Horribly basic for a Voyager mold (especially when compared to Springer) with plenty of room for improvement (why they just left the wheels hanging off the forearms I just don't know).

Have you experienced Gen.RB in-hand? Because I once shared that view, but I got TT's version on the cheap and in-hand he simply melted my heart

shajaki wrote:

Carnivius_Prime wrote:I like the camo look but Generations Roadbuster is just such a half-hearted figure to begin with. Horribly basic for a Voyager mold (especially when compared to Springer) with plenty of room for improvement (why they just left the wheels hanging off the forearms I just don't know).

Have you experienced Gen.RB in-hand? Because I once shared that view, but I got TT's version on the cheap and in-hand he simply melted my heart

I bought him a couple months ago as he was half usual price and thought he was mediocre then. And then I got Springer and realised what a quality Generations Voyager figure SHOULD be like. Roadbuster's horribly basic and bland and the shoulders were very loose (mine struggled to hold up any weapons without the arm flopping down) and the feet were too (mine kept falling over all the time). Sticker sheet was a nice bit of nostalgia til realising none of them fit properly either. He went on eBay shortly after Springer's arrival (who wasn't alone for long cos the also good quality Sandstorm joined him a couple weeks later). I don't miss him at all despite trying to do my own 'personal canon' Wreckers team of Voyager class Autobots. Hugely disappointing cos I liked him in the Marvel UK comics and often wanted his toy when I was a kid. Only thing I can say I liked was that his alt-mode wasn't bad but there should have been more movable parts during transformation to hide the wheels and improve the robot mode considerably.

But that's my opinion. I didn't consider him worth any of the money I paid for him so I sold him to someone else. If you like him then that's cool.

Carnivius_Prime wrote:

shajaki wrote:

Carnivius_Prime wrote:I like the camo look but Generations Roadbuster is just such a half-hearted figure to begin with. Horribly basic for a Voyager mold (especially when compared to Springer) with plenty of room for improvement (why they just left the wheels hanging off the forearms I just don't know).

Have you experienced Gen.RB in-hand? Because I once shared that view, but I got TT's version on the cheap and in-hand he simply melted my heart

I bought him a couple months ago as he was half usual price and thought he was mediocre then. And then I got Springer and realised what a quality Generations Voyager figure SHOULD be like. Roadbuster's horribly basic and bland and the shoulders were very loose (mine struggled to hold up any weapons without the arm flopping down) and the feet were too (mine kept falling over all the time). Sticker sheet was a nice bit of nostalgia til realising none of them fit properly either. He went on eBay shortly after Springer's arrival (who wasn't alone for long cos the also good quality Sandstorm joined him a couple weeks later). I don't miss him at all despite trying to do my own 'personal canon' Wreckers team of Voyager class Autobots. Hugely disappointing cos I liked him in the Marvel UK comics and often wanted his toy when I was a kid. Only thing I can say I liked was that his alt-mode wasn't bad but there should have been more movable parts during transformation to hide the wheels and improve the robot mode considerably.

But that's my opinion. I didn't consider him worth any of the money I paid for him so I sold him to someone else. If you like him then that's cool.

That's a legit opinion.

My attitude is: don't let a GREAT figures like Springer get in the way of a GOOD figure like Roadbuster. Between the modular weapons, fun transformation, and amazingly tight alt mode, I thought Roadbuster was well worth my dime. But that's just me.

Also, Springer might have gotten a little more budget due to the Sandstorm retool... That's worth considering too.

Carnivius_Prime wrote:But that's my opinion. I didn't consider him worth any of the money I paid for him so I sold him to someone else. If you like him then that's cool.

I getcha. those were all huge points of contention with me as well (especially the stickers, so I went the TT route). Even as mich as I like him, I'd probably still buy FP Revolver if it were cheaper, but really what need is a mix of the two. In the end though I'm a surprisingly satisfied customer.

megatronus wrote:

Carnivius_Prime wrote:

shajaki wrote:

Carnivius_Prime wrote:I like the camo look but Generations Roadbuster is just such a half-hearted figure to begin with. Horribly basic for a Voyager mold (especially when compared to Springer) with plenty of room for improvement (why they just left the wheels hanging off the forearms I just don't know).

Have you experienced Gen.RB in-hand? Because I once shared that view, but I got TT's version on the cheap and in-hand he simply melted my heart

I bought him a couple months ago as he was half usual price and thought he was mediocre then. And then I got Springer and realised what a quality Generations Voyager figure SHOULD be like. Roadbuster's horribly basic and bland and the shoulders were very loose (mine struggled to hold up any weapons without the arm flopping down) and the feet were too (mine kept falling over all the time). Sticker sheet was a nice bit of nostalgia til realising none of them fit properly either. He went on eBay shortly after Springer's arrival (who wasn't alone for long cos the also good quality Sandstorm joined him a couple weeks later). I don't miss him at all despite trying to do my own 'personal canon' Wreckers team of Voyager class Autobots. Hugely disappointing cos I liked him in the Marvel UK comics and often wanted his toy when I was a kid. Only thing I can say I liked was that his alt-mode wasn't bad but there should have been more movable parts during transformation to hide the wheels and improve the robot mode considerably.

But that's my opinion. I didn't consider him worth any of the money I paid for him so I sold him to someone else. If you like him then that's cool.

That's a legit opinion.

My attitude is: don't let a GREAT figures like Springer get in the way of a GOOD figure like Roadbuster. Between the modular weapons, fun transformation, and amazingly tight alt mode, I thought Roadbuster was well worth my dime. But that's just me.

Also, Springer might have gotten a little more budget due to the Sandstorm retool... That's worth considering too.

I actually like the Roadbuster mold better than the Springer/Sandstorm mold. The Roadbuster mold is more G1 accurate of the two molds. The Springer/Sandstorm mold suffers from unessecary long girly legs.

Desslok2201 wrote:I don't know if it's been said recently, but exactly what is off the table for the club? I've seen several people reference it, but I've never seen a definitive list. Could somebody post a link to it?

Stuff that's off the table for the Club would be the following:

• Molds not yet released.
• Molds that came out in too recent proximity to when the Club would start picking molds for their latest exclusives (usually, a mold has to be roughly a year old before the Club can use it, but some rare exceptions are like Classics Mirage in 2007 and Prime Dreadwing in 2013).
• Really old molds that have been lost or destroyed
• Every original mold from the 2007 Movie 1 toyline
• Post-Movie 1 Movieverse molds that are owned by Paramount. Meaning those that represent onscreen movie characters or any that Paramount had help in designing. If a movieverse mold has no ties to Paramount (like ROTF Bludgeon, DOTM Skyhammer, ROTF Dirge, etc.), then Fun Pub can use it.
• High-end collector molds like Masterpiece molds, Alternators molds, Alternity molds, etc.
• Molds from older lines that are no longer readily accessible for Fun Pub to use. These ones aren't necessarily completely off the table, but are now reduced to a position where Fun Pub would have to put more effort in acquiring those molds, meaning that they'd now be special cases and would have to have a high enough appeal to warrant such pursuit, as was the case for last year's Scorponok figure. This is also why they haven't used any G1 molds outside of Encore Spike for Olin Zarak.

There might be other categories too, but I think this might cover most of it.

Desslok2201 wrote:I don't know if it's been said recently, but exactly what is off the table for the club? I've seen several people reference it, but I've never seen a definitive list. Could somebody post a link to it?

From what I understand, the Club currently can't use, or is unwilling to use, these molds:

1) Any mold that Hasbro has no access to
2) Any mold that Hasbro is currently using, or can't fit the Club production schedule between theirs
3) Generation 1 and 2 molds that haven't been reissued within the last couple of years (read as: molds that Hasbro actually knows the location of and can guarantee them to be usable).
4) Any Movie-era mold that require additional licensing from Paramount (all Movie 1 molds, any on-screen character molds).
5) Unicron Trilogy molds (more unwilling to use, rather than being unable to: some are in pretty bad shape with the UT Mini-Cons totally ruined)
6) The Classics Starscream mold, as per the Twitter announcement

To make things clearer, here are some figures that saw the light of day thanks to or despite the limits:

2) BotCon 2013 Megaplex. The Prime Dreadwing mold was a last-minute available mold, despite Megaplex being released within a year after Prime Dreadwing and Skyquake
3) BotCon 2005 Ricochet (thanks to the Universe 2003 and Robot Masters Cyberjets), BotCon 2006 Waspinator, BotCon 2013 Olin Zarak (Fortress Maximus reissue)
4) BotCon 2012 Gigatron and Spinister, BotCon 2013 Skywarp, Obisidian and Sandstorm didn't require licensing as their parent molds weren't featured in the films.
5) BotCon 2013 Scorponok, there was no alternative for the character, really.

Furthermore, the Club seems to prefer using molds that are between the current Deluxe and Ultra Scales of any main line for stand-alone releases. Oilmaster as a Legends, TFSS 2.0 Eject and Rewind plus the TFSS 3.0 Mystery Figure are exceptions to that, though don't expect it becoming a new standard for stand-alone figures, but rather as extras or part of a larger set.

Sabrblade wrote:

Dagon wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:Redecoing a primarily green dump truck into a primarily green dump truck is not a very inspiring selling point.

Neither is repainting a weak figure into a character who bears no resemblance to the toy being repainted that's supposed to reference a toy that never was. Oilmaster is a fairly inventive figure, and a much better use of the long-lost concept figure idea than this weak repaint. TFCC has gotten real lame with some of these exclusives in recent years, but this Roadbuster repaint is all kinds of lame.
Just my opinion, as this seems like it's one of those threads where disagreement earns you a bevy of TFwiki info that's somehow supposed to change your opinion. I'm not a hater of the TFCC, but I also don't feel the need to vehemently defend everything they do as being great when something like this figure is a clear sign of reaching for a reference that doesn't really work. Energon Demolisher would have been a much better choice if this was what they were going for.

Please look back at all my posts on this matter and tell me if I ever said that this was a good mold choice for this figure? Because I don't recall having done so, instead having only explained why they didn't go with other options suggested on here.

While Energon Demolishor possibly could have worked better, is there really an incentive appeal in owning a premium version of that figure in colors that are more or less within the same spectrum as the original toy's deco? With Energon Demolishor already being predominately green as he is, what's to stop someone from ignoring an official General Optimus Prime toy from that mold and instead just taking and repurposing the original toy as a permanent stand-in? Though not army camo, its colors are "close enough" that it could serve as a General Optimus Prime repurpose as it is. The deco seen on this Roadbuster mold, however, is dramatically different from the original mold's "primarily orange and brown with some green" deco, enough that it's more likely to appeal to those who wouldn't mind owning a version of the Roadbuster mold in a deco so different from the original.

*snipping the rest for the sake of length*

Ok, settle down. There are other people posting in this thread, not every reply is about you on some personal level.
I think this mold is a lame choice for a lame exclusive figure, and I don't think at all that head similarity is enough to change my mind, personally. I think the base figure is a let down. This exclusive, if it is intended to be a reference to an Optimus Prime, should not be contingent on how closely the head references the head of some not Prime character. I am aware of the fact that the figure being referenced (the unreleased Prime) is itself a repaint, and I am aware that we are part of a fandom that flips its stuff over deviations from the traditional. I just don't think a green figure with a similar head and that's it connects it enough to the original toy being referenced. The G2 toy is a dump truck. Roadbuster isn't a dump truck in any universe. I don't care that this is not a dump truck, I'm just not convinced that this is the best attempt if that Prime was what they were going for.
As for Energon Demolisher, you keep referencing Skorpanok from last year, which proves that the Club *can* access *some) Unicron Trilogy molds, the extent of which we don't seem to know, and also verifies the long standing fact that the Club *can* and actually often does produce new heads. So, based solely on those things, there *could* have been an Energon Demolisher into this throw away Prime reference. That's all.

Ok, riddle me this: why does he have to be a Dump Truck to begin with? Just for the sake of the canceled toy being a Dump Truck as well? And would any Dump Truck Transformer do?

As far as General Optimus Prime goes, I think Roadbuster works really well. It doesn't make much sense, for me, to have a dump truck Optimus Prime. Plus, Roadbuster is a solid mold without all that much repaint potential, so I think it's nice he's getting some use.

megatronus wrote:As far as General Optimus Prime goes, I think Roadbuster works really well. It doesn't make much sense, for me, to have a dump truck Optimus Prime. Plus, Roadbuster is a solid mold without all that much repaint potential, so I think it's nice he's getting some use.

Why not a Dumper? We got a tow truck.

Eh, I think its "nostolgic accuracy" we know they could potentially do the character up with the right alt mode, so why not? I suspect this is the same type of accurcy complaints when Starscream was not n F15, and when Megatron gets some of his more off the wall "not gun" altmodes

And I agree, for mold use its nice paint. I'm gonna skip cause I have the Cloud Crosshairs looking guy and Generations RB already.

I'm gonna laugh if this guy turns out being some other random milijardetary dude after all this discussion

Sabrblade wrote:http://transfan2.deviantart.com/art/My-Haul-Pics-863-Tues-06-09-2015-001-538612159

I don't feel any real strong feelings for that Waspinator figure, but those are some very, very good looking figures. They are beautiful.

I wish we had a better view of the white ones, though. Only the Halloween Horrorcon, Fox Kids Transmetal/Shattered Glass, and Warudaros versions are visible.

Sabrblade wrote:I wish we had a better view of the white ones, though. Only the Halloween Horrorcon, Fox Kids Transmetal/Shattered Glass, and Warudaros versions are visible.

Yeah, we need better pictures of the "Mangles". Plus, Robot Mode!

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:I wish we had a better view of the white ones, though. Only the Halloween Horrorcon, Fox Kids Transmetal/Shattered Glass, and Warudaros versions are visible.

Yeah, we need better pictures of the "Mangles". Plus, Robot Mode!

Yeah, we need to see if they have their headsculpts or not, since the Taobao ones were all headless.

I want them. That's all there is to it.

I was hoping to make it out to Botcon, but those hopes were basically dashed yesterday.