Transformers Titans Returns Blaster Prototype Image

Tyberion wrote:

I think I'm gonna go post this on the TFCC section here in a bit. Thunderclash might be too obscure for Hasbro, but surely not our friends at the club.

Blaster looks boss. That proto makes it look chunkier than I anticipated - that's a good thing.

I'd like to see pics of Blaster next to MP Soundwave, but even if it's a good match-up, I don't think I was ever really a big enough fan of him to pay full price. I'm happy for the G1 Marvel fans that are finally (hopefully) getting a really good version of him, though.

I never understood the earlier complaints about Blaster being to big. Blaster has always been a big bot. His G1 toy was pretty big and I remember him being pretty tall in the Cartoon and the comics.

munkimus prime wrote:I never understood the earlier complaints about Blaster being to big. Blaster has always been a big bot. His G1 toy was pretty big and I remember him being pretty tall in the Cartoon and the comics.

You can thank Classics Optimus Prime an Megatron being Voyagers for all the "too big" complaints about Blaster, as those two have seem to become the measuring sticks that all CHUG toys should scale towards.

munkimus prime wrote:I never understood the earlier complaints about Blaster being to big. Blaster has always been a big bot. His G1 toy was pretty big and I remember him being pretty tall in the Cartoon and the comics.

He has been consistently shown to be as big as Soundwave:

Blaster really does look nice. I look forward to him since he is a Lost Light crewmember and he has a pretty good looking toy with beef, headmaster Twincast (nice homage there!) and a cool soundblaster mode. He does look nice and chunky, and I'm diggin' it

I think the head and chest plate change sell it as Thunderclash - new launchers in vehicle mode would be great too... possibly another new tweak on the cab so each version has a unique truck form.

I wouldn't say no to a Powered Convoy Ultra Magnus either.

Thunderclash would be a good repaint to do when Titans Returns is out of the way and they can produce a version without the Headmaster and add the new chest and Missile cannons.

I didn't dislike the idea of using Motormaster as the Basis for Thunderclash either though.

Someone needs to make an Upgrade trailer for the CW Optimus Mould toot sweet.

Sabrblade wrote:

munkimus prime wrote:I never understood the earlier complaints about Blaster being to big. Blaster has always been a big bot. His G1 toy was pretty big and I remember him being pretty tall in the Cartoon and the comics.

You can thank Classics Optimus Prime an Megatron being Voyagers for all the "too big" complaints about Blaster, as those two have seem to become the measuring sticks that all CHUG toys should scale towards.

And that's the way it should be. Voyager size is perfect for Optimus and Megatron and Blaster should have been the same size. Blaster does not need to turn into a base for a 3rd mode and definitely does not need to be a headmaster. That's stupid.

With the Jetfire being the exception, I feel "Leader" scale is a waste. Its a size meant for little kids don't care about scale. Usually Leader scale is reserved for fan favorite characters that little kids love. I think Ill just stick with Unique Toys SoundBlaster. They got him right. Sorry Hasbro.

Hasbro's Blaster is spookily similar looking to the Unique toys one I'd suggest.

3rd party (again with the schtick, don't like the thread because you already know the end result then don't buy it/post it ) over the official? No contest. Anyways, will the G1 cassettes fit him too?

william-james88 wrote:

munkimus prime wrote:I never understood the earlier complaints about Blaster being to big. Blaster has always been a big bot. His G1 toy was pretty big and I remember him being pretty tall in the Cartoon and the comics.

He has been consistently shown to be as big as Soundwave:

Inappropriate touching in 5...4...3...

Rated X wrote:With the Jetfire being the exception, I feel "Leader" scale is a waste. Its a size meant for little kids don't care about scale. Usually Leader scale is reserved for fan favorite characters that little kids love.

When it first came into being in 2005, the Leader class was one of the most complex, intricate, and detailed size classes of them all. It remained as such for several years until it disappeared after 2011. When it returned in 2014 for AOE and Generations Thrilling 30, its figures were far simpler than they ever were, a pale imitation of the intricate works of art that the size class had had from 2005-2011.

And the notion of the Leader class size class being reserved for "fan favorite characters that little kids love" is broken when several minor characters have gotten Leader toys in the past for the sole reason that they were large-sized characters in the fiction. Movie Brawl, for instance, was a nobody that got no children-aimed attention from any media (he was just a background character in the first movie), yet he got not one but two meticulously-complex Leader class toy releases.

Rated X wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

munkimus prime wrote:I never understood the earlier complaints about Blaster being to big. Blaster has always been a big bot. His G1 toy was pretty big and I remember him being pretty tall in the Cartoon and the comics.

You can thank Classics Optimus Prime an Megatron being Voyagers for all the "too big" complaints about Blaster, as those two have seem to become the measuring sticks that all CHUG toys should scale towards.

And that's the way it should be. Voyager size is perfect for Optimus and Megatron and Blaster should have been the same size. Blaster does not need to turn into a base for a 3rd mode and definitely does not need to be a Headmaster. That's stupid.

With the Jetfire being the exception, I feel "Leader" scale is a waste. Its a size meant for little kids don't care about scale. Usually Leader scale is reserved for fan favourite characters that little kids love. I think I'll just stick with Unique Toys SoundBlaster. They got him right. Sorry Hasbro.

I get the impression that Hasbro couldn't decide if they wanted to make a Collectables line or a Kids gimmick line - especially with RID on it's slow path to eventual obsolescence not doing such a great job of it's job of appealing to the middle age bracket of toy buying kids.

I have Unique Toys Soundmixer too - I bought him as someone seemingly didn't want him any longer due to the forthcoming 2016 "Official" TF:TR Blaster toy.

I will admit though in general I adore the little guys (lets call them "Masters" for the sake of argument). I am a little disappointed that they wanted to make everyone Headmasters as now I find myself NOT wanting things on the principle that the Headmaster gimmick poorly applied to them will make for an inferior toy.

Take Hotrod and Blurr - they really needed to be nice ordinary toys that just happen to come with Targetmasters - so I hope they realise that and put them in a special generations Movie homage wave and don't try to make them Titans Returns with transforming heads on them - as if they do that they will really fail as homages - and all it will be doing is begging for the 3rd party add on makers to make a better replacement head and Targetmaster for them as add ons something that would not bee needed if Hasbro didn't make the inappropriate choice in the 1st place.

As it is though I find myself feeling a little patronised on the childrens behalf because of Hasbro inability to understand that Targetmasters AND Headmaster fit perfectly fine in the same toyline.

Sabrblade wrote:

Rated X wrote:With the Jetfire being the exception, I feel "Leader" scale is a waste. Its a size meant for little kids don't care about scale. Usually Leader scale is reserved for fan favorite characters that little kids love.

When it first came into being in 2005, the Leader class was one of the most complex, intricate, and detailed size classes of them all. It remained as such for several years until it disappeared after 2011. When it returned in 2014 for AOE and Generations Thrilling 30, its figures were far simpler than they ever were, a pale imitation of the intricate works of art that the size class had had from 2005-2011.

And the notion of the Leader class size class being reserved for "fan favorite characters that little kids love" is broken when several minor characters have gotten Leader toys in the past for the sole reason that they were large-sized characters in the fiction. Movie Brawl, for instance, was a nobody that got no children-aimed attention from any media (he was just a background character in the first movie), yet he got not one but two meticulously-complex Leader class toy releases.

Eh, X is kind of right. Notable leader class figures are the Optimus Prime and Megatrons of Cybertron, Movie, Animated, and ROTF. Later, kid favorites Bumblebee and Ironhide from DOTM got them, as well as Sentinel Prime, one of the major characters of DOTM. Movie Brawl got one because tanks are an easy sell, and got a redeco because I think ALL the leader figures got redecos in that line. Jetfire got a leader so he could combine with Prime. Jetfire and Brawl are really the only exceptions to the Leader class being reserved for actual faction leaders or popular characters, and both of them had other motivating factors that I just pointed out.

However......

Rated X wrote:And that's the way it should be. Voyager size is perfect for Optimus and Megatron and Blaster should have been the same size. Blaster does not need to turn into a base for a 3rd mode and definitely does not need to be a headmaster. That's stupid.

With the Jetfire being the exception, I feel "Leader" scale is a waste. Its a size meant for little kids don't care about scale.

And there is nothing wrong with that. Sometimes you just want a big robot jet and you don't care how big he's supposed to be compared to other characters. Sometimes we need to stop taking ourselves so seriously and just appreciate the fun aspect of toys. Blaster that's a headmaster and a base? That's pretty cool.

I agree with That Bot, we take our selves too seriously with these children's toys.

@Rar who says we're getting a new rodimus and blurr?

ZeroWolf wrote:I agree with That Bot, we take our selves too seriously with these children's toys.

@Rar who says we're getting a new rodimus and blurr?

These are just rumours based on next year being the 30th anniversary for the movie. I believe Blurr and Scourge were the ones that were rumoured the most.

As for taking these toys too seriously, here is a pic from the old Takara catalogue pre transformers that I just adore:

william-james88 wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:I agree with That Bot, we take our selves too seriously with these children's toys.

@Rar who says we're getting a new rodimus and blurr?

These are just rumours based on next year being the 30th anniversary for the movie. I believe Blurr and Scourge were the ones that were rumoured the most.

As for taking these toys too seriously, here is a pic from the old Takara catalogue pre transformers that I just adore:

Try checking the Macross (at least the original box art of the toy that would be Jetfire) box art too! Even back in the 80s, the Japanese way of presnting their "action figures" is truly an epic sight to behold!

Say isn't that diaclone devestator standing there? I always wanted to see more of that toyline.

ZeroWolf wrote:Say isn't that diaclone devestator standing there? I always wanted to see more of that toyline.

Diaclone Devastator standing next to Diaclone Scavenger

william-james88 wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:Say isn't that diaclone devestator standing there? I always wanted to see more of that toyline.

Diaclone Devastator standing next to Diaclone Scavenger

That's possible because they weren't sentient individuals, so there were many of the same Mecha.
I'll have to dig really hard, but I have that catalog somewhere.

Cobotron wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:Say isn't that diaclone devestator standing there? I always wanted to see more of that toyline.

Diaclone Devastator standing next to Diaclone Scavenger

That's possible because they weren't sentient individuals, so there were many of the same Mecha.
I'll have to dig really hard, but I have that catalog somewhere.

Is it possible that he is more than double the size of Devastator's arm?

william-james88 wrote:

Cobotron wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:Say isn't that diaclone devestator standing there? I always wanted to see more of that toyline.

Diaclone Devastator standing next to Diaclone Scavenger

That's possible because they weren't sentient individuals, so there were many of the same Mecha.
I'll have to dig really hard, but I have that catalog somewhere.

Is it possible that he is more than double the size of Devastator's arm?

He was the deluxe model. For construction-mecha-pilots with a midlife crisis and a definite need to compensate for something.

I thin RAR may be incorrect with RiD. RiD actually is going very well and is selling. Around here they are constantly selling out, and the kids appear to be enjoying them. Can't tell you how many parents or siblings (I assume) are standing in line with RiD guys in hand, simplified or warrior. They are enjoying them, as am I.

As for Rodimus and Blurr: those 2 characters have been rumored for the titans return line for a while. The inclusion of new characters being headmasters shows they are not afraid to do that, and so far many of the rumors have been true (Blaster, Prime, Galvatron) and still others to come that may prove true, such as these movie guys (I'm holding out hope for Rodimus so I have both LL captains), Alpha Trion, and Computron's limbs. All will have to wait.

a midlife crisis and a definite need to compensate for something.

I'm pretty sure this is everybody's reason for being here. (ignore me, 4 pints of IPA and a bottle of red wine.)

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:I thin RAR may be incorrect with RiD. RiD actually is going very well and is selling. Around here they are constantly selling out, and the kids appear to be enjoying them. Can't tell you how many parents or siblings (I assume) are standing in line with RiD guys in hand, simplified or warrior. They are enjoying them, as am I.

As for Rodimus and Blurr: those 2 characters have been rumored for the titans return line for a while. The inclusion of new characters being headmasters shows they are not afraid to do that, and so far many of the rumors have been true (Blaster, Prime, Galvatron) and still others to come that may prove true, such as these movie guys (I'm holding out hope for Rodimus so I have both LL captains), Alpha Trion, and Computron's limbs. All will have to wait.

I wouldnt say he's incorrect, its more that most fans arent understanding the big picture that Hasbro has come up with for themselves. And I get it, no fan wants to be told "hi, this isnt for you, dont touch it, we are not making this for you", no fan wants to think that, but this is precisely what Hasbro is doing here. Fans want to own these toys, and thus wish it was a better line for them, but it isnt. In truth, the RID line can be compared to the Generations line as much as the Rescue Bots line, meaning any comparison is utterly futile. Nobody asks for better rescue bot toys, they understand that these toys arent for them. And Hasbro has told fans repeatedly that the same goes for RID. But we are lucky. Unlike with Rescue Bots, we actually have an option for a collector version of all these RID toys with Takara. This isnt made to tell us that Hasbro could be doing this instead, they dont want to. It simply exists so that fans can have an outlet for RID toys that appeal to them. Its phenomenal actually. We get to have a toyline not meant for us, but meant to get other people into this toyline and eventually support it, and at the same time we get to have all the toys we want and simply have to pay the shipping fee.
In truth, any fan who has something against the RID line is the equivalent to a fan complaining that the articulation on the Rescue Bot toys is not to their liking.

MemphisR56 wrote:I'm pretty sure this is everybody's reason for being here. (ignore me, 4 pints of IPA and a bottle of red wine.)

I could go for an IPA right now!

william-james88 wrote:In truth, any fan who has something against the RID line is the equivalent to a fan complaining that the articulation on the Rescue Bot toys is not to their liking.

I like this a lot. Well said

Fans have asked for Generations Rescue Bots toys in the past, though.

I have several reasons to think what I think about RID - but the short answer is :

1) Distribution is poor on the line
2) Very few new moulds and lots of repaints
3) Almost no villain toys
4) What few new toys there is a sign of for 2016 are a half hearted continuation of Minicons or a smaller armoured form of existing characters.
5) The relative lack of merchandising by licensees
6) The general vibe you get from Rescue bots of hasbro just going through the motions and not really "getting behind" their product is the same vibe I get from RID.
7) Hasbro rep saying they didn't both mentioning RID-15 at conventions and events very much as Quote : "They didn't think anyone was interested".

So in short Hasbro were happy to show their personal excitement for Combiner Wars - but you had to look much harder to find an examples of that for RID.

I have no personal Objection to RID - I just think it's a line that is marked for early death - just as the TV show also was.

william-james88 wrote:
In truth, any fan who has something against the RID line is the equivalent to a fan complaining that the articulation on the Rescue Bot toys is not to their liking.

I can't disagree more.

I have my First Transformers - They can raise their arms
I have Playskool Gobots - They can raise their arms
I've seen the Tonka 1-2-3 Transformers - they can raise their arms too
The Rescuebot Dinobots can raise their arms as well

Why do I object so vociferously to the inability of the majority of Rescuebots being unable to move their arms or heads - well Gobots and My First Transformers were not accessorised toys Rescuebots come with repeated examples of Tools & accessories designed to fit in the characters hands and yet none of those characters can hold those tools in anything approaching a convincing manner BECAUSE THEY CAN'T RAISE THEIR ARMS.

So yes I will continue to be infuriated by that - this is a basic play feature It's not asking much is it for 3-poa but it seems even this is an outrageous request - despite kids toys aimed at that age line have had 5 POA or petter as standard the entire time such things have existed.

Even ancient Fisher Price figures from the 1980's have more joints, heck PLAYMOBIL has more joints.

They can't use the age bracket as an excuse as it's clear that the bracket spread is greater than they say it is on Rescue Bots anyway and they have made Rescuebots that can move their arms (Dinosaur Optimus Primal for one).

Gobots has already solved this design problem with the slanted shoulder joints grasping a Gobot to transform them (say Speed-bot) naturally closes the arms into the body to the correct position in my view they have no excuse to not do the same with Rescuebots as long as they are also trying to sell tools for them to hold.

Not to mention why can't they move their heads - in most instances the inability or ability to move the head makes no difference to the Transformation and there is NO EXCUSE why they can't move the head either - when it's often moulded separately anyway.

I just have this concern that the only reason that they can't move their arms in some cases is to save a few cents on the production cost as
"It doesn't matter as they are only baby toys".

So why do I not feel the consumer is being patronised by say Fisherprices's Imaginext line then ? which is aimed at the same sort of age kids.

william-james88 wrote:

Cobotron wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:Say isn't that diaclone devestator standing there? I always wanted to see more of that toyline.

Diaclone Devastator standing next to Diaclone Scavenger

That's possible because they weren't sentient individuals, so there were many of the same Mecha.
I'll have to dig really hard, but I have that catalog somewhere.

Is it possible that he is more than double the size of Devastator's arm?

Angled perspective of the artist. You are viewing not Scavenger from a higher elevation than the not Devastar.

Remember how G1 Hound was drawn in the box? His hologram gun look short when in the toy it was as long as a rifle. Yet the cartoon rendered the gun short and stumpy.

Sabrblade wrote:Fans have asked for Generations Rescue Bots toys in the past, though.

Aww man THAT would be incredible!

RAR wrote:I have several reasons to think what I think about RID - but the short answer is :

1) Distribution is poor on the line
2) Very few new moulds and lots of repaints
3) Almost no villain toys
4) What few new toys there is a sign of for 2016 are a half hearted continuation of Minicons or a smaller armoured form of existing characters.
5) The relative lack of merchandising by licensees
6) The general vibe you get from Rescue bots of hasbro just going through the motions and not really "getting behind" their product is the same vibe I get from RID.
7) Hasbro rep saying they didn't both mentioning RID-15 at conventions and events very much as Quote : "They didn't think anyone was interested".

So in short Hasbro were happy to show their personal excitement for Combiner Wars - but you had to look much harder to find an examples of that for RID.

I have no personal Objection to RID - I just think it's a line that is marked for early death - just as the TV show also was.

Not to beat up on RID but yeah. I get that too. It is a kind of wasted effort by someone in Hb who keeps on pushing for the TFA style product when they should be focusing on the original style circa G1.

fenrir72 wrote:Not to beat up on RID but yeah. I get that too. It is a kind of wasted effort by someone in Hb who keeps on pushing for the TFA style product when they should be focusing on the original style circa G1.

RID wishes its toys were half as good as TFA's complex toys.

fenrir72 wrote:

RAR wrote:I have several reasons to think what I think about RID - but the short answer is :

1) Distribution is poor on the line
2) Very few new moulds and lots of repaints
3) Almost no villain toys
4) What few new toys there is a sign of for 2016 are a half hearted continuation of Minicons or a smaller armoured form of existing characters.
5) The relative lack of merchandising by licensees
6) The general vibe you get from Rescue bots of hasbro just going through the motions and not really "getting behind" their product is the same vibe I get from RID.
7) Hasbro rep saying they didn't both mentioning RID-15 at conventions and events very much as Quote : "They didn't think anyone was interested".

So in short Hasbro were happy to show their personal excitement for Combiner Wars - but you had to look much harder to find an examples of that for RID.

I have no personal Objection to RID - I just think it's a line that is marked for early death - just as the TV show also was.

Not to beat up on RID but yeah. I get that too. It is a kind of wasted effort by someone in Hb who keeps on pushing for the TFA style product when they should be focusing on the original style circa G1.

What we need are more figures based on the MTMTE and LSOTW IDW comic designs of the characters, and all go together with the Generations figures that were designed like that like Gen Springer. I would love to see an IDW style Chromedome, (leader) Optimus Prime, Prowl, and other figures.

Edit: I think a cartoon or animated series based on the comic designs that is aimed towards an older audience kinda like some of the DC comic animated movies (Under the Red Hood, etc.) would be in order too.

SillySpringer wrote:What we need are more figures based on the MTMTE and LSOTW IDW comic designs of the characters, and all go together with the Generations figures that were designed like that like Gen Springer. I would love to see an IDW style Chromedome, (leader) Optimus Prime, Prowl, and other figures.

NEED might be to strong a word, but Chromedome is on Hasbro's to do list for Titan Wars according to internet radio show rumours.

I think the One-step Changer Prowl is based on IDW Prowl if that helps at all.

Wait wait wait wait wait....

1) What talk of there being a 1-step Prowl? I have never heard that.

2) All kinds of IDW MTMTE guys are anticipated considering the crew does have a lot of movie era and beyond characters on board, so I would expect lots of new LL crew members.

3) I think talking about lack of bad guys toys is ridiculous. In all honesty, we have probably gotten more bad guy molds than good guy molds, it's just that several good guys keep getting repainted, and now that we are past all of the main autobots being released, we are getting lots of bad guys, in all sizes. Besides, would you rather we be getting combining Bee's and Bee repaints? This is his show and line.

4) We have asked for rescue bot generations figures that is true, but the thing is: we already moan enough over the lack of other characters being made from the original 80's stuff and over how badly apparently figures are done, so I can't say I blame them for not making generations rescue bots.

5) I for one do not want to go back to the 80's style transformers. I liked the direction Thrilling 30 and Combiner wars was taking by using updated designs. I do not want figures to look like their original toys, I want them updated. And other things such as RiD enable us to step away from those classic designs with good reasons, and there have been some very good figures and designs that I like much better that are non-G1 based. AoE Prime was a great looking character, even if toys could not pull it off. Same with Prime Smokescreen: fabulous design, and I loved what they did with the wings. Armada and beast wars had a fair share of great designs as well, not to mention animated Prowl. Not everything should fall back on G1.

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Wait wait wait wait wait....

1) What talk of there being a 1-step Prowl? I have never heard that.

The AOE one, methinks.

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:
5) I for one do not want to go back to the 80's style transformers. I liked the direction Thrilling 30 and Combiner wars was taking by using updated designs. I do not want figures to look like their original toys, I want them updated. And other things such as RiD enable us to step away from those classic designs with good reasons, and there have been some very good figures and designs that I like much better that are non-G1 based. AoE Prime was a great looking character, even if toys could not pull it off. Same with Prime Smokescreen: fabulous design, and I loved what they did with the wings. Armada and beast wars had a fair share of great designs as well, not to mention animated Prowl. Not everything should fall back on G1.

Agreed. I am a huge fan of the IDW designs of the characters. I am still waiting for a Nautica.

Sabrblade wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Wait wait wait wait wait....

1) What talk of there being a 1-step Prowl? I have never heard that.

The AOE one, methinks.

I know they did that one because it did show up at my local walmarts, toys r us and it was at 5-below not too long ago. And I do not believe that thing was IDW at all. CW Prowl was closer to IDW, but still not it (though the head was amazing)

SillySpringer wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:
5) I for one do not want to go back to the 80's style transformers. I liked the direction Thrilling 30 and Combiner wars was taking by using updated designs. I do not want figures to look like their original toys, I want them updated. And other things such as RiD enable us to step away from those classic designs with good reasons, and there have been some very good figures and designs that I like much better that are non-G1 based. AoE Prime was a great looking character, even if toys could not pull it off. Same with Prime Smokescreen: fabulous design, and I loved what they did with the wings. Armada and beast wars had a fair share of great designs as well, not to mention animated Prowl. Not everything should fall back on G1.

Agreed. I am a huge fan of the IDW designs of the characters. I am still waiting for a Nautica.

Milne, Roche and Griffith have put out some incredible designs, and they really aren't appreciated enough. I long for a Rodimus, and I consider it a huge win the we got Leader MTMTE Magnus and Megatron with autobot symbols! Those were wins for us, as were the likes of Skids, Swerve and Tailgate. I feel they really missed out on giving CW cyclonus the IDW head and a sword instead of a gun. First Aid was also great.

One thing that disappoints me a wee bit though is what they appear to be doing with the TR aesthetic: it all seems G1 toy based, or concept based. This is the first time Nightbeat has used this head design, and it is the first time besides the original toy Hardhead has a faceplate. Overall, it looks just a wee bit too 80's for me. I still love it don't get me wrong, but I so would have preferred a MTMTE Nightbeat and Siren head, not to mention the Hardhead head with the actual face. But oh well.

Still looks cool nonetheless, but I am a wee bit worried that they will look much less at IDW designs for Rodimus and Chromedome, amongst others, when doing the toys.

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

SillySpringer wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:
5) I for one do not want to go back to the 80's style transformers. I liked the direction Thrilling 30 and Combiner wars was taking by using updated designs. I do not want figures to look like their original toys, I want them updated. And other things such as RiD enable us to step away from those classic designs with good reasons, and there have been some very good figures and designs that I like much better that are non-G1 based. AoE Prime was a great looking character, even if toys could not pull it off. Same with Prime Smokescreen: fabulous design, and I loved what they did with the wings. Armada and beast wars had a fair share of great designs as well, not to mention animated Prowl. Not everything should fall back on G1.

Agreed. I am a huge fan of the IDW designs of the characters. I am still waiting for a Nautica.

Milne, Roche and Griffith have put out some incredible designs, and they really aren't appreciated enough. I long for a Rodimus, and I consider it a huge win the we got Leader MTMTE Magnus and Megatron with autobot symbols! Those were wins for us, as were the likes of Skids, Swerve and Tailgate. I feel they really missed out on giving CW cyclonus the IDW head and a sword instead of a gun. First Aid was also great.

One thing that disappoints me a wee bit though is what they appear to be doing with the TR aesthetic: it all seems G1 toy based, or concept based. This is the first time Nightbeat has used this head design, and it is the first time besides the original toy Hardhead has a faceplate. Overall, it looks just a wee bit too 80's for me. I still love it don't get me wrong, but I so would have preferred a MTMTE Nightbeat and Siren head, not to mention the Hardhead head with the actual face. But oh well.

Still looks cool nonetheless, but I am a wee bit worried that they will look much less at IDW designs for Rodimus and Chromedome, amongst others, when doing the toys.

Yeah, I was hoping that the Titan Wars line would be more like the Generations line with a lot of homages to the comics and more "recent" cartoons instead of being like Combiner Wars. I like the Combiner Wars/Unite Warriors Devastator design, but that is because it is not meant for the normal Combiner Wars gimmick! He is his own set. He is meant to be himself, and not center around the combiner port thing. Since Titan Wars is just made up of Headmasters and not figures with 1 or 2 extra limb modes, I hope they take more opportunity to focus on design and aesthetic rather than gimmicks. I know I mention him a lot but, I love the Generations Springer because of how much thought they put into the design, and how much they tried to make him a mix of his different comic incarnations' designs. I hope they do something similar with Rodimus, and other MTMTE and Last Stand/Sins of the Wreckers characters. I am still wanting a voyager Blurr, Kup, and Perceptor too.

Edit: I also am crossing my fingers for Chromedome to have the same comic accuracy as Generations Brainstorm. I am gonna orgasm if he does.

Sabrblade wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:Not to beat up on RID but yeah. I get that too. It is a kind of wasted effort by someone in Hb who keeps on pushing for the TFA style product when they should be focusing on the original style circa G1.

RID wishes its toys were half as good as TFA's complex toys.

I dont thnk RID cares at all about this. They are not aiming for complexity in the least. And I read some fun takara interviews, they too were aiming for simplified designs that were still fun to transform and the takara engineers feel they nailed it with the RID line. One guy even said he made the transformation slightly more fun by giving Warrior Bee a waist turn as an extra step which he felt could have easily been removed as a step (and he is totally right, you only need that extra step because bumblebee's torso is not facing the ground when in alt mode).

william-james88 wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:Not to beat up on RID but yeah. I get that too. It is a kind of wasted effort by someone in Hb who keeps on pushing for the TFA style product when they should be focusing on the original style circa G1.

RID wishes its toys were half as good as TFA's complex toys.

I dont thnk RID cares at all about this. They are not aiming for complexity in the least. And I read some fun takara interviews, they too were aiming for simplified designs that were still fun to transform and the takara engineers feel they nailed it with the RID line. One guy even said he made the transformation slightly more fun by giving Warrior Bee a waist turn as an extra step which he felt could have easily been removed as a step (and he is totally right, you only need that extra step because bumblebee's torso is not facing the ground when in alt mode).

This is a thing. RiD had its own aesthetic, and it is a good one. And the toys are lots of fun! screw the posability really, they are fun to transform and to actually play with. And the fact that they were engineered like that and have succeeded well in it is an amazing thing

Maybe I am slow but I just dont get it. If all people want are exactly what G1 looks like then why is it that third parties rarely do just that and instead preffer making updated designs, I mean Hasbro is giving us exactly what we asked for in comparison:

Will, I am probably an exception to that rule. I have no interest in buying 3rd party stuff, so really I am not qualified to respond to some of what you just said. But I far and away prefer updated stuff like the MTMTE styled characters and less of the original toy loyalty, such as how Hardhead is shooting. I prefer updates, but I don't want to spend $90 a pop for one when I could spend $15 or $25. So in reality here, I am just slightly sad that there is less IDW in these guys than I had hoped, but I don't want to do the 3rd party route, so I stick to Hasbro's doing, and considering the comics running and how things look there, I wish for more influence from them.

Hope that blurb makes sense to you.

Opps sorry I pressed Quote instead of edit by mistake.

RAR wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Wait wait wait wait wait....

1) What talk of there being a 1-step Prowl? I have never heard that.

The AOE One step wave that also had ROTF Tank Megatron, Strafe & Rollbar in it has a Prowl with the Butterfly knife Transformation that looks not unlike the IDW Prowl to me as shown on the covers of the earliest IDW comics. At least it looks more like him that it does other Prowls I can think of.

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Will, I am probably an exception to that rule. I have no interest in buying 3rd party stuff, so really I am not qualified to respond to some of what you just said. But I far and away prefer updated stuff like the MTMTE styled characters and less of the original toy loyalty, such as how Hardhead is shooting. I prefer updates, but I don't want to spend $90 a pop for one when I could spend $15 or $25. So in reality here, I am just slightly sad that there is less IDW in these guys than I had hoped, but I don't want to do the 3rd party route, so I stick to Hasbro's doing, and considering the comics running and how things look there, I wish for more influence from them.

Hope that blurb makes sense to you.

Mastermind Creations seems to have more of a burning desire for IDW than Hasbro does lately - neatly their whole line is becoming one big IDW love letter lately.

They are a clever people as they are able to make even me see the merit in what they do as I know they make good "toys" so they even get past my innate disinterest in IDW as a brand representation because of the cool toyishness alone.

Quite an achievement really to be able to make toys based on a version of something I have zero emotional attachment too and yet still make me want to buy more of them due to vague G1ishness and good product quality - not to mention I do actually like unique and interesting alt modes and they do that super well.

If you are a person who enjoys IDW though I think MMC's Tailgate homage is a must buy pretty much.

But I'm buying them as a representation of the Characters "Pre-Earth" bodies rather than any desire to collect a comic cast.

Which is a good thing really as that means the aforementioned Tailgate is then a complement to the Hasbro one rather than an alternative to it.

Thing is: Mastermind may put out some nice looking stuff, but I just don't want nor can afford 3rd party stuff. And the Tailgate Hasbro put out is very good to me. i enjoy the mold and it works so well for Tailgate. And it is a good size and I love it.

I just wish for a little more IDW influence in hasbro stuff, especially since the toys are coming packaged with the comics (however much lack of sense in packaging is involved). I was really hoping for an IDW Rodimus as his design is very awesome and honestly the best Rodimus I have ever seen, but it's looking like a little closer to the original, which is still cool, but IDW Rodimus is still what I would really want, and if he is to be a deluxe, I would prefer him look closer to his comic appearance.

Sales.

Thrilling 30 did give us some great updates from outside of G1, pulling from Beast Wars and Armada, but I kind of wish we could continue to get more outside-of-mainstream homages, especially in the repaints. Instead it seems to work the other way around. RID and Prime seemed like they got a lot of G1 homages, and they seem less... inspired(?) than the homages that showed up in TFA.

Japan has an RID Drift coming out in IDW colors, right? How about re-releasing the "G1" Drift figure in his RID orange? Or maybe repaint Generations Springer as AoE Drift? Both of those were great molds, whatever color you put them in. Or how about retooling the Combiner Wars First-Aid mold as RID Strongarm? Or the Prowl/Streetwise mold as Barricade? If we have to have a bunch of combiner-bots repainted as non-combining characters, why not expand those outside of G1? Titan Wars Sentinel Prime will almost certainly be repainted as Astrotrain, but his shuttle-mode looks a lot like Armada Jetfire, too, so there's another possibility.

I bet if they did repaint something as REV people would just complain that it wasn't Sunstreaker instead.