TF Views

Dominic wrote:I think you might be wrong on this one. I do not have the numbers in front of me, but Hasbro seems to be re-using characters more now than they did pre-"Unicron Trilogy".

This is a debatable point. For example, how many of the ROTF 'Cons are new characters? Dev and the Constructicons are arguably out, but then we still have Demolishor, Sideways, Wheelie and several others. And that's not even looking into the toyline--Breakaway, all of the Basics, Stratosphere, and Blazemaster are just a couple.

Though, to be fair, these days there's a much larger amount of Prime/Bumblebee shoved into the line.

-has been tempted by that '05 set since '05.

And if I'm not mistaken, it's 'still available!'

Mirage wrote:Well, they're re-using NAMES a lot more often now, that's for sure. But many of those name re-uses land on new characters. I wish Hasbro's legal department wouldn't force them to protect names that don't have any real meaning. Names like "Strongarm" and such have been rehashed so much they don't evoke any specific character anymore.

I like when Hasbro can finally settle down and decide on a name being attached to a character. Scattorshot is the first name that comes to mind right now--he's been everywhere, but then the Cybertron version happened, and the ROTF guy is in the same vein.

In theory, that's true. Unfortunately, most of the club (and con) fiction I've read from FunPub kind of comes off as fanfic.

That's because a lot of it technically 'is.' Look up who writes a bunch of it--M Sipher and Trent Troop.

Nothing *against* fanfic, per se. I've written plenty of it. But I don't really like reading other peoples', any more than I suspect they'd enjoy mine.

Isn't that part of the point of fanfic? Otherwise, why not just have it be a vague idea in your head?

Primal = Dirt Boss

Dirt Boss is kinda cruddy without modification--and on top of that, he's 'not bulky.' It might just be me and my preference for Ultra Primal, but to me, Optimus Primal needs to be a 'huge' guy, physically speaking. He needs to look like he's got the muscles in his arms to 'punch through your face.' Dirt Boss does not have that.

Cheetor/Tigatron = Hot Shot (car)
Rhinox = Hot Shot (armored)

Ehhhno. Especially if you're going with Dirt Boss = Primal. That makes Cheetor and Tigs 'taller than Primal.' Which is wrong.

Rattrap = Brakedown

I said this from day one.

Dinobot = Vector Prime
Megatron = Scattorshot (tank)

Then Dinobot is taller than Megs. Take things like this into consideration, man.

Well, they're re-using NAMES a lot more often now, that's for sure. But many of those name re-uses land on new characters. I wish Hasbro's legal department wouldn't force them to protect names that don't have any real meaning. Names like "Strongarm" and such have been rehashed so much they don't evoke any specific character anymore.

Many of the name re-uses are implied to be the same character, if only idiomatically. (Scattorshot is a good example of this. Movie Thrust and Dirge as well.)

I am not sure what the best way to count endless Bumblebee and Prime figures woudl be.

In theory, that's true. Unfortunately, most of the club (and con) fiction I've read from FunPub kind of comes off as fanfic. Nothing *against* fanfic, per se. I've written plenty of it. But I don't really like reading other peoples', any more than I suspect they'd enjoy mine. That doesn't mean they *can't* do something cool with original characters at some point. I'd certainly be open to it if they tried.

As you point out, the problem is the caliber of the writing, not the characters.

The fact that I do not like reading fanfic is one of the reasons I do not write it, (unpublished "Mosaic" scripts aside).

It is not fair to call the club/con stories fan-fiction though. They may be written by fans, but those stories are (unfortunately) official. (Has anyone else read "At Fight's End"?)

And if I'm not mistaken, it's 'still available!

Yup. I might grab one instead of this year's set.


"Unicron Trilogy" molds do not work for pre-crash Beast characters because most of those moulds resemble contemporary Earth vehicles, which makes no sense for Cybertron ~300 years from now.

I could almost get behind "Cybertron" Buzzsaw as Waspinator though. It makes more sense that having Waspinator be a French fighter plane. That was one of the wankier choices. ("Oh, look at the head sculpt! It sort of looks like Waspinator!")


Back on topic:

Here is another possibility: TFU Sunstreaker recolored as Dead End, ala "Alternators". We know the moulding is in service. (And, my god, any excuse to buy more of that mould cannot be all bad. If nothing else, I plan to make this if they don't.)


Dom
-needs to buy at least 2 sunstreaker's now. (DeadEnd and Wreckloose.)

Nah, Cybertron Buzzsaw as Inferno. Because he's got the rear-mounted rotor, and the bug-head lookin' thing up front? C'mon.

Yeah, I know Buzzsaw's sort of a homage to the Waspinator repaint anyway, but still.

My only thought with Tank Scattorshot as Megs was the "stripped down" robot mode wouldn't have been such a stretch with him. He would have just had to pop off the arm cannons, and possibly kick off the boots, rather than step out of his shell entirely. I still dig the actual toy though. If you can momentarily ignore the cartoon continuity (that 2 seconds where we saw him as a pre-beast sans any sign of an alt-mode) it's pretty kickass. BW Megs is one of the few characters who doesn't seem ridiculous nonchalantly carrying around a ginormous missile on his shoulder. "Why, you're right! This COULD kill us all, couldn't it? Yesss..." Cybertron Red Alert is NOT one of those characters, at least not in my mind.

Anywho, as for my alternate choices, most of them were off the top of my head, as I said. No, they don't 100% make sense either. I think the Vector Prime thing came from seeing the "Galaxy Force" repaint and thinking of Dinobot, what with his tan armor and blue face. And the sword. A bit on the regal side, design-wise, but at least he'd then be more in cartoon scale with Primal (moreso as my Dirt Boss idea than the actual Crumplzone mold, but it would still work either way). But, as O6 pointed out, that makes him taller than either real Megatron or my theoretical version, which is a problem. Eh... now my head hurts. Carry on with the G2 Botcon postulating...

Sunstreaker recolored as Deadend? Mirage as G2 Dragstrip?

Optimus as Motormaster in G2 colors? This would nicely take care of having a blue Prime along the lines of Powered Convoy.

Dom
-holding off on some planned custom projects because of this set.

I can't see them doing anymore Stunticons, to be honest--those guys were never released. The only reason we got Brakedown was because he was the first Botcon toy ever.

Classics Prime as Toxitron? Of course, also never released, but still.

More Stunticons would nicely compliment Brakedown and let them re-use an already accessible mould or 2.

Dom
-would be saved some customizing by that as well.....

Dominic wrote:I wonder how many people bought something rare just to get the characters they would have bought anyway? If I had bought that '07 set, I would probably be posting 1701 reasons about why Hasbro should have just released them at mass-retail to begin with....in my own blood on velum cut from my own flesh....all while complaining about a lack of mass released Thundercracker.

I get it! Those 1701 figures from Playmates were a pain in the ass too. I like the set so far and am curious to see what else is in it. The colors are awful, but that's what makes it so awesome. It's the total cheese factor that's the appeal. I'm in it for Breakdown at the very least (then I can at least mold the head in his normal colors). I am so going to try to afford it.