Rebuilding the Gobots

[138 Scourge]

The only Go-Bot name that I'll agree is horrible is "Leader-1". His name sucks and nobody was trying there. But the rest are, at the very least, awesome puns (and yes, by awesome I mean somewhat horrible) or at least bizarre enough to have some character.

C'mon, what's wrong with "Hans Cuff"? Or seriously, you need a villainous character? I think "Herr Fiend" certainly says "Villain" pretty clearly. And "Cy-Kill" is an amazing name. It's a truly evocative villain name, and if it's built on a horrific pun, then so be it. Actually, I think "Cy-Kill"'s name sums him up pretty well. "I'm extremely dangerous, but actually really goofy". What's wrong with that?

As far as the designs go, I dunno, as a lil' kid I liked a lot of both of 'em, it's only as I got older that I started thinking that Go-Bots sucked. Nowadays, I kind of like even the goofier ones, they had a simpler design aesthetic, but there's definitely an appeal.

[Mako Crab]

Renaming characters is hardly new to Transformers. The entire cast of RiD got renamed from their CR counterparts. The CR names were perfectly fine, and there shouldn't have been any copyright issues. It was a simple case of Hasbro changing the names because they thought they could come up with something better for the NA market.

And while this could easily devolve into creating new TF characters, I'm still thinking of them in terms of the Gobots universe; cyborgs that were previously all biological. The history of the Guardians, Renegades and their homeworld is developed enough to be more than just a pale imitation of Cybertron and the TFs. Even their integration into the TF universe with the convention comics maintains their origins and sets them apart from all other TFs.

Having Cy-Kill show up just to get killed off always struck me as the writers being petulant. (Ohoohohoho, we Transfans are sooooo much kewler than the Go-Fans. We are *not* nerds. Oh no.) Yes, TF outlasted "Go-Bots", and apparently that was the biggest victory too many fans ever enjoyed.

Tankor's head was not prominent piece of the vehicle mode, in contrast to some of the larger Go-Bots. (And, I agree, the larger Go-Bots were awful.)

It got tiresome watching Megatron kill Cy-kill over and over, and yes- it did come off as petulant. I like that Cy-kill's entry on the wiki really hammers home just how tired and annoying that whole schtick is.
The Tankorr toy may not have had a prominent head in vehicle mode, but in the cartoon he was always talking with it. Somehow it came off as sorta' acceptable, but still... it's a head mounted on top of a tank! Sure, not nearly as prominent, but there it is.

[BWprowl]

But, most of the cartoons in the 90s were comparable to "Go-Bots".

These SWAT Kats episodes I've been watching the last couple days would disagree with you, Dom. Or maybe it's just that the production values are so much higher than Go-Bots that I can't really tell.

The Tankorr toy may not have had a prominent head in vehicle mode, but in the cartoon he was always talking with it. Somehow it came off as sorta' acceptable, but still... it's a head mounted on top of a tank! Sure, not nearly as prominent, but there it is.

I think it's important to remember here that the Vehicons were designed around function, not form. Their vehicle modes didn't need to act as disguises (since they were on their home planet) and having mobile heads in vehicle mode allowed them better surveillance capabilities and the like. At least, that sort of reasoning's why the heads never bothered me.

I'm in the "Cy-Kill is an awesome name" camp. As is 'Good Knight', even though that one goes from 'ridiculously awesome' to 'absurdly, senselessly awesome'. Seriously, why the fuck is even named that?

I need to come up with a Go-Bots fan-character who turns into a tank. Named 'Tank-U'.

[Onslaught Six]

Yeah, the Vehicons having heads in vehicle mode was an awesome thing. Jetstorm's extending neck and look-around-for-Maximals bit gave oodles of personality to him.

[Shockwave]

And Tankor wasn't much of a name either (which I believe we've already mentioned). So I guess that means that BM is the GB of TF?

[Mako Crab]

I'm in the "Cy-Kill is an awesome name" camp. As is 'Good Knight', even though that one goes from 'ridiculously awesome' to 'absurdly, senselessly awesome'. Seriously, why the fuck is even named that?

I need to come up with a Go-Bots fan-character who turns into a tank. Named 'Tank-U'.

LOL @ Cy-kill!! Well, if no one's opposed to it, I suppose he can keep the name. I guess this is one instance where the icon has transcended the cheese.
And LOL @ Tank-U!!! I could totally see the Gobots doing that!

I was looking at Good Knight the other day when I was deciding who to do next, and I happened to find a big SUV called the Knight something something. Doesn't come close to matching his original alt, but I was tempted to use it just because of the name.

Oh!
Crane Brain = Cranium?

[Dominic]

I see what Prowl is saying about Vehicons. But, that logic raises the question of why they needed mobile sensors concentrated on a vulnerable area, when it would have made more sense to have sensor clusters placed around their bodies, with fewer moving parts.

I would not mind seeing Go-Bots brought into TF, but I hate the way the fan-wank club did it. Did we really need universe jumping? Why not just a straight reboot where the Go-Bots show up, and everyone thinks they are robots...until one of them, (just a nameless guy), dies and his brain is revealed? (Like I said a while back, I would like to see somekind of transforming Microman/Acroyear style toys to represent Go-Bots.)

These SWAT Kats episodes I've been watching the last couple days would disagree with you, Dom. Or maybe it's just that the production values are so much higher than Go-Bots that I can't really tell.

It was the production values. The writing was a bit more honest, but just as doofy as any Hanna Barbera cartoon.


Dom
-of coure, we know it will never happen. "Go-Bots" is pretty much dead.

[Shockwave]

I see what Prowl is saying about Vehicons. But, that logic raises the question of why they needed mobile sensors concentrated on a vulnerable area,

Because it looks cooler.

when it would have made more sense to have sensor clusters placed around their bodies, with fewer moving parts.

Because that would look TERRIBLE!! My god man, have you no sense of style?

Shockwave
-

[Mako Crab]

These are some suggestions made by other people from other boards.

Nexus Zero of the Axalon Underground suggested the 2001 Toyota RSC (rugged sport coupe) as an alternate for Small Foot, but I think it's somewhat buggy shape might make it a better choice for BUGGYMAN. Maybe.

http://www.tfu.info/Gobots/Renegades/Bu ... ggyman.htm



Deinonychus suggested the 2010 Dodge Ram for Small Foot, but I'm just too big a fan of her Toyota Hilux alt. However, there's another Guardian Gobot this might work for; CLUTCH
http://www.tfu.info/Gobots/Guardians/Clutch/clutch.htm



Deino also suggested that The Fallen from RotF could make for a good VAMP. Hehe, it's creepy how similar they are.
http://www.tfu.info/Gobots/Renegades/Vamp/vamp.htm



Wat?


Gojitron suggested a stretch Hummer for TUX.
http://www.tfu.info/Gobots/Renegades/Tux/tux.htm





Upgrade....and lose the damn top hat!

[/quote]

Gaastra of the TFW2005 forums suggested the Batwing for PATHFINDER. It's actually not bad. Copyrights aside, I could see Pathfinder scanning the prop vehicle from the studio lot at Warner Bros. Finding an Earth-based vehicle for someone that transforms into a ufo is pretty hard. In her case, I think it might be fun to leave her as an honest-to-goodness UFO and say she scanned it as it was leaving Earth's orbit. She'd mistakenly think it was of human origin.

http://www.tfu.info/Gobots/Guardians/Pa ... finder.htm





Nanite of the Allspark forums suggested the Boeing Bird of Prey for Leader-1. I'm really unknowledgable when it comes to aircraft, which is why I haven't gotten to any flying Gobots yet, but I just can't see this for Leader-1. Maybe someone else could use it?
http://www.tfu.info/Gobots/Guardians/Le ... ader-1.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Boein ... y_USAF.jpg

Guage001 of TFW2005 suggested the Vectrix Electric Scooter for SCOOTER
http://www.tfu.info/Gobots/Guardians/Sc ... cooter.htm



It's not bad, but I think it's a bit too bulky for little ol' Scoot. I was thinking something more like this:



Sorrow Six Star of TFW2005 suggested this for TURBO
http://www.tfu.info/Gobots/Guardians/Turbo/turbo.htm

[/QUOTE]

And since I don't really care about Turbo, I'm inclined to go with it.

Kusanagi of TFW2005 suggested a VW Bus for Dr. Go instead of the BMW Z4. He said that maybe he'd be more of a shellformer with the exterior panels of the bus forming a sort of robo-lab coat. Gotta' admit, that idea really put a smile on my face. Perhaps the Z4 could be given to Baron Von Joy instead, since they're both porsches?
http://www.tfu.info/Gobots/Guardians/Ba ... vonjoy.htm



Whew. Lot of pics. And there we go!

[138 Scourge]

Now see, Mako, here's where you and I differ. You see Tux and think "Lose the damn top hat!". I see Tux and think "Holy crap, that robot has a top hat! Now I badly want one!"


So, Tux is a Renegade, right? He rules. So, kind of like...Evil James Bond. That would be awesome. As for the upgrade, I dunno, maybe it's just my own bias, but Hummers are kind of horrible looking, and stretch Hummers are just about the most obnoxious godawful things ever, so I'd say keep his incredible classic car form if at all possible. Or just say screw it and go with an Aston Martin. Anyway, hell yeah Tux.