TimeLines (BotCon) 2013 discussion

[Onslaught Six]

Let's make a box set based on an obscure subline, and then only include two characters that were actually in it!

Surprise! It's the ones people gave the least shit about! Consistently. Every. Single. Time.

If they did a Beast Machines set, it'd have Scavenger, Tankorr, Bludgeon, Ruination and Universe Optimus Primal in it.

Ruination is a new character.

EDIT: I just, ugh. Just read this thread and we'll give you a hundred better ideas. People clearly didn't care about Skywarp and Hoist! We were throwing around suggestions for cool Starscreams, Megaplexes out the ass--shit, we even came up with their stupid nonsensical recolours that have nothing to do with the set for them!

It almost kind of makes sense in their GI Joe sets, because those...they have a better formula. They give you two sets of like five army builder guys (who are always some completely stupid new subgroup. What, like Major Bludd really needs his own commando unit with troops?) and two guys to "lead" them (so a new Major Bludd and a new, I dunno, Destro) and then they pack like three Joe characters who have nothing to do with anything in it. Then they make the souvenier sets practically unrelated. And it generally sort of works. For TF though...we don't really get that.

[BWprowl]

If they did a Beast Machines set, it'd have Scavenger, Tankorr, Bludgeon, Ruination and Universe Optimus Primal in it.

Ruination is a new character.

Coming BotCon 2014...BEAST MACHINES RETURNS! In this exlusive toy set, OPTIMUS PRIMAL (recolor of Movie Stockade in Universe Optimus Primal colors) returns from his battle against Unicron to find the Vehicon faction mounting a new uprising on Cybertron. The evil BLUDGEON (recolor of Universe Galvatron mold with new headsculpt) has raised the generals TANKOR (recolor of Generations Warpath) and 'The Scavenger' DESTRUCTICON GENERAL (recolor of ROTF Lockdown, new headsculpt) to oppress the techno-organic Maximals of the planet! Can Optimus Primal stop this new menace, and will he be helped or hindered by the mysterious new entity, RUINATION (recolor of TFP Weaponizer Megatron, new headsculpt)?!

I really wonder how FunPub sat down and came up with stuff like THIS for their set. How do you have a discussion about "What do we do for a Machine Wars set?" and wind up with...what we're getting? Did it even start out as a Machine Wars set, or did they just want to make a new Electro, so they mocked up a headsculpt to stick on Kup, then someone said "Hey, if you painted that black it would look a little like Machine Wars Hoist" and so they did that, slapped a few other guys in there, and dubbed it a 'Machine Wars' set?

"Okay, got Hoist in. You guys are all fans, what other Machine Wars toy should probably be represented in the set?"
"Megaplex?"
"Megaplex."
"I'm gonna say Megaplex, sir."
"Yeah, Megaplex is a good idea."
"Skywarp, got it! Good job, team!"

[Shockwave]

Funpub seems to be missing the point with their last three sets. 2010 was "G2" and only what, like three of the 5 boxed guys were actually from G2? Then 2011 was the Stunticons so I guess that was consistent but last year was just some bizarre clusterfuck. To the point where I'm surprised one of the characters wasn't just called Clusterfuck. And now this year it's "Machine Wars but not Machine Wars"? What? This just doesn't make any sense. You guys are probably right about next year. BM only not BM. yeah. I'm suddenly not sorry to be missing Botcon.

Shockwave
-Even I didn't care about Skywarp.

[Tigermegatron]

06,BW Prowl & Shockwave,I agree with everything you guys said in your recent replies. I have said similar things here & else where.

I was a TFCC club member for over three years & I posted threads/replies on their forum. It appeared from the get go,Their was a elite small group of TFCC members that got to choose the convention & club toys. Fun pub claimed they were grabbing want list input from fans around the world but that was a huge lie. about 10 elite TFCC members get their want list done as conventionn or club toys & everyone else's want list doesn't get done.

TFCC claims the Botcon toys are horrible because Hasbro limits their choices to which mold they can use. PERSONALLY I THINK IT'S THE OPPOSSITE,THE MOLDS THEY USE/USED WERE GREAT,IT WAS THE CHARACTERS & COLORS THEY APPLIED TO THE MOLDS THAT MADE THEM SO AWFUL.

I think the TFCC main problems are they force fans to buy a 5 pack gift set or duo/trio baggies Souvenir/add-on sets. Buyers should have a choice of buying just the toys they want & not getting stuck with toys they don't want. I prefer singular toys put in individual art colored boxes.

I agree it seems like TFCC is getting way carried about with these Obsecure-obsecure actionmasters,UK & Japanese exclusives characters that hardly anyone cares about or knows they exist.

Like others have stated in this thread,I also can select better TF convention & club toys that almost all the TF internet fans around the world would want like as follows:
1- Pre-fort max using that 2005 cybertron toy line leader sized Metroplex toy,With a new fort max head sculpt & colors applied to the mold.
2- 2012-2013 IDW Megatron using that HFTD Mindwipe toy,with a retooled megatron head & colors.
3- Darkwing & dreadwing using the 2008 Animated voyager sized Safeguard combiner toy.
4- 1987 Autobots clones using the 2012 TF Prime deluxe sized Car & jet Vehicons toys.
5- 1987 Duocon Flywheel,Using that 2008 Animated Voyager sized Blitzwing toy.
6- Hun-gurr & Trypticon,Using that 2005 Cybertron Ultra sized Beast planet Scourge toy.
7- Beastwars Transmetal 1 Megatron toy using the Classics 1.0 deluxe Grimlock toy. or using that 2008 Animated voyager sized Grimlock toy. Or in a few years using that Generations FOC Voyager sized Grimlock toy for a recolor+retool for BW TM1 Megatron.
8- 1986 Razorclaw or 1989 Victoryleo or BW 2ND Lioconvoy using the 2012 TF Prime Voyager sized Thundertron mold with a new re-tooled head & homage colors applied to the mold.

[BWprowl]

2- 2012-2013 IDW Megatron using that HFTD Mindwipe toy,with a retooled megatron head & colors.

See, I just can't see this working. The proportions are all wrong, especially in the legs, and he wouldn't have that bitchin' fusion cannon.

4- 1987 Autobots clones using the 2012 TF Prime deluxe sized Car & jet Vehicons toys.

Oh man, wow. Tigger, I know I've said some...disparaging things towards you in the past, but please know that I'm being completely sincere when I say this this is actually a really, really good idea.

[Shockwave]

I also like the Fort Max idea, the BW TM1 Megatron ideas and the Autobot Clones idea too.

[Dominic]

At this rate, I'm kinda hoping Megaplex just ends up in a souvenir set so he'll be somewhat easier to come by on eBay.

A souvenier set figure would be *harder* to get on ebay. Remember, the only people who are getting those initially actually went to the convention in the first place. The boxed sets can be purchased without going to the conventions.

Funpub seems to be missing the point with their last three sets. 2010 was "G2" and only what, like three of the 5 boxed guys were actually from G2? Then 2011 was the Stunticons so I guess that was consistent but last year was just some bizarre clusterfuck. To the point where I'm surprised one of the characters wasn't just called Clusterfuck. And now this year it's "Machine Wars but not Machine Wars"? What? This just doesn't make any sense. You guys are probably right about next year. BM only not BM. yeah. I'm suddenly not sorry to be missing Botcon.

Shockwave
-Even I didn't care about Skywarp.

Skywarp is a main character. People like Skywarp.

The problem is that they try to force a theme on to sets, but they are often unable to stick to it.

G2: 4 out of 5 of the box set figures were G2 characters. (Remember, late run UK toys are legitimately G2.) Skybite was non-sensical, especially as Fun Publications has barely revisited that setting.

The troop builder was a recolour of the non-sensical Skybit. Rapido, the door figure, was legitimately G2, as was Turbofire. (The Ravage/Glit is allowable as that figure is obligatory with the Hound mould used for Turbofire.)

On the other hand, the Joe sets have "new" themes. The TF sets are generally looking back, while the Joe sets are usually independent of what came before.


So far though, I am unimpressed. I would likely consider either at retail, but not for convention prices.


Dom
-getting the comic though.

[BWprowl]

A souvenier set figure would be *harder* to get on ebay. Remember, the only people who are getting those initially actually went to the convention in the first place. The boxed sets can be purchased without going to the conventions.

No? The souvenier set typically goes for like $100 to $150 on eBay, even less if you find someone selling just the single figure from it you want.

By contrast, the boxed sets go for like a brazillion dollars and hardly ever get split up. Souvenier sets are totally easier to get.

Skywarp is a main character. People like Skywarp.

Yeah, but I think people like Skywarp better when he, y'know, looks like the Skywarp from that cartoon they watched as kids. BotCon Skywarp here certainly isn't going to fill a hole in the Seeker display of someone who was dumb enough to skip Classics Skywarp back when he came out. People would want a Machine Wars set for the few interesting, unique things it brought to the table, and Skywarp in white is hardly one of those things (hell, even his mold-mate, 'Rebel' Thundercracker has more going for him than Skywarp does!).

What I find especially silly about the toy is the 'teleporting' deco he's done up in, making him look as if he's eternally mid-teleport. Yeah, it looks neat, but if you're one of those character representation people *aside glance at Dom* I would imagine the toy *always* looking like that would be somewhat frustrating.

[Dominic]

It would depend on the execution. (For example, I like the Sentry with long hair, but would be okay with a good beared Sentry figure.)


Dom
-that is a lame teleport effect.

[Dominic]

The third toy of the set is apparently Strika, (a head swap of "Generations" Warpath.

On the one hand, Strika has nothing to do with "Machine Wars". On the other hand, if they make an Obsidian as part of the set, I will want to get them both. (Strika and Obsidian happen to be favourites of mine.)

I have bought Obsidia without Strika. But, in one case, it was a Scout class toy at retail, costing $5 or $6. And, in another, it was part of a set with Tankorr (and that Obsidian was not paired with a Strika). But, there is no way I am buying a convention figure of either without the other.


Dom
-still hoping to skip this set....