Should we do a Year in Review thing?

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JediTricks
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Re: Should we do a Year in Review thing?

Post by JediTricks »

Dominic wrote:- Best Paint -
Dunno. QC is so random that it is tough to be sure.
Sounds like you have something in mind you can't quite pull the trigger on. What is it? If you feel that QC is a huge issue across the line for that figure's deco, then by all means that should affect it, but if it's just yours with bad QC, you may want to toss the QC aspect aside.
"Transformers 2010" is so damned hazy and undefined that I just cannot get behind it. The over-generalized packaging makes it feel like some kind of remaindered line, regardless of how good some of the toys are.
Yeah, I feel similarly.
Best retool: Dirge (I cannot give all the praise to RedAlert.(
Bullshit, we all know you just want to give this to Red Alert again and are passing off false modesty. :mrgreen:
-still amazed by all the hate for PCC.
Hate is good in this case, it's hate because of the shitty execution, because the line is close to being a good line in concept, but they screwed it up in execution, and it makes people mad. Were it merely apathy, that would spell a real problem.
Worst Transformers 2010 Line -
Activators is the kid's line, so it may not be fair to criticize it. But it's the least impressive
Nah. Worst is worst.
I disagree, in this case Activators isn't aiming for the stars, it is least-impressive but it's cheap to criticize a line for not being something it's not trying to be.

BWprowl wrote:- Worst TF Figure -
Are Mini-Cons eligible? If so: Backwind. Holy crap, that figure barely looks like anything in any mode.
Awesome! PCC Backwind is really terrible even for the PCC minicons. He is a good choice, although nearly all of the PCC minicons feel like such an abortion that it's hard to think of them as TFs at all. That said, I won't be calling him out since he's part of a set, and for me this category is about a main purchase guy - I don't fault you for your choice though.
- Worst Transformers 2010 Line -
Star Wars Crossovers. This line never really interested me in the first place, and the new stuff I'm seeing from it now just seems so blah and lazy and pointless that it's a wonder I don't forget about this line more often. Endless pilots and troopers!
Good call! I may be stealing this for my list.
- Best Esoteric Character -
[...] Although I think Lockdown is a contender, especially with his ROTF toy getting repurposed into G1 continuity.
Habbah, huh, wha??? Oh my dear god, I just read the wiki entry on that, my eyes cannot unsee that. Why would Hasbro insist on using movie Lockdown for the G1 comic? Is he also going to become a multiverse singularity? Is that just going to be the new thing to save Hasbro money? This is the sort of crap that makes it impossible to take TF as a serious expression of lore rather than just a toy-based moneygrab.
I know, but that's even more GI Joe-ish: Taking a mold that's already used, adding a couple new parts, and releasing it as a separate character. I'm happy as hell that we're finally getting Wheeljack, but it'd be nice if he actually got his own mold, rather than a tweaked Tracks mold.
That has been Hasbro's business model since my parents were still in grade school. Repaints have been built into their design philosophy since Mr Potato-Head and the original GI Joe, it's what essentially built the entire action figure industry - look at Mego, they're all buck bodies.
No, we've gotten plenty of those too. I want to go back to 1995, when Transformers came out that turned into stuff WE'D NEVER SEEN THEM TURN INTO BEFORE. Real Gear Robots was a nice little diversion in this regard, but I want something with a bit more breadth to it.

Or at least make some new organic beast TFs, since it's been forever since we got some of those. Universe Dinobot and Cheetor don't count since they were (lackluster) reimaginings of older characters.
This I agree with, and it's why I bought ROTF Scalpel.
Dom wrote:The big difference between Joes and TFs is that new TFs look new. Even when we get old characters, they are not always exactly like the old characters. Joe fans are much more rigid, (to the point of being ass-pie stereotypes), about what is "right" for their hobby. "New" (anything after 1987) is suspect.
This is quite true, GI Joe is back to using inferior thigh designs and knee articulation, and a rather unfortunate pelvis design stuck mainly in the '80s. That brand has only closed in on itself in design, TF may reuse the characters but it generally moves forward with design, and that's something. Generations is of course going to look backwards, that's the point, it's celebrating the line's legacy, its rich history. Aside from Optimus, Bumblebee, Megs, and Starscream, we don't really have a lot of recurring guys that we suffer through every other wave. As the head of Hasbro SW told me, toys are "fashion lines" in terms of marketing, so sometimes a fashion like Mudflap & Skids will be pushed thinking it'll get responded to by kids whose tastes change season to season, but I think largely TF has been consistent in exploiting only a few characters regularly, and doing a good job of using the novel concept as the fashion itself.
Have you seen the differences, though? I'd almost say it's more like this toy was designed for Wheeljack first and then turned into Tracks by happy accident.
Nah, they designed both into the tooling, hence the gun, but I see waaaay more Tracks in the alt mode than Wheeljack, Wheeljack isn't appearing at all there. And the bot mode, it's only the chest really that suggests Wheeljack to me.

Scourge wrote:maybe "Best Repaint/Retool"?
I like it!
Honorable mentions to Deluxe Ironhide and Deluxe Ratchet for just looking like ridiculous pieces of ass.
I begrudgingly have grown to like dlx Ironhide, but yeah, Ratchet is Ratshit.

Onslaught Six wrote:- Best TF Figure -
ROTF Bludgeon. A damn fine figure all-around; he's a G1 homage character that improves on the original, and he works just as well in the Movie line context. This is a figure who'll feel at home in almost any TF toyline.
I didn't find Bludgeon in '09, but that is when he came out, 4th quarter, so it's a little fuzzy, but I'll give it to you.
- Best Transformers 2010 Line -
Generations, man. Sure, I haven't bought a single WfC figure but the rest of the toys have been spot on.
Why hold out on the WFC? I bought them before I played the game, and I really like them, and now that I have played the game, they're awesome.
- Worst Transformers 2010 Line -
Animated. A poor showing, after all of Hasbro's talk of releasing the figures somewhere, and on top of that I honestly couldn't care less about the line.
Great choice! Very bold, but very very true.
- Best Paint -
Shouldn't this be something like...Best Deco? Or, even better, Best Repaint/Retool? In which case, Generations Red Alert. That's a swanky fig.
Best Paint means Best Deco, yes, that's a fair use of the term, I think of "paint" and "deco" interchangeably despite tampos and dyed colors. But Repaint/Retool is a separate category for sure (though you could have 'em both be the same answer).

Shockblast ;-) wrote:Worst TF: Legends Fallen. The full size version is asstastical and so is this one.
Interesting choice. I never would have thought of a Legends figure as qualifying, but it's reasonable at $5. To me, they're just single-carded breakfast cereal prizes. :p
Worst Line: Power Core Combiners: Lackluster names, bot modes, drones with no bot modes, and merge modes that can't/won't stand very well or at all without falling apart just makes this all one big pile of fail.
True dat! Now I have to decide between PCC and the amazingly disappointing SWTF.
Worst repaint: Oil Pan: It's literally ROTF Breakdown but with slightly darker colors. Seriously, they're almost identical.
And Breakdown sucked to begin with!
Best WTF?
Awesome category.
Worst WTF? Tuner Skids. You've got millions of Tuner Mudflaps stinking up the toy aisles so what do you do? Release Tuner Skids of course. ??? :? :?:
Best TF fiction (non comics): War For Cybertron. Despite connection errors, lack of host migration and limited color palletes, it really is a fun game with a decent story mode and a lot of versatility in MP mode.
Worst TF Fiction (non comics): Prime. In less than five episodes it turned into Transformers: 28 Cycles Later. Even I don't care if I miss the rest of it.
So true, all of it.

Also, I am going to modify mine for "Best TF Fiction" since I don't read the comics. Thanks for the idea.
Well in all fairness I've been the one who's been saying it on here, but no big. I guess the main reason I like Rapido so much is the concept that you mentioned: One of a TF being manufactured in another country with English as a second language. Now, I've actually known people that spoke like that, so it came across as natural and authentic to me so I guess that's what I like about Rapido specifically (add to this the fact that I am part Spanish and can speak a little Spanish and there ya go).
This is an interesting problem for me, TFs are alien robots, either they come here already speaking our language, or they come here and learn our languages from the media or internet. If it's the former, then we've got to accept that they're speaking our language to streamline the concept of communication a la the Universal Translator on Star Trek. If it's the latter, then we've got to assume that they have the capacity to learn ALL the world's languages and thus would not merely blather out nonsense from a foreign language when trying to communicate with others unless they were mentally overwhelmed by it, or doing it as a style choice. That said, it's a cute little side thing with this 1 figure.
prowl wrote:None of my Latino co-workers mix Spanish in like that, generally just using it for more abstract, esoteric concepts, or more often, to swear. Though maybe Rapido's random-easy-word-switch thing is more of a Central American thing than a Mexican thing, I don't know.
I agree. I have known plenty of folks of Mexican origin, and a few of Latin American origin, and the only time spanish words enter in is either when they're communicating with a native language speaker who will understand anyway, or they don't know the word's english translation, or very rarely when there is no exact english counterpart.

anderson wrote:- Worst TF Figure -
Tuner Mudflap is probably last year's figure. But he's certainly the worst Transformer I purchased this year.
He is from '09, but he pegwarmed THROUGH '10. That said, I am baffled as to why you bought him at all.
I'm going to have to amend my best figure of the year entry. I really like Thunderwing. He may have to win the spot, as far as I'm concerned.
Dang, this figure has become a sleeper, at first people were pretty harsh with it, it's a pretty mild dlx figure in of itself. Personally, even if I were a huge Thunderwing fan before, the rather underwhelming head sculpt kills its chances in this one for me.


Ok, now I'm going to go do some chores and try to come back and finish my list, it's about 1/3rd done.
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2010 Transformers Year in Review

Post by JediTricks »

I added a few more categories to mine, hope someone joins in on them.

- Best TF Figure -
My choices come down to Leader-class movie Starscream, Masterpiece G1 Grimlock, HA Jazz, movie Mindwipe, and movie Breacher. Each has a lot going for it, and all represent their size-class extremely well. I am not sure which I can give the nod to, there are a lot of reasons to give it to each one. I didn't start out intending to choose 1 fig from each class, it just happened that way - Deluxes aren't in my list not because there weren't good ones, there were, but because there were a lot of good ones but none that I'm sure broke through the barrier into top figure status. I am leaning very slightly towards Breacher because he does so much with so little, has so much detail, such a restrained paint scheme, and just solid in everything he does. I've never considered giving a scout-class "TF of the year" before, but this figure deserves it.

- Worst TF Figure -
I'm not going to call out any Crossovers or ancillary stuff for this category, only mainline entries, and no Legends either. Between Animated, ROTF, Generations, and PCC, there were a lot of figures to think about, and then there were more I flat out refused to buy. Part of me wants to give it to PCC Searchlight with Backwind, the mini-con is absolutely dreadful and cheap-looking to the extreme while the main figure is a tangle of parts barely masquerading as a helicopter in alt mode and a vague mess with no accurate stops in bot mode. Part of me wants to give it to Seaspray for being so much less than he could be, with his low detail, cheap transformation, small size overall, and just a sense of laziness to the design. But both those figures actually have some fun in them - I can't say anything positive about Backwind though, that is easily the worst mini-con I've ever seen. I'm going to split it between mini-con Backwind for just being absolutely terrible in so many ways, alongside Tuner Skids for existing in the first place. Skids didn't sell that great to begin with, Tuner Mudflap pegwarmed for an entire year, and yet Hasbro somehow thought Tuner Skids was a good idea to flood the pegs with, smoooooth.

- Best Transformers 2010 Line -
Generations, bar none. This line has it all, comics characters, G1 updates, and War for Cybertron. Yes, it's a backwards-looking line, but it does it with the style and quality of a modern line.

- Worst Transformers 2010 Line -
I hate to beat up on Power Core Combiners even more. I have heart for this line in concept, but in execution is has fallen on its face so badly it's hard not to call it out. That said, it started weak but didn't aim for the stars, the larger sets even lowered price at Target and WM, so it's sorta trying. I can't say the same for Star Wars Transformers Crossovers, that line has slipped every year and is just a huge disappointment every time I look at it. Instead of the designs getting better, they get worse, cheaper into shellmaster territory with ugly chunky limbs and lazy joints. I want to find the love, look at my username, but there's so little going on here now that I have to call foul.

- Best Paint/Deco -
I'm thinking Mindwipe, WFC Bumblebee, Brimstone, MP Grimlock, Animated Arcee, HA Jazz, and Generations Thrust are my short-list. This wasn't a year for big splashy paint, mainly my list there is stuff that used what they had to work with best. They weren't complex or had a ton of applications, they just made sure to get the job done. I think I'm going to split my vote between Thrust for just being a classy entry, sticking to the original's colors better than previous versions and coming out looking accurate and balanced without being dull. The other side of that coin is WFC Bumblebee, who has a lot of paint and really comes alive with translucent plastics and hot pink-reds and strong shiny yellows, and they even gave him a silver face with blue eyes. Thrust is on the "best simple deco" side while WFC BB is on the "best complex deco" side. Cop out? Sure! Maybe if Red Alert's fonts weren't starring in several 1980s action shows and his light-bar wasn't dipped in cherry pudding, he could have joined the list too.

- Best Transformation -
It's a tie between Leader-class Starscream and Breacher, 2 extremes in the brand's size. I wanted to include a few others, especially WFC Bumblebee, but none really satisfy the way those 2 do. Breacher is unbelievable, it's so elegant, complex enough that it'd be here if it was a deluxe, but mindblowing that it's on a scout. Leader-class Starscream really is amazing though, granted it's still not an entirely svelte jet mode, but no idiotic kibble anywhere IN EITHER MODE, and a complex transformation that makes sense (except for that one wonky joint so weird they had to include photos in the instructions). Starscream was so good, the Japanese are marketing it as a masterpiece.

I will give a shout-out to Straxus though, if it weren't for those ankle joints he'd have been a contender, and once the instructions are ignored, the emplacement mode is ok too.

- Best Esoteric Character -
Shortlist for me is Bludgeon (technically a very late '09 fig, but whatevs), Straxus, Thunderwing, Highbrow (this one is the only one not harkening back to a previous fig, it's just esoteric on its own), and Huffer (yes, Huffer! I know he's not esoteric, but when was the last time we got a mainline Huffer figure? I'll give you a hint: Ghostbusters was still in theaters). There have been a lot of figures lately calling back throughout TF's history, but those stand out as "wow, they made that? AND they're new molds AND they don't suck???" figures to me. Still, the fact that "Darkmount" the figure has brought Straxus back to the overall discussion is outstanding, Thunderwing's figure has too but Straxus is a better figure and thus is my choice. It's a really nice figure, it has a lot going on, and a ton of personality without being just a rehash of another figure concept with a new head.

- Best Repaint/Retool -
Thrust. Just a nice figure all around, makes good use of the flawed Classics seeker mold.

- Worst Repaint/Retool -
Electrostatic Jolt. Just, just... WHY? I know, I know, there's Tuner Skids who I crapped on earlier for good reason and probably does deserve to be here more, but that Jolt figure was a boring figure once, so they decided to barely change that and make a second boring figure (not to mention 2 Fast Action Battlers)? Nobody wants this toy! At least stupid Skids was all over that movie, but Jolt is barely visible in the film.

- Best WTF? -
Generations ending and then just continuing anyway right into the mainline. WTF? But hey, anything to keep awesome stuff like Tracks coming down the pike.

- Best TF Fiction -
War for Cybertron, a very cool console game with lots of personality, some classics Transformers fun (remember when TF was fun instead of overly-serious? Even BW had whimsy at times, why has that gone away? And when they try to shoehorn it into the Bayverse-style, it just comes off awkward). Listening to Optimus say regular comments and day-to-day stuff rather than just spout off some big over-aggrandized speech was really cool.

- Worst TF Fiction -
TF: Prime, it looks bad, it has a bad story, it birthed Transformers zombies, and that whole thing I said about trying to shoehorn fun and whimsy into post-Bay TF? That was about this very show specifically, it's awkward and annoying when they try, and it's violent and depressing when they don't. It's also a really poorly-written show from the ground up.

- Most Unique Figure -
Here's a short-list I can get beind: Highbrow, Brimstone, Straxus, WFC Bumblebee! Yay! Those are all cool figures, and they all do something new and clever to become something different from what we've seen before, yet aren't merely change for change's sake. I think the nod has to go to Highbrow though, we've not gotten a lot of WWII-era TFs before, and yet this one comes through very well with lots of attention to detail and personality.

- Best Alt Mode -
Breacher has no kibble, but there's a very slight alignment issue on one panel. Mindwipe is a slick ship and no undercarriage clumps, but the underside is a bit roboty. LC Starscream is just so impressive, but he is a tad thick for a fighter jet and does have a little TF jet junk underneath. Brimstone is a really nifty chopped motorcycle, but the head is just sitting under the sissy-bar. WFC Bumblebee is outstanding, but a lot of seams. Tracks looks great combining Camaro, Corvette, and some Japanese car influences, but another alignment issue. Still, the one I keep being impressed by to the point of leaving in alt mode most of the time gets my choice here, and it's WFC Bumblebee.
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Re: Should we do a Year in Review thing?

Post by Onslaught Six »

JediTricks wrote:Habbah, huh, wha??? Oh my dear god, I just read the wiki entry on that, my eyes cannot unsee that. Why would Hasbro insist on using movie Lockdown for the G1 comic? Is he also going to become a multiverse singularity? Is that just going to be the new thing to save Hasbro money? This is the sort of crap that makes it impossible to take TF as a serious expression of lore rather than just a toy-based moneygrab.
Don't blame Hasbro, blame Shane McCarthy. He saw a cool character and he threw him in there. Plus, Lockdown's design isn't particularly Movie-ish anyway, especially when you take Lockdown's character into consideration.
Or at least make some new organic beast TFs, since it's been forever since we got some of those. Universe Dinobot and Cheetor don't count since they were (lackluster) reimaginings of older characters.
This I agree with, and it's why I bought ROTF Scalpel.
I disagree with this. I think Dinobot and Cheetor, to me, *prove* that Hasbro can't do organic TFs anymore (if they ever could--BW's toys were only ever middling when you really got down to it) and I'd rather we don't see that anyway.
Why hold out on the WFC? I bought them before I played the game, and I really like them, and now that I have played the game, they're awesome.
Prime is Prime and I really just plain don't need another new Optimus Prime toy. (Seriously, I don't care if DOTM Prime transforms into a cocksucking machine, I'm not buying him.) Bumblebee I've been looking at, and Megs is...another Megatron. It's like, we didn't get any of the guys who I might've actually bought for being awesome, like Breakdown, Barricade, or Warpath.
Worst repaint: Oil Pan: It's literally ROTF Breakdown but with slightly darker colors. Seriously, they're almost identical.
And Breakdown sucked to begin with!
Bwuh? Breakdown rules. Simple little nifty guy.
This is an interesting problem for me, TFs are alien robots, either they come here already speaking our language, or they come here and learn our languages from the media or internet. If it's the former, then we've got to accept that they're speaking our language to streamline the concept of communication a la the Universal Translator on Star Trek. If it's the latter, then we've got to assume that they have the capacity to learn ALL the world's languages and thus would not merely blather out nonsense from a foreign language when trying to communicate with others unless they were mentally overwhelmed by it, or doing it as a style choice. That said, it's a cute little side thing with this 1 figure.
This reminds me of a funny bit in the first movie script. Prime kneels down to Sam, just like in the film, and...starts speaking Chinese. Sam and the girl don't understand him 'at all,' so the Autobots look around confused, and then Prime starts speaking English.
BWprowl wrote:The internet having this many different words to describe nerdy folks is akin to the whole eskimos/ice situation, I would presume.
People spend so much time worrying about whether a figure is "mint" or not that they never stop to consider other flavours.
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Re: Should we do a Year in Review thing?

Post by BWprowl »

JediTricks wrote:
I know, but that's even more GI Joe-ish: Taking a mold that's already used, adding a couple new parts, and releasing it as a separate character. I'm happy as hell that we're finally getting Wheeljack, but it'd be nice if he actually got his own mold, rather than a tweaked Tracks mold.
That has been Hasbro's business model since my parents were still in grade school. Repaints have been built into their design philosophy since Mr Potato-Head and the original GI Joe, it's what essentially built the entire action figure industry - look at Mego, they're all buck bodies.
I don't have a problem with Hasbro repainting toys, but only when it's appropriate (Prowl into Bluestreak, and the Seekers, and the like). But when they assign two characters who otherwise have nothing to do with each other, like Tracks and Wheeljack, to be the same mold, it just smacks of cheapness. Frankly, I don't think Sideswipe and Sunstreaker should've been the same mold either, since they weren't to begin with, and they got enough repaints out of Sideswipe to justify it anyway.

When it comes down to it, maybe I'm being selfish, but the main thing I want is more new toys. I do want Wheeljack, so it kinda stings knowing that when I buy him I won't be getting an awesome new Wheeljack toy, but the Tracks toy I already own just in different colors with a new head and feet.

Onslaught Six wrote:Sam and the girl
I laughed.

Maybe I'll give my list another revision...
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Re: Should we do a Year in Review thing?

Post by Dominic »

Sounds like you have something in mind you can't quite pull the trigger on. What is it? If you feel that QC is a huge issue across the line for that figure's deco, then by all means that should affect it, but if it's just yours with bad QC, you may want to toss the QC aspect aside.
QC is so wildy out of order that it is hard to be sure how to monetize it. The QC is truly low, as QC measures consistency more than absolute quality. In theory, I really like Tracks' coloring. But, in practice, I have seen some pretty bunged up copies of Tracks.
Bullshit, we all know you just want to give this to Red Alert again and are passing off false modesty.
Partly true. But, the gun/engine combination does not work as well as it should, which brings Red Alert down a bit.

Awesome! PCC Backwind is really terrible even for the PCC minicons. He is a good choice, although nearly all of the PCC minicons feel like such an abortion that it's hard to think of them as TFs at all. That said, I won't be calling him out since he's part of a set, and for me this category is about a main purchase guy - I don't fault you for your choice though.
I kind of like Backwind...... :(
Habbah, huh, wha??? Oh my dear god, I just read the wiki entry on that, my eyes cannot unsee that. Why would Hasbro insist on using movie Lockdown for the G1 comic? Is he also going to become a multiverse singularity? Is that just going to be the new thing to save Hasbro money? This is the sort of crap that makes it impossible to take TF as a serious expression of lore rather than just a toy-based moneygrab.
I am guessing it was a question of saving money and pushing a popular character.

I am pretty sure Lockdown is not intended to be any more of a singularity than say...Bumblebee. Of course, if Sorenson or Willis get their official mits on Lockdown, I might have to smash both of my Lockdown figures.
Don't blame Hasbro, blame Shane McCarthy. He saw a cool character and he threw him in there.
It was Hasbro that requested Lockdown show up actually. McCarthy was just following orders.

Nah, they designed both into the tooling, hence the gun, but I see waaaay more Tracks in the alt mode than Wheeljack, Wheeljack isn't appearing at all there. And the bot mode, it's only the chest really that suggests Wheeljack to me.
I think they are going to tweak the vehicle mode a bit, but do not quote me on this.
I agree. I have known plenty of folks of Mexican origin, and a few of Latin American origin, and the only time spanish words enter in is either when they're communicating with a native language speaker who will understand anyway, or they don't know the word's english translation, or very rarely when there is no exact english counterpart.
Agreed. But, I also see immigrants slip into their original language when they are mad. (Seriously, you know an immigrant's kid is in trouble when their mother is not using English. This is universal for people from all over the non-English speaking world.)


Dom
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Re: Should we do a Year in Review thing?

Post by Shockwave »

And maybe we should add an "in summation" to our lists. In summation, I would say 2010 was a great year for TFs. We got a LOT of new toys and a LOT of new characters in toy form. And many of those were done very well. Sure the year had some low points, but what year doesn't? I really felt that both the amount and quality of product we got this year far outwheighs previous years. It really has been a good year to be a TF fan and it looks like 2011 will be even better.
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Re: Should we do a Year in Review thing?

Post by 138 Scourge »

In light of recent purchases, I have to revise a couple of my winners for "Best ofs". I got really lucky with my first couple purchases of the year, they were both real winners. Also, if Bludgeon's eligible for the 2010 list...

Best Transformation: Previously, I'd given it to Drift and WFC Bumblebee even if the latter is hard as balls. I have to revise this now, and hand it to Breacher or Bludgeon. Bludgeon's transformation frustrated me at first, but as I got it down it became really easy and fun to do, and it's pretty clever besides. And Breacher...man, what can I say that hasn't been said? Complex but not frustrating, once you get started the whole thing moves logically, there's just a surprising amount of it to do. But it is fun to do, so it's all good.

Best Paint: Maybe this should be "Best Repaint" but screw it, Generations Blurr wins "Best Paint" no problem. Holy crap, between the way the four-tone paint on the car mode drew me in and the way the colors just pop on the robot, Blurr looks SO damn good. I was looking at the car and thinking "Hell, good enough", but got him into robot mode and was like "Holy shit lookit that!". It sucks that he's a hard-to-find toy, because he's really good.
Dominic wrote: too many people likely would have enjoyed it as....well a house-elf gang-bang.
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Re: Should we do a Year in Review thing?

Post by Onslaught Six »

Dominic wrote:Partly true. But, the gun/engine combination does not work as well as it should, which brings Red Alert down a bit.
I've never had a problem combining the guns with any of my Sideswipe-mould figures.
It was Hasbro that requested Lockdown show up actually. McCarthy was just following orders.
Well bust my buttons. Either way, I don't particularly have any problem with him. I had more of an issue with everybody looking exactly like Drift.
I think they are going to tweak the vehicle mode a bit, but do not quote me on this.
The front is different, you can see it on Wheeljack's feet, and if I'm not entirely wrong, there's probably a different spoiler or something on the back.
BWprowl wrote:I don't have a problem with Hasbro repainting toys, but only when it's appropriate (Prowl into Bluestreak, and the Seekers, and the like). But when they assign two characters who otherwise have nothing to do with each other, like Tracks and Wheeljack, to be the same mold, it just smacks of cheapness. Frankly, I don't think Sideswipe and Sunstreaker should've been the same mold either, since they weren't to begin with, and they got enough repaints out of Sideswipe to justify it anyway.
Combining Sideswipe and Sunstreaker was brilliant the way they did it, especially since before that, Sunstreaker was just going to be Yellow Sideswipe. Plus, they're supposed to be brothers so I don't mind them sharing body elements as much. (And then those bodies showed up in AHM, making them totally canonical. Sweet.) And despite what you might think, the original Tracks and Wheeljack *do* have quite a bit in common--the roof chests, the wings, and similar transformations--and the differences between the two toys are a lot more than between Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. Seriously--this is one of the first times I can remember having a toy where the wheel shoulders can fold away if you want a different look for the robot mode. (That said, I'm going to leave them out, because I like wheels on my robits.)
When it comes down to it, maybe I'm being selfish, but the main thing I want is more new toys. I do want Wheeljack, so it kinda stings knowing that when I buy him I won't be getting an awesome new Wheeljack toy, but the Tracks toy I already own just in different colors with a new head and feet.
There's that shoulder thing! And different weapons!

Here's the thing--if it's the difference between getting Tracks and Wheeljack who are mostly similar figures, with a bunch of key differences, or getting another toy who's just A Repaint Of Tracks With A Name Slapped On and *no Wheeljack at all,* I'll take the Wheeljack every time.

Who do you guys think they need to do next time Generations comes along? I want Skids. As a Scion look-alike. Basically I just want Alts Skids but smaller and easier to transform, really.
Onslaught Six wrote:Sam and the girl
I laughed.
I aim to please. Also her name is spelled funny.
BWprowl wrote:The internet having this many different words to describe nerdy folks is akin to the whole eskimos/ice situation, I would presume.
People spend so much time worrying about whether a figure is "mint" or not that they never stop to consider other flavours.
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Dominic
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Re: Should we do a Year in Review thing?

Post by Dominic »

2010 was a damned good year for the hobby. I cannot recall simultaneously being so happy about new toys and new comics. TF is the *only* toyline I collect right now, (having given up on Marvel), and the ongoing is my favorite non-limited series at the moment. (Abnett's "Iron Man and Thor" holds the #1 spot right now.)


Dom
-damned expensive though.
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Shockwave
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Re: Should we do a Year in Review thing?

Post by Shockwave »

Fine, we can get Skids, as long as they don't color him all movieverse shit green. I wouldn't put Hasbro above this. I'd actually like to see them round out the '84 cast, especially on the Decepticon side. I know that's only a few cassetticons, but hey. Buzzsaw and Laserbeak need their due. I also want Huffer and Gears. Proper, CHUG style Huffer and Gears.
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