1984's Transformers Are Forty!

[Philip Ayres]

Surely, without mass/size shifting, the size of the robot is defined by the size of the plane/car etc parts hanging off the robot mode?

So for Prime we know how big a cab front is so that gives us the size of Prime's chest and, proportionately, Prime

And for Sideswipe we know how big a Lambo door is which tells us how big the arm is and thus Swipe's robot mode.

[chrisl]

Sept 4, 2024 10:31:58 GMT Philip Ayres said:

Surely, without mass/size shifting, the size of the robot is defined by the size of the plane/car etc parts hanging off the robot mode?

So for Prime we know how big a cab front is so that gives us the size of Prime's chest and, proportionately, Prime

And for Sideswipe we know how big a Lambo door is which tells us how big the arm is and thus Swipe's robot mode.

Not really - that is making the same assumptions as the jet/car engine point. Sideswipe's arm isn't the door - the door folds into/out of the arm. The only "mass-shifting" would occur in cases like Megatron to gun-mode which, given the references to anti-matter in his profile, would make sense.

[Philip Ayres]

Sideswipe' arm has a Lambo door hanging off it! Failing that his chest is the bonnet

[The Doctor]

It could just be the representation of a car door.

-Ralph

[Fortmax2020]

I like this idea of Chris'. Makes a lot of sense.

In the case of the door, it keeps the basic appearance of but bits shift about to change it's size in different modes.

[The Huff]

I just squint and that explains everything.

[Philip Ayres]

Have you seen an Optician recently?

[chrisl]

Sept 4, 2024 18:00:22 GMT Fortmax2020 said:

I like this idea of Chris'. Makes a lot of sense.

In the case of the door, it keeps the basic appearance of but bits shift about to change it's size in different modes.

Exactly - the other thing to take into consideration is that the engineering of the toys also leads us to see things in particular ways such as the Lamborghini door / arm case. Just because the toy representation is like that, it doesn’t follow that the character representation must share the same properties.

[The Doctor]

This is reminding me of philosophical theories of how a 'self' can be constructed or identified.

-Ralph

[Shockprowl]

Or inferred.



Anyway, it's not a car door it's a piledriver.

[Philip Ayres]

DO NOT GET ME STARTED!!!

[The Doctor]

What vexes you, chum?

-Ralph

[Shockprowl]

Piledrivers may give way to wrist-launched rockets, and rocket-backpacks to unmolested sleek styling, but in the end we shall all drink the sweet righteous nectar of truth, in the halls of Philhalla.

[Philip Ayres]

1984's Transformers Are Forty: Week 24|Skywarp
Function: Decepticon Warrior
Japan: 23
tfwiki.net/wiki/Skywarp_(G1)/toys
www.tfu.info/1984/Decepticon/Skywarp/skywarp.htm

"Strike when the enemy isn't looking."

Skywarp is the sneakiest of all Decepticons. Enjoys playing cruel pranks on fellow Decepticons and appearing out of nowhere to attack Autobots. Not too smart. Would be useless without Megatron's supervision. Top speed of 1500mph. Can instantly teleport up to 2.5 miles. Carries heat-seeking missiles and variable-calibre machine guns.


Strength
7
Intelligence
9
Speed
10
Endurance
7
Rank
9
Courage
9
Firepower
8
Skill
8

[Llama God]

The best coloured of the Seekers here, and one with a great bio - basically one of the most powerful of all the Transformers, but too dumb to be a real threat. It's surprising really that he was little more than a background goon for so many years, and that his potential as an utterly chaotic, dangerous character took until the IDW Ruckleyverse to be properly explored.

[Fortmax2020]

Gorgeous colour scheme that suits that mold so well.

So dumb he has Intelligence of 9! Is he smart enough to play everyone else into thinking he is just dumb..??

[Jim]

Maybe highly intelligent but lacking something more like "street smarts"?

Not too smart. Would be useless without Megatron's supervision.

Maybe he's no good at strategy and planning and/or overthinks things. Could be why he joined the Decepticons - he saw Megatron as that classic fascist Strong Leader which he needs so much to have any kind of importance at all.

[Benn]

He can't do a maths problem to save his life, but when it comes to planning the exact correct trajectory, thrust, inertia and angle for pushing someone down the stairs with maximum arm flailing and hilarity, he's unmatched.

[Shockprowl]

Those are Starscream's numbers!


What are the revised numbers..?


But yeah, Skywarp is a great addition to the Strike Plane trio. What a unique and powerful ability! Dangerous, but a bit of a thickie. A real war-mongering brute.

The three together always yanks my nostalglands. And I love any interaction they had. Fire on the Mountain is a classic episode where the three different personalities really pop out. Shame we never got to see more if this. More rivalry between them could have been explored in intriguing and entertaining ways.


The mold is legendary despite the add-on fistyness.


So annoying they messed their numbers up! The a Techspecs obsessive like me it is quite maddening and disruptive.

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Skywarp is arguably the best looking Transformer of them all in vehicle mode.

Martin

[The Doctor]

Skywarp is a sexy beast.

-Ralph

[Pinwig]

Sept 9, 2024 17:16:54 GMT Shockprowl said:

What are the revised numbers..?

Not so much revised, but the ones on Bob's actual notes from before they were messed up are:

Str 7
Int 4
Spd 9
End 7
Rnk 5
Cou 8
Fir 7
Ski 7

[that_bluestreak]

Yep, lovely toy. I didn't have one as a kid but Alex down the road did. It is indeed perhaps the best looking of the seekers. I can understand why some people are a bit obsessed with Skywarp! I actually have two at the moment, due to losing track of what I own, plus the cartoon livery 'Warp which it looks like I haven't actually opened yet. Madness, I really must get all this sorted out.

His tech-specs are great, I love that he's a big dumb idiot with a skill that could win wars but he doesn't know what to do with it except use it to scare smaller bots. Fantastic stuff.

He was always a kind of red-shirt in the comics, his special skill was almost never used... Man of Iron and Enemy Within are the only times I can think of. This was a shame, there was so much they could have done if they weren't stuck on the selling new toys treadmill. Other good moments off the top of my head... bullying Bumblebee in Crisis Of Command, being useful to Soundwave in Dinobot Hunt, being utterly utterly destroyed by Galvatron whilst dressed as Starscream, getting better and then being killed by Starscream.

[Shockprowl]

Sept 9, 2024 20:39:49 GMT Pinwig said:

Sept 9, 2024 17:16:54 GMT Shockprowl said:

What are the revised numbers..?

Not so much revised, but the ones on Bob's actual notes from before they were messed up are:

Str 7
Int 4
Spd 9
End 7
Rnk 5
Cou 8
Fir 7
Ski 7

Ah yes that's right- Thundercracker has Skywarp's, Skywarp has Starscream's, and Starscream has Thundercracker's.


Damn them for mixing them up! Damn them!


These numbers clearly fit the character better.


With an Intelligence of 4 he still beats poor Brawn. I don't think anyone drops to a 3 before the Dinobots come along.

[The Doctor]

Lies. Lies!

-Ralph

[Shockprowl]

People make mistakes, Doc'. It's ok. Just switch 'em in your head.

[Philip Ayres]

See also: ........

[Shockprowl]

Sept 10, 2024 22:28:46 GMT Philip Ayres said:

See also: ........

That one is harder to do. If I had them with the colours the other way round I reckon I could do it though. It'd be interesting to try it. Earthrise doesn't have piledrivers though.

[pulsar]

I think unfolding makes a lot of sense for Skywarp and the other jets. It would be useful to have a high density for hand-to-hand fighting as a robot, then be able to expand and spread out for flying.

[Philip Ayres]

1984's Transformers Are Forty: Week 25|Bumper
Function: Autobot
Japan:
tfwiki.net/wiki/Bumper_(G1)#Toys
www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Bumper/bumper.htm