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Post by grahamthomson on Nov 24, 2010 13:32:45 GMT
Consider that the Clevers at Takara et al have been designing and making transforming toys for some 30 years now.
Has the best Transformers toy already been made, or can the future bring something even better?
What do you think has been the best Transformer so far? Could it be improved upon in the future to be even besterer?
"Best" is whatever you want it to be. Best engineering, best design, best features....
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2010 13:35:51 GMT
I think that the toys can get better, but even if they stay pretty much as they are now, that's okay with me. Of course they still have to make updated versions of all the older characters before their job is done
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Post by Philip Ayres on Nov 24, 2010 13:56:35 GMT
I think the best large Transformer toy is behind us, and has been for many years.
Ultra has to go a long way to top the superbness of BW Op/Megatron/TM2 Megatron/Tigerhawk.
Bellow that I think there's a good chance we'll see some superb new toys.
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Post by The Doctor on Nov 24, 2010 19:05:19 GMT
Action Masters have already been done. It's all downhill from here.
-Ralph
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Nov 24, 2010 19:18:07 GMT
Have they ever made another jet Transformer toy as good as the original Jetfire?
All the recent ones I've seen seem overcomplicated by comparison.
Martin
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Post by grahamthomson on Nov 24, 2010 20:02:23 GMT
Have they ever made another jet Transformer toy as good as the original Jetfire? All the recent ones I've seen seem overcomplicated by comparison. Martin There have been a few good jet Transformers in the new movie ranges, but they are a lot more complicated compared to Jetfire. I think Masterpiece Starscream has been the best jet Transformer thus far though. |
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Post by Philip Ayres on Nov 24, 2010 20:04:57 GMT
Thing is Jetfire isn't a Hasbro transformer, it originated elsewhere. But I'd agree, lump everything to better and it's the best jet.
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Post by The Doctor on Nov 24, 2010 20:26:02 GMT
At the risk of being thrown off a cliff, the original Jetfire toy just wasn't fun for me. I love the Classics version though.
-Ralph
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Post by legios on Nov 24, 2010 21:20:38 GMT
At the risk of being thrown off a cliff, the original Jetfire toy just wasn't fun for me. I love the Classics version though. -Ralph No ones going to throw you off a cliff for that. The Chunky Munky's are not to everyone's taste (even in Macross fandom there are people with a strong dislike for those toys. And then there are those that call them Lawn-darts and mean it affectionately). In that particular case there have been better versions of that design in several scales over the last ten years, they just aren't Hasbro/Takara/Tomy products. There have also been derivatives of the design that have surpassed it aesthetically and in terms of their engineering (loath as my love of the Valkyrie makes me to admit it). In terms of Transformers I would come down squarely on the side of not necessarily. Will the current design teams surpass themselves, possibly not. But the thing with Transfomers as a toy franchise is that it has lived long enoughg that it experiences generational shifts every so often when there has been enough turnover within the design teams that they have a accumulated enough new blood that wants to go off in new directions and try something that hasn't been done before. (For that matter, existing design teams are wonderfully open to trying new approaches in terms of engineering and aesthetics) Look at the way things have gone recently - we have the movie line seeing what it can do within the boundaries of its aesthetic, PCC's as a new approach to the Scramble City combiner idea and Generations as a third take on things. Transformers is always throwing new things against the wall to see what will stick and so I think that there is always the possibility that they will pull something truly amazing out of that process. Karl |
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Hero
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Post by Hero on Nov 24, 2010 21:44:57 GMT
There's always room for improvement.
===KEN
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Post by Shockprowl on Nov 25, 2010 10:06:54 GMT
Chunky Monkey! Love it!
Another top thread from the Threadmyster!
It's a toughie.
I suppose from my point of view, I'd have to look at it with respect to the collections/style of figs that I like to collect, namely Masterpieces and 'Classics'. In that respect there are a few characters they haven't done yet, but not all that many. They've been doing us proud of late with the 'Classic' style figs. Masterpiece wise, there's a few obvious characters still to do, but not all that many. Beyond that? I guess it depends on how toy making technology advances. Completely automated transformations? Fem-bots with working orifices? I think some really impressive combiners are missing generally.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Nov 25, 2010 10:21:35 GMT
Completely automated transformations? Have you forgotton the Jumpstarters  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2010 10:34:52 GMT
Completely automated transformations? Have you forgotton the Jumpstarters I think he means more than just folding one joint and done lol I'd actually find fully automated Transformations quite boring, I mean one of the main things I like about the toys is Transforming them |
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Post by blueshift on Nov 25, 2010 10:47:33 GMT
Have you forgotton the Jumpstarters I think he means more than just folding one joint and done lol I'd actually find fully automated Transformations quite boring, I mean one of the main things I like about the toys is Transforming them And who can forget Armada Optimus Prime! Of course, the damn thing never worked half the time (click click click thunk) and had to be helped, but it was a nice idea. |
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Stomski
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YOU INTERRUPTED MY SPEECH!! But don't worry. It won't happen again.
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Post by Stomski on Nov 25, 2010 11:41:45 GMT
My Armada Prime worked quite well on a smooth surface, but carpets provided too much friction.
Automation is good though, not in terms of motors, but the automorph tech introduced in the movie toys is pretty cool. Having heads automatically pop up when you move the fold the final part of the body into position is a great feature.
As technology improves, toys will be able to have stronger plastic and smaller parts. This means the designers can be more intricate with their engineering, so we'll see, at least in the collectors market, robots with less kibble and more realistic alt modes. It started in BinalTech, but the improvements from that when you look at Alternity are clear.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Nov 25, 2010 12:30:33 GMT
Armada Optimus Prime is a ripoff of a Bandai Sentai toy that was sold over here as the Power Rangers Time Force Quantasaurus Rex. And that does work, and some. Paul's got a video of it somewhere and it wees over Superbase Op. Due To Sentai's lead time (Year X's Sentai Toys were Year X+1's US Power Rangers and Year X+2's UK Power Rangers) I think Superbase & the Quantasaurus were on the shelves at the same time.
And Superbase Op's base is anything but Super.....
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Post by Shockprowl on Nov 25, 2010 18:05:01 GMT
Have you forgotton the Jumpstarters I think he means more than just folding one joint and done lol I'd actually find fully automated Transformations quite boring, I mean one of the main things I like about the toys is Transforming them Oh, I wouldn't want all future TFs to be automated, just some. Press a button on a remote control (or send a command straight from one's mind! Who knows? It is the fuuuutuuuure after all!!), and tah dah! Robot to vehicle! Vehicle to Robot! |
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Post by Shockprowl on Nov 25, 2010 18:05:26 GMT
And how cool would Classicy-updated Jumpstarters be?!!!!!
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Post by grahamthomson on Nov 25, 2010 18:27:06 GMT
And how cool would Classicy-updated Jumpstarters be?!!!!! Please leave the Internet right now. Take the door to your left. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2010 19:16:46 GMT
And how cool would Classicy-updated Jumpstarters be?!!!!! I want every g1 character to get an update eventually |
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Post by The Doctor on Nov 25, 2010 20:55:32 GMT
And how cool would Classicy-updated Jumpstarters be?!!!!! No Autobot can jump into action as fast as...JUMPSTARTERS! -Ralph |
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Post by Bogatan on Nov 25, 2010 21:11:49 GMT
Jumpstarters are Wreckers. Wreckers need toys/new toys. End of story.
I was wondering a while back how they could top Animated and Classics, then Generations appeared with a level of posability that TF's have never come near across a full line. After Gen I hope the next classic line is Japanese inspired, but really I'm hoping for a brand new line that isn't G1 based, something as new as Beast Wars was, though I accept it will have Prime and Megatron in it.
Andy
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Post by grahamthomson on Nov 26, 2010 8:57:02 GMT
Why don't we combine updated Jumpstarters with automated transformations and their vicarious perception ability!!
So, nice new Jumpstarters that, when you transform, say, Twin Twist, Topspin starts to transform all by itself!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2010 10:57:31 GMT
Why don't we combine updated Jumpstarters with automated transformations and their vicarious perception ability!! So, nice new Jumpstarters that, when you transform, say, Twin Twist, Topspin starts to transform all by itself! That would frighten the xxxx out of me |
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Post by The Doctor on Nov 27, 2010 11:57:29 GMT
That must happen!
-Ralph
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Post by legios on Nov 28, 2010 20:21:44 GMT
I hasten to add that it is not my term - it was coined by some (unknown to me) figure in Macross fandom and has become a widespread term over their for the Bandai Valks. Whoever he is who first came up with it I salute him. I have to second the thought that new Jumpstarter toys need to happen - modern engineering techniques mean that they need not be as limited in articulation as the Diaclone-era ones and a proper auto-transformation would be quite fun. As to Wreckers toys, sadly a Roadbuster that looks like the original but has better articulation is beyond Hasbro/Tomy's grasp as they do not hold the Dorvack license. The HFTD Tomahawk would make a nice Whirl if they did a head-swap to give it the square single-camera head and a lighter blue colour scheme. Karl |
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Post by Bogatan on Nov 28, 2010 20:56:52 GMT
If they made Twintwist and Topspin as a set they could design alternate heads and a few parts at the same time and release Rack n Ruin too.
On a unrelated note I bought some Chunky Monkey icecream today I look forward to trying it.
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Post by The Doctor on Nov 28, 2010 21:01:15 GMT
Is that the Ben and Jerry's variety? It is rather nice.
-Ralph
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Post by Bogatan on Nov 28, 2010 21:22:18 GMT
Yes I found it half price at Asda. Its the first time I've seen it. Our fridge is currently rather full of Ben and Jerry's.
Andy
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primenova
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Post by primenova on Dec 2, 2010 18:07:13 GMT
Was featured on Russel Howards on BBC3.
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