The Great Transformers Poll

[The Doctor]

Thus was told The Book Of The War.

-Ralph

[Toph]

Jul 12, 2018 13:31:24 GMT blueshift said:

Jul 12, 2018 12:40:55 GMT Toph said:

Shenanigans! Shenanigans!
Real actual transforming robot toys with actual characters lose out to a non-transforming "non sentient" fashion accessory?!?
Shenanigans! Shenanigans!

Name one interesting in-universe fact about the Omnibots without looking it up.

You can't as they are awful.

The Omnibots have Universe profiles(I believe? I seem to recall detailed Universe styled profiles with authetic marvel art), MTMTE profiles, and have appeared in both Dreamwave and IDW fiction.
Powerdashers, have MTMTE profiles and have at least cameoed in IDW fiction (if not DW).
"Time Warrior" has done exactly none of these things, as it is a watch.

[blueshift]

Jul 12, 2018 13:56:25 GMT Toph said:

Jul 12, 2018 13:31:24 GMT blueshift said:

Name one interesting in-universe fact about the Omnibots without looking it up.

You can't as they are awful.

The Omnibots have Universe profiles(I believe? I seem to recall detailed Universe styled profiles with authetic marvel art), MTMTE profiles, and have appeared in both Dreamwave and IDW fiction.
Powerdashers, have MTMTE profiles and have at least cameoed in IDW fiction (if not DW).
"Time Warrior" has done exactly none of these things, as it is a watch.

Yes but what I mean is sure they have characters, but no-one in the history of the world can name anything at all about them or their personalities.

Meanwhile the heroic TIME WARRIOR is a sentient watch, so is immediately more interesting.

[blueshift]

Jul 12, 2018 13:43:03 GMT The Doctor said:

Thus was told The Book Of The War.

-Ralph

I actually found the original plot in my emails! I forgot that I was actually one of the head admin at the time and the guy in charge of plots. This was a SECRET PLOT that the character staff were trying to slip past plot staff. Usually plot staff ran the big things but weren't too concerned with casual plots. The Omnibot plot was about a parallel future and time travelling combiners and Vector Sigma had prepared for this by building a Ford Nissan 3 million years ago. The proposed plot is that players would turn up and the Omnibots would shoot them all with their super weapons and then shoot Predaking in the knee which would save the future.

Obviously it did not happen.

[Andy Turnbull]

Jul 12, 2018 13:56:25 GMT Toph said:

Jul 12, 2018 13:31:24 GMT blueshift said:

Name one interesting in-universe fact about the Omnibots without looking it up.

You can't as they are awful.

The Omnibots have Universe profiles(I believe? I seem to recall detailed Universe styled profiles with authetic marvel art), MTMTE profiles, and have appeared in both Dreamwave and IDW fiction.
Powerdashers, have MTMTE profiles and have at least cameoed in IDW fiction (if not DW).
"Time Warrior" has done exactly none of these things, as it is a watch.

They had Marvel profiles created but those were never released to the public. A shame, I couldn't say if they have surfaced online anywhere yet though.

Andy

[Philip Ayres]

I don't believe so. If they're not linked to the TFWiki entries, like Swerve and the deluxe toys, then they're not in the wild.

[Philip Ayres]

Jul 12, 2018 16:33:40 GMT Philip Ayres said:

I don't believe so. If they're not linked to the TFWiki entries, like Swerve and the deluxe toys, then they're not in the wild.

Camshaft tfwiki.net/wiki/Camshaft_(G1)#Notes

None of this reflected the profile found in the Marvel comic bible, which was written in both Transformers Universe form and in the pared-down style of an on-package bio (with Tech Specs, even!), giving him a very different personality from any other portrayal: His function was "Road Warrior," and he was said to be recklessly overconfident, tearing up the highways and literally pulverizing cars with no regard for human safety.[10] This was never officially released to the public.

Downshift tfwiki.net/wiki/Downshift_(G1)#Notes

None of this reflected the profile found in the Marvel comic bible, which was written in both Transformers Universe form and in the pared-down style of an on-package bio (with Tech Specs, even!), giving him a very different personality from any other portrayal: His function wasn't "Security Agent" or "Scout," but rather "Air Defense," and he was said to be depressed and war-weary, only grudgingly following orders. His one joy came from Earth and human children, since they were something fresh and new that had nothing to do with the millennia of war he had known.[6] This was never officially released to the public.

Overdrive tfwiki.net/wiki/Overdrive#Notes

None of this particularly reflected the profile found in the Marvel comic bible, which was written in both Transformers Universe form and in the pared-down style of an on-package bio (with Tech Specs, even!), portraying him as a speedy personality focused on winning.[6] This was never officially released to the public.

[Andy Turnbull]

Must still in Bob Budiansky's loft/garage/storage then!

[Philip Ayres]

Oddly enough tomorrow's subjects are also sans published TFU entries....

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Jul 12, 2018 9:30:57 GMT The Huff said:

And I've not voted yet - the Powerdashers possessing arms, legs & wheels is still making me undecided.

Much, much better TFs are available with all those attributes.

Martin

[Philip Ayres]

Not in this week's poll

[Grand Moff Muffin]

In 2001 I bought (and still have in mint condition) issue #1 of Atlantic Press's 'Cybertronian Unofficial Transformers Recognition Guide", compiled by Doug Dlin, which covered the Omnibots in detail - one page to each of them. It gave their functions as stated in the US toy leaflet (scout, security agent and strategist) and gave their Japanese tech spec numbers, which later appeared again in the original Generations book. As these functions and numbers come from actual released toy product, I have always considered them to be authoritative.

Incidentally, Time Warrior is rightly treated as a proper TF in the Cybertronian TRG.

Martin

[Jim]

Jul 12, 2018 16:58:30 GMT Philip Ayres said:

Downshift tfwiki.net/wiki/Downshift_(G1)#Notes

None of this reflected the profile found in the Marvel comic bible, which was written in both Transformers Universe form and in the pared-down style of an on-package bio (with Tech Specs, even!), giving him a very different personality from any other portrayal: His function wasn't "Security Agent" or "Scout," but rather "Air Defense," and he was said to be depressed and war-weary, only grudgingly following orders. His one joy came from Earth and human children, since they were something fresh and new that had nothing to do with the millennia of war he had known.[6] This was never officially released to the public.

I love this bio! I want to write Downshift fanfiction now. There're echoes of Prime Bulkhead in there.

[The Huff]

Right I've voted. Not for the best toy, but as it was obviously the Time Warrior that I chose to get back in 1984 instead of the Powerdasher then this should be what I vote for. Time Warrior it is.
Bur I do like the retro-ness of the Powerdashers and own them all. And they look like proper old fashioned sci fi robots.

[The Doctor]

TIME WARRIOR is three votes ahead with five minutes to go.

-Ralph

[Philip Ayres]

Technically the poll runs till I get up Friday morning.....

The new poll won't be nearly as good as this one's been. But Shockprowl may learn a thing or two!

[Philip Ayres]

[Philip Ayres]

Week 21: What is the best member of the Reflector team on the 1985 Japan catalogue?

Reflector is somewhat unusual for a Transformer: it's alt mode is made up of three different robots

tfwiki.net/wiki/Reflector_(G1)

Here are the three toys that make up Reflector:

Spectro
Spyglass
Viewfinder

[Grand Moff Muffin]

WHAAAAAT.

Reflector is one toy, Phil!!!

Martin

[The Doctor]

Illegal poll!

-Ralph

[Philip Ayres]

Reflector is three different robots.

[blueshift]

Jul 13, 2018 6:45:53 GMT Philip Ayres said:

The correct result. Phil can't cheat the vote

ANOTHER MISTAKE, STYRE

[blueshift]

Jul 13, 2018 7:03:37 GMT Philip Ayres said:

Reflector is three different robots.

Never sold separately though!

[The Doctor]

Jul 13, 2018 7:03:37 GMT Philip Ayres said:

Reflector is three different robots.

But not available to buy separately!

ANOTHER MISTAKE, STYRE.

-Ralph

[Philip Ayres]

So we're setting the precedent for when we get to the Micromaster Patrols.

[The Doctor]

Surely...surely you are not thinking of voting for each Micromaster separately rather than as full patrols???

-Ralph

[blueshift]

Jul 13, 2018 7:10:06 GMT Philip Ayres said:

So we're setting the precedent for when we get to the Micromaster Patrols.

But they weren't sold separately

[Philip Ayres]

Jul 13, 2018 7:11:31 GMT The Doctor said:

Surely...surely you are not thinking of voting for each Micromaster separately rather than as full patrols???

-Ralph

Which is the best member of the Airstrike patrol? Which is the best member of the Battle patrol?

YUP

[The Huff]

Although I think when we get to 1989 then they should be done as Patrols, at least Micromasters are their own individual character and each toy can be used independently of who they are sold with (barring the exception of the few jet Combiners).

Reflector is not. He is one character with one mind and each toy is pretty much useless on it's own as a Transformer. It's like voting for a Pretender robot separately from it's shell.

But it's Phil who very kindly takes the time to do these so he has the final call of course.

(And at least the toys aren't cartoon accurate otherwise it would be pretty difficult).

[Philip Ayres]

There's also the issue of who Reflector would go up against if he was just one toy.

He appears in two places: here in Japan at retail in 1985 and in a 1986 US offer sheet (maybe more than one, would need to check)

In each case everything else has already been voted for and neither has any real competition to line him up against.

I considered putting Reflector up against the two 1985 Japan toys which are different to their US versions.... though I note one of them is in his US colours here!

It is an odd toy so you can sort of see why it was shunted to one side in the west and only done as offers and why the cartoon took an odd approach to it too.

Besides it also gives us an excuse to look at the 1985 Japan catalogues!