kurdt_the_goat
2nd June 2015, 12:05 AM
Ok so here's what i'm thinking. Designing a robot is pretty hard. Designing a transforming robot is harder. Designing a bunch of transforming robots that constitute a coherent group is harder still.
That doesn't stop me from eyeballing every last release and criticizing it six ways to sunday, as if i could do any better. I'm actually a graphic/web designer... so maybe i could, i dunno.
I haven't really been paying much attention to mainline releases until recently... and checking them out, i keep finding myself disappointed in one way or another with the designs. Old timer syndrome or if i have some actual justification, i'm not sure! But i've felt an itch that i could put pencil to paper and come up with something better.
Then i get lazy and write a post asking others to post their creations first so i'll get motivated :D
It can be whatever you want - 100% brand new character or re-imagined classic character. You don't have to think too hard about how it'd transform (as a toy) unless you want to.
I think the first one i'd like to tackle would be just a straight up new Optimus Prime design. His new RID design just looks mostly derivative to me. But when you think of the confines - he has his recognizable features, yet you want to make it new... it starts to get really restrictive. Just how much can you re-imagine the iconic aspects of his design before it becomes something else? Or is it really no challenge at all just aping some of his famous traits.
I figure if we have a bunch of people trying their darnedest to come up with something cool, next time we're whinging about the latest toys, we can reference this thread and say either "Look... I CAN do better!" or "Shut up fool, you can't do any better!". Maybe we'll get some new appreciation for the work that does go into the toys being released.
That doesn't stop me from eyeballing every last release and criticizing it six ways to sunday, as if i could do any better. I'm actually a graphic/web designer... so maybe i could, i dunno.
I haven't really been paying much attention to mainline releases until recently... and checking them out, i keep finding myself disappointed in one way or another with the designs. Old timer syndrome or if i have some actual justification, i'm not sure! But i've felt an itch that i could put pencil to paper and come up with something better.
Then i get lazy and write a post asking others to post their creations first so i'll get motivated :D
It can be whatever you want - 100% brand new character or re-imagined classic character. You don't have to think too hard about how it'd transform (as a toy) unless you want to.
I think the first one i'd like to tackle would be just a straight up new Optimus Prime design. His new RID design just looks mostly derivative to me. But when you think of the confines - he has his recognizable features, yet you want to make it new... it starts to get really restrictive. Just how much can you re-imagine the iconic aspects of his design before it becomes something else? Or is it really no challenge at all just aping some of his famous traits.
I figure if we have a bunch of people trying their darnedest to come up with something cool, next time we're whinging about the latest toys, we can reference this thread and say either "Look... I CAN do better!" or "Shut up fool, you can't do any better!". Maybe we'll get some new appreciation for the work that does go into the toys being released.