City Commander Review

[kurdt_the_goat]

Boy, if you guys thought Kyle was teasing you with his couple of photos, i can't imagine what you'll think of me after this!

First off, thanks again to Kyle for helping me (and everyone else) get our hands on these awesome kits! Secondly, i'm afraid i only have a Henkei Prime, so my vehicle mode pictures aren't as good as they could be, sorry about that! Feel free to buy me a Classic Ultra Magnus if you like :) Thirdly, the autobot symbols on his shoulders were added by me, printed up on double sided sticky paper (i'm too cheap for Reprolabels with this exchange rate!)

Onto the review! Click photos to enlarge!

http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030195.jpg

Head
http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030205.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030205.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030207.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030207.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030206.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030206.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030204.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030204.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030208.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030208.jpg)

City Commander's head was a point of interest since the prototype photos first came out. Some said it looked a bit childish so there were modifications done before the final release - the improvements are subtle but overall for the better. Generally, it's very reminiscent of G1 UM's cartoon incarnation. It's a bit curvier than the angular original however. Particularly the face shield, which curves outward from the eye sockets, tends to make it look like he doesn't have a nose. I guess the nose shield has something to do with this as well, but i am grateful for it's inclusion - it helps give off the look of a commander ready for battle. Personally, i would have preferred his silver pipes to taper inwards at the tops, rather than be a consistent width, but that's just nitpicking. The Classic's line isn't so much about exact duplication, but updated favourites, so i'm happy to let the designer have a bit of freedom here.

Trailer Mode
http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030256.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030256.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030257.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030257.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030258.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030258.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030261.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030261.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030260.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030260.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030262.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030262.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030263.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030263.jpg)

The City Commander armour pieces transform into a trailer that looks like a cross between G1 Prime and Ultra Magnus' trailer - covered from all visible angles like Prime, and mainly blue like Magnus. It's admirable how well it all comes together, very solidly clicking into place - all the while not appearing like it could ever be transformed into armour! It is lacking in a few details that would have been nice, fuel tanks and the like. Also, when hitched onto the base toy, it's unable to rotate (good for straight roads but not much else!).

The colour is a very good match for the Classic UM (from what i saw at Nexus), and doesn't look too bad on Classic/Henkei Prime. The wheels have slightly different hub caps to the Hasbro toys, but they look almost identical from a distance. The back of the trailer can fold down, however it'd be a bumpy ride up into the lack of internal space! At the back of the trailer, there's a number plate (8 stickers are provided to choose from), which is supposed to (more on this later) flip around to hide in robot mode. It's a nice touch that you can choose the plate! Despite the cleverness with which the pieces combine to form the trailer.. ultimately, i think most people aren't really going to want to display their sets in this mode.

Transformation
A puzzle former - but a very good one. After a few attempts, it's easy to remember where each piece goes back into the Trailer mode. The pieces slot into place on the base robot in such a satisfying manner, that it's as if it was always designed to be there! I was constantly surprised at the cleverness of how they clipped each piece into place. Nothing will ever fall off if you've put it on right. The leg pieces are probably too tight though. They have such a tight fit, that it can be a real struggle getting the base toy out of them. It can be a bit scary, though i don't think the toy would ever break from this process.

Robot Mode
http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030199.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030199.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030200.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030200.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030203.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030203.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030220.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030220.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030243.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030243.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030250.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030250.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030251.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030251.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030219.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030219.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030224.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030224.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030253.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030253.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030228.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030228.jpg)

This mode however, is definitely a display piece! Gaining an extra inch or 2 over the base toy, Ultra Magnus is around the same size as the recent Universe Ultra's, so he'll fit into a battle scene perfectly. The look is a very chunky re-interpretation of G1 Magnus. The shoulder columns are not quite as lean, but the character is unmistakable. I find it amusing that with all the additional pieces, the toy ends up having less kibble than the base toy! The sides of the cab, previously a sore spot on the side of the arms, now blend in much better due to the added chunkiness. The detailing all over is very nice, with many shapes reminiscent of G1 Ultra Magnus. I particularly like the shoulder and groin pieces for their intricacy.

Surprisingly, when the armour is on, you only have to give up a bit of the base toy articulation. His shoulders and elbows can't go in and out as much as they could before, and his knees will get in the way of his lower arms if you bend them too much. You can fiddle with the position of the front wheels of the base toy, to give his shoulders great range of motion. His feet no longer swing forward and back, though they are much sturdier because of the increased size, and actually tilt to the side, to help his feet remain flat at all times. This is a real nice improvement. Considering the size of the armour, and being locked down to the base toy, they've done a commendable job here. I think we've seen official toys without armour add-ons, that have less articulation!

http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030209.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030209.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030210.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030210.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030211.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030211.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030212.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030212.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030215.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030215.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030216.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030216.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030223.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030223.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030213.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030213.jpg)

Talking of posing though, the issue of the BFG comes up. The gun is very large, and can cause some instability when posing. More often than not, you'll find his arm just can't support the weight, even if the toy itself isn't going to topple over (the feet are quite good at balancing). Kyle posted a helpful guide on increasing the elbow joint strength (http://otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=2416) - i've yet to do this on my own, as my Henkei Prime is quite new. It felt like the shoulders were more at fault, so i eagerly await news of possible shoulder joint improvements!

It isn't impossible to get the gun lifted though, and when it is, it certainly adds to the toys imposing presence! I much prefer the "in front of fist" position myself (i think the on-top of arm position looks like the gun is backwards). I've found that if i have a wide-leg pose, the centre of gravity is better able to assist the arms in holding the gun up - and also you can just rest it slightly on his knee guards. The gun is shaped in a way that makes it most suitable for the right hand, but it's still possible to put it on the left hand; it'll just be raised up a bit more. You can also use the base toys guns; though the pegs aren't perfectly sized, they still fit well enough, and look about the size you'd normally expect on a Transformer. The same guns can also be stored on the back of his shoulder pieces, though i'm not too fond of this look myself. I would have preferred if the large gun was made into two smaller guns still, as it can be frustrating trying to get him to hold a pose. The sides of the shoulders also have slots for G1 Magnus missiles, an enhancement from the earlier prototype we saw. Unfortunately, i'm still waiting on someone to buy me a G1 Magnus, so i can't try it out!

Although the armour is intended for Classics Ultra Magnus, i'm more than happy slotting my Henkei Prime inside. The silver on the legs is a perfect match to the groin and gun parts of the armour, almost looking seamless. The arms are just about as good, again closely matched with the armour colour. And that's about it! You can't really see a lot of the base toy. The legs show up if you pose one showing the inside.. the blue is different there but it isn't repulsive.

Quality Control

City Commander feels like a very high quality toy. The plastic is different to most Hasbro and Takara toys.. but i'm no expert, i'm not sure if one's better than the other. It feels a bit harder, and there are definitely no 'plastic swirls' anywhere to be seen, which is a plus. The connections between all the pieces are VERY solid, perhaps a bit too much so; some pieces can take quite a bit of force to get out!

The paint application is virtually flawless, not sticky, clean edges, deep, rich colours, bold whites. The silver is as i mentioned before, reminiscent of Henkei Prime's legs if you want to compare - i'm so glad they did this instead of "Hasbro Grey".

There were a few concerns on my toy though. The head was very tight at first, but Kyle again came to the rescue, with this easy to follow guide that works perfectly (http://otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=2357). The slots on the back of his shoulders, for holding the base toy guns, don't seem to be exactly the right size, so the guns fit a bit loose and can fall out. Not a bother to me cause i don't display this way.

Also, i touched briefly on the number plate feature of the Trailer. It can flip around to hide in robot mode - a nice touch.. however on mine, it is impossibly stiff! Apparantly the prototype didn't have this issue before painted.. the paint adding some thickness, making it hard to rotate. The thing to watch out for is this.. being a bit excited, i tried to pry mine open using a miniature screwdriver.. you can see in the photo, it was so stiff, i actually pushed the plastic in a touch, and it still didn't budge! That's when i decided i like the look of the number plate in both modes anyway :)

For a toy made by fans, the quality is admirable and in most cases greater than what we see from Hasbro (not particularly hard as of late, mind you!). I'm sure the small issues will get ironed out in upcoming releases as well, since they've shown precedent for improving the toy based on fan feedback.

Poses
http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030231.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030231.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030232.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030232.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030233.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030233.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030235.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030235.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030237.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030237.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030245.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030245.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030255.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030255.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030248.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030248.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030241.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030241.jpg) http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/200/P1030242.jpg (http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030242.jpg)

Overall
Well, to be honest, this set is by no means a perfect toy. While the robot mode is a stellar display piece.. the gun is a bit big.. and the trailer mode a bit non-eventful (what can you expect for a trailer though). But as a toy made by fans, it's a remarkable achievement. I couldn't have imagined something of this scale was possible, until FansProject comes along and makes it all look easy. At the very least, i think it's a great thing to support guys like this, who are truly making something the fans will appreciate. But more than that, i'm just glad that I have the very epitome of Ultra Magnus up on my shelf. Not only have we not gotten an Ultra Magnus toy this good from Hasbro or TakaraTomy in the past, it's likely that after seeing this, they'll wonder how could they ever top it if they tried in the future.

Bring on the next FansProject release!!

http://mirror.cliffbee.com/city-commander/1024/P1030222.jpg

[liegeprime]

First off for teasing us Kurdt.... SLAP!!
OK that done, nice review as always! I saw a video review as well linked at TFw2005. Apparently the missle launchers from G1 UM can fit nicely and looks oh so good on the side of the shoulders of CC armour, since there is a peghole there which fits it perfectly. Wonderful review and oh yeah .... SLAP!

[Soundwarp]

Boy, if you guys thought Kyle was teasing you with his couple of photos, i can't imagine what you'll think of me after this!

OK i hate you :p

[blackie]

amazing pictures mate

[optimus1]

Great review kurdt!

I think this is the best representation of one of my favourite characters and is such an amazing piece of work for a fan made unofficial add-on.

I gotta try on those side missles on my Ultra magnus armour as well

[Pulse]

Great review Mate! :)

(all the while a moron at RK forgot to put my CCK in with the rest of my package... Do they even check the package before they send it???)

[heroic_decepticon]

Mate, that is one great review and an extremely comprehensive one too.

I in no way intend to steal your thunder but have attached a few pic of the City Commander armour 'worn' by Classics Ultra Magnus, including play possibilities with the Dinobots.

http://inlinethumb09.webshots.com/14728/2101555370100811158S500x500Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2101555370100811158EpyXyC)

http://inlinethumb37.webshots.com/18596/2016288410100811158S500x500Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2016288410100811158FEOpVg)

http://inlinethumb54.webshots.com/40885/2776123820100811158S500x500Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2776123820100811158KsFaGO)

http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/38343/2603275980100811158S500x500Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2603275980100811158JQkYXX)

http://inlinethumb40.webshots.com/43367/2086800630100811158S500x500Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2086800630100811158mYLehI)

http://inlinethumb39.webshots.com/43558/2854286280100811158S500x500Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2854286280100811158WEPLTw)

[jaydisc]

Stunning photography as always Kurdt. Thanks!

@Heroic: Are those G1 Dinobots? I don't remember them being so small, although it's tough to get perspective when the benchmark is something I don't have.

[Kyle]

Thanks Kurdt! Lovely and thoughtful review as always. Detailed, informative and with nice photos. :) The Autobot symbols look very nice and definitely add to the kit. (We should do a group order from Reprolabels haha.) I like how your Henkei OP/Convoy actually matches well with CC's colours even in trailer mode. I'll translate a fix for the number plate from the HK forum. Hopefully it'll work for you and others. :p

[Firecracker]

Wow, very nice photography Kurdt!

[jacksplatt11]

Nice photos Kurdt, looks really really cool.. Damn this bad Aussie dollar

[heroic_decepticon]

Trailer Mode
Also, when hitched onto the base toy, it's unable to rotate (good for straight roads but not much else!).

Yeah, I thought this was quite a pity though. Still the vehicle mode feels like one solid chunk of a toy, immovable and steadfast- what an armoured car carrier ought to be I suppose.


The colour is a very good match for the Classic UM (from what i saw at Nexus), and doesn't look too bad on Classic/Henkei Prime.

I really like the colour scheme with Classics UM. The blue-white combination of Ultra Magnus has always been very appealing to me since young. I posted some pictures of the trailer mode above (but they are far inferior compared to your pictures. heh :D)


Transformation
I was constantly surprised at the cleverness of how they clipped each piece into place. Nothing will ever fall off if you've put it on right. The leg pieces are probably too tight though. They have such a tight fit, that it can be a real struggle getting the base toy out of them.

I agree with that except that I find that for mine, the groin piece falls out very easily. Were you somehow able to clip yours in? I can only ever slide mine into place and it falls off easily.

I agree that the leg pieces are a little too tight and does require more than the usual amount of force to slot in or remove.


Robot Mode
The sides of the cab, previously a sore spot on the side of the arms, now blend in much better due to the added chunkiness.

Totally agree :cool:


Robot Mode
It felt like the shoulders were more at fault, so i eagerly await news of possible shoulder joint improvements!

<snip>

The sides of the shoulders also have slots for G1 Magnus missiles, an enhancement from the earlier prototype we saw. Unfortunately, i'm still waiting on someone to buy me a G1 Magnus, so i can't try it out!

I think the shoulders are more at fault too.

Didn't know the slots were meant for the G1 UM missiles. I was thinking FansProject might release a special missiles pack for UM in the future!


Quality Control
City Commander feels like a very high quality toy.

I'm definitely with you there.


Also, i touched briefly on the number plate feature of the Trailer. It can flip around to hide in robot mode - a nice touch.. however on mine, it is impossibly stiff! Apparantly the prototype didn't have this issue before painted.. the paint adding some thickness, making it hard to rotate. The thing to watch out for is this.. being a bit excited, i tried to pry mine open using a miniature screwdriver.. you can see in the photo, it was so stiff, i actually pushed the plastic in a touch, and it still didn't budge! That's when i decided i like the look of the number plate in both modes anyway :)

I tried flipping it and it didn't bulge. After you've said this, I don't think I'll try again!



Overall
But more than that, i'm just glad that I have the very epitome of Ultra Magnus up on my shelf. Not only have we not gotten an Ultra Magnus toy this good from Hasbro or TakaraTomy in the past, it's likely that after seeing this, they'll wonder how could they ever top it if they tried in the future.

Bring on the next FansProject release!!


Absolutely!

[kurdt_the_goat]

I in no way intend to steal your thunder but have attached a few pic of the City Commander armour 'worn' by Classics Ultra Magnus, including play possibilities with the Dinobots.

I actually hope my review threads turn into the 'impressions' thread, once everyone has got their own, so your photos are a great addition :) Regarding the waist piece, there seems to be one position where it'll sit but fall off with a nudge... and another position where it's fully clipped in. Give it a good push!

Thanks everyone for the kind words, glad you enjoy.

[iceburn]

Stunning photography as always Kurdt. Thanks!

@Heroic: Are those G1 Dinobots? I don't remember them being so small, although it's tough to get perspective when the benchmark is something I don't have.

they are probably the Justitoys WST Dinobots.....

[heroic_decepticon]

ice is on the money. But my, don't those 'lil buggers look like the real stuff.

[iceburn]

ice is on the money. But my, don't those 'lil buggers look like the real stuff.

i'm loving them....i might invest on the black lot if our money does go up higher

[heroic_decepticon]

i'm loving them....i might invest on the black lot if our money does go up higher

Pre-orders for the black lot are already up at the Falcon's Hangar ($150/set). You can order it if you have someone in SG to pick up for you. :p

It's apparently extremely limited with a production run as low as 500 sets worldwide.

[1orion2many]

:)I don't know if anyone else over here besides Kyle and Kurdt has got their CC kits yet so there is no love here in the West for him either:p:D. Keep up the reviews Kurdt as always a quality write up;).

[Kyle]

:)I don't know if anyone else over here besides Kyle and Kurdt has got their CC kits yet so there is no love here in the West for him either:p:D.

*Hides in shame*

[optimus1]

*Hides in shame*

No need to run from me - Iv received mine and I must say I'm very impressed with everything from the design, colour match and overall quality.

It is now one of my favourites in my collection (and I'm an Optimus fan!)

[iceburn]

Pre-orders for the black lot are already up at the Falcon's Hangar ($150/set). You can order it if you have someone in SG to pick up for you. :p

It's apparently extremely limited with a production run as low as 500 sets worldwide.

is that in SG$, A$ or US$?

[blackie]

$SG i think...

[iceburn]

yeap..found the site. looks good. gonna email him and make a deal

[Pulse]

You reckon the diaclone one will see a limited run? Or do you think it was just to test the water?

[iceburn]

i would say a test water...same like the CC Kit in the first place which was intended to be "limited"

[TheDirtyDigger]

When is the CC armour becoming available in VIC and who is taking delivery?

[sifun]

they're being posted individually

[k.wong23]

Something just popped up at my doorstep this morning :D Melbournians be prepared!

[heroic_decepticon]

yeap..found the site. looks good. gonna email him and make a deal

it's in SGD. He won't post overseas or even locally. You'll very likely have to arrange for someone to pick it up.

[Soundwarp]

Thought i'd tag on him and his Namesake:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/soundwarp/PA203786.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/soundwarp/PA203785.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/soundwarp/PA203787.jpg

[k.wong23]

I find the gun looks, sits better and slides in and out of his hands easier this way upside-down:

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/1894/sale001no4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/sale001no4.jpg/1/w640.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img397/sale001no4.jpg/1/)

Of course this is just my personal preference :p

[kurdt_the_goat]

Yeah, like i touched upon in my review, i think the silver end doesn't look like the barrel of a gun as much as the other end! It's a shame the way the wrists and gun handle are angled, it means u have to slightly force it up against the plastic to put it in that position.

[heroic_decepticon]

Is anyone having problems with the groin piece being too loose?

[optimus1]

Is anyone having problems with the groin piece being too loose?

U just have to push it in a bit more and it will click into place, it should b ok then

[llamatron]

Sounds like they're starting to arrive... cannot wait!

[iceburn]

it's in SGD. He won't post overseas or even locally. You'll very likely have to arrange for someone to pick it up.


Got these from Hanger...sad but well, alternative route then



Hi Daniel, apologies but our orders are full now for the Dark Retribution set and we are not able to take on any more orders.

Roy

[heroic_decepticon]

oh, that's unusual. They always have more than ample supply for demand. I guess the Dark Retribution must be either really popular or really limited.

[excelonzero]

Nice review:
and here's my two cents worth:

The transfomation instructions comes as part of a comic. These comics/Instructions show how each piece is to be manuvered.
With a small bonus Story...

Frak'n sweet!

[Pulse]

Mine showed up from RK today - Woo Hoo! :)

Very briefly,
# Luv the comic/instructions - nice change from what were used to
# Plastic Quality is excellent - Feels like an official product! (only much nicer than what HasTak could ever produce... :D)
# & the BFG = As much as I try, I just ain't feeling it... :rolleyes:

Overall = Awesome! Just Plain Awesome! :D

[The_Damned]

nice pics and review cant wait itll mine comes in the mail.

[TheDirtyDigger]

Freaking awesome! I brought my Classics UM into work just so I could play with it and put it all together.
Really great quality!:)

The BFG is just too big and mines going to be posed with his two standard LFG's.

The windvane gun actually really suits this size and style way much more than it ever did the naked version of UM.

[JuzMel]

Is it just mine or does anyone else have a loose waist armour?
Mine seems to slip of easily and doesn't clip on to the waist... :(

[iceburn]

[just being silly] my UM has an invisible kit and it fits perfectly....

[Kyle]

Is it just mine or does anyone else have a loose waist armour?
Mine seems to slip of easily and doesn't clip on to the waist... :(

You're not alone. Most people don't realise that the blue side pieces aren't actually responsible for keeping the waist armour on. You have to push Magnus' crotch into the "cup piece" with a little force, and it'll stay on very well.

[Pulse]

Is it just mine or does anyone else have a loose waist armour?
Mine seems to slip of easily and doesn't clip on to the waist... :(

When you've got some time tonight, sit down with your CCK & watch this (http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=FYhyRTUyOaE) :)

[FFN]

Walky (Shortpacked! creator and an admin of tfwiki.net) gave City Commander a glowing review.

http://shortpacked.livejournal.com/428713.html

[Robzy]

I love this thing! :D

[Tallestblue]

Oooooh. I'm all twitchy with anticipation.

so...ummm...when are ours (Ozformers group order people I mean) shipping?

*Twitch* *Twitch*

[loophole]

With all of these pics of CC i really want now oh and a Classics Magnus too :(

[kup]

Oooooh. I'm all twitchy with anticipation.

so...ummm...when are ours (Ozformers group order people I mean) shipping?

*Twitch* *Twitch*

Kyle said that they are already on their way. They have probably already landed in Australia.

[lcz128]

dunno if you guys've seen this, but I reckon it's flippin sweet! :D
Well done fansproject! Awesome stuff!
http://www.youtube.com/v/NcZvPgNcHI8&hl=en&fs=1

[jacksplatt11]

dunno if you guys've seen this, but I reckon it's flippin sweet! :D
Well done fansproject! Awesome stuff!
http://www.youtube.com/v/NcZvPgNcHI8&hl=en&fs=1

Thanks lcz, that was sweet :D So looking forward to getting my CC.. grrr hurry up

[kup]

That video was awesome!

FansProject should be the new HasTak, they clearly know what they are doing and how to present their products.

[sifun]

I received my CC kit last night-

Very good so far, very good quality plastic used, great CLEAN paint job. <- take note hastak please.

Though there was one thing, with the chest piece, one of the screws popped out, and I wasn't manhandling it at all, wasn't doing anything dodgey, just taking the trailer apart like the instructions said. Popped it back in with a bit of force which was a little scary. I hope it doesn't fall out. Its not a typical pot rivet, i dont know how it stays in there. Would like a spare chest if I could just in case ;)
Those also fearing that the chest piece might scratch magnus base figure, it doesn't grab on that tightly and fits around it nicely so it won't scratch it.

Just be aware to those who have the kit to be careful.

The leg pieces weren't hard to put on, you just have to sought of twist it in. Doesn't require force to put it in and the legs are very solid. Just be mindful of the moving part at the back, with common sense.

After playing it for a while, I think it is all very great, though I think it is missing the ultra magnus patent side missiles. I tried with my reissue magnus and it looks extremely great, but its not something I can leave reissue magnus without.
I wish they would make the addition maybe in the "to be continued" kits in the future of TF paralax. *cough* come on power master prime armor *cough*

on a side note, How many freaking twisty ties does the magnus vs skywarp pack have. god damn annoying! took like a good 10 minutes to get it out hastily.

[Kyle]

Walky (Shortpacked! creator and an admin of tfwiki.net) gave City Commander a glowing review.

http://shortpacked.livejournal.com/428713.html

My best bud at uni is a reader of Shortpacked. He's more a Gundam fan not a transfan though so I never really mentioned City Commander to him. Then yesterday after reading the Shortpacked review he asked me if I've heard of City Commander and if I know where I can find him one. :D



Though there was one thing, with the chest piece, one of the screws popped out, and I wasn't manhandling it at all, wasn't doing anything dodgey, just taking the trailer apart like the instructions said. Popped it back in with a bit of force which was a little scary. I hope it doesn't fall out. Its not a typical pot rivet, i dont know how it stays in there. Would like a spare chest if I could just in case ;)

Let me know if it pops out again. If it does please take a photo for me and I'll see what I can do.

[JuzMel]

You're not alone. Most people don't realise that the blue side pieces aren't actually responsible for keeping the waist armour on. You have to push Magnus' crotch into the "cup piece" with a little force, and it'll stay on very well.


When you've got some time tonight, sit down with your CCK & watch this (http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=FYhyRTUyOaE) :)

Thanks guys and DD too, he actually told me the same thing yesterday on MSN about pushing the armor with a little force. I went back home last night and tried and it clipped on perfectly! :) And sooo some pics of my City Commander!

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r70/milassilem/Transformers/CcKit-1.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r70/milassilem/Transformers/CcKit-2.jpg

I'm proud to say I fixed the kit all by myself without any help from the Boyfriend. But I did manage to get the gun stuck on his left hand and had to use a screw and hammer to get it out. :eek: :rolleyes:

[STL]

Thanks lcz, that was sweet :D So looking forward to getting my CC.. grrr hurry up

+1! Just watched that now! It's an awesome vid!

[Tallestblue]

Kyle said that they are already on their way. They have probably already landed in Australia.

*Girlish Shriek of Joy, Faints*

[Robzy]

dunno if you guys've seen this, but I reckon it's flippin sweet! :D
Well done fansproject! Awesome stuff!
http://www.youtube.com/v/NcZvPgNcHI8&hl=en&fs=1:eek: Amazing vid!!! :eek:

[Borgeman]

:eek: Amazing vid!!! :eek:

maximum coolness factor..... :eek:

George

[sifun]

the metal pin on my chest piece fell out again and is very loose...
Will take a picture later- :(

how does it stay in there? :/

[Kyle]

the metal pin on my chest piece fell out again and is very loose...
Will take a picture later- :(

how does it stay in there? :/

Don't worry I'll fix this for you too. ;)

[FFN]

I got mine this arvo, thanks Kyle and his friends at FansProject!

If I may make a suggestion, FansProject should consider rounding off the corners and edges for their future designs, like Hasbro/Takara does for their toys. My hands kind of hurt because of all the pointy/sharp edges on this set :p

[kup]

My city commander has no 'sharp point' issues, I think its just fine as it is.

You guys have to toughen up! :p

[Tallestblue]

Mine arrived today and i was able to sign for it and not haveta go to the post office to pick it up which almost never happens.

It's...It's a work of art.

I had none of the problems as described on various forums, althought the right hand piece is a bit loose, but a little bit of clear tape on the inside fixed that.

Gods Bless Kyle for letting us get this toy.

[FFN]

Yeah, my right hand/gauntlet piece was loose, too. Too bad, because it's the hand that supports the BFG.

[Kyle]

This is like the second or third time I've heard of this. Mine is not loose though so it's a little tricky for me to figure out what's wrong. But I'll have a look and try to come up with a fix.

[kup]

Mine City Commander fists were pretty stiff (one a bit more than the other) but still confortable enough to move so its just fine.

Its possible that some were not assembled properly and a bit loose but little hic ups like that are unavoidable in anything that is mass produced in a factory.

[jaydisc]

Mine City Commander fists were pretty stiff (one a bit more than the other) but still confortable enough to move so its just fine.

Yeah, one of my hands was so stiff I thought I'd break it by forcing it. I ended up wrapping some cloth around it and used an adjustable wrench for better leverage, and after that first twist, it's now perfect.

[i_amtrunks]

Mine arrived on Friday!

Took my time transforming the set, was unsure of pulling the arms apart, they really didnt want to be separated. Right arm is loose and occasionally slides down, but not off, so thats good. Might just make my CC a leftie! :p

Thanks a heap Kyle this set is awesomesauce!

[Firecracker]

My hands kind of hurt because of all the pointy/sharp edges on this set :p

Well thats more of a construction issue with you than CC... not enough fat on yer fingers. :p Magnus does look very angular though. Seriously, you could lose an eye just looking at him. :D

[kup]

I have transformed it lots of times and I have no issues with any pointy bits.

[heroic_decepticon]

no issues on my side.

[canofwhoopass_87]

Nice review. I'm a big fan of magnus, but the size of that weapon just loses a little too much "realism" for me. Plus it's not an official product. Therefore it must be a KO! :p:p

robotkingdom just restocked on those kits as well after selling out pretty fast. They jacked up the price by 20 beans though. Bastards.

[kup]

Nice review. I'm a big fan of magnus, but the size of that weapon just loses a little too much "realism" for me. Plus it's not an official product. Therefore it must be a KO! :p:p

robotkingdom just restocked on those kits as well after selling out pretty fast. They jacked up the price by 20 beans though. Bastards.

Can't be KO if its not trying to pass off as an existing product :)

[Sam]

I decided to write a short review of the City Commander armour kit. As I have never written a review on toys before, there are most likely aspects to reviewing toys that I am not aware of. If you think my comments are not fair / objective, I'd be happy for you to point this out to me. Thanks.

Packaging and presentation:
The box does not seem bad, if somewhat plain. However, the plastic bubble does a good job of securing the kit, and the instruction book in the form of a comic is definitely a nice, creative touch. The inclusion of decals sealed in its own bag definitely gives the whole kit a sense of "official-ness" (I know that's not really a word). The cardboard box could do with thicker cardboard material being used, but this is only a minor complaint. 9/10

Armour design - combining it with the figure:
The armour comes together fairly nicely, and the way the components are separated and combined to the limbs and torso of the Ultra Magnus figure really shows the designer's creativity. Having a trailer that can separate into various pieces of an armour requires careful planning. However, in my view its design is not without flaws and room for improvement.

First, the arm pieces connect somewhat loosely. There doesn't seem to be in their design that allows them to "catch" onto Magnus' arms. Thus, even after removing the arm pieces once, I could already feel that they were slightly looser than before. The blame probably lies with how Magnus' arms were designed, with the truck's doors being attached to them in a rather awkward alignment. However, I was probably hoping that if the designer could design such a nice set of armour, working his magic on the arm pieces would have been relatively easier.

Second, the hole on the left shoulder armour piece for holding the wind vane blaster could have been made slightly smaller, allowing for a tighter grip. This seems to be made necessary by the fact that the hole is not deep enough for the blaster's handle. As it is with my armour kit, the wind vane blaster does not even fit, the hole is simply too large. The issue may exist because there is variance in the thickness of the blaster's handle, so perhaps this complaint is not entirely fair. At any rate, it is a minor issue.

Third, what seems to be a more serious issue is the difficulty with which I have when attaching the leg armour pieces to Magnus. Even looking at the instruction booklet / comic carefully, I could not help but feel that despite putting the leg in at an angle, I'd eventually have to "force" it in. The plastic turned out to be fairly strong, but for a while I did not wish to chance it. In my mind an additional hinge element near the ankles would have greatly alleviated the problem, and to me seemed like an oversight (though there may have been design decisions I was not aware of which prevented the inclusion of an additional hinge element). The ability of the feet to slant was a good design element.

Finally, my biggest complaint regarding the design of the armour is the big rocket launcher. It isn't that I don't love robots holding big weapons, but it is just too heavy for one arm to hold. I know there is a fix that increases the stiffness of the shoulder / arm, but I think good design should aim to remove the need for such "fixes". Had the rocket launcher been designed to be able to split into two smaller symmetrical weapons, this would not only have retained the rocket launcher option, but also removed this problem.

Despite these issues, the armour is still fairly well designed. 7.5/10

Armour design - articulation:
For armour that is considered bulky, there is surprisingly little sacrifice in the way of articulation for Magnus once the armour is on. The only real complaint I have is that the head only rotates horizontally and not vertically. This is not a big deal, but it did not seem all that difficult to include.

Edit: However Kyle tells me it's actually fixable and that the joint is just too stiff on some of the kits. So new score is: 9/10

Edit: also forgot to include two aspects of the review. See below.

Paint:
The paint quality is very good, all the colours are where they should be, and they don't creep. I see no problems. 10/10

Quality Control:
With the exception of a couple of existing stress marks, the plastic is of good quality. 9/10

Overall: (9 + 7.5 + 9 + 9 + 10) / 5 = 8.9 (out of 10)

[Kyle]

The only real complaint I have is that the head only rotates horizontally and not vertically.

The head can actually turn vertically, but we have to be pretty careful about it:

http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=2357

[liegeprime]

Well you learn about something new each day. I didnt get the feel it could lok up so I didnt even attempt it. roller and kup was telling me to check the head during the fair it was loose enough to look siode to side but up and down well it was kinda resisting so I didnt pursue that idea. This figure add -on is AWESOME!! Wish they'd make a Powermaster Optimus trailer next! THAT would be another AWESOME!:D:D

[Sam]

The head can actually turn vertically, but we have to be pretty careful about it:

http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=2357

Thanks, edited and added to my review.

[kup]

My City Commander also clips fantastically well. Every ends up secured in place including the belt piece.

[k.wong23]

I've done as above and removed the head but he still can't look up and down, oh well :)

[iceburn]

I've done as above and removed the head but he still can't look up and down, oh well :)

bring it to us...we'll fix it :)...

[Grievous]

Well...my Fansproject City Commander set arrived today...
And I have too say I'm very impressed.

Its amazing how this set can transform a white Optimus Prime
repaint into a powerhouse G1 Ultra Magnus...Fantastic...

Thank you Fansproject...this Magnus can clearly deal with
anything and everything...
:D