Do you read instructions first or not?

[STL]

Inspired by Gok's post in the acquisition's thread, do you read your instructions first? Do you watch video reviews where the reviewer transforms? How important is the discovery experience to you?

[jaydisc]

I like to start with a gentle discovery process. After I get it, I go back to the other mode and THEN I hit the instructions to see if there is any extra info, benefits to a preferred order, etc.

I have been know to watch the occasional pre-release review (I'm a sucker for peaugh) showing a transformation when I'm excited about the figure. I did this for much of Animated. However, i don't think I retain enough of a memory between this and release for it to help me figure the figure out.

[Pulse]

Must be force of habit but I always look at the instructicons before I transform a new fig :o (tfing a Alt/Binaltech without instructicons would get me nowhere :D). After I've fiddled with it, I check the instructicons to see where I've transformed it wrong (which seems to happen 9/10 times :o).

I don't make an effort to search for youtube reviews of new figures (there's only one reviewer on my subscription list) but if he's reviewed it, I'll watch it (force of habit again... :rolleyes:).

The very first time I transform & fiddle with a new figure, it's just_plain_fun! :) (I feel like it's Christmas Morning once again - Ooooh! I wonder what new TF I got for myself today... :D)

[heroic_decepticon]

will only look at the instructions after I think (or am confident) that i've more or less figured the TF out. I'll check the instructions to see if there is anything I've missed.

[jacksplatt11]

I usually look at the instructions first cause they usually fall out of the packaging first, so I have a quick look then get into transforming... But for things like legends etc there is no real need for instructions...

I don't make a habit of watching review/transformation videos, but on the odd ocasion I will..

[gamblor916]

I always check the instructions first, less chance of breakage.

[Paulbot]

The $@$&ing Automorph feature in the movie toys made me cautious, broken 74 Bumblebee anyone?

Animated toys are much better but theres still things like Lugnut where you can break the weapon if you transform it the way you'd expect to.

Often a starting point is good though. My Animated Bumblebee for instance was so tightly put together in car mode that nothing seemed to want to move first and I needed to check.

Legends, Realgear, Scouts and, funnily enough most Ultras are easily transformed without instructions.

I find it more fun pre-buying a toy working out in my head how the transformation works based on the pictures, which I've been doing since I was a kid studying the catalogues.

[Metroplex]

I only read the instructions if its really necessary. Ill have a go at transforming the figure myself 1st then if I get stuck ill find a picture on the box or on the net of what it should look like & have another go at transforming it.

[iceburn]

since i'm opening up toys now...i've always ignored instructions first to have a go at the actual transformation process first and evaluate if i like the figure or not.

if i encounter problems...then i'll refer to the instructions.
moreover, if figures are expensive...yes, i'll definitely refer to instructions first. this applies to the CC Kit that will be coming soon

[i_amtrunks]

I try and figure out the transformation with the help of the packaging first, then go to the instructions once I am done/stumped to clarify and make corrections.

I found early on in this hobby that the instructions always have you transforming the figure is a muddled and rather round about way, it's often easier to figure out, and remember your own transformation sequence.

[griffin]

One of the downsides of only referring to instructions with fragile toys or complex ones (which is what I do), is that I often find out later that I missed a feature, gimmick or transformation step, at least on the more complex toys.
I feel that it's like watching a movie - it's only a surprise once, so don't spoil it by reading the script first - I see TFs as puzzles, that give you a sense of acheivement when you figure it out on your own. Every time after that is no challange, so I like to at least once see if I can figure out the 'puzzle'.
If I have any trouble, I do refer to photos on the packaging, and then the instructions as a last resort, or if it is a known fragile toy (MP Starscream).
But like I mentioned above, since I rarely have the time to go back through the instructions, I often find stuff later that would have been revealed in the instructions.
Although rarely, the instructions have been knonw to leave out stuff, making figuring it out one way of finding the 'natural flow of its engineering'. If that makes sense. :)

[dirge]

The $@$&ing Automorph feature in the movie toys made me cautious, broken 74 Bumblebee anyone?

Yeah but that was a case of defective engineering/manufacturing.

There are some which can be easy to break if you're not careful - Greenscream's soft model-style plastic springs to mind... :mad:

[Golden Phoenix]

I'll use them the first time, just so I don't break it, but that would be the only time. Unless I am having major problems then they wont see the light of day again

[Kyle]

Machine Men are a lot more popular than Barbie.

[k.wong23]

I try to figure it out myself but generally I am hopeless and it will look like a P.O.S lol, hence I like to follow the instructions generally so I don't miss anything :)

[1orion2many]

:)I generally read the instructions but we all know how good theyare:rolleyes::D

[GoktimusPrime]

Hasbro instructions are often useless but Takara instructions are better drawn and have text!* Why does Hasbro assume that we're illiterate? They had text in G1 instructions... the poorly drawn illustrations on Hasbro instructions don't help either.

But pictures speak a thousand words and it would be so much more useful if Hasbro instructions were better drawn. The fact that a lot of Japanese-illiterate fans are able to use Masterpiece and Binaltech instructions shows how well drawn they are IMO.

I often spend a lot of time staring back and forth between the toy and pictures in Hasbro instructions... then just giving up and trying to figure it out for myself. Gah. And I don't like that because I'm one of those people who has to use the instructions for the first time (it's my quirk). :p

________________________
*yeah, I know the text is in Japanese, but that of course is their primary market so it works for them. I don't see why Hasbro cannot have text written in English on their instructions as we had in G1. (-_-)

[Pulse]

Machine Men are a lot more popular than Barbie.

That's why Barbie still exists today & the Machine Men died long ago... :D

[hotaru_oz]

I tend to read the instructions first just to make sure I don't break anything, but for the more complex toy I look up a vid on the net (Binaltech Sideswipe I'm looking at you)

[Gutsman Heavy]

I don't but I should.

[STL]

Things are tied? :eek: Much different to what i was expecting...

[heroic_decepticon]

I tend to read the instructions first just to make sure I don't break anything, but for the more complex toy I look up a vid on the net (Binaltech Sideswipe I'm looking at you)

BT-Grimlock's probably worse. When transforming from robot back to car, I was struggling for 30mins before i gave up and looked at the instructions :mad: (which i dont usually look at).

[Pulse]

I bet you're referring to the shoulder/arm section (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/toys/alternators/wheeljack/559/1/42/)... I thought my Wheeljack was busted before it clicked into place... (What a horrible transformation!)

[Soundwarp]

N E V E R !

[STL]

BT-Grimlock's probably worse. When transforming from robot back to car, I was struggling for 30mins before i gave up and looked at the instructions :mad: (which i dont usually look at).

Oh yes, that was my first ever concession of the modern transformers. Up to that point, no BT had frustrated me. Not one. I'd figured them all out and then there was Grimlock. The worst part was that the instructions barely helped. I eventually figured it out but then voila Wheeljack came along and I realised I forgot again. It was infuriating. Probably the worst one I've ever had to figure out and I still dread transforming him.

The only other one that comes to mind is TFM Ironhide. Robot mode's not hard, it's getting it back to alt mode that's a pain and I gave up and returned to my instructions but they were no help either till I perused Seibertron.com's galleries. Thank god for those.

[1orion2many]

:)Let's see a pic of your Barbies jgon2098:p:D.

[Geminii]

Pretty much always, if only to check that I have all the parts I'm supposed to, that the toy is in good enough shape to transform via the official sequence, and to see if there are any minigimmicks I should know about.

After transforming it once according to the instructions, and making sure everything checks out, I put the instructions away and never refer to them again. :)

[Thanatos]

I always check the instructions first, less chance of breakage.

Yep. That's my reasoning too.

[liegeprime]

This is why I appreciate very much my Activators Bumblebee, no need for long instructions, just push the button viola!! instant bot hehehe:D. Vote in - read it when Im stuck while figuring it out mostly at first. BUT if its like MPs and Alts I dont skip on the instructions, as these guys are a bit more complex, not that the instructions for Alts are making it any clearer at times it makes it more confusing since there's no words describing what to pull where in the pics. LEGO instructions are FAR MORE useful actually.:p

[dirge]

Hasbro instructions are often useless but Takara instructions are better drawn and have text!* Why does Hasbro assume that we're illiterate?


Most likely so they don't need to produce different versions for different markets (USA, Canada, Europe, can all use one).



They had text in G1 instructions... the poorly drawn illustrations on Hasbro instructions don't help either.


More annoying for me is the littany of mistransformed toys pictured on the packaging. I like to work it out for myself, using the pictures are reference when needed. It's hard to do this when you can't trust the picture... :(

[MV75]

Hasbro instructions are often useless but Takara instructions are better drawn and have text!* Why does Hasbro assume that we're illiterate? They had text in G1 instructions... the poorly drawn illustrations on Hasbro instructions don't help either.

But pictures speak a thousand words and it would be so much more useful if Hasbro instructions were better drawn. The fact that a lot of Japanese-illiterate fans are able to use Masterpiece and Binaltech instructions shows how well drawn they are IMO.

I often spend a lot of time staring back and forth between the toy and pictures in Hasbro instructions... then just giving up and trying to figure it out for myself. Gah. And I don't like that because I'm one of those people who has to use the instructions for the first time (it's my quirk). :p

________________________
*yeah, I know the text is in Japanese, but that of course is their primary market so it works for them. I don't see why Hasbro cannot have text written in English on their instructions as we had in G1. (-_-)

Yep, that's why I put forward the question for the Hasbro question group on if they can make it like G1 instructions again with written directions.

I do find the pictures can be too confusing, and probably why I really disliked cybertron unicron and crosswise.


More annoying for me is the littany of mistransformed toys pictured on the packaging. I like to work it out for myself, using the pictures are reference when needed. It's hard to do this when you can't trust the picture... :(

Why I use the instructions. :) Or in same cases, try to. Probably why they are mistransformed, the people that take the shots can't follow the frustrating instructions. :D

[The_Damned]

there is no option for if you get stuck ;)

[Kyle]

:)Let's see a pic of your Barbies jgon2098:p:D.

+ 1. :p

[jgon2098]

When i got my g1 megatron today. i had to look at the instructions... i found it impossible to transform without the instructions, and it just seemed really fragile so i didnt want to break it

[Robzy]

Always (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=55994&postcount=393)

[dirge]

Why I use the instructions. :) Or in same cases, try to. Probably why they are mistransformed, the people that take the shots can't follow the frustrating instructions. :D

Yeah but the instructions are often vague or ambiguous, and on occasion get it wrong, too. Which is essentially the same complaint (carelessness).

[STL]

When i got my g1 megatron today. i had to look at the instructions... i found it impossible to transform without the instructions, and it just seemed really fragile so i didnt want to break it

Maybe you should stick to Barbie? :D

[STL]

there is no option for if you get stuck ;)

:o I tried to think of them all but then got stuck. :eeK: Oh the irony. :D

[blackie]

pfft real men dont read the instructions :P

[Pulse]

pfft real men dont read the instructions :P

I'm ashamed to admit I needed instructions when transforming RiD Sideburn (for the 1st time) & MP Megs (for the first 5 times)... :o

[Autocon]

i always read the instructions

once ive transformed the figure i may need it again or not
BW are easy and some have the same transformation as others
movie line is a bit more difficult

[JuzMel]

You wanna tell me what is "I like barbie".... :rolleyes:

[kup]

It depends how I feel. Sometimes I will read instructions and sometimes I won't.

However the most common thing I do is try to transform the figure myself and after I am done, check the instructions (and online pics) to see if i got it right. There are some exceptions to this rule such as the more fragile or expensive figrues such as Binaltech in which I will study the instructions carefully so that I don't break it.

[STL]

Boy, we've got a lot of pansies on this board. Oh well, that just makes it easier for us real men to stand out.

[heroic_decepticon]

To each his/her own I think.

Still, I hardly think reading instructions is necessary (I just prefer not to, but that is me) no matter how expensive the toy is- these are made, for kids, to play with and usually will not break unless excessive force is used, manufacturing defects aside.

[STL]

Still, I hardly think reading instructions is necessary (I just prefer not to, but that is me) no matter how expensive the toy is- these are made, for kids, to play with and usually will not break unless excessive force is used, manufacturing defects aside.

Yeah, banter aside, I agree with that assessment. I do think though that in recent times toys have become harder to transform with higher technical transformations. I mean I envy any child who had to transformer Ult BB or TFM Ironhide or TFM Prime. Those are very difficult transformations. The present TFA Ultra Magnus' arms are pretty hard to get right too I'd imagine so I can imagine instructions are useful in those instances.

For me personally, I refuse to consult instructions unless I've been lost for quite sometime. Even then I leave the toy and then come back to it later/another day to try again. Only after that do I consult instructions. There's just no satisfaction for me from reading the instructions, watching video reviews b/c that takes away a lot of the fun I get when I discovery a figure for the first time. That's even more so that we don't exactly break our figures out and play with them these days so there's a lot of fun in that first transformation. Once you've learnt it, it might be cool to transform again but its not quite the same as the first time. Kinda like the 1st night you spend with a new girlfriend. The first time's magic then after that it's still fun but that sense of mystery/the unknown has gone away.

I think the two that spring to mind where I consulted instructions were TFM Ironhide and the aforementioned BT Grimlock/Wheeljack. In neither case did the instructions prove very useful. :( I used it on MP-05 too though I knew exactly what was going on but was just very iffy about pulling on the leg since the force i was using seemed a lot.

[Stompy]

I'm one of the pansies!

I use instructions the first time round and then subsequent conversions are without instructions. I just don't want to break the figures. Although I must admit a lot of the official instructions are vague or could have been redone for a more suitable and easier conversion.

TFM Ironhide was no problem getting into robot but it was darn annoying to get it back to truck mode. But on closer inspection there's grooves that a couple of pegs rest on in truck mode that actually helps position those waist panels perfectly.

[heroic_decepticon]

I'm with you there STL- only time I used instructions was for BT-Grimlock and MP-05. For MP-05, I would have been happy to use more force, but that was before i realised that some of the apparently metal looking chrome parts were actually plastic.

***

I think that there's an apparent contradiction for fans who enjoy the engineering aspect of Transformers but who nonetheless use instructions to transform their toys.

Transforming them without instructions, and figuring out the engineering, goes hand in hand with appreciating it. Each toy is designed with a certain logic- ie catches, joints, clips, etc. If a part won't bulge, its an opportunity to delve into the engineering and figure 'which buttons to push' and which way to push them.

The only thing remotely constructive in the instructions is a warning to the effect of 'toy is designed such that excessive force is not needed to transform toy'. And so if at any one point we find ourselves using excessive force (which admittedly is a subjective concept depending on the individual), we should go back and explore the engineering a little bit more to figure out what exactly should be done.

And this brings those fans full circle to their appreciation of the engineering aspect of Transformers.

[jaydisc]

TFM Ironhide was no problem getting into robot but it was darn annoying to get it back to truck mode. But on closer inspection there's grooves that a couple of pegs rest on in truck mode that actually helps position those waist panels perfectly.

Same. Getting to robot was easy, but getting back to alt mode was tough. I actually had to put it down and come back later.

Now, I just memorize that the thighs rotate four clicks before sticking them back into the body. :D

[SilverDragon]

I look at the instructions first. Given the cost of Transformers, I really don't want to break anything!