Articulated G1's = Cool! :)

[Pulse]

Looking through Sector70, I stumbled across Turboedguy's work & I knew you guys had to check these out :).

So far he's reworked Bluestreak (http://www.sector70.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=985), Tracks (http://www.sector70.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=986), Wheeljack (http://www.sector70.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=987), Grapple (http://www.sector70.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=988), Mirage (http://www.sector70.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=982), Jazz (http://www.sector70.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=983) & Red Alert (http://www.sector70.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=984) and the fact that their Altmode is unaffected by the mods - What more could you ask for? :)

[GoktimusPrime]

While I appreciate the effort, I can't say that they impress me. Classics/Henkei/Universe are a much better form of seeing G1 toys realised with modern toy engineering (which goes beyond just articulation). JMO.

[TheDirtyDigger]

OMFG!!!!:eek: These guys rock! :):):)
Wheeljack looks absolutely rockin'!
If I had this guy's skills or incriminating photos to blackmail him with I wouldn't need to be buying Classics. Very, very well done!

[Hereticpoo]

They are really good. But you'd have to be confident in your abilities, otherwise you'd just mangle up a G1! :) Somebody save the precious G1 figures!.

[jacksplatt11]

Awesome :D

[kup]

Ha! When I look at my G1s I always thought that it would not be that difficult to give them modern joints and articulation without modifying the present engineering!

This guy has realized what I was thinking!

The poses sure change the personality of the toy even though essentially its the same thing!

[jaydisc]

They are really good. But you'd have to be confident in your abilities, otherwise you'd just mangle up a G1! :) Somebody save the precious G1 figures!.

http://lindalane.com/temporary/tf/mrs_lovejoy.jpg
"Won't somebody please think of the G1 figures!"

[Vector Sigma 13]

Eggzellent!

[Hereticpoo]

http://lindalane.com/temporary/tf/mrs_lovejoy.jpg
"Won't somebody please think of the G1 figures!"

LMAO! :D

[Zippo]

Damn they are awesome!

[STL]

:eek:

I have a very sore jaw after it hit the floor. Whoa.

[gamblor916]

It's amazing how a few small tweaks make a big improvement.

[Gutsman Heavy]

wow

[Pulse]

They are really good. But you'd have to be confident in your abilities, otherwise you'd just mangle up a G1! :) Somebody save the precious G1 figures!.

I'd say it's a given that this guy saved those previously-less-than-mint G1s from a trip to the Junkion Planet... :)

[Robzy]

:eek: They are simply amazing!!! That Bluestreak is brilliant! :eek:

[GoktimusPrime]

It's possible that he might've used reissues and/or KOs too. I would hate to think that he savaged some C-6 (or better) G1 TFs for these customs.

[TheDirtyDigger]

I thought some were reissues [/guess] but I think it'd be worth savaging originals when they turn out this good.

[kup]

It's possible that he might've used reissues and/or KOs too. I would hate to think that he savaged some C-6 (or better) G1 TFs for these customs.

Jazz is definitely a reissue.

Even if they were original G1, if they were junkers he sure has given them a new life!

However I do agree that its bad to modify/kitbash good condition vintage G1 figures, particularly the lost mold ones. There are too few out there.

[Wheel-J]

Not that I am being loyal to my char, but I find wheeljack to be the most improved amongst imo. :)

[Lint]

Impressive, he's transformed G1 transformers so that they can do what I always wanted them to be able to do.

[ChlorHex]

Amazing... added articulation yet fully transformable!
Sweeeeeeet!
Just wondering how he does the joints... :confused:

[liegeprime]

Nice use of Gundam parts. This guy has a lot of patience and imagination and oodles of skill to attempt these. Wonderfully done.

[Adzma]

:eek: I wish I had skill.

[Pulse]

I just knew I had to update this with Turboedguy's Prime with LED's (http://www.sector70.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1007) (scroll down) & Hound (http://www.sector70.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1028). Man, that Prime is just wayyyy cool! :)

[kup]

Hound must have been a particularly difficult challenge due to his tiny arms.

[Kyle]

That Prime is AWESOME! Those lights burn my eyes.

[Golden Phoenix]

I just knew I had to update this with Turboedguy's Prime with LED's (http://www.sector70.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1007) (scroll down) & Hound (http://www.sector70.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1028). Man, that Prime is just wayyyy cool! :)

I am surprised HasTak hasn't done something like that. Have they?

[blackie]

I am surprised HasTak hasn't done something like that. Have they?

well they LOVE convoy and they love silly, money making gimics, so why shouldn't they

[kup]

I am surprised HasTak hasn't done something like that. Have they?

That would have been the PERFECT 25th Anniversary toy.

[liegeprime]

I am surprised HasTak hasn't done something like that. Have they?

It hasnt surprised me. First reason Hasbro is a business - so it means more $$$ for less work effort is more valued. They already have the mold and making these "modifications" will cost $$$ which will have to be taken out of their coffers. So in their eyes, meh, Convoy sells anyway as it is, lets just add some other gimmicks not thought off by the fans ( else they'd be construed as copying a fan instead of vice versas).

These look sweet as. hope he does decepticons too, Id like to see what he will do with the seekers as they have no elbows and knee areas- hed have to cut em.

[Golden Phoenix]

It hasnt surprised me. First reason Hasbro is a business - so it means more $$$ for less work effort is more valued. They already have the mold and making these "modifications" will cost $$$ which will have to be taken out of their coffers. So in their eyes, meh, Convoy sells anyway as it is, lets just add some other gimmicks not thought off by the fans ( else they'd be construed as copying a fan instead of vice versas).

These look sweet as. hope he does decepticons too, Id like to see what he will do with the seekers as they have no elbows and knee areas- hed have to cut em.

I was thinking more of just a new mould prime with lights that are supposed to headlights

[GoktimusPrime]

Isn't that what Classics/Universe/Henkei is meant to be? (i.e.: G1 made with modern toy engineering) - Masterpiece takes it to a different level.

IMHO Classics Mirage > articulated G1 Mirage. There's also the fact that in some cases it's easier to make the toy from scratch. e.g.: HasTak have lost the G1 Mirage mould, so it would be extremely difficult and cost-prohibitive for them to rebuild the mould and then on top of that extensively retool it to make it articulated and durable. Considering that rebuilding the basic mould isn't even feasible for a standard reissue of that toy, I cannot see how they could justify rebuilding the mould and then adding on the additional cost of redesigning it to make it articulated and all that.

Overall I'm satisfied with Classics/Henkei/Universe being the new G1... and to me, retooling G1 moulds is kinda cheap - I'd much rather see new designs.

[Golden Phoenix]

Isn't that what Classics/Universe/Henkei is meant to be? (i.e.: G1 made with modern toy engineering) - Masterpiece takes it to a different level.

Masterpiece was supposed to be G1 made with modern engineering, so they resembled the G1 Cartoon character model in both forms.
Classics/Universe/Henkei was supposed to be a re-imagination. Kind of like the Hearts of Steal, only basing them on more current (looking) vehicles. A modern update of sorts.
Or at least that was the vibe I got from them

[Pulse]

These look sweet as. hope he does decepticons too, Id like to see what he will do with the seekers as they have no elbows and knee areas- hed have to cut em.

I'll keep a lookout for any more of his work but in the meantime, here's Tom Servo's articulated Pointblank & Peacemaker (http://www.sector70.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1024) :)




oh & how cute is this guy? :D

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l141/misterroundheels/Pointblank028.jpg

[GoktimusPrime]

Classics/Universe/Henkei was supposed to be a re-imagination. Kind of like the Hearts of Steal, only basing them on more current (looking) vehicles. A modern update of sorts.
Or at least that was the vibe I got from them
Well, they're more like a re-imagining of Generation 2. Canonically Classics takes place after G1 but before G2, effectively cancelling out G2 continuity. So in the Classics Universe, everything in G1 occurred up until the Battle of Klo (ignoring the now retconned out-of-continuity Earthforce Saga) and continues from there instead of G2. So whereas originally the Transformers were rebuilt from their G1 forms to their G2 forms (with the exception of Megatron and to a much lesser extent Sideswipe, it wasn't a very dramatic 'upgrade' for most of them :p) the G1 Transformers have now been upgraded into their Classics forms (although it feels like a downgrade for Swoop and Ultra Magnus IMO ;p).

That's how I playing my Classics/Henkei/Universe toys - as a continuation of G1 and alternate universe to G2.

Some Classics/Universe characters have been cropping up in All Hail Megatron though, which is of course an entirely separate entity from the mainstream Classics (Timelines) universe.

[Golden Phoenix]

Well, they're more like a re-imagining of Generation 2. Canonically Classics takes place after G1 but before G2, effectively cancelling out G2 continuity. So in the Classics Universe, everything in G1 occurred up until the Battle of Klo (ignoring the now retconned out-of-continuity Earthforce Saga) and continues from there instead of G2. So whereas originally the Transformers were rebuilt from their G1 forms to their G2 forms (with the exception of Megatron and to a much lesser extent Sideswipe, it wasn't a very dramatic 'upgrade' for most of them :p) the G1 Transformers have now been upgraded into their Classics forms (although it feels like a downgrade for Swoop and Ultra Magnus IMO ;p).

That's how I playing my Classics/Henkei/Universe toys - as a continuation of G1 and alternate universe to G2.

Some Classics/Universe characters have been cropping up in All Hail Megatron though, which is of course an entirely separate entity from the mainstream Classics (Timelines) universe.

Yes but the only real fiction to come from Classics was the Timelines comics, and they were done so the figures had a continuity. While being made, they were just G1 done now

[kup]

This upgrades have nothing to do with fiction reimaginings, retcons, etc. They also have nothing to do with MODERN DESIGN recreations of these characers such as Classics.

They are Upgraded G1 toys with modern engineering.

If I had been in charge at Hasbro, I would have made a limited subline of such upgraded designs for the 25th Anniversary toys.

[blackie]

If I had been in charge at Hasbro, I would have made a limited subline of such upgraded designs for the 25th Anniversary toys.

i like it. a lot
they would sell like hotcakes
so, how do we make you the head honcho of hasbro...?

[GoktimusPrime]

If I had been in charge at Hasbro, I would have made a limited subline of such upgraded designs for the 25th Anniversary toys.
...that doesn't sound like a terribly profitable idea to me. G1 has limited appeal to children.
RE: Marketability of G1 toys, even with improved articulation.
RE: Cost of producing G1 toys and re-engineering them with articulation (as detailed in an earlier post).

Remember that you need to make the toys cost-effective and appealing to children in order for it to sell. If you're going to market it toward collectors then you need to be much, much more cost-effective. You never see that kind of budget being allocated to collector-centric TF lines. We either get:
+ Reissues
+ Repaints (sometimes w/ minor retooling, like a new head - and even then sold at a premium)
+ Relatively simple/poor original figures, i.e.: Titanium Series

To create a line of re-engineered G1 reissues sounds so expensive that I don't think that HasTak could justify it. The reports of Encore Metroplex and Omega Supreme shelf-warming atm shows the pitfall of high-end priced collector-focused TF products.

[kup]

the fun of the thread has been sucked out by contemporary economics :(

[GoktimusPrime]

Reality slap'd! :p You can still enjoy them as customs... but yeah, they don't seem terribly feasible as a mass-produced toyline for HasTak. Sorry. :) That's the difficulty of being a professional toy designer... it's not just about being able to design cool toys, you have to be able to stick within pre-defined limits like budget, price point, marketability etc etc. Godbomber's a good example of this (compare the prototype w/ the actual product).