What's with calling Transformers by their ID numbers?

[Sky Shadow]

Unless there's a good reason that I'm missing (other than laziness with typing) can people please stop calling Masterpiece toys solely by their ID numbers? It's getting ridiculous the number of entire posts (and even threads) where Ozformers are calling their toys MP-2/MP-4/MP-8 etc. without once referring to the toys by name. I think it's safe to say that most of us know our toys by their names rather than numbers and it's frustrating to look up ID numbers to work out what people are talking about. There's no precedent for this behaviour - if there was, then the various Ozformers forums would have looked like this for years:

"TRF-02 is just wrong. 16 is a gun, not a tank!"
"My X-2 arrived the other day - I had no idea it was a working waterfall!"
"Cool isn't it - maybe even better than VS-X1?"
"I wish my ex-girlfriend hadn't lost the missiles for S-3."
"X-8 is a fantastic recolour of the best Transformer ever (other than Lugnut)!"
"They finally released a MX-00 after all these years!"
'I would have bought 90 if they'd called it Spin-Out."
"Really? I just bought 64 - it was kind of pricey but inevitably its value will only go up."
"I can't believe the new reissue of 01 is pink. It's rubbish compared to C-001, MC-01, BR-01, TM-01, TRF-01, GC-01 or any C-01 ever. Heck, even SC-01 was better than this crap."
"Why would I need a MP-08 when I have a perfectly good 26?"

(And so on.) My point is that this ID number thing has never been prevalent before so I have no idea why it's flourishing now. Unless there's a good reason, please stop before my head explodes! Thank you for your time. (Comments and alternate POVs are, of course, welcome.)

[Pulse]

You don't know the MP numbers off by heart? & you call yourself a TF Person? :D

I just find it a force of habit to call MP Prime w/trailer as MP-4 and MP Megs as MP-5. Ok then, For the future - I'll try not to refer to MP's by their numbers. :)

[GoktimusPrime]

I'm not bothered by it. These are official designations for these toys.
X-9 = BW Ravage/Jaguar... and they're not as ambiguous as another fan-abbreviation which I shan't mention. Strangely enough Japanese fans don't usually refer to TFs by these codes though although they do have other odd abbreviations, like Starscream ("Sutaasukuriimu" in Japanese phonetics) is called "Sutasuku." :p

[Paulbot]

With the Masterpieces I never noticed is as a problem because there were so few of them. However you're right as the line's growing it is unclear. I've got no idea if MP08 is Thundercracker or Grimlock or someone else.

But on the otherhand there's also the problem that if person A says "Masterpiece Optimus Prime" there's going to be person B saying "You mean Convoy" and all that business, and MP04 removed that sort of thing.

I've seen some Galaxy Force numbers get mentioned a bit too which are much more obscure, but I can't remember if the names were included too.

[TheDirtyDigger]

It was better when Ozformers had identification numbers themselves on the old board.

Isn't that right 3047?

[Hereticpoo]

Woah man! Chill! :D
I say MP-1, MP-2, etc because I'm lazy. I used to wonder what RM- stood for....I know its Robot Masters now. So just have a guess or use google.

Also WE ARE Australian, abbreviation and slang is a cultural must for us! :)

[kup]

I only refer to the Japanese Masterpiece toys by number mainly to avoid confusion between MP1 and MP4.

....The lazy factor also has a lot to do with it :)

[dirge]

"I can't believe the new reissue of 01 is pink. It's rubbish compared to C-001, MC-01, BR-01, TM-01, TRF-01, GC-01 or any C-01 ever. Heck, even SC-01 was better than this crap."


Thanks man, that's the best laugh I've had in ages!

I agree, btw. I've never understood the fascination with calling Masterpiece toys by their number. In the case of Convoy who was released twice, I can deal with it, but otherwise it strikes me as needless jargon.

[Lint]

I find it totally acceptable for Masterpieces. Everything else is just silly.

Using code names for masterpieces will probably become silly after 12, especially if the majority of them are repaints. Though by that stage they'll probably have phased out masterpiece and replaced it with a 'fresh' line.

[jaydisc]

Hey man, don't get agro in the arvo about the abbros or I'll tell OP on you.

[Golden Phoenix]

It is a secret test to see who is a real Transformers Fan:p
(Shh The trick is to pretend to know what they are referring to. I do it all the time)

[jaydisc]

It's an anti-scalping measure.

[Adzma]

I'm guessing this thread was started because of my warning about the MP-2 :p Masterpiece Ultra Magnus reissue QC. I only refer to Masterpieces by their number, and it's for two reasons:

(1). I'm lazy and typing MP-4 for example is quicker than typing Masterpiece Convoy Perfect Edition

(2).The very first time I saw Masterpiece Convoy (the first one that is) it was introduced to me as MP-01 Convoy.

[Sky Shadow]

I'm guessing this thread was started because of my warning about the MP-2 :p Masterpiece Ultra Magnus reissue QC

It wasn't just you Adzma, it's something I've been noticing for a long while and - as per my reasoning in my original post - it strikes me as bizarre. Interesting names and personalities were amongst the main reasons that Transformers 'beat' early Machine Men/Robo/GoBots. Going back to impersonal and unintelligible ID codes feels counterintuitive and goes against what made (and makes) Transformers special. (For some reason, it seems to me a bit like throwing out your DVD player and replacing it with a Beta video player and some Laserdiscs.)

[GoktimusPrime]

Laserdisc does produce better quality than DVD. Although DVD is far more convenient, cheaper and easier to get. :)

[jaydisc]

Laserdisc does produce better quality than DVD. Although DVD is far more convenient, cheaper and easier to get. :)

No way. Laserdisc is analog.

[GoktimusPrime]

Perhaps I'm just remembering it more fondly. :p I have a broken LD player sitting in my closet... haven't been ar**d to get it fixed... I sold off most of my LDs after getting a DVD player.

[k.wong23]

hmm I thought it really only was relevant to the Masterpiece line...

[iceburn]

out of topic

i'm icebu12n = iceburn!! *haha*

17 31707 1

[Golden Phoenix]

i'm icebu12n = iceburn!! *haha*

:eek:No way, who would have thought

[STL]

(1). I'm lazy and typing MP-4 for example is quicker than typing Masterpiece Convoy Perfect Edition


That's me right there. :o

[griffin]

I think for MP01 and MP04 it makes it easier to differentiate between them, especially for trades. It might also be necessary for MP05 to be referred to that instead of its 'more searchable' real name in certain topics (not that it would actually protect anyone legally though).
When we had about 4 of them, it was easy to know which was being referred to, as we abbreviate as much as possible (especially in titles with limited space), but now that we are up to 8, it is indeed starting to confuse people.
I won't be enforcing anything, but it is always recommended to post what is easiest for others to read.

[jaydisc]

The thing I don't understand is why some people pad the Masterpiece number with a 0. My MP-4 has no 0 (thus not MP04/MP-04).

Is it just hope that the masterpiece line will make it to 10?

[GoktimusPrime]

MP0001. ;) It's a good point though... when I see "MP01" my mind's voice actually says "Em-Pee-Oh-Wun." :p