The Random Transformers Thoughts Thread

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27th August 2022, 07:29 PM
GoktimusPrime

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bidoofdude

I would have thought half of the problem with such a figure though is that he’d still be grey or silver, which dashes hopes of even a space gun alt mode. Sixshot is teal and purple, Shockwave is deep purple. The two options would then be a grey cartoon-accurate Megatron with a compromised tank alt mode, or a multi-coloured (thus inaccurate) Megatron with a fantasy gun mode that loosely resembles the Walther- pretty much defeats the point of having a Studio Series 86 Megatron in the first place.

Don't forget that, legally speaking, colour is irrelevant. All that matters is the shape/design of the toy gun. This is why Hasbro's attempt to reissue G1 Megatron in bright orange and chrome blue was knocked back by their legal department. So long as the toy looks like a Walther P38; even if you made it canary yellow - it would classify as an imitation firearm. The orange/red cap that they put on the tips of toy guns is there to stop parents from complaining, as apparently it is parents who whinge if they see toy guns being sold without brightly coloured caps/barrel tips. It is legally meaningless, and also why simply slapping these colours on the gun barrel tip does nothing to change one's ability to import or legally own a G1 or MP Megatron in this country (ex. SA, WA); e.g. with all the legal requirements for us NSW collectors, colour is none of them.

I was wondering how close Hasbro could get to designing a toy pistol that doesn't resemble any actual real life guns, but looks like it could be one. We do know that Hasbro can make Megatron transform into a Nerf pistol, as it's obviously happened with Classics Megatron (which Takara gave more G1-accurate colours for on the Henkei and United repaints). While Classics Megatron was an N-Strike Maverick, perhaps Hasbro could revisit this idea with Megatron as a more realistic looking Nerf gun, like the Nerf Rival Kronos XVIII-500.
https://i.ibb.co/LYV5Vzs/temp.jpg
Nerf Rival is the Nerf equivalent of Masterpiece; it's their high end adult collector-centric series of Nerf guns. The N-Strike Maverick was drawn from Nerf's regular mainline guns (I bought one from Big W :p). As a non-functioning Transformer Nerf gun, there shouldn't be any legal issue with having Megatron transform into a Rival Kronos XVIII-500. Hasbro would most likely still give this toy an orange tip, but the rest of the toy can have G1 Megatron colours (re: Reveal the Shield Megatron). Heck, give the toy cartoony G1 Megatron grey colours instead of a more realistic gunmetal grey, black or silver. i.e. the same grey as Siege/Earthrise Megatron.

I know that Classics Megatron was a big shellformer, but this was a toy that came out in 2006. Surely by 2022 standards they could give us a better Nerf gun Megatron that doesn't end up being such a massive shellformer.
29th August 2022, 01:09 PM
Tha_Phantom

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime

I was listening to some podcast about some dude's wishlist to see the remaining TFTM cast in Studio Series 86 or similar adjacent lines like Legacy or its successor. One wish was to see Megatron in SS86, even if he's still a tank, but just with a more G1 cartoon-like robot mode.

If they're going to do another CHUG tank Megatron, even with a more G1 cartoony robot mode, I'm not sure if I'd get it. My CW & LG Megatrons already have a pretty realistic looking M1A1 Abrams tank mode, and my Siege Megatron already has a more G1 cartoony robot mode. A super cartoony CHUG robot mode might not be enough to sway me cos... I have MPs. :p Seriously, this is why I skipped toys like ER Grapple etc. - CHUGs can be less appealing to me if the MP already exists.

But, I would consider getting a new CHUG Megatron (be it SS86 or otherwise) if it had a Not-Gun mode disguised as something else; similar to what they did with Siege Shockwave. Make it a generic pistol that might be a vague approximation of a Walther P38, but really isn't. Then give him a bunch of accessories that make him a tank. If you remove these extra parts and "mistransform" the toy, it becomes a pistol. Just don't document it and let fans work it out. Make it a Voyager that's sold at a Leader Class price point like Siege Shockwave. Heck, you could even have the barrel of the gun be a detachable accessory that isn't documented to attach to the chamber, but it can anyway.

What do you reckon? Could Hasbro get away with this?

I don't want a straight up scifi/fantasy gun for Megatron though. We already have Classics/Henkei/United Megatron for that.

I agree with your desire for an SS86 Megatron with secret gun mode, but thinking about "could Hasbro get away with this?" I'd say probably not, unfortunately.
Even if the gun mode isn't advertised or documented in any way, all it takes is one, just one nutjob to take said gun mode out in public and cause a major headache for Hasbro's brand reputation as well as our fandom.
There could also be legal implications of Hasbro's staff talking behind the scenes about including a gun mode in a toy. Even if it's never implied in any promotional material, the fact they went to an effort to make it possible could still be a potential legal headache for Hasbro if anyone decides to investigate.
29th August 2022, 04:42 PM
JJJ

I'm absolutely certain that Hasbro legal has flatly issued a directive that a gun Megatron will just not happen again. Too much bother and potential trouble (lawsuits, not simply bad PR) for too little return, and that's for within the US with their pro-gun fetishisation, let alone anywhere else.

And it'll be the kind of directive that has you before HR and out the door if you discuss ways of getting around it.
29th August 2022, 04:51 PM
Tha_Phantom

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJJ

Too much bother and potential trouble (lawsuits, not simply bad PR) for too little return

Yeah, this. I don't see Hasbro dying on that hill just to appease a minority of fans (I mean most are fine with Megatron being a tank even if it's not a preference).
29th August 2022, 07:20 PM
Skyfire

They should do a core class SS86 Megatron similar to the Reveal the Shield/EZ Collection mould.
29th August 2022, 08:05 PM
Golden Phoenix

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyfire

They should do a core class SS86 Megatron similar to the Reveal the Shield/EZ Collection mould.

What about going down the Shockwave route.

"It's not an upside down gun. It's a submarine/spaceship we swear"
31st August 2022, 07:45 PM
Sinnertwin

Dude was a gun for 5 seconds 40 years ago, and while I understand Hasbro milking the 35+ year olds market for nostalgia, I wouldn't be fussed it if it didn't happen.
7th September 2022, 01:35 PM
Bidoofdude

What does the GTS in Ransack/Override/Brakedown GTS stand for? It’s not on the packaging or bio as far as I know.
7th September 2022, 02:50 PM
DELTAprime

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bidoofdude

What does the GTS in Ransack/Override/Brakedown GTS stand for? It’s not on the packaging or bio as far as I know.

I always assumed it was just taken from the car industry.
15th September 2022, 04:41 PM
Tetsuwan Convoy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bidoofdude

What does the GTS in Ransack/Override/Brakedown GTS stand for? It’s not on the packaging or bio as far as I know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DELTAprime

I always assumed it was just taken from the car industry.

Likewise, a quick bit 'o' googling reveals it stands for "Gran Turismo Sport" :

Quote:

As you may or may not know, GTS stands for “Gran Turismo Sport" or, in other words, the highest performance (not to be confused with race) focused street version of the car that bears the nomenclature. From there, the GT cars (GT2, GT3, GT4) take it all to another level, but not without some compromise.

source:
https://www.auto123.com/en/news/pors...e%20compromise.

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