Bot Mode vs Alt Mode (in packaging)

Something that I have been thinking about (not too hard though) for a while now and with the new Generations range released with Thrust and Drift packaged in their alt modes and Prime and Bumblebee in bot modes, which method of packaging appeals to you more?

This poll is nice and simple – do you prefer seeing toys packaged in bot mode or alt mode?

Please try and steer away from statements such as “doesn’t bother me because I open it up anyway” as there are other discussions that cover sealed / opened toys. This is more to discuss the aesthetics of the overall packaging and whether or not you would be more drawn to a toy displayed in either mode.

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Originally Posted by 5FDP

doesn’t bother me because I open it up anyway

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:)

I find that I prefer the 'mystery' of exposing the robot mode after opening the package. Disgusing a robot never thrilled me quite as much.

Accordingly, I prefer alt mode in package. :cool:

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Originally Posted by SofaMan

I prefer alt mode in package. :cool:

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+1 :D

Robot mode does have the practical purpose of allowing you to inspect for any bad QC much more thorough than in alt mode.

However this is from the perspective of someone who opens their toys so I am not sure what an MISB collector would look for.

the mode that takes less twisty ties to hold the figure in :D

i prefer the mode that shows the most paint apps

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Originally Posted by kup

Robot mode does have the practical purpose of allowing you to inspect for any bad QC much more thorough than in alt mode.

However this is from the perspective of someone who opens their toys so I am not sure what an MISB collector would look for.

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I'd prefer alt. mode, but also from a QC perspective.

TFs like the Movie and ROTF (and don't forget Alternators Grimlock) line are quite fiddly to transform; transforming from robot to alt. mode for the first time might not be easy (especially with the odd ways to tuck in robot arms, and getting them aligned with the kibbly bits). Having the robot displayed in package in its disguise tells me that it's been done right, and if I can't transform it back into alt. mode later then it's not QC, but my incompetence :p

Also it's odd, but if a transformer is displayed in robot mode then it feels like someone else has played with it before. Like it's unraveled. Or that the puzzle has been solved. Maybe its from growing up with official Transformers always being purchased in alt. modes?

The robot has to be in its disguise!

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Originally Posted by Autocon

the mode that takes less twisty ties to hold the figure in :D

i prefer the mode that shows the most paint apps

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Best way of getting around the twisty ties: unethically purchasing leaked Transformers from Chinese factory workers :confused::eek:;)

I prefer packaged in vehicle mode for 2 reasons:

- it sells better to parents (and kids) who can see exactly what the (generic) robot turns into, in 3D.

- I find it is easier to work out how to unfold a toy into its robot mode first, than trying to fold it up and lock everything into place in its alt-mode. You know that a (generic) robot has 2 arms, 2 legs and a head, but the alt-mode configuration of panels and parts can often be less obvious without looking at packaging pics or instructions.

I agree with sofaman.

I think the challenge is more rewarding going from alt mode to bot mode, because I want to play with the bot mode.

As for MISB, I find Alt modes are generally quite sleek, with less visual clutter to distract the eye (tiny faces, limbs, kibble etc). If you display them together It's going to look a lot neater with them in alt mode. I'm pretty sure cars and jets only have one line of action :p Also, it's their disguise!

Hey that reminds me! Somehting from the new lines - scouts or pcc - has forwards and backwards insructions. :eek:

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Originally Posted by tinyJazz

I agree with sofaman.

I think the challenge is more rewarding going from alt mode to bot mode, because I want to play with the bot mode.

As for MISB, I find Alt modes are generally quite sleek, with less visual clutter to distract the eye (tiny faces, limbs, kibble etc). If you display them together It's going to look a lot neater with them in alt mode. I'm pretty sure cars and jets only have one line of action :p Also, it's their disguise!

Hey that reminds me! Somehting from the new lines - scouts or pcc - has forwards and backwards insructions. :eek:

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Yeah the disguise argument is a very good point.

Alt mode is good because it forces me to transform my things at least twice as I prefer to leave my stuff in alt mode.

It sells better too, a cool looking car will sell better than chicken walker ever will.

They only package stuff in robot mode these days it seems to fit within the given box.

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Hey that reminds me! Somehting from the new lines - scouts or pcc - has forwards and backwards insructions. :eek:

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I wonder if they're still as ambiguous as ever. :p You can now keep saying "wtf is that part?" going both ways. :D

Bot mode. I display my toys that way and there is nothing worse than transforming a figure and finding damage or bad paint apps on the face or front of the figure.

Both modes are plainly shown on the back or somewhere else on the packet so any "surprise" does not exist for me anyway. I prefer a correctly painted, undamaged addition to my collection over the once only first transformation. I can still appreciate the engineering whichever transformation comes first.

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Originally Posted by Tiby

Bot mode. I display my toys that way and there is nothing worse than transforming a figure and finding damage or bad paint apps on the face or front of the figure.

Both modes are plainly shown on the back or somewhere else on the packet so any "surprise" does not exist for me anyway. I prefer a correctly painted, undamaged addition to my collection over the once only first transformation. I can still appreciate the engineering whichever transformation comes first.

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Yep those are my thoughts too.

I prefer alt mode for reasons others have said. Displaying in 'bot mode is like reading the last chapter of a book first.

Yeah sure, the photo shows you the end of the adventure, but it doesn't actually take you on the adventure itself! When a toy is packaged in alt mode it allows me to start the beginning of the journey from alt to robot. :D

I understand what people are saying about QC issues -- my recent experience with Drift is testament to this. This morning I brought my defective Drift back to where I purchased it from. First they told me that they wouldn't refund the toy because it was unbroken. Okay fine, so I pointed out that while the toy was undamaged, it was defective due to a manufacturing flaw and asked for an exchange for another toy of equal value. The staff member I spoke to initially refused, saying that there was nothing broken with the toy, thus nothing wrong with it. She tried suggesting that I just turned the fist the other way, but I pointed out to her that it was clearly a right fist and not a left one. Another staff member backed me up and said, "Yeah it should be LR, not RR." The first staff member then said something like "We don't know if the toy was like this when you bought it or if you opened it and swapped the fists around with another toy." ?!?!? I asked her how I could possibly benefit from doing this (i.e. why would I be trying to scam them if I didn't stand to gain from it -- cos otherwise it's just a big waste of time for me). She had no answer... and after much further discussion, and thanks to the support of the second staff member who saw that I did have a point, they agreed to allow me to swap the toy for another of equal value as I'd suggested in the first place! The silly thing is because the toy is packaged in car mode you can't even see the fists anyway.

But there's also a counterargument for the QC argument too. I got Masterpiece Convoy packaged in robot mode, and there was a small ladder panel missing from the truck mode. I know that Takara(TOMY)'s packaging has no window, but even if it did, you cannot see that panel in robot mode (because in bot mode it's inside the robot - anyone who owns the MP Convoy/Prime mould knows that a lot of the toy flips inside out to transform). It wasn't until I transformed the toy to vehicle mode that I realised the panel was missing, and I was mighty upset! Thankfully Takara were really helpful and FedExed me a replacement part free of charge to me. :)

So yeah, while you might not be able to see a robot mode defect if the toy is packaged in alt mode, likewise if it's packaged in robot mode you may not be able to see a bot mode defect either.

But the majority of Transformers I buy don't have significant QC issues. Provided that HasTak does their job right (which I find they usually do), then whatever mode the toy is packaged in shouldn't be an issue from a QC POV.

I actually see the puzzle thing the other way around. We know the vehicle will transform into a robot of some sort, and the elements of the bot mode are very interesting, but I think it is far more of a puzzle to transform the robot into its disguise, being the recognisable vehicle.

A lot of people seem to prefer the alt mode which is surprising. Let me pose this question then - for toys such as ROTF Ravage and Soundwave which have very abstract alt modes, do you think they would have sold any better or worse being packaged that way?

I think the decision behind packaging the toys in alt mode vs bot mode is extremely dependant on the attractiveness of either mode.

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Originally Posted by 5FDP

A lot of people seem to prefer the alt mode which is surprising. Let me pose this question then - for toys such as ROTF Ravage and Soundwave which have very abstract alt modes, do you think they would have sold any better or worse being packaged that way?

I think the decision behind packaging the toys in alt mode vs bot mode is extremely dependant on the attractiveness of either mode.

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Yeah. In the end it is all about sales. Optimus Prime and Bumblebee must be in the mode that will be instantly recognizable, hence the Generations WFC Optimus Prime and Bumblebee being in bot mode whole the others in the line are in vehicle mode, which appear more interesting.

In this respect, even though Soundwave did not have a bot mode in ROTF, his alt mode looks like nothing recognisable so it had to be robot mode.

I think the Legends figures are in robot mode so as not to confuse them with RPMs or other Matchbox style vehicles.

I think the Generations first wave is an example of it being marketting based. Optimus and Bumblebee were probably packaged in robot mode because that would be the form kids and parents would recognise (their new alt mode would only be familiar to fans or gamers). In robot mode, everyone sees it is definitely Optimus and Bumblebee - reguardless of what the packaging says or shows on the back.

(edit - ah, Tiby beat me to this observation)

Agreed about it being marketing based. I may be alone in this sentiment, but I hope that for uniformity sake, the remaining WFC toys come packaged in bot mode as well.

I'd have to say I prefer alt mode, pretty much for the reasons stated above.

Having said that, I agree with Kup on the issue of QC - when I bought my RotF Megatron and Optimus, having them packaged in robot mode helped me to pick the ones with the best paint apps. I also remember reading about some examples of Skids and his unpainted teeth, so I was looking through the car's windscreen at his head when buying.