Does anyone else just not care anymore?

[Sinnertwin]

Ive only recently begun to catch on the 90's-00's era with Armada toys, more specifically the Japanese/Korean versions. I won't be collecting them all, but it's something that i find enjoyable. Until the TRU G1/TFC collection came around my collecting was almost stagnate, with a few purchases here and there. I'd still be actively involved in folowing the franchise, but i can put it down to the G1 reissues that really reignited the interest in me. Finally, toys that i never had as a child, made readily available. Then the Classics followed and the rest is history.

ive always preferred The Family Guy's version

[Paulbot]

It's not a good sign when you buy too many things and don't open with thoughts of selling.

I've been like this for the last 8 months or so but I've also had a bunch of other stuff in my life getting me down in this time.

I've got a big backlog of TF:Prime, FOC and Masterpiece toys sitting on the shelf. And even though I've only bought the ones I thought looked the best, the fact they are just sitting MISB on the shelf does make me ask myself "why have them, why not sell them?".

I've not watched TF:Prime yet so I don't have any attachment to these characters (I've just bought show cast in case I end up loving it) and the FOC toys look plain disappointing compared to WFC. The only two TFs I've opened in the last 12 months have been FOC Jazz and BH Smokescreen and neither was all that hot.

I'm getting so much more TF enjoyment from the comics (just bought my third version of MTMTE) than toys like Jazz or Smokescreen gave me.

My toy collection is just going to keep getting smaller and smaller I think, and that's fine. Collecting Transformers comics was always much more of my focus than Transformers toy collecting and I think I swayed too far into the toy collecting mindset in 2007 and am just heading back to (for me) normal.

[5FDP]

It's not a case of 'bandwagoning' (been a fan of TFs since the 80s). It's more the fact that I'm out growing my obsession with 'plastic toys' as I believe there's better things to spend my money on, such as investing money.

Strange... I don't recall quoting you so I'm at a loss to understand why you feel the need to explain yourself to me Fact - it is bandwagoning when we see an increase in board registrations and activity every time a movie is released... or an increase in people wearing Transformers apparel... or shiny new Autobot logos on cars etc. etc. Like I said, it's not a bad thing, just human nature to associate themselves with current trends.

[GoktimusPrime]

Strange... I don't recall quoting you so I'm at a loss to understand why you feel the need to explain yourself to me Fact - it is bandwagoning when we see an increase in board registrations and activity every time a movie is released... or an increase in people wearing Transformers apparel... or shiny new Autobot logos on cars etc. etc. Like I said, it's not a bad thing, just human nature to associate themselves with current trends.

Also didn't Hasbro's stats show that toy sales doubled in the year following the release of the first Bay film? I personally think there are pros and cons about Transformers having become more mainstream since the 2007 film came out. Either way, many of us were devoted fans long before the film came along, and we'll remain devoted fans long after they're gone.

[Omega Metro]

Strange... I don't recall quoting you so I'm at a loss to understand why you feel the need to explain yourself to me Fact - it is bandwagoning when we see an increase in board registrations and activity every time a movie is released... or an increase in people wearing Transformers apparel... or shiny new Autobot logos on cars etc. etc. Like I said, it's not a bad thing, just human nature to associate themselves with current trends.

Hmm, I noticed you joined just after ROTF was released in 2009. You must of loved that movie. Do you have an Autobot logo on your car and a Tshirt? Cos i don't.

[5FDP]

Hmm, I noticed you joined just after ROTF was released in 2009. You must of loved that movie. Do you have an Autobot logo on your car and a Tshirt? Cos i don't.

Not sure what your deal is but I'd suggest getting your facts straight before pointing the finger at anyone. I was a member here in early 2006 under the handle S0undwave. Personal reasons and the board being relocated meant that I was absent for a little while. Now go away little man.

[Skullcruncher]

Strange... I don't recall quoting you so I'm at a loss to understand why you feel the need to explain yourself to me Fact - it is bandwagoning when we see an increase in board registrations and activity every time a movie is released... or an increase in people wearing Transformers apparel... or shiny new Autobot logos on cars etc. etc. Like I said, it's not a bad thing, just human nature to associate themselves with current trends.

Many new members have a long standing interest in transformers, and they bay films just gave them that extra push to become active in either collecting or the community. Bandwagoning to me would be like new sports teams - where groups of people are following the team because of the hype and they dont really know much about the sport itself

Also didn't Hasbro's stats show that toy sales doubled in the year following the release of the first Bay film? I personally think there are pros and cons about Transformers having become more mainstream since the 2007 film came out. Either way, many of us were devoted fans long before the film came along, and we'll remain devoted fans long after they're gone.

And you are surprised? Newer members can't be devoted?

[GoktimusPrime]

Hmm, I noticed you joined just after ROTF was released in 2009. You must of loved that movie. Do you have an Autobot logo on your car and a Tshirt? Cos i don't.

5FDP was a member here before making his current account. Also a lot of people are fans of Transformers long before joining OTCA. SMHFConvoy's a relatively new member, but I can personally atest that he's been a fan of Transformers for MUCH longer than his join date suggests.

Many new members have a long standing interest in transformers, and they bay films just gave them that extra push to become active in either collecting or the community. Bandwagoning to me would be like new sports teams - where groups of people are following the team because of the hype and they dont really know much about the sport itself

Some (not all) people who identify themselves as Transformers fans are like that. I've occasionally bump into people who parade around in Transformers apparel or have TF badges on their cars etc., and when I strike up a conversation with them about Transformers it becomes abundantly clear thast they don't really know much about Transformers itself (beyond what pretty much every man and his dog would know ).

And you are surprised?

I didn't say that it came as a surprise. Far from it, it was something I was definitely expecting. That's why when news of the live action movie came out (about 10 years ago) I went and hunted down the remaining early G1 TFs that I still needed (all two of them ) just in case the increase in fandom would drive aftermarket prices for G1 toys up. In hindsight I'm glad I did it, because both of the toys that I needed and acquired have since been KOed.

Newer members can't be devoted?

I didn't say that either.

It all depends on whether or not they decide to remain devoted to Transformers or if they choose to quit. Some people may change the nature of their devotion (e.g. become more fans of the comics rather than collecting toys), but they still remain dedicated and devoted to Transformers.

[5FDP]

Many new members have a long standing interest in transformers, and they bay films just gave them that extra push to become active in either collecting or the community. Bandwagoning to me would be like new sports teams - where groups of people are following the team because of the hype and they dont really know much about the sport itself

I agree with your first point however disagree with the analogy of your second.

A friend of mine - from memory he registered here under the handle Optus Prime, has always been interested in Transformers, he just didn't have time to devote himself to an online community such as Ozformers as he was already active in several others.

I wouldn't consider it 'Bandwagoning' for people to start following a new team based on hype alone because at least they were there from the beginning unlike an existing team that has just made the finals for the first time. In a Transformers sense, there were quite a few kids at my school in the 80's that hadn't heard of Transformers and therefore knew nothing of them aside from word of mouth i.e. hype, in the school yard (no internet back then - go figure ). Quite a few of them still collect to this day. I would hardly refer to them as Bandwagoners.

[DELTAprime]

I'm went through a period where most Hasbro's lines since DOTM didn't appeal to me. DOTM was ok, but the line got cut off half way through. The FE line was good but never saw the light of day in most retailers around the world and most PRID toys just didn't seem as good as previous toys since the team that made the older lines got moved to other IP's. I can count on two hands the number of Hasbro releases I've bought since DOTM. But Generations Metroplex is a must have, and I've ordered the Triple Changers and the IDW wave. I just wish they where getting released in Australia.

Takara on the other hand has always had my interest. Fort Max, the Masterpiece line, Alternity and Arms Micron are all far more interesting to me than anything Hasbro did between DOTM and this years Generations releases.