Transformers Venting thread!

[BigTransformerTrev]

It is very hit and miss mate. I within 10 kms of a Target, Kmart, BigW, Myer and a TRU in Sydney's southern suburbs. It is very rare that they ever have any decent stock as well. I haven't seen any Wave 3 Legends or Deluxes floating around here yet.

Heh - I haven't seen Wave 1 in Swan Hill yet! As it is I have to keep ordering toys that become available everywhere else in Aus from BBTS, racking up the postage charges.

Plus, given that BBTS keeps pushing back their ETA on figures (they said they'd have Wave 3 in by December for instance) it means that even ordering from the states I get them after everyone else. Given the majority of traffic on my blog comes from people checking out toy reviews, it means I'm often reviewing them after everyone else already has them.

[FatalityPitt]

Okay, so putting your alt mode bias aside, what do you think about that mould on the whole as a Deluxe Transformer action figure? My detailed thoughts can be found here.

I never got the Arms Micron Rumble or Frenzy, which I think are the better versions, but I've had the RiD version. "Not impressed" was too strong a phrase to describe my opinion of it, and I apologise. To me, the figure was just ok. No hard feelings to fans of that mold. While I didn't think it was bad, it just struck me as a bit generic. If it didn't have to compete against Deluxe RiD Vehicon or Arcee, it would have been a top tier (in my eyes).

I like G1 Rumble, and I like how the side doors simulate G1 Rumble's wings/guns in robot mode. But the car-roof-kibble on the arms stand out. Normally some car kibble is acceptable, but the Vehicon hid its car kibble so well that it beats out the Rumble mold (in my eyes).

Also, and I think this due to my bias against hatchbacks combined with the Geewun fan in me (cassette not hatchbakk); I just found the alt-mode very plain. It looked like just another car, and I already have so many car Transformers...

Prime Rumble/Frenzy mold isn't bad, it just didn't grab my attention.

I personally love the fact that they're hatchbacks because they're just such ordinary looking cars that don't stand out! This makes them far better robots in disguise than transforming into an attention-drawing sports car or military vehicle. When you want to blend into modern human society you want to transform into something reasonably mundane.

I like to treat my Transformers collecting as an escape from reality, which is why I'm quite fond of fantasy alt-modes like spaceships, futuristic tanks, and mechanical beasts; provided that they look tasteful and the robot can pull off the look without cheating (shell-forming, parts-forming etc). I also like diversity in my Transformers, and to me the Earth Car alt-mode is very common.

It's even gotten to a stage where, unless it's a character close to my heart (like G1 Mirage or Chromedome), I'd pass any new transformer that becomes a car. I don't even have any of the CW Stunticons.

But please, don't let my remarks dampen any love you might have for car-Transformers. They're great figures, but for me, I've got plenty of good car-Transformers and would like something different... Like a Triple-Changer that transforms from Robot to Mechanical Space Griffin, to Drill Tank and back! But well done of course.

[BigTransformerTrev]

I've got both - think both versions are awesome!

[canofwhoopass_87]

I've had MP9 Rodimus for a long time now - always displayed in robot mode. Just spent the last 2 hours trying to transform him into vehicle mode to display next to Ultra Magnus.

Have given up - the folding legs are ridiculous. Haven't been this frustrated since MP5 Megatron; but at least I managed to figure that one out after a couple of tries. MP9 just seems so brittle, especially the leg panels.

Now that I've had a go, I completely understand the frustration and bad reviews when this guy first came out

[canofwhoopass_87]

Hazah! I got it after attempt 193

K 11:17pm bed time

[Borgeman]

I've had MP9 Rodimus for a long time now - always displayed in robot mode. Just spent the last 2 hours trying to transform him into vehicle mode to display next to Ultra Magnus.

Have given up - the folding legs are ridiculous. Haven't been this frustrated since MP5 Megatron; but at least I managed to figure that one out after a couple of tries. MP9 just seems so brittle, especially the leg panels.

Now that I've had a go, I completely understand the frustration and bad reviews when this guy first came out

Much of his transformation doesn't sit very flush in car mode and they failed with the clearance under the car. Now that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, except for the fact he feels so brittle that you dont want to try force anything to sit flush (MP-09B proved that in spades).

That and the leg panels were a complete failure. One of mine was broken in the box (I had a 1st release toy)

[canofwhoopass_87]

Much of his transformation doesn't sit very flush in car mode and they failed with the clearance under the car. Now that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, except for the fact he feels so brittle that you dont want to try force anything to sit flush (MP-09B proved that in spades).

That and the leg panels were a complete failure. One of mine was broken in the box (I had a 1st release toy)

I feel ya Borge

MP10 onwards really seems like the start of the golden era for MPs. I love the transformation of Ultra Magnus, Bumblebee, Ironhide etc. So much fun, clever designs and everything fits snug as a bug.

Bring on more Series 3 G1's I say!

[GoktimusPrime]

The Hasbro version of MP9 did make some slight improvements over the original TakaraTOMY release (see my side-by-side comparison between the two versions here). I personally haven't noticed/experienced the problems you guys are talking about. The MP9 mould does indeed have a low tolerance for misalignment, particularly with the hands and feet. I find that they need to be perfectly aligned for everything else to fall in place and missing out on those can force you go to back several steps in transformation to redo it which can be frustrating. Although I found the same with MP Ironhide/Ratchet, but I think the difference is that the newer MPs are getting a lot better at creating intuitive and fun transformations that going backwards and forwards in transformation doesn't feel so irritating. It's far more annoying on less intuitive toys because you don't really want to revisit those steps so soon as it's just not as fun. But with the newer MPs I find that I don't mind so much because the transformations are more enjoyable, whereas with some older MPs they were more of a means to an end.

But I personally haven't experienced problems with panels not sitting flush (unless the hands or feet aren't perfectly aligned), and the clearance is high enough for the toy to roll in vehicle mode. But I found the lack of clearance on MP28 to be far worse (comparison here) - I find it near impossible to make that toy roll without scraping the underside, and the one I borrowed for comparison had reprolabelled tyre treads to help raise the vehicle. Just for reference, the cartoon model for Hot Rod showed it having this much clearance.

[BigTransformerTrev]

Friggin BBTS!

They sent an email saying that the next RID wave (Windblade, Blurr & Soundwave) would be in within the next 10 days so I delayed having my POL shipped. This was on the 23rd of Feb.

On the 20th of March I emailed them asking how much longer. They apologised, said they only got a partial shipment in to fill some of the preorders but the other shipment should arrive in the near future.

I emailed back asking did that mean days, weeks or months as it was a very vauge answer.

They emailed back saying they couldn;t be more specific and to give me an exact date would be misleading and they (the dude writing it) respects me too much for that.

Respects me too much?! I'm just some dude writing an email asking when his toys are going to arrive! Respecting someone is not the same as being respectful. If he had said "it would be disrespectful to mislead you with a date" I could have accepted that. Saying he "respects me too much" when he doesn't even know me is just blowing a lot of hot air up my arse

They now have a 'rate my answer' option so I pretty much said so in my response to that.

[Firestorm]

Had TR Voyager Megatron for less than 24hours, the stickers on the wings are already falling off!