The Random Transformers Thoughts Thread

[GoktimusPrime]

Hahaha, although one of the worst impressions of Scatman Crothers that I've ever heard.

[Unicran]

Scenario: Government mandates Ozformers board to shutdown due to COVID-19 (computer) virus. Whatcha do to keep busy?

[Seraphim Prime]

My job, then watch Netflix.

[GoktimusPrime]

From the Earthrise Optimus Prime review thread:

Gonna have to disagree with you there. He most certainly does have the street lamp mode, it was an easter egg shown on the box and also shown off by Hasbro at NYCC. Surely you don't expect them to try and seriously market that as the "main" mode of the toy? Neither kids or retailers would be too impressed.

You are technically correct. The best kind of correct.

Although it's not like Refraktor's Mortar Cannon^Camera mode that was explicitly designed/engineered to be a camera, rather it was essentially fan-moding the existing Siege Soundwave toy into an approximation of a street light. But since it does appear on the packaging, it does make it canon. And let's face it, Refraktor's Camera mode is also, objectively speaking, about as lazy as Soundwave's street lamp mode; it's just 3 robots folded into boxes. But of course, they're designed to connect to each other and their accessories also form the lens barrel and tripod; so there's more explicit thought and effort put into the camera mode. Whereas with Siege Soundwave there wasn't even that level of effort. If Soundwave were able to bend at the mid-torso and have retractable arms to allow it to become a more G1-accurate street lamp, then I probably wouldn't have sold that toy.

Perhaps one reason why they didn't give Siege Prime his G1 Cybertronian mode was because they already made Siege Megatron a tank, and they didn't want two tanks in the same assortment. Of course, the alternative would've been to make Siege Megatron into a scifi gun or space cannon. Still too similar? If they really wanted to go with a Cybertronian truck, then they could've given that toy Optimus Prime's (canonically) earlier Cybertronian mode.

While G1 Prime's Cybertronian tank mode was seen first (in #1, 1984), his Cybertronian truck mode was seen in a historical recording back when Prime was a junior ranking officer (as seen in #48, 1988 - hence the Triggerbots). But either way, it's also a G1-accurate Cybertronian mode for Optimus Prime and it would have also satisfied retail buyers in not having two tanks in the same assortment.

I would've purchased Siege Optimus Prime in a heartbeat if its alt mode had been either one of his G1 Cybertronian modes. I already have War For Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron Optimus Primes who already have new/reimagined truck modes; I didn't need another Neo-Cybertronian Optimus truck (especially when it looks so much like an Earth truck! Yes, so does the G1 truck from #48, but at least that has canonical precedence (just like Soundwave's lamp or the Tetrajets)!)

[Tha_Phantom]

Perhaps one reason why they didn't give Siege Prime his G1 Cybertronian mode was because they already made Siege Megatron a tank, and they didn't want two tanks in the same assortment. Of course, the alternative would've been to make Siege Megatron into a scifi gun or space cannon. Still too similar? If they really wanted to go with a Cybertronian truck, then they could've given that toy Optimus Prime's (canonically) earlier Cybertronian mode.

While G1 Prime's Cybertronian tank mode was seen first (in #1, 1984), his Cybertronian truck mode was seen in a historical recording back when Prime was a junior ranking officer (as seen in #48, 1988 - hence the Triggerbots). But either way, it's also a G1-accurate Cybertronian mode for Optimus Prime and it would have also satisfied retail buyers in not having two tanks in the same assortment.

Now that you mention it, what would have made a lot of sense is for Hasbro to have made Prime a "tank" as seen in the comics and make Megatron something else - either a jet or space gun. That way, they are much more different to their Earthrise counterparts and more people might feel inclined to have both versions of them instead of picking and choosing. We know that Earthrise Prime shares parts with Siege and by the looks of it Earthrise Megatron is a retool of Siege. Regardless, they are very similar toys.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

While G1 Prime's Cybertronian tank mode was seen first (in #1, 1984), his Cybertronian truck mode was seen in a historical recording back when Prime was a junior ranking officer (as seen in #48, 1988 - hence the Triggerbots). But either way, it's also a G1-accurate Cybertronian mode for Optimus Prime and it would have also satisfied retail buyers in not having two tanks in the same assortment.

I would totally buy that version of Optimus, especially if he was mostly white or un-optimus colours.

[Paulbot]

Doubt we'll get Dogfight, Backstreet or Override in Earthrise, but fingers crossed for the third part of the trilogy.

it was essentially fan-moding the existing Siege Soundwave toy into an approximation of a street light. But since it does appear on the packaging, it does make it canon.

It's an easter egg. Hasbro put it on the box. How is it a fan mode when Hasbro put it on the box?

[griffin]

The 2005 messageboard and fansite is now 20 years old.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

On a whim I went and got out my old G2 Dreadwind/Smokescreen set (the stealth bomber that splits into an unconvincing jet and a gattling-missile tank-thing with a stealth bomber cockpit at the front) last night.

Hot damn G2 had some good toys. It's always nice when you go back to an old TF you haven't looked at/played with/fiddled around with in ages and remember/rediscover how much fun it was.

[Bidoofdude]

From the Earthrise Optimus Prime review thread:


You are technically correct. The best kind of correct.

Although it's not like Refraktor's Mortar Cannon^Camera mode that was explicitly designed/engineered to be a camera, rather it was essentially fan-moding the existing Siege Soundwave toy into an approximation of a street light. But since it does appear on the packaging, it does make it canon. And let's face it, Refraktor's Camera mode is also, objectively speaking, about as lazy as Soundwave's street lamp mode; it's just 3 robots folded into boxes. But of course, they're designed to connect to each other and their accessories also form the lens barrel and tripod; so there's more explicit thought and effort put into the camera mode. Whereas with Siege Soundwave there wasn't even that level of effort. If Soundwave were able to bend at the mid-torso and have retractable arms to allow it to become a more G1-accurate street lamp, then I probably wouldn't have sold that toy.

To be fair, the lamp mode in the G1 cartoon was itself also a not-very-good fan-mode of sorts, since the toy for Soundwave obviously already existed and inspired his model.


Hell, the official Siege alt mode for Soundwave itself looks like a thrown together fan mode mess, so it's not much better.