Do you read instructions first or not?

[STL]

Things are tied? Much different to what i was expecting...

[heroic_decepticon]

I tend to read the instructions first just to make sure I don't break anything, but for the more complex toy I look up a vid on the net (Binaltech Sideswipe I'm looking at you)

BT-Grimlock's probably worse. When transforming from robot back to car, I was struggling for 30mins before i gave up and looked at the instructions (which i dont usually look at).

[Pulse]

I bet you're referring to the shoulder/arm section... I thought my Wheeljack was busted before it clicked into place... (What a horrible transformation!)

[Soundwarp]

N E V E R !

[STL]

BT-Grimlock's probably worse. When transforming from robot back to car, I was struggling for 30mins before i gave up and looked at the instructions (which i dont usually look at).

Oh yes, that was my first ever concession of the modern transformers. Up to that point, no BT had frustrated me. Not one. I'd figured them all out and then there was Grimlock. The worst part was that the instructions barely helped. I eventually figured it out but then voila Wheeljack came along and I realised I forgot again. It was infuriating. Probably the worst one I've ever had to figure out and I still dread transforming him.

The only other one that comes to mind is TFM Ironhide. Robot mode's not hard, it's getting it back to alt mode that's a pain and I gave up and returned to my instructions but they were no help either till I perused Seibertron.com's galleries. Thank god for those.

[1orion2many]

Let's see a pic of your Barbies jgon2098.

[Geminii]

Pretty much always, if only to check that I have all the parts I'm supposed to, that the toy is in good enough shape to transform via the official sequence, and to see if there are any minigimmicks I should know about.

After transforming it once according to the instructions, and making sure everything checks out, I put the instructions away and never refer to them again.

[Thanatos]

I always check the instructions first, less chance of breakage.

Yep. That's my reasoning too.

[liegeprime]

This is why I appreciate very much my Activators Bumblebee, no need for long instructions, just push the button viola!! instant bot hehehe. Vote in - read it when Im stuck while figuring it out mostly at first. BUT if its like MPs and Alts I dont skip on the instructions, as these guys are a bit more complex, not that the instructions for Alts are making it any clearer at times it makes it more confusing since there's no words describing what to pull where in the pics. LEGO instructions are FAR MORE useful actually.

[dirge]

Hasbro instructions are often useless but Takara instructions are better drawn and have text!* Why does Hasbro assume that we're illiterate?

Most likely so they don't need to produce different versions for different markets (USA, Canada, Europe, can all use one).

They had text in G1 instructions... the poorly drawn illustrations on Hasbro instructions don't help either.

More annoying for me is the littany of mistransformed toys pictured on the packaging. I like to work it out for myself, using the pictures are reference when needed. It's hard to do this when you can't trust the picture...