Quote Originally Posted by Meister View Post
and when they actually transformed, they looked as close as they could to their animated robot modes (something the original G1 toys didn’t even come close to).
Of course G1 toys didn't come close to looking like the cartoon because the toys came first (mostly). This is like saying that the Latin word "caminus" isn't accurate to its English cognate "chimney." The fact is that the G1 toys were never inaccurate to the cartoon. The cartoon was inaccurate to the toys.

Now I understand the desire for screen likeness, but to state or imply that the G1 toys were ever "inaccurate" to the cartoon just isn't true. Even the few toys in G1 that were based on cartoon models (e.g. Galvatron, Springer etc.) aren't necessarily inaccurate to the cartoon; they were based on early designs of the show models - they were, by 80s standards, accurate to those early models. But in the time between the inception of the toy design to the release of the final product, alterations were made to the show models so that they didn't always look the same. This still happens even today, just look at Shatter's head. As I understand it (and correct me if I'm wrong), Studio Series Shatter's head looks different because it was based on an earlier design. But these toys are as accurate as they could have been at the time that the toys were designed.

Quote Originally Posted by Meister View Post
I think the issue for MP designers came when they started delving into 86 / post movie figures. None of those toys were based on any real life vehicles, jets etc,
Again, not true. While G1 did increasingly include fantasy alt modes, realistic alt modes continued to exist throughout its entire run. Here are some quick examples:
* 1986: Wildrider = Ferrari 308 GTB sports car
* 1987: Chase = Ferrari Testarossa sports car
* 1988: Windsweeper = Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber
* 1989: Roadhandler = Pontiac Firebird Trans Am sports car
* 1990: Motorhead = 1987 Callaway B2K Chevrolet Corvette sports car
* 1991: Flame = Lamborghini Countach sports car
* 1992: Falcon = Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter jet
* 1993: Zap = Chevrolet Camaro Z28
As I said, I will grant that they shifted more towards fantasy modes, but it's also fair to say that they never abandoned realistic modes either. And when Generation 2 came along they had an even heavier shift back towards realistic alt modes with few exceptions like the Dinobots etc. - but again, no better or worse than Early G1. Just in unrealistic colours.

And Early G1 had its fair share of unrealistic alt modes too, some of which has even carried over into MP, including:
* vehicles with non-street legal decos, like Wheeljack and Smokescreen etc. These only work as robots in disguise on the race track.
* Grimlock. If you want a proper robot in disguise tyrannosaurus rex then get the MP Beast Megatron. Grimlock isn't fooling anyone, no matter how close he may appear in your wing mirror.
* Ultra Magnus; okay, the truck cab is a Freightliner FL86, but the trailer is pure fantasy.
* Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime. Alternators/Binaltech gave us a more realistic alt mode for Hot Rod in the year 2005 as a first generation Ford GT.
* Insecticons, Deluxe Insecticons, Jumpstarters, Omega Supreme, Shockwave, Cosmos, Wheelie, Sharkticons et al.

1984 was the only year where every alt mode was realistic; even then, Bumblebee and Cliffjumper's vehicle modes are deformed, and Gears is based on a truck of undetermined make and model. G1 has always a mix of realistic and fantasy alt modes, it's just that we saw a shift during the Middle G1 years (1988-90) towards a greater number of fantasy modes, and then a slight swing back towards more realistic alt modes in the Late G1 years (1991-early 93)... but admittedly it was the Early G1 period that saw the highest concentration of realistic alt modes.

Note: just for the purposes of this discussion I'm counting the weapons/vehicles of Action Masters as "alt modes"; e.g. AM Wheeljack's vehicle is a Ferrari Testarossa (realistic), whereas Over-Run's vehicle is an "attack copter" of fictitious make/model (unrealistic).

Quote Originally Posted by Meister View Post
Personally I’ve decided to limit my MP collection to the G1 Ark crew (with the odd exception here and there), so when I first heard Hound was being released I was on board funds ready and willing, but to be honest, when I saw the official images, it’s the first time I became sort of disappointed. Whilst I love the robot mode, that vehicle mode is just terrible to me, because it was originally based off a real car, and just like Inferno, it does not aesthetically resemble the real car at all. If it had the details of some panel’s etc to make the car appear more realistic I would be in, but that flat plain look just doesn’t sit right with me (even though I get why they are probably moving that way) and for the first time I‘m hesitant to purchase it because I’m unsure on whether they will release a more realistic car as a Plus model sometime in the future (I really, really hope they do). So yeah, whilst I’ll probably end up owning a Hound (preferably a more realistic vehicle looking plus model), I would prefer that they still try and lean towards a more realistic vehicle mode aesthetic for pre86 models regardless if they don't look perfectly matching as a whole collection, simply because those toys were based off real vehicles, and I think if they veer off any more than the balance they struck with Iron Hide and Ratchet it will spoil the MP-10 era aesthetic too much.
Completing the First Year G1 Autobots is a must-have for me, so when the preorder for MP Hound came out I just threw my money at it. I don't collect MPs for realistic alt modes per se (although it's appreciated). When it comes to realistic alt modes I still much prefer Binaltech.

As much as I'm looking forward to MP Hound, as far as alt modes are concerned nothing can beat Binaltech Hound. But of course, BT Hound doesn't give you a G1 cartoon-like robot mode. And with the crazily detailed vehicle mode (inside and out), die-cast metal panels, rubber tyres, working steering and working suspension, BT Hound doesn't just look like a robot in disguise, it feels like one too.

Is MP Hound overpriced? Hell yes. Did it stop me from pre-ordering it? Hell no. But I must admit that it's because I am a First Year G1 MP character completist. If I weren't then yeah, I would've abstained and just stuck with my BT Hound.