The Soapbox V: What makes a good Transformer?

[kurdt_the_goat]

I just want to say.. even tho i like doing the odd review, and certainly reading up on reviews.. part of me thinks the over-analysis of a figure just saps the enjoyment out of it. When we were kids, we might have had favourites, and some obvious flaws might have been noticed, but generally speaking you'd have fun regardless. In looking at a new figure i try and detach myself a bit from analysing it, so i can feel that 'kid' enjoyment again, but it's hard... i think just a factor of growing up!

Also, i think the advancements in toys over the years have been so great, that so much is taken for granted. It really irks me when people appear to pass judgement on a toy well before they have it in hand. The same thing has been going on forever in the video game industry - you'd think that with graphics as amazing as they are today, no one would have anything to complain about - but that is SO far from the truth. The slightest bit of slowdown or blurry texture, and months of some designers hard work is brandished CRAP! I think if i was a game or toy designer, i wouldn't be able to read the vast majority of reviews for stuff i designed, due to so much being taken for granted!

[Paulbot]

I would add "uniqueness". Sometimes a Transformer toy is good because it transforms into something so different to everything else or transforms in a unique way.

And how do you know Cosmos's alt mode is out of scale. Have you seen a real flying saucer to compare? I guess you mean compared to the cartoon (in which Blaster fit inside Cosmos and then Cosmos transformed and was shorter than Blaster ) and so I wonder if wanting a toy that resembles the fictional character is an aspect of Nostalgia, Character Appeal, Realism or it's own criteria. Many Animated toys IMO would be good Transformers because of the way they capture the look of characters in the Animated cartoon. The appeal of Classics toys is similar for many people.

[kup]

Let's not forget Hoist driving Huffer!

http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/I...oistHuffer.jpg

[Paulbot]

I would add "uniqueness". Sometimes a Transformer toy is good because it transforms into something so different to everything else or transforms in a unique way.

And thinking more on this: when a toy's not unique (say yet another Transformer with the Gobot/Spychanger transformation) that hurts the toy too IMO

[GoktimusPrime]

Three words: value for money.

Give me a well designed Mini-Con over a poorly designed Supreme Class TF any day.

[Golden Phoenix]

Three words: value for money.

Give me a well designed Mini-Con over a poorly designed Supreme Class TF any day.

Ditto

I think there needs to be a balance between Nostalgia and Newness.
While having Nostalgia is good in some cases, we need new characters and designs to keep it fresh. Otherwise we would keep getting the same characters over and over again.
I think changing things up a bit is a good thing. Like for example, the design style Animated has. Like for Grimlock. He has loads of Nostalgic value through his design and character references, but he also has balance because of the style he has been done in

[SilverDragon]

I would add "uniqueness". Sometimes a Transformer toy is good because it transforms into something so different to everything else or transforms in a unique way.

I agree. Why else am I drooling over Archadis/Airraptor on online stores declaring to myself that one day I'll own a version of the mold?

[Pulse]

I just want to say.. even tho i like doing the odd review, and certainly reading up on reviews.. part of me thinks the over-analysis of a figure just saps the enjoyment out of it. When we were kids, we might have had favourites, and some obvious flaws might have been noticed, but generally speaking you'd have fun regardless. In looking at a new figure i try and detach myself a bit from analysing it, so i can feel that 'kid' enjoyment again, but it's hard... i think just a factor of growing up!

Totally agree . Figures from each era were cool in their own context (be it the nostalgia factor of G1's, the TF-reawakening that is BW, the complex engineering that is Alt/Binaltech/MPs, the nostalgia & articulation that is Classics etc. ) but overall - I luv nearly all of the lines (excluding 6 inch titanium which IMO was an overall fail... ).

[SilverDragon]

Interesting.

I'd like to add to 'transformation' that a really good transformation can be one which results in two modes which you would have no idea transformed.

Example: TFA Blackarachnia. Also, Prowl, from the same series, but I haven't played with him, so I'll elaborate on BA instead.

Well, the visual features of the spider mode are a dead giveaway as to showing that it's a Transformer, but the transformation itself works so well and results in a startlingly show-accurate robot mode. It also doesn't leave anything just hanging around uselessly-the spider legs on the back look like they belong there (instead of, say, sticking them all on the arms) and the spider pedipalps (little purple fangs) form the robot waist.