The Soapbox VI: Don’t like Gimmicks? Start dealing with it.

[MV75]

Deal with it eh?

I just prefer to leave it and spend my money on something else instead of dealing with it.

The simple solution is to move onto something else that offers real hands on playing with with no fuss or compromises. I chose to not even make it a problem to deal with in the first place.

[Lord_Zed]

Deal with it eh?

I just prefer to leave it and spend my money on something else instead of dealing with it.

The simple solution is to move onto something else that offers real hands on playing with with no fuss or compromises. I chose to not even make it a problem to deal with in the first place.

Hehe yeah I had that thought to, all the money I haven't spent on electronic universe Ultras and thier gimmick ladden predecesors is more money for my other collections.

For me the title reads closer to "Don't like Gimmicks? Buy some GI joes!" (at least until they start getting crappy gimmicks)

[GoktimusPrime]

Deal with it eh?

I just prefer to leave it and spend my money on something else instead of dealing with it.

The simple solution is to move onto something else that offers real hands on playing with with no fuss or compromises. I chose to not even make it a problem to deal with in the first place.

Well that is a way of dealing with it - by boycotting products that you don't feel are worthy of purchase.

If you see a toy that makes you cringe and think, "What a hunk of crap," then seriously... DON'T BUY IT! That's just a generalisation of course... sometimes I buy toys that I know I won't like because I want the character. It's the sole reason why I bought the Beast Machines Nightscream toy... it's all kinds of fail. :/

[SofaMan]

Gimmicks ruined the Transformers toyline.

<snip>

Of course, as we all know, the U.S. line returned in 1993 with Transformers Generation 2, heralded with a gold vacuum-metallised Bumblebee. But that's a different story...

Dude, that's some epic snark. Nice work.

Most of the time, I like gimmicks.

[Robzy]

Gimmicks ruined the Transformers toyline. The first wave was excellent - small Autobot vehicles that transformed into robots: the 'real' Transformers. However, most fans don't know what on Earth Hasbro was thinking with the second wave. Cassettes? Transformers just don't transform into cassettes, as the now much quoted phrase "M1N1CaR NOT KaSETE!!!" sums up perfectly. These cassettes, considered by most fans to be worse than GoBots, also had a gimmick, the first of many lame and pointless gimmicks. Rather than being Autobots, as all previous Transformers had been, these tapes were called 'Decepticons,' a supposed *second* race of Transformers and enemies of the peace-loving Autobots. The 'Decepticon Tapes' also came with another gimmick: weapons - a blight upon everything the Transformers stood for.

Of course, most Transfans had long since stopped collecting by this point, but after this failure, Hasbro continued to try and keep the franchise alive with more gimmicks; planes, cassette recorders, guns and even larger cars, which were an obvious attempt to reclaim what fans originally liked about the series. The last hope for the line was a toy they called 'Optimus Prime,' which was basically like the much-loved Huffer, but bigger and with lots of gimmicks.

Naturally, Optimus Prime was a failure. Kids couldn't carry him to school in their pockets, and he came with lots of what is now known as 'kibble'; guns, a trailer, missiles etc.: lots of extra gimmicks that ignored the fact that what most fans of the 'real' Tranformers liked was the fact that the toys were self-contained and peaceful. With the addition of guns and an enemy to fight, Hasbro had sealed the fate of the Transformers line, which, after some further pitiful attempts to revive the line, would draw to a close in 1990 in the U.S. (The toys continued in Europe and Australasia, continents that still hoped to see a return to that one great month in 1984.)

Of course, as we all know, the U.S. line returned in 1993 with Transformers Generation 2, heralded with a gold vacuum-metallised Bumblebee. But that's a different story...

[Lord_Zed]

If you see a toy that makes you cringe and think, "What a hunk of crap," then seriously... DON'T BUY IT! That's just a generalisation of course... sometimes I buy toys that I know I won't like because I want the character. It's the sole reason why I bought the Beast Machines Nightscream toy... it's all kinds of fail. :/

There's also the sale factor, when you see a TF reduced by massive amounts and go OMG that's such a bargain I must get it! And your brain goes you'll never see it at the price again, and before you know it your walking out of the store with a TF you weren't really sure you wanted.

I generally avoid TF's that I don't really want, but there are excpetions, the above explains how I ended up getting Energon Omega Supreme.

[STL]

Skyshadow, I love your randomness.

The gimmick should add to a toy as a Transformer, not subtract from it.

I absolutely agree with you and would dearly prefer for the gimmick to the be transformation itself w/ periphery as weapons. But what I was hoping to argue was that like it or not, they are entirely necessary. Not in our minds but those of the parents inclined to purchase it.

Going on from dirge's sentiments, I don't like gimmicks where it overwhelms or detracts from the Transformer as an action figure/play-toy. And I'm sure many of us felt the same as kids... look at the Battlechargers from G1... how much did you enjoy playing with those toys as a kid compared to other TFs that weren't as dominated by their gimmicks.

I never had a battlecharger as a kid. Actually, still don't. But I do want them. They're just very low on the list of priorities. Well except for when i watch a season 4 intro and really want Flywheels.

Gimmicks are fine with me so long as they don't detract from being to play with the toy.

I agree w/ you completely about the fact that there's nothign inherently wrong w/ gimmicks, it's there execution. But I think there's a very large apprehension in the fandom towards them

That said, I'd say that in the mind of a parent, play value is great when you've got heaps of sounds (as basic as they are) or flashing lights. This doesn't necessarily sync up with most of us as collectors. Especially so often electronics cause figures to be disproportionate and affect their balance. So I think that gimmicks can actually enhance play value of a Transformer but simultaneously impinge its success.

I consider Silverbolt to be a perfect example of this. My cousins, my little sister all love him compared to the others. He's solid and he's so perfect to play with. Even my mate who is a very fringe collector (he refuses to being dubbed one) agrees he looks great and is "neat" to have on display. The downside though is my sister and all her cousins can transform him. They can't figure out certain Legends or Real Gear but Silverbolt is walk in the park. So gimmicks can enhance play value greatly but still damage another facet of a toy.

[GoktimusPrime]

I think that when people say "gimmicks" they tend to mean "gimmicks that detract from the toy" but perhaps they're too lazy to specify that.

Let's face it, making a robot transform into a car, animal, object etc. and back again is a gimmick in itself!!

[kup]

Deal with it eh?

I just prefer to leave it and spend my money on something else instead of dealing with it.

The simple solution is to move onto something else that offers real hands on playing with with no fuss or compromises. I chose to not even make it a problem to deal with in the first place.

I share that sentiment.

An example of a toy loaded with gimmicks that felt 'satisfactory' despite having a relative simple transformation is the original Ultra Optimus Primal. All its gimmicks were peripheral to the actual toy and did not get in the way of it yet they added massively to its play value. In my opinion that is how gimmicks should be.

[Sky Shadow]

Random TF Fact: Did You Know?



Powermaster Optimus Prime's super mode head was originally intended to transform into a roller buggy and robot. Although this idea was abandoned (probably because it was cost-prohibitive), Powermaster Prime's trailer still has a cavity and fold-down ramp for the roller buggy head!

This is an appropriate "Did You Know?" for this thread. (And keep them coming! It's rare to find such a worthwhile sig.)