Visual fidelity vs engineering

[Lord_Zed]

I'd have to say both, though in the case of the movie though visual fidelity might just rate a little higher for me. Its not so much visual accuracy though as getting the movie asthetics right, the best toys do this while others fall short. I'm not a fan of the FAB Frenzy (though I don't have the Robot Replica either) While its nice how he transforms he just doesn't look like one of the movie bunch to me. I'm a big fan of the new Leader Prime and Voyager Starscream because I think they nailed the look and feel of the characters without compromising on engineering.

Ofcourse in no way does that mean I'm a fan of Movie Combiner Class Devestator. As stated before he is an extreme example. I don't think I will get him. That said I don't think I will get the TomyTakara Legends Combiner either. I'm not really all the compelled to get one of every character who appears in the movie, I'm more likely to get them if they complement the ones I already have.

Although if I get really excited........................................... ...

[GoktimusPrime]

Thank you. Excuse my typing in my last post - I was holding baby in one hand and typing with the other, hence lack of capitalisations, some punctuation and use of some unconventional abbreviations.

I pre-budgeted for the movie toys and saved up for them months ago. So none of my RotF acquisitions are denting the budget, save for the Scouts which I hadn't accounted for (the problem with trying to avoid spoilers and plan far ahead for acquisitions has proven somewhat self-defeating ). But they're relatively cheap enough that it won't effect me that much. I want to get all the characters who appear in the movie. I initially got Preview Bumblebee so I can have a copy of Bumblebee's modified car mode in RotF, but yesterday I got Legends RotF Bumblebee, so I'm gonna be selling my Preview Bumblebee.

As far as the Constructicons are concerned, I want to get the toys for each individual Constructicon so I can have proper Constructicons that can transform from robot to vehicle. For Devastator, I really can't justify forking out for Zordastator, especially with a new bub, so I'm just gonna get the Legends one.

As for what people are saying about balance - while I agree with this sentiment, I think the definition of a "good balance" possibly varies from fan to fan. What I think is a fair trade off might not be acceptable to someone else and vice versa.

Non-combining Constructicons toy is going to be the issue of the year isn't?!

It's almost like Action Masters all over again; a line of Transformers that didn't transform and proved unpopular. Now we have a team of combiners who don't combine - and the Transformers who can combine, can't transform! At the end of the day, sales figures will prove if Hasbro was right to make this decision or not. Either way, I'm not a fan of it.

I'm a big fan of the new Leader Prime and Voyager Starscream because I think they nailed the look and feel of the characters without compromising on engineering.

*nods* I'm waiting for the new Voyager Starscream to come out with a better paint scheme. I'd be all over that toy if they released it with the colours of Deep Space Starscream!

[GoktimusPrime]

I know. Last time the movie came out I just let the toys hit the shelves and picked them up as I saw them and I eventually got them all. This time because I knew I had bub coming up, I didn't want to fall into the situation where I'd be strapped for cash and can't afford to buy the toys I want only to hunting for them later. Hunting sucks and even more so when you have less free time to do it! So I prepared myself by just slowly saving up for the RotF toys for the last few months. In order to do that I had to take peeks into threads and web pages about RotF toys - and yeah, along the way I hit a few spoilers... c'est la vie.

For the next movie I'd appreciate it if someone could just post a list of all the characters appearing in the movie and what toys will be available for those characters, lest I'll just have to go dancing through the minefield again!

[snazzbot 101]

I do wish the bug up people about Devs would stop crawling and just DIE.

There's no doubt Hasbro could've engineered six (?) Deluxes and a Voyager to transform and merge into one mighty robot. Could they have done all that and sold them in a one box and sell him for an appropriate (read: profitable) price? No. Could they do the same but sell them individually (not just put them on shelves - physically sell them)? No.

To me much of what Hasbro does is about Balance and Sacrifice. ROTF Leader Prime is amazing. Engineering? Incredible. Likeness? Fantastic. Paint Apps? Hmmm... not so much. There's the sacrifice. Is it worth it. I reckon so.

(I also reckon alot of other movie toys needed to make some sacrifices to get that Prime on the shelf. He's all sorts of WOW)

For Devastator they wanted a big-box toy that would sell. Sure, he doesn't conform to what various online man-children believe a Transformer "Must Be." He is what he is - a robot who will dwarf most other movie figures a kid might own. The fact he also a number of toy cars is a bonus.

Personally I don't like the figure/s. I could live with the lack of third modes but the other sacrifices made to shoehorn him into one box/one pricepoint mean I'm... just... not... feeling it. He's big and he's got a sound chip and that's about it. That doesn't appeal to me (not with that Clone Wars Turbo Tank on the horizon).

[Seraphim Prime]

Okay, it's a difficult question to answer.

With the lines at the moment where we have toys from a movie/cartoon rather than a movie/cartoon from toys, I prefer visual likeness.

Although I am disappointed if the engineering isn't that great, as it does become a bit of a let down.

However, the point is moot to a certain degree, as in order to get the desired visual likeness in both forms we have to have decent engineering. Sor far, in my opinion, the recent toys have had a good balance of both engineering and visual style. There is the Devastator (or is it Brawl? :P ) issue, but for me it more about the lack of engineering in the Devastator mould as opposed to the fact that it's not 6 toys that combine and transform.

[SilverDragon]

While visual likeness is a plus, I understand that some sacrifices have to be made to achieve a good toy.

I'd say I like both, with no obvious bias in either direction.

Cybertron nailed it. It freaking nailed it. Engineering and visual accuracy. It's the best cartoon:toy we've ever had, and it seems ever will.

That's 'cause they scanned the toys in and made 3D models out of them without changing them. Hence why Evac's character model contains the button that spins his rotor blades, and why Optimus Prime's hands are visible in truck mode.

[GoktimusPrime]

To me much of what Hasbro does is about Balance and Sacrifice.

I agree. And having said that, when I look at my Demolishor and Rampage, I'm just not seeing a balanced sacrifice being made. If these Constructicons aren't going to be able to combine, then they ought to be really good toys. But I don't think they are... so to me it feels like the sacrifice wasn't worthwhile. Where is the awesomesauce in these toys?

Your mention of RotF Leader Optimus Prime is a good example of a toy where balanced sacrifices were made ('cept for the blades; that bugs me. The toy is otherwise sweet as and I can forgive its other shortcomings). It has a good balance of engineering and visual fidelity.

[Vector Sigma 13]

Hunting sucks and even more so when you have less free time to do it!

I really enjoy my hunting time now because i dont get much time to do it.

[liegeprime]

always remember the factor whi8ch may be the biggest culprit for any toy you guys may think as shoddy --- TIME CONSTRAINT..... for all the tech they have its only 1 freakin year to get all these toys ready and as Griffin has already said - its BAY......who know how many changes he did before approving a final version the designers could use as a template... and even with that, could the designs be FEASIBLE to translate into toys and not look like bits of plastic stuck together ( which frankly a few of the bots look like so) So as much as we'd like there's really a slim chance Dev would get a better version unless they re-do him - just like how theyve redone Starscream - but Im still waiting on better paint apps on this version. Tats look messy for me.

[Lord_Zed]

*nods* I'm waiting for the new Voyager Starscream to come out with a better paint scheme. I'd be all over that toy if they released it with the colours of Deep Space Starscream!

I actualy like the tatoos, had he been released without them in dull grey colours then I would have passed on him at first glance, but the novelty of the markings interested me, and then he turned out to be a sweet mould to.

Plus they make him look mean in botform.

A deepspace metalic painted variant would be cool to though, the mould is good enough that I may well buy an inevitable seeker repaint.