Re: basic transformation - maybe the recent scouts have been too complicated, and this is how the smaller, kid-friendly TFs should be like? Quick and fun to convert and play with others, without fiddling with interlocking parts and kibble.
I've always felt that the larger sized figures should be the 'puzzles', while the smaller figures (Scout and Deluxe) should be easy and fun to play with - and conversion is part of the play value. It's how us older fans grew up with Gen1 toys, which were simplistic enough to suck us into collecting more. The contemporary kid just isn't being sucked in the same way because these Movie toys are just too darn complex and frustrating for both kids and parents.