How to improve combiners ?

[SharkyMcShark]

Morg the way you've described your idea for modern Duocons is pretty much the exact premise of the Autobot figures in Energon. Figure with alt mode, robot mode, and half of a larger robot mode.

[morg176]

please do not assume that the duocon makeover is intended to be similar to the energon 2bot combiners. I was never fond of that line. And i think that too much was compromised to have any two random autobots combinable.

[GoktimusPrime]

Morg the way you've described your idea for modern Duocons is pretty much the exact premise of the Autobot figures in Energon. Figure with alt mode, robot mode, and half of a larger robot mode.

I disagree.

Duocons have two vehicles that merge to form a single robot, but each vehicle does NOT transform into an autonomous robot. The Energon Powerlinx Autobots are more similar to G1's Multi-Force. Like Energon Superlinkers, each Multiforce Autobot can transform into a vehicle and robot, and any two robot can combine with each other to form a larger robot (e.g. Wing can merge with Waver to form Wingwaver, or Waver can merge with Wing to form Waverwing etc.). Although IMO 1989's Multiforcers were better because:
+ The combined robot was a new entity (as demonstrated in Mach and Tackle), whereas in Energon it seems that the top robot is in charge.
+ With the toy a new head would emerge depending on who was on top, and it wasn't that robot's actual head. e.g. If Mach combined with Tackle, you'd see Mach's "combiner head" and not Mach's actual head. In Energon if you combine say Hot Shot with Inferno, it's still Hot Shot's head on the combined form.
+ The Multiforcers can all merge into the gestalt robot Landcross. The Energon Powerlinxers can't combine together to form a gestalt, and the Energon gestalt robots can't Powerlinx!

Magmatron is more similar to a Duocon, only that he has three alternate forms that combine to form a gestalt robot form (as well as a gestalt beast form!) - although the crucial difference is that Magmatron doesn't have a spring activated single touch transformation gimmick. And I think that was the Duocon's main compromise. I don't mind the concept of having different alt forms combining into a robot, but I think having them as an "activator" restricts the engineering. I know there are a lot of really cool one-touch transformation toys out there, like the flipchangers and a lot of the Activators are pretty neat -- but of course, none of them are combiners. If they wanted to revisit the Duocon concept then I'd rather they didn't revisit the single-touch spring activation.

[SharkyMcShark]

I disagree.

Then you didn't read what he actually wrote

[SharkyMcShark]

please do not assume that the duocon makeover is intended to be similar to the energon 2bot combiners. I was never fond of that line. And i think that too much was compromised to have any two random autobots combinable.

Well how is it different then? Two figures with alt and robot modes form halves of a larger robot - the only way it could be conceptually different is if they were specifically partnered with eachother.

[morg176]

a makeover of the duocon concept [although it might need a name change], hmm, i would lose all the springloaded stuff and maybe even go with a 'animated style' approach, 2 scout vehicles [or animals] that form a robot, or more correctly one robot that splits into two vehicles.

What two vehicles/animals/mix would you chose if you were a duocon/bot

[kurdt_the_goat]

Has anyone played with a Chogokin Aquarion? Not much info around ... but there is this review. The bit that makes it unique is:

Basicly, any of the 3 vectors can become arms, legs or back, and each vector has its own head..... You can also combine the vectors to make a bigger spaceship, or a 4 armed mech.

Some more pics here

[SharkyMcShark]

any of the 3 vectors can become arms, legs or back,

Reminds me of Landfill

[morg176]

Well how is it different then? Two figures with alt and robot modes form halves of a larger robot - the only way it could be conceptually different is if they were specifically partnered with eachother.

I see the misunderstanding, and let me apologise if i did not make myself as clear as i should have, my bad.

There would be a single robot who would split/decompile into 2 x vehicles as his alt mode. just like flywheels did. 1 x robot > two vehicles [tank + jet]

[kurdt_the_goat]

Reminds me of Landfill

Curse my incomplete knowledge of Transformers!