How to improve combiners ?

[GoktimusPrime]

E OS pulls this off ok, although i didnt like the toy enough to buy it.

Yeah, it's a really underwhelming and f'expensive toy. But it was the closest match I could think of with the concept you were suggesting.

I like the Headmaster unit on it though... I call it Energon Omega Spreem.

some of the larger leader class tf are more like large dolls that action figure toys, and are f* stupidly expensive for what you actually get. Maybe thats why they are often shelfhuggers

Most boxed Transformers are like this. That's why sometimes when people say things like a certain carded toy (e.g. WFC Optimus Prime) should be made as a Voyager or something, I'm hesitant to agree cos odds are if Hasbro did do that, the engineering would only be marginally better - but not enough to justify the price point... which would be justified by Hasbro with an electronic gimmick (which in turn compromises engineering; e.g. if there's a sound gimmick the toy would have to be designed around a central "block"). That's why a lot of carded toys, like WFC Optimus Prime, are often better designed than their larger and more expensive boxed counterparts.

[morg176]

what do you want in a dinobot combiner, scramble city type? more pcc cores and drones? a 6 bot constructicon style?

what do you want?

[Gutsman Heavy]

I want I combiner composed entirely of Walrus TFs.

[SofaMan]

If they were ever going to do a real Dinobots combiner, I'd like them to attempt something in the vein of Fossil Lord, with the obvious caveat that it would need to be well implemented.

[Tallestblue]

If they were ever going to do a real Dinobots combiner, I'd like them to attempt something in the vein of Fossil Lord, with the obvious caveat that it would need to be well implemented.

My God that is an ugly toy. And if I was playoing with it, I couldn't help but sing "Dem Bones."

[kup]

Which means the designer has to have a good stable mental capacity to accept a lot of frustrations and the fact that his original designs will never see the light as it would be constantly be changed even up to the last minute detail in every step of the way due to this "strictly predetermined budget (look-up Wikipedia - Miser )"

might as well just submit a photo of gumby on reused paper that way he/she wont get so frustrated...... it wont end up as gumby anyways

Yeah, Hasbro would never take over FansProject because it doesn't fit Hasbro's business model to do mass releases of collector toys. Even 'collector friendly' lines such as Alternators, reissues and Titaniums had to conform to child safety or child appeal/marketing restrictions because the retailers would not accept collector focused products in toy shelves. Mattel seems to have a more collector friendly business model which unfortunately Hasbro is lacking.

In the unlikely scenario that Hasbro does employ someone from FansProject, I doubt they would have the freedom to make toys like Munitioner and Explorer. As Liege puts it, they would have to conform to Hasbro imposed budgets, restrictions and marketing strategy (aka: what Walmart wants) so the result would just be a regular Hasbro figure even if a FansProject designer makes it. The Takara-Tomy designers are already a very talented bunch but as they have themselves expressed, they have to conform to Hasbro demands which considerably changes the figure from concept design to final product - This is a restriction that FansProjects doesn't have to deal with.

Things are fine as they are. I don't want Hasbro ruining what is awesome non KO 3rd Party figures. They satisfy the collector market while Hasbro satisfies the mainstream - The balance is fine.

[GoktimusPrime]

Even Takara(TOMY) has to conform to its own restrictions too. G1 Godbomber is a classic example of this. I'd like to see Hasbro do something that can appeal to both collectors and kids at the same time - like my hypothetical The Generations Collection series... contemporary versions of G1 figures in vintage packaging -- much like what Hasbro does for Star Wars.

Getting back on topic, Transformers Generations Deluxe reveals some interesting abandoned designs for combiners/gestalts for G1. Page 99 shows these "Duocon" kind of toys where there's an alligator and a sports car that combine to form a robot. Another is a bison and a jet fighter who combine into a robot. Both the alligator and bison look more organic too and not robotic like typical G1 animal modes.

p.108 shows a Transformer with 3 different Transformers than can transform from robot to robotic dinosaur, and all three can combine to form a combined dino mode. This toy was intended for release in 1987. The same page also shows a gestalt comprised of 15 Transformers. Also intended for 1987 it's divided into 3 teams of 5 - an air team, a construction team and a road team. Note that if these toys had been made, it would have been the first Transformers V-22 Osprey.

SofaMan: the closest HasTak has come to making fossil Transformers was another abandoned concept for G1. See page 108 of Transformers Generations for a picture of a Transformer that would've transformed into a piece of rock with fossilised bones in it. Weird! It's bizarre to think that HasTak did actually plan on making Rock Lords for Transformers (see p. 98!).

[SofaMan]

I Don't have the Deluxe edition of the book, so I looked it up online. The dinosaur combiner they show is quite similar to Magmatron in its combined mode, and the fossil TF looks interesting.

They even designed a 15 piece MM combiner, and genuine 80s Real Gear!