Page 2 of 5 FirstFirst 1234 ... LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 41

Thread: 3rd party transformers..

  1. #11
    Join Date
    4th Jun 2012
    Location
    Gold coast
    Posts
    420

    Default

    I have a few fansproject bots and quakewave I paid out the nose for my insecticons and I'm not sure they were worth it but if id paid what they retailed for they defo would have been worth it, quakewave was definately money well spent I like the combiners but ultimately they feel a little bit expensive

  2. #12
    Join Date
    19th Dec 2008
    Location
    HK
    Posts
    3,250

    Default

    It's very much on a case by case basis for me.
    I paid a horrible amount for City Commander + Classics Ultra Magnus, but it's a beautiful piece and the enjoyment I get from it even now has made it worthwhile IMO - much like MP10. The Headrobots RotF Bludgeon upgrade kit was kind of pricey, but again worth it. Ditto for the Beelzeboss Goldbug set. On the other hand, my PE not-Reflector (the black one, 'cos I couldn't find a purple set at the time), while also a lovely piece, hasn't quite delivered the bang for the buck I would have liked - though it was from a Japanese specialty shop rather than a more economical option, so I might feel differently if it weren't for the Hero Gangu markup.
    So far I've avoided combiners, but I'm a sucker for Predaking so I'm probably gonna cave for MMCs Feral Rex crew, and I suspect it'll work out much the same as City Commander - expensive, but ultimately worth it IMO.
    Last edited by Ode to a Grasshopper; 10th October 2013 at 07:42 AM.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    2nd Jan 2008
    Location
    Quakers Hill
    Posts
    11,185

    Default

    Im a bit of a resident of the "basement" hehehe ...

    For me I is a case to case basis as well. Some figures that I got are quite good. Most of the 3rd party figures I got so far have been of good quality, the abs plastic materials tend to be sturdier and non cheap in look and feel. Having said that not all 3rd parties can be of good quality. There are hits and there definitely misses. I buy from figures to add on accessories, to even , shhhhh, ehrmemm eherrm KO stuff.... yeah I know it's why Im a basement resident along with HD hahahah...

    Here's but a few of the 3rd party stuff I got...

    Most of these I am pleased, some Im just ...meh it'll do- like the add on kit for Superion Maximus - at the time it was released it was, "okay gotta get that" but once Ive gotten it... it has flaws which in a way is because of the base figures fault and not really because of the set... another is the add on accessories for a more G1esque generations Roadbuster - the quality of the material is horrible and brittle... so yeah it's all a bit of hits and misses...

    One figure in particular which is a real waste of a good idea - the concept is good and would've been awesome but the execution is very much lacking IMO

    ---- Sonicron - which I did a review as well

    http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showth...onicron+review
    Im glad this was a cheap purchase - which I would say should've been cheaper with the poor quality of the figure or better yet they should've polished the execution first before deciding to release it, coz honestly it's a shame - it would've been awesome had the execution of the figure been more of better quality. Even his Cassettes are a hit and miss, while the not-Ratbat is good, the not-Ravage is meh - but then I lok at MP Ravage and a deep sigh comes to me...this is an MP figure? really?


    Do I think these are priced well... no.... I still buy em though. A lot of em enhance an existing figure e.g. the FP trailer add ons for city Commander and the Not-Rodimus, a couple are great and better incarnations of characters that for some reason HasTakTom seem to pay no attention to... until it get's a third party treatment hehehe but there are times that the 3rd party kinda wins over the official one ...but generally I think the prices could be a tad lower... of course since it's all of limited number in production that's unlikely to happen...but yeah, generally the pricing for the 3rd party stuff are high and at times bordering on, "are you kidding me" high...just look at the Crazy Devy add ons

    Will I keep buying them , yup I will selectively, as some figures HasTakTom just wont release for some reason beyond me - e.g. Generations Arcee, or if the character it was based on is one I really like but the official one just wont cut it or is just as pricey...e.g. Botcon Chromedome figure vs Function x-1.... of course if it was priced really high... then I can live without em.

    Now for the ehreem KOs.... well some people don't approve... me Im flexible... e.g. Dino cassettes - will I be able to afford the original... don't think so, even if I can would I buy them - the price they go these days since they are rare is quite prohibitive... I could prolly buy a heaps more of other stuff, heck It is very well my plane ticket cost already so NO. So I settled for the KO...and am still hoping for a proper Encore version......till then the Kos stay




    and of course there are the 3rd party stuff that HaTakTom would definitely not manufacture in such a scale at all ocz well, it's not their product at all so if we ever get these , thanks HasTakTom, if not, well there always the 3rd party for it - e.g.

    Energon Cubes
    Wanted AM partner Vanguard, Myclones Dirge, G1 Victory Leo, e-hobby Dark scream ( the black version), e-hobby Magnificus
    Parts- AM partner Basher-side guns, G1 Actionmaster Elite Windmill's blades[I][B]

  4. #14
    Join Date
    30th Jan 2011
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    23

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by liegeprime View Post
    Im a bit of a resident of the "basement" hehehe ...

    For me I is a case to case basis as well. Some figures that I got are quite good. Most of the 3rd party figures I got so far have been of good quality, the abs plastic materials tend to be sturdier and non cheap in look and feel. Having said that not all 3rd parties can be of good quality. There are hits and there definitely misses. I buy from figures to add on accessories, to even , shhhhh, ehrmemm eherrm KO stuff.... yeah I know it's why Im a basement resident along with HD hahahah...

    Here's but a few of the 3rd party stuff I got...

    Most of these I am pleased, some Im just ...meh it'll do- like the add on kit for Superion Maximus - at the time it was released it was, "okay gotta get that" but once Ive gotten it... it has flaws which in a way is because of the base figures fault and not really because of the set... another is the add on accessories for a more G1esque generations Roadbuster - the quality of the material is horrible and brittle... so yeah it's all a bit of hits and misses...

    One figure in particular which is a real waste of a good idea - the concept is good and would've been awesome but the execution is very much lacking IMO

    ---- Sonicron - which I did a review as well

    http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showth...onicron+review
    Im glad this was a cheap purchase - which I would say should've been cheaper with the poor quality of the figure or better yet they should've polished the execution first before deciding to release it, coz honestly it's a shame - it would've been awesome had the execution of the figure been more of better quality. Even his Cassettes are a hit and miss, while the not-Ratbat is good, the not-Ravage is meh - but then I lok at MP Ravage and a deep sigh comes to me...this is an MP figure? really?


    Do I think these are priced well... no.... I still buy em though. A lot of em enhance an existing figure e.g. the FP trailer add ons for city Commander and the Not-Rodimus, a couple are great and better incarnations of characters that for some reason HasTakTom seem to pay no attention to... until it get's a third party treatment hehehe but there are times that the 3rd party kinda wins over the official one ...but generally I think the prices could be a tad lower... of course since it's all of limited number in production that's unlikely to happen...but yeah, generally the pricing for the 3rd party stuff are high and at times bordering on, "are you kidding me" high...just look at the Crazy Devy add ons

    Will I keep buying them , yup I will selectively, as some figures HasTakTom just wont release for some reason beyond me - e.g. Generations Arcee, or if the character it was based on is one I really like but the official one just wont cut it or is just as pricey...e.g. Botcon Chromedome figure vs Function x-1.... of course if it was priced really high... then I can live without em.

    Now for the ehreem KOs.... well some people don't approve... me Im flexible... e.g. Dino cassettes - will I be able to afford the original... don't think so, even if I can would I buy them - the price they go these days since they are rare is quite prohibitive... I could prolly buy a heaps more of other stuff, heck It is very well my plane ticket cost already so NO. So I settled for the KO...and am still hoping for a proper Encore version......till then the Kos stay




    and of course there are the 3rd party stuff that HaTakTom would definitely not manufacture in such a scale at all ocz well, it's not their product at all so if we ever get these , thanks HasTakTom, if not, well there always the 3rd party for it - e.g.

    Energon Cubes
    Good to see them altogether! Oh and how I wish I got that roadbuster kit!

  5. #15
    Join Date
    6th Aug 2010
    Location
    Warrnambool
    Posts
    1,126

    Default

    Late to the party on the warbots

    But got warbot springer mib on eBay for like $40 only a few weeks back. Thought it was a score and a half

    Got assaulter today and not sea spray.

    Also got igear autobots headquarters delivered today.....overwhelmed so haven't opened yet hehe

  6. #16
    Join Date
    23rd Apr 2009
    Location
    Ballarat
    Posts
    728

    Default

    Never understood the entitlement that these things bring. "Well Hasbro aren't doing it right now, thus they are awful and I must violate copyright."

    Too many of them doing the same thing (often just because another group is working on it, it seems), no real quality checking, over complex or fiddly looking designs (plus the Dreamwave style they seem to be done in. thick, boxy, "bad arse")... yeah, I'm not a fan generally.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    7th Mar 2012
    Location
    The Moon
    Posts
    6,605

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gouki View Post
    Never understood the entitlement that these things bring. "Well Hasbro aren't doing it right now, thus they are awful and I must violate copyright."
    Yeah, can't say that has ever gone through my mind when I've bought a 3rd party TF. I see a TF, I like, I buy. It really is that simple

    Quote Originally Posted by Gouki View Post
    Too many of them doing the same thing (often just because another group is working on it, it seems), no real quality checking, over complex or fiddly looking designs (plus the Dreamwave style they seem to be done in. thick, boxy, "bad arse")... yeah, I'm not a fan generally.
    You obviously haven't really seen MakeToys, MMC or FansToys figures then. And Takara's QC is soooooooooo much better. Generations Blitzwing, MP Rodimus, MP Lambos and MP Laserbeak are 4 recent shining examples of Takara's superior QC.

    It really depends on the company. Obviously some are better than others. And some figures are better than others, same as any major toy company. Just because they are a big company doesn't mean that their products will be problem free. Just look at Bandai's Macross VF-171 CF. And they're the biggest toy company in the world. You'd think that for the price you pay for one of those it'd be perfect
    Dovie'andi se tovya sagain

  8. #18
    Join Date
    28th Dec 2007
    Location
    NSW
    Posts
    14,762

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gouki View Post
    Never understood the entitlement that these things bring. "Well Hasbro aren't doing it right now, thus they are awful and I must violate copyright."

    Too many of them doing the same thing (often just because another group is working on it, it seems), no real quality checking, over complex or fiddly looking designs (plus the Dreamwave style they seem to be done in. thick, boxy, "bad arse")... yeah, I'm not a fan generally.
    Yep, you are clearly talking without any basis. It sounds as if you have never properly experienced 3rd party toys without a heavy ideological bias.

    I collect because I like. The rule is: 'Whoever makes the best toy wins my money.' Too bad Hasbro often loses.

    And as Trent said, yeah not all 3rd parties are at the same level but the better known/popular ones (MMC, Maketoys, FP, etc) are miles and miles better than Hasbro/Tak-Tom when it comes to material/Design/Quality control. Hell, even TFC could be said that is better than Hasbro and they are far from great.

    Another plus is that often 3rd parties will gladly replace any faulty part by providing free replacements if a post production error is found. They will even cater to fan preferences (like Quakewave's under arm hose arm) for free including shipping.

    It's fine if you are against 3rd parties for 'intellectual property infringement' reasons. You would often be on the 'right' about them from that point of view but don't make up stuff that are generalized and largely incorrect to put 3rd parties down.

  9. #19
    Join Date
    19th Dec 2008
    Location
    HK
    Posts
    3,250

    Default

    It's a bit easier to understand when you try thinking about it without the strawman arguments.

    I imagine I'd probably have a bit more consideration for Hasbro's copyright if 1: they hadn't started the franchise by buying up a bunch of Japanese toys and reselling them under a different label, 2: they actually catered to the high-end fan market themselves (seriously, the market's there and they're largely choosing to ignore it - you can call it entitlement if you want, personally I see it more as consumers voting with their wallets), and 3: if they didn't happily skirt copyright themselves via the same 'similar but legally distinct' tricks for their own products when it's convenient for them, such as the alt-modes for Classicsverse Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. If HTT is down with doing it for their own products, I hardly think it's reasonable to condemn 3PP companies and/or fans for doing it to them. Legally most well-regarded 3PP companies manage to skate the thin line between 'resembles' and 'infringes on copyright', while "morally" (if you're into that sort of thing) they're just as guilty of said offense as 3PPs are. Knock-offs, those are kind of a different story IMO, but we don't seem to be talking about them here.
    Add to all that the fact that - for my part at least - it's not costing HTT sales, inasmuch as I'll still happily buy official TFs that tickle my fancy just as I'll happily buy unofficial non-TFs that get my interest, and somehow I just can't quite find the energy for all the wailing and gnashing of teeth I'm apparently supposed to be doing on behalf of poor, violated HasTakTom.

  10. #20
    Megatran Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Trent View Post
    Generations Blitzwing, MP Rodimus, MP Lambos and MP Laserbeak are 4 recent shining examples of Takara's superior QC.
    The finish quality of my MP Lambor and TigerTrack were not great. Probably not the gold standard example of TakTom's quality IMO. Both suffered from the same 'issues' which leads me to think that it wasn't just a one off. My biggest gripe is the uneven paint job. You can see the black undercoat coming through the top coat of paint. Also the paint job along the edges where 2 colours meet is not sharp. There is a sizeable scratch on Red Lambor's bonnet when I opened the box for the first time (probably just unlucky). Looks as if some prick 'keyed' the bonnet with malicious intent. The Lamborghini badge on the bonnet is indecipherable. Supposively Lamborghini OKed the licence??? Having said this, the joints are tight.

    As for 3rd party TF, I've been vastly impressed with the ones I've got. I only have a few but Quakewave & Planet X Genesis are freakin top notch. Expensive yes, but worth every cent.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •