Transformers questions by newbies, and not-so-newbies

[DarkHyren]

Thanks peeps, I'd seen some of those but not griffin's link, that and the list on unicron together will probably suit my needs.

I can't help but feel the $29 RRP for a Warrior class is driving the low demand, especially when compared to a lower priced Deluxe figure. Just a hypothesis....

I found Windblade and Scorponok the other day but the price tag is indeed what put me off getting them.
I do like the line but $29 is a bit much imo for either a warrior or a deluxe, though realizing that it was likely the wave 7 maskless Windblade (which going off griffins post that's the harder to get one?) since she was sitting there with Scorpy (pity I wasnt paying enough attention at the time to her face) and seeing how much she is going for online makes me think that $29 is actually the cheapest that I might find her for, so back to the store I go lol

[GoktimusPrime]

$30 has long been the standard RRP for a Deluxe figure in this country (and generally in most other countries, give/take a few dollars). I know that many majors tend to discount them, but the standard price has often been at that range.

I think the issue with the RiD Warriors is that they are underwhelming Deluxes, giving us so much less dollar value. You compare say RiD Warrior Ratchet with say Universe/Henkei Ratchet - both Deluxes - and there's just no comparison.
Check out some of the posts on these threads re: CHUGUR Ratchet - you can see the excitement that we all had.
http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=3085
http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=1420
http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=2901

Now compare this with the comments and poll results from the Warrior Class Ratchet review thread as well as many of the disappointing comments on the TFPRiD Ratchet review thread, as well as the generally scathing reviews for Strongarm. I know that CHUGUR Ratchet has its critics - some people don't like all the seam lines (but bear in mind that it's trying to achieve what MP Ratchet has only at the Deluxe size and price point!), and okay, the head looking down thing is weird. But overall it's a pretty damn good toy IMHO and offers comparatively FAR greater value for money than its TFPRiD and RiD/TAV counterparts.
[IMG][/IMG]
I've often said in my reviews of TFP and RiD toys that many of them aren't inherently bad toys per se... they're just not worth the full price of admission. Whereas for most CHUGUR toys people are more than happy to pay full RRP. Heck, in my previous two trips to Japan I've seen TakaraTOMY's Deluxe Legends figures flying off shelves despite their 4320JPY (AU$52) price tags. So I don't think it's necessarily the prices per se but more the reduced value for money. Cos whenever I've gotten say a RiD Warrior figure my thought has always been, "And they have the audacity to charge a Deluxe price for this?!" Little wonder that I only pick up a Warrior Class figure if it's either on sale or if someone's offering it to me for free. I've never bought one at full price (although I often find them in stores at full RRP).

[DELTAprime]

^ The Henkei Ironhide/Ratchet mould isn't exactly a great mould itself. Just sayin.

[GoktimusPrime]

^ The Henkei Ironhide/Ratchet mould isn't exactly a great mould itself. Just sayin.

Why?

As I said in my previous post, bear in mind that Univ/Henkei Ironhide/Ratchet are basically attempting to achieve close to what MASTERPIECE Ironhide/Ratchet achieved, only on a much smaller size and price point/budget.
Henkei Ironhide/Ratchet's RRP (incl. tax) was 2495JPY (approx. $30).
MP Ironhide/Ratchet's RRP (incl. tax) is 10800JPY (approx. $130).
So bear in mind that Henkei/Universe Ironhide/Ratchet were trying to achieve a relatively cartoon-accurate toy but at a price point that was $100 cheaper than the MPs.

And of course, trying to achieve show-accurate Ironhide/Ratchet is a nigh-impossible feat because the cartoon models utterly defy physics and ignore reality. Even the MPs couldn't get them 100% accurate, but came pretty impressively damn close. Univ/Henkei Ratchethide gave us fairly solid vehicle and robot modes. Neither mode relies on faux-kibble like TFPRiD and RiD/TAV Ratchet do. They aren't shellformers and much of the back-mounted kibble compacts fairly nicely. A whole lot better than say either of the AoE Leader Class Optimus Prime toys! Okay, the vehicle mode is a long-nosed 4WD rather than a short-nosed van, but this is because the bonnet houses the legs. TakaraTOMY engineers have to put these legs somewhere, and again, their options are far more limited at a Deluxe size and price/budget point. They can't afford to splash out and go all complicated like MPs do. And yes, there are seam lines along the sides of the vehicle, but honestly, that's a pretty acceptable trade off considering what these toys have achieved. It's a vehicle which transforms into a fairly show-accurate robot without having a detachable platform like the G1 toys or the BotCon redecos of Energon Tow-Line. If you look at the front, top and rear of the vehicle, there are relatively few seam lines - not much more than most other Deluxe Transformers. And the seams on the sides are isolated to the rear side windows and base of the doors/skirting. The driver & passenger side windows have no seam lines and the upper halves of the doors have very few seams. So they have clearly attempted to isolate where these seams occur rather than have them spread out throughout the sides.

And on top of all that, the Deluxes need to be fun and intuitive for kids. MPs can afford to be far more challenging because they are directly marketed at mature collectors - Ages 15+. Universe/Henkei figures are marketed at Ages 5+. So all things considered, I think that Univ/Henkei Ratchethide are GREAT Deluxes. Are they perfect? No. My main complaint about them are their downwards facing heads. But other than that I cannot really find any real fault in these toys. And these toys really paved the way for the MPs as the MPs are essentially the Univ/Henkei figures but done at a larger size and price point/budget.

I challenge you to find me any other Transformer toy outside of the Masterpiece series which achieves what Univ/Henkei Ratchethide has achieved given their original source material (cartoon model) & relative size and price point.

[DELTAprime]

You're in that vast minority. I rarely hear anyone try to say that mould is good. It's passable at best.

[GoktimusPrime]

Again - WHY? Why do you think it's such a bad mould?

Ratchet looks much better than I initially thought too.

Ratchet looks good. Great that they resculpted the head unlike classics Cliffjumper.

Awesome

Ratchet hasn't looked this sexy in ages.

Sexy

Sexy indeed

Holy Crap thats impressive

WOW!

that is calling out to me! It's so purdy lookin'!

Very pretty!

Looks awesome.

I love the mould so much

Henkei Ratchet does look really good.

[SuspectimusPrime]

You're in that vast minority. I rarely hear anyone try to say that mould is good. It's passable at best.

Again - WHY? Why do you think it's such a bad mould?

Looks like those posts are quite dated.. In 2008-2009 the only other G1-esque Ratchet-alternatives were G1/Encore and the Botcon exclusive (Energon Tow-Line).

I've got 3 versions of the mould: Hasbro Classics Ironhide, Henkei Ratchet, and TFCC SG Soundwave. Each has the same problem - the mushroom peg used for the hip is prone to popping off during careful transformation. The TFCC version was especially poor quality (did not appear to be a perfect circle, and when twisting the hip 180 degrees it would just push itself out - but hey, with TFCC you know you won't get what you pay for ).

[GoktimusPrime]

Looks like those posts are quite dated.. In 2008-2009

Well yeah, cos that's about when the toy came out and people were posting about it. But my point is that when the toy came out people were generally pretty excited over it.

the only other G1-esque Ratchet-alternatives were G1/Encore and the Botcon exclusive (Energon Tow-Line).

Fair point, and this is because the idea of even attempting a show-accurate transforming & looking Ratchethide is just so prohibitively difficult that it's not worth it unless you're trying to give fans a show-accurate Ratchethide that doesn't "cheat" by having a detachable platform (although it's not a true cheat considering that the cartoon model had the detachable platform - even if it was only ever seen once in the cartoon (every other time it just miraculously vanished)). CHUGUR Ratchethide was HasTak's first attempt, and with a limited Deluxe point size/budget. 8 years later they tried again with the MPs but with a substantially larger size and budget.

I've got 3 versions of the mould: Hasbro Classics Ironhide, Henkei Ratchet, and TFCC SG Soundwave. Each has the same problem - the mushroom peg used for the hip is prone to popping off during careful transformation. The TFCC version was especially poor quality (did not appear to be a perfect circle, and when twisting the hip 180 degrees it would just push itself out - but hey, with TFCC you know you won't get what you pay for ).

Mine aren't nearly as prone as yours - they can pop off but not at the drop of a hat. Mine aren't nearly as bad as say Animated Lockdown's legs or MP5's shoulder & hip panels.

[Starscream77]

You're in that vast minority. I rarely hear anyone try to say that mould is good. It's passable at best.

Would agree, it is not a mold I think is in the top end over the last 10 yrs.

And Gok as noted the responses you noted are almost a decade old so not sure they are relevant these days, people probably rated this back then but it has not stood the test of time.

[DELTAprime]

Personally I'd say my personal issues are.

- Panel lines vehicle mode are ugly.
- Face sculpt is not good
- Massive backpack
- Mushroom pegs are problematic

Before getting Ironhide and Ratchet in hand I was excited to have them, after getting them in hand things soured.