While popping open my Gen Metroplex figure, I've come to discover a few things.
1 - The back of the head has some moulding for a pin, but isn't used. It looks like this was the original rotation point for the flap that pops up in the back.
2 - The inside of Metroplex's chest is moulded to accommodate 3 buttons connected to the front cockpit: left only, right only, and center (all three at once), which is why the cockpit can be leaned to each side without triggering the lights and sounds.
2A - I'll be using these three button spaces for when I mod in an MP3 player soon. Actually just the side two (On/off and play/pause, and the other for next) since I want to retain the original electronics feature.
3 - There is PLENTY of space to fit an MP3 player and small speaker inside of the center chest, even to the point where the original electronics can sit unmodded.
4 - It's easier to put the stickers on when you take the helmet off (or just take the figure apart).
5 - The Canadian Tri-Lingual electronics are the same as the European release according to the circuit board, which means there is intended to be a European release. Mine says XYL68C EU VERSION, and on the secondary board XYL56A (which I assume is the same for the US release).
6 - The wires connected to the circuit board are prone to breaking at the solder points (probably the cause of some units not functioning). The battery wires are and wires between the secondary and primary board are especially prone to this.
7 - The plastic is SUPER thin at some points, I can notice some tiny holes in some of these thin parts when I hold it up to the light.
8 - You can easily remove the red "sunglasses" in a non-destructive way if you first remove the helmet.
9 - The most non-intrusive place to carve out a hole in order to have access to a USB wire appears to be inside of the ramp area near the back, which can then be tucked back into the center chest when not in use.
10 - According to the main circuit board, it is installed upside down, the screw should go in the hole indicated.
11 - With the amount of flux overspray on the main circuit board, it WILL fail in a few years due to corrosion, whether MISB or not (sorry collectors).
12 -
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Ark
Not related to the electronics, but does anyone know what the switch on the back of his neck does?
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- When the light and sound is on, move it back and forth to see his pupils moving.
13 - If I'm correct in looking at details on Metroplex and his gun, his gun appears to be a dreadnaught ship; the bridge needs to fit Cybertronians. So let's assume his 5mm ports are about 25 meters across, making his scale 1:5000, a nice even number for calculating. Generations Metroplex's height is therefore around 3 kilometers. Wow. (conjecture)
edit: with Titans Returns released, and some mini planes, the scale works out more like 888 meters tall. Still formidable.
14 - Metroplex's missile can act as Scamper's baton.
15 - Scamper's gun has some weird sculpting on it that leads me to believe that Six-gun may have been planned at some point, with Scamper's gun combining onto something else. I can't figure out where else on Metroplex the weird sculpting might fit. (conjecture)
16 - Metroplex's vehicle mode is designed for two big red guns, just like the G1 version. Sad that the general release doesn't get the second one.
17 - A different gimmick may have been planned and scrapped for Metroplex's left forearm, which is why there is no play feature with it and it doesn't mirror the right forearm. (conjecture)
18 - I can't, for the life of me, figure out what those red bars are in city mode by the helipad.
19 - The vehicle mode's crane arm can be removed and inserted (although a bit loose to allow for rotation) into any 5mm hole.
