The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Does something bother you?

Rage about it here.

It doesn't have to be anything significant or important, or maybe... it is!

Sometimes it's just good to vent and have some good-natured fun, and maybe find that others have similar peeves.

Maybe, you'll be lucky, and someone else might have an idea or two to be able to help resolve an "issue".

Otherwise, just let your rage be known...

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

To start:

I'm spending a few hours rearranging my displayed collection.

I find that I really hate Ball Joints.

It's simple and all, although I haven't brought myself to try the clear nail polish "fix" yet.

Notably, the ball joints on the exo-suit which came with MP Bumblebee. I spent 10 minutes trying to pose the guy -- Spike or Daniel, or whomever it's supposed to be -- because the arms kept popping off. Annoyed, I am.

It also happens frequently on the CW and PotP bots... It's not as bad, 'cos they're bigger, but still annoying.

I suppose it's worse for me as my toddler thinks it's fun to pop the legs off... :rolleyes:

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

I've always been annoyed at the inconsistency of reissues. There's been plenty of reissue series over the years but what they've lacked is consistency.

For example there's the commemorative series from toys r us in the early 2000's, the encore editions, the plantnium editions, the newest walmart editions, etc.

One consistent line would be great, either through one retailer or all of them, doing a set amount of reissues per year.

I think the latest walmart reissues are the right idea, a few characters at a time and in retro packaging. The question of course is whether or not the line will continue.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

My rant is about how Hasbro set the waves up for Power of the Primes and Combiner Wars.

How hard would it have been to put all Aerialbots in CW wave 1 and all Stunticons in wave 2? I have a Superion missing a limb and my Menasaur consists of 1 limb (I admit my own fault on Motormaster because at the rate he was not selling, I kept tlling myself I'd just get him next time). Defensor I managed to get all 5 (didn't realize just how cooler the smaller guys were until TR so I never got Groove). Onslaught is the only Bruticus member I never found in store, but at least having to track the torso down might be a bit easier than the limbs.

PotP, I'm still missing Sludge and Snarl, yet my WalMart some how managed to get 3 Rippersnappers. At least with TR and it looks like Seige, you aren't out a complete sub team when wave 2 has a hard time showing up.

Oh stupid question for anyone that can help. Does anyone know of a website that still has the Hasbro promotional images for CW/TR/PotP? I had been using them as desktop wallpapers, but my hard drive died in August and I didn't have them backed up. Unfortunately I can find a couple, but not all and cannot find the Dinobot ones at all. Figured I'd tack it on here because I didn't want to clutter up the main page making a post asking.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

I'm not strictly defending it, but there was an interview with Warden or somebody (I believe on BWTF) where it came out to being a design issue. Air Raid wasn't ready yet for some reason or another so they swapped him with Drag Strip.

I mean, I agree. It was an insane way to do a wave.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

my biggest gripe right now is the size of modern transformers . that new ss bumblebee?! the guy stands barely a head taller than a legend class but sells for more than a deluxe figure. i remember when the deluxes where big. same size as a smaller mp scale and the prices ranged from 10.99 to 13.99.
and remember when zellers closed shop? every deluxe they had "on clearence" was 25.99! $25.99!!
and worse! people bought them, and then other stores went hey! if peolle are willing to pay $26 for a $17 figure than maybe theyd pay $20 without complaining. and so the sheep munch on unaware or uncaring that prices just keep on going up, and we keep on buying cheaper junk at higher prices.
baaahh!
ever wonder what would happen to the world if all the sheep that jump the fence in our dreams just suddenly decided to wake up!?

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

It’s frustrating that better versions of characters come out year after year, making previous figures obsolete and worthless (resale that is).

Especially when one customized so many figures.

Got ROTF Voyager Megatron? SS Megs has made him obsolete.

Bought Classics figures of the Ark crew? All obsolete.

Bought MP Optimus? MP v2 has made him obsolete and- wait, wait... MP v3 has just made v2 obsolete. Stay tuned for v4.

And 3p is so much worse. Paid $200 for XTB Apollyon when he came out? He’s now obsolete 10 times over and you can’t sell him for $50. His replacement is obsolete. The replacement of his replacement is obsolete.

Bought FP headmasters? Ahahahahahaha OBSOLETE.

Whatever you just bought is going to be obsolete and worthless soon.

CAVEATS AND DISCLAIMERS

I’m not really complaining here. Well I am, but I know it’s stupid to.

- there will always be better figures, one could wait forever and never buy anything
- better figures are, well, better. That’s a good thing.
- my older figures don’t stop being what they are just because newer, better figures come out
- this hobby is never an investment, we will always lose money
- those older figures brought me joy etc etc
- and so on

I wouldn’t change it. I wouldn’t want it to stagnate. I like new and better figures.

But I am also painfully aware of the thousands of dollars that are now worthless. And the hundreds of better figures I can’t afford and have no space for... unless I sell old stuff... to a fandom that doesn’t want it.

Rant over.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Beautifully said man!
Couldn't agree more :)

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

I am currently pretty pissed that I will have to pay leader price for that upcoming Siege Shockwave who himself is just a voyager. Espeially since its that new 70$ leader price we are talking about. Thats rough, even with the anticipated sales.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Yep... OBSOLETE!! I feel that too.
All it really want, in a basic sense, is good-looking, well-articulated, figures to represent the G1 North American cartoon cast.

Now I seem to have multiples of characters, and, still, none of them are "perfect".

I, too, bit on Apollyon. I have a Generations Blitzwing which was good at the time, but have since acquired Titans Return Blitzwing and have to tolerate the HeadMaster (ya ya Titan Master) thing. Octane is missing his head thanks to this gimmick (and my toddler - haha).

I do like many of the "Legends" lines... they do well represent the minibots - especially Windcharger, Bumblebee, Beachcomber... I just wish they were a bit bigger to scale with MP Bumblebee...

Gah.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Same thing addicts say but with toys classic.
Lol rant over.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

It's hilarious how this thread so quickly turned into just bitching about prices and too many redos of old characters!

I personally have a list of things I don't care for TFwise (I only collect MP and Generations figs since CW so keep that in mind).

1. Combiner Wars Menasor - looking at the CW line as a whole you have to ask yourself "Wha happen?"

2. Crappy/no weapons - it's stupid that more of the Generations figs don't have proper guns or different ones. Also, why aren't they all black/grey? I hated Astrotrain's purple gun then and I hate it now. (I appreciate they're kind of addressing this with the next line but I don't care!)

3. CW feet - I don't hate them, but I wish they had offered the better style feet as an option with some of the other voyagers. Throw them in with the G2 box sets or that random Scattershot release or something.

4. Incomplete sets of figs - Don't give us just Broadside! Don't give us Frenzy and wait 3 years for Rumble in a different line! Don't give us Starscream then give us a new one before the rest of the jets! Don't give us a fembot combiner with 3 limbs!

5. Do NOT release a crappy figure like PotP Inferno again! I'm an idiot for buying it and it's the stupidest looking thing on my shelf!

Extra. Pretenders - they were stupid then and they're stupid now and you're stupid for collecting them. Don't update them, ever.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Voyager Springer and sandstorm are a thing (and are both excellent).

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Surprised we made it this far without comments about the crappy stickers we're getting.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Yes, I would like to vent about venting threads that have to do with children's toys. They're annoying ;)

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Many items to vent about.

Combiner Wars

Victorion - 2 cars and 2 helicopters as limbs, couldn't they diversify with a jeep, plane, tank, something else? Very lazy.

Titans Return

Wheelie - won't stay together in vehicle mode at all. Not tight like TR Bumblebee.

Kup - same problem as Wheelie, won't stay together tight in vehicle mode. My toddler likes playing with both characters, but complains they are broken.

Blaster - need more cassettes, tablets, whatever they are, but now realize they will probably be released 3 years later. A proper Ramhorn would be cool.

Ramhorn - I've learned from all you fine folks on this board that the last waves of Transformers toy lines can be really hard to find. For this one, maybe 5 showed up at Wal*Mart in all of Canada and the other 5 showed up at one Toys Toys Toys location at the Eaton Centre.

Power of the Primes

Voyagers/Leaders - the stickers.

Dinobots - the size.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Haha...yes we've become older children now throwing tantrums about how our toys SHOULD have been made.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

But what if you're venting about Masterpiece figures?

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Tough one, I don't own any Masterpiece figures myself as they are beyond my price point.

Hasbro & Takara should definitely be more attentive to the fanbase when it comes to that line. MP collectors should definitely be able to vent.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

I agree with the price issues and sizes being absurd. I look at SS Jazz and Bee (volkswagon) and they are small bots at a not so small price tag. I love Jazz but seriously he's more adorably small than a Deluxe figure. Bee is likely not that much bigger.
Then you have those small Primemasters, and I feel like I get a better deal from a Kinder Egg even without giving a crap about the toy inside. On top of that the Cyberverse line is expensive considering how little they are, how little they do (ie: not even transform) and hollow they are. They look like how Power Rangers has looked like for awhile, cheap Dollar Store knockoffs.

Lastly, we are paying a lot more for the figures and getting a lot less in quality control. Loose joints, parts popping off all the time. It just feels like the value of the figures how gone down the drain, for some anyway.

Another thing I don't get is again at a HEFTY price tag, why does a figure like Predaking, that i've always known having a sword, not have sword?. Or am I missing something because I no see a sword with mine.
I mean this is a great time for 3P companies to make a quick buck by selling in filler parts, extra weapons and enhancements but for what we pay for the figures in the first place, shouldn't Hasbro have done that to begin with?! And yes, on occasion I do buy those kits because they really do improve on a figure that should have been already at its best to begin with.

All I know is that right now I am avoiding Cyberverse and Bumblebee movie figures, though I did buy the SS deluxe which, SHOCKER, the arm gun needs to be taken apart and re-glued because it WILL NOT stay on the peg on Bee and his bot head pops off easily, hip ball joints are loose and his one bumper already broke, but glue can fix it. Again, at 30.00 a pop there really shouldn't be so many issues. He's on my return list. I just have to remember where the receipt is.

Anyway, that's my venting/complaints. Gonna only buy the figures that interest me for the Seige for Cybertron toyline, like that Shockwave.

As for MP figures, I really don't buy many of them. BW Dinobot was my most recent and while expensive AF, I absolutely LOVE the figure. So from my point of view, while pricey, the value I got I can justify...which makes me SUPER excited for Megatron.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

But Broadside being a Headmaster and having a proper cockpit (2 actually) doesn't really fit with them.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

The blame layeth not with Hasbro here, but with us, the fans. Victorion was one of the fan vote figures, and two cars and two helicopters is what the fans voted for!

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Did the fans ask for the use of tan in the colour scheme?

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Tan? You meal teal?

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Oh gosh! I didn't know that.

Allowing people to vote for what they want, what could possibly go wrong with that.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

It wasn't necessarily "what the fans voted for", well not exactly. IIRC it's because of their voting system was extremely flawed. Imagine the voting options for the 4 deluxes, each offering:
-car
-helicopter
-jeep
-plane
-tank
-SUV
But each deluxe had it's very own vote option. So I could vote
1) car 2) jeep 3) SUV 4) helicopter
and another fan could vote
1) tank 2) car 3) helicopter 4) plane

Then over the course of thousands of fan votes we'd see the leading votes for each slot as
1) car 2) car 3) helicopter 4) helicopter
When a "true" breakdown of total fan votes might look like
Car - 30%
Helicopter - 25%
Plane - 21%
Jeep - 19%
Tank - 3%
SUV - 2%
So what the fans ACTUALLY wanted are this aforementioned top 4 (and not 2 x 2 molds)

Apologies if I couldn't paint a clear enough picture, tried my best

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

That makes sense than I guess Hasbro took the easy way out.

My kid wanted me to get her every female Autobot, which I have and than she saw Victorion in the Machinima cartoons, asked why we don't have that toy yet. I just made the excuse that they haven't made her yet.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Assuming you meant teal, yes fans voted for the color scheme as well.

OB

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

My current vent is that I have nothing to buy until siege is released :D

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

The HFGs from CW aren't great, but I prefer them over the PotP feet. I like that with PotP hands are hands and feet are feet, but the feet are so small they look like toddler shoes on an adult.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Haha...Yes, however gives us all a chance to top up the bank account before it gets emptied again.

Exactly!!! Those feet don't make the final combiner look or even feel fierce.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Too bad the teal they ended up using was so dull and drab compared to the original pics with that bright, vibrant teal.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

So.. budget cuts again?

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

I hope the Siege deluxe figures stay at $19.99 and not go up to $29.99... Although it seems like it will as Leaders and Voyagers went up $10... I think i'll only get Omega Supreme from this line... Too bad.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

I wouldn't say I'm enraged by what I'm about to write, but it is definitely a 'pain point'...

---------------------------------

The pain point is Reissues. Why?

Quite simply I want more of them. Yup, I'm feeling like a entitled fanboy today!!! Have we not had plenty? Oh yes, in fact it's been pretty awesome--the recent Walmart reissues in G1 packaging was one of the most exciting store hunts I've had in years.

So why the concern?

It's WHICH reissues...it seems like we frequently see the same molds.

Is it a manufacturing problem? I don't think so...Look, I understand some molds are 'lost' or 'negotiations with the factory that posessed the molds failed'...I get it...but is there really not the technology to reproduce lost molds? I mean the KO companies seem to do it all the time! Are the recent reissue constructicons actually the molds from 1982? Would those even plug into modern injection molding machines!!??

I wish the future of the molds that haven't been done which I percieve to be valuable (Raiden, Liokiaser, Dinobots, Sunstreaker, etc.) was more clear.

Is it a business problem? Possibly...Some reissues don't sell out...I'm often surprised to see retailers/etailers end up with old stock...why? Did they overproduce? Is the mold too common? Why reissue something so many times? How many collectors are there for a given mold? How many need to be produced to break even, or even be profitable?

Even this has possible solutions...can we use some kind of crowdfund/pre-order fan commitment process to get the votes on what to reissue? They did it for Grand Max right? Why not a reissue?

Basically I'm hoping that reissues get a modern business approach, and leverage the available technologies to bring old designs back online because I'm pretty confident the fan demand (and dollars) are there for it to be successful, provided it's the right character.

There...nuff said about that...

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Once Siege shows up my wallet is dead again. They showed us a lot and thats only like one or two waves :O. Then you got that MP Megatron around the corner AND Titan Omega Supreme. Yeah, my wallet will take a breather but I don't think it will help any. lol

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Echo, there are a lot of reissues they can release and if the first batch sells well they will. Back in the 90's/early 2000's they reissued a ton of figures between Takara and Hasbro. I know a nice chunk of my G1 collection consists of minty fresh brand spanking new ( to me at the time of buying) figures.



I will add, I do want to see some new reissues like Wj, Sunstreaker, Mirage and Dinobots. I have all of them but would replace them with minty fresh new reissues.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

I dunno if I could justify 30 for a deluxe. I doubt that will happen though. MAYBE 22.99 but not 29.99. Time to keep track of sales and hold on to receipts for price adjustments.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

They'll trickle out in November. They always do. Right before Christmas.

Re: The Transformers VENTING Thread
 

Novastar was the last thing I needed outside of the expensive Grotusque. Thought after gettting that I'd get a nice breather. If Seige comes out in November, not much of a breather. Hahah.

And then there's the third party Arcees. Gah.