Transformers Toy Topic, May 2010

[Skids]

The toys unveiled at Botcon (Classics Jazz, Scourge, etc) have been shown at that Chinese con this weekend! Pics here!!! Please note that all of the Generation stuff except for Jazz is minorly to MAJORLY mistransformed. They looked tons better at Botcon.

http://www.allspark.com/content/view/7625/20/

[Skids]

Could...could it be that he transforms between Hot Rod AND Rodimus??? They could pull it off! It seems like they have, judging from some eagle-eyed folks.
http://www.allspark.com/content/view/7624/20/
http://i3.6.cn/cvbnm/12/e5/8c/4e9e11ee8 ... 581bf0.jpg
http://i3.6.cn/cvbnm/bc/7c/b5/bd69cd3ff ... 503547.jpg

[Transypoo]

Styracosaur, Parasaurolophus, Pachycephalosaurus, Ankylosaur, and the not-dinosaur, Dimetrodon. Still looks awesome!

Ooooh, Thunderwing! Too bad it's not the IDW one.

Ha ha "Turbo Tracks!"

All looks cool to me!

[ShadeC4]

Could...could it be that he transforms between Hot Rod AND Rodimus??? They could pull it off! It seems like they have, judging from some eagle-eyed folks.

What's the physical difference between Hot Rod's & Rodimus' robot modes other than a color difference? Unless his height slightly changes... Nothing. So, yeah... I don't get how you can see any variation there. Would have to see if the car mode can work independent of the trailer.

[Transypoo]

I guess, the legs could extend, looks like they might, and he could have a younger and older face. Maybe his chest transforms slightly differently?

Bah, I think it's just Rodimus.

[Skids]

There's evidence that he can transform into the Hot Rod vehicle mode; he probably also loses a little height and the face changes. That's all that's needed, really. Takara are friggin' geniuses...at this point, we wouldn't necessarily be getting our money's worth if he DIDN'T turn into Hot Rod's alt mode when detached from the trailer.

I definitely think he has the younger face that switches out. Also, his gun clearly seems to split into Hot Rod's two pistols.

Here is the evidence so far:

okay, so the hints so far of a second Hot Rod mode are:

Panels on his back being large enough to cover a much larger area than what the cab needs
Open area between face and helmet, hinge on back of helmet at base of head.
Wheels visible on the backs of his legs, but all four of the trailer's wheels remaining on the trailer.
One of Hot Rod's guns is visible inside the larger rifle, as what appears to be a seperate piece.
Robot mode hood is not the same as the vehicle hood.
there's some suspicious bits hiding inside the panels on the back. round, like boosters or something? are those on any Hot Rod or Rodimus Prime character models?

Pretty good so far.

Oh god. It just hit me. that panel on the very back of the robot mode has the exact details and shape of Hot Rod's car mode's back. I'm looking at my G1 Hot Rod, and I see the same cut rectangle detailing on his roof near the spoiler, exactly where it is on the bot mode of the MP figure, near the spoiler. He's even got the exact same vent detailing under the spoiler as the G1 Hot Rod! The panel that that panel is on hinges up to fill out the rest of the car mode's roof, and then those booster-ish parts fold out to become the back of the car. That's exactly how it works. This has a hot rod mode.

[ShadeC4]

Hmm... I dunno...



But, yeah. I'm now hoping for at least Hot Rod alt mode.

[Skids]

If you see here, he has wheels on his shoulders, and wheels inside his legs.

http://i3.6.cn/cvbnm/bc/7c/b5/bd69cd3ff ... 503547.jpg

You would think that the wheels on his shoulders were for his truck mode cab, but those wheels are actually the ones that end up INSIDE the legs. So what are the shoulder wheels for? Hot Rod vehicle mode! I mean, why would you engineer it THAT fancily if you didn’t have to? I mean, there’s animation model accuracy, but they could have engineered it to work much more like the original toy if that was the case. Masterpiece Grimlock, for instance, doesn't make these stretches for show accuracy.

http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.ph ... t&id=22452

This pic also lets you see the redundant second set of pipes on the backs of the legs.

And check this out, he has Hot Rod’s rear detailing:
http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transform ... ost5051283

It's also been reported that he has the back half of Hot Rod's car mode (i.e. the spoiler area) for no apparent reason.

[Transypoo]

If you see here, he has wheels on his shoulders, and wheels inside his legs.

http://i3.6.cn/cvbnm/bc/7c/b5/bd69cd3ff ... 503547.jpg

You would think that the wheels on his shoulders were for his truck mode cab, but those wheels are actually the ones that end up INSIDE the legs. So what are the shoulder wheels for? Hot Rod vehicle mode! I mean, why would you engineer it THAT fancily if you didn’t have to? I mean, there’s animation model accuracy, but they could have engineered it to work much more like the original toy if that was the case. Masterpiece Grimlock, for instance, doesn't make these stretches for show accuracy.

Back wheels? Lots of vehicles have 'em.

It's not impossible, it definitely does something. I mostly think the trailer is lame. That should be doing something cool (too).

[ShadeC4]

I mostly think the trailer is lame. That should be doing something cool (too).

Like the upgrade set for Classics Rodimus. Holds the Powermaster & is a much cooler looking base & such... Even has a Rodimus version of Roller which apparently can also hold the Powermaster. So it's like a Powemaster vehicle.

[Skids]

Eh, I'll take the trailer being an upscaled version of the G1 trailer if it gives me an animation-accurate Rodimus Prime robot after all these years. I'm not a fan of Titanium Rodimus, largely because they integrated the trailer into his legs, which made them too bulky. Rodimus lost his iconic proportions thanks to that decision. The point of Masterpiece is to be slavishly G1-accurate, I feel. Anything else kind of misses the mark. (Which is why I like the Masterpiece Seeker a LOT, but I don't think it makes a great Masterpiece toy. Compared to Masterpiece Convoy, Grimlock, Megatron and Rodimus, it, and I hate to say it, isn't G1 enough. Taken on its own, or as an Alternator-style Seeker, it's fine, though. But the original design for Masterpiece Starscream was much more in the spirit of a true Masterpiece. By "True" I mean that 4/5 of the Masterpiece molds have been really G1-accurate, setting a precedent.)

The prototype was mostly the same figure, but it feels more G1 because it doesn't have those hip pieces. http://powet.tv/powetblog/wp-content/up ... scream.jpg

If it makes any sense, I actually like the Masterpiece Starscream we got BETTER than this, but at the same time, can't help but think it isn't up to the same accuracy standards as the others.

In any case, they didn't screw up Masterpiece Rodimus's accuracy by trying to combine the cab and the trailer into a single robot, so I'm happy. (Classics Rodimus with the Protector Armor, that's fine. That's not really Rodimus PRIME, but it's cool as Hot Rod with a fancy suit.)

What can I say, Rodimus is one of my favorite Transformers, and has been since childhood. Every previous attempt has been a little off. So if it's this perfect looking a Rodimus robot....well, this is personal for me.

That and I've come to like the gun platform. It's a chariot with guns. It basically makes him the TF equivalent of Serpentor*, his brother in unpopular-new-leadership from 1986, and I wish he HAD used it in the show or cartoon. I can just imagine him rolling into battle, driving over cons, guns blazing. C'mon, it would have made him an even bigger jerk than he already was! (Ah, Rodimus, you are so much more fun than Hot Rod, in your cynicism...)

*See, Rodimus=Serpentor. They're both the brand-new leaders. Galvatron does not equal Serpentor. Yes, Galvatron was a new bad guy leader, but he was the old bad guy rebuilt...sort of like how Hawk dyed his hair black so he wouldn't be confused with Duke and took active control over the Joe team in the cartoon.

[Transypoo]

Oh, man... it's a Segway! Rodimus is the Gob Bluth of Transformers!

[Skids]

They're ILLUSIONS, Kup!

[Skids]

Wow, Grapple has a LOT of remolding! Even his forearms and hands are different! (Cylindrical forearms, open palm hands). The feet are also new, though we can't see that here (it was shown at Botcon....where we get to see things for about a minute at most before they move on.)
http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.ph ... t&id=22470

[Transypoo]

Nice!