Meister's transformation is much different than Smoke/Streak's transformation. You couldn't just take Streak's instructions and transform Meister...

Agree with that notion dude. In fact I love the SMOKESCREEN transformation scheme as I've always loved this particular look of the front end forming the chest/shoulders. Thats why I've always wanted a PROWL G-1. The first time I got SMOKES I found the transformation scheme overly satisfying and can't wait for BINALTECH/ALTERNATOR PROWL to hit the shelves. I just got JAZZ and MEISTER a couple of days ago and they are sooo much different than the SMOKESCREEN and BLUESTREAK scheme. In fact I think JAZZ is a lot better and hope that PROWL will be made using more of this style type as I think that the JAZZ mold is just so much more intracate, solid, clean and imaginative than the others. I just can't seem to put it down. :thumb :tftongue Hope we see more in intracate transformations.

 

I wonder why we haven't seen the G-1 SIDESWIPE front hood/chest molds yet? Would be cool to see this for more variety. :D

I have a question; do they listen to our complaints/comments at all?

 

I have heard many comments about Grimlock the Mustang's big flat rear-end. If they read these comments, woudln't you think they might want to rework that or would they just stick with the demo model currently circulating?

I'm kind of annoyed with the Smokescreen redecos. I feel like that's all that we've been gettign lately - robot head pops out of hood.

 

I just want a new, NON-Smokescreen-inspired transformation. Anyone else?

 

We've got:

Seven 'bots with TRANSFORMATION 1:

Smokescreen 1, 2, 7, 8 / Blue Streak / Jazz / "Zoom-Zoom"

 

Two 'bots with TRANSFORMATION 2:

Sideswipe / Dead End (non-convertible, no exception)

 

Two 'bots with TRANSFORMATION 3:

Hound / Swindle

(though the torso is quite like TRANSFORMATION 1)

 

Two 'bots with TRANSFORMATION 4:

Tracks / Battle Ravage

 

Two 'bots with TRANSFORMATION 5:

Grimlock / Repaint

(or is this too much like TRANSFORMATION 1 ???)

 

Two 'bots with TRANSFORMATION 6:

Windcharger / Repaint

(or is this too much like TRANSFORMATION 2 ???)

Way to skew your data. You should count 1 Smokescreen, not 4. And Jazz and Zoom Zoom are the same so count them as one. So that leaves 3 bots with that scheme. And that's IF you count Jazz and Smokescreen as having the same transformation. A lot of people do not. So when you look at it, the TF schemes are pretty balanced.

I have a question; do they listen to our complaints/comments at all?

 

I have heard many comments about Grimlock the Mustang's big flat rear-end. If they read these comments, woudln't you think they might want to rework that or would they just stick with the demo model currently circulating?

Yes they do, if the "complaint" is echoed by enough people. But really, is Grimlock's butt plate going to be the deciding factor that prevents people from buying him? Transfans already shell out mega cash for reissues of 20-year-old toys; I don't think Hasbro is going to worry about losing money on Alt. Grimlock because of such a small issue.

a grimlock will always sell more.

Way to skew your data. You should count 1 Smokescreen, not 4. And Jazz and Zoom Zoom are the same so count them as one. So that leaves 3 bots with that scheme. And that's IF you count Jazz and Smokescreen as having the same transformation. A lot of people do not. So when you look at it, the TF schemes are pretty balanced.

I'm not unhappy with the number of transforms. I hope there are more coming though. HAS/TAK has to balance cost of development with people need variety. If every transformer had the same scheme, people would just buy their favorite car(s). If everyone was a completely new mold, they would would run out of good concepts and have to resort to poor bot modes. Also thye would maximze cost of development vs. number of units ship. The goal is to hit that balance. As it is many people will buy all of them.

That said:

I think they have made some questionable moves (for example battle ravage had a lot more potential). I'll still buy it.

I do want to see more cars :-) I'd love to see some that appearently aren't options. I'd love a mini, a farrari and lamboghini.

"short on creativity"? What are you smoking? These are the most complex figures HasTak has ever produced, period. (Masterpiece Convoy being the only exception.) Have we forgotten that these are scale models of real cars that have real interiors and turning wheels, that transform into highly poseable and very solid-looking robots?

 

That aside, the fact is that HasTak is going for a strong "G1 homage" aesthetic with these figures. Therefore it makes perfect sense that Smokescreen and Silverstreak would be the same mold, and Meister would look similar to them. Hound is similarly based off of his G1 counterpart transformation-wise. And anyway, just because the hood is on the chest doesn't mean that "it's the exact same transformation!!!"

 

And how many different ways are there to turn a car into a good-looking, poseable robot? The parts have to go somewhere.

There's no reason Grimlock should have the same chest placement as Meister, nor Windcharger should have the same legs as Sideswipe and shoulders as Tracks, since that has absolutely nothing to do with any G1 homage of the original character.

And if you're going to play the homage card, Jazz had different feet and the show/comic(?) version did not have the door-wings Streak et al have; it would have taken *very* little engineering to give Jazz the reversed feet (some people were attempting that with the prototypes) and hidden doors, just for a little more variety.

 

And if you think I'm being picky, people on these boards are cranking out fanart of proposed Alternators (the Soundwave pickup was particularly nice) that are trying out some innovative designs nobody at Hastak has touched yet. So it's perfectly possible to go in other directions. And other people are trying simple but unique-looking alternate transformations like turning Sideswipe's legs sideways or using his trunk as his chest (that's something I don't think ANY car-based TF has done). I personally would like to see them try to integrate the cockpit into the boots at one point.

 

This isn't an overriding complaint; I'm buying all these puppies up as soon as they come out. They look great, feel great, and would impress any non-fan. Grimlock is mine, butt-plate or not. But I'm not going to say they're *all* creative designs. Nobody's perfect.

The parts still have to go somewhere.

The main reason why so many of the Alternators transforms so similarly is because it's the best way. Look at Energon Hot Rod--he has no seats, and his motor/head folds out with some weird umbilical cord in the back because he had a different mode of transforming. If the powers that be decided to mess with the transformations, then some design or detail will get sacrificed--Sideswipe/Dead End's trunk doesn't open because it folds over his fists and head. If the car looks awesome and the robot looks badass, but the doors and the hood don't open, the engine/gun isn't detailed and the interiors are limited to bleak slabs of plastic where the fists/legs/head/crotch goes, then why bother putting that amount of effort into releasing it? These are the masterpieces of the Transformers world now, the Corgi to the Matchbox, the Justice League to the Doom Patrol. Me, I'd take 20 variations on a Smokescreen transformation with a detailed interior and all the trimmings over a new transformation mode without the love and care on the inside.

Me, I'd take 20 variations on a Smokescreen transformation with a detailed interior and all the trimmings over a new transformation mode without the love and care on the inside.

 

I agree. The starting point and the destination are ultimately more important than the journey when it comes to TFs. I am not against different transformation schemes, but they should never be a detriment to either mode.