This was actually something I've been thinking about for a while, and the recent topic regarding the new version of Leader Class ROTF Prime (or "Hooktimus" as someone's bound to call him sooner or later) reminded me of this little conundrum.

 

Granted, the latest incarnation of Prime in a Leader Class mold has to be the most accurate portrayal of the movie character in toy form. A complex transformation (that's enough to scare at least a couple of people from ever converting their toy) and a more proportional interpretation of the massive robot that makes the 2007 version seem primitive in comparison, this was really one of the better Prime toys ever released.

 

But it's still not 100% accurate.

 

Well, I don't mean that it has to be piece by piece 100% of the way Prime transforms in the movie, or people who bought him at release would still be working on getting him into truck mode. But as far as interpreting the transformation into a working product, there's still something that prevented the toy from being fully accurate.

 

I'm pretty sure more than a few of you have done what I did, and viewed the transformations on the DVD frame by frame, watching every part slide and rotate into place. It wasn't as obvious in the first film, but the shots in ROTF helped confirm it in my eyes. Optimus' legs transform in the way his Voyager mold does.

 

It's easiest to see during the transformation at the Diego Garcia hangar, where you can see his front wheels slide halfway back towards the sleeper cabin, then the whole thing rises up and combines with the area holding the rear wheels while the rear hitch moves up in the space left behind, which is very similar to the leg transformation for the Voyager mold. So for a fully accurate transformation, you would need the arm and chest transformation of the Leader, with the legs of the Voyager.

 

And that's not possible because the sleeper section of the Leader mold houses the electronics and batteries.

 

In Animated, the Leader molds didn't have to worry so much about space, since they were huge, relatively basic shapes, and on top of that, they had 3 voice samples for the electronics (4 when you count Bulkhead's Headmaster feature). In ROTF, we only get one line, and I'm pretty sure everyone who has the Optimus toy has heard his more than enough times! :D

 

Point of the matter is, given the size and complexity of the Leader class mold, do you still want or need the electronic features? Having voice samples seems cool for the kids, but I doubt most will be able to transform Optimus without some parental assistance, and having only one sound bite for each toy (unless Starscream gets more lines by the time of his release) seems like a waste for the feature.

 

If sounds and lights were taken out in favor of having more toy to transform, would that be a better value for the Leader Class price?

I want my electronics. Super duper movie accurate transformation is not that important.

I only want electronics when they aren't stupid. ROTF megatron's arm: annoying as hell, Animated Ultra Magnus: terrible sound bites, Universe Powerglide: sounds go off if you look at him funny: "I am Optimus Prime": need I say more?

 

 

Of all the figures I own, I believe only Animated Megatron and Universe Skyfall still actually have batteries in them

I only want electronics when they aren't stupid. ROTF megatron's arm: annoying as hell, Animated Ultra Magnus: terrible sound bites, Universe Powerglide: sounds go off if you look at him funny: "I am Optimus Prime": need I say more?

 

 

Of all the figures I own, I believe only Animated Megatron and Universe Skyfall still actually have batteries in them

Pure awesomeness.lol

 

The only sound affect I really like is the transformation sound.Weapon sounds affect are good.

I really like the sounds in my ROTF Optimus but I think I could do without the electronics if it somehow someway could be more awesome than it already is.

Articulation > Electronics. Electronics are acceptable only when manually tripped and when they're well thought out. ROTF Leader Optimus is an example of electronics gone evil.

Electronics are the bane of the larger sized figures.

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I would prefer just lights and no sounds. For instance, Mindwipe's head. He has a GREAT head mold and fantastic piping but you cant see any light thru it. If they could light up, he would really be a hypnotizin.

 

A light only gimmick might work well for the WFC figures too, they seem to have lots of lights running along their bodies in all the still images.

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I would prefer just lights and no sounds. For instance, Mindwipe's head. He has a GREAT head mold and fantastic piping but you cant see any light thru it. If they could light up, he would really be a hypnotizin.

 

A light only gimmick might work well for the WFC figures too, they seem to have lots of lights running along their bodies in all the still images.

 

I would gladly pay for an all-over light treatment, which wouldn't take up anywhere near as much space as the sound boxes if they used button cells and led's. I don't need most of the sounds, however when they're included, I prefer the vehicle sounds to the "I am Optimus Prime" type lines. That being said, there's no beating Animated Megatron's maniacal laugh. . .

Yeah, I think I prefer lights over anything else regarding electronics. Outside of that, I will go with accuracy over electronics.