E. Combiner limb dupes seem cheesy?

[realmasume]

Just wondering if anyone had a similar opinion and/or their take on the Energon Combiner Limbs. The fact that half of them are duplicate molds seem almost...cheesy to me, as if it was almost an excuse to force people to buy a duplicate mold, therefore saving some investement on production and/or design.

 

I tried to think of other possible reasons why they would make the limbs two molds instead of four, since most every combiner I can recall had individual molds for each limb and body. The best I could think of was a more streamlined appearance in design, since the limbs would match on both ends, but they mismatch the limbs even on the packaging!

 

Now don't get me wrong, I think the homages and overall design is *great* on all the E. Combiners, but I can't help but think how much better they could have been if they had simply designed those other limbs as original molds, rather than taking the easy way out.

 

Opinions?

[Cloudimus Prime]

Many G1 limbots were remolds of each other with almost exact transformation. Essentially we had 2 molds per team and 3 remolds. This time we get 3 molds and 2 repaints. I'd say it all balances out.

[Bainreese]

I agree with you.

 

Cheesy because of the duplication...but good on asthetics because you can have both arms/legs look alike.

[Zombie Rodimus]

I think it's just the economic reality of the modern world that duplicate molds had to be used to keep costs down. If you look at Energon today, all but the combiner limbs appear to be repaints just about.

 

I don't really object to having combiner limbs repainted, as you pointed out it makes for more streamlined, symmetrical molds. In fact, I kinda think it looks better.

[Drewbie]

I didn't think I'd like it, but now that I have all the ariel bots and all of Bruticus, the repaints are good enough that I don't mind. The tank and helecopter repaints look alot better than I thought they would.

[Deathmarch]

Many G1 limbots were remolds of each other with almost exact transformation. Essentially we had 2 molds per team and 3 remolds. This time we get 3 molds and 2 repaints. I'd say it all balances out.

Which ones from G1 Combiners were reused molds?

None of the Constructicons, Predacons, Combaticons, Stunticons, Technobots, Protectobots were remolds or recolors...all different molds.

 

 

And I don't mind it so much, I understand the reuse of molds and such. I want to finish Bruticus and Superion...I don't want to finish the Constructicons.

[Cloudimus Prime]

Which ones from G1 Combiners were reused molds?

None of the Constructicons, Predacons, Combaticons, Stunticons, Technobots, Protectobots were remolds or recolors...all different molds.

I said remold, not reuse of mold. By remold, I mean the essential core transformation is the same.

[Deathmarch]

Which ones from G1 Combiners were reused molds?

None of the Constructicons, Predacons, Combaticons, Stunticons, Technobots, Protectobots were remolds or recolors...all different molds.

I said remold, not reuse of mold. By remold, I mean the essential core transformation is the same.

That still doesn't qualify as a remold...no parts are reused...same Transformation scheme isn't a remold.

That's like saying Alt/BT Meister is a remold of Alt/BT Silverstreak...their Transformation Scheme is very close but no parts are reused.

 

The G1 Aerialbot may have some reused parts, like arms...that might be possble, I never owned any other them other than Fireflight & Slingshot. SO you might be right there.

I'm also not trying to be a jerk I'm just trying to make sure I didn't miss something.

[Tekyuinajar]

It bugged the hell out of me at first, but since they were only repaints anyway, I got doubles of the Constructicons to make a quick 'n easy E-Devie. Thanks to Hasbro's deranged distribution schedule for combiners, I didn't have much patience and the results weren't too bad. In fact, I kinda prefer using the doubles over using the recolors (Bonecrusher & Wideload).

 

I've got both Devie and Bruticus completed now, and the recolors don't hurt the gestalts too bad. Having them in hand makes the duplicate figures seem to be less of a problem. To be honest, the colors don't bother me near as much as Superion's shoddy workmanship, leg issues and those utterly ridiculous hands. Blegh.

[Cloudimus Prime]

hmm...I get what u mean. But to me, unlike Alt Meister vs Smokescreen, which had significant transformation differences which granted Meister much better poseability with his thighs facing different directions and Smokescreen having cooler steering mechanism, G1 Air Raid, Slingshot, Fireflight and Skydive all had the "fold back nose and tail, pull legs and arms out" transformation to bot mode. Once I've transformed Silverbolt and any of the G1 limbots, it's like i've already tried out all there is to offer, whereas E.Superion gave me one additional unique mold to play with.

 

Okay, granted other than Superion, the rest generally had more than 2 unique molds, especially Devastator and the later gestalts. I too am guilty of being rather defensive about the E.gestalts, having seen this same complains pointed out again n again since the day their protos appeared online :P I rather hear complains about Superion's lack of stability, Bruticus's fragile hinge, or Constructicon's lack of symmetry and blindspot on his left, and of cos their pathetic hands.