Go figure, ignored again...

 

 

:tfmad  :tfmad  :tfmad  :tfmad  :tfmad  :tfmad

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*reads post*

 

The thing is, it's just so complicated. And it would use up a ton of energy. A good design avoids unnecessary complexity. Wouldn't it just be a lot simpler to not have them change their sizes in the first place?

Actually I don't care about mass-shifting. I didn't mind it in G1, but it's not realistic by today's standards...I mean really, a robot shrinking to become a Walkman

 

That's just...uh...

 

What's the word...

 

Hold on...

 

RIDICULOUS

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Not considering that the TFs are way more advanced than us technology-wise. Heck, it's probably not even mass-shifting, but just becoming more compact and activating anti-gravity units to seem lighter.

 

 

 

Still, I don't care either way.

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Makes sense to me. I always figured that there was at least some of that w/ panels and other stuff folding in or expanding out to make the bot bigger or smaller.

 

But you do have to admit that Soundwave was pretty obviously using mass-shifting. One minute he is 20 ft tall, the next he is small enough to be a desk radio (and that size wasn't always consistent). That is the stuff that I won't miss. Anything they want to do w/ shifting panels and whatnot is fine w/ me though.

Go figure, ignored again...

 

 

:tfmad  :tfmad  :tfmad  :tfmad  :tfmad  :tfmad

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

*reads post*

 

The thing is, it's just so complicated. And it would use up a ton of energy. A good design avoids unnecessary complexity. Wouldn't it just be a lot simpler to not have them change their sizes in the first place?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You would think so. The bot should be about the same size as the car IMO. That just makes the most sense.

Go figure, ignored again...

 

 

:tfmad  :tfmad  :tfmad  :tfmad  :tfmad  :tfmad

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

*reads post*

 

The thing is, it's just so complicated. And it would use up a ton of energy. A good design avoids unnecessary complexity. Wouldn't it just be a lot simpler to not have them change their sizes in the first place?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wasn't that the whole point of Maximals and Predicons? To reduce TF size and integrate energy-saving transformations? Couldn't that be a possible "design flaw" they had and cutback they had to make when changing faction names?

Go figure, ignored again...

 

 

:tfmad  :tfmad  :tfmad  :tfmad  :tfmad  :tfmad

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

*reads post*

 

The thing is, it's just so complicated. And it would use up a ton of energy. A good design avoids unnecessary complexity. Wouldn't it just be a lot simpler to not have them change their sizes in the first place?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wasn't that the whole point of Maximals and Predicons? To reduce TF size and integrate energy-saving transformations? Couldn't that be a possible "design flaw" they had and cutback they had to make when changing faction names?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Was it? They never really explored that so much in the show, beyond a single throwaway comment about them being "energon guzzlers". I think a lot of what you're saying comes from BotCon comics and fan speculation. Even so, what I'm getting at is that you're talking about building all this complexity into the TFs' designs, and to solve what problem? That's the thing. "Necessity is the mother of invention" and all that. There's no reason why the Transformers would have needed to mass shift on Cybertron, and they certainly wouldn't have invented such technology on the fly as they were bring repaired by Teletran-1. It's just a lot of effort to rationalize something that wasn't supposed to be scrutinized so closely on the original show.

To put it simply: mass-shifting is ghey beyond G1. Even in G1 it's a stretch. Realism = a happy Ridley. Yeah, I'm all for realistic proportions. Look at Alternators. They prove it's very possible to feasibly contain a full Autobot within the confines of a motor vehicle and pull it off pretty convincingly.

To put it simply: mass-shifting is ghey beyond G1. Even in G1 it's a stretch. Realism = a happy Ridley. Yeah, I'm all for realistic proportions. Look at Alternators. They prove it's very possible to feasibly contain a full Autobot within the confines of a motor vehicle and pull it off pretty convincingly.

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Damn straight.

 

I knew there were some smart people on these boards (and you even spelled everything correctly, which = a happy me).

Was it? They never really explored that so much in the show, beyond a single throwaway comment about them being "energon guzzlers". I think a lot of what you're saying comes from BotCon comics and fan speculation. Even so, what I'm getting at is that you're talking about building all this complexity into the TFs' designs, and to solve what problem? That's the thing. "Necessity is the mother of invention" and all that. There's no reason why the Transformers would have needed to mass shift on Cybertron, and they certainly wouldn't have invented such technology on the fly as they were bring repaired by Teletran-1. It's just a lot of effort to rationalize something that wasn't supposed to be scrutinized so closely on the original show.

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While that's true and all about them not needing size-changing on Cybertron, they could've had the technology for other purposes, but when exploring other planets, found that they could have more of a disguise range by integrating that technology into their own transformation. I'm sure it was gradual, as Earth probably isn't the first time they've needed to do that.

Was it? They never really explored that so much in the show, beyond a single throwaway comment about them being "energon guzzlers". I think a lot of what you're saying comes from BotCon comics and fan speculation. Even so, what I'm getting at is that you're talking about building all this complexity into the TFs' designs, and to solve what problem? That's the thing. "Necessity is the mother of invention" and all that. There's no reason why the Transformers would have needed to mass shift on Cybertron, and they certainly wouldn't have invented such technology on the fly as they were bring repaired by Teletran-1. It's just a lot of effort to rationalize something that wasn't supposed to be scrutinized so closely on the original show.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

While that's true and all about them not needing size-changing on Cybertron, they could've had the technology for other purposes, but when exploring other planets, found that they could have more of a disguise range by integrating that technology into their own transformation. I'm sure it was gradual, as Earth probably isn't the first time they've needed to do that.

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I'm sure you could come up with any explanation you wanted... but it's still just a rationalization. And the more complex that rationalization gets, the less it holds up IMO. For example, to take it back a step: what is it about mass-change that is so important that we need to come up with these grand explanations for it? Why is it so crucial that it be a part of the Transformers?

I'm sure you could come up with any explanation you wanted... but it's still just a rationalization. And the more complex that rationalization gets, the less it holds up IMO. For example, to take it back a step: what is it about mass-change that is so important that we need to come up with these grand explanations for it? Why is it so crucial that it be a part of the Transformers?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe the TFs wanted to rationalize it :tflaugh

 

But I think it's just because it's bother part of TF history and a pretty neat idea. Not that it comes into play any more in current TF incarnations, but it shouldn't just be forgotten about...

 

"Those who forget about history are doomed to repeat it." ...or something :tflaugh1