Classics Ultra Magnus

[Gundam Kai]

I think this mod would be best for Prime. Since magnus is better known for armor, the arm armor looks better on him.

 

Yeah, I may do this for Prime too.

 

I wanted to test the mod using one of the 2 UMs I got for bashing. One will eventually be a toon style Magnus (inspired by STPrime's Magnus bash) and the other a Nemesis Prime. Now that I know the mod will work, I may rework it so the cab halves can mechanically slide closer together while in robot mode. That would make it less bulky from the back view, though the side view would remain the same.

 

Here's a rough of what I mean.

 

Why not just build armor for him like I did? That way you get the trailer, and you get a proper UM as he should be which is the white twin of Optimus with battle armor.

 

As for this mod, I don't like it. The arm "kibble", as you called it really isn't kibble in robot mode. It actually serves a function since the cab panels become shields which he can use to parry and block enemy attacks. If you move them to his back like that, then they are truely useless kibble in robot mode which kind of defeats the purpose.

Plus he still has all the hinge kibble on his arms. I would have to aggree with tramp on this

[Massdestruction]

Would it be possible to mount the cab portions on swivels, so they could swing out (like wings) or back in to form a slightly more compact backpack?

 

I did consider swivels while researching this mod. Yeah, it would potentially be possible to mount them on swivels. They would be able to swing out like wings, but I don't think it would help much with the compactness of the backpack.

 

The arm "kibble", as you called it really isn't kibble in robot mode.

 

I am not the only one that feels that it is kibble. Way back when images of Classics Prime leaked out, alot of people were disappointed with what they saw as arm kibble. I happen to agree.

 

Plus he still has all the hinge kibble on his arms. I would have to aggree with tramp on this

 

Nope, not all the hinge kibble is still there. I removed the part that connected to the cab halves. Now that pin was a real pain to remove.

 

 

If you like the arms as is, great. But for those of us that don't, this is one alternative. And though this mod just moves the kibble to the back, when he is displayed it is usually facing front, so the cab on the back is hardly noticable.

[Massdestruction]

Why not just build armor for him like I did? That way you get the trailer, and you get a proper UM as he should be which is the white twin of Optimus with battle armor.

 

Your armor is really amazingly engineered.

 

But there are 2 basic reasons why building armor wouldn't work for me.

 

The big one: Not enough time or energy. It must have taken a great deal of time for you to create the Magnus armor, and I only have a tiny amount of time (approx 1-2 hours per week) to work on bashes, so that would just be too big of a project for me to undertake.

 

And to a lesser degree: Scale. I don't like the idea of Magnus being bigger than Prime. And though yours is only slightly taller than Prime, Magnus does have more bulk. Prime is the leader and I just don't want anyone to look tougher than him.

[Tramp]

Well, even back in the G1 days, Ultra Magnus, when in armor, was bigger than Prime. This is evidenced in both the cartoons, and in the more recent comics. In fact, there were a number of Autobots who were larger than Prime. Jetfire (AKA Skyfire), Grimlock (arguably), Skylynx, Omega Supreme, Metroplex, Fortress Maximus, any of the combiners, any of the other Dinobots (except Swoop). Prime isn't the largest or tallest of the Autobots, so there is no reason why Magnus shouldn't be larger when in armor.

 

As for the arm shields, thinking of them only as kibble is very narrow minded, and most people, who have seen the figure up close, and actually played with it, come to understand that it isn't just kibble, but actually serves a function in robot mode. Kibble is any part from one mode, stuck on in the other mode which serves no function in that mode, but rather is just there because there isn't any place to hide it. The cab sides serve a purpose when in robot mode. They act as shields that he can use to parry or block incoming attacks. The doors on Classics Bumblebee and Cliffjumper serve the same function. That is functional, that isn't kibble. Kibble serves no function; the arm shields do. By transfering them to the back as a "backpack" they become the very thing you are trying to get rid of, and that is "kibble". How do you get rid of kibble? You do it by making it a functional part of that mode. What you have done, is take a functional part of the robot mode and turn it into useless kibble.

[Valandar]

I agree with Tramp. To me those are shields, not kibble, when on the arms. Put 'em on the back, and it's kibble.

[Tramp]

Oh, as far as the time my armor took to build goes. I only spent a few hours each day on it. Most customizers only spend a couple of hours a day on any given project. That is why most big projects are done over the course of weeks or months, and not days. My Ultra Magnus armor took almost 1.5 months because I only worked on it a few hours each day, and didn't necessarily work on it every day. I do work (self employed), and have other interests, so I don't spend every waking hour kitbashing. So, it isn't a matter of time and energy. It is a matter of patience and persistance.

[Massdestruction]

Well, even back in the G1 days, Ultra Magnus, when in armor, was bigger than Prime. This is evidenced in both the cartoons, and in the more recent comics. In fact, there were a number of Autobots who were larger than Prime. Jetfire (AKA Skyfire), Grimlock (arguably), Skylynx, Omega Supreme, Metroplex, Fortress Maximus, any of the combiners, any of the other Dinobots (except Swoop). Prime isn't the largest or tallest of the Autobots, so there is no reason why Magnus shouldn't be larger when in armor.

 

I can understand were you are coming from. Yes, the original Ultra Magnus toy was bigger than Prime, because it was a Prime attached to a larger body. I never cared much for my G1 Magnus for that very reason. He was too big compared to the other figures, being roughly on the same scale as Omega Supreme. That's also why I didn't like the G1 Galvatron toy. I prefer figures to be Voyager size or under. Any larger feels too big. The only exceptions for me are ones that are meant to be huge compared to the average bot: Omega, Metroplex, Fort Max, etc. They are huge in the toons, so I don't mind them being huge as a toy.

 

As for the arm shields, thinking of them only as kibble is very narrow minded, and most people, who have seen the figure up close, and actually played with it, come to understand that it isn't just kibble, but actually serves a function in robot mode. Kibble is any part from one mode, stuck on in the other mode which serves no function in that mode, but rather is just there because there isn't any place to hide it. The cab sides serve a purpose when in robot mode. They act as shields that he can use to parry or block incoming attacks. The doors on Classics Bumblebee and Cliffjumper serve the same function. That is functional, that isn't kibble. Kibble serves no function; the arm shields do. By transfering them to the back as a "backpack" they become the very thing you are trying to get rid of, and that is "kibble". How do you get rid of kibble? You do it by making it a functional part of that mode. What you have done, is take a functional part of the robot mode and turn it into useless kibble.

 

Now, I know you probably didn't mean to call me narrow minded... but that is what I'm hearing. I have seen the figure, played with it and I still feel it is kibble. That is my opinion and I have the right to state it. Other people think it is kibble too. Are we all narrow minded? No. We just don't choose to imagine them as shields. It is however somewhat narrow minded to think that everyone needs to see them as shields. It's my collection, my bashes, my hobby. If I prefer the cab halves on the back instead of where I consider them as an eyesore, that is my right. I have tried to be nice and explain why I consider them kibble and why I made this mod. I appreciate suggestions and if I don't want to use the suggestion, I explain why. But I will not continue arguing back and forth as to why I don't want to do something. I posted this thread so people who don't like the way the "shields" look have another option.

 

Oh, as far as the time my armor took to build goes. I only spent a few hours each day on it. Most customizers only spend a couple of hours a day on any given project. That is why most big projects are done over the course of weeks or months, and not days. My Ultra Magnus armor took almost 1.5 months because I only worked on it a few hours each day, and didn't necessarily work on it every day. I do work (self employed), and have other interests, so I don't spend every waking hour kitbashing. So, it isn't a matter of time and energy. It is a matter of patience and persistance.

 

It is a matter of time, because I have a long list of planned bashes and a short amount of time to work on them. I am trying to make bashes of all the '84 bots and cons, many of the '85 bots and cons, some of the movie bots and cons as well as other characters. So as of right now I have almost 50 future bashes planned. Having only 1-2 hours per week limits how many I can do, so I'd rather spend the time bashing multiple bots than focusing on one that would take months to complete. Your armor is impressive, it took alot of work, and it was definitely a labor of love for you and it shows, but if I ever want to have my already planned bashes completed, I can't put that much work into just one figure.

[Tramp]

Well, even back in the G1 days, Ultra Magnus, when in armor, was bigger than Prime. This is evidenced in both the cartoons, and in the more recent comics. In fact, there were a number of Autobots who were larger than Prime. Jetfire (AKA Skyfire), Grimlock (arguably), Skylynx, Omega Supreme, Metroplex, Fortress Maximus, any of the combiners, any of the other Dinobots (except Swoop). Prime isn't the largest or tallest of the Autobots, so there is no reason why Magnus shouldn't be larger when in armor.

 

I can understand were you are coming from. Yes, the original Ultra Magnus toy was bigger than Prime, because it was a Prime attached to a larger body. I never cared much for my G1 Magnus for that very reason. He was too big compared to the other figures, being roughly on the same scale as Omega Supreme. That's also why I didn't like the G1 Galvatron toy. I prefer figures to be Voyager size or under. Any larger feels too big. The only exceptions for me are ones that are meant to be huge compared to the average bot: Omega, Metroplex, Fort Max, etc. They are huge in the toons, so I don't mind them being huge as a toy.

 

Actually, I wasn't even referring to the G! toy at all. I was talking about the size differences between Magnus and Prime in the cartoon and comics. In the cartoon and comics, Ultra Magnus, when armored, it taller and larger than Prime. This is especially evidenced in TFG1: War and Peace #2 on pages 11 and 12. Panel one on page 11 shpws Prime and Magnus almost next to one another with Thrust between them, Prime is clearly shorter than Magnus. In the last panel of page 12, there is an extreme close-up of their heads, and Magnus' head is downright huge compared to Prime's. When in armor, he is significantly larger than Prime because, underneath that armor, He is identical to Prime, except white, as we see in issue 6 when he faces off against Shockwave without his armor. The armor makes Ultra Magnus a bit taller, and significantly larger than Prime; not just as a toy, but the actual comic and cartoon character.

[Massdestruction]

Actually, I wasn't even referring to the G! toy at all. I was talking about the size differences between Magnus and Prime in the cartoon and comics. In the cartoon and comics, Ultra Magnus, when armored, it taller and larger than Prime. This is especially evidenced in TFG1: War and Peace #2 on pages 11 and 12. Panel one on page 11 shpws Prime and Magnus almost next to one another with Thrust between them, Prime is clearly shorter than Magnus. In the last panel of page 12, there is an extreme close-up of their heads, and Magnus' head is downright huge compared to Prime's. When in armor, he is significantly larger than Prime because, underneath that armor, He is identical to Prime, except white, as we see in issue 6 when he faces off against Shockwave without his armor. The armor makes Ultra Magnus a bit taller, and significantly larger than Prime; not just as a toy, but the actual comic and cartoon character.

 

Yes, he was bigger than prime in many media. But I have always considered that to not make sense. In Dreamwave's WW we see that Optimus Prime changed when he recieved the matrix, becoming larger and more armored. This was similar to Hot Rod's change into Rodimus Prime. So since Optimus and Magnus were twins of sorts originally, Magnus without the armor should be smaller than Matrix carrying Optimus Prime. This is what bugged me about the issue where he comes out of the armor and is the same as Optimus. Apparently the upgrades you get from receiving the Matrix is easily copied. That is why I won't have a white magnus be the same size as Optimus Prime in my collection. Bearing the Matrix has got to mean something.

[Tramp]

Actually, I wasn't even referring to the G! toy at all. I was talking about the size differences between Magnus and Prime in the cartoon and comics. In the cartoon and comics, Ultra Magnus, when armored, it taller and larger than Prime. This is especially evidenced in TFG1: War and Peace #2 on pages 11 and 12. Panel one on page 11 shpws Prime and Magnus almost next to one another with Thrust between them, Prime is clearly shorter than Magnus. In the last panel of page 12, there is an extreme close-up of their heads, and Magnus' head is downright huge compared to Prime's. When in armor, he is significantly larger than Prime because, underneath that armor, He is identical to Prime, except white, as we see in issue 6 when he faces off against Shockwave without his armor. The armor makes Ultra Magnus a bit taller, and significantly larger than Prime; not just as a toy, but the actual comic and cartoon character.

 

Yes, he was bigger than prime in many media. But I have always considered that to not make sense. In Dreamwave's WW we see that Optimus Prime changed when he recieved the matrix, becoming larger and more armored. This was similar to Hot Rod's change into Rodimus Prime. So since Optimus and Magnus were twins of sorts originally, Magnus without the armor should be smaller than Matrix carrying Optimus Prime. This is what bugged me about the issue where he comes out of the armor and is the same as Optimus. Apparently the upgrades you get from receiving the Matrix is easily copied. That is why I won't have a white magnus be the same size as Optimus Prime in my collection. Bearing the Matrix has got to mean something.

Actually, it makes perfect sense since Magnus' cab, which forms his robot mode, is the same size and shape as Prime,—they are both identical cab-over-engine semi trucks, which would obviously be the same size—and his trailer forms his armor. A semi trailer is very large, particularly a car carrier trailer (large enough to carry several Autobot cars), and thus, would make a large suit of powered armor. Since both Optimus (not Optronix, Prime's original pre-matrix form) and Magnus are identical in shape and size in both modes—without their trailers,—and their trailers are roughly the same size, when armored, Magnus would be larger than Prime because of the armor. Prime and Magnus are brothers; in essense twins. In fact, Prime specifically calls Magnus "Brother" in issue #6. Believe it or not, when Optimus went from being Optronix to Optimus Prime, he didn't change all that much. He did get a little bigger, and had some cosmetic changes, but not much. Before Optronix became Optimus, Magnus would have been the larger of the two, even unarmored.

 

If you go by cartoon continuity, it is believed that when Orion Pax was built into Optimus Prime, Dion was turned into Ultra Magnus, this too is why they would be identical even though Optimus carries the Matrix.

 

You should also notice, that when Optimus has lost posession of the Matrix, he didn't lose any mass or size, nor revert back to being Optronix (or Orion Pax, depending on which continuity you follow) like Hotrod did when he went from Rodimus Prime back to Hotrod. Optimus remained Optimus, with or without the Matrix. Ultra Magnus, is identical to Optimus, not Optronix.