Mass shifting. Some of us love it, some of us hate it. So, there's been some debate as to whether or not mass shifting should be in the sequel. I've been doing a lot of thinking on this, and I've come to the conclusion that mass shifting has to pass one test for me to personally be okay with it: The Bond Gadget Test.

 

The Bond Gadget Test says, essentially, that you do not introduce a new technology into a story without that technology being vital to the same story. If Q spends five or ten minutes explaining to Bond how his new Solar Powered Jet Watch with Grappling Hook works, and Bond does not find himself in a situation where the Solar Powered Jet Watch with Grappling Hook proves to be not only useful, but vital to the success of his mission, then you wasted the audience's time. It's bad storytelling.

 

So, using Soundwave as an example (although any known mass shifting character will do) the question I pose to you all: what is the situation in which a 40 foot robot becomes not only useful, but vital, as a tiny, hand held object?

 

Spying would seem the obvious answer, but this first film has already established that there are tiny transformers suited to turning into tiny objects for those sorts of missions, so why send a 40 foot robot, who may not even fit in the hallway of the place you're trying to infiltrate once he transforms?

 

What is the situation in which the tiny object must become a giant robot, or where a giant robot must become a tiny, hand-held object? Or, reverse it...what is the tactical advantage of a giant space shuttle turning into a robot the same size as a pick-up truck.

 

Doesn't matter the alt. mode selected, the chosen character for the transformation, or the situation, as long as it would be vital enough to the Decepticon (or Autobot) cause to justify the scene(s) that must exist to give the audience all the details as to how it works.

I thought this was going to be about the lack of a Q in Casino Royale.

 

 

Which is okay with me, IMO

Mass shifting would never have occurred to anyone, and would be decried as retarded / stupid / unnecessary / lame / ghey / you name it, if Hasbro had not used Microman toys in its 1984 Transformers line. (The Microman toys didn't "mass shift" either BTW; in that story they were meant to be small 1:1 scale robots.)

 

It is just crazy to me how people can not recognize that these are just toys. That they have to create this complex rationalization to explain the logic of a children's toy line. There is no logic to it. And IMO arguing about it only kills brain cells / one's likelihood of ever being attractive to the opposite sex.

Mass shifting would never have occurred to anyone, and would be decried as retarded / stupid / unnecessary / lame / ghey / you name it, if Hasbro had not used Microman toys in its 1984 Transformers line. (The Microman toys didn't "mass shift" either BTW; in that story they were meant to be small 1:1 scale robots.)

 

It is just crazy to me how people can not recognize that these are just toys. That they have to create this complex rationalization to explain the logic of a children's toy line. There is no logic to it. And IMO arguing about it only kills brain cells / one's likelihood of ever being attractive to the opposite sex.

You've said everything that I would have said only more roffly!

And IMO arguing about it only kills brain cells / one's likelihood of ever being attractive to the opposite sex.

 

I'm already married! :mwahaha

 

But, you're right about mass shifting. Unless it's supporters prove can prove us wrong. Accept the challange of this thread, Mass Shifting Supporters!

There is no logic to it. And IMO arguing about it only kills ...one's likelihood of ever being attractive to the opposite sex.

 

I can accept this sacrifice.

There is no logic to it. And IMO arguing about it only kills ...one's likelihood of ever being attractive to the opposite sex.

 

I can accept this sacrifice.

I weep I ROFFLE so hard!

There is no logic to it. And IMO arguing about it only kills ...one's likelihood of ever being attractive to the opposite sex.

 

I can accept this sacrifice.

:tflaugh well for what it's worth I did think of you when I posted that... I just couldn't come up with a way to express the sentiment in a more inclusive manner.

My wang mass-shifts in agreement.

Ah, but does your wang molecular mass shift (mass conversion), or is it simple size shifting (Parts comression). And is it vital to the story?

 

And how come no Mass Shifting Supporters have answered my question? You know what I think it is...they're too chicken.