I don't think partsforming is that bad if the parts have a place in both modes. Also, the robot mode should utilize all the parts. Having a left over car roof or jet wings just sitting loose would be a poor design, imo. A motorcyle gas tank or fire engine ladder that becomes a weapon, especially if it includes its own transformaton step is a nice bonus to the figure.

I agree that other than weapons, hands are the only other thing you'd want to have loose in alt-mode, if it can't be avoided.

a low rating? one of the hottest topics in this forum in weeks, and someone rated it low? come forward you ass.

i am making a custom AT wheeljack out of AT tracks. i am no good w/ paint so it will be blue. i made a shoulder cannon. it is Titanium. optimus prime's gun hooked on with metal wire. to transform it i need to take off the cannon. yeah it is pain and i dont want to, but t is necessary. there is no place t store the cannon in alt mode. maybe in the hood (?). also, i switched and reversed the legs. to transform it you must pop off the legs and switch them.

i am making a custom AT wheeljack out of AT tracks. i am no good w/ paint so it will be blue. i made a shoulder cannon. it is Titanium. optimus prime's gun hooked on with metal wire. to transform it i need to take off the cannon. yeah it is pain and i dont want to, but t is necessary. there is no place t store the cannon in alt mode. maybe in the hood (?). also, i switched and reversed the legs. to transform it you must pop off the legs and switch them.

that is definatly a NO-NO in my book. too much partsforming, IMO. if fabricating isn't an option ,I recomend using magnets to attach the OP gun. not "wire". I used alot of methods to make my ALT Bumblebee work. the wheels are magnetically attached and are removable to form his gun. and to get the legs to work I cut the 'skids' body in half and used a nut/bolt combo to allow the waist to turn , reversing the legs to resemble G1 BB.

 

sorry about not giving links to show how. my wii internet is very limited.

 

I'll check my tracks to see how your idea can be less partsformed

It's an interesting topic. Partsforming in general is often seen as poor design, as it gives the impression that not much thought has gone into the toy. With a custom, however, it's more acceptable as not everyone has access to high-quality design/building tools or suitable raw materials.

 

The line is also blurred by components which are deemed OK to be able to separate. Weapons, supermode parts etc (there's a more comprehensive list upthread). It's also possible to recover design kudos by making all the parts useful or at least attachable in all modes (also mentioned upthread), as this indicates that extra thought has, indeed, been applied.

 

And as we all know, sometimes partsforming will find its way into even official commercial designs. So if you absolutely have to partsform, bite the bullet and do it.

IMO having weapons & equipment that are used or stowed away in alt mode aint partforming.

I've never really had a problem with parts and pieces. If it makes the robot, so be it. Besides, I have a BUNCH of Primes from Gen-1 to MP, and they all have plenty of cargo room in their trailers to hold onto all the loose pieces as needed. Not to mention I'll generally display TF in bot form, so I'd use the pieces. So by all means, add those parts.

I partsformed my classics 2pack megs, I couldn't stand him not having both hands so I used a xevoz hand. it is removable , and idon't remember if i mentioned it on that thread, but the hand fits inside bot mode under the canopy. that's what I consider "ends justifying the means" I had considered getting rid of that toy because it was thrown together so poorly, but with a lil partsforming , I love it!

I'm ENTIRELY for partsforming... but yeah, only when all the pieces fit into both modes...

 

...that's the only way I can figure how to improve the bejeezus outta '74 BB, but that custom still needs the magnets I'm lookin' for... (major thanks for yer tut on that btw)

 

 

Besides... if you look at the movie toys, most of those wouldn't be possible to fix if not for partsforming...

 

 

*ooh... maybe Ironhide's arms could be magnet/partsformed to fit inside his cabin; making the truck look clean...*