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Gustavo mutters about Autobot Ark
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Gustavo Wombat
Sep 11, 2021, 8:09:30 PM9/11/21
to
He’s big.
He comes packaged in spaceship mode, and there are a few edge pieces that
need to be attached, as he would otherwise be too wide for the box. He’s
not that long though, so the box also has cardboard fillers in it.
First impressions of the vehicle mode — big, heavy, some of the yellow
plastics are different colors where they shouldn’t be. He’s a Movieverse
Bumblebee yellow, with bits of gray, metallic blue and an unfortunate
canary yellow that just looks wrong.
He has 5 autoguns on each side of the top, molded into place and painted
blackish, and a few on the bottom. I would have liked them to move — even
if they were just separate pieces held in with 5mm pegs (and replaceable
with Targetmasters). If you look at toys like Energon Omega Supreme,
there’s a lot of fun gear systems that make the guns turn together.
Actually, that’s an overall problem with the vehicle mode — it doesn’t do
anything fun.
He comes with two sets of the 3 part rocket fire blast effect that I’m sure
we have seen before, which means you can attach them to half his engines
and pretend he is half-powered and crashing.
There’s a ramp that pops down, but he is too small to interact with any
current transformers. Maybe some Legends class from a decade ago, or
World’s Smallest from even longer. And three very sturdy landing gear.
There are gaps for leg transformation, and other gaps where massive heavy
parts don’t quite line up.
He’s big, and that’s about it.
Transformation is pretty easy, except a few panels want to pop off. As part
of the transformation, you remove Mainframe, who is folded up in what will
become the chest cavity, but does not fit there in robot mode.
Robot mode is … fine. Big, orangey-yellow and gray, in a way that makes you
wonder that they have done with Movieverse Bumblebee this time. He would
have benefitted greatly from another color — perhaps continuing the blue
(and which wouldn’t have necessarily been wrong with the Last Autobot
design they were going for).
The hands are weirdly pinching.
There is a gap in the chest when viewed from below. His chest is hollow,
and there is bound to be someone who fits nicely in there in this mode, but
not mainframe.
He has no guns, and no way to add a gun — his hands can’t really hold
anything. So, he just kind of stands there.
Transforming back involves panel/joint massage to get things lined up, on a
large, heavy toy. Not awesome.
Mainframe transforms into a facade of Teletraan 1, with parts that pop off.
He’s not great in robot mode either.
Overall, he’s big, but doesn’t do anything other than be big. I think
Trypticon, Skorponok, Omega Supreme, Devastator and Metroplex were all
better uses of this size class, while Predacon actively disappointed me a
bit.
The Commander class toys have more fun bits packed into them.
He comes packaged in spaceship mode, and there are a few edge pieces that
need to be attached, as he would otherwise be too wide for the box. He’s
not that long though, so the box also has cardboard fillers in it.
First impressions of the vehicle mode — big, heavy, some of the yellow
plastics are different colors where they shouldn’t be. He’s a Movieverse
Bumblebee yellow, with bits of gray, metallic blue and an unfortunate
canary yellow that just looks wrong.
He has 5 autoguns on each side of the top, molded into place and painted
blackish, and a few on the bottom. I would have liked them to move — even
if they were just separate pieces held in with 5mm pegs (and replaceable
with Targetmasters). If you look at toys like Energon Omega Supreme,
there’s a lot of fun gear systems that make the guns turn together.
Actually, that’s an overall problem with the vehicle mode — it doesn’t do
anything fun.
He comes with two sets of the 3 part rocket fire blast effect that I’m sure
we have seen before, which means you can attach them to half his engines
and pretend he is half-powered and crashing.
There’s a ramp that pops down, but he is too small to interact with any
current transformers. Maybe some Legends class from a decade ago, or
World’s Smallest from even longer. And three very sturdy landing gear.
There are gaps for leg transformation, and other gaps where massive heavy
parts don’t quite line up.
He’s big, and that’s about it.
Transformation is pretty easy, except a few panels want to pop off. As part
of the transformation, you remove Mainframe, who is folded up in what will
become the chest cavity, but does not fit there in robot mode.
Robot mode is … fine. Big, orangey-yellow and gray, in a way that makes you
wonder that they have done with Movieverse Bumblebee this time. He would
have benefitted greatly from another color — perhaps continuing the blue
(and which wouldn’t have necessarily been wrong with the Last Autobot
design they were going for).
The hands are weirdly pinching.
There is a gap in the chest when viewed from below. His chest is hollow,
and there is bound to be someone who fits nicely in there in this mode, but
not mainframe.
He has no guns, and no way to add a gun — his hands can’t really hold
anything. So, he just kind of stands there.
Transforming back involves panel/joint massage to get things lined up, on a
large, heavy toy. Not awesome.
Mainframe transforms into a facade of Teletraan 1, with parts that pop off.
He’s not great in robot mode either.
Overall, he’s big, but doesn’t do anything other than be big. I think
Trypticon, Skorponok, Omega Supreme, Devastator and Metroplex were all
better uses of this size class, while Predacon actively disappointed me a
bit.
The Commander class toys have more fun bits packed into them.
Zobovor
Sep 11, 2021, 9:11:18 PM9/11/21
to
On Saturday, September 11, 2021 at 6:09:30 PM UTC-6, Gustavo Wombat, of the Seattle Wombats wrote:
> He’s big.
Judging by the posts on Twitter, a lot of people have been getting theirs. Mine has shipped, but I guess it hit an asteroid field or a Decepticon attack or something.
> He has 5 autoguns on each side of the top, molded into place and painted
> blackish, and a few on the bottom. I would have liked them to move — even
> if they were just separate pieces held in with 5mm pegs (and replaceable
> with Targetmasters).
Hmm, yeah. Non-working guns are kind of lame.
> There’s a ramp that pops down, but he is too small to interact with any
> current transformers. Maybe some Legends class from a decade ago, or
> World’s Smallest from even longer. And three very sturdy landing gear.
I wonder if it was designed to interact with the tiny slugs that have been coming with recent toys—like the itty bitty Optimus Prime in the Centurion weapons pack and the tiny Rodimus and Galvatron that came with Unicron (not sure what Galvatron would be doing in the Ark, but whatever).
...I thought the whole point of the Core-class toys was to properly scale with the Ark? Is it really not a playset in any capacity? Why did they do all these miniature versions of important G1 characters if they can't interact with the Ark?
> He has no guns, and no way to add a gun — his hands can’t really hold
> anything. So, he just kind of stands there.
Wasn't even expecting a gun, considering we didn't get one with Fortress Maximus or Scorponok.
> Mainframe transforms into a facade of Teletraan 1, with parts that pop off.
> He’s not great in robot mode either.
I worry about all those computer panels that fold up into his legs and such. Is he floppy? Does he at least hold together well?
> Overall, he’s big, but doesn’t do anything other than be big. I think
> Trypticon, Skorponok, Omega Supreme, Devastator and Metroplex were all
> better uses of this size class, while Predaking actively disappointed me a
> bit.
Seems like we've hit the upper limit of what Hasbro can do, or is willing to do, at this price point. Metroplex was bold and experimental, but I think we're seeing less and less of a willingness on Hasbro's part to push boundaries. Maybe they just need to be done with this price point. Give us the Nemesis, with some kind of freakishly triangular robot mode, and just be done with it.
Zob (I would also accept Monstructor)
> He’s big.
Judging by the posts on Twitter, a lot of people have been getting theirs. Mine has shipped, but I guess it hit an asteroid field or a Decepticon attack or something.
> He has 5 autoguns on each side of the top, molded into place and painted
> blackish, and a few on the bottom. I would have liked them to move — even
> if they were just separate pieces held in with 5mm pegs (and replaceable
> with Targetmasters).
> There’s a ramp that pops down, but he is too small to interact with any
> current transformers. Maybe some Legends class from a decade ago, or
> World’s Smallest from even longer. And three very sturdy landing gear.
...I thought the whole point of the Core-class toys was to properly scale with the Ark? Is it really not a playset in any capacity? Why did they do all these miniature versions of important G1 characters if they can't interact with the Ark?
> He has no guns, and no way to add a gun — his hands can’t really hold
> anything. So, he just kind of stands there.
> Mainframe transforms into a facade of Teletraan 1, with parts that pop off.
> He’s not great in robot mode either.
> Overall, he’s big, but doesn’t do anything other than be big. I think
> Trypticon, Skorponok, Omega Supreme, Devastator and Metroplex were all
> bit.
Seems like we've hit the upper limit of what Hasbro can do, or is willing to do, at this price point. Metroplex was bold and experimental, but I think we're seeing less and less of a willingness on Hasbro's part to push boundaries. Maybe they just need to be done with this price point. Give us the Nemesis, with some kind of freakishly triangular robot mode, and just be done with it.
Zob (I would also accept Monstructor)
Gustavo Wombat
Sep 11, 2021, 11:07:41 PM9/11/21
to
Zobovor <zm...@aol.com> wrote:
> On Saturday, September 11, 2021 at 6:09:30 PM UTC-6, Gustavo Wombat, of
> the Seattle Wombats wrote:
>
>> He’s big.
>
> Judging by the posts on Twitter, a lot of people have been getting
> theirs. Mine has shipped, but I guess it hit an asteroid field or a
> Decepticon attack or something.
>
>> He has 5 autoguns on each side of the top, molded into place and painted
>> blackish, and a few on the bottom. I would have liked them to move — even
>> if they were just separate pieces held in with 5mm pegs (and replaceable
>> with Targetmasters).
>
> Hmm, yeah. Non-working guns are kind of lame.
The guns that end upon his arms point backwards.
> On Saturday, September 11, 2021 at 6:09:30 PM UTC-6, Gustavo Wombat, of
> the Seattle Wombats wrote:
>
>> He’s big.
>
> Judging by the posts on Twitter, a lot of people have been getting
> theirs. Mine has shipped, but I guess it hit an asteroid field or a
> Decepticon attack or something.
>
>> He has 5 autoguns on each side of the top, molded into place and painted
>> blackish, and a few on the bottom. I would have liked them to move — even
>> if they were just separate pieces held in with 5mm pegs (and replaceable
>> with Targetmasters).
>
> Hmm, yeah. Non-working guns are kind of lame.
>> There’s a ramp that pops down, but he is too small to interact with any
>> current transformers. Maybe some Legends class from a decade ago, or
>> World’s Smallest from even longer. And three very sturdy landing gear.
>
> I wonder if it was designed to interact with the tiny slugs that have
> been coming with recent toys—like the itty bitty Optimus Prime in the
> Centurion weapons pack and the tiny Rodimus and Galvatron that came with
> Unicron (not sure what Galvatron would be doing in the Ark, but whatever).
that. Plus it man’s that Mainframe is 10 times as large as Superion and no
one can reach the console of Teletraan 1 towering above them.
> ...I thought the whole point of the Core-class toys was to properly scale
> with the Ark? Is it really not a playset in any capacity? Why did they
> do all these miniature versions of important G1 characters if they can't
> interact with the Ark?
pilot I guess, looking through tiny bridge windows, and rattling about with
no seat.
>> He has no guns, and no way to add a gun — his hands can’t really hold
>> anything. So, he just kind of stands there.
>
> Wasn't even expecting a gun, considering we didn't get one with Fortress
> Maximus or Scorponok.
We got Spearguy.
>> Mainframe transforms into a facade of Teletraan 1, with parts that pop off.
>> He’s not great in robot mode either.
>
> I worry about all those computer panels that fold up into his legs and
> such. Is he floppy? Does he at least hold together well?
things hold together in each mode.
>> Overall, he’s big, but doesn’t do anything other than be big. I think
>> Trypticon, Skorponok, Omega Supreme, Devastator and Metroplex were all
>> better uses of this size class, while Predaking actively disappointed me a
>> bit.
>
> Seems like we've hit the upper limit of what Hasbro can do, or is willing
> to do, at this price point. Metroplex was bold and experimental, but I
> think we're seeing less and less of a willingness on Hasbro's part to
> push boundaries. Maybe they just need to be done with this price point.
the other hand, Trypticon came with a great Deluxe toy, and Scorponok came
with a double headmaster, so maybe not. But i think that if they just
included a random one-piece Teletraan 1 play set accessory, and then put
Mainframe’s budget into Arkguy, they could have made it a lot better —
upgrading the guns, including another 10 tiny figures in scale, fill in the
hole in his chest… maybe a Mainframe Action Master, if they love Mainframe
so much.
Just saw on TFWiki that Mainframe’s back is supposed to be the bridge, with
spots for the tiny Optimus to stand. Not well done, but it’s something.
> Give us the Nemesis, with some kind of freakishly triangular robot mode,
> and just be done with it.
than a mediocre deluxe, but this is basically like Huffer — nothing
terrible, but nothing great either.
> Zob (I would also accept Monstructor)
think he was Devastator height in Carnage In C Minor.
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