Wal*Mart Ad Promotes Generations Autobot Skids and Dreadwing

Yep, definitely getting the domestic and import releases of Waspy. I'll skip Skids and just get Takara's version, that light blue plastic just doesn't look right. I'm passing on the rest unless Takara does something truly spectacular/different with the decos.

it would be nice if we didn't have to wait so long for these to hit the shelves.

this holiday season is going to truly suck (retail transformers wise) unless these hit stores early.

i think the only thing most people are waiting to see is wave 5 of beast hunters.. after that.. i don't think there is anything new until the next wave of generations in january (besides legends swerve and cosmos)

i hate how hasbro handles the holiday season.. i understand that they want to get rid of the stuff that's been sitting in stores forever.. it's annoying.

oh well. at least masterpiece prowl and bluestreak will be getting released in the meantime.

Yeah I'm really curious what the Takara Skids will look like.

If Takara is darker, and closer to G1 I might think about picking him up.

I want all of these figures. Right now.

Mkall wrote:I want all of these figures. Right now.

You and me both. I needed these yesterday!

xyl360 wrote:Yep, definitely getting the domestic and import releases of Waspy. I'll skip Skids and just get Takara's version, that light blue plastic just doesn't look right. I'm passing on the rest unless Takara does something truly spectacular/different with the decos.

But this one's blue is comic-accurate.

I wonder can Skids swing his arms side by side? Because from the pictures don't look like he has the space and the joint to do so.

Ad good thru the 28th and when is my pay day? The 1st!! And whose power steering pump went out on his car tonight? That would be me!

Fate... you are one cruel bi**h!!

Waspinator will join his buddies BW Waspinator and Animated Waspinator on the shelf.

What does one call a group of Waspinator? A colony? A scrapyard?

Twitchythe3rd wrote:Waspinator will join his buddies BW Waspinator and Animated Waspinator on the shelf.

What does one call a group of Waspinator? A colony? A scrapyard?

The Three Stooges!

so are these 2 in wave 1 cause i havent seen any of the 30th anniversary deluxes yet. Ive been to 2 targets & 2 walmarts on a regular basis & target has their exclusives only & walmart has nothing. I did notice that the TF section in walmart shrank though. But anyway Megatron is the only one im looking for & im going to be pretty pissed if i cant find him cause the stores decided to skip a wave.

Sabrblade wrote:

xyl360 wrote:Yep, definitely getting the domestic and import releases of Waspy. I'll skip Skids and just get Takara's version, that light blue plastic just doesn't look right. I'm passing on the rest unless Takara does something truly spectacular/different with the decos.

But this one's blue is comic-accurate.

Dude, there's a picture of the comic side-by-side with the toy in this very thread. Unless there's something severely wrong with my monitor's color config that magically makes flat deep blues look like bright almost fluorescent blues when applied to plastic, then it is definitely NOT comic accurate:

I bet you can't grab a single shade of blue between the two images and have their RGB values match. In fact, I bet they won't even be shades of the same blue at all.

Suddenly I'm concerned that Skids has almost no shoulder articulation....

Mindmaster - Thanks for the credits. Sorry I didn't get back to post a picture. Was busy watching the Bears whip the Steelers.

Autobot032 - Thanks for adding the picture.

Mindmaster - Thanks for the credits. Sorry I didn't get back to post a picture. Was busy watching the Bears whip the Steelers.

Autobot032 - Thanks for adding the picture.

xyl360 wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

xyl360 wrote:Yep, definitely getting the domestic and import releases of Waspy. I'll skip Skids and just get Takara's version, that light blue plastic just doesn't look right. I'm passing on the rest unless Takara does something truly spectacular/different with the decos.

But this one's blue is comic-accurate.

Dude, there's a picture of the comic side-by-side with the toy in this very thread. Unless there's something severely wrong with my monitor's color config that magically makes flat deep blues look like bright almost fluorescent blues when applied to plastic, then it is definitely NOT comic accurate:

And yet, inside the pages of IDW's comic issues themselves, he (along with every single character currently in MTMTE) has washed out, faded colors like this toy does:







The colors of that cover you posted are too dark.

rdrunr89 wrote:Mindmaster - Thanks for the credits. Sorry I didn't get back to post a picture. Was busy watching the Bears whip the Steelers.

Autobot032 - Thanks for adding the picture.

Not a problem, that's what we're here for!

Wait, so when are these guys coming out, because I wasn't expecting them until 2014.

So is Goldfire going to be Bumblebee or the separate Goldbug that is running around the IDW universe. (I read the bio, but I can't help but wonder what's in the IDW comic)

RiddlerJ wrote:So is Goldfire going to be Bumblebee or the separate Goldbug that is running around the IDW universe. (I read the bio, but I can't help but wonder what's in the IDW comic)

He's Bumblebee. Bee recently got upgraded into this form but kept his "Bumblebee" name. Goldbug's still his own dude.

I wish this was sign that these guys were hitting the shelves soon, but that's just wishful thinking. More likely than not these guys won't be about until next year

For those wondering about Skids' shoulder articulation, I think in the picture they are mistransformed. They don't even look like they've been unpegged from his sides to me. I have a feeling that they'll pull out farther than that. Hasbro never shows off the best from their figures. 9 times out of 10 they are transformed wrong. Wait until people have it in hand before calling it

This new wave looks nice, I wish they had painted Skids with a darker shade of blue and not so bright,,, maybe takara will get it right.
Not really a fan of Goldfire he has too much blue so I will go with the Takara version instead.

This new wave looks nice, I wish they had painted Skids with a darker shade of blue and not so bright,,, maybe takara will get it right.
Not really a fan of Goldfire he has too much blue so I will go with the Takara version instead.

Sabrblade wrote:

xyl360 wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

xyl360 wrote:Yep, definitely getting the domestic and import releases of Waspy. I'll skip Skids and just get Takara's version, that light blue plastic just doesn't look right. I'm passing on the rest unless Takara does something truly spectacular/different with the decos.

But this one's blue is comic-accurate.

Dude, there's a picture of the comic side-by-side with the toy in this very thread. Unless there's something severely wrong with my monitor's color config that magically makes flat deep blues look like bright almost fluorescent blues when applied to plastic, then it is definitely NOT comic accurate:

And yet, inside the pages of IDW's comic issues themselves, he (along with every single character currently in MTMTE) has washed out, faded colors like this toy does:







The colors of that cover you posted are too dark.

Ah, I see, so the actual comic differs from the one I posted. Gotcha. Still, if you compare that to the toy, the comic doesn't look like some neon glowy blue at all, but that's what the toy looks like (and what it looked like at Botcon as well from what I recall of those images).

I just think they could have gotten it closer is all, or, if the comics do have a "washed out/faded" look, then that's what they should have gone for. The colors on the toy definitely don't look washed out to me. They look like gaudy G2 colors or something, although the red is pretty close.

Hopefully the official images, along with this ad, point to a sooner-than-later release. It would make a lot of sense for these to hit during Q4 and not Q1.

Megatron Wolf wrote:so are these 2 in wave 1 cause i havent seen any of the 30th anniversary deluxes yet. Ive been to 2 targets & 2 walmarts on a regular basis & target has their exclusives only & walmart has nothing. I did notice that the TF section in walmart shrank though. But anyway Megatron is the only one im looking for & im going to be pretty pissed if i cant find him cause the stores decided to skip a wave.

I believe these are in Wave 3.

Do you have a local TRU? I've found Wave 1 in TRUs in three states and in several Walmarts in the same. I also found Wave 2 in a Walmart in Montgomery, AL about 3(almost 4) weeks ago.

They're indeed in wave 3: Bumblebee, Megatron, Trailcutter and Orion Pax are Wave 1, while Hoist and Thunder cracker are Wave 2. It's actually not uncommon for stores to order rather late, so they receive later waves. The assortment on offer changes every few months, you know?

The only one of these I'm interested in is Skids. I agree he could've been a little darker blue, but he still looks pretty awesome. The car mode is really cool with the stripes and red wheels, and his bot mode is armed to the teeth. I just hope his shoulder articulation turns out better than it looks.

The other guys I won't be getting because I'm not into Beasts and I so far have not been collecting G2. To start now would be a very expensive endeavor.

So Bee actually updgrades to Goldfire in the comics? I haven't got that far yet.

Went to Walmart, they had all the others on sale, but I didn't see these four on the shelves. False advertising...

Rated X wrote:Went to Walmart, they had all the others on sale, but I didn't see these four on the shelves. False advertising...

There is no false advertising going on. They used stock photos of Deluxe Class figures. That's allowed and not a falsehood. Plus, they never stated which figures would be for sale. If they named names and guaranteed their availability, you would have a leg to stand on. As is, you're stumpin' it.

sabrigami wrote:For those wondering about Skids' shoulder articulation, I think in the picture they are mistransformed.

That's a given! Thing is, other pics of him show his shoulders will be limited:

Count me among those who think Skids is a terrible shade of blue. It should be a more muted/faded blue like the comic, or dark blue like the G1 figure. I don't like the mold either. Looks like a kitbash of Prime RID Rumble and Legion-class Evac.

Rated X wrote:Went to Walmart, they had all the others on sale, but I didn't see these four on the shelves. False advertising...

I hope you're just joking about the "false advertising".

GuyIncognito wrote:

Rated X wrote:Went to Walmart, they had all the others on sale, but I didn't see these four on the shelves. False advertising...

I hope you're just joking about the "false advertising".

Not sure if he's been known to joke.

Are people really whining about the shade of blue on Skids?


Really?

shockblast2 wrote:Are people really whining about the shade of blue on Skids?


Really?

Yes, yes they are.

I really can't wait to get dreadwing, waspinator, and skids.

Those colors would look better on Gears. Speaking of, where the hell is my classics GEARS? my favorite little grumpy minibot.

I'm gonna buy Skids anyway, but I never had a G1 skids and I'd prefer a closer homage.

Thanks to BBTS's preorders, looks like it can be said that these are indeed scheduled for Q4 release this year. If that's the case, that's excellent - releases around X-mas time are always super extremely easy to come by.

ScottyP wrote:Thanks to BBTS's preorders, looks like it can be said that these are indeed scheduled for Q4 release this year. If that's the case, that's excellent - releases around X-mas time are always super extremely easy to come by.

I was thinking the same... BUT, BBTS tends to get things kind of slow, don't they? I think these will be on shelves a while before BBTS gets them...

Still, I'm dying to know WHAT will hit Xmas shelves, as I don't want to hunt something down that will just overflow from the shelves later!

Worst case scenario, TRU gets the entire set by what? Next Summer? Good, ole, nice-and-slow TRU! She's like a rebound girl for when you get dumped by a barren hunt anywhere else!

GuyIncognito wrote:

Rated X wrote:Went to Walmart, they had all the others on sale, but I didn't see these four on the shelves. False advertising...

I hope you're just joking about the "false advertising".

It IS a bit of false advertising: these could be considered newer models of the current toy, and Wal-Mart advertised the NEWEST MODELS and ON PURPOSE. They knew perfectly well they probably wouldn't have those specific toys in stock and on the shelves in time for the ad, but they expect the lot of you to roll over and buy something anyway. If this were a game system? Or the latest CD from your fave band? THEN is it false advertising? Or do we just side with Wal-Mart in all matters?

Autobot032 wrote:

shockblast2 wrote:Are people really whining about the shade of blue on Skids?

Really?

Yes, yes they are.

Hey, could be worse. You could be one of those guys who complains about complaining! Nothing adds to the conversation like disgust over negativity with no constructive portion in the comment at all!

Metrosuplex wrote:

ScottyP wrote:Thanks to BBTS's preorders, looks like it can be said that these are indeed scheduled for Q4 release this year. If that's the case, that's excellent - releases around X-mas time are always super extremely easy to come by.

I was thinking the same... BUT, BBTS tends to get things kind of slow, don't they? I think these will be on shelves a while before BBTS gets them...

Still, I'm dying to know WHAT will hit Xmas shelves, as I don't want to hunt something down that will just overflow from the shelves later!

Worst case scenario, TRU gets the entire set by what? Next Summer? Good, ole, nice-and-slow TRU! She's like a rebound girl for when you get dumped by a barren hunt anywhere else!

GuyIncognito wrote:

Rated X wrote:Went to Walmart, they had all the others on sale, but I didn't see these four on the shelves. False advertising...

I hope you're just joking about the "false advertising".

It IS a bit of false advertising: these could be considered newer models of the current toy, and Wal-Mart advertised the NEWEST MODELS and ON PURPOSE. They knew perfectly well they probably wouldn't have those specific toys in stock and on the shelves in time for the ad, but they expect the lot of you to roll over and buy something anyway. If this were a game system? Or the latest CD from your fave band? THEN is it false advertising? Or do we just side with Wal-Mart in all matters?

Autobot032 wrote:

shockblast2 wrote:Are people really whining about the shade of blue on Skids?

Really?

Yes, yes they are.

Hey, could be worse. You could be one of those guys who complains about complaining! Nothing adds to the conversation like disgust over negativity with no constructive portion in the comment at all!

So, you're posting this with the purpose of causing trouble and to provoke. Got it. Thanks for participating.

Anyone else surprised Waspy is Deluxe size? For some reason, I REALLY expected him to be that Generations Legend/Cyberverse size. I'm a bit confused about how and why they're making some characters BIG, and some SMALL. But maybe I'm the only one who cares when a SS or Megatron is micro next to something else... ehhh... HASBRO!!! WHY CAN'T YOU GIVE US A UNIFIED SCALE?!? I'm seriously bummed that these toys have to be kept apart with the atrocious scale differences...

Autobot032 wrote:So, you're posting this with the purpose of causing trouble and to provoke. Got it. Thanks for participating.

Not at all, my good chap. You grossly misinterpret my intentions. If you study the line of conversation, someone else actually attacked a group on here for the villainy of complaining about a color hue. (Not to mention the total comment itself did not focus on what you pointed out - it had 3 parts, and only one part complained/"caused trouble").

Maybe you think that an insult only counts if the insulted party is aware/insulted, but I felt it important to point out the irony: you can't complain about complaining!

It wasn't "trouble-making" so much as a pet peeve of mine. But I do appreciate Seibertron.com's tolerant attitude to dissenting opinions, as I've been censored for saying far more benign things on other boards (really, only a small explanation/proof about Michael Jackson's supposed "innocence" in child molestation charges).

Anyway, please don't take sides on a non-confrontation like this. I realize I'm the minority on this big board of mostly vet's, but if I see something obnoxious like that, I try and speak out for the little guy that gets crushed under "popular" opinion.

People have a right to complain about Skid's color hue, and I sincerely do not appreciate any sly remarks about how ludicrous such complaints are. It's a small skip away from insulting the actual posters (or a rather round-about, possibly passive-aggressive insult, whether meant that way or not). Let's not let excessive, nonconstructive comments (like the one I responded to) run rampant. Say what you want about my comment, I at least tried to explain my motives (a troll does not defend itself except when attacked).

I believe you're a Mod on here, aren't you, Autobot032? I was hoping you'd take a more neutral reaction to my comment (or even a positive one), but I thank you, nonetheless, for your civil reply.

Metrosuplex wrote:Anyway, please don't take sides on a non-confrontation like this. I realize I'm the minority on this big board of mostly vet's, but if I see something obnoxious like that, I try and speak out for the little guy that gets crushed under "popular" opinion.

Let's clear something up right now. Regardless of whether or not I'm staff, you don't have the right to tell me what I can or cannot do. You don't have the right to tell others what to do. Just because I'm a staff member doesn't mean I can't have an opinion, or voice it. I just have to be more delicate and walk a tight rope in delivering it. Do I agree with shockblast2? Yes and no. (Yes, I find it to be a rather unimportant aspect to complain about. I'm just happy to have the figure. This is a hobby, not life. and on the other hand, No, because I don't see the people airing their complaints as whiners.) Just because I didn't correct him doesn't mean I've chosen his side, or anyone's but my own. And you haven't the right to take that from me or anyone else. Sorry, but no.

Do you have any idea how many times we see a post like shockblast2's? I've lost count. Do you have any idea how many threads have had to be cleaned up because of arguments like that? I've lost count.

Which is why I don't voice my opinion as much as I could and should. Simply because there will always be someone in the crowd who will go out of their way to ruin it for everyone else. For whatever reason they deem necessary. (It isn't necessary.)

I'm all for championing the underdog, I hate mob mentality and seeing people gang up on others, but as far as I can tell (since I haven't read the entire thread, nor do I plan to...) shockblast2 was the only person who made it an issue, and one person does not a mob make. You say it's a non-confrontation, yet you made it such with what you thought was a sly, but in actuality, snarky comment in response to shockblast2. You're making it confrontational with me by the choice of words directed at me in this massive quoted post of yours. I very much have the right to take a side in a confrontation that's aimed at me.

Metrosuplex wrote:

Autobot032 wrote:So, you're posting this with the purpose of causing trouble and to provoke. Got it. Thanks for participating.

Not at all, my good chap. You grossly misinterpret my intentions. If you study the line of conversation, someone else actually attacked a group on here for the villainy of complaining about a color hue. (Not to mention the total comment itself did not focus on what you pointed out - it had 3 parts, and only one part complained/"caused trouble").

I haven't grossly misinterpreted anything. I've had a look at some of your other posts and noticed your trademark is a snarky attitude and an "I'm always right" air about you. You're proving that, here, again by telling me what I am or am not doing. (It's not appreciated, btw.)

You think your digs are clever (not only towards me, but towards anyone with a differing opinion), but they are digs and can easily cross the line. Please don't cross that line, more than you already have.

Metrosuplex wrote:Maybe you think that an insult only counts if the insulted party is aware/insulted, but I felt it important to point out the irony: you can't complain about complaining!

It wasn't "trouble-making" so much as a pet peeve of mine. But I do appreciate Seibertron.com's tolerant attitude to dissenting opinions, as I've been censored for saying far more benign things on other boards

Plenty of people have pet peeves and don't address them in the manner such as you did. And judging by the tone of your post, it's not the dissenting opinions that are the problem, it's how you deliver them. You do tend to let your snark out, a lot. That makes people angry, they respond when angry. That makes it provocation and I can tell you enjoy being the provocateur. (Takes one to know one, I've gotten in trouble for it more times than I can count. Difference is, I'm slowly learning to not do that. Slowly being the keyword.)

And don't speak for me. Ever. (Or for anyone else, for that matter.) I see an insult for what it is. An insult is an insult, regardless of whether or not the intended target felt the sting of it/was oblivious to it. Contrary to your belief, that kind of thing does not fly here at Seibertron. We on the staff do take notice of it and step in when necessary. However, we are not machines and cannot be on at all times or see all posts, so it's important for you and all other members to come forward and let us know there's a problem, or going to be a problem.

You are always more than welcome to click on the PM button and send us a message. Just because we don't respond right away doesn't mean we're not taking it seriously. Quite the opposite, in fact. We're looking over the entire situation, on any given situation, and seeing what's the best course of action and how to implement it.

Metrosuplex wrote:People have a right to complain about Skid's color hue, and I sincerely do not appreciate any sly remarks about how ludicrous such complaints are. It's a small skip away from insulting the actual posters (or a rather round-about, possibly passive-aggressive insult, whether meant that way or not). Let's not let excessive, nonconstructive comments (like the one I responded to) run rampant. Say what you want about my comment, I at least tried to explain my motives (a troll does not defend itself except when attacked).

Indeed, they do have a right to complain about his color palette, while others have the right to complain about that kind of complaining. This is the internet, where anonymity and opinions come out in full force. You're going to have to get used to the fact that people have something to say and they're going to say it. It's HOW they say it, that makes the difference. Is the term "whining" offensive? It can be. Used in the way that it was, most definitely.

Which brings me to this, folks: No more of that. I'm serious. Say your piece without offending. I know you can do it, so please do it. (I can, in fact, tell you to do that.) We are tired of seeing people hurt one another, especially over toys. Please stop.

Now, back to your quote...

You say "I sincerely do not appreciate any sly remarks about how ludicrous such complaints are."

I sincerely do not appreciate that you do the exact same thing with sly remarks full of snark. Not just here, but in other threads. That doesn't help you ingratiate yourself with others. I know, I speak from experience. Don't do what I did. I'm learning from it, you can too.

Then you say "It's a small skip away from insulting the actual posters (or a rather round-about, possibly passive-aggressive insult, whether meant that way or not). Let's not let excessive, nonconstructive comments (like the one I responded to) run rampant. Say what you want about my comment, I at least tried to explain my motives (a troll does not defend itself except when attacked)."

Was shockblast2's post insulting? Yeah. (We do not condone that, btw.) That doesn't mean you should respond in kind. Like I said, use the PM button and let us take care of that. Rise above it, not dig right into it. Throwing words like troll around isn't good either. Because it could be misconstrued that you're applying labels to other board members. And just because one explains themselves doesn't mean they're not capable of trollish behavior. One could say snarky/borderline rude responses are, in fact, trollish. (NOTE: I am not calling you a troll. In fact, I get the feeling that you're applying that label to others. You just don't want to name names. Instead, just don't do it. Period. Using the word troll to make your point wasn't even necessary. You could make your point without using an offensive label.)

Metrosuplex wrote:I believe you're a Mod on here, aren't you, Autobot032? I was hoping you'd take a more neutral reaction to my comment (or even a positive one), but I thank you, nonetheless, for your civil reply.

I do try to be as civil as possible, sometimes I fail. I'm human, we all are. I will not take a neutral (and most definitely not a positive) reaction to the post that started this longwinded conversation. Two wrongs do not make a right. You should've risen above what shockblast2 said, not stoke the fire. Because, sooner or later, someone (not me) is going to come onto this thread and they're going to go right for your comment and it's going to open a very large can of worms. I've seen it too many times before. I want to put a stop to that before it gets out of hand.

Just because we're staff doesn't mean we don't want to enjoy our experience here, too. And sometimes, simply not having to bring the hammer down is the only bit of enjoyment we get.

Autobot032 wrote:Do I agree with shockblast2? Yes and no. (Yes, I find it to be a rather unimportant aspect to complain about. I'm just happy to have the figure. This is a hobby, not life. and on the other hand, No, because I don't see the people airing their complaints as whiners.) Just because I didn't correct him doesn't mean I've chosen his side, or anyone's but my own. And you haven't the right to take that from me or anyone else. Sorry, but no.

Im new to this (tf toys especially)
But i'd like to point out something on the above phrase.

As an outsider what I see is a lot of fansites about tf toys. Now. We live in an era where youtube-google-gmail are all one account. The real reason behing all that is for companies to be able to gather target audience information for FREE!!!! You might not remember but Eceleon would SELL ifno about non us companies to us industries. Just to underline the MASSIVE importance of knowing your enemy and your target. just 10 years ago industries were willing to pay (well for such info)

The reality of a site like this is to collect specific information on target audience desires and expectations and to provide it (sell it maybe) to the property owner/producer.

The reality of the transformers line is DEFINED by its G1 collectors it seems to me. Yes the line is ongoing and children will always represent a higher demography than older 'fans' But 8 year old kids dont usually go to the trouble of going to conventions, buying comics etc...

The masterpiece line clearly demonstates hasbro/takara are making good money (and have a market) of 1980's nostalgia.

regardless of how "GEEKY" or nerdy it is for some1 to request that a Toy isnpired from a comic (and drawn by Nick Roche) looks exactly like said character? aren't they after all expressing such need in the appropriate space/forum?

What is staggering, rather, is that a moderator should go bully a 'nerd' for posting on a nerd forum...

not that being a mod of said forums makes you a movie star. rather.. another geek/nerd..

and im not insulting anyone when i say geek/nerd. i am too..

anyways...... ...

Metrosuplex wrote:Anyone else surprised Waspy is Deluxe size? For some reason, I REALLY expected him to be that Generations Legend/Cyberverse size.

But they already made one of those:



Ans it's meant to interact with Titan class Metroplex.

Metrosuplex wrote:I'm a bit confused about how and why they're making some characters BIG, and some SMALL. But maybe I'm the only one who cares when a SS or Megatron is micro next to something else... ehhh... HASBRO!!! WHY CAN'T YOU GIVE US A UNIFIED SCALE?!? I'm seriously bummed that these toys have to be kept apart with the atrocious scale differences...

Waspinator isn't tiny/human-sized in the comics:

Susha wrote:

Autobot032 wrote:Do I agree with shockblast2? Yes and no. (Yes, I find it to be a rather unimportant aspect to complain about. I'm just happy to have the figure. This is a hobby, not life. and on the other hand, No, because I don't see the people airing their complaints as whiners.) Just because I didn't correct him doesn't mean I've chosen his side, or anyone's but my own. And you haven't the right to take that from me or anyone else. Sorry, but no.

Im new to this (tf toys especially)
But i'd like to point out something on the above phrase.

Welcome to the party! I hope you enjoy your stay. And now to focus on the second part of your quote...

Susha wrote:As an outsider what I see is a lot of fansites about tf toys. Now. We live in an era where youtube-google-gmail are all one account. The real reason behing all that is for companies to be able to gather target audience information for FREE!!!! You might not remember but Eceleon would SELL ifno about non us companies to us industries. Just to underline the MASSIVE importance of knowing your enemy and your target. just 10 years ago industries were willing to pay (well for such info)

First things first, I can't recall, offhand what company you're talking about, but I get what you're saying. It's also brings up another good point, we freely give too much of ourselves online. Too much personal info to someone who would sell us to the highest bidder. It also explains why I receive phone calls from Michigan, day and night, asking if I want a free security system. lol

Susha wrote:The reality of a site like this is to collect specific information on target audience desires and expectations and to provide it (sell it maybe) to the property owner/producer.

I can assure you, that while it might have that purpose now, that wasn't the intention in which Seibertron was created. It was created by a fan who wanted to share his enjoyment of the hobby with others. If Hasbro, TakaraTomy and any other companies (3rd party and the like) just so happen to use this info, then so be it. The main purpose of this website board, has always been to share with fellow fans, anything else comes in a distant second. It's certainly smart of them to use the info provided on here, that's for sure.

Susha wrote:The reality of the transformers line is DEFINED by its G1 collectors it seems to me. Yes the line is ongoing and children will always represent a higher demography than older 'fans' But 8 year old kids dont usually go to the trouble of going to conventions, buying comics etc...

Defined? Not true. As you said, kids are a bigger number. Hasbro has shown the numbers and kids (and their parents buying for them) are the biggest audience. They've told us time and again that they could keep their heads above water without our money. (We make up something like 10% according to them. I feel that it must be a larger amount, but I don't think we'll ever truly know until they show us every penny on paper.)

G1 started it all, G1 is homaged quite a bit, but there are so many lines geared towards children and those children have never even heard of or seen a bit of G1. (That's an absolute fact.) We have influence on some things, a thank you of sorts for our dedication, such as a G1 deco or head on a figure, even if it isn't named that character we wish it to be. But it still comes down to kids being first and foremost.

The only reason Generations is taking the spotlight right now is because of the 30th anniversary. Once we get to 2015, I'm guessing we'll go back to normal, which means glorified gimmicks that kill articulation and complex transformations. (And the latter is what they want to do anyway, according to the panel at either BotCon or SDCC. I can't remember which.) It's part of the reason the Beast Hunters line is ending with upscaled Legion and Commander Class figures being sold as Deluxes and Voyagers. (Can't get much simpler than them. lol)

Susha wrote:The masterpiece line clearly demonstates hasbro/takara are making good money (and have a market) of 1980's nostalgia.

regardless of how "GEEKY" or nerdy it is for some1 to request that a Toy isnpired from a comic (and drawn by Nick Roche) looks exactly like said character? aren't they after all expressing such need in the appropriate space/forum?

Actually, we don't have proof that the Masterpiece line is a bonafide hit. It appears so, but we don't know that for a fact. Problem is, TakaraTomy aims their Transformers at adult collectors because the children have moved onto other toys and electronic devices. That's great for us adults, bad for our wallets. (I hear that you can find a steady stream of some Masterpieces from overstock in various Japanese retail locations. Not all figures, of course. Meaning that TFs aren't selling too well over there, as well. That has to do with economy to some degree. Things is 'spensive, man.)

Hasbro still has kids who do like Transformers, but the number is dwindling, fast. However, with things like the Skylanders-esque Rescue Bots game coming soon, I do think they could use stuff like that to get kids back into toys. (At least, some of them.)

Masterpieces do sell out, but only because TRU buys them in much smaller numbers and prices them towards adult spending. When Wal*Mart was in control of the Masterpieces, the prices were more reasonable, but still outside the scope of a kid's spending, and there were so many clearances and sales... It got to the point where people were picking up Masterpiece Skywarp for like $12.00 because of clearances and pricing errors. (We'll never see that happen again.)

Once collectors get what they need, they tend not to buy more than one or two of an item, which leaves a lot of overstock for the stores to get rid of. And at the prices Masterpieces command, kids aren't picking up the slack. It seems that one of the only reasons Masterpiece is such a hit and makes money now, is because TRU was smarter than Wal*Mart and ordered much, much less and charges far more. If all the retailers took on the Masterpieces, the prices would lower, the production numbers would grow and then...kids might buy one if it became affordable.

I've come to learn that we collectors give ourselves too much credit. I realize now that I am but a small cog in a very large machine. I'm just happy to get my piece of the pie and that it's the piece I wanted. (Well, usually it is.)

As for the "geeky/nerdy" thing, there's nothing wrong with being geeky or nerdy. I know we fans have been long suffering because of those labels, but it's a proven fact that geek is chic, now. Even if it wasn't, there's still nothing wrong with being geeky/nerdy. We deserve our happiness, too.

And there's nothing wrong with someone requesting perfection, other than this: Nothing is perfect. Never has been, never will. Sometimes these figures get made the only way they can, not always how we want. Certain plastics and colors are more expensive than others. Still, people can complain about it, if they wish. Those who don't agree can complain, too. Like I said in a previous post, say whatever you must, but do it with respect and don't cross the line of breaking the rules to do it. That goes for everyone. This is supposed to be a hobby, this is supposed to be fun, not srs business. And they're more than welcome to express their concerns/comments/what have you on here, no one's ever said otherwise. (Again, it's how one does it, that matters.)

Susha wrote:What is staggering, rather, is that a moderator should go bully a 'nerd' for posting on a nerd forum...

not that being a mod of said forums makes you a movie star. rather.. another geek/nerd..

and im not insulting anyone when i say geek/nerd. i am too..

anyways...... ...

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up right there. No one bullied anyone. (I know you're aiming that at me and I'm going to make this clear, I didn't bully anyone. Not once.) You apparently read only what you wanted to read out of my previous post. I said everyone has a right to say their piece, just that must do so with respect for others. That's not bullying. In fact, I'm not even sure how you misconstrued it to think it was bullying, but you're absolutely wrong about the intent behind my post.

And I most certainly don't think of myself as any kind of star. (I'm really not sure where you got that idea or came up with that from my post. That's...wow.) I'm actually a little offended by this last part of your post. I have never thought of myself as being better than anyone. Not less than them, either. An equal, simple as that.

And there is nothing wrong with being a geek/nerd. I never said otherwise, either.

wow im amazed by the extensive response. forums nowadays seem infected by the smartphone text culture.
(which touches the issue on discrimination, all this hate about trolls is just another way to reduce freedom of opinion: imho)
First of all sorry if you felt offended, i guess i just felt your answer was very passionate (not the answer to me.. but also that) which initially appeared wrong to me as i imagine a mod. should be more of a ... bot.. you know what i mean. anyways please accept my appologies if you were offended, i often conduct my argumentations through provokation, which, I know, isn't a particularly friendly attitude.

secondly thanks for your in depth answers, that actually addressed issues i had questions about.
This tf world seems so very complicated with all its multiverses, multiproducers, multidistributors, multirightowners.. multitoylines... should i go on?

coming from the comic world rather than the toy collector my perspective is more concerned on storybuilding, or worldbuilding.. hence the particular hate about the lack of a unified narrative vision. which other companies involved in fantasy and worldbuilding seem to deem important. (how many 'versions' of frodo are there?)

as for my interpretation of the 'function' of the site i may have judged to fast (i do perceive a passionate community around g1 atleast.. i think..) but seeing forum posts about 'desired future toys' i can think you can understand where im coming from. particularly in the gmail/google/utube infested times.

AND YES!! finally some1 that notices and points out my point! (yes that what happens when you use provokation to proceed through discussions..) WE ARE GIVING too much info about ourselfs... companies used to pay for customer information... now they can just come here and browse your forums (as an example).
not only it takes away bargaining power from you from the root, but it also helps the producers raise the prices later on by knowing what the hype is at that given moment.

fancomunities need to start taking care of each other.. TF, magic the gathering, gundam 1980s fans may not represent the highest demography, but they keep the product alive between a movie and another. but it would be naive to expect hasbro to 'take care of you' without taking advantage.

basically founder/ing fancomunities would greatly benefit from 'a la' 'trade-union' societies.
And I am being serious. I am telling you this as a man in his 30s who has seen 40 year olds bargain with 8 year olds about magic the gathering unsupervised... sorry that SHOULD BE ILLEGAL! It should also be illegal to sell a second hand card (to a minor) that has market values of +100 or even 50 dollars.

but while there are customer consortiums for more "acceptable" customer products, "geek communities" seem to always get the bad deal. even in the videogame scene hardcore communities seem to not have the bargaining power they used to.

It seems to me that companies in this situation (blizzard, wizards of the coast, hasbro) don't seem to understand the value of a founding fancomunity and how important they are in keeping the product alive between mass merchandizing investements (like a movie). On the other hand second hand markets don't really benefit companies directly.


As much as i feel obliged to try and tie all the above into one final sentance that makes it sound like a sensible argumentation, i feel it all just gets lost like .. tears, in rain... (yeah they just showed blade runner on tv.) In fact I somehow feel that this thirst i have about transforers has something to do with a late summer afternoon in the late 80s and a couple of kids watching a movie. Seeing my heroes killed of has evidently left the desire to see the stories of said being concluded with atleast a glimmer of happy ending, maybe then i can say goodbye forever to ratchet and co.. unfortunately, now that audience is different, in its 30's with other proplems and ideas. For example as i read posts of tf g1 fans around various fansites It seems to me that many are dealing with the issues of mortality and sense of place in the world/univesre (lost like tears in water. (Scott, 1982).), which are all things <30 years old do.

Mykltron wrote:

sabrigami wrote:For those wondering about Skids' shoulder articulation, I think in the picture they are mistransformed.

That's a given! Thing is, other pics of him show his shoulders will be limited:

If he ends up with WFC and MP Megatron's lack of lateral arm articulation, it's a pass for me. A real pity, as I do like Skids' design a lot.