Heavy/Scratch: CW LEADER-CLASS Optimus Prime WIP (Shapeways)

Discussion in 'Radicons Customs' started by johnbonhamatron, Jan 21, 2015.

  1. johnbonhamatron

    johnbonhamatron RIP

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    IMPORTANT UPDATE: My Prime add-ons are no longer on sale from my Shapeways store, as the production version has been unveiled! Check it out, I'm utterly in love with it:

    http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/trans...imo-vitalis-upgrade-kit-cw-optimus-prime.html

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    UPDATE 23/06/15: And that's the shoulder armour, crotch/waist armour, arm cannons and combinable weapons done! :D 

    [​IMG]

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    UPDATE 22/04/15: Chestplate done. V1 upgraded feet done. PERMUH and EAZEE heads done. My status: absolutely chuffed to bits. :D 

    [​IMG]

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    UPDATE 18/03/15: The chestplate needs a tweak, and I've not assembled the fuel tanks yet, but... the leg extensions are finished and on sale!

    [​IMG]

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    UPDATE 18/02/15: The next batch of prototypes is in, and while there are a handful of tweaks to do, the first three add-on kits are almost finished and ready to be painted up!

    [​IMG]

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    UPDATE 12/02/15: Welp, time to show off where Prime's up to now!

    I've scrapped the original plan for the torso kit, and replaced it with a simple clip-on chestplate. Keeping the thigh extensions, though, so he will be taller. In fact, looking at pics in the review thread, he's going to stand very close to the height of the new Leader Megatron, with those thigh extensions. This pleases me. :p 

    I'm still working on finalising and tweaking everything, but what I've got so far is:

    Legs 'n' Ears Kit - the main kit with thigh extensions (and it includes some new antennae for the combined mode head)

    [​IMG]

    Standard Chestplates - Old IDW, Current IDW, G1 and Armada, so far

    [​IMG]

    Fuel Tanks Guns - to fill in the gaps in the modded alt mode, and transform into pistols

    [​IMG]

    Thunderclash Conversion Kit - a transforming windvane-to-chestplate to convert Prime into Rodmus's least favourite 'bot

    [​IMG]

    Poseable Feet - with ball-jointed toes (no pics yet)

    Shoulder Augmentations - to hopefully give him smokestacks on his shoulders (this one is very much a WIP, so there's no pics yet)

    Combined Mode Chestplate - which'll double up as storage for the bot mode chestplate, and which is based on God Ginrai's chest

    [​IMG]


    The (hopefully) final versions of the first three items on that list are prototyping at the moment, so watch this space...

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    Original Post:

    Welp, I've been working on this (and alluding to it) since before Christmas, but I finally have something to show! It's very much a work in progress at the minute (he needs a ton of tweaking, since I made him too tall, and I need to make the alt mode work), but I thought I'd show what I've got so far, to see what people think!

    [​IMG]

    The mission: make Combiner Wars Prime's body and legs be in proportion with his arms, while still being transformable, and keep the partsforming to an absolute minimum. So far, he's transformable without having to remove anything, but as I say, I need to do some more work to get the alt mode sorted (the main bit being a wind deflector to hide the fake chest, and a new sleeper cab on the back). The alt mode is almost there, it just needs some bits filling in, so there's no massive gaps.

    And to show how much taller he is (with colours digibashed on):

    [​IMG]

    He won't be quite that tall once tweaked, natch, but he should still be in proportion.

    However, here's the bit where I reckon I've boxed a bit clever: the chestplate is an entirely separate piece to the kit, and will be sold separately. Why? Why, so that I can design multiple different chestplates (IDW, as in these pics, G1, Armada, etc...), and you can eventually get the one you want, without having to buy multiple chests! :D 

    Once all that's done, then I just need to figure something out for combined mode... :p 

    As always, comments and criticisms are very welcome! :D 
     

    Attached Files:

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  2. Kraken

    Kraken Is a vegiesaurus, Lex. Veteran

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    My one crit would be that his belly grill looks a bit big, and the shoulders sit a little low for my liking, but apart from that, sterling work sir. Especially the leg extensions. Top notch :thumb 
     
    Last edited: Jan 21, 2015
  3. johnbonhamatron

    johnbonhamatron RIP

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    Hmm, y'know, now that I look at it, I do believe ye're right. Welp, this is just the first prototype, so that's easily tweakable (since I'll likely end up redoing the bottom half of the torso plate from scratch, anyway). :D 

    Thanks for the feedback, and glad you like it. :) 

    ETA:
    For the shoulders, someone else pointed that out, too, so I have an idea already on how to fix that. Basically, he'll need a wind deflector to cover the fake chest in alt mode, so there's no reason why the front of that can't stay permanently attached to the shoulders, to make them look taller.
     
  4. autobot prowl

    autobot prowl Well-Known Member

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    Really digging the leg extentions. Not so sure on the torso part, I liked the original chest look better. With the leg bits it should make hime better for the Leader Megatron coming out
     
  5. johnbonhamatron

    johnbonhamatron RIP

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    That's my main goal, actually, to get him more in scale with Leader Megs. Well, that and to make him look like Don Figueroa's IDW design, hence the chest. :p 

    As I say, the main kit and the chestplate are two separate entities, so there's no reason why I couldn't do a greatly cut-down torso plate, that doesn't cover up the stock chest. :) 
     
  6. Kraken

    Kraken Is a vegiesaurus, Lex. Veteran

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    Sounds just dandy, can't wait to see what you come up with.
     
  7. kaijuguy19

    kaijuguy19 Keyblade Wielder

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    This looks very promising so far. :)  I love that you're planning on doing different chests for him so if anyone has the Armada Megatron, having the Armada kit for the Optimus mold will work wonders. Are there any plans to make a Machine Wars chest for him too?
     
  8. johnbonhamatron

    johnbonhamatron RIP

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    I'm crossing my fingers it comes out as well as I hope. This and Megs'll be the centrepiece of my collection, I really don't want to balls it up... :p 

    There can be... ;) 

    Actually, yes, when I saw the white repaint and heard the rumours about the potential possibility of it being Thunderclash, I did kinda go, "Now there's an idea."

    So yes, that's a definite possibility. The ones I've got planned in the first place are the IDW chest, a G1 version based on MP-10, and the Armada chest (and possibly G2 and Classics, as well). Machine Wars wouldn't be too hard to add to that list. :) 
     
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  9. Kraken

    Kraken Is a vegiesaurus, Lex. Veteran

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    Yep, if the white repaint doesn't end up being Thunderclash (what a guy!) then I'll certainly be turning it into him, so I'd definitely be interested in a ready made chest, cause, y'know, lazy.
     
  10. johnbonhamatron

    johnbonhamatron RIP

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    Well when ye put it like that, how can I say no? Instead I'll say smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.

    See, this is why I got into Shapeways: loads of ideas, fundamentally lazy. Also piss poor engineering skills when it comes to, y'know, actual physical things. :p 
     
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  11. Hellscream85

    Hellscream85 Well-Known Member

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    If the Optimus repaint doesn't end up being thunderclash, then I hope a new Thunderclash head becomes available ;) 
     
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  12. f-primusunicron

    f-primusunicron i just wanna be loved

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    only suggestion is, make new biceps, if the "grill" rotated 180º, arms would look actually good
     
  13. timorvitae

    timorvitae Well-Known Member

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    What about designing an axe and a new blaster for the kit?

    BTW this is an excellent idea. Thanks for improving this prime.
     
  14. johnbonhamatron

    johnbonhamatron RIP

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    Are you suggesting that I should do a Thunderclash head alongside the full-on IDW head I'm also reeeeeeeeally smegging tempted to do?? ;) 

    Heh, aye, 'tis not a bad idea, that. I reckon I may have to get the final kit finished, then go to town on the extras. :D 

    And then, inbetween all that, I can finally start on Menasor... :p 

    Alas, with the way it's engineered, that would be an absolute pig to do.

    Funnily enough, I had already planned to do an upgraded ion blaster for him, but separately so that people who don't want the kit can get it. I was thinking of also throwing in some big guns for combined mode, based on his Powermaster shoulder-cannons.

    I confess that I completely forgot about the axe, though...:eek: 

    Also thanks very much! :D  This is one of those figures where I looked at it, and went, "Y'know... this beastie's got a lot more potential than I thought..."
     
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  15. Tresob

    Tresob Well-Known Member

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    Neat! I like that he actually ends up looking more proportional with the combiner head up. Seriously, why are so many Transformers designed to look like pinheads?
     
  16. johnbonhamatron

    johnbonhamatron RIP

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    Ah, well, this time I can answer that! :p 

    If his standard head was any bigger, there's not a chance in hell it'd fit through the hole it needs to fit through. It's physics's's's fault this time. :p 
     
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  17. DJCHARTERS

    DJCHARTERS Well-Known Member

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    so far i have stayed away from the combiner wars stuff but this is making it very very hard to stay away from this prime who i liked anyway. this looks amazing
     
  18. prime326

    prime326 Autobot Leader

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    this could be all sorts of awesome
     
  19. Spyne98

    Spyne98 Host of the Rock Nerd Radio Show

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    Very interesting. I'll be keeping my eyes on this.
     
  20. G60Force

    G60Force World Smallest Mini-Con

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    Agreed look awesome since U could make Armor trailer aswell... and for the Magnus version would be awesome to have an true Ultra Magnus worthy of the name :)