you keep on telling yourself that if it makes you feel better sleeping at night

 

@Spence,

Any updates on when test shots can be expected (Bot and Alt modes), and a budgetary price range idea? Like will it be in the 70 - 100 $ range, the 100 - 140$ range, or over? Will Starscream be able to purchase alone?

This seriously has the potential to be the best Starscream ever.

 

Ultra size?


I can dig it.

 

To be honest the only collection i really try to keep my figures in any relative size to each other is my chug. Personally i would buy Maas toys figures as stand alone figures.
So i understand their philosophy.
I just believe it would be safer for them to go by a deluxe - voyager based relative size or an MP one.
I applaud a company giving us G1 characters with a Cybertronian mode who didn't use to have one in the cartoon or marvel comics.
So i hope we'll get more from them.
I'm particularly looking forward to their Pipes  

 

I would buy many MPs to complement my CHUG collection. Executives make mistakes, just like you and me

 

Another way to look at it is the fact that the MP scale may be the sweet spot for the particular type of engineering they're going for on the figures. MP figures are focused on a particular image or style, i.e. looking a lot like the G1 cartoons. When a figure is large, it makes getting everything to go where it's supposed to be a whole lot easier while designing the toy. One of the things those Takara and/or Hasbro engineers have to do is ensure that the transformation isn't a mind numbing, arduous experience for the targeted end consumer.

For example, 3P companies like Badcube and XTransbots take a lot of flak on their minibot designs because they're filled with a lot of horrible, fiddly parts that have to fit just so in order to get clean altmodes and show accurate robot modes. Granted, some of them are probably overcomplicated, but even the simplest small scale MPs are pretty fiddly.

Another thing to consider may be the culture of the target market. I'm sure most of the MPs are purchased by US buyers, but Takara/Tomy primarily developed the MP line if I'm not mistaken. As a result, the initial thought and price point are probably more marketed to the Japanese/Other Asian consumer who may want bigger figures. Japan's probably set up better to field and retail MP figures than the US because the marketing and distribution is there. For example, when abroad in Asia I often see full scale High and Perfect Grade Gundam kits in large retail outlets. These are large, sometimes massive figures that are extremely expensive that you won't see at a US Toys R Us or a US big box retailer because there's only a limited market for them. The Asian mecha enthusiast will drop big coin on big figs.

Another reason to not shrink down the line is that arguably that's what Generations and TT Legends are for - revisiting old characters with new engineering. They're produced at an extremely budget-conscious price point. Often if you wait, you'll get a character produced in the 3-4 size classes they come in. At that point they start competing with themselves due to price elasticity. In other words, there's going to be a segment of the consumer base that's going to look at a MP Voyager Prime on the shelf and buy that instead of buying the Generations Voyager Prime for $10 less, because hey - MP looking Prime. Why cut into the Generations/Legends margins if you don't have to?

I'm not saying any of these are the correct answer. You could be right - large companies do make stupid mistakes. However, Hasbro and Takara/Tomy are extremely experienced and Hasbro is one of the biggest toy companies to date largely due to tactical decisions from the top relating to successful branding and marketing. As a result, I am inclined to believe that their choices on MPs while sometimes frustrating for us are based at least in part on logic.

Just food for thought.

 

Not quite ready for test shots yet but expect an update very shortly on maastoys.com. The design is just about ready from what I am told and then it would be off to the factory to look into test shots.

Best starscream ever is a pretty high bar I think but I like to believe we have come up with something that won't only have shelf presence with an amazing wingspan but will also be super playable as well. No bite your nails transformation and yet should retain a good look in both robot and alt mode.

We are still pretty early in the process but we hope to bring everyone along for the ride once we get started.

 

Yay! Thanks for the update!
I love the Tetrajet mode and I've been waiting for a LONG time for someone to create something like this.
Thanks MAAS! you guys rock!  

 

MS-01 Renegade





MS-02 Stormbreaker





MS-03 Wraith




Introducing MS01 Renegade and the Air Soldiers

 

They look great, but it's kind of depressing that we're still only at computer renderings, and not a prototype yet.

 

From the news article linked: "Our first prototype is in development as we speak."

 

...give me seven more repaints and we’re sold!..

 

Right, but I'm just shocked that it's still not ready, as this was first announced awhile ago.

Ah well, still nice to see movement anyway, no matter how small.

 

Hey, what happened to this



...oh well  

 

The computer renders look really good for these guys. I'm curious what the price point will be for them.

 

...well, reading their news post, this project has developed into something a bit more ambitious than their established scale/design/price point: the redesign delay is understandable...

...maasterpiece?..

 

So I'm assuming that "more premium figures" means actually using paint on them.  

 

I'm not sure what their relationship is, but @Spence mentioned on Facebook the the production of the Unrustable Bastards is part of the cause of the delay in the MAAS figures.

I'm guessing that the "more premium figures" is more paint or a higher parts count. I think the challenge they face is making a premium product at a competitive price in this market. I think these could potentially be a tough sell since Maketoys is coming out with multiple versions of these characters and Planet X just released theirs. I realize this is a different aesthetic, but I think the people who are in the market for these are probably considering purchasing those as well. I know that I'm trying to decide how many seekers I actually need.

 

That is what i was wondering too....

@Spence, are these the same? The first Art and the 3D model look very different, at least for the alt mode anyways. The Alt mode looked extremely slick on the drawing, whilst the bottom looks very fat and not as nicely aerodynamic / sleek on the 3D model

I am still likely getting one, just dont know which yet, but I think for bot mode the Blue one looks best, and for alt mode, maybe Starscream, and that is only color matches. The only thing preventing Starscream to be best in bot mode is the grey abs instead of red. I am guessing this has to do with transformation? I would have preferred this to be red, like other depection i am familiar. Anyways, guess i better wait for painted prototype, who knows, i might still go for starscream the one i really want

 

I'd be way more into these but the aesthetic is so similar to G1 in bot mode I have to pass. :/ (I really like the back of them and the vehicle modes, too but that smooth robot mode doesn't really fit)