Ok so I got Animated Activator Thundercracker, really simple to transform etc but if you follow the instructions it misses out 2 key parts and the image it displays as final differs to the one on the packaging.

Why is this? Why didn't they show they you need to push the legs up for to connect flush, and that you can swivel the rockets so they are facing forward in alt mode? Why half ass it?

Other TF lines have it worse but this was just the latest thing I opened, even so it seems a little odd that the instructions are rarely accurate.

Thanks.

 

I dunno man, most figures I own have pretty accurate instructions. Of course there are a couple that are illegible or just plain wrong, but I don't think the problem is that big.

 

I'm not saying its a big problem more just wondering how or why does it happen in the first place? Another recent case for me Universe Sideswipe has the wrong mold shown for its Transformation instructions so what it asks isn't possible when it comes to whether the roof or the bonnet is the "front".

 

I think it's to encourage ingenuity, the instructions are deliberately wrong so you have to figure the toy out yourself.

Meccano used to print deliberately inaccurate instructions back in the day for the same reason.

 

yeah but lets face it these days if the kid or parent cant work it out they give up and return it

back on topic I'd say its because their trying to depict something often very complicated with out words so theirs bound to be some issues

 

Honestly, I think the instructions are accurate, but you have to be a PhD engineer to read them correctly. I'd say they should just use real pictures, but at the size they'd have to be, it'd be just as bad if not worse.

 

Henkei Galvatron's instruction says the base of the turret slides open when it actually doesn't. Good thing I consulted various message boards before I really forced it. As if I needed more confusion with the toy  

I normally don't look at the instructions, because one of the biggest reasons I buy Transformers is that I like to figure out the transformation myself, but I heard Galvatron had lots of problems and thought I might go safer way.

 

if you think the activator instructions are youve never put together BTR armada prime lol

 

I find it kind of funny that with all the transformers sold in the last few months, the activators thundercracker's instructions are the ones you have a problem with.   My kid figured this out as soon as he opened it without the instructions. But yeah the instructions do suck sometimes. I bought Unicron and when it came to "the wings" the instructions were pretty useless.

 

I've not got problems with any either, its just something I noticed after messing about with the Transformer and then looking through its instructions.

Even my Girlfriend who has never been near a transformer can transform it, thats why Activators rule  

 

lazy instruction designers perhaps?

 

Uh, I think the instructions have gotten slightly better in the last few years. Magmatron's instructions are my least favorite, personally. The pictures are awful, and its kind of a difficult transformation made all the more confusing. Number two would be Landfill, but that's just because there's like thirty ways to transform each individual bot...

 

I agree older ones sucked more probably. I bought a Beast Machines Optimus Primal and his instructions where on the card back. They were only six steps, and I was trying to figure out how to get his robot head to pop out. I thought I was gonna break it.

 

solution: add words.

 

I never use the instructions anyway.

 

Problem: Multilingual requirements.

That's why text was dropped from instructions, I think. I remember the EU Beast Wars / Machines came with two lots of instructions, with three languages each. Now we're up to 12-15 here, it'd be an utter nightmare.

It's probably a cost-saving measure for foreign markets, as it represents one less piece of literature to have translated and altered for overseas release.

 

Alternators Skids comes to mind.

 

Because they insist on showing only under, profile, birds eye and forward views. It's hard to show all the steps with simple views that don't show what's happening clearly. I mean, everything that happens on the toy happens in the instructions, it's just not clear or obstructed by other stuff.

 

They should enclose DVD Instructions with each.........wait.
I'll just watch Peaugh or Mike's Reviews from now on. (Insert thumbs up smiley face here)