Digibash: Botcon 2009 Toys - TAKE TWO!

Discussion in 'Transformers Fan Art' started by llamatron, Apr 14, 2009.

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Which Botcon set do you prefer?

  1. The official one

    23.0%
  2. llama's unofficial one

    55.4%
  3. Undecided

    21.6%
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  1. llamatron

    llamatron OFFICIAL MMC REP TFW2005 Supporter

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    It’s pretty clear that this year’s Botcon set has not been a smash hit (in terms of popularity) like the 2006/2007 set was. Of course we haven’t seen the fiction yet and that can change people’s minds, but to me at least, it’s a big dissapointment. Some of the choices have made my head explode, simply unable to comprehend the decisions made. But rather than sit back and critisize (which is so easy to do) I thought – could I do any better? And I don’t mean the typical HEY GUYS YOU SHOULD REPAINT UNIVERSE 2.0 TOYS AND GIVE EVERYONE A NEW HEAD AND COMPLETELY IGNORE THE WAY THE MOLD SPRUES AND PLASTIC COLOURS WORK. I’m testing a theory:

    Even a fat neckbeard like me can dream up a better Botcon set in a few days.

    The rules that I stuck to: Only me. I didn’t consult anyone. All came out of my head. I limited my choice of molds to what they would have had available – in essence everything from Armada / Energon / Cybertron, minus anything that has previously been used as an exclusive. I stuck to realistic colourings – by realistic I mean paying attention to what part of the mold each colour belongs to, you know, how particular parts belong to a certain part of the mold that is a certain colour and you can’t just pick and choose colours willy nilly. Realistic amount of paints apps. Realistic amount of new parts (based off previous years). I put together my set of toys and then went about throwing together some “mock concepts” – cheap and dirty digibashes. They’re just done to convey the idea and make it more tangible. Obviously some things could be changed. Keep in mind that my photoshop skills are weak at best, for new molds I just copy/pasted an old head on top that was the rough look I was going for.

    Now, I restricted myself even further to stay within their basic premise. That is a young Kup joining the Elite Guard back in the early days. And I tried to make sure I used molds that they are using in the set already.

    I’ve slapped a poll up so that you can be the judge. The question is simple – would you rather have the official Botcon set or my half-assed effort?

    Now, I have a rough fiction planned out for all of this, but it’s not fair for me to put that out when the official Botcon hasn’t put out theres. I’ll just line out the very basic tease which is kind of what they’ve given us.

    It’s Kup, in his old age, telling a war story. A story about how he started off in the Elite Guard and how he came to get his trusty laser musket rifle. Of course, Kup is pretty old and his brain ain’t all there, so his memory might be a little flakey…

    PRIMUS PACKAGE BOXED SET


    Elite Guard Commander THUNDERCLASH

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    Elite Guard Intelligence Officer CHROMEDOME

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    (note that the grey crap is supposed to be chrome. As an added bonus the Cybertron Downshift toy can actual hold G1 Chromedome's guns perfectly)


    Elite Guard Rookie KUP

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    Autobot Informant COSMOS

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    Decepticon Grunt BLITZ

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    Decepticon Fighter WING

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    The idea with this set is to try and give a “shout-out” as such to as many different aspects of Transformers as possible. Euro G1, Headmasters, ’86 movie, diaclone, triple changers, clones, minibots, etc. Personally, I cannot figure out why on Earth FP did not use the Landmine mold to make Thunderclash. Seriously. I cannot figure it out. It’s a perfect match. Oh well. It should be noted that only Kup has a new head in this set, but he also has a new rifle, based off his G1 gun. I’m guessing that if they could give Thrust new wings in ’07, then they could make a new gun and I think that would be a nice way to mix things up a bit.
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2009
  2. llamatron

    llamatron OFFICIAL MMC REP TFW2005 Supporter

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    ATTENDANCE FREEBIE

    Decepticon Swordsman LEOZACK

    You know what? I really like what they did with this guy. Credit where credit is due. He can stay.

    SOUVENIR PACK 1

    Elite Guard Warrior SONIC BOMBER with micromaster SONIC

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    (I ain’t gonna lie, I think Sonic Bomber looks pretty terrible. BUT the toy is a really good match for him, perhaps with a bit of a tweaked colourscheme and paint apps he could come out pretty decent)


    Decepticon Weapons Researcher APEFACE with prototype SPASMA unit

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]



    SOUVINER PACK 2

    Decepticon Infiltrator MEGAPLEX

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    Decepticon Crystalocution Master BANZAI-TRON

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]



    So there it is. Ten figures I just kind of crapped out. Are they any good? Do they suck? It’s kind of hard to be impartial, but I am extremely fond of the Thunderclash and Banzai-tron. Well, Thunderclash makes me sad because it’s what we should have gotten. Oh well.

    Anyway, thoughts and feedback and comments and all that are welcome. Feel free to rip me a new one, because I’ve been fairly harsh on the official set. I still think it’s a poor effort, but maybe it’s just me.
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2009
  3. Joe Moore

    Joe Moore Is Not Jim... Veteran

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    The Thunderclash is ok, I guess. Probably the best of your group. The rest though...Yeah, not really feeling it.
     
  4. Batman

    Batman The Dark Knight TFW2005 Supporter

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    I actually would have bought your set. I love Chromedome, Kup, Cosmos, and Apeface!!!!! You are a bastard for making me want figures that don't exist :)  Good ideas man.
     
  5. Bryan

    Bryan ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

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    I honestly love it. Most of 'em anyways, and as a set I think it comes out way ahead. Original figures in a BotCon = DO NOT WANT.

    I go to BotCon 'cause I'm a slavish fan of the franchise. Not just the toys, but the characters also. Yeah, one newbie once in a while is okay, but giving me Landshark AND Flak? Two of the biggest (and IMO, best) molds, thrown away on made-up characters that aren't even really clever (Landshark doesn't know where his name came from LOL).
     
  6. Draven

    Draven Banned

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    Thunderclash looks nice, and I'd be prepared to assassinate people for that Chromedome. However, I'm, not so keen on the rest. I loathe the Nitro Convoy/Override mould, I'm not overly keen on Cyb Soundwave (hence why I passed on Blaster), and I'm miffed enough about getting a repaint of that bloody Sideways toy as it is (despite the fact that your Cosmos digibash makes it look pretty damn good. Better than Scourge IMO). And although Banzai-Tron is a nicely done recolour, the original is one of those toys that will be among the very last G1 I pick up, after I have everything else. So my wanting another toy repainted into him isn't really on the cards.
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2009
  7. llamatron

    llamatron OFFICIAL MMC REP TFW2005 Supporter

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    Thanks for the feedback. I've never actually owned the Override toy so I wasn't too sure how bad it was. I mean I've heard it was pretty terrible, but unfortunately Kup is freaking hard to find a good pre-existing toy for. I guess that's how we ended up with Sparkle Kup / Cyb Red Alert.
     
  8. Bogatan

    Bogatan Well-Known Member

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    I was really expecting Thunderclash to be from Landmine, I wonder how much of it came down to Rik really wanting his Landshark character to be a big toy or a cool toy and bumping a character that seem to be a good fit.

    Chromedome is great, but suffers from the earth mode alt mode problem. Kup looks great and makes a lot of sense. Banzai Tron and Megaplex are great, but I like Skyquake and would also still like a Rescue Force Leozack. The rest are great too, not a fan of the Soundwave mould but the recolour is great.
     
  9. drrockso20

    drrockso20 Well-Known Member

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    sonic bomber and blitz and wing aren't working for me and I'm not to crazy about megaplex either otherwise though you did good
     
  10. Takara_destron

    Takara_destron Mainly lurking these days

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    I like it. Not necesserily saying I'd buy it, but I like it alot more than the real set.
     
  11. Bendimus Prime

    Bendimus Prime Rolls for initiative

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    Apeface and Cosmos are awesome!:rock 
     
  12. Satomiblood

    Satomiblood City Hunter

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    I might want to try make a custom Banzai-Tron based on your designs. Mind if I borrow it?
     
  13. Aernaroth

    Aernaroth <b><font color=blue>I voted for Super_Megatron and Veteran

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    I like what you did with Thunderclash and Banzai-tron, and I adore your Chromedome idea, but I can't say I'm sold on the others. Not to say they're bad ideas, as they aren't, and your attention to how they would actually get made and painted is great, they're just not my cup of tea.

    Do I think this set would have been better received than the current Botcon set? Maybe, and certain figures most certainly so (I'm looking at you, Landshark). I guess that's kind of the nature of exclusives like these though, everyone has their favorite characters, and using those characters will appeal to some, not to others. Still, aiming for a set that represents a wide array of lines/characters is a reliable, safe way to try and make sure there's something for everyone though.

    I'd like to see more of these "fantasy sets", using just the characters/molds available for this year (or maybe for another year as a "what they should have done") kind of idea.
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2009
  14. lars573

    lars573 Well-Known Member

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    I gonna do it like this. If I have any commentary it would be in brackets

    Dislike:
    -Blitz and Wing
    -Sonic Bomber
    -Kup (doesn't work as Kup to me, he was supposed to be a light truck of some kind)

    On the fence:
    -Cosmos
    -Apeface (if this was made into retail release I'd probably buy though)

    Like:
    -Thundeclash
    -Banzai-tron
    -Megaplex
    -Chromedome (I love it so much I want to have sex with it, and you thinking it up :thumbs2: )

    For Kup a choice that I think might work better would be Armada/Cybertron deluxe Prime. It's deluxe and trukky enough to be Kup that also doesn't scream "Optimus Fucking Prime!!" if you loose the Prime head. But you do loose the canopy chest plate that G1 Kup had. Which is why I assume you choose Override in the first place. But it's chest grill could work for Kup.

    Hasbro: Make all these repaint ideas reality.
     
  15. Liokaiser

    Liokaiser Moderator

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    I really like Thunderclash, Kup and Apeface. :rock  Brillant on all three. Chromedome looks good. I admit I kind of see him in the past chillin with Kup in some missions. I'm not feeling the Cosmos at all. I prefer Botcon 2009 Scourge for that mold. Sonic Bomber needs some more white color scheme to look good, and another minicon car to makeup mircomaster Sonic. Honestly, I like this set as much as I like official one. Nice work my friend.
     
  16. Foster

    Foster Haslab Victory Saber Backer #3 Veteran

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    My favorites here are the are Banzai-Tron, Chromedome, Apeface. Adding a Snapdragon out of the BWX Megatron mold, ideally with a new head, would be off the hook! Well done!
     
  17. gen1fan

    gen1fan G1 PRIME FROM VA TFW2005 Supporter

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    i dont care for either set
     
  18. Edgewise

    Edgewise Fanner

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    Very nice work on the digibashes. I've longed for Apeface from that Primal, along with Snapdragon from the BW10th Megatron, Mindwipe from Cyb. Brimstone and Skullcruncher from Cl. Grimlock. That'd nicely round out the 1987 Headmaster Decepticons with TL Weirdwolf and E.Scorponok.

    Clever and all, but it's so easy to make a 'better' set when you choose whatever molds you want. Some of those molds might not have been available for FP to use.

    Assuming there are 2 souvenir 2-packs and the bonus figure is a repaint of a mold int he boxed set, then we now know all but 1 of the molds FP is using for Botcon 2009. Anybody up for trying to come up with a better idea but staying in the limits of what's known possible for the set?

    If so, then use these molds:

    3 known Large Molds:
    Cyb. Leobreaker
    Cyb. CD Scattorshot
    E. Landmine

    4 known Deluxe Molds:
    Cyb. Red Alert
    Cyb. Sideways
    E. Rodimus
    E. Starscream

    1 unknown mold:
    Assuming there's also 1 unknown mold, it's likely a smaller mold so your choice on this one but still limited to Deluxes and Scouts/Minicon teams from AEC and Classics that FP has not already used and excluding Armada minicon teams since they are known to not be available.

    Remolding is probably limited to 4 Head remolds: 3 in the boxed set, 1 in the 'large' souvenir set. No other remolding. So this includes not ignoring molded faction symbols. Oh, and 4 head remolds is assuming Razorclaw-breaker is getting a using a new head. So no using 4 new heads and saying Razorclaw could be made with Leo Prime's head, because if he's made with Leo Prime's head then there's only 3 known new heads.

    For the Boxed set: Can have 3 head remolds, Use 2 of the 3 large molds, and 3 other figures from the 4 deluxe molds and 1 unknown mold

    Attendee bonus: A repaint of one of the smaller figures in the boxed set

    With 8 molds and 10 slots, the bonus is a repaint, and 2 other figures will need to be repaints of the same mold just as Leozak & Skyquake are in the real set.

    Souvenir pack #1: 2 figures, no remolds, both made from 1 of 4 deluxe molds or the unknown mold

    Souvenir pack #2, 2 figures, 1 head remold, using the 3rd large mold and last remaining of the 4 deluxe molds or the unknown mold


    With those limitations, how easy is it to make a 'better' Botcon set?

    I came up with this:

    The Autobot's Elite Wreckers unit face a two-pronged threat: the Predacons and a powerful Decepticon who is two foes in one!

    5 figure Boxed Set:
    Overlord(2 figures: CD Scattorshot with new head & E.Starscream repaint)
    vs.
    Impactor(E.Landmine with new head)
    Cosmos(Cyb. Sideways)
    Trailbreaker(Cyb. Red Alert with new head)

    Attendee bonus:
    Fearswoop(E.Starscream repaint)

    Small Souvenir 2-pack: Rack'n'Ruin: 2 repaints of E.Rodimus to merge with each other
    Large Souvenir 2-pacK: Razorclaw(Leobreaker with new head) & Rampage(E. Battle Ravage repaint)
     
  19. Grimlocka go-go

    Grimlocka go-go Back from the Dead TFW2005 Supporter

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    Really like the choices you made, and i'd pay a shit load for apeface and chromedome. Thuderclash should have been made from landmine, no doubt about that. I think Kup was a creative choice, but i'd prefer the custom from snowcat that's been going around, but cosidering he's supposed to be young and somewhat hotheaded, the override mold does work for him.

    I really really like the Blitz and Wing idea, having him be two identies to start out with is a really cool idea.

    The rest are just cool and full of win.

    Really interested in the fiction you had made for these guys.
     
  20. megamus

    megamus Overworked and Underpaid Veteran

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    Banzi-Tron is plain awesome. Chromedome is a great touch. I would love to see a headmaster gimmick worked into it. I would definately buy the boxset to get these two. Kinda like the offical set. I like two of the figures and can't stand the rest.... If your down for making them, count me in for a set.
     
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