I haz it, yay!

 

Indeed, he's so thin and has so many pointy edges.

 

My main gripes with his legs aren't so much the actual articulation, but two other little things. One, the part that swings up from the bottom of the foot that is shown on the instructions as snuggly fitting does not, on mine, fit unless I just kind keep pushing and wedge it where it's supposed to go. That's thanks to the soft plastic that I can do that, but it doesn't feel right- I would have liked it to actually work and click in like most other parts of most other transformers. The second thing is the large chunk that protrudes up from the inner part of his lower legs. On mine, it basically gets totally in the way or rubs againts the upper thigh. It just, to me, feels like sloppy engineering that needed to go a step further.

However, my initial comment was in regards to Paxtin saying that if you like the deign, you will like this figure. I think it isn't the design or aesthetic, but the actual engineering that is the problem.

And no, it doesn't make him a bad figure, because standing there he does look good and his upper torso is well done.

 

In order for it to fit snugly, you need the nose piece (that part that would lay against the back of the leg) clipped properly into that mid-section.

You should see from looking at the inside of the area of the legs that a tab clips the nose cone perfectly into that bit that flips backward. If you don't clip that properly it won't fit snugly against the leg.

Edit:
On the first page, second photo under this heading "How do I shot tentacle?", you can see what I'm talking about pretty well. (Mind you in taht photo it isn't clipped together either.)

 

Just grabbed this figure tonight from Target - great figure in terms of accuracy (only missing some paint apps & the small fins that should be pointing down under Laserbeak's wings in bot mode) and transformation.

Does feel light & delicate though, that's my only complaint.

 

Is the birdish head and opening beak mouth intentional in jet mode or just an odd design choice?

 

It's part of the design. It's based on how he looks in the show, which is in turn based off of unmanned jets like the Predator drone. The opening "mouth" is just a consequence of the way he transforms.

 

I stopped at no less than 10 stores on my drive home from school yesterday and still cannot find this thing. One day...

 

So many complaints about this figure's legs...just turn them around backwards and he's like a whole new figure. This small mistransformation really made me go from like to love for this figure.

 

Pics?

 

Hmmmm....I will try that.
I have been REALLY selective of the non cyberverse TFP stuff I buy. I'll buy all the cyberverse because they are hitting those out of the park.

I love classics and movie stuff, I will say I'm really impressed how they made an accurate model here, but a BIG turn off to me with TFP is all the toony stylized designs. Yea, its sopposed to be a global hawk..and for the most part it does. But the alt mode with this one and starscream is kinda a cheat to make a decent bot mode. I know..thats how they look in the show...but its just a turn off.

I really like transformers that is its sitting on a table in alt mode you can't tell its a transformer. These all scream "I'm a transformer!" To me, and I hate that.

As for the price..I'm usually the last to complain, and say "if you don't like it don't buy it" but I am just a little let down with the size of some of these. I would have no problem paying an extra few bucks for DOTM molds that had the paint apps we all wanted. But these are feeling pretty cheap for in increased cost, and even less paint apps than the DOTM molds everyone bitches about.

Soundwave.....bot mode is great to sit on your shelf, looks damn good and close to the toon model to me. Laserbeak is a nice addition, and I love the integration. But alt mode KILLS it for me. The fingers hanging off the wings (instructions kiss my ass, that drone has a massive wingspan) and the whole back showing bot parts makes my TF mojo go limp. The legs are funky. There should have been a way to spread the hips out a bit.. but from a guy that isn't a fan of TFP stuff, this one is great in bot mode. If your a guy like me that likes realistic alt modes...these just don't cut it. I know they could not make a clean alt mode and still get the accurate bot mode, and that is indeed how he looks on the show...but its just not for me. It will remain in bot mode on the shelf.

 

I LOVE realistic alt modes and I have zero issue with a lot of the TFP stuff (and I am zero fan of animated.)

The thing with Prime is some stuff is toony-er, some more realistic. Cliffjumper is the perfect example of KILLER alt mode. Heck, the panel lines in alt mode almost PERFECTLY match what the real world panel lines are. Prime Bee, though, has a toony-er feel.

Soundwave IMHO, strikes a nice balance between looking like a pred drone and capturing that creepy show aesthetic in bot mode. And no, I don't fold out the arms in alt mode because, well, that just looks worse.

As for paint, the prime stuff has plenty and goes both ways - Wheeljack has an awesome amount of paint. Maybe less paint in total than Ratchet but has is where it needs it to make it look great. Same with Cliffy.

And then there's Ratchet and Soundwave. Ratchet might be missing some details but that's because so much went into painting the doors. And personally I'd rather have a couple less detail so I could get REAL windows than have a heatbeat stripe but painted windows and no light piping.

Soundwave, the little details are just great and is anything is basically only missing a drop on laserbeaks head to give it eyes and a sense of front back more obvious than which way its wings sweep.


TL,DR
In sum, I guess I think your complaints are really misfounded.

 

I have PRID Cliffjumper in alt mode right in front of me, and he doesn't scream Transformer to me.

 

I got Soundwave earlier this week and had time to play with him over the weekend. I am not a fan of the alt mode, although I believe it is adequate. Too much robot junk showing. I don't mind some (Arcee), but this is too much. I like the simple transformation though and the automorph works well--the best in any of the Prime deluxes I've tried. Based on what I've read, I think getting the head to work and end up in the correct spot when fully transformed is hit-or-miss depending on the individual figure. I don't plan to mod mine, since it seems to be fine as is.

In bot mode, like others I had problems with the legs and those wimpy heels. After seeing me struggle for a while, my wife came over and set him up for me. (Can you believe that?) He looks great when she is done with him and all I have to do is touch it and its appearance degenerates into looking more "toylike" because everything starts to collapse out of shape. It shouldn't be that difficult to get it into a believable robot mode and stay that way.

 

I have no idea what causes that, because mine is tight and does whatever I want it to.

I think this guy is incredible. The heels are no problem, the knees, like he ever uses his knees. I don't get the plastic issues. He uses a lot of soft plastic but only for the thin parts, and it's pretty rigid. Not FE Starscream level or anything. Not even as soft as Cijjfumper's horns. Drone mode is sleek and while it has kibble it's only on the bottom. It is quite surprising how it manages such an oblong robot into such a sleek craft.

 

He lacks large hard plastic glossy surfaces like say, Wheeljack or Cliffjumper.

 

Wasn't really complaining...just the sum of my thoughts. I actually just picked up CJ...pretty cool. But then...its not a real car. I agree with you, the car mode looks fantastic, I see what u mean about panel lines. Really well done there. I don't even get what pesos bitches about with the arms. I think they work well. But G1 and movie stuff at least had a decent amount of real cars. Out of the TFP stuff I have, all the cyberverse released so far, and FE starscream and FE arcee, Soundwave and now cliffjumper...I think cliffjumper is easily the best.

I'm really....really trying to like the bigger TFP stuff, but even CJ has a cartoon head..LOL...I miss the movie stuff.

Like I said..Soundwave is impressive, how the transition from.screen to toy works, but the drone looks like turdage.

I would not trade any of my TFP cyberverse commanders for any single TFP deluxe so far. I think they are some of the best lil TFs they have ever made. Megatron is like a gijoe action figure that transforms, and looks like it walked off the show...well...til you TF it into that Dumbass plane thing..

 

Oh, I get it. I thought people meant it was too soft.

Yeah, he has no glossy bits but at least that meanshe's consistent, and it doesn't look bad at all. Plus he hs plenty of hard plastic in his torso and upper arms.

 

I compare it to the disappointment one would have with say, a chogokin figure where all the die-cast bits are hidden inside the figure. The quality is there, you just don't see/feel it.

 

Legs turned around backwards at the hip swivels.


Annnd..FRENZY! Lol I think of that as recon playback mode and put the fins down when he's done with all the autobot secrets he acquired