FansProject Powered Commander To Be Reissued With Chrome

see now the pic is shown and we have confirmation that besides adding chrome and tweaking the colors they have not changed anything, i feel the tfcon pc owners have a more justified reason to complain.

before it was rage without evidence to support.

but i believe that that the complaints should not be about price as that lays solely at TfCon's(and the secondary market's) feet.

nor should they complain about an exclusive not being an exclusive as the fact the heneki version is similar to the TfCon version. there is a difference and there will only ever be 500 of the TfCon version.

what they should be complaining about is the fact FanP was not upfront with the fact they were producing a version targeted at the japan/china market (i summise they held back on mentioning it so TfCon could sell their version without losing sales due to people opting for the FanP heneki version at the last minute.)

but to be honest the tfCon was targeted at one demographic, the FanP version is targeted at another.

still the only thing i would hold against fanP is the fact they held back on mentioning the heneki version, thereby allowing tfCon to rip people off with the mark-up when another version was round the corner.

deathsheadx, read my post. The one directly above your own. And then look at the pic I posted as well. The one on the left is the new Henkei one. It doesn't have the case and Energon cubes. The one on the right with the white background is the TFCon one. It has the case, obviously.

I've been trying very hard to avoid posting in this thread, but honestly this is getting a little ridiculous. Is one unconfirmed posting seriously all it takes to destroy a company's reputation? Shouldn't we at least wait to hear from FP before we get out the pitchforks?

Furthermore, there is another possibility that has only been tangentially touched on in this thread.

Part of what made it easier to stomach the Henkei release of the previously Botcon-only seekers was the price hike attached to them in Asia. US fans who wanted them had to pay almost half the cost of the BC boxed set to get just those two toys.

Think about how much info we have regarding this new PC release. Almost none?

Kapow says this is due out at the end of May... Call me crazy, but BBTS and TFSource (the usual sources of FP merchandise stateside) usually have a pre-order up months in advance for toys they know about, don't they? I'm pretty sure they require more notice than, "It's coming out next week... How many do you want?"

Rather than assuming that FP just held this back to screw over the fans - which, as a business, makes ZERO sense - doesn't it seem more plausible that US retailers aren't getting this release?

I know that Cliffjumper was a special case, but even when we found out about him, he was very difficult to get because of his exclusivity to Asian fan clubs. What evidence do we have that Japan Ver. PC isn't something similar? Why wouldn't FP just release him to European and Asian stores?

I know there's been a lot of hype about JVPC's price point... But people aren't really thinking about this. He's being offered NOT for $90, but for 90 POUNDS. Those of you familiar with the USD/British Pound ex rate will realize that that's almost $180 USD before shipping to the states. The only other information we have is that he's apparently pre-ordering in Singapore for ~$90. Well - guess what? Someone in the US isn't going to be able to get him for that from Singapore - especially not if he's a fan club release, or at all limited like TFCon PC was.

There is, in my opinion, a very real possibility that this release will be every bit as exclusive in the eyes of US fans as the TFCon release. Does that cheapen the TFCon release? Well - it may lower the value of your "investment" slightly because people will probably seek to pick up one or the other... But if US fans can't get THIS version for any cheaper than the original release of the TFCon version, shouldn't that at least make the first-buyers happy? After all, they got the price of admission to a con thrown into the bundle.

Of course, there's also a very real possibility that the release date is wrong, and that pre-orders will go up on BBTS and TFSource very soon. If that happens, then I'll be upset with the rest of you. Until then, I think FP has done enough right by us thus far to deserve the benefit of the doubt.

i know that but really, i count the case as an accessory. what i'm focusing on is the powered commander add on itself.

Even Al Gore's pissed over this...



How does that saying go? "Hell hath no fury like a Fanboy scorned"

Yes, but being ignorant of some accessories that are included with one version and not the other is in no way validating your argument. If anything, it undermines it.

That'd be like saying the God Fire Convoy giftset is the same as the separate releases, even though one is clear and has the Super God Sword while the other isn't and doesn't have that weapon.

How many of these sets do we need? You can still buy the Shadow Commander on any site for 90 and it was a shorter supply then City Commander.

Come on Fan Projects..move along..

Pretty much what i think.

okay... you're taking me to task over the case?

FanP has not come out and said whether the case will be included or not so it's a non entity at this point in time. until they do i base my observations on what i can see. that's the way i am.

what is clear right now is besides the chrome and the lightened tones the color placement and the general toy hasnt changed that much in some peoples eyes. so i can see, and i'm more accepting of peoples ire towards the situation as long as it's in relation to clearly defined knowledge and evidence.

you seem to forget my stance on exclusives is i hate them, i hate those who horde and scalp, so i'm not the sort to go round defending them. if fan p outright state no case, yeah that's a difference, to some it's a big difference, to others it's not much of a difference but it's would ad to the difference factor. but right now i dont include it in the equation.

seriously though why are you going after me for this?

I'm just saying is all. I don't mean to make it sound like I'm attacking you in my previous posts. I'm just pointing out that there are differences between them and just because you choose not to acknowledge them doesn't mean they don't exist.

I'm done with this topic now, though. I'm glad this new release is coming about and am happy that more people will be able to own it. The exclusive version will stay exclusive and this new version will be there for those not able to obtain the earlier one. Granted, the changes may be minor to some people, but that's how things go. More of a good thing can only be a good thing. And in this case, I don't see why that'd be any different.

I think both versions are cool in their own ways (TFCon with the silver details, the case, darker colors & and the Henkei being with its lighter colors and chrome detailing [looks nice to me]) and while I don't plan on getting it (I mean since I don't usually get Good-Optimus Primes that would fit, Henkei or Classics), but I do want to say as long as people enjoy the ones that they have and enjoy the fun aspect to me, that's the true value of it.

-TF2

I don't know, I think that FP may have waited to see how the toy sold to make a new one. Not blaming them for doing it, blaming them for not telling us

Not to attack you two, but it was $160 in all currencies.

I think this embodies what I've been trying to say all along. Why even lie? FP could say that the TFCon one will be made for Classics Prime, and there will be a Henkei Convoy version released soon.

And when you bought a second PC for $160, you got another ticket?

Nope. With the exception of TC, the prices are the same from what I've seen.

Yes, we're hearing ourselves. And what do we hear? Either crapping all over FP, or people saying that those who bought more than one are scalpers. Those who've been making arguments about how FP was wrong to go about it the way they did, are in the minority.


This is going to be good.

Well, since some of us probably haven't seen the post, why don't you repeat it?

...What? I think you're trying to say that other fan made TF add-ons are sucky, and if FP stops, we'll be stuck with the crappy add-ons.

Um, have you seen those non-FP trailers released recently? Far from a bad product, the FP trailer has actually gotten worse reviews.

Yeah, for the west, BotCon is the only way to get a Classics Scourge colorscheme/remold on the great Cybertron Sideways mold.

Oh please, do share those thoughts, then honestly think about where you are. What site are you posting on? What kind of people frequent this site?

See, here's where you make a good point, and it's not the last one you'll make. If FP HAD announced that a Henkei one would be released soon, then aftermarket prices would have been less harsh.

Good point too. Tone it down a touch.

God, you don't know this fandom very well, do you?

The only instance I can think of is the BotCon seekers, and the only ones who weren't mad were those who were going to BotCon.

Missing the point. We're mad because FP didn't tell us that they were going to release another one soon for about $60 less.

Duh. This is probably the only reason they're doing this. They need cash for this crap.

Ok, that makes it OK to either lie or withhold information from potential customers, lowering the respect for your company.

This may SEEM like a horribly researched argument, but it's not. It's genius.

No, but it's pretty dang close.

So, because it's got chrome and a different shade of red, that makes it OK to lie?

Knock-knock. Who's there? Genius!

Wow, could this be the magic thing we refer to as "Sarcasm?"

Wow, that's TOTALLY called for! Because GenZhao is a liar who withholds information! He's doing this kind of thing ALL the time! While we're making horrible comparisons, let's alienate the person who gives the fandom kick-awesome looks at unreleased toys!

911 Emergency, I seem to have an overwhelming amount of GENIUS!!

Have you even considered the reasons behind GenZhao

Honestly, it is. I've already stated (several times) that is truly a choice between the Henkei Coneheads and the BotCon Coneheads, as the aftermarket price is similar.

I think that's one of the problems. What are the fans going to get mad about, the withholding of information, or the similarities between the no-longer-exclusive?

I'll join you, and bring my Wii. Wii>XBox.

I'm done with the thread unless someone comes along with a logical argument about how it's OK that FP didn't say anything about this coming.

Banned from the anti-shitstorm bubble for console wars. :O

sage, chill out.

seriously

to be honest as i've said i feel for you and feel you have the right to be angry over some things but somethings people are getting cross about is stupid. like the price. you seriously cant blame Fp for Tfcon's price gouging.

get mad over them not being upfront about producing a tweeked version for the asian market

not the stuff that lies solely at tfCons feet.

also i keep hearing rants about not respecting their customers. the thing is as far as i know Fansprojects is an asia based group, which usually lends to the idea that asia would be a decent chunk of their client base and thus i can see them not wanting to alienate that part of the fandom by not giving them the chance to own PC.

in my honest opinion when you get to the nitty gritty the thing that fan p did wrong was allow themselves to be pursuaded to produce an exclusive. the problem with exclusives, the reason i hate the concept is ultimately some part of the fandom is always left out or gets the short straw which leads to angry rants and fights.

My god this thread...

Shattered glass one too.

I would love a clear one for crystal convoy, but I still want powermaster with god bomber (apex armor).

Anyway- To the Fandom (i.e. Deaf Ears):

1) Acknowledge
2) Move on.

To TFCon: I love my PC, no matter what. Great job getting it! Henkei version will not have the pimped out TFCon sticker either, so suck it Henkei Version! (Which I will still most likely get.)

Sigged with a slight edit.

FP should think better. Insulting the very people that keep your business running is never a good idea. At least several months passed from BotCon 2007 and the Henkei seekers, but this... is really like shitting on TFans' heads.

Personally, I think it's funny. I think its a good stick in the eye from the Asian markets for the obscenity of American Scalpers. I'm thinking I might even do my damndest to get one so that the next person that says "I got a 'con exclusive that only has 500 or whatever", I'll just wave the Henkei one, and state mine is better and I didn't have to waste my time at a convention to get one"

Seriously folks, these two with be different enough to tell a difference, and like others mentioned, might still be impossible to get.

To you pricks out there that buy a bunch of exclusives to Scalpbay, that's the risks and joys of Capitalism.

As the Human torch says "Flame on!"

God man Zress Tayasu is so cool. I mean he's got us all down pat, us TFnerds. I wish I was that cool on an internet forum, to be able to put others down for their opinions or passion for something. Maybe one day I will be as cool and successful as him. One can only hope.

Zress Tayasu is coolest guy in the world!

I've posted info about this mass release long time ago before the TFcon and offered $150 to buy the exclusive version in the wants section, nobody believed me or would sell it to me, now I'm not paying more than $80 for him

You hurt me deep.

Not one bit of my post was holier than thou. It's simple logic. And please remember that we are on post 500 and something concerning a TOY. Not world peace. Not swine flu. Not genocide in foreign countries. BUT A TOY!! If you purchased said toy simply because it was an exclusive then it was for the wrong reason. Period. How many times do we have to go through this 'exclusive to Japanese release' before we, as a fandom, accept that nothing is truly exclusive? If you purchased it because you wanted a really cool, fan-made upgrade kit to display proudly on your shelf, then this news does not upset you because you appreciate the fact that other collector's will be able to experience the same feeling.

HA! Exclusive launchers are still included and the deco is IDENTICAL, minus the chrome. Looks the exact same to me. So we ended up getting an exclusive lack of chrome and a Barbie briefcase! Woohoo!

Fixed. Didn't want people getting confused.

To be clear someone else said Fansproject was unethical. I said I disagreed and pointed out that having different ethics is not the same as being unethical . If you're going to flame me at least read my entire post.

Most people who went/bought the TFCon have been saying this but the holier-then-thou responses conveniently don't address this. This is the same case for the henkei seekers. When they were first announced about 80% of the people who owned botcon seekers said good for them, while 20% complained but people keep acting like all botcon owners were scalpers. Also, in the seeker case there was less uproar because the deco significantly different due to Takara having to make their own mold, it had been at least a year since botcon and Takara is a different company from Hasbro.

For the people who don't understand why TFCon-ers are mad about be lied to consider this scenario. If the new release is $80 retail + $20 import fee + $20 shipping you'd paid $120. How would you feel if one month after you paid $120 for a Henkei version and it's still in the warehouse, Fansproject released a Powered-Up Commander for $48.88 as a Walmart Exclusive with no chrome and white launchers and red missiles?

Oh, and distribution's crappy so you're not going to get it but you know it's out there.

I am luv'n all the Funds projects hate that is still going on, Looks good on them. As its always great when dirtbags get exposed for what they really are.
So I will sit back and enjoy lol...

I read that thread, and guess what- I dont own a PC. woot woot!!!! rumored mass release was enough for me, never mind proving it. I posted your thread alot of pages backand I have yet to see anyone admit to reading it.

Backstop, your sig is ...................HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I like you Mach1 your a cool dude, but you didn't read my posts earlier. Many are mad because a cheaper/better one comes out before PC even reached us in the mail, for 75% LESS than we paid. And we had to go through this insane battle to get them because we were told this was it (I sent out dozens of emails an PMs begging for them for myself and for friends). Its just a dick move, thats it. And we have to listen to people say "suck it up, grow up, haha, Glad I waited.... The end result in a Fandom is OBVIOUS! This right here. Regardless of how anyone thinks is ridiculous, they had an insane amount of goodwill I haven't seen in this fandom and they burned some of that up. Poking a stick at the people that got burned is just going to make it worse. When someone tells a man to grow up because of a differing viewpoint, irks a man. twitch.....twitch.......

Why thank you

Wow, the hate in this thread is unbelievable.

So I guess all the people who hate FP right now won't be buying any more of their stuff?

Awesome! More for me!

Thanks for the kind words and I'm sorry that those of you who went out of your way to get this item feel slighted by FP. We just go through this at least once a year and it just brings the Fandom down.

Naaah, it will all end when the Rodimus upgrade comes out. And the pissed people are going to vent, even if they are happy the people that missed out can get one now. And yelling loudly has changed things in this fandom before, we should remember that.

Like what?

The optics are just bad with - its all about timing: less than one month later?!?! Really FP???

There's already been a precident set for how long to wait before re-releasing a rare exclusive (re. botcon seekers, encore sunstorm). Most people who owned the botcon seekers were ok with the re-release because we'd had ours for 2 years, so it was "exclusive".

But FP didn't even wait 4 weeks. Why? Because the Asian market didn't get a chance at it - that is the dumbest reason ever - they get their hands on way more exclusive figures than the rest of the world. Canada (and the UK) is also short shrifted on everything. But for the first time ever, our convention got a desireable exclusive - except it wasn't exclusive and we kinda got ripped off on the price (though not by much once you factor in shipping and exchange). And they knew that.

I know I'm ranting now - for me it has very little to do with $$$, and more with being flipped the finger by a foreign company who made our little convention feel special this year by coming to us with this "exclusive". It sucks for TFcon, plain and simple (scalpers I don't care about, victims of scalpers I feel sorry for too). As a Canuck I'm angry at these guys - I hope they're not invited back in the future. I'll still probably buy their stuff (defender kit, springer etc) because their work is very good, but they've burned their bridges here in Canada, and I don't want our convention to give them free promotion in north america anymore. An exclusive should be exclusive - that seems to have gotten lost in translation with these guys.

The thing that makes me shake my head is that they didn't have to lie - if they said that were releasing a classics variant of this at TFcon first, followed by a mass henkei-style release sometimes later, I still would've purchased one at the convention (maybe still even two). But they were misleading and dishonest - that's simply bad business for a company that's supposed to be "for" the fans.

So you want this cancelled?

You think others should miss out because of your feelings?

Yes. What's exclusive needs to stay exclusive. Like Botcon exclusives.

That would be...a total of 500 then, if we're considering one kit per person. 500 is far from the whole fandom; there's certainly enough posters here who approve of FanProject's decision to mass-release it.

The thing though is that even if FansProject go ahead and release a Henkei version of this kit, so long as they continue to crank out good-quality products, people are still going to buy them. Retailers aren't going to boycott the Henkei kit.

Those were officially sanctioned by Hasbro/Takara though. FansProject is not affiliated with either, and as such isn't obligated to follow such conventions. Same as TFCon. Ideally it makes sense that these smaller companies work together to put out great events that offer great toys, but we aren't privy to what led to these business decisions - they'll only tell us what they want to tell us.

Were TFCon really taken for a ride by FansProject as they claim? Did both parties interpret their partnership differently? How much of their next public statements will be along the lines of covering their own asses?

yea yea yeaa!

Wow. This thread is something else. The only real intelligible argument here against FansProject releasing this en-mass in Asia is that they should have told TFCon and the fans at the convention whom asked that they did indeed have a mass released version coming, but that it will be designed for Henkei Convoy and not Classics Prime. Other than that... I'm not sure this is much different than the issue with the Botcon Seekers vs. Henkei Seekers.

Also, as for me, I'll wait and see which one ends up cheaper in the long run. I don't want to shell out $500 for the TFCon Powered Commander, but I'll gladly pay $200 or so to import one from Asia. I honestly don't think it'll be as cheap as CC or SC was given that if it's an exclusive to Asia you're going to have to pay an Asian seller's mark-up and than import it... but it'll probably, at least, be cheaper than the crazy, insane and psychotic US seller mark-ups for the TFCon version I was wading through on eBay.

Yes, or changed enough to be not be painted the same except for chrome.

Not at all, i don't give a woot one way or another. Just like I don't give a crap about the Botcon toys being made by takara. I busted my ass and made sure I got the first version. Hell I still have an extra to give at cost. They lied, plain and simple, and cost me time and money. MY time and money, what happens with yours is of no relevance to me. My post to Mach1 was simply an observation of the obvious.

Note to thread: QQ more, it's certainly made my morning rather enjoyable.

I don't see what the big deal is anyways. FFS, they are all just fucking REPAINTS.

The CLASSICS Powered Commander Set, with its colors toned to match that of the Classics Optimus Prime figure was limited (and is still limited) to the 500 sold at TFCon. It also came with a box, stickers, and accessories that will only be part of that release.

The HENKEI Powered Commander Set, with its colors toned to match that of the Henkei Convoy figure is being released for an entirely different market (at least primarily). It does not come with the same box, stickers, or accessories as the TFCon release.

They are differnet.

Get the fuck over it.

Honestly, I don't see how this is screwing the fans over, or an insult to the fanbase (which really, is an insult to itself). For those of you that got the TFCon release, do you like it? Did you like it before this announcement? Do you like it less after this announcement? If so, why is that? What about this physically changed the figure you enjoy so much? Now now, before you say something about the idea of your exclusive not being an exclusive (despite the fact that it is, but I'll let you be ignorant), an idea is not a physical thing, and should not impact how much you enjoy a toy, unless you are a stuck up elitist (nothing wrong with that mind you).

Also, what about those of you that spend double, triple, quadruple, etc. the retail price for a figure that will be available to the mass market for a fraction of that price in a few weeks? Hmm? Same exact idea. You may say oh no it isn't, because they were always going to be mass released. And while that sounds like a valid point, at its core, the idea isn't all that similar. Look at all the reviews saying "Exclusive". People paying stupid prices for something so they can say they had the exclusive. Yeah.

I do, yes. When it was presented to us that this would be the only release, and those that own it went out of our way to get it (or paid out the nose), then yes. I would be happy to see others denied owning. It should not have been presented as an exclusive, get it now or grieve forever, type of offering if it was going to see wide release.

If FP knew they were going to do this, they should have disclosed it and split the cost for them across the whole batch. Then they would have all cost the same except the TF con one would have markings to distinguish the convention.

Basically hit both markets equally and at the same time.

The only reason Exclusives are more expensive than the mass retails are the low production runs which means the cost of the mold is spread across less models. If they are doing a mass release, then there wasn't a need for the 160$ pricetag because it wasn't a low production run. That reeks of flat out greed and deception. If I was paying for a mold and 500 models only to know my upfront costs were going to allow 1000 more to be made by my costs facilitating that run then I wouldn't agree to it.

I would be interested to know how much the kits were sold to TFCON for by FP. Somewhere 80$ x 500 kits was made.

Not to mention the only reason FP is successful is due to the help of CLUBs in distributing their kits and getting their name out there. This garbage of 'if they make good products it doesn't matter who they screw' is not reality as lots of excellent products never succeed. I am actually getting a little tired of these people making these conversion kits supposedly 'for the fans'. They are doing it for $$$ and don't let a damn person tell you differently.

But I do enjoy seeing the "I waaaaaaant it! and I should get things that I want and I don't care who it hurts." attitude is still alive in this fandom. Selfish Entitlement FTW!

It isn't seeing wide release.

Only 500 of it were made.

The figure being released to a larger market is a repaint.

QQ more.

There is a difference between a repaint and putting chrome on a few parts. FP damn well knows we would have held out and bought the less expensive version, had they been honest about this.

From my understanding, the shades of red and blue and such are not the same.

I'd consider Henkei Convoy a repaint of Classics Prime.

Same exact thing here.

They are the same with chrome.

get the fuck over it.

I liked what I saw. Yes before the announcement. Yes I like it less, its not as nice without the chrome. And yes, because i paid twice as much (show cost).

I do understand your predicament, and where you are coming from. I'd be pretty annoyed if I had bought from a reseller at significant mark up because I thought that was the only way.

I agree it should not have been presented as an exclusive. Whether this was a misunderstanding on behalf of TFcon or just straight devious on behalf of FansP changes a lot though.

Those that say FP will have destroyed a lot of fan faith though are a bit misguided, the potential 500 fans they could have annoyed is a small number compared to those that are delighted there will be a Henkei edition coming along.

Yet they are. They didn't even bother adjusting the silver paint apps to fit Henkei Convoy, they're identical to the ones found on the TFcon version. It's really just the TFcon trailer with chrome.