News reaches us today from TFW2005 sponsors informing us that Mastermind Creation’s first release for their unofficial Predaking figure is up for preorder. R-02 Talon the Aerial Assaulter, a homage to G1 Divebomb, is available to lock in on Bigbadtoystore and TFSource. These preorders also confirm the projects new name. Formerly known as Ferocicus and the Ferocicons, Mastermind has changed the name to the Feralcons with the combined form being Feral Rex! As a bonus, you can take advantage of a special “Early Bird” Preorder Discount! You can save $20 off MSRP when you order on or before January 25. Pricing will revert back to MSRP on January 26th.
UPDATE: preorders now up on Captured Prey!
Lock in your preorders at the links above and head over to the 3rd party forum to discuss.
Astronut
Sorry, I mean Nova Lord. Sonicron's big brother.
(BTS Overlord)
Jehsee
You just COMPLETELY lost me here… are you talking about the "Nova": Prime made by the same company that's making these figures? I might be a bit intoxicated…
deaculpa
Astronut
Hold on, let me fetch my dictionary
daimchoc
Isn't that a rhetorical question?
Predaking
I took advantage of the early bird special from BBTS. I hope rest of the Ferocicons from MMC will get similar discounts. I plan to buy another one eventually but only after all the Ferocicons are released and get it when it's on clearance or sale.
sifu74
My bad. I'll just see who pops in here from the BTS thread who complained its too big and have no display space for it and start ooohing and aaahing that MMC Predaking is nice and SO BIG!! that they will have to buy a new display cabinet for it.
Astronut
Nova: one unnecessarily big (obscure) character that will cost you a whoop load of money in one go, made by a company with no experience with big toys, and a shoddy track record.
Feral Rex: FIVE just-the-right-size (iconic) characters that will let you divide the cost over several months, made by a company with two big toys released, and one of the best track records around.
Is there supposed to be some contradiction here?
daimchoc
There is no other information yet about the 6th member, except that it will balance out the set. It has been confirmed by cenokibble that the 6th member doesn't give any chest expansion for the gestalt. So, right now, what you mentioned is just your speculation.
Transbot90210
Am I optimistic about price or best figure/set ever? Because I'm confident about the title and only pray for that price.
Sorry I didn't multi quote I'm on my phone.
Transbot90210
What? I never commented on nova. I have no connection to the guy and that is the only reason I'm not getting him.
Funny u said that about me because I had the same thought about everyone bitching about nova. Lol
sifu74
Hey Transbot, why is MMC Predaking at 16" just right to you, but BT Novalord at 18" is WAY TOO BIG for you?
Theprimeoflegen
This !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RRavage
I love your optimism!
Transbot90210
More than 16". This thing is going to tower Herc. 3" is a lot on the toy and where there is extra height there is extra girth.
Calling it now MMC feralcons best 3p item ever to date.
Keep up with them $75 early bird specials while you're at it
RRavage
A little more, as stated before.
CaptainMarkVell
Whew! That sale price is sick! Just preordered mine! The Predacons are my favorite combiner team, and it looks as if MMC is doing them justice! I was super happy to see the switches in design on Divebomb especially, The earlier picture that we had (the first picture of him in the Feral Rex MegaThread) looked a lot like a robot with an eagle on the back. Newer pictures just make the figure look so much better.
Rewind
My work here is done.
SMOG
I agree with this… the kibble can be so arbitrary and wildly misleading in how it relates to the overall proportions of the bot. In most cases, it really should go by head-height.. not wings or shoulder pylons or backpacks or whatever. When looking at your robots next to each other, it's the head-heights we tend to compare them by.
The exact height, including kibble, is really only relevant when you're trying to determine what shelf the bot's going to fit on.
zmog
SMOG
When dicks stop ragging on fanboys and portraying people who disagree with them as essentially basement-dwelling morlocks, maybe we'll have a deal. Seriously… all the denigration of fellow fans as whiners and babies and peons is really no better.
Your post is just the tip of the iceberg. This is a general trend of high-handedness among toy geeks on these forums, that hinges on (speaking of entitlement) a seemingly implied assumption that if you're a cool dude who can hold a job and get along with others, you're actually some kind of king geek among a throng of neckbeards and losers, and can hand down judgments from the mountaintop. That rubs me the wrong way.
I don't think your post was exactly the showpiece for this lamentable trend of self-loathing fandom and condescension, but it seemed to stem from the same attitudes.
*shrug* Again, that's consumer feedback. Someone who says "this sucks" is probably not your buying demographic. Someone really wants to see something changed is probably someone who wants to BUY something, but needs that extra push. The thing is, the customer IS entitled. They don't always get what they want, but they're certainly encouraged to communicate their needs.
Sure, but like I said… that costs money, and going by internet forums (especially for a relatively small, interconnected demographic like the TF fandom and the 3rd party market) is probably the best option for small businesses. It is, in this case, connecting directly with as close a sample of your buying public as possible. Sure, it's not 100% reliable. Neither are focus groups.
But recognizing this also points to another reality. If you don't speak up, don't expect anybody to care what your preferences are. You seem to be resenting those who called for change, because you didn't agree with those changes. Sounds sour grapes to me. It's one thing to voice your preferences, while quite another to imply that those who have differing preferences are just a bunch of slack-jawed keyboard monkeys whose opinions shouldn't count.
Uhhh… I think your analogy is becoming muddled. I see what you're saying, but I think it's also up to the business (in this case the 3rd Party designers/marketers) to process those responses, account for the hyperbole, and make their own decisions based on serious consideration. However, you seem to be characterizing anyone with an emphatic opinion as suffering from keyboard Tourette's, and assuming that they are the only ones who are being listened to.
Art is a business. Personal expression in toy robots is not the highest form of cultural product (indeed, personal expression is just one of the many myths that contribute to the overvaluation of art). You still want to sell toys and please your clients. I think it may be insulting to just assume that these companies are "kowtowing" slavishly, rather than mediating the feedback they receive through their own critical faculties and making measured decisions.
Gladly, when others chill with the gross generalizations and self-serving caricatures of their fellow fans.
Like I said, I don't think your comments are the worst I've seen across the various discussions and debates in TF forums. But it's part of this larger tendency, and I think it needs to stop.
zmog