I mean, dude, it's pretty flipping obvious that this wasn't the pre production sample ready to be sold at mass retail. Any real toy enthusiasts could see that.  

 

I honestly would make them separate numbers. Make them different from each other with accessories and such instead of straight copies like the 1.0 Seekers of yore.

Right yeah, I personally didn't doubt that for a second. Hell, a friend of mine was like "dude this thing's paint chipping" and I had to tell him it was a proto.  

 

Well, we as fellow experienced collectors must always correctly educate those who are novices when the need arises.  

 

I think this depends on what they have planned. I can easily see Skywarp and Thundercracker being 55 and 59 for example, or better yet 53 and 54!, but a toy version or ghost Starscream version might have a plus or letter designation.

Spinout has jarred the system, with the plus version being a Diaclone repaint rather than a toy Sunstreaker. Yet we got a white repaint in Cordon, with a new number. Go figure.

I therefore think that the old rules we might have thought existed (letters, plus to designate the toy/toon alternative to the main release) have had their day, and we'll see a lot more of TT doing what feels right to them on a given day, and not subscribing to a particular system. Or, they could press reset on the pluses being toon (Megatron screwed that forever; Shockwave wasn't one or the other) and start a whole new standardised process.

Who knows?

 

Hehe, they could start doing * releases (MP-52*), but never put a little note as to what the asterisk means.

 

Yeah, the system got fucked by the ones trying to keep it from getting fucked. Though at the same time in some cases it could be a bit confusing in terms of behind the scenes. Say if our +'s ended up being MP-??T, Takara would probably just spaz out just because they can't figure out how the hell to shoehorn Thundercracker in there without that suffix.

Here's what i'd personally do.

1. Keep "+" for the more toon accurate revamps. Smokescreen and Bluestreak have really shown us recently that they deserve to have that "+" with everything that was added.
   
   
2. Make "T" for the toy-accurate revamps.
   
   
3. Remolds should carry a denominating letter, so if Cordon actually ended up being designated correctly, we'd see "MP-39C" or "MP-39S" for Spin-Out.

 

The need for + being used for toon-accurate repaints would die out pretty soon, since the line is firmly about toon accuracy now. Potentially we could get MP-25+ and MP-28+ and that's it.

Makes plenty of sense to keep using the + for the inverse, to denote toy-accuracy.

Cordon got his own number because he was a new character and a mainline release.
Spinout was a TTMall exclusive so he was always bound to be MP-39X. The only weird thing about that is that they used + for Spinout, implying that we'll never get a toy-accurate Sunstreaker.

 

I wonder if sales of Megatron+ were disappointing for TT? Hope a toy homage Optimus happens for those who want it! ((WINK))

Anyways, glad it appears Starscream's sales are *not* disappointing! Hope it encourages more MP Decepticons and solidifies the rest of the Jets being wide releases.

 

Yeah MP-36+ doesn't seem have sold out in many places, then again it was a TTMall exclusive. I also think it'll sell out the moment MP-44+ is announced (and considering the first half of 2021 is wide open for repaints, I have a feeling we might be seeing him then!), which is why I wanna repurchase my copy sooner rather than later  

Definitely hope Thundercracker and Skywarp are mainline releases, I want to take advantage of these pre-order discounts. Same goes for the Coneheads if they get around to them, though I'm still not 100% sure I'd be in for those. Maybe if one of them includes Shawn Berger!

 

This. Takaratomy will not have the utmost faith or burning drive to remake all these G1 toon inspired MPs if the line was failing/ dying a slow death... to quote alot of members of the less faithful, doubters, haters, naysayers....

On the contrary, the new direction actually shows how far the Masterpiece line is EXPANDING, EVOLVING, and most IMPORTANTLY, GROWING STRONGER than ever. And Im all for that. Sign me up for the long haul, baby! Takaratomy forever.
 

 

Had a look at Amazon Japan for this guy and once shipping was added he wasn't much cheaper than anywhere else only £20 difference, still a good idea to make the account even if this one doesn't net a major saving, still a saving.

 

so basically + version if its the same character but new number if its a different character

 

Not exactly

As I said 5 posts up, new characters get their own number if they're a mainline release, like Artfire, Cordon, Exhaust, Road Rage

TTMall or other exclusives don't get their own number, even if they're new characters, hence MP-12T Tigertrack, MP-25L Loud Pedal. The weird thing that's happening now is instead of Spinout being MP-39S, he's MP-39+.

For example, Hound has a tan repaint called Detritus. If they decide to release him in the main line, he'll get a new number (MP-53?). If they decide to release him as a TTMall exclusive, he could be MP-47+ or MP-47D. That part is still up in the air.

Maybe if they one day want to release a toy-accurate Hound, they won't call Detritus MP-47+. Maybe they called Spinout MP-39+ to show they never have plans to make a toy-accurate Sunstreaker. Maybe they just did it to make people think that, so that people would buy Spinout to swap parts and use the stickers. If they want they can announce a yellow toy-accurate Sunstreaker and call him MP-39X, MP-39S, MP-39++, MP-39-. At the end of the day they can do whatever the hell they want  



Anyway... Starscream will hopefully get an MP-52+ (toy-accurate), an MP-52G (ghost version)  

 

If Skywarp gets demoted as a MP-52S release like the last Seeker mold I'm rioting.

 

I dont know, Spinout is essentially a toy Sunstreaker except red, 39+kind of makes sense, versus 42 Cordon that has the remolded chest. I mean it would be kind of odd if a Black Ironhide ended up being 30+, Clampdown is clearly 14C because his base car is Red Alert and not Sideswipe.

 

And MP-47+ would make sense for Detritus too, if it's an exclusive. If it's mainline, it'll have its own number.
My point still stands that it seems to imply they won't make a toy-accurate Sunstreaker by naming him MP-39+, but it could also just be a tactic, and they could make whatever they like whenever they like ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

Pretty much 
For the most part the goal has been to get 3 uses out of a mold, except the larger ones, which is more like 2 uses. 2 General releases and a mall exclusive, I would guess a Hound toy / diaclone with chrome would be the exclusive Detritus the general. Of course ironside and rachet never got that 3rd exclusive and the Fusos were all general releases.

 

Also, The first Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp was MP-03/06/07. TT could go back to that numbering system for the Seekers instead of burning out the MP-52 slot to death. Hot Rod got MP-28 and MP-40, so there’s the wrench in the works.

 

God, i'd love an MP Detritus.

@chchchch I blame you for making me want one in the first place  



Could have sworn you made a Detritus bash but I can't find it. So this is as close as I can get.

Still can't get how the fuck you made the toy head in the first place. Pure madness and I love it.

If that means he comes with more fucking Megatron guns and Starscream-specific accessories rather than something on the lines of what I and others thought Skywarp should rather include, count me in.

 

And of course some main releases of existing characters DON'T get new numbers-- MP-10B, MP-12G, MP-12+, MP-13B, MP-21G, MP-20+...it's really just whatever the heck they feel like. @Sam's right though that a new character repaint main release has always gotten a new number.

Hey I'm in the same boat, blaming myself!  

Edited: saw your edit, here you go   Thanks so much man, the face is heavily modified from photos of MP Ultra Magnus   As you can see, he'll clearly be MP-47D!