Given that over the last few years the improvements in both design and engineering for the Transformers, do you think there will ever be a time in the future where we would see the line go back to the begining as far as style and complexity?

It has happened before. Back when Hasbro used up all of the old Diaclone/Microman lines and had to come up with new toys. And again when Armada was released after the BW/BM/RID lines. We've been spoiled as of late by such things as the Movie toys and Classics. Even the new Animated toys in their own way are some of the most advanced transforming toys we've ever seen in a Mainline.

Now one could say that the most complex would be in the form of the Alts and MP sublines while the 6" Titaniums were not quite up to par. But again, that was also a subline.

What do you guys think? If Hasbro/TakaraTomy ever wanted to engineer some non-reissue, original G1 styled Transforming toys, would you want to buy them? Would the kids? After all they were good enough 24 years ago, would they be good enough today?

*W00T* This be my 4,000th. post.

 

Wouldn't that be like classics? Or you mean back to the blocky looking toys? I really liked those, simple designs, easy to transform. But I don't think they would ever go back to that.   The way toys look today are way different then they looked 20 yrs ago. With the exception of a few. I remember my radio controlled cars, I was estatic to get one that could go in reverse as well as foward. But now you can flip them and do donuts. :/

 

I don't think we'll see the days of the G1 brick bot again, but I do think that the level of complexity will go back down. Not because I want them to, but because of a couple of things Ive seen and heard.

At Botcon 2006 while standing in line for autographs, behind me in line was a family with two boys (8 - 10 years old). Somone asked the kids which line they like the most (Armada, Energon or Cybertron). The kids said Armada because they were easier to transform.

Fast forward to a week ago and I come across this auction to which a buyer asked:

I remember fondly playing with my G1 toys as a kid for hours on end. Looking at the toys we have out today, I can see where kids could get frustrated and turned off by the complexity of some of the newer lines.

It could be that some kids just aren't mechanically inclined enough to figure out the newer TF toys, but I think that's a minority of the kids growing up on TFs today.

 

 

I don't think that it will happen, but if it does, I'm in.

 

As the price of plastic increases, we might also see part counts go down to save costs.

 

And return to die cast parts!  

 

No. Hell no. Because we can make better toys now. Why settle for wooden cube blocks when you can have Legos?

 

I'd much rather have a figure with a complex transformation than some brick-former. Why? Because I'm an adult and I can figure out how to do them. Sure if I was a kid, I'd want something easier, but I'm not, so why should I ask for that?

Incidentally, isn't that what the FAB toys were? More simplistic versions of the movie toys? And isn't Animated getting a similar line?

 

Nah. Don't get me wrong I love my G1 toys and reissues, but I like articulation and a LITTLE complexity. Not to the extent that it takes fifteen minutes to transform on TF, but the standard has passed brickformers. Armada was a HUGE step down when compared to RiD in that regard. BUT since as you said it has happened before I won't count it out, I'll just be disappointed if it does  

 

in retrospect I think hasbro has noticed it - the ever increasing complexity of the toys - and taken action: that's why we got the FABs for the movie line and the upcoming activators with TFA.

 

Personally I like taking fifteen minutes to transform something. I feel like I'm getting real value out of it. That's why alternators were so terrific.

 

I'm with those who note the FABs and upcoming Activators. Hasbro (and the fans) is having its cake and eating it too.

 

Crazy man rant.

ARG. You know that is impossible right? If you eat your cake, you no long have your cake; because it's gone. The only way to have a cake and eat a cake.... is to have started off with 2 cakes. One to eat and one to keep.

To translate the saying.

"You can't have your Transformer MISB and loose too." it's either one or the other. There is no way to have both from the same object.

 

my thoughts on this idea.....

 

you take the words out of my mouth. I bought it from a friend on here I also got the energon prime from. All I can say is I'm glad I bought him with Prime, otherwise hes well, kinda heavily lackluster.

Look at the recent lines, a new innovation with each one in someway. We now have classic characters who look similar to their originals but with all the new stuff. Personally a return to the original blocky style would be a big oops imo

 

True that....really all you have to say.

 

I agree I like complex and articulation like alternators. But the movie toys are just complex. Movie Jazz's arms are nothing more than two thin pieces of plastic folded together and if you want him to hold something it still fits in a hole. I bought them for some of my cousins and they had a hard time with them.

 

Crap, I can't see the picture - what is it?

 

I'd love to see new toys that were renginereed and based on the original G1 cartoon, it can be done, we've seen customs that have pulled it off, I'd welcome it.

 

Could that back fire on Hasbro, when a kid who has a FAB or activator asks for the main line version and is told "no, you already have that one"?

On a lighter note, it's much better for Hasbro to say the intent of FAB and activators is to appeal to younger age groups than to say they were made for the dumb kids.