There are several different ways to count your collection. I'll give you some examples, and I'm using G1 Scorponok for reference.

The package count:

Scorponok counts as 1 toy here, as this collector counts his TFs by the package. A MM squad would also count as 1. Could be some trouble here. A giftset Devs would count as 1 toy, but buying the constructicons all separately would make them count as six.

The "spark" count:

Scorponok counts as 1 toy here as well, since he's the only one with a spark. Zarak is a Nebulan and doesn't count since he has no spark. Fasttrack is a drone = no spark.

The Everything Count(s):

The easiest way to increase your collection count. Everything is added! Scorponok would count as three toys here. The 'bot, Zarak, and Fasttrack. All Nebulans, Micromasters, and Mini-Cons are each counted as separate figures.

Are there more methods? Which one do you prefer? Which one is the most common?

 

not counting the decoys,not counting the color variations on the minispies,counting the merge forms and counting the nebulons,i ended up with them releasing 461 characters for g1.

 

I use an addicus

 

this is a good question.

Im interested in this.....................another example that we can up there........TFTM Deluxe Barricade (with hidden Frenzy)

Does he count as one.......or two?

I'm not really trying to increase my count, I have under 20 lol

 

I stopped counting.

 

Easy one for me.
Everything that came in one package counts as one for me.
Set of minicons/micromasters in one set counts as one.
Set of figure with minicons/targmaster/headmaster etc counts as one.
Only exception are giftsets, double or triple packs.

 

I personally count everything indevidually. For example when I got Movie Voyager Blackout, I added 2 to my collection, as I also count the mini Scorponok. I also count gestalts as just the number of indevidual members, but not the gestalt itself, though the two gestalts I have are displayed in their combined form.

 

I actually use a large Excel Workbook to keep tracks.

Initially I sort everything by series, seperating reissues, ect. I treat japanese and american as seperate series in this case as well.

I then take count of Decepticons, Autobots, Minicons, Action Masters, Unicronians (servants of unicron), Transformers from Planet X (Galaxy Force), Hero's of Cybertron figures (the pvc things) Humans {kicker}, Diaclone toys, nebulons, and Transforming Keychains.

I then take count of doubles in each subset and make a second record for that. For instance, G1 hasbro, G1 takara, re-issue hasbro tracks, and reissue takara tracks, would be in my method counted as 4 transformers and 3 extras.

I keep a running faction strength tally based on the toys for that faction minus the repeats.

At the moment I have Vehicons and Predacons under the Decepticon heading, and Maximals under the Autobot faction.

Now as for what I actually consider in my grand counts, Autobots, Decepticons, Minicons, Servants of Unicron (Fallen, Sideways, Unicron himself), Transformers from Planet X, Diaclon Figures, Nebulons, and Action Masters.

Hero's of Cybertron Figs, Human Figures (Kicker), and Transforming Keychains do not count.

But the only three numbers I look at are Autobots minus repeats (currently 328) and Decepticons minus repeats, (currently) 333, and my current grand total which is 972.

I do use certain decepticon drones force to increase numbers, like all my energon terrorcons and cybertron scrapmetals count as a one for one basis, as they are a horde troop, ment to amass in large numbers.

I try to keep my con's force size larger than the bots, because one can never have enough bad guys.

I also do not count combined forms as a seperate guy. Constructicons do not count as 6 guys plus the combined, they are just the 6 guys.

I treat BT tracks and Alt tracks as the same guy, but treat Nitro Convoy and Override as seperate entities, one is male one is female.

 

I use base 10, I find it easy to count that way  

Having tried base 16, or hexadecimal, for a while I soon found myself going back to the tried and trusted decimal method of counting.

 

I count my figs using the "spark" count. I (still) don't count Nebulans, because they're not robots, while I count Armada Blur and his minicon as 2, and a micromaster team as 4.

Which leads me to a little dilemma in my case. After watching "Rebirth", I don't know if I should count certain Nebulans or not, or just go the japanese continuity and count the targetmasters extra (since headmasters are just one robot using a bigger body - transtactor or whatever it's called). In Rebirth we see Zarak and his Hive wearing exosuits. But unlike Zarak, the Hive have robotic bodies, basicly using those bodies as endoskeletons for the exosuits.

Which brings me to a dilemma. If they transferred/downloaded their minds into those bodies, they're sentient robots. If they actualy transferred their whole brains they're cyborgs. If it's the former they would count, otherwise they would not. What are your thoughts on this??

 

I tend to count them by "can I buy them separately" rather than "did I buy them separately." That is to say, if I bought Devastator in an ebay lot, I would count him as 6 figures because he was sold individually, and I wouldnt count Devastator himself because he cant exist on his own.

A main example of this would be G2 Dreadwing/Smokescreen. I used to count them as 1 figure, because you could only buy them together. But then Robotmasters came out and released them separately, so now I count every release of them as separate figures (I have the BW2 versions).

For mini-cons, I count an entire 3-pack as one-robot, and I dont count partner mini-cons at all because they cant be bought separately (except for certain figures in Japan?). Mini-cons in general are just too confusing though, so I dont even add them to my normal count.

Nebulans and stuff I also dont count for a similar reason, but also because they arent cybertronians. Yes, this is probably too specific for a normal person

 

I do something similar, though I only have two groups (Autobots and Decepticons) and I also list the figures that I plan to get along with the one's I have (just have them different colors, black for have, and grey for don't have). Personally, I'm trying to aim for a collection that has an even ratio of Autobots to Decepticons.

 

I'd just like to add that I don't count combined mode of the combiner teams as an extra transformers. If the big robot is made of 6 smaller ones, he counts as 6.

 

I can't remember which HM bio I read it for, but it did mention that each mind had an effect on eachother. Also the body can function without the head, but not obviously not in robot mode. The same is for Pretenders. The shell and the inner robot can have different minds and operate independantly (see bio for Skullgrin)... so basically pretenders are also 2 figures if you want to count it that way.

Also the Gestalt issue I think is relevant. Eventhough 5 or 6 robots combine they still create a one unique character and identity, so the question is wouldn't it also count ? the Gestalt do have names. Fact is also that Piranacon is a lot like one single person. Snaptrap has a built in internal timer so in advance of combining with the other Seacons to insure that Piranacon will automatically disassemble into his component Seacons at some future time, else Pirancon would walk around on his own.
Also remember eventhough missing limbs the gestalt continue to function and do not lose "intelligence" or "brain capacity", further indication of that the mind of the gestalt is indeed another character/person.

 

I could never figure out how exactly to count mine so I chose package count; Predaking reissue counts as one, micromaster gestalts count as six, Armada TFs with mini-con buddies count as one, etc.

 

I go by the rule: If it can stand on it's own merits without affecting another it counts.

Headmasters count as 1, the headless body would be non-functional without the head.

Minicons, Micromasters, Targetmasters, etc. count individually

Combiner teams count as 1 if combined, individually if seperate  

 

Not true... they are functional in alt modes and have their own mind still.

 

I keep track of my collection with a simple-but-detailed Word document with each series broken down into factions and sub-factions, and a running count for each series.

I pretty much go by the Spark count, so I include every individual robot in my count (2 packs are 2, Mini-Con Partners count, Mini-Con Teams are 3, etc). I don't have enough -master partners to consider it an issue. Nightstick is a glorified accessory, and Ginrai IS God Ginrai.

Combined forms do not count, as they are an optional form for the components. It can't exist separately from the components, and even if it is a unique entity in fiction, I count toys not characters.

I also count my PVCs, MyClones, Smallest TFs, keychains, etc. as they are official Transformers toys.

I'm still on the fence about whether or not to count Barricade's mini Frenzy. Yes, he's an actual character and he transforms, but he transforms in the same way that a -master partner transforms. There's also the fact that the package is "Barricade", not "Barricade and Frenzy" while Mini-Con partners are (mostly) mentioned on the front of the box/card.

I also haven't counted my Happy Meal toys. Not sure why, but I just haven't. Which leads to a question: does anyone count their Happy Meal toys?

 

If it has a name, I count it. That includes partner Minicons and -master partners (although those cases are listed together with the larger figure). I don't count gestalts as an additional figure.

 

I stopped counting ages ago. Like Primevil, I used to keep a detailed Word document listing all the different figs I had. I think I mostly listed them by package (a Micromaster patrol's members were all on one line after the team name, for example). But I always had the same issue.

Another one that throws spanners into the works is the likes of Minicons. You could easily count many Minicons as separates (a three-pack is three characters). But then you come to Overload, whose Minicon is basically a Headmaster. But I'd count a Headmaster and his partner as one fig. AAAAAARGH! Much tearing of hair ensues.
I also could never decide whether to count duplicates, although I did count redecos if I had both versions.

But where it really got confusing was when I properly started kitbashing. Initially it was easy, as I'd generally buy an extra fig to bash into another. Simple enough. But eventually I started getting more ruthless and taking apart existing figs (usually ones that I didn't like as much as I thought). The real issue, though... if you've got a few 'bots who are in bits, several of which have contributed to different finished figs, and many incompatible parts left over...

Now I just say "it's probably over 800... but I've no idea how many over...".