Is it still featured in the ROTF line? I know some Animated folk had some like my voyager Bulkhead but Sideswide doesn't have any. DOes any of TFs have automorph?
I don't have any ROTF figures, but I think I can answer the question. "Automorph" has been in the TF series since the 80s, and has been present in some form or other in virtually every series. Jumpstarters, flip-formers, minicon-activated gimmicks, cyberkey-activated gimmicks, press a button to activate this or that... The only real difference with TF1 toys is that the automorph got its own name and became its own gimmick. I don't know if the gimmick came first or after the implementation, but some toys used this gimmick brilliantly (Ironhide), while others would definitely have benefited from just a standard stupid joint (Blackout). I haven't seen automorph features advertised on ROTF toys, but I'm sure such gimmicks will be on given toys anyway. After all, not every TF1 toy had an automorph, either.
Some figures have it some don't, they renamed it MechAlive. I like Sideswipe the head and the leg panels but it doesn't affect anything else. Only have Sideswipe, Rampage and Soundwave but if its not done willy nilly like last movie, will be ok
Automorph isn't Mech Alive. Automorph would be something like Sideswipe's head automatically deploying when you click his chest into place. Mech Alive are the blue bits on his knees moving when you move his legs.
Sideswipe has it with his head and back panel (kinda for the panel), and i think Demolisher does to, if you count that his ratcheting arm joints force the internal part of his body to swing into place because its so tight (though its debatable). im sure alot do, but its not something that will be a major selling point, and wont be advertised like it was in the first line.
its still present, but not forced into every part of the transformation like tf1. I prefer mech alive with moving parts and armor instead of annoying things transforming themselves and breaking(see:my blackout) itll always be there though.
I believe it's called "Mech Alive" now. Not sure if it's just under a different name, or whole new gimmick, though.
Overall, I prefer Mechalive ; because it's usually less likely to compromise the engineering of a complex yet 'clean' transformation. Imo, Automorph is extra & intrusive mechanism for merely automation of transformations which I want to do by myself anyway.
^ this. sideways's wheels flipping and and crotch coming out are automorph, and the gears on/in his elbows are mech alive. I think leader primes cab pieces are both, spinning gears for mech alive, BUT the door panels coming out themselves is like automorph. But when you rotate primes forarms and see the tiny gears spinning (like breakaway and sideways) it is mech alive.
Automorph was cool on some figures, like movie 1 Prime and Starscream, but highly annoying on most others. Bumblebee for instance. The gears are fragile, and I have heard many stories of them breaking. It is still in some rotf figures, but it is not a big time gimmick for the line. I will say though, Sideway's automorph feature is quick, cool, and clean. Mechalive is a much nicer gimmick imo. It isn't intrusive with articulation, or the transformation, and is usually internal. Once again, Sideways has spinning elbows and gears in his upper-arms. It isn't intrusive, and looks neat as well.
Automorph is present on all TF07 repaints/remolds. IVoyager Class: Ironhide Optimus Prime Desert Tracker Ratchet Grindor Deluxe Class: Bumblebee (Preview Wave) Scorponok Barricade So anything from TF07 will be Automorph. Anything made for/designed from ROTF will have Mech Alive. Automorph was a transformation gimmick. One panel would move another to help recreate the movie transformation feel. (Failed, but they tried!) Mech Alive is for robot mode. Little gears spinning, moving, shifting, to give the appearance of the robot being alive and moving. Like Prime's chest heaving when he says "I am Optimus Prime." Mech Alive and Automorph are nothing alike. Hell, if we're lucky, by the third movie, there may be no gimmicks at all, except REALLY awesome transformations.
