Man. I just need Gravestone to complete this set, but I'm kind of turned off by the combined mode. I mean, it looks cartoon accurate and all, but maybe too cartoon accurate for my tastes.

Even though I'm not generally a huge fan of Fans Toys I wound up picking up both of theirs so far and really like them. I'm nervous that their super-heavy, diecast-laden bots are going to be problematic when it comes to combined mode, but I'm starting to think FT's OX-style is what I want.

 

The design has ALWAYS been posted and has not changed much (if at all). You bought 4 figures based on it.. and NOW you think it is "too cartoon accurate"? LOLOL

 

Going by what you said, then what if the production of FT is different then their renders too?
DX9 is your final choice?

 

Menasor has always looked kind of dumb to me. But I jumped into this set because I liked the design of the individual carbots and they were relatively inexpensive. That said, Motormasters final design in bot mode, and rather or not he includes ALL the combiner parts and a trailer/combiner frame will determine how I decide to display them all.

 

well, if they don't do more with the torso than make it a big black blob I think I'm going to go with the toy decos. I just like having more detail apps closer to the original toys rather than the toon deco. Thought Toyhax might do a sticker set for these once Gravestone gets released (ahem), but if XTB is doing their own stickered up bots then Toyhax might think they won't make as much money on their set.

 

My thoughts exactly.. menasor as a combiner never really worked for me. I like the stunticons very much however, and that's why I am in on this set. But I will wait and see if g2 motormaster or toy version looks better. The lack of painted details on the g1 version is quite a turn-off.

 

Honestly I don’t actually like preproduction reveals. I just like that the figures are being made. My judgments will be given once they’re out and we’ve seen what they’ll officially look like.

 

Menasor is easily the worst combiner design and arguably the worst character design entirely. Not one person involved with the toy or animation attempted to do more with the concept than simply slap the cars on the limbs as is. So, for me it’s hard to judge any new execution of that original idea as good or bad because the original design is so bad to begin with.

like you, I bought the limbs because they looked great on their own merits and were cheap. And if I complete the set I do so knowing it’s going to look like a joke because Menasor looks like a joke by design.

 

Yeah, but sometimes things look one way when the whole thing is gray and differently in color. In this case, I think it's that the black color of his chest is washing out the sculpted details and making his torso look longer than it really is.

Actually, I bought 4 figures based on the fact that they were relatively inexpensive (especially Crackup), and solid figures on their own merits. I have no regrets about that.

More like seeing it in color makes me think that the simplified blocks on his shoulders, simplified head sculpt, and flatter chest of the Sunbow model (and by extension Monolith) is a bit bland. I'd venture that everyone here expects some greater degree of cartoon accuracy than the old G1 toys gave us, but agreement over how much is too much is far from universal. Some people like it to be as close to an animation cel rendered in three dimensions as possible, and that's perfectly fine. But we don't all have to agree, and that's why it's good that we have multiple options. In this case I personally prefer some elements of the Studio OX design. Of course, those elements are toy-inspired, so maybe the toy version of Gravestone will have some parts molded differently and I'll like it better.

Does ridiculing opinions you don't agree with make you feel more secure about your own choices?

 

who cares. he is just a giant robot with cars tacked on. he is my favourite combiner

 

So with all these repaints before Geavestone, whered the proper colored Breakdown that isn't the color of bad papaya.

 

Just so you know.. these are NOT the final colors, and they have stated as much. I am sure the details will be there. I am not a huge fan of the toon look either. That is why I am getting the toy versions.

 

I definitely prefer the toon over the toy colors, but damn that all-black chest is certainly a put-off. I like Menasor because of the fact that the carbots are sort of just... Padding on a larger skeleton, which makes it less fiddly, at least conceptually. I think that torso needs some highlights or something to break it up though, and if they do that, I'm on board! (Not that I have any of XTB's stunticons yet.)

 

I am aware. And yes, while I'm sticking with the cars I already bought, I'm very interested in seeing the toy version of Gravestone and the Monolith shell.

 

Someone will recreate scene from that episode, I wonder if they will connect Dead End at the shoulder and Dragstrip to the forearm.

 

Probably.

 

I hope that scarab will XTB's next project  

 

Maybe will come with Gravestone

 

I still totally respect DX9 for not only including that thing in their set but also making it a weapon.

 

Gotta love that the prototype is actually on display at TFCon.  

https://news.tfw2005.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC07989.jpg

Lots more photos here: TFCon 2019 DC Dealer Room Pics - Transformers News - TFW2005

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