Annoying gimmicks

-Blackout- · Post by **-Blackout-** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 8:44 am

So, what do you think is the most annoying gimmick? Personally, it's Movie Barricade's pop-out arm. I can't even touch that thing without it going off.

tahukanuva · Post by **tahukanuva** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 2:11 pm

-Blackout- wrote:I can't even touch that thing without it going off.

*giggle*

Either Energon Shockblast's giant gun arm for ruining any chance for a dynamic display diorama, making the most irritating TF sound effect ever, and generally being super-ugly, or Cybertron Primus' Omega Lock because I keep losing the damn thing.

Zeeks · Post by **Zeeks** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 6:34 pm

I would gander this whole "mech alive" ploy with the current movie guys is very dependent upon the individual character- There is absolutely nothing "alive" about Mixmaster aside from my hand that transforms him. And even at that, it's debatable.

Rattrap's tail · Post by **Rattrap's tail** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:24 pm

BM Blastcharge's whole missile-gimmick. Ruins what could be a great figure...
Cybertron Primus's Omega-Lock, and his damn gunarms....
TFTM Starscream keeps shooting me in me Glasses! Damn bitch....

numbat · Post by **numbat** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 6:55 pm

Rattrap's tail wrote:Cybertron Primus's ... damn gunarms....

I hear ya!

Also, erm, Automorph anyone? A totally pointless way of ruining some otherwise great figures? (Blackout would have been so much better without it - then I would actually be able to transform him into a Pavelow...)

And planet keys. Pointless pieces of plastic. Rubbish.

As to the Omega Lock - yeah, pointless, but too large for me to lose. However, the ability to attach for pointless pieces of plastic to it (i.e. plant keys) to activate absolutely nowt has to be the biggest waste of space ever...

RID Scourge · Post by **RID Scourge** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 8:13 pm

Anything that hinders tranformation. Be it automorph, pop-out gimmicks getting in the way or an overly-complicated tranformation that involves 52 different parts needing to move into a very tiny area.

BALL JOINTS! FLARKING BALL JOINTS!!! They provide a wide range of motion, but they pop off as soon as you look at them. Especially when they're one of the 52 parts from the previously mentioned overly-complicated transformation.

numbat · Post by **numbat** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 8:28 pm

RID Scourge wrote:Anything that hinders tranformation. Be it automorph, pop-out gimmicks getting in the way or an overly-complicated tranformation that involves 52 different parts needing to move into a very tiny area.

BALL JOINTS! FLARKING BALL JOINTS!!! They provide a wide range of motion, but they pop off as soon as you look at them. Especially when they're one of the 52 parts from the previously mentioned overly-complicated transformation.

I'm not sure ball joints are a gimmick... But, in terms of joints, stiff pin hinge joints are the most terrifying. Once they snap, that's that. At least you can (usually) reattach ball joints...

I think you've hit the nail on the head though - any gimmick that hinders transformation is annoying. And that's because the transformation itself is the gimmick that sells Transformers. And overly compex transformations for no good reason are taking this a step too far and missing the point. What's far more pleasing is a relatively simple but extremely well thought-out transformation. Alas, they seem to be fairly rare these days... It's either mind-numbingly simple or pointlessly complex 70% of the time!

Still, some great figures appearing as well! Like ROTF Sideswipe, for instance. Human Alliance Bumblebee is also awesome, but the human interaction gimmick is bordering on obtrusive. (But he's so good otherwise that you don't notice!)

Lonewyrm · Post by **Lonewyrm** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:06 pm

Movie Dropkick's pop-up head, I keep thinking I'm damaging it when transforming back to alt-mode. Classics Vector Prime comes with a cyber key that does nothing, although in fairness it's more pointless than annoying. Armada sideswipe's fist punch thing.

Summerhayes · Post by **Summerhayes** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:04 pm

numbat wrote: What's far more pleasing is a relatively simple but extremely well thought-out transformation. Alas, they seem to be fairly rare these days... It's either mind-numbingly simple or pointlessly complex 70% of the time!

I'm really impressed by ROTF Legends: Optimus Prime. Really nice transformation

As for rubbish gimmicks, what was that jet-ski jet-pack shoulder-gun thing on classics Bumblebee?

Treadshot A1 · Post by **Treadshot A1** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 4:19 am

Summerhayes wrote:I'm really impressed by ROTF Legends: Optimus Prime. Really nice transformation

As for rubbish gimmicks, what was that jet-ski jet-pack shoulder-gun thing on classics Bumblebee?

That thing's not rubbish. Well, not in the context of being used as horns at any rate, rate. (see avatar)

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I hate cyber Planet Keys. Especially Vector Prime's crotch key slot that does nothing. I seem to have lost my Primus' omega lock as well.

I'm not sure if this is the gimmick's fault, ut the minicon slot on the back of Armada Blurr makes it very back heavy. Then again, it is a pretty bad figure imo regardless.

ROTF Ravage: That head movement is just pointless.

Music label Soundwave's spring loaded head. It is so annoying to get it down far enough to slide the cover on top.

Activators Bulkhead: Don't get me wrong, i generally like Activators, but that one was just plain crap.

Post by **Blackjack** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 4:31 am

Cyber Keys are the most pointless gimmicks ever. With Mini-Cons and Energon weapons, at least they are some use -- tiny troop builders and weaponry. Cyber Keys? They look stupid.

HeadmasterAutobot · Post by **HeadmasterAutobot** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 5:00 am

One gimmick I've heard is an incredible nuisance is the 2001 BotCon exclusive Arcee, with the light-activated sound gimmick.

As for a gimmick I've had to deal with in person, Animated Voyager Starscream's automorph is a nightmare. Not turning him into a robot, however; it's turning him back into jet mode that leaves me cold.

Also, Animated Snarl's Shoulder-Flames are just plain unimpressive. :P

Raze · Post by **Raze** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 6:03 am

Classics Rodimus' flaming exhaust/missile launcher weapon. It doesn't look very good as a weapon and the flame (at least on mine) is purple. I'm going to have to source the original G1 version weapons as that thing just don't look right at all.

RID Scourge · Post by **RID Scourge** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 6:44 am

numbat wrote:I'm not sure ball joints are a gimmick...

Yeah. I just kinda went with anything tha annoyed me in general about tfs. Damn ball joints are always popping off. Wouldn't mind popping it back on if it were a rare occurrance, but when it happens every time I transform a figure and it's the exact same part that gets annoying.

Lets be honest--if a transformation requires enough force that it could potentially break a piece such that they use a breakaway joint then it's a poorly thought-out transformation.

Treadshot A1 · Post by **Treadshot A1** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 12:19 pm

but when it happens every time I transform a figure and it's the exact same part that gets annoying.

Animated Swoop's neck, anyone?

Civ · Post by **Civ** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 12:29 pm

Energon Scorponok's gimmicked tail where you push a button and it makes sounds. That thing had a hair trigger and it got so bad that I had to remove the batteries to shut it up.

Detective Barricade · Post by **Detective Barricade** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 3:42 pm

numbat wrote:I think you've hit the nail on the head though - any gimmick that hinders transformation/quality of the TF is annoying. And that's because the transformation itself is the gimmick that sells Transformers. And overly complex transformations for no good reason are taking this a step too far and missing the point. What's far more pleasing is a relatively simple but extremely well thought-out transformation. Alas, they seem to be fairly rare these days... It's either mind-numbingly simple or pointlessly complex 70% of the time!

THIS. I think it's fair to say that's what most of the Animated toys had - relatively simple but well thought out transformations. For example, Shockwave has four really simple but ingenious modes, especially his two robot modes. Most of the good Legends figures such as Wheelie and Warpath have simple but fun transformations. Movie Blackout, not so much.

I'll also throw my vote to Barricade's 'punch' (only thing that really hurts him, IMO), and I nominate The Fallen's slide out energy absorption panels. And as far as obtrusive goes, look no further than the Armada line.

numbat · Post by **numbat** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 6:32 pm

Summerhayes wrote:I'm really impressed by ROTF Legends: Optimus Prime. Really nice transformation

As for rubbish gimmicks, what was that jet-ski jet-pack shoulder-gun thing on classics Bumblebee?

I'm fairly impressed by the general quality of the ROTF Legends figures, when compared with the previous Movie Legends line. However, although Prime is a huge improvement on his Cubist interpretation in the first line, it's hardly the figure I'd choose as an example of how great they can be! (For ROTF Legends, I'd go for Springer, Jetfire, Bumblebee or Sideswipe before Prime...)

Civ wrote:Energon Scorponok's gimmicked tail where you push a button and it makes sounds. That thing had a hair trigger and it got so bad that I had to remove the batteries to shut it up.

(I ended up taking the batteries out of all my TFs that make noises, with the exception of Armada Overload. The rest just end up annoying me too much!)

RID Scourge · Post by **RID Scourge** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 8:51 pm

Yeah. I pull the batteries out of my light and sound tfs first thing out of the package.

numbat · Post by **numbat** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 8:56 pm

RID Scourge wrote:Yeah. I pull the batteries out of my light and sound tfs first thing out of the package.

Booyah!

I have to say - the latest Leader Class offerings from the ROTF line are the most annoying electronic sound figures yet!

I have Euro Prime who would keep yelling 'Optimus Prime' again and again during transformation and posing. Then you have Megatron. I have the US version, which at least yells at top volume 'I AM MEGATRON', and 'fires' his cannon at the slightes touch. But you can get his batteries out faster, and need not suffer a single transformation, unlike Prime...