THIRD PARTY TOYS NEWS

Post by **Sades** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 4:12 am

Brendocon 2.0 wrote:And, unless I've missed a memo, first colour pictures are starting to appear of TFC's Seacons
https://www.facebook.com/DaimChocReport ... 6669973101

... Ah shit. I really like that.

Knightdramon · Post by **Knightdramon** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 5:29 pm

Maketoys Pandimus preview review

Just wow. WOW.

Post by **Denyer** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 6:06 pm

Yeah, there's something very satisfying about large heavy figures... got a Gammadim because War Dawn was a favourite as a kid and Kapow has them for a third off. Andy or whoever threw in an X2 black lion figure too, which makes a nice Nightstalker.

Bugbite's getting to be an even more mutant coelacanth with the long teeth, but definitely a favourite of the designs shown so far.

A bit of thought went into the original profiles (someone knew a bit about the oiliness of the things) and there's the recognition factor, but they could've gone for something that actually had sort-of legs...

http://i.imgur.com/xf9P1pW.jpg

Knightdramon · Post by **Knightdramon** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 7:22 pm

Denyer wrote:Yeah, there's something very satisfying about large heavy figures... got a Gammadim because War Dawn was a favourite as a kid and Kapow has them for a third off. Andy or whoever threw in an X2 black lion figure too, which makes a nice Nightstalker.

Indeed---pretty much the only things keeping me from a purchase are the price and size.

The price is what has kept me from going after a Nero Rex---it's just too much money to spend on a toy, and I'm worried I might get used to that price point and then the floodgates will just open...

One thing I really enjoy about the Decepticons is that there's so many options and variety between them; you've got cars, you've got beasts, you've got aquatic beasts, mythological terror beasts, everyday items, guns, jets, torture instruments etc.

Makes for a very varied display, unlike the Autobots who [IMO] are mostly cars, futuristic looking cars, and some jets in between for good measure.

Post by **Denyer** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 7:49 pm

The oversized knock-off set of the Feralcons being relatively cheap and more in-scale with Apollyon/Quakewave is tempting, but the thing's massive -- anything that size has to really appeal and deserve space, whereas a random Throttlebot or Seacon here or there because of a cool design is much easier to appreciate.

Decepticons (in the classic franchise) are deluding themselves with the faction name, apart from a few years at the start... it's the Autobots that use transformation as a disguise, and the Decepticons for terror or offensive capability.

I generally like the robotic beasts and less human pretenders, but have come to appreciate the non-realistic Autobot vehicles over time. Still like some realistic vehicles, but giving things a bigger backdrop than Earth and Cybertron is increasingly important to maintaining interest -- just not in a "gotta catch 'em all" or "planet of the speedsters" schlock sci-fi way.

Knightdramon · Post by **Knightdramon** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 8:11 pm

MMC being my favourite 3P company probably has something to do with it, but I won't go for the knock off, mostly for the reasons that you mention.

I fully agree on each toy needing some shelf space in order to be appreciated---a bot the size of Magnus/Prime/Star Saber in vehicle mode pretty much demands a whole block on my entertainment unit, and they really do shine at that---but it's more or less capped at their size.

A voyager or pretty deluxe is far easier to just put around on a shelf with books or on a table as a conversation starter.

From the FB pics of RK so far, I think two of the seacons so far share the same mould---the one shown here and the other with the more traditional shark type head. The manta ray is all unique so far.

I just love the fluid, organic/techno sculpting lines of their Seacons and the Victory bots they are doing; it's leaps and bounds ahead of the company's earlier releases to the point that on original announcement, I had to do a double-take to make sure I got the company name right.

Post by **Clay** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 9:39 pm

Denyer wrote:Still like some realistic vehicles, but giving things a bigger backdrop than Earth and Cybertron is increasingly important to maintaining interest -- just not in a "gotta catch 'em all" or "planet of the speedsters" schlock sci-fi way.

I dunno, I kind of like the schlock sci-fi spaceship designs of some figures for their own sake. Part of what I like about Quantron so much is that each individual figure looks like it came of the cover of a 70s to 90s sci-fi magazine. Strafe especially. mmmm, Strafe...

Knightdramon wrote:I just love the fluid, organic/techno sculpting lines of their Seacons and the Victory bots they are doing; it's leaps and bounds ahead of the company's earlier releases to the point that on original announcement, I had to do a double-take to make sure I got the company name right.

Yeah, they've gotten a lot better over time. I actually like their Predaking too, but not to the point of double-dipping with Feral Rex.

Post by **Denyer** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 10:14 pm

Knightdramon wrote:I fully agree on each toy needing some shelf space in order to be appreciated

You'd hate the way I display stuff, which is mostly big groups or inspired by the "opposing armies" art in the UK annuals.

It's mostly voyager or smaller scale, so things like Metroplex or the older masterpiece scales get kept to a minimum and really have to be keepers.

Clay wrote:I dunno, I kind of like the schlock sci-fi spaceship designs of some figures for their own sake. Part of what I like about Quantron so much is that each individual figure looks like it came of the cover of a 70s to 90s sci-fi magazine.

Much the same reason I like that or the FP headmasters. Retro-futuristic vehicles give the idea that they're the norm on other worlds and would serve as disguise elsewhere, or go unremarked because of eclectic tech levels and scavenging.

Just a dig at the Unicron Trilogy (and latterly IDW's approach with colonies) way of doing that; there meeds to be a bit more to a society than mini-cons or joke systems of government.

Knightdramon · Post by **Knightdramon** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 10:23 pm

Clay wrote:I dunno, I kind of like the schlock sci-fi spaceship designs of some figures for their own sake. Part of what I like about Quantron so much is that each individual figure looks like it came of the cover of a 70s to 90s sci-fi magazine. Strafe especially. mmmm, Strafe...

Yeah, they've gotten a lot better over time. I actually like their Predaking too, but not to the point of double-dipping with Feral Rex.

Those Quantron sci-fi designs are just sublime. No arguing about it, with the exception of um...the main guy...um...Scattorshot? He looks a bit dull compared to the other 4.

Denyer wrote:You'd hate the way I display stuff, which is mostly big groups or inspired by the "opposing armies" art in the UK annuals.

It's mostly voyager or smaller scale, so things like Metroplex or the older masterpiece scales get kept to a minimum and really have to be keepers.

Hah, I've been criticized of spreading my display pieces way too thin across my display cases. But if it gets too busy it annoys me for some reason, so I refrain from grouping many bots together.

In my ideal world I'd have a shelf for each figure. Which will probably get me a flat with 50+ random shelves around!

I'd like to think that barring the occasional gestalt [an MMC Defensor? IDW Menasor? MMC Predaking?] and MMC Overlord, I've gotten all the larger figures I would have, so hopefully it'll be smaller from now on...

Post by **Clay** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 12:10 pm

Denyer wrote: Just a dig at the Unicron Trilogy (and latterly IDW's approach with colonies) way of doing that; there meeds to be a bit more to a society than mini-cons or joke systems of government.

Ah, the "add fins to the cars to make them look futuristic and call it done" style, gotcha.

Knightdramon wrote:Those Quantron sci-fi designs are just sublime. No arguing about it, with the exception of um...the main guy...um...Scattorshot? He looks a bit dull compared to the other 4.

I tend to think of the big one as being in a radically different scale than the rest, like it's a dropship or frigate instead of a person-scaled vehicle. Dunno if that makes a difference for you.

...

Metalstorm! That's the name...

Post by **Warcry** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 3:52 pm

Do we have any idea how big these Seacons are? The price and complexity suggests maybe Feralcon size, but I don't think I've seen any pics of them alongside another figure. The Seacons are ridiculous and I love them for it, so I'd be kinda tempted to pick one up to have a nice, big walking cyan and pink sea monster on display.

Skalor here looks pretty good. I think they've done a decent job of matching the look of the original with the colour layouts, but the aggressive-looking beast mode and angular robot takes the design in the same new direction that the Prime Terrorcons went. I should probably complain about that like I did about those Third Party Terrorcons last year, but m'eh. I guess this is the difference between "different and cool" and "different and boring"?

Their Seawing and Overbite (Is that what the shark is called? I can never be bothered to remember.) don't do much for me, but I'm curious to see how Nautilator and especially Tentakil turn out.

Denyer wrote:A bit of thought went into the original profiles (someone knew a bit about the oiliness of the things) and there's the recognition factor, but they could've gone for something that actually had sort-of legs...

Four of the original limb-Seacons had arms and/or legs tacked onto completely unfitting beast modes, though. It was a part of their charm, at least for me.

Post by **Clay** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 5:16 pm

Warcry wrote:Do we have any idea how big these Seacons are?

I don't think so, but more than likely they're similar to other TFC combiner figures which would put them around voyager-ish.

I can discombobulate Hercules when I get home if you can't find other comparison pictures.

Post by **Denyer** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 6:37 pm

Their versions of Air Raid and Scrapper are roughly MP Sideswipe size.

Given that the originals are mutants I can live with stabby teeth. TFC quality has never really (to me) justified the price tag, but the others could turn out nicely enough to be worth going all-in without regret. Would want to see their take on Snap Trap first. This is another case of profiles in the UK annuals leaving a strong impression rather than their actual fiction appearances.

Brendocon 2.0 · Post by **Brendocon 2.0** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 7:01 pm

Yeah, I really like their Breastforce stuff so far, but I'm not committing to these guys off the back of Skalor and a black/white Seawing, regardless of how much ah n33d s3acon5.

Post by **Clay** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 7:19 pm

As someone who has collected several of these third party combiner things, I fully recommend this approach. Waiting for the entire set to be released an picking them up at leisure and with lots of information FTW.

Brendocon 2.0 · Post by **Brendocon 2.0** » Sat Apr 02, 2016 4:44 pm

Artist's impression/concept art/whatever of TFC's Piranacon. Make of it what you will.

Knightdramon · Post by **Knightdramon** » Sun Apr 03, 2016 10:22 am

New Masterpiece-style Slag by...Fanstoys!!!

No wait, um...

No wait, what?

Enjoy

Looks an awful lot like the gigapower test shot design. Not sure how I feel about a potential v2.0 reboot barely 2 years after the original, and not even before the entire team is completed

Post by **Denyer** » Sun Apr 03, 2016 10:07 pm

Unexpected. Does look nice and comic-y but perfectly happy with the toy type stylings of the first one and don't really get the race to ever bigger sizes...

Brendocon 2.0 · Post by **Brendocon 2.0** » Thu Apr 07, 2016 7:48 am

And MMC's Ocular Max are doing their Mirage in Diaclone colours with a new head...
https://www.facebook.com/ocularmax/post ... 8062600866

Knightdramon · Post by **Knightdramon** » Thu Apr 07, 2016 5:07 pm

And that looks really nice. Prefer it to the blue ones [if only for the headsculpt].

Let's see if he's easy to get.