Articulation in toys (continued from the Picture thread)

[Princess Viola]

See I grew up with toys with a very eclectic mix of articulation, my childhood lines were RID 01, the Unicron Trilogy, and Universe 2003 (plus a random G1 incomplete G1 Thrust a relative gave me as a gift when I was 5 lol). But it absolutely did not bother me that some of my Transformers were more limited in their articulation than other ones were. Had just as much enjoyment playing with that incomplete G1 Thrust and only being able to move his arms forward (literally didn't even have any accessories for him other than his wings and landing gear lol) as I did playing with the Cyberjet or BW Optimus Primal repaints from Universe '03 I had.

Honestly even nowadays I really couldn't care less about articulation. Obviously, I don't want Hasbro to start cutting back on the articulation that they're doing with the modern Generations lines but like if I buy a new to me figure that's basically a brick or otherwise limited in articulation, I'll enjoy it just as much as a figure with articulation out the wazoo, y'know?

 

[Sabrblade]

For me, the perfect balance of articulation, gimmick, and complexity can be found in the Cybertron Defense Scattorshot toy from the Cybertron line. That figure is incredibly basic in its transformation (about five or six steps, even), yet it has all the necessary articulation one would expect a well-articulated figure should have. And its weapon gimmicks are decently integrated into both its altmode design and its arms in robot mode, while also being completely non-intrusive. It's practically a gold-standard of a good figure.

 

[Shadewing]

Cybertron is pretty much how I wish the line still was. Most everything had a good balance. Very few had really fiddly transformations, they tended to have good base line articulation, and I really would like to see actual gimmicks return

 

[LordGigaIce]

Eh, I don't.
No, Legacy Armada Starscream doesn't have his spring-powered missile launchers but I can actually pose him. I'll take increased sculpt accuracy and articulation over the stuff that limited that in the first place.

The one exception I'd say is Armada Megatron's knife hand. We need that back.

 

[Shadewing]

Eh, I don't.
No, Legacy Armada Starscream doesn't have his spring-powered missile launchers but I can actually pose him. I'll take increased sculpt accuracy and articulation over the stuff that limited that in the first place.

The one exception I'd say is Armada Megatron's knife hand. We need that back.

That;s Armada, not Cybertron. By Cybertron Aaron's team had learned generally how to not have gimmick hinder articulation. But I'd still rather have Armada megatron with most his gimmicks intact and not just the knife. Giving Legacy the minicon/micromaster prisions on his legs wouldn't have hurt his articulation, neither would the little luanchpad for tiny jets.

 

[LordGigaIce]

By Cybertron Aaron's team had learned generally how to not have gimmick hinder articulation.

That's true, and I said as much that a Cybertron-level of articulation is really a baseline that anything needs today.

It's just that the attitudes some segments of the fandom have about articulation being unneeded or bad baffles me. I don't need ankle tilts, no, but I can't think of a single figure that's had them that I think would have been somehow better if it didn't have them.

 

[Sabrblade]

That;s Armada, not Cybertron. By Cybertron Aaron's team had learned generally how to not have gimmick hinder articulation.

On a related note, Armada's gimmick-heaviness was inspired by the gimmick-heaviness of Kenner's Ghostbusters toyline in the 90s, which is where Aaron Archer came from before he joined Transformers during Beast Wars.

But I'd still rather have Armada megatron with most his gimmicks intact and not just the knife. Giving Legacy the minicon/micromaster prisions on his legs wouldn't have hurt his articulation, neither would the little luanchpad for tiny jets.

Sure, but given how small the prisons in his legs were on the original figure (only the tiniest Mini-Cons could fit in them; not even his own partner Leader-1 could fit inside), they'd be even smaller on the Legacy figure, making them functionally useless since the Legacy figure is itself smaller than the original.

 

[LordGigaIce]

I got Armada Megatron when he was on shelves and I've wanted him to have knees ever since I first got him.
The Legacy version, despite being smaller, is so similar to the original that it kinda messed with me at first. And being able to bend that figure at the knees was truly something I've been waiting a while for (I had the same feeling bending Legacy Armada Prime's supermode knees).

While I do miss a number of Megatron's gimmicks... I donno. Having a solid version of the character who can strike a pose is certainly a huge plus in my book.
And no, giving him his leg compartments wouldn't have hindered anything but it would have been pointless without Minicons to actually put in there, as Sabrblade said.

Even the hand knife... the one Armada Megs gimmick I'd say should have been retained in some form...being gone is fine because of what we got. I have both my original Armada Megs and the Legacy version and they each do very different things. A version that did both would certainly be awesome, but I'm not going to pretend I don't appreciate the Legacy version's articulation, because I do.

 

[Sabrblade]

Those static shoulder pylons, however...

Well, I'm just glad I got the shoulder upgrade kit from SamMakesToys, and wish I'd gotten a second one from him in anticipation of Legacy Galvatron since he doesn't seem to be selling pre-printed kits anymore and I don't have a 3D printer of my own to use the files on.

 

[LordGigaIce]

The shoulders aren't great but he has knees. And I can't overstate how much I love having that design with functional knees.

 

[Shadewing]

You gave up shoulders for Knees.

 

[Exatron]

I certainly felt the lack of articulation when I was a kid. It wasn't the end of the world, but it's a big part of why I really don't have a ton of nostalgia for G1 toys. I have plenty of nostalgia for the characters, and have a probably-too-large collection of modern figures, but I set aside most of my original G1 toys ages ago.

Having said that, I absolutely agree that articulation can be taken way too far. When you have to spend a lot of time readjusting joints that you didn't mean to move, or didn't even realize existed, making use of all that articulation ends up being frustrating rather than fun. Masterpiece figures can look nice on a shelf, but I generally don't enjoy setting them up. And some Generations figures have likewise been pretty irritating to handle, especially where all their articulation creates stability issues.

Basically, if it has the basic articulation you'd get in a typical RiD '15 Warrior, I'm generally happy. Anything beyond that can be an improvement, but can also be a detriment if it's not executed well.

 

[Donocropolis]

Yeah, execution is key. I got the new, larger Death's Head figure, and although he has a great range of motion in his shoulders, I'm not crazy about how it's achieved.

 

[unluckiness]

Head, shoulder abduction, shoulder extension/flexion, elbows, hip extension/flexion, hip abduction and knees are all I need. Wrists, ab crunch and ankle tilts are just gravy.

 

[Sabrblade]

shoulder abduction

hip abduction

I think only the "-Izers" can really do that.

 

[unluckiness]

Anatomical Terms of Movement - Flexion - Rotation - TeachMeAnatomy

Anatomical terms of movement are used to describe the actions of muscles on the skeleton. Muscles contract to produce movement at joints - where two or more bones meet.

teachmeanatomy.info

Nah, most toys from Beast Wars onwards can manage.

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

When I was a kid, it bothered me that Powermaster Prime's smaller robot mode couldn't aim his guns unless you did this:

(That was as much on the mold of the gun as the lack of shoulder articulation, though.)

Meanwhile, all my Throttlebots could do is "bro" their enemies to death with chestbumps.

 

[Sabrblade]

The upper arms on that figure being static and immovable did always bother me, too, yeah. Especially since the previous Optimus mold had way more upper arm articulation.

 

[LordGigaIce]

You gave up shoulders for Knees.

Jokes aside, while Legacy Armada Megs' shoulders aren't great they still exist. Which is more than I can say for the original Armada Megs' knees.

Ultimately that's what the Legacy version was trying to do, take that design and make it an articulated action figure that can transform. And it accomplished that.
The original Armada Megs still exists if you want all the gimmicks. He's still there. I just don't see how it's bad that they gave us a version that could pose.

I suppose that a version that retained his gimmicks while adding articulation would be the ultimate want out of that design and yeah I agree that would be nice, but given how budgets and play patterns work in the modern toy industry... we're probably not gonna get something like that unless TT decides to dabble in Armada Mincron Legends MPs. And that thing's hips will probably explode by the stress of existing.

 

[The Mighty Mollusk]

My Armada Galvatron's turret gearing has broken down under the strain of just standing on the back of the shelf and now barely stays in place. I'll trade gimmicks for stability all day.