Studio Series discussion

[Undead Scottsman]

Core Dinobots just got beaten with the budget stick. Had they been able to have just a little bit more articulation, clean up their propotions a tiny bit and include the better accessories from Dinoking, he'd be a rockin' little dude.

As is, he's alright for what he is, but for a $72 combiner he's kind of pricey.

 

[Sciflyer]

In the theater of my mind, Devastator (and Predaking) have always just been bigger than the average, Scramble City-style combiners. I can blame this on all sorts of varying portrayals in the TF media over the years, but it's just how things have crystallized for me.

I've expressed my love for CW/UW Devvy, and would be completely fine with a version that is a bit smaller. However, I was still hoping that this new SS86 offering would be a nice, happy medium between modern-day combiners and the CW/UW version. It's not, and that is fine. But I'm not convinced that the SS86 is something that I particularly want, especially since it is kind of mirroring (at a smaller scale) what the previous version already did so well.

 

[Sabrblade]

But I'm not convinced that the SS86 is something that I particularly want, especially since it is kind of mirroring (at a smaller scale) what the previous version already did so well.

Keep in mind, that previous version was also nine years ago.

 

[Sciflyer]

Keep in mind, that previous version was also nine years ago.

True, and I am glad that something new is available for those who couldn't get it back then. I've kept mine on display for many years and the way that he looks next to Siege Omega Supreme is chef's kiss, IMO

 

[Undead Scottsman]

My copy of the CW version sucked. Several figures can't hold up their guns, including Devastator himself and Bonecrusher's legs never went together well either.

 

[LordGigaIce]

I don't mind Predaking and Devastator being larger than either the CW or Legacy combiners, because they weren't Scramble City style so in my mind they're "different" which means they don't have to be the same size. Truth be told, though, scale has always, and will always, be whack. I recently got Legacy Dinoking. He's tiny by Combiner standards. So... who knows? The points don't matter.

The area the SS '86 Constructicons can wow me on are the robot modes. CW Devastator sacrificed a lot from the individual robot modes and SS '86's take can give us some clear improvements in that category then I'm all for these. ofc with Combiners individual robots will always sacrifice something so I'm not looking for six Kingdom Cyclonuses here. Just a team of six Constructicons that are, on the whole, better as individual dudes then the CW take.
And it seems too early to tell if they cleared that bar.

 

[Shadewing]

I don't mind Predaking and Devastator being larger than either the CW or Legacy combiners, because they weren't Scramble City style so in my mind they're "different" which means they don't have to be the same size. Truth be told, though, scale has always, and will always, be whack. I recently got Legacy Dinoking. He's tiny by Combiner standards. So... who knows? The points don't matter.

The area the SS '86 Constructicons can wow me on are the robot modes. CW Devastator sacrificed a lot from the individual robot modes and SS '86's take can give us some clear improvements in that category than I'm all for these. ofc with Combiners individual robots will always sacrifice something so I'm not looking for six Kingdom Cyclonuses here. Just a team of six Constructicons that are, on the whole, better as individual dudes then the CW take.
And it seems too early to tell if they cleared that bar.

And by time it's not, the first 4 will probably whipsers in the wind.

 

[Haywire]

My preferred scale is roughly Gobot/Legend/Legion/Core, so with that in mind, most of the original combiners work just fine for me.
Hasbro, on the other hand, favors a scale centered around the Deluxe, and so I've picked up some combiners here and there to interact with figures that are only available in that scale, but truth be told, combiners are just not enough of a priority to sink that kind of money into.

That said, I happily bought the Dinoking set, so it's not like I won't buy combiners at all, they just have to be a special set of characters to get me to bite.

 

[LordGigaIce]

And by time it's not, the first 4 will probably whipsers in the wind.

yeah.......

 

[TheSupernova]

I pulled out my copies of CW Bonecrusher and Scrapper yesterday and fiddled with them for a while. Then I look at the SS86 pics, and I'm trying to figure out if they're really worth double what I paid a decade ago. I wish it had been more of a slam dunk decision. That said, due to family stuff, I missed the PO's at my preferred places anyways, so maybe that's been answered for me.

I also wished that I had picked up some of the PE upgrade sets for them at the time, too.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Keep in mind, that previous version was also nine years ago.

I would rather not.

 

[Badgertron]

I pulled out my copies of CW Bonecrusher and Scrapper yesterday and fiddled with them for a while. Then I look at the SS86 pics, and I'm trying to figure out if they're really worth double what I paid a decade ago. I wish it had been more of a slam dunk decision. That said, due to family stuff, I missed the PO's at my preferred places anyways, so maybe that's been answered for me.

I also wished that I had picked up some of the PE upgrade sets for them at the time, too.

It's actually only like 50% more after inflation, tbf.

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

They tried that with the Dinobots and, well.

(I love them, especially with the 5mm connections, but my opinion is a distinct minority.)

...isn't that making the Combiner smaller, rather than everyone else around them?

 

[The Mighty Mollusk]

Now I'm wondering if anyone's made a combiner from the SS Dinobots yet.

Quick, somebody get me a junker Armada Unicron!

 

[TheSupernova]

It's actually only like 50% more after inflation, tbf.

That doesn't make me feel very good about the inflation rate.

 

[Platypus Prime]

There is also, outside the cost and space issues, the simple fact that I am not getting any younger. And when I do have to go, do I want to leave a mountain of plastic that most of my family will have only the slightest idea what to do with? This is also why I'm judging a lot more strictly on what I bring in, as resale options fall and my nephew gets to the point where he will want to pick out his own anyway, I may not be the best one to bring more robots in at this point. I can let the kid pick what works for him, rather than my 'I was there when Bumblebee was red and we LIKED IT' POV.

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

Now I'm wondering if anyone's made a combiner from the SS Dinobots yet.

"SS Dinobots" sounds like the name of their ship.

Quite frankly, I'm just surprised such an association never occurred to me with any of them up until this point.

 

[Donocropolis]

"SS Dinobots" sounds like the name of their ship.

Quite frankly, I'm just surprised such an association never occurred to me with any of them up until this point.

On the gooOood ship, Dinobots,
It's a sweeEeet trip
to the battle spot.
Where Grimlock plays
On a pile of his enemies' graves

 

[Haywire]

Or:
Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
a tale of a fateful trip
It started from this metal planet
Aboard this shiny ship.
The mate was a mighty Dinobot,
The Skipper proud and sure
Five Dinobots took off that day
On a three hour tour
A three hour tour...

 

[Gizmoboy]

There is also, outside the cost and space issues, the simple fact that I am not getting any younger. And when I do have to go, do I want to leave a mountain of plastic that most of my family will have only the slightest idea what to do with? This is also why I'm judging a lot more strictly on what I bring in, as resale options fall and my nephew gets to the point where he will want to pick out his own anyway, I may not be the best one to bring more robots in at this point. I can let the kid pick what works for him, rather than my 'I was there when Bumblebee was red and we LIKED IT' POV.

This is where I'm at with things right now. It is just such a hard habit to break not getting things I'm interested in. I should be totally content with my TFC Hercules as my Devastator, but I still find myself preordering the new ones. I will hopefully come to my senses soon and cancel the order.