Transformers Legacy toyline

Haywire

Collecter of Gobots and Godzilla
Citizen
You know, making a Transformers Legacy line is kind of a fine-line balance, isn't it? Modern toy engineering CAN improve on figures from G1 and early G2 (but that doesn't automatically mean that it does), but from Beast Wars onwards, the improvements generally tend to be less drastic, and often (again, not always) at the expense of play features or gimmicks.

If they only feature the figures that genuinely improve on the originals, the line becomes "nothing but Geewun". But, when they update characters from later lines, those figures invariably get compared to the originals, and sometimes not favorably. There are trade-offs that have to happen, and they won't make everyone happy. On the other hand, that those characters get new figures alongside the G1 updates is pretty cool, and helps the line celebrate the entirety of Transformers history.
 

Swerve

Life of the Party
Citizen
You know, making a Transformers Legacy line is kind of a fine-line balance, isn't it? Modern toy engineering CAN improve on figures from G1 and early G2 (but that doesn't automatically mean that it does), but from Beast Wars onwards, the improvements generally tend to be less drastic, and often (again, not always) at the expense of play features or gimmicks.

If they only feature the figures that genuinely improve on the originals, the line becomes "nothing but Geewun". But, when they update characters from later lines, those figures invariably get compared to the originals, and sometimes not favorably. There are trade-offs that have to happen, and they won't make everyone happy. On the other hand, that those characters get new figures alongside the G1 updates is pretty cool, and helps the line celebrate the entirety of Transformers history.
I've felt that since they introduced Beast Wars in Kingdom, but as they get to Cybertron it becomes even more clear. The Hot Shot from Cybertron is eerily similar. I'm happy to have the new one mind you, but it's like a lightly scaled down version.
 

PrimalxConvoy

NOT a New Member.
Citizen
I've felt that since they introduced Beast Wars in Kingdom, but as they get to Cybertron it becomes even more clear. The Hot Shot from Cybertron is eerily similar. I'm happy to have the new one mind you, but it's like a lightly scaled down version.
Well, for me it was recently RID Omega Prime and Sideburn. The former being overpriced and alienating many fans (plus being too big for a regular collection) and the latter's extremely poor alt mode and flame detailing.
 

lastmaximal

Administrator
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
You know, making a Transformers Legacy line is kind of a fine-line balance, isn't it? Modern toy engineering CAN improve on figures from G1 and early G2 (but that doesn't automatically mean that it does), but from Beast Wars onwards, the improvements generally tend to be less drastic, and often (again, not always) at the expense of play features or gimmicks.
I've felt that since they introduced Beast Wars in Kingdom, but as they get to Cybertron it becomes even more clear. The Hot Shot from Cybertron is eerily similar. I'm happy to have the new one mind you, but it's like a lightly scaled down version.

This only makes sense, as "add articulation" becomes less effective as a move when applied to generations already engineered with it. Then it becomes about improving proportions or changing up the articulation that was already there (hopefully for the better). Burn Out is a bigger "leap" than Prime Arcee, but sometimes you'll get a Cybertron Override whose original toy was a bit hamstrung by a gimmick.

One thing that complicates it a lot is the need to find a way to maximize the tooling for more than one release, AND more often than not, for beyond the expected options. This IS Transformers, so there are built-in redeco and retool options, but for Legacy there's been the drive to reuse tooling beyond those to represent more generations -- and, while I appreciate the representation, the results can be mixed (Strongarm, Side Burn).

But it's getting us things like Filch, Flame, and so on, so I can't complain too much.

It's a lot to juggle, but it's nice to watch them juggle.
 

Fullstrength Motleypuss

Well-known member
Citizen
Well, for me it was recently RID Omega Prime and Sideburn. The former being overpriced and alienating many fans (plus being too big for a regular collection) and the latter's extremely poor alt mode and flame detailing.
Yet it reached it's goals far faster than any previous HasLab product, so it couldn't have alienated too many fans.
 

LordGigaIce

Another babka?
Citizen
Man, I die a little bit every time I see a quote like this.
I teach high school, so thank you for this. I needed it.

Well, for me it was recently RID Omega Prime and Sideburn. The former being overpriced and alienating many fans (plus being too big for a regular collection) and the latter's extremely poor alt mode and flame detailing.
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Sciflyer

Two arms and one smile
Citizen
Tankor would be great at a Commander level, but I don't know that he would be enough of a draw at that pricepoint. I mean, I would love one and would scramble to be first in line (the same would be true for a Commander Beast Machines Megatron), but I think that Leader would be sufficient.
 

Sciflyer

Two arms and one smile
Citizen
Right, he's not that complex. However, what they save on complexity, they could allocate to mass, because he was a big, beefy boy. They could also add in things like a Diagnostic Drone accessory, spark extractor, etc. And for what it's worth, I always felt like he (along with Thrust and Jetstorm) needed their beast-specific sparks instead of the Vehicon ones.
 

Sciflyer

Two arms and one smile
Citizen
Leader Tankor, Voyager Jetstorm, Deluxe Thrust. For the Commander slot, Megatron, using the TM2 Leader as a base, but with a stand with his helmet, cloak, and arms that he can connect into, maybe with a Diagnostic Drone thrown in.

Bonus points if the cloak/harness can transform into his MegaHead mode!
 


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