1/1 LowViz Lurker

Wait and get the 1/60 yamato. Best VF-1 so far imo. If you like vintage toys, get the reissue chunky munky. But you said no bricks! Avoid the toynami vf-1 robotech masterpieces. Avoid getting superposables, since these are non-transforming. Avoid 1/48 since these are larger than the upcoming 1/60 and what you want is to get a variety of different vf-1 for a good price. (before the new 1/60 yamato vf-1 toys, the 1/48 seemed to be a fan fave) Avoid the 1/100 if you don't like big shoulders. These DO transform though so they ARE worth getting if you like to hold small toys in your hands. Avoid the banprestos if you want the toys to not have parts loosely fit. (I use blutack on the joints which seems to work for their light weight and small size) These look pretty good, and are loaded with good poseability but you got to fiddle with joints and put some gummy material inside them to get them to hold together instead of flop around like ragdolls. .... Really: 1/60 yamatos are the best to go for. This line is what the 1/48 line should have been if the 1/48 were designed early on to be able to accommodate the two-seater VF-1 designs in the show. So if you want to get the VF-1D (hikaru's trainer valk at the start of the tv series) the new 1/60 line will have this. There will be more variety to choose from if you go with this scale. (who know what the future will hold though?) Another reason you should stick to 1/60 scale is because the bandai vf-25 toys from macross F will be at this scale too, so if you want to line up all your macross toys together you have a nice display of everything at roughly matching sizes. It might not be a big deal now, but in the long term, having things standing next to each other at the right scale makes a difference. The upcoming destroids from yamato will also be at 1/60. So if you plan on getting one you could have a valk with a destroid standing together to make the collection look more impressive. Rather than a bunch of small toys with limits on the detail or where the different toys are at different scales. If you want cheap stuff for the desk or on your monitor the GNU or revoltechs would be good. But if I were you, focus on the 1/60 scale for long term happiness. 1. transforms unlike the revoltechs or GNU. 2. details that are worthy for a display plus accurate sculpt. 3. price is cheaper than 1/48 despite having most of the stuff from the bigger toys in them + improvements since then. 4. matches scale with others like the bandai macF toys. All those things are worth spending a bit more money on.

NP..I know it's going to come in handy when I get it for the first time. My fear of wrecking them motivates me to put effort in.

I updated the transformation thread a little bit now: http://macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=26417 thanks for the guide. ..this will be very helpful for when noobs complain that they can't find the guide anymore due to it being buried under 60 odd pages of news, or that the link is no longer working in the dedicated thread ...saves time.

By the way.... I also changed the attached file in my first post of this thread so it now downloads a pure html version which will be easier for those who use a different browser from IE. (the one I uploaded is actually converted from the original one peolesdru made after I used a convertor program to convert it back. Should be just like the easy-to-view konig monster guide now.. ) Once the free file host link no longer works, noobs can still download from the "attached file" link instead, in order to get the pure html guide if they wish. So you no longer need to download from the free file host to get the pure html version now. The attachment will suffice for when the "60 days before deletion" limit is reached.

Edited the name. Haha. Thanks.

Hey peolesdru if it is not too much to ask do you think you could just make it like a normal html file like the konig monster guide, so other browsers can view it? I use firefox now. So that would be more convenient..

I created a seperate thread for people to download your transformation guide from. Instead of digging around inside the news thread they can just easily search for it in the dedicated thread: http://macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=26417 The file is attached to that thread so if you can't get it from the free file hosts due to them deleting it, you can download it from MW.

I thought it would be a good idea to just create a thread of its own for people interested in downloading peolesdru's 1/60 yamato yf-21 transformation guide. click to download it: http://www.savefile.com/files/1598158 UPDATE: links to a download of the pure HTML version. This free file host will keep it there for up to 60days after 0 downloads which is roughly 2 months. Then someone who has it will have to reupload it again. If you know any better free file hosts which can keep it up for longer than that, then you can just upload to them if you wish. ...OR... ....If the above host has deleted the file, you can download it from here: YF_21_Guide.zip ^ This is the exact same thing but attached to this thread and zipped. (compressed down to about 6mb in size) UPDATE: This also links to a download of the pure HTML version. More people can open the file with less hassles now. Before you can view, you must use winzip to uncompress it first. Instructions: --------------- 1. download Winzip if you don't already have it. 2. create a temp directory. 3. unzip the file into the temp directory. Winzip will uncompress it. 4. go into the temp directory, look for the .html file and drag and drop the .html file into your web browser window to view. 5. After you finish viewing it, delete the temp directory. (cleans up unnecessary files you don't want left lying around) Let me know if you had any problems with it. Related threads: Yamato\Transformation guides\ Konig Monster Transformation Guide

Yeah well I was thinking: make them a 3 pack of every mode so you get the mecha in all forms. No risk of shortages of one mode which is popular, suddenly being hard to get, and unpopular modes being common. This way people who only like the fighter mode of something are forced to have battroid and gerwalk too.

Yes, the VF-1 is tiny compared to the VF-0S if they were standing side by side. The vf-1 in the tv series is roughly about Britai's height when in battroid mode. So I imagine the VF-0 is closer to what Qrau would be? To calculate height just look at the size specs of every mecha, and divide by 60. That should be the toy size if at 1/60 scale. I wonder if yamato will make the vf-11 close to real scale or just 'cheat' and make the vf-11 bigger than normal? I wouldn't mind if they cheated to be honest.

Huh? The side covers won't affect any modes, any more than the ability to swap hands on the 1/48 vf-1 had affected PT of that toy. (which it didn't) Seems like the least hard thing for yamato to do and frankly any excuse for not including them will be as stupid as them not including fast packs and gunpods for the original 1/72 YF-21 release. ie In other words, there simply won't be a good excuse. Having those covers there is just as logical as having a heatshield or a pilot with every non-fast packed and non-gbp valk. It is a part of the robot mode and for some of us, this is a gimmick that is even more practical/useful/appealing to us than the ability to detach a section of the cockpit to fit on the arm. (as cool as that gimmick still is for inclusion) Yamato gave us posable head turret for the 21.. they gave us more tampo printing.. they gave us improvement in joints.. they gave us better hands.. they improved the proportions of the robot mode..(no fat chest) they added stuff we didn't expect.. (rainbow windshield, detatching cockpit gimmick) they allowed the yf-21 to eject the arms and legs.. ...sidecovers...not that hard compared to all of the above.. the covers being there isn't going to mean it isn't classified by everyone as a perfect transforming toy any more than the ability to remove the intake covers (instead of having them stay connected to the toy) does.

I know this sounds a little crazy but I'd love if yamato just cloned the idea of the revoltech toys, made super posable but small and cheap battroid modes, fixed fighter modes, and superposable gerwalks all at the same scale of each other. The reguld revoltech is just a superposable mecha. It's not humanoid and because it doesn't transform it suits that line. But revoltech don't have 3 modes so stuff like the VF-1 is limited to robot mode. Just one mode. All yamato have to do is sell people on the promise that they can make 3 modes of any given mecha (say like a miniture koenig monster? or a variable glaug) PLUS add the superposable feature to the battroid modes, and everyone would buy it. Having three modes (fighter, gerwalk, battroid) in non-transforming, anime-accuracy sculpt would kick ass. What would this allow is because they are cheaper than transformable toys, you are more likely to see rarer toys. Scrap the GNU line of macross and just focus on smaller palm sized action figures. Reolvtechs don't do the fighter modes so fans of that might be tempted to just get the 3 pack of yamato instead. Of course this assumes these are not random toys like what these 1/200 toys are and they actually sold them as proper toys that the buyer could see and choose. I do think the idea of yamato doing three modes is cool, but not the random thing of getting doubles or triples of the same thing. That's the only thing that turns me off. I'm antisocial and hate having to rely on others to swap toys to get the thing I want.

I meant like a whole battleship. Sorta like HAL which talks back and spies on the crew, or Cortana in the Halo games on Xbox who gets to control the actual firing of the guns of the ship and where humans can let them do all the work and the AI has it's own *personality. Not the small stuff. This may surprise people but, apart from the deculture episode......I haven't seen macross F yet!! ahaha. So don't spoil it if there is one in it. I'm going to watch it now promise. *ie for example ghost in the shell's tachikoma, the dead soldiers in the Rogue Trooper comic books in 2000AD, KIT from Knight Rider. ect ect I would say that the Ghost drones in SDF:M or the X-9 (without sharon apple manipulation) are not really "self aware" like say Skynet in terminator yet. One thing that differentiates the AI drone from AI which is self-aware is that if it is just like a human with emotions but without the human restrictions. This is a very common theme in science fiction where if the robot gets angry it turns against the master, where a normal robot would just follow orders like a programmed command you type on a computer not giving a poo about "feelings" or wanting to be treated as equal. So when I say AI, what I meant was a Self Aware one which is not obedient to programming like a robot, but actually thinks for itself enough to be almost like a human. If it is like a human it can feel pain, get offended, is scared so it wants to self-preserve because it values its own life...as opposed to following a set of sequential instruction or branching decisions in a program that merely simulates intelligence but doesn't act human or at least "understand" human emotion/behavior.

The movie is like a compressed version of the events in the tv series. But it has more quality animation, and less mistakes. I would say 1. see the SDF:Macross TV series first. (focuses on the giants and their need to destroy due to training and mind control) 2. then "Do You Remember Love?" (same as the first with focus on the love triangle) 3. macross plus. Not essential since it is just a sidestory, but it gives a good backstory of how the early VF-19 and VF-22 started out and why human pilots haven't been replaced by AI. (notice how in macross they have no AI controlled ships like other science fiction shows? Maybe the events here made humans too paranoid?) It IS however worth watching for the cool dogfights and music. One of my fave's at least. 4. macross 7. But only if you want to learn more about the protodevlin (who are like space demons/vampires or the protoculture's equivalent to evil spirits/ghosts ) and origins of the zentradi. Personally it's the most supernatural/metaphysical of all the bunch where SDF:M was more sci-fi. Poor battles until later on when max gets to kick butt in his VF-22. 5. Macross Zero. Learn more about the anti-un, and what happened when PC aliens first came to earth. This being even before the events of the crashed ASS-1/SDF-1 ship seen in the SDF:M tv series. The new radar system gained from technology from the ASS-1/SDF-1 allowed them to find the AFOS which is ancient technology from when the few ProtoCulture people who wanted to escape from war first came to earth and altered the genes of the native life on earth to start again. (this may explain why we look just like the giants and why in SDF:M there is controversy about the similarities we have to the "evil, bad aliens" which some higher ups refuse to admit . ) DYRL also has this similar 'origin story' where it's explained some of the PC lived on earth for a short time and submerged the city hoping to come back one day and have it rise up out of the water again to live on earth again, ...but they never returned... Some interesting characters in this: superstitious technophobic religious zealot (girl) meeting with lone untrusting-of-new-things pilot (boy) who learns to trusting in the power of love (the 'force' which deactivates the weapons of the angry god) saving humanity from earth-destroying death ray. Similar to DYRL without reliance on pop stars and the cheesiness of needing to sing and dance to aliens. 6. Macross Frontier. Pretty much a hardcore CG mech porno compared to the other tv series. What was missing from mac7 (the robot porn) is made up for here imo. You'll be up to date if you see it in that order. Zero is really good if you like the idea of wanting an answer to the question of why transformation is useful in combat. The way in which Roy teaches the other pilots how to fight with three modes is the highlight of that series imo. It's not just that transforming is to fight giants, (which is why the robot mode exists) but that it is also useful because it allows a pilot to adapt to changing conditions too. Nora is able to kick shin's butt on the basis of being allowed to do things he can't despite him being a good dedicated plane mode pilot at the start. It's only after he realises the full potential of the modular transformation that he can start to kick butt. Valks beat destroids for that reason.

Since nobody has done it yet, I just thought I'd attach the konig monster transformation guide to the thread for those who still needed it: konig_monster_transguide.zip

Thanks. Good work. try uploading the file to these guys for now: http://www.filefactory.com/ 300MB per file. FREE to use. I've just reuploaded the konig monster transformation guide to test: konig monster transformation guide However the limit to how long it stays up after no one downloads the file is 7 days. But that is enough time for people to get it, download it, and if needed reupload until someone wants to host it permanently. so... ..I've also attached the konig monster transformation guide to this thread: konig_monster_transguide.zip If you encounter a host that has a smaller file size limit: you can always zip it with winzip and split the files into say 2mb chunks or something if you find that easier. @transfan: That's another avatar with the rubber ducky. The tutorial of Rhino involves making a cg model of a rubber ducky so every time I see one I think of that tutorial in the program that's all, transfan.

PM: http://macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showuser=2246 Hopefully yamato buy his secret ideas so we can get mass produced toys with all the features that should have already been there originally.. Eg: spring-loaded ejecting seat so hikaru can escape from his battroid..

The side covers are basically the covers that you get with the GBP armor for the yamato 1/48 VF-1. Ever since they had them, we've all wondered why yamato doesn't just make it a standard part of every VF-1 toy. It covers up the ugly gap at the side of the robot and is a canon feature of the VF-1 as seen in the episode where hikaru is in the vf-1d in batttroid mode after having ploughed through a row of buildings. (you can see a good view of the robot\'s side in that shot.) Because not all VF-1 used the GBP, it's a bit silly to expect people to buy a GBP armor set just to get the covers or expect recaster to make covers when yamato can just include it. So if you want to just buy a VF-1D, you already have all you need when you buy the toy. No need to buy a GBP set, paint the cover the right colour etc when yamato can just make it standard. covers on vf-1d as shown in the tv series recasts from nb4

Was that done in Rhino? I made a cg model of a rubber ducky using a program like that once..

That'd be great. Actually if people are going to do reviews.....a transformation guide is handy too. Those transformation guides also help the reader/buyer appreciate what goes on in the toy by exposing the guts of the thing which normally you can't appreciate in the finished form because it's all hidden. If the manuals were in english there wouldn't be as much a problem but I think for $200+ toys, it's worth doing. The first transformation is very mysterious to you. Having a guide showing everything may save a person from forcing the toy to move in a way that it shouldn't be forced. Placing your fingers in the wrong part and putting pressure on an area where you shouldn't be putting pressure might break something and knowing what NOT to do is important for some of these toys. A guide might be able to show the best way to handle the toy correctly for those too frightened to transform it because they don't have it memorised. Also if there is a warning of possible fragile parts to look out for, that's going to be very handy for any noob who isn't familiar with the TF and isn't aware of the ORDER of steps to take that avoids wrecking it. I mean not ALL VF are going to need it, but for ones where you might need to transform it in a specific order to avoid damage, that kind of guide is handy. Rather than repair a broken toy, or cause a stress mark from mis-handling, why not just prevent damage by never making a mistake? (that's how I would treat something this expensive) So far I don't see many videos on youtube of Koenig monster transformation. Mostly just transformer stuff. But transformer stuff is very sturdy and harder to break than yamato stuff, and NEEDs those kinds of instructions more since we are paying imported price for it and because it is more delicate. No offense to yamato fans, just saying...

I know it's easy, but the question still remains will they do it. Look how long it took them to get the tampo printing after complaining for ages. And if yamato don't do it, maybe bandai could with perfect grade VF-1 in the future when terminators take over the world and can make this stuff easily without human errors and complaints of being underpaid.

Side covers. Make them standard so that non-fp valks that never had FP in the show can have the colour-matched pieces. Please. Oh and low visibility vf-1 is going to look so good in this line. Any word of if they plan on non-canon paintschemes? Alaska base valk needs to be done! One more gimmick I wouldn't mind seeing: they include an option to have the gunpod flipped so you could have a valk use the gunpod like an arm mounted gun like max does in DYRL to kill the zentradi with a point blank shot to the face. (ie max and milia love that move ) I figure if they went to all this trouble to do the detachable front section of the fuselage, then this thing would be a breeze! So er graham/yamato spies ask them to see if they could do that. 1. side covers as standard. (come on everyone complain and whine about this more why doncha??) 2. max DYRL flippable gunpod gimmick. After this 1/60 line is finished yamato will probably milk the vf-1 over again with a new and improved 1/48 line with "balanced shape for all modes". "includes all the improvements of the new 1/60 but even more! Magic hands, rotating seat gimmick, detachable arms to mimmick hikaru's super valk itano circus battle in the rain of death episode, removable chair so pilot can eject from the battroid...etcetcetc"

Finally no more bitching about the hinge. I wonder if bandai will ever go back to older macross shows' mecha and start doing some 1/60 of those? (upgrade the vf-17 for the adult collector and give us vf-19 blazer valk without the chunky munky proportions) I feel like a little kid again getting all excited about these toys.

I love the pics of this. A youtube transformation video of this is needed. I remember all those years ago how hard it was to transform the 1/72 though. So it's not surprise this is even harder than that. The legs and the collapsing hips were the key that made me fail at trying to transform it back and forth. I forgot that there were parts that collapse and extend because the collapse and extending of it was stiff so you don't know it can collapse and extend. Yeah I agree that colour manuals is a good idea. But for me, I think an english manual on the internet by a person who already knows each step off by heart and can take good pics of the parts that lock and unlock (complete with arrows explaining where in the picture he is talking about) would be the best. Just like with the koenig monster. Then put this "html illustrated manual" on graham's review somewhere so people can refer back to it at any time and/or download it. Maybe print it out if necessary. I mean how many times has the "Koenig monster transformation instructions" thread had to be rebooted again because people forgot where to download that manual from? I say put the HTML page of transformations instruction in english somewhere where it is easy to find. Preferably on a review page of the toy as a link so we don't have to keep rebooting the old thread that it originally appeared in for noobs. I'm pretty good at following the included instructions but for those who aren't, this is going to help them not break something and put their mind at ease when they know they can refer back to a online manual with colour pics, and big arrows and english comments telling them what to do. ...1.5 hours just to transform something....sheeesh

I just think the transforming battleship idea is just there "cuz it's cool". The main advantage I see is you can use the daedalus attack and then thrust backwards more easily to pull the arm out of the ship you just poked a hole in to blow it up from the inside. In bot mode it has the chest thrusters to allow it to do that and retract the arm quickly. If you can't fire the main gun anymore, you can use that to poke your enemy with the arms, while simultaneously retreating from the enemy to get some distance between you and them. In ship mode, you would need to turn around first, making you vulnerable wouldn't you? It's a bit like how Gerwalk mode offers the ability to hover and strafe where you can't do that with the fighter mode of the vf-1 right? At close range in ship mode you are a sitting duck. But in bot mode you have a fist to punch things with when there is no more power left to fire a shot. In a way the deadalus attack is like the bayonet of the vf-11's gunpod for when a rushing enemy who is determined to close the distance, is more of the immediate threat at this moment than anything further back. Having the option to ram a ship, (offensively) or have it run into a fist while you move in reverse to absorb the attempt to crash into you, (defensive) is better than just sitting there trying to blow tiny chunks off the armor plating with small guns which take a long time to have any effect. I know it's silly but for a show where the scientists themselves came up with the idea to make their fighters transform into robots to kill giants (and having those robots physically punch and kick those giants at close range) instead of using tanks to blow them up like any other target, you can't really complain about that! Bot mode is all about close-in fighting. Why not have ships that can reconfigure for that too just like how GERWALK mode for the VF is just the fighter mode with thrusters pointing down so it can land or brake in more style?