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M'Kyuun

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  1. M'Kyuun
    Honestly, I don't think the van mode looks bad at all on MP Ironhide/ Ratchet, and certainly no worse than the third party attempts. CHUG Ironhide/Ratchet kinda set the bar for a blatantly seamed alt mode. That thing was origami from start to finish. The MP Ironhide bot mode could have been arguably better: get rid of those thigh panels, and cover the butt wheels. The feet look a little off...they may've looked better had the feet blocks been integrated to form leg cowls with an articulated foot sticking out. But then again, it matches the animation very closely, and the legs are suitably chunky. There is something that looks off about them, but when I compare it to the animation, the toy proportions look better than the animation. Anyway, I plan on getting both of them to round out my collection. I keep hoping those hip panels can swivel around, but I doubt it, or it most likely would have been shown at this point. The upcoming Power Master Prime is kinda missing the most important aspect of his Powermasterfulness---the little dude that transforms into an engine and tacks onto Prime's grill. Still a cool looking figure, but I thought it worth mentioning.
  2. M'Kyuun
    Unfortunately, this has become the way of things. With all their years of experience, yeah, it'd be nice if they designed around exposed ribbed hollow areas to cover them by one means or another. I'm a little more forgiving on the low end Generations stuff, but this sort of thing should never be apparent on MP. It's bad enough they don't even give us rubber tires.
  3. M'Kyuun
    Thought I'd share: https://www.flickr.com/photos/95379588@N08/19869528193/in/dateposted-public/ This is still a work in progress. I actually built a nose piece for it (not pictured), but I was having difficulty figuring out how to integrate retractable nose gear into a really small area and still maintain the nose hinging action. After building the folding cargo area/backpack, the thing was immensely back-heavy, and just fell over. So, I need to go back and do some redesigning. But since this is a LEGO Monster thread, I thought I'd post a pic.
  4. M'Kyuun

    Bandai DX VF-31

    M'Kyuun replied to UN Spacy's topic in Toys

    I think so, too. Honestly, I don't mind the -31's color scheme, although it is rather pretty for a combat aircraft; it looks like a designated airshow scheme. I don't find it as jarring as the M7 schemes, though; those things punch you in the face with their gaudiness. The blue, white, and gray are subdued; it's the red streaks that really catch the eye, and stand out from the rest. I could live without them, but overall, I like the look of this valk as-is. I'd be really happy to see it in a low-vis scheme, though. I was just thinking, it would have been cool had Kawamori made those forearms just a little more robust, and internalized the weapons, like modern fighters. But his current trend seems to be going towards nostalgia rather than real tech direction, which is fine from an artistic POV. 80's fighters were pretty.
  5. M'Kyuun
    Neat reuse of that mold; they were even able to make a decent battle station mode. I love that cab mold, and it looks good in Prime's colors. I wish they could have streamlined the trailer better, but at least the weapons should be able to store inside, unlike UM. In this instance, I wish the cab and armor were separate. I'd like to have that cab mold as a stand alone Prime toy, just upsized a little.
  6. M'Kyuun
    That is a pretty amazing Galvatron. Hopefully, the cannon mode is just as good. More excited about the Cyclonus silhouette, though. I was on the fence about getting Xtransbot's Eligos, but I think I'll wait and see how FT's version turns out.
  7. M'Kyuun
    I stand corrected. I'm off to get edumacated on developments.
  8. M'Kyuun

    Bandai DX VF-31

    M'Kyuun replied to UN Spacy's topic in Toys

    I like how well integrated those arms are in fighter, rather than being conformal protrusions under the wings like the -21 and -30. Those forearm guns do seem kinda smallish, though...not quite the same visual impact as a handheld gunpod. Just the same, I like integration, so having these as part of the arm makes me happy. After all these years, I'm surprised Kawamori has never revisited the original Transformers seeker arm design, where they form part of the fuselage behind the cockpit. I've always thought that a brilliant placement where the arms are part of the transformation rather than being tucked away out of sight, or just tabbed in along the fuselage under the wing. Takara did a nice job of this with ROTF Breakaway; too bad the legs weren't as smoothly done.
  9. M'Kyuun
    Blade Runner is a film that stands on its own and requires no sequel. It's a classic now, but if the same movie came out today, it'd likely be just another forgettable sci-fi movie headed to DVD after a two week run in cinemas. Phillip Dick was a prolific writer; rather than retread or produce sequels of movies already made, I wish more filmakers, esp new filmakers, would tackle Dick's, among many sci-fi authors', stuff. I'd like to see the next generation of directors like Lucas, Spielberg, Scott, Cameron, etc make their mark. That said, I think JJ Abrams and Neil Blomkamp are filling that void, whether or not you like their films. I really like Blomkamp's mechanical designs. I really liked District 9, liked Elysium, and I'm trying to forget Chappie. But I'm glad that there are directors like these guys trying to make their mark in sci-fi...but, not everything can be a home run. That said, given that this sequal was rumored 4 years ago, and there's not much buzz about it, I'll be waiting to see it along with the live-action Robotech movie.
  10. M'Kyuun
    Meh...we need a new MP Megatron before they do Galvatron. Appollyon is a good placeholder, but I'd like to see Takara make an official toy.
  11. M'Kyuun

    Bandai Sv-262 DX valk

    M'Kyuun replied to seti88's topic in Toys

    McFly!, don't hold your breath for that Variable Glaug- I build at a glacial pace, and I'd feel terrible if a fellow MWer died from anticipation of my making. Fly-by Too funny!
  12. M'Kyuun
    Mazinger, That's awesome...I love the VF-4, and as far as I know, only one other guy has ever built one in LEGO and put pics up: http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/12750 I wish you well in your endeavor, and look forward to seeing your final model. Cool stuff in your Flickr, esp that Phoenix. Colonial Viper touches a few heart strings as well.
  13. M'Kyuun
    Yep, as long as the program will let you build the model. Certain things that work with real brick don't work in LDD, and may affect the final model. Can't think of any specific examples at the moment, but I've run into issues before. Also, the parts palette is not complete, as many retired parts are no longer featured, not to mention quite a few new ones introduced this year. I usually use LDD at various points of a project to flesh out ideas, but once I have a workable base, most of my building is with real brick, and I rarely go back and build the whole thing in LDD. That said, the instruction generator function is really neat, and, in my limited experience, works well. I've been waiting for LEGO to update LDD this year, but at this point I'm not sure if LEGO are going to continue to support it. I hope so- it's very useful and very user friendly. If you're curious about various issues and such, there's an LDD topic on the Eurobricks forums where folks discuss techniques and issues in depth. http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showforum=128
  14. M'Kyuun

    Bandai Sv-262 DX valk

    M'Kyuun replied to seti88's topic in Toys

    My face turneth red. Thanks. That was my project this year...I worked on it off and on from about March until September. A transformable VTOL with true cargo capability has been on my to-do list for a long time, and that cockpit piece was my starting point. It turned out ok, although I wish some of the joints were more robust. When I started, the knee joints would hold the engines straight up and down...after flexing them all summer during the building process, not to mention probably around 20 times for actual transformation, I have to keep them angled back or else they just droop. They hold up ok in bot mode, but I have to play around with the leg and feet positions to keep him standing, esp if I have cargo installed in the backpack. It becomes a balancing act. B/c the legs are so heavy, the little clicky joints I used to attach the hip-block swing bars almost always involuntarily separate. If I had the tech and the know-how, I'd produce my own LEGO-compatible joints with varying degrees of tension and size. But it is what it is, and I do what I can within the limited confines of the official product. It's part of the challenge. Right now, I'm working on what I hope will be a successful Variable Glaug. The knee joint is an interesting design, and nigh impossible to pull off with LEGO as drawn, esp if I want to keep the size down to minifig scale. Everything shifts places on that thing, depending on its configuration, so it poses quite a challenge to make it work, hide the mechanisms that make it work, make it solid, retain functionality in every mode, and maintain the aesthetics as close to the artwork as possible. I was also thinking there was a little A-7 Corsair influence in some of those designs, with that lower scoop. Personally, I think the lovely F-16 would have been an apropos plane to use for the basis of a 'female' valk; it's a petite, curvy, agile aircraft that can bring a lot of tooth and nail to the fight. When I worked B-1s at Mt. Home, we used to joke about mounting an F-16 to each wing as guided missiles.
  15. M'Kyuun
    You would have to contact the individual builders, but my guess is, no. I doubt many builders do make instructions for their models. I don't either. Here's a link to my custom VF-4: https://www.flickr.com/photos/95379588@N08/21185996936/in/dateposted-public/
  16. M'Kyuun
    Have to agree- that looks better than the Takara version.
  17. M'Kyuun

    Bandai Sv-262 DX valk

    M'Kyuun replied to seti88's topic in Toys

    Thanks, guys! Saburo, your photo skills are bomb, man. Beautiful stuff.
  18. M'Kyuun

    Bandai Sv-262 DX valk

    M'Kyuun replied to seti88's topic in Toys

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/95379588@N08/22408721413/in/dateposted-public/
  19. M'Kyuun
    Windblade is a mixed bag: it's extremely cool of Hasbro to solicit ideas from the fandom and produce a toy based on those inputs. It's similar in concept to LEGO's Cuusoo/Ideas. Aside from Windblade's odd Samurai styled head (why, for any reason, would a Cybertronian warrior have that?), the base fighter and bot modes showed promise. The toy, though, leaves somewhat to be desired. It's fidgety, the hip ball joints are pretty loose, the swing bars to which the shoulders mount don't lock into the chest very well, the head can barely turn due to the high 'Elvis' collars, the main gears jutting out the backs of her thighs look terrible, and for pete's sake, why the hell didn't they make the feet fold down in fighter mode, similar to Prime Arcee's? Seeing those feet jutting up just pisses me off (lazy design), so in bot mode she stays. But then, the sheath falls off if the gentlest of breezes caresses her frail form. I love the overall design-minus the Samurai head- but I think the toy could have been much better. I love Sarah Stone's Animated look she gives this character in the comics, and Iron Factory captured that look really well in their Legends sized Maiden. Adorable! My hope is that a better version will be released down the road, or that a third party will take a stab at making a better deluxe or voyager sized rendition that fixes a number of the current toy's flaws.
  20. M'Kyuun

    Bandai Sv-262 DX valk

    M'Kyuun replied to seti88's topic in Toys

    Well, I 've been hoping for an update in this thread, esp those of the battroid reveal variety, but even my own perusals have turned up nothing new. However, I was paging through my Macross Design Works, and happened to notice that a couple of Kawamori's early sketches for what would become the VF-11 MAXL resembled the Draken. But then, they also look like they're taking inspiration from the YF-21, too. Interestingly, it also looks like he was thinking of giving the MAXL a large intake scoop on the bottom, and in some sketches, top and bottom of the fighter mode. It would have been interesting if Mylene's ride had more in common with Boeing's YF-32, if only for variety's sake. The -32 is an eyesore, IMHO.
  21. M'Kyuun
    Got my Tracks and CW Ultra Magnus yesterday. Tracks has a nice satisfying transformation...the G1 toy was probably one of the simplest in that respect. Giving him an opening hood and simulated engine is a nice detail. The only issue I had with mine was trying to peg one of the arms in flying car mode. It just did not want to peg. The other went in just fine. I'll have to look at it again to see if there's some flash or other blockage. Anyway, being a bot guy, I shrugged it off for later and put him in his robot mode. The range of motion in the shoulders is impressive, due to a double hinge for transformation. While not one of my favorite characters from the cartoon, a transforming 80s Corvette is a tough thing to pass up, and overall Takara did a nice job. I do have to echo the 'too small eyes' sentiment, though. They just don't look right. CW UM is awesome. I'm not a fan of UM's character per se, but after looking at pics and vids for this guy, the transforming mecha lover in me had to have him, and I've nary a regret. While the all-in-one transformation may bother those who prefer the 2 part UM, I'm more a fan of this (and MP UM's design) simply b/c of the engineering required to pull it off, and also b/c it echoes what was onscreen. I really wish they'd taken a similar approach to CW Motormaster, although for scale reasons and moldmilking, I understand why they didn't. But anyway, this is a really solid offering from Takara, and the paint apps on the Taka-Tomy version look really nice. My only two complaints would be lack of concealing storage for the guns in truck mode, and I wish the head was on a ball joint rather than the limited side to side hinge they employed. One very minor nitpick would be that the shin panels/loading ramps do not go flush to the ground due to the knee mold (necessitating Speed Racer Mach 5 type jumping mechanisms to get up on the ramps), and the forearms covering the hands also do not flush with the trailer bed, once again requiring the Mach 5 jumpers. Minor, but does kinda spoil the playability a little.
  22. M'Kyuun
    Thanks for the review, Veef. Hoping I'll get mine in a day or two, along with the Takara CW Ultra Magnus. I'd also like to see them make Trailbreaker, and the eventual Hoist. Like Ironhide, a MP version will require a bit more engineering to streamline his bot mode so he doesn't look like he has a big pot belly. I always liked his character, though, so I do hope they make him eventually, along with the rest of the '84 line, including the Omnibots Camshaft, Overdrive, and Downshift. Along with the full sized cars and Bumblebee, I hope the rest of smaller bots like Cliffjumper, Brawn, Gears, and Huffer also get the MP treatment. I know 3rd parties have put out their versions, but I'd like to have official versions of these guys, since many of them featured quite often in the cartoon. If they ever do make Brawn, I hope he comes with a section of wall with a cutout to reenact the scene on Cybertron where he says,"I'll get the door!" and runs right through the wall as he and a couple other Autobots are making their escape. I forget which episode that was, but that scene has always stayed with me, and still brings a smile thinking of it.
  23. M'Kyuun
    I haven't transformed mine in awhile (I have the FAST Packs on, and one of the wing boosters falls off very easily), but other than the grey parts attached to the backs of the legs and boosters, the transformation was pretty straightforward to me. The hip joints are tight, and there's always that fear of snappage, but I felt it was easier than many of the Bayformer toys. I watched a vid before I got mine, and my copy's instructions remain sealed in their bag. I've transformed mine about three times..with packs, it's a pain, but without, pretty easy, similar to Arcadia's. Just take it slow and steady. The transformation is a huge part of owning these toys...if you're someone who just likes one mode over the other, I'd think a nice model would be a better investment for the money.
  24. M'Kyuun
    I've never watched any of the Gundam series, but based on the mecha designs alone, I'm not too crazy about the Thunderbolt designs, although I can see how they might appeal to longtime fans (nostalgic feel from early designs). I prefer stuff like the variable Unicorn Mobile Suits, the Sazabi, the Arios, the F-91, Zeta, and a number of others whose names I don't know and am too lazy to look up at the moment. The early Suits just never grabbed me. For someone who loves Macross Plus, Evangelion, Full Metal Panic, and mecha shows in general, what would be a good Gundam series to start with? I wouldn't mind getting my feet wet in the Gundam Universe.
  25. M'Kyuun
    It really looks like an extrapolation of the VF-4, esp with that color scheme. That they're totally unrelated, and yet share so many similarities is interesting. It's definitely an interesting design to work into a variable aircraft.
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