VF-1Guy

Sorry? At no point did Hasbro or Takara officially reveal Dead End's mold was Sunstreaker, nor were there any package pics of him called Sunstreaker. The only reason we know he was originally Sunstreaker (besides the head) was that old test shot with the molded 'bot symbol. This Wheeljack is way ahead of that. Oficially, Dead End stole Sunstreaker's BT body. That is why he looks like him. You would have thought that they would have at least taken the time to change his head. Especially since the raised Autobot insignia was removed. I have two Dead Ends on the way. (Local stores never got them in) One is being repainted back into Sunstreaker, the other is gettting his "ears" removed, and new head details added, so that he no longer looks like Sunstreaker. Again, officially, at no point did Hasbro or Takara refer to this as being the mold for BT Sunstreaker. Yes, its obvious that it was meant to be Sunstreaker initially, as Swindle was meant to be Trailbreaker, but officially, they never referred to either as such because fans bitched and wanted Decepticons. The Dead End bio story was written by Hirofumi Ichikawa - a fan and illustraitor at Takara. He even made references to GI Joe characters, so its not exactly an official explanation from either company, is it? My issue with the first quote was the wording appears to suggest that while this Wheeljack was retooled with WJ's head, has the name Wheeljack on his packaging and license plate, he's probably going to end up with another name like Dead End. GF Guardshell and Gaskett are out http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/thread65997.html I'm sorry that my attempt at humor got your undies in a bunch. I simply used the old Sunstreaker debate in my post to add some tension before the reader clicked the thread to see that the obvious name of Wheeljack is in fact the production name. I made absolutely no statement that the official name for Deadend was EVER Sunstreaker nor did I state, or imply, that the official name for Wheeljack will change. Note that my first sentence does not mention the name, it simply refers to the mold that looks like Wheeljack (thus building dramatic tension) much like the Deadend testshots looked like Sunstreaker. Again, I am sorry that my attempt at humor has resulted in a tirade against longtime members of this community.

The Wheeljack looking Alternator has been offically named. Sure, the figure looks like Wheeljack, but we all remember how poor Sunstreaker turned out (for the better IMHO). I'm warning you, you may be disappointed if you click the link.

I'm putting any refund I get into savings. I'm debt free (aside from the car which is on a 0% loan) and I have all the Macross stuff I need right now. Tax software is a great alternative to paying for a tax professional - it leads you through the process and asks all the pertinent questions. Since you're using the standard deduction it may just be easier to fill out the forms. The 1040 is fairly straightforward if you don't have to worry about itemizing, education, capital gains/losses, etc.

This is the second attempt for Toy Biz to penetrate this market. The first attempt was a couple years ago and was more like Ani-morphs. The line features somewhat normal looking versions of heros that transformed into animals or weapons. The second series never made it to stores. Spidey => bat (huh??) Rhino => rhino Hulk => monster Punisher => gun Iron Man => axe (huh?) This attempt looks more interesting since the little guys are pilots for the vehicle/bot.

Maybe by the size of the screws and the holes in the fist as mentioned by Fit for Natile above?

I've done the 11 hour 6 day a week thing. You get used to it. Mistakes do happen, but not near as many as you would expect. The 11 hour 7 day a week period is the one that seems extreem to me. It can also be argued that this was probably managements plan all along. Deadlines in games, software and electronics industry is all important. Everyone wants to get the product to market first to enjoy a period w/o competition. Marketing windows are very small and very tight. Being just a week late can translate into a significant loss of profits. For anyone who is thinking about what career to pursue, it is a very good idea to talk to people who have worked in the field for a while. Try to talk to people from different sized companies so that you can see what is a general trend and what is specific to a certain company. Engineering and software development are very intense occupations that require a lot of sacrafices. Also, take some times to think about the implications of your work so that you understand the pressure and the stresses. Having a bug in game software is no big deal. Having a bug in aerospace electronics or software can result in a loss of life. Medicine is of course the same, probably much worse. I often envy my cousin in his 9-5 w/ paid overtime factory job.

The intensity at EA does seem extreem, but the concept is not uncommon. I have been in a crunch since I got my degree - and I've worked at 4 different companies. The paragraph about comp time is fairly typical. There is usually little to no time to relax after a crunch is over since the new project is already behind schedule. Comp time is usually something you work out with your manager and it is usually a day or two here and there. It is hard to let an entire team leave for a week or two. Giving extra vacation doesn't help since most people end up maxing out on vacation accural due to the continual crunch state. The 'shut up or leave' mentality is pretty common in Silicon Valley right now. There is a sentiment that jobs are hard to come by so you should be happy to have one. I don't like it, but it is a reality and I am happy to have a job. I've seen plenty of layoffs in my career.

They aren't salary? If not, they have a sweet deal since they have the potential to get overtime pay. I work at a software company and everyone is salary (except maybe the administrative assistants). I rountinely work 50 hours+ per week (70 when deadlines are near), but yet my check never changes. It is just the way things are done in my industry. I haven't had an hourly wage since college. I guess this is what I get for being able to call myself a professional .

I read the promotion details before posting the few items I had. IIRC, it was $0.10 for all regular items - things like cars and real estate was excluded. The auctions with gallery pictures would have cost $0.35 ($0.10+$0.25). Notice that he stopped with the gallery after the first 5. The total cost was probably $5.35.

It seems a lot of people are passing on Windcharger. I wonder if this will be the next Sideswipe, King of the Shelf Warmers. Personally, I haven't liked any of the convertibles. There is not much on the horizion in the alt/BT line for me right now... Blue Tracks - pass Grimlock - love it Swindle - pass Windcharger - pass, maybe the repaint will be better Ravage - pass Shockwave - undecided, but leaning toward passing Grimlock Repaint - waiting to see the BT I think that Ravage would be a lot better if a couple of parts were replaced. First, the chest should be more like the Japanese Beast Wars Neo? Jaguar. Having a car roof as a chest when the vehicle mode is a convertible is silly. Second, the hands should be claws and/or the arm cannons should be large retractable claws. Third, the feet should be more cat like (multi toed). I think that these small changes would make for a very interesting cat-man robot mode. Is this going to be named Jaguar in Japan since that is a different make of car?

Responses to a couple above questions/comments... 1. There is minimal diecast. All I've noticed is the little feet (the pads between the larger sections of the feet) and the heel. I wouldn't want diecast in this toy since large pieces flop around everwhere during the transformation. I think it would be undo stress. The VB-6 is nice and solid with the plastic. 2. I don't think that the gap between the body and the wing is avoidable even if the clips were reversed. I played around with moving the legs and the gap is always present. The gap does get a little smaller if the wing is pressed forward, however a new gap appears at the front of the wing (and looks much worse than the existing gap IMHO). I don't need to move the leg back and lock it in on my VB since there is enough tension to hold the wing on the leg. I did notice that if the clip was reversed that it would probably be possible to slide the back leg panel (the one near the heel) back to put the peg into the slot and then slide it forward to lock it into place. Maybe it is on backwards and maybe its not. I can't tell for sure.

The auctions ended without ever being updated. Looking back, this was indeed 41 auctions for a low viz with an opening bid of $700. Ebay Madness indeed.

Great pictures! I really like the plaques that you made to go along with your collection. I came home to find my monster waiting on the couch - yesh, that box is huge. After 20 minutes of cutting through Toy-Wave's bubble wrap I finally got to see the box . I have to say that I'm impressed with this toy. The colors are nice, the transformation is interesting, all three modes look decent and its huge. Gerwalk is great. It looks like the holes on the arms are going to break eventually, but it shouldn't affect the transformation. The peg can still go into what is left after the thin side breaks off. The problem is that the peg is square and kinda big. It doesn't help that its such a tight fit. Is the nose supposed to point up a little in shuttle mode? Also, is there supposed to be a big gap behind the nose section (the one that goes all the way through). I'm not sure if its the design or if I'm doing something wrong.

Mine is waiting for me at home. Too bad that the traffic has me stuck in the office until 7 tonight!

I read a story on a TF board somewhere (can't remember where) that stated that many of Dreamwave's assets were transferred to a new company called Dreamengine which is headed by one of the brothers. It may be that Dreamwave is doing some reorging and emerging as a new entity (tax evasion? ). It seems odd to me that Dreamwave would just cease operations instead of trying to sell the properties and assests to another publisher. This makes me think it is more of a reorg/spinoff than an outright closure. Here's another article. Not the one I was looking for but intresting none the less. http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/...tg&article=2054

So how`s the quality of VotC ?, I also wish for SW-E3 figs especially Anakin and Vader. The quality on VotC figures are mixed. Each of them has different articulation, but I think only Luke has ball jointed hips. The Fett and Stormtrooper are really nice (ball jointed necks, elbows, ankles & knees along with some cut joints). Vader isn't as good with a ball jointed neck and knees along with cut elbows, waist, wrists & hips. The paint on Fett & Vader is excellent. The paint on the Stormtroopers is hit and miss. Vader suffers from a big fluffy cape with a huge neck cord. I reduced the length of the cord and added a clasp on the back of the cape to control the fullness.

I'm still not fully cured of the SW collecting affliction, but the disease is on its last legs. I had all but the last series of figures when I was a kid. Like many of my generation, my early and middle childhood years were dominated by Star Wars. I moved on to G.I. Joe, Transformers and He-Man (shutter) in my middle to late childhood years. I sold all of this stuff at yard sales and flea markets. I jumped back on the bandwagon when the PotF stuff was announced in '95. I even ran one of the early SW collecting websites when I was in college (in the days before Rebelscum, Yakface & Galactic Hunter). I ended up selling all this stuff before E1 came out. I was sucked back in during the pre-E1 mania. I ended up buying all the figures that were released before the movie came out and even bought a few that were released after the movie came out. I sold all this off shortly after I stopped picking up figures. I was sucked in yet again with the E2 figures. I bought about half of the initial figures and a few of the later figures. Yeah, I eventually ended up selling those too. I dabbled again recently with the VotC Fett, Vader and Stormtrooper. I was successful in limiting myself to only picking up the Imperials. I don't think I'll end up selling these 3 since they are perfect versions of some of my favorite characters. I think I'll be able to resist the urge to get the E3 figures since I only have a mild interest in the movie and since the figures I've seen so far are not all that appealing. Also, I think we all know by now what I would end up doing with the figures once I grew tired of them.

Why can't there be a 'cool enemy before the empire' to make it easier for me to get into the movie? My attitude toward the current enemy is 'What, another stupid looking robot led by some silly looking CG aliens'. Maybe this will get better once Palps is in control and the enemy becomes the clones. Also, I feel that the prequels lack a good action enemy. The OT had Vader throughout the story. He was not a fly-by-night villian. The Prequels have Palps, but he is more of a godfather than an enforcer type. Anakin can't really be considered a total villian since he is supposed to be the hero in the first two movies. Maul had potential, but he was eliminated too quickly. Dooku is just a boring old man. Grevious will be gone about as quick as he appears. The average audience member probably didn't pick up on the inate piloting ability. The fans know about this since we watched SW 1 zillion times and have the "Your father was a great pilot" line memorized. The average TPM audience member sees it as the annoying kid taking a lucky shot. The average SW audience member sees the Death Star battle as the whiny kid trusting to his insticts thanks to a mysterious message from his recently deceased mentor. Also, the guy just before Luke missed. Neither the OT or the Prequels are excellent screenplays, but the OT comes off as better to me since the writers are forced to present the whole story since it is new to the audience. Lucas expects the Prequel audience to know the entire back story (such as the inate piloting abilities, using the force to control a pod, etc.) so that he can take shortcuts. I think my biggest disappointment with the prequels is Anakin. He is supposed to be the tragic hero. As such, we are supposed to feel for him. I'll admit Lucas hasn't given the performers much to work with (the Anakin Prequel character is poorly conceived), but maybe a better actor would do a better job. Lucas should have used the Seventh Sense kid instead of whats-his-name and perhaps a tree instead of Hayden C. I want to feel for these characters, but I just can't. I'll be sad to see Padme go since she has been a good character. It would be sad to see Yoda & Obi-wan bearing the guilt of Padme's death and what Anakin has done, but I would assume that this happens in their isolation after RotS. I admit that I'm more willing to accecpt the OT than the Prequels. Part of the reason is that the OT makes it easier to accecpt as I mentioned above. The story is a little more complete (but certainly is not an epic or anything). Another reason is that the OT was created by a man with a vision. He made do with the resources that he had (which wasn't much at the beginning) and created a decent product. The Prequels are the product of a man who has virtually unlimited resources which unfortunately has resulted in a film that is more flash than substance. The vision is still there, but is it a vision that appeals to the masses and will influence a generation like the OT did?

The SW exhaust port was a security risk not a redundancy issue. Having the tractor beam control above a huge pit was a design flaw. At least they had to work for it in both cases. In TPM, Anacrybabykin flew a ship on auto pilot to a warzone, luckily ended up in the landing bay, accidently fired a torpedo (without any Use the Force mentoring), then came home all nice and safe. The exposed reactor in Jedi was a tactical flaw on Palpies part. He didn't think about the shield generator being taken out. That is what happens when you have a senile ruler. Having your entire remote controlled robot army controlled from one ship is just silly. Of course, what should I expect from a bunch of Eurotrash accented cowards. One problem I have with the prequels is I don't feel much attraction for most of the good guys (can't wait for them to be killed) and the enemy lacks the cool factor of the late Imperial period. Also, I feel that the story isn't all that compelling since we knew how it would end before it even began.

TPM is one of the worst movies I have ever watched. Despite the basic plot of hecticly running from planet to planet, the movie was still slow and boring. The whole premise of using a trade federation (A TRADE FEDERATION!) blockade and invade a planet to bring an obscure senator to power was a bit weak. Why did the Trade Federation want Naboo anyways? Was it for the resources, the industry, what? The entire Trade Federation is brought down because a kid accidently fires a missile down a hallway of ONE of their ships? Where do they keep the power generator - in a closet just outside the landing bay? Also, hanven't they ever heard of redundancy? Wouldn't you realize it was a bit of a risk to have all the systems that run your ENTIRE army on a SINGLE ship? Electronics in military weapons and operations are all about redundancy. Of course, what does a TRADE FEDERATION know about running a war?!?! The pathetic plot could have been accomplished in less than 2 hours. The evening news has the same content, but is a heck of a lot more exciting! Many of the characters were very 1 dimensional. Anakin was the poster child for annoying kids. Jar Jar was worse than the worseof Saturday morning cartoons. The Mace character was so flat that all Jackson could do was deliver a flat line then give a goofy smile (take a look at Mace in the movie, it is almost always flat line followed by goofy smile). Padme was a decent character. She starts the movie delaying as politicians do. She then switches to the politician's mode of questioning everything other people do as opposed to actually offering a worthwhile plan of her own. Eventually she redeems herself by givign up the disguise pretense and interacting with the Gungans as equals. She even has an action hero side to her character. I didn't think that AotC was a great movie, but it was certainly an improvement. The theme of running from planet to planet was still there, but at least the events that happened on the planets made the trip worthwhile. I could have done without the whole trip to Tatooine. For supposedly being a nothing in the middle of nowhere Tatooine sure gets a lot of important traffic. It is the most visited planet in the SW saga (visited in 4 out of 5 movies so far). I think it would have been sufficient for Anakin to never see his mother again and to eventually learn that she met a tragic death ALONE. The fact that she died in his arms gave her a little peace. It stands to figure that Anakin would be even more bitter if he knew that she died alone. Of course, Anakin's character is so simplistic that he is not capable of coming to this realization. The love story in AotC was really bad. Lucas should have contracted a writer with some experience in this area to add some chemistry to those scenes. I'm not saying that the characters had to jump each other in the field, but the scene could have been written in such a way that the audience could have detected a unstoppable romantic tension. I felt that some of the characters grew in AotC. Mace is more interesting now. We have seen that he is a man who is not afraid to make the difficult decisions. After receiving Obi-wan's message he heads off to Gen. to face impossible odds (it was not certain that Yoda would arrive with the clone army in time - or at all). Palpatine thinks for the longterm. He commisioned a clone army 10 years ago, has been watching Anakin all these years and has started on a super weapon. Padme is becoming my favorite character in the prerquels. She is the action hero politican that our world so sorely needs ;-) I have a couple of reservations about RotS. I'm afraid some of the scenes will not live up to expectations that have been building since childhood, but what ever does. I also feel that Lucas will be trying to cover too much in this movie so it may feel rushed (AotC had a good pace for the most part). I'll still see it, but I have to admit that I'm looking forward to Batman Begins more. Flame me all you want. This is just my opinion. Everyone else's will vary. I have not tried to say that my opinion is right and the opinion of others is wrong.

But I guess its ok for a nosecone to be hanging between the crotch of a Battroid? Just pulling your leg. Actually You hardly notice that nosecone in vector prime's back. It almost seems like its part of his cape thingy The nosecone on a VF-1 is integrated into the robot. That is how I like it. I feel that a lot of the recent Transformers are a vehicle with the robot legs folded under (looks like Vector Prime is like this) or a robot with half a vehicle hanging off (the new bomber is an example of this). Remy's pictures show that the nosecone down the back doesn't look too bad, unfortunately the vehicle mode is not as sleek as I first thought thanks to the legs folding under. The camera angles in the promo shots led me to believe that the vehicle mode was sleek much like the Star Wars E1 (gah, just saying it leaves a bad taste in my mouth) Sith Infiltrator. What is Vector Prime's gimmick? Are there any detailed photos of Starscream on the web yet? I want to see some candid shots to help me make a decision.

I've been looking forward to this for a long time. Mine shipped yesterday so I should have it in a week or two. The reported flaws seem minor to me comapred to some other toys I picked up this year. The last Yamato toy I got was the GBP back in Feb.! I have gone too long without Macross

I've never been crazy about the toys with Cybertron based alt modes. It often seems to be an excuse to have a simplistic transformation or to leave the head and hands hanging out. There have been too many vehicle modes with obvious heads in the recent TF lines for me. I may be tempted by the Cybertron Starscream if it is gray. I saw one picture where it looked white, which didn't look near as nice to me. Vector Prime looks interesting except for the huge nose cone that hangs down his back. I hope the rumor of aircraft BTs/Alts turns out to be true!

Doing something like this kinda annoys me. I'm not into screwing Ebay since the company has provided me with a service that allows me to unload my old stuff for much more than I ever would have been able to at a yard sale, a flea market or on newsgroups. Ebay has been a godsend for me. I've been screwed by buyers on Ebay, but I've never been screwed by the company itself.

This may just be the tip of the iceberg. It may be a good idea to put your foot down and establish some mutually acceptable ground rules before you get married. This can help smooth the transition to married life and build a good foundation for your future together. My wife has never had a problem with my collection, but she did have an issue with how much money I spent on it. We set some mutually agreeable limits before we got married and there has never been a problem. My advice is to discuss this with her and see if you can reach a compromise with which you are both comfortable. Marriage is give and take and this is something that should never be one sided.