More than meets the eye.

[LemmingofGlory]

I had almost completely forgotten about that show: I used to love it as a kid. One of the things that really stuck in my head about it was that the toy companies could never decide if the leader guy was supposed to be an F-14 or an F-15.

I liked that the toys were just the right size for interacting with, e.g., G.I. Joe. Transformers were always too big to interact with anything that wasn't a Transformer. Except for those tiny cars that you could pull back to wind up a spring mechanism and make 'em go. Those went well with Hot Wheels, but their transformation was lame. Nonetheless, GoBots toys were ultimately cheap and broke accordingly. Speaking as someone whose toys only broke when a playmate came over and destroyed them, having GoBots toys spontaneously break on me was unprecedented... and poisoned me to them.

I don't remember much about the 80s GoBots or Transformers TV shows. I know I saw some of them, but cars and gadgets were never as big with me as some other things. I really enjoyed the Beast Wars TV show, though.

-Lemmy

[Doc]

I have Scooter standing on top of my computer monitor right now. Along with Bumblebee.

Ravage sits atop my router keeping an eye on everything.

On top of the hutch where all the dishes are kept, you can see Skywarp, Thundercracker, and Starscream. Skywarp and Starscream are in jet mode, Thundercracker is in robot mode.

There are a couple of them hiding around here. Megatron is hanging out with a real gun in a display case... People are dumb enough to ask me what kind of gun that is.

[Raelynn]

I have Scooter standing on top of my computer monitor right now. Along with Bumblebee.

Ravage sits atop my router keeping an eye on everything.

On top of the hutch where all the dishes are kept, you can see Skywarp, Thundercracker, and Starscream. Skywarp and Starscream are in jet mode, Thundercracker is in robot mode.

There are a couple of them hiding around here. Megatron is hanging out with a real gun in a display case... People are dumb enough to ask me what kind of gun that is.

I used to have a big tupperware box (like the under the bed kind) full of transformers and a few go-bots. My brother and I loved them as children. We even went so far as learning how to transform the 6-in-1 robot into every form when we were 5 even though our parents couldn't do it at all.

I had all of the Protectobots, but lost the helicopter unfortunately. That was I think the only full set of combining bots that I had. Now I have to go find them and revel i nthe memories. :)

[Rhydderch Hael]

There are a couple of them hiding around here. Megatron is hanging out with a real gun in a display case... People are dumb enough to ask me what kind of gun that is.

Megatron is based on a Walther P38— with all sorts of doohickeys attached.

I has this unfortunate tendency to take my Transformers apart. A kid with a screwdriver and 50+ Transformers is a dangerous thing. Made more than a few Frankenstiens, and those I reassembled never had enough friction in their joints to ever stand up on their own again.

[jahcs]

No GoBots for me, but the show was ok.

As far as Transformers I had Mirage (F1 racecar, and not the craptastic Machine Wars one either!) and Trailbreaker (4x4 truck).

Now my friend had most of them: Constructicons, Predacons, Protectobots, Metroplex, Shockwave, Astrotrain, Jetfire (anyone notice the similarity with Robotech on this one???), the Dinobots, Galvatron... The list goes on and on.

[Rhydderch Hael]

... Jetfire (anyone notice the similarity with Robotech on this one???) ...

There is no similarity. 'Similarity' implies that there is some small degree of difference— Jetfire is identical to the Robotech robots. Right down to the gun and the detachable armor/booster suite. You could even transform him part-way just as the Robotech machines did, throwing out their engine nacelles as legs and the arms out to fire the rifle while still bearing a resemblence to a fighter airframe.

Bear in mind that, in the show, the Transformer was known as Skyfire. For odd merchandising reasons, they simply took the Robotech model, slapped some Autobot decals on it, and sold it as Jetfire.

By the by, my Jetfire was one of the few that were spared from the screwdriver.

[Chesspiece_face]

There is no similarity. 'Similarity' implies that there is some small degree of difference— Jetfire is identical to the Robotech robots. Right down to the gun and the detachable armor/booster suite. You could even transform him part-way just as the Robotech machines did, throwing out their engine nacelles as legs and the arms out to fire the rifle while still bearing a resemblence to a fighter airframe.

Bear in mind that, in the show, the Transformer was known as Skyfire. For odd merchandising reasons, they simply took the Robotech model, slapped some Autobot decals on it, and sold it as Jetfire.

By the by, my Jetfire was one of the few that were spared from the screwdriver.

This was all because of american liscensing issues. The copywrite for the Macross Toys was only held in japan, thus allowing transformers to use the toy model for Jetfire. The copywrite for the image use in america, however, was liscensed to Harmony Gold when they released Robotech in america (Robotech being the amalgamation of the japanese series Super Dimensional Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross, and Genisis Climer Mospeada). Thus the reason that in the Transformers cartoon Jetfire was named Skyfire and had a different model. They couldn't use the image of the Macross Mecha.

Edit: Add Link; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jetfire

[Xanthix]

This was all because of american liscensing issues. The copywrite for the Macross Toys was only held in japan, thus allowing transformers to use the toy model for Jetfire. The copywrite for the image use in america, however, was liscensed to Harmony Gold when they released Robotech in america (Robotech being the amalgamation of the japanese series Super Dimensional Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross, and Genisis Climer Mospeada). Thus the reason that in the Transformers cartoon Jetfire was named Skyfire and had a different model. They couldn't use the image of the Macross Mecha.

Yes, the tale of the permissions involved with Macross and Robotech in America is a long and complicated one. Over the years, FASA (the Battletech people) have also been involved. You may notice certain similarities between Skyfire/Jetfire, Veritech fighters, and the Phoenix Hawk land-air mech.

[Chesspiece_face]

Teaser Trailer is up Here.

If you have an hour to let it load up. The site is pretty pounded.

[Roland]

Teaser Trailer is up Here.

If you have an hour to let it load up. The site is pretty pounded.

Not even really worth the hassle, unless you're a die-hard fan and just HAVE to see EVERYTHING. Like me.:D

More CGI stuff, but still no meat. Very Blizzard-like teasing.:P

[DeeBye]

Teaser Trailer is up Here.

If you have an hour to let it load up. The site is pretty pounded.

It loaded nice and fast for me:huh:

Apparently this (warning, 1.5MB image) is supposed to be a leaked photo from the movie set. I don't know if this is an image from the movie itself, or just a picture taken of the set. I think it's supposed to be Bumblebee.

I'm starting to get really excited about this movie.

[kandrathe]

It loaded nice and fast for me:huh:

Apparently this (warning, 1.5MB image) is supposed to be a leaked photo from the movie set. I don't know if this is an image from the movie itself, or just a picture taken of the set. I think it's supposed to be Bumblebee.

I'm starting to get really excited about this movie.

Not for me. I hate when flash content doesn't precache enough before the start of playing.

[Munkay]

Not for me. I hate when flash content doesn't precache enough before the start of playing.

I agree completely. Poor idea on the flash side, the movie is an element that should load regardless of the play or stop commands. I had to stop "watching" the movie half way through it, I couldn't stand the half loaded chop.

*pokes around on google for a mirror of the video*

Cheers,

Munk

[Mithrandir]

I agree completely. Poor idea on the flash side, the movie is an element that should load regardless of the play or stop commands. I had to stop "watching" the movie half way through it, I couldn't stand the half loaded chop.

Just hit pause, let it finish loading and then hit play. Voila!:)

[kandrathe]

Just hit pause, let it finish loading and then hit play. Voila!:)

Oh, I tried that. It doesn't seem to load unless it's playing.

[Roland]

Oh, I tried that. It doesn't seem to load unless it's playing.

The bar doesn't seem to move, but I can assure you that it does load. At least, I'm pretty sure.:DI did that when I played it. I kept unpausing every so often, and it had downloaded a significant chunk each time. I think it just loads SO slowly you don't notice it.

[Chesspiece_face]

Oh, I tried that. It doesn't seem to load unless it's playing.

it does load even if it isn't playing. but like i said, it took me about an hour to load it up.

[DeeBye]

it does load even if it isn't playing. but like i said, it took me about an hour to load it up.

It took me less than 30 seconds :huh:

[Munkay]

It took me less than 30 seconds :huh:

Today it loaded in about a minute. My problems must have been due to a large volume of traffic trying to watch the trailer.

As far as the movie itself, it will be interesting to see the direction it goes in. The preview seems to make it a more serious action movie - perhaps trying to cash in on the original fans who are now an older crowd? The director Michael Bay's list of directing accomplishments include Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, Bad Boys II, and last years film The Island. These could be a good indication of what to expect. Only time will tell,

Cheers,

Munk

[Raelynn]

Today it loaded in about a minute. My problems must have been due to a large volume of traffic trying to watch the trailer.

As far as the movie itself, it will be interesting to see the direction it goes in. The preview seems to make it a more serious action movie - perhaps trying to cash in on the original fans who are now an older crowd? The director Michael Bay's list of directing accomplishments include Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, Bad Boys II, and last years film The Island. These could be a good indication of what to expect. Only time will tell,

Cheers,

Munk

The description which I had heard was that it was going to be a "boy and his car" type of movie, which wouldn't make it as good as I would want. I also don't like the changes to what the characters are (what they transform into), though I understand why they do it.