My frustration with Micro Changers (KRE-o) - Cybertron.CA - Canadian Transformers News and Discussion

herooftheday316 · 01-20-2013, 02:53 PM

Hey guys,

I have opened up a couple of the Micro changers from the new wave and I am disappointed with the decision to keep the "backpacks" that keeps parts in robot mode. I really don't like that it in effect, remove all the cool painted detail on the front.

I don't under stand why they can't make it a half part so that it covers the neck and the back (or front depending on the robot) and leave the other half empty. Also, if you look at the packaging you get a mode that is impossible which has all the kibble as well as the painted detail showing.

Maybe one day we will get some repro labels or something to stick over the front that that we can have the full robot with proper kibble but also detail in the front. I just don't like the "we are wearing bullet proof vests" look.

-Mike

Protoman · 01-20-2013, 05:15 PM

I think the only thing that really gets to me is the whole "vest" concept. They take the time, effort and hell BUDGET, to paint nice detailed chests to match the characters G1 look, only to have it covered up in robot mode with those ugly molded "vests" so they can hold the robo-kibble. What's worse is in both modes (alt mode AND robot mode), the vest covers everything and thus the whole point of the painted details goes to waste.

What is worse is recently, there has been "vests" that are more like capes, in which they don't cover the nice front details, but those examples are few and far between.

I think 3rd party guys need to get ahold of that "cape" piece (found with say Constructicon Devastator's Scrapper for example) and remold it into different colors so Microchangers Scorponok, Waspitinator and the whole crew can sport their backpack kibble but STILL have their nice chest detail showing.

Sorry for the rant.

Mumps · 01-20-2013, 05:22 PM

Yeah, the Vests are the worst. With my Waspinator I cut off the front of the vest, and I trimmed off the visor on his helmet.

Most of my Transforming Kreons I keep with their parts in a separate baggie. Well, most parts anyway. I will be doing the same with this wave of Transforming Kreons when I finally get it. I'll likely buy 2 sets each of the Combiner teams. One to display combined, and one to display without transformy bits in front.

Bruticus82 · 01-20-2013, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mumps

Yeah, the Vests are the worst. With my Waspinator I cut off the front of the vest, and I trimmed off the visor on his helmet.

Most of my Transforming Kreons I keep with their parts in a separate baggie. Well, most parts anyway. I will be doing the same with this wave of Transforming Kreons when I finally get it. I'll likely buy 2 sets each of the Combiner teams. One to display combined, and one to display without transformy bits in front.

I agree with cutting off the front of the vest.

Not sure why the vests have fronts to begin with, since they're certainly capable of making "backpack only" vests. I mean heck, lego does it all the time (and as protoman noted, some Kreons do it too, more like a cape).

Protoman · 01-20-2013, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruticus82

(and as protoman noted, some Kreons do it too, more like a cape).

Exactly! It's one thing if somehow for some reason they could not do it or the mold does not exist, but it DOES. The cape mold does exist so why not use it. It's such a waste of paint to do up the chest and not have it seen in either mode.

Echotransformer · 01-20-2013, 10:09 PM

There's a guy on TFW2005 making all sorts of Kreo parts on Shapeways, maybe he's doing some vests...next time I'm there I'll ping him.

RNSrobot · 01-20-2013, 10:39 PM

I ditched the 'vest' on Galvatron, I like how he looks that way more anyhow. I pretty much agree 100% with everybody - the bots have nice details on the chest covered up by bland 'armor.' Spinister and Scorpononk...

rego00123 · 01-20-2013, 10:59 PM

yup. started to notice this the other day as well. its kinda silly...why put all the detail there only to cover it up with a generic human bullet proof vest from the battleship line?!?

DecepticonusPrime · 01-21-2013, 10:45 AM

Guys, just get the Lego piece - basically the same thing, but only covers the back.

I've been meaning to get some myself, but haven't gotten around to it. Apparently they work fine, though.

Scrapper6 · 01-21-2013, 11:21 AM

You guys seem to be under the mistaken impression that these Kre-O designers are LEGO designers. They probably don't even know what pieces they have in their inventory that can be used for all that back-kibble.

Or, in truth, it is entirely possible that Hasbro has mandated they get as much use (IE money) out of the parts used in the Battleship line due to how much of a flop it turned out to be... Seriously, TRU this year is getting an entire G.I.Joe Kre-O line and roughly 95% of the designs are re-used Battleship concepts. (Or unused Battleship concepts in the case of that G.I.Joe boat.)

Do I agree that painting the detail is a waste of time when adding the back kibble? HELL NO, these things are customizable, and for us older fans who prefer to have the detailing it would be a bigger dissapointment just to get plain jane Kre-O torsos without the painted detailing forcing us to stick with the Hasbro supplied back-packs.

Should we have to be forced to buy up LEGO counterparts in order to avoid the problems the backpacks cause? Not really, but what are we going to do about it? We can't force Hasbro to tell the Kre-O design team to stick with one or the other.

There could be cost issues to consider, maybe it's cheaper to produce the full on vest piece so that the Micro-Changers blind packed can still be competitive in the market.