This is mostly about missiles to me. Why did every robot in G1 have it's own missiles, but at the same time they'd re-color and reuse molds in both the Diaclone, Microman, and Transformers lines? Then it'd keep going an going, through G2 and Beast Wars and every line thereafter. Same thing with GI Joe, or basically any other toyline from the 80s to today. Why are they redesigning even the mundane accessories like projectiles when they're trying to cut costs at every turn? Imagine if every figure's launcher was compatible with every figure in that line's projectile. I understand lengthening the projectile on reissues for child safety, but aside from that why all the seemingly unnecessary engineering that could have been used for funding for other things? Do Mirage, Sunstreaker, Jazz, and Prowl really need different shape missiles just because they're named different things in the fiction? Do all the Dinobots need different missiles when we all know nobody uses any of the launchers except Swoop and maybe Slag? If we changed a few hands the Dinobots could have all had the same swords too. Same for the Predacon swords, and Predacon guns. They're just slightly different as it is and people rarely use the weapons of individual parts of a combiner. People wouldn't miss it or even think about it if we never had it.

Also was it really necessary to take off the back end of the G2 Devastator and Inferno fists just because they removed the launchers?

On Friday, October 28, 2022 at 8:10:02 PM UTC-4, Ob1k...@att.net wrote:
> This is mostly about missiles to me. Why did every robot in G1 have it's own missiles, but at the same time they'd re-color and reuse molds in both the Diaclone, Microman, and Transformers lines? Then it'd keep going an going, through G2 and Beast Wars and every line thereafter. Same thing with GI Joe, or basically any other toyline from the 80s to today. Why are they redesigning even the mundane accessories like projectiles when they're trying to cut costs at every turn? Imagine if every figure's launcher was compatible with every figure in that line's projectile. I understand lengthening the projectile on reissues for child safety, but aside from that why all the seemingly unnecessary engineering that could have been used for funding for other things? Do Mirage, Sunstreaker, Jazz, and Prowl really need different shape missiles just because they're named different things in the fiction? Do all the Dinobots need different missiles when we all know nobody uses any of the launchers except Swoop and maybe Slag? If we changed a few hands the Dinobots could have all had the same swords too. Same for the Predacon swords, and Predacon guns. They're just slightly different as it is and people rarely use the weapons of individual parts of a combiner. People wouldn't miss it or even think about it if we never had it.
>
> Also was it really necessary to take off the back end of the G2 Devastator and Inferno fists just because they removed the launchers?

While I think individualized weapons add personality to a character (and in some cases are essential, as with Optimus Prime's rifle), for the most part, I'd be happy with generic blasters handed out to every character. The Titans Returns legends-class bots would have benefited from a small, generic pistol. Manufactured en masse, and replacing certain instances of personalized weaponry, it could save money for Hasbro and give every robot a weapon. Win-win?

While some might gripe about toy or screen accuracy, 3P kits could fill the void, while the rest of us would be happy just to have some armament for our bots.

On Friday, October 28, 2022 at 6:10:02 PM UTC-6, Ob1k...@att.net wrote:

> This is mostly about missiles to me. Why did every robot in G1 have it's own missiles, but at the same time they'd re-color and reuse molds in both the Diaclone, Microman, and Transformers lines? Then it'd keep going an going, through G2 and Beast Wars and every line thereafter.

I actually get confused about the G2 missiles sometimes. For some reason I can never remember whether it was Sideswipe or Jazz who had the blue launcher with the green missiles, and which one had the green launcher with blue missiles. Same with Ramjet and Starscream. I'm always conflating them in my mind.

Missiles and guns used to be really distinctive during G1. No other toy has missiles like Tracks or Roadbuster or Ultra Magnus. Then they went to that standard length and diameter and now it's just a sea of same-looking missiles to me. I can't tell them apart at all, unless there's something really distinctive about them, like the little face on Cybershark's missiles or something. I have to keep my missiles loaded into their launchers at all times, or else I have zero clue who they go to.

Given how little real estate a missile takes up on a production mold, though, I don't imagine they would save much money by recycling the designs. I do like the look of characters who have signature weapons, and they would have a little less personality if they all carried generic blasters.

Swords are a good example. You can tell a little something about a Transformer who wields a sword. Like, the Dinobots are kind of savages, so it makes sense for them to just want to chop things into bits. The Predacons are likewise animalistic so swords make sense for the characters. And then you have guys like Motormaster, who just hates everybody and would just as soon cut you in half than shoot you.

> Also was it really necessary to take off the back end of the G2 Devastator and Inferno fists just because they removed the launchers?

That always bugged me. G2 Inferno didn't even come with his gun-arm attachment.

Zob (I wonder if there's a support group for all the Transformers who only have one hand, like Shockwave and Trailbreaker and Hoist and Inferno and Grapple)