Not sure where this is coming from or if it’s even official, but a stop motion video of a new Beast Wars Dinobot toy has made it’s way online via Weibo. He looks great either way and would fit well with the recently released Beast Wars Rhinox and Rattrap Generations figures. If we get further clarification on it’s official (or not) status, we’ll update here. Check the video out below!
Edit: Since the video auto-plays, we’ve moved it to the full story page. Read on to check it!
Update: Sorry folks, it’s been revealed that this is indeed only a fan-made figure.
SkidsandMudflap
Third parties just copy this and give me my Dinobot already!
Vexwing
That came to light after I posted this in the news forum days ago, someone decided to move it here apparently.
Xephon0930
Really wishing a 3rd party company would do a Voyager sized Dinobot right now.
The design on this Weibo video just has all the right elements of a great Dinobot figure.
GAUGE
This was already proven to be nothing more than a fan-made custom.
it's fun to speculate though.
TM2 Dinobot
This is so a fan custom.
Verno
Why has no one digi-bashed some pics yet? I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to know what he'd look like with some paint apps.
Ribieconvoy
You got me there, I totally forgot about digital sculpting, but again, the problem with that is converting the final product into a workable file format to use with a CAD program, which isn't as simple as it seems. Art and engineering programs don't typically play well together because their solids are made using very different methods that are hard for the programs to interpret back and forth. I think traditional sculpting will always be a bit more intuitive when possible, though.
Verno
Masterpiece Megatron. Ctrl + P.
Cheebs
Again, Zbrush is a thing that exists. You can sculpt right on the computer.
[Wing_Saber-X]
Fake or not.. Eh, I'll just stick to the 2006 Takara Henkei release, thanks.
Ribieconvoy
Creating a car in a CAD program isn't that hard if you know how to use the tools, and these would be the same tools used to make stuff like the basic curves seen in products like third party dinobots. Those curves aren't hard to make, as you can create lines with control points and manually bend them, but the process gives you much more rigid results.
With the organic shapes required by true beast modes though, you'd need to sculpt a general shape in a separate, vertex based modeling program and then split it and import it into a CAD program in a format you can work with (this is the key part, since there are countless 3d file formats) in order to add all the joints and whatnot, which is much harder, but I assume Hasbro and Takara have dedicated software suites for that kinda thing. I'd imagine stuff like scales or fur are then added by hand once they're able to get to a physical prototype stage.
This is coming from somebody with actual experience in both types of modeling I mentioned (I'm no professional, but I'm an engineer so I've dabbled with both for school and on my own time since I'm also into art), so I can definitely stand up for SPLIT LIP in that area. I definitely think that the difficulty of pulling off a decent realistic beast mode sculpt is the sole, or at least an important, factor in why we haven't gotten any 3P Beast Wars yet.
SPLIT LIP
I'm not talking about unofficial companies as a whole. I actually debated bringing up PWTT but they're not really doing organic transforming figures. (that I'm aware of) I'm talking about 3rd party Transformers and what they've done so far and how that impacts my prediction of what will and will not happen. (also, they have Aaron Archer I think. He has experience)
Also, I'm just quoting this because this is a good point that I didn't notice mentioned until now. That Tailgate is exactly something that feels like it could be a really, really good official figure. It's spot-on and amazing in likeness to the comic.
Ya, that's basically my point. It's organic, but smooth, a little cartoonish (though that could very well be the intent) but I mean it's literally the first time I've seen anything close to what I'm describing. (also, damn that's big) Pretender shell or not.
Grimlockimus
Well until this week I suppose. Nothing grand or spectacular but apparently Fansproject is producing some organic dino shells for their upcoming Dinoking set.
But I do agree with you, 3rd party creations have yet to match the kinds of organic designs found in toys like Rhinox or Rattrap, though hopefully that changes in the future and we can move away from the constant edged and blocky G1 designs.
llamatron
Again, he doesn't know what he's talking about. Smile and nod because track record indicates he won't stop talking until everyone agrees with him or gets tired.
llamatron
Pretty sure there are other amateur studios out there that have sculpted organics. Look at play with this too and lots of other examples. It is not some impossible to tame beast like you incorrectly believe. The reason why we haven't seen any Tf 3rd parties try it is either because the designers and or investors have no personal interest in it, or they consider it to not be sufficiently profitable.
Oh other example is that 3rd party TMNT monster figure. Forget the name.
Cheebs
You know stuff like Zbrush exists, right? You literally sculpt by hand on the computer these days.
And when you say 3p is sterile and lifeless, that has to be your personal bias or something. It's just not true. See Tailgate above.
SPLIT LIP
But the evidence presented says otherwise. I mean, the simple fact that it's never once been attempted by anyone is pretty damning. Statistically you'd think someone would have tried it were any of them capable, of the many years and many, many seperate companies?
I never said it was easy, just easier. Especially with a computer.
Ironically, it'd probably be easier to actually sculpt an animal, because they're imperfect, wheras hand-sculpting a car would be super hard to keep it all even and look like a real car. Which brings me to something I feel the need to clarify: when I say sculpting, I mean sculpting by hand. I don't mean modelling, like in a computer. They're not interchangable terms to me. So when I say 3rd parties can't sculpt like HasTakTom, I literally mean they can't/don't. That it's not the same process, which creates these very sterile, dare I say lifeless designs because it's all made in a computer.
EDIT: BTW, this is getting a little off-topic. Especially since the point is moot because the figure in question is neither official nor 3rd party, so discussing who can do a better version of it here is redundant. I've said my final piece here, so if you want to give yours, I vote we cut this echange short. (or at least save it for a relevant discussion)
Cheebs
It's never come up. Just because it's never come up doesn't mean they can't do it.
And no, it's not easy to sculpt a car.
Anyway, we're getting way off topic so…
There. Subtle sculpted curves.
SPLIT LIP
Not even close, man. There's no car curve preset, yes, but a car chassis is far simpler than a rhino's head.
They haven't shown me any ability that even comes close to actual, organic animal textures of any kind. Cars don't have dimples and wrinkles and scales.
Cheebs
Yes, it is. There is no car curve preset on a computer. Scoria's horn is no different than the one on Rinox.
Are you just talking about wrinkles and scales? Do you really think they can't make wrinkles and scales?