TFW2005 member BB Shockwave unearthed a treasure trove of images shared by Hasbro Concept Designer Aaron Gray, ranging from characters in the Transformers War For Cybertron: Siege and Power of the Primes lines to BotBots and even Fan Votes.
- Siege Optimus vehicle exploration. I kicked this back and forth with the talented Yuya Onishi of Takara Tomy a few times. We ended up moving forward with the sketches on the left side of the page.
- Way back in 2016 I had the honor of pitching a spin off Transformers IP (along with my manager John Warden) to Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner and the rest of Hasbro Senior Management as a part of our internal “Grand Idea Fair” competition. It’s a radical departure from the super G1 designs that we were doing on Generations and I’m super proud of Hasbro for going through with something so bold.
Review a mirrored selection of images attached to this post, scan the full galleries and commentaries here, then sound off on the 2005 boards!
BB Shockwave
Well, pretty much all of that movie was "we don't want new things, the prequels did that and people hated the prequels! Give us exactly the same but slightly different!"
I think with Sideswipe and maybe other characters too, Hasbro had a limit on how many should be "Cybertronian only" molds like seekers and Springer and Hound, and how many were meant to have always been pre-molds for Earth versions.
That's PotP Primal's small robot mode. And I do wish we could have gotten it, because then he would have turned into more than a hoverboard… But frankly, I sold that toy after I got Kingdom Primal. I only need one Primal toy anyway.
How so? It looks exactly the same as the toys we have gotten, the only difference is the cannons seem to be integrated into the wings instead of being separate.
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I will never get why people hate that mold. It has minimal undercarriage, practically no hollow parts that's so fashionable to hate these days, and some very innovative transformation especially with the nosecone splitting in half to form the shoulder intakes. I don't think I ever bought as many repaints of the same mold as I have with that toy.
No, sadly not yet. Coffeemus Prime is a thing though. Bonz-Eye does exist, but is far blockier and more like a block of moss in a pot than this artwork.
Bonz-Eye? She was in series one, actually! Even has a repaint, Silent Shade.
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I think he and Tracks were brothers or something in IDW comics, hence why they were in the VS artwork together. Honestly, since we are getting Tracks, and we have gotten all the other characters on these artwork (Mirage, Impactor, Wheeljack, Spinister) I am sure Needlenose is just a matter of time.
Given that people like Chris Wyatt are working on it, I have hope it will actually be good.
Chainlink
Hovercar Sideswipe is gorgeous! Wish we would've gotten that instead.
JT-bob
Perhaps you're misunderstanding what I was getting at, I specifically meant the missile pods when the halves fold out, he doesn't really do that, there's just a void there and a 5mm port on the inside wall. It's nothing like the execution in the art, just having the part fold out without a weapon leaves it pointless.
darthsutius
"Well, we went back and forth on the design for Optimus a few times, but in the end decided to go with the least interesting design possible. So, G1 Prime with bits and a hat."
GoldDeadEnd
Yeah definitely not my favorite mold even among the few plants.
Toadalinakong
Those other designs for Prime\'s truck cab…so much better. Siege really missed the mark in terms of the cybertronian theme imo
Mercutio
So something went horribly wrong, and the actual toy has no tree. Seems like it would have been simple to have the head slide up over the trunk, but oh well!
Philip164
I never picked up any Bot Bots (I'm not a fan of how there sold); but if they make those bases in the relaunch, I might buy them. I still have no hope the Netflix show will be anything, but a unfunny TTG clone.
Q Prime
He does that, and he has 5mm ports to plug in weapons. Just no sculpted in wee missiles.
Applejacktimus
Nothing yet. But through styrene sheets, nylon hinges, and sheer will, I will make it happen.
Optimus1138
Those alternate Siege vehicle mode designs are so much cooler than most of the ones we got.
jametron
Ahhhh dude, I feel like I should know who it is, but all I can think is Needlenose or something, but I know that’s not it. Hell, it took me a sec to realize that was Spinister with WJ.
Ramberk Magnus
Honestly, Siege Sideswipe looks great in both modes its just that these alternative takes are also very cool. I think that even goes for Optimus and the Seeker designs. I like what we got but you can't help but wonder what these alternative designs would look in real life.
The other thing to consider is if the design is too complex, it might have bumped up the figure in a size class. I think Siege Starscream is worth every penny as a voyager but I also think if he got a more complex design and got bumped up to leader-class a lot of fans would complain loudly. There's compromises in the design process, what are you gonna do?
Maybe in the far future when earth-mode and cartoon emulating designs have been exhausted we can go back to some more of these experimental ideas.
Requiem Prime
Checking out sideswipe, I assume they were willing to go way more alien, but leaned more grounded. Designing for earth mode potential makes a lot of sense given they obviously knew ER was incoming (though it\'s funny for Sideswipe since instead of space vs earth they just split the difference with more of a concept car).
Magnum Dongus
I did get Siege Optimus, but I feel the same way about ER Optimus. I didn’t get him because he was so similar to the figure that I had already bought a year prior. If there was any more effort put into designing more distinct alien vehicle modes I’m sure there would be a lot more people buying both toys of the same character. Not only that, but I still can’t conceive of why the hell they didn’t make toys of all the few characters who actually got Cybertron modes in the show?
drmick
Ban request
JT-bob
Aww Slash, you were supposed to be awesome with your tail tip that turned into twin blades.
Ironhide's fold-open van that turned into more guns in alt mode really deserved to get used as an idea, Hasbro totally fumbled that figure's back half.
GoldDeadEnd
Good luck! And I'll warn you, these things are addictive.
diablogunner
Ahh crap, now I gotta go try to find this guy! Thanks!
Robogeek28
That Slash art looks sooooo much better than the one on my shelf….