Introducing Transformers Prime, Knockoff

 
 
Knockoff.
“WHAT’RE YOU LOOKIN’ AT????”
 
Function: Redundant.
A prototype that led to the creation of Makeshift, Knockoff was a failed experiment and has ever since always failed. He was created to mimic the forms of others, yet could never hold the form for long, leading to him reverting back at the most inopportune of times. Relinquished to the lowest rank with other Eradicons, he saw a chance to redeem himself when Cliffjumper and Arcee invaded the base he was stationed on in Cybertron.

Seeing his chance, he planned to scan and replace Cliffjumper, but was foiled by the Autobots sabotage of the base's space bridge. As Arcee and Cliffjumper jumped through, Knockoff made a dash to follow but was too late. His scan incomplete he only somewhat resembled Cliffjumper and was unable to copy all abilities. The explosion of the space bridge disfigured his face and damaged his systems to the point where he could no longer shape shift any more.

He is equipped with a kinoton hammer that he has modified into a short range kinoton rifle that fires a blast of kinoton protons that can shred metal and travel through obstacle for a range of 6 metres. It is extremely lethal in close quarters but is heavy and prone to jamming.

Knockoff retains some abilities from his previous form, he is able to reattach body parts, which is handy since they occasionally drop off due to no discernible reason. Having low confidence, he is quick to anger and is terribly violent when provoked. He has adorned himself with the Decepticon insignia as a way to prove his loyalty to Megatron and to minimise the possibility of being shot by fellow Decepticons on the battlefield. Insanely loyal to the Decepticon cause and more specifically Megatron, it is the only reason he put up with being the same rank as an Eradicon. He now harbours an intense hatred for Cliffjumper and longs to exterminate him, little does he know that that pleasure has been taken from him too.

Along with his rifle being prone to jamming, limbs dropping off at inopportune moments and looking suspiciously like an Autobot, Knockoff is also of low in intelligence, strength and speed. He talks himself up and will fail at almost any task he is given or takes on himself. However due to his loyalty, he will never give up. In fact his tenacity is his only redeeming feature.

BRS 2035. More Black Rocks.

Uh-oh.  Just like my increasing collection of Hatsune Mikus, it appears I am getting an increasing collection of Black Rock Shooters (BRS).  Luckily, I happen to like them both.  This iteration of BRS is designed from the PSP game, of which I am currently making my way through.  It was only released in Japan and to be honest is not all that compelling.

 

BRS 2035 appears to be an older version of BRS from the previous figma released.  She has a few different designs added that may or may not be an improvement. 

 

Let’s have a look.

 

Early Concept Armada Video game footage

I started thinking of this video a couple of days ago.  I remember in 2003, when I spent a long time on dial-up downloading this video to have a look at the gameplay of the first Transformers game in English on the PS2.  I think a lot of people managed to miss this as it was an early release, quite a bit earlier than any other gameplay vids.

What I find most interesting about this video is the incredible amount of things that were changed for the final product.  Entire level designs, skills and abilities and set pieces as well have all had a little change.

Have a look of the video and see what you can spot!










Some things to I noticed :

• 0:10 - Some sort of Decepticon base in the snow.
• 0:13 - Completely different section with what looks like a road.
• 0:27 - Different model Decepticlones.
• 0:29 - Gun emplacement use!
• 0:31 - Jolt Powerlinked to Hot Shot in vehicle mode!
• 0:35 - Jolt Powerlinked to Hotshot in robot mode for a hover-jump sort of thing.

I would have loved to have seen some of these abilities kept, as the powerlinking was just a bullet time effect, plus the powerlinking in vehicle mode would have been sweet as well.  Oh well, if you play the game (which is pretty good) and collect all the data-cons, you discover that quite a lot was cut from the final product, like a fight with Demolishor and more.  Oooo, what could have been.

Also please note that my conversion from quicktime (Barf!) to something else has changed the ratio, it should be square, not widescreen.

So after I eventually found it again on Gamespot, I had to go to the effort of downloading it as the site wouldn't play it.  So onto you tube it goes, for posterity of course.

So I hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane.  I had a bit of a hassle finding that video again and am glad I did now.  Oh the good old days.  

No, I don't know what I am referring to either...

Opening the Beast! BRS Beast!

Quick video shot of opening my figma BRSB!  WOOOO

Revoltech Tamonten. Godly figure

I recently had this dude arrive in my post box.  It’s an interesting choice of figure I thought and having seen this line advertised on a flyer in another Revoltech’s box, I was most curious.  I like the looks of these guys, and despite me getting him confused for Raijin and Fuujin, who I think guard the entrances to shrines in Japan, I am still pretty happy with this figure.

Ver Ka Fei Yen and Hatsune Miku. Um, Okay.

I saw this and wondered what the hell was going on.  Truly a strange crossover if ever there was one.  Fei Yen from the robot fighting game Virtua On, which I quite like.  Miku Hatsune from the game Vocaloid, which I am not so fond of, but like the character.  Both licenses owned by SEGA.  Completely unrelated.  Made by Bandai.

I smell money making cash in.

Final Beast Megatron Dragon!!!

So working on the theme of the Beast Wars Megatron and dragons, I present the final evolutionary dragon of him.  From the series that ended up having some of the same writers as the Animated show, but not quite up to that quality, it’s Savage/Noble from Beast Machines.  Or as the package calls him due to naming issues, Beast Changer.

Fall of Cybertron news and toys. ZOMG!!!!!!!

I am not normally one who likes repeating news like some crazy news repeating cockatoo, but I think I need to bring to attention some of the awesome things that are happening on the Fall Of Cybertron (The sequel for War for Cybertron) front.  Not only is the game shaping up pretty nicely with Grimlock being a playable character (Yes he is a Dinosaur as well!), but they are planning some toys, that number more than the four they previously released.

Another dragon for the new year.

So I have been thinking about my previous post about TM2 Megatron and colours and a lack of dragons, when really, there are quite a few dragons in Transformers.  Slowly but surely they are making their way from the deep dark (occasionally dank) recesses of my mind and a really obvious one is of course, Beast Machines Megatron.

There is also Scourge/ Flame Convoy from Galaxy Force.  I have also dug up another. Pics soon.

New Norcia Bush town in the past.

In September the better half and and I ran away from the city to avoid the Queen’s Birthday public holiday in Perth.  New Norcia has sort of been on my radar for a couple of years, but my recent wildflower trip and a talk to a friendly lady in the tourism centre in Geraldton convinced me that a trip to New Norcia would be a worthy adventure.