Yes, I finally gave in and ordered myself the rather spiffy TransFormers Music Label Soundwave. While I consider the model to be somewhat flawed (the Gen 1 Purist in me says that the lower legs transform backwards, and all in the name of 'ar-tick-you-lay-shun'), let's face it... It's frikkin' Soundwave, people!
Gen 1 Soundwave was one of the finest toys to come out of Takara's Microchange catalogues, and there wasn't a 'proper' Soundwave until the wonderful stealth bomber version that graced Galaxy Force/Cybertron. Music Label Soundwave isn't just a remake, it's a very clever homage taking today's technology and building a classic Decepticon around it. Even if it's only ever on display, it'll look great on my TF Classics shelf. But, hell, it's a working MP3 player into the bargain. What's not to like?
There are a couple of things I would have done differently (ignoring the legs for the moment) such as making his weapons into 'batteries' that could be stowed inside him (if the battery compartment was made big enough for three AAA batteries, the weapons could have been made to scale and slotted in along with the real battery), and I might have been tempted to give him some kind of minion in the package, as well as having Music Label Rumble & Frenzy, but that's just me being picky and petty.
Spent some time today trying to think through a structure for my website redesign, and I'm fairly happy with the results so far. The complicated part will be actually putting it into some kind of practice, and deciding on a look. I'd like it to be more consistent this time - all sections looking similar - but what sort of overall look? I don't want it to be too TransFormers-centric, and I don't want it looking too plain... and then there's the logo, which will have to be 'remastered' for the new look.
I'm pretty certain that, once I've got this figured out, I will consider it the 'final' layout for the site. Changing the look every year was fun while I had the time, inclination and ideas... but I'm out of all three these days.
Tuesday, 31 July 2007
New arrivals
It hasn't actually arrived, as such... As with last time, Parcelforce have informed me that I have a package from the States (awaiting its final delivery now that I've paid the Customs charge). Of course, last time this happened, I still had to wait three days for it to be delivered, despite specifying the next day for delivery. Good old Parcelforce.
I'm assuming, going by the charge, that this is the BotCon Games of Deception set, rather than the more recently ordered/despatched Alpha Trion/Weirdwolf/Vector Sigma BotCon souvenir set. That makes it something like a three week lead time... I'm guessing that means it wasn't sent airmail ;)
Pretty sure I selected airmail for A3/Ww/VS, so there's a chance I'll get another letter from Parcelforce very soon... That, or the set will just be delivered, depending on whether or not it's picked up by Customs. Breakaway got through because he was marked up as a free gift... but the TFCC are very scrupulous about their labelling of other stuff - always the correct and full amount listed on the forms.
It'd be really cool to have received both by the end of the week, but I'm not counting on it.
I'm assuming, going by the charge, that this is the BotCon Games of Deception set, rather than the more recently ordered/despatched Alpha Trion/Weirdwolf/Vector Sigma BotCon souvenir set. That makes it something like a three week lead time... I'm guessing that means it wasn't sent airmail ;)
Pretty sure I selected airmail for A3/Ww/VS, so there's a chance I'll get another letter from Parcelforce very soon... That, or the set will just be delivered, depending on whether or not it's picked up by Customs. Breakaway got through because he was marked up as a free gift... but the TFCC are very scrupulous about their labelling of other stuff - always the correct and full amount listed on the forms.
It'd be really cool to have received both by the end of the week, but I'm not counting on it.
Assorted weirdness
Of course, I forgot to write about my latest weird dream... Not sure which night I had this one - Saturday or Sunday - and I don't remember much in detail.
It started out as a TransFormers videogame, using the models from Galaxy Force/Cybertron. The part I was playing involved Galaxy Convoy/Optimus Prime flying around a human city, above a canal with roads either side (which reminded me strangely of Acton High Street). Decepticons flew past as targets to be shot down, and it was all rather repetitive... Initially, it seems, I was flying backwards (out of the screen... or was that the right way? As I said, the details are rather hazy now), but switched direction and suddenly found it far easier to play.
For a while, the 'game' switched to first person perspective... I was Optimus Prime... and then I came in to land on one of the pavements by the canal, in amongst the people, and realised that I was back to being me again, because I was the same height as everyone else, rather than a massive robot. But I'd flown in... and no-one batted an eyelid, except in irritation that I was suddenly in their way.
It was night time, and I was pushing my way through neon-lit streets, in a rather shady part of town (I'm still thinking Acton), and I was on a mission... I had to find the back alley people go to when someone has gone missing, and they want them found.
My old mate Paul, it transpired, had been kidnapped - and not for the first time - because he'd fallen for the wrong girl. This kept happening because, no matter how many times he was captured, warned, roughed up, and released, he'd still go straight back to her. I felt that she liked him as well, so that was kind of alright... I just wanted Paul found and returned safely. For some reason, this time, I'd left it alone for two weeks (teaching him a lesson? Trying to make him think I wasn't going to help him this time? Who knows?) but was starting to think that might have been too long... perhaps he'd normally have been released by that point.
Anyway. I found the back alley, and tried to talk a man into helping me. He directed me to a box on the wall (kind of like the information points on the Underground, but dirtier) which was actually the doorway down to the gang hideout. The way it worked was that you put in money (minimum of 20p, using a variety of coins according to the labelling, but it worked like a phone, so the money counted for so many seconds, and you had to be sure you put enough in to get your message across) and then someone would 'solve your problem'. My first problem was trying to find the right change... by the time I'd settled on a £1 coin, the guy I'd talked to had become so frustrated with my ineptitude, he decided to open the door himself, so I ended up giving him the money (much to his confusion, I hasten to add).
That's about all I can remember clearly, but I think Paul was released... and ran straight back to the girl.
It started out as a TransFormers videogame, using the models from Galaxy Force/Cybertron. The part I was playing involved Galaxy Convoy/Optimus Prime flying around a human city, above a canal with roads either side (which reminded me strangely of Acton High Street). Decepticons flew past as targets to be shot down, and it was all rather repetitive... Initially, it seems, I was flying backwards (out of the screen... or was that the right way? As I said, the details are rather hazy now), but switched direction and suddenly found it far easier to play.
For a while, the 'game' switched to first person perspective... I was Optimus Prime... and then I came in to land on one of the pavements by the canal, in amongst the people, and realised that I was back to being me again, because I was the same height as everyone else, rather than a massive robot. But I'd flown in... and no-one batted an eyelid, except in irritation that I was suddenly in their way.
It was night time, and I was pushing my way through neon-lit streets, in a rather shady part of town (I'm still thinking Acton), and I was on a mission... I had to find the back alley people go to when someone has gone missing, and they want them found.
My old mate Paul, it transpired, had been kidnapped - and not for the first time - because he'd fallen for the wrong girl. This kept happening because, no matter how many times he was captured, warned, roughed up, and released, he'd still go straight back to her. I felt that she liked him as well, so that was kind of alright... I just wanted Paul found and returned safely. For some reason, this time, I'd left it alone for two weeks (teaching him a lesson? Trying to make him think I wasn't going to help him this time? Who knows?) but was starting to think that might have been too long... perhaps he'd normally have been released by that point.
Anyway. I found the back alley, and tried to talk a man into helping me. He directed me to a box on the wall (kind of like the information points on the Underground, but dirtier) which was actually the doorway down to the gang hideout. The way it worked was that you put in money (minimum of 20p, using a variety of coins according to the labelling, but it worked like a phone, so the money counted for so many seconds, and you had to be sure you put enough in to get your message across) and then someone would 'solve your problem'. My first problem was trying to find the right change... by the time I'd settled on a £1 coin, the guy I'd talked to had become so frustrated with my ineptitude, he decided to open the door himself, so I ended up giving him the money (much to his confusion, I hasten to add).
That's about all I can remember clearly, but I think Paul was released... and ran straight back to the girl.
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