There are a couple questions here and I'll do my best to answer them all. * Why does Soundwave need to be changed? Because it's ridiculously out of date and unrelatable to anyone born in the last 25 years. Even if we extend that to 35 years, it's only a faint memory. Soundwave most as well turn into a rock now. Furthermore, the brand should be kept fresh, original and exciting rather than regurgitating the same stuff from 40 years ago. A religious devotion to the past is how you end up becoming Masters of the Universe or GI Joe. A brand that will die with the bulk of the original fans. Originality is how you get new audiences and keep things alive. Producing product with something new to offer like BW, Armada, 07 and to a lesser extent, Car Robots. * When was the last time you've seen a VW Beetle, Microscope or Space Shuttle? VW Beetles were only fully discontinued 5 years ago and Nissan produces a similar car. Not only that, but Bumblebee has been a wide variety of cars since 1995, from sports cars to little hatch backs. Microscopes are still used, barely changed and Perceptor isn't a prominent character brand wide. I'm not sure who you're referring to with Space Shuttle, my mind goes to Armada Jetfire, but Space Shuttles are still used and have a rule of cool to them. If you mean Astrotrain, he too isn't a prominent character brand wide, Trains only work in Japan and he has been updated to be a Bullet Train before. If anything, research needs to be done into what is the most universally used train and that used as a base for what Astrotrain should be.
It doesn't. And Hasbro has no real intentions of changing it either. G1 Soundwave will always be a Microcassette player. Other versions that aren't G1 tend to have different alt modes or if they are G1 inspired they might not transform at all (Cyberverse for instance).
@@SGD_ToysDownUnder I argue the cassette player is just as iconic , maybe you should get out of Transformers collectors circles a bit , watch young people watching Transformers 86 for the first time ........ they are always delighted by Soundwave and Blaster ........ they are always "no way !!!" When Megatron turns into a gun
Dude, I empathize, my dog just recovered from some mystery illness the vet couldn't figure out. Had to feed her with baby food and syringe because no appetite for about 4 days. She's finally gaining her weight back and eating on her own now. Wishing the best for Shi Shi and full recovery. 👍 ❤🐶
Thanks, I appreciate it and I'm sure Shi Shi does too. :) How is your girl going now? Good I hope. The vet not knowing sounds like financial hell in terms of tests, which I can sympathise with completely. For Shi Shi, it's more about keeping an eye on her and understanding what her triggers are. Lifelong thing, unfortunately.
On the one hand, I love the idea. Tapes that work more like Roller but transform into different drones is also an option. From a strictly toy perspective, it's fun. On the other hand, how does it scream "Soundwave"? I wonder if you could achieve similar results using Legacy Bulkhead as a base, since it has a cavity at the back if you remove all the weapons.
Maybe go into a different route and make him a hyper sonic reconnaissance aircraft like the Darkstar or the Yf-12. Instead of cassettes, he uses missiles and bombs in a rotatory bomb bay. Bombs for Ravage, Rumble Frenzy. Cruise missiles for Lazerbeak, Buzzsaw, & Rat bat. The nose could open up and a system similar to the Sky hook Fulton recovery system for picking up the ground units. He would have to be a commander class to properly fill that role.
It's adjacent to what Cybertron did with Soundwave, I mentioned it at the end, but the Blackbird is a fun jet as a toy. Very unique shape, appealing. Maybe even throw in a cute reference using the Cobra Night Raven?
If you want to update him, have him become a mobile phone with SIM / Micro SD cards; a tablet with the same, an all in one computer with USB cards, a stud finder, or any other random handheld or tech.
Can't help but say it over and over!! "The redeaigns of TF Prime are absolutely PERFECT!!" Look at the new soundwave design! He's large and lanky, with these tentacle things that help him to gather more data from computers. lazerbeak is still hidden on his chest to run recon, AND, the cherry on top, his alt mode is a Spy Drone!! That is GENIUS!! Soundwave is the communication specialist of the Decepticon's. He gathers intel and makes sure that Megatron has all the information he needs to make plans. A spy drone is an amazing reinterpretation of Soundwave. He stays mute, speaking only if he has too. He's creepy as hell and I think it works amazingly! As always, only my opinion, but giving the Decepticon's their ACTUAL roles in this "army," gives them way more personality! Like Knockout is a medic, he doesn't fight really, like Ratchet on the other side. TF Prime I think, is a part of TF lore that is absolutely what we needed! If you haven't seen it! Go find it! Completely satisfying from beginning to end!!
Instead of deploying "bombs", how about drones? Soundwave would already be a stealth bomber. They can still maintain specific functions like demolition, sabotage, assassination, abduction and surveillance. That eliminates the term bomb for something that doesn't explode.
I have a personal concept of something similar for Astrotrain--giving him triple-changing minibots, that go between train car, and space station module.
what if soundwave is an APC? the little minibots maybe they don't have an alt mode, so the robots just come out of the back so he has a little assault team with him?
Yeah, similar has been discussed in other comments. I'm not totally sure you could pull it off now, but 20-25 years ago with bigger, less complicated toys that had play patterns? Fantastic idea.
Soundwave was so iconic, and I had many transformers but for reason just didn't get him. I think he was hard to find at the time. My friend had it so got to experience his awesomeness and was able to at least get Ravage. But I wonder why they skipped the the Discman🤔
I wish the classics Soundwave toy would have come out, with the back of his SUV alt mode turning into his chest similar to universe 2.0 ironhide. The backgate would open to facilitate the gimmick. Honestly, it doesn't matter if it makes sense that guys can fit into his chest. It's just what he does.
There kinda was a Soundwave from that particular mold: Shattered Glass "Sir Soundwave". It was a convention exclusive, though, and like just about all the SG figures from then, a much more creative idea than the drivel Hasbruh shoveled out recently (the only good ones of the current SG figures are Jetfire, Hot Rod, & Sideswipe).
As a Voyager or Ultra, it could have worked. You have toys like Armada Red Alert in that Voyager/Max Con price point with the whole back of the vehicle as a battery pack for lights and sounds. If you go that far back, maybe through like 2009, I think the budget and size would have been there to execute the idea properly. I don't think it can be done today unfortunately.
I once had an idea years ago to make Soundwave an animal character. A larger creature with a bunch of drones. Something like a Queen Bee or Queen Ant. I know that is kind of dumb. Also I could see him being a van but don't have him have his chest be the hood of the car. Hide it under the car on the bottom and just have it slide up or something unto the chest. Then his tapes could instead just be troops that unload from the spy van etc.
A surveillance vehicle with surveillance drones that can fly or go on land. Laserbeak and Ratbat could go from their regular animalistic modes to radio controlled spy cars, or even better, those quadruped robots. Frenzy, Rumble, Ravage, Slugfest and Overkill could be quadcopter drones. And you could store them on Soundwave while his "chest door" acts as a deploy mecanism.
I think the ultimate problem with the van is size. It's hard to create the void in there to pack them in unless it's a big toy or lacks complexity to accommodate it. I thought about it myself, it's not like you can't see Laserbeak and Ratbat inside A. Soundwave either, but pulling it off, especially now. Tough. Probably could have been done during Armada ~ Classics when the design philosophies were different.
I've seen some concepts for prototype drone deployment vehicles from the early 2000's, like from actual militaries/military contractors. Think of something like an armored truck, APC, or one of those police surveillance vans, but instead of the backs being loaded with people, they're full of quadcopter drones and things like that. I'm not sure how exactly the cassette crew would all play into the alt mode (they can't all be quadcopters, Laserbeak/Buzzsaw being flying drones would make the bird modes redundant, etc), but I'm sure someone more creative than I am could come up with something cool. With all that said, while I do see your point I disagree to an extent. I'd go so far as to say Soundwave is in the top 5 most instantly recognizable Transformers; right up there with Prime, Bee, Megatron and Shockwave. You show any casual fan Soundwave and they know him right away. And while I myself likely play a role in this, even my less-than-casual family and friends know who he is (and what his alt mode is) at a glance. My point here is that Soundwave is big enough in TF that we don't need him to be something new and fresh (*yet). Nobody is really asking "why does that truck/bomber/spaceship guy have little guys in his chest?" cause they most all know it's Soundwave and the little guys are part of his identity. Now for "*yet." Could this whole thing be a problem for His Superior-ness later? Yes, absolutely 100% yes. Soundwave's cassette-player mode is too specific. The other characters being cars, trucks, bikes, tanks, jets, etc all work cause either A) the aesthetics of that tech haven't changed as drastically as music players over the last 40 years or B) there's _always_ new ones coming out to take inspiration from. For Soundwave, Hasbro will eventually need to reinvent the character and do something completely new with him. Our music players haven't been strictly music players for almost 2 decades now. We don't use CD or MP3 players, boomboxes or radios (outside of cars) anymore; we have phones and tablets that're essentially fully functional, handheld computers. In closing, it's a conundrum with some potential solutions, but I don't think it's yet as glaring an issue as you're making it out to be. Give it another 10 years though...?
his new altmode should be a 3d printer. printing new bodies for fallen companions after he collects their sparks from the battlefield. it would be perfect. qiditech x-max looks like it could EASILY be a soundwave alt mode.
I think he should have the attitude that he can use any previous alt mode at anytime he wants. We know they can morph themselves somehow using the dimension pocket that Prime uses for his trailer so why not?
He should be a Microcassette player. Nobody gives a shit if you think it outdated. Everyone who knows Transformers even if they were born in the last 10 years knows that is Soundwave.
I don't think it's outdated, it IS outdated. It's been outdated for 30 years. The 80s are literally 40+ years ago now. I doubt anyone born in the last 10 years cares about Transformers given how badly the franchise is currently going. Kids don't care about our beloved Gen X cartoon.
Should have been the centerpiece of Real Gear Robots, it's fun as a novelty item, but it has the same issue as the Soundbar. Why is the game console just laying around? How is it a fun toy?
If anything, they should keep him as a micro-cassette player. G1 Soundwave was from a story that took place in 1984~86; and back then the Micro-cassette recorder was used for gathering information, which is what Soundwave did. To make him into something modern, would be akin to trying to make Mary Shelly's Frankenstein 'modern'. What would the Frankenstein story look like if it were set in 2024? Yeah, nah, G1 Soundwave is perfect as he is, and if the kids ask "What is that?"; that'll be the perfect opportunity to give them a small informal history lesson.
I don't think the retro setting works for things aimed at children and I really don't think things directed at kids should need explaining by the older gens. It takes away from the idea the property is fresh, contemporary and 'for them', makes it feel old and uncool, the problem most of the legacy properties are having right now. I mean, there is totally an argument for retiring Soundwave as a character for new IP and just using him in media in older IP. Movie Blackout being redesigned would keep some of the play pattern and be fun, plus he was originally meant to be Soundwave.
He could become a DAC 👈. 🤯 Technology that is readily being used today by audiophiles and still looks somewhat like a cassette player. His cassetes could just be hard light projections.🤯 Like those energon cubes he been making since episode 2.
@bendyandtheyoutubechannel4372 And Siege. But I think @ryanwike2780 wants something more like actual armor, not slabs called "shields" or whatever marketing called the tapes in WfC.
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
I suppose he could always go back to being a lamp post.
I mean, it's lore appropriate and he's got a reason to be there. Traffic Lights would work too.
You cant fix perfection.
Takio Ejima did :P
Why does Sound Waves alt mode need be changed ? When is the last time you seen a VW Beetle ? Or a microscope ? A space shuttle ?
There are a couple questions here and I'll do my best to answer them all.
* Why does Soundwave need to be changed?
Because it's ridiculously out of date and unrelatable to anyone born in the last 25 years. Even if we extend that to 35 years, it's only a faint memory. Soundwave most as well turn into a rock now. Furthermore, the brand should be kept fresh, original and exciting rather than regurgitating the same stuff from 40 years ago. A religious devotion to the past is how you end up becoming Masters of the Universe or GI Joe. A brand that will die with the bulk of the original fans. Originality is how you get new audiences and keep things alive. Producing product with something new to offer like BW, Armada, 07 and to a lesser extent, Car Robots.
* When was the last time you've seen a VW Beetle, Microscope or Space Shuttle?
VW Beetles were only fully discontinued 5 years ago and Nissan produces a similar car. Not only that, but Bumblebee has been a wide variety of cars since 1995, from sports cars to little hatch backs. Microscopes are still used, barely changed and Perceptor isn't a prominent character brand wide. I'm not sure who you're referring to with Space Shuttle, my mind goes to Armada Jetfire, but Space Shuttles are still used and have a rule of cool to them. If you mean Astrotrain, he too isn't a prominent character brand wide, Trains only work in Japan and he has been updated to be a Bullet Train before. If anything, research needs to be done into what is the most universally used train and that used as a base for what Astrotrain should be.
It doesn't. And Hasbro has no real intentions of changing it either. G1 Soundwave will always be a Microcassette player. Other versions that aren't G1 tend to have different alt modes or if they are G1 inspired they might not transform at all (Cyberverse for instance).
People still drive old Beetles
@@SGD_ToysDownUnder I argue the cassette player is just as iconic , maybe you should get out of Transformers collectors circles a bit , watch young people watching Transformers 86 for the first time ........ they are always delighted by Soundwave and Blaster ........ they are always "no way !!!" When Megatron turns into a gun
@@stingysmailbox8209 people still collect and listen to tapes ....... all kinds of old tech ........ some people are into Morse code still
Dude, I empathize, my dog just recovered from some mystery illness the vet couldn't figure out. Had to feed her with baby food and syringe because no appetite for about 4 days. She's finally gaining her weight back and eating on her own now.
Wishing the best for Shi Shi and full recovery.
👍 ❤🐶
Thanks, I appreciate it and I'm sure Shi Shi does too. :) How is your girl going now? Good I hope. The vet not knowing sounds like financial hell in terms of tests, which I can sympathise with completely.
For Shi Shi, it's more about keeping an eye on her and understanding what her triggers are. Lifelong thing, unfortunately.
Baffled me how nobody thought of Soundwave as semi truck just like Optimus and his cassettes are slices of his trailer.
On the one hand, I love the idea. Tapes that work more like Roller but transform into different drones is also an option. From a strictly toy perspective, it's fun. On the other hand, how does it scream "Soundwave"? I wonder if you could achieve similar results using Legacy Bulkhead as a base, since it has a cavity at the back if you remove all the weapons.
Maybe go into a different route and make him a hyper sonic reconnaissance aircraft like the Darkstar or the Yf-12. Instead of cassettes, he uses missiles and bombs in a rotatory bomb bay. Bombs for Ravage, Rumble Frenzy. Cruise missiles for Lazerbeak, Buzzsaw, & Rat bat. The nose could open up and a system similar to the Sky hook Fulton recovery system for picking up the ground units.
He would have to be a commander class to properly fill that role.
It's adjacent to what Cybertron did with Soundwave, I mentioned it at the end, but the Blackbird is a fun jet as a toy. Very unique shape, appealing. Maybe even throw in a cute reference using the Cobra Night Raven?
If you want to update him, have him become a mobile phone with SIM / Micro SD cards; a tablet with the same, an all in one computer with USB cards, a stud finder, or any other random handheld or tech.
Not enough mass to work convincingly. I did talk about smartphones in the video.
Can't help but say it over and over!! "The redeaigns of TF Prime are absolutely PERFECT!!" Look at the new soundwave design! He's large and lanky, with these tentacle things that help him to gather more data from computers. lazerbeak is still hidden on his chest to run recon, AND, the cherry on top, his alt mode is a Spy Drone!! That is GENIUS!! Soundwave is the communication specialist of the Decepticon's. He gathers intel and makes sure that Megatron has all the information he needs to make plans. A spy drone is an amazing reinterpretation of Soundwave. He stays mute, speaking only if he has too. He's creepy as hell and I think it works amazingly! As always, only my opinion, but giving the Decepticon's their ACTUAL roles in this "army," gives them way more personality! Like Knockout is a medic, he doesn't fight really, like Ratchet on the other side. TF Prime I think, is a part of TF lore that is absolutely what we needed! If you haven't seen it! Go find it! Completely satisfying from beginning to end!!
@@shawndashno6022 I've tried Prime 3 times over the years, I just can't. I'm glad for the people that enjoy it, but it isn't over with me brother.
Setting part of the stories in the 80s, could fix a lot of problems and allow for stronger aesthetic cohesion overall.
I think for things directed at 30 and 40 somethings, that's fine. Kids? I don't think it'd work. Unrelatable. It's 40 years ago now.
Instead of deploying "bombs", how about drones? Soundwave would already be a stealth bomber. They can still maintain specific functions like demolition, sabotage, assassination, abduction and surveillance. That eliminates the term bomb for something that doesn't explode.
Yeah, I think that's a good option. Probably fits better than Soundwave himself being the drone.
I have a personal concept of something similar for Astrotrain--giving him triple-changing minibots, that go between train car, and space station module.
what if soundwave is an APC? the little minibots maybe they don't have an alt mode, so the robots just come out of the back so he has a little assault team with him?
Def better. Like mini soldiers piloting him
Yeah, similar has been discussed in other comments. I'm not totally sure you could pull it off now, but 20-25 years ago with bigger, less complicated toys that had play patterns? Fantastic idea.
Soundwave is always in style, if StarLord has anything to say about it.
Man, thinking about how old Starlord would have to be, gave me a moment of pause.
@@SGD_ToysDownUnder yeah, he is in our demo ...not so relevant to Gen Alpha
Soundwave was so iconic, and I had many transformers but for reason just didn't get him. I think he was hard to find at the time. My friend had it so got to experience his awesomeness and was able to at least get Ravage.
But I wonder why they skipped the the Discman🤔
Discman and CDs lack the mass necessary to make a toy out of. Best you could have hoped for was a HiFi that shoots discs ala Armada Red Alert.
Soundwave should be a phone. His "cassettes" the radio towers of today. Edit: I like his "Satellite" mode.
thats a bit too complicated, they already did a DotM soundwave that transforms into a phone and that thing is so weird
I actually like the Satellite too. It works, just it's kind of a bad toy.
I wish the classics Soundwave toy would have come out, with the back of his SUV alt mode turning into his chest similar to universe 2.0 ironhide. The backgate would open to facilitate the gimmick.
Honestly, it doesn't matter if it makes sense that guys can fit into his chest. It's just what he does.
There kinda was a Soundwave from that particular mold: Shattered Glass "Sir Soundwave". It was a convention exclusive, though, and like just about all the SG figures from then, a much more creative idea than the drivel Hasbruh shoveled out recently (the only good ones of the current SG figures are Jetfire, Hot Rod, & Sideswipe).
As a Voyager or Ultra, it could have worked. You have toys like Armada Red Alert in that Voyager/Max Con price point with the whole back of the vehicle as a battery pack for lights and sounds. If you go that far back, maybe through like 2009, I think the budget and size would have been there to execute the idea properly. I don't think it can be done today unfortunately.
I once had an idea years ago to make Soundwave an animal character. A larger creature with a bunch of drones. Something like a Queen Bee or Queen Ant. I know that is kind of dumb. Also I could see him being a van but don't have him have his chest be the hood of the car. Hide it under the car on the bottom and just have it slide up or something unto the chest. Then his tapes could instead just be troops that unload from the spy van etc.
A surveillance vehicle with surveillance drones that can fly or go on land. Laserbeak and Ratbat could go from their regular animalistic modes to radio controlled spy cars, or even better, those quadruped robots. Frenzy, Rumble, Ravage, Slugfest and Overkill could be quadcopter drones. And you could store them on Soundwave while his "chest door" acts as a deploy mecanism.
I think the ultimate problem with the van is size. It's hard to create the void in there to pack them in unless it's a big toy or lacks complexity to accommodate it.
I thought about it myself, it's not like you can't see Laserbeak and Ratbat inside A. Soundwave either, but pulling it off, especially now. Tough. Probably could have been done during Armada ~ Classics when the design philosophies were different.
I've seen some concepts for prototype drone deployment vehicles from the early 2000's, like from actual militaries/military contractors. Think of something like an armored truck, APC, or one of those police surveillance vans, but instead of the backs being loaded with people, they're full of quadcopter drones and things like that. I'm not sure how exactly the cassette crew would all play into the alt mode (they can't all be quadcopters, Laserbeak/Buzzsaw being flying drones would make the bird modes redundant, etc), but I'm sure someone more creative than I am could come up with something cool.
With all that said, while I do see your point I disagree to an extent. I'd go so far as to say Soundwave is in the top 5 most instantly recognizable Transformers; right up there with Prime, Bee, Megatron and Shockwave. You show any casual fan Soundwave and they know him right away. And while I myself likely play a role in this, even my less-than-casual family and friends know who he is (and what his alt mode is) at a glance. My point here is that Soundwave is big enough in TF that we don't need him to be something new and fresh (*yet). Nobody is really asking "why does that truck/bomber/spaceship guy have little guys in his chest?" cause they most all know it's Soundwave and the little guys are part of his identity.
Now for "*yet." Could this whole thing be a problem for His Superior-ness later? Yes, absolutely 100% yes. Soundwave's cassette-player mode is too specific. The other characters being cars, trucks, bikes, tanks, jets, etc all work cause either A) the aesthetics of that tech haven't changed as drastically as music players over the last 40 years or B) there's _always_ new ones coming out to take inspiration from. For Soundwave, Hasbro will eventually need to reinvent the character and do something completely new with him. Our music players haven't been strictly music players for almost 2 decades now. We don't use CD or MP3 players, boomboxes or radios (outside of cars) anymore; we have phones and tablets that're essentially fully functional, handheld computers.
In closing, it's a conundrum with some potential solutions, but I don't think it's yet as glaring an issue as you're making it out to be. Give it another 10 years though...?
his new altmode should be a 3d printer. printing new bodies for fallen companions after he collects their sparks from the battlefield. it would be perfect. qiditech x-max looks like it could EASILY be a soundwave alt mode.
Like the concept, but he should be autonomous or something carried around.
I think he should have the attitude that he can use any previous alt mode at anytime he wants. We know they can morph themselves somehow using the dimension pocket that Prime uses for his trailer so why not?
Best wishes for Shi Shi.
Thank you :) I really appreciate it and so does she.
He should be a Microcassette player. Nobody gives a shit if you think it outdated. Everyone who knows Transformers even if they were born in the last 10 years knows that is Soundwave.
I don't think it's outdated, it IS outdated. It's been outdated for 30 years. The 80s are literally 40+ years ago now.
I doubt anyone born in the last 10 years cares about Transformers given how badly the franchise is currently going. Kids don't care about our beloved Gen X cartoon.
i want a Soundwave that turns into a game console ngl
Laserbeak and Ravage would the game disks, and Rumble and Frenzy would the controllers
Should have been the centerpiece of Real Gear Robots, it's fun as a novelty item, but it has the same issue as the Soundbar. Why is the game console just laying around? How is it a fun toy?
Hi
Where can I find a soundwave in shop for Australian
At this point? Probably collector groups or eBay. You just missed a rerelease of Netflix Soundwave at Leader Class.
If anything, they should keep him as a micro-cassette player. G1 Soundwave was from a story that took place in 1984~86; and back then the Micro-cassette recorder was used for gathering information, which is what Soundwave did. To make him into something modern, would be akin to trying to make Mary Shelly's Frankenstein 'modern'. What would the Frankenstein story look like if it were set in 2024? Yeah, nah, G1 Soundwave is perfect as he is, and if the kids ask "What is that?"; that'll be the perfect opportunity to give them a small informal history lesson.
I don't think the retro setting works for things aimed at children and I really don't think things directed at kids should need explaining by the older gens. It takes away from the idea the property is fresh, contemporary and 'for them', makes it feel old and uncool, the problem most of the legacy properties are having right now.
I mean, there is totally an argument for retiring Soundwave as a character for new IP and just using him in media in older IP. Movie Blackout being redesigned would keep some of the play pattern and be fun, plus he was originally meant to be Soundwave.
He could become a DAC 👈. 🤯
Technology that is readily being used today by audiophiles and still looks somewhat like a cassette player.
His cassetes could just be hard light projections.🤯
Like those energon cubes he been making since episode 2.
yet the live action movies chose to have him as a satilite...
Best wishes for shi shi
Justale the mini bots music notes instead of tapes and u good forever
I want a Soundwave that has the Cassette bots turn into armor for Soundwave.
netflix soundwave basically does that
@bendyandtheyoutubechannel4372 And Siege. But I think @ryanwike2780 wants something more like actual armor, not slabs called "shields" or whatever marketing called the tapes in WfC.
earthspark did him best.
Like most people, I didn't watch it :P But I did see they returned to the bomber, at least I saw the toy on the shelves.
beacuse im struggleing ere