ProtoTuesday - Trailhead

Another Prototytan today - this time it's Trailhead, the team's rebel.  She has no real interest being a Prototytan, or even a Transformer at all.  Too bad she doesn't have a choice.

Trailhead

Somehow this will end up looking like a female body.

Function: Hazardous Terrain Expert

Motto: “The high ground is never high enough for me.”

A trouble-maker who delights in disobeying orders just for the spite of it.  Always interested in seeing what she can get away with. Tries to use her charm to get out of trouble, usually succeeds.  Will pit her own teammates against each other so she can sit back and watch, laughing the whole time.  In vehicle mode, has a fibrous covering on her tires that allow almost vertical driving on almost any surface.  In robot mode, the ATV in her bed becomes a wrist-mounted weapon with numerous modes – machine gun, shield, sword, etc. 

Vehicle Mode: 4X4 Pick-up Truck

Strength: 5

Intelligence: 4

Worst ATV ever.

Speed: 4

Endurance: 7

Rank: 2

Courage: 6

Firepower: 8

Skill: 3


I suck at drawing things from a perspective view.  Obviously, I kinda suck at drawing things from any other view as well.  What we see here is an older style pick-up truck, I imagine it being from back in the 80's.  It's jacked-up on some big off-road tires, and though I forgot to draw it in, it has a rollbar with a few more big lights on them.

Transformation is pretty simple and ends up with a big-chested skinny robot.  The windshield may fold in a bit to make the chest thinner.  The bed folds down on her back, where the ATV is mounted.  Now, I love this idea.  The ATV becomes a weapon in Trailhead's robot mode.  Better yet, it becomes 3 different weapons.  The wheels pivot forward and the body mounts to Trailhead's forearm to become a gatling gauntlet.  The wheels also swivel towards the top of the ATV and becomes a shield.  With another twist of the wheels and an extended handle from the bottom, it becomes a hammer.  I was afraid that this was too close to RotF Ironhide's turret drone (I swear I created this before I saw that figure), but I think it's original enough.

ProtoTuesday - Terramax

I recently posted that I have refocused efforts into the original Prototytan Project idea.  Since then, I've felt a lot more motivation to keep it going.  A renewed vigor, if you will.  Taking away all the clutter and side projects has really helped me come back and attack this head-on.  Blender's proved to be very easy to get used to and I've made a few basic models on there to post later this week.  Besides that I've been working on more designs and details for everyone.  They're all sketches like the other stuff I've posted before, and there are a lot more coming.

To start this new rush off, I wanted to make a special post.

Drawn on cardboard.  Because it's important.

Terramax

Function: Prototytan Leader

Motto: “Protect the weak and you protect yourself.”

Strength: 9

Intelligence: 9

Speed: 6

Endurance: 9

Rank: 10

Courage: 10

Firepower: 10

Skill: 10

Has designated himself the defender of Earth from both Autobot and Decepticon forces.  Very serious about his duties and willing to send his troops into the middle of their battles just so neither of them wins.  Leads the team under the motto “Autobot mission, Decepticon means.” Refuses to believe the Autobots are heroic.  In cement mixer mode, has a range of 3000 miles.  In robot mode, has energy-enhanced knuckle-dusters and dual pistols.  Has an extra mode as a mobile weapons platform with a replica of Megatron’s nuclear fusion cannon.

Vehicle Mode: Long-nose Cement Truck

The picture isn't completely accurate of course because I'm still working on the transformation.  The pistol and knuckle-dusters are both his because I wanted to make him a more close-range combatant and differentiate him more from Prime and Megatron.  The pistol's obviously based off Nerf's Maverick pistol, though in the end, it'll be a cross between that and the Classics Megatron blaster.  That's not a final design for his knuckle-dusters either, but I know I don't want them to be blades like DotM Prime's.  They'll sit on the back of his hands and fold down over his knuckles during battle.

I don't have a picture yet, but his weapons platform mode resembles an ant - the robot's legs that make up the back of the vehicle will split into four separate legs, the cab will reveal two more legs and the cement drum will resemble the abdomen of the "ant" and will be a cannon.

I've been very proud of this guy for a long time.  I think he's a good contrast from both of the other leaders.  I picture him as a brawler, more hands-on than either of them.  I've tried to design him to be as different from Prime visually as I can, considering they're both trucks, but I don't know what color scheme to give him.  

Actually, that's a problem I'm having with a lot of the Prototytans.  I've been able to figure out how many of them will look in vehicle and robot mode, but I haven't figured out any color schemes at all.  I'm not looking forward to doing that.

Protofriday - Shadowcaster

Shadowcaster

Function: Aerial Surveillance

Motto: “Watch your step and you miss the view.”

Is usually so obsessed with flying that she spends all her time watching the skies and missing the targets on the ground she is supposed to track. Very arrogant because she is the only Prototytan that can fly in both modes. Often ignores orders for cooperation if she feels she can do better on her own. In jet mode, has a top speed of Mach 1.3. Engines can create thick seeded clouds that can cover her movements. Can release a charge into the clouds causing massive lightning bolts. In robot mode, arm mounted engines allow her to fly, but maneuverability is low. Carries a liquid-nitrogen gun.

Vehicle Mode: Cessna Citation III

Strength: 7

Intelligence: 9

Speed: 9

Endurance: 6

Rank: 8

Courage: 7

Firepower: 5

Skill: 9

I posted this picture of Shadowcaster a while ago, but I never really introduced her, so here's my chance. Yes, you read right there - this is another female Transformer. See, I've got no problem with female TFs, I prefer their inclusion in the stories. I know that opens up the whole idea of TF relationships, but that's easy enough to ignore. I will admit here though that I gave her a really sexist robot mode. Thigh high boots, a mini-skirt, and a tube top. It's hard to believe you can design a Transformer to incorporate all that, but I think I got it down right.

Originally she only had the boots and the top was a complete mystery to me. I was so afraid her torso would be just one boring white.... tube. I tried to figure out how to fold something up to cover her top and give it some actually geometry, but nothing would have looked good. Along with that, her crotch was exposed, which would be inappropriate for a lady. I thought the tops of her boots may cover it, but to give her long enough legs, they'd be too short. I did figure out to have half the top slide down to become the skirt though, and would give her a bare midrif. That's not just for the look; I'm hoping to get some waist pivot articulation there, and hopefully a swivel.

I was also working on the arms which are to the right. I had to figure out how to fit the forearms into the shoulder pieces, which are the ends of the plane. She's going to have huge shoulders, with half of the t-tail and an engine on each of them. I think I have the forearms will fit pretty well up there. The chest will flip open and her head will come out.

The legs are pretty basic; split apart the front, extend legs down, split the nose from front and back to get her high heels. Yup, she's even got high heels. Wings fold in half and an extra panel on her butt folds up to uncover the back of ther legs. For articulation, you know.

Protofriday

So, in an effort to keep me focused on the Prototytan Project, I've decided I need to start weekly updates on my progress. I don't care if it's an updated profile, a character sketch, or a doodle of Terramax pooping on Optimus - it's getting posted! So to begin, here's my first profile.



Reaper

Function: Psychological Warfare

Motto: “One robot’s music is another’s misery.”

Has an extremely morose outlook on life and tends to force that on everyone around him. Enjoys seeing those around him becoming solemn and depressed due to his jokes and comments. Can sometimes be shunned by the others because of his mood. In vehicle mode, has a top speed of 120 mph. In robot mode, creates subliminal messages with speakers on his arms that can cause violence, paranoia, or depression in anyone hearing it. Carries a laser scythe. Sometimes becomes the target of the victim’s reaction due to uncontrollable reaction to broadcast.

Strength: 6

Intelligence: 8

Speed: 7

Endurance: 6

Rank: 8

Courage: 7

Firepower: 7

Skill: 7

Guess what his alt mode is! It's a 1970's Hearse! Don't ask me why a Cybertronian robot would have a robot mode that looks like the Grim Reaper, but I thought it was a cool (though probably cliched) idea. I really like how this guy came together in a very thin robot mode that gives off a lot of the Grim Reaper vibe.

Transformation is pretty simple. The middle of the hood folds under to become the chest and the head pops out. The wheels all rotate forward to become speakers. This legs extend out while the sides and top of the rear fold outward and seperate. The back of the alt mode unfolds and expands into a sort of cloak. His arms pull out to the sides and the fists slide out. The window sides on his arms look like lose sleeves and each contains half of his scythe, which eject and are assembled together. Easy!