It's the time again for terror... or in other words, IT'S HALLOWEEN.
On the KZ anniversary issue (sorry, but K-Zone's new logo won't be around until it's confirmed on January along with usual theme for the New Year, but this time, KZ will introduce their biggest new look if they're going to make that re-brand), we got Hataw and according to his bio, he can form an arm on either side, probably swapping with the next month's Lutabot. I got two of them because of the key rings, so I can test two Hataws as both arms, and probably I'll get two again for November.
Now, what's going on about this gestalt anyway? Toxicus has an ability of switching limbs, which is not a new innovation. The Scramble System, which I christened, is the idea of mixing, matching, and swapping the members forming the limbs to make more formations.
History of the Scramble System
One of the earliest Foldabots to use this idea was Gubatron, but its swapping isn't really arbitary, it's just the initial design was not fitting its theme well, where Kuwago was not an arm and Kagat formed not as a leg. However, it was resolved when the new configuration was introduced back in Multiply. Unfortunately, Ramo left out the only one left to those who followed the instructions in giving Kuwago an arm connector. Maybe giving him one can finally fulfill the first Foldabot gestalt to have the Scramble System.
By 2009, the first Foldabots Mini series was released. On this set, you have the option of making your own gestalt by mixing any 5 (basically 1 torso, 2 arms, and 2 legs) out of the 18 Foldabots. While their indicator marks differ from every pattern, regardless of either size, they can form on either side. Even unusual, when you have two of the same character (i.e.: 2 Azuls), you can have two arms with the same design. The sad thing about it, is it doesn't have a combiner head to match, since the gestalt can be made up of the aforementioned requirements, and it's up to you to make the lineup.
In addition, Azul, Kuryente, Violeta (in my rendition, she was called Violetica), Verde, Amihan, Habagat, and Talyer can also form legs if you want to really have true Scramble-type combiner like in Transformers.
The Concept
Now, to achieve such idea of making all units except the leader to form any limb is to give them one same height in all four, regardless of width. It should also fit the leader's legs in case if you want them to form the legs if you don't like two of them as the arms.
My other idea is to keep the heads as a square tab or add a simple straight tab if you want the head variable, while the leader's can vary if you want to add under arm sleeves instead of the leader's arm slitting onto the leg slit. And if you're planning to give your gestalt some proper hands and feet, a multi purpose hand/foot piece can be useful. The design should usually fit the head or the connector. Sometimes you can integrate the hand and foot design onto the main body in a form of claws which also form as the feet.
Another thing if you want your gestalt to have its head to have another purpose, which incidentally I mentioned in an earlier blog, so I won't focus on it. However, the head can also be re-purposed as a small weapon if you want.
Wrapping Up
Even though I've been inactive due to some other activities somewhere on another site (not Facebook), I will make some rescheduling in posting new patterns aside from the revisions I've been planning to do for the next year. And on the next blog, will be the much awaited time of the year--TOY BOOK 8 launch, in which I'll be covering most of the new stuff and some returning characters. Until then, this has been The Foldabots Blog, and we'll be seeing you next Sunday or probably the week after...
AND I HOPE YOU ENJOYED HALLOWEEN...
