This special project has been running in the background over here for quite some time.
Working closely with John "Doctor" Kent, Mike Hart and Charlie Parry of Toyfinity, we developed the new toys in house, which utilize the Glyos fit functions and play mechanics. My mentor Ron Daley and I built the Maxx Zero prototype from the ground up, based on my original design scribbles. The Toyfinity team, who are like family, put a lot of trust in us, and both Ron and I gave the project everything we had so Maxx's new form would hopefully honor the Robo Force name.
I personally still have my original Maxx from when I first received it back in 1984, and it has survived multiple toy collection cutbacks over many years. I've always felt that Maxx never got a real chance to shine as the cool character that he was, so having the opportunity to create a brand new version of Maxx has been a dream come true. I want to sincerely thank the Toyfinity team for allowing me to work on their property, which holds a place very close to my heart.
Over the month of November, I'd like to share a few notes on the creation of the new Maxx, from conceptual drawings to pics of the prototyping process at Ron's shop. There are a ton of secret builds hidden within the 41 parts that comprise Maxx Zero, from old Tomy robots, ZOIDS and Zeroids to the Trapping Rigs used by our own Rechlen and Aves. My hope is that this reforged Maxx will open up a new world of building and playing possibilities across the spectrum, and that Robo Force will make you smile like you were a kid again.
Cheers to the Toyfinity Team and their new adventures with Maxx Zero and Robo Force!
Posts
Making your own custom robots using the Glyos System...
ReplyDeleteI pity the fool thats skips out on these!
Been looking forward to this. When I was a kit I had the "Enemy" robot, loved it.
ReplyDeleteLove seeing these behind the scenes peeks.
ReplyDeleteReally excited for these, I've been building like crazy with just one so far...need more parts for more ship and Mech builds. These are the best new toyline of the year, they're fun and have a great look, reminiscent of both the old RoboForce, and of your old vehicles.
I managed to snag one. I got through and paid, came back and they were sold out. It's been a while waiting for a drop and I forgot how crazy fast they go! Thanks for the heads up!
ReplyDeleteLooks like I missed out. This would have been a great birthday present to myself. I should probably just keep a check on this blog everyday, at least twice a day. Maybe then I'll be able to keep up with what's going on :-p.
ReplyDeleteYou and Ron killed it on this man! So happy to finally see this awesome project come to life! Thank you guys and Toyfinity for making this happen!!!
ReplyDeleteAAAHHH. I missed this drop. Which is kind of ironic, because I spent the entire day rearranging my collection of glyos stuff. Now I'm super glad I picked up a proto from kent at NYCC.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm glad the drop was so successful. Great work!
Super fun. We finally have our R&A-style vehicles! Not to mention the classic look of the regular 'bots. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThanks Roy! This new assortment of parts has been a long time in the making, and thanks to John's dedication and open mind, we have something brand new to play with.
DeleteI hope that one day, Rechlen and Aves can drive Maxx based Trapping Rigs across the kitchen table, to complete a very large circle of design.
These guys are SO cool!!! Cannot wait to get one! Or Five, or twelve! Congrats John and Matt for another HUGE hit!
ReplyDeleteThanks Nate! Also, thank you so much for the gift you sent our family, your generosity knows no limits! Michelle is beyond excited to start working with the new stuff!
DeleteIs it safe to assume there will be more runs in different colors?
ReplyDeleteNew colors are already in the works. Hopefully with a late December delivery date.
DeleteSo can I ask what was used to sculpt this? I can't tell how it was made....
ReplyDeleteCheck this site out: http://www.freemansupply.com/renshapemodelingan.htm
DeleteRenShape is a polyurethane modeling material that kind of behaves a bit like wood, but allows for great angles as well as soft lines.
Ron introduced the material to me many years ago, and it has proven a great resource ever since.
The Armodoc, Rig and Block were all prototyped in RenShape (as we call it, Ren). Maxx Zero was completely modeled in Ren, and the details were all created with chisels and blades (and tons of sanding).
The standard Glyos figure prototypes we make are usually built over a Ren buck, with epoxy used to create needed details. Some designs are heavy with straight sculpting, others are more based around working Ren parts with blades and sandpaper.
Matt, thanks so much for the info.... I really appreciate it. I have so many questions about how this stuff is done for my own project. I might be hitting you up again, haha.
DeleteTake care man
i like the friendly skullface on the chest! can't unsee!
ReplyDelete