Derrick Wyatt has answered two of the questions raised to him in comments on his blog.  DieMaus asked "a) We've now seen Animated Hot Shot and Red Alert, two characters who were reportedly in the original outline for the show, but were subsequently replaced by Bumblebee and Ratchet, respectively. Do the current Hot Shot and Red Alert bear much similarity to those original concepts? Are they a taste of "what might have been"? Or did those original character ideas never get past the planning phase?

b) Who actually decides which characters DO make it onto the show? You suggested, for example, that Hot Shot wasn't your call, Marty Isenberg mentioned that Hasbro nixed the idea of Sixshot, and as noted, we know that Bumblebee's inclusion was their initiative as well; on the other hand, I can't imagine that the likes of Highbrow were anything other than your idea. How does this all get decided, and whose call is it at the end of the day?"

To which Derrick replied

"Hey,those are some good questions.

a) Hotshot is more of a tribute to his UT self (or selves). Red Alert is actually a bit of what might have been. Her design is based in part on TFA development art that my friend Eric Canete had done. That's why she's female.

b) There are some upcoming interviews that go deeper in to this process than I will here. The current TFCC magazine has an interview with Eric and me where we discuss it. Anyway, we on the animation side try to work together with the 'Bros to come up with a roster of characters that both teams are happy with. Bumblebee's inclusion in the show was actually a result of Matt Youngberg and me pleading for him in the first meeting we had with the higher-ups."

 An anonomous poster then asked the question "Well, I kinda like Red Alert being female, it mixes things up a little. I personally would have liked to have been at one of those meetings, just to hear some of the characters Hasbro wanted in that you guys didn't, or vice-versa. Is it generally harder to get characters who weren't popular in terms of toy sales(or were only in that franchise's toyline) in the show? Or is Hasbro pretty cool about letting some relatively unknown/unpopular characters get their chance in the spot light?"

Which prompted Derrick to reply "On the whole they've been great. I don't think there were any characters we really wanted to do that they vetoed. The only things that ever got nixed were characters that it would be too impractical to do from either an animation or a toy point of view, or characters that just didn't fit the stories we were telling."

Sharp-O:

I'd be happy with just Generations figures, but if they could throw in most of what the americans have had, I'd be a happy Sharp-O :D

iPrimus:

If they stock the following I'll be happy HFTD Banzai-Tron HFTD Hailstorm HFTD Darkmount HFTD Voyager Optimus Prime HFTD Voyager Payload HFTD Leader Starscream WFC figures and Power Core Combiners :D

Hob:

New book out on saturday. Does anyone had any codes as yet? I know sometime the books are release later friday night but not defo. hoping for the generations toy @9.99 like toymasters. Power combiners would be nice plus some of the mis HFTD stuff. Hob.

Unitedbot:

Just picked up the new Argos book. Not impressed that they have Battle Damage hooky prime but no Starscream. Looks like argos' toy buyer played it safe and ordered packs of a retooled figure they have stocked for over a year. They do have the new HFTD Legends though. Red Rampage,Ravage :) and Prime @ 4.99 on a 3 4 2 offer.

iPrimus:

Is that all? V. dissapointed if it's such a lame showing :evil:

KingGrimlock:

Well that blows.

Unitedbot:

They have the Voyagers but the pic is of ROTF Long haul. I doubt he will be availible but the code is different to the one used currently for ROTF voyagers. So maybe Seaspray,Ratchet and Payload. maybe. The deluxe code is were the problem occurs. This is the same code as used by the ROTF deluxes. Therefore each Argos will have to clear the old stock before getting HFTD and Generations. I hope I'm wrong though. The Generations line is great and so are some of the HFTD. The codes aren't so clear so:- Legends £4.00 387/9599 Scout £7.99 387/2204 Deluxe £9.99 387/2307 Legends 4 pack £12.99 387/5627 Voyager £19.99 387/2383 PCC 2 Pack £8.99 388/4429 Pcc 5 Pack £19.99 388/3358 Leader Hook prime £39.99 387/5438 Legends devi £21.99 388/1147 Battle ops Bumblebee £59.99 388/5215

iPrimus:

Going in the morning, hope they have Payload at the very least

Sharp-O:

Whelp, here's hoping Geoff's Toys and Tesco don't let me down....... :|

hazbo85:

No MP-Grimlock?? heres hopin they add it in near xmas like they did with Skywarp

Unitedbot:

MP Grimlock is a TRU exclusive in the UK.

iPrimus:

Customer view time in half hour or so methinks :D

dalisprime:

oooh the anticipation! :P Any idea if the website will actually show specific voyagers instead of one picture with 'assortment' label?

Hob:

Website down for "unwrapping" Going to large Argos in a min looking forward to customer views. WIll report back later. REally want Generation toys prime and Drift look really great. Bee and Thrust can wait until next visit. Hob.

dalisprime:

Website is up, aside from speedstars/stealthforce and power core combiners I see nothing new :(

phantomfish:

Okay early morning argos raid resulted in both 5 pack power core combiner sets, 2 packs out of stock, 3 new legends figures (Ravage, Cyberfire Bumblebee and Fireburst Optimus) on a 3 for 2 offer, new voyager code contains same old voyager figures (optimus/starscream). So purchased all 3 legends figures and both 5 pack sets. I had a £5 voucher if I spend over £50 and they kindly let me use it as I was only 4p under!

iPrimus:

My local Argos had Bombshock and the Helicopter 2-Pack can't recall his name off hand. No new Voyagers or Deluxes :o