Tech spec

How to use the Tech Specs decoder.

Many Transformers come with tech specs (short for technical specifications) printed on the back of the box that they are sold in. The owner of the new Transformer is encouraged to cut out the tech specs and save it. This card has information on the Transformer, and will usually include:

a picture
name
indication of Autobot, Decepticon or other allegiance.
function
a quote associated with the character
a description which is usually includes
*biography and behavioral characteristics
*technical abilities
*weaknesses (or a statement that the character has no known weaknesses, such as in the case of Megatron)
the actual technical specifications; which specifications depend on which line of transformers, G1 includes:
*strength
*intelligence
*speed
*endurance
*rank
*courage
*firepower (Sometimes referred to as fireblast or defense power)
*skill

Although technically only the numbers for strength, intelligence, speed, etc. are technical specifications, the entire card is usually referred to as the Transformer’s tech specs.

Fan-made, show-accurate tech spec for Beast Wars Rhinox by Mathew R. Ignash.

Each specification is rated by a value from 1 to 10, 10 being the highest. Usually these values are consistent with the characters personality and function. For example, Perceptor, the Autobot scientist has an intelligence rating of 10, whereas Bumblebee the Autobot spy has a strength rating of only 2.

The values started becoming inconsistent and skewed in Generation 2 and Beast Wars, when Hasbro apparently thought no child will ever want a toy that is described as anything less than perfect. Thus it became rarer and rarer to see any low numbers. Most characters' numbers hardly ever dipped below 8, and it became a de-facto standard for the incarnation of Optimus Prime to have all values at 10. When even more powerful versions of the Optimus Prime toy (such as Optimal Optimus) were introduced, Hasbro even invented a "10+" rating in a desperate attempt to wow the wee 'uns.

The specifications portion of the tech specs which came with earlier G1 Transformers were obfuscated with interference patterns which made them difficult to read without a decoder which was included in the box for each Transformer. The decoder consisted of simple red plastic which rendered invisible the interference patterns.

Related to tech specs were Marvel’s Transformer Universe, where the each entry for each Transformer contained an expanded bio based on the one printed on the tech specs. However, numerical tech specs were not included.

Tech spec

See also