Jagex; developers of Transformers: Universe MOBA recently sat down with Game Informer for an interview.
It is clear from the interview that the game is undergoing some drastic changes from what we fans initially thought it to be. First, the game went from an MMORPG to an MOBA. Now, new information is regarding the character customization aspect of the upcoming game.
In what ways can you create and customize your character? Do you play a single Transformer, or multiple characters?Horton: Full character customization like you see in MMORPG’s can’t really be all that varied for a car that has to transform into a robot smoothly and also perform as a game character flawlessly, making a Transformers character that performs its duty a challenge before you add any really worthwhile customization. Picking bits of headgear, tunic colors or adding body kits to a vehicle aren’t that straightforward in a robot-vehicle character. We have customization, but the ultimate dream of creating your own custom bot from a car of your choice is a massive undertaking that doesn’t really enhance the game that much. It’s not as cool when you compare it to having your own collection of purpose-built bots with different play-styles, handling, weaponry, and specialties. It’s in the Transformers brand DNA as a toy, something that captures your imagination as you take it on adventures, not to mention the collectability, having a cool selection of Transformers characters. Its game art imitating life.
Coupe: Absolutely – I think players will really enjoy learning more about the new characters that we’re introducing to the Transformers’ Universe. These are genuinely brand new characters that people won’t have encountered, all with their own abilities, weapons and personalities, some Bots compliment other characters, some don’t and players are going to have to learn which combinations work best together. You’ll also be able to add elements of personalization to the members of your squad, so you won’t be completely without character personalization. The most obvious version of this is the personalization seen within weapons, you’ll be able to adjust modules within these weapons to give you multiple combinations that will be unique to your bot.
You can read the original article at Game Informer.
Dashdragon
By the way the website has been behaving since the end of the last beta email came through, I wouldn't be surprised if it it's not already being canned. As it should be too unless they go back to what they promised originally.
Hell, can the browser-based crap altogether and give a full-fledged game. Afterall, we're talking about a franchise with 30 years of material to pull from. If all a developer can think to do with that is toss a deathmatch game out of it, then they shouldn't be making video games to begin with.
Hot Shot.
At this point, this game will either:
1. Never be released.
2. Get released and suck eggs.
It's a shame too. I was proud over how I registered the name Hot Shot before anyone else.
Mako Crab
Right there with ya'.
Carrying "Gold" (Yeah, they're rubies, but you get the idea)
Toasting Bread
Catching Fish
Cutting Down Trees
destrongerlupus
This is what makes me sad too, it takes only a modicum of creativity to apply the mechanics of any game style to the TF universe, saying that "These guys are robots so we can't" is just so lazy, and clearly an excuse trying to cover other issues.
Rob
That's not how the game is setup at all though.
Like i said earlier: pvp and basically FOC dm but (likely) not as good.
Now Actually interacting with the TF Universe and having a direct roll in it with ones own TF avator we don't have.
Yup
I think what bugs me the most is that the guy who took over development talks like he knows the franchise but, seems to be wrong in every turn; robots don't fish (Daniel and Hotrod), robots don't go on quests (minicoms, relic hunt, the knights of cybertron), robots dont hunt (Ironhide hunts turbo foxes), they dont bake bread (no but they make energon ore of varying grades) and finally lets add a bunch of new characters (we have over a thousand existing characters we don't need more we just want to interact with the existing ones).
Dashdragon
I've not played any of those, but you are aware that this is a third-person shooter right? They're just using the term MOBA because it technically can apply to any fps/tps/etc. This is more like WFC, FoC (without the story).
There are some weak dark energon zombies that show up from time to time, but mostly you're just deathmatching other players.
RayTheSun
What.
Look at every version of DOTA, League of Legends, Heroes of Newearth, Smite, Super Monday Night Combat, and literally any other MOBA and you'll note that AI controlled units are a freaking massive part of them. Y'know, the creeps/bots/whatever that you're meant to be levelling off of?
VaderPrime1
I might actually check it out now. MMOs suck, so my intrest was lost at the beginning.
Dashdragon
I'm a bit confused by what you're stating regarding PC and the controls. But yes, it's like FOC & WFC (which are both on PC if you weren't aware) only it's a browser-based game. The controls are basically the same as any other shooting game so I'd hardly call that part stupid. The strange aiming assist and timed clicking to shoot on the other hand….
Sludge
Not even close.
trence5
Umm I probably behind but has this game been completed and release yet?
Rob
Fundamentally what's the difference?
It's still pvp not pve.
LegoShokwave123
Yep. Jagex: Ripoff, and Screw Ups, and Ruined Forevers 'R' Us
5ky7ynx86
Great. This creative team has just lost all my respect. "Look, we realize everyone wants to make their own Transformer. So we aren't going to put it in the game!" I used to be excited for this, and I still really want to, but its not that easy.
Of course, this makes it easy for the game to exceed expectations. It COULD be good, you know. But at the moment, it just sounds like a ripoff of Pokemon.
RayTheSun
What? No. That's a multiplayer TPS. It has like, zero MOBA elements.
ian5555
WoW and their silly battle arenas and other instanced areas really killed PvP with MMOs. Before it came along PvP was fun and this has really killed this game for me. DAOC imo had the best PvP system and it is too bad that the $$ and carebearism of WoW has ruined PvP in MMOs to the point where these arenas is all they seem to do. Sad.
Mako Crab
THIS. It's not hard. Nobody was expecting or demanding realistic, super-detailed transformation like in the Bay movies. All you'd have to do is carry over a couple elements from the vehicle to the robot mode. Matching wheels, paint scheme, whatever. FOC already did it, but their customization was shallow. Jagex had been teasing this idea of deep character customization. Their whole selling point for the last 2 years (has it been that long???) was how you could build your very own unique TF.
As have I. And yeah, that's exactly what he's describing. Squads of generic cookie cutter robots in small arenas battling it out for a few minutes at a time. No open world. Yawn. I'm placing complete blame for this game's direction at Alex Horton's feet. He's the one that came in and gutted the whole concept and watered it down to this.
If all I wanted to do was customize my weapon loadout, I could just as easily do that with the PS2 Armada game. And I'd get cooler, crazier weapons to play with there like the awesome tornado canon, the discord attack, which causes enemies to go after each other, or a tractor beam to whip enemies all around with. Crazy ass fun!! From what I've read about the weapons in Jagex' game though, it doesn't sound like they have anything that inspired.
king_of_forgoten
The fact that TF has such a HUGE fanbase, literally spanning generations, means the game as an MMORPG would make money free to play or not. as for this game and its developers feed them to the sharkticons along with bay.
Shizuka
Has anyone just stopped caring about this game? I sure have. How about give me the next Cybertron game?
Reflector Prime
This game is really really horrible. I played it during the Beta and it's worthless. We have Fall of Cybertron, this is the same thing only about 10% the quality.