Youtube user MrTvii has posted some footage of the Transformers Universe game from Jagex. This game, which was in development for some time as a Multiplayer Online RPG before being announced to be converting to a League of Legends style Multiplayer Online Battle Arena has been quiet of late – this footage shows a look at what the eventual game might be like, if and when it is released.
Check out the footage below:
wheelnut
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Delta One
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MrTvii
I put it back up to stay. Try not to to spread it. If we keep it quiet, it can stay on forever. hopefully
unicronic
fixed
cliffjumperbum
Psst. Download/reupload it like I am before it's taken down again.
oh dear – YouTube
Seriously, what's the point of this when there's already good shooter TF games out there? I was so excited for an MMORPG.
thewiredknight
I don't blame Jagex on this – the video was likely a violation of the NDA which I'm banking is still in effect.
thewiredknight
I'm not blaming one person because we don't have the whole picture but as I said this game is a failure in terms of marketing for a vast array of reasons. One of the biggest problems IMO though (as can be seen by these posts) was the removal of customization.
This was one of the selling points when they started the game, it was what they demoed at Botcon 2011 and what people stated time and again that they were excited for. THEN they up and removed it stating that Transformers was about collecting bots. This was a complete misread of their core audience – the statement in and of itself shows that the market they want the most is the hardcore TF fan but the hardcore TF fan had already spoken and wanted to customize their characters.
It's true fans don't understand what goes on behind game development – but the folks at Jagex have reached a point where they don't understand what fans want either – the statement is clearly stating what they think the fans find fun and made that change without anything to back it up other than apparently going "Well they collect toys so they want to do that more than creating one." A statement which doesn't fit the fanbase, nor the lore of the series since fans show clear attachment to certain characters.
All of this could have been resolved with some simple marketing research – If I passed the following question aroudn Botcon what do you think the skew would have been?
In a Transformers Video Game – who would you rather play as?
1) An established character in the Transformers universe (e.g. Soundwave, Bumblebee)?
2) A collection of new robots
3) A custom transformer you build yourself
Personally I'm positive it would come out as 1 and 3 with 2 being a long distance behind – and I'm phrasing that question as neutrally as I can.
thewiredknight
You know that's true, the general MMO mechanics would not have worked for Transformers but that said there are ways to tweak the formula so plays have context or various leveling mechanics and skill trees without having to go through the general quest grind. Hell there was Global Agenda which had the deathmatch stuff but also a better designed universe and dungeons you could go into with people. That game was very meh but the groundwork was there and howed you could tweak an MMO framework to fit your source material.
This statement however seems to say "We couldn't emulate WoW with transformers so we can't make an MMO"
edgs2099
While I believe you are correct fundamentally, it doesn't change the fact that I'd bet…33-40% of any interest anyone who knew about the game had to begin with, died with the switch from MMO to MOBA.
You're right that this game, MOBA or MMO, was never going to be "good". While I believe it would have/will be bad regardless, at least when it was imagined as an MMO it sounded somewhat interesting. Myself and I'm sure others may have checked it out/ spent a few bucks to see what it was all about. Now, for me at least, it isn't even going to be worth a download.
Rob
I think the issue is not that people shouldn't have expected so much but, rather they should have not announced such a ambitious project in the first place. When they first announced details everything sounded really great but, very plausible (I was thinking something like Star Trek Online or Champions Online). Then out of nowhere near all the key elements they announced were changed. That is what is disappointing; my expectations were based on what Jagex provided
Starscream0625
I suppose I've missed quite a few memos, as I've just become aware of this game's lack of character customization. Quite honestly, I could do without the game being an MMO, but the initially advertised "in-depth" customization really had me hyped. The game still looks good, don't get me wrong, the trashing of the character customization really disappoints me.
And, finances aside, if Jagex is now down-scaling the game, why is the game's release date Fall 2013 instead of Spring 2013 as planned, or even Late 2012 when the game was first announced?
Digilaut
Why, because they're blocking what was obviously a leaked video?
LegoShokwave123
"This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Jagex bla bla bla…"
I hate Jagex so much.
Neekotron
Video is dead, does anyone have another link to it?
Smasher
I would have preferred a MMO to a MOBA type game, but a MOBA game can still have customization and distinct elements put into it.
I could be wrong, but Transformers Universe now appears to have none of that.
Why would I ever play this instead of just playing Fall of Cybertron some more?
Starscream Gaga
You forgot the most important and well-done ones: Uncharted and Last of Us.
The video got taken down before I could see it, but it sounds bad. But after the joke that was Aliens: Colonial Marines, I can handle dissapointment. I stopped paying attention to this game once they lost customisable characters.
Shizuka
FPS = 1st Person Shooter. This is 3rd person and I really can't name any 3rd person shooters besides Gears of War and Transformers so this part of the genre isn't as filled as you think.
Also, I read that they changed from an MMO to an MOBA but I didn't know that there was no character creator at all. What the hell?
There are some good arguments and I like to think I'm well informed when it comes to what it takes to develop a game. That said, you're right in saying that developers shouldn't announce games with such high ambitions especially since they should know just what they're working with. It's irresponsible on their part.