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First-Aid wrote:I got my Game Informer magazine today and here's what I got from it:

Playable characters include Prime, Bumblebee (who takes a shot from Megatron to save Optimus at the beginning of the game and is not heard from again), Cliffjumper, Vortex, Bruticus, Jazz, and Grimlock- those are the ones listed.

Combat system revamped completely.

Each character has specific abilities, and the level for each is geared for that. For example, Jazz has a grapple gun (think Batman), Cluffjumper is a stealthy scout, and Grimlock is melee-focused.

Grimlock and the LSC are experimented on by Shockwave, creating significiantly more powerful bots at the expense of things like higher cerebral functioning. Shockwave used data harvested about a distant planet called Earth that was home to large, repitilian creatures. Grimlock is accidentally freed when Starscream taunts him. Grimlock gets mad. Grimlock beats the crap out of Starscream. As Grimlock fights in melee, he builds rage; when his rage meter fills, he transforms to the near-indestructible dinosaur mode.

Also mentioned is the fact that we will see METROPLEX.

Multiplayer will have hugely customizable robots, with multiple limbs, weapons, and abilities to choose from. Voice and speciality will also be chooseable.

The story starts on the Autobot ship. The ship is attacked by Megatron's battleship the Nemesis and is boarded.

The story is much more grim this time around and is not split into Autobot and Decepticon storylines, but is a single story. It is the story of Cybertron and it's demise.

The detailing on the bots is much more improved. The new armor and modes for Prime and Megs are explained in the story.

So they're going for the DOTM game angle with the single storyline thread? I guess that's okay by me, as long as the story mode is engaging and at least as long as WFC's. I'm also glad that the character customization is more in-depth this time around. I was hoping for different interchangable parts in the first game.

And does anybody notice that Grimlock's sword kinda looks like Sentinel Prime's in DOTM?

First-Aid wrote: As Grimlock fights in melee, he builds rage; when his rage meter fills, he transforms to the near-indestructible dinosaur mode.

So Grimlock plays like an Arms Warrior?

OKay, have to correct what I wrote earlier. The article says this about the beginning of the game:

"The story of Fall of Cybertron opens at its own conclusions. The heroic Autobots have successfully launched their transport into space as they flee their home planet of Cybertron. Ultimately, Megatron and the Decepticons pursue them into space aboard their powerful warship the Nemesis. The Decepticons quickly overtake the less pwoerful ship and in a titanic clash of ship-to-ship combat, they come alongside and board the Ark. Within the Ark, players take control of their first character: Bumblebee. The trusted scout moves through the ship, and the players learn the basics of movement and combat as Bumblebee stands with his brother Autobots in a desperate defense. The ship's bridge is overtaken, and the battle turns even more chaotic. Optimus Prime's back is turned as Megatron raises his devastating weapon to fire. Bumeblebee leaps in the path of the shot, and is flung to the ground, the light fading from his eyes. Is he dead? The answer is unclear as the game fades back into the bulk of its story- a flashback to the final days of conflict on the surface of the planet."

So it sounds like the end of the story is the beginning of the game, and is the launch of the Ark and the encounter with the Nemesis.

Hope this clarifies the point a little more. I will post more snippets from the article, if you like.

First-Aid wrote:OKay, have to correct what I wrote earlier. The article says this about the beginning of the game:

"The story of Fall of Cybertron opens at its own conclusions. The heroic Autobots have successfully launched their transport into space as they flee their home planet of Cybertron. Ultimately, Megatron and the Decepticons pursue them into space aboard their powerful warship the Nemesis. The Decepticons quickly overtake the less pwoerful ship and in a titanic clash of ship-to-ship combat, they come alongside and board the Ark. Within the Ark, players take control of their first character: Bumblebee. The trusted scout moves through the ship, and the players learn the basics of movement and combat as Bumblebee stands with his brother Autobots in a desperate defense. The ship's bridge is overtaken, and the battle turns even more chaotic. Optimus Prime's back is turned as Megatron raises his devastating weapon to fire. Bumeblebee leaps in the path of the shot, and is flung to the ground, the light fading from his eyes. Is he dead? The answer is unclear as the game fades back into the bulk of its story- a flashback to the final days of conflict on the surface of the planet."

So it sounds like the end of the story is the beginning of the game, and is the launch of the Ark and the encounter with the Nemesis.

Hope this clarifies the point a little more. I will post more snippets from the article, if you like.

Well, this sure is different from the books. No such squabble occurred upon the Ark's launch, as the Nemesis/Trypticon didn't lauch until moments after the Ark had taken off, and, after traversing a Space Bridge, the two ships became separated with neither boarding the other.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see how/if this can be reconciled with the books.

Another point as to the time of this game:

"Earth: This distant organic planet is still populated with dinosaurs when the Transformers abandon their home planet of Cybertron. At some point after their departure from Cybertron, both the Autobots and the Decepticons arrive and continue their war on Earth. The many years in between remain a largely untold story."

It sounds like the old 4 million year number has been considerably multiplied for this history. This means that Cybertron has been dead for nearly 100 million years in the TF:Prime series.

First-Aid wrote:Another point as to the time of this game:

"Earth: This distant organic planet is still populated with dinosaurs when the Transformers abandon their home planet of Cybertron. At some point after their departure from Cybertron, both the Autobots and the Decepticons arrive and continue their war on Earth. The many years in between remain a largely untold story."

It sounds like the old 4 million year number has been considerably multiplied for this history. This means that Cybertron has been dead for nearly 100 million years in the TF:Prime series.

Makes sense to me.

More tidbits from the article:

"For all the new and varied play options, FoC requires a robust artificial intelligence system. 'The AI system needed an overhaul,' Tieger tells us. 'We have some pretty unique challenges when it comes to AI systems. For instance, the way that AI systems generally work is that they assess the situation and then react, which is fine if the player is moving at base foot speed, or maybe even a run. But when I can transform and fly half a kilometer away in the time it's taken the AI to process and commit to the action, the things you have to adjust for are pretty radical"
While they were relentless and dangerous, enemies in WFC mostly addressed the problem of transformation by following a straightforward charge and shoot approach to combat. The enemies in High Moon's new game are more nuanced. Individual enemy types are built to challenge particular characters, and they exhibit unique transformations that can telegraph their actions to observant players. Decepticon guardians in Cliffjumper's level shift between three visible transformations and AI routines. On patrol, they follow set paths within a given area. GIve them a reason to be alarmed, and sensors slide into place for investigation mode, including the ability to knock out Autobot cloaking systems with a targeted beam. If Cliffjumper is uncovered, guardians shift into battle mode; guns start firing, and a new layer of armor pops into place to prevent instant takedowns."

-Most enemies in FoC are not generic enemies repainted depending on what side they are on. Each faction has unique enemies. Enemies actively seek cover, track your movments across the battlefield, and pay attention to your last known locations.
-Camera angle has changed, moving closer to over the shoulder. This reveals much more detail of the bots.
-There are more insecticons...and bigger ones, in this game.
-Bruticus has his own level. He mounts Vortex's rotors on his arm, which becomes a spinning shield or a buzzsaw to slice opponents. The game creators focused on giving the player the feeling of sheer power at his disposal while they play him.
-Character creation is now central to multiplayer. "Four distinct character types can each have six unique body parts, from head to feet, altered between a half dozen options. Each body part affects features like speed, shielding, vehicle armor, and ability regeneration, so you can customize the type of character you want to play. New parts are unlocked as you level up through multiplayer. That customizability extends to weapon and ability selection, so one character might be your ultimate sniper, and another a bruiser that wades into the fray. Pick colors. Pick a voice. Save up to three characters in each of the four classes. This is a chance for longtime fans to finally create their own Transformers, and the available options and variety assure that you'll see plenty of variation on the battlefield."

OKay, my wife is out of town and I'm bored. So I figured I'd pass along more stuff for you guys to pass the time. Hope it's worth it.

Actually, that's not as far fetched as it may first appear. This would also help explain Laserbeak's appearance as a bird. If Soundwave has been collecting info. from prehistoric Earth then this is entirely possible. I can't wait to see how they work this in!

Greeeaaat! Yet another continuity to further confuse and perplex the mass TF fandom. You have to admit, us Transfans have one drawback that other franchises don't suffer from as much...a complex fanbase with a varying opinion of what is actual cannon etc. I for one wish all the time that we had one solid unified backstory and mythology. God, why couldn't Hasbro had gotten this down better back in '84 instead of splitting up the writers between the comic and cartoon universe. We got off on the wrong foot from the start and confusion has reigned supreme...LOL, I know it's just a kids toy but it's been 30 years now damn it and I'm craving some dang consistancy for a change.
Sorry for the negativity, here's hoping this game will be awsome and worth the wait. Yay Grimlock!!!!

G1 Legacy wrote:

Actually, that's not as far fetched as it may first appear. This would also help explain Laserbeak's appearance as a bird. If Soundwave has been collecting info. from prehistoric Earth then this is entirely possible. I can't wait to see how they work this in!

Greeeaaat! Yet another continuity to further confuse and perplex the mass TF fandom. You have to admit, us Transfans have one drawback that other franchises don't suffer from as much...a complex fanbase with a varying opinion of what is actual cannon etc. I for one wish all the time that we had one solid unified backstory and mythology. God, why couldn't Hasbro had gotten this down better back in '84 instead of splitting up the writers between the comic and cartoon universe. We got off on the wrong foot from the start and confusion has reigned supreme...LOL, I know it's just a kids toy but it's been 30 years now damn it and I'm craving some dang consistancy for a change.
Sorry for the negativity, here's hoping this game will be awsome and worth the wait. Yay Grimlock!!!!

But then it wouldn't be Transformers without inconsistencies.