The Energon Pub

by **Galvatronus** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 6:40 pm

Judge Chuckachu wrote:I say take your time. Its nice thinking of light at the end of the tunnel. So to speak.

You say that but a lot of people here have been looking at that light for over 5 years

News Credits: 42 · by **Psychout** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:01 pm

Fett 526 wrote:
Judge Chuckachu wrote:I say take your time. Its nice thinking of light at the end of the tunnel. So to speak.

You say that but a lot of people here have been looking at that light for over 5 years

Chin up GP, at least its not a train...

by **Mogwai Prime** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:20 pm

Giving a little update about how some of this is going to work. These are not set in stone but what I am currently working with. I am also working with how the stats will work and will post an update on that later.

Alternate Modes

Altmodes will have a classification based on their mode. For example Air, Ground and Sea and so on. Each classification will have it's own pool of tactics. Each Altmode will have 2 tactics. There will be no requirements for the tactics and both tactics will be available from creation. The tacktics will be set at creation. I haven't decided if I want to make this a choice or have it set for each altmode during creation.

Altmodes will also alter the stats of the bot when they are used. For example and when a robot transforms into an air altmode may gain a bonus to speed, but may get a loss to strength. These modifications will only be temporary for the duration of the transformation.

Altmodes will have different weapon slots from the robot mode. It may have more or it may have less. It will depend on the altmode.

Robot Modes

Robot modes will have many of the same functions as altmodes. Classifications and tactics will remain the same except there will be different classifications for robot modes. For example warrior, technician and scout. The tactics will work the same way with the classifications. Robot modes will also have 2 tactics.

Robot modes will not alter the stats of the robot other than during creation. Each mode will alter the stats similiar to the altmodes except with a permanent gain/loss at creation. When you upgrade stats think of it as upgrading the robot mode. The altmode alters the robot mode while transformed.

Robot modes will have a variable number of weapon slots depending on the altmode. These will differ from the weapon slots for the altmode.

by **Warrant** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:44 pm

Wow that sounds awesome.

So do you plan on reusing most of the old alt-modes or scraping it for a all new list?

by **Mogwai Prime** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:47 pm

Warrant wrote:Wow that sounds awesome.

So do you plan on reusing most of the old alt-modes or scraping it for a all new list?

Graphically undecided. I would like opinions from the community on this issue. Should we stick with the old altmode graphics or upgrade them a little. I personally feel they could use an upgrade.

by **Galvatronus** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 10:05 pm

I have to say I'm pretty much ok with the graphics now although I would like to see different alt modes available. Maybe down the road we can focus more on shiny alt modes. Of course I say this not knowing what newer looking graphic alts might mean to you as the programer to deal with.

News Credits: 226 · by **Burn** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 10:21 pm

Define "upgraded"

by **vaporretarder** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 10:40 pm

Burn wrote:Define "upgraded"

one word "bedazzler"

now THAT'S what I call an upgrade!

News Credits: 4 · by **Firebird** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 10:50 pm

Congratulations on the promotion Mogwai Prime. I just have two questions,

Will the new game still be playable using my iPhone? And would there be an option to just dump my active bots right into missions/Arena right after activating them?

And I will agree with the graphic bedazzling upgrade on the altmodes also.

by **Mogwai Prime** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 11:12 pm

Burn wrote:Define "upgraded"

Upgraded

Semi Truck

A little more detailed.

by **Mogwai Prime** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 11:19 pm

Firebird wrote:Congratulations on the promotion Mogwai Prime. I just have two questions,

Will the new game still be playable using my iPhone? And would there be an option to just dump my active bots right into missions/Arena right after activating them?

And I will agree with the graphic bedazzling upgrade on the altmodes also.

There will no longer be a need to activate. CR will be automatic for resting bots. Any entrance into missions or arena will stop CR and the bot will fight in the shape it's in once it has been put into battle. I am still working on this.

I don't see why it wouldn't be able to be played on the iphone. Of course I don't have an iphone to test with. I want to get it working on PC first before anything else is even thought of in the way of mobile functionality. But being a avid phone gamer, I would like to make it mobile compatible in the future. This will require some research.

News Credits: 3 · by **Name_Violation** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 11:59 pm

Time for my whine fest.

actually it all sounds good so far. I'm in favor of dropping the beast factions, atleast temporarily. it spreads things too thin. i'd like to have opponents and that is the most logical solution.

i like the idea of bot modes doing something. kinda like a "class", and alt modes having upgraded grafics looks great. just keep a few animal tf's around for us ex-beasts :wink:

so basically any "extras" we might bitch about wanting could be available with an expansion. alright. its not a no.

so how long till i get my 6 changer head target power maste with 12 minicon ports

News Credits: 1 · by **Redimus** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 12:33 am

Redimus GTS wrote:EDIT: Whilst you're about, what sort of performance information and the like will be provided automaticly. I ask becuase myself and Bun-Bun are looking at ways of improving my XP Games spreadsheets (yes folks, Im thinking of bringing em back!), and I wanna know if they will still be relivent come V2 (if they will, we'll spend more time refining em).

You missed the question, so I thought I'd ask again.

Mogwai Prime wrote:
Burn wrote:Define "upgraded"

Upgraded

Semi Truck

A little more detailed.

Personally, whilst it looks very nice, I'd rather sacrifice detail for the customisation of colour changing. If you could work colour changing into it, I'd be all for upgraded alts. I think, however, that providing robotmode graphics might be a bad idea, they were all fugly last time.

News Credits: 226 · by **Burn** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 12:44 am

I've always been a fan of the current alt style over something more detailed for the simple fact it gives your imagination something to work with.

And given that (unless you've planned otherwise) everybody has to go with their own unique characters, having alt modes represented by canon characters kinda contradicts it's self, even if you can change colours.

by **Mogwai Prime** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 12:57 am

Redimus GTS wrote:
Redimus GTS wrote:EDIT: Whilst you're about, what sort of performance information and the like will be provided automaticly. I ask becuase myself and Bun-Bun are looking at ways of improving my XP Games spreadsheets (yes folks, Im thinking of bringing em back!), and I wanna know if they will still be relivent come V2 (if they will, we'll spend more time refining em).

You missed the question, so I thought I'd ask again.

Mogwai Prime wrote:
Burn wrote:Define "upgraded"

Upgraded

Semi Truck

A little more detailed.

Personally, whilst it looks very nice, I'd rather sacrifice detail for the customisation of colour changing. If you could work colour changing into it, I'd be all for upgraded alts. I think, however, that providing robotmode graphics might be a bad idea, they were all fugly last time.

I can make them change colors. As for the robot modes they would be the same way color changing with the upgraded detail.

by **Mogwai Prime** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 12:59 am

Burn wrote:I've always been a fan of the current alt style over something more detailed for the simple fact it gives your imagination something to work with.

And given that (unless you've planned otherwise) everybody has to go with their own unique characters, having alt modes represented by canon characters kinda contradicts it's self, even if you can change colours.

They don't have to be canon characters. I can do that with anything from real life photos to cartoons and sketches. Although I think some people do like the canon characters also. Maybe a mix of canon and non-canon.

News Credits: 226 · by **Burn** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 1:48 am

hmmmm .... high detailed pink tie-fighters ... let's just stick with the basics, they haven't failed us yet.

by **Judge Chuckachu** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 2:03 am

...pink....*shudder* Perhaps just reserve the High-res for special occasions/rewards. Like give one off access via admin panels for player made tourneys and what not. Cause I'd like a fancy one sure, but I am also partial to the amazingly detailed little flat pics we already have.

News Credits: 42 · by **Psychout** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 4:46 am

Mogwai Prime wrote:
Burn wrote:Define "upgraded"

Upgraded

Semi Truck

A little more detailed.

I think I see where you are going here, and I like it. Using a primary, secondary and even a highlight colour will add a great deal more detail to the images and it should solve the previous problem with the robot modes lacking definition too.

My only real question is will our minions stay in their altmodes for a set period of time, or will they only transform when using a tactic and instantly return to robot, like the game does now?

Either way, im really looking forward to seeing how this works and im liking these ideas.

by **Mogwai Prime** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 7:01 am

See even in pink I don't this looks all that bad.

Tie Fighter

News Credits: 3 · by **Name_Violation** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 7:05 am

Mogwai Prime wrote:See even in pink I don't this looks all that bad.

Tie Fighter

193% sold on the concept.

Mog's the man.

News Credits: 226 · by **Burn** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 7:46 am

Mogwai Prime wrote:See even in pink I don't this looks all that bad.

Tie Fighter

To be perfectly honest (and I know it's what you'd pay me for if you ever bothered to pay) it looks crap. :shock:

That being said, some of the current alts look crap depending on the colour choice too.

I still prefer the lack of detail/use your bloody imagination alts.

News Credits: 3 · by **Name_Violation** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 7:52 am

Burn wrote:
Mogwai Prime wrote:See even in pink I don't this looks all that bad.

Tie Fighter

To be perfectly honest (and I know it's what you'd pay me for if you ever bothered to pay) it looks crap.

granted the scheme isn't my first choice either, but the option to change the pink and maybe the gray (i'm s little color blind, so some colors look wrong to me) is really nice. couple that with a few robot modes and it'll be awesome.

by **Mogwai Prime** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 8:43 am

Burn wrote:
Mogwai Prime wrote:See even in pink I don't this looks all that bad.

Tie Fighter

To be perfectly honest (and I know it's what you'd pay me for if you ever bothered to pay) it looks crap.

That being said, some of the current alts look crap depending on the colour choice too.

I still prefer the lack of detail/use your bloody imagination alts.

Ok I'll be straight here. Personally I think the old alts look like atari alts. You can't tell what half of them are even when you know what they are. How can you imagine that a tie fighter or a semi-truck is anything else but what they are. If you pick the Optimus Prime Semi and change it to any other color, it's still going to be just that same semi truck.

I'm here to upgrade the game and give it fresh new content both programatically and graphically. Now, I'm not saying that it has to look like real life but I just want to add detail to the alts so they look like what they are supposed to be. Yes you can imagine your own colors, I have no problem keeping the color change option. I just don't like having Rorshach Tests for alt modes.

News Credits: 226 · by **Burn** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 9:07 am

See, you're thinking as a programmer, i'm thinking as a kitbasher.

I have no problem looking at that lump of colour and devising a character and kitbash from it.

The early year alts were hard to distinguish, but once Mkall and Co. got on board and went into overdrive with them they became much more recognisable.

Debate about it aside, where do you prioritise the alts? Can they be held off to be plugged in a later date? That would be good because Mkall can give a tutorial on how to knock 'em out and i'm sure some of the newer folk can get involved in making some new alt mode images.