The Energon Pub

Hi, this is my first post so tell me if I say anything taboo.

OK here are my thoughts.

The Decepticons, as a balance for their flight modes recieve friendly fire, whereas the autobots do not.

To make combiners there could be multiple ways depending on how the battle system works. If its a point and click system (like wow) you would have 5 small bots under your command, running as a group, performing the same tasks as the larger bots but with 5 of them. Then when the combine they have a little more power than a single bot, but they consume more resources.

I think a good gameplay point would be to start as a small bot, and through experience grow into a larger machine. That would mean certain body kits for your type would be available as you get larger.

The character customisation could be really in depth. Starting with your faction, Then your class either melee, light gunner (longish range med damage, quick fire, think archer), Heavy gunner (longer range, higher damage, slower, think mage) and medic (standard cleric class).

Then transformation. This would be flight type, wheel type, animal type.

Flight type is faster with maneuverability, but lower armor, esp in vehicle mode, but with high attack. This will include Jets, choppers, even spacecraft.

Wheel type is med attack, med maneuver, med speed. All rounder. This is cars, Tanks, even hovercraft.

Finally animal type is the tank class, really slow, massive armour, med-high attack. This includes all animal style bots. inc the dinobots.

Each class could also have the ability to be either standard or combiner stylins.

After this you could choose your appearance sims style. Little details like optics colour, markings, body colour, even placement of certain essential components like a spark chamber.

Within the game there could also be your standard points distribution system in order to level up, so theoretically you could have a flight type tanker, who at the cost of other possible stat increases could be a super speedy flying tank. which although would never be as tanky as an animal type tank, would still be pretty hardy, and have a high attack.

This level of customisation would allow fan boys to recreate their favourite autobots, and also create cool originals.

Each bot could specialise in different types of skills, from weapon production, to energon mining. The possibilities are endless.

Having admins as super powerful characters from the show would be awesome, and, at events could battle swarms of players, or have The Megatron admin lead an army of Decepticons, and Optimus Prime leading an army of Autobots.

EXP fodder enemies could be human tanks and soldiers in the beginning moving later to enemy drones, Junkticons, and even sharkticons for a larf.

Any thoughts on improvements? I think creating your own personal Transformer would be the biggest USP of a game like this.

An RPG? Not for me. Now, a shooter on the hand...

yeah there should also be a "gadget" alt-mode like guns, radios, and other stuff.

Hey, guys. New fan here to the Transformers series and all... Started watching the cartoons on YouTube! But anyways, I love the idea of a Transformers MMO/RPG! I've been trying to find a big thread like this! Anyways, I love all these ideas so far, but what do you guys think about this;

What if one of the choose-able classes/ races was Human and you could somehow contribute to that. I mean, humans were a big deal in the war, as well, with Spike in the cartoons and Sam in the movies. But anyways, if someone already posted something about this idea, sorry about that... I haven't read everything, here, yet. So, yeah... Just keep that in mind. I hope some big gaming company read this. GET OUT THE WORD!! WE WANT A TRANSFORMERS MMO!!

I was just reading up on some earlier posts on page one and one of them mentioned something about an FPS with an MMO combined. I personally don't like that idea, though it is a thought. But I wouldn't really play it very much if it had an FPS genre involved. And I think you do see the Transformers building and crafting things. I can see it, at least. Decepticons always trying to get energon cubes, the Autobots were working to make their Dinobots, and the Decepticons going to Peru and making the cannon from the Crystal of Power or whatever, and stealing steel to MAKE it. I truly do see crafting involved. Personally, though, I do like the idea of Optimus and Megatron gone, but I'm an Autobot, so it would make me very sad to play without Optimus. Nonetheless, there are very good ideas here and I hope someone does get this started and actually makes this game right.

ANOTHER THING:
About the combat, I truly enjoyed the combat system in Age of Conan. The combat was smooth, motions were nice and crisp and smooth and were very enjoyable to watch. It wasn't the usual "hotkey and face-roll," but it was actualy involvement in the video-game. In the different motion picture films of Transformers, I enjoyed the kind of action they had. Optimus tearing The Fallen a new asshole and making Megatron and Starscream pussy away; just all the action was amazing and it'd be awesome to get that innovated in this game somehow or something like that...

One of my main ideas for a TF MMO/RPG, I'd love to have humans as a choose-able race, because they did serve a big part, like I've said in my other post, in the world of TF. Sam Witwicky Machaela (or however you spell it), Spike and Sparkplug... All these humans played big rolls, and what-not...

So yeah... GAME COMPANIES OUT THERE!! KEEP AN EYE ON THESE POSTS!! WE WANT A TF MMO/RPG!!

Anyone want to continue this? I mean, this whole discussion on the future of the greatest MMO can't stop here!

well, we can discuss details but mostly were keepin the thread alive brotha

Haha, yeah, man. I think we should make a new thread all together, but I'll stay with this one for another week or so and then I'll move on. XD But anyways, if this was an MMO, I hope it is made well.

Right...

I think this is all metaphoricaly gold, so please read it all =D

I've had this ready to spew out of me for a while now, and i need to kill 10 minutes anyways. I'm just typing what comes into my head so some of it may not make sense and its not well thought-through but here goes:

I'm not into transformers in terms of lore and names e.t.c.
What i am into is MMOs, specifically MMOFPS type games - and in that respect the brand would serve admirably as a basis for such a game.

Games you ought to try before commenting further on this thread: Exteel, Air Rivals, Savage 2: A Tortured Soul, WoW/any trading MMO.

Reasons: they may not be altogether clear as of yet, but let me elaborate -

Exteel has a brilliant, simple system on which to base the normal combat of the game, allowing for decent TPS (third person) style PvP as well as the infamous resemblance to transformers anyway.

Air Rivals is again fantastically easy to imagine being part of the MMO which we hope to create in this thread, it contains aerial combat which is simple, roughly the same style as Exteel, but also allows for complex manoeuvres to be performed simply in the air during PvP. Look no further for a simulation of what transformers aerial combat should be like.

Savage 2 is nothing like the previous 2, it seems irrelevant until you understand that it is the block/combo melee system that would we good to bring into this game - not the graphics. Implementing the sort of free swing combos found here should allow 1 button changes from fps to melee combat akin to that of savage 2s - perfect again for transformers PvP.

WoW or the other big MMOs are here purely to demonstrate how in order for an MMO to be successful, it MUST have:

Gear/items which are hard to acquire
PvP which is SKILL based
Trade systems that work (e.g. the auction house in WoW)
Group PvE for those non-PvP gear-hoarders
Levelling system that allows a degree of player non-superficial customisability

--> Utilising what these other games display couldn't be easier; they're already done, tried and tested!

So...

on to the dull(er) bit of my article:

How will the game work?!

Map: I have no clue about the planet names or anything about the lore, what i do understand is the need for capital cities for trade, the need for different zones of difficulty, and the need for at least a few zones for open PvP.

Here's what I propose: A 7 planet solar system, with 2 capitals where the layout is C-1-2-1-2-1-C. This would allow a safe home base, with a beginner planet right in front of it, for levelling up to a reasonable standard of power, with minimal involuntary PvP action. After progressing from the first planet, there would be open PvP, with both sides struggling to defend their middle 2 planets and to capture the very middle planet. This would allow a RELATIVELY safe environment for medium-high levels, but with some open PvP, and an out-and-out war zone for the top ppls. In the middle planet (earth maybe?) would be the best loot to be found, including all the big NPC bosses e.t.c - providing the reason for the sides to struggle over it.

The big problem is how do we implement voluntary PvP for low levels? The answer has to be something along the lines of WoW/WAR's 'Battlegrounds' with level boundaries. I'll let the lore guys work out how that could happen =D

Gear: This is the thing that will set apart Transformers MMO from the others - FPS style games typically find it impossible to gain gear like fantasy games do - Air Rivals does the best job I have ever seen in the respect of gear in an fps... So copy it!

Transforming: This is of course one of the game's big, kickass USPs, so best not to skimp on this aspect! I'm suggesting out of improvisation 4 basic systems. When transforming your stats (mentioned later sorry) would be affected much in the same way as that of WoW’s druid forms buffs.

Normal - essentially Exteel with melee included

Tank - movement with wheeled ground vehicles has no strafing! Sounds stupid, but this allows players to use the ASWD keys to do the full range of movement, freeing the mouse to do its own thing with the turret FPS style. Please note some of them should be able to hover on water akin to a boat (or even just add boats, using the same controls).

Aircraft - 2 words: Air Rivals. You don't get much better than that. For submarines the exact same system should be used.

Animal - This is the toughest one, you’d have to play it something like you would a savage 2 character, with melee being done the same way, but with abilities used to bring up the fps screen for ranged weaponry. Do not refrain from allowing swimming animals, the savage 2 movement system, while none of savage 2 is played underwater, does accommodate underwater movement.
To obtain your transformation, there would be 3 methods:
Via the custom shop – whereby you pick a basis (aircraft, tank e.t.c.), then add parts at cost to you or parts you’ve found. Each basis would require different parts, much in the same way as Air Rivals has an engine slot, a primary and secondary weapon and a chassis for an aerial unit. Once made and given a paint job, it would be condensed into a ‘chip’ which you would insert into one of your 10 (maybe less, possibly start with 1 then unlock more as you level up) ‘chipslots’. Once a form is placed in a chipslot, you may instantly transform into it.
Via Loot – kill a big boss, it drops a chip, you get lucky and win it in the roll.
Via Replication – I’ve noticed how in the movies they seem to be able to just mimic anything! You would have an ability which adds the targeted civilian or NPC unit as your interchangeable chipslot, which would grant you the ability to transform into it instantly after absorbing its blueprints (or something). There would be level restrictions on the mimic able vehicles (i.e. no jet fighters for level 1s =P). In this form your name/status is not displayed to other players unless in combat, so as you can blend in to your surroundings and affect an ambush – what’s another car in the car park? (lots of fun to be had there). There would only be one interchangeable chipslot for your robot, and it would be overwritten with each new mimic, not a constant stock up of new forms.
Ok... next bit...


PvE: VERY simple section as Savage 2 already has shown that fps style PvE is not a problem.

Minor catches -->

Grinding - EVERY form of robot must have the ability to self-repair AFTER combat, to prevent annoying trips back to town to repair. Quests should work the same way as they do in every MMO, its simple and it works.

Healers - Transformers lends itself to this very well, picture the part of the second transformers movie (rise of the fallen?), where some autobot adds parts from the big stealth bombing Scottish robot to Optimus Prime. Easy, easy, easy - that's healing: -->

--------> and that allows for massive groups of players to form up to have 1 guy with a shield 'tanking' a huge monster, with a few healers and a load of gunners to kill him without taking damage. This is the fundamental setup for any 'raid', allowing the retrieval of nice gear from huge monsters to be split amongst the group. Remember the WoW 'rolling' system for loot, without it everything falls to pieces.

Resurrection - Not sure how well this checks out with the lore guys, but could every time you die some drone (which is invincible and very fast) come, collect your body and bring it back to the nearest outpost of your side for repairs. This allows for time delay punishment for dying, and also the lack of permanent death (which sucks, lets face it).

Loss of Gear - NO. NO loss of gear, in games like runescape where the game is free and is just a bit of a joke really it's fine, but in a serious MMO it's a big NO. However, a compromise for the player that killed the other player is available, in the form of WoW's 'honour' system.

Loot - Transformers lends itself to this entirely, nobody will say 'how the **** did that rabbit have a sword in its pockets' when the rabbit is a mechanical droid and the sword is a mechanical gun.

Character Creation: When you make a character you would choose wether it would be autobot or decipticon, then you would have 5 preset different types of limb so as to be able to customise its:

-Arms
-Legs
-Head
-Feat
-Hands
-Torso
-Shoulders

Once you’d selected the ones you wanted, you would be asked to assign an amount of stat points to your attributes, in a style akin to WoW’s – that they change your HP, damage e.t.c but don’t affect you on the outside. You would gain more of these points as you level up, and gear would provide them as well. I don’t know what sort of attributes you might have, but obviously strength, agility, stamina are good examples of what to look for.

The final stage would be to name, and provide a paint job for your robot – possibly also increase the dimensions of its parts in a similar way to how the editors for faces work in Perfect world, Eve Online and other detail-obsessed games.

That's it. Bet you've been waiting for it to be over, even if you've read this far - well it's your fault, you're on this forum.

FYI: I'm 15, I'm not fat and I’d like to think I still have a life ( =S ). Also even if you don't get some of the references to the other games, or even hate the article, PLEASE try the games mentioned, they're all worth a look, and only WoW isn't free - the rest are.

Ok, that's it, but if you happen to know a games developer or just someone with a **** of cash and too much time, send it through as an email - you never know you might just get someone to make this game before I get too old to bother playing it.

Thanks for your time,
Niagro

If anyone is part of another forum that may be considering this, please spread the above post so as it gets read by enough ppl to get it considered, just copypasta it all into another website - plx leave my name on it though.

also, check out Metal Rage for an idea of what this might be like but better than.

Thanks everyone =)

And alternate modes are the same as regular npc cars so you can blend in and sneak up on someone. that's my idea for this.

Already got that in the form of the form which you mimic from a nearby machine, thanks anyways - this thread needs all the love it can get... People are staying so far away you'd think that lerprosy could be transmitted by posting =S

That'd be cool!!

Of course I'd like to see some femme bot player options.
Was this mentioned anywhere and I missed out on it?

I am sure a Transformers MMO would have an option to play as a male or female character.

Regarding resurrection, there is plenty of precident withing the lore for this. Starscream even came back as a Ghost in the fairly traditional sense. There is also the possibility of rationalizing ressurection via the storeage of personalities in some central location. For example, the Combaticons being imprsioned electronically and put in new forms. This does not make perfect sense in regards to dying, but could work well.

I'd like to see pvp be central and innovative. I also think that there would have to be big differences between being a con or a bot. These are not incidental differences. The war should be very central.

I would also love to see Starships that could be piloted by player crews. I would not make them playable, but it would be cool to interact with the various other races you encounter in the show.

As a las thought, expansions would be easy and exciting. Unicron, the Quintessons, The Fallen, going back to the past re Beastwars, etc.

I hope this gets made someday.

my thoughts-
a city of hero's type system would work

body type based of of primary function. primary function has several "talent trees"

levels:
1-10 protoform basically. learn combat,
11-20 basic alt mode. use items to customize powers/abilitys
21-30+ upgrade altmode upgrade options (faster, tougher, depends on function)
50+ epic alt mode, dependind on what function, ie big rig with cab, ect (like capes or epic mount type stuff)

Transformation is useful as a "mount" mode. spent talents to upgrade combat capacity.

some alts may not have combat funtion (like soundwave) but act as summoner classes. Gun modes could be done as you become an active buff for someone. you "cast" yourself on an allie and their firepower and defense gets a boost

Special transformation abilitys could be done as sort of like Everquest. Devote so much xp to getting better transformation abilities like weaponry ports or fast changing, or triple changing.

Gestalts and omega supreme type characters couldn't be pc's, atleast not at first.

if anyone is interested, I'm in school for video game programming, and have actually started work on a TF MMO.

I've started a thread at TFW2005 about it. Heres the link: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/radicons- ... s-mmo.html

I love some of the ideas here, and would be very interested in everyones ideas.

If something liek this is really makeable, it would be cool if you could design your Transformer yourself. With many useable parts, so that it not happened like in Silkroad, that you see a totally "look alike" of your own character at nearly every time T_T

Maybe they could throw in some Minigames o.o Something liek "collecting Energon cubes while flying around a specific area ^_^

And maybe with the salesmen-ability! So you can sell stuff that you don't need to others ^_^