The Energon Pub

Hey,

I have a friend of mine who wants to DM a new Transformers pen & paper RPG. The problem is the he's not really well-versed in Transformers Lore, and I'm at a bit of a loss as to where to start him so he can grab the main concepts and ideas.

So far I'm thinking the cartoon MTMTE 3 parter, and Origins: Megatron, and TF:TM, but other than that I'm not sure where to focus direction for him. Thanks in advance.

Rod

I think you need to make a decision right now about what universe/setting you want this RPG to take place in...

Do you want it to be G1?
if so do you want it to follow
a) Cartoon
b) Marvel Comics
c) Dreamwave Comics

Are you including BW/BM?
if BW are you including IDW's spinoff?
if BM are you including some of the Universe stuff?

You could base it in the Armada/Energon/Cybertron universe, but even then you have to decide if you want to try to follow the DW comics or the self-conflicting cartoon series

There is also the WWI time period which arguably goes along with either DW's g1 series or IDW's current series


If you want to take all of the above, mash it together and then try to make some kind of sense out of it (but usually fail).... well then you have HMW


So, yeah...
Where do you want your initial game to start?

We had decided to go with G1, so I'm trying to figure out how to proceed in filling our DM in. As for what I'm trying to fiure are the best Cartoon eps, Comic issues (Marvel, DW, IDW) that illustrate and explain what G1 was all about. My list of basic concepts that I've figured he should be familiar with is:

Energon, The Matrix, The Ascendancy of Primes, Primus, Unicron.

Thanks for the help, btw.

Hmm...
Like I said "G1" is kinda complicated and self-contradictory, but if all you really want is to give the guy a basic idea...
like you said the MTMTE 3 parter is a must, plus these episodes:
Transport to Oblivion
Roll For It
Divide and Conquer
Key to vector Sigma 2 parter
War Dawn

And to a lesser extent to get an idea of some of the weirdness of G1:
Ultimate Doom 3 parter
Pague of Insecticons
Autobot Spike
Kremzeek!

The movie is probably a must as well.

As far as comics... Someone else will have to give you a good list of the Marvel Comics as I didn't really follow them back in the day, but as for DW adn IDW...

Skip Megatron:Origins, it's crap. really. crap.

any of the 2(?) DW TPB's of G1 are good reading, IDW's series don't really lend themselves to being included into G1-cartooniverse, nor do DW's 2 WWI series, but if your guy is willing to read them it can only help his appreciation of the TF multi-verse.

Well that's my two lincolns
Hope it helps

Thanks, that gives me a really good jumping off point to help him out.

I must know, what system are you using for your RPG? Also, I suggest taking a longer approach to running your rpg. I would start by setting the first sessions in the Transformers: War Within era, before Optimus Prime came about. The line between autobot and decepticon may not yet exist. Perhaps your characters are worried about rebuilding after the Quint revolution, rooting out spys and those not loyal to the new government. I personally like the idea of flying around space finding all the transformers sold into slavery by the quints and bring them back home, this will introduce new technologies to cybertron. There are many neutral transformers at this time, cases of industrial espionage could be interesting. Tell the stories of primes past, before optimus. What about the dark time after the ark left? Who was ruling cybertron during that time? What about other alien cultures that encounter cybertron, what do they contribute to the planet's history. The details don't matter but what exactly but tell the story of megatron's rise from the point of view of some neutrals who will become autobots. How did the autobot organization start? What other factions fell from power to make room for the autobots and decepticons?

Once on earth, how have humans benefited or been harmed by the technology traded to humans for energy by both autobot and decepticon? Have governments built their own transforming robots to combat the alien threat. What bout a rouge coperations what is using cybertron tech for evil purposes? How have humans been received in the galactic community after reverse engineering cybertronian technology for interstellar flight? Guard duty for human convoy anyone? What happened on nebulos to cause the creation of the head, target, and powermasters. Why would a powerful transformer that can transform into a vehicle need a pretender shell to shrink down to the size and shape of a human? What use are the monster pretenders? Certainly they didn't have the resources spent to create them to have no practical use. Tell the story of Rodimus Prime's adjustment to leadership after optimus bites it. How did the autobots win the great war? Why did they decide to upgrade to maximals and predicons? I could keep going but I really need to get back to work. Good luck!

Since there are so many different continuits to choose from, everyone has their own preferences. For a pbpRPG of my own, I picked out the best details from all the G1 continuities and mixed them together. If you like you can base your game off this.