The Energon Pub

Some of us have been throwing up ideas on how to make the Beast factions more appealing to players, but what would really help is if everyone spoke up and said what they would like to see in the Predacon and Maximal factions to make them more appealing.

This is not a recruitment thread for either faction, we just want to know what you would want if you did switch. Alt modes? More variation from the Gen 1 factions? Pink Elephants and Purple Toasters? What? Tell us please!

We want to know what you want so we can try to make the game more balanced and fun for everyone to play.

*edit*

What about the lifers who are committed to the Gen 1 factions. If you couldn't be Gen 1, what would you want to see in the beast factions to make you like them?

A working list of all the Alts would be nice. That way we know what we actually have without having to wait for all the alts to rotate in. From there we can see what alts we really need. For example if the Predacons don't have the G1 Predacon alts they need them, seeing as how they founded the faction. Some more G1 alts wouldn't hurt, and culling alts from the Japanese only Beast Wars shows Beast Wars 2 (prounounced Second somehow) and Neo along with Robots in Disguise would help with the vehicle alts and their justification.

Maybe a signing bonus of some kind to brand new players choosing their faction. Like slightly more energon to start with then normal. Something that would be a nice extra, but not game breaking.

Fixing the missions to keep from being hamstrung by choosing the beast factions is also vitally important. There's fewer of us and rarely can will completely fill missions, so maybe missions with a lower max participant number.

I can't think of anything else right now but if I do I'll add it.

can we see more tm2 alts

More signature alts; Optimal Optimus' alts would be a good start, the main characters alts from Beast Machines, the Transmetal and Transmetal 2 alts, etc. The Maximals need a few more predatory dinosaurs. The Predacons really ought to get the Vehicon alts, as well, and both factions could use more vehicle alts, period, to widen their appeal to those who would like to help even the numbers, but don't want a team full of bugs/bunnies/dinos/whatever, even if we're stealing a few cool ones from the Autobots and Decepticons because we just frankly don't have as wide of a pool of canon alts to pull from - lots of stuff from Armada, Energon and Cybertron would fit in our factions perfectly. I also think we should get access to ALL the Star Wars alts... A Millenium Falcon would go a LONG way to making our faction more appealing.

Absolute Zero's idea of putting the faction alts pages linked to the signup page was pure aces, as well.

Giving us at least a few missions with lower bot numbers (4v4s or tag teams) would be nice, but not every mission needs to be lowered (particularly the Pred/Max missions don't need to be changed, they're fine 6v6).

And for the love of God, standardized tactic costs and make all alts dual tactics so all those alts are actually usable!

I'd like to see more vehicle alts, but I've said that. More uniqueness between the factions, like faction specific weapons. Maybe faction specific armor eventually would be nice.

Putting up the alt mode pages on the faction select page would allow people to see what they're getting into.

Fixing missions would be nice, but that's not going to help us get new recruits, it'll help us win fights though.

Another idea, dunno how this would help getting people interested in the alts, but lets look at the alts for all the factions, and see which ones everyone hates, maybe replace them.

Offer up some inter-faction alt trades too. We'll give you say, five alts of your choice for 5 alts of our choice. That would cut down on uniqueness between the factions, but would make it easier for people to get the alts they want.

Come on guys, I know Tammuz and Red have been very vocal (or textal as it is) about stuff. Same with Ratboy, but more then Merc and Carnie have to have an opinion! What about the lifers who are committed to the Gen 1 factions. If you couldn't be Gen 1, what would you want to see in the beast factions to make you like them?

Absolute Zero wrote:What about the lifers who are committed to the Gen 1 factions. If you couldn't be Gen 1, what would you want to see in the beast factions to make you like them?

tanks and planes and chopper alts. if i'm gonna be predacon i might as well be as GEEBLOODYWUN as possible.

Im not a very good person to answer this as im a comitted Geewunner, but you need something that sets you guys apart from the G1 races, thats more than just alts.

Whether thats an advantage from your average size (like an evade/stealth 'ability') or free CR at all levels from your beastie-ness auto-repairing you it needs to be game based as no-one gets to see alts before they sign up, not even the bots and cons and you need to be targeting new players, not existing ones.

Better still, get yourselves together and run a regular tournament/game just for you guys. That'll get the gamers wanting to join you.
The article I wrote for the news guys attracted a few maximals it would seem, try capitalising on that?

Absolute Zero wrote:If you couldn't be Gen 1, what would you want to see in the beast factions to make you like them?

There's nothing that would interest me. I have nothing against Beast factions, they simply just don't interest me.

And I really don't like the idea of the Beast factions being given "special treatments" just to entice members. Why should they be given something just because they lack numbers?

Frankly I think all this proves is that the game simply cannot sustain four individual factions. The only way to maintain them would be to go back to 2 groups (Bot/Max, Con/Pred) and the faction logos being a symbolic thing.

Burn wrote:
Frankly I think all this proves is that the game simply cannot sustain four individual factions. The only way to maintain them would be to go back to 2 groups (Bot/Max, Con/Pred) and the faction logos being a symbolic thing.

i 100% agree but considering the arguments fell on deaf ears last time, i'd rather strive to establish 4 working factions than have two working and two dysfunctional ones, since it seems having just two factions is not a option anymore, despite it being the simplest way of doing it.

Yes but last time new players didn't have the option of joining the Beast factions. Now they do.

And given that this option has only been in what, 3 weeks? If anything we should give it time. Psychout's article only went live a few days ago and people may not have even known they had the option.

Maybe we should be more patient and see how things turn out over the next few weeks instead of rushing to try to fix something that may not be broken?

Psychout wrote:Im not a very good person to answer this as im a comitted Geewunner, but you need something that sets you guys apart from the G1 races, thats more than just alts.

Whether thats an advantage from your average size (like an evade/stealth 'ability') or free CR at all levels from your beastie-ness auto-repairing you it needs to be game based as no-one gets to see alts before they sign up, not even the bots and cons and you need to be targeting new players, not existing ones.

Better still, get yourselves together and run a regular tournament/game just for you guys. That'll get the gamers wanting to join you.
The article I wrote for the news guys attracted a few maximals it would seem, try capitalising on that?

No offense, cause the article was awesome, but we want more then a few new recruits. Incase you missed the link Tam posted on the defection page, there are 358 Autobot Commanders, 273 Decepticon Commanders, 147 Maximal Commanders, and 77 Predacon Commanders. There are twice as many Maximal players then Preds, and more then twice as many Autobots then Maximals, and close to twice as many Decepticons as Maximals. That's why the question has been asked, what would make the faction more appealing to you. Especially if you're just starting out. Running a Tourney for the beasties will be fun for the current players, but how will that get people to join us?

Faction specific tactics would be cool, but has the potential to throw off game balance, unless they're effectively the same as the ones the Gen 1ers have.

Burn wrote:

Absolute Zero wrote:If you couldn't be Gen 1, what would you want to see in the beast factions to make you like them?

There's nothing that would interest me. I have nothing against Beast factions, they simply just don't interest me.

And I really don't like the idea of the Beast factions being given "special treatments" just to entice members. Why should they be given something just because they lack numbers?

Frankly I think all this proves is that the game simply cannot sustain four individual factions. The only way to maintain them would be to go back to 2 groups (Bot/Max, Con/Pred) and the faction logos being a symbolic thing.

Not asking for special treatment Burn. Asking how the Beast factions can be more appealing. Not asking for more Alt modes then the Gen 1ers, not asking for special powers for the factions (though some are). Just asking how the game can be made to better balance the four factions.

And I disagree that the game can't support four factions. There are more then enough players in the game right now, they're just finding the Beast factions unappealing. Why, that's all we're really asking right now. Why are they unappealing, and what could we do (within reason) to fix it? If you remember, there was a point when the game couldn't support two factions, because everyone was joining the autobots, and there wasn't enough low level cons to fight the autobots, and there wasn't enough high level autobots to fight the high level cons. It was balanced, somewhat, by the mass defection from Autobots to Decepticons. If we get rid of the beast factions, the samething will happen again.

Burn wrote:Yes but last time new players didn't have the option of joining the Beast factions. Now they do.

And given that this option has only been in what, 3 weeks? If anything we should give it time. Psychout's article only went live a few days ago and people may not have even known they had the option.

Maybe we should be more patient and see how things turn out over the next few weeks instead of rushing to try to fix something that may not be broken?

Because the longer we get hammered in missions, the bigger the XP gap grows between us and the bigger factions, and the even MORE we'll get hammered, which will widen the gap even more? It's a snowball effect.

I don't agree that the factions should just be rolled together with the faction symbol being purely symbolic, but I do think that changing the missions so that the Autobots and Maximals enter on one side and the Decepticons and Predacons enter on the other side would be a "have your cake and eat it too" solution to a number of problems.

Not sure if this has been thrown out there, I'm sure it has, but what about having missions where you can get help from other factions? meaning Bot/Max team up against Con/Preds. This way the factions are still seperate but you get full missions with more players being able to jump in to help.

Galvatron Prime wrote:Not sure if this has been thrown out there, I'm sure it has, but what about having missions where you can get help from other factions? meaning Bot/Max team up against Con/Preds. This way the factions are still seperate but you get full missions with more players being able to jump in to help.

Or how about Max/Pred vs Bots or Cons?

Mixed faction mission wont happen, we had that argument 3 months ago unitl it was killed by pointless arguing, and the result was we were told they werent possible.

AZ wrote:we want more then a few new recruits ... Running a Tourney for the beasties will be fun for the current players, but how will that get people to join us?

But you need to recruit on two fronts.

1) Newbie players need tempting to pick the beast factions, that they may not have even heard of, over the safe favoroutes bots and con's.

2) Existing players need to see that the Beast factions are organised, willing to put up a fight, and can exist without their 'parent' factions propping them up.

Easiest way to do that is get your asses organised. We have a bunch of news mods in here now, use them and publicise your damn factions. Whining here is going to achieve **** all, people need to look at you and go "ill try them, they look cool".

Psychout wrote:
Easiest way to do that is get your asses organised. We have a bunch of news mods in here now, use them and publicise your damn factions. Whining here is going to achieve **** all, people need to look at you and go "ill try them, they look cool".

but, and this is a very big but, i doubt the majority of HMW players come to HMW with any research done on HMW, fair enough once you are in and playing, all of the above becomes important, but before you're playing, could you give **** about which faction had what.

Psychout wrote:Mixed faction mission wont happen, we had that argument 3 months ago unitl it was killed by pointless arguing, and the result was we were told they werent possible.

I figured it came up before. Didn't realize that it couldn't be done via programming tho.

Psychout wrote:Easiest way to do that is get your asses organised. We have a bunch of news mods in here now, use them and publicise your damn factions. Whining here is going to achieve **** all, people need to look at you and go "ill try them, they look cool".

Getting orginized can help but sadly can only get you so far. You know as well as everyone knows that time of day can play a big factor in that. Add to that the small numbers the Beast Factions have and it piles on to that.

As for them looking cool...well we all know that's not going to happen

Tammuz wrote:but, and this is a very big but, i doubt the majority of HMW players come to HMW with any research done on HMW

Thats my point. If they hear about HMW through and advert for the Beast Factions, then where are they more likely to head?

Dangling the carrot of 'cool factions' will do the job to start with. The 'but' is that you guys need to keep their attention when they are here.

Psychout wrote:Mixed faction mission wont happen, we had that argument 3 months ago unitl it was killed by pointless arguing, and the result was we were told they werent possible.

AZ wrote:we want more then a few new recruits ... Running a Tourney for the beasties will be fun for the current players, but how will that get people to join us?

But you need to recruit on two fronts.

1) Newbie players need tempting to pick the beast factions, that they may not have even heard of, over the safe favoroutes bots and con's.

2) Existing players need to see that the Beast factions are organised, willing to put up a fight, and can exist without their 'parent' factions propping them up.

Easiest way to do that is get your asses organised. We have a bunch of news mods in here now, use them and publicise your damn factions. Whining here is going to achieve **** all, people need to look at you and go "ill try them, they look cool".

Again, not whining, though I'm wondering why people are so against the idea of figuring out how to better balance all the factions against each other.

And in order to unite and get organized, we'd need a strong leader. No offense to Red, but we really don't have one. So, until someone steps forth and says "This is what we have to do as a faction" I will continue working my way. And even if we did, how would they know we were organized when you can't see a subfaction forum until you declare your alligance, and most people don't even check the forum before they join the game.

Psychout wrote:

Tammuz wrote:but, and this is a very big but, i doubt the majority of HMW players come to HMW with any research done on HMW

Thats my point. If they hear about HMW through and advert for the Beast Factions, then where are they more likely to head?

Dangling the carrot of 'cool factions' will do the job to start with. The 'but' is that you guys need to keep their attention when they are here.

So... It's ok to say "this faction is cool" carrot in the news side, but we shouldn't ask the players HOW to make the faction cool? That seems a little... backwards.

*facepalm.jpg*

I dont know who you're talking to AZ as that is not what I said.

Ill summerise:
1) Advertise your factiion
2) Get them organised (working with the maximals if you have to)
3) ???
4) PROFIT!!!

Honestly I think it might be hard to persuade people over to the beast factions from the G1 factions. When most people think of Transformers they think of bots and cons not the Beast Wars.

When the reset happened I chose to go back to the Cons not because I dislike the Preds but because I grew up on the G1 series and I liked them a lot more.I admit one of my favorite transformers is Tarantulas and I enjoyed my time being a Pred but it just wasn't the same.

One thing that would help the beast factions might be more vehicle alts. Like AZ said they were not all beast before they went to earth if you can find any pics from Timelines "Dawn of Future's Past" they do show what some of the alts looked like and you could just add some of the con and bot ones to the mix.

Also what has been said before have the beast factions generate their missions I get countless missions vs the Maximals sometimes even more than the bots,but what's funny is I rarely get Predacon ones.

Personally, I've got too much time invested in my Autobots, reset or no. I've grown attached to the Radicals, and even though I've made a few changes, this is the core team I started with way back when I first started playing here.

If I had to choose between Preds and Maximals I'd be going Maximal. I like playing the good guy. Always have. I'm too naive to be a bad guy.

And if I was starting over I'd create a whole new team. None of my existing members would make it over. And I'd have to have at least a few of the alt modes from the BW tv show. Transmetals for sure on a few of them, and from the sounds of things they're missing or no one has a clue which ones are on which side.

Right now though I'm happy and content to be a 'bot.

Psychout wrote:*facepalm.jpg*

I dont know who you're talking to AZ as that is not what I said.

Ill summerise:
1) Advertise your factiion
2) Get them organised (working with the maximals if you have to)
3) ???
4) PROFIT!!!

And what is this thread for? Figuring out what will make them more appealing and thus easier to advertise. You can advertise a turd all you want, but there's only so much you can say about it. It's brown. It's got a unique perfume. At christmas, it sings and dances. How do we take a turd and make it not a turd?

Advertising is a good idea, but we have nothing really to adverstise. And when asking what we improve to make the faction more appealing, and thus easier to advertise, you're just saying "Nothing."

Getting organized requires a leader. And also isn't going to do a whole lot for getting the all important new players in. People switching over is great. But it's putting a bandaid on a amputation. New blood, as a general rule, does not check the boards. Did you check the boards before you joined HMW way back? They're not going to see who's organized. Maybe if there was a preview for the factions; what alts are available to them, what are they doing, something, anything to help.

You said you're a G1er for life, but what if the Gen 1 factions were removed tomorrow? Would you quit? Would you keep playing?

Psychout wrote:Mixed faction mission wont happen, we had that argument 3 months ago unitl it was killed by pointless arguing, and the result was we were told they werent possible.

Well that kill a quick solution. The Bot/Max and Con/Pred faction combination probably be for if things get worse as time goes on.


Like AZ said new people to site don't normally research if a faction is organized or not. Know I didn't check forums at first when first came here either. So while organizing will help results it won't help recruit new people. Its going to have to be something added when choosing a faction that new players can see right away before choosing.