The Energon Pub

Botcon 2011 Coverage: Hasbro Intellectual Property Panel
- Aaron Archer (Vice President of brand)
- Rik Alvarez (Creative Manager)


HASLAB
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- Brand Stewards
- Oversee the continuity
- Work across multiple platforms
- Work with internal and external partners
- Archivist

(worked with Shout factory to come up with better subtitles for American market)

Work together with their retail partners by coming up with potential artwork of what an exclusive could look like. Showed artwork of the TRU trans series and the Kmart sets. Also works with the vehicles team

Hasbro refers to their Transformers "bible" as the "Binder of Revelation"

Helps other parts of Hasbro with names, colors, etc (for example, the "vehicle" segment of Hasbro that makes the Speed Stars vehicles).

The Vault book had a lot of content provided by this team.

What didn't make it into the Vault: Action Master Mirage, Action Master Smokescreen (new mold), Cliffjumper (new mold), AM Rumble, AM Blurr, 4th Decepticon Targmaster that was never released (jet, looks really cool), some G2 artwork (Breakdown, Dragstrip, Wildrider, Dead End), Beast Machines carded Megatron Megabolt, showed us the original deluxe class Classics Optimus Prime side-by-side with the Voyager version, Omega Supreme decoed as part of the GIJoe line, alluded to a bit of Hasbro/Takara history that they didn't even know about.

Talk about Exodus and new "Exiles" book, which continues where Exodus left off.


TRANSFORMERS EXILES
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- Story picks up where Exodus left off
- Story is set against the backdrop of the Autobots' Journey to find the Allspark
- Optimus Prime is the main character but there are lots of cameos
- Rediscover lost Transformers' colonies
- More Insight into the 13 will be revealed!
- Will introduce a new threat that will impact the greater Transformers Universe ...

Showed a new logo that looks like the Autobot and Decepticon logo with some blades on the bottom, but wouldn't

Brimstone reinvented as a "star seeker"
"Pirate" Cannonball returns!
Axer returns, plays a key role at end of Exiles


ART OF THE 13
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All 13 are "prototypes"
13 are representative of all types of Transformers
Showed art of Megatronus who becomes the Fallen
Alpha Trion (mentioned Covenant of Primus)
Liege Maximo (plays a key role in the story of the 13)
Nexus Prime (need to pick up Exiles to learn more about him)
Vector Prime (Watcher like character)
Soulus Prime (sp? - female, looks awesome, very different than other female Transformers)


MODERN CONTINUITY
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How do Exodus/Exiles and War for Cybertron video games connect into the Prime story
- Each platform has its own story needs in order to be dynamic and successful
- Not every detail will line up perfectly
- The visual stylings are different for several reasons


NETDRAGON
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- Online gaming experience for Chinese market
- Unique story with elements from modern continuity
- Art direction leans towards Prime with a G1 influence
- Some characters will have different designs compared to other entertainment
Showed some artwork of characters that have a unique look to the Netdragon MMO
Mentioned that we won't see a lot of this game, if any of it, outside of China
Platform based (?)


JAGEX
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- Massive multiplayer online gaming experience
- Browser based
- Online community
- Takes place in modern continuity
Black vehicle is Barricade as SUV
Showed Prowl, police car mode looks amazing - 2 door sports coupe with spoiler


UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD
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Showed us a trailer
Michael Bay directed
"People at Universal are knocking it out!"
Resolution is 4 times that of the feature films
Opens spring 2012

It would be cool to see some of the things that didn't make it into the vault book like the decepticon targetmaster jet, even those action masters.

For the love of God!!... AGAIN with the Original Thirteen??

Hasbro, either show us the goods or shut up about it, because right now it might as well be fan fiction.

Sodan-1 wrote:For the love of God!!... AGAIN with the Original Thirteen??

Hasbro, either show us the goods or shut up about it, because right now it might as well be fan fiction.

It's stuff that's planned for 2012 or 2013.

Not at all what I thought it would be about. I thought it would be about the 3rd party companies like iGear who borders copyright infringement.

Seibertron wrote:

Sodan-1 wrote:For the love of God!!... AGAIN with the Original Thirteen??

Hasbro, either show us the goods or shut up about it, because right now it might as well be fan fiction.

It's stuff that's planned for 2012 or 2013.

Oh right. Cheers. Thought they were just throwing any old concepts at us to keep us amused. Now I'm very interested. Thanks Seibertron.

So they stayed away from the third party infiltration discussion then. Hmmm...

Fixed the Spelling and added a small tidbit on Sulles Prime. Gotta admit I'm quite curious to see how they turn out.

Can't wait to see the 3rd faction, I think it's pirate-based myself.

so these are concept descriptions that will be made into toys later?

First Gen wrote:So they stayed away from the third party infiltration discussion then. Hmmm...

Very interesting indeed....

I must say, this discussion of material seems rather bland. No real reveals. And we are really getting a very slow build with this new revised history thing.

That may be good, it may not.

I'm really dissapointed this year. I was hoping for lots of cool announcments and upcoming figure galleries, but I haven't seen jack.

griftimus prime wrote:so these are concept descriptions that will be made into toys later?

They stated these aren't being designed for toys at all. I believe one of the designs that turned up in the Ark book is online for you to look at. These guys don't really look like transformers at all. They look like heavily armored people. I don't think you could make an alt mode for them. They could do them as a Robot Replicas style of toy, but I don't think that would sell. Still, very cool sounding designs.

Transformers ride? Awesome!

So it's safe to say that botcon was a waste this year...
YOU'D think with their cash cow coming in less than a month to theaters they'd have more to advertise...

Whats the point of stating that Generations will continue with nothing new to keep our interest?

What ever...perhaps E3 will detail something worth my time and money.

YoungPrime wrote:So it's safe to say that botcon was a waste this year...
YOU'D think with their cash cow coming in less than a month to theaters they'd have more to advertise...

Whats the point of stating that Generations will continue with nothing new to keep our interest?

What ever...perhaps E3 will detail something worth my time and money.

Well Botcon did give me several insights into the TF Brand that I wouldn't have by not going. Seeing all sorts of costumes, flirting with a couple of the cosplay girls, shaking Peter Cullen's hand, hitting up the dealer room, meeting new friends, getting reaquianted with old friends, laughing along with the Voice Actors and being able to chat with anyone there about Transformers.

So yeah, total waste

Pales by comparison to last year's Sunday reveals by a WIDE margin.

Mkall wrote:Sulles Prime

It's "Solus Prime".

tigertracks 24 wrote:I must say, this discussion of material seems rather bland. No real reveals. And we are really getting a very slow build with this new revised history thing.

That may be good, it may not.

This.

Counterpunch wrote:Pales by comparison to last year's Sunday reveals by a WIDE margin.

Agreed.

Seibertron wrote:

Sodan-1 wrote:For the love of God!!... AGAIN with the Original Thirteen??

Hasbro, either show us the goods or shut up about it, because right now it might as well be fan fiction.

It's stuff that's planned for 2012 or 2013.

I hate to correct the mighty Seibertron, but I thought it was officially stated that it would be the theme for Botcon '13.

Counterpunch wrote:Pales by comparison to last year's Sunday reveals by a WIDE margin.

If they reveal more stuff at SDCC, I'm gonna be pissed.

At that point why even bother giving us news at Botcon if they are going to save the good stuff for a convention that isn't focused on the franchise?

Seibertron wrote:Soulus Prime (sp?

The spelling is "Solus Prime". Here's where the spelling came from - http://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Exiles-Alex-Irvine/dp/0345519868/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1300978654&sr=8-1

...Heroes such as Solus, Nexus, and Vector Prime are just names from make-believe stories of long ago...

Counterpunch wrote:Pales by comparison to last year's Sunday reveals by a WIDE margin.

What could possibly top last year? Little to nothing.

Wow, I didn't know Rik Alverez worked for Hasbro now. I "met" him back at OTFCC 04 I believe it was, told him I liked his books, he was incredibly rude to me. Told him I'd never buy another book of his again and went into a string of expletives. Then later that day stumped him and Hydra I believe in a trivia contest. Didn't like either of 'em, a couple of pompous fan boys. And now he works for Hasbro, URRGGHHH.

Sorry bout the rant, seeing his name infuriates me.

On topic, the original 13 interests me, as does the mmo. Hope the mmo is good.

robofreak wrote:I'm really dissapointed this year. I was hoping for lots of cool announcments and upcoming figure galleries, but I haven't seen jack.

They must be saving it for SDCC, which means I'm going to have to look into the feasibility of covering that event. Is anyone attending SDCC? Would Press still be able to get in to attend SDCC?