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Transformers: War for Cybertron (PC/PS3/X360 & NDS/Wii)

Cyhwuhx

By Cyhwuhx,
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Alex W.

Alex W.

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To be fair, Transformers aren't mecha, they're robotic life-forms that turn into things. Setting it on Cybertron to eliminate a human scale deals with a lot of the issues at a stroke. (I'm assuming the square-cube law can be disregarded in much the same way it is for most mecha productions.)

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Cacophanus

Cacophanus

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To be fair, Transformers aren't mecha, they're robotic life-forms that turn into things. Setting it on Cybertron to eliminate a human scale deals with a lot of the issues at a stroke. (I'm assuming the square-cube law can be disregarded in much the same way it is for most mecha productions.)

Transformers are very much regarded as mecha I'm afraid (living or otherwise). Your argument is often made though but it always overlooks the functional standpoint, as they're still machines - they don't operate like people would. Ignoring the scale/mass element for the moment, the base ability set of an average Transformer to an average human protagonist is wholly different. Treating Transformers as functional equivalents to people is a very big mistake and one that is repeatedly made.

The scale/mass issue is the biggest problem most modern mecha games try to ignore though, as you cite, and they're always dire as a consequence of that.

The only Western developed mecha game that probably won't be total balls is the upcoming MechWarrior reboot - as they can't even begin to treat their mecha as though they were people (as the fanbase would flat out kill them).

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Cacophanus

Cacophanus

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NO YOU

Seriously, two missions into the Frontier section and I was wondering if I was playing some piece of shit Simple 2000 game. With Macross tunes.

AND YES IT DOES, CHUCKSYWUXY.

It's a PSP game, what were you expecting?

Functionally it's kick ass and don't talk smack about the Simple 2000 games, they gave rise to the wonderful Earth Defense Force/Chikyuu Boueigun games.

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Alex W.

Alex W.

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Treating Transformers as functional equivalents to people is a very big mistake and one that is repeatedly made.

A mistake that was repeatedly made by the fiction itself. While it's great to imagine the potential of actually treating them like massy, enormous behemoths, I don't think the majority of the audience pictures them that way. Having a homeworld built to their scale, which is where this story's going to take place, mitigates a lot of the aburdities inherent in that. Of course, it doesn't remove them.

MakeHoistHuffer.jpg

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Cyhwuhx

Cyhwuhx

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A mistake that was repeatedly made by the fiction itself. While it's great to imagine the potential of actually treating them like massy, enormous behemoths, I don't think the majority of the audience pictures them that way. Having a homeworld built to their scale, which is where this story's going to take place, mitigates a lot of the aburdities inherent in that. Of course, it doesn't remove them.

MakeHoistHuffer.jpg

Woo! We're just posts away from a retread of a certain thread from circa 2004! :omg:

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Cacophanus

Cacophanus

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A mistake that was repeatedly made by the fiction itself. While it's great to imagine the potential of actually treating them like massy, enormous behemoths, I don't think the majority of the audience pictures them that way. Having a homeworld built to their scale, which is where this story's going to take place, mitigates a lot of the aburdities inherent in that. Of course, it doesn't remove them.

I said "functional equivalents", not scale. How many people do you know who can fly without aid or transform into vehicles?!?

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Meh

Meh

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It's a PSP game, what were you expecting?

Functionally it's kick ass and don't talk smack about the Simple 2000 games, they gave rise to the wonderful Earth Defense Force/Chikyuu Boueigun games.

I expected something a little more refined, really. It's not awfully pleasant to control.

Yes, I know: "WHAT ELSE DID YOU EXPECT FROM THE PSP?"

Your Mum :(

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Alex W.

Alex W.

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I said "functional equivalents", not scale. How many people do you know who can fly without aid or transform into vehicles?!?

Ah, right, I seem to have conflated a more serious and a less serious issue here. You're talking about gameplay failing to properly capitalise on their abilities?

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DjSatansfur3h

DjSatansfur3h

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Who ever loved them? (And still lives around here?)

Anytime I've ever mentioned it to someone, they've been like "Nah they look really good" and im like "Nah, they're not blocky enough, they have stupid human details, and look like some hybrid spastic alien lifeforms. They look shit all like Transformers"

Then everyone else stops listening :facepalm:

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Cacophanus

Cacophanus

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Ah, right, I seem to have conflated a more serious and a less serious issue here. You're talking about gameplay failing to properly capitalise on their abilities?

Yes, though it's not so much a matter of capitalisation quite yet; just straightforward implementation. After all most Western developers haven't got a clue on how to functionally handle mecha, so they opt for a false human approach instead.

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