|
|
Post by Philip Ayres on Mar 17, 2014 20:38:30 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by Pinwig on Mar 18, 2014 0:08:53 GMT
Sticking with the Prime continuity then but 2d backgrounds and 3d characters. That image looks half Prime half Animated.
I'm going to take some persuading that the premise is one with legs. Sounds more like a spin off than a three season main show.
|
|
|
|
Post by Toph on Mar 18, 2014 0:28:28 GMT
www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-prime-39/new-transformers-cartoon-revealed-first-look-at-bumblebee-179502/TFW2005 actually has the press release blurb instead. I have no faith in this. Why? It's the exact same creative team as Prime. Other than trying to rip off the look of the infinitely more successful and better written TF Animated, it'll be exactly the same. They're incapable of writing interesting characters or exciting plots, or following through on storyarcs. Next to the movies, Prime has been the worst piece of fiction in the television part of the franchise. And while G1 and Energon were both extremely bad, at least they were laughably MST3K terrible. Prime wasn't even unintentionally laughable... It was just too boring to be. While I don't like the look of bee (because its the same shit designer who has no idea how to make a convincing TF design), if they had said they replaced Jeff Kline with someone competent (Greg Weisman, anyone?), then I might actually be excited. While Aligned is as generic and dull a set up for TF as you can get, I still believe something interesting can be done with it with a competent creative team. On a side note, i love how everyone in the tfw comments are drawing conclusions from things the press packet never said. "This new series will focus on Bumblebee as the main character as he leads a team of autobots!" ZOMGEEE!!! At last! A series without Optimus or Megatron in iiiit!!!1!111 And an entirely new band of characters!!!1!!! ZOMGEEEE!Lol. It never said Optimus wasn't in it. Hasbro will never have a series without him.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Mar 18, 2014 8:19:31 GMT
This should go some way to solving the international crisis over the lack of Bumblebee toys.
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by Fortmax2020 on Mar 18, 2014 8:58:06 GMT
I quite enjoyed Prime and felt season 3 was the best put together TF show since BW/BM.
|
|
kayevcee
Fusilateral Quintro Combiner
The Weather Wizard
Posts: 5,527
|
Post by kayevcee on Mar 18, 2014 10:47:49 GMT
This should go some way to solving the international crisis over the lack of Bumblebee toys. This gave me a much-needed laugh this morning  The design aesthetic leaves me cold, but it's all down to the writing. I found Prime to be sufficiently bland that I just stopped watching it around 20 episodes in, so I hope they find a way to raise their game for this new dealie. -Nick |
|
|
|
Post by Llama God on Mar 18, 2014 15:09:34 GMT
I enjoyed Prime, too. It wasn't quite as good as Beast Wars or Animated, but it wasn't too bad. The third season especially had a couple of good episodes. (Although I've still not seen Predacons Rising, so I don't know how it ends.) But this... I'll give it a chance, I guess.
|
|
|
|
Post by Shockprowl on Mar 18, 2014 16:17:25 GMT
This should go some way to solving the international crisis over the lack of Bumblebee toys. -Ralph AAAAHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAHHHAAAHHAAAAHHHAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *coff coff choak coff* |
|
|
|
Post by Marc Graham on Mar 18, 2014 23:44:28 GMT
Prime wasn't that bad, I enjoyed it enough for what it was.
Obviously there is a need for more focus on Bumblebee and I am down with that.
|
|
|
|
Post by blueshift on Mar 18, 2014 23:54:28 GMT
The phrase 'mixture of CGI and cell-animation' sent shivers down my spine. That never works. Never ever.
|
|
kayevcee
Fusilateral Quintro Combiner
The Weather Wizard
Posts: 5,527
|
Post by kayevcee on Mar 19, 2014 8:51:14 GMT
Zoids Chaotic Century was good. That's the only example I can think of.
-Nick
|
|
|
|
Post by Bogatan on Mar 19, 2014 10:37:23 GMT
Futurama, most Disney animation for the last 2 decades. Theres probably more examples, in fact I doubt theres much zero use CGI animation out there now, but when done well you don't really notice it so much.
Hell even Cybertron wasn't that bad, the animation itself was limited, but visually it wasn't bad at all.
Prime wasn't bad, it just tried to be too serious too often and brought very little new stuff. Ratchet was the only Autobot that ended up feeling like a fresh character, instead of an import from the movies or Animated. The Decepticons faired a little better better with the likes of Knockout and thingy and Dreadwing developing over time.
So a sequel with, hopefully a lighter tone isn't the worst idea.
|
|
|
|
Post by blueshift on Mar 19, 2014 10:54:32 GMT
Hell even Cybertron wasn't that bad, the animation itself was limited, but visually it wasn't bad at all. See, I actually found Cybertron literally unwatchable. And I mean 'literally' in the correct sense. I tried but the horrible horrible CGI and weird CGI + cell animation meant I physically could not watch more than a few minutes. Of course the fact that the voice acting seemed to be up to the standard of some teenagers dubbing over a youtube video didn't help (but its the same staff/studio as lots of other stuff that I can listen to, just Cybertron felt like everyone was adlibbing with no script and no retakes. So awful) |
|
|
|
Post by legios on Mar 19, 2014 11:39:25 GMT
I think that Ghost In the Shell:Standalone Complex and Second Gig were cell/CG mix, but they had a much heftier per-minute budget than something like Galaxy Force.
I am undecided on this show - I think that one piece of concept art is too early to call it ( I did that with Animated -looked at the promo poster and went "ugh" and then had egg on my face when the shows design aesthetic was the only thing I liked about it).
Prime didn't really do a lot for me. It felt a bit generic and the second season felt overly burdened by McGuffin Hunts which seemed to tread water.
Karl
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Mar 19, 2014 17:17:14 GMT
Transformers media is stuck in one plot only mode: find the Cybertronian artefact, ie the films.
Film 1: find the cube thing.
Film 2 : find the Matrix thing.
Film 3: find the magic pole things.
Prime: find the Cybertronian things.
Also in the Retribution novel: find the allspark thing, find the Dark Matrix thing.
It would be nice if new stuff has more than the same plot. If the new show and movie is the same thing again I may have to jump on a chair and scream!
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by Toph on Mar 19, 2014 18:54:59 GMT
Yeah. Even Animated is guilty of largely relying on the same themes.
But at least Animated managed to provide fresh takes on old concepts, which is one reason I feel it holds up to Beast Wars' standards. Animated never felt tired, while Prime felt stale right out the gate (basically being a heavily watered down movieverse).
Animated brought in new takes on old characters (Optimus, Ratchet, Blurr, Blackarachnia), new characters (Bulkhead, Lugnut, Sentinel Prime), and such vivid reimaginations of old characters they may as well be classed as new (Bumblebee, Prowl, Blitzwing).
The artifact hunt that was one of the main elements didn't dominate the series, instead devoting most of the time to character development, as well as bringing in new concepts and ideas (such as how cybertronians learn and adapt to our culture) which has never been really explored in a meaningful way before.
Aside from the afore mentioned Knockout and Dreadwing (and to a smaller extent Arcee, Ratchet and Smokescreen), didn't do new characters. Instead, relying very watered down versions we've seen done elsewhere, better.
Would it have killed Prime to do an "A day in the life of Arcee" episode? How she kills the boredom of waiting around while Jack is in school. I could see Animated doing that.
Thats not to say i hated everything about Prime. Arcee, Ratchet, and Knockout were amazing. Dreadwing was very sympathetic, and Smokescreen managed to be interesting for his character archetype. The relationship between Jack and Arcee was very fresh and had massive potential. And the hints of the crush jack's mom had on optimus was fun.
And while I'm sick of Unicron and absolutely do not think they earned him, their use of him was extremely different than the usual.
Unfortunately, none of these things were developed well, if at all.
Prime was just waisted potential. Even if the general concepts were bland, it still had a lot of elements that could have made it a lot more enjoyable than it was. At worse it was terrible. At best, it was mediocre.
|
|
|
|
Post by Bogatan on Mar 19, 2014 19:05:56 GMT
Transformers media is stuck in one plot only mode: find the Cybertronian artefact, ie the films. Film 1: find the cube thing. Film 2 : find the Matrix thing. Film 3: find the magic pole things. Prime: find the Cybertronian things. Also in the Retribution novel: find the allspark thing, find the Dark Matrix thing. It would be nice if new stuff has more than the same plot. If the new show and movie is the same thing again I may have to jump on a chair and scream! -Ralph Really they need to do a series that completely breaks with tradition. With the exception of RID (and Energon and Cybertron which as sequels to Armada dont really count)ever series and the movie has been about Transformers crashing on Earth and then generally on the hunt for something (energon, Stasis Pods, Minicons, planet keys, animated- ?, Cybertronian artefact. It would be nice to see the concept of robots in disguise used in a new context. |
|
|
|
Post by Bogatan on Mar 19, 2014 19:10:41 GMT
Prime was just waisted potential. Even if the general concepts were bland, it still had a lot of elements that could have made it a lot more enjoyable than it was. At worse it was terrible. At best, it was mediocre. Agreed, concepts and plot were generally weak on underdeveloped, if not for decent characterisation, even if a lot was just lifted from elsewhere, it would have been very difficult to watch. It also had decent animation going for it. Just a shame the budgets rarely stretch to decent sets, which is one thing I look forward to with the next series. If its CG models in traditional backgrounds it will broaden the shows horizons. |
|
|
|
Post by Toph on Mar 19, 2014 19:40:51 GMT
Really they need to do a series that completely breaks with tradition. With the exception of RID (and Energon and Cybertron which as sequels to Armada dont really count)ever series and the movie has been about Transformers crashing on Earth and then generally on the hunt for something (energon, Stasis Pods, Minicons, planet keys, animated- ?, Cybertronian artefact. It would be nice to see the concept of robots in disguise used in a new context. I liked the Infiltration concept Furman started IDW with. Felt it was a really fresh way to get a small, focused cast on earth, without limiting your future potential. Also, a series where the autobots are voluntarily on earth in order to study us, when the decepticons show up to take our resources. "Wildlife" Researchers then have to become "Game Wardens." An idea I had for a reboot of Beast Wars features the maximals and predacons being our contemporaries instead of the traditional autobots and decepticons, with their great war ending a million years ago. The world setting being the cybertronians discover earth, and the maximals deciding to make contact. Both maximal and predacon citizens wanting to live on earth, like any other immigrant (Some more peacefully than others). There are so many story opportunities in this setting, it's hard to narrow down to one. This also works with "standard" autobots and decepticons, but honestly, i choose BW because we really need a drastic change. We've been at the traditional autobot and decepticon motif for 13 years now. And we've been stuck with basically the exact same basic plot, and dipping into the G1 Clone well for 7 now. In seven years we've had four separate continuities that have gone back to the same source: IDW New G1 continuity Movie Animated Prime All of these reimagining the same pool of characters, all of them using the same themes more or less (dead homeworld, ancient cybertronian artifact that'll save everyone but not really, and so on) As much hate as the UT gets, at least it reinvented itself every couple years, flooded in with new characters, new concepts, new plot, and new play patterns. |
|
|
|
Post by Fortmax2020 on Mar 20, 2014 8:29:23 GMT
The start of Prime was really dire to the point I stopped watching it. Tuned in again in the off chance near the end of season 2 and found myself really loiking forward to each new episode. Certainly one of the more noble/less thuggish Optimus Prime of recent years. And a show where human characters (even kids!) genuinely contribute without it being ham fistedly rammed in. Never thought I'd see the day!
|
|
|
|
Post by Philip Ayres on Mar 27, 2014 13:45:20 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by Toph on Mar 27, 2014 16:41:41 GMT
My god, it's boring.
|
|
Hero
Fusilateral Quintro Combiner
King of RULES!
Everything Rules
Posts: 7,487
|
Post by Hero on Mar 27, 2014 19:51:46 GMT
Beware The Bumblebee.
|
|
|
|
Post by KnightBeat on Mar 27, 2014 22:26:56 GMT
Transformers: Bumblebee and Optimus (deceased)
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Mar 28, 2014 0:07:20 GMT
This should go some way to solving the international crisis over the lack of Optimus Prime toys.
-Ralph
|
|
dyrl
Empty
Transforming robots are no match for combat waitresses from the future!
Posts: 1,652
|
Post by dyrl on Apr 1, 2014 19:09:16 GMT
All I can say is, thank God Hasbro divirsified their offer and I can ignore this crap in favor of Regeneration 1, classic Marvel and the occasional good IDW story. Not to mention a diverse range of toys.
|
|
Hero
Fusilateral Quintro Combiner
King of RULES!
Everything Rules
Posts: 7,487
|
Post by Hero on Apr 2, 2014 15:21:25 GMT
I like your name suggestion better, Knightbeat.
|
|
|
|
Post by Philip Ayres on Jun 13, 2014 10:46:09 GMT
|
|
Nigel
Fusilateral Quintro Combiner
Posts: 5,098
|
Post by Nigel on Jun 13, 2014 11:55:59 GMT
I just received the latest copy of trade mag, Licensing Today Worldwide, which previews the upcoming Licensing Expo in Las Vegas. Hasbro's full page advert is split mainly between Transformers and My Little Pony, with two of the three Transformers pictures being for Robots In Disguise (the other being for Age of Exinction). And so it begins...
|
|
|
|
Post by Pinwig on Jun 13, 2014 22:17:03 GMT
Starting to sound like TMNT to me. Team of four teenagers foiling the evil machinations of... well, who? Can't be Megatron. Wouldn't balance.
I'm not sure. Don't think I like the premise. Thankfully don't have to bother thinking about it for a year though.
|
|
