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Character Skins (Potential solution for different incarnations, TF: Prime, Movie-verse, etc)
iuJacob
Posts: 442
So there has been a few threads now on the subject of people wanting characters from TF: Prime, Animated, or different versions of the movie characters, and so on and so forth. We all see them everyday, and the character request thread continues to thrive.
I think adding character skins to the game could be the solution to this, without muddying up the roster with repeated character incarnations.
With all the requests for this or that version of the character, they are often met with apprehension from other users because they 'don't want 5 versions of Optimus Prime and Megatron', which, to be fair, is completely understandable. This is where the skins come in.
For example, someone just made a thread asking for MV1 Megatron, or often you see people request the version from 'The Last Knight' or 'Dark of the Moon'. These could all be implemented into the existing RotF version of Megatron. Obviously, there would have to be some graphical changes to account for the difference in alt modes or heavy attack animations, but it also prevents the need to build an entirely new character from the ground up. An even easier example would be an AoE/TLK skin for MV1 Optimus, as all the would really need to be changed there is the sword animation and some tweaks to the model. Bumblebee would be another fairly simple one. You could add his '76 beater Camaro body from the first movie, or his black '69 Camaro from AoE.
Prime and Animated characters could be implemented with the existing 'G1 (Combiner Wars/Titans Return)' versions of the characters. Optimus Prime is a great example here, since many people have requested the TF:Prime incarnation. Don't like the existing CW version? Switch him over to the TF: Prime skin. Or, perhaps you'd even prefer the white and gold Combiner Wars repaint (this only involved re-colouring the existing model!). You could even include the 'Shattered Glass' versions of the characters this way, too. Another one I've seen lots of demand for the is TF: Prime version of Megatron, so he could be a different skin for the existing CW Megatron, though that's another one that would involve some animation changes as he has an aerial alt mode instead of the tank. War for/Fall of Cybertron characters could also be thrown into the mix here, and characters with different CW/TR/Universe moulds and repaints, which could also be added.
Beast Wars in a special case (albeit a really neat one!), as many of those characters went through body changes in the series. Characters like Cheetor, Rattrap, or our existing Optimus Primal and Dinobot could have alternate skins for their 'Transmetal' and 'Transmetal 2' modes, respectively.
If you really wanted to go crazy, perhaps different skins could have different synergies or buffs, etc, not unlike what Netmarble has done with 'Marvel: Future Fight'.
So how would we get these skins? Well, that could be done a number of ways. Either micro-transactions, Energon, Raid chips, or however you [Kabam] chooses. I've seen requests lately for a 'Practice Arena' aswell. Perhaps rewarding currency towards skins could be implemented there, somehow, should that idea ever come into fruition.
I think the most important part of this is the amount of variety and increased playability it would offer. You wouldn't be alienating players who want to see the game roster grow without repeating characters, and it would allow your player base to grow significantly because you are now also catering to those who have yet to see their favourite version of Optimus, Megatron, Bumblebee, Dinbot, Primal, and so on an so forth.
I would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this, maybe we can get some traction going if you guys support the idea.
Thank you.
@Kabam Miike
I think adding character skins to the game could be the solution to this, without muddying up the roster with repeated character incarnations.
With all the requests for this or that version of the character, they are often met with apprehension from other users because they 'don't want 5 versions of Optimus Prime and Megatron', which, to be fair, is completely understandable. This is where the skins come in.
For example, someone just made a thread asking for MV1 Megatron, or often you see people request the version from 'The Last Knight' or 'Dark of the Moon'. These could all be implemented into the existing RotF version of Megatron. Obviously, there would have to be some graphical changes to account for the difference in alt modes or heavy attack animations, but it also prevents the need to build an entirely new character from the ground up. An even easier example would be an AoE/TLK skin for MV1 Optimus, as all the would really need to be changed there is the sword animation and some tweaks to the model. Bumblebee would be another fairly simple one. You could add his '76 beater Camaro body from the first movie, or his black '69 Camaro from AoE.
Prime and Animated characters could be implemented with the existing 'G1 (Combiner Wars/Titans Return)' versions of the characters. Optimus Prime is a great example here, since many people have requested the TF:Prime incarnation. Don't like the existing CW version? Switch him over to the TF: Prime skin. Or, perhaps you'd even prefer the white and gold Combiner Wars repaint (this only involved re-colouring the existing model!). You could even include the 'Shattered Glass' versions of the characters this way, too. Another one I've seen lots of demand for the is TF: Prime version of Megatron, so he could be a different skin for the existing CW Megatron, though that's another one that would involve some animation changes as he has an aerial alt mode instead of the tank. War for/Fall of Cybertron characters could also be thrown into the mix here, and characters with different CW/TR/Universe moulds and repaints, which could also be added.
Beast Wars in a special case (albeit a really neat one!), as many of those characters went through body changes in the series. Characters like Cheetor, Rattrap, or our existing Optimus Primal and Dinobot could have alternate skins for their 'Transmetal' and 'Transmetal 2' modes, respectively.
If you really wanted to go crazy, perhaps different skins could have different synergies or buffs, etc, not unlike what Netmarble has done with 'Marvel: Future Fight'.
So how would we get these skins? Well, that could be done a number of ways. Either micro-transactions, Energon, Raid chips, or however you [Kabam] chooses. I've seen requests lately for a 'Practice Arena' aswell. Perhaps rewarding currency towards skins could be implemented there, somehow, should that idea ever come into fruition.
I think the most important part of this is the amount of variety and increased playability it would offer. You wouldn't be alienating players who want to see the game roster grow without repeating characters, and it would allow your player base to grow significantly because you are now also catering to those who have yet to see their favourite version of Optimus, Megatron, Bumblebee, Dinbot, Primal, and so on an so forth.
I would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this, maybe we can get some traction going if you guys support the idea.
Thank you.
@Kabam Miike
9
Comments
2. Practice arena - great idea
3. Also add more to raid store. Gold crystals and a 4525 ore daily
Yeah! That’s another great example.
A TLK skin for the existing Barricade.
They’d just have to make some adjustments to the big spinning wheel weapon, and change it to his nightstick or just a punch with his brass knuckles or something.
I love that you being so positive this forum really needs that...butttttt most of the Skins would be a really bad quality or just not make sense for the continuity example any bot using any special. On the other hand kablam is very competent developer that could potentially reuse old special animations.
I agree that this is a good idea, it can help reduce the roster size.
As I stated in the initial post, it wouldn’t be as simple as a straight re-skin. I’m just not sure what term you’d use other than ‘skins’....?
Animations would definitely have to be altered, depending on different weapons or alt modes. But the damage and effects can remain the same.
The goal here is to reduce roster repeats and building a new character from the ground up.
Nemesis Prime
G2 Grimlock
Thundercracker
Skullgrin
Soundblaster
Streetwise
Those are some great reskin ideas. Especially Nemesis Prime, Soundblaster, and Thundercracker one
Not really what I had in mind initially save for G2 Grimlock (perhaps even Nemesis Prime).
But, I’m on board. You took the idea and expanded upon it with another approach they could add as well. Really cool. Nice edits to the renders, too. If they did go forward with this idea, it may help to do some slight modifications to the faces, etc (save for Soundblaster) aswell as the colours, just to separate them a bit more from their respective counterparts.
Wow that looks great!
MV1-MV2 megs can be interskinned, but MV3? How will he throw ranged attacks.
They are Also very different from TLK megs in regard to design, strength, abilities (+ fire), And personality..
In short, Prime and megs pre-AOE and post-AOE are very different and require Different slot.
However bee mv1-tlk and barricade mv1-tlk can be interskinned.
So you You think Prime Optimus will use G1 Optimus axe? AND prime StarScream don't have null ray like G1 StarScream, SoundWaves are different like water and fire. SHOCKWAVE isn't similiar either but can be reskinned.
BELIEVE ME RESKINS ONLY WORK FOR DIFFERENT INCARNATIONS IN SAME UNIVERSE WITHIN SAME SHOW SERIES OR MOVIE SERIES.
I can see your point but bots like Thundercracker and streetwise can be their own seperate characters. If you want to recolour starscream then maybe do the RID2015 skin or armada skin. But G2 grimlock is a good idea
Well that's right some characters from different verses are very same while some verrryy different.