The designs becoming more humanoid looking over the years?

Discussion in 'Transformers Movie Discussion' started by kaijuguy19, Oct 10, 2015.

  1. kaijuguy19

    kaijuguy19 Keyblade Wielder

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    Over the years I've noticed that starting with DOTM in a sense and especially in AOE,the designs that used to be originally more alien like have started to be more humanoid like if you noticed Optimus's design changes he starts to gain more bulk and have more humanoid features which in AOE he looks more like a knight rather then the more alien design he had in the past movies and how in AOE characers like crosshairs and Drift aren't as alien looking as the past Autobots and even the Dinobots evoke a lot more like knights in armour rather then aliens with twisted features.

    This makes me wonder if the people behind them are started to have their designs be more humanoid because they're more comfortable with how the public will view humanoid looking robots as opposed to the past movies being more alien like because they weren't sure about how the general public would view the concept of Transfomers to begin with. What are your thoughts?
     
  2. Meta777

    Meta777 Dr Pepper Fan

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    On the one hand, the newer designs have had some excellent elements, primarily the knightly looks of Optimus/the Dinobots, and Galvatron and Stringer look great.

    On the other hand, I far prefer the more alien designs from before. They looked more distinctive, more interesting, and while I don't hate AoE's designs, I do prefer something more exotic than human-esque.
     
  3. Zhadow

    Zhadow Oh hi there

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    I like Hound's beard.
     
  4. Astrotrain52

    Astrotrain52 Banned

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    Hit and miss. I don't want them to look too alien/animalistic (save alt modes). Variety helps differentiate this continuity from others. My main gripe is that the designs from AOE looked too smooth. They had less car/truck/alt mode parts visible or they were too smoothed into their design. I'm not saying they need the entire front of the car, unaltered as their chest per se. But especially with the AOE main 5 Autobots, they looked more human than Transformer to me.
     
  5. QLRformer

    QLRformer Seeker

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    This is definitely an accurate statement.

    Even in the first film the robots had fairly distinct human features, particularly the first five Autobots: Optimus had his faceplate removed so that he could smile, Ratchet had a mustache, and Jazz's eyes could be seen beneath his visor.

    And things progressed so that the heroic bots looked more human: ROTF Jetfire had a beard, DOTM Sentinel Prime looked like Spock/Sean Connery, DOTM Que looked like Einstein and AOE Hound and Drift looked like they were a Marine and samurai turned into robots; in fact the robots in AOE didn't even get any decent transformations, which reflects how far humanization had come into the designs, to the point of overwhelming their transformations.

    In contrast, the Decepticons looked more alien-like. I loved how they look, especially ROTF Megatron and ROTF Soundwave, but it's clear the bad guy robots were designed to be less humanoid and thus more evil looking; I especially disliked Starscream's cockerel face.


    I sincerely hope that the upcoming films will change design elements somewhat: have a freakish-looking Autobot who appears scary at first but is actually friendly, and on the other side have a handsome bishonen-looking Decepticon who is actually a sadistic torturer.
     
  6. Matrixbeast

    Matrixbeast Here comes a thought

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    As long as they just drop the chicken legs, I'm fine with it.
     
  7. Rob

    Rob Prowl Fan

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    I believe (again not sure this was the motivator, but it's certainly possible ) the critics said in ROTF the designs were terrible so since then they started to pretty much shift the designs. Well we (the fans) warned them back in 2007.
     
  8. Autovolt 127

    Autovolt 127 Get In The Titan, Prime!

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    It doesn't matter, as long as the toys are good.
     
  9. soundwaverulls

    soundwaverulls Taking a break

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    I feel that AOE Galvatron already did that, somewhat. His design is one of the least monstrous the Decepticons have had.

    Also, am I the only one who likes that the Decepticons' Air Commander looks like a bird.
     
  10. AOEGalvatronRox

    AOEGalvatronRox Collector

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    It was kind of a love/hate thing for me. I loved the humanoid look because the robots looked a little more different than they did in the first three movies (Hounds beard, or Drift's Samurai helmet head and face) but I also disliked them because they, overall, seemed smooth. There weren't any vehicle mode parts on them which was kind of a small nitpick for me because they didn't translate well into toys, as I have stated a couple of times in the past on previous threads. And if someone had to take a wild guess as to what Galvatron or Crosshairs transformed into, they would possibly have a hard time doing so. I'm kind of hoping they go back to the more alien look from the first three films in the next film. Like, I don't think they should make the robots too, I guess, "alienish" to the point you don't know who is who but at the same time I'm hoping they get rid of the whole humanoid theme.
     
  11. Galvatross

    Galvatross Dom Dom, Yes Yes Veteran

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    I like both the first trilogy and AOE designs for what they are. The earlier designs work well as being robots that are alien in nature. For characters like the AOE Autobots and Lockdown the human-like designs work well because they were all so much more expressive than in the first movies. Also, the KSI designs work well because they are brand new and sleek; they have that futuristic aesthetic to them. Also, I love the Dinobots' designs. The knight aesthetic is awesome. They have a very ancient feel to them.

    Also, one design I don't think gets enough credit is the Steeljaw design. They look like alien versions of Earth's pack-hunting mammalian predators with their mixture of fur, flesh, and metal. They are legitimately cool.
     
  12. Ironhide1234

    Ironhide1234 Here.

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    I either love them, like them or hate them.

    Loved all the 2007 designs, liked most of the ROTF designs, liked most of the DOTM designs and liked/ hated some of the AOE designs.
     
  13. Wikkid

    Wikkid Completely retired customizer

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    I loath the AOE designs other than vintage Bee and Prime. No car parts = generic alien robot.

    I also despise the themes leading to creating characatures rather than characters. Do they really need to look like an Earth concept to sell their personality or skill rather than, I dunno, having the audience invest a little in them.

    I'll take the weird tripod ROTF robots over that AOE dreck any day.
     
  14. zark225

    zark225 Talon Productions on YouTube

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    I definitely preferred the trilogy designs over the AOE ones. Not saying I didn't like AOE's stuff, but I just there were more car parts and less human features. I think the trilogy really had a good balance of vehicle/alt form parts, and adding human features without it being over bearing.
     
  15. Wars

    Wars I ate the WHOLE plate

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    Yeah, one of my biggest peaves with some of the AOE designs was the lack of actual, distinguishable vehicle parts on the robots

    It's understandable with the KSI robots, given how they transform, but not with the main Autobots. Prime and Bumblebee were the worst offenders. Prime's only identifiable vehicle kibble on his robot mode were the smoke-stacks, and Bumblebee's were the wheels on his shoulders and in his heels. Though the designs were kinda cool, they were cool robot designs, not cool Transformers designs

    I don't really mind too much about the designs cheating. Transformers designs, for most of the brand's history, have always cheated in one way or another. At least on Hound, Crosshairs, and Drift, there was a good deal of vehicle kibble that you didn't have to look for
     
  16. Kirby0189

    Kirby0189 Soundpost

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    I'm pretty sure that the new art style for the Transformer characters was because of critics and fans complaining about how they looked too alien. Wait, the aliens were too alien? What kind of logic was that?
     
  17. Wikkid

    Wikkid Completely retired customizer

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    I hate to put you on the spot, but the only car parts on Hound was his wheels so all I could tell is he was a land based vehicle. Crosshairs has some tires and morphed LED headlights and Drift had a morphed grille suggesting he was a Bugatti (but only if you knew your cars, heck, he coulda been an Edsel) Let's be real, he also changed into a helicopter, "WTFing hell, bro."

    I never bought any of the figures but they all seemed like the instructions would read "Fold vehicle inside out and stand. Ignore kibble"
     
  18. Lord Tron

    Lord Tron Well-Known Member

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    May I ask why it matters if they have noticeable car parts what's that have to do with who Hound or Crosshairs are the answer nothing what's it matter also the more simplistic designs are absolutely the reason we got so many robot scenes so as I have already said the trade off was worth it, would you rather have a robot with many noticeable car parts or that robot to get three extra scenes to me the answer here is obvious.
     
  19. Wikkid

    Wikkid Completely retired customizer

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    If that was an actual reason for AOE's run time. I'd say shorten it and make it at least look like a Transformers movie.
     
  20. Ash from Carolina

    Ash from Carolina Junior Smeghead

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    From a story telling point of view perhaps the production team figured it was easier for people to catch body language and facial expressions when the designs were more human. On Star Trek it's not hard to tell when a Volcan is annoyed but almost impossible to tell if the Horta was annoyed.

    It might also be a short cut to telling the robots apart. We are used to telling other humans apart but unless we've studied insects it's hard for most of us to tell two insects of the same species apart. If Lockdown and Galvatron had been completely alien looking perhaps they felt it would be harder to tell the two silver characters apart. Looking rather human makes it easier to know quickly who is who in any given scene.