If you want robotic dinosaurs, they cannot transform into armed soldiers. It’s not possible to have it both ways. Neither Scorponok nor Ravage or even Laserbeak transformed into humanoid forms to dole out damage - Laserbeak transformed OUT of humanoid form on one occasion, and though Scorponok was said to have a humanoid mode (Image:HoorayScorponok.jpg - Transformers Wiki) it never really came to pass so it doesn’t count.

I think sentience/speech IS possible, though. I had some serious issues with Laserbeak speaking when previous Cybertronian formers couldn’t – some non-TFans said Laserbeak said/transformed too much, and I honestly couldn’t blame them - but I was able to accept it because there exist some speaking intelligent birds like the parrot and cockatoo.

So, if the Dinobots were beasts that were trained and upgraded/programmed for sentience and speech, it can actually work. But having them transform into warriors is out.


A possible alternative is to do it the other way: have them a faction of ultra-fierce warriors, who take the forms of weapon-equipped Earth lifeforms. Like a Dino version of the Wreckers. But we already have the Wreckers, so that can’t really work. Besides, the term “Dinobots” would be more apt if they stayed as animals.

I don’t know, really, which version would work. But if I had to choose, I’d make them animals. The Autobots are in dire need of their own animals to unleash.

 

Bullshit.

 

Seconded.

 

Thirded.

 

Fourthed. OP you killed your thread in the first sentence, that's impressive.

 

Damn Straight.

 

I don't understand. I thought I explained how I saw the situation properly.

If they want robots transforming into animals, it's another ball game that would involve Predacons and Beast Warriors. Are you saying that's permissible?

 

How the hell do Dinobots necessitate Beast Wars? That's an incredibly huge leap. A few bad dudes can turn into dinosaurs and totally wreck shit, that's literally perfect for the movies. Their presence does not obligate the appearance of Predacons and Maximals and all that. At all.

 

Yes.

 

Utter freaking bullshit!

 

Right on

 

I guess I don't get it. What does the alt mode have to do with how good of a warrior they are in robot mode?

I mean....isn't BW Dinobot perceived to be one of the best warriors in all of TF mythos?

 

i call bullshit too. they totally could of had the other "beasts" transform too. hasbro and bay, were just lazy  

 

ಠ_ಠ

 

  parrots and cockatoos are not intelligent. they don't speak. they mimic sounds.

Also, I demand to be show that rulebook that says we can't have bots with beast modes! ^^ for all we know, even laserbeak and co. can have bot modes, there's nothing in the movies that "forbids" it. And the dinobots are a different concept, they are bots with beast modes. laserbeak and co. are beasts with an alt mode.

 

I was so ready to post this exact thing, but naturally you beat me to it. So I shall expand the sentiment:

A massive massive pile of bullshit.

Laserbeak even did it in DotM - he became a pink robot mode Bumblebee.

It doesn't matter. Laserbeak proved beastformers can have a robot mode. Just because he decided not to kill that guy using it doesn't mean he couldn't have done so if he'd wanted to.

 

I concur with the heavily present "bullshit" sentiment. It doesn't make sense to use three Decepticons as precedence for how an Autobot's beast mode/robot mode connection would work. I hope that's English.

I'm in favour of Dinobot Triple-Changers myself. Dino-robit-vehicle. Preferably something military.

 

“they totally could of had the other "beasts" transform too. hasbro and Bay, were just lazy”
Just because every lifeform from Cybertron can shapeshift doesn’t mean they can become ANYTHING. One definite guideline set was no mass-shifting: each robot stays the same size, and takes on only an alternate mode that accommodates that size. That makes sense.

“Also, I demand to be show that rulebook that says we can't have bots with beast modes! for all we know, even laserbeak and co. can have bot modes, there's nothing in the movies that "forbids" it. And the dinobots are a different concept, they are bots with beast modes. laserbeak and co. are beasts with an alt mode.”
I concede that a robot can take on a beast mode – I’m good with it, really. But IMO a beast bot cannot go the same way and take on a humanoid mode; that just sends it into Hanna-Barbara territory, where you have walking talking animals all over, which not only pushes disbelief but also makes it sort of cartoonish.

Looking at the major beastbots in the series:
- Scorponok was a drone attached to Blackout, who attacked the SOCCENT team in TFilm1 and attacked Jetfire in ROTF
- Ravage was a minion of Soundwave, who deployed a bunch of microcons, retrieved the shard and attacked Bumblebee in ROTF
- Steeljaw (though a toy-only character sadly) transformed into Leadfoot’s car engine.
- From these Laserbeak is an odd one out since he was far more advanced and upgraded than the other beast bots (he turned into about 4 alternate modes and was capable of speech), and thus it appears he got more special treatment than the others – to my mind that’s a little unfair, not to mention outrageous.

Someone mentioned that Dinobots could work like the Dread Hatchet: a beast bot that transformed into a SUV. That to my mind is the best way they could appear. And if they are given upgraded intelligence and stuff, that's okay too since Laserbeak had the same.

Anyway, thanks to those who did not enter a berserker fanrage at my original post (I meant no harm, really  ). TFilm Dinobots are just one of those topics that will be the subject of endless debate on this forum.

 

1 dino modes
2 small robos modes
3 small robos unite into one giant robo warrior