You know, they could easily have simpler designs with CGI and have the characters look just as good. If I remember correctly, each character in BW was only 1 model due to them being simple enough to transform without creating seperate models. TFP had 3 models per character? And Predaking had 400 parts? Good grief no wonder they were so limited with characters. Like somebody else here said, the Predaking model alone was more complicated than entire sets on other shows.
Sigh. I was really hoping for something refreshing for the next TF series, with completely new people behind it. This seems like the same bullshit safe route Bay is taking with TF4. "It's a reboot but it's not a reboot hehhehehe." Prime had so much wasted potential with set ups for some really cool plot points... all of which were abruptly thrown out of the window. (Though I'm sure other factors had a hand in that as well) I honestly felt like TFP was kiddie as it is, with occasional mature content thrown in. I say fine, make the cartoon kid friendly to the max, but why not start putting out direct-to-video animated movies like Marvel does? Imagine the possibilities...
After reading some more comments I got to thinking...it's supposed to be a somewhere between RB and Prime but still in the same universe...maybe the two shows are coming together? Perhaps (since it's out that there's aliens on Earth) the RBs join Team Prime (maybe Heatwave will finally get his wish lol). If it's going 2D, I hope the artwork is good...I'd love to see the RBs in a better art style. I think it could have some great story ideas with the RBs and Autobots together.
I wonder if the reason they want to target children more is so that it doesn't end up competing directly with the films. If that is the case, then I find nothing wrong with the decision. Hasbro's products can't afford to compete with each other. They can't have them target the same niche. All in all, I greatly enjoyed animated and Rescue bots. And I don't see 'adult' as dependent on the number of bodies a show can pile up. So I'm fairly interested where this show is going.
I got no problem with something more family friendly. I just hope that they remember the adult fans and do a few more direct-to-DVD releases that can skirt closer to a pg13 rating. Something similar that marvel and dc comics do with there various DVDs, take the great comic stories of transformers and make movies out of them. I'm sure no one will complain about an animated version of the war within or all hail megatron
I started to get into TF-Prime by season 2, but it feels like we barely scratched the surface of it's potential. We could see TF-Prime as the equivalent of the final days of the original Cybertronian war, with the next series taking place during a relatively more peaceful era. Old grudges still exist, and there will still be bad guys trying to stir up trouble, but with a somewhat less apocalyptic vibe in the background, as well as depicting Cybertronians of a less military mindset than those in the current series.