Why, because they're blocking what was obviously a leaked video?  

 

I suppose I've missed quite a few memos, as I've just become aware of this game's lack of character customization. Quite honestly, I could do without the game being an MMO, but the initially advertised "in-depth" customization really had me hyped. The game still looks good, don't get me wrong, the trashing of the character customization really disappoints me.

And, finances aside, if Jagex is now down-scaling the game, why is the game's release date Fall 2013 instead of Spring 2013 as planned, or even Late 2012 when the game was first announced?

 

I think the issue is not that people shouldn't have expected so much but, rather they should have not announced such a ambitious project in the first place. When they first announced details everything sounded really great but, very plausible (I was thinking something like Star Trek Online or Champions Online). Then out of nowhere near all the key elements they announced were changed. That is what is disappointing; my expectations were based on what Jagex provided

 

You know that's true, the general MMO mechanics would not have worked for Transformers but that said there are ways to tweak the formula so plays have context or various leveling mechanics and skill trees without having to go through the general quest grind. Hell there was Global Agenda which had the deathmatch stuff but also a better designed universe and dungeons you could go into with people. That game was very meh but the groundwork was there and howed you could tweak an MMO framework to fit your source material.

This statement however seems to say "We couldn't emulate WoW with transformers so we can't make an MMO"

 

I'm not blaming one person because we don't have the whole picture but as I said this game is a failure in terms of marketing for a vast array of reasons. One of the biggest problems IMO though (as can be seen by these posts) was the removal of customization.

This was one of the selling points when they started the game, it was what they demoed at Botcon 2011 and what people stated time and again that they were excited for. THEN they up and removed it stating that Transformers was about collecting bots. This was a complete misread of their core audience - the statement in and of itself shows that the market they want the most is the hardcore TF fan but the hardcore TF fan had already spoken and wanted to customize their characters.

It's true fans don't understand what goes on behind game development - but the folks at Jagex have reached a point where they don't understand what fans want either - the statement is clearly stating what they think the fans find fun and made that change without anything to back it up other than apparently going "Well they collect toys so they want to do that more than creating one." A statement which doesn't fit the fanbase, nor the lore of the series since fans show clear attachment to certain characters.

All of this could have been resolved with some simple marketing research - If I passed the following question aroudn Botcon what do you think the skew would have been?

In a Transformers Video Game - who would you rather play as?
1) An established character in the Transformers universe (e.g. Soundwave, Bumblebee)?
2) A collection of new robots
3) A custom transformer you build yourself

Personally I'm positive it would come out as 1 and 3 with 2 being a long distance behind - and I'm phrasing that question as neutrally as I can.

 

I don't blame Jagex on this - the video was likely a violation of the NDA which I'm banking is still in effect.

 

Psst. Download/reupload it like I am before it's taken down again.
oh dear - YouTube
Seriously, what's the point of this when there's already good shooter TF games out there? I was so excited for an MMORPG.

 

fixed  

 

I put it back up to stay. Try not to to spread it. If we keep it quiet, it can stay on forever. hopefully

 

Already down 

 

Down  

 

not working