Assuming that this series continues?

Besides removing the limited waves, I'd very much want to see FOCs customisation mode introduced into Escalation, it'd be awesome to be able to play as your own personalised characters versus the enemy waves.

 

1) Legitimate Boss Rounds: In Rise of the Dark Spark, the bosses you face in Escalation were jokes. They were pretty much re-skinned mooks with visible and slightly larger health bars. These "bosses" can be defeats under a minute or two by spamming your weapons or punching them.

They can improve this by creating Escalation bosses with a similar format to how you face bosses in the campaign. For instance, perhaps Soundwave's boss could involve hacking your defenses on the map (or manipulating the map in general) or sending out his cassette minions as back-up. A boss fight against a combiner could be similar to any fight that larger tank robot, the Destroyer, from War for Cybertron when he pops up in
Escalation.

2) Option of using custom characters in Escalation.

3) More tactical enemies: Most of enemies would just lunge at your in groups, leaving many opportunities to kill them in plain sight (I know it's a horde mode, but still). How about have the A.I. improve their thinking skills over time by using cover or sending out opponents that have skills better fit to take you out first before coming join the fight themselves, just to name a few.

 

I've always preferred WFC escalation, not only for the maps, but I also prefer it's machines, weapons, etc. But some key features of it, such as the ability to just "pour" money into machines as opposed to spending in increments or paying for all of it should return. Unlimited waves should return, and boss waves as said above should be better. I always felt the tank destroyers in WFC were more worthy of a "boss" title than what we got with ROTDS.

I don't entirely mind the character loadouts, but I still prefer the weapons behind doors aspect of previous games, and I wish characters each had a unique ability in addition to the custom ability you give them. (Again going back to WFC's two ability feature)

With an eye on the future, I would like to see character customization play a role. It's be cool to be able to swap parts around and make our own character, since in-game dialogue really seems to be nonexistent when compared to WFC (and pardon If it was absent in FOC, I don't remember)

 

Unlimited waves.

 

You guys have pretty much said everything I wanted to, apart from all characters being fully voiced, some quips and lines for everyone would liven it up a bit more.

 

Maybe I'm missing something but this has been bugging me, why does every character have an ability description when the only ability you seem to go into battle with is the one you have equipped?

 

More waves would be nice as well as more playable characters.

Arcee and Slipstream for one, not sure if Barricade made the cut considering he was cut from FOC but if he isnt in this then him as well, also more movie characters, even if they just use the character models from the DOTM video game or hell any past video games for that matter, but it would be nice to have Hound, Crosshairs, Galvatron, Vehicons, and so on.

 

Including it in the Wii U version.

 

Whilst I don't think it would be essential for EVERY character to have a unique ability (unless it was a particularly memorable one like Skywarps teleport), it surely wouldn't be too hard to conceive and create another 10 or so of them in order to better mix up the combinations of abilities a character could have, and help make each feel unique.

 

RotDS actually has the best Escalation in my opinion. All it needs is unlockable doors. Behind these should be better vantage points that allow you to survive better. Honestly, I'm loving how you can customise your character and having character creation included would makes things even better.

 

My ideas:
-Class based Escalation. Like FOC, but first - you choose class (maybe class based on vehicle modes/special abilities), second - choose a transformer in this class. Custom made too. For example - select Titan class, the select Warpath, Perceptor, Grimlock...
OR FOC-based class (medic, ammo, turret, shield) but like WFC all characters can use TWO skills. For example: Ratchet - medic class - use healing ability AND use Thunder wave, for example. Perceptor - medic class - use healing ability AND something else. Custom TF - you can choose class and secondary ability.
Why? It's the only way to make ALL transformers NOT THE SAME, like in RotDS (Transformers differ only in altmodes - that's stupid).
-Difficulty settings. Easy: less than normal enemy health, normal enemy spawn - 10 waves. Normal: normal enemy health, normal spawn - 15 waves. Herd - higher enemy health, extra spawn enemies, random mini-boss waves after 2-5 waves (can be characters from enemy faction, like RotDS) - 20 waves.
Why? Many peoples not like only 15 waves and like challenges. So... why not?
-Weapons style settings. FOC or WFC. FOC weapons can be upgraded in weapons terminals on the map, you can upgrade ONLY your weapons. You can buy weapons only shared for this map (it's for balance), weapons can be random scattered on map. Characters use Light and Heavy weapons with separate ammo. WFC Weapons used updated models from WFC, weapons can't be upgraded, ALL weapons from WFC (missing in FOC too, like EMP Shotgun), on map you can buy BIG GUNS from WFC turrets. You can use two equivalent weapons, like in WFC.
Why? More replayability on same maps, more challenges, more gameplay variety.
-Real BOSS waves after final Wave. Somethig like a real coop bossfight. Omega Supreme, Bruticus (or other gestalt). Boss coming after final wave, maybe change map geometry (blows up some constructions, bridges, etc.). It's a real BOSS, with many health and kill tactics based on weakspot. Kill tactics are not the same for every boss, Boss spawns randomly (not the same boss for one map every time).
Why? We a want bosses. Bossfights are cool. And bosses like that - is real challenge for end of escalation round.
-Vehicle abilities like in WFC. Barrel rolls for scout cars and jets, 360 turn for tanks and ram for trucks.
Why? All love vehicle abilities. They are fun, make gameplay more fast and fun. (maybe vehicle abilities can be used only with WFC weapons option).
-Separate campaign and escalation progress. Same Escalation and PvP progress for Custom characters.
Why? Just cause it's stupid - upgraded your characters in singleplayer for play online. This is two different modes, mix them not very smart, I think. And we don't need use ALL your weapons in escalation. It's unbalanced, stupid and just less interesting, then open new map area and take a new gun.
-Map area sectors closed, like FOC and WFC but opened up AFTER couple of waves. Make a wave 3 - take a new area with new gun or upgrade. Upgrades may be preinstall, like RotDS, but only one time. No restock from inventory BEFORE end of escalation. Want a new one - buy it somewhere on map.
Why? More challengeable, more interesting, more balanced. I think take ALL and NOW is too boring for Escalation gameplay. We need a survive. Not a just make a massacre for bots on full opened map without any interest of exploring and tactics.
-MORE maps for escalation. MORE BIG maps.
Why? Juts cause we love escalation, isn't it?  
P.S. Maybe my English is not very good for explain, sorry, but I hope you get the idea.

 

Why has nobody said the most important thing yet?

LOCAL MULTIPLAYER CO-OP

It is never as fun playing a co-op mode online as with a friend and with a franchise like Transformers that won't be able to keep up online presence for years and years local is necessary. It should've been in the first game and now were two and a half games in and still nothing? Not good. I even would've bought ROTDS if they had added in, even with all the other BS in the game. I'm beyond tired of the video game industry moving in such an anti social and greedy direction. If Uncharted can do it, so can Transformers.

 

They really need more waves. The bigger more interesting enemies only show up towards the end and at that point you're swimming in credits to spend on stations.

That's also a problem: swimming in credits that you can't possibly completely spend.

I'm liking parts of this, its definitely better than FoC's escalation.

 

An option to set how many waves there are.

With an "unlimited" option so people stop bitching about being able to win Escalation.  

 

When you use a custom ability, it automatically applies it to both Autobot and Decepticon. If you choose to not put on a custom ability, then you have powers that are specific to the characters. So you could have one faction as one power and one faction as another, depending on the character you choose.

 

They really need to implement an auto-unboxing for the gear boxes. It was cool unlocking stuff initially, but now its really annoying to have to sit through.

 

- Wave limits should be up to the player. 10/15/30/unlimited
- More characters
- Character dialogue should be present. Even if just generic stuff like 'Nice shot', 'I could use some help', 'Titan incoming!' or 'Thanks for the assist'.
- Larger maps
- More character classes
- Actual boss waves, not just drop a high-health high-damage unit into a normal wave.

 

I was playing with Jazz on Broken Hope and he was talking.