Okay, say there's a new Transformers TV Show in development. Say it's going to be set on Earth predominantly (with human kids) like most series.

What would you say to the creators on things to do and not to do, story-wise?

I personally would say:

Things to Do:
Make the humans likable characters. More often than not; human characters are dislike not because they exist; but because you wonder why they are even there. Make them likable, and make them as useful as possible.

Things Not To Do:
Overkill characters. Make character deaths matter and infrequent, and when they come, make them worthwhile. Don't make me people upset that you killed the character because of HOW you did it; make people upset because they are sorry to see that character go.

(You don't need to limit yourself to just one thing. And please, this thread isn't for casts lists. If you want to make comments on how a cast should be handled, sure; but there are other threads for you to say how you want your cast)

 

Don't try to make it epic.

That's something that happens with good writing you can't force it!

 

Hire the writer of MtMtE.

 

Don't slap G1 quotes everywhere. Don't make Optimus Prime as exciting as a sack of potatoes. Don't try too hard to make it "epic" and "dark" like Prime apparently does.

 

Transformers fans are going to complain no matter what you do; make the best show you can and have fun with it.

 

Get Characters that didn't have any love like Trailbreaker.

 

Or just this.

 

i put 13 primes in next tf series
and primus vs unicron too

 

You're about to start dealing with the most bitchastically whiny fandom known to man. Rather than trying to please these fucktards, you should just do everything in your power to piss them off. Like make Bumblebee a silent VW Beatle, or make Starscream and Megatrons relationship explicitly homosexual. You're going to get exactly the same amount of complaining, but you'll have a whole lot more fun doing it.

Also, you should totally put the Beast in.

 

Oddly enough, my contribution was going to be "bury the Bayverse archetypes, especially Bumblemute". Thanks for saving me the effor... oh. Shit.

 

No Bumblebee.

No Peter Cullen as Optimus.

 

Keep it fun. It's okay to have comedic episodes now and then. In fact, it makes the more dramatic and serious moments even more so. If it's always Serious Toast with a topping of Grimdark Butter, then it gets tedious. Meet somewhere in the middle between Rescue Bots and Transformers Prime.

 

- No more children as sidekicks to giant warrior robots

- More Transformers character variety

- Way, way, way less awful "oh hey, yet another lost object from our world is conveniently sitting here on Earth, so let's go find and fight for it" plots

- No more starting with the a-typical 5 member Autobot and/or Decepticon crews consisting of the same characters again & again

- Make Bumblebee a small TALKING background character again

- Give Megatron an actual Earth mode disguise - enough with this "I don't need no disguise" alien alt mode that barely looks like anything crap

- No more of the everyone having a mouth, and faceplates are only used for battle schtick

- Drop any & all mysticism, mythical, magical, etc. angles in the canon and keep it technologically explicable

- No more famous G1 one-liners from Prime

 

More New Characters!

 

This   I would say make megatron turn into a pistol.

 

This. Even if you do many things to please the fans there are always some who are always going to complain no matter what so don't try too hard to please the fans.

And BTW don't be afraid to be epic when you need to be or make a show more serious either.

And go with any art and animation style you want. CGI or 2D is good either way.

 

1. Use traditional 2D animation -not anime... but high level of detail.

2. Use all new characters with new names.

2.1 No Optimus or Megatron, they can be mentioned, but not shown. It's time for some new leaders. No Unicron(just stop it already).

2.2 Stop with the "Prime" in everything. Like the 13 Primes, it's a good idea.... but making them all Primes makes it lame. Or, Primus. The use of the name has done nothing but water down "Optimus Prime" the one and only PRIME.

3. No Bumblebee. I'm not saying to never use him again, just skip Bee for one series. We need a break.

4. Add in a third faction.

5. No gimics or power-ups/ simple transformation is enough

6. Human characters that hang out with Transformers should be like Sari from Animated -able to kick but and help out.

7. Exo-suit Transformers

8. No, or very little Ground/Space Bridge use.

9. Large cast, no less than 10 robot characters for each side.

10. More female Transformers. One Female to every four Males would be best. (or a 5 member sub-group)

11. Monster Transformers, like the Monsterbots or say Autobot X(frankinstiens monster) from G1. Base a TF character/s off the Hulk/Dr. Jeckel- Mr. Hide, or the Mummy, Creature from the Black Lagoon, etc.

12. Legendary Creatures... Like Unicorns, Chinese Dragons

13. TFs are stuck on earth. More characters can be brought in, but they can't leave once they are here.

14. Kill off established characters once in a while. The key word is established.

15. Give TFs guns again!

16. Let some characters have face-plates only, no giving them mouths too.

17. A few kid TFs. Why not have the relatable characters be Transformers instead of humans? Like Wheelie, but not annoying. More like say if HotRod was a 10 year old (equivalent) in appearance and maturity.

18. Some TF vehicals- armed transports tf characters can actually drive/pilot... vehicles can turn into either little station bases or weapon instillations. Like Action Masters, but for normal TFs.

19. No origin story for the TF race.

20. Try having it not be an all out war. Like Auto's and Con's are rivials... a midst an uneasy truce. Have the story build up to a war between the two factions. Have a non-Cybertronian TF race be the main threat.

21. Borrow more from other IPs. Take cool things/details/concepts and repurpose them for Transformers. Though don't make it parody level of obvious.

22. Have some sort of tournement or sport that TFs can compete in.

23. Build a TF culture out side of war. They are living beings, not war machines. It's time they grew a bit past that.

 

If Cybertron is going to be destroyed by the cival war. show that a group of Autobot colonized another world and created a new Autobot and Decepticon homeworld.

Also don't over use 1986 movie quotes.

Also focus more on the character and less on the plot devices and deus ex machina endings (The Relics, Sari's Key)

Peter Cullen elevated to a role like Primus.

 

More original characters.

Less filler.

A constant level of quality.

 

1. Don't try to please the unpleasable
2. Give all of the characters equal development
3. Focus some more on the relationships (doesn't mean romantic) between the characters

That is all.