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Alright, so, in the RPG we're already developing the Master Technology, and I thought it would be interesting to get people's take on it (I also had some questions about one particular brand... we'll get to those in a minute).

Headmasters: I think the idea that HM's were designed for fuel conservation and to allow smaller robots access to bigger bodies seems the most logical (does anyone want to binary bond to a squishy? Honnestly I'm curious. I think the tech might be able to be adapted to use organics...) - I will admit, I have modified my guys just a little as "I transform into a HEAD!" seems a bit silly to me - especially when you're as big as Fortress.

Powermasters: Do we like the idea of bonding to squishies to have access to more power, or should it just be an extension of the HM process - the real bot is the "engine" with a sparkless transector?

Target Masters: One of the more wonky designs from the Masters line (though not the weirdest...) - why would you want a gun that can override you in a combat situation? For me, I think it made the most sense for something like Stepper's reissue - the gun was shoulder mounted - this gives you an extra pair of eyes in the back of your head - someone to cover you. Working very much in the same way in vehicle mode - a mounted weapon that could fire while you did the piloting, instead of having to do both.
The second thing - for the purposes of the RPG - does a target master team count as one character or two?

Weird Japanese Masters:

God Masters: Ok... the idea is pretty weird, with Super Robot Powers tossed in for fun.... I came up with a somewhat plausable explination for Ginrai... But for the others? Shooting lighting bolts and using soul power?

Brain Masters: Ummm... really? Ok, these guys stand in the chest of the transector and then part of them gets pushed up and they become the brains and face.... Basically Head Masters 2.0

Breast Masters: Because... everyone loves Breast... Beasts... seriously... did anyone write this stuff with a strait face? Ok so - Triple changing Target Masters that want to be Soundwave - Goes from weapon to chest armour to beastie. I don't know why... but they do.
Same deal - do they count as one or two characters?

So what are your thoughts on the brands of Masters?

Brave Maximus wrote:Headmasters: I think the idea that HM's were designed for fuel conservation and to allow smaller robots access to bigger bodies seems the most logical (does anyone want to binary bond to a squishy? Honnestly I'm curious. I think the tech might be able to be adapted to use organics...) - I will admit, I have modified my guys just a little as "I transform into a HEAD!" seems a bit silly to me - especially when you're as big as Fortress.

Scorponok for one would be curious on bonding with organics, but he won't test it on himself...

Personally I don't want to make Scorponok a Headmaster, not until we're much later into the game.

Powermasters: Do we like the idea of bonding to squishies to have access to more power, or should it just be an extension of the HM process - the real bot is the "engine" with a sparkless transector?

The whole concept of Powermasters is that the engine provides the larger Transformer with a lot of energy, right? Humans doing that never made sense for me. Why don't we change 'human' into Minicon? That way more Minicons can come to play and stuff.

Target Masters: One of the more wonky designs from the Masters line (though not the weirdest...) - why would you want a gun that can override you in a combat situation? For me, I think it made the most sense for something like Stepper's reissue - the gun was shoulder mounted - this gives you an extra pair of eyes in the back of your head - someone to cover you. Working very much in the same way in vehicle mode - a mounted weapon that could fire while you did the piloting, instead of having to do both.

I've always thought that the gun does the aiming and shooting while the larger Transformer focuses on moving around, evading shots and stuff like that. Though yeah, being mounted on the shoulder makes much more sense than being held by the Targetmaster bulk.

[qutoe]Breast Masters: Because... everyone loves Breast... Beasts... seriously... did anyone write this stuff with a strait face? Ok so - Triple changing Target Masters that want to be Soundwave - Goes from weapon to chest armour to beastie. I don't know why... but they do.
Same deal - do they count as one or two characters?[/quote]

BREAST FORCE BREAST FORCE BREAST FORCE

Yeah, I know it's the Breast Force...

but Breast Masters sound so much better...

Besides, doesn't the Breast Force only include the Leokaiser team and Breast Masters cover Dezarus as well?

In the same way that Brain Masters include Star Saber in the cool crowd?

Personily, I don't want characters who become Headmasters to be stuck without a head if they don't have their pathner.

Well, the one thing I actualy "liked" about IDW's approach to the Master tech is that it was introduced as a way for Humans to control Cybertronians. It sort of made sense to me.

I hope that we wait a very very long time before introducing any (other) master tech though. If we introduce everything in the first year of the new RPG, we'll have nothing left

No Action Master love in this thread?

Brave Maximus wrote:Besides, doesn't the Breast Force only include the Leokaiser team and Breast Masters cover Dezarus as well?

IIRC all seven of them were Breast Force, and the Liokaiser team was called... the Liokaiser team, or the Breastforce combiner.

In the same way that Brain Masters include Star Saber in the cool crowd?

Can I put it on record here that Brainmasters is a stupid name?

Ulcrain wrote:Personily, I don't want characters who become Headmasters to be stuck without a head if they don't have their pathner.

This.

Terribly silly when I saw it in the cartoon (what with everyone just reverting into their alternate modes when their partner decides to walk around), and in the Marvel comics poor Fortress Maximus had to be stuffed in a closet because Spike didn't want to be involved. IDW had it as a delicate process that could easily go either way for the two involved in the process.

Personally, the only way this has worked for me is that the process can only go well if both human and Autobot/Decepticon agree or something.

Springer85 wrote:Well, the one thing I actualy "liked" about IDW's approach to the Master tech is that it was introduced as a way for Humans to control Cybertronians. It sort of made sense to me.

Speaking of which, are we going to have a shifty Sector Seven/NEST/MECH/Machination/Skywatch whatever organization on Earth? Methinks it might be good to introduce them in the Fallen thread as a bunch of investigators investigating the Cyberglyphs on the Fallen's prison or something.

I hope that we wait a very very long time before introducing any (other) master tech though. If we introduce everything in the first year of the new RPG, we'll have nothing left

Yeah. Ditto for combiners. That way they'll seem more of a threat. More OMFG IT'S A GESTALT instead of the cartoon's 'hey, it's a bunch of guys we that combine into a big idiot we can trip with a wire'. More OMFG THE HEADMASTERS ARE SO MUCH FASTER AND QUICKER than 'ho hum, the guy has a human for a head, big deal'.

It's not like we have a lot of Master Tech running around atm
AFAIK, there aren't ANY right now - with Fortress Maximus being the first introduced, followed (maybe) by Skyfall, who I'm actually reconsidering as a character.

I know some other players want to play Headmasters, but have no idea how or when they want to change over.

And yes Brain Master and Breast Force are just silly.

Lastly: NEST/Sector 7/Evil Humans that use a serpent for their symbol/MECH/ETC would deffinatly be a fun and logical group(s) to bond with. Could even be interesting if the humans FORCED the bond to control TF's.

I like the idea of introducing some humans now, in the Fallen Thread.....
Poor Warcry... more PM's

As for Target Masters, I like the concept that they introduced with the Action Masters like with Rad + Lionizer, Jackpot + Sights. Those make sense to me and I'll probably even pick an action master to introduce the concept too. Eventually, if nobody else beats me to it.On second thought, I want to play an additional 'Con. *Goes browsing*

Lastly: NEST/Sector 7/Evil Humans that use a serpent for their symbol/MECH/ETC would deffinatly be a fun and logical group(s) to bond with. Could even be interesting if the humans FORCED the bond to control TF's.

That's how I would like to see it too.

I think that's the best thing about the Master Tech (except the aforementioned Breast and Brains) - is that it can be adapted to the situation. Want a gun that sits on your shoulder or spoiler and can target itself - classic target master. Want a partner than can run around and help you then provide you with a BFG? Action Master TM is for you! Want to be a little robot that can be a bigger robot? You're from the planet Master! Want a squishy to natter away in your head? You've obviously visited Nebulos!

When we discussed this a while back, I think the decision we came to was that almost all of the classic gimmicks were stupid when taken at face value. So we said that we wouldn't have combiners, masters, Pretenders or the like into the game until someone could come up with a decent explanation for the technology and an interesting story hook to introduce it.

Since then we've introduced multichangers as ungodly bioweapons and Pretenders (or at least the concept of them) as a life-support system for injured robots, so there's certainly no reason why we can't do the same for any of the other old subgroups as time goes on. So if you can come up with a logical reason why your characters' tits transform into a gun, more power to you.

Warcry wrote: So if you can come up with a logical reason why your characters' tits transform into a gun, more power to you.

LINE OF THE DAY!!!!

the Archive needs a "like" button....

Warcry wrote:So we said that we wouldn't have combiners, masters, Pretenders or the like into the game until someone could come up with a decent explanation for the technology and an interesting story hook to introduce it.

Really? What was the problem with combiners? Out of all the Transformers' technology, that was the one I was looking forward to most. lol

Wait, what kinds of technology are happening in this game? I was under the impression that most of it was going to make an appearance at some point...

As far as Headmasters go, I'm terribly sorry, but it's a dumb concept (to a lesser degree so are Powermasters). I made a similarish thread a couple of months ago and I can't justify a smaller robot living inside of a bigger robot's head--or whatever it does: lives inside his partner's head or acts as the head while his partner is in robot form. And seriously, what goes on up there when the Headmaster is in robot form? Does the little robot actually speak, or does he only speak when the Headmaster transforms to alternate form? Thinking about it makes my brain hurt.

Targetmasters I can tolerate, not that my interest is great enough to green light a future Targetmaster. But at least the robot can provide some serious firepower for his partner.

Now, having said that, I do really like the Breast Animal partners the Breastforce have. Stupid name for them, I know, but they look great and very useful. I'm all for them!

Oh, and Mini-Cons. If Mini-Cons come into play--and the Armada Air Defense Team are allowed--I'm claiming them now.

Shine wrote:Really? What was the problem with combiners? Out of all the Transformers' technology, that was the one I was looking forward to most. lol

Mostly that it has become somewhat stale over the numerous times it has been used. Combiners are treated as big, lumbering powerhouses without much of a brain. And in the cartoon they can be tripped with a tripwire.

Not to mention that the mental bonds are never properly explored.

I think, if, say, Menasor or Devastator or whatever are introduced, they would be weapons of destruction on par with Sixshot or Omega Supreme. Maybe not Omega, but thereabouts.

Wait, what kinds of technology are happening in this game? I was under the impression that most of it was going to make an appearance at some point...

Whatever we need

Oh, and Mini-Cons. If Mini-Cons come into play--and the Armada Air Defense Team are allowed--I'm claiming them now.

Ginrai is a Minicon.

A technoorganic minicon. Which explains all his funky powers.

As far as what technology is making an appearance, Warcry pretty much said it -> what ever we need, as long as there's a good reason for it. Saying "I want 5 robots to join into one robot so they can go smashy smashy" isn't the best reason. Why not just build a bigger robot? What's the benifits of making 5 into one? If you can come up with a plausible explination, we'll toss Team Science on it and off we go (or AT or Wheeljack and Perceptor or... etc).

As for the uses of Headmasters - it depends what form we're going for. I've always liked the Transector version (same with Power/God Masters). In that the body is just a body, no spark, no life. The head is actually the robot and he can run around and operate on his own, until he needs a ride, or more power, or stregth or... then he attaches to his Transector and boom, big robot!
This is actually really useful for characters like Fortress Maximus, who are so effin large, that trying any normal interaction in their full size is next to impossible. (Fortress is still huge, even with Mass shifting)

And yes, Minicons are in the RPG - but are treated the same as any other team - you'd have to claim them all individually.
Minicons are actually going to play a bit of back story in 2 of my characters....
Oh, and Ginrai. It was the only way to explain God Master powers without getting REALLY silly.

Brave Maximus wrote:As far as what technology is making an appearance, Warcry pretty much said it -> what ever we need, as long as there's a good reason for it.

Blackjack not Warcry

Blackjack is prettier than Warcry -sulks-

EDIT: just realised Warcry said the same thing, but 'whatever we need' is Blackjack quote. -still sulks-

Saying "I want 5 robots to join into one robot so they can go smashy smashy" isn't the best reason. Why not just build a bigger robot? What's the benifits of making 5 into one? If you can come up with a plausible explination, we'll toss Team Science on it and off we go (or AT or Wheeljack and Perceptor or... etc).

To be fair, Team Science doesn't need much more of a reason than 'we're curious to see if it'll work', which is why they're making triple changers even though they've already made a six changer.

The Autobots, on the other hand...

As for the uses of Headmasters - it depends what form we're going for. I've always liked the Transector version (same with Power/God Masters). In that the body is just a body, no spark, no life. The head is actually the robot and he can run around and operate on his own, until he needs a ride, or more power, or stregth or... then he attaches to his Transector and boom, big robot!

This, though I also like the reverse version, that the large body is the original, and the head can transform into a smaller robot in order to interact with normal people. Kind of like how Metroplex needed Scamper and Sixsgun.

(Fortress is still huge, even with Mass shifting)

Do we have mass shifting? IIRC we never reached a conclusion on this...

Minicons are actually going to play a bit of back story in 2 of my characters....

I had Prowl order around a Minicon around, and Obsidian used to have a Minicon subordinate and have more than once protected a Minicon settlement.

Just to say.

Oh, and Ginrai. It was the only way to explain God Master powers without getting REALLY silly.

Minicons --> explains power boosts and generally badass stuff
Scorponok --> explains techno organic origin, thereby making him sort-of human
Powerlink --> allows him to combine with bigger transectors
Scorponok again --> has a Godbomber trailer in his basement

We're fans, baby. We make things like this work.

Sorry ><

"As Warcry AND Blackjack said" - I just looked at the first person to say something ><

I was thinking more of getting mod approval
On that vein though, is there anything Team Science wouldn't do?

There has to be mass shifting...
if there isn't Fortress will need a Headmaster himself ><
And the other guy will... just not work lol.
Just chalk it up to a crazy Minicon Tech. Though, with it connecting to the Fallen's prision, it could actually cause some fun.

I actually didn't know we had more minicons running around - bonus

Scorponok's basement = house of "fun"


Edit: I just realized I didn't quote any of Blackjack's comments in here... I am not re-editing it in... ><

On that vein though, is there anything Team Science wouldn't do?

Tarantulas will do whatever he wants and then laugh at it like a maniac

Wheeljack on the other hand won't do anything unethical. He'll stretch the borders a litlle, but that's it. Right now he's the only one that managed to create a Pretender like process without the need of a Vector Computer.

He also prefers to create things that are used for defensive matters. Meaning that if he sees a reason to help create a Gestalt because it'll give the bots a strategic/defensive advantage, he'll do it. I'm sure he and Alpha Trion would have lots of fun creating crazy stuff in the lab

Shine wrote:As far as Headmasters go, I'm terribly sorry, but it's a dumb concept (to a lesser degree so are Powermasters).

Yeah...Headmasters don't make much sense to me either, really. Even though people laughed about Brainmasters earlier in this thread, I think that's a much better way for a small robot to control a larger body. Why become a vital part of the larger robot's anatomy and expose yourself to attack when you could be hidden behind a foot of armour? Points for style, I guess?

And Powermasters are just silly. "Sorry, Prime. I can't go into battle until my human partner wolfs down fifty cheeseburgers." Nonsense!

Shine wrote:Targetmasters I can tolerate, not that my interest is great enough to green light a future Targetmaster. But at least the robot can provide some serious firepower for his partner.

Targetmasters I like. It makes sense that a Minicon that turns into a gun could be more powerful than a normal handheld weapon. I'd like to see them treated more like independent characters, though, and less like the accessories they were in the 80s fiction.

Brave Maximus wrote:Saying "I want 5 robots to join into one robot so they can go smashy smashy" isn't the best reason. Why not just build a bigger robot? What's the benifits of making 5 into one? If you can come up with a plausible explination, we'll toss Team Science on it and off we go (or AT or Wheeljack and Perceptor or... etc).

Basically, yeah. I mean, five robots bolted together are liable to be less effective than if you had the five of them acting as a unit. I could see mad scientists doing it just because they could, or maybe building them as a last-ditch desperate attempt to have something that could stand against a giant like Trypticon. Maybe even the result of a failed Duocon-like experiment, where the combined robot is the 'real' character and the smaller components only have a part of his consciousness.

There's a lot of ways you could make it work if you wanted to, but thinking of gestalts strictly in terms of a weapon they don't make much sense.

Blackjack wrote:Blackjack is prettier than Warcry -sulks-

I prefer 'handsome' actually.

Blackjack wrote:This, though I also like the reverse version, that the large body is the original, and the head can transform into a smaller robot in order to interact with normal people. Kind of like how Metroplex needed Scamper and Sixsgun.

That's not a bad idea either, although it might actually work better with something like Breastforce. The biggest problem Headmasters have to overcome is that they lose their head when the smaller body is walking around. Not so much a problem when you're Fortress Maximus transformed into base mode, but someone like Hardhead or Chromedome is pretty well neutralized without their head.

Blackjack wrote:Do we have mass shifting? IIRC we never reached a conclusion on this...

As long as it's not taken to absurd levels I don't see a problem with it. Soundwave turning from a tape deck to a 30 foot tall robot or Powerglide's robot mode being smaller than Skids is probably a bit much. But as long as your robot mode is vaguely in scale with your alt I don't think it'll cause any trouble.

Warcry wrote: Maybe even the result of a failed Duocon-like experiment, where the combined robot is the 'real' character and the smaller components only have a part of his consciousness.

That's an interesting concept actually. Sort of like my old Sixwing back in the day (though, he seems a lot closer to PowerCore Combiners... and mine came first!!!)
At that point though, would it count as one character, or 5? I can actually see someone like Computron or the Micromaster 6formers starting out as one being and then being split. Maybe even Raiden (since he forms one long train...) or Railracer

As long as it's not taken to absurd levels I don't see a problem with it. Soundwave turning from a tape deck to a 30 foot tall robot or Powerglide's robot mode being smaller than Skids is probably a bit much. But as long as your robot mode is vaguely in scale with your alt I don't think it'll cause any trouble.

*looks at Fortress Maximus... then looks at this post.... then back at Fort Max*

~Some exceptions to allow for sanity are allowed... right?

Brave Maximus wrote:That's an interesting concept actually. Sort of like my old Sixwing back in the day (though, he seems a lot closer to PowerCore Combiners... and mine came first!!!)
At that point though, would it count as one character, or 5?

That's hard to say, really. I guess it would depend on how the character(s) was going to be played. Is he combined all the time, or usually split up? Are his parts in one place, or do they go to different locations? Stuff like that.

Brave Maximus wrote:*looks at Fortress Maximus... then looks at this post.... then back at Fort Max*

~Some exceptions to allow for sanity are allowed... right?

Fort Max is big enough that as long as he's still perceived as 'huge' by the other characters it shouldn't be an issue.