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Chinese make Optimus Prime out of junk; Garbage Pail Megan Fox still nowhere to be found
Some Chinese dudes decided they couldn't wait a year for Michael Bay to drop his next 3D Transformabomb, so they went troweling around the local junkyards until they came up with the 10,108 car parts needed to erect this 33-foot Optimus Prime. We heard that 10 minutes after this picture was taken, OP tried to do a mating dance for the Olympic Stadium, but she didn't bite. Better luck next time!
Transformers 3 is using the Arri Alexa Pace cameras from Avatar to go 3D
After a bit of back and forth, Transformers 3 has been confirmed as yet another action flick jumping on the 3D train. The good news (unless you were really happy to hear that Megan Fox would no longer be a part of the franchise) is that they're filming in 3D as opposed to converting it in post production (like Clash of the Titans, Alice in Wonderland and The Last Airbender) as revealed by master of the 3D camera himself, Vince Pace. Apparently nothing would do for Michael Bay but Jimmy C's best, requiring the cameras used in Avatar and the upcoming Resident Evil flick. Just in case you were wondering, our friends at Cinematical have put together an impromptu list of recent/upcoming 3D movies that will be using a 2D to 3D conversion process (Harry Potter, Narnia, Piranha 3D) and those originally shot in 3D (Tron Legacy, Saw VII 3D) -- so you know what to expect before you put your cash down for a ticket.
Copyrighted characters dominate ModNation Racers' top creations
Give gamers creation tools, and they'll immediately recreate icons from other famous franchises. Like LittleBigPlanet before it, ModNation Racers' extensive character and car editor has been used to pay homage to a number of high-profile games and films -- and these creations are the most beloved by the MNR community. In addition to Peto-Mad's Mario (above), the top downloaded creations include Iron Man, Spider-Man, and a Transformer to boot. The accuracy of these creations have us wondering: will Sony take these user-submitted Mods down before another company threatens a lawsuit?
Transformers: War for Cybertron trailer hearkens back to simpler, robot dinosaur times
Here's another trailer for the upcoming Transformers: War for Cybertron. This one has a good look at in-game boss Trypticon, a gigantic beast that can transform from a full-sized mobile battle station into a robotic T-Rex. In other words, it's just like the piece of plastic that you spent a good half hour unsuccessfully begging your parents for, only to get to school the next day and discover that your friend Jimmy already had one. That Jimmy, he always had all the good toys. What a jerk. Of course, twenty-something years later, he's now managing a Walgreens and you're blogging about video games! Who's got the awesome plastic toy now, Jimmy?
Watch War For Cybertron's multiplayer customization
You may have heard about the multiplayer customization features in Transformers: War for Cybertron, but now, thanks to the video above, you can actually see them in action. Before you ask, no, you can't create your dream Transformer that transforms from a Lamborghini into a totally sweet dragon. Instead, War for Cybertron allows players to select a character class and then customize that character with several different abilities. And, as we discovered during our reason hands-on session with the game, it's actually pretty fun.
Interview: Matt Tieger of High Moon Studios on Transformers: War for Cybertron
High Moon Studios' Matt Tieger, director of Transformers: War for Cybertron, says his game is influenced by the movies -- but not just those directed by Michael Bay and starring CGI robots. Instead, Tieger pointed to Sam Raimi and a certain webslinger as big influences for his upcoming release, as he spoke to a group of press during a recent preview of the game at the studio's offices in Carlsbad, Calif. Tieger says that even though his team is creating a licensed Transformers game, he wants it to be like the first Spiderman film in that it appeals to three audiences: folks who just want a good action ride; brand fans, who want to be reminded of what they liked about the universe as kids; and hardcore fans, who will get every single reference and inside joke -- he wants to "smash you in the face with nostalgia." Following his presentation and a hands-on preview of the game, I chatted with Tieger about War for Cybertron and what game he would "love, love, love" to make next: Joystiq: So what was the pitch behind this game? What was the impetus behind a game like this? Matt Tieger: Well, we knew that Activision came to us and said, "We think you guys are a good fit for a Transformers game." Based on our sensibilities for some things that we had done before, we had done some prototypes, and they thought we were a good match. And we had lots of Unreal Engine experience. And they wanted to make a non-movie based Transformers game. So they asked, "What do you want to do," basically, within the confines of that. And we came up with a plan, and redesigned a bunch of characters and then started talking to Hasbro.
Hands-on: Transformers: War for Cybertron
Transformers: War for Cybertron is a game that hopes to survive its license. Following a few, ahem, questionable blockbuster movies and a universe continually littered with brand cash-ins, High Moon Studios has the somewhat unenviable job of trying to make a game worth playing out of a brand that seems to have its best days behind it. There's nothing wrong with the idea of Transformers -- you know, gigantic, transforming robots at war. With War for Cybertron, High Moon Studios is attempting to recreate that intriguing premise as an Unreal Engine-based third-person shooter. I played through several single-player and multiplayer levels of the game during a recent press event at High Moon Studios' offices in Carlsbad, Calif., and it was apparent that the developer has brought all of its Unreal experience to the fore. There are some very cool gameplay ideas at play that should make for an entertaining romp, especially when experienced with a friend or two. (Hey, if a 50 Cent game can pull it off ... ) %Gallery-92293%
Transformers: War for Cybertron video shows Jazz, Demolishor and Shockwave in action
Joystiq would never condone violence; however, when it comes to robot-on-robot violence, we're all for it. It's not like they can feel anything, right? So we'd like to bring your attention to some pre-order bonuses for High Moon Studios' upcoming not-a-movie-game Transformers: War for Cybertron. Should you decide to enlist in the robo-wars early, you can nab yourself an exclusive character: Jazz, if you pre-order through Best Buy, Demolishor, should you go through Amazon, and Shockwave, if you go the GameStop route. Check out a video of Demolishor above and be sure to head past the break to catch a glimpse of the other two.
Two more Transformers join the War for Cybertron
Click for more pictures to meet the eyeIn Transformers: War for Cybertron's multiplayer mode, you can make your own characters, with cool Transformer names like, uh, Robot ... guy, and Metal ... punching ... bot. We're not good at naming Transformers, apparently. But the single-player game is full of classic characters reinterpreted for their pre-Earth, pre-Earth-technology appearances. The latest characters to be revealed for the game are Autobot Ironhide, who is best known for transforming into a truck and being old, and Decepticon Skywarp, a jet who could teleport in the classic Transformers series, and now has cloaking technology instead. That makes more sense, actually -- why would you need to transform into a jet if you could teleport? Both characters will be playable in the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC versions of War for Cybertron, out June 22. %Gallery-91441%
Create a Transformer in War for Cybertron's multiplayer
Since Transformers: War for Cybertron takes place before the robots made it to Earth, they all look like weird alien robots in this game instead of weird alien robots that are half truck. That freedom from real-world machinery means leeway in character design, which then translates to character customization. What we're saying is that you can make your own Transformer in this game. In this trailer, see the four different classes available in War for Cybertron's multiplayer mode. Even though the "turning into fighter jets" bit is out in favor of turning into space tanks and other fictional vehicles, the other main linchpin of the Transformers franchise is fully intact: robots fighting constantly. Transformers: War for Cybertron meets the eye (and the shelf) June 22.
Transformers: War for Cybertron pre-order includes Shockwave or Demolishor
Click to transform into gallery Playable versions of Decepticons Shockwave and Demolisher are part of Activision's pre-order bonuses for Transformers: War for Cybertron. Squishy humans who pre-order through Amazon will receive an unlock code for Demolishor, while GameStop customers receive a code for Megatron's cold and calculating companion, Shockwave. (Sorry, Amazon, there's just no competition here.) The bonus codes are available for the Xbox 360 and PS3 deployments of the game. Wii's Transformers: Cybertron Adventures currently has no announced pre-order bonus. %Gallery-89867%
How iPod docks have reshaped movies
TV shows and movies often reflect the prevailing pop cultural themes of their day and age. One fixture from the eighties and early nineties was the boombox. Like big hair, Members Only jackets, and women wearing shoulder pad-laden tops, boomboxes were seemingly everywhere during that era. You'd be hard pressed not to find a boombox adorned on one's shoulder or booming away on a playground in many urban cities. Much like how Sony passed the Walkman/Discman torch to the iPod, boomboxes have given way to iPod docks. On this eve launch of the potentially revolutionary iPad, which could displace books and magazines, let's take a stroll through memory lane and look at some flicks that may not be as relevant if made in today's technological age. Long before he made Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky and Almost Famous, Cameron Crowe wrote and directed Say Anything. After getting dumped by Ms. pretty-, class valedictorian- and has everything going for her- Diane Court, Lloyd Dobbler sets out to prove that he's a "man" in a world "full of guys." In an effort to win back Diane's heart, Lloyd parks his car outside her house, whips out and perches his boombox above his head and plays Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes." Imagine this pivotal scene being played out with, say, an iHome. Definitely not as sexy.
Impressions: Transformers: War for Cybertron
Remember those other awful Activision Transformers games based (in some part) on the Michael Bay movies? No? Good, let's work from there. Transformers: War for Cybertron, developed by High Moon Studios (The Bourne Conspiracy, Darkwatch), takes its inspiration from the G1 universe of the '80s cartoon. Actually, that's not entirely accurate. It's more like what the new J.J. Abrams Star Trek movie is to the original. The characters are the same, their motivations are similar; however everything has a whole new (in this case, literal) paint job. Lead Designer Matt Tieger tells us the game presents "nothing that violates your expectations" and the studio worked closely with Hasbro to stay true to the original idea of the Transformers ... speaking of the original idea of Transformers, there will also be action figures based on the game's interpretations of the characters. In War for Cybertron, players participate in two campaigns, one following the righteous Autobots and the other shadows the misunderstood Decepticons. Both campaigns take place on the Transformer home planet of Cybertron and, as Tieger puts it, "Ends up with them having no place to go." Each campaign features three-player online (no offline or "couch") co-op. For the Autobots, the level we saw featured Optimus (not a Prime, yet) and Bumblebee meeting for the first time, and rolling along in the always awkward "third wheel" spot was Ratchet. The Decepticons included Starscream, Thundercracker, Skywarp, Soundwave and Megatron. Of course, in both cases, there are several more playable characters. For fans of the original series, many of the voices will sound wrong -- sadly, in some very important instances, the cartoon's original voice actors have passed away. %Gallery-86611%
Transformers: War for Cybertron media brings the fight home
The upcoming Transformers: War for Cybertron seems determined to impress with its rendition of the titular transforming robots' home world, Cybertron. But see, there's one crucial mistake made by the game, one that hasn't been entirely evident until now: No matter what planet he's on, no matter where he is, Optimus Prime is only allowed to transform into a truck and not Tim Burton's version of the Batmobile from 1989. Well, okay, we lied -- we'll also accept Optimus in gorilla form, too. After you've checked out the trailer above, be sure to morph into our gallery below, which is packed with a bunch of new screens from the upcoming robo-brawler. %Gallery-86611%
Luxoflux shuttered as layoffs hit Activision dev studios, publisher confirms
Reports began circulating this morning about major layoffs at a handful of Activision-owned development studios, affecting as much as half of Radical Entertainment's staff (Prototype), an undisclosed amount of Neversoft employees (Guitar Hero, Tony Hawk), and the entirety of Luxoflux (Tranformers). An Activision rep confirmed two former studio layoffs to us this afternoon, though a representative didn't city any official numbers -- the rep also told us he could "confirm the closure of Luxoflux." The full, significantly more vague, company statement given out to everyone reads: "Activision Publishing continually evaluates its resources to ensure that they are properly matched against its product slate and strategic goals. In 2010, the company's SKU count will be smaller than in 2009 driven in part, by a decrease in the number of music-based games we will be releasing. As we discussed on our earnings conference call yesterday, we are directing our resources against the largest and most profitable business segments, and as part of this initiative, we are realigning our resources to better reflect our slate and the market opportunities. At the same time, we are increasing our digital/online capabilities as we expect that digital/online will continue to become a more meaningful part of our business model in the years ahead."
The Daily Grind: What IP do you want to see as an MMO?
There are certainly a lot of intellectual properties out there that would make for an excellent MMO. Running down the list of major games currently running shows no shortage of games based on popular franchises -- Star Trek Online, Warhammer Online, Star Wars Galaxies, Age of Conan, Champions Online -- and the trend shows no sign of slowing. But there are other franchises that could conceivably make a number of people happy -- Transformers, The Dark Tower, Doctor Who, Mass Effect, Babylon 5, and so on ad infinitum. Of course, there are licenses that are unlikely to ever be adapted for MMOs, either because their heyday of popularity has passed or because they're just not in quite the right market. Still, we can dream, and in our heads we might have an idea for the world's best MMO based off of Macross. What intellectual property would you love to have a chance to play as an MMO? Do you think there's a chance it might happen, or are you fairly certain that it's just going to remain an idle fantasy?
Golden Bumblebee claims to be world's smallest slider phone, dons double KIRFness
Poor Bumblebee! This is one transformation that he and his metallic chums wouldn't be proud of -- it's even got the Autobot logo on the back, presumably without permission. We're looking at the Golden Bumblebee which boldly claims to be the "world's smallest slider phone," but with that KIRF S.T. Dupont label, hint of Vertu's DNA and faux gold paint, we're not sure if it's even legal to be stoked about this. Leaving appearance aside the phone packs quadband 2G, a 2 megapixel camera, stereo speaker, FM radio, mini-USB port, Bluetooth and a whopping 8GB memory. If you can bear the humiliation then it's yours for $179.99 -- if not, see if the promotion video after the break can convince you.[Thanks, Andy]
Caption contest: Optimus Prime moonlights as clothes dryer
What does a superpowered Transformer do in his spare time -- you know, when he's not too busy starring in some of the worst written pieces of escapist cinema? Well, for one Taiwanese fella, there's nothing Optimus Prime likes doing more than supporting a bamboo stick used for hanging washed clothes. Seriously, the dude spent $1,600 on scrap metal, built a 14-foot model of his son's favorite mech superhero, and now has it serving as a spectacularly ornamental pivot for his washing. Classy. Oh, and video after the break. Richard Lai: [pumps up hydraulics] "Why hello there, cute little red car..." Tim: "Autobots, spin cycle!" Thomas: "Transformers: Revenge of the Snuggle Bear." Darren: "Man, it's chilly out today. Wait -- these aren't my threads! RAWWRRRR!" Paul: "Oh, sure, Shia said he'll be 'right back.' I hate that kid." Josh F.: "Do these windows make me look fat?" Laura: "Get Michael Bay on the phone. Immediately." Joanna: "Mommm, bathroom!" Chris: "After nine years, Johnny 5 finally admits that he'd been juicing." Joe: "There's not much more to this than meets the eye... sadly." Don: "You think this is impressive? Wait until you see Voltron mowing my lawn." Josh T.: "I need something to do until Transformers 3 rolls around. This cocaine isn't going to buy itself."
Watch more robo-violence in extended Transformers: War for Cybertron trailer
You may have already caught a glimpse of Transformers: War for Cybertron on this very site, but now we're happy to report that Activision has docked on the Space Station Stiq with an extended trailer in tow. After decrypting and uploading to our network -- which is fueled by caramel and old E.T. Atari 2600 carts -- we're glad to show you, dear reader, the full debut trailer, with one caveat: it may not be for the faint of heart. Much WD-40 is spilled on the war-torn streets of the Transformers' home planet, so much that we ask all of our mechanically-inclined readers pour themselves a stiff drink before viewing. Seriously, lots of robots die, people.
Transformers staying home for Transformers: War for Cybertron
The latest Transformers game, War for Cybertron, takes place before the Autobots and Decepticons arrived on Earth. As such, they have no concept of our Earth "trucks" and "awesome jets," and can only transform into ... things that look pretty much like trucks and awesome jets, but alien. The teaser after the break introduces the setting for the new High Moon-developed title, and Game Informer promises more info on its constantly updating War for Cybertron hub page. If the new locale and exotic transformations don't grab you, think about this: all humans are millions of miles away from Cybertron, so unlike the movies, you'll actually get to see the Transformers in this game.
