A Pre-NYComicon Sneak Peek

As you may or may not know, Hasbro and Jagex will be showing off Transformers Universe, the upcoming MMO based on the Transformers IP, on the show-floor of this year’s New York Comic-Con and will also discuss the game in further detail as part of one of MMORPG.com’s panels.  However, before the show kicks off Hasbro wanted to allow some press to get an advance peek at the game and MMORPG.com was more than happy to oblige.

The event kicked off with a demo of the latest trailer for Transformers Universe, which was rendered entirely in-engine using the game’s graphics. The trailer hit all the right notes, getting us excited to choose a side (Autobots or Deceptions) and do battle. Two Transformers were shown beating the crap out of each other in the video, and we were told they were both of the game’s Brawler class. One of the Transformers was wielding some crazy buzzsaw weapon and really went to town on the other. The action looked pretty good and the graphics were certainly impressive.

Once the trailer concluded we were given an opportunity to pick the brains of the Jagex folks on the game. For those of you who haven’t been keeping up, Transformers Universe is a browser-based free-to-play MMO based on the Transformers IP (and set in the Prime continuum). Why browser-based? Jagex is aiming to make the game accessible to as many people as possible and they feel a browser-based experience really allows them to reach a larger audience. As we mentioned earlier, Transformers Universe is being developed by Jagex, the folks behind the wildly popular MMO RuneScape, and like RuneScape Transformers Universe will be developed using Java.  Don’t get it twisted though, from what we can tell Transformers Universe is clearly lightyears ahead of RuneScape when it comes to graphical quality.

In the game, players will be able to choose either the Autobots or Deceptions, pick from a number of classes, and create their own Transformer. So far, Hasbro and Jagex have announced the Brawler class, who is obviously an up-close melee combatant of some sort. It’s also important to note that from what we were told your class type doesn’t necessarily limit your choice of weaponry, it sounds like a Brawler will be able to wield ranged weapons such as handcannons. Two more classes will be revealed at this year’s New York Comic-Con and gamers will be able to vote on naming both. In fact, voting on the second class will be held exclusively here at MMORPG.com!

As the game is still in a fairly early stage Jagex were pretty tight lipped on many of the particulars, but we were able to get the high-level overview of the game. For example, Transformers Universe will offer players a deep progression system that also includes avenues for visual upgrades; your Transformer at high level isn’t necessarily going to look the same as he did when you first created him. There should be a number of upgrades both visual and otherwise to equip your Transformer with. The game will also feature PvP, and while Jagex wouldn’t get into the details here, it’s obvious that PvP will be a staple feature of the game as let’s face it, Autobots and Decepticons basically just beat the crap out of each other all the time. It just makes sense. It also sounds like there will be a significant emphasis on guilds or clans, with the possibility of creating your own faction or sub-faction.

Transformers Universe will be launching sometime in 2012, but if you’re able to make it out to this year’s New York Comic-Con you’ll be able to get a taste of the game’s character creation feature on the show floor and even have the opportunity to take a picture with your digital creation!

If you have the time, also please be sure to come on down to the Transformers Universe panel hosted by MMORPG.com where the developers will be on-hand to answer many of your questions on the game.

The full details and schedule for the Transformers Universe panel as well as all other MMORPG.com panels can be found here.

Be sure to vote for your favorite faction class name on the MMORPG.com Transformers Universe Poll Page!