Talk: Transformers Animated (franchise)

Early Stuff

You know, I wasn't going to say anything, but you're getting a little too kneejerk about other people's kneejerk reactions. The list of previous series is fine and adaquately snarky, but is the "OMFG NAFF PASS END OF FRANCHISE SUX GONNA KILL TFS BARF CRAP" really needed? Just seems a bit more negatively charged than the wiki really needs.--UndeadScottsman 05:39, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

And I would have just edited it out, but I figured it would be more productive to discuss it first. 'Course, it seems Rotty took care of it anyway. :D--UndeadScottsman 06:14, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

This article should really be at Animated, shouldn't it? We don't have anything at Transformers Cybertron, Transformers Armada, etc. --ItsWalky 06:24, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

I dunno. Considering the size of "Animated" compared to the REST of the logo... --M Sipher 06:29, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

I think it should remain Transformers Animated. Just Animated is too confusing, and we can justifiably called it Transformers Animated by the logo. Go with the less confusing one. -Derik 06:55, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

It's confusing ANYWAY, since we now have the term "Transformers Animated continuity" to refer to Transformers Animated and "Animated continuity" to refer to the G1 cartoons. -Rotty 06:58, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

Well if we just went with Animated we'd have an article named Animated (cartoon). -Derik 07:19, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

And if this franchise gets a comic, we'll have the "Animated animated continuity" and the "Animated comics continuity." Heh. --KilMichaelMcC 09:00, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

And then if there's an official Flash animated comic strip, we'd have "animated continuity", "Animated animated continuity", "Animated comic continuity", and "animated comic continuity". -Rotty 09:34, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

TFA abbreviation?

I think, because of how common a word "animated" is and how many things on this Wiki it could refer to we should stick to the full "Transformers: Animated" to avoid confusion or weirdness. I'd also suggest the abreviation "TFA" to be its descriptor, thusly Optimus Prime (TFA).--ZacWilliam 11:01, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

I don't know. I'd prefer to stick with Animated. We could always change other uses of the phrase "animated continuity" to "cartoon continuity" if it became too confusing. Which might be a good idea anyway, given the use of (cartoon) for article titles. At any rate, we've got quite a a bit of time before we'll actually need to start making articles about this franchise. --KilMichaelMcC 12:59, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

I know it seems to be the way we're going, and so be it if so, but I want to state that, convention be damned, I really think refering to this continuity as JUST "Animated" is both counterintuitive and uneedingly confusing. There are times when breaking convention serves everyone better. The chategory "Animated characters" for instance is just screaming to be missunderstood. I just think the full Transformers: Animated, TF: Animated, or abreviating TFA would all be better choices. Just wanted to say it, however we finally choose to go.--ZacWilliam 03:24, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

I don't see how "Transformers Animated characters" is any less confusing than "Animated characters" to a casual browser. It's not like that adjective narrows anything down on this wiki. --ItsWalky 04:03, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

Perhaps not, but Transformers: Animated is considerably less confusing than either. -Derik 04:10, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

Except the series isn't "Transformers: Animated". The press materials call it --and even THEY put it in quotes-- "Transformers Animated". --M Sipher 04:34, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

That's their problem. Why does that necessarily dictate our category names?

We use [[Category: Beast Wars]] and not [[Category: Beast Wars Transformers]] even though the latter is the name of the franchise. We adjusted it to fit our needs. -Derik 04:43, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

I was going to abbreviate this series "AN," until I realized that talking about "AN episode" or "AN Optimus Prime" just makes you look like you're trying to be a hairsplitter. Transformers has been ruined, or at least my system of talking about it. --Thylacine 2000 15:17, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

Worse what hapens when there are multiple and you have to talk about "an AN episode" or "An An Optimus" that's just plain aweful. That's why I'm saying "TFA" I mean "TFA Megatron" or a "TFA episode" works fine.--ZacWilliam 15:44, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

You mean Transformers Armada Megatron or a Transformers Armada episode? --ItsWalky 16:24, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

Well, if "Arm" and "UT" weren't pretty well established maybe, even so I'd call it the less confusing of the options other than just using the whole word as Derik says below, wich is slightly long to type, but IS plenty clear for a character tag I guess. --ZacWilliam 20:22, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

"Arm" is well-established? I've never SEEN it before! But I've seen TFA used for it plenty of times. But as Derik says, it's an irrelevant topic for the wiki, as nothing will have to abbreviate it. --ItsWalky 14:04, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

...how did this subject move to the disambig suffixes? Those will be (Animated). They're less prone to confusion than the categories and article titles. -Derik 16:41, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

I move this discussion be shelved for a few months in the hopes that an appropriate nomenclature will arise in the fandom we can use. The series is slated for 2008, the scale of the changes we'll need to make this fall (if we choose to make changes) will still be manageable. -Derik 20:50, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

Sarcasm

Am I the only one who thinks the level of sarcasm on this page is a bit much. We get the point.

I kind of agree. The series isn't even out yet but already this page seems dated--it's like a time capsule to June. Lemme work on it. --Thylacine 2000 18:11, 29 August 2007 (UTC)

I think it would be a disservice to not note the FACT that vast swaths of fandom treated this series as Worse Than Hitler at first glance. --M Sipher 21:26, 29 August 2007 (UTC)

It is noted, in the second paragraph commenting on the inital over reaction. But the rest is just...well, mean really. I din't like the designs when the image was released either, but I'm looking forward to the series now. It just seems to be kinda nasty at the basic heart of it all.

Anyone think we need a {{toosnarky}} template? There's a lot of snark sneaking into articles that ought not be as snarky lately. We're weed-whacking it back into place with relative ease at the moment- but I think that for a lot of new users, the discussions about de-snarking are relatively invisible, while the snark in articles is easy to see. This creates a positive feedback scenario, where they perceive forces only encouraging the addition of snark, and do not notice the need for its moderation.

I believe a de-snarking "It's been suggested this page has too much funny and it's interfering with the delivery of information" template would make the need for it not to get in the way of articles more visible to users, who otherwise only see the jokes. (While also articulating to the anti-humor assholes that we're okay with humor as long as it doesn't interfere with the delivery of information.) -Derik 00:01, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

but that doesn't point out something like "excessive sarcasm that just seems to be in for the wrong reasons". Which I think is the main problem. Funny good, gittery, bad. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 84.18.160.11 (talk • contribs).

I'd proposed an "excessive sarcasm" template or somesuch before. I even have the image to use and quote...

"No, I mean take a submarine!"

(Yeah, the image is from a different episode and quote, but I don't care.) --M Sipher 00:10, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Man, it's hard to find a good Nightbeat icon for that which doesn't need dialogue. --ItsWalky 00:16, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Heh. Well, I want to have a BW-based template in there SOMEWHERE... and Rattrap and sarcasm just GO together. Wanna make sure our templates have franchise variety. --M Sipher 00:23, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Production info

Has there been any official announcement as to what companies are involved with Animated? There has not been, to my knowledge, any announcement of Studio 4C or the Answer Studio working on Animated, and may be false. Until such time it can be proven, we may wish to omit it, as it may possibly be erroneous.--Tekcorps 011:15, 13 October 2007 (UTC)

Bumper Robinson

Is there any reason in particular why his name alone is linked off site to wikipedia?--Carrion 05:14, 25 October 2007 (UTC)

New Info

New trailer ahoy!

This brings up a good question, though: what should we do for the article regarding Animated All Spark? I mean, we don't know what it does this time around, nor do we know what it looks like, but it's obviously important, or else Megatron wouldn't have forced his way onto the ARK and gone Wayne Brady on Optimus's neck. Should we create the article now, or should we wait until we have some more info? - Cyberlink420 23:53, 3 November 2007 (UTC)

Actually, we DO know how the Animated AllSpark looks. It was in one of the cam videos of the first episode. It looks just like the Matrix. -84.3.88.25 23:59, 3 November 2007 (UTC)

It looks like the movie Allspark with Matrix handles attached to it. --ItsWalky 00:22, 4 November 2007 (UTC)

Well, the All Spark was kinda like the Creation Matrix, so I guess that means they're coming full circle. That, or they're running out of ideas. -- SFH 00:29, 4 November 2007 (UTC)

Fair enough. Can someone link me to a video that features the All Spark so I can snag an image for the wiki? (I assume it's not the Comic Con trailer you're talking about...)- Cyberlink420 00:43, 4 November 2007 (UTC)

Too low resolution to bother with. I wish we had never uploaded half of the Animated screencaps currently on the board, because they look awful. --FFN 01:59, 4 November 2007 (UTC)

Well it's the best we've got at the moment. Once the show debuts, we can go on a mass-replacement spree, but for now, we're just going to have to make do with what's there... - Cyberlink420 04:03, 4 November 2007 (UTC)

A terrible image is often worse than no image. --ItsWalky 04:19, 4 November 2007 (UTC)

New cast members

Hey, anonymous IP guy, where'd you get the new casting info? Can it be verified? - RolonBolon 02:15, 13 November 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, I also want to know. Also, where the clearer screenshots are from. --ItsWalky 04:40, 15 November 2007 (UTC)

Just adding a comment to point out we still need this, after a frickin' article's been created for Stromare and everything. - Chris McFeely 21:24, 16 November 2007 (UTC)

Since G1?

Excuse me? Is someone ACTUALLY CLAIMING that the early G1 models aren't EVERY BIT as simple and two-dimensional as the Animated models are? the likes of goddman Ironhide are "classic mecha styling"? The hell? --M Sipher 15:54, 28 November 2007 (UTC)

I've deleted that section. It was just one fan whining, as near as I could tell.--Rosicrucian^Talk 15:56, 28 November 2007 (UTC)

I dunno, I think a "fan reaction" section's okay to have, if only because it's a chance to point out that EVERY SINGLE SERIES EVER has been initially greeted as the harbinger of doom, only to be wildly cheered when previewed at BotCon or wherever, and then THOSE reactions all get gradually replaced by actual informed and widely variable opinions once people get to actually SEE the show.

....okay, maybe that's actually totally pointless. -- Repowers 16:03, 28 November 2007 (UTC)

We already have ruined forever as an article.--Rosicrucian^Talk 16:07, 28 November 2007 (UTC)

Time to Split?

With episode lists showing up and the show starting to debut, IMO it's about time to split this into Transformers Animated (cartoon), Transformers Animated (toyline), and downsize this page to the main franchise article. I'd do it myself but I'm not sure what needs to be done with the articles that link here and I don't want to leave a bunch of bad links in my wake.

(The toyline does share the name of the television show, right?? Are there any comic books or other known media/merchandising in the works?) -- Repowers 19:10, 10 December 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, now that we have an episode list I don't see any reason not to go full-bore on franchise-style articles with full navbars.

And yes, all the packaging shots we've seen so far say "Transformers Animated."--Rosicrucian^Talk 19:57, 10 December 2007 (UTC)

Yes, There is the cartoon, the toyline (Witch is called TF Animated, because it's a new trend among several toys and figures, the "Animated" figures. It means, they really cartoony looking, but in the good way), two books, and a comic made out of screencaps from the cartoon.

IDW's doing comics, but they're some sort of cine-manga. -Derik 21:11, 10 December 2007 (UTC)

Colon or no colon?

There seems to be some inconsistancies about whether or not the title has a colon in it. The press releases I've seen don't, but the Cartoon Network site does have a colon on it.Thatother1dude 01:15, 16 March 2008 (UTC)

Homages

Do we really need a whole section to tell us "Bumblbee is based on Bumblbee, Arcee is based on Arcee" etc. In any series we get that,and we don't have sections dedicated to the fact Armada Starscream is based on G1 Starscream User:GWolfv2 14.39 June 23

I tend to agree with GWolf. --ItsWalky 14:04, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

I mainly agree insofar that most of the Animated guys are more reinventions of older characters, rather than overtly different characters who nevertheless share physical traits. -- Repowers 14:14, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

I think it's a good thing to mention all the G1 homages, as new fans brought into Transformers by Animated would be unaware of them. "Arcee is based on Arcee" is obvious to us, but not to people who've never heard of the G1 character. --KilMichaelMcC 14:18, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Wouldn't that be much better on Arcee's page? If we want to have a dedicated homage page, then we should make a dedicated homage page. Let's not shoehorn it into the franchise page, where it is 80% of the content. --ItsWalky 14:22, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Why would information that pertains to the franchise at large not be on the franchise page? -- Repowers 17:34, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Well, I've got no problem with it being on this page, but I suppose something like a "List of homages in Transformers Animated" page would be fine too. --KilMichaelMcC 16:02, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

If we want to mention homages here, we should reference things like including Spike and co, or maybe connection points with the movie. But the rest...User:GWolfv2 15.25 June 23 2008 (UTC)

Animated Bumblebee was based on G1 bee? I don't see the resembelance. (In terms of personality.) Wasn't he conceived as armada Hot Shot and they just hanged the name and added racing stripes when they realized how big the movie was gonna be? (Whereas Starscream IS the G1 guy. Mode, personality, circumstance-- they even did a decent job matching the VOICE.) -Derik 14:55, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Originally, he was supposed to be Hot Shot, and Ratchet a girl caled Red Alert. But that was in the very early stages. BB's design is heavily based off of the original. Heavily. User:GWolfv2 16.39 June 23 2008 (UTC)

Design, yes. Personality? Would you describe Ani-Bee as an easygoing, laid back best friend who excels in stealth?

I'm just saying- unliek BB, Starscream is a full-deal homage. Design //and// personality. Someone you cal really call an analogue of the original character. -Derik 16:14, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

True. Starscream couldn't get any more Starscreamy unless Chris Latta rose from his grave as a result of a voodoo curse.--Rosicrucian^Talk 16:16, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

I'm gonna change my vote here, and agree with Kil - part of the point of this wiki is to draw connections across various incarnations of Transformers at large, and these things are not going to be readily obvious to new fans and whatnot. Just because a list of homages has to be long doesn't mean it shouldn't exist. -- Repowers 03:39, 22 August 2008 (UTC)

Layout of fiction in character pages

Right now on the character pages there is in the Fiction heading a sub heading Animated cartoon. Under that heading there is cartoon info (naturally) but also information from The Arrival interwoven with the note:

Note: Events from IDW Publishing comic books are in italics.

If that is the direction we want to go, fine, but I think we should do away with the Animated cartoon subheading.—Starfield 14:34, 28 August 2008 (UTC)

Add "continuity" to the end of it, and we're golden. It's still the Animated cartoon's continuity, after all. --ItsWalky 15:39, 28 August 2008 (UTC)

Not exactly. Just because the cartoon was first? It is the Animated cartoon/comic continuity or simply the Animated continuity, IMHO. I think the heading should either just say "Fiction" with no subheading, or the subheading should say Animated continuity.—Starfield 15:45, 28 August 2008 (UTC)

Yes, Animated comic sounds weird (how can you have an "animated" comic?) but not if you remember that it is just a label for that continuity.—Starfield 15:48, 28 August 2008 (UTC)

It's the continuity that is based on the Animated Cartoon. The Animated Cartoon is its core. That is why it is the Animated Cartoon continuity. But we've had this discussion elsewhere already, and I'm pretty sure we'd already reached the solution I brought up above. Let's not reinvent the wheel. --ItsWalky 15:52, 28 August 2008 (UTC)

New comic material with new fiction is fresh with The Arrival. It came out a couple of weeks ago. Information is just starting to be populated into character pages. I'm not sure what discussion you are talking about, but I would guess that it happened with the first Animated comic that was simply a direct adaptation of the cartoon series.—Starfield 16:00, 28 August 2008 (UTC)

The way Walky describes is how it's been done on past franchises. It's "Beast Wars cartoon" until some other media starts to play around with the storyline, and then it's "Beast Wars cartoon continuity". No reason to do things differently here. -- Repowers 16:03, 28 August 2008 (UTC)

OK—Starfield 16:16, 28 August 2008 (UTC)

title

Shouldn't you make the typed in title of Transformers Animated contain a colon between like this

Transformers: Animated

Should we have it like that. Black rhino ranger 13:01, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

The logo has no colon in it, and if you go to Hasbro's TFA page it says "TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED" everywhere. --125.238.252.224 23:27, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

Homage section

Moved from Talk:Transformers Animated (franchise)/Homages

It seem the page is really need to be cleaned up, sorting, cut off, ...etc. It is huge and a bit chaotic. --TX55^TALK 14:11, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

PS. The page will be moved back as soon as it is cleaned up. --TX55^TALK 17:32, 1 May 2009 (UTC)

Done. Damn it, what in the name of God was half of that even meant to prove? Literally listed every character in the series and said "X is an homage to G1 X". GAH! Jeep! 10:23, 26 August 2009 (UTC)

Nice work! It looks much better. And I think you really got the point: There are too many "Sb is an homage to G1 Sb." which is redundant to be mentioned. ;-D --TX55^TALK 12:01, 26 August 2009 (UTC)

I'll go move it on to the main page now, it's really just enough for a section now. Jeep! 12:06, 26 August 2009 (UTC)