Combiner Wars animated series by Machinima

[GoktimusPrime]

The way that they all keep mispronouncing "Camīnus" feels like I'm hearing someone drag fingernails down a blackboard. The stress is meant to fall on the second syllable, not the first!

i.e. It's "kah-MEE-noos," not "cammyness."

[MEEEGGGAAATTTRRROOONNN!!!]

Wow! That was utterly terrible! And that opening space battle -- "CLANG!" "CLANG!" "CLANG!" CLANG!"

Whoever wrote and directed that episode should go back and watch Beast Wars' opening space battle on how to do it right!

[GoktimusPrime]

Oh, the whole thing felt like watching a home-made production based on someone's fanfic. The acting sounded so bad that it felt like I was watching something being dubbed in English, and I had to keep on reminding myself that this isn't a dub! And the voice actors for the gestalts didn't seem to be trying to make themselves sound massive (although G1 Superion did have that weird screechy voice ), but at least some electronic modification could've been done to make it sound more booming.

The space fight between Computron and Menasor sounded like a monkey banging on pots and pans. And odd that a battle in a vacuum was much louder than Menasor ploughing through a solid surface on Caminus.
Interesting note: this means that Combiner Wars Computron is now technically more show-accurate than Unite Warriors Computicon!

The scene where Windblade is "crying" over Maxima just felt awkward. How is she crying? She has no tears! Gah... seeing her silently mourn or simply cuddle Maxima would've had a better effect.

IMO Transformers Devastation gave us a better story with Combiner Wars Menasor than this episode. Better animation and voice acting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_2ZCu8W3rQ

[Ploughmans Lunch]

E
I dunno why people have a problem with this, no one would bat an eyelid of Prime or Prowl felled Menasor.

Oh! I really hope I didn't give the wrong impression - I didn't mean for it to sound sexist. I wasn't saying "I dont believe women/female characters can be this!", nor do I have a problem with Windblade being able to defeat a combiner/whatever.

My issue is "we need to stress that this character is a bad-ass!" is just a really adolescent-minded way of approaching a character, and kinda misses the point of the original IDW Windblade.

THAT SAID, you can argue that it isn't meant to be the original IDW Windblade and a new interpretation of the character. However it can still be disappointing and it can still be an indication of how the people making this series don't 'get' certain things but ah blahblahblah it's a machinima thing why am I overthinking this.

[Ploughmans Lunch]

PS aren't a bunch of the voiceover people in this just Youtube/Twitch video game streamers or something?

[DarkHyren]

I just watched the first "episode". Here are my thoughts.

Should I have read the comics first? Is this supposed to rely on them to fill in the gaps and provide the majority of the story? Because if not and this is supposed to be a stand alone project that requires nothing else to back up the story it's pretty shit honestly. Even Michael Bay did a better job with the franchise comparatively, and that's saying a lot.

Oh, and yeah, while Computron and Windblade sounded ok (not great mind you, pretty ordinary, but at least they sounded like themselves) Menasor sounded ridiculous. This is a pretty poor work, I've seen/read fan fiction that shits all over this, so the fact that this "series" is a sponsored one makes it even worse. This is probably the first time I've ever said this about an official Transformers story, but I don't care when the next episode is out, I can wait. At least it looks pretty visually, but other then that it doesn't have much going for it

[GoktimusPrime]

I hadn't thought about it but you're right, this series would be less accessible for people who haven't read the comics. But the same argument could be made for TFTM which makes no sense to anyone who hasn't watched the G1 cartoon series; hence it was panned by critics and a box office flop, but it's loved by fans. And you're right, Michael Bay did do a better job, especially in terms of accessibility. Because a person with zero prior knowledge of Transformers can still watch the films and... uh... sorta know what's going on (if they can work out the nonsensical excuses for story lines).

Also agree about Menasor's disappointing voice work. He's too articulate, which goes against Menasor's highly conflicted gestalt mind (because all the Stunticons hate Motormaster). One reason why the Decepticon gestalts were often more simple minded than the Autobot gestalts was meant to be due to poorer collaborative skills (and I thought it was pretty interesting how Teamwork and Cooperation were added to the tech specs of Micromaster teams). Groove and Blades have very different personality traits but they don't hate each other and are able to cooperate well enough for Defensor to mentally function at a higher level.

On a positive note, I do like how Windblade transformed between robot and jet mode while fighting Menasor. One gripe I have w/ IDW is that they often go through entire sequences where everyone stays in robot mode... running, shooting, jumping etc. where they could also be rolling or flying etc. Although Windblade does utilise her jet mode pretty well in the comics when she's needed to fight (lately she's taken on a more diplomatic role). And I thought it looked pretty cool how Computron was losing limb bots as he was falling into the Camien atmosphere, although I think it would've been interesting to at least see those limb bots revert to robot mode as they fell to their doom... Strafe could've transformed to jet mode... eh. In G1 gestalt members would revert to robot or alt mode upon separation, they wouldn't remain in their gestalt part mode.

[MayzaPrime]

In G1 gestalt members would revert to robot or alt mode upon separation, they wouldn't remain in their gestalt part mode.

I also didnt get this part as well... its also interesting that when the combiner dies the entire limbs die as well... I thought separation would occur before terminal damage was sustained.

Menasor spoke way to much and was far to articulate for my tastes...

[valkyrie_76]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zULT47yp2Bo

I am starting to actually like this instead

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I went to watch it, but blow me down, turns out there is some kinda region blocking going on.

I can get to the page, but I'm told there's nothing to see. well, well well.