User:Telephone/sandbox

Cut Content

As with many games, Transformers has a good chunk of content which was cut or changed prior to release. A non-exhaustive list includes:

• Jetbikes were ridable vehicles which could carry the player and Medium Units. Medium Units piloting the Jetbike can be observed delivering out-of-range Medium Units to the player in order to sustain firefights. As the Jetbike is only a two-seater, this isn't a very effective way of transporting troops. The bike also has built-in machine guns which the player can utilize as a weapon.
• Unused data suggests that Scavenger and Smokescreen were once intended to be playable characters. Unfortunately, it appears there wasn't much work put into them before they were cut.
• Two additional enemy types, the Lightning Rod and Heavy Tank, were cut during development. While a plethora of enemies were conceptualized for the game, these two in particular got far enough into development to have been implemented into the game to some extent. Concept art of the Lightning Rod can be viewed in the Extras Menu, while the Heavy Tank appears in two Pacific Island storyboards.
• At least 21 Mini-Cons were cut from the game. Three of the most notable ones include:
  • Endgame (Dark Energon Gun) can summon a black hole which deals an absurd amount of damage to enemies. Enemies who don't immediately perish from its immense power will ragdoll and get sucked into its center whilst taking damage. The player can charge the Dark Energon Gun to increase the size of the black hole. This Mini-Con was cut very late in development and has most of its data present in the final game. Endgame was originally found on the lone Dropship patrolling the volcano in the Pacific Island level. The Mini-Con's appearance would have been similar to Twister, with a red color palette.
  • Bug-Out (Emergency Warp Gate) can summon an emergency warp gate in front of the player, returning them to HQ. However, this only functions one-way, with the player unable to immediately return to the spot they were warped from.
  • Fake-Out (Decoy Launcher) is described as summoning a holographic projection of the Autobot to lure enemies. Fake-Out is the least functional, as its holographic projection is a mere half-ellipse which fails to distract enemies.
  • Other Mini-Cons which were cut include a tier 1 Ribbon Beam, an upgraded Energon Shield, a tier 1 Heavy Cannon, and a stronger version of the Impact Gun. Some of the more peculiar cut Mini-Cons include a Repulsion Beam, an Airstrike weapon, an Energon Whip, and a "Cold Projector". It's difficult to ascertain how these particular Mini-Cons could have functioned.
• Most of the music underwent changes prior to release. A few music tracks were cut from the game as well.
  • An early version of Tidal Wave's theme features flailing guitars one minute into the soundtrack.
  • Cyclonus' theme was completely different.
  • Probably by accident, the intro to Megatron's boss theme doesn't play, instead going straight into the main composition when the fight begins. Whoops.
  • An early build contains an instrumental version of the Armada cartoon theme.
• Earlier iterations of Pacific Island featured rainy weather. While rain effects are disabled on the level, various regions of the level are still set up for rainfall.
• The game's difficulties, in descending order, are internally referred to as Normal, Hard, and Extreme. Unused strings indicate that an Easy difficulty was cut.
  • Also evident by unused strings, the Turbo Mode cheat code was considered to be a difficulty mode at some point, with Extras Menu items locked behind it.
• A variety of audio transmissions belonging to both the Autobots and Decepticons were cut. These only exist in text and were not professionally voice-acted.
  • The Autobot transmissions detail Scavenger, Smokescreen, Jetfire, Blurr, and Side Swipe investigating the "Hyper Power cloning tech" being used to create the Decepticlones on Junkion. It's eventually discovered that Decepticon forces raided Junkion to steal the Hyper Power cloning tech and left the planet in ruin. The transmissions eventually conclude with Junkion being destroyed by a monster, with it heading straight for Cybertron.
  • Decepticon audio transmissions often involved Megatron bickering with his troops or demanding they complete various tasks. Tidal Wave speaks in the Mid-Atlantic transmission, while Sideways shows up to intimidate Megatron on Unicron's behalf in the Pacific Island transmission.
• A clip of Megatron proclaiming "I still function!" to act as sequel bait was cut from the credits.
• At some point in development, Data-Cons were referred to as Golden Disks.