Prerelease:Transformers (PlayStation 2, International)

This page details prerelease information and/or media for Transformers (PlayStation 2, International).

Very early on, Transformers was an entirely different game. By the beginning of 2003, the game's focus would shift and would evolve into what was released in 2004.

To do: Photos.

Development Timeline

• 2002
  • Mid 2002: Pre-production and development begins on the 2002 iteration.

• 2003
  • Late January to early February: Transformers' development restarts completely. Everything developed for the 2002 iteration is scrapped and the game's overall design changes completely. Certain sources say that the game was rebooted late January, others early February.
  • May 15th: A trailer of the 2002 iteration is shown off on IGN's site. It is suggested this footage was part of E3 2003.
  • August 25: IGN releases an article of the game, now showing off the rebooted iteration. The game is given the name Transformers Armada: The Battle for Energon.
  • December 9th: IGN releases another article, with the game's name now being Transformers Armada: Prelude to Energon. The article describes an early copy of the game which is 30-40% complete (likely Build 3944). The article erroneously states that Decepticon Demolishor appears in the game.
  • December 12th: Footage of Build 3944 is released by IGN onto their website.

• 2004
  • Feb 10th: The game is shown off at a press event by Atari held on the USS Hornet (likely Build 5171).
  • May 7th: Game is released in the EU.
  • May 11th: Game is released in the US.
  • May 12th to 14th: Transformers is shown off at E3 2004, though nothing new is shown off.
  • Sometime in 2004, the game was also released in South Korea.

• 2005
  • The Director's Cut version of the game is released exclusively in Europe.

Videos

To do: Storyboard cutscenes.

December 16th, 2002

This is this earliest footage of the 2002 version available. At this point, the game is an entirely different game with nothing resembling the released product. This footage takes a more cinematic approach, utilizing a freecam mode to show off the environment, Hot Shot, Jolt, and an enemy. Some of the notable elements present in this trailer are:

• The enemies do not resemble any enemy in the released game. The helicopter enemy highlighted in the trailer has a Mini-Con logo emblazoned on its chest. It's difficult to determine if the other enemies also have this trait.
• The environment does not exist in retail. Though there are snowy levels in retail, there are not any large metallic structures present. The general layout of the level seen in the trailer is also not representative of anything seen in retail.
• While Hot Shot is in vehicle mode, Jolt is shown in vehicle mode flying behind him. In retail, Jolt, along with the other Mini-Con partners, walk behind their respective Autobot and will only transform if Powerlinxing.
• The game has the title Transformers Armada. The name would eventually be shortened to just Transformers.

May 15, 2003 (E3 2003)

This footage is also based on the 2002 version of the game. Oddly, the game had already been rebooted several months prior, so it's not known why this trailer was shown off.

• Numerous debug elements can be seen in certain scenes in the trailer.
• There is what appears to be a radar present at the bottom of the HUD.
• The HUD has two bars on the left and right of the screen. It is unknown what these represent.
• Jolt is capable of Powerlinxing with Hot Shot in the footage, allowing Hot Shot to drive around with a helicopter spinning on his rear and being able to descend slowly in robot mode.
• There is a turret which can be controlled by the player.
• Only Red Alert and Hot Shot are shown to be playable. Red Alert's model in particular appears to have been re-used in the scale chart image present in the retail game's extras menu.

September 11, 2003

This is the earliest footage available of the rebooted version of the game. While the overall gameplay is quite similar, there are some stark differences present.

• The HUD is entirely different.
  • The middle flower-like design represents the health of the Autobot you play as. Taking damage causes the design to deplete in a clockwise manner.
  • The ring surrounding the health represents the Powerlinx meter charge. At this point in development, Powerlinxing with your Mini-Con depletes this ring. This can very briefly be seen in the Deep Amazon portion of the footage, where the ring appears to be depleting from bottom to top.
  • The bars on the top left and right of the screen represent the Mini-Con weapon charge. They lack indicators as to what Mini-Con is equipped.
• The warpgates have a yellow light rather than a blue light.
• When an Autobot enters the map through the warpgate, the smoke surrounding the warpgate is missing.
• Hot Shot is using realistic wheel rims. Retail opts to use a toy-accurate design. The realistic wheel rims appear prominently in early pre-release media.
• The reticle is a simple circle with some minor detailing. The reticle does not appear to change depending on what Mini-Con is equipped in your loadout.
• There is a number above the crosshair representing how far whatever you're pointing at is.
• There is a Mini-Con or Data-Con on a ledge just ahead of the research center in the Antarctica level. There is no such pickup placed there in retail.
• The Sentry Drone enemy is using a wildly different design, being more boxy with large antenna or wings on the side. A side profile of this design shows up in an Extras menu graphic in retail versions. This design also briefly shows up in Antarctica's level FMV in Build 3944.
• Deep Amazon has a deep orange skybox.
• The glider wings are capable of retracting and extending. Purpose of this is unknown.

January 4th, 2004

• The Atari logo, Antarctica, and Amazon FMV's are identical to Build 3944's.
• Tidal Wave's transformation sequence uses different sound effects. This is especially noticeable in the scene where wires are being disconnected, where in-game weapon sounds are being used. Two of the sequences are also out of order - the fully body shot of Tidal Wave and the shot of Tidal Wave's head is swapped. However, it is possible this was done for the trailer.
• Hot Shot is using realistic wheel rims once again.
• The distance is once again represented above the crosshair.
• Shield Medium Units have a gray shield rather than a blue one.

Characters

To do: Basically everything

Optimus Prime

A render of Optimus Prime which is dated around June 2003. The model and textures are much more different compared to the model present in retail. A forearm and leg texture sheet belonging to a derivative of this model managed to survive into retail builds.

Hot Shot

This is one of the first models created for Hot Shot back when Melbourne House was testing out "true transformations" - meaning the model has all the parts and rigging needed to do a proper transformation from vehicle to robot (and vice versa) without having to swap models. The idea of doing "true transformations" was scrapped as the team wanted to have more stylized models and the model itself had far too many moving parts which wasn't great on the PS2. Unfortunately, only a photo remains of this model. The model would be dated in the latter half of 2002, being one of the oldest pieces of media for Transformers.

Medium Unit

The earliest photo of the Medium Unit is present in the Extras menu. While the model looks similar, if not identical to retail, the paintjob is completely different. The Medium Unit is primarily gray, with a yellow visor and red coloration present on the head. A minor detail to note is the gun having blue electricity present in it.

Light Unit

The earliest known design for the Light Unit is present in the Extras menu. In this photo, the Light Unit sports an entirely different model. This model would later go on to be re-used for the cut Lightning Rod enemy, with a new boat-shaped head.

The scale chart shows off a later design of the Light Unit, which appears to have a near-final model. The textures for this version were later re-used for the Light Unit present on the Starship's operating table.

The Prima Strategy Guide has a different design for the Light Unit. This design is also primarily gray with some blue accent colors. A noticeable difference is the red glowing chest. Build 3944's textures for the Light Unit are clearly based off this version of the character, evident by the head having more texture detail when compared to retail.

Jetsniper/Jetlaser

The Jetsniper/Jetlaser has a vibrant green deco in the scale chart rather than an orange/reddish color scheme.

Sentry Unit

The Sentry Unit uses a completely different model. Unfortunately only a side profile is shown in the Extras menu, however a similar model (with a completely different color scheme) is present in the September 11, 2003 footage.

Heavy Unit

At some point, the Heavy Unit's color scheme was predominantly blue with some very minor pink accents strewn about. Retail significantly amps up the amount of pink present on this foe.

"Optimus_3D.exe" Program

This is a small program provided by Atari which allows you to view Optimus Prime's model and some associated animations. Notably, Optimus' finisher melee attack is a kick rather than a headbutt.