This was originally posted on the Transformers TCG Facebook Page.
What do Pro Wrestling, the Avengers movies, and Beethoven’s 9th symphony all have in common?
Anticipation.
They make you want something. They make you wait for it. Then they give it to you. What that thing is can change radically. It could be a long-awaited heel turn, the conclusion to an epic and interwoven storyline, or the Ode to Joy. Structurally, what is important is that you have something that you are yearning for (you may not know exactly what it is, but you’ll know it when you see it); they make you wait long enough to get hyped (but not long enough to get frustrated); and then they deliver.
This cycle satisfies humans at the most basic level of our psychology. Our brains are wired to find patterns in the world. It’s one of our greatest evolutionary advantages, and so nothing satisfies us like making a prediction and then having it come true.
How does this apply to the Transformers TCG? Every Transformers fan has a favorite character (or, let’s be honest, a pantheon of favorite characters). Our first set had 40 character cards. Even if our only objective had been to print a version of every fan’s favorite character, it would have been an impossible task. As it was, we had other objectives with those characters, such as including a few less well-known characters to demonstrate that we were planning to support our full cast of characters.
So, thread one is that it’s impossible to include all characters. Thread two is a truism for all creative endeavors: “Leave the audience wanting more”. Even if it were practical to have a 1437 card set that included every known character, that’s not the best experience for players. Imagine if your 8th birthday party included 30 cakes and was held in a toy store where you literally got the whole store. It seems amazing when you first think about it, but the reality is that after the 100th present or so, they all blend together and all joy is lost. That’s not to mention the challenge of planning a 9th birthday party that isn’t a major letdown. So, we work very hard for each wave to include more than enough new cards and characters to get people excited, but not so many that they feel like they’re trying to eat their third gallon of ice cream. We leave enough space for your appetite and excitement to regenerate in time for the next wave.
Which leads us to our third thread. Design. We knew from the beginning that we were going to play with card size. It’s one of the things that makes the Transformers TCG special and exciting. So, before we finished wave one, we were already planning for both Titan-sized and small character cards like Battle Masters and Micro Masters, in addition to large character cards. We love the visceral feeling of using card size to represent character impact, especially considering the huge size variations between different characters in the reality of the Transformers world. Knowing that there was a particular, beloved character that would best be deployed when we had access to small cards meant that we would have to wait until Wave 3 for players to see that character. This creates a pent-up demand, which is perfect for the anticipation/payoff model I discussed above, but risky if players don’t believe they will eventually get what they want.
So, a key part of the buildup is to give people confidence that they won’t be disappointed. We mention in interviews that we have not forgotten about that which you desire. We plant Easter Eggs in articles.. We release teasers. And then finally, when the time is right, we deliver.
…pation
You’ve waited. You’ve been patient. You’ve spun theories with your friends. You’ve waited some more. At long last they’re here.
The character you’ve been waiting for:
I remember from my childhood in the 80s, whenever secret discussions were happening, there was always an innocuous tiny cassette tape sitting on the edge of a desk, eavesdropping. Laserbeak’s alt mode represents this perfectly, improving your draw with additional information and flexibility. In bot mode, he swoops from the sky to harry your opponents or disrupts their plans in more devious ways with a timely secret action play.
Of course, I’m teasing you a bit. I know that Laserbeak is just the icing on the cake that you’ve really been waiting for. There’s another iconic and beloved character, who is always partnered with Laserbeak, who is the one you’ve really been itching for. I’m talking of course about:
Now there’s a magnificent beast. A massive 3 defense in alt mode, and a bot mode ability designed to crack the toughest nut. Ravage is the fighter to Laserbeak’s schemer.
Once again, though, I’m messing with you. Like a grand symphony coming to its end, you want a couple of strong conclusive cadences to set up the final epic “Bum Bum BAAAAAAAHHHHHHH”, and so I’ve given you just that. Some characters you knew were coming, cards you were excited for as much for what they foretell as for their own merits, but ultimately just a setup for the final reveal.
A moment of silence, savoring the echoes of the previous few notes.
A deep breath as you gather your emotions. Ready.
One last pause, your senses tingling, maximizing the buildup, awaiting the moment of realization, but careful not to push it too far.
OK, now I’m just messing with you.
Bum Bum BAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!
A quick note to those of you who were hoping to see a different iteration of Soundwave: this isn’t the only time you’ll be seeing him this summer. More information on that coming soon, but until then, STAY SUPERIOR!