#transformers: matrix

[tfmatrix]

Yes hello I’ve made a mistake Optimus Prime is too beefy and I’ve made a poor decision deciding he should be a Heavy Boom Truck but it’s too late I love this beefcake boy. Gotta figure out how his boom fits on his back, but I think his boom crane is actually detachable?

What’s that? It’s time to start posting TF: Matrix designs again? INCREDIBLE!

[agatharights]

For tf matrix is there an Cybertronian equivalent of autism? Or other differences in processing that could be considered equivalent to human neurodivercitys?

Short answer: Yes, absolutely! It’s not the same as how humans perceive this, since Cybertronians are giant alien robots, but neurodivergence is recognized among Cybertronians.

Longer answer: Still a yes! Even if it’s not always analogous to our current cultural recognition of neurodiversity or even recognizable by humans. What is culturally considered a “neurotypical” cybertronian varies very greatly by frametype -

Cosmos is a ‘typical’ exploration shuttle. He can go for decades or longer without ever interacting with another being, performing projects on his own, and is completely satisfied with that- his social skills are lacking and he seldom speaks, or he will talk to himself more than he will others, and he tends to avoid physical contact with anyone who he doesn’t explicitly trust, and even then he’ll reject contact that he does not initiate himself. Having a face-to-face conversation can overwhelm him, even leading for him to panic or ‘shut down’ in a sense - even though he can be very pleasant and verbose while sending wireless or long-distance communications. He has difficulty understanding and using emotional cues, and can be overwhelmingly literal.

Skyfire is a ‘divergent’ exploration shuttle. He’s talkative, friendly, and prefers to engage in groups of multiple individuals. He’s highly tactile- engaging in a lot of casual physical contact, and if deprived of physical contact or social interaction for an extended length of time he can become depressed and paranoid. His need for social interaction and his skill with said interactions was considered a severe detriment, but ultimately led to him being symbiotically bonded to Jetfire and Jetstorm- who both are highly social but require someone to help guide their behavior, since they have questionable impulse control. Skyfire is deeply empathetic, and tends to reflect the emotions of those around him, even if unconciously.

Cosmos would read as being neurodivergent by humans, while Skyfire would be considered far, far less so. Effectively, Cybertronian culture tends to cast a much wider...spectrum for these things, if weirdly overlapping ones.

(Buster Witwicky, a human with autism, is considered to behave more like certain Cybertronians than most other humans are- and in turn he finds Cybertronians rather ‘easier’ to be around. Cybertronian emotional and social cues are different enough that, with the assistance of the Matrix he carries, learning them is easier for him to process, and he doesn’t get overwhelmed by them like he can with even his own family’s expressions.)

Sensory Processing Disorders are sort of in a different category that I haven’t thought out well enough re: Cybertronians in Matrix, yet. I know they’ll be introduced, and that Orion was often considered to have some form of them (Orion was prone to becoming...completely absorbed in things, to the point of being unresponsive to the world around him. Readings, concepts, etc...we’ll see)

Hopefully I’ll have more for you eventually, since the relationship between giant robots from space and neurodivergence is...pretty big, for me, but it’s probably going to be easier once the ball actually gets rolling so i can show, rather than tell.

[tfmatrix]

“I should really work on designs for characters who, you know, actually show up early on in TF: Matrix.” I say. Instead working on designing a flashback-exclusive character because I love the design that popped into my head for him so much. WHOOPS.

Roughs for Terminus. Because Megatron has not suffered enough, apparently.

You can listen to his theme song here.

[agatharights]

A quick doodle for a friend’s birthday! Shockwave is trying to catch this ridiculously fast little pest that’s messing around in his lab.

While he’s distracted by Blurr, the other Wreckers break in and start stealing everything that isn’t nailed down.

[agatharights]

Also did this a while ago and forgot about it, was prompted to draw a TF: Matrix Longarm? Which is pretty great. His “arms” are basically huge ferrofluid tubes coated in rubber so they can just make those nubby little “fingers” as needed or expands/retracts/thicken/gain texture/etc.

Buster, who can recognize cybertronians based on spark-signature even if it’s hidden to other cybertronians, is neither fooled nor amused.

[agatharights]

So now that I got the question of what do cybertronians think of when they hear unicronian out of my system now I'm curious about primus in transformers matrix what does the average cybertronian think when they hear the word primus and the such like

This one’s trickier because Unicronians are largely a myth, to Cybertronians. Unicron is a spooky boogeyman who couldn’t have possible existed, right? R-right?

But Primus! Primus is the ground upon which they walk, the wellspring from which all life comes! Primus is the sparks of those who have been, and those who are yet to come. Primus is the intelligence deep at the core of Cybertron. Sometimes it still ‘talks’ to it’s children. Primus is viscerally real to Cybertronians, as opposed to Unicron, and thus…all cybertronians are considered to be, in some respect, the avatars of Primus. 

An ideal Cybertronian would do as a proper avatar. They are brightly-colored with shiny metallic portions, their paint fresh and flawless, their optics and biolights bright and reactive. Their EM fields open and unshielded, welcoming.

And then we have Primes.

Primes are the living angels of Primus- Matrices are powerful and their wielders often more powerful than they ever know, or have the capability to unlock. The original 13 were equal parts physical and energy being in truth, and had abilities that would be considered downright magical or inexplicable by most- in fact, many of their abilities are assumed to be exaggeration, or the result of histories being written with a strong bias.

Primes may appear completely typical outwardly, but their EM fields may be unusually ‘loud’ to others around them- and when excess energy is being used the nanites that suffuse Cybertron’s atmosphere may alight around them, framing them in structures of light- halos, texts, a sort of living, surrounding shield of displays. This usually cues in a cybertronian as to the unworldly nature of something like a Prime, or something equally powerful.

[agatharights]

My Cheetor and Rattrap designs, presumably having made some poor decisions.

[agatharights]

ok but spike and the gang playing slug bug

answer: some classic TF: Matrix art