How's My Driving?

[like_a_bossbot]

This is Optimus Prime's official 'how's my driving?' post.

If you have any questions, concerns, or constructive criticism for how I play our dear derp-tastic Autobot leader, please post it here. Any suggestions or pointers would be loved. 

I have turned on anon commenting and disabled IP logging for the shy - and if you need to reach me personally, please feel free to contact me on AIM at Stupei Iori.

Comments

Regarding Formspring

[(Anonymous)]

If you expect to be accepted among the ranks of the Autobots on Formspring, I suggest that you reconsider your decision to make him early in the series, before Season Three.

We've been needing a good Optimus Prime, but we need one who HAS been through all the events that we have been through. An up-to-date Optimus. It will be near-impossible for you to fit in otherwise.

Re: Regarding Formspring

[like-a-bossbot.livejournal.com]

It was actually a surprise to find so many other Autobots on Formspring, to be quite honest. I had originally made it just for fun.

The application on this journal is from when I originally joined The Wake roleplay on LJ, and has since been canon-updated to the end of the series.

I have been playing him as though he is from the end of the third season - So hopefully he will fit in? (This is assuming that he eventually returned to Earth, I suppose - Though that could easily be changed.)

Re: Regarding Formspring

[(Anonymous)]

The universal consensus pretty much is that the Autobots are still on Cybertron, until further orders from the Elite Guard. But Sari had to return to Earth, because of her father. Optimus' team does occasionally receive assignments, but nothing major. This allows us all to stay within story canon, without upsetting the possibility of a continuation in the future too much.

Re: Regarding Formspring

[artoni.livejournal.com]

So basically it's a clique and you scare people to make sure they fit in.

AWESOME where do I sign up I wanna be Unicron!

Re: Regarding Formspring

[(Anonymous)]

I don't understand the first part of your comment. But for your information, Unicron is already present.

Re: Regarding Formspring

[ichooseboth]

She means you all sound like a bunch of entitlement whores who think they own formspring and that other people actually need your permission to play there! Which they don't! :D

Re: Regarding Formspring

[artoni.livejournal.com]

I'll drop wit for bluntness, then!

"if you expect to be accepted..."

Dear Primus you're pretending to be a fictional giant robot get off your high horse. This isn't a school of fine arts, it is the most informal of roleplays. The tone you use just makes you sound like an ass.

"...I suggest you reconsider..."

And THIS tone, on the other hand, sounds like you're trying to be threatening! Or am I the only one who thinks this sounds aggressive? Anyone? Bueller?

"It will be near-impossible for you to fit in otherwise."

I could be assuming here, but...pretty much sounds like you want them more to fit in than they've shown any sign of wanting to be with you.



I'll assume the reason you're anon is because you don't have an LJ account, therefore the method of direct contact is impossible. As far as I know - and please, correct me if I'm wrong! - Formspring has no private messaging system.

That said.

What's to stop me or ten other people from making a TFA Optimus Formspring and doing our thing? Do we want to play alone? Do we want to play in a group? Do we want to play in your group?

ASK.

Don't issue ultimatums like you own the damn place. I'll tell you now if I had ANY Formspring RP accounts (and I don't; honestly I think it's as bad as Twitter as an RP medium, but that is besides the matter at hand here), TFA or not, I would be avoiding you folks like the plague now.

As it is ima just be over here rolling my eyes behind your back. This has been the two cents of artoni, penny for your thoughts.

Re: Regarding Formspring

[(Anonymous)]

Great slag, I can't believe you! I was merely giving constructive criticism, just as he asked. I certainly hope that you DO avoid us like the plague. Sheesh...

Re: Regarding Formspring

[artoni.livejournal.com]

As a given, an HMD post on Livejournal is for Livejournal roleplays. And I guess I just don't see how that was constructive criticism, versus bullying.

Stay classy!

THIS MESSAGE IS FOR LIKE_A_BOSSBOT ONLY!

[(Anonymous)]

Anyways, my friendly advice to you, like_a_bossbot, is to change your Formspring location from Detroit, and make it Iacon. In case I wasn't clear, this is friendly advice from someone who'd like to see you go far on Formspring.

This comment is meant for like_a_bossbot only. The rest of you can have fun flaming each other.

[like-a-bossbot.livejournal.com]

I appreciate your advice and your attempt to welcome me into your group of players.

However, I will say that I have not been entirely impressed with the general attitude towards other TFA players that I have witnessed on Formspring. This is meant to be for fun, and so far, I have had two of my personal friends attacked for attempting to play characters who have already been considered 'taken' on this site.

As the characters are not our intellectual property, there is certainly plenty of room for others to play them. There is no reason to call them 'fake' or imply that they are not allowed to play them simply because someone else is. While I can see being possessive if it were a game and you had already made a claim on that character - but so far as I know, there is no official 'taken' for the Transformers Animated cast.

I do not want my friends to feel that they are being victimized for playing with my Optimus. So far, this has happened to both the Jetfire and the Dirge I play with - and have played with for months.

So while I appreciate the offer, I feel that it is best that I decline. My character is open for everyone to play with, and I do not want anyone feeling that they are not welcome to do so.

[artoni.livejournal.com]

Have I told you lately that I love you?

[like-a-bossbot.livejournal.com]

&hearts

[(Anonymous)]

I apologize for these impressions. However, you must think of the people who have been these characters for months now. They don't appreciate character-jacking. It seems that you and your personal friends have been role-playing on some other websites, and you are all now simultaneously spilling over into Formspring.

This is not good And it won't help our efforts to keep the peace.

[like-a-bossbot.livejournal.com]

This is true - We have been roleplaying these characters for close to a year now on Livejournal, in our own game. I made the Formspring for Optimus for fun, and suggested others do the same because of just that - fun.

There are several other Optimus Primes on Livejournal. In fact, there are several of many of the characters - I don't get offended by this fact. I have actually played with some of them in some instances. It is a part of playing online.

Our intent was never to 'character-jack.' But you have to realize that on a site as large as Formspring, there will be more than one person who likes these characters and will want to play as them. I, for one, did not even know you had a group there until this incident.

I don't see why we can't all get along, and play our characters?

[(Anonymous)]

I assure you, I'd like nothing more than for us to just get along and play our characters. I personally won't be causing trouble. I'm merely warning you that there will be authenticity battles whether we like it or not. I wish it wasn't that way, but it just is. People can be protective.

By the way, I should point out that several of the established Formspring characters are actually run by staff and writers of Transformers: Animated. The real deal. So far, they've conflicted with none of these new characters, but I feel that they soon will.

I'm really sorry to be the one to have to tell you all this. I really am.

[artoni.livejournal.com]

I really hate to interrupt a ~private~ thread but I find that incredibly difficult to believe.

Unless you can provide substantial proof, bb, I'm going to have to go with what I've gotten from Wyatt and that it's completely unaffiliated/related to the canon. And that you're continuing your bullying.

[(Anonymous)]

Go look at Sentinel Prime's account, and click the link that's his homepage. Then send him an email if you still don't believe it.

And for Spark's sake, I'll say it again. I'm trying to help. I'm trying to save these newcomers from being bullied.

[artoni.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'll get right on that.

[artoni.livejournal.com]

Cool - looks like Sentinel, at least, is Jim!

(http://i33.tinypic.com/2f07sew.png)

Here's his entire email response to me - click it to enlarge. I didn't include mine, but I can if you want so you can have the full context. (He did give me permission to quote/screenshot him; that, too, I can upload later if you'd like.)

Last two paragraphs caught my attention. Do you know any of the other writers I could contact to see if they have the same opinion?

[(Anonymous)]

I love you play Optimus on the Wake RP and how he has developed. The incident where Nautilus forced him into SG!Prime's body has left quite its marks, opened on the other hand new trains of thoughts of himself considering his identity. Or rather issues.

The pressure of the knowledge he has so many counterparts who are experienced, accomplished adored leaders of the whole Autobots weighs down on him. While he's a washout and saw himself despite his qualities as a failure even before the incident. Now said issues had tenfolded with guilt and self-hate - who wants to accept after all that considering how alternates are seen in Nautilus, there's a part of him that's so insane like SG!Prime? For his sense of justice it must a prove that he himself isn't worthy of anything good to happen to him.

Just as bad though are the expectations everyone's holding him to. He gets the feeling the Autobots from the alternate universes see in him as a placeholder for the Prime they know from their universe; apply alien standards to him so to speak because actually they want their Prime.
But hey, it gets even better - he gets measured to himself! Or the person he was before he went to Sleep, then came back with no memory of the place or that he'd been friends with the Decepticons.
Now that Blackarachnia came back apparently from Sleep yet remembers her stay, the last subject bothers him even more. Why can't he remember? Why did Nautilus choose to 'reset' him?

I also wonder how the future interaction with Cyclonus will go; so far Optimus hasn't revealed his name yet. In whole, I'm curious what you have planned for Optimus considering his identity crisis (that guy has probably more alternates than even Starscream).

About his relationships: How far has Sideswipe has fallen for him, if that isn't spoiler for a future plot? And when will Sari invite to dinner?

Just one thing bothers me, his interaction on the network has decreased quite much. It probably has to do with that he doesn't want to be seen due to his guilt but even posts of friends in-verse he seldomly replies to these days.

[like-a-bossbot.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your comment. I really appreciate that you've taken the time to post here, and I'm glad that you like the way I've been playing Optimus.

I'm not sure if it's a rhetorical question about his memoriees, but it certainly was a while back - So just in case, I'll note that he does not remember his previous time in Nautilus because he was originally played by someone else.

You'll have to wait and see where Optimus goes from here - I don't have too many set in stone plans, and I wouldn't want to give it away! I like to keep him flexible, because he does have a lot of room to grow and change.

Sideswipe's feelings for Optimus aren't something I can really comment on, as he's not my character. I will say that Optimus hasn't fully realized the depth of Sideswipe's attachment, and there likely will be future threads/plots that develop that further.

I know that Ratchet has just returned to the city and needs recovery time, so the dinner should be happening sometime in the near future, hopefully.

As for your last note, it's actually not an in-character cause for Optimus' recent lack of posts - I actually just started a new job, so I've been having difficulty properly balancing my roleplays and my work schedule. I'm slowly getting back into the groove, but it may take a while for me to find the right balance for me. He's been around a bit more recently, having a log with Cyclonus, talking a little with Sideswipe and Ratchet. His activity is definitely something I will work to improve!

[(Anonymous)]

Oh, I didn't know he was played by someone else. Sorry. ^^'

No problem, I didn't expect any spoilers - it's more fun to be surprised how he will develop. I find it interesting that he remembers two of his alternate's lives (SG and Movie) without ever having been in the Labyrinth (yet), though it happened in the frame of a reality storm. In that regard he seems to be unique among the Cybertronians save for Ratchet maybe. Then he's unique in the Transformers continuties that he had such a low status in the beginning.

I read the log with Cyclonus and I don't know if I should cheer or wibble. He has acknowledged that there are other Primes, even more important that Optimus is not the SG!Prime. Towards Optimus no less. How it goes from there is another matter but to hear this from an occupant of the world his counterpart comes from, who seems to know the deranged mech, this might could help Optimus a bit. He deserves some good feedback (and more hugs).

Sideswipe's antics around Optimus just amuse me to no end. The second anon-poster at Optimus' entry in the IC Anon meme gotosleepidiot I instantly recognized as Sideswipe: Sometimes, I look at you and think to myself,
"I'd 'tap it'."

And I laughed. I laughed even harder when he reasoned why he wouldn't explain the phrase: Because.
I'll be murdered. XD The big badass is afraid of Ratchet's fatherly rage, even when anonymous. At the same time it's so sweet that he seems not either quite aware yet of his own feelings or he denies them. I wonder when Optimus will acknowledge it. He probably first won't be able to wrap his processor around that anybody would be interested in him.

As soon as the dinner starts at Starscream's, I'm eagerly awaiting if Sari and Starscream will hug Megatron and what Optimus' reactions will be. It'd be so awesome if he was first 'whut o_O', but then just shrugs 'whatever', joins in and hugs Megs too... XD' Sorry, silly idea. I think I just miss his mischieveous side, like when he tricked Masterson for example. Then he hadn't much reason to even think about being mischieveous.

I'm also anticipating the talk with Jazz and Wheeljack. Oh gosh, Wheeljack and Optimus (they need to talk it out, there should be hugs-) because yeah, both deserve some closure.

[like-a-bossbot.livejournal.com]

It's no problem. Like I said, it was pretty far back - I've been playing him here for almost a year now. That's the major difference, as Blackarachnia was played by the same person both times, which is why she remembers.

From what I can tell, anyone who has been forced into one of their alternate's bodies can retain the memories from the experience - I actually got the idea from the original Optimus. He seemed to know exactly what his alternate had done in their own world, which only seemed possible if he possessed that version's memories.

Furthermore, it is very common to remember what you have done during the reality storm, even if you are "someone else" - And it wouldn't make much sense to remember his experience as SG Prime or Movie Prime, and not know any of the context of their existences. I think that were he a human, it might be a little different, but as their memories are file-based, and easier to pull up and access... It makes it easier (unfortunately) for Optimus to see their past experiences.

The difference being with those who had been to the Labyrinth is that they retain the personalities in their heads, from what I can tell. They seem to struggle with who their true identity is. Both Starscream and Soundwave have shown that they hear the voices of their alternate selves - Optimus doesn't have quite that awareness of SG Prime and Movie Prime; he only has access to their memories.

Optimus definitely can't fathom the idea that anyone would be interested in him - Particularly Sideswipe. With Blackarachnia, he has come to expect that she's attempting to use him in some way when she does things. Sideswipe, he thinks he's just playing around, and assumes that he could do a lot better.

As for the dinner, I think Optimus will be struggling with the fact Megatron is even attending. Sari never did specify that any of the Decepticons were coming - She just said "everyone." Starscream, he's come to expect, at least. Megatron, not so much.

The talk with those two really does need to happen at some point. I think that Optimus has been avoiding it for the most part, mostly because he doesn't want to re-open old wounds. For either of them.

[ishimura.livejournal.com]

Apart from the lack of activity, which wasn't your fault any way, in the last weeks, I miss so much the interactions between Optimus and Sari. Maybe I'm just believe in 'happy family' but I wish the two (and three with Ratchet) could get close again.

I'm not sure if this would fit with your Optimus but maybe he could bring the topic up about the dinner Sari invited him to? Or simply let him show 'more' interest again in her life - which should also include trying to better understand Starscream. You said in the HMD on the WakeOOC you need to kick yourself and him out of your mutual comfort zones, this could be a good start.

[like-a-bossbot.livejournal.com]

For the most part, Optimus hasn't felt particularly... welcome in Sari's life recently. She seems to have built her new family with the Decepticons, and he doesn't feel its his place to force himself into it. The fact that she seems to be upset by his closeness to Sideswipe certainly makes the situation a lot harder.

He'd be willing to ask about the dinner, but most of his recent conversations with Sari have left him feeling less than confident in their relationship. He's not the Optimus she remembers - and he knows he never could be.

I'd like to think that accepting Starscream as an appropriate guardian for Sari is a big step for Optimus to begin with - He struggled with it quite a bit at first. I don't know that he'd go out of his way to actually get to know Starscream, but he is trying to be a bit more understanding so far as Decepticons are involved.

Cyclonus is a good step in that direction, as it allows him to see passed the Decepticon brand in a way. The 'cons from his universe are a little more difficult, just because he does remember the conflict with them.

[ode-to-a.livejournal.com]

Are you the same 'likeabossbot' that's on Tumblr? Because if so, you are completely and utterly fantastic and I'm so glad that you're online more often now!

Even if you're not that Optimus, though, your keyword icons make me laugh every time.

[like-a-bossbot.livejournal.com]

Yes, I am Tumblr TFA Optimus. I am glad that you enjoy him, and hope that I can keep up on there a bit more - It moves pretty fast, but it's not so bad that I don't have to follow a storyline. |3

And my keywords are... special. XD I am pleased that other people enjoy them, because they are pretty entertaining to come up with.

[ode-to-a.livejournal.com]

Yay! I am glad to have guessed right. I figured that two Optimus accounts with the epic name 'like a bossbot' were going to be linked somehow XD

Yeah, Tumblr can move PRETTY quickly on some days, if lots of people are online and arguing with each other; other days, there's nothing but artspams. It's quite fun, though, especially with the non-Transformers talking to the giant robots. (I play TFA Bumblebee, who is always more than happy to chat with his fans).

They are INCREDIBLY amusing. The only real fault Tumblr rp has is that you can't have icons and come up with silly keywords for them XD

[like-a-bossbot.livejournal.com]

I would actually be a little disappointed if someone else took the account name. XD I thought it was awesome.

It is! At first, I kind of drowned with all the replies, but Megatron said it was totally fine if I didn't keep completely caught up.

I adore your Bumblebee, so I am super happy that you like my Optimus. ;w; His posts are always entertaining to read.

I'm still trying to figure out the ins and outs of how the inteface works, but I like it so far. I find I miss having icons on any medium - LJ has spoiled me, with its many expressions. XD