Thanks for the feedback!
While my main sources of inspiration for characterisation and design come mostly from TFP and MTMTE/LL, it's not intended to be any specific continuity. Arcee's sprites were taken from another project of mine and I like TFP!Optimus's design so used him for a reference when throwing together my placeholder assets.
The current plot (as I have sketched out) would need to be overhauled completely to fit in with your suggestions, so thank you, but I'm going to stick with what I have for now. Hopefully, when I get the next part out (one day, lockdown life has made working on it tricky), it'll have a better picture of the world its set in and how everything will come together.
If you'd like to help out with any of the writing, do let me know :)