Gamespot Rumor: Troika shutting its doors

[jaguars4ever]

Vampire: Blooadlines at Gamerankings.com 80%

KOTOR 2 at GAmerankings.com 85%

 

so not much difference in the overall critical success of either game. 

Fair enough, but what about the commercial success?

[Exitium]

Troika Dies:

http://www.rpgcodex.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=6348

 

Troika only has themselves to blame for their demise. I'm not in the business of blaming publishers for developers' mistakes.

 

No more free rides for Troika.

 

If you haven't yet purchased Vampire: Bloodlines, this should dissuade you from buying it. With Troika's demise I doubt there will be any future patches (especially the much-needed performance improvements and further bug fixes) for the title.

 

Even if Troika isn't 'dead' the entire Bloodlines team got laid off. Good luck finding a new patch.

[Arkan]

Troika Dies:

http://www.rpgcodex.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=6348

 

Troika only has themselves to blame for their demise. I'm not in the business of blaming publishers for developers' mistakes.

 

No more free rides for Troika.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Thanks for the info. Shame. I liked Arcanum for what it was, or at least aspired to be. I wanted to pick up Bloodlines but it's still too expensive, that may not be a problem now, hehe.

[kirottu]

If you haven't yet purchased Vampire: Bloodlines, this should dissuade you from buying it. With Troika's demise I doubt there will be any future patches (especially the much-needed performance improvements and further bug fixes) for the title.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

*sigh* I have been wondering should I buy kotor2 or bloodlines. I think this makes it easy.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

Vampires price dropped to

[jaguars4ever]

All Obsidian needs to do now is hire the old firm from Troika and sub-lease FO3 from Bethesda....

 

 

[/scheming]

[SpamDevourer]

If this is true, then it really sucks.

 

Although I liked the setting, overall I thought Arcanum was a pretty poor game. I never read anything about TOEE to compel me to buy it.

 

However, Bloodlines was easily the most enjoyable RPG for me since Torment. It made me feel optimistic that there actually is an RPG developer worth watching other than Obsidian. I'd hate to see them go under just after they got it right.

 

Although thinking back to Black Isle, I suppose it's better than just before.

[kumquatq3]

I don't really think anyone is really surprised by this news. I have to say, tho I havn't had much time with Bloodlines, I never cared much for their games.

 

But I hate to think what this says about the CRPG market. It seems almost all the players left in the game are testing the console market to a degree. Kinda starting to feel like that next "golden age" is always another year away.

[Judge Hades]

I won't touch Bloodlines for the following reasons.

 

First Person view in combat. I hate FIrst person view in a CRPG.

It uses the VtM rules system. I am not a fan of White Wolf.

The piss poor support for ToEE and the terribleness of that game's story.

[jaguars4ever]

Kinda starting to feel like that next "golden age" is always another year away.

The "Golden Age" has come and gone - and is unlikely to be reborn anytime soon. It's time we deal with it, kumquatq.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

Kinda starting to feel like that next "golden age" is always another year away.

The "Golden Age" has come and gone - and is unlikely to be reborn anytime soon. It's time we deal with it, kumquatq.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Golden ages are almost always down to nostalgia anyway. This is going to be someones golden age in another 5 years..

 

I've realy enjoyed my gaming since switching to consoles. I've also played things that I would never have played on the PC (thanks to rentals). And best of all 99% of it has worked out of the box and played through to the end with absolutely no hassles.

[jaguars4ever]

Golden ages are almost always down to nostalgia anyway. This is going to be someones golden age in another 5 years..

 

I've realy enjoyed my gaming since switching to consoles. I've also played things that I would never have played on the PC (thanks to rentals). And best of all 99% of it has worked out of the box and played through to the end with absolutely no hassles.

Speaking of which, I just picked up Ninja Gaiden today. ^_^

 

Oh, and Mercenaries is the perfect rental, my friend.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

Speaking of which, I just picked up Ninja Gaiden today.  ^_^

 

Oh, and Mercenaries is the perfect rental, my friend.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Now thats a game I wish I had never played. Everything else just seems a tad on the easy side now..

 

I'd like to check it out. But come next week I'm going to be snowed under with games (it's not out in the UK for a couple more weeks).

[Sammael]

I won't touch Bloodlines for the following reasons.

 

First Person view in combat.  I hate FIrst person view in a CRPG.

It uses the VtM rules system.  I am not a fan of White Wolf.

The piss poor support for ToEE and the terribleness of that game's story.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

1. You can play in third person

 

2. The system has been simplified to the point where it doesn't even use dice pools anymore, just thresholds

 

3. Can't argue with that

 

Overall, Bloodlines has a great story, great atmosphere, and great NPCs. Combat is terrible, it's buggy as hell, and the engine makes me feel like my computer is a 486DX2/66.

[roshan]

Its about time that Troika went under. I dont see why anyone would be sad though, all they did was make 3 crappy games.

[Musopticon?]

Its about time that Troika went under. I dont see why anyone would be sad though, all they did was make 3 crappy games.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You forgot the "IMHO".

 

IMHO, IMHO, ****ing IMHO.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

You forgot the "IMHO".

 

IMHO, IMHO, ****ing IMHO.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

IMHO dosnt really come into it. Anyone playing them would have to overlook some serious and more importantly irrefutable issues.

[roshan]

True.

[Darque]

Well poo this sucks.

[Delerius_Jedi]

Kinda starting to feel like that next "golden age" is always another year away.

The "Golden Age" has come and gone - and is unlikely to be reborn anytime soon. It's time we deal with it, kumquatq.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Golden ages are almost always down to nostalgia anyway. This is going to be someones golden age in another 5 years..

 

I've realy enjoyed my gaming since switching to consoles. I've also played things that I would never have played on the PC (thanks to rentals). And best of all 99% of it has worked out of the box and played through to the end with absolutely no hassles.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I just hope that the console makers put some effort into the international market. The way it's done today makes consoles a very unattractive option for those outside the US; If we look at Xbox there are several things that would need to be done to make it succesful abroad.

 

1) Features: On the NTSC versions(US) the Xbox has HDTV support. On the PAL version(international) MS removed that for some reason. So they're selling a machine with reduced functionality abroad.

 

2) Selection: In the US, MS proudly boasts a gaming library of 500+ titles for the Xbox. However; a quick visit to any of their international sites reveals that only 212 games are available to customers outside the US. And since they region locked the machine, international customers cannot play US games on a stock International Xbox. Add to that a general 3 month delay on every international release except for Halo 2 (even though they're the same English versions).

 

3) Price. Both the games and the hardware costs a third more abroad than in the US: This is a key issue as many gamers are really put off by the thought of buying a system and getting reduced functionality(point 1) and a reduced selection of games(point 2)

 

4) Rentals: Doesn't exist over here except for the PS2. Sony has a solid market share internationally.

 

Incidentily; MS just published their fiscal earnings in which they state that they've now shipped roughly 20 million Xbox consoles. 13.2 million for the US, a very low 5 million for Europe and an extremely low 1.7 million for Asia.

In contrast; Sony has shipped 26 million PS2's in Europe alone. All this suggests to me that MS is doing something fundamentally wrong as the Xbox is apparently sold out in large parts of the US while they're piling up on stores shelves here in Europe.

 

If consoles are ever going to surpass the PC as the dominating gaming platform(especially internationally) then the publishers really have to look into the points made above; they have to make it a viable, attractive option to everyone and the way the system works now that just isn't so. The Xbox has some good things going for it; it's just a pity that MS can't seem to realise that the consumers of today keep a very close eye on how companies market their products globally and when they see something like the points I listed; alot really lose the desire to purchase the system.

 

And I for one am very sad to see Troika go: I loved Bloodlines and will keep playing it for quite awhile. I hope the very talented people who worked out the story and setting for Bloodlines find work elsewhere as they really have talent.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

I just hope that the console makers put some effort into the international market. The way it's done today makes consoles a very unattractive option for those outside the US; If we look at Xbox there are several things that would need to be done to make it succesful abroad.

 

1) Features: On the NTSC versions(US) the Xbox has HDTV support. On the PAL version(international) MS removed that for some reason. So they're selling a machine with reduced functionality abroad.

 

2) Selection: In the US, MS proudly boasts a gaming library of 500+ titles for the Xbox. However; a quick visit to any of their international sites reveals that only 212 games are available to customers outside the US. And since they region International Xbox. Add to that a general 3 month delay on every international locked the machine, international customers cannot play US games on a stock release except for Halo 2 (even though they're the same English versions).

 

3) Price. Both the games and the hardware costs a third more abroad than in the US: This is a key issue as many gamers are really put off by the thought of buying a system and getting reduced functionality(point 1) and a reduced selection of games(point 2)

 

4) Rentals: Doesn't exist over here except for the PS2. Sony has a solid market share internationally.

 

Incidentily; MS just published their fiscal earnings in which they state that they've now shipped roughly 20 million Xbox consoles. 13.2 million for the US, a very low 5 million for Europe and an extremely low 1.7 million for Asia.

In contrast; Sony has shipped 26 million PS2's in Europe alone. All this suggests to me that MS is doing something fundamentally wrong as the Xbox is apparently sold out in large parts of the US while they're piling up on stores shelves here in Europe.

 

If consoles are ever going to surpass the PC as the dominating gaming platform(especially internationally) then the publishers really have to look into the points made above; they have to make it a viable, attractive option to everyone and the way the system works now that just isn't so. The Xbox has some good things going for it; it's just a pity that MS can't seem to realise that the consumers of today keep a very close eye on how companies market their products globally and when they see something like the points I listed; alot really lose the desire to purchase the system.

 

And I for one am very sad to see Troika go: I loved Bloodlines and will keep playing it for quite awhile. I hope the very talented people who worked out the story and setting for Bloodlines find work elsewhere as they really have talent.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

1. News to me , though it dosnt suprise me at all.

 

2. Thats not always a bad thing. Cant think of anything on the Xbox side that I really missed. Couple on the PS2 side which have been delayed for a very long time.

 

3. Thats true of all computer related things not just consoles. Cant see that changing any time soon.

 

4. In the UK you can get Ps2 , Xbox and GC titles for rental. PS2 outnumbers the others, but thats true in retail release as well.

 

 

Consoles have already surpased the PC , thats not really in question. If you are refering specfically to the Xbox. Well as the new kid on the block they have some way to go since the Xbox is essentially seeking to replace the PC's traditional role.

 

One of the great mysteries of the universe is why cant you get FFIII when you can get all the others...

[Eurmal]

Overall, Bloodlines has a great story, great atmosphere, and great NPCs. Combat is terrible, it's buggy as hell, and the engine makes me feel like my computer is a 486DX2/66.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Not as buggy as

[Delerius_Jedi]

1. News to me , though it dosnt suprise me at all.

 

2. Thats not always a bad thing. Cant think of anything on the Xbox side that I really missed. Couple on the PS2 side which have been delayed for a very long time.

 

3. Thats true of all computer related things not just consoles. Cant see that changing any time soon.

 

4. In the UK you can get Ps2 , Xbox and GC titles for rental. PS2 outnumbers the others, but thats true in retail release as well.

 

 

Consoles have already surpased the PC , thats not really in question. If you are refering specfically to the Xbox. Well as the new kid on the block they have some way to go since the Xbox is essentially seeking to replace the PC's traditional role.

 

One of the great mysteries of the universe is why cant you get FFIII when you can get all the others...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I was referring specifically to Xbox, yeah. The PS2 is totally dominating the International market. And MS has a long way to go. But like I said: the regionalisation has got to go: Think about it: This strategy was created back in the days of the PSX where there was no Internet and the only way to get any information was to consult the publishers. Hence they were able to keep many gamers in the dark about what was happening elsewhere.

 

Now we have the Internet and a great number of ways for getting information and gamers are really getting fed up with this policy. I know I am. Why would I want to buy a system when the points I made still exist? I'm not getting value for my money, which is why I'm selling it. I know I could easily [p-word] every game for the Xbox out there but I just think there is something fundamentally wrong when I have to do that simply to get games when they're finished.

 

The delayed releases ultimately hurts the game sales too: Fable was highly anticipated, yet MS slapped a 1

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

I was referring specifically to Xbox, yeah. The PS2 is totally dominating the International market. And MS has a long way to go. But like I said: the regionalisation has got to go: Think about it: This strategy was created back in the days of the PSX where there was no Internet and the only way to get any information was to consult the publishers. Hence they were able to keep many gamers in the dark about what was happening elsewhere.

 

Now we have the Internet and a great number of ways for getting information and gamers are really getting fed up with this policy. I know I am. Why would I want to buy a system when the points I made still exist? I'm not getting value for my money, which is why I'm selling it. I know I could easily [p-word] every game for the Xbox out there but I just think there is something fundamentally wrong when I have to do that simply to get games when they're finished.

 

The delayed releases ultimately hurts the game sales too: Fable was highly anticipated, yet MS slapped a 1

[Judge Hades]

Last time I checked combat was in first person. Anyway, Troika made one game I liked and that was Arcanum.

 

Oh well, with any hope members of Troika will get hired on te Fallout team at Bethesda.