RANDOM VIDEO GAME NEWS

[Hurlshort]

Until we get some more official information, this isn't much different than that situation they had going with the Wheel of Time people.     

 

Morgie seems to think it is a new low to work on a game he is not interested in

[Nordicus]

Morgie seems to think it is a new low to work on a game he is not interested in

Certainly is a new low in framerate

[Bester]

Yeah, you get some experience with MMOs and make an MMO yourself when you get enough money guys.

[Keyrock]

Who knows, Skyforge may wind up being a cool MMO, but that art style is an absolute abhorrent.  It's as if a six year old designed it.  It's like Gobots - Fantasy Edition, or something.

[Humanoid]

Looks like what's happened is that Obsidian donated all the colour that was leeched from New Vegas' palette to that game. Then proceeded to use it utilising the "throw buckets of paint at a canvas" technique.

[sorophx]

looks so much like recent Final Fantasy games, whoa...

[Lord of Lost Socks]

All I paid attention was the standard hotbar button mashing number popping combat mechanics that's been the norm for MMO's since before they were known as MMO's.

 

All in all not interested. MMO's always have vast empty worlds, with uninteresting combat and poor storytelling. Their only advantage over RPGs is that Legholas1337 is doing the identical quest next to you while playing.

[HoonDing]

It looks like TERA starting island.

[Drowsy Emperor]

http://www.spacehulk-game.com/about.html

[Hurlshort]

http://www.spacehulk-game.com/about.html

 

This is the same team that is running the Jagged Alliance Flashback kickstarter right now.  They seem genuinely committed to good turn based combat, so I wish them the best.

[Morgoth]

Sony teases new game reveal; nice little trailer: http://www.jp.playstation.com/scej/title/panopticon/

[Tigranes]

Finally, someone makes a game with that name...

 

..then fills half of it with giant monsters. *sigh* The rest was pretty cool.

[Drowsy Emperor]

Has anyone bought DOTA2 early access?

[Bester]

What early access? I thought everyone who even remotely wanted to play it, already did so. Everyone I know has 50+ invites. If you need an invite, just say it.

Edited May 19, 2013 by Bester

[Nordicus]

Is it Sol Badguy's new zippo weapon, or did it suddenly get hot in here?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jR2qPnpsvs

 

Man, it's been ages since last proper Guilty Gear

Edited May 19, 2013 by Nordicus

[Drowsy Emperor]

What early access? I thought everyone who even remotely wanted to play it, already did so. Everyone I know has 50+ invites. If you need an invite, just say it.

 

I was out of the loop for a while, didn't know they were even handing out invites. I'd appreciate one though 

[Bester]

I'm gonna need your email.

[Drowsy Emperor]

^Thanks to Bester I'm now ready to join the nerd rage legions of DotA2

 

In other news, Planetary Annihilation:

 

http://www.uberent.com/pa/

 

I generally don't play strategy games without a strong setting or story but I'd make an exception for this. If they didn't price the preorder at 60$.

[Morgoth]

 

Summary:

 

 

- He feels large team AAA games are no longer feasible for independent developers like Obsidian.

- Instead they want to focus on smaller and more innovative titles which are either free2play, Kickstarter funded, or teams working on parts of larger games for other developers.

- They have dropped their engine team (rip Onyx), and will no longer be developing their own internal engine moving forward, it is too costly and it's not worth it.

- South Park will be the last game running on their internal engine, and they will be more interested in licensing off the shelf engines in future rather than making their own.

- The tools they have developed internally will not be lost, they will instead focus on integrating the tools which work for them into the engines they license instead. For example the dialogue editor they have will continue to be developed and integrated into whatever engine they use.

- They are interested in breaking into the tablet/smartphone market if they can offer a unique experience which they are good at making and isn't widely available in the market. Doesn't sound like he has any concrete plans, but it does sound like they want to consider making serious RPGs for that market.

 

 

It's probably for the best. Also that means no Kotor 3 now it seems. **** you very much EA/Disney.

 

But whatever you make Obsidian, my loyalty and money will always follow you 'cause you guys are awesome!

[pmp10]

- He feels large team AAA games are no longer feasible for independent developers like Obsidian.

 

- Instead they want to focus on smaller and more innovative titles which are either free2play, Kickstarter funded, or teams working on parts of larger games for other developers.

That is sad to hear as I don't believe Obsidian strengths lie in those directions.

I have serious trouble picturing Obsidian made micro-transaction driven f2p MMO.

[C2B]

 

- He feels large team AAA games are no longer feasible for independent developers like Obsidian.

 

- Instead they want to focus on smaller and more innovative titles which are either free2play, Kickstarter funded, or teams working on parts of larger games for other developers.

That is sad to hear as I don't believe Obsidian strengths lie in those directions.

I have serious trouble picturing Obsidian made micro-transaction driven f2p MMO.

 

 

I don't actually, I would actually be interested in how Obsidian themselves handle microstransactions.

 

Also I do think they will continue to do their games. In the video, he doesn't talk about AAA games exactly, but about *big games* and uses Assassin's Creed (which is on a whole other level than your typical Obsidian game) as an example. That part is also general about independent devs moving away from that. They still have that next-gen game in the pipeline and were just a while ago talking about pitching their Star Wars idea again to EA.

[Morgoth]

Alright jump to 22:00. Feargus basically says big AAA will be a privilege to Studio owned developers, while the likes of Obsidian are only going to create parts of such AAA games.

F:NV was relatively cheap to create due to a) an existing engine and b) Ninjas & tools.

So while Obsidian probably won't cease development of AAA games in the future, it means they won't take on creating one from scratch, but instead provide assistance to an other developer. Kickstarter and tablet games will be more of a focus in the future.

Perhaps a Bioware/Obsidian combo of Kotor 3 could still be possible in the future?

[C2B]

Alright jump to 22:00. Feargus basically says big AAA will be a privilege to Studio owned developers, while the likes of Obsidian are only going to create parts of such AAA games.

 

F:NV was relatively cheap to create due to a) an existing engine and b) Ninjas & tools.

 

So while Obsidian probably won't cease development of AAA games in the future, it means they won't take on creating one from scratch, but instead provide assistance to an other developer. Kickstarter and tablet games will be more of a focus in the future.

 

Perhaps a Bioware/Obsidian combo of Kotor 3 could still be possible in the future?

 

Not eactly.

 

Again the example is Assassin's Creed (even if it is meant to be extreme). You know how many people are working on that? Several hunderd. You know how many people are working on South Park? Around 60.

 

What their actual plans are is seperate and mentioned at the end. Making connections here is speculative at best.

 

Edit: Of course, they may do the *make parts of big games too*. This is probably also more or less what they are doing on Skyforge.

Edited May 20, 2013 by C2B

[babaganoosh13]

For today only, you can get Penny Arcade's Rain-Slick 3 for free on Steam from Penny Arcade's site.

 

http://penny-arcade.com/static/rainslick-giveaway

 

Edited May 20, 2013 by babaganoosh13

[Volourn]

"Perhaps a Bioware/Obsidian combo of Kotor 3 could still be possible in the future?"

 

I doubt it. This isn't the Doc's BIO any longer. The ties between the two companies are likely broken since the ones that Mr. U is buddies with ar eno longer in control of BIO. BIO is EA. If Obsidian has any chance to work with BIO it is 100% up to EA. There is no reason for EA  to get Obsidian to make a potential KOTOR3 when they have BIO as part of their company.