EA 'didn't give a sh*t' about System Shock 3

The Sims was the brain child of Will Wright, pretty much funded by profits he made with Maxis (which technically became EA’s after the take over, but when The Sims was created Maxis still existed as a publishing house, it wasn’t an instantaneous take over and absorption.), again, if any smaller developers had come up with the idea it wouldn't have got off of the ground. Will Wright rose to prominence in a time when innovation was commonplace, when you had freedom to develop what you wanted to. That's very difficult these days because companies like EA will only fund developers who are either A) Developing a clone of a previous game that has been shown to make money or B) A well known and respected member of the industry who has made a lot of money in the past. All of those people however are like Will Wright, and entered the industry when it was still open and new.

There're are very few up and coming stars these days because developers are being forced to “go with the flow” so-to-speak meaning they're stuck developing FIFA 2007. Eventually all of the old stars are going to retire. And then what will we be left with?

I don't know how we got from buying Half-Life 2 from EA to discussing EA's affect on the industry. EA had nothing to do with Half-Life 2 what-so-ever, so buying it from them won't influence jack about where they spend their bucks in the future, it'll just give them more money, so I stand by my original statement that you should buy it off Steam. I will be buying Spore from EA most likely (if it's worth it), given an alternative though I'd take it.
 
mortiz said:
The Sims was the brain child of Will Wright, pretty much funded by profits he made with Maxis (which technically became EA’s after the take over, but when The Sims was created Maxis still existed as a publishing house, it wasn’t an instantaneous take over and absorption.), again, if any smaller developers had come up with the idea it wouldn't have got off of the ground. Will Wright rose to prominence in a time when innovation was commonplace, when you had freedom to develop what you wanted to.
Click to expand...
What?
No he didn't. It was already mostly about franchises, brands and series back then. It wasn't any more about innovation back then than it is now.

That's very difficult these days because companies like EA will only fund developers who are either A) Developing a clone of a previous game that has been shown to make money or B) A well known and respected member of the industry who has made a lot of money in the past. All of those people however are like Will Wright, and entered the industry when it was still open and new.

There're are very few up and coming stars these days because developers are being forced to “go with the flow” so-to-speak meaning they're stuck developing FIFA 2007. Eventually all of the old stars are going to retire. And then what will we be left with?

I don't know how we got from buying Half-Life 2 from EA to discussing EA's affect on the industry. EA had nothing to do with Half-Life 2 what-so-ever, so buying it from them won't influence jack about where they spend their bucks in the future, it'll just give them more money, so I stand by my original statement that you should buy it off Steam. I will be buying Spore from EA most likely (if it's worth it), given an alternative though I'd take it.
Click to expand...
This is again faulty logic.
Of course buying Half-Life 2 from them will make a difference. Because that way they get to see just how much money they could have made on a game like Half-Life 2.
 
Sander said:
Of course buying Half-Life 2 from them will make a difference. Because that way they get to see just how much money they could have made on a game like Half-Life 2.
Click to expand...

With more shitty knock-offs and uninspired FPS crap like Call of Doody 2: Sucks the Fat One. EA are the antithesis of innovation and design, only having one good title at a time that they get behind and milk until its dead, while sustaining a console line that is built upon doing as little work as possible for a full price tag to be shat out yearly - the marketing scheme that had Fear-Gut wetting his panties over how he can similarly shit out a supposed "CRPG" in a short time with a full price tag.
 
Sander said:
What?
No he didn't. It was already mostly about franchises, brands and series back then. It wasn't any more about innovation back then than it is now.
Click to expand...

Will Wright created SimCity off of his own back, granted, he spun off 3 or 4 sequels but it was enough to give him some sway in the industry. That's why EA bought Maxis in the first place, the 'Sim' franchise was a lucrative franchise to own. It's that success that gave Will Wright the sway and money to go on to create The Sims and eventually Spore.

I've never been a fan of the 'Sim' games, certainly not The Sims but they were relatively innovative in their day. Unfortunately Will Wright has proven since that he can create knock-off sequels with the best of them. Probably why he's so popular within EA.

This is again faulty logic.
Of course buying Half-Life 2 from them will make a difference. Because that way they get to see just how much money they could have made on a game like Half-Life 2.
Click to expand...

How will EA spending money on distributing a game from a franchise that already has some gravitas in the industry, that already had a marketing campaign, affect how they spend money when it comes to funding new games that require a bran new marketing campaign as well as a risk taken with whether it'll be profitable or not? Half-Life 2 was a profitable property even before EA jumped on board, and like I said, EA are much more inclined to invest in products that will make sure fire profits. It was a straight forward distribution deal with Valve, publishing deals require a lot more time and a lot more money, and thus is a lot more risky. The publisher is actually funding the development from start to distribution. I don't want to see clones of Half-Life and Half-Life 2 either, which is what if anything the success of HL2 sales will inspire in EA. You said it yourself

Because that way they get to see just how much money they could have made on a game like Half-Life 2.
Click to expand...

It won't inspire them to create new and interesting games, only to create games that knock off some other one that was successful.
 
This thread is messy, but here is my contribution:

-System Shock 2 was awesome. Hopefully Bioshock will be sweet, too.

-Deus Ex was also awesome.

-Vox is the worst new poster.

-Budweiser is good.

-EA sucks, yeah, but they do put out some cool (if mindless) games amid their poor business choices. I will continue to buy and play their games because some of them are fun, and I mean, isn't that the point? It's just video games, dudes.
 
Malky said:
Okay, that's their fault for choosing a shitty job.
Click to expand...
Their fault? There isn't exactly a tremendous selection of jobs in the gaming industry. You either work for a corporation like EA or you don't work at all.

Not my problem.
Click to expand...
I didn't say it was. I reacted to your laconic comment that it's "just video games" by pointing out that many professionals slave their asses off for a very immoral and unscrupulous employer to deliver those video games.
 
Ratty said:
Malky said:
Okay, that's their fault for choosing a shitty job.
Click to expand...
Their fault? There isn't exactly a tremendous selection of jobs in the gaming industry. You either work for a corporation like EA or you don't work at all.
Click to expand...

...or you don't work as a game developer for a dying industry?

Not my problem.
Click to expand...
I didn't say it was. I reacted to your laconic comment that it's "just video games" by pointing out that many professionals slave their asses off for a very immoral and unscrupulous employer to deliver those video games.
Click to expand...

Yes, and that's unfortunate, but it's life. Children work in a sweatshop for no money to make my shoes, but they're still just shoes.
 
Malky said:
...or you don't work as a game developer for a dying industry?
Click to expand...
It's hardly a dying industry. It's a cruel industry, but very much vital.

Anyway, your proposed alternative isn't really an option for someone who has a degree in game development. "What? You don't want to work 90 hours a week without getting paid overtime? Too bad, try McDonald's across the street."
 
Well, my vote is still on those who, despite a mass of garbage being released, still persist on trying to deliver a good game. Those are the ones who should be rewarded and praised. Not those who take inspiration and dryhump it into the ground until it's a crying wreck.

I mention the man a number of times, because he does much with a comparatively small team, and is one of the few that persist in offering games that stay true to their claims. Jeff Vogel has made entertaining games, albeit tactical dungeon crawlers in part, that have enticed a few of the jaded old-school to come back to PC gaming.

Given how that's now his full-time job, I think he's doing pretty decently for himself. All it takes is persistence and the willingness to learn what it takes to make a game.

It will take a few more to give more of an affect upon the US industry, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It's not in the US.

I know of a couple of Japanese publishers looking to back a few US development houses, simply because they remember where the basis for their entire CRPG industry came from, although it's too late to save Wizardry. And they have played Geneforge, and believe that with the proper treatment, that kind of gaming can return to the PC, and even to the console. The Wii, despite it's name, is quite a versatile device that lends to more than just console controller gameplay, intended to be right out of the box. They at least care to address many of the game design issues raised by a country that does far more gaming than the US, and have the balls (or plastic finger) to explore game design, while the US is too afraid of doing anything buy copy last year's popular trend.

Hint: One of them published Treasure Hunter G, which was a basis for another, quite popular tactical game.
 
Roshambo said:
I mention the man a number of times, because he does much with a comparatively small team, and is one of the few that persist in offering games that stay true to their claims. Jeff Vogel has made entertaining games, albeit tactical dungeon crawlers in part, that have enticed a few of the jaded old-school to come back to PC gaming.
Click to expand...

I stumbled across his games awhile back.Bought Avernum 3 and was going to get Nethergate,but after playing the demo the two seemed so similar,except for the settings,it felt like by playing the former i had already played the latter.

People who love pretty graphics are going to go into shock if they tried these games,but the gameplay is well worth getting one.
 
mortiz said:
Will Wright created SimCity off of his own back, granted, he spun off 3 or 4 sequels but it was enough to give him some sway in the industry. That's why EA bought Maxis in the first place, the 'Sim' franchise was a lucrative franchise to own. It's that success that gave Will Wright the sway and money to go on to create The Sims and eventually Spore.

I've never been a fan of the 'Sim' games, certainly not The Sims but they were relatively innovative in their day. Unfortunately Will Wright has proven since that he can create knock-off sequels with the best of them. Probably why he's so popular within EA.
Click to expand...
Yet EA is letting him create Spore nonetheless. Why? Because they saw that his previous games were popular, that's why.


mortiz said:
How will EA spending money on distributing a game from a franchise that already has some gravitas in the industry, that already had a marketing campaign, affect how they spend money when it comes to funding new games that require a bran new marketing campaign as well as a risk taken with whether it'll be profitable or not? Half-Life 2 was a profitable property even before EA jumped on board, and like I said, EA are much more inclined to invest in products that will make sure fire profits. It was a straight forward distribution deal with Valve, publishing deals require a lot more time and a lot more money, and thus is a lot more risky. The publisher is actually funding the development from start to distribution. I don't want to see clones of Half-Life and Half-Life 2 either, which is what if anything the success of HL2 sales will inspire in EA. You said it yourself
Click to expand...
Yes, it will. But this only reinforces my point: buying a good game from EA will get them to create more of those types of games. Just like buying more sports franchising games will lead them to create more of those games.
Hence, if you like a game and want more of that type of game, you should go buy that game, even if it's developed by EA.

It won't inspire them to create new and interesting games, only to create games that knock off some other one that was successful.
Click to expand...
It will inspire them to make games in the same vein. If you buy a good game, it'll hence inspire them to make a similar game.
Your reasoning has now progressed to the point that you claim that any game they create will be crappy. A game does not need to be innovative to be good, I would love to see another game similar to Fallout for instance, and there would be nothing innovative about that.
However, if a Fallout-like game sold well, it would lead to EA creating another similar game. And as long as that game is similar, it would be a good game.
 
Oh my god...
EA is making System Shock 3 with tghe Godfather Team and some other stuff from LOTR...
systemshock3_pcgameruk.jpg

http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108171

:? :puppy-dog: :eek: :puke:
 
why am i not surprised? they see the media attention Bioshock has &, of course, their interest is renewed in the old franchise!

can you smell the money? mmmm, that blessed smell!
 
SuAside said:
why am i not surprised? they see the media attention Bioshock has &, of course, their interest is renewed in the old franchise!

can you smell the money? mmmm, that blessed smell!
Click to expand...

Surprised because "EA DID NOT GIVE A SHIT ABOUT SS3". If they did not want to create SS3 with their developers (Irrational Games), I do not understand why they want do it with Godfather developers.

The only explanation is that EA did not want to do a "Think shooter", only a "Moron Shooter".
 
Anybody who was surprised at this news really shouldn't have been...all two of you. :lol:

It's a damn shame that [almost] everytime someone tries to change the thinking of a first-person game into something quite different, it ends up being "reduced" and then killed. Deus Ex turned into Invisible War and then died...Thief turned into Deadly Shadows and we haven't heard of it since, and System Shock just died.

Metroid Prime isn't so bad, although the sales declined with MP2, and apparently MP3 is going to be somewhat more action-based, although I could be wrong.
 
Thief 3 was not so bad as Deus Ex Invisible War. It was not a bad game, the only porblem was some "consolizations", maps size, texture resolution, "blue clues"...
With some tweaks, you could improve it a lot. Not so good as thief 2, but much better game than F.E.A.R , Doom 3, HL2, Sfinter Cell and so.
 
Still, the depth was tampered with to appeal to a wider audience, and even such tampering couldn't give it the mass appeal that would have been required for insta-sequel. In return for that tomfoolery, Thief III also somewhat alienated parts of its fanbase.

Another good example of what I'm talking about is NOLF. NOLF 1 & 2 weren't really innovative at all, gameplay-wise. #2 did feature minor RPG elements, but the reason why they were so different was because few games in that genre gave a damn about not taking themselves seriously. Where did that series end up? Contract J.A.C.K., a run-of-the-mill, gritty shooter that had forsaken much of what made the series great in the first place just so that it could flop miserably and pull the whole damn series down with it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top