Yes, I know, I'm very late, but I didn't get my hands on it until now.
PCZone Benelux had a special in their April issue, entitled "Fallout 3: Game Over. The fall of a legend."
In it was a lot of rehashing of a lot of things that're generally know; a summary of both Fallouts' stories and histories, their success leading up to Fallout 3 and it being cancelled, and then the huge fan response, with mention of Christopher's Fallout 3 petition, Glowbewohner's Fallout 3: Black Isle Mod and NMA's (referred to as "thé Fallout site") posts and polls on the subject, specifically the poll about SSE's purchase of the title.
As an added bonus, they have special bits on Charles Deenen (under the header "Dutch glory"), sound director on Fallout 1 and 2, and the following two interviews with HD Interactive's Vincent van Diemen and former BISer Damien "Puuk" Foletto. The interview with Puuk basically has no real surprises in it, a bit (translated from Dutch):<blockquote>PCZ: So how was the news delivered to the people of BIS. Naturally, there were prior negotiations and the people were given time to look for other work?
Damien: No! We were taken completely by surprise! During the development [of the game] we were constantly assured by the management that they were behind the F3 game 100%. In fact, we showed them a playable demo not too long ago and got very enthusiastic and surprised reactions at the leaps forward made without their 'input'. Nobody on my team saw the firings coming.
PCZ: Say a company buys and continues F3, like the Dutch-based HD Interactive recently attempted, how much material would they have to work on?
Damien: F3 was about 50% done. All the designing was done, the dialogues were half finished, the engine [was done] for 98% and more. The development of the game was right on course.
PCZ: The fans are standing right behind you and gathering to defend your interests. How does something like that affect you?
Damien: Whatever people may say, the Fallout community is the most passionate and loyal fanbase in existence, and it is my opinion that they're smart and great people. Hey, I'm part of that fanbase!</blockquote>Awww. We love you too, Damien.
Next up was HD Interactive's Vincent van Diemen. HD Interactive is a relatively young Dutch company which is fast expanding nad is already publishing worldwide. Be sure to take a look at their post-apoc shooter, Devastation, released a year ago. Apparently, though a lot of people missed it, HD Interactive made a serious try for the Fallout 3 license. Vincent van Diemen reveals some details on the procedure (translated):<blockquote>PCZ: One of the companies interested in buying F3 was the Dutch HD Interactive. We asked HD Interactive's Vincent van Diemen how exactly you go about trying to purchase this game.
Vincent: Several days after it was officially made known that the team was sent home we contacted the management of IPLY, with whom we were already familiar from earlier deals. Next to that I tried to come in contact with some key people from the development team. I wanted to hear their version of the story and I wanted to know if they would be willing to return to the project if we were able to make a deal with IPLY.
PCZ: It didn't work out. Why not?
Vincent: IPLY was willing to negotiate, but some very important people from the development team were already working somewhere else. Without those people we didn't even want to try.
PCZ: Fallout has a real name in PC gamescountry. In view of the financial problems with IPLY it remains to be seen if the Fallout license is in good hands. Was HD Interactive planning to ensure future PC Fallout titles in case of purchase?
Vincent: If IPLY really goes bankrupt the license will automatically go to their mothercompany Titus. If Titus decides to sell the license, we'd certainly be interested, but if other (large) publishers would bid against us, it would remain to be seen if we'd be willing or able to give the highest bid.</blockquote>And another quote from the short interview, just to show what kind of company HD Interactive is: "This [Nexus] is going to be a REAL PC game and a real gamers-game. The PC is and will always be the greatest gaming platform for us. That's where our roots lie and, quite frankly, also our hearts."
PCZone Benelux had a special in their April issue, entitled "Fallout 3: Game Over. The fall of a legend."
In it was a lot of rehashing of a lot of things that're generally know; a summary of both Fallouts' stories and histories, their success leading up to Fallout 3 and it being cancelled, and then the huge fan response, with mention of Christopher's Fallout 3 petition, Glowbewohner's Fallout 3: Black Isle Mod and NMA's (referred to as "thé Fallout site") posts and polls on the subject, specifically the poll about SSE's purchase of the title.
As an added bonus, they have special bits on Charles Deenen (under the header "Dutch glory"), sound director on Fallout 1 and 2, and the following two interviews with HD Interactive's Vincent van Diemen and former BISer Damien "Puuk" Foletto. The interview with Puuk basically has no real surprises in it, a bit (translated from Dutch):<blockquote>PCZ: So how was the news delivered to the people of BIS. Naturally, there were prior negotiations and the people were given time to look for other work?
Damien: No! We were taken completely by surprise! During the development [of the game] we were constantly assured by the management that they were behind the F3 game 100%. In fact, we showed them a playable demo not too long ago and got very enthusiastic and surprised reactions at the leaps forward made without their 'input'. Nobody on my team saw the firings coming.
PCZ: Say a company buys and continues F3, like the Dutch-based HD Interactive recently attempted, how much material would they have to work on?
Damien: F3 was about 50% done. All the designing was done, the dialogues were half finished, the engine [was done] for 98% and more. The development of the game was right on course.
PCZ: The fans are standing right behind you and gathering to defend your interests. How does something like that affect you?
Damien: Whatever people may say, the Fallout community is the most passionate and loyal fanbase in existence, and it is my opinion that they're smart and great people. Hey, I'm part of that fanbase!</blockquote>Awww. We love you too, Damien.
Next up was HD Interactive's Vincent van Diemen. HD Interactive is a relatively young Dutch company which is fast expanding nad is already publishing worldwide. Be sure to take a look at their post-apoc shooter, Devastation, released a year ago. Apparently, though a lot of people missed it, HD Interactive made a serious try for the Fallout 3 license. Vincent van Diemen reveals some details on the procedure (translated):<blockquote>PCZ: One of the companies interested in buying F3 was the Dutch HD Interactive. We asked HD Interactive's Vincent van Diemen how exactly you go about trying to purchase this game.
Vincent: Several days after it was officially made known that the team was sent home we contacted the management of IPLY, with whom we were already familiar from earlier deals. Next to that I tried to come in contact with some key people from the development team. I wanted to hear their version of the story and I wanted to know if they would be willing to return to the project if we were able to make a deal with IPLY.
PCZ: It didn't work out. Why not?
Vincent: IPLY was willing to negotiate, but some very important people from the development team were already working somewhere else. Without those people we didn't even want to try.
PCZ: Fallout has a real name in PC gamescountry. In view of the financial problems with IPLY it remains to be seen if the Fallout license is in good hands. Was HD Interactive planning to ensure future PC Fallout titles in case of purchase?
Vincent: If IPLY really goes bankrupt the license will automatically go to their mothercompany Titus. If Titus decides to sell the license, we'd certainly be interested, but if other (large) publishers would bid against us, it would remain to be seen if we'd be willing or able to give the highest bid.</blockquote>And another quote from the short interview, just to show what kind of company HD Interactive is: "This [Nexus] is going to be a REAL PC game and a real gamers-game. The PC is and will always be the greatest gaming platform for us. That's where our roots lie and, quite frankly, also our hearts."
