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Vapourware System Shock 3 by OtherSide Entertainment - taken over by Tencent!

Tacgnol

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I think these KS projects have proven that many of these old teams were the sum of their parts, rather than the sole efforts of individuals or "visionaries" like Spector and Neurath etc.

I'm always dubious when a big name is attached and hyped all over KS.
 

flyingjohn

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I think these KS projects have proven that many of these old teams were the sum of their parts, rather than the sole efforts of individuals or "visionaries" like Spector and Neurath etc.

I'm always dubious when a big name is attached and hyped all over KS.
I think not making any meaningful games that require actual thought for several years has absolutely destroyed any spark of creativity or game design these people had in the first place.
Look at Brian Reynolds,he was absolutely the main drive for alpha centauri,and now he makes mobile games.Even if you paid him 10 million dollars to make anything it would till end up as a mobile game.
 

SionIV

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Feels so strange to read those posts from Sam (Community Manager) when he was the same one answering people about Underworld Ascendant. I've read that it's two different studios, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth when it comes to SS3.
 

Space Nugget

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Infinitron

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https://www.othersideentertainment.com/forum/index.php?topic=8336.msg38708#msg38708

OSE Walter said:
Thanks for the encouragement guys, good to see we still have some fans! (those gleefully awaiting our demise don't count--that's unlikely I'm happy/sorry to say) And I'm optimistic we'll find an even better path forward on SS3, we had some great meetings at DICE this week)
Dawn, your sentiment about mistakes is right on. You can't live your life mistake-free. You can learn from them and move on. Are we bummed we disappointed our fans with UA? Absolutely. Are we trying to do something about that? Yes, hopefully that shows with all of the extra work, time and money (our own, not anyone elses) we're putting into UA. Should we have done a better job communicating with you guys about what we were making? Yep, and we're trying to do better since launch and being less worried about telling you guys things you may not be happy to hear.

As for Shock 3, as we've said, completely different team going about things in a very different way without all of the baggage we had and we created with UA. Recent builds show a lot promise given where the game is at in development. Our meetings this week provided some good external feedback and encouragement about what the Austin team is doing.
 

Nyast

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"We're confident we can bring System Shock 3 to market and have it take its place as a leading title in the immersive simulation genre."

LOL

This game will look like cheap shovelware compared to Prey if it ever releases, mark my words

Hmmm.. where did I hear that before ? Hmmm..

"We're confident we can bring Ultima Ascendent to market and have it take its place as a leading title in the immersive simulation genre.".

Ah yeah, I remember it now. They copy/pasted it from UA's press releases :o

And we know how much of a masterpiece it turned out to be ...
 

swrench

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The problem with SS3 is that it is too late to the playing field, what could they do that hasn't been done before. The appeal is not there especially since it been in development hell, only profiting off the brand name. The first game by any developer is the most purest because everyone who founded the developer worked on that game.
 

Tweed

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As for Shock 3, as we've said, completely different team going about things in a very different way without all of the baggage we had and we created with UA. Recent builds show a lot promise given where the game is at in development. Our meetings this week provided some good external feedback and encouragement about what the Austin team is doing.

Blahblahblah all meaningless bullshit till they actually show the game.
 

thesheeep

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what could they do that hasn't been done before.
Developing a shitty System Shock hasn't been done before, so....

Honestly, though, I refuse the notion that developing a game that brings nothing new to the table is a bad thing. I'll gladly play a good game, even if I have played very similar games before. Maybe even precisely because I have played similar games before.
 

JDR13

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Hmmm.. where did I hear that before ? Hmmm..

"We're confident we can bring Ultima Ascendent to market and have it take its place as a leading title in the immersive simulation genre.".

Ah yeah, I remember it now. They copy/pasted it from UA's press releases :o

And we know how much of a masterpiece it turned out to be ...

Isn't it a different team than the one that developed UA though? I thought I read that somewhere. Otherside does have two separate studios.
 

Zep Zepo

Titties and Beer
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(((They))) keep mentioning this is a "different team" like it's supposed to mean something.

Same company. Same leadership. Same old shit (Like UA).

One thing you CAN be sure of is..

Game will be shit.

Zep--
 

MasterLobar

Angry OtherSide Refugee
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Feb 17, 2019
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Killorn Keep
I had a look at the general situation including the financial side posted on the OS forum until they started deleting my posts without explanation.

So maybe a brief recap here for those interested (hopefully my posts don't disappear in this forum):

- According to OS statements, SS3 is about halfway completed.

- OS signed such an idiotic deal with Starbreeze that - halfway into game development - SB was allowed to cancel the publishing deal without penalties, and - worst of all - OS has to pay all the money back that SB invested so far (who would ever sign such an incredibly stupid deal????).

- That means any publisher who might want to pick up SS3 will have to fund the remaining development of SS3 and will have to refund the payback for Starbreeze.

- SB public filings indicate that advance payments for System Shock 3 were $2.5 million in Nov 2017 and $6.8 million in Nov 2018 (exchange rate from SEK ~1:10) - so any new publisher would have to repay Starbreeze $6.8 million for their past investment, plus about $4 million per year for the remaining development time.

https://www.starbreeze.com/sbz-media/2018/12/Appendix-2-Balance-reports.pdf

- If they started development in 2017 and SS3 is now 'halfway completed,' they are not going to launch SS3 before mid-2020 (and that's probably optimistic). No comment on the launch date has ever been made by OS.

- It is safe to say that OS didn't make and will not make one cent with UA. According to SteamSpy, UA sold about 12,000 copies so far (not including refunds). The current sales price is $7.49, down from $29,99 after launch. Steam is also getting a cut, so total revenues are probably in the $100,000-200,000 range at the moment (with very limited future potential).

http://steamspy.com/dev/OtherSide+Entertainment

- Given how lopsided their deal with Starbreeze was, it is safe to say that the deal with 505 will see all revenues go to them until they recoup their investment (a standard clause in publishing deals). That investment was definitely way above $100-200k. OS won't get one dollar for UA.

- The OS community manager stated that OS will be done with UA after a third round of updates and a console version - given how things are they will likely leave gamers with a still broken mess after Update 3. This will be a huge burden if SS3 were to be released as early access. Many gamers are going to want to wait for the final product.

- I suspect they are just providing these updates to avoid getting sued by 505 for throwing a half-finished game over the fence. The console version is also likely a contractual obligation to 505 they have to fulfil or get sued otherwise (no one would make a console version for a game that failed so spectacularly and throw good money after bad).

- All in all that means, OS has zero revenues for the forseeable future, has one whole team still occupied with UA in the coming months and needs several million dollars in the coming 1-2 years to complete SS3, plus $6.8 million repayment to Starbreeze.

- SEC filings show OS raised $3.6 million in new equity in 2018 a month before UA was released. That checks with OSE Walter saying that they are now using "own money" to pay for the UA updates, so that seems to suggest no other investor is willing to provide more funding to them.

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1756400/000156761918004482/xslFormDX01/primary_doc.xml

https://www.othersideentertainment.com/forum/index.php?topic=8336.msg38708#msg38708

- Both SS1 and SS2 (although highly acclaimed classics) were commercial failures. SS2 only sold 80,000 copies. Not exactly the type of title publishers jump on and this comes just a few months after everyone declined to make a costly SS1 remake with NightDive (they are now making a low-cost version).

Good luck with finding a new publisher for SS3 under these circumstances.

I'm ready to go on the record: This studio is done.
 

Zep Zepo

Titties and Beer
Dumbfuck Repressed Homosexual
Joined
Mar 23, 2013
Messages
5,233
LOL

Can't get much more fucked up than that.

GG Waldo Rectum.

What an Industry leader and Veteran you are!

Zep--
 

toro

Arcane
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Messages
14,031
Old Shodan: "Look at you, hacker: a pathetic creature of meat and bone, panting and sweating as you run through my corridors. How can you challenge a perfect, immortal machine?"

New Shodan: "Look at you, white male: a pathetic creature of cisgender and privilege, angry mansplaining as you run through my corridors. How can you challenge me, Anita Sarkeesian?"

I'm bored. :)
 
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