Game News Gothic 3 gets an Expansion

[JarlFrank]

Tags: Gothic III; JoWood Productions

An <A HREF="http://www.jowood.com/?lang=en&site=1&iid=12834">official Gothic 3 expansion</A> has just been announced by Jowood.
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<blockquote>Liezen, Austria, April 14th 2008; JoWooD Productions announces the official Add-On for the award winning roleplaying game Gothic 3. Gothic 3 – Forsaken Gods will answer many open questions and guarantee a seamless step to Gothic 4. Once more you take on the role of the nameless Hero and again you have to raise your sword in anger to save the world of Gothic. On your journey you will meet old friends – but be careful, some old alliances may not have lasted the test of time….</blockquote>
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Blah blah, the typical announcement-hypetalk of interesting story and nice features.
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JoWood is working on the expansion and the feedback from fans is extremely important to the developer of Gothic 3 - Forsaken Gods. The game designer and developer are studying the Gothic message boards each day and will incorporate as many of the fan-wishes as possible while working on the extension.</blockquote>
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But this does sound interesting. Wanting to follow the feedback from the fans? Well, I dare to say the fans deserve it, as they patched the game almost all by themselves. It's JoWood we're talking about here, though, and they're not pretty well known for their customer service and love for fans. And this time it's not even Piranha Bytes who are making the expansion, but some completely other team who probably never had anything to do with the Gothic series before.
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So, it does sound good that they want to cooperate with the fans and thoroughly read the forums for their wishes everyday before going to bed, but there are enough reasons to be pessimistic about it.
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.jowood.com/">Jowood Official Site</A>

 

[Elhoim]

I wonder if it will fix something of the original game, like the combat, for example. Also if it will be an expansion that happens after the events in Gothic 3 or if it will be like NotR, which expanded the gameworld.

 

[Morbus]

I had NEVER bought a Gothic product before. Yesterday I went and bought Gothic Universe for 25€, Gothic 1, Gothic 2 Gold and Gothic 3. Great deal for me specially considering I had only played G3 when a friend lend it to me.

 

[Kingston]

Fix the combat, fix the combat, fix the combat.

Please, fix the combat.

 

[fastpunk]

The game designer and developer are studying the Gothic message boards each day and will incorporate as many of the fan-wishes as possible while working on the extension.

Seems like they're reaching out to the community... IF that statement is true. I really hope this expansion fixes some of the original game's problems since I'd like to play G3 some day. Btw, anyone have some numbers on G3's financial results? It must have done alright if they're making an expansion.

 

[Sir_Brennus]

What a nice surprise!

I wholeheartly trust Spellbound in releasing a worthy add-on to turn Pirhanas POS into something good.

That is the best thing in bringing an outside developer in: You get a whole new perspective on your original game. I'd like to compare this to Irving Kershner directing TESB: He looked at the original story from the outside and refined elements to make the movie deeper and more involving.

So, I expect Spellbound to bring in a worthwhile story, less formalistic gameplay devices and a revised combat system to the game.

 

[Saxon1974]

Fix the combat, fix the combat, fix the combat.

Please, fix the combat.

AGree, please.

I couldnt get very far into the original game because of the horrid combat.

 

[Ander Vinz]

Very, very smart move. If you gonna milk a cow, you shouldn't scare it.
Bethesda is far behind with their pr.

 

[VonVentrue]

Fix the combat, fix the combat, fix the combat.

Please, fix the combat.

I wholeheartedly second the aforementioned suggestion.

Having said that, what interests me the most is the following: will they alter the main quest in any way (I found it seriously lacking)? More dialogue lines, more depth, plot twists please?

 

[Krancor]

I can see it now. "We're making an expansion for Gothic 3? That the hell is that? Better go see what the hell all these kiddies are fussing about if we're going to be making an 'rpg'."

 

[Dhruin]

That reaching out to the community stuff is all PR. It's a welcome sentiment but clearly not true if their Q4 release date is at all realistic - the design must be long finished.

 

[OSK]

I'd like to compare this to Irving Kershner directing TESB: He looked at the original story from the outside and refined elements to make the movie deeper and more involving.

Hopefully this doesn't turn out like when Irving Kershner directed Robocop 2.

 

[Pseudofool]

I don't see how they could fix the combat. It'd be a complete overhaul which is more than an expansion. I'd like to see some more meaningful armor, more dialogue, more urgency in the main quest, more character interaction, esp. with those that are hold overs from the past iterations.

 

[Saxon1974]

I don't see how they could fix the combat. It'd be a complete overhaul which is more than an expansion. I'd like to see some more meaningful armor, more dialogue, more urgency in the main quest, more character interaction, esp. with those that are hold overs from the past iterations.

I have never understood this argument. If you just removed the stun lock when you hit an enemy it would improve it big time. At least then you couldn't left click over and over again and kill any enemy without being hit. That's seems like an easy change to me.

 

[GeneralSamov]

And this was fixed eons ago. Really, by now the game is already fairly patched thanks especially to the community.

The combat, iirc, was said to be too much of a hassle to fix, so it'd be better to stay pessimistic about it ever being fixed at all. Though I wholeheartedly hope Spellbound will do their magic and deliver in Gothic 4.

At any rate, good news, it's good to see they're still willing to bring something to those that bought the game unfinished. This is the kind of commitment I appreciate.

 

[Trash]

To be released in Q4? They've either been working on it for ages allready or something else is up. With the recent reconsilliation between Jowood and Piranha Bytes I wouldn't be surprised if this is that 1 gig patch PB was working on with some stuff from the fan patches and maybe some extra content thrown in for good measure. Still, if they fix the combat, I'll buy it.

 

[Claw]

All this whining about the combat. There are many things in G3 I found really disappointing, and the combat system was lacking, but it doesn't really make or break the game for me. The simple reputation system was a much bigger bummer.

 

[denizsi]

Perhaps JoeWood realized a little late that they didn't really know whether they could trust Spellbound for G4. This might be a proto-G4 in a way.

By the way, didn't JW and PB make peace recently? So maybe G4 is given to PB again, while Spellbound is given an expansion to save some face? Does that sound sensible?

 

[MetalCraze]

That is the best thing in bringing an outside developer in: You get a whole new perspective on your original game. I'd like to compare this to Irving Kershner directing TESB: He looked at the original story from the outside and refined elements to make the movie deeper and more involving.

I can only agree with you. Just look what outside developers did to FO3 and WH40K:DoW
simply amazing! whole new perspectives on original games

 

[fizzelopeguss]

The game designer and developer are studying the Gothic message boards each day and will incorporate as many of the fan-wishes as possible while working on the extension.

Seems like they're reaching out to the community... IF that statement is true. I really hope this expansion fixes some of the original game's problems since I'd like to play G3 some day. Btw, anyone have some numbers on G3's financial results? It must have done alright if they're making an expansion.

It went over 500k quite a while ago.

 

[bat_boro]

Perhaps JoeWood realized a little late that they didn't really know whether they could trust Spellbound for G4. This might be a proto-G4 in a way.

By the way, didn't JW and PB make peace recently? So maybe G4 is given to PB again, while Spellbound is given an expansion to save some face? Does that sound sensible?

Not really.
Pb's working on their own game, as well as SpellBound who are working on Gothic 4. It's really a mystery who's making the add-on, though, at least to me. And it's not the Community Patch team either.

 

[Sir_Brennus]

That is the best thing in bringing an outside developer in: You get a whole new perspective on your original game. I'd like to compare this to Irving Kershner directing TESB: He looked at the original story from the outside and refined elements to make the movie deeper and more involving.

I can only agree with you. Just look what outside developers did to FO3 and WH40K:DoW
simply amazing! whole new perspectives on original games

Attempt at irony: EPIC FAILURE.

Let me get this straight: Beth hasn't done anything to Fallout yet, because there is still no Fallout 3.

And it's called a SEQUEL for a reason, because it's a different game. The game planed is a ADD-ON or better an ADD-IN. That's a whole different story, retard.

If you want a fitting example then look at Might & Magic - Swords of Xeen. Its design is easly way better than the original Xeen games. And it was made by a totally different team. Or even look at Dungeon Siege - Legends of Aranna: It was way better than the original game (even if this wasn't that difficult).

What is your Problem with Dawn of War? Aren't the ADD-INs (Soulstorm et al) any good? I don't know, because I think the WH40k scenario is seriously gay. I bought DoW for about 6€ but never came around to install it.

If you compare DoW to Final Liberation, then the case cannot be compared to the present case. So tell me: where's the problem?

BTW: I actually trust ANYONE more with the Gothic franchise than the lobotomized minions of D(r)eck13/Pirhania Bytes. Even monkeys with typewriters.

 

[Arcks]

What a nice surprise!

I wholeheartly trust Spellbound in releasing a worthy add-on to turn Pirhanas POS into something good.

Why? Last time I checked, spellbound had not developed anything worthwhile in last seven years. And only good game they made was clone of another game.

 

[Ander Vinz]

BTW: I actually trust ANYONE more with the Gothic franchise than the lobotomized minions of D(r)eck13/Pirhania Bytes. Even monkeys with typewriters.

I don't believe he is serious. I think he's on drugs or something.

 

[Shannow]

Brennus has hated PB at least since G3, maybe longer. He has played every shitty a-RPG that ever came out but he hates the only dev team that ever made a worthwhile a-RPG. (IMHO)

He is completely serious about this.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

Gothic 3 was that bad though.

 

[MetalCraze]

Let me get this straight: Beth hasn't done anything to Fallout yet, because there is still no Fallout 3.

it's like Brother None never existed

What is your Problem with Dawn of War? Aren't the ADD-INs (Soulstorm et al) any good? I don't know, because I think the WH40k scenario is seriously gay. I bought DoW for about 6€ but never came around to install it.

should I really answer now?

BTW: I actually trust ANYONE more with the Gothic franchise than the lobotomized minions of D(r)eck13/Pirhania Bytes. Even monkeys with typewriters.

BTW: this is just in - PB created Gothic franchise. it's shocking I know.