Game News Namco gets rights to first title from Blizzard expatriates

[Spazmo]

Tags: Flagship; Flagship Studios

It was announced early this morning that a publisher has been found for <a href=http://flagshipstudios.com/>Flagship Studio</a>'s first title: <a href=http://www.namco.com/usa>Namco</a>, who are either seeking to develop a hot new Blizzard property for consoles or (more likely or Roper and his team wouldn't have agreed) to gain a foothold in the PC market. Here's a snip from the <a href=http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/03/18/news_6091654.html>GameSpot story</a> about it:
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<blockquote>Referring to the many interested suitors that approached Flagship, Roper said, "We talked to a lot of people. [In Namco,] we saw a unique opportunity. This was a new direction that this well-established, well-historied game company was moving toward. It gave us the chance to be on the ground floor, but with an extremely established company--one whose games we played and really liked."
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The move is significant for Namco as it signals its intent to compete in the PC space, although Ennis emphasized the this was not indicative of a move away from console games. "We're not doing PC instead of console, we're doing PC along with console."</blockquote>
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Oh, joy, a console version. This can only be good because games that get "simultaneously developed for console and PC" <a href=http://www.deusex.com/>always turn out just fine</a>.
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.gamespot.com/pc">GameSpot</a>

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

And thus, any hope I had of Flagship doing something neat was snuffed out.

 

[Anonymous]

The irony is he'll probably be making a lame Diablo clone, extra helping of irony comes when he is the voice of Diablo in D2.

 

[Sol Invictus]

I wouldn't mind seeing a GOOD Diablo clone. Hell, if FFX supports multiple platforms I don't see why a well-designed Diablo clone can't. The PS2 version will just be significantly less detailed in graphics, but gameplay shouldn't really be an issue.

 

[Nightjed]

i wouldnt mind a good diablo clone either, diablo2 is old, boring and annoying and every attempt to replace it by something else (for lan play) has failed (still have to try out sacred but my expectations are low)

 

[Malak]

There's something you need to remember. Diablo 1 was on a console, and it turned out great. Diablo 2 could be on a console too. I don't think we need to worry about it being on a console. I for one have been looking for a replacement for Diablo 2, having played it to death. I had been keeping an eye on Flagship for a while, though seeing no activity I stopped. I'm glad to hear they are moving on and finding their way. I certainly expect a lot from them, though I have already found a game to play which is Sacred. I'll still watch Flagship though, and hope they do better than D2. In many ways, the original game was better, and I think their joining Blizzard may have been what ruined it. I was thrilled when I heard they left.

 

[DemonKing]

I'll still watch Flagship though, and hope they do better than D2. In many ways, the original game was better, and I think their joining Blizzard may have been what ruined it. I was thrilled when I heard they left.

???? To my knowledge both the original Diablo and the sequel were made by Blizzard, so I don't see how Roper and co. "joining" Blizzard ruined D2, seeing as they were already part of it since before the original came about.

My hope for anything decent from Flagship shrank when I read that this would be a combination PC/console game. Trying to do something that works on both means inevitably that you piss off the PC gamers to some degree (I can't comment for how console players feel about things ported from PC to console)...look at KOTOR - even though it was a good game, the PC version could have been so much better if it had been developed for that platform exclusively - as it was we got something on PC that was automatically hamstrung by the limitations of the console it was ported from.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, i'm just assuming their diablo clone would be bad, since i'm evil like that.

But with PC/Consoles, I think the problem is kinda like this: PC has more or less no limits, so you get this big giant ball and we are used to having that there since it usually fits nice and snug in our systems, using their potential and being very playable.

When it comes to making PC to console, you just shove the ball into a Square cilinder and any excess bits can be shaved off for it to fit. Then the ball fits their system great, while missing out on a few things, so then both people are happy.

When going Console to PC, the ball is usually too small to be any fun in the PC.

Now this doesnt work perfectly, the problems I think happen the most with Console/PC business is they try to get on console first, while keeping everything they wanted in there, so then you get something like KOTOR's dealy. What they need to do is do their fullest on PC and then shave off whatever they cant do on console for their console version, which will come after.

Then everyone is pretty much happy, the console players losing some things because the console cant handle it. A good example of this would be the Playstation version of Final Doom.

 

[Nightjed]

What they need to do is do their fullest on PC and then shave off whatever they cant do on console for their console version, which will come after.

that would cost much more money and time than doing it console -> PC, anyway, pc players will never notice the ultra thick fog that covers everything but what is directly in front of you (causing the "the fog is shooting at me!" syndrome), theyll never complain that the controls are frigging anoying because they are designed for 6 buttons, nobody will mind that the difficulty is designed for auto-aim use, how could someone not like the ultra simplistic user interface/gameplay options ?!, and theyll never even think of complaining about the ultra small levels that need a loading screen every 30 seconds............ Right ?

 

[Malak]

Roper was in charge of a company developing Diablo prior to joining Blizzard Entertainment. The company was renamed to Blizzard North, and their only project was still Diablo. Diablo is still the only "Blizzard" game I'll install, I think all the other games Blizzard makes is crap, WoW included. I'm sure they put a lot of work into their projects, and WoW alpha is more stable than many post-release games, but the game itself is just another clone of all the rest and is just as sub-par as Blizzard usually is with their games.

And if anyone is interested, Roper wasn't the only person to leave Blizzard, in fact lots of people did. Check out www.arena.net for the people who made battle.net. They are making a game called Guildwars that will basically be a 3D version of Diablo, with a brighter atmosphere and superb graphics(WoW can't hold a flame to it). It is in my opinion that the only talent Blizzard ever had was unused and left to free itself, and now we are seeing the fruits of their departures. REAL games that are of a better quality.

 

[Nightjed]

3d version of diablo ? superb graphics ?
if thats all they can think of improving from diablo2 they allready failed imho.

i still give blizzard some credit for trying a futuristic scifi rps (im so tired of the wasted medieval theme) but they were never the golden god of games the media tried to make us believe and they are dead to me since they blew diablo2 with crappy skill/item system designs.

 

[Vault Dweller]

they are dead to me since they blew diablo2 with crappy skill/item system designs.

One word: huh?

 

[Malak]

3d version of diablo ? superb graphics ?
if thats all they can think of improving from diablo2 they allready failed imho.

Oh no that's certainly not everything, it is a completely different game. Take a look for yourself. The skill system is more like final fantasy tactics than diablo, but I expect the gameplay to be just as fun if not more so. The game can be played single player or multiplayer, but the game is only online. If you remember, Diablo 2 was supposed to have a ton more guild management built in, including guild halls. Guildwars is taking the gameplay where it could have gone and didn't, and beyond. Of course, there is a different direction Diablo should have gone too, which I expect Roper will take it. In my opinion, Diablo 2 was a mixing of the two ideas and it failed miserably.

 

[Nightjed]

heh, ok, ok.

VD: what ? you cant say the skill system in d2 wasnt poorly designed, and the item drops ? getting an usable item drop after lvl20 is harder than winning the lottery, there are LOTS and LOTS of useless prefixes and subfixes there is almost no reason to play at higher levels without the xp items

 

[Malak]

I would disagree. I thought the skill system was better than others, especially after the latest patch. There are so many possible ways to build a character, you rarely meet another one like you. Melee sorcs, nuking paladins, elemental druids(finally usuable), etc etc.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Diablo 2 was a mixing of the two ideas and it failed miserably.

In what ways it failed miserably?

you cant say the skill system in d2 wasnt poorly designed

What's it with people today? Does nobody explain their positions anymore? Can you be a bit more specific about poor design of the skill system?

and the item drops ? getting an usable item drop after lvl20 is harder than winning the lottery

Well, I've never ever won anything in lotteries, but I had a lot of nice legit items when I was playing. I even collected a few sets all by myself (without trading). My only "complain" is that I'd never found SoJ, but that's a different story.

there are LOTS and LOTS of useless prefixes and subfixes there is almost no reason to play at higher levels without the xp items

Useless for your build, useful for somebody else's build

 

[Anonymous]

Errr, after level 20 it's very easy to find items, so easy infact, I never fret when I lose my account or character or whatever.

D2 is very easy, but also very fun. I dunno how exactly it's 'terrible'.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Re: Namco gets rights to first title from Blizzard expatriat

Oh, joy, a console version. This can only be good because games that get "simultaneously developed for console and PC always turn out just fine

Btw, I don't think that the Namco dude meant that they are doing both versions. He meant that Namco isn't abandoning the console market but trying to enter the PC one. The products aren't necessary the same in both markets

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

And if anyone is interested, Roper wasn't the only person to leave Blizzard, in fact lots of people did. Check out www.arena.net for the people who made battle.net. They are making a game called Guildwars that will basically be a 3D version of Diablo, with a brighter atmosphere and superb graphics(WoW can't hold a flame to it). It is in my opinion that the only talent Blizzard ever had was unused and left to free itself, and now we are seeing the fruits of their departures. REAL games that are of a better quality.

Yup, I've known about GuildWars for quite a while now, but since there's no single player component to the game, we don't cover it.

That said, it was some ex-Blizzard Northers who left Blizzard and decided to make Throne of Darkness, which was a truly awful action CRPG.

 

[Nightjed]

the skill system sucked for lots of reasons, some skills are totally useless like teeth, or got obsolete by a higher level skill like firebolt, and of course the worst character of the 7, the paladin who can only use 2 skills at a time (man, was it THAT difficult to make him just cast the aura like the necros cast golems and then let him change the right click spell ?).
the sinergy bonuses they added in the last patch are not a new idea, i knew they needed those bonuses since the game first came out, anyway they didnt do it correctly, instead of specializing skills (so that i could raise specific things from the spells like in beyond divinity, a point in icebolt adds more damage than the other 2, but iceblast adds freeze duration, but icespike adds freeze range) they just made it so that "firebolt" gets better if you put points in fireball (still not good enough to consider using it instead of fireball)

there is also the recasting thing ... man i cant say how FUN it is to recast spells every 30-100-200 seconds when they could just have added a script to autorecast them and spend the mana again until you turn it off (must be very complicated to add a line to the spell duration timer ...)

about the items, im not talking that "oh i cant find the right staff for my build", im talking of the countless useless prefixes that keep ruining items since the begining, whats the point of keeping the +1~5% cold resistance modifier in hell ?, also the class specific bonuses appeared all the time ruining unique monster drops and quest rewards (they could have added a gem style system for class specific things)

anyway you obviously got better items than me, the only luck streak ive ever had in d2 was getting 2 frostburns in an hour, i also never got to see a SOJ, and ive never seen more than 4 of a 5 item set together (i keep getting the same set items, one time i got 3 clegaw claws in the same day)
well im always playing single player and lan games, only rarely on bnet, ive heard that realms have much better item drops maybe it was that

 

[Malak]

Yup, I've known about GuildWars for quite a while now, but since there's no single player component to the game, we don't cover it.

Well, you can in fact play the game single player only. Your character is still saved online so you still have to be connected to the internet, but you play solo.

 

[Nightjed]

i wouldnt call that single player

 

[Seven]

Neither would I. It sounds like a cash grab to me, but then again I think this about all MMORPG.

 

[Spazmo]

and of course the worst character of the 7, the paladin who can only use 2 skills at a time (man, was it THAT difficult to make him just cast the aura like the necros cast golems and then let him change the right click spell ?).

Yeah... so that's a crock of bull. Paladins may not get all the passive skills the other classes get, but their auras are MUCH more powerful than other classe's skills to compensate. What other class gets a skill that gives massive bonii to damage, attack rating and attack speed, while also giving bonii to party members? Besides that, paladins get some of the most powerful combat skills, period. Zeal is a tremendously powerful ability: big damage, attack speed and attack rating boosts (yeah, just like the above aura) and an uninterruptible attack. Vengeance is always a popular choice with it's staggering elemental damage. And, of course, the blessed hammer/concentration combo, which is quite possibly THE best character in the game in terms of effectiveness. Paladins are far from the weakest class. As a matter of fact, that only level 99 characters currently on the USWest ladder are paladins. You saying paladins are the weakest class just demonstrates how ignorant of the game you are.

 

[Nightjed]

they auras are powerful only on multiplayer, on single player the auras suck, there is a simple way to solve that actually, make all auras give a small passive bonus just to the paladin, it would pay back all those wasted points on auras that do absolutely nothing for you, oh btw, they added the prayer effect to cleasing (that cost no mana) but they forgot to remove the mana cost from prayer (ha, mana cost for a skill that needs like 5 points to heal as fast as a item with the same power)

and i didnt say weakest, i said worst, it might be strong, but its not fun to play with, it would probably be the best character by far with an autocast option (for holy shield) and the ability to keep zeal/vengeance in the left and charge on the right without losing the aura

edit : btw zeal sucks at high levels(with lots of +skill items) because you get stuck hitting while everyone is eating you alive with ranged attacks and the more points you put into it the worst it is