Company News New D&D games in Q1 2005?

[Whipporowill]

Eberron sounds like a likely franchise for future RPG's - both Demonstone and the Dragonshard Wars are set there, aren't they? The only reason people think they're sticking to the Forgotten Realms is that both NWN and BG are tied to places in the setting, and have all but been announced - I don't see PC Gamer lying about an exclusive like that.

 

[suibhne]

Eberron sounds like a likely franchise for future RPG's - both Demonstone and the Dragonshard Wars are set there, aren't they? The only reason people think they're sticking to the Forgotten Realms is that both NWN and BG are tied to places in the setting, and have all but been announced - I don't see PC Gamer lying about an exclusive like that.

Demon Stone is an FR game, not Eberron.

 

[Volourn]

1. And?

2. The point would be to satisfy the customer (Atari) who would (supposedly) to ask for a phase based/RT game.

3. Doesn't matter. Irrelevant. You don't make sense here at all. If it's some other developer; they'd have to make a new engine anyways.


"And no Blackie, Troika probably don't want to work with Atari anyway."

Why do you lie? This rumour, myth, and innuendo has been trashed by Troika (and Atari) awhile back. geez.. Stop lying, and crying.

Thank you.


"I'm right on this one"

You have given no evidence to this. I didn't say my points were fatcual; but they are all solid reasons why your pathetic 'truth' isn't neccessarily true at all.


"you're just being an annoyance"

I agree. It's always annoying when you are told you are full of poo poo. Now, get a new diaper on, and mop up those tears.

 

[Whipporowill]

Ah. My bad, it's even CALLED Forgotten Reams: Demon Stone.

 

[Whipporowill]

Uh. I have been told that the Troika/Atari relation wasn't free of friction by people who would know this and it seemed unlikely that they'd like to work together again - I have personally been involved in dealing with Atari's representatives for ToEE, which was somewhat of a nightmare. Whatever the official word is it's fucking obvious it's a diplomatic answer. Troika is probably not against doing another D&D game, but I don't see them accepting it under the same circumstances unless strapped for cash.

If Atari and Troika doesn't work well together, then it's not likely they'd ask and PAY to have a developer they've had "problems" with in the past make the new cash cow engine for a series they'll be trying to milk. Seriously.

What do YOU know, assclown? You're just spouting your regular crap ("yes it is, no it isn't crap") and spicing it up with a free poop and diaper jokes. If you have anything to contribute, do that instead. M'kay?

 

[Nightjed]

Does Atari make a new D&D game set in an existing series (frex, BG3 or NWN2) or do they set in the new WotC setting (Eberron)? I would think the latter would draw in the rabid Eberron fanbois, plus it's all new and shiny (and I'm sure Wizards would love to pimp the hell out of it)...

what are you talking about ? i dunno about frex but bg and nwn are set in forgotten realms, almost every d&d game is set in forgotten realms (for the drows maybe ?) i think its boring personaly, maybe if they supported savage mages and psionics to add a little variety ...

 

[Spazmo]

Arcanum and ToEE are not, repeat NOT the same engine. The absolute bare bones of the Arcanum engine--IIRC, stuff for inventory and maybe creature placement--were reused as the absolute basic groundworks for the ToEE engine, which was mostly made from scratch. Turning the ToEE engine into RT wouldn't be that easy at all.

Anyways, I really hope Troika isn't messing around with more D&D stuff. They--much like everyone else--needs to work on original IP, in more ways than one. We don't only need settings that belong to the developer, we also need settings that haven't been done to death. Just gimme Failsafe already.

I'm also very doubtful of Obsidian working on finishing Jefferson. It's not unlikely that they're doing one or the other, but them finishing BIS' work is unlikely. It's the kind of fairy tale wishful thinking that plagues the ridiculously naive.

 

[Sammael]

I suppose it is theoretically possible for BG3 to be The Black Hound.

Bethesda got an awful lot of Van Buren assets when they purchased the Fallout PC license, although I am unsure if they got the engine itself or not. Even if they did, they would be unlikely to use it, considering that it is pretty difficult to work with. Particularly the art pipeline part.

Because of the above, Obsidian is only likely to be able to finish TBH if they have enough Jefferson artists (who are used to working with the engine) on board. How many former BIS artists work for Obsidian? Mystary to me.

Of course, I could be wrong and all the art for TBH could have been finished (which I find unlikely with another 9 months of dev time left to go), and the artists may not be needed. Anyhow, if that's the case, Q1 2005 sounds plausible for finishing the game. Don't look for the TB mode in it, though.

 

[Briosafreak]

I suppose it is theoretically possible for BG3 to be The Black Hound.

Bethesda got an awful lot of Van Buren assets when they purchased the Fallout PC license, although I am unsure if they got the engine itself or not.

They did? And Vivendi went for it?

 

[taks]

Even if they did, they would be unlikely to use it, considering that it is pretty difficult to work with. Particularly the art pipeline part.

i had gotten the impression it was easy to work with, but could that have simply been me confusing "easy" with "easier than IE?"

i've heard no mention of the engine regarding bethsoft assets, btw. nor have i ever heard if the art was done on TBH. of course, we all read the same websites and check the same boards for information...

taks

 

[POOPERSCOOPER]

i'm so extremely tired of DnD, so I dont really give a fuck about the titles since I wont buy them EVAR. I hope DnD fucking dies with all its faggots like Spazmo.

LOL ROLL DA DICE YOU DARREL

 

[Volourn]

"Whatever the official word is it's fucking obvious it's a diplomatic answer"

I'll take the official word over your word, anyday - espicially since you've been crying throughout this thread ever since I pointed out your "Troika would never do a non tb combat game" was utter balony. That's a fact. Troika would very much do a non tb game. You lie if you even suggest otherwise as the facts are against you.

 

[Sarkile]

I don't think anyone said that Volourn. If you have to misconstrue statements just to continue your arguments maybe you could find something more productive to expend your energy upon?

 

[JanC]

I think you guys are very optimistic that the games will actually be RPGs seeing as how the trend seems to be towards crappy beat-em-up things at the moment.

 

[Volourn]

Really, Sarkile:

"I doubt Atari would want BG3 to be turnbased so that makes it less likely to be Troika."

This implies that Troika wouldn't make a non tb game. That's a lie, and someone did post it. There is no miscontruing here.


"maybe you could find something more productive to expend your energy upon?"

Instead of crying about me, perhaps YOU should find something more productive to expend your energy upon.

 

[Whipporowill]

Really, Sarkile:

"I doubt Atari would want BG3 to be turnbased so that makes it less likely to be Troika."

This implies that Troika wouldn't make a non tb game. That's a lie, and someone did post it. There is no miscontruing here.

No numbnut, it implies that I personally believe it to be not likely. But maybe you don't understand things like nuances? It's not a fact and I never ever portrayed it as one.

Is it more likely Troika would prefer a TB game to a RT game based on their previous games, their personal preferences (as read in interviews and such) and the ToEE engine? Y/N?

 

[Volourn]

"Is it more likely Troika would prefer a TB game to a RT game based on their previous games"

Really? They made one tb/rt mixed game, 1 tb game, and now 1 rt ggame. Yeah, their previous games surely show this, right?


"their personal preferences"

True.


"the ToEE engine?"

Irrevevant. You make it sound like TOEE is the only engine that exists. R00fles!


Cry all you want, you implied that Troika would only make tb games. That is absolutely false and I give both Arcanum and Bloodlines as two examples of this. It's not a matter of opinion; but fact that Troika *will* make a non tb game when it suits them (which has for 2/3 games).

But, hey keep crying that it's "only your opinion" and maybe one day you'll realize, little one, it's only my opinion that your opinion is silly because Troika *will* make non tb games.

Keep spinning your wheels; but remember history proves that Troika *will* make non tb games. That's a fact, and not up to debate. Period.

 

[Spazmo]

Whip is right. Remember in all the ToEE interviews when they were asked "WHY TB OMG" and Tim Cain would reply "Well, D&D is TB, so why the hell wouldn't we do it in TB?" This, I think is a good reason to not give it to Troika, really. Any BG3 should be a game designed to appeal to the fans of the original two games. Those fans are quite happy with the combat system from those games, so why give them something they don't want? If we'd bitch about Saywer having to put Fallout 3 into real time, it seems hypocritical to me to not be somewhat critical if they put BG3 into turn based because that's not what the core fans want.

 

[Whipporowill]

Volurn, dust of that old brain of yours. I never said they wouldn't or hadn't made an RT game - I have NEVER even hinted at that! The only thing I've said is that in my personal opinion it's less likely to be Troika doing BG3 with the ToEE engine (as it's TB in it's current incarnation) and Atari being the publisher. Some people have the ToEE engine and their 3.5e knowledge as major reasons it's probably be Troika doing the game - which I'm just disputing. I just don't THINK it's Troika doing BG3, that's the gist of his whole discussion, nothing else.

 

[Volourn]

"Remember in all the ToEE interviews when they were asked "WHY TB OMG" and Tim Cain would reply "Well, D&D is TB, so why the hell wouldn't we do it in TB?" This, I think is a good reason to not give it to Troika, really. Any BG3 should be a game designed to appeal to the fans of the original two games. Those fans are quite happy with the combat system from those games, so why give them something they don't want? If we'd bitch about Saywer having to put Fallout 3 into real time, it seems hypocritical to me to not be somewhat critical if they put BG3 into turn based because that's not what the core fans want."

Spaz, I never once said that Troika didn't prefer tb combat over other types of combat. That isn't the issue. It's The Whipped One's, besides his crying, first quote there where he implies that Troika wouldn't do a non tb game (D&D or otherwise). That is false.

 

[Monte Carlo]

Why give Troika BG3?

Mainstream, real-time titles are hardly their forte. Fuck, it would be like giving Fallout 3 to a developer like Bethseda.

Seriously, though, I just don't think Troika's style (high-handed and arrogant implementation of rules they happened to like as opposed to pleasing the suckers buying the game) would suit the style of BG (please flame away, but admit ToEE sucked donkey balls...it really did).

As a BG fan, though, it would be interesting to be able to get as upset as the average Fallout zealot about how the franchise was being raped.

Face it, BG3 will please nobody except for a zillion teenage Drizz't fans. On X-Box.

Cheers
MC

 

[Volourn]

Monte wins. :D

 

[Jedi359]

I remember reading a review for the expansion for BG2 that said that the expansion did a great job of resolving issues and ending the plot for the series. I agree with this.

I wish they would just let the series die on a high note. You got a good run out of it. Stop trying to produce sequels in an attempt to extend the life of the series.

 

[Jedi359]

I just had another thought, thinking about what JanC said: What if it's another Dark Alliance game, instead of another of the original series? Forgive me my ignorance if this is a properties violation, as I am not so up to date on such things as some who dwell on these boards.

 

[Spazmo]

That would indeed be a license violation since Interplay still owns Dark Alliance, just not Baldur's Gate.