2010 LucasArts Layoffs Redux

[DarthParametric]

I don't quite understand why BioWare and not Obsidian making TOR would cause such hate... hmmm.

Yes, I could see how you could miss the rampant Obsidian fanboyism here. It's very subtle.

 

Again, how do you know this? Have you played the game to know for sure? I mean, I understand that people don't like what they see so far, but I can't understand how people are so sure about a game that they've never even really played themselves.

Have I played the game? No, obviously not. However, I have played various MMOs over the years and I have seen enough from the gameplay footage that has been released so far to ascertain that TOR isn't doing anything revolutionary in the genre. Therefore, it is fairly straightforward to extrapolate whether or not I will like the game. As an example, say you hated action movies. You wouldn't need to see them to know ahead of time that you are probably not going to like most of the Governator's movies. Or, for a game example, if you hated platformers it would be a fair guess to say watching a video of Super Mario Bros would be enough to convince you not to bother playing it.

[Pho3nix]

So Sabre, if you were to design the game or specifically the quests, how would you make them in tune with KotOR?

[Sabretooth]

Again, how do you know this? Have you played the game to know for sure? I mean, I understand that people don't like what they see so far, but I can't understand how people are so sure about a game that they've never even really played themselves.

Wouldn't the world be a much better place if they had real try-before-you-buy systems in place? There used to be something they called a demo back in the day...

 

And the reason why TOR is better off 300 years later than a year later is because LA seems to want to push this as an MMO and not something that will be the way the KotOR series traditionally is. So if TOR was set with the KotOR timeline, I'm sure a lot more people would get pissed off over the whole gameplay change into an MMO framework... which people obviously don't like very much to begin with.

At least then it would make sense to retain the Old Republic branding. What they're doing here is essentially make a whole new game, with new characters, a new story with some loose connection to KotOR and title it The Old Republic to attract KotOR fans.

 

So Sabre, if you were to design the game or specifically the quests, how would you make them in tune with KotOR?

I wouldn't set it 300 years in the future, for one. Setting it in the immediate aftermath of the Jedi Civil War would be a good idea, and would allow for expansion in the canon of that period while leaving it largely unaffected. KotOR II for example, regularly emphasized how the people and the Republic in general became disillusioned with the Jedi. This could make for a great setting within an MMO, because you'd be blurring the lines between the roles of the Jedi (and their history with the Republic), and the Sith who are up for something of a new world order. At the same time, the protagonist (and co.) would be tasked by either side to scout the Unknown Regions, discover Revan and his intentions, and his reasons for escaping the galaxy when it most needed him.

[Lynk Former]

Yes, I could see how you could miss the rampant Obsidian fanboyism here. It's very subtle.

Lulz, I'm aware of it lightly to be honest but I've never been caught in the middle of it.

 

 

Have I played the game? No, obviously not. However, I have played various MMOs over the years and I have seen enough from the gameplay footage that has been released so far to ascertain that TOR isn't doing anything revolutionary in the genre. Therefore, it is fairly straightforward to extrapolate whether or not I will like the game. As an example, say you hated action movies. You wouldn't need to see them to know ahead of time that you are probably not going to like most of the Governator's movies. Or, for a game example, if you hated platformers it would be a fair guess to say watching a video of Super Mario Bros would be enough to convince you not to bother playing it.

Doesn't work that way for me... the only game I've ever hated in my entire life is Metroid: Other M and if I don't go and see a movie or play a game, it's because it's not high on my priority list of things to watch/play... I like to try everything... but I do get what you're saying, I used to be that way too until I realised that that mentality just meant that I would never have discovered a lot of the stuff I have now that I'll try before I make a final judgement.

 

 

 

@ Sabre: What should they have called it then?

[DarthParametric]

if I don't go and see a movie or play a game, it's because it's not high on my priority list of things to watch/play

For you to be able to prioritise games and movies in that manner, you obviously have at least some preconceptions based on prior experiences and such. Otherwise, all games/movies would be weighted equally until you experienced them firsthand, no? For myself, as Mr Burns once said, I know what I hate. After 3 and a half decades, I have enough experience to confidently make judgement calls on certain things.

 

Wouldn't the world be a much better place if they had real try-before-you-buy systems in place? There used to be something they called a demo back in the day...

MMOs have exactly that. By this time next year there will almost certainly be a 1-2 week free trial of TOR. Every subscription-based MMO I have ever actually subscribed to (albeit briefly) was as a result of one of these demos. As an added bonus, waiting 6-8 months after release to play the game means they might have actually patched enough of the bugs to make it playable.

[Lynk Former]

@ DarthParametric: The way I go about it is that I prioritise what I'll play/watch with the understanding that there's physically no way that I'll be able to play/watch it all. So while there's stuff that I'll want to experience as soon as it comes out, there's stuff I can wait for.

 

I know what I hate too... it's just that there's few things I really hate. I hate Metroid: Other M... and I hate *thinks* I can't think of another example at the moment. There's stuiff I didn't really like but it's not like every other movie or game that could possibly be related to that one movie or game that I didn't quite like will be a carbon copy of it... that's why I tend to give stuff a chance.

 

So yeah, in short all movies/games aren't weighted equally since there are some things that I want more than other things... there's just nothing I can say DO NOT WANT... well, maybe rape porn... I don't want that. *looks around*

[Sabretooth]

@ Sabre: What should they have called it then?

 

World of Star Wars?

[Lynk Former]

XD @ sabre

 

 

It would be nice if KotOR III was coming out... it'd also be nice if Battlefront III was announced... and Star Wars: Pod Racer... and a new X-Wing... and another Jedi Knight... oh and I wouldn't mind another Republic Commando if they improved on the concept... What else am I missing?...

[Sabretooth]

This guy would have them make a Force Unleashed III...

 

>__>

[Lynk Former]

This guy would have them make a Force Unleashed III...

 

>__>

[Jae Onasi]

Topic=LucasArts Layoff, not TOR. Time to return to the topic, folks. Thank you.

[Darth Avlectus]

@ topic: I can only hope that less people in the employ will lead to a more efficient and effective LA in the long run. (effectiveness meaning creative direction that doesn't end up on the cutting floor to be swept away)

Unfortunately I find the "effectiveness" part highly unlikely if it's true they laid off the creative folks who make the games what they are--what their fans actually like.

 

IMO Seems more like these are cutbacks that cut in for necessity as opposed to merely "trimming the fat" w.r.t. "streamlining their company and [re]attaining optimum." Or some such corporate office-speak we've heard thousands of times.

 

BTW someone recently here in ahto was puzzled by some phrase used in corporate-speak. May I recommend a book? I think you'll find it most enlightening!

 

People have been making entirely new games, or expansions, using the source engine, but not via GMod, as that is only a sandbox editor. <snip>but after that its usefulness ends. You could get the Source Engine devkit and make your own levels, and that could eventually lead into creating your own games. *brevity*.

 

Although, I have ask; what does this have to do with TOR? Source engine and TF2 and gmod have pretty much no bearing on TOR, aside from TOR's graphics reminding me of TF2's.

 

It's just that you were bemoaning TOR and presumably are one of the "K3 now!" crowd. When you spoke of addons or expansions I felt a need to prod you with that (as opposed to prodding you with a tazer! ). Figured you might have been implying or hinting at that.

 

But yea that's what I thought (despite my lack of experience with it), GMOD was of limited use. You'd would need a devkit for just about anything. Adding a multiplayer to one engine (like K1 & 2) isn't the same as for all engines ...though there was one for GTA vice city, perhaps you've heard of M(ulti)TA Vice City? Should be on YT.