BREAKING NEWS: EA Announces... Something? (February 21, 2008)

Bandit LOAF · 02-20-2008, 15:00

This could be the big one: Electronic Arts today announced that the company is developing a game which "reinvent(s) one of EA's most acclaimed classic franchises." The mystery title (codename "RedLime") is being developed for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC - who could ask for anything more? Like Wing Commander Arena, RedLime is being developed by an outside studio (Starbreeze Studios) with leadership from an EA production team. There are several possibilities as to exactly what this title could be: Syndicate, Cybermage, System Shock... but given recent industry rumors, the nature of development and the inclusion of PC with the planned platforms the one which seems mostly likely is ours: Wing Commander. Lets hope we hear more soon! Here's the official release:

Quote:

EA Partners to Publish Upcoming Title for PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360 and PC

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 21, 2008--EA Partners today announced that it has teamed up with Starbreeze Studios, the award-winning developers of The Darkness and The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay to reinvent one of EA's most acclaimed classic franchises. The title, with the internal code name Project RedLime, is being developed for the PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360(TM) system from Microsoft and PC.

"EA Partners is thrilled to hand over the keys to one of EA's most acclaimed franchises to Starbreeze Studios," said David DeMartini, vice president and general manager of EA Partners. "Starbreeze's pedigree is undisputed and we could not be happier to welcome them to the EA Partners family. The team is creating an incredibly innovative take on a classic property and EA Partners is poised to deliver a blockbuster launch on the global stage."

"EA Partners gives independent developers like Starbreeze access to EA's unrivaled global publishing infrastructure, letting us focus our energy on what we do best - making incredible games," said Johan Kristiansson, CEO of Starbreeze Studios. "We're already deep in development on Project RedLime and the team at EA is giving us the time we need to perfect our vision. We're excited to bring a new perspective and gameplay innovation to this beloved fiction."

Additional information about the Starbreeze project will follow in the coming months. For more information about other EA games, please visit http://info.ea.com.

Developers interested in working at Starbreeze can search available jobs at http://www.starbreeze.com

About Starbreeze Studios

Starbreeze is a videogame developer based in Uppsala, Sweden. The studio was founded in 1998 and currently employs a staff of about 75. The team has developed action/adventure games including 2004's "The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay" (Xbox and PC) which averaged a 90% Metacritic rating, and 2007's "The Darkness" (Xbox 360 and PS3) which averaged an 82% Metacritic rating.

--
Original update published on February 21, 2008

ZFGokuSSJ1 · 02-21-2008, 05:25

The guys who voted 2008 a "poor" year for Wing Commander are kicking themselves now.

MajorCamKollent · 02-21-2008, 05:32

Wow, this really made my day. I can't wait to hear more about this.

ELTEE · 02-21-2008, 05:35

SWEET - what a way to start my workday!

I hope this does not betray my ignorance, but what do we know about this independent studio? Do we know that they are good?

Mekt-Hakkikt · 02-21-2008, 05:46

Great, really great. I mean, I am still only cautiously optimistic but it sounds very good.

I also would be very happy with a new Syndicate or Crusader but I am crossing my fingers for a new WC.

Dundradal · 02-21-2008, 06:07

This is fantastic news!

Let's all hope it's a WC!

Aginor · 02-21-2008, 06:24

fingers crossed. I want a WC!

(But even if it isn't a WC game, it could still be something great.)

Conrad · 02-21-2008, 06:40

It will be interesting to see what happens with this one!

Blaster · 02-21-2008, 06:42

Even if it’s not a new Wing Commander, it sounds like good news and probably increases the chances of a new game in the future.

Of course I really really hope that it is a new WC game.

100 posts! I feel special.

GreyViper · 02-21-2008, 06:48

Well these are the same guys who made The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay & The Darkness (video game), so Id say their quality should be top notch. Interestingly enough they are working on The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena. It would be great IF they made another WC game, but Im guessing its going to be some other title.

Starman · 02-21-2008, 07:11

Great news - I really hope it is a new Wing Commander.

JasonRocZ · 02-21-2008, 07:35

Hey isn't "Starbreeze Studios" the name for Howard Days new production company?

teehee

Howard Day · 02-21-2008, 07:46

In Sweden? I wish. Nope, I am officially in no way involved in this.

Andrewas · 02-21-2008, 08:18

One problem with starbreeze doing a Wing Commander game - their site says that they do all their work in the Starbreeze engine, and they are not going anything resembling a classic WC game in that, it seems to be a BSP engine (Think quake, Unreal Tournament, Source, etcetera) best suited for indoor environments. Of course, theres no reason you couldn't do a wing commander FPS game, but that engine wold be better turned to Syndicate or System shock.

Of course, a new Syndicate or System Shock is just about as good news as a new Wing Commander would be, so its all good, whatever game they are working on.

Bandit LOAF · 02-21-2008, 08:25

You have to think like a game developer -- from a technical standpoint Wing Commander is nothing more than an FPS without a 'floor'. There's been plenty of talking about doing a standard Wing game using the Unreal engine in the past...

floundericiousMI · 02-21-2008, 08:42

Right, get more abstract...

All the "engine" is there for is to create the "construct" (think back to "The Matrix"...remember the "construct" they used as a training program? It could simulate almost anything...all it did was provide the framework, some basic physical relationships, etc.) within which you build the game.

What's the difference between the player "running" across a "floor" and "flying" through "space"? Gravity (vs. zero-gee or modified "zero"-gee), physical constrants (the floor surface vs. open space), whatever graphics you use to represent the player (a "fighter" or a "marine"?)

What's the difference between the player shooting a pulse rifle vs. firing a tachyon cannon on a fighter? not much...there's a certain amount of "ammo"...the projectile travels at a certain relative velocity...there's a certain "reload time"...when it hits an object, it interacts with it depending on relatively simple rules....

What's the difference between watching two capital ships battle it out vs. watching groups of tanks slug one another to pieces? Again, really not much...

AD · 02-21-2008, 08:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrewas

One problem with starbreeze doing a Wing Commander game - their site says that they do all their work in the Starbreeze engine, and they are not going anything resembling a classic WC game in that, it seems to be a BSP engine (Think quake, Unreal Tournament, Source, etcetera) best suited for indoor environments. Of course, theres no reason you couldn't do a wing commander FPS game, but that engine wold be better turned to Syndicate or System shock.

Of course, a new Syndicate or System Shock is just about as good news as a new Wing Commander would be, so its all good, whatever game they are working on.

Also, there's a source mod that specifically mixed FPS gameplay and space combat. The main thing that really kept it from working for me was the space combat controls. Other than that, the mod is a definite proof of concept. I can't say whether the two distinct sides of the game melded that well ( I don't think they did really) but it goes to show that FPS engines certainly can work for space combat.

Andrewas · 02-21-2008, 09:13

Yes, they can be made to work for space combat, but none of the strengths of a BSP engine apply to that environment. Its not even worth generating a BSP tree, because the optimum tree is one huge leaf covering the entire play area. (Unless asteroids count as static terrain, but they are generally hideous shapes to carve with, when something like that turns up in an FPS level its normally explicitly subtracted from the world so that it doesn't effect the tree).

In short, its the wrong tool for the job. If its all you have, you can make it work. If you have the choice, you would find a better tool. And surely EA have a choice here. Which makes me suspect that, given the studio they chose and the tools used by that studio, they aren't making a classic wing commander game. Normally, Id be unhappy with that conclusion, but EA control a number of franchises, and there are many I would like to see brought back.

Jason_Ryock · 02-21-2008, 09:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrewas

Normally, Id be unhappy with that conclusion, but EA control a number of franchises, and there are many I would like to see brought back.

I would stretch that to say that the revival of even one "Classic Gaming Series" is a step in the right direction for a new WC game. Whatever the game is, if it's successful, it would increase the chances of another WC Game being produced.

Bandit LOAF · 02-21-2008, 10:14

Quote:

In short, its the wrong tool for the job. If its all you have, you can make it work. If you have the choice, you would find a better tool. And surely EA have a choice here. Which makes me suspect that, given the studio they chose and the tools used by that studio, they aren't making a classic wing commander game. Normally, Id be unhappy with that conclusion, but EA control a number of franchises, and there are many I would like to see brought back.

You have to be pretty intentionally negative to decide that with the available information (that said, I would expect to see any new Wing Commander have some 'first person' element in addition to the space combat...).

PredatorW · 02-21-2008, 10:44

If you look at the Arena announcement link on the front page (http://www.wcnews.com/news/2007/02/22), you'll notice that this new announcement comes one year after Arena has been announced.

Sphynx · 02-21-2008, 10:45

The word that is most curious to me here is "reinvents." Notice it is not revives, or any other word that would mean to bring back the way it was, necessarily. This is quite curious if it is a WC title. It would suggest that there will be something about it unlike any previous WC title (although one would hope that it contains enough of the elements of what WC games have been to this point).

I agree that it is likely there could be some FPS aspect. In my imagination, the first thing that appeared upon hearing this looked like a sort of "Battlefield: Wing Commander." Although I would certainly hope that if they took this route, they would still include a single-player story (more than just the outline of a story used in the Battlefield series).

I guess another option would be to through in an RTS element as well (if you are the CAG, this could make sense, although I would still want the ability to climb in a cockpit).

Another possiblity is that it may be an actual revisioning of the Wing Commander Universe: going back to its start and doing things somehow differently.

But I think I am putting the cart way ahead of the horse with these wonderings.

Oh well. I think I can rest assured that reinvents does NOT mean that the new elements will have anything even vaguely Pokemon-esque about them (famous last words).

Manboy · 02-21-2008, 11:26

A Starbreeze Wing Commander title would be fantastic given their previous games. Though I do think they would be suited to the Crusader series looking back upon their old games, I have no doubt whatsoever that these guys can pull off a A+ Wing Commander title if they tried. Now we wait and see - My fingers are crossed!

Bandit LOAF · 02-21-2008, 11:36

Quote:

The word that is most curious to me here is "reinvents." Notice it is not revives, or any other word that would mean to bring back the way it was, necessarily.

I wouldn't worry about that too much at this point -- "reinvents" (along with "reimagines") is a current-generation favored PR buzzword which is used without the understanding that it angers sci fi geeks.

Kevin Caccamo · 02-21-2008, 12:13

YYYYEESSSSS!!! If it's the new WC title and it's being released for the PC, W00TAGE!!1!

Haliwali · 02-21-2008, 12:15

Please be WC .Please be WC. Please be WC. Please be WC. Please be WC.

02-21-2008, 05:25	#2
ZFGokuSSJ1 Captain Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Griswold, Iowa Posts: 355	The guys who voted 2008 a "poor" year for Wing Commander are kicking themselves now. __________________ Echo Sector - Crusader fansite

02-21-2008, 05:32	#3
MajorCamKollent My ride Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hindman, KY Posts: 243	Wow, this really made my day. I can't wait to hear more about this. __________________ K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) The CIC staff are my heroes.

02-21-2008, 05:35	#4
ELTEE Captain Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Waltham, MA Posts: 482	SWEET - what a way to start my workday! I hope this does not betray my ignorance, but what do we know about this independent studio? Do we know that they are good? __________________ To be a good soldier, you must love the Army. To be a good officer, you must be willing to sacrifice that which you love...Killer Angels

02-21-2008, 05:46	#5
Mekt-Hakkikt Mpanty's bane Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Wiesbaden, Germany Posts: 4,505	Great, really great. I mean, I am still only cautiously optimistic but it sounds very good. I also would be very happy with a new Syndicate or Crusader but I am crossing my fingers for a new WC. __________________ "Khasra! I have heard enough of Khasra!" For the Glory of Sivar!

02-21-2008, 06:07	#6
Dundradal Rampant since 1994 Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Installation 00 Posts: 3,593	This is fantastic news! Let's all hope it's a WC! __________________ "To you, we are deeply grateful, and release what little hold we might, as Durandal, have had on your soul. Go." - Final Terminal Message Marathon Infinity

02-21-2008, 06:24	#7
Aginor 2nd Lieutenant Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 112	fingers crossed. I want a WC! (But even if it isn't a WC game, it could still be something great.)

02-21-2008, 06:40	#8
Conrad 1st Lieutenant Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Liverpool, UK Posts: 198	It will be interesting to see what happens with this one!

02-21-2008, 06:42	#9
Blaster 2nd Lieutenant Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Definitely not sneaking up behind you...so don’t look. Posts: 111	Even if it’s not a new Wing Commander, it sounds like good news and probably increases the chances of a new game in the future. Of course I really really hope that it is a new WC game. 100 posts! I feel special. __________________ With my tongue I offer fealty. With my claws I unsheathe victory. With my mane bowed I lie down. And offer up my life for honor.

02-21-2008, 06:48	#10
GreyViper 1st Lieutenant Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Estonia Posts: 194	Well these are the same guys who made The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay & The Darkness (video game), so Id say their quality should be top notch. Interestingly enough they are working on The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena. It would be great IF they made another WC game, but Im guessing its going to be some other title. __________________ Man has killed man from the beginning of time, and each new frontier has brought new ways and new places to die. Why should the future be different? Col. Corazon Santiago "Planet: A Survivalist's Guide"

02-21-2008, 07:11	#11
Starman Cadet Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Essex, United Kingdom Posts: 62	Great news - I really hope it is a new Wing Commander. __________________ "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) / Admiral Geoffrey Tolwyn (2612-2674) Got some news0r?

02-21-2008, 07:35	#12
JasonRocZ Lieutenant Colonel Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Albany NY Posts: 813	Hey isn't "Starbreeze Studios" the name for Howard Days new production company? teehee

02-21-2008, 07:46	#13
Howard Day Pioneer Art Monkey Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Eugene, OR, USA Posts: 687	In Sweden? I wish. Nope, I am officially in no way involved in this.

02-21-2008, 08:18	#14
Andrewas Cadet Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 74	One problem with starbreeze doing a Wing Commander game - their site says that they do all their work in the Starbreeze engine, and they are not going anything resembling a classic WC game in that, it seems to be a BSP engine (Think quake, Unreal Tournament, Source, etcetera) best suited for indoor environments. Of course, theres no reason you couldn't do a wing commander FPS game, but that engine wold be better turned to Syndicate or System shock. Of course, a new Syndicate or System Shock is just about as good news as a new Wing Commander would be, so its all good, whatever game they are working on.

02-21-2008, 08:25	#15
Bandit LOAF It wears the skull of its dead mother on its head. When it becomes lonesome, it is said to cry loudly. Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Ashton, MD, USA Posts: 23,694	You have to think like a game developer -- from a technical standpoint Wing Commander is nothing more than an FPS without a 'floor'. There's been plenty of talking about doing a standard Wing game using the Unreal engine in the past... __________________ Long live the Confederation, Ben "Bandit" Lesnick, LMG. "You go, Loaf! Get some!" -JPG

02-21-2008, 08:42	#16
floundericiousMI Captain Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 431	Right, get more abstract... All the "engine" is there for is to create the "construct" (think back to "The Matrix"...remember the "construct" they used as a training program? It could simulate almost anything...all it did was provide the framework, some basic physical relationships, etc.) within which you build the game. What's the difference between the player "running" across a "floor" and "flying" through "space"? Gravity (vs. zero-gee or modified "zero"-gee), physical constrants (the floor surface vs. open space), whatever graphics you use to represent the player (a "fighter" or a "marine"?) What's the difference between the player shooting a pulse rifle vs. firing a tachyon cannon on a fighter? not much...there's a certain amount of "ammo"...the projectile travels at a certain relative velocity...there's a certain "reload time"...when it hits an object, it interacts with it depending on relatively simple rules.... What's the difference between watching two capital ships battle it out vs. watching groups of tanks slug one another to pieces? Again, really not much... __________________ "Jesus asked me to post about this." - LOAF "It's Roquero, from the Celeste system. It's bright, it heats your blood, it makes you want to live a long life!" - Vaquero, WCIII

02-21-2008, 09:13	#18
Andrewas Cadet Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 74	Yes, they can be made to work for space combat, but none of the strengths of a BSP engine apply to that environment. Its not even worth generating a BSP tree, because the optimum tree is one huge leaf covering the entire play area. (Unless asteroids count as static terrain, but they are generally hideous shapes to carve with, when something like that turns up in an FPS level its normally explicitly subtracted from the world so that it doesn't effect the tree). In short, its the wrong tool for the job. If its all you have, you can make it work. If you have the choice, you would find a better tool. And surely EA have a choice here. Which makes me suspect that, given the studio they chose and the tools used by that studio, they aren't making a classic wing commander game. Normally, Id be unhappy with that conclusion, but EA control a number of franchises, and there are many I would like to see brought back.

02-21-2008, 10:44	#21
PredatorW Cadet Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 2	One year after Arena If you look at the Arena announcement link on the front page (http://www.wcnews.com/news/2007/02/22), you'll notice that this new announcement comes one year after Arena has been announced.

02-21-2008, 10:45	#22
Sphynx Major Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 514	The word that is most curious to me here is "reinvents." Notice it is not revives, or any other word that would mean to bring back the way it was, necessarily. This is quite curious if it is a WC title. It would suggest that there will be something about it unlike any previous WC title (although one would hope that it contains enough of the elements of what WC games have been to this point). I agree that it is likely there could be some FPS aspect. In my imagination, the first thing that appeared upon hearing this looked like a sort of "Battlefield: Wing Commander." Although I would certainly hope that if they took this route, they would still include a single-player story (more than just the outline of a story used in the Battlefield series). I guess another option would be to through in an RTS element as well (if you are the CAG, this could make sense, although I would still want the ability to climb in a cockpit). Another possiblity is that it may be an actual revisioning of the Wing Commander Universe: going back to its start and doing things somehow differently. But I think I am putting the cart way ahead of the horse with these wonderings. Oh well. I think I can rest assured that reinvents does NOT mean that the new elements will have anything even vaguely Pokemon-esque about them (famous last words). __________________ What we perceive is more a representation of our current identity rather than of our environment. "Love is opening up space for the existence of another." -Humberto Maturana

02-21-2008, 11:26	#23
Manboy 1st Lieutenant Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Sydney , Australia Posts: 249	A Starbreeze Wing Commander title would be fantastic given their previous games. Though I do think they would be suited to the Crusader series looking back upon their old games, I have no doubt whatsoever that these guys can pull off a A+ Wing Commander title if they tried. Now we wait and see - My fingers are crossed! __________________ Go bannana! - Ralph Fight ot Flight?

02-21-2008, 12:13	#25
Kevin Caccamo Swabbie Banned Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 476	YYYYEESSSSS!!! If it's the new WC title and it's being released for the PC, W00TAGE!!1!

02-21-2008, 12:15	#26
Haliwali 1st Lieutenant Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Backwater, Tennessee Posts: 244	Please be WC .Please be WC. Please be WC. Please be WC. Please be WC. __________________ Congratulations, you've just had a near life experience. -Tyler Durden If I hadn't learned to laugh at myself, I'd be dead a long time ago. -Chris Griffin You wouldn't know up from down if it weren't for gravity!- Maniac