Good Bye Origin

[ChrisReid]

B: So they can use them one day to make some inane crapfest shooter.

I see choice B being close to what may come

But see.. EA doesn't really do this. I think EA made some clearly bad decisions in canceling a number of games over the last five years, but the fact remains that the ones that do live to see the light of day have a ton of polish and very high production values. As I said in the other thread, EA had thirty million+ selling titles in 2003. Up from about 22 the previous year. It's not a fluke, when EA decides to do the next Wing Commander game, they'll do it when they can justify spending lots of cash on it and doing the job right.

I am as sad to see Origin go as the rest of you, but I can only look at this in a upbeat prespective. We have already hit rock bottom (No more Origin, not a new WC game in the past few years, etc...). The only way to go is up from here, because once you've hit rock bottom you can't get any lower.

Kind of a depressing and uplifting way to look at it at the same time, but I really think you're right. The worst came several years ago. It's only going to get better from here and the closure of Origin is just that.. more closure. It'll help us move on to the future of Wing Commander.

 

[LeHah]

My question is whats the biggest hurdle for EA to overcome for a new WC game: The fact that they tend to be highly expensive to produce (though Prophecy cost much less than III or IV) or if it's the lack of interest in space sims. Obviously, they go hand in hand - but considering the cost to make a WC game, would it be easier for EA to make a new series?

 

[Bandit LOAF]

EA's belief is that in order to be succesful a new Wing Commander game *must* involve Chris Roberts.

(Which is silly, since they got rid of him in the first place...)

 

[LeHah]

Didn't Prophecy prove them wrong?

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Nope. Prophecy certainly sold better than the competition, but it didn't do nearly enough (read: a million units) to justify the percieved future expense.

 

[t.c.cgi]

EA's belief is that in order to be succesful a new Wing Commander game *must* involve Chris Roberts.

Meh. I'd rather see a new WC game that parrallels one of the earlier games with much more massive and involving battles, than a return of Chris Roberts. But that's just me...

 

[RFBurns]

How sad....but this was commin long ago when them corporate wizbangs started chopping away at those games that set the so called industry standards that others try to match.

Too bad....they cut their own throats. But it seems that is their way of doing things, given the history of that company, with so many heads up teasers, loosing core people that made them in the first place, pulling out of planned developments for new games while making everyone wait in anxiety for that huge announcement only to be let down time and time again. Thank God for individual talents and skills to keep our hunger for WC related games, mods and such satisfied over the years.

WC wont die because of us, the fans. This should inspire some out there who have the talents to create a "next generation" of WC. Sitting around waiting on dead end promises has lead everyone to this point today....wating for that big announcement for a new WC game...only to have the excretion flung at us instead.

Indeed thank Origin for starting many benchmarks way back when, and creating a genre unlike any other, one that will live for a very long time to come. But there is no denying that a great series got shunted way before its time, and every action causes a reaction, and vise versa.

Until next time.......



....ps....maybe they should let loose of the source codes to all the WC games so the fans and mod makers can really do some neat things....not much sense in keeping them locked away now is there?!!!

 

[Delance]

Why don't they make a WC game without the whole live action thing? You can have a space-themed cinematic experience without live action, Freelancer and KOTOR proved that.

 

[DyNaMiX]

Why don't they make a WC game without the whole live action thing? You can have a space-themed cinematic experience without live action, Freelancer and KOTOR proved that.

I was just going to mention that. Any original characters could still be in it by just using them for voice dialogue. I'm hoping for something that goes back to the Kilrathi war, to a remote battle that was of utmost importance, but because it was so important was kept secret. No-one would ever know what those brave souls did.
I'm hoping for a theme like that if they were ever todo a game. Something that goes back to the big war. I mean what could come next? Another race tries to take over the galaxy?

 

[ChrisReid]

Why don't they make a WC game without the whole live action thing? You can have a space-themed cinematic experience without live action, Freelancer and KOTOR proved that.

Freelancer proved that? That's what the next WC game was going to use anyhow.. that's what virtually all games do now with very few exceptions these days.

....ps....maybe they should let loose of the source codes to all the WC games so the fans and mod makers can really do some neat things....not much sense in keeping them locked away now is there?!!!

Of course there is. EA doesn't give away things it might use to leverage profits on in the future. Origin closing doesn't decrease the liklihood of a future WC game, and past efforts to get the source code release didn't get anywhere. EA DOESN'T RELEASE SOURCE CODE.

 

[Delance]

Freelancer proved that? That's what the next WC game was going to use anyhow.. that's what virtually all games do now with very few exceptions these days.

The CG "cinematography" of Freelancer's cutscenes was quite good. Animated characters with game engine, and voice-actors. Very cost/effective.

And it was at least as good as most FMV games and, quite frankly, lots of movie and TV series out there.

It's very possible to tell a space opera story like it was a movie, as is WC tradition.

 

[ChrisReid]

The CG "cinematography" of Freelancer's cutscenes was quite good. Animated characters with game engine, and voice-actors. Very cost/effective.
And it was at least as good as most FMV games and, quite frankly, lots of movie and TV series out there.

Did we play the same Freelancer? There's a million games that do it better..

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Very cost/effective.

Freelancer is a fine game - but it was about as far from cost effective as you can get (I've heard rumblings that FL may have been the most expensive game ever made).

 

[DyNaMiX]

Freelancer proved that? That's what the next WC game was going to use anyhow.. that's what virtually all games do now with very few exceptions these days.

The CG "cinematography" of Freelancer's cutscenes was quite good. Animated characters with game engine, and voice-actors. Very cost/effective.

And it was at least as good as most FMV games and, quite frankly, lots of movie and TV series out there.

It's very possible to tell a space opera story like it was a movie, as is WC tradition.

Hopefully someone will create a game using similar cut scenes. They would work so well. They do look a little cartoonish so the first couple Wing Commander games and the Academy TV series would be a great reference for character models.

 

[TheFraix]

There were those times when people made games, instead of corporate companies.

 

[RiotAct218]

I can't see enjoying a WC game as much without the bloated-budget, full motion video aspect of the story. That's what MADE WCIV for me.

 

[Delance]

Did we play the same Freelancer? There's a million games that do it better..

I was trying to focus on space-themed games, but what games are you talking about? Maybe I'm not playing enough good games, perhaps you could point some of those.

But even so, it further proves the point that it's quite possible to have good cutscenes using the game engine, which is much cheaper than pre-rendered scenes or live action.

Freelancer is a fine game - but it was about as far from cost effective as you can get (I've heard rumblings that FL may have been the most expensive game ever made).

Well remembered, that's correct. I might be wrong, but I think the high costs were more due to other factors than with the making of cutscenes with game engines specifically.

And are we talking WCIV expensive here?

 

[ChrisReid]

I can't see enjoying a WC game as much without the bloated-budget, full motion video aspect of the story. That's what MADE WCIV for me.

Don't forget that most Wing Commander games did not have live actor video in them. It's definitely not a requirement for a great Wing Commander game by any means.

I was trying to focus on space-themed games, but what games are you talking about? Maybe I'm not playing enough good games, perhaps you could point some of those.

It's not that there's a few that stand above Freelancer.. it's that the "cinematography" of Freelancer was pretty average in terms of how game stories are presented these days. There are games known for their stories, this wasn't really one of them.

But even so, it further proves the point that it's quite possible to have good cutscenes using the game engine, which is much cheaper than pre-rendered scenes or live action.

Nobody is disagreeing with that. I've been saying that for years.

 

[PopsiclePete]

Don't forget that most Wing Commander games did not have live actor video in them. It's definitely not a requirement for a great Wing Commander game by any means.

I love WC1-WC2 talking heads. WC2's storyline mades of a few sprites were my fav.

 

[RFBurns]

I seriously doubt their holding the source codes gives them any reason to believe that the source codes will be their saving grace down the road. Sounds more like plain stubborness or could be simple stupidity. Realistically, the source code from 1990 or even 1996 wont make much of an impact on EA's bottom line in 2004 or byond.

But there have been excellent mods and add ons made for the WC games over the years dispite the lack of source codes. Salutes to all of the folks involved with those works. We really dont need the source codes, but with them....we can only imagine what kind of add ons and mods there would have been.



I dont agree with the notion that space sims/flight sims are or wont be as popular as games like UO or SWG. And here is why.....

Freelancer is really a good sim, along with the mods that have been made for it. Same holds true with many other space sims. Perhaps Freelancer did make things easier for a player who is not used to playing any kind of sim at all. With the mouse and keyboard control combo, in turn opens the doors for all sim makers to widen the audience, hence attempt to make those sims more popular. In fact...isnt that why Freelancer focused on the mouse and keyboard control scheme...to widen the potential audience because of the easier control interface?!! (I believe I read an article at Lancers Reactor that mentions this)

Dispite its complexity...Microsoft's Flight Simulator 2002/Pro/2004 and even 98 are very popular. And of course...there have been add ons created..everything from planes to ground objects to airports to runways to adding ILS landing aids at airports that dont have em, to new sounds and flight misisons. Orbiter is another example of making a sim or game modifiable. Freebies or commercial..doesnt matter, the evidence over the last several years proves that any game, no matter what it is...if its created to be easily modified by the end user to extend its playability..that game or sim becomes long lived...and becomes popular.

I think that as time goes on, and more game developers find new ways to make the sims easier for the non-stickjockies out there...we will see these sims become just as popular as games like Ultima Online and other RPG games. Make it simple and effective...it becomes widely used. Kinda holds true for just about anything.