Has Chris Roberts ever been in this forum?

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Originally posted by TC


Wow, what the heck are you talking about... They've done things like providing free server space for the CIC and giving us a free game. How is that ignoring Wing Commander and its fan base since Chris Roberts left?

TC
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Im refering to the games. One free game doesnt really make up for the lack of response from EA/OSI, especially after the cancellation of Privateer Online. True there are more things to WC than the games, but what started it all, and what drove the numbers to WC anyway?....The games!

There is no doubt here that the team and even Mr. Roberts have done stuff for the fanbase after WCP and SO. What is the most asked question both here at the CIC and elsewhere?....

When is the next Wing Commander game going to come out!

Mr. Roberts statement posted at the CIC news page pretty much says it. "Given the right opportunity, I would definately REVISIT it"

Revisit implies one has left somewhere, or something, to go somewhere else to do other things, and would be happy to return when the conditions are right. How long ago was that anyway? What conditions are "right"? The machines to run the games? The fanbase to increase before a revisit?

Ok maybe abandonment was a poor choice of word. How about "slacked off". Or maybe "On Hold". Quite honestly, I dont blame Mr. Roberts for leaving EA/OSI. Its just a shame that he does not have the rights to his creation, so that he could continue WC, no matter where he goes.

RFB
The Anomalies Network TEM forum moderator
 
This is a fantastic problem you've CREATED FOR YOURSELF. Origin is happy to tell you, when you ask, that they're not making a new Wing Commander game right now.

This, in my best estimation, is on account of them not making another Wing Commander game right now. Had they amazing time-warping PR guys capable of travelling to the future, determining when a new game is coming out and then traveling back to now I'm sure they'd be happy to reveal this.
 
I would hardly say that WE cause the problem for ourselves LOAF. We dont make WC games, EA/OSI does, or did at one time. Asking for a new game when the maker will not is HARDLY the fans created problem.

And I would hardly say that PR guys need to time travel to determine if a game or series of games warrants cancellation or continuation of said game. Obviously there is a fanbase, a big fanbase. Obviously there are sites such as this one, to keep the fanbase alive, as well as keep the concept of the WC universe alive. And there is no doubt that the PR guys over at EA/OSI are aware of this.

How many games to date are series like WC? How many games of such a series can be counted compared to WC? I think so far, the only game I know of that barely comes close to WC would be the Star Wars games, such as XVT or XVA. Although those dont interlink with the other like WC games do, storyline etc, the numbers are still FAR below the series numbers of WC.

Many game makers have extened the life of their games by either releasing source code, assembling official editors or simply making the things multiplayer capable, or making them very easy to add modifications or complete total conversions.

Dont get me wrong here, Im not ranting about EA/OSI or Mr. Roberts. Im just a bit confused by the fact that WC is a legend, and the games, every single one of them, are still close to the hearts of the fans. EA/OSI, and Mr. Roberts knows this, so the core of the confusion is this....why is there no plans or anything for a new game? Is there something not known by the fans or even the staff here at CIC that EA/OSI is keeping from everyone regarding WC?

They obviously made money. I dont think that if the games or concept of WC was a flop, that they would take the time to release a free game, or even continue WC after the 1st, or 2nd, or 3rd, and so on. The previous management said it himself in that office memo announcing the shifting of resources from all other efforts into UO. Why is that? Cause it is making money for them? Obviously. Yet they did a 180* turn on WC? That raises an eyebrow or two, would it not?

I just keep the hope that EA/OSI or even Mr. Roberts will make a surprise announcement and here comes a new WC game! But one does ask questions about the why, which has yet to be really answered in the clear sense of why there is no new WC game, or plans to make a new one. (as far as we know)

I hope you see what I am getting at. It is simply asking why no plans for a new WC game when the history, the track record, the sales, the profits of the series has indeed created an income for EA/OSI. I find it hard to believe that it is a money issue. Or that EA/OSI want to just focus on UO and nothing else. If you have a money maker, you dont shove it into the closet and let it sit, you expose it, you sell it, you make money. And I think everyone here can agree, WC IS a money maker.

I just thought of something......based on what you said LOAF, do you mean that EA/OSI wont make a new WC game because all the fans are asking for a new WC game? Is it because we keep bugging them and sending emails and so forth? Hmm..gotta think on that one some more.

RFB
The Anomalies Network TEM forum moderator
 
Originally posted by RFBurns
Dont get me wrong here, Im not ranting about EA/OSI or Mr. Roberts. Im just a bit confused by the fact that WC is a legend, and the games, every single one of them, are still close to the hearts of the fans. EA/OSI, and Mr. Roberts knows this, so the core of the confusion is this....why is there no plans or anything for a new game?
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For one thing, blame Roberts himself. The dismal returns from the WC Movie would have undoubtedly contributed to the cancellation of the online WC game. The Movie's failure does not exactly create an encouraging picture for investors.
 
Why are you creating some kind of stupid conspiracy? This is all well documented.

EA's lack of interest in Wing Commander is a shame for the fans, but it's completely understandable from their point of view. Interest in space sims declined significantly after Prophecy. There were a string of disasters (sales-wise): Freespace 2, Tachyon and later StarLancer sold a tiny number of copies (no, Quarto, the movie didn't kill WC -- the team was laid off *before* it was released...). EA simply said "Oh, look, there's no market for these games, lets not invest in them."

Fans don't really mean much money-wise -- to assume so is far too self-important. How many people are registered to this board? A thousand? How many people actually post here regularly? A hundred? How many people need to buy a new game for it to have broken even? A *million*. It was wonderful how well Origin interacted with the fans... but financially, the rabid fanbase is the group you *least* need to please. We're going to buy a game *anyway*. We're the *guaranteed* sales numbers... a new title has to sell to the hundreds of thousands of casual gamers. And as of 1999 the market indicated that these casual gamers weren't interested in another space-sim.

How many games to date are series like WC? How many games of such a series can be counted compared to WC? I think so far, the only game I know of that barely comes close to WC would be the Star Wars games, such as XVT or XVA. Although those dont interlink with the other like WC games do, storyline etc, the numbers are still FAR below the series numbers of WC.
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Myst, Duke Nukem, Serious Sam, Tomb Raider, Half Life, A half-dozen Sierra 'Quest' games, Final Fantasy, Ultima, Command and Conquer, etc. We can name dozens of games that are series like WC.

Many game makers have extened the life of their games by either releasing source code, assembling official editors or simply making the things multiplayer capable, or making them very easy to add modifications or complete total conversions.
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Completely different sales model -- EA/Origin has never done this, and I know it will come as a shock to the Lunix Junky community... but they're GETTING ALONG JUST FINE. (Mind you, of course, that companies like iD releasing the source for the Quake II engine isn't a kindness to their fans -- it's so that their *licensees* will have to purchase the Quake *3* engine to develop their next title.)

I hope you see what I am getting at. It is simply asking why no plans for a new WC game when the history, the track record, the sales, the profits of the series has indeed created an income for EA/OSI. I find it hard to believe that it is a money issue. Or that EA/OSI want to just focus on UO and nothing else. If you have a money maker, you dont shove it into the closet and let it sit, you expose it, you sell it, you make money. And I think everyone here can agree, WC IS a money maker.
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But we *can't* agree on that -- it's only true because you have no actual facts behind your statement. Wing Commander IV is the game that effectively killed the interactive movie because it was too expensive to turn a profit...
 
Wing Commander, being an offline-only game, would have a great deal less fans involved in an online community than something that is online-only and is a community in itself. Therefore the sales would be much, much larger than the amount of people that post at this forum.
 
Unfortunately, that cannot be guaranteed. It is true that the space sim market is experiencing a low point, barring Rogue Leader and Jedi Starfighter perhaps, but that's only because of association with Star Wars.

I am patient to wait for another game, and it's just as well too, because I probably wouldn't have the hardware for it anyway, and I already waste far too much time on existing WCs anyway. :)
 
Remember, EA never said "We're never ever ever doing another Wing Commander game for as long as we're in business."
 
And even if they did, they'd probably have to swallow their words at some stage later and contradict themselves. :)
 
Originally posted by LeHah
Remember, EA never said "We're never ever ever doing another Wing Commander game for as long as we're in business."
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That is cool! Im very glad that EA never said that they would not ever make another WC game. Hopefully, they will lean towards making one, or maybe at least, realese some kind of patch or mod for WCP/SO so that it can be multiplayer like it was supposed to be, or something to give it a boost. I think it is great in itself. But improvements never hurt!

For what it is worth, I salute EA/OSI for what we have. 5 years is a long time period for a game series to be idle. But like you pointed out LeHah, they are still in business, they hold the cards with WC rights, and maybe, just maybe they have a surprise for all of us!

RFB
The Anomalies Network TEM forum moderator
 
Originally posted by Wedge009
Unfortunately, that cannot be guaranteed. It is true that the space sim market is experiencing a low point, barring Rogue Leader and Jedi Starfighter perhaps, but that's only because of association with Star Wars.
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So you consider Rogue Squadron and Jedi Starfighter space sims?
They look more like Space arcades.
 
If anyone thinks that EA has anything at all planned for WC, other than sitting on the rights, you are sadly mistaken, and probably delusional, too.
 
i think that EA/.OSI feels the same about WC as Chris Roberts, only and "and we knew it would make money" to his statement. with a company like that it comes down to money. Always. And i think LOAF nailed it on the head when he said that WC4 killed the interactive movie games. While i personally enjoy the FMVs in games like that and i think WC4 is the best of the bunch, it was too expecsive to expect it to break even much less make profit. Not to sound like i blame chris, cuz i don't, but i think his dream of what WC can be got to big for it's britches. After WC4 i think that a movie was the only direction it could go. And the movie had a comperable budget to that of WC4 (at least from what i read, i could be wrong and if i am someone please correct me). That being the case, i think the people who financed the movie thought that he could turn in a quality product like WC4 with the movie. When he didn't i think a lot of people lost hope for a decent new product
 
Problem was that they gave him the correct funding to make WC4 but he couldn´t raise enough money for the movie.
 
Originally posted by Bandit LOAF
There were a string of disasters (sales-wise): Freespace 2, Tachyon and later StarLancer sold a tiny number of copies (no, Quarto, the movie didn't kill WC -- the team was laid off *before* it was released...). EA simply said "Oh, look, there's no market for these games, lets not invest in them."
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Last I checked, March 1999, the Movie's release date, was before March 2000, Privateer Online's cancellation date :).
I'm not saying the Movie killed the the series, though - just that it was a significant contributor in the killing. You yourself said at one point that it was rather strange how Earth & Beyond, despite the lack of experience of its team wasn't cancelled, while Privateer Online, coming from a team which had experience in space sims and ready access to another team with experience in online games, was cancelled.
This is a decision which remains very puzzling even today. Now, we know FreeSpace 2, Tachyon, and SL didn't contribute to this because both E&B and POL are space-sims. We also know that WCP's sales had nothing to do with it - even though it didn't meet the 1 million sales goal, it was still a successful game. So why go with E&B in spite of this, rather than continue a successful, proven series? There probably was at least several factors behind this decision, but it would be naive indeed to think that the Movie's failure didn't do its part in finishing off POL.
 
Originally posted by TC
To our knowledge they aren't sitting on the rights, at least!
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I would hate to be the rights being sat on this long! :D

RFB
The Anomalies Network TEM forum moderator
 
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