Firefly Universe Online launches Indiegogo campaign

XAleX360

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/fuo-the-darkcryo-mmorpg-experience?c=home

 

Many features sound very innovative. 

AutemOx

I am a huge fan of firefly and browncoat for life.  That being said, this game is never going to be made.  It is either a hoax or the people making it are very stupid.

It has trying-to-look-like-much-more-of-game-is-complete-than-really-is written all over it.  And the siri voice over for your indiegogo?  Really...?

darker70

Originally posted by wormywyrm

I am a huge fan of firefly and browncoat for life.  That being said, this game is never going to be made.  It is either a hoax or the people making it are very stupid.

It has trying-to-look-like-much-more-of-game-is-complete-than-really-is written all over it.  And the siri voice over for your indiegogo?  Really...?

Way to kill something before it gets out of the starting gate there is a bit of history to this project,and the campaign was delayed because of an ill advised article in Kotaku which they later retracted which labeled the game a hoax which of course it isn't.

But the new presentation looks pretty convinceing should be interesting to see more footage as they release more videos I my self never fully got behind Dark Cryo a year ago all my time went to The Repopulation,which had the same sort of ill conceived response as this but look at Repop now,just goes to show you never know what gems can be unearthed with the crowd sourceing revolution.

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AutemOx

Thanks greenreen, very interesting.  I hope people are communicating to the firefly fanbase that this game looks illegit, because I think they may have a more difficult time telling since they have not seen all the failed MMOs go by that community members of this site has.  I'd hate to see people putting their money into it because of their love of the series to never see anything in return.

Either they are very unprofessional and do not know how to market and present their product or they are illegitimate.  The more evidence I see the more I think its the latter.

I want to see a crowd sourced firefly mmo, but it needs to be from a group with some legitamacy or ties to the firefly or mmo community.

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XAleX360

Interesting, albeit troubling, information. I have contacted one of the listed staff members on Indiegogo campaign who happens to be italian as I am, I'll try to get them to speak on the subject (I'm a press member).

stayontarget

Originally posted by wormywyrm

Thanks greenreen, very interesting.  I hope people are communicating to the firefly fanbase that this game looks illegit, because I think they may have a more difficult time telling since they have not seen all the failed MMOs go by that community members of this site has.  I'd hate to see people putting their money into it because of their love of the series to never see anything in return.

Either they are very unprofessional and do not know how to market and present their product or they are illegitimate.  The more evidence I see the more I think its the latter.

I want to see a crowd sourced firefly mmo, but it needs to be from a group with some legitamacy or ties to the firefly or mmo community.

Um hello!   http://kotaku.com/5974538/the-planned-firefly+inspired-mmo-is-real-its-some-fans-labor-of-love

 

 

darker70

Also if this was a hoax why would they list team members on the Indiegogo site that would be like commiting career suicde if they intended to hoax would they not actually go anonymous,also people refer to the complicated finance system they have,one of the members is a banker in real life amazing what u can find if you look..

Toferio

They don't even have the rights to the IP to begin with.. 

 

Originally posted by darker70
Also if this was a hoax why would they list team members on the Indiegogo site that would be like commiting career suicde if they intended to hoax would they not actually go anonymous,also people refer to the complicated finance system they have,one of the members is a banker in real life amazing what u can find if you look..

They trully believe their project, as Dark and Light dev team did at the stat, look at how that turned out..

 

XAleX360

Originally posted by Toferio

They don't even have the rights to the IP to begin with.. 

 

Originally posted by darker70
Also if this was a hoax why would they list team members on the Indiegogo site that would be like commiting career suicde if they intended to hoax would they not actually go anonymous,also people refer to the complicated finance system they have,one of the members is a banker in real life amazing what u can find if you look..

They trully believe their project, as Dark and Light dev team did at the stat, look at how that turned out..

 

 

True, but people cannot be held accountable for others actions. They will have to build their reputation on their own merits. Also at the time of Dark & Light there were no funding campaigns, which help greatly indie development both in funding and in taking the right directions with the feedback from fans.

AlBQuirky

Do they have the licensing from Joss Whedon? Last I heard, they did not, if it is the same group doing "Firefly Universe Online."

AutemOx

Originally posted by darker70
Also if this was a hoax why would they list team members on the Indiegogo site that would be like commiting career suicde if they intended to hoax would they not actually go anonymous,also people refer to the complicated finance system they have,one of the members is a banker in real life amazing what u can find if you look..

Yeah they are really putting themselves out there with that revealing text-to-voice software narrated indiegogo video.  Just playing...  But really, it is not career suicide to work on a failed game at all, it happens all the time.  People tank in one business to be handed the next, etc.  It is complicated.

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kevb

I kind of love the endorsement DarkCryo have on their website from Notch from Minecraft (it randomly appears at the top).  One problem - he wasn't talking about FUO.  It's a quote lifted from an interview about something completely different.

AutemOx

Originally posted by kevb
I kind of love the endorsement DarkCryo have on their website from Notch from Minecraft (it randomly appears at the top).  One problem - he wasn't talking about FUO.  It's a quote lifted from an interview about something completely different.

I wouldn't be impressed by an endorsement of Notch, anyways.  I love minecraft and am totally impressed with it and Notch's company.  I am not impressed by Notch's opinions on the gaming industry and as a personality.

Toferio

...and the campaign is gone. 

kevb

Here's the organisers take: https://www.facebook.com/FireflyUniverseOnline/posts/528655067156407

They've been offering share incentives in a way which ultimately wasn't in line with the Indiegogo terms and conditions.  In the end Indiegogo suspended them last night.  They also reduced their goal amount after being placed into Draft mode earlier with Indiegogo, which I suspect didn't go down well as it was a fixed amount at $200k suddenly reduced to an amount they would have met given the pledges they were seeing.

They've been selling the rewards (including share/investment schemes) directly on their website via (I seem to recall) Paypal, which is suggested elsewhere on a blog may not be in line with local law.  I think they're still doing that, I haven't checked.

There's no company registered for this apparently (they were originally trading as another company name, something somebody else mentions earlier in this topic, however Craig Redl now claims they aren't using that company), and so no accountable directors, and no address records for those involved.

I'm absolutely sure it isn't a scam.  Will they deliver a triple A quality MMORPG ultimately, or will fans and the people running the show end up locked into yet another Firefly fandom kerfuffle?

erictlewis

Well I would love to see firefly online but this obvously was something that was out there just to get folks money.   Now indiegogo removed it from the site.  So one has to wonder was it a scam or legit.

 

kevb

Originally posted by erictlewis

Well I would love to see firefly online but this obvously was something that was out there just to get folks money.   

I actually don't think that's the case.  I think it was a well meaning, very technically gifted fan who has tried to lead a project he didn't know how to manage, without any kind of business infrastructure.  I mean, this was never going to be a Firefly MMO - they don't have the license, or means to get the license.  Now he's ended up with an apparently unregistered business which apparently can't deliver what they've already taken money from fans for.

This isn't the first time this has happened with Firefly fans (google Help Nathan Buy Firefly, Flanvention etc) and it won't be the last.  I just hope everybody - the fans and the Darkcryo people - can make a clean exit where nobody gets into trouble.

A Firefly game would be great.  Something tells me it needs some serious infrastructure and firing power to deliver.

Quizzical

One could debate whether the difference between an outright scam and a well-intentioned but hopeless effort at building a game particularly matters.  There is a difference in intent and in what the people working on the project do behind the scenes.  But in terms of what actually gets delivered to gamers (i.e., nothing), there isn't.

Isturi

Originally posted by Quizzical
One could debate whether the difference between an outright scam and a well-intentioned but hopeless effort at building a game particularly matters.  There is a difference in intent and in what the people working on the project do behind the scenes.  But in terms of what actually gets delivered to gamers (i.e., nothing), there isn't.

Perhaps if they used Kickstarter instead maybe this thread would of been more optimistic. Ive seen the webisode of the 10 year anniversary of Firefly and Joss Whedon Did hint that Firefly is not dead just hibernating. So as far as a legit MMO goes guess time will tell.

AutemOx

I swear there will be a firefly mmo someday, guys  We just have to wait and when the right stuff comes along we do what we can to assist in making it viable.

kevb

They can't use Kickstarter as the founders don't reside in the USA, or have a USA company.

To be clear, these guys don't have a license for a Firefly video game.  Joss Whedon has publicly spoken about his desire for a Firefly game before, and has in fact met with two companies about it (with Fox), one of which licensed Firefly for an MMO from 20th Century Fox.  (Multiverse - they later went bust).   They discussed designs, the world etc etc.  One day, I imagine it will happen.  Via a company with millions of dollars.