Why does everyone think hes so talented ? His first idea of the game sucked and he realised that so he went to plan B and made a totaly diffrent game that still sucked or it would still be aroud .
Because many of us played and loved the Ultima series of games.
Why does everyone think hes so talented ? His first idea of the game sucked and he realised that so he went to plan B and made a totaly diffrent game that still sucked or it would still be aroud .
Because many of us played and loved the Ultima series of games.
that is correct, the game was a Destination games title and that studio was owned by Garriott brothers . Those that attempt to belittle Garriot or state he is a "has been " are totally unaware of the impact some of these folks have had - and are still having - on the MMO's we play today . The same applies to Jeff Strain,for example .
People also tend to forget Garriott was already part of NCsoft USA management when they were heavily into guild wars . He worked together with the entire management team to ensure that one's success. Folks tend to only look at failed titles when it comes to developers or corporate CEO's and forget about the positive influence they have had. Strain/Gariott brothers pretty much defined entire NC soft's western hemisphere operations back then . The fact they made an accountant the new CEO for NCsoft west is telling enough ( a Korean accountant at that ) ....
"back then" is the key thing, isn't it? Because he isn't doing s**t for video gaming now. Not in years. Except for mention of him blasting off into space.
"back then" for me is the same as "has been."
The majority of the team at Totally Games left the gaming industry after X-Wing Alliance, after already producing the exceptional X-Wing and TIE-Fighter games.
NCSoft is appealing so no, he didn't "one shot" the Death Star. He still has a ways to go.
No, NCsoft is looking at appealing. Chances are 9 out of 10 they cut there losses now, instead of risking a bigger loss due to a higher reward. Think about it, HUGE company with high priced lawyer TEAMS out the ass, and they lost to one man and his one legal team. If NCsoft had a leg to stand on, they would have won in the first place. No, they found out that the crap they could get away with in a Korean court bought and paid for doesn't fly outside their little hole in the wall.
-Letting Derek Smart work on your game is like letting Osama bin Laden work in the White House. Something will burn.- -And on the 8th day, man created God.-
he changed the entire gameplay design from the ground up 3 times before it was released as the mess we all knew it to be. It's a classic case of a perfectionist trying to achieve perfection...but sometimes you just have to go with your first gut instinct and stick with it, as it's usually your best.
Joined 2004 - I can't believe I've been a MMORPG.com member for 20 years! Get off my lawn!
NCSoft is appealing so no, he didn't "one shot" the Death Star. He still has a ways to go.
No, NCsoft is looking at appealing. Chances are 9 out of 10 they cut there losses now, instead of risking a bigger loss due to a higher reward. Think about it, HUGE company with high priced lawyer TEAMS out the ass, and they lost to one man and his one legal team. If NCsoft had a leg to stand on, they would have won in the first place. No, they found out that the crap they could get away with in a Korean court bought and paid for doesn't fly outside their little hole in the wall.
No way in the world they "cut their losses" at 28 million. This sum will be reduced, and they will tie it up in court.
BTW, just because you win a case for 28 million doesn't mean you see it. Lawyers are usually paid 60%. Then Uncle Same takes his 40% cut. So roughly, he is looking at pocketing 5 or 6 million. Still not too shabby.
Not sure what you tried guys... but the game was laggy all the time and sucked graphically... Mr Garriot sucked NCsoft money for years and now he continue to do it... He should be ashamed!
A true visionary that was treated so so bad..... NCsoft wanted his name as part of the Brand not Vice versa.
Lets hope he can get back on the tread mill and deliver us Ultima Online 2....
I'd say Mr. G has "Daddy" issues. It's also laughable that anyone thinks Garriott could deliver another Ultima title. Anyone remember Ultima X? How's that playing for you now? Oh right, that was EA's fault. I think EA knew that Garriott was a non-producer and were glad to see him and his brother go.
TR was a great game, just needed some tweaking, loved to play that game. NcSoft really pissed me off with the stunt they pulled with TR. I hope in some shape or form that it comes back again. I bought the collectors edition about three days after I had purchased the downloadable version.
The guys I play with online - we all had a blast playing TR. Still miss it!
Not sure what you tried guys... but the game was laggy all the time and sucked graphically...
Mr Garriot sucked NCsoft money for years and now he continue to do it... He should be ashamed!
i never lagged once playing it, not once and the graphics were very nice indeed, i doubt theyll feel 28 million though but if they do "ha serves you right for cancelling my favorite game" :P
he changed the entire gameplay design from the ground up 3 times before it was released as the mess we all knew it to be. It's a classic case of a perfectionist trying to achieve perfection...but sometimes you just have to go with your first gut instinct and stick with it, as it's usually your best.
I only heard of one major change to the game and that was when it was redesigned to be a space shooter from the typical dragons/elves game it was being designed as. That came way to late in the games life and pretty much ensured it would die.
However, we don't know who made that decision to make that massive change. I'm not sure that Garriot had that type of influence over the design process without approval of the NCSoft board.
I'd say Mr. G has "Daddy" issues. It's also laughable that anyone thinks Garriott could deliver another Ultima title. Anyone remember Ultima X? How's that playing for you now? Oh right, that was EA's fault. I think EA knew that Garriott was a non-producer and were glad to see him and his brother go.
Looking at EA's past history (not to mention Mickysofts) I'd say that its more their fault than RG's aboul Ultima X. Anyone remember a game called Earth and Beyond? Neither company has a very good track record when it comes to MMO's.
MMO's have a different development and launch cycle than other games. Its obvious that the suits at the two companies never learned that.
he changed the entire gameplay design from the ground up 3 times before it was released as the mess we all knew it to be. It's a classic case of a perfectionist trying to achieve perfection...but sometimes you just have to go with your first gut instinct and stick with it, as it's usually your best.
I only heard of one major change to the game and that was when it was redesigned to be a space shooter from the typical dragons/elves game it was being designed as. That came way to late in the games life and pretty much ensured it would die.
However, we don't know who made that decision to make that massive change. I'm not sure that Garriot had that type of influence over the design process without approval of the NCSoft board.
Considering the radical changes involved, I've heard that it was NCsoft that demanded the changes, or they would pull the funding. RG hadf little choice if he wanted to see the game actually launch. It would hardly be the first time that suits have pulled that type of stunt, with horrible results.
"Never met a pack of humans that were any different. Look at the idiots that get elected every couple of years. You really consider those guys more mature than us? The only difference between us and them is, when they gank some noobs and take their stuff, the noobs actually die." - Madimorga
Prime example of a game that should have tried free to play before it was closed down . It still could be profitable if reopened with that sort of buisness model .
Considering the radical changes involved, I've heard that it was NCsoft that demanded the changes, or they would pull the funding. RG hadf little choice if he wanted to see the game actually launch. It would hardly be the first time that suits have pulled that type of stunt, with horrible results.
I can see that being a possibility. A lot of game companies right around that time got paniced by what world of warcraft was doing. Some drastically abandonded their game designs to emulate wow and others did not want to compete with it.
There was to much money riding on the game for NCSoft to allow Garriot to make this change without their blessing and it really does give the impression of a knee jerk decision by a board of directors.
Considering the radical changes involved, I've heard that it was NCsoft that demanded the changes, or they would pull the funding. RG hadf little choice if he wanted to see the game actually launch. It would hardly be the first time that suits have pulled that type of stunt, with horrible results.
I can see that being a possibility. A lot of game companies right around that time got paniced by what world of warcraft was doing. Some drastically abandonded their game designs to emulate wow and others did not want to compete with it.
There was to much money riding on the game for NCSoft to allow Garriot to make this change without their blessing and it really does give the impression of a knee jerk decision by a board of directors.
My suspicion is that NCsoft reckoned releasing a game with RG's name on it would pretty much sell itself regardless of quality and would sell so many copies it would be paying for operating and development costs of upcoming titles in western hemisphere ( including GW 2 ) . When this phantasy didn't come true within weeks of launch they got desperate and started to do all kind of things to the game. They kept on doing that until few months before servers were closed ( at that time they did have a decent dev team for TR and you saw improvement of quality with each update- those updates came on a weekly basis as well ) and then it was too late. If you look at the final few weeks you saw that the game was actually becoming "finished "and in the last week they added the "earth deployment ". I still think- also considering the amount of folks who were (re)discovering the game during those last few weeks - that a few more months would have seen the game on the rebound .
It could have run and be profitable ( or break even ) if they had waited 2-3 months longer. The dev team was capable enough, that much is certain.
Not sure what you tried guys... but the game was laggy all the time and sucked graphically...
Mr Garriot sucked NCsoft money for years and now he continue to do it... He should be ashamed!
A true visionary that was treated so so bad..... NCsoft wanted his name as part of the Brand not Vice versa.
Lets hope he can get back on the tread mill and deliver us Ultima Online 2....
Huh? What has he been visionary about lately? Certainly not Tabula Rasa, the game was marginal at best and introduced very little to the genre. Sorry Mr. Garriott was a pretty much one and done developer, even UO was designed by others on the team, he had little to do with it's success beyond the initial theme.
Let's face it, Garriott milked NCSoft for a bundle and that is just more game dollars not getting invested back into the genre.
I have my doubts we will ever see anything earth shattering from Mr. Garriott anytime in the future.
I loved TR and would hop back on that in a second if it reopened. I can only hope RG will think about it, but might be better to just work on a new idea and use what he learned from TR.
And to anyone that questions why people think he's talented, he is credited with creating the term MMORPG in 1997 with Ultima Online. That was the start of it all, not counting MUDs. Too many people inaccurately think it started with Everquest in 1999. So the fact that he helped create the genre means something to the MMO vets that know the history.
I loved TR and would hop back on that in a second if it reopened. I can only hope RG will think about it, but might be better to just work on a new idea and use what he learned from TR.
And to anyone that questions why people think he's talented, he is credited with creating the term MMORPG in 1997 with Ultima Online. That was the start of it all, not counting MUDs. Too many people inaccurately think it started with Everquest in 1999. So the fact that he helped create the genre means something to the MMO vets that know the history.
Hate to burst your bubble, but Neverwinter Nights back in 1991 was the first real graphical mmorpg, while Meridian 59 was the first mmorpg with a 3D world similar to EQ and everything that's come after it back in 1995.
-Letting Derek Smart work on your game is like letting Osama bin Laden work in the White House. Something will burn.- -And on the 8th day, man created God.-
NCSoft is appealing so no, he didn't "one shot" the Death Star. He still has a ways to go.
No, NCsoft is looking at appealing. Chances are 9 out of 10 they cut there losses now, instead of risking a bigger loss due to a higher reward. Think about it, HUGE company with high priced lawyer TEAMS out the ass, and they lost to one man and his one legal team. If NCsoft had a leg to stand on, they would have won in the first place. No, they found out that the crap they could get away with in a Korean court bought and paid for doesn't fly outside their little hole in the wall.
No way in the world they "cut their losses" at 28 million. This sum will be reduced, and they will tie it up in court.
BTW, just because you win a case for 28 million doesn't mean you see it. Lawyers are usually paid 60%. Then Uncle Same takes his 40% cut. So roughly, he is looking at pocketing 5 or 6 million. Still not too shabby.
From what I read the court case hinged on the fact that they forged his resignation letter. If they had simply fired him then he would have had 10 years to choose to exercise his options. That forgery cost him financial damages and they were liable for those damages.
Comments
This just shows how bad NCsoft is. Thank goodness they only publish Guild Wars 2.
Because many of us played and loved the Ultima series of games.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultima_%28series%29
As for the other, given the internal political games that NCsoft is infamous for, I suspect at least part of the problem was theirs.
It was, they apparently forced him to change it half way through development.
The majority of the team at Totally Games left the gaming industry after X-Wing Alliance, after already producing the exceptional X-Wing and TIE-Fighter games.
Are they "has beens?".
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NCSoft is appealing so no, he didn't "one shot" the Death Star. He still has a ways to go.
No, NCsoft is looking at appealing. Chances are 9 out of 10 they cut there losses now, instead of risking a bigger loss due to a higher reward. Think about it, HUGE company with high priced lawyer TEAMS out the ass, and they lost to one man and his one legal team. If NCsoft had a leg to stand on, they would have won in the first place. No, they found out that the crap they could get away with in a Korean court bought and paid for doesn't fly outside their little hole in the wall.
-Letting Derek Smart work on your game is like letting Osama bin Laden work in the White House. Something will burn.-
-And on the 8th day, man created God.-
he changed the entire gameplay design from the ground up 3 times before it was released as the mess we all knew it to be. It's a classic case of a perfectionist trying to achieve perfection...but sometimes you just have to go with your first gut instinct and stick with it, as it's usually your best.
Joined 2004 - I can't believe I've been a MMORPG.com member for 20 years! Get off my lawn!
No way in the world they "cut their losses" at 28 million. This sum will be reduced, and they will tie it up in court.
BTW, just because you win a case for 28 million doesn't mean you see it. Lawyers are usually paid 60%. Then Uncle Same takes his 40% cut. So roughly, he is looking at pocketing 5 or 6 million. Still not too shabby.
A true visionary that was treated so so bad..... NCsoft wanted his name as part of the Brand not Vice versa.
Lets hope he can get back on the tread mill and deliver us Ultima Online 2....
NAh...his interests are pretty much just space nowhttp://www.richardgarriott.com/news/
I'd say Mr. G has "Daddy" issues. It's also laughable that anyone thinks Garriott could deliver another Ultima title. Anyone remember Ultima X? How's that playing for you now? Oh right, that was EA's fault. I think EA knew that Garriott was a non-producer and were glad to see him and his brother go.
TR was a great game, just needed some tweaking, loved to play that game. NcSoft really pissed me off with the stunt they pulled with TR. I hope in some shape or form that it comes back again. I bought the collectors edition about three days after I had purchased the downloadable version.
The guys I play with online - we all had a blast playing TR. Still miss it!
i never lagged once playing it, not once and the graphics were very nice indeed, i doubt theyll feel 28 million though but if they do "ha serves you right for cancelling my favorite game" :P
Which Final Fantasy Character Are You?
Final Fantasy 7
I only heard of one major change to the game and that was when it was redesigned to be a space shooter from the typical dragons/elves game it was being designed as. That came way to late in the games life and pretty much ensured it would die.
However, we don't know who made that decision to make that massive change. I'm not sure that Garriot had that type of influence over the design process without approval of the NCSoft board.
Looking at EA's past history (not to mention Mickysofts) I'd say that its more their fault than RG's aboul Ultima X. Anyone remember a game called Earth and Beyond? Neither company has a very good track record when it comes to MMO's.
MMO's have a different development and launch cycle than other games. Its obvious that the suits at the two companies never learned that.
Considering the radical changes involved, I've heard that it was NCsoft that demanded the changes, or they would pull the funding. RG hadf little choice if he wanted to see the game actually launch. It would hardly be the first time that suits have pulled that type of stunt, with horrible results.
"Never met a pack of humans that were any different. Look at the idiots that get elected every couple of years. You really consider those guys more mature than us? The only difference between us and them is, when they gank some noobs and take their stuff, the noobs actually die." - Madimorga
Prime example of a game that should have tried free to play before it was closed down . It still could be profitable if reopened with that sort of buisness model .
I can see that being a possibility. A lot of game companies right around that time got paniced by what world of warcraft was doing. Some drastically abandonded their game designs to emulate wow and others did not want to compete with it.
There was to much money riding on the game for NCSoft to allow Garriot to make this change without their blessing and it really does give the impression of a knee jerk decision by a board of directors.
My suspicion is that NCsoft reckoned releasing a game with RG's name on it would pretty much sell itself regardless of quality and would sell so many copies it would be paying for operating and development costs of upcoming titles in western hemisphere ( including GW 2 ) . When this phantasy didn't come true within weeks of launch they got desperate and started to do all kind of things to the game. They kept on doing that until few months before servers were closed ( at that time they did have a decent dev team for TR and you saw improvement of quality with each update- those updates came on a weekly basis as well ) and then it was too late. If you look at the final few weeks you saw that the game was actually becoming "finished "and in the last week they added the "earth deployment ". I still think- also considering the amount of folks who were (re)discovering the game during those last few weeks - that a few more months would have seen the game on the rebound .
It could have run and be profitable ( or break even ) if they had waited 2-3 months longer. The dev team was capable enough, that much is certain.
Great!
IMO - jury was to "soft" (only 28M)
Tabula Rasa FOREVER!
Huh? What has he been visionary about lately? Certainly not Tabula Rasa, the game was marginal at best and introduced very little to the genre. Sorry Mr. Garriott was a pretty much one and done developer, even UO was designed by others on the team, he had little to do with it's success beyond the initial theme.
Let's face it, Garriott milked NCSoft for a bundle and that is just more game dollars not getting invested back into the genre.
I have my doubts we will ever see anything earth shattering from Mr. Garriott anytime in the future.
I loved TR and would hop back on that in a second if it reopened. I can only hope RG will think about it, but might be better to just work on a new idea and use what he learned from TR.
And to anyone that questions why people think he's talented, he is credited with creating the term MMORPG in 1997 with Ultima Online. That was the start of it all, not counting MUDs. Too many people inaccurately think it started with Everquest in 1999. So the fact that he helped create the genre means something to the MMO vets that know the history.
Hate to burst your bubble, but Neverwinter Nights back in 1991 was the first real graphical mmorpg, while Meridian 59 was the first mmorpg with a 3D world similar to EQ and everything that's come after it back in 1995.
-Letting Derek Smart work on your game is like letting Osama bin Laden work in the White House. Something will burn.-
-And on the 8th day, man created God.-
I agree.
Your percentages are a bit high however...
No company rolls over for millions of dollars.
From what I read the court case hinged on the fact that they forged his resignation letter. If they had simply fired him then he would have had 10 years to choose to exercise his options. That forgery cost him financial damages and they were liable for those damages.