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Line of Defense: Derek Smart Heading for Redemption?
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
In a new article at The Verge, Derek Smart discusses his journey to his latest game, Line of Defense. Smart considers the upcoming MMOFPS to be his last chance at redemption in an industry that has been, well, difficult for him. Even that said, Smart is 'aiming for perfection' and hoping that Line of Defense may be the ticket.
To hear Smart tell it, LOD is both the simplest and most complex game he's ever made. His smallest and yet biggest. His most focused, and his most ambitious. And as with most things Derek Smart has to say, all of these things are true, and also, perhaps, not. Not entirely.
Read more at the link above.
Comments
LOD is one of the things I've been keeping my eye on here. It's definately one of the types of games I'm interested in. The concepts all sound good from what I've read about it here and on the LOD site, so I'm really looking to see the quality of execution.
It is actualy kinda refreshing to see someone who's just interested in making the type of game he wants to make and doesn't really care if it's not everbodies cup of tea.
He's heading for the shithouse with the nonsense he's been spouting lately. I mean for a man to be quoted on "planetside is gonna fail, and dust514 wil fail horribly" you got to be pretting damn cocky, And its gonna look that much worse when you can't back the shit up.
Mans made games that people avoid like the plauge..
It..Burns..
Very decent article, worth reading.
Still, he keeps making games while shouting ''I dont care if people play''.
Oh well.
He couldn't design a fun game if his life depended on it. He's worked on 14 "products" (which is really only a few, repackaged). His wealth merely demonstrates that there are suckers in the world. His lack of tact is mirrored by his lack of game design skill.
And are those screenshots in that article of the game? I thought we'd gotten past using Quake 2's graphics engine. But then he's been recycling this idea in his head for 30? years, so Quake 2 is probably still new to him.
Add this game to the list of games I won't even try. If Derek Smart is invloved with it, I won't even bother giving it a shot.
It's amazing how many people will line up to pay for his hype and won't take 10 minutes worth of web surfing to find out about his previous games.
'Sandbox MMO' is a PTSD trigger word for anyone who has the experience to know that anonymous players invariably use a 'sandbox' in the same manner a housecat does.
When your head is stuck in the sand, your ass becomes the only recognizable part of you.
No game is more fun than the one you can't play, and no game is more boring than one which you've become familiar.
How to become a millionaire:
Start with a billion dollars and make an MMO.
Another quality "Smart" product I will not be purchasing.
Derek Smart.... watching the man go ballistic on some forum is a lot more entertaining than playing his games.
I'm a big ol' fluffy carewolf. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
I'll pass.
Reading the faq of it, it's a fail right out of the gate when they decided on two factions. It's been demonstrated again and again that three factions is required for really in-depth pvp action.
Two factions leads to one dominating the other almost universally. Three factions leads to more dynamic action, where if one starts getting ahead, the other two will team up on them.
I actually had a cool chat with him when he was trying to salvage Alganon (bleh). He seemed to really understand why 3 factions was necessary, and how few people in the industry get the concept. I explained Dark Age of Camelot to him in detail, tossed in some of the Shadowbane city building, a little Age of Conan, and I think I tried to hint that if he took the best of those three - add some Elder Scrolls level of RPG in the mix, he'd have a gem.
Just a shame he's already forgotten that conversation. Once you talk to him, you realize he really is on the ball. My guess is that the industry is far more complex than it was when Dark Age was produced. For some reason, it's incredibly hard for talent to participate with a fantasy mmorpg. The proof is just look around, sadly.
There must be more going on against Smart than for him. I just don't get why he'd limit an mmorpg to the same 2 faction cut and paste. The man truly knows better.
Nah, I'll support a developer that actually appreciates their fans, even if they don't always gush at every aspect of the developers game.
If I want to be talked to in a condescending tone amd belittled I'll play a Derek Smart game....nah, I'll just call my Ma.
Einherjar_LC says: WTB the true successor to UO or Asheron's Call pst!
I'd tolerate Derek Smart's attitude if he made the games to back it up. But he doesn't. So I don't.
I sit on a man's back, choking him and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by all possible means - except by getting off his back.
My sig is my only comment.
-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.-
Derek Smart is still around? Wow... Who in their right mind would let this guy anywhere near a game development studio?
( In my best Mr. Rogers impression. )
Hello boys and girls. Can you spot which of the Derek Smart ....... in this thread .... for the ... ... ...... he has ... ....... in the ....? Here's a clue, what games are you .. ...... ..... ..?
( Please enjoy the irony and sarcasm. )
The only way a community is gonna get the game they want is to make it themselves. I applaud any independent producer, who attempts to go it his own in this industry.
[Self Modded]
Boy: Why can't I talk to Him?
Mom: We don't talk to Priests.
As if it could exist, without being payed for.
F2P means you get what you paid for. Pay nothing, get nothing.
Even telemarketers wouldn't think that.
It costs money to play. Therefore P2W.
Having played Planetside and attended public 7th grade, I would have to say no. Anyone who studies the animal kingdom will tell you that the strong turn on the weak, and the weak don't team up against the strong.
Boy: Why can't I talk to Him?
Mom: We don't talk to Priests.
As if it could exist, without being payed for.
F2P means you get what you paid for. Pay nothing, get nothing.
Even telemarketers wouldn't think that.
It costs money to play. Therefore P2W.
My guess is that whoever is paying for it wanted it to "be more like Wow".
There are plenty of game devs that want to make something different but getting funding for it is hard.
Reminds me of this lady i know who earns her rent by playing cheesy pop music, she actually despices it and also sing in a black metal band but everybody needs money to rent and food.
Then again, maybe he just is the type that pretend to listen to arguments and then forgets about them directly.
A MMO needs to have 3 or 5 factions if it have more pvp than standard battlegrounds or arenas.
We're not really part of the "animal kingdom" and human history is full of examples where multiple weaker entities united against a stronger enemy.
Google "Indian Summer". Or "French Resistance". Or even "American Revolution". Then get back to us.
-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.-
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia <=
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Primates
Family:
Hominidae
Tribe:
Hominini
Genus:
Homo
Species:
H. sapiens
Human
History is written by the victor, and the victor never lies.
Boy: Why can't I talk to Him?
Mom: We don't talk to Priests.
As if it could exist, without being payed for.
F2P means you get what you paid for. Pay nothing, get nothing.
Even telemarketers wouldn't think that.
It costs money to play. Therefore P2W.
Your original point still doesn't apply to us. Yes, humans are animals but intelligence wise we are magnitudes above other animals. We can reason, think logically and not only use tools but also create them. We are also very social. As a metter of fact, we became what we are now because millions of years ago, animals which eventually evolved into humans, banded together for protection against predators. Much later, early homo sapiens continued to live in groups for mutual benefit. Protection, hunting, etc.
See, it is in our nature to band together, so your original point does not apply.
As far as your history comment, I guess the fact that during WWII a group of countries banded together in order to stop another, stronger group of countries was a lie, right?
Even if the game is decent which is suspect Derek Smart will do or say something where it will not matter at all.
At least we know Derek's MMORPG.com alias now.
'Sandbox MMO' is a PTSD trigger word for anyone who has the experience to know that anonymous players invariably use a 'sandbox' in the same manner a housecat does.
When your head is stuck in the sand, your ass becomes the only recognizable part of you.
No game is more fun than the one you can't play, and no game is more boring than one which you've become familiar.
How to become a millionaire:
Start with a billion dollars and make an MMO.
What MMORPG alias are you talking about? I only post as me.
Game developers are just human beings who happen to make games for a living.
If you want to hold us up to higher standards of conduct, then go ahead
...but don't be surprised if we don't uphold them.