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General: Copernicus: What Might Have Been

SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129

Kotaku has a new trailer that was originally designed to show off the world of 38 Studios' Copernicus, a world we will never see now that development has stopped. It's a bittersweet reminder of what might have been.

Check it out at Kotaku.

image


¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 


Comments

  • nuttobnuttob Member Posts: 291

    I remember them saying that the overall system would not be like Kingdoms of Amular, so I was really curious how this game was going to turn out.

  • BereKinBereKin Member Posts: 287

    Shame, it could have been interesting concept. Especially with story and lore done by R.A. Salvatore. Who knows, maybe someone in future hopefully continue the project.

  • Garvon3Garvon3 Member CommonPosts: 2,898

    It's a shame... Schilling bet his whole fortune on this. A true hardcore gamer, and a fan of EverQuest, trying to make an innovative MMO back to the hardcore roots of the genre (before everything went to hell) and it never ended up happening. But garbage like SWTOR leaks through...world just isn't fair sometimes.

  • gaeanprayergaeanprayer Member UncommonPosts: 2,341

    I thought the project was bought by another studio? I think it was Riot or something. I don't remember the studio positively, but I remember they stated they dont acquire licenses, they "make them", hinting the game would exist in the future under a different IP.

    "Forums aren't for intelligent discussion; they're for blow-hards with unwavering opinions."

  • NadiaNadia Member UncommonPosts: 11,798
    Originally posted by gaeanprayer

    I thought the project was bought by another studio? I think it was Riot or something. I don't remember the studio positively, but I remember they stated they dont acquire licenses, they "make them", hinting the game would exist in the future under a different IP.

    no idea but Rhode Island supposedly owns all related projects

     

    http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/16/rhode-island-owns-38-studios-intellectual-property/

    According to the documentation, 38 Studios' intellectual property rights and other collateral were pledged to the RIEDC and assigned to a trustee, which we've confirmed by pulling Uniform Commercial Code documentation. Any proceeds made from the sale of the collateral would go back to the bondholders. This covers "all rights, title and interest in any projects, including video game projects," such as Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and "Project Copernicus" – the title currently in development at 38 Studios.

  • gaeanprayergaeanprayer Member UncommonPosts: 2,341
    Originally posted by Nadia
    Originally posted by gaeanprayer

    I thought the project was bought by another studio? I think it was Riot or something. I don't remember the studio positively, but I remember they stated they dont acquire licenses, they "make them", hinting the game would exist in the future under a different IP.

    no idea but Rhode Island supposedly owns all related projects

     

    http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/16/rhode-island-owns-38-studios-intellectual-property/

    According to the documentation, 38 Studios' intellectual property rights and other collateral were pledged to the RIEDC and assigned to a trustee, which we've confirmed by pulling Uniform Commercial Code documentation. Any proceeds made from the sale of the collateral would go back to the bondholders. This covers "all rights, title and interest in any projects, including video game projects," such as Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and "Project Copernicus" – the title currently in development at 38 Studios.

    Yeah I remember that article, but it's several months old at this point, and unless RI decides to learn how to make video games, chances are they acquired those assets to sell them and make the money back. That's just what I assumed when I read the article I mentioned. Currently googling to try and find it again. Going to be driving me nutty until I find it, now.

     

    EDIT: Nevermind. It was EPIC Studios, and they didn't absorb the project, just the Staff that got laid off (most of them, others had already gotten jobs at other places). I still can't find the article with the quote that made it sound like they were looking to buy the Amalur property, but until I do there's no point in giving people rumor ammunition. 

    "Forums aren't for intelligent discussion; they're for blow-hards with unwavering opinions."

  • OberholzerOberholzer Member Posts: 498

    Nice trailer but it didn't really show anything as far as what game play would have been like. Bummer for Schilling, he probably should have just went on kickstarter and thrown a few bucks at a few games instead of flushing his fortune.

  • ariestearieste Member UncommonPosts: 3,309

    Looks pretty bad, good thing it was canned I guess.  It was exciting to see what some big-name creative people would bring to the genre, but neither of the videos, nor the world shows in Amalur were at all interesting and if there is one thing that the world doesn't really it's another totally generic MMO

    "I’d rather work on something with great potential than on fulfilling a promise of mediocrity."

    - Raph Koster

    Tried: AO,EQ,EQ2,DAoC,SWG,AA,SB,HZ,CoX,PS,GA,TR,IV,GnH,EVE, PP,DnL,WAR,MxO,SWG,FE,VG,AoC,DDO,LoTRO,Rift,TOR,Aion,Tera,TSW,GW2,DCUO,CO,STO
    Favourites: AO,SWG,EVE,TR,LoTRO,TSW,EQ2, Firefall
    Currently Playing: ESO

  • kastakasta Member Posts: 512

    That really makes me wonder where all the money went.  Looks like Sigil all over again but worse.

  • Garvon3Garvon3 Member CommonPosts: 2,898
    Originally posted by kasta

    That really makes me wonder where all the money went.  Looks like Sigil all over again but worse.

    Sigil used their money to make an insane number of innovative and creative features...

  • Mike-McQueenMike-McQueen Member UncommonPosts: 267
    There's only a couple actual glimpses of in game footage there and that doesn't look that bad. Generic fantasy, sure, but knowing nothing of the gameplay mechanics how can we hate. For all we know they had something that could've rocked the foundation of mmos today. Unlikely but possible. And he only sunk half his fortune @ 20 mil. Regardless of the failure you gotta respect a man that privately invests on that level to create his dream to share with all of us whether it's our flavor or not.

    I'm a unique and beautiful snowflake.

  • OzmodanOzmodan Member EpicPosts: 9,726

    The genre did not need an updated EQ, which is what they were aiming for.  The gane would have flopped.  Better that they did not waste more money trying to finish it.

  • OberholzerOberholzer Member Posts: 498
    Originally posted by Ozmodan

    The genre did not need an updated EQ, which is what they were aiming for.  The gane would have flopped.  Better that they did not waste more money trying to finish it.

    I think the problem was they were out of money to waste:)

  • rojoArcueidrojoArcueid Member EpicPosts: 10,722
    Originally posted by Garvon3

    It's a shame... Schilling bet his whole fortune on this. A true hardcore gamer, and a fan of EverQuest, trying to make an innovative MMO back to the hardcore roots of the genre (before everything went to hell) and it never ended up happening. But garbage like SWTOR leaks through...world just isn't fair sometimes.

    Curt should have sticked to baseball





  • Garvon3Garvon3 Member CommonPosts: 2,898
    Originally posted by Ozmodan

    The genre did not need an updated EQ, which is what they were aiming for.  The gane would have flopped.  Better that they did not waste more money trying to finish it.

    Actually, an updated EQ is what the hardcore MMO community has been begging for for about 7 years now.

  • Poison_AdelePoison_Adele Member CommonPosts: 287

    From what I understand, all we know of what it might have been is pretty.

    What's there to speculate about? 

    image

  • ReizlaReizla Member RarePosts: 4,092

    It would not surprise me if EA (published for Kingdom of Amalur) has pulled the plug after SWToR's failure.

  • Garvon3Garvon3 Member CommonPosts: 2,898
    Originally posted by Poison_Adele

    From what I understand, all we know of what it might have been is pretty.

    What's there to speculate about? 

    The team behind it was probably one of the most high profile group of creators in the video game industry.

  • jeremyjodesjeremyjodes Member, Newbie CommonPosts: 679

    Sorry just looks like another fantasy MMORPG. in truth, i don't really know much about it to be honest.

    image

  • ariestearieste Member UncommonPosts: 3,309
    Originally posted by Garvon3
    Originally posted by Ozmodan

    The genre did not need an updated EQ, which is what they were aiming for.  The gane would have flopped.  Better that they did not waste more money trying to finish it.

    Actually, an updated EQ is what the hardcore MMO community has been begging for for about 7 years now.

    Not really.  People want to get the same feeling they had when the played EQ1, but they don't actually want an updated EQ1.   Vanguard was pretty close to that and it failed miserably - mostly because its retarded game director refused to acknowledge that his ideas were outdated and that there had actually been progress made in the 10 years since he'd last made a game. 

     

    I too want to get the same feeling back that I had 12 years ago in my first MMO, but I certainly DO NOT want to play a game that hasn't progressed in its design in 12 years.

    "I’d rather work on something with great potential than on fulfilling a promise of mediocrity."

    - Raph Koster

    Tried: AO,EQ,EQ2,DAoC,SWG,AA,SB,HZ,CoX,PS,GA,TR,IV,GnH,EVE, PP,DnL,WAR,MxO,SWG,FE,VG,AoC,DDO,LoTRO,Rift,TOR,Aion,Tera,TSW,GW2,DCUO,CO,STO
    Favourites: AO,SWG,EVE,TR,LoTRO,TSW,EQ2, Firefall
    Currently Playing: ESO

  • Garvon3Garvon3 Member CommonPosts: 2,898
    Originally posted by arieste
    Originally posted by Garvon3
    Originally posted by Ozmodan

    The genre did not need an updated EQ, which is what they were aiming for.  The gane would have flopped.  Better that they did not waste more money trying to finish it.

    Actually, an updated EQ is what the hardcore MMO community has been begging for for about 7 years now.

    Not really.  People want to get the same feeling they had when the played EQ1, but they don't actually want an updated EQ1.   Vanguard was pretty close to that and it failed miserably - mostly because its retarded game director refused to acknowledge that his ideas were outdated and that there had actually been progress made in the 10 years since he'd last made a game. 

     

     

    Thanks for proving that you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Vanguard sold extremely well initially. The reason it "failed" is because it launched 8 months early and nearly everything in the game was broken. Yet it still gets some of the highest praise whenever its brought up. People are always saying "Man if only they hadn't messed up the launch. If only it had higher population I'd be playing it right now..."

    Vanguard wasn't JUST updated EQ, it had/has a lot of innovative features. Which is more than any other AAA MMO can boast.

  • OzmodanOzmodan Member EpicPosts: 9,726
    Originally posted by Garvon3
    Originally posted by arieste
    Originally posted by Garvon3
    Originally posted by Ozmodan

    The genre did not need an updated EQ, which is what they were aiming for.  The gane would have flopped.  Better that they did not waste more money trying to finish it.

    Actually, an updated EQ is what the hardcore MMO community has been begging for for about 7 years now.

    Not really.  People want to get the same feeling they had when the played EQ1, but they don't actually want an updated EQ1.   Vanguard was pretty close to that and it failed miserably - mostly because its retarded game director refused to acknowledge that his ideas were outdated and that there had actually been progress made in the 10 years since he'd last made a game. 

     

     

    Thanks for proving that you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Vanguard sold extremely well initially. The reason it "failed" is because it launched 8 months early and nearly everything in the game was broken. Yet it still gets some of the highest praise whenever its brought up. People are always saying "Man if only they hadn't messed up the launch. If only it had higher population I'd be playing it right now..."

    Vanguard wasn't JUST updated EQ, it had/has a lot of innovative features. Which is more than any other AAA MMO can boast.

    Hard to say that Vanguard had many innovative features and those it did have, did not work that well and still have issues today.  SOE basically has done very little with the game since release, they have one programmer on it and let's face it, Brad left a huge pile of crap when it came to code.   Not much you can do with it.   Brad had too many fingers in the pie at the time with over 400 people working on the game and no coordination of the code base.  Beyond the diplomacy feature, which never really worked right, there was very little that was innovative about Vanguard.

    Hard to tell if Copernicus had the same issues as they had about the same number working on the game.  You better be well financed to employ that many people, which they weren't.  

    You can do a decent MMO with 50 people or less with good management.  Throwing more people at it, just bogs it down and causes huge coordination issues.  I have seen more big projects go down the tubes because a high level idiot thought that throwing more people at it would get it done faster.

     

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