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General: Todd Coleman and Gordon Walton form ArtCraft to make new MMO

BillMurphyBillMurphy Former Managing EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 4,565
in News & Features Discussion

Industry veterans Todd Coleman (W101, Shadowbane) and Gordon Walton (Ultima Online, Star Wars Galaxies) just announced the formation of their own new studio ArtCraft in Austin, Texas. Guess what they're making? That's right... a brand new MMORPG.

From the press release:

Founded by two of the most experienced executives in the history of online gaming, ArtCraft is dedicated to pushing the design of Massively Multiplayer Online games in bold new directions.  A teaser website and signup page for ArtCraft’s first unannounced title is now live at http://www.play2crush.com.

"In the last decade, Gordon and I have had the opportunity to work with almost every game artist, designer and engineer in Austin,” said Coleman, CEO and creative director. “We drew on those contacts to recruit a team of all-stars – and we’re building something completely different, completely unique. We believe the MMO industry has grown stale. It’s time to create something new.”

Coleman brings a wealth of creative and entrepreneurial experience to ArtCraft. He founded Reliant Data Systems (acquired by Compuware Corporation in 1999), Wolfpack Studios, Inc. (acquired by Ubi Soft in 2004) and was the VP of production and creative director for KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc.  As the co-creator and creative lead ofShadowbane, Wizard101 and Pirate101, Coleman has built a reputation for pushing the boundaries of MMO design.  His games have received numerous awards (including Game of the Year, Audience Choice and Family Game of the Decade) and he was personally recognized by Gamasutra as one of the top 50 developers in the industry and by Massive Gamer magazine as the #1 Most Influential Game Developer in the World.

“Todd’s creative vision is what makes this partnership work, and my job is to ensure his vision gets realized,” said Gordon Walton, president and executive producer for ArtCraft. “Our mission is to create must-play experiences that redefine existing genres. We must delight and challenge players in equal measure.”

Walton has been building games and managing game development for more than 35 years, with the last 20 years managing massively multiplayer online games. He has been VP of online at Origin Systems, managing Ultima Online, VP and executive producer at Maxis, managing the Sims Online and VP and executive producer at Sony Online Entertainment on Star Wars: Galaxies. Walton then went on to become the Co-studio GM at BioWare Austin, on Star Wars: The Old Republic and was most recently the VP and executive producer at Disney Playdom. Walton has personally developed more than 35 games and overseen the development of more than 200 games.

If you head to the teaser site: www.play2crush.com, you'll find a bit more hint at what they're building, with a simple email opt-in beta sign-up.  What do you think of their motto? The game, still unannounced, but with a timer counting down to 63 days from now will be an epic fantasy MMORPG. We'll be waiting and watching with the rest of you.


WHERE DID WE GO WRONG?

There was a time when our industry took CHANCES.

Our games didn’t have to appeal to everyone, and we didn’t judge ourselves solely on mass market success.

With amusement park games, it’s impossible to lose. With sandbox games, it’s impossible to win.

If you can’t win and you can’t lose, then


WHAT'S THE POINT OF PLAYING?

I don’t want to kill more rats, fill another experience point bar or collect another meaningless badge.

I want to play a GAME, against PLAYERS where my actions, my decisions and my SKILL will determine if I win or lose.

Allies. Enemies. Alliances. Betrayal. Risk. Conquest. To compete with THOUSANDS of other players for a chance to claim the THRONE.

Even if I lose, the experience won’t feel hollow. I don’t want another worthless trophy.

I WANT TO PLAY TO CRUSH.



 

Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.

My Review Manifesto
Follow me on Twitter if you dare.

Comments

  • garrettgarrett MMORPG.COM Staff UncommonPosts: 284
    Cannot Like this enough!
     :p 
  • Adjuvant1Adjuvant1 Member RarePosts: 2,100
    I think the heart is in the right place and they definitely have the talent. It will be very interesting to see what they make.
  • Zarf42Zarf42 Member Posts: 250
    The banners at the bottom remind me of Game of Thrones. Everything about this sounds amazing and exactly what we need.
  • RazeeksterRazeekster Member UncommonPosts: 2,591
    Looking forward to hearing more!

    Smile

  • WhySoSeriousWhySoSerious Member UncommonPosts: 156
    Well they have the pedigree, and are saying the right things to catch my attention. So yeah, I'll be interested to see what they are working on.
  • JafeeioJafeeio Member UncommonPosts: 57
    Not familiar with these two individuals but I'm always up for a good pre-hype and I like what i'm reading.
  • kinkyJalepenokinkyJalepeno Member UncommonPosts: 1,044
    Ok I'm officially intrigued....  I'm 45 now so hope there is something to look at by my 50th lol
  • LordOfTheNorthLordOfTheNorth Member Posts: 4
    Really interested to see what this is. The teaser page is seriously intriguing. Definitely gave off a Game of Thrones vibe, though that's not exactly a bad thing.
  • LordOfTheNorthLordOfTheNorth Member Posts: 4
    Originally posted by Jafeeio
    Not familiar with these two individuals but I'm always up for a good pre-hype and I like what i'm reading.
     

     I know Gordon Walton worked on UO, SWG and SWTOR. So he is pretty experienced.

  • loulakiloulaki Member UncommonPosts: 944

    i loved the picture after the email subscription :p

     

    image

  • CrazKanukCrazKanuk Member EpicPosts: 6,130

    So a few points on why this will be epic. In no particular order:

    • it's got people from SWG and Ultima. 
    • 2 == To, so you know it's edgy
    • It denounces both amusement park and sandbox gameplay
    • "What's the point of playing?" is so emo that it's edgy
    • It has a countdown to something
    • It will undoubtedly ask us for money when the clock is done counting down
    • It's exclusive. You can get no information unless you agree with their ideals (and then give them your email)
    .... and yes, I did give them my email :) 

     

    Crazkanuk

    ----------------
    Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
    Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
    Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
    Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
    Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
    ----------------

  • Cramit845Cramit845 Member UncommonPosts: 395
        Well I agree that they are saying all the right things.  It has me intrigued to see what they are planning, guess only 63 more days to wait, give or take a day.  Gave my e-mail, worth seeing what they are going to be looking to build.
  • mgilbrtsnmgilbrtsn Member EpicPosts: 3,430
    Something to watch for the future.  Much to early to get excited.  Good people do make bad games, so let's get a bit more info before going overboard.

    I self identify as a monkey.

  • Cramit845Cramit845 Member UncommonPosts: 395
    Originally posted by mgilbrtsn
    Something to watch for the future.  Much to early to get excited.  Good people do make bad games, so let's get a bit more info before going overboard.

        Extremely good point although I don't think anyone is going overboard just yet, but something still worthwhile to remember.

  • DaikuruDaikuru Member RarePosts: 797
    hopefully not just another promise by some old schoolers.
    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

    - Albert Einstein


  • aslan132aslan132 Member UncommonPosts: 630
    gave em my email, figured it couldnt hurt. If they start asking for money when the countdown is done, well its not gonna happen. Its easy to say all the right things, not as easy to do them. Also easy to have known names in the market, and still  produce a steaming pile.... Which I hope is not the case here. Only time will tell, but its too early to get excited.
  • orbitxoorbitxo Member RarePosts: 1,956
    Originally posted by Wolfhammer
    Ok I'm officially intrigued....  I'm 45 now so hope there is something to look at by my 50th lol

    ditto! lol

  • LungingWolfLungingWolf Member Posts: 73

    They have my attention for now. But, as soon as I hear "FFA, full loot, unconsentual PvP", I'm gone.

    I'm for PvP, of course, but not for ruthless extremes--everything must exist in a good balance.

    Waiting for: Citadel of Sorcery. Along the way, The Elder Scrolls Online (when it is F2P).

    Keeping an eye on: www.play2crush.com (whatever is going on here).

  • CoolWatersCoolWaters Member UncommonPosts: 104
    Originally posted by CrazKanuk

    So a few points on why this will be epic. In no particular order:

    • it's got people from SWG and Ultima. 
    • 2 == To, so you know it's edgy
    • It denounces both amusement park and sandbox gameplay
    • "What's the point of playing?" is so emo that it's edgy
    • It has a countdown to something
    • It will undoubtedly ask us for money when the clock is done counting down
    • It's exclusive. You can get no information unless you agree with their ideals (and then give them your email)
    .... and yes, I did give them my email :) 

     

    And by far the most important (for me):

    • Shadowbane 2, in all but name.
  • callingraven12callingraven12 Member Posts: 1
    the link is not working for me and i am interested can anyonw explain this to me....
  • SlyLoKSlyLoK Member RarePosts: 2,698
    I worry when I see the word " skill " thrown around in an MMORPG.. Is it going to be another action game? That seems to be the buzzword for them even though they require none.
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