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Biggest impending flop?
Koltrane
Member UncommonPosts: 1,049
Not to be a pessimist, but I look at the games in the queue and some of them just look like accidents waiting to happen. I'm particularly concerned about The Matrix Online, which sounds like a great game in theory, but what will you actually do? In the movie, only Neo could fight agents successfully. Will all players be able to fight agents? Will there be sub agents or easier agents? Will there be a "Neo sensitive" slot? 
On top of that, Ubi Soft is in charge, and we've all seen how they can wreck a game (a la Shadowbane).
Middle Earth Online also sounds like a dynamite title, but unlike other fantasy MMOGs (EQ, UO), you're tampering with Tolkein's world and there are two big problems there: 1) any deviation from Tolkein's books is certain to be met with huge amounts of derision from the faithful and 2) Tolkein's world was so richly developed that trying to duplicate it in an interactive medium is sure to be a letdown. In other words, JRR is a hard act to follow, and Middle Earth Online may suffer because of nothing more complicated than unrealistic expectations.
Then, there's Battlecruiser Online. This to me is an impending train wreck. For those of you who don't know the history of the "critically acclaimed" Battlecruiser series (I dare you to find one critic who has acclaimed it), they are consistently buggy, graphically challenged, and lack many features. There wasn't even a multiplayer version of any Battlecruiser title until 2003. The Battlecruiser series is driven by the egomaniac Derek Smart who is a legend on usenet for his mindless flaming of anyone who dares criticize his games. The first Battlecruiser 3000AD is considered to be the Citizen Kane of buggy computer games by many. Give Derek credit, he is a tenacious little bugger and he eventually delivers a product, but by the time it's workable, the graphics are 3 years outdated and the gameplay has been duplicated by 10 other games that did it earlier and better. History does not bode well for this title.
There are others that are just plain goofy sounding (Monster & Me, There, Yohoho Puzzle Pirates) and many that just look like more of the same. Anybody else concerned that some of these upcoming titles are destined to go the way of Majestic?
NC > DAoC > EQ > UO > fecal matter > leper's oily rags > SW:G
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Old timer.
Comments
I'm playing Yohoho Puzzle Pirates and while it may sound a little dorky it's rather very fun. It's in open beta at http://www.puzzlepirates.com/ And I know, the chars look lego-y but trust me, it's great fun.
As some things can be right and useless, can't some things be wrong and priceless? -Viktor Suikoden I
NC > DAoC > EQ > UO > fecal matter > leper's oily rags > SW:G
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Old timer.
Has there ever been a good game based on a movie? (or movie based on a game?)
And by good I mean good, not passable.
I would predict both Matrix and Middle earth are doomed, since those games are more about name recognition than about making a quality product. How well did it work for SWG?
Battlecruiser will be watching nascar for me. I don't really want to, but I get stuck doing it from time to time. Why? Where else can you see a 12 car pile up and not be in the thing?
You can read about Battlecruiser: 3000AD here http://www.gamespy.com/articles/september03/25overrated/index8.shtml
And more about Derek Smart here http://gamespy.com/dailyvictim/index.asp?id=232
-=-=-=-=-
Achievers realise that killers as a concept are necessary in order to make achievement meaningful and worthwhile (there being no way to "lose" the game if any fool can "win" just by plodding slowly unchallenged). -bartle
Bartle: A: 93% E: 55% S:3% K: 50% The Test. Learn what it means here.
As some things can be right and useless, can't some things be wrong and priceless? -Viktor Suikoden I
MEO, why? Because its trying to follow a masterpiece of a story, and its going away from the complete core of it, and makeing it a happy-go-lucky everyone can be an immortal frodo story with mithril suits and flameing swords of d00m. It'll be a orc/goblin slaughterfest, a camp the Balrog day, and a lets go loot the dragons treasure, and if we get killed, doesnt matter, because even if we get toasted by dragon breath hotter then the sun, we'll still wake up at our "Binding stone".
What else? The only PvP in MEO will be in type arena's, sure, some people may not like PvP, but the heart of the stories in a way were, it was conflict between individuals, groups of individuals between each races, and wars between each other.
"The greatest trick the devil played on humanity in the 20th century was convincing them that he didn't exist." (Paraphrasing) C.S. Lewis
"If a mother can kill her own child, what is left before I kill you and you kill me?" -Mother Teresa when talking about abortion after accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979
You know, I think you've really put your finger on what has been bothering me about The Matrix Online, as well as MEO, in that these are not games built so much around great stories as around name recognition.
Before the flames start, I am in NO WAY suggesting that MEO is not based on a work of literature that has a great story. Indeed, Tolkein's books really fathered all the original fantasy RPGs all the way up to modern day and no one will argue that the LOTR books are not fantastic stories. My point is that what's driving TMO and MEO is more recent film success than a solid plot.
I was amazed at how the loyalists turned on the Matrix movies. Reloaded was less than brilliant and many people said so. The game sold well, but reviews were universally negative and I understand many went back to the store. There's already rumor that Revolutions will be the least popular movie of the three, as if people are planning not to go. I can't help but think that this feeling will taint the MMOG.
Middle Earth, with its fantasy trappings and Tolkein ties is likely to do better than TMO. I see it succeeding well, assuming it's not half done. I don't see the same for the Matrix.
BCO gets my vote for the most likely flop. No one plays the Battlecruiser games now. Why anyone would sign on to this bottle of instant earthquake is beyond me. I challenge anyone to go to Derek Smart's website (http://www.bc3000ad.com) and see how incredibly uninformative and out of date it is. Make sure you see the picture of Derek standing next to his rent-a-Mercedes on the side of the freeway. Smart's Soapbox, for one example, hasn't been updated in almost two years. The official line from Derek: It's ready when it's ready and right now it ain't ready. I'll believe it when I see it.
NC > DAoC > EQ > UO > fecal matter > leper's oily rags > SW:G
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Old timer.
TMO i wish it was good, but really i know that it will fail. One of the coolest things in the matrix is bullet time, which will be impossible to preform online. Also, what someone said about only neo being able to fight agents, if you watch animatrix there are lots of roles that the movie didn't talk about that were hackers and stuff just living in the dream world. Perhaps we are someone like neo when he was still in the dream world before he was "the one", and depending on what you do in the game, and how well your character progresses, you eventually can enter the real world.
As much as i LOVE the movie, for MMORPG's i'm just really into using swords and going through forests, more of a fantasy guy, that's why im putting my vote on EQII, as for MEO being a fantasy of course, i have a feeling it won't do too good either.
Homer-"let the bears pay the bear tax, but i pay the Homer tax."
Lisa-"Dad, that's the homeOWNERS tax!"
Homer-"Whatever I'll be at Moes."
ive never heard anything of battlecruiser so i cant really judge it. meo and matrix will definitely suck, but i voted for matrix since i could only vote for 1.
"This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind...let it be something good."
- Unknown Author
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The Battlecruiser saga is legendary and it is HILARIOUS! The game itself would be nothing but a bargain bin footnote in gaming history if it weren't for its developer, Derek Smart. In fact, the game is secondary to Smart and his usenet and IRC antics. Check out the following links:
http://www.werewolves.org/~follies/
http://www.gamesdomain.com/gdreview/depart/jan98/bc3k.html
And after you go to Derek's official website (http://www.bc3000ad.com), look at this one:
http://3000bc.0catch.com/
NC > DAoC > EQ > UO > fecal matter > leper's oily rags > SW:G
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Old timer.
Never underestimate name recognition. Alot of really bad games and movies make a bunch of money on that alone.
One of the reasons so many bad things are produced when based on another movie or game is that the creators KNOW they are going to sell regardless of how bad they are. This allows them to rush out a very bad product and with little risk.
With MMORPGS its a bit different since you actually have to hang on to your customers rather then just getting them to make the initial purchase so MEO will need to have at least some appeal to stick around.
_______________________________
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http://www.illutia.com
What I would do in Matrix Online would be to stay plugged in and just live a life identical to the life I live every day! Would I be able to just be some dumb, plugged in battery?
Thought I'd bump this topic since there's a lot of TMO talk on the boards now, what with the new movie and all.
I still think TMO is a disaster waiting to happen.
NC > DAoC > EQ > UO > fecal matter > leper's oily rags > SW:G
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Old timer.
SWG is still going REALLY strong, yet I quit cuz i still beleive its in its beta stages... doesnt mean they dont have 5 billion and a half people playing it still.
But yes, most movie games suck ass. Seriously, while I did enjoy "Enter the matrix" it still didnt meet my expectations as far as a 'good' game.
~Best thing since sliced bread
~Best thing since sliced bread
SWG-Ahazi- Kovoa DE/DOC
AC-Morningtha- Fou-Lu lvl 79 UA/LIFE
I personally think that UXO will be pretty good, given its MMOG chops. I mean, Ultima Online is still around and the original Ultima series goes back over 20 years. Granted, Garriott is no longer with the franchise, but the UXO team has a great universe with which to work.
I think the most promising games are probably UXO, EQ2, and World of Warcraft. Just MHO.
NC > DAoC > EQ > UO > fecal matter > leper's oily rags > SW:G
-----
Old timer.
I saw an angel of death come from the clouds one day, it touched my heart and smiled, then flew away, i felt my heart turn black and cold, and embraced this new power that i now hold
I saw an angel of death come from the clouds one day, it touched my heart and smiled, then flew away, i felt my heart turn black and cold, and embraced this new power that i now hold
keep in mind uxo is totally seperate from ultima online, different ppl, play style, etc. i believe some1 described it like this: ultima online is for socialites, and uxo is for eq level treadmill junkies. id guess most of use fall in that second catagory, myself included, so uxo appeals to me. arenas will own!
"This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind...let it be something good."
- Unknown Author
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NC > DAoC > EQ > UO > fecal matter > leper's oily rags > SW:G
-----
Old timer.
You know, I think you've really put your finger on what has been bothering me about The Matrix Online, as well as MEO, in that these are not games built so much around great stories as around name recognition.
Before the flames start, I am in NO WAY suggesting that MEO is not based on a work of literature that has a great story. Indeed, Tolkein's books really fathered all the original fantasy RPGs all the way up to modern day and no one will argue that the LOTR books are not fantastic stories. My point is that what's driving TMO and MEO is more recent film success than a solid plot.
I was amazed at how the loyalists turned on the Matrix movies. Reloaded was less than brilliant and many people said so. The game sold well, but reviews were universally negative and I understand many went back to the store. There's already rumor that Revolutions will be the least popular movie of the three, as if people are planning not to go. I can't help but think that this feeling will taint the MMOG.
Middle Earth, with its fantasy trappings and Tolkein ties is likely to do better than TMO. I see it succeeding well, assuming it's not half done. I don't see the same for the Matrix.
BCO gets my vote for the most likely flop. No one plays the Battlecruiser games now. Why anyone would sign on to this bottle of instant earthquake is beyond me. I challenge anyone to go to Derek Smart's website (http://www.bc3000ad.com) and see how incredibly uninformative and out of date it is. Make sure you see the picture of Derek standing next to his rent-a-Mercedes on the side of the freeway. Smart's Soapbox, for one example, hasn't been updated in almost two years. The official line from Derek: It's ready when it's ready and right now it ain't ready. I'll believe it when I see it.
NC > DAoC > EQ > UO > fecal matter > leper's oily rags > SW:G
MIDDLE EARTH ONLINE SHALL NOT FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I SWEAR TO YOU IT WILL NOT FAIL!!! if you got any info on it i am trying to make a website on it and need the most possible info just email me at cablexrac@earthlink.net k? k?!?!?!?! lol thnx in advance for emailing me
I just can't take someone seriously when they can't take the time to use proper English and use proper punctuation.
Good luck making your website...I hope you'll get a good editor to help you out.