I wonder if recent numbers and other issues (New World, Lost Ark) and pending reception of Throne and Liberty are causing them to push the slow down/pause button.
As with a lot of older games, LOTR online is due a reskin. I would not put to much stock in what we already have and would just "make the game" regardless of similarities. You are telling the story, even though it has been told before. IMO, the hook is the story, you just have the opportunity to tell it better. I just don't have my hopes up that AGS can pull this off. The fact that they are already trying to figure things out is kind of weird to me.
Its kind of concerning that they are already in development but don't have the "hook" that makes the game. What are they developing then?
A new engine? Doesn't the engine type depend on what kind of game it is? 6x6 battlegrounds need a different engine than 500x500 sieges and that would be different than a sandbox co-op.
Maybe they are just working on the graphics; that seems to depend on what kind of game it is too. If they don't have the vision of what the game is, how can they develop graphics that enhance that vision?
Is it going to be story driven? Voice acted? Fancy cutscenes to push the story? High speed action?
The way we always did projects is we had to know what we were going to make, how much resources and costs it will take, how long it will take to develop, how big is the target market and what is going to be the selling price, which leads to projected profits over the lifetime of the project. And that was before any development started.
Said 'it's early' I think it's a bit too early to panic.
Panic is what we do here. I may have heard a rumor that they're going with an anime style.
That is a legit reason to panic early.
You think he is joking, but they are already making a anime movie.
You are right. Let’s stop the circular arguments around what an MMO is or what an RPG is. Let’s argue about the difference between an animated feature, a cartoon, and an anime!
Go!
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018
"Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018
Said 'it's early' I think it's a bit too early to panic.
Panic is what we do here. I may have heard a rumor that they're going with an anime style.
That is a legit reason to panic early.
You think he is joking, but they are already making a anime movie.
You are right. Let’s stop the circular arguments around what an MMO is or what an RPG is. Let’s argue about the difference between an animated feature, a cartoon, and an anime!
Go!
1. animated feature -- a story that has been animated
2. cartoon -- a funny series of events that are animated, can turn into a feature if long enough
"Amazon Games' CEO Christoph Hartman opened up a bit about his company's
upcoming Lord of the Rings MMO, stating in an interview that the team is
still trying to "find the hook" to differentiate it from other games
from the IP."
Hoo boy. Translation: "We haven't bastard clue what we are doing, and judging by our other titles, never have."
This has nothing to do with the IP and everything to do with them apparently not having any team members who have any clue about how to design a decent MMORPG. Which frankly seems a bit odd to me as looking over Hartman's past development history he seems to have a pretty good track record. Of course none of those games were MMORPGs.
The "hook" is the IP itself. If they don't know what to do with it then give it to someone else.
But that's just the thing. The hook SHOULD be the IP. But recent trend is to spend a fortune to buy the rights to an IP, and then morph it into something else. My suspicion is that they really want to tie it into their TV show... which would be a massive mistake IMHO as it has a mere fraction of the attraction that the 3rd Age has to the broader population.
We shall see.
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018
"Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018
The "hook" is the IP itself. If they don't know what to do with it then give it to someone else.
But that's just the thing. The hook SHOULD be the IP. But recent trend is to spend a fortune to buy the rights to an IP, and then morph it into something else. My suspicion is that they really want to tie it into their TV show... which would be a massive mistake IMHO as it has a mere fraction of the attraction that the 3rd Age has to the broader population.
We shall see.
I agree. The key is when is it set and with the tv show focusing on the second age, the movies the 3rd age (and the same with LOTRO), when do you set it? I have struggled with this but the best I can do is I think it would be determined by the type of game they want to make. Theme park, sandbox, faction based, etc...? All of those are key parts of the decision.
I think the end of the 3rd age would be best in my mind (given the type of game I would hope for). Rebuilding after the war, major characters present, races are still present, the world expands some as the remnants of Sauron's forces are still fighting. Of course I would want a game centered on exploration, crafting, housing, etc... as opposed to a themepark hero saving the world type of game.
Comments
A new engine? Doesn't the engine type depend on what kind of game it is? 6x6 battlegrounds need a different engine than 500x500 sieges and that would be different than a sandbox co-op.
Maybe they are just working on the graphics; that seems to depend on what kind of game it is too. If they don't have the vision of what the game is, how can they develop graphics that enhance that vision?
Is it going to be story driven? Voice acted? Fancy cutscenes to push the story? High speed action?
The way we always did projects is we had to know what we were going to make, how much resources and costs it will take, how long it will take to develop, how big is the target market and what is going to be the selling price, which leads to projected profits over the lifetime of the project. And that was before any development started.
------------
2024: 47 years on the Net.
Go!
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018
"Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018
There isn't a gaming community that thinks more highly of itself. And that's what really matters.
2. cartoon -- a funny series of events that are animated, can turn into a feature if long enough
3. anime -- I don't like 'em.
------------
2024: 47 years on the Net.
We shall see.
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018
"Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018
I think the end of the 3rd age would be best in my mind (given the type of game I would hope for). Rebuilding after the war, major characters present, races are still present, the world expands some as the remnants of Sauron's forces are still fighting. Of course I would want a game centered on exploration, crafting, housing, etc... as opposed to a themepark hero saving the world type of game.