SOE loses Star Wars MMOG license and Chief Creative Officer. Allegedly. - Page 4

Zaniel · 03-23-2006, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papillon

While I don't agree with many of his ideas, there are other players out there that love them. Even sandboxes. That's just not the type of game for star wars. We all know now.

There are good sandbox games and bad sandbox games, execution/devil in the detail is hugely important, you can't just brush it off. In any case, EVERY single person on this board and 99% of others could tell you that a sandbox/crafting game was 1000% what SWG didn't need. If you want to place blame then go with whoever made the decision and signed off on hiring Koster.

How anyone could not understand that SW fans wanted to be Han Solo or Luke Skywalker etc etc doing trench runs or riding speeders through Endor's forests or deflecting Stormtrooper blaster bolts while swinging across Death Star chasms is utterly beyond me. WTF?!?!?! How in god's name does dancing wookies in a cantina or harvesting materials for blaster building have ANYTHING to do with the flavour of what your fan base are so absolutely blindingly obviously looking for.

If Brad wanted to rebuild UO Woodcutters In Space he should have picked a different avenue. SW was absolutely the genre to not do this in.

Moontayle · 03-23-2006, 08:33 PM

From Gamespot:

Quote:

Koster leaves Sony Online

Creative boss departs; SOE says strategic goals of company and man "don't match."

Raph Koster, chief creative officer of Sony Online Entertainment, and one of the leaders behind the development of Star Wars Galaxies, has left the company, SOE reps confirmed today.

Based in Austin, Texas, Koster is widely considered an expert when it comes to the design of massively multiplayer online games. He often participates in event panels and maintains an active blog that focuses on the nuances of the genre.

Koster is leaving his post of 6 years "to pursue development interests outside of the company," SOE said.

"Although his current interests take him into areas that don't match SOE's strategic goals, we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors."

Prior to joining SOE's Austin studio, Koster was part of the Ultima Online team at Origin Systems. In addition to Galaxies, Koster was instrumental in the development of the EverQuest franchise at SOE.

Koster's departure wasn't the only piece of scuttlebutt making the rounds today, but it was perhaps the most accurate. There was also a rumor circulating that SOE would soon lose the rights to the Star Wars license--and suffer the fate of having to delete or otherwise retire the "Star Wars" component of its Galaxies MMORPG title; SOE called that speculation "completely untrue."

And in related news, industry sources confirmed to GameSpot that Sony Online vice president of business development Cindy Armstrong would soon assume a high-leve role at Webzen America, the stateside outpost of Korean giant Webzen.

Noting that the US subsidiary has no CEO, it is likely Armstrong will take over in that capacity.

A Webzen rep told GameSpot the company "doesn't have a contract with her" and emphasized "there are no formal announcements, and we cannot confirm [speculation]."

Fender · 03-23-2006, 08:49 PM

Koster was involved with EQ? I was there very early on and I'd like to think I didn't just "miss" that all along.

Schatze · 03-23-2006, 08:59 PM

Anyone on Napa Valley in UO remember early on, there was a tamer who would go around literally everywhere taming pigs and naming them Designer Dragon?

I always wondered what was done to foster such a grudge...

Jait · 03-23-2006, 09:04 PM

Seriously, the only thing that surprises me here is that anyone still plays SWG.

Biggest PoS ever imo. And I love Star Wars. Hell even Jar Jar.

Vard · 03-23-2006, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schatze

Anyone on Napa Valley in UO remember early on, there was a tamer who would go around literally everywhere taming pigs and naming them Designer Dragon?

I always wondered what was done to foster such a grudge...

Damn.. I actually do remember that. heh

TheGoat · 03-23-2006, 09:51 PM

You know what. Fuck Raph Koster. That asshole doesn't make one mention of either Islands or Legends of Kesmai on his queer little timeline.

Smed · 03-23-2006, 09:53 PM

1) Yes Raph is leaving SOE. It's not some big dramatic thing - it's simple.. he's at the end of his contract with SOE and he wants to try some new things that realistically we can't do here at SOE right now. The truth is Raph is an incredibly talented and amazingly creative person and he has 1000 great ideas. He's done some great things in this industry and I know he'll continue to do great things. Raph's been with SOE for 5 years. I've enjoyed working with him a lot and he's made some great contributions. At the end of the day we have a finite amount of resources and projects that we can have in development at any one time. He wants to try some new stuff that we can't do at this stage.. we have a lot of things we are trying to do as a company right now. I'm always surprised by the amount of rampant speculation that goes on about stuff like this.

2) No - in fact LucasArts isn't "pulling the Star Wars" license or anything of the kind. We have a very long term deal and things are fine between our companies. It's complete and utter fabrication. I feel like we need extra-special tin-foil hats in the shape of Darth Vader's mask or something. What happens is one website writes something - then 5 more link to it.. so it must all of a sudden be true. I wish it worked that way.

Smed

Samus Aran · 03-23-2006, 10:08 PM

Mr Smedley, why on earth was star wars designed so far away from what we all loved in the movies? Heck even in the original SW film, Luke Skywalker didnt want to stay at home with his aunt and uncle farming crap all day. why would anyone at SOE assume anyone else did?

Daeos · 03-23-2006, 10:17 PM

I swear to god Star Wars is like the Michael Jackson of MMoRGs.

findar · 03-23-2006, 10:25 PM

SWG will never be as awesome as thriller.

kohl · 03-23-2006, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smed

...so it must all of a sudden be true. I wish it worked that way.
Smed

Little Freudian slip there Smed?

Bummer.. sounds like you guys will be wearing the SWG albatross around your necks for the foreseeable future.

Kolle · 03-23-2006, 10:31 PM

Thriller was huge back then though.

Anyways...I think everyone knows SWG isn't the fantastic game it could have been. SoE knows it and I'm sure Smed knows it. Thinking back on my UO playtime I can remember having a great time. There weren't any raids, no real grouping like today, or any other features we have come to expect. Somehow I still had a great time. I think the elements were there in SWG to create that same kind of experience, but things just didn't flesh out well enough. Maybe our tastes in MMOs are developing to the point where we will never accept another UO or EQ1.

Cantatus · 03-23-2006, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smed

What happens is one website writes something - then 5 more link to it.. so it must all of a sudden be true. I wish it worked that way.

Smed

Apparently, so do a lot of other people. *grins evilly*

/couldntresist

Frax · 03-23-2006, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Sinister Urge

Mr Smedley, why on earth was star wars designed so far away from what we all loved in the movies? Heck even in the original SW film, Luke Skywalker didnt want to stay at home with his aunt and uncle farming crap all day. why would anyone at SOE assume anyone else did?

That certainly is the $64,000 question.

03-23-2006, 09:53 PM	#53 (permalink)
Smed Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 98 +0 Internets	1) Yes Raph is leaving SOE. It's not some big dramatic thing - it's simple.. he's at the end of his contract with SOE and he wants to try some new things that realistically we can't do here at SOE right now. The truth is Raph is an incredibly talented and amazingly creative person and he has 1000 great ideas. He's done some great things in this industry and I know he'll continue to do great things. Raph's been with SOE for 5 years. I've enjoyed working with him a lot and he's made some great contributions. At the end of the day we have a finite amount of resources and projects that we can have in development at any one time. He wants to try some new stuff that we can't do at this stage.. we have a lot of things we are trying to do as a company right now. I'm always surprised by the amount of rampant speculation that goes on about stuff like this. 2) No - in fact LucasArts isn't "pulling the Star Wars" license or anything of the kind. We have a very long term deal and things are fine between our companies. It's complete and utter fabrication. I feel like we need extra-special tin-foil hats in the shape of Darth Vader's mask or something. What happens is one website writes something - then 5 more link to it.. so it must all of a sudden be true. I wish it worked that way. Smed __________________ John Smedley President, Sony Online Entertainment

03-23-2006, 10:17 PM	#55 (permalink)
Daeos Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: piloting the roflcopter Posts: 113 +4 Internets	I swear to god Star Wars is like the Michael Jackson of MMoRGs. __________________ -http://www.juggernautguild.com-

03-23-2006, 10:25 PM	#56 (permalink)
findar Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 3,900 +11 Internets	SWG will never be as awesome as thriller. __________________ -its clobbering time

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03-23-2006, 08:49 PM	#48 (permalink)
Fender Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 320 -2 Internets	Koster was involved with EQ? I was there very early on and I'd like to think I didn't just "miss" that all along.

03-23-2006, 08:59 PM	#49 (permalink)
Schatze Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 1,618 -3 Internets	Anyone on Napa Valley in UO remember early on, there was a tamer who would go around literally everywhere taming pigs and naming them Designer Dragon? I always wondered what was done to foster such a grudge...

03-23-2006, 09:04 PM	#50 (permalink)
Jait Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: :noitacoL Posts: 3,644	Seriously, the only thing that surprises me here is that anyone still plays SWG. Biggest PoS ever imo. And I love Star Wars. Hell even Jar Jar.

03-23-2006, 09:51 PM	#52 (permalink)
TheGoat Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 393	You know what. Fuck Raph Koster. That asshole doesn't make one mention of either Islands or Legends of Kesmai on his queer little timeline.

03-23-2006, 10:08 PM	#54 (permalink)
Samus Aran Sons of the Storm Heal Bitch Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 771 -7 Internets	Mr Smedley, why on earth was star wars designed so far away from what we all loved in the movies? Heck even in the original SW film, Luke Skywalker didnt want to stay at home with his aunt and uncle farming crap all day. why would anyone at SOE assume anyone else did?

03-23-2006, 10:31 PM	#58 (permalink)
Kolle Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 4,879 -25 Internets	Thriller was huge back then though. Anyways...I think everyone knows SWG isn't the fantastic game it could have been. SoE knows it and I'm sure Smed knows it. Thinking back on my UO playtime I can remember having a great time. There weren't any raids, no real grouping like today, or any other features we have come to expect. Somehow I still had a great time. I think the elements were there in SWG to create that same kind of experience, but things just didn't flesh out well enough. Maybe our tastes in MMOs are developing to the point where we will never accept another UO or EQ1.