Green Monster Games (Curt Schilling)

[Citten]

Originally Posted by Draegan

How are you following this game for a while? The only thing out is Curt saying, "Hey guys, I'm making a game and here's who I've hired."

I think you could guess that it's a fantasy setting. I mean c'mon, you think Curt who's been playing WOW and EQ since '99 is going to make a sci-fi game?

What I meant to say is i know he's playing it close to the chest right now, I've been following the thread/the studios nature, which Cadrid thought I wasn't. I'm not going to argue semantics anymore. I just wanted the setting, sorry if I upset you Internets. I'll go ahead and bow out for now.

[Rythonn]

Originally Posted by Ngruk

Ok here is where I get hung up, because the same thing happens in sports to a much larger degree. People make points, often times with zero facts backing them, and then others run with those points until the conversation reaches a breaking point. All the while the points being debated and argued are untrue.

So then you disagree that your content will take longer to create?

"WoW copy/paste half.."

What does that mean? I know whatever it means is untrue, there really is no such thing as copy paste. Do they reuse assets? Sure they do, like just about every other game, but there is really no such thing as copy/paste and to say it shows a lack of understanding of what these people truly do for a living. Listen I know it's not brain surgery, far from it, but it's still hard, even the 'simplest' parts are hard if done right.

I'm not even sure how to respond to that. Yes I actually thought they did crtl-c crtl-v and called it a day. But you can't tell me you didn't notice how almost every cave in the original WOW game, was 1 of 4? And there is the LDON example above. I felt wow "reused assets" more then most games.

[Gaereth]

I am just thrilled that they are going for a more artistic vision rather than realistic. I want a fantasy game to look like a fantasy world thats larger than life, brighter, fuller, darker, deeper, and overall more vibrant than reality.

Most fantasy artwork has an ethereal quality to it, an other worldly sense of beauty, a richness, that you don't find in many of these games. WOW has done a pretty decent job of inserting that in its world and it looks like 38 is trying to do the same thing.

Personally I think its a much better choice to go artistic rather than realistic. Artistic gives you a lot more flexibility in terms of what you can place within your world.

[Draegan]

You'd like the AION art work then.

[Ngruk]

Originally Posted by Citten

What I meant to say is i know he's playing it close to the chest right now, I've been following the thread/the studios nature, which Cadrid thought I wasn't. I'm not going to argue semantics anymore. I just wanted the setting, sorry if I upset you Internets. I'll go ahead and bow out for now.

No reason to bow out, I think I get what you were saying better now.
No need to argue either.
We are after the very same things many shoot for. When you look at our GAME art, our GAME screen shots, you say "38 Studios" immediately. I didn't realize how long that would take, but I am pretty sure we've arrived after being able to view in game assets.

[Ngruk]

Originally Posted by Rythonn

So then you disagree that your content will take longer to create?

I guess Our content will take as long as it's supposed to take, to create I guess I would ask you what you were referring to? What timetable would be considered the industry standard to be compared to?

Originally Posted by Rythonn

I'm not even sure how to respond to that. Yes I actually thought they did crtl-c crtl-v and called it a day. But you can't tell me you didn't notice how almost every cave in the original WOW game, was 1 of 4? And there is the LDON example above. I felt wow "reused assets" more then most games.

Actually that was where I first got miffed, in WoW in those very caves! I didn't get too far into LDON, I was on my way out of EQ by then.

I totally agree that it is a problem and something I have spoken very passionately about. Will we reuse assets? Absolutely, but it won't be for things like dungeons where you just cut and paste architecture, which is what I have seen and to me is totally un-immersive since my first 2 minutes in an area like that I am not even remotely 'in' the content but trying to figure out what they 're-used'.

[Monsoon]

Scott continued. “Obviously this is just 5 little snapshots, but hopefully it shows...."

Hmm, the Ten Ton article indicates 5 pieces of concept art but I only see 2! Were they only authorized to post 2 due to exclusive rights being given to certain websites? I assume the 2 from Allakhazam's are others from that 5 picture set. So that leaves 1 remaining... hmmmm.

But I must say that they are absolutely stunning and have a definite unique flavor. My mouth is watering at the prospect of adventuring in those places. An MMO that is so intent on paying close attention to story and world cohesion is a place I definitely want to roam.

[James]

Originally Posted by Ngruk

What timetable would be considered the industry standard to be compared to?

NOT BLIZZARD'S.

EDIT: By the by, excellent progress on your warrior there. I'd put a +8 or +10 hit rating gem in the gun instead of Crit/Sta, though. With a hit rating gem it basically becomes your best option for a threat-oriented ranged weapon all the way until the end of the game.

[Kuro]

2 year expansion cycle is fail.
1 year that Sony's trying has already hit the "Six months later and done" problem with their new cycle (not so much with EQ1, but EQ2 is definately feeling it).

Just put PVP minigames (create your own content wheee) in I guess, it's a way to keep people subbed while you have the room full of chimpanzees try to bang out expansion content.

Just make sure you've got enough content in each expansion to last a middle-of-the-road player's main character until the next expansion. The bleeding edge will always wreck an expansion quick, and the super casual will likely never see the end of any expansion until it's 2-3 expansions old anyhow.

[Rythonn]

Originally Posted by Ngruk

I guess Our content will take as long as it's supposed to take, to create I guess I would ask you what you were referring to? What timetable would be considered the industry standard to be compared to?

I think if you took a poll, the people here would say around 12-18 months. Blizzards current rate of every 2+ years is WAY too long. But with 10 million subs I don't think they care. Everquest is on the other end of the spectrum and can pop them out once a year, twice on leap year, and still get in adventure packs. But the quality isn't there.

[Monsoon]

Originally Posted by Rythonn

I think if you took a poll, the people here would say around 12-18 months. Blizzards current rate of every 2+ years is WAY too long. But with 10 million subs I don't think they care. Everquest is on the other end of the spectrum and can pop them out once a year, twice on leap year, and still get in adventure packs. But the quality isn't there.

I think once you get 10 million subs you pretty much reset the "standard" to whatever you want. ;-)

[Kuro]

When you hit 10 million subs you should be making enough money to pump out quality content faster.

[Quince]

Once a year really seems like a nice time table for an expansion with it coming out around Xmas time. I know in past guilds when summer time hits play time for a lot of people really goes down and raiding etc takes a huge hit. November / December is a good time as it is cold in a lot of different areas so people are inside more and it helps out the company push the profits for the "shopping season"

Now just because you get a new expansion every year doesn't mean it has to be the size of Kunark or raise the level cap every time, just throw a bone to people for some new content / time sinks / new classes or races etc.

Oh and while we are on the subject of content and expansions bigger is not always better. I would rather have a smaller area with tons of content then a large open world like Vanguard. Sure it looks realistic and what not but riding a horse forever to get to the next grinding spot is no good

[gnomad]

Originally Posted by Kuro

When you hit 10 million subs you should be making enough money to pump out quality content faster.

So since you seem to be a business expert, just how much NET do you think Blizz is actually making per month lets say?

Bet it is way less then you think with overhead and other business expenses. Also since you are so experienced in writing MMORPG's just how much does it cost to make an expansion?

No clue?? Well I'll be damned, never would have guessed.

[Pasteton]

Originally Posted by Ngruk

I totally agree that it is a problem and something I have spoken very passionately about. Will we reuse assets? Absolutely, but it won't be for things like dungeons where you just cut and paste architecture, which is what I have seen and to me is totally un-immersive since my first 2 minutes in an area like that I am not even remotely 'in' the content but trying to figure out what they 're-used'.

I'm exactly the same way. I remember when I zoned over to bonemire in everquest2 in the expansion, and started seeing exact copy/pastes of overworld architecture from lavastorm (but in a purple hue). It was a small thing, but it hinted to me that the dev team had long since phoned it in.