Month: August 2006 (Page 2 of 3)

The Marvel Ghost Ship…

August 15, 2006 / Damion Schubert

Now that I’ve finally seen the rumor somewhere else, I feel okay pointing out that I, too, have heard the rumor that Cryptic of City of Heroes fame is making a Marvel-related online property. Note: this is unsubstantiated from anyone who actually matters.

This is only of note to me because… well… the license has been around. I know that Wolfpack was working on a prototype not long after Shadowbane shipped. The feedback we got was that our demo was awesome, but the deal didn’t happen. Other companies that have been (completely unsubstantiatedly) rumored to be within reach of the prize includes Turbine, Mythic, SOE and, most recently, Sigil. Or put another way, pretty much everyone except Blizzard, who was reportedly ‘a tad busy’. Continue reading

Wanna Make Games?

August 15, 2006 / Damion Schubert

Call it a minor revolution: while Sony is desperately fighting a battle to keep players from building homebrew environments on their PSP, XBox is flying into the teeth of the dragon. They’ve announced today that they plan to ship a consumer version of the tools needed to make XBox 360 games.

“It’s our first step of creating a YouTube for video games,” Moore said, referring to the wildly popular free online video sharing Web site. “It will give you everything you need to bring your game to life on Xbox 360.”

…and Beyond!

August 14, 2006 / Damion Schubert

So, in two months I’ll be married! October the 13th is the date. Yes, it’s a Friday, and no, we’re not superstitious.

We’re gearing up our preparations now – the space, the food, the officiant and the Honeymoon are taken care of. Invitations go out this week. We’re down to mostly little things, like the liquor (hmmm, you’d think that would have gotten higher priority). Also, now’s the time where all the ‘little things’ are starting to pop up. Continue reading

The Aristocrats!

August 14, 2006 / Damion Schubert

I saw the Aristocrats last night, and I loved it.

The movie basically is about a joke, told about a hundred times by the world’s greatest comedians. The movie is priceless not only for each iteration of the joke (a vaudeville number that has been around at least a century), but for the comedians ruminating on the joke. The joke itself isn’t very funny- in particular, the punchline sucks. But what it has become is a mental stretching exercise for comedians, to see how far into left field they can go.

Note for the squeamish: by left field, I really mean the dark depths of depravity. This movie is by no means safe for the kiddies or the pure of heart. Still, it gives an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the creative process in another field – stand-up comedy – and for that it’s worth it.

Spend Your Free Time In Prison

August 11, 2006 / Damion Schubert

This is for everyone who claims they want any fiction that isn’t hackneyed men-in-tights fantasy: a prison-based MMO.

Your first day in a crazy, maximum security prison is about to start! Forget swords and wizardry! This new online game is about FUN on the present-time!

The game is played exclusively over the Internet with other real players from all over the world.

Make your way from just a rookie to gang leader or boss, meet new friends and get a life while becoming stronger to gain real respect!

Players unite, collaborate & fight creating their own gangs and ranks within the prison confinements.

Games are, at their core, wish fulfillment. There’s a joke in here about girl prison movies somewhere, but I’m really too lazy to think of it right now.

Original comments thread is here.

SOE Buys CCG Company, Clearly Up To Something

August 11, 2006 / Damion Schubert

Here’s the link:

Sony Online Entertainment has announced that it has acquired “key assets” of online trading card game developer Worlds Apart Productions (Star Chamber). Certain employees from Worlds Apart will form the core of the new SOE-Denver, adding to SOE’s worldwide group of studios including San Diego, Seattle, Austin, and Taiwan.

Based in Denver, Colorado, Worlds Apart Productions has been building and operating online games for 10 years, currently including online CCGs like The Lord Of The Rings Online TCG, Star Trek Online CCG, and even an online CCG based on NCSoft’s MMO title Auto Assault, as well as the aforementioned Star Chamber.
…
The newly formed SOE-Denver’s core technologies have far-reaching potential, such as the ability to integrate board or card games into existing SOE online games, as well as the creation of new games altogether.

Fantasia Frenzy

August 10, 2006 / Damion Schubert

It’s been a while since I’ve added a term to the zen lexicon, but a co-worker coined one today: Fantasia Frenzy.

He used it to describe a massive amount of overdesign on a particular part of the game. As in, “I was asked to design a level, and my lead wasn’t there, so I sort of went into a Fantasia Frenzy. Next thing I know, I’ve got a level half the size of Belgium, and my boss is tapping on my shoulder. Looking kind of grumpy.”

Ah well, it made me giggle. Him, he’s in the process of cutting the baby in half. Maybe into thirds.

Right Now, EA Lawyers Might Be Sweating

August 9, 2006 / Damion Schubert

Kotaku reports that this is the day of Madden for the past two years. This year, they’re waiting until the 22nd of August, but it may be that yesterday, August the 8th, ends up being an even more significant day for Madden.

Cut back about a decade. Continue reading

News About Work!

August 8, 2006 / Damion Schubert

For those who are wondering what I’m up to, I will link this without comment.

Beyond that, all I’m allowed to say is “we are working on a MMORPG”. I bet that’s a shocker.