RPGDot Network    
   

 
 
Deus Ex 2: Invisible War
Display full image
Pic of the moment
More
pics from the gallery
 
 
Site Navigation

Main
   News
   Forums

Games
   Games Database
   Top 100
   Release List
   Support Files

Features
   Reviews
   Previews
   Interviews
   Editorials
   Diaries
   Misc

Download
   Gallery
   Music
   Screenshots
   Videos

Miscellaneous
   Staff Members
   Privacy Statement

FAQ
Members
Usergroups
EA's Project Gray Company Revealed
  View previous topic :: View next topic
RPGDot Forums > News Comments

Author Thread
Dhruin
Stranger In A Strange Land
Stranger In A Strange Land




Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 1825
Location: Sydney, Australia
EA's Project Gray Company Revealed
   

It seems EA has their Redwood Shores development studio working on an RPG with the working title of <a href="http://www.ea.com/official/projectgraycompany/" target="_blank">Project Gray Company</a>. There's an official (and obviously temporary) Flash-y site with some art, a dev video diary, forums and project overview. The working title probably comes from Executive Producer Steve Gray, who has previous credits with EA's Lord of the Rings: The Third Age at the Redwood Shores studio among others. No platforms are specified anywhere but here's the rather interesting overview:<blockquote><em>The action takes place in a massive open world where you can go anywhere you want, and the characters in the world are powered by an incredible simulation AI based on the same technology used by the makers of The Sims 2. The story of the game is built around a series of Story Quests. You can choose to follow specific Story Quests, embark on a range of other types of quests, or set off on your own adventures in the massive open world environment. To creat this amazing new world, we have assembled an all-star team of RPG veterans from around the world. By combining our talents, skills, and passion for all things RPG, we are committed to optimizing the most state-of-the-art graphics and animation technology, the best character simulation AI, and our powerful new story mechanic to create an unparalleled new RPG experience.</em></blockquote>
Post Sat Apr 22, 2006 9:02 am
 View user's profile
ElSebasti
Village Dweller
Village Dweller




Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 14
Location: Lusitania
   

When I opened their site I thought I was listening to Arx Fatalis. Even the hammering sound of the banners remind me of it.
_________________
Swimming in stats
Post Sat Apr 22, 2006 9:41 am
 View user's profile
ikbenrichard
Guest






   

EA, well then iam sceptic. maybe this time they are making something new in instead of a know formula.
Post Sat Apr 22, 2006 10:18 am
 
slak
Keeper of the Gates
Keeper of the Gates




Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 122
Location: Sweden
   

EA has never made a RPG afaik, not since they changed their name from Electronic Arts atleast.
Post Sat Apr 22, 2006 11:03 am
 View user's profile
fluffy bunny
Guest






   

This sounds very good, IMO. But will it make it to the shelves? EA isn't afraid of cancelling games if it suddenly gets cold feet, and proper RPGs are definitely new territory for them (it's been a while since they published an RPG now).

But it's good that the world's largest publisher suddenly feels that the genre is worth investigating again. It wouldn't surprise me if other companies follow suit (as they tend to look at what EA is doing for "inspiration").
Post Sat Apr 22, 2006 1:13 pm
 
corwin
On the Razorblade of Life
On the Razorblade of Life




Joined: 10 Jun 2002
Posts: 8376
Location: Australia
   

The last EA RPG was Ultima 9!! Nuff said.
_________________
If God said it, then that settles it!

I don't use Smileys, I use Emoticons!!

Post Sat Apr 22, 2006 1:17 pm
 View user's profile
Maylander
High Emperor
High Emperor




Joined: 22 Mar 2002
Posts: 1712
Location: Norway
   

The projects sounds very interesting, but like any game by EA I am very sceptical to this as well. EA games normally gets simplified to a degree where kids can stroll through them, so I would be surprised if they should suddenly make a great RPG. Still, I'll keep my eye on this title.
Post Sat Apr 22, 2006 5:14 pm
 View user's profile
Carpathic
Eager Tradesman
Eager Tradesman




Joined: 12 Feb 2005
Posts: 31
Location: Kitchener, Ontario
   

cool, looks like a darker rip-off of oblivion...I would try it out certainly.
_________________
The biggest rocks are but grains of sand to an ocean.
Post Sat Apr 22, 2006 10:25 pm
 View user's profile
Wolfie_
Guest






EA + RPGs = uh oh!
   

Are we starting to see computer game publishers get MTS? MTS, or also known as "Me Too Syndrome", refers to the phenomenon where for example, one person buys a super-mega-phonic seven speaker surround sound system for their home entertainment system, and soon after a number of their friends also start to sport similar setups (and there's always that one guy that just has to get the eight! speaker version, just because).

Reading the overview Dhruin posted, it could almost be used verbatim to describe Oblivion. I just wonder how many RPG proposals / design ideas etc like this "Project Grey" have been sitting on a shelf in EA, and it's only after the sales volume of Oblivion that they have been dusted off and re-looked at.

EA (re)entering the RPG market is not something I greet with enthusiasm, as Corwin already mentioned, Ultima IX, it was a game with massive potential, but as informed opinions have stated, EA pushed the product out the door some 9-12 months too soon. (The developers had spend most of their time on getting the various gaming engines, like graphics, sound etc) right, and had only really started in earnest with implementing the storyline, quests, balancing etc, when EA made the judgement that it “looked nice” so gave them just 2 months to get it shipped. If this attitude still exists within the company (and I see no evidence that indicates a fundamental change), then I fear we’re only going to see more low-quality, but graphically beautiful RPGs.

Post Sun Apr 23, 2006 12:29 am
 
Dhruin
Stranger In A Strange Land
Stranger In A Strange Land




Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 1825
Location: Sydney, Australia
   

I would list EA's last RPG as Lord of the Rings: The Third Age - from this same studio. Yes, I know it was on console it was still an RPG - and even had turn-based combat from what I recall.

So, in fairness this studio has some experience - although more in the vein of mass-market action/adventure stuff that reminds me of Fable than anything more "hardcore".

I think this would have been planned for a while - it's too soon after the release of Oblivion for EA to get the ball rolling from those sales figures. I certainly wouldn't be surprised if the hype and mind-share of Oblivion well prior to release played a big role.

Ultimately, I would be very surprised if EA created the sort of RPG I would be interested in but if publishers think open-ended RPGs are trendy it can only be a good thing - they'll pump out some mass-market crap but it also increases the chance of fringe projects getting the green light. And who knows - they might surprise us.
_________________
Editor @ RPGDot
Post Sun Apr 23, 2006 1:47 am
 View user's profile
Sid Fynch
Eager Tradesman
Eager Tradesman




Joined: 02 Apr 2006
Posts: 29
Location: Chiba, Japan
   

Despite what EA has become, they did publish Wasteland, Sentinel Worlds I and many other groundbreaking games.

We shall see.
_________________
"No one can disgrace us but ourselves."
Josh Billings

"Nature uses as little as possible of anything.”
Johannes Kepler
Post Sun Apr 23, 2006 5:58 am
 View user's profile
Sir Markus
Counselor of the King
Counselor of the King




Joined: 11 Jan 2002
Posts: 369
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA
   

Something tells me this is going to be more like Fable than Oblivion. I'd bet money this is going to be another dual release on the XBox 360 and PC.
Post Sun Apr 23, 2006 10:20 am
 View user's profile
Lucky Day
Guest






   

Published titles by EA that are listed as RPGs. Its by no means complete. Does the Wing Commander series qualify? (I've never played it)

Adventure Construction Set
Age of Adventure
Black Crypt
Deathlord
Deathlord
Heart of Africa
Legacy of the Ancients
Legacy of the Ancients
Legacy of the Ancients
Sentinel Worlds 1: Future Magic
Starflight
Starflight 2
The Bard's Tale II
The Bard's Tale II
The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate
The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate
The Bard's Tale: Tales of the Unknown Volume I
The Bard's Tale: Tales of the Unknown Volume I
The Bard's Tale: Tales of the Unknown Volume I
The Seven Cities of Gold
The Standing Stones
System Shock 2
Ultima IX
Ultima Online: Third Dawn
Ultima Underworld & Underworld II
Wasteland
Wasteland
Post Sun Apr 23, 2006 3:12 pm
 
slak
Keeper of the Gates
Keeper of the Gates




Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 122
Location: Sweden
   

quote:
Originally posted by Lucky Day
Published titles by EA that are listed as RPGs. Its by no means complete. Does the Wing Commander series qualify? (I've never played it)

Adventure Construction Set
Age of Adventure
Black Crypt
Deathlord
Deathlord
Heart of Africa
Legacy of the Ancients
Legacy of the Ancients
Legacy of the Ancients
Sentinel Worlds 1: Future Magic
Starflight
Starflight 2
The Bard's Tale II
The Bard's Tale II
The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate
The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate
The Bard's Tale: Tales of the Unknown Volume I
The Bard's Tale: Tales of the Unknown Volume I
The Bard's Tale: Tales of the Unknown Volume I
The Seven Cities of Gold
The Standing Stones
System Shock 2
Ultima IX
Ultima Online: Third Dawn
Ultima Underworld & Underworld II
Wasteland
Wasteland


That's not EA, it's electronis arts, there is a difference.

Under new leadership they dropped Electronic Arts and became just EA, and alot of crapy games followed. Well only crappy games imo.
Post Sun Apr 23, 2006 5:33 pm
 View user's profile
TheMadGamer
High Emperor
High Emperor




Joined: 03 May 2002
Posts: 487
Location: Southern California
   

The single best thing developers developing a 'Next-Gen' RPG can do is to stop referring to it as a 'Next-Gen' RPG.

Gather up 100 developers, 100 publishers, and 100 gamers and ask them to define 'Next Gen' and we'll have 100^3 responses.
_________________
The Poster Previously Known As NeptiOfPovar
Post Mon Apr 24, 2006 2:24 pm
 View user's profile


Goto page 1, 2  Next
All times are GMT.
The time now is Thu Apr 11, 2019 6:35 am



Powered by phpBB © 2001 phpBB Group
 
 
 
All original content of this site is copyrighted by RPGWatch. Copying or reproducing of any part of this site is strictly prohibited. Taking anything from this site without authorisation will be considered stealing and we'll be forced to visit you and jump on your legs until you give it back.