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Seth
Last Man Standing
Joined: 23 Jan 2002
Posts: 1008
Location: Faerun |
Anybody remembers that project? Too bad it is on hold until further notice, because I just read extensive FAQ and it looked pretty damn cool. So if you guys want to check this site out, I don’t take the responsibility for the spilled tears after reading. 
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Money - An article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider of everything except happiness. |
Mon Jul 21, 2003 1:23 pm |
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Hexy
High Emperor
Joined: 28 Jun 2002
Posts: 621
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Well, as long as Van Buren or whatever they call FO 3 isn't canned, I'm glad. Sure, it seemed like a nice game, but that's life.
_________________
Like some bold seer in a trance;
Seeing all his own mischance |
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Mon Jul 21, 2003 5:06 pm |
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Dhruin
Stranger In A Strange Land
Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 1825
Location: Sydney, Australia |
Not much to add, I'm afraid. It had excellent potential, arguably having one of the best feature sets ever - but I doubt we'll ever know how good it really is/was. |
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Mon Jul 21, 2003 11:56 pm |
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ThouShaltNot
Eager Tradesman
Joined: 27 Feb 2003
Posts: 32
Location: New Zealand |
Forgive me if I don't shed any tears over this game's demise. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it would have been a great game, but frankly I'm sick of D&D and the Forgotten Realms (and Tolkeinesque settings in general). I'm happy to see Black Isle concentrate their efforts on Van Buren (Fallout 3), which will be using the same game engine and will probably feature many of the same design elements. Just as long as the company can hold itself together for long enough to release it... |
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Tue Jul 22, 2003 12:41 am |
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Dhruin
Stranger In A Strange Land
Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 1825
Location: Sydney, Australia |
Well, your points are valid an I don't entirely disagree, except that I would have enjoyed several aspects of Jefferson even if I'm happy to leave FR behind. For example, Jeffie had/has deeper characterisation and NPC interaction and story - a little PS:T -ish, whereas Fallout's focus is on the individual player-character and near-total freedom.
Having a near-complete BIS RPG just rotting on the shelf can not be a good thing, surely. |
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Tue Jul 22, 2003 11:50 pm |
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ThouShaltNot
Eager Tradesman
Joined: 27 Feb 2003
Posts: 32
Location: New Zealand |
quote:
Originally posted by Dhruin
For example, Jeffie had/has deeper characterisation and NPC interaction and story - a little PS:T -ish, whereas Fallout's focus is on the individual player-character and near-total freedom.
I didn't realise that their design philosophy was so different. I actually favour character interaction and story over complete freedom, so you have a valid point.
quote:
Originally posted by Dhruin
Having a near-complete BIS RPG just rotting on the shelf can not be a good thing, surely.
Near-complete? I wasn't aware that it was so far along in its design.
If they had valid reasons for dropping it, then so be it. But if it was cancelled because of the Bioware-Interplay falling out / loss of D&D license, then indeed it is a pity. |
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Wed Jul 23, 2003 12:10 am |
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Dhruin
Stranger In A Strange Land
Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 1825
Location: Sydney, Australia |
Perhaps "near-complete" was a little over-zealous.  Perhaps "advanced" would be a better description - it was a substantial way through development.
As for a valid reason - I don't think any outsiders know the true story, but here's my "reading between the lines" in a nutshell.
Interplay had a license that allowed it to develop certain D&D titles through to 2005 (IIRC); namely Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale. In an attempt to extend the console rights further, Interplay asked to re-negotiate their contract. This negotiation did result in extended console rights but the PC rights were granted "subject to obtaining 3rd-party waivers" (quote taken from Interplay SEC filings).
Presumably the 3rd-party was Inforgrames/Atari which now owned certain Hasbro Interactive properties and the onging D&D computer rights. Presumably they decided to protect their own D&D business (ToEE for example) and told Interplay to go jump.
So...Interplay essentially traded PC rights for console rights. Jefferson gets put on the shelf. All just my reading of the matter. |
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Thu Jul 24, 2003 9:18 am |
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Seth
Last Man Standing
Joined: 23 Jan 2002
Posts: 1008
Location: Faerun |
@Dhruin
I don’t quite understand why would Inforgrames/Atari have the only rights to develop D&D games with 3rd edition rules. Isn’t this like “monopoly”, there are law against that, right? So if what you saying is true, the only D&D games will be publish by Inforgrames/Atari or none at all?
_________________
Money - An article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider of everything except happiness. |
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Thu Jul 24, 2003 3:15 pm |
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Dinzy
Village Dweller
Joined: 26 Jul 2003
Posts: 19
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quote:
Originally posted by Seth
@Dhruin
I don’t quite understand why would Inforgrames/Atari have the only rights to develop D&D games with 3rd edition rules. Isn’t this like “monopoly”, there are law against that, right? So if what you saying is true, the only D&D games will be publish by Inforgrames/Atari or none at all?
It is not a monopoly because there are alternative products, ie non D&D rpgs, non RPG games, etc.
I have no concept of how hard it is to develop an RPG, but how hard could it be to change the game to a non D&D rule set? Wouldn't it be more profitable to do that rather than shelve all that existing work? |
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Sun Jul 27, 2003 5:08 am |
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Dhruin
Stranger In A Strange Land
Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 1825
Location: Sydney, Australia |
quote:
Originally posted by Seth
@Dhruin
I don’t quite understand why would Inforgrames/Atari have the only rights to develop D&D games with 3rd edition rules. Isn’t this like “monopoly”, there are law against that, right? So if what you saying is true, the only D&D games will be publish by Inforgrames/Atari or none at all?
Firstly, I'm not a lawyer or in an "insider" position, so all of this is just my understanding - although I keep very up to date in my role as a news editor.
Is this a monopoly - no! If you personally had designed a set of role-play rules, you would own the intellectual property rights. You could then sell access to those rights as you pleased, including selling the *exclusive* rights to another company for the next whatever years.
Wizards of the Coast are owned by Hasbro. The rights for D&D *computer games* were held by Hasbro Interactive (a subdivision). Years ago Hasbro sold Interplay a license to develop certain D&D games for a certain period of time.
In the meantime, Infogrames purchased Hasbro Interactive, thus becoming the rights-holder for D&D computer games. This didn't cancel or change Interplay's current contract rights, but Inforgrames could start developing it's own D&D games.
However, Interplay decided they wanted to re-negotiate this contract for longer console rights (I guess they saw lots of potential in BG:DA / 2?). Since these negotiations obviously involved Inforgrames, they were in a position to agree to extended console rights but disagree on PC rights.
As Dinzy said, they're free to pursue any other PnP setting they can obtain rights for (or build their own), so there's no monopoly. It's even possible (this is unclear) that they still have rights for 'Icewind Dale 3' (one of the SEC filings makes specific mention of IWD3 rights), although rights to 'BG3' and any other D&D setting are almost certainly gone.
Why did they stick it on the shelf instead of changing it to IWD3? Dunno. Maybe they don't have IWD3 rights, afterall. Maybe the amount of work exceeds the likely sales, or is as much work as building a new game from scratch. Maybe they think/know this licensing situation will ease in a year or two.
On the bright side, JE Sawyer has specifically stated that Van Buren will benefit from Jefferson work. The engine (obviously), AI and switchable RT/TB will come straight from Jeffie.
Phew... |
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Mon Jul 28, 2003 12:58 am |
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Seth
Last Man Standing
Joined: 23 Jan 2002
Posts: 1008
Location: Faerun |
I should rephrase my question: the only D&D games set in FR will be publish by Inforgrames/Atari or none at all?
_________________
Money - An article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider of everything except happiness. |
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Mon Jul 28, 2003 2:34 pm |
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Dhruin
Stranger In A Strange Land
Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 1825
Location: Sydney, Australia |
Other than the unlikely scenario (for the time being) that another licensee is granted - yes - only Atari. |
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Mon Jul 28, 2003 11:36 pm |
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