| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| MuadDib |
Posted - 18 Aug 2004 : 13:23:44
Well, I get a newsletter and this morning there was one with Atari's fall lineup. It seems that Atari is playing my kinda game here, making a lineup that looks sure to sizzle and soar.
We have games as cool as:
The highly anticipated Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone - which we also covered in our magazine this month. If anyone wants the Official PlayStation Magazine (UK)'s take on it (since I don't think it's on the website) give us a yell and I'll transcribe it. This game might be a console release only, but wow, it looks breathtaking.
One I've not heard of myself, but am keen to read up on is Dungeons and Dragons: Dragonshard. Interestingly enough, this will be a two layered game according to Ed Del Castillo, where the game will be more focussed on warfare than on adventuring but will combine both. Gamers will be able to build non-resource dependant buildings on the surface and engage in classic warfare, while below ground they will lead small adventuring bands. Perhaps most interestingly of all, this game will be the first to be set in Eberron. Good or bad, I don't know...
I know we've all heard about Neverwinter Nights 2 but there's some new information here as well as an exciting interview with Feargus Urquhart to watch.
To top it all off, we have Dungeons & Dragons Online which is also set in the Eberron setting I've just discoverd and should ship end of 05. Listen to the interview though since you can see the engine in effect. Also, it's set in 3.5e rules.
Exciting no? some of the games might be rubbish, but publicity is good, and who knows, if they're a success, maybe it will encourage others to take up the gauntlet and make better games  |
| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 05 Mar 2005 : 04:27:50
Atari seems to be more concerned with using the Dungeons and Dragons and Forgotten Realms brands than making actual RPGs (they can have Eberron if they want it). I forget the interview, but some higher ups at Wizards even said as much, that maybe the future of D&D is as a brand making video games and movies as much as RPGs, computer or otherwise. Not words I really want to hear. |
| MuadDib |
Posted - 23 Aug 2004 : 09:19:25
More news: From Gamespot:
GameSpot was fortunate enough to meet with several designers and writers at the Gen Con Indy 2004 convention to discuss the 30th anniversary of the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop game, and what this auspicious event means for future video games that will use the license.
"We feel that Dungeons & Dragons is more than just the paper-and-pencil role-playing game," said Wizards of the Coast's special projects manager Ed Stark. Stark went on to discuss the upcoming licensed Dungeons & Dragons PC and console games, like Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone and Neverwinter Nights 2, which will use the updated 3.5 edition rules. Several upcoming games will also use the recently unveiled Eberron campaign setting. "Eberron has been created with computer games in mind," said Stark, who went on to explain that Wizards hopes both computer and console game fans and tabletop role-playing fans will be able to find and enjoy common ground in the new setting. "That's the future...more diverse gaming experiences all true to the Dungeons & Dragons property, but all tapping into a different type of gameplay." Stark added his own thoughts that tabletop games and computer and console games should be able to coexist peacefully, rather than competing with each other for market share.
Keith Baker, freelance game designer and creator of the Eberron campaign setting, echoed this sentiment. "So far, I'm very pleased by what I've been seeing," said Baker, in reference to the way in which the Dungeons & Dragons license has been used in both current and upcoming games like Dungeons &Dragons Online and Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonshard. "[In some ways, video] games let you explore a broader scope of things than you can do on a tabletop, so I'm very excited to see where they go with that."
Gen Con was also attended not only by game designers, but also by writers, like TV writer David X. Cohen, whose credits include The Simpsons and Futurama, and fantasy author R.A. "Bob" Salvatore, who wrote the popular Icewind Dale novels that star Drizzt Do'Urden as well as the story for Atari's Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone. Salvatore expressed optimism about the ability for different media, such as fantasy novels, tabletop games, and video games to coexist peacefully in the marketplace, rather than edging one another out. "I have never sold as many books as I'm selling now," said Salvatore, "and I think that [the 1998 PC game] Baldur's Gate was a big reason for that. Video games have certainly come on in force…they're fun. They're a natural extension, and...I think there's room for both." TV writer David X. Cohen also felt that the properties he worked on have a real future in computer and video games, citing previous games like Futurama for the Xbox and PS2, and suggesting that the two shows he's worked on might lend themselves well to other kinds of games in the future.
This year's Gen Con Indy 2004 is scheduled to run from Thursday, August 19 to Sunday August 22 in its new home of Indianapolis, Indiana. The game is one of the world's largest conventions for fans of tabletop, pen-and-paper, and collectible card games, but it's also home to various computer and video game publishers who use the show as an opportunity to show their games to a new audience. For more coverage of the computer and video games on hand at the show, consult our Gen Con 2004 Show Page. |
| Valdar Oakensong |
Posted - 20 Aug 2004 : 16:58:58
I'm not too sure about Demon Stone, a game based on the LOTR games engine sounds a bit too much like random button bashing. NWN 2 and D+D Dragonshard should be good. Let's hope the developers listen to the fans and get rid of the ring control method in NWN 2. D+D online I won't get excited about- has there ever been a really good bug free MMORPG?
Hope the console games are good, there has been a lot of console bashing in the forum of late, some with good reason- D+D heroes, but DA 2 was very good.
The highly anticipated Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone - which we also covered in our magazine this month. If anyone wants the Official PlayStation Magazine (UK)'s take on it (since I don't think it's on the website) give us a yell and I'll transcribe it. This game might be a console release only, but wow, it looks breathtaking.
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| Wood Elf Ranger |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 22:50:34
If you follow the link in MaudDibs very first post you will find a video clip with an interview of some of the developers of Demon Stone. They don't give too much story background about the game but its seemingly more than the article you read. For example they give brief backgrounds on each of the characters histories and a tad of the plot. Most of the interview is about how the game is cinematic almost a movie itself but that you play. It seems very interesting to me I hope it convert over well to PC format. There was hardly any but the briefest mention of R.A Salvatore writing the plotline and no mention of Drizzt whatsoever.
Also D&D: Dragonshard which is set in Ebberon and not the Forgotten Realms is a RTS game not RPG which is extremely different even for a RTS game and it breaks the mold of what you were saying about most all D&D games being RPG. How they will all turn out we have yet to see but it seems those of us D&D and computer game fans will have a lot to do here after these games come out  |
| Josh Davids |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 21:49:17
Hmm…interesting but nothing catches my attention in that lineup.
I got the dragon magazine yesterday with the article on demon stone and I got to say a really lack luster article. There was nothing new in it what so ever, all it talks about is the AI for the characters, Salvatore’s involvement in it and time and again it mentions Drizzt I think he got more mentions then the characters that the story revolves around. Its great that he wrote it, had a hands on in the process, yes this had been covered in numerous other articles on the game but man what is the game about, where it is set, what is the back story for the characters anything that will interest me in the game itself.
Great graphics, ok got it I expect that from games now a days, great sound yes expecting that too, good story line yes I was expecting that from the studio with Salvatore working on it, story….er what story?! Ug almost made me throw the magazine across the room in frustration I was hoping they would have more information on it then they did, they hyped the article up and it fell flat on its face.
The titles are likely good but I won’t be playing any of them. The biggest reason is time, MMORPG’s take too much time to play, with as limited as my free time is right now and likely soon to get a lot less free time I just don’t have the luxury of sitting down for hours doing nothing but making a character stronger I would rather be writing, game designing or drawing or spending time with my daughters.
As for the demon stone, I just don’t like the character control at all. I don’t like AI’s no matter how good or great they are they aren’t perfect and a game that is based around AI just doesn’t do it for me.
Also just because there are a lot of games coming out for FR it doesn’t mean much. If one or more of those games flops it will hurt the franchise more then it will help, in any way. that plus all the games coming out are in the RPG format, which is great but man people are locked into a mold why can’t they do an intriguing action adventure story based in the Realms around just one character? How about a mystery or tragedy story line, something new and innovative. Unless they start to branch out with the types of games they make it won’t bloom as a franchise, it will be locked into the same market which is not a good thing because the market seems to be shrinking as time goes on, how many people that don’t play D&D or FR sit there and buy a game like Neverwinter Nights or Dark alliance? Just my opinion mind you but they need a good character based game that takes place in the Forgotten Realms that will draw in more people. I have a feeling demonstone will start that but I just got to wait and see since they don’t even mention any back ground story on the characters. i would rather have one developer make a great game then a bunch make run of the mill games.
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| Wood Elf Ranger |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 15:27:27
I agree with you wholeheartedly MuadDib the more developers make games in the Realms the better chance that there will be an awesome game comming out of it 
I got another e-mail this morning this time about Demon Stone which apparently is now comming out on XBox AND PC!!! as well as PS2. So if it truly is coming out for the PC it looks like I'll be playing that one as well |
| MuadDib |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 08:19:26
-shrug-
I still feel the more developers focus on DnD in general the better. But each to his own perversions as they say.
I for one can't wait for these games. |
| Wood Elf Ranger |
Posted - 18 Aug 2004 : 16:09:08
I agree with Dargoth about Demon Stone. I will not be buying that one.
Neverwinter Nights 2 I'm not sure about I"ll have to see a lot more before I buy that.
D&D: Dragonshard and D&D Online both I will be buying for sure though Both look very interesting. By the way I got that e-mail too I posted a topic each about D&D: Dragonshard and D&D Online both over at Worlds since they deal with Ebberon instead of the Forgotten Realms. |
| Dargoth |
Posted - 18 Aug 2004 : 13:45:12
Exciting...No
I use my PC for games, Im not going to spend 200-400 Dollars to buy a Glorified C64 to duplicate something I can do on my PC.
No PC version means game company doesnt get my money |
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