4e Videogame

[Derren]

I think this whole "Only Atari can make ALL D&D GAMES 4EVER!" deal that some people seem to convinced is the case is pretty much as delusional as the "Only SOE can make SW MMOs!".

Still, I think it would be a pretty stupid or at lest a very risky move to contract any other company/publisher to make a 4E D&D game.

I don't see any evidence, whatsoever, that Atari has "the experience how to build them". Turbine's DDO for Atari was total crap, frankly, on virtually any level (from art design to "being D&D" to "being a good MMORPG"), as reflected by it's subscription figures, and BioWare/Obsidian's NWN series isn't so compelling as to draw people from miles around. Frankly, the D&D name is a whole lot bigger than NWN.

Do you have any sales figures to back this up? For PC RPG standards Neverwinter Nights is a pretty big success and a strong name and is only outdone by some MMOs and high profile RPGs without party (Mass Effect).

Really, I think you're completely off-track here. There's no reason to believe that a publisher or developer with previous experience building D&D games would help at all in developing a GENUINELY GOOD 4E game. I'd rather see the license go to someone who hasn't put out a lot of previous D&D stuff, and who is less locked into convention.

Here you are mistaken. Experience does matter even in game design. That's why most studios specialize in a certain kind of games. Why do you think Blizzard doesn't create First Person Shooters? And both BioWare and Obsidian do have this experience with party based real time RPGs which increase the chance that they will make a good game. Sure you can give the contract to a new studio and hope for having discovered another Blizzard, but that is highly unlikely.

The Atari name does not sell games, and that's a fact. Of all the names mentioned, only one does. BioWare. And it won't be them, so if it's not BioWare, then it will be someone else, and the only thing that matters is that they are committed to making a good, successful game, and have appropriate funding. Even a brand new studio would have as good a chance of putting out an excellent D&D 4E game, I'd say, as say, Obsidian, or the random German company you mention.

Atari does not sell games, but Neverwinter Nights does and that name is likely property of Atari. Also you don't seem to know that Obsidian are the creators of Neverwinter Nights 2 and the most likely candidate to be the producer of the 4E D&D game when Atari is contracted.
And as I said, there are also economically factors in this choice. We Germans have a very different taste when it comes to games than the rest of the world. Also the German company is too small and one failure will likely result in them closing down. And while their current game, Drakensang, is nice, it is not as good as NWN 2, another example as for why experience matters.

 

[Jhaelen]

The Atari name does not sell games, and that's a fact. Of all the names mentioned, only one does. BioWare.

Hmm. the only name I'd consider to be selling games is Blizzard.

 

[Derren]

Hmm. the only name I'd consider to be selling games is Blizzard.

In the games industry the name of the game is much more important than the name of the studio. The only studios which names are widely known are either truly exceptional in their genre (BioWare, Blizzard, Square/Enix). Otherwise only hard core fans know the name of the company.

What counts more are either the names of designer legends (Richard Garriot, Will Wright, Sid Meier,...) or the name of the game series.

 

[Festivus]

The only other company with that much experience is BioWare who work for EA, but with Mass Effect, KOTOR and Dragon Age they also have their hands full at the moment. Also I don't think that EA will be any less demanding than Atari.

I doubt Bioware would be interested in another D&D franchise project. I seem to recall reading somewhere that the whole reason for Dragon Age was they felt too limited by Atari and Wizards as far as what they could do in the game.

I would love to see another game along the lines of Temple of Elemental Evil, only in 3D rather than isometric, with a toolset like Neverwinter Nights, and a DM client too! One thing about NWN is there is a ton of user generated content out there, I think that was what gave it some legs.

 

[lurkinglidda]

Maybe after Storm of Zehir shipped they can start with early development, although I don't think a expansion team has enough resources to pull that off.

[aside]I've been playtesting Storm of Zehir. Looking good! [/aside]

 

[Derren]

I would love to see another game along the lines of Temple of Elemental Evil, only in 3D rather than isometric, with a toolset like Neverwinter Nights, and a DM client too! One thing about NWN is there is a ton of user generated content out there, I think that was what gave it some legs.

The problem with that is that turn based games on the major platforms are dead. The customer base is simply too small. Beside some JRPGs and JTactic games I can't think of any turn based combat game on a major platform newer than 10 years.

Also, a turn based 4E PC game with Editor and DM function would step on WotC toes as it would make the virtual gametable unnecessary as it offers teh same functions with better graphics and no monthly fee. Unless the rules are highly modified from the PnP 4E. But there wouldn't be much reason for that and smart DMs or modders can certainly overcome such barriers.

 

[Festivus]

The problem with that is that turn based games on the major platforms are dead. The customer base is simply too small. Beside some JRPGs and JTactic games I can't think of any turn based combat game on a major platform newer than 10 years.

Also, a turn based 4E PC game with Editor and DM function would step on WotC toes as it would make the virtual gametable unnecessary as it offers teh same functions with better graphics and no monthly fee. Unless the rules are highly modified from the PnP 4E. But there wouldn't be much reason for that and smart DMs or modders can certainly overcome such barriers.

D&D Tactics - 2006 on the PSP... thats pretty major platform.

Anyhow, ToEE wasn't turn based until you got into combat, that was what I meant to say. It was more of a hybrid system. NWN wasn't turn based at all.

I don't hold much hope for a functional/popular virtual tabletop from WoTC.

 

[Ranger REG]

Have we got any reason to believe that Atari's license extends beyond D&D 3.XE?

They didn't mention any edition limit. It's a ten-year D&D electronic license, period.

The only way Atari won't be publishing a new D&D game is if their license is expired and is not renewed, they returned the license back to Hasbro, or Hasbro revoke their license.

 

[Ranger REG]

I don't think pulling the contract from Atari/Obsidian is a smart idea (except when Atari is too greedy or not able to to produce the game). With Neverwinter Nights Atari has a pretty strong brand name for D&D PC games and the experience how to build them.

I don't think Atari entirely built the games, per se. They're listed as publishers, but they contracted BioWare and later Obsidian to develop the games.

 

[Mad Mac]

The problem with that is that turn based games on the major platforms are dead. The customer base is simply too small. Beside some JRPGs and JTactic games I can't think of any turn based combat game on a major platform newer than 10 years.

Heroes of Might and Magic 5 did well enough to sell two expansions and greenlight a sequel. And for consoles the Disgae games and spinoffs have an insanely devoted fanbase.

I agree that turn-based games are very niche right now. But at the same time, real-time RPG's and Strategy Games have been done to death, and good turn-based games are considered precious as a result.

It's not like you have to choose one or the other...personally, I'd like to see a major Real-Time game and Turn-based game. Both styles of games have very different strengths and there's no reason to limit yourself to one format.