Thanks for the update. I really had hopes for this game but the more I found out about it the less I was interested. I loved the idea of a live DM running a digital game. I hope this doesn't damper future work on that kind of idea.
I've gotta dispute this point: I'm quite sure they weren't trying to let down an entire generation of D&D fans.However, I hate to say it, but this is what happens to a game studio that releases a complete crap product and does everything possible to let down an entire generation of D&D fans.
Tested developers make games from their own Intellectual Property. Untested developers licence IP selling that name since their own is unknown.
It's always a gamble. Sometimes it pays off (BioWare) other times not.
Is it me, or is almost every computer project that takes up something with the D&D brand (or something similar, like Pathfinder recently) have a curse on them to either bumble up or outright fail hard?
Id love to be on the board table discussions between WOTC and Nspace back in the day
WOTC: 'We would like to see you guys make a computer game based on the D&D 5th Edition Rulesset'
Nspace: 'Well first things first. Im sure you realise it has to be a multiple player game. And we are gonna have to do our own version of your rules. People just dont want to rest in games anymore. Its all go go go, and countdown timers.'
... Beginning of the end.
Digital Extremes would be foolish to even bother spending any time or money on SCL at this point. It was a dead game after only a month...releasing the console version will not suddenly raise nSpace from the dead and will only cost DE money.
I hope those who lost their jobs find new work elsewhere in short order, but I won't say I'm sorry SCL failed as spectacularly hard as it has.
I'm one of the rare people that played the game and enjoyed it. The art was gorgeous, the game play was not buggy at all, and the voice acting, and story was quite entertaining. (Yes I FINISHED the game)