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David Wise leaves Rare

D

Deku

Banned
Bebpo said:
So I don't get it. Someone explain it to me.

MS spends all this money getting these first party studios together. Assembling a lineup of quality exclusive software. Thanks to these games in part, the X360 is where it is today. Then they fire them or the team leaves or whatever.
Click to expand...


They can buy studios but not talent. As they are not bonded in indentured servitude to the company.
 
A

Azure J

Member
Haunted said:
oh god that screen, it really hasn't aged well.
Click to expand...

Yeah honestly, I am the last person to be overly critical on a game's graphics, but it looks like a bad photoshop in that pic. :lol

Bebpo said:
So I don't get it. Someone explain it to me.

MS spends all this money getting these first party studios together. Assembling a lineup of quality exclusive software. Thanks to these games in part, the X360 is where it is today. Then they fire them or the team leaves or whatever.

X360 is still in a fierce software battle with PS3 for every exclusive they can get. What good does it do MS to lose these studios who could be making kickass exclusive 1st party games in many genres to battle the PS3 1st parties? It's one thing if X360 had one the generation and was so far ahead MS could fire everyone and sit back and enjoy profits, but they're in the middle of a major heated battle. This would be the dumbest time to lose 1st party titles.

What is going on?
Click to expand...

It's a mix of both Deku's response and the fact that most developers love them some 360. If it ever came down to the wire though and the Xbox line wasn't built on philosophies from PC dev background, Microsoft would be crushed in their situation. Their first parties are all over and most haven't delivered to the extent of Sony's or Nintendo's.

Or that's my take on it, it's all up for debate. :p
 
G

Green Mamba

Member
I've been playing through Star Fox Adventures again, and while the gameplay and what have you is as awful as I remember it, the music is incredible. Hope he finds a good job somewhere.
 
entremet

entremet

Member
Bebpo said:
So I don't get it. Someone explain it to me.

MS spends all this money getting these first party studios together. Assembling a lineup of quality exclusive software. Thanks to these games in part, the X360 is where it is today. Then they fire them or the team leaves or whatever.

X360 is still in a fierce software battle with PS3 for every exclusive they can get. What good does it do MS to lose these studios who could be making kickass exclusive 1st party games in many genres to battle the PS3 1st parties? It's one thing if X360 had one the generation and was so far ahead MS could fire everyone and sit back and enjoy profits, but they're in the middle of a major heated battle. This would be the dumbest time to lose 1st party titles.

What is going on?
Click to expand...
I don't get it either. Sony has done a much better job in this area.
 
T

theignoramus

Member
Bebpo said:
So I don't get it. Someone explain it to me.

MS spends all this money getting these first party studios together. Assembling a lineup of quality exclusive software. Thanks to these games in part, the X360 is where it is today. Then they fire them or the team leaves or whatever.

X360 is still in a fierce software battle with PS3 for every exclusive they can get. What good does it do MS to lose these studios who could be making kickass exclusive 1st party games in many genres to battle the PS3 1st parties? It's one thing if X360 had one the generation and was so far ahead MS could fire everyone and sit back and enjoy profits, but they're in the middle of a major heated battle. This would be the dumbest time to lose 1st party titles.

What is going on?
Click to expand...
Anyone know if MS reshuffles staff when they shut down studios?
If they were keeping the best people from the studios they closed then concentrating all of the talent under one roof (while saving millions in operating costs) that'd be pretty shrewd.
I know they hired Corrine Yu a while ago, maybe they're creating some sort of super team that'll work on their best selling properties.
 
M

Michan

Member
Wil Overton said:
As far as I know, though, Tim still owns the old Rare place just up the road in Twycross and yes, we have seen him going in from time to time. No-one that I've spoken to knows what's going on though. When they left, Tim sent out a cryptic email wishing us well and saying that he and Chris were setting sail on the good ship Golden Girl, whatever that means.
Click to expand...

Hmm
 
V

V_Ben

Banned
AdventureRacing said:
I wonder what MS's plan is for next gen. If they continue to weaken their first party output it's going to make things very difficult for them.
Click to expand...

moneyhats.jpg
 
D

Darth Tigris

Member
Wow. Do this many people love David Wise (who, as has been mentioned, has only turned out 2 game scores in the last 12 years unless you count the 10 mil selling Viva Pinata DS game ...)? Or do many people get all hot and bothered when a chance to bash MS comes up?
 
O

Operations

Member
Darth Tigris said:
Wow. Do this many people love David Wise (who, as has been mentioned, has only turned out 2 game scores in the last 12 years unless you count the 10 mil selling Viva Pinata DS game ...)? Or do many people get all hot and bothered when a chance to bash MS comes up?
Click to expand...
It's not like he had plenty of opportunities to show off his skills with Rare's output as of late.
 
A

Azure J

Member
Operations said:
It's not like he had plenty of opportunities to show off his skills with Rare's output as of late.
Click to expand...

It's exactly this. Also, the man's talent is not to be demeaned.

*Goes back to listening to DKC2 music*
 
M

MirageDwarf

Member
grandjedi6 said:
Lionhead Studios - Fate Worse Than Death: Stuck With Molyneux
Click to expand...

:lol

Bebpo said:
So I don't get it. Someone explain it to me.

MS spends all this money getting these first party studios together. Assembling a lineup of quality exclusive software. Thanks to these games in part, the X360 is where it is today. Then they fire them or the team leaves or whatever.

X360 is still in a fierce software battle with PS3 for every exclusive they can get. What good does it do MS to lose these studios who could be making kickass exclusive 1st party games in many genres to battle the PS3 1st parties? It's one thing if X360 had one the generation and was so far ahead MS could fire everyone and sit back and enjoy profits, but they're in the middle of a major heated battle. This would be the dumbest time to lose 1st party titles.

What is going on?
Click to expand...

Overconfidence and shot-term targets
 
P

Prine

Banned
I can say, with no prejudice that Rare have put out some of the best soundtracks this generation.

Kameo being the best, but this is a major blow. David Wise was like the godfather of OSTs.

And WTF KIRKHOPE LEFT TOOO! and Steven Burk.

Banjo, Kameo, Viva Pinata all had incredible soundtracks, and im hopinh they have enough talent to make up for thier loss. As Steve Burk demonstrated, a new recruit managed to put out absolute gold with Kameo.
 
P

Prine

Banned
One more thing, before this news i thought you haters said no talent was left at Rare, yet when someone leaves you shower the guy who walked with praise and acknowledge his talent. Then your back to saying no one is left... untill.....

Hypocrites.

Please, op, someone list all the talent at Rare so we know once and for all, before people start shitting on a company with no clue.

I know of these people still at Rare.


Martin Botwood(GE, PD, PDZ),
Chris Seavor (farther of Conker, Conker L&R)
George Andreas (farther of Kameo)
David Clynik (PD, PDZ composer)
And the farther of Banjo.. cannot recall his name.
 
D

Datschge

Member
Good, now I can finally stop keeping track of Rare's output.
SDZeta said:
Anyone knows what happened to Eveline Fischer? She composed some great tracks for DKC and DKC3. She's quite underrated.
Click to expand...
She married someone with the last name Novakovic.
 
L

Leminnes

Banned
Wizpig said:
Jesus Christ, Rare.

Just...

I don't know, i don't really know what to say.
You guys remember all the fuss when Rare was sold or when their 360 games proved to be not-so-popular, but at those times i still had faith, i enjoyed recent games like N&B.
I knew it wasn't the same Rare i loved on 64, but still...

Yeah, i know, cool story bro. [:(]
It's just to say... I lost all faith in Rare in these last few weeks of awful news regarding them.
Bitter tears.
I guess this time it really is over.
Click to expand...

I almost lost faith in Rare the day they were sold to Microsoft. It might sound a bit fanboyish (maybe it is, I was a huge one back in the day) but I had a feeling Microsoft wasn't going to support their type of games as much as Nintendo did (except Conker's, which was awesome, but that's basically the only exception.)

But still, I held a bit of hope since the original founders, Tim and Chris Stamper, were still around helping make the games. But then they left for... who knows what (haven't heard ANYTHING from them since 2007) and then I lost ALL faith, completely gone. Rare is no longer Rare.

Good night, sweet prince.
 
G

grandjedi6

Master of the Google Search
Bebpo said:
So I don't get it. Someone explain it to me.

MS spends all this money getting these first party studios together. Assembling a lineup of quality exclusive software. Thanks to these games in part, the X360 is where it is today. Then they fire them or the team leaves or whatever.

X360 is still in a fierce software battle with PS3 for every exclusive they can get. What good does it do MS to lose these studios who could be making kickass exclusive 1st party games in many genres to battle the PS3 1st parties? It's one thing if X360 had one the generation and was so far ahead MS could fire everyone and sit back and enjoy profits, but they're in the middle of a major heated battle. This would be the dumbest time to lose 1st party titles.

What is going on?
Click to expand...
What's the point of keeping studios if you've already destroyed their development culture?

"When Microsoft bought FASA Interactive and incorporated it into Microsoft... the two reasons they bought us was, one, they wanted the catalogue of intellectual properties and, two, they felt that we had developed a really good development culture. And the reality is that, pretty much from the day we moved to Redmond, that development culture was destroyed," Weisman told GamesIndustry.biz.

"I don't think the studio ever really had a chance. It was destroyed right in the beginning."
Click to expand...
When we were acquiring Bungie, they wanted me to sit down with the owners of Bungie and tell them how well the transition went," he explained. "And it was like - 'what planet are you guys on?' This transition did not go well. And actually I became the lead vocal pain in the ass to get things done very different for Bungie.

"I tried to convince them to leave Bungie in Chicago, but not winning that I did succeed in getting them to put them in a walled off room, which didn't follow any of the other Microsoft stuff. We were much better able to defend Bungie's culture than we were FASA's culture."
Click to expand...
 
L

Leminnes

Banned
Prine said:
I can say, with no prejudice that Rare have put out some of the best soundtracks this generation.

Kameo being the best, but this is a major blow. David Wise was like the godfather of OSTs.

And WTF KIRKHOPE LEFT TOOO! and Steven Burk.

Banjo, Kameo, Viva Pinata all had incredible soundtracks, and im hopinh they have enough talent to make up for thier loss. As Steve Burk demonstrated, a new recruit managed to put out absolute gold with Kameo.
Click to expand...

Kameo was done by Steve Burke. Banjo and Viva Pinata were done by Kirkhope.


Prine said:
One more thing, before this news i thought you haters said no talent was left at Rare, yet when someone leaves you shower the guy who walked with praise and acknowledge his talent. Then your back to saying no one is left... untill.....

Hypocrites.

Please, op, someone list all the talent at Rare so we know once and for all, before people start shitting on a company with no clue.

I know of these people still at Rare.


Martin Botwood(GE, PD, PDZ),
Chris Seavor (farther of Conker, Conker L&R)
George Andreas (farther of Kameo)
David Clynik (PD, PDZ composer)
And the farther of Banjo.. cannot recall his name.
Click to expand...

Well, judging from their recent releases, they've lost a bit of their charm. The new Banjo, while it was... okay, didn't have the feel of the old Banjos to me.

I don't think that those people you listed have no talent it just is obvious that something is going on behind the scenes in Rare making all these people up and leave. What it is, I don't know, but it isn't anything good.
 
D

Diablos

Member
Is this the dude responsible for the oh-so-awesome Battletoads pause music?

Even though YEARS have passed since I last played the game, I still get it stuck in my head. Seriously, it's so unbelievably brilliant for just being some stupid looped pause thing.
 
Thaedolus

Thaedolus

Gold Member
The quality of the DKC soundtracks really blows my mind. He also did Wizards and Warriors, right? This guy's got such a talent in creating an ambient sound with catchy melody at the same time...pretty awesome, I hope he gets out and can make more music.
 
A

_Alkaline_

Member
Shit. :(

It's one thing to lose your best designers, but at least when we purchased a RARE game over the last five years you knew the soundtrack was going to be amazing.

They've lost two of the greatest composers to grace the gaming industry.

Not to say the guys left aren't any good, I know they are, but this hurts. Big time. It also shows that RARE is probably conjuring a pile of shit for Natal, most definitely casual stuff.
 
A

Augemitbutter

Member
it's all about the diddy kong racing OST. i've only played the game for a few months, but it's soundtrack will stay with me forever. it's stuck in my head and comes out out whenever it wants and i love it.

rare died to me a long time ago, so this doesn't shock me at all. i wish him the best of luck.
 
W

watkinzez

Member
Prine said:
One more thing, before this news i thought you haters said no talent was left at Rare, yet when someone leaves you shower the guy who walked with praise and acknowledge his talent. Then your back to saying no one is left... untill.....

Hypocrites.

Please, op, someone list all the talent at Rare so we know once and for all, before people start shitting on a company with no clue.

I know of these people still at Rare.


Martin Botwood(GE, PD, PDZ),
Chris Seavor (farther of Conker, Conker L&R)
George Andreas (farther of Kameo)
David Clynik (PD, PDZ composer)
And the farther of Banjo.. cannot recall his name.
Click to expand...

Ever since Viva Pinata DS the credits of their games have a "Rare Family" section that list every employee at the company (well, maybe not their receptionist). Here's the Banjo credits. A few I know of that left/were laid off this year are:
-Steve Malpass (Banjo team designer, did Showdown Town)
-Steve Burke and David Wise
-A dozen or so from the art department, including this guy (warning- furries)
Also, judging by recent interviews, Gregg Mayles isn't creative director anymore. George Andreas (DK64) is.
 
C

Cheerilee

Member
[Nintex] said:
Did anyone hear about the rumor that Tim Stamper is doing some sort of Rare revival?
Click to expand...
AFAIK, whenever a major company buys somebody up, they make the top people sign non-competition contracts, exactly to prevent high profile leaders like the Stampers from suckering people like MS into buying the hollow shells of their companies, jumping ship, and then recreating the "real" companies somewhere else.

The Stampers might gather ex-Rare people around them because they might all know and like each other, but if the Stampers have non-compete contracts, it would mean "the new Rare" won't be making any Nintendo or Sony games. They might be able to make XBox games if MS deigns to let them.

If they wanted to do the same sort of thing that they did before (making videogames), it has to be in some distant field, like cell phones or Leapfrog devices. And even then, if they scrape out some moderate success, MS can just move in on them and make them pack up and leave at just about any time. Of course, that's if the Stampers made that sort of contract with MS (I wouldn't know). But if they did, for all intents and purposes, they're gone and they're never coming back.

Of course, Jordan Weisman/FASA is sort of back, so there's room to hope.
 
H

Hero of Legend

Member
I remember Steve Malpass voicing Fox in Adventures and Melee. What's he up to now?

I recall hearing Kevin Bayliss is gone as well, and he voiced most of the Kongs as well. Here did he go to?

Let's not forget, if it still exists, that David Doak and Steve Ellis are at Pumpkin Beach. Did they rejoin Free Radical after it became Crytek UK?

I hope there really is a Rare revival in the works.
 
M

Mik2121

Member
Who made the Perfect Dark soundtrack? Because that one was epic. Not as epic as DKC's soundtrack, maybe.. but almost!.
 
A

_Alkaline_

Member
Mik2121 said:
Who made the Perfect Dark soundtrack? Because that one was epic. Not as epic as DKC's soundtrack, maybe.. but almost!.
Click to expand...

Kirkhope.

He also did stuff like Goldeneye, Viva Pinata and the Banjo series.

One of my favourite video game composers.
 
S

speedpop

Has problems recognising girls
Mik2121 said:
Who made the Perfect Dark soundtrack? Because that one was epic. Not as epic as DKC's soundtrack, maybe.. but almost!.
Click to expand...
According to vgmdb.net, it was mostly Kirkhope's work alongside Norgate. David Clynick had composed a song or two.
 
G

grandjedi6

Master of the Google Search
ruby_onix said:
AFAIK, whenever a major company buys somebody up, they make the top people sign non-competition contracts, exactly to prevent high profile leaders like the Stampers from suckering people like MS into buying the hollow shells of their companies, jumping ship, and then recreating the "real" companies somewhere else.

The Stampers might gather ex-Rare people around them because they might all know and like each other, but if the Stampers have non-compete contracts, it would mean "the new Rare" won't be making any Nintendo or Sony games. They might be able to make XBox games if MS deigns to let them.

If they wanted to do the same sort of thing that they did before (making videogames), it has to be in some distant field, like cell phones or Leapfrog devices. And even then, if they scrape out some moderate success, MS can just move in on them and make them pack up and leave at just about any time. Of course, that's if the Stampers made that sort of contract with MS (I wouldn't know). But if they did, for all intents and purposes, they're gone and they're never coming back.

Of course, Jordan Weisman/FASA is sort of back, so there's room to hope.
Click to expand...
I believe 12 months is the upper limit for a non-compete clause in the UK.
 
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