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Homeworld IP now owned by someone

K

Keasar

Member
TeamPixel announced on Kickstarter that they didn't secure the rights to the Homeworld IP through their Save Homeworld campaign and will now refund everyone who backed the project.

Homeworld will escape the THQ bankruptcy to a new home, however, that home will not be with teamPixel, LLC. The auction for the Homeworld license ended April 15, 2013, and while we reached qualified bidder status for the bankruptcy auction, we were unable to raise the necessary funds to remain competitive against the other parties at the auction. We hope you will join us in supporting Homeworld's new owners in building a future for the franchise. We anticipate an announcement of the new owner to be made within a couple weeks and for the sale to be finalized around mid-May. Words cannot describe how honored we are to have been supported by so many in the community.
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I really hope the new owners will re-release the original games on gog.com. I have the box of the game right next to me in the office but a digital copy would be wonderful.
 
A

Arthea

Member
Do you think Homeworld would make the impact today as adecade ago?
I'm not sure that all franchises are salvageable. Some are, some were great in their time. I like Homeworld a lot, then when rumours spread about third, it got me thinking. Today, to make a game so impressive as Homeworld was in its day, would cost millions, and there are so little people playing strategies these days, any kind, may be with exception of Civs.
What do you expect from a new game if it was made?
 
Doczu

Doczu

Member
Arthea said:
Do you think Homeworld would make the impact today as adecade ago?
I'm not sure that all franchises are salvageable. Some are, some were great in their time. I like Homeworld a lot, then when rumours spread about third, it got me thinking. Today, to make a game so impressive as Homeworld was in its day, would cost millions, and there are so little people playing strategies these days, any kind, may be with exception of Civs.
What do you expect from a new game if it was made?
Click to expand...

You don't need an AAA budget to make a good game. Keep the expectations real. If you know you're going to make a niche game, have a niche budget.
 
D

Donos

Member
Arthea said:
Do you think Homeworld would make the impact today as adecade ago?
I'm not sure that all franchises are salvageable. Some are, some were great in their time. I like Homeworld a lot, then when rumours spread about third, it got me thinking. Today, to make a game so impressive as Homeworld was in its day, would cost millions, and there are so little people playing strategies these days, any kind, may be with exception of Civs.
What do you expect from a new game if it was made?
Click to expand...

The gameplay of homeworld combined with the art/design is still unique in my opinion. Problem is that it's rather niche and "complex" and wouldn't set the charts on fire. Still hope Sega grabbed it but i doubt it.
+ what Doczu said.
 
D

Dictator93

Member
Arthea said:
Do you think Homeworld would make the impact today as adecade ago?
I'm not sure that all franchises are salvageable. Some are, some were great in their time. I like Homeworld a lot, then when rumours spread about third, it got me thinking. Today, to make a game so impressive as Homeworld was in its day, would cost millions, and there are so little people playing strategies these days, any kind, may be with exception of Civs.
What do you expect from a new game if it was made?
Click to expand...


I think the impact would not be as large, but it would be refreshing (as an RTS player), to have a great 3 dimensional space RTS again.

Homeworld played its cards rather perfectly back then, and I expect only the highest quality from Relic. They are an incredibly passionate bunch.
 
S

SparkTR

Member
Arthea said:
Do you think Homeworld would make the impact today as adecade ago?
I'm not sure that all franchises are salvageable. Some are, some were great in their time. I like Homeworld a lot, then when rumours spread about third, it got me thinking. Today, to make a game so impressive as Homeworld was in its day, would cost millions, and there are so little people playing strategies these days, any kind, may be with exception of Civs.
What do you expect from a new game if it was made?
Click to expand...

Total War is doing great, it has some of the best visuals in the industry and the latest ones budget is 40% bigger than the last. That's why I want Sega to have the rights.
 
A

Arthea

Member
Doczu said:
You don't need an AAA budget to make a good game. Keep the expectations real. If you know you're going to make a niche game, have a niche budget.
Click to expand...

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against niche budgets or games. I played Stars! for years :)
What I mean, when nobody plays strategy games around, word don't spread. I'm sure there are some good niche games today I'm not aware about.
And on top of that Homeworld wasn't niche, it was one of most impressive games I ever seen, visually too.

SparkTR said:
Total War is doing great, it has some of the best visuals in the industry and the latest ones budget is 40% bigger than the last. That's why I want Sega to have the rights.
Click to expand...

You have a point, Sega probably can handle Homeworld in a right way
 
B

BobsRevenge

I do not avoid women, GAF, but I do deny them my essence.
Hopefully Relic gets it... which I guess means Sega, according to Wikipedia.

edit: Wait, what? I'm confused. Did Sega already get it or is Wikipedia speculating?
 
X

xenist

Member
I bought it.

I have already put a team working on an FPS game set in the rich Homeworld universe. It will be cinematic in a visceral way, it will have player choice where you can write your own story, you will have all types of romance options from team mates to AIs and it will have an Oscar caliber story driving it.

Coming to all next gen systems.

Oh, I forgot. It will also have innovative deathmatch, team deathmatch and capture the flag multiplayer modes.
 
ebullientprism

ebullientprism

Member
xenist said:
I bought it.

I have already put a team working on an FPS game set in the rich Homeworld universe. It will be cinematic in a visceral way, it will have player choice where you can write your own story, you will have all types of romance options from team mates to AIs and it will have an Oscar caliber story driving it.

Coming to all next gen systems.

Oh, I forgot. It will also have innovative deathmatch, team deathmatch and capture the flag multiplayer modes.
Click to expand...

Wont buy till there is emotional synchronization generated from a cover system.
 
A

Arthea

Member
xenist said:
I bought it.

I have already put a team working on an FPS game set in the rich Homeworld universe. It will be cinematic in a visceral way, it will have player choice where you can write your own story, you will have all types of romance options from team mates to AIs and it will have an Oscar caliber story driving it.

Coming to all next gen systems.

Oh, I forgot. It will also have innovative deathmatch, team deathmatch and capture the flag multiplayer modes.
Click to expand...

not sure I should laugh or cry, or both, or neither. (><)

If it's not Sega, who can or would buy it?
 
S

Sethos

Banned
It needs to be SEGA or they should just take the IP to the grave. Homeworld is a name I don't want to see molested by some casual space pew pew with QTEs.
 
S

Sethos

Banned
EVIL said:
Why? you mean because they own relic now? Those guys that made homeworld the game it is, are long gone, they are working on a new RTS now called HARDWARE.
Click to expand...

Who cares if they are long gone. Relic is still a great developer that would do the Homeworld name proud once more.

Even The Creative Assembly could make a fantastic Homeworld game I reckon, complete with a more deep campaign as seen in the Total War games.

SEGA has two of the best RTS developers under them, hence why people want it to be SEGA.
 
Burger

Burger

Member
I'm glad some no-name nobody didn't snatch up the IP through Shitstarter.

If these people are 'investors' they should own part of your company. Duh.
 
P

PaulLFC

Member
Will we get a list of who got what IP eventually, like the first auction, or is it down to winning bidders whether they want to reveal what they bought or not?
 
M

michaelius

Banned
Homeworld IP has potential for fps so we need to wait who got rights.

If Syndicate reboot didn't flop i would be really afraid of EA.
 
J

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
Sethos said:
SEGA has two of the best RTS developers under them, hence why people want it to be SEGA.
Click to expand...

I'll never forgive Sega for taking down the Company of Heroes 2 DDE, leaving the regular edition up for purchase, only to bring the former back. Dicks.
 
E

EVIL

Member
Sethos said:
Who cares if they are long gone. Relic is still a great developer that would do the Homeworld name proud once more.

Even The Creative Assembly could make a fantastic Homeworld game I reckon, complete with a more deep campaign as seen in the Total War games.

SEGA has two of the best RTS developers under them, hence why people want it to be SEGA.
Click to expand...

Personally, I would rather like it that they give it to BBI (black bird interactive) or let it die.
 
D

DeFiBkIlLeR

Banned
True fact...I bought Homeworld into work installed on my Pentium 3 500Mhz Laptop in 1999 and converted a die hard console gamer, who used to take the piss out of me for 'wasting' money on PC gaming, into a serious PC gamer over the course of letting him play it for a couple of hours.

Headphones on, lights dimmed, that soundtrack, the sweeping mouse movements through space, zooming into assaults on capital ships blew his mind.


Over the years he has since spent mega bucks buying gaming PC's.
 
M

mantidor

Member
michaelius said:
Homeworld IP has potential for fps so we need to wait who got rights.

If Syndicate reboot didn't flop i would be really afraid of EA.
Click to expand...

Don't joke with that, the previous post was just joke lets leave it at that.

A Homeworld FPS would make very angry.
 
M

mclem

Member
Burger said:
I'm glad some no-name nobody snatched up the IP through Shitstarter.
Click to expand...
They... didn't? I mean, the OP is saying something that is precisely the opposite.

If these people are 'investors' they should own part of your company. Duh.
Click to expand...
Investors are entitled to look at the offered terms for ROI and invest or not as they wish; that is their prerogative. If an investor decides that the offering in a given Kickstarter tier is a fair ROI for their investment, there's nothing inherently wrong with that.
 
T

twobear

sputum-flecked apoplexy
I'm not sure, given Relic's post-HW2 output, that they have what it takes to make HW3 properly.

At the least, I don't think the guy who did the concept art works there any more, and the visual design of Homeworld helps make it what it is.
 
Burger

Burger

Member
mclem said:
They... didn't? I mean, the OP is saying something that is precisely the opposite.


Investors are entitled to look at the offered terms for ROI and invest or not as they wish; that is their prerogative. If an investor decides that the offering in a given Kickstarter tier is a fair ROI for their investment, there's nothing inherently wrong with that.
Click to expand...

Sorry I worded it badly.

It's insulting to ask a group of people to purchase you a piece of possibly lucrative intellectual property with no stake or co-ownership in return. All you get is your prize (the game they may or may not have made).

These people treat Kickstarter like a bank loan only they don't have to pay back the money.
 
J

Jac_Solar

Member
DeFiBkIlLeR said:
True fact...I bought Homeworld into work installed on my Pentium 3 500Mhz Laptop in 1999 and converted a die hard console gamer, who used to take the piss out of me for 'wasting' money on PC gaming, into a serious PC gamer over the course of letting him play it for a couple of hours.

Headphones on, lights dimmed, that soundtrack, the sweeping mouse movements through space, zooming into assaults on capital ships blew his mind.


Over the years he has since spent mega bucks buying gaming PC's.
Click to expand...

Did your boss notice?

Anyhow, even though there's nothing preventing anyone from making a Homeworld like game, no one has - no one has even attempted anything remotely similar, really. So, like many of these things, it's up to the reputation of the name alone. Is the Homeworld brand still popular enough to warrant a new game?
 
E

EVIL

Member
Hrothgar said:
Hardware was announced 16 months ago with a bunch of concept art, 16 months later they show a trailer made of that same concept art. Sure, its great concept art, but beyond that....

Colour me skeptical. Everything points to a F2P RTS game aimed at a more casual audience. SupCom 2 left its scars.
Click to expand...

Making games take a long time, its not unusual to hear nothing for a while. I'd rather keep a positive additude then go out and say that they can only make pretty concept art, nothing more, that seems pretty unfair to me.
 
S

Sethos

Banned
EVIL said:
Making games take a long time, its not unusual to hear nothing for a while. I'd rather keep a positive additude then go out and say that they can only make pretty concept art, nothing more, that seems pretty unfair to me.
Click to expand...

But you are arguing they should give an IP to a developer that hasn't proved themselves, done anything and only merit is having a few guys from an old studio. Plus they already seem bogged down by another title in development.
 
E

EVIL

Member
Sethos said:
But you are arguing they should give an IP to a developer that hasn't proved themselves, done anything and only merit is having a few guys from an old studio. Plus they already seem bogged down by another title in development.
Click to expand...

Or let the IP die since I have even less confidence in RTS studio's from sega leading it in a good direction.
 
N

Nickiepoo

Member
Wanting the devs of Homeworld 1 to make Homeworld 3 isn't unfair even if it is totally unrealistic.

Out of interest, was anyone here a big fan of HW2? I didn't feel like it stood anywhere close to the standards of the original but I was really in it for the singleplayer while 2 seems to have had much more of a multiplayer focus (relatively).
 
T

twobear

sputum-flecked apoplexy
Nickiepoo said:
Wanting the devs of Homeworld 1 to make Homeworld 3 isn't unfair even if it is totally unrealistic.

Out of interest, was anyone here a big fan of HW2? I didn't feel like it stood anywhere close to the standards of the original but I was really in it for the singleplayer while 2 seems to have had much more of a multiplayer focus (relatively).
Click to expand...
I thought the gameplay was much improved, but the SP definitely wasn't as strong.
 
Macmanus

Macmanus

Member
xenist said:
I bought it.

I have already put a team working on an FPS game set in the rich Homeworld universe. It will be cinematic in a visceral way, it will have player choice where you can write your own story, you will have all types of romance options from team mates to AIs and it will have an Oscar caliber story driving it.

Coming to all next gen systems.

Oh, I forgot. It will also have innovative deathmatch, team deathmatch and capture the flag multiplayer modes.
Click to expand...

How visceral will it be, on a scale of 8 to 10?
 
K

Kinyou

Member
Those Pixel guys ideas didn't sound too bad (homeworld on iPhone would be amazing) but it really felt too weird to just give some random developer team the entire IP
 
N

Nickiepoo

Member
godelsmetric said:
I thought the gameplay was much improved, but the SP definitely wasn't as strong.
Click to expand...

I loved elements of the gameplay. Subsystems/tech tree and more clearly defined strenghs and weaknesses between ship classes were awesome, but I hated much more. Weapons became % to hit rather than 'real' projectiles and frigates started being built from wet cardboard. Likewise they killed the interesting side of strikecraft micromanagement to me (changing formation and stances on the fly).

I can understand the reasons for a lot of these changes but it felt like too much of an 'RTS' compared to what the gameplay of the original had been.
 
M

Mindlog

Member
Sethos said:
But you are arguing they should give an IP to a developer that hasn't proved themselves, done anything and only merit is having a few guys from an old studio. Plus they already seem bogged down by another title in development.
Click to expand...
At the very least I would love to see them hired as consultants. The Hardware trailer was resonant with what a potential Homeworld campaign should be. Unfortunately I'm not too confident in a spiritual sequel without them.

That said these are my biggest concerns with what happens to the IP next.
1. Original titles available on DD networks.
2. New game engine open to easy modding. Complex/FCS/PDS and whatnot.
3. New music.
4. New game.

I'll pre-order any game with the Homeworld tag on it. When it comes to space RTS and the Homeworld series I fall under the category of, 'Fool With Money.'
Nickiepoo said:
Out of interest, was anyone here a big fan of HW2? I didn't feel like it stood anywhere close to the standards of the original but I was really in it for the singleplayer while 2 seems to have had much more of a multiplayer focus (relatively).
Click to expand...
I liked HW2's single player campaign gameplay. Leaning on different types of craft to complete each objective felt right and I enjoyed the greater difficulty. Story was a bit of a mess though. The original brought it all together better.

Outside of the campaign most of my enjoyment came out of the mod scene. HW2 produced some wonderful stuff and I hope any potential successor keeps that in mind.
 
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