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[The Rare Canceled Game Art Thread]
- Thread starter Shiggy
- Start date
IOnEI Falcon
Member
Well Kinect Sports has sold 3 million units globally since its release in November.
http://tinyurl.com/4ysy86m
http://tinyurl.com/4ysy86m
The Awkward Wizard
Member
Wow, I'm surprised no one else posted these images. I stopped by Wil Overton's Blog And found some goodies.
(Wil is referring to when George Andreas, Creative Director of Rare and Director of Kameo, talked about how they tried to hide the fact that Kameo's actually a fairy, which doesn't really fit with the Xbox demographic)
Oh, and one last thing. Here's a tweet Chris Seavor made recently:
Wil Overton said:
Wil Overton said:
Wil Overton said:
(Wil is referring to when George Andreas, Creative Director of Rare and Director of Kameo, talked about how they tried to hide the fact that Kameo's actually a fairy, which doesn't really fit with the Xbox demographic)
Oh, and one last thing. Here's a tweet Chris Seavor made recently:
*gulp*conkerhimself said:
The Banjo racing concept looks neat. I wonder if the idea is that you got to build your own path after picking up parts (powerups), or it was simply having to activate a broken bridge. Guess we'll never know.
I'm not terribly surprised the fitness game was cancelled, but I have a feeling that whatever Rare made would have worked better than Your Shape or Biggest Loser. Of course, Microsoft would have put zero dollars behind it in marketing so it's probably better this way.
You made me think about the fact another Kameo was in development. I'm sad now.
I don't know how I feel about the fate of Rare any more when it's been gutted and they've left all of their old IP's to die (forcibly I'm sure). It's a sad story to see how Microsoft completely fucked them up, but it is what it is.
I'm not terribly surprised the fitness game was cancelled, but I have a feeling that whatever Rare made would have worked better than Your Shape or Biggest Loser. Of course, Microsoft would have put zero dollars behind it in marketing so it's probably better this way.
You made me think about the fact another Kameo was in development. I'm sad now.
I don't know how I feel about the fate of Rare any more when it's been gutted and they've left all of their old IP's to die (forcibly I'm sure). It's a sad story to see how Microsoft completely fucked them up, but it is what it is.
Here my views on Rare.
The fastest they die, the fastest Nintendo and others can get the rights for the Franchise.
Rare have the Licence on so many good Franchise.
-Banjo Kazooie
-Perfect Dark
-Jet Force Gemini
-Conker
-Killer Instincts.
Most of the N64 good games are from Rare. Men...
The fastest they die, the fastest Nintendo and others can get the rights for the Franchise.
Rare have the Licence on so many good Franchise.
-Banjo Kazooie
-Perfect Dark
-Jet Force Gemini
-Conker
-Killer Instincts.
Most of the N64 good games are from Rare. Men...
DarkestLight
Member
Rubius said:
that will never happen. Microsoft own those IP's. If rare dies the IP's will likely go with them.
Ocean_Voyager
Neo Member
So, E3 2011 has come and gone. We knew all about Kinect Sports 2 before the show kicked off - no surprise there - but this rumoured second game that Rare are working on that was supposedly going to be at show didn't appear. I for one am very disappointed. Rare say things like how they are at the 'spearhead of Kinect development' ... well show us some games then! Throw us a bone to keep the interest going otherwise it's going to get to a stage where no-one cares anymore, if we're not at that point already. Don't get me wrong, KS2 looks very nice and I'm sure six new sports will go down a treat this Christmas, but it's just not enough. In the old days, Rare would have been at the forefront of a Nintendo E3 presentation; this year they didn't even get mentioned (as memory serves) when KS2 was shown during the Microsoft keynote and I don't think we got more than a split second viewing of their logo on screen.
If they trot out the old line "we're just not ready to show anything yet" then what on earth are they doing with their time up in Twycross? By their own admission they were amongst the first tier of devs being given kits to play and experiment with. And if they try the "we don't want to show our cards too early and give someone else the chance to launch a similar game before we do" stuff then that doesn't wash with me either; there's nothing to stop them from letting a few bits of info slip without giving away everything. A name, a screenshot, photos of Gregg Mayles cutting his toenails ... I don't care! Rare are supposed to have moved on from the days when we had all the media blackout nonsense; surely they can see that dishing out a few details will help generate some excitement about their new release amongst those who still follow and support the studio (myself included, despite this frustration-induced rant).
If they trot out the old line "we're just not ready to show anything yet" then what on earth are they doing with their time up in Twycross? By their own admission they were amongst the first tier of devs being given kits to play and experiment with. And if they try the "we don't want to show our cards too early and give someone else the chance to launch a similar game before we do" stuff then that doesn't wash with me either; there's nothing to stop them from letting a few bits of info slip without giving away everything. A name, a screenshot, photos of Gregg Mayles cutting his toenails ... I don't care! Rare are supposed to have moved on from the days when we had all the media blackout nonsense; surely they can see that dishing out a few details will help generate some excitement about their new release amongst those who still follow and support the studio (myself included, despite this frustration-induced rant).
Haha, I'm honestly shocked about this one lolOcean_Voyager said:
Rare is soooo 'not cool'. These Big Park guys are like Microsoft marketing stereotypes in human form. A bunch of 'nerds' from Twycross aren't.
They're
- Cancelling games
- Moving to Fazeley
- Redecorating their walls with Samsung
And this is why we 'Rare fans' were so vocal about hating the Kinect focus, you guys didn't see it coming but this was essentially what it took to blow up Rare. When they even cancelled Kinect Fit all hope was lost so to speak. Out of the ruins we'll get a nice new studio with contract positions, new management, team leads and interesting games for sure but this company isn't Rare anymore. Rare as you know it was shot in the head and thrown in the river even the music composers except for Beanland(or did he leave too?) are gone.
Ocean_Voyager
Neo Member
The issue as I see it is that Microsoft just dont know what to do with Rare. They had a golden opportunity to let Rare crack on with it, just as Nintendo let them get on with things with minimal supervision, to craft some games that appeal to all. The first few games on Xbox 360 were really good (the zenith of this was surely Viva Pinata a wonderful game) but now that Rare have been instructed by their new boss to focus on Kinect they are discovering that theres just not enough you can do with it gameplay-wise that will warrant a full retail release other than the sports / dance / keep fit / mini-game crap. No matter how you look at it, for Rare to produce the kind of games we know they can deliver, a controller is needed (and Kinect really is necessary then it should as an add-on to supplement the experience) and Rare are struggling to find something meaningful to make if the only form of control is Kinect.
I am not blinded by fanboy-ism. I know there are problems, I know Rare have been shafted, just as I suspect that this were focused on Kinect from now on crap is Rare towing the corporate line, rather than a genuine desire from within the company to adopt the tech. Rare have historically run two or three separate teams in their barns. Whats wrong with one team working on Kinect, one working on what Id call a traditional release using a controller, and another if theres a team going spare to work on XBLA / DS stuff? Hmm, that sounds like too much like common sense to me. Lets plough all our resources into a new bit of tech that is undoubtedly impressive but we just dont know what to do with it. One almost wonders if this is part of some elaborate plot that allows Microsoft to disband the company because they are failing to perform as expected.
I am not blinded by fanboy-ism. I know there are problems, I know Rare have been shafted, just as I suspect that this were focused on Kinect from now on crap is Rare towing the corporate line, rather than a genuine desire from within the company to adopt the tech. Rare have historically run two or three separate teams in their barns. Whats wrong with one team working on Kinect, one working on what Id call a traditional release using a controller, and another if theres a team going spare to work on XBLA / DS stuff? Hmm, that sounds like too much like common sense to me. Lets plough all our resources into a new bit of tech that is undoubtedly impressive but we just dont know what to do with it. One almost wonders if this is part of some elaborate plot that allows Microsoft to disband the company because they are failing to perform as expected.
Kermit The Dog
Banned
It's been fantastic to see Grant Kirkhope getting the recognition he deserves for the new title he's working on. That warms my heart.
You never know what you've lost... until it's gone... gone.
You never know what you've lost... until it's gone... gone.
They had an alright start to the generation with Kameo, Banjo-Kazooie and Viva Pinata, but since then it has been a large decline.
Rare used to be among my favourite devs (especially around the N64 era) now it's a shame to see what they've become. Not even a shadow of their former selves. Now they've degraded into a Kinect-only studio and don't have an ounce of creativity. Largely thanks to Microsoft of course.
Rare used to be among my favourite devs (especially around the N64 era) now it's a shame to see what they've become. Not even a shadow of their former selves. Now they've degraded into a Kinect-only studio and don't have an ounce of creativity. Largely thanks to Microsoft of course.
DeaconKnowledge
Member
Looks like the room of people who care is empty.
Monty Mole
Member
Joint developed: http://rare.co.uk/games/kinect-sports-season-twoesc said:
I disagree, I think Rare were just lost without Nintendo and they would have gone this way whichever publisher they ended up with. And if they'd gone it alone I think they'd have been in liquidation by now. If anyone is to blame, it's Nintendo for letting them go, not Microsoft for picking them up.Lakitu said:
Having said that, Kinect Sports it the fastest selling Rare game since the peak of their N64 days. And it's not a game without charm - it's at least as charming as Wii Sports and infinitely less generic than Sports Champions. And from a business standpoint they're on track again. Let's be honest, it's been well over 10 years now since Rare was relevant - with Kinect, they are again... even if it's not how we'd like.
Kermit The Dog
Banned
Monty Mole said:
You're full of shit. Chris and Tim Stamper successfully ran Rare (or Ultimate Play The Game before it became Rare) for 25 years before Microsoft stuck their dirty mitts on the studio. They were successful long before Nintendo got involved, and they would have been successful long after aswell, but the Stampers lost interest in 2007 when MS got too involved.
GTFO with your haphazard insight, Rare were successful long before they partnered with Nintendo. Nintendo helped Rare improve without doubt, but Rare were a fantastic standalone company regardless.
You have no idea what you're talking about.
GitarooMan
Member
lol at new room. I just look at my avatar now to remember Rare at its peak and forget what happened.
Ocean_Voyager
Neo Member
Kermit The Dog said:
Couldn't agree more. Rare were left to get on with it while working on Nintendo consoles. Nintendo knew they could trust them to produce quality software and leave well alone; no interference needed, other than providing support when it was asked for. Nintendo 'requesting' that Dinosaur Planet take on Fox McCloud as its lead character was probably when the problems started though and now we're at a stage where Microsoft can't help but interfere and 'suggest' what course Rare should follow when you'd think that it would be blindingly obvious that MS would realise that Rare work best when they can deliver on their own ideas, not someone else's.
I often wonder where we'd be if things turned out differently though. You never know, Activision could've got hold of Rare in which case the studio would have shut up shop long ago, so as bad as things are with Microsoft I have to be grateful for small mercies. Point taken that Rare as we know it (N64 era) is no longer the same due to staff departures but some of the old guard are still there. Gregg Mayles, George Andreas and good old Leigh Loveday still stalk the halls of Twycross last I heard.
Edit: oh and KS2 is co-developed between Rare and Big Park, although who is doing what is anyone's guess. The way Microsoft are handling it you'd think the game was purely Big Park's.
Nah the problems started when Rare got too big too fast and they didn't have the management structure to cope with that. That and a couple of really stupid decisions is what started the train to roll downhill.Ocean_Voyager said:
I believe Ben Talbot, Gregg Mayles, Robin Beanland, Leigh Loveday, Simon Farmer(is he still there?), Ryan Stevenson and George Andreas are about all that is left of Rare's old guard.
I think that is intentional, I wonder if that Sumo Digital guy and Xbox pioneer can change things around but I think they're at a point of no return especially after the Kinect cleansing. Maybe they should just scrap the whole thing and start a new studio or something. The last 10(?) years will haunt Rare forever. Look at the list of composers that they had and the music that those people made, why on earth would you let them go. Why did 2 or 3 out of four teams ship nothing for up to 5 years. Why the hell would you cancel a Banjo 'fun racer'. Why didn't MS want a sequel to a first person shooter game on the Xbox 360 that sold up to a million copies? All questions with no answers.
Ocean_Voyager said:
The issue is Microsoft measuring every first-party game against Halo. Rare's games on the 360 have all sold well enough to be profitable, but they haven't had a blockbuster save for Kinect Sports. They have suits focused on the dollars calling all the shots while artists and creators come second.
Rare is also the problem...
Nintex said:
Outside from Mario Kart there aren't many successful kart racers. I honestly can't think of even one.
As for a sequel to Perfect Dark, I think Microsoft made the right call to cancel it. The numerous game play concepts that Chris Seavor showed after his departure just demonstrated that he didn't have a clear vision. I just get the feeling that Rare's 4-5 year development cycle probably crossed their mind and that just doesn't make sense when Bungie, Epic, Turn10, Naughty Dog, Insomniac, etc. can crank out big games that sell bucket loads every 2-3 years.
I really wish Rare would get back to taking proven game play concepts and putting their own special touch on it. It's worked well for Naughty Dog all these years -- never a trail blazer, but incredibly accomplished when it comes to melding popular, familiar game play concepts with technical wizardy and charm.
A new Jet Force Gemini with Gears-like play and Ratchet-like guns makes all the fucking sense in the world, but instead Rare pushed for a garden simulator. A platform game like Mario Galaxy made sense, but they decided to take a completely foreign concept that managed to alienate even long-time Banjo fans (what's most painful is that Showdown Town is incredible in terms of platforming, but it's a small part of the game). Why not make a new Blast Corps with the build-a-vehicle play and completely destructible environments? Instead of a straight kart racer like Mario Kart, why not create an open-world kart racer akin to Burnout Paradise in the Banjo universe? Why not create Killer fucking Instinct? Why do they choose to go against the current?
I feel for them, but they've made their own grave.
IOnEI Falcon
Member
Yeah, they should have definitely jumped on this sooner and followed through. I just jumped online today and there are still lobbies with people playing in them. It's been how many years![Nintex] said:
Monty Mole said:
I have to agree with this. Rare had two failures in a row, Conker's Bad Fur Day and Star Fox Adventures. I don't understand why Nintendo gave up on them after all the other successful titles Rare had made. They clearly needed help, and Nintendo had no interest in providing any. Microsoft could have helped them, but they let Rare continue down their path of failure. They got Bungie going after Oni bombed horribly, why was it so different with Rare?
DICKS AHOY
Banned
Can't find the thread, but I'm pretty sure a couple years back a (ironically probably ex-Rare employee now) set everything straight about what happened with the buyout. If this story isn't completely factual I'd love it if someone set me straight because this is honestly how I'm remembering this post from several years ago:zeelman said:
To put it simply, from what I understand the Stampers either wanted to be fully-owned by Nintendo or go 3rd party, so they approached Nintendo about buying out the other 51% of their share. This would've been around the release of the GCN, so I don't think Nintendo would've exactly been in the best of financial situations and I don't know how much buying Rare out would of cost them, so they declined. So the Stampers went with Plan B and put the rest of their stock on the market, where Microsoft managed to quickly outbid Activision and Nintendo and then pay Nintendo a whopping $375 million for their share of Rare (which I doubt they actually made back fully until recently... Ouch). Given that amount of money and how Rare's past two titles didn't set the world on fire (though I still love Conker, SFA is very pretty and nice sounding but boring shit), I think Nintendo were more forced into their actions than going 'oh hey, Conker and Star Fox Adventures didn't sell well, let's just go ahead and randomly sell to one of our rivals the company that helped show with Donkey Kong that the 32-bit systems were overpriced shit and made us all this money when we took forever to release anything on the N64'.
... It sort of worked out for the better for Nintendo in the end, though I can't help but feel how a similar level of Rare-support for the GCN like the N64 got could of helped that system (especially with a good, not hastily ported twice Perfect Dark 2 or Banjo-Threeie).
IOnEI Falcon
Member
conkerhimself Christopher Seavor
@IOnEI_Falcon Two canned games... The rabbit one had zombies in it believe it or not (i didn't work on the games btw, just previz stuff).
Zombies...hmm...
@IOnEI_Falcon Two canned games... The rabbit one had zombies in it believe it or not (i didn't work on the games btw, just previz stuff).
Zombies...hmm...
POWERSPHERE
Banned
I thought Rare went under ages ago. Cut that stinking toilet free.
Actually, MS are doing a pretty good job of turning the whole Xbox franchise into a toilet by Kinecting the shit out of their good work.
Actually, MS are doing a pretty good job of turning the whole Xbox franchise into a toilet by Kinecting the shit out of their good work.
Monty Mole said:
Nintendo did bid on Rare, MS just outbid them.
Nintendo wasn't willing to pay that much, and I don't blame them. Even if Rare had maintained the level of quality they managed during the N64 I still don't know if they would have been worth a quarter billion dollars.
Anasui Kishibe
Banned
Rare had an Art staff?
DICKS AHOY
Banned
About 3 months late to the joke there champ.
IOnEI Falcon
Member
In reference to Nintendo at E3...
conkerhimself Christopher Seavor
Think what Rare might have had on that screen now had things gone a little different......... Oh well.
I think a lot of Rare fans were thinking the same thing...
conkerhimself Christopher Seavor
Think what Rare might have had on that screen now had things gone a little different......... Oh well.
I think a lot of Rare fans were thinking the same thing...
Azure Dream
Member
Imagine what horrible, horrible things a Conker game could've done with that miniature touch screen.
(Removed this bit, found my answer.)
(Removed this bit, found my answer.)
IOnEI Falcon
Member
Do you know what he does there?Kulock said: