Discomurf said:
Meanwhile, the company's technical expertise led to the development of two Factor 5 exclusives: MusyX and DivX. MusyX, in close collaboration with Dolby Labs, brought high-quality 7.1 surround sound to a variety of Nintendo gaming platforms, while with the introduction of DivX Factor 5 brought the ultimate video-playback solution to the Nintendo GameCube. These were a direct result of a more than decade-long close collaboration between Factor 5's founders and Nintendo in hardware, OS, and tool development, starting with the Nintendo 64 and continuing with the GameCube, Wii, and 3DS.
In 2005, Factor 5 started an exclusive partnership with Sony Computer Entertainment which lasted for 3 years. They were part of Sony's PlayStation 3 hardware and OS technology team and held up their reputation of stretching the limits of any new system with the release of a key title for the PlayStation 3: LAIR (2007), the controversial first title on the Sony platform to anticipate and embrace the sweeping wave of change that motion control and other new input methods would bring to video games with the arrival of the Nintendo Wii and Apple's iOS devices.
In 2008, due to massive changes in the game industry and the unexpected closure of several publishers, Factor 5's studio in Marin County had to stop production on multiple major titles, resulting in a closure in early 2009. Factor 5's spirit of excellence though lives on in several new ventures by its team members, both in cutting-edge technology and design that have reached and entertained many millions of living rooms.
Orayn said:Rogue Squadron 3DS, please.
XBLA/PSN/Steam re-releases of Rogue Squadron II and III would also make me a happy camper, especially if they added multiplayer.Darklord said:Fuck the 3DS I want one in full HD but I'll take what I can get.
Orayn said:XBLA/PSN/Steam re-releases of Rogue Squadron II and III would also make me a happy camper, especially if they added multiplayer.
I would also accept this.snesfreak said:Fuck "HD" consoles, 3DS or nothing.
.snesfreak said:I want more Rogue Squadron!
and SNES.DonMigs85 said:Nice! These guys worked black magic on the N64 and GameCube.
The Turrican games were alright, but they weren't a league above all else on the SNES.Celine said:and SNES.
IMO Super Turrican 2 is a graphical showcase for SNES.DonMigs85 said:The Turrican games were alright, but they weren't a league above all else on the SNES.
On the other hand, few other games on the N64/Cube could approach Factor 5's on a technical level. Rogue Squadron? Battle for Naboo? Indy and the Infernal Machine?
Let's not bring up their work on PS1
This is the minority opinion of course. Most people loved Rogue Squadron!Warm Machine said:Rogue Squadron proved they don't know how to do a flight model worth anything. I'm happy to give them a thousand chances until they get it right but the last time they made it, it was terrible. Strange how X-Wing nailed it out the gate.
Warm Machine said:Rogue Squadron proved they don't know how to do a flight model worth anything. I'm happy to give them a thousand chances until they get it right but the last time they made it, it was terrible. Strange how X-Wing nailed it out the gate.
These were a direct result of a more than decade-long close collaboration between Factor 5's founders and Nintendo in hardware, OS, and tool development, starting with the Nintendo 64 and continuing with the GameCube, Wii, and 3DS.
Warm Machine said:Rogue Squadron proved they don't know how to do a flight model worth anything. I'm happy to give them a thousand chances until they get it right but the last time they made it, it was terrible. Strange how X-Wing nailed it out the gate.
Online multiplayer was the implication. Sorry about the ambiguity.StevieP said:Oh FFS.
Orayn said:Online multiplayer was the implication. Sorry about the ambiguity.
But enough port-daydreaming, let's talk about the studio. Was Lair really such a big, expensive flop that it almost killed them? If so, it's a sad sign of the times, at least regarding how much a modern game costs to develop.
ElFly said:Didn't these guys stiff their developers at one point?
I remember some shady selling of their IPs to a shell company a couple years ago.
edit: ha, excellent post above mine while I was making this one.
Shiggy said:That's just a myth. While their titles for Sony were canned, they still got contracts with LucasArts, Nintendo and Brash. It was Brash that killed them because Factor 5 did not lay off the Superman staff right when no more payments from Brash came (who would've thought Brash could vanish like that?). Nintendo and LucasArts were afraid that Factor 5 could take the money from their projects for paying off Brash debts instead of finishing their titles. That's why they canned their projects too.
In the end, Factor 5 made it look like the real Factor 5 was located in Germany and that the two-man studio in Cologne owned all trademarks and licenses. Hence some of Factor 5 founded WhiteHarvest which further worked on Rogue Squadron Trilogy and Pilotwings Wii. They also worked on the Wii port of Brutal Legend, which was shelved when a lawsuit from former Factor 5 employees came. All other projects were canned too and WhiteHarvest was closed down too. That was in July 2009.
Hero of Legend said:I wonder how BL Wii would've been, wasn't it on a massively tight schedule though?
AceBandage said:There were some leaked dev screens and such a while ago for it.
Seemed to be much more action focused, I believe.
I would have loved to double dip on that game, because I loved the HD BL game.
AceBandage said:There were some leaked dev screens and such a while ago for it.
Seemed to be much more action focused, I believe.
Orayn said:XBLA/PSN/Steam re-releases of Rogue Squadron II and III would also make me a happy camper, especially if they added multiplayer.
Yes!Keyser Soze said:
"Factor Five is ALIVE!"
Snakeyes said:Fast forward to E3 2011...
Iwata has just announced the Nextendo, a sleek, DX11 compliant box.
Iwata: You said Wii was not hardcore. Are we going to bring that hardcore image back? That is for you to answer. Nevertheless, I'm quite sure that the game we're about to show will make each and every one of you rock hard. (laughs)
*lights dim*
The screen shows a beautiful asteroid field. Suddenly, something flies by quickly.
It's an Arwing. A gloriously rendered 1080p Arwing.
.
... NINTENDO X FACTORY X TREASURE
.
.
... STAR FOX 4
I can always dream right
AceBandage said:Why would you need Factory if you have Treasure?
AceBandage said:Why would you need Factory if you have Treasure?
...aaaaand now I'm thirsty.Discomurf said:Hi GAF
Just sharing this job posting I came across for Factor 5 in Germany - it was posted on January 10th 2011.
Nice to know these guys are alive and working on som3thing.
Source
Willy105 said:As someone who proudly claims that he thinks the X-Wing and Rogue Squadron series are the best Star Wars games ever made, I disagree with you.