Support NeoGAF

[Llyranor]

Well, hope you guys like your Bioware and Bethesda WRPGs :/

 

[Kagari]

Goddamn.

 

[HK-47]

Wow, that's crazy... I was just in touch with Obsidian not even a week ago, said the game was still progressing smoothly.

Sounds like a system shock, outta nowhere.

 

[Nirolak]

Sounds like a system shock, outta nowhere.

I get the sensation Sega saw its fiscal results then started cutting any game they thought might not be profitable.

I still think it's incredibly stupid though. It's Aliens, even if both games were bad they would likely sell great. Not only that, these games sound like they were almost finished as they were. I mean, they were both announced in 2006 and coming out this year, I can't see what possible gain Sega gets by not finishing the last few months on them.

 

[Bebpo]

The worst part about this is unlike the Ghostbusters fiasco I doubt any other publisher can pick the game up since Sega is still keeping the Aliens license for the new AvP.

 

[Nirolak]

The worst part about this is unlike the Ghostbusters fiasco I doubt any other publisher can pick the game up since Sega is still keeping the Aliens license for the new AvP.

The best we could probably hope for was that Sega let them keep all the assets to the game. That way they could change up some of the models and release it as a new IP that has a strange resemblance to Aliens, but somehow I doubt Sega will do that.

 

[C4Lukins]

This really does suck. I always thought this was a strange license to use with an RPG, but I was excited to see what Obsidian could do with it. I assume SEGA holds the license so I doubt Obsidian will be able to salvage much of the work they put into it.

 

[Combine]

Well, in the end I suppose it's FOX's fault for giving the franchise to Sega in the first place. They should have picked a publisher that can actually make good business decisions.

 

[HK-47]

Well, in the end I suppose it's FOX's fault for giving the franchise to Sega in the first place. They should have picked a publisher that can actually make good business decisions.

FOOOOOOOOX!!!

 

[flarkminator]

Sounds like a system shock, outta nowhere.

Apparently it was like 5pm yesterday, "Oh hey can you come in here for a meeting"

[tons of people in one room]

"Sorry you're pretty much all fired"

Then after that was Wednesday beer night. So I guess it was an extra special occasion to drink.

It sounds like it was a shock to everyone. Pretty much Sega just reaching down and doing the great big mushroom-cloud-slap from on high.

 

[HK-47]

Apparently it was like 5pm yesterday, "Oh hey can you come in here for a meeting"

[tons of people in one room]

"Sorry you're pretty much all fired"

Then after that was Wednesday beer night. So I guess it was an extra special occasion to drink.

It sounds like it was a shock to everyone. Pretty much Sega just reaching down and doing the great big mushroom-cloud-slap from on high.

Man fuck that shit. I still cant wrap my head around canning a far progress game based on establish IP. Those are the kind of games you need in a recession. Stuff that markets itself.

I'm just glad Sega cant do this to Platinum Games. Well at least I dont think they will to a team with such high profile guys.

Would be kind of like the Eastern equivalent of Obsidian.

 

[Skiptastic]

I used to love Sega, but if this decision kills Obsidian, they are dead to me.

Don't go Obsidian! Not like this...

 

[Mashing]

Man, Obsidian has never gotten a fair shake. First the KOTOR2 fiasco and now this crap. They are never allowed the time to create their games. Hopefully they'll reform with more autonomy, but that's not likely.

 

[ixix]

Man fuck that shit. I still cant wrap my head around canning a far progress game based on establish IP. Those are the kind of games you need in a recession. Stuff that markets itself.

I'm just glad Sega cant do this to Platinum Games. Well at least I dont think they will to a team with such high profile guys.

Would be kind of like the Eastern equivalent of Obsidian.

Well if you consider the dissolution of Clover to be analogous to the shuttering of Black Isle then we'd need wherever Mikami ended up to shut down entirely followed by a round of layoffs and an uncertain future at Platinum for them to start competing with the ex-Black Isle guys in the Screwjob Olympics.

This is probably not the best avenue for Kamiya et al to try to disprove Kojima's assertion that Japanese developers are falling behind western ones.

 

[Hesemonni]

The best we could probably hope for was that Sega let them keep all the assets to the game. That way they could change up some of the models and release it as a new IP that has a strange resemblance to Aliens, but somehow I doubt Sega will do that.

This is Sega we're talking here. The same company that just recently couldn't be bothered to drag'n'drop couple of Genesis ROMs to the newest Genesis Collection to allow Sonic & Knuckles 2 and 3 lock-on but blamed space issues. Space issues on a DVD & Blu-ray and we're talking fricking Master System and Genesis ROMs here. I really can't see Sega letting them keep squat.

 

[trejo]

I'm really starting to loathe this generation. Developers are dropping like flies at an alarming pace. Damn.

 

[Quasar]

Did you mean Creative Assembly? I think they should be good. Sports Interactive should also be good as long as they churn out the FM games.

Yeah. Had a bit of a brain fart calling Creative Assembly Total Assembly.

 

[Night_Trekker]

Sigh

Who's going down next?

 

[duckroll]

Man fuck that shit. I still cant wrap my head around canning a far progress game based on establish IP. Those are the kind of games you need in a recession. Stuff that markets itself.

I'm just glad Sega cant do this to Platinum Games. Well at least I dont think they will to a team with such high profile guys.

Would be kind of like the Eastern equivalent of Obsidian.

I dunno about Platinum Games. On one hand, I don't think Sega can afford to can their announced projects since they have a good chance of selling in Japan, but on the other hand I can't help but think Sega's in a poor position now to fund much more of their shit.

 

[KareBear]

Why are you all mentioning alpha protocol and not nwn2?If you want to support obsidian buy the latest nwn2 expansion(which is great).

 

[HK-47]

Why are you all mentioning alpha protocol and not nwn2?If you want to support obsidian buy the latest nwn2 expansion(which is great).

Alpha Protocol is their big console game and it could really screw them if it does sell. Not to mention if Alpha Protocol doesnt good, maybe we get the Aliens game back

As for SoZ, it's a more niche RPG than MotB. I mean duh, everyone should buy it and NWN 2 Gold and the PC version of KotOR II for when they finish the SLR project...

Are KotOR II and NWN 2 on Steam?

 

[Action Jackson]

Not only did they fund it. They bought the studio as they were making it.

Even better, in the same breath some Sega exec said that they were lacking in first class designers but had first class tech instead. Looking at the recent Golden Axe game I think he was wrong on both accounts.

 

[butsomuch]

http://rockmusicnerd.livejournal.com/

2/3/09 03:21 pm - .: Updates

Work Stuff:
I've been plugging away fleshing out a lot of the core RPG functionality into our ALIENS RPG. The game is looking phenomenal. I really wish I could post screenshots of what we've accomplished, but of course.. I cannot. As soon as I'm able to post/talk about what we've got I will. But for now, you'll have to take my word on it.

We moved into a new office at the Irvine, California Spectrum. While walking this morning to get Starbucks in the giant outdoor mall across the street I had the realization that there are *indeed* much worse places to be working in America (just kidding, I <3 Obsidian!)

We always have 3 projects in the works here these days, and I'm excited about all of them. That's a pretty great place for a Junior Programmer to be in. I never had to make "Barbie's Horse Adventures" or "Fucking Kim-possible" (as a colleague at E3 called it once). I'm definitely blessed.

"We always have 3 projects in the works here these days"

Obsidian had worked on an unannounced project besides Alpha Protocol and Aliens before this rumor. I hope Obsidian's unannounced project will not be cancelled.

 

[water_wendi]

FFS! i knew this shit was gonna happen. My ranting a month ago. Good luck to those that got the axe. And gl to Obsidian pulling through this.. honestly tho, i got a feeling that Alpha Protocol is going to be their Bloodlines.

 

[HK-47]

http://rockmusicnerd.livejournal.com/


"We always have 3 projects in the works here these days"

Obsidian had worked on an unannounced project besides Alpha Protocol and Aliens before this rumor. I hope Obsidian's unannounced project will not be cancelled.

Awww christ. And we'll never get to see it. Strange though that we dont know even the codename for this other project. Usually they name them after states, though I dont remember SoZ getting a codename

 

[KareBear]

Alpha Protocol is their big console game and it could really screw them if it doesnt sell. Not to mention if Alpha Protocol doesnt good, maybe we get the Aliens game back

As for SoZ, it's a more niche RPG than MotB. I mean duh, everyone should buy it and NWN 2 Gold and the PC version of KotOR II for when they finish the SLR project...

Are KotOR II and NWN 2 on Steam?

While i hope Alpha Protocol does well i would prefer if they made a fantasy or,scifi,post apoc,steampunk etc rpg instead.A modern planescape game would be awsome.What is the "SLR project"?

 

[HK-47]

While i hope Alpha Protocol does well i would prefer if they made a fantasy or,scifi,post apoc,steampunk etc rpg instead.A modern planescape game would be awsome.What is the "SLR project"?

Sith Lords Restoration Project. Trying to restore cut content to the game like the individual endings on Malachor V and the HK Droid Factory. Some people are even fooling around with the cut droid planet.

 

[Acosta]

I'll never understand why the guys from Obsidian can't get a break, they have been taking shit since Black Isle days. I'm so pissed like now.

Here is hope Alpha Protocol sells (I will buy it for sure).

 

[Truant]

I have bought every Obsidian game ever. Some of them weren't that good, but I still bought them.

Fuck you, Sega.

 

[Nocebo]

Aliens RPG? Am I the only one thinking of X-com right now?

 

[dionysus]

I'll never understand why the guys from Obsidian can't get a break, they have been taking shit since Black Isle days. I'm so pissed like now.

Here is hope Alpha Protocol sells (I will buy it for sure).

In my opinion, there games are so much better than modern day Bioware and Bethesda. There is no justice in the world.

 

[MrTroubleMaker]

 

[HK-47]

Aliens RPG? Am I the only one thinking of X-com right now?

I've actually heard that mentioned on multiple forums. The other places didnt really care for the Aliens RPG. Obsidian still has has a name as a second rate Bioware to most, or at least the guys who "ruined" KotOR II. Even in the topic at Qt3. I was kinda of surprised at that.

And the only average game they have made relative to their output is NWN 2, which is still way better than NWN 1.

It seems like other than OE forums all the big Obsidian fans are here

 

[Ventrue]

It seems like other than OE forums all the big Obsidian fans are here

That's because GAF has quality control.

 

[Lakitu]

Fuck you recession. Fuck you.

 

[deepbrown]

This can't be true, SEGA was touting all three titles just days ago.

 

[Rolf NB]

I find it wrong to prioritize whatever Team Sonic is up to right now over anything any other development studio has ever done, is currently doing, or will ever do. Sega has released a number of good products lately, but I don't trust them one bit when it comes to focus and priorities. Too much history.

 

[Another_visitor]

FASA wasn't really an economic thing as that was quite some time ago, but ACES was dissolved really recently. I'm not sure if you'd count it as a downsize overall though since they made two new teams after they closed them.

Just to be clear, MS aren't making any new teams. Ex-ensemble staff are forming the studios independently of MS. MS are contracting out some work to one of the studios though.

 

[Bluemercury]

There must be some reason...why they would pull the plug on this....most of games based on the aliens franchise have been all decent to excellent and they also sold decently too.......

 

[Servizio]

Hey guys, I'm just taking a break from a Bloodlines replay to check in, what's going on in this...


oh.


oh.


/self

 

[Minsc]

Alpha Protocol is their big console game and it could really screw them if it doesnt sell. Not to mention if Alpha Protocol doesnt good, maybe we get the Aliens game back

Are you suggesting they'd have been better off without moving to a big console game, or that they are pretty much screwed no matter what?

 

[Llyranor]

Alpha Protocol better sell through multi-platforming and word of mouth, but it'll probably be overlooked by people who view Mass Effect and Fallout 3 as somehow the pinnacle of WRPGs.

 

[Anerythristic]

Sega is a once proud lion that is now old and skinny and losing it's mane.

I can see Sega going to sit under a tree and passing on before this recession ends. It saddens me.

 

[EXGN]

This sucks, both for Obsidian and Sega. Sega had such a solid 2009 line up(as publisher), now it's slowly dwindling...

 

[Skiptastic]

I've actually heard that mentioned on multiple forums. The other places didnt really care for the Aliens RPG. Obsidian still has has a name as a second rate Bioware to most, or at least the guys who "ruined" KotOR II. Even in the topic at Qt3. I was kinda of surprised at that.

I love KOTOR II and anyone who doesn't understand why it's a fucking awesome game needs to check out the Let's Play Archive run through of it. The guy there explains why Obsidian is the fucking bees knees.

 

[Father_Brain]

New twist: Aliens RPG and Colonial Marines to continue with different developers?

Joy.stiq has been reporting that Sega has pulled funding from two big games based on Fox's "Aliens" franchise: the RPG at Obsidian and "Colonial Marines," in development at Gearbox. There has been speculation that the games might be canceled as a result.

However, I've just spoken to a source in a very good position to know what's up with both games who told me that they're definitely not canceled. Production is expected to continue and the games, both of which are well into development, will come out. But quite possibly not with the developers they're at. It's looking like it could be a "Splatterhouse" situation (if you don't know what that means, find out here).

My source described the situation at both Obsidian and Gearbox as "fluid," having to do mainly with the quality of the work. Sega, apparently, is not seeing what it wants on the schedule it wants to see it. Which is probably why, as Joy.stiq reported, Sega has pulled funding and those developers are reeling.

It remains to be seen how Sega will proceed, whether and when it will assign the games to new developers, and when they'll come out. But the plan definitely remains that gamers will be getting an Aliens RPG and "Aliens: Colonial Marines," as well as the recently announced "Aliens vs. Predator," in the not-too-distant future.

 

[TheJollyCorner]

it's probably the lack of sleep, but the first thing I thought of when I read ALIENS RPG was a turn-based JRPG with Nomura designs.


I chuckled... and snorted... and almost blacked out for whatever reason I don't know.




Good to hear these are(might be) still on track.

 

[JayDubya]

Hadn't heard or seen anything about this, but just as long as we see Alpha Protocol, I'm happy.

Well, that's not entirely true. I love the hell out of the idea of an Aliens aRPG.

 

[diffusionx]

New twist: Aliens RPG and Colonial Marines to continue with different developers?

That would be... weird. I figured Splatterhouse was pulled from BR because that game was supposed to launch in 2 months, yet looks like it would be worse than Final Fight Streetwise. But quite frankly I would be shocked if Gearbox AND Obsidian were making rubbish Alien games at the same time.

The genius of getting those 2 companies to work on these games was that they knew the genre, now I am scared Sega is gonna put some cheap no-name developer on it. Or TOSE.

 

[dionysus]

New twist: Aliens RPG and Colonial Marines to continue with different developers?

The thing is, who is better than Obsidian at making wrpgs? Especially when you consider that the only independent wrpg developers I can think of are Bethesda (which owns its own IPs) and CDProjek(sp).