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Re: System Shock 3

#4
Considering the success of Deus Ex, my guess is that this will be more of a 'soft reboot' of the series. Where chronologically it is a sequel, but for the most part it's more of a 'restart'. The only real example I have of a soft reboot would be Wolfenstein The New Order since it takes place after the 2009 installment, but more or less ends up 'rebooting' the series.
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Early Spring - 1055: Well, I made it to Boatmurdered, and my initial impressions can be set forth in three words: What. The. F*ck.
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Re: System Shock 3

#5
DWMagus wrote:Considering the success of Deus Ex, my guess is that this will be more of a 'soft reboot' of the series. Where chronologically it is a sequel, but for the most part it's more of a 'restart'. The only real example I have of a soft reboot would be Wolfenstein The New Order since it takes place after the 2009 installment, but more or less ends up 'rebooting' the series.
I assume this is the same idea with the Doom reboot.
:D
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Re: System Shock 3

#6
It looks like there are actually two processes going on now:

1. Night Dive (the folks who got the rights back for System Shock) are working with one of the original artists for System Shock on a remake of the original game. This one will be the same game as the original, only with modern graphics. (And a more modern mouse & keyboard interface, I hope!)

2. OtherSide Entertainment -- made up of many Looking Glass alumni -- are currently working on a sequel to the two Ultima Underworld games. It appears that they've negotiated a deal with Night Dive to make an actual sequel -- a wholly new game in the System Shock series.

Best of both worlds? Heck, yeah. :)
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Re: System Shock 3

#7
I'm very excited about the possibility of getting a System Shock 3.
I'm a little concerned OtherSide Entertainment is making it. Now let me clarify that in that I'm excited that the people making it are "many Looking Glass alumni" but OtherSide Entertianment hasn't demonstrated they're capable of shipping a product yet. I backed Underworld Ascendant from them on KickStarter and I'm cautiously optimistic they'll deliver but I'm not 100% SURE they will and adding another major project when they haven't delivered anything yet is a bit concerning. It would be one thing if Ultima Ascendant were nearly done or if they had a history of successful releases prior ot Ultima Ascendant but to my knowledge they've never actually released a single game as a company (sure the members have released other games while working for other companies but it's not the same)
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Re: System Shock 3

#8
Asmodai wrote:I'm very excited about the possibility of getting a System Shock 3.
I'm a little concerned OtherSide Entertainment is making it. Now let me clarify that in that I'm excited that the people making it are "many Looking Glass alumni" but OtherSide Entertianment hasn't demonstrated they're capable of shipping a product yet. I backed Underworld Ascendant from them on KickStarter and I'm cautiously optimistic they'll deliver but I'm not 100% SURE they will and adding another major project when they haven't delivered anything yet is a bit concerning. It would be one thing if Ultima Ascendant were nearly done or if they had a history of successful releases prior ot Ultima Ascendant but to my knowledge they've never actually released a single game as a company (sure the members have released other games while working for other companies but it's not the same)
I hear you.

One of the producers did pop onto the official forums to imply that they're running a very lean team right now, and would have no trouble staffing up as needed to get a second game into pre-production.

Whether you trust them on that is up to you, but the fact that they acknowledged it feels like a good sign to me that they're approaching this in a professional way.

Also, bear in mind that there's an important difference between "making a game" and "operating a studio." If you want to be a successful game development studio, you need a pipeline of games in various stages of development. Making the deal to make System Shock 3 is a necessary step toward long-term profitable operations.
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Re: System Shock 3

#10
Flatfingers wrote: Whether you trust them on that is up to you, but the fact that they acknowledged it feels like a good sign to me that they're approaching this in a professional way.
I don't think it's an issue of trust, more demonstrated competence at running a successful business. I'm not trying to imply I think there is any malice on their part or that they are trying to mislead anyone. I'm sure they have nothing but the best intentions. What's that saying though... "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."
Flatfingers wrote: Also, bear in mind that there's an important difference between "making a game" and "operating a studio."
That's exactly my point. I have the utmost confidence that these people can "make a game". Being made up of "many Looking Glass alumni" pretty much solidifies that in my mind. As you said though there is MUCH more to "operating a studio" than "making a game" and from what I can tell they've really done nothing to demonstrate that the collective known as OtherSide Entertainment knows how to successfully "operate a studio". So far they have on successful kickstarter that has yet to deliver a product (though again, I'm cautiously optimistic that they will... I am NOT trying to imply I believe they wont) and now they're announcing another major title before they've even finished the first one. I'll feel much better about System Shock 3 when they successfully deliver their first product or I would feel better OtherSide Entertainment if they had a history of game releases that demonstrated they could "operate a studio".
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Re: System Shock 3

#11
There's not really any way to answer that other than, "watch and see."

There are no guarantees. Even well-managed studios fail. The public's taste is fickle. Stuff happens.

All I can do is look at the track record of the principals, not excluding the failure of Looking Glass, and at the actions they've taken as OtherSide that a random outsider can observe. Then it's a matter of guessing at whether what they're doing seems to support a long-term, strategically sound growth path. Right now I'm thinking "probably," but it's certainly true that there's not a lot to go on yet.

I would point out that acquiring the rights to make System Shock 3 from the new owner, Night Dive, doesn't cost them anything in terms of the schedule or funding of their first game, Underworld Ascendant. I'm not aware of any evidence that they have shifted anybody to SS3 who was working on Underworld Ascendant. So far this appears to be purely a business negotiation by Paul Neurath. In fact, it's probably a financially smart thing to announce SS3 now as that will bring more attention to their first game as OtherSide. The more cash their first game brings in, the better the chances that they can staff up as needed to do justice to System Shock 3 when the proper time comes to work on that.

Whether that succeeds or not is in the hands of fate, just like with every other entertainment product.
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Re: System Shock 3

#12
Warren Spector -- the producer for Ultima Underworld, System Shock, Thief, Deus Ex, and Disney's Epic Mickey -- has announced he is joining OtherSide Entertainment to work full-time on System Shock 3.

This will start after his current semester teaching at UTA ends, where he's been leading the Denius-Sams Gaming Academy. So OtherSide still aren't ramping up to full development on SS3 just yet.

But when they do.... :)

First report at gamesindustry.biz: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2 ... ertainment

Interview with Wired.com: http://www.wired.com/2016/02/warren-spe ... m-shock-3/

:thumbup: :clap: :ghost:
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Re: System Shock 3

#14
DWMagus wrote:I don't want to get my expectations up too much... but damn, I'm really hyped for this game.
Right there with you. :)

The good news is that this team are getting to work out the kinks first with their Underworld Ascendant game. If this turns out well, it will mean they figured out Unity's strengths and quirks; they've built their asset creation pipelines; they've established their boring-but-vital project management processes and rhythms; and they've established working relationships within the team.

Add a professional producer like Warren Spector, who also "gets" the Looking Glass principles of game design, and SS3 has every chance to meet and exceed our expectations.

Excited? Me? Maybe a little bit. :D

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