Topic: Send me some listener questions!

[PatMan33]

Or perhaps I could continue my ghoulish laughter.

[J-Caizer]

BioWare was bought by EA... what does this mean for BioWare fans?  Does it mean we just got pwned, or is BioWare in better shape than it's ever been since the new CEO of EA was once the CEO of BioWare?

Mass Effect is a send up to classic 80's sci-fi... what are some of your favorite 80's sci-fi memories that are evoked by this game?  What other inspirations do you feel it draws from?

And how does Bioshock fit in and live up to it's System Shock legacy?

P.S.  Welcome back to the podcast cyberscape.   

P.P.S.  Ahhh, shoot!  I got in my question too late!  I'll email it to ya for the next episode.  Welcome back, once again!

[emmet]

You influenced me to look into gaming as a future career!

I think you missed a podcast. 

I believe it's this podcast that he describes the pains of the people who work on games.

If it wasn't that podcast, perhaps it was this one?

I can always try!

[Slartibartfast]

You should a segment on how game companies are trying to control how people can use their games for machinima.

[Tineras]

Try to stay with me here because this may sound a bit childish.  I've often wondered if there would ever be several developers that would ever consider fusing multiple game types into one "mega game".  The Home service that Sony will be offering soon gives a glimpse into what I'm saying.  In home, you can walk up to a pool table and play pool and then walk over to an arcade machine and play mini-games.  What if you could walk outside and jump into a car and start a racing career?  Or become a pilot? Or manage a company?  It would almost be like a sandbox style game, but better.  All of these experiences could be collaborated by different develops so that there would be continuity, but each would be a richer experience since there would be a whole team behind it.  I know the logistics would be insane.  I also know that it's easy to be a pesimist here, but I'm just trying to spark some thought.  Developers could even compete for a chance to have their title to be a part of the game.  The key to all of this would be that it would work seemlessly.  I don't want to put in a disk.  I don't want to see ridiculous load times.  It would be like an alternate reality.  I don't believe that we are that far away from having the technology.

Tineras

[Plank of Wood]

Try to stay with me here because this may sound a bit childish.  I've often wondered if there would ever be several developers that would ever consider fusing multiple game types into one "mega game".  The Home service that Sony will be offering soon gives a glimpse into what I'm saying.  In home, you can walk up to a pool table and play pool and then walk over to an arcade machine and play mini-games.  What if you could walk outside and jump into a car and start a racing career?  Or become a pilot? Or manage a company?  It would almost be like a sandbox style game, but better.  All of these experiences could be collaborated by different develops so that there would be continuity, but each would be a richer experience since there would be a whole team behind it.  I know the logistics would be insane.  I also know that it's easy to be a pesimist here, but I'm just trying to spark some thought.  Developers could even compete for a chance to have their title to be a part of the game.  The key to all of this would be that it would work seemlessly.  I don't want to put in a disk.  I don't want to see ridiculous load times.  It would be like an alternate reality.  I don't believe that we are that far away from having the technology.

Tineras

That would require the processing power of a nuke.

[gec05]

Also, we don't want t lose too much touch with the real world.

[Danzik]

Welcome to the forums Tineras.

That would require the processing power of a nuke.

You'd only be running one game at a time so that shouldn't be an issue on the consumer side.  The backend might need to be pretty beefy but, dividing the games between different proprietary servers shouldn't prove too much of a challenge.

This really isn't as crazy as it first sounds.  The issue would be with logistics.  As you mentioned, it would be difficult to have all these developers running from one set of loose design docs.  Although, this is sort of what's happening with Second Life.  Many different things (cars, airplanes, phallus firing weaponry) have been created within the SL engine.  It's fully possible and as long as companies are able to make money from something of this nature, it can't be too far off.

Also, we don't want t lose too much touch with the real world.

Highly overrated.

[Tineras]

Also, we don't want t lose too much touch with the real world.

Says You

[warfteiner]

/*
 * thread hijack continues - listener question at end of sequence
 */

So, not to continue hijacking this thread but I have to say that this idea - about combining
multiple styles of games into a single active-time front end application - is truly not that
difficult.

I spent many years as a MUD coder and was fortunate enough to work with some of the
"big names" on quite a few projects.  One of these projects was an experiment to allow
players to handle their own transfers from server to server (world to world, in their eyes)
and allow them to play completely different styles of games using only a single login and
player file.

Granted, we're talking about a text-based game here with no graphic crunching but the
heart of the matter is that we were able to link three separate and distinct game worlds
(anime, D&D-themed, Aliens/Predator) with no true issues.  Players could travel with
their gear and skills and use them without restrictions, making for some very interesting
displays in combat and at rest.  The three worlds were prior established worlds, as well,
and although they each required some behind-the-scenes tweaking and refitting.

Heck, if we can get it work on a couple x386 boxes with Hercules cards I'm sure a modern
network can link some minigame madness together.

/*
 * Question time!
 */

Steve, why is it that developers seem to shy away from using prior saved data when
sequels are released?  The power & prestige cards can be played I suppose, but the
classic Wizardry series supported the usage of save games from prior installments in
the series.  It's sort of frustrating to pump 50-100+ hours into a game only to have
all your accomplishments invalidated for part 2, etc.

Thanks!

[Gaming Steve]

Steve, why is it that developers seem to shy away from using prior saved data when
sequels are released?  The power & prestige cards can be played I suppose, but the
classic Wizardry series supported the usage of save games from prior installments in
the series.  It's sort of frustrating to pump 50-100+ hours into a game only to have
all your accomplishments invalidated for part 2, etc.

Thanks!

Simple, they want to make sure to remove as many barriers to entry as possible. Anything which makes it feel like you MUST play, or worse own, the prior game can result in lower sales. And publishers want to make it as easy as possible for new people to play as possible.

That's really it, nothing too surprising there. Also balance is a problem. I remember importing my characters from The Bards Tale I into the sequel and my characters were so powerful that the game wasn't even fun. I never even played the second one because of that.

Sequels are hard enough to market (surprisingly most sequels often sell LESS than their originals, not more) so anything which can result in lower sales is removed from the equation.