Hard Light Productions Forums

Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Aspa on July 18, 2004, 11:59:01 am

Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Aspa on July 18, 2004, 11:59:01 am
I've spent several hours reading all kinds of FS3 speculation on all kinds of forums, and while there's a lot of speculation, I'm missing some hard facts.

The facts, as far as I know at the moment, are:

No one has heard anything from Interplay about freespace.

No one has heard anything from Volition about freespace.

Derek Smart has stated an interest in aquiring the freespace licence.

Does anyone have more info about the first two facts?

I heard a game company were interested in maybe aquiring the licence. Anyone have cold hard facts about this one?
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: jdjtcagle on July 18, 2004, 12:03:22 pm
yeah, a rumor suggested that Egosoft of X2 was interested

AFAIK, Nobody has been able to contact anybody yet

He's wants the license but not sure yet if he can get it
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: an0n on July 18, 2004, 12:08:20 pm
Is Interplay even contactable?

Last I heard there was just one outsourced guy in India, answering phones and telling debt collectors the CEO was in a meeting.

Oh and that guy with the rats......
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: MatthewPapa on July 18, 2004, 12:09:07 pm
X2 was a pretty cool game. I believe Egosoft would do an OK job with FS though I know we would all rather have V. I would say the chances of someone developing a FS3 would be pretty high in the next 4 years.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Carl on July 18, 2004, 12:09:20 pm
another cold hard fact:

Volition said that is FS3 was going to be developed, they would be first choice.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: an0n on July 18, 2004, 12:10:09 pm
Care to re-grammar that?

Volition said EgoSoft would be the first choice or that Volition would be the first choice?
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: jdjtcagle on July 18, 2004, 12:11:51 pm
We sooooooo.... got to get that lisence so we can hand it over to Volition
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: an0n on July 18, 2004, 12:12:40 pm
Uh......no.

We SOOO have to get the license so we can let Volition make FS3.

Look what happened the last time Volition had the rights.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: jdjtcagle on July 18, 2004, 12:13:42 pm
Ummm... sorry....
I MEANT what Anon said :)
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: SadisticSid on July 18, 2004, 12:22:37 pm
X2 was a pretty shocking game (I played it when it first came out, and eeeeeeeugh) laden with bugs and just generally not fun. The recent patches have tidied it up, apparently, though it took the better part of a year for Egosoft to release them. Having said that their track record is not nearly as bad as Smart's - the first X game was pretty good. V, of course, would be anyone's first choice.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: jdjtcagle on July 18, 2004, 12:24:15 pm
Because personally, wouldn't you want the original writers of Fs1 and 2 to tell you what happened?
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Flipside on July 18, 2004, 12:30:59 pm
I enjoyed X2 thoroughly, possibly a little too close to X-Tensions in some ways, with added Bump mapping etc, but then I enjoy the SCP as well, and that's just Freespace 2 with added Shine mapping etc ;)

Egosoft also have an entire forum where the moderators help modders with questions on altering aspects of the X universe. They also supplied a patch with gave you a high level of moddability in-game.

Whether you approve of the game itself or not, I certainly admire their approach.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: übermetroid on July 18, 2004, 12:40:20 pm
Quote
Originally posted by jdjtcagle
Because personally, wouldn't you want the original writers of Fs1 and 2 to tell you what happened?


Well there is a problem there...  They dont know what is going to happen.  The story after was not written.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: aldo_14 on July 18, 2004, 12:40:48 pm
I read a rumour somewhere on Blues News (the vast thread, not the site itself) that Totally Games (XWing) were interested.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Flipside on July 18, 2004, 12:44:51 pm
Finally, Ubermetoid, someone who thinks the same thing as me.

I'm of the opinion the whole 'Symptom of something bigger' was pre-drumming up of sales for FS3 if and when it happened. I don't think anyone really 'knew' what was going on, it just seemed to be rolling along in a nice atmospheric way, so they kept to the idea ;)

A game isn't like a film, you never count on being able to develop a sequel. However, open-endings work everywhere ;) And can still leave options if needed.

Personally, I doubt [V] actually had any idea of where the story was going from there, possibly some of the FS2 developers drafted up some quick ideas in case the chance would come around, but I doubt anything was ever set in stone :)
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: karajorma on July 18, 2004, 12:52:06 pm
WildWolf stated on the VWBB that he knew enough of the plotline for FS3 to state that none of the mod campaigns were going in the same direction.

That implies either ignorance of the campaigns or that enough of the storyline was sketched out that he has an idea where it is going and knows that none of the major mods are going the same way.

Feel free to take your pick as to which is correct but he sounded sure enough to me that I believe him :)

EDIT : VWBB NOT VBB :D
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: an0n on July 18, 2004, 12:54:28 pm
I'm gonna take a stab in the dark and say it's not the Shivans who're the bad guys, but the Ancients.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Taristin on July 18, 2004, 12:55:09 pm
FS3 is from Sol's P.O.V.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: magatsu1 on July 18, 2004, 01:01:42 pm
Freespace never had much of a story anyway, in my opinion.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Flipside on July 18, 2004, 01:02:30 pm
I'm going to say the Shivans used to deliver Space Crack Pizza, but ate too much of their own stock. ;)
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Gloriano on July 18, 2004, 01:05:06 pm
Quote
Originally posted by karajorma
WildWolf stated on the VBB that he knew enough of the plotline for FS3 to state that none of the mod campaigns were going in the same direction.

That implies either ignorance of the campaigns or that enough of the storyline was sketched out that he has an idea where it is going and knows that none of the major mods are going the same way.

Feel free to take your pick as to which is correct but he sounded sure enough to me that I believe him :)


Well he worked in Volition, Todd Miller aka WildWolf
I believe him
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: übermetroid on July 18, 2004, 01:10:52 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Flipside
I'm going to say the Shivans used to deliver Space Crack Pizza, but ate too much of their own stock. ;)


Or had to much Bosch beer...  :D
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: magatsu1 on July 18, 2004, 01:12:05 pm
Quote
Originally posted by karajorma
WildWolf stated on the VWBB that he knew enough of the plotline for FS3 to state that none of the mod campaigns were going in the same direction.

That implies either ignorance of the campaigns or that enough of the storyline was sketched out that he has an idea where it is going and knows that none of the major mods are going the same way.

Feel free to take your pick as to which is correct but he sounded sure enough to me that I believe him :)

EDIT : VWBB NOT VBB :D


couldn't you get anymore details than that ? ;7
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Aspa on July 18, 2004, 01:14:20 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Raa
FS3 is from Sol's P.O.V.


I agree Sol: A History is an excellent campaign, but... :doubt:

Joking aside, would it be possible to have a moderated thread that would be about nothing else than the facts? There's not much to know right now, but it would be nice to have somewhere to find the latest FS3/licence news without wading through ****loads of speculations, suggestions and opinions.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: magatsu1 on July 18, 2004, 01:17:55 pm
'think you'll find speculation's all we've got...
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: übermetroid on July 18, 2004, 01:25:06 pm
We should really hunt down Mike Breault and Jason Scott and ask them about FS3.

They did write the story for FS2 you know...
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Executor on July 18, 2004, 01:27:30 pm
Another fact: we won't ever get enough money to buy the license.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: magatsu1 on July 18, 2004, 01:29:39 pm
Quote
Originally posted by ubermetroid
We should really hunt down Mike Breault and Jason Scott and ask them about FS3.

They did write the story for FS2 you know...


and hold 'em hostage ?! You're projected storyline or your life!!
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: SadisticSid on July 18, 2004, 01:33:39 pm
Quote
Originally posted by aldo_14
I read a rumour somewhere on Blues News (the vast thread, not the site itself) that Totally Games (XWing) were interested.


I've got my fingers crossed for this one - they're probably the most experienced devs in this field it could go to...
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: jdjtcagle on July 18, 2004, 01:36:01 pm
Quote
Originally posted by ubermetroid
We should really hunt down Mike Breault and Jason Scott and ask them about FS3.

They did write the story for FS2 you know...


If they don't wright it, then I wont buy it. :D
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: IceFire on July 18, 2004, 01:37:02 pm
On the story front...I'm told that there is a "book" that has a general outline of where the story was supposed to go.  FreeSpace, the sequel, and beyond.  So while there is no specific story past FS2 that has been laid out that we know about...there is a generalized one that exists and has from the start apparently.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Flipside on July 18, 2004, 01:38:51 pm
Cool! :)

Well, I can't resist taking my own shot in the dark, and I must admit, I always thought the 'bigger problem' that the Shivans were a symptom of was......Freespace ;)
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: jdjtcagle on July 18, 2004, 01:40:48 pm
And believe Icefire when he says stuff like this. :nod:

Didn't you do stuff for V and know most of them too.

I think I read where you were asking a whole bunch of questions about Freespace 1, before it came out ;)
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Hippo on July 18, 2004, 01:46:22 pm
Book? Where?
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Gloriano on July 18, 2004, 01:57:15 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Hippo
Book? Where?


In volition maybe.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Bobboau on July 18, 2004, 03:46:15 pm
in regard to facts 1 and 2, we havn't heard anything, and would not especaly if anything was going on becase profesional developers arn't stupid enough to talk about this stuff before the deal is done.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Gloriano on July 18, 2004, 03:51:54 pm
Indeed.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Black_Knight on July 18, 2004, 04:47:42 pm
Quote
Originally posted by aldo_14
I read a rumour somewhere on Blues News (the vast thread, not the site itself) that Totally Games (XWing) were interested.


A late reply to this thread, but just my 2 sense :wtf:

I would be sooo opposed to Totally Games doing Freespace, or even another XWing game for that matter.  

Yeah the single player games they make usually rock, and that's what drives us to play Freespace still, but their multiplayer coding skills are just about the industry's worst.    Freespace 1/2's lag is nothing compared to the lagfests of XvT, XWA and Bridge Commander.  And that's just on a good LAN, never mind online.

Now I know Freespace is built on its single player aspects mostly, but I would love to see a roboast multiplayer game included with it.  Now I don't know what Derek Smart's multiplayer part of his games are like, but I bet you all its a whole heck of a lot better.

I know this reply was not really relevant to the topic per say, but I just felt compelled to say that TG would be bad for FS.  (unless they've hired better network coders recently)
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Flipside on July 18, 2004, 06:11:55 pm
I always felt that the Network play on the Xwing games in particular was tagged on as a last minute thing because, when XvT came out, networked computers were rare, but on a sharp rise.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Tiara on July 18, 2004, 06:49:20 pm
I still think we're becoming a little bit too picky right now. that we don't want Derek, ok. But it's not like we have a lot of other options. Hell, we have no options unless we actually do something.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Inquisitor on July 18, 2004, 06:57:59 pm
It's pretty standard practice to have alot of written source material before you engage in story driven stuff.

There's tech design docs, functionality stuff, and, story stuff. We have 3 guys who are prepping our universe for a table top game,  and we're using that as the basis for most of our in-game stuff, and Lore isn't even a SP game.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Black_Knight on July 18, 2004, 07:12:54 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Flipside
I always felt that the Network play on the Xwing games in particular was tagged on as a last minute thing because, when XvT came out, networked computers were rare, but on a sharp rise.


I will agree that XWA and Bridge Commander had multiplayer that felt like it was tagged on at the last minute, but XvT was designed almost solely for the purpose of LAN/Internet play.  

Games back then had excellent LAN play (any shooters, MW2 series, flight sims, etc.), with low lag for LAN's, although internet play was much lower.  Totally Games botched it big with their lack of networking skills on that game for it to work on a LAN.  No other games I've seen has lag like that on a LAN, even back prior to its 1997 release.  Otherwise, I have no doubt, despite its aging graphics, that game would be played today by more than what shows on The Zone.


I would like to add to this thread by asking that if we as a community do chip in and obtain the rights to FS3, will the game be sold, or handed out for free?  If copies were sold, then I could feel a little more at ease in investing into the game with others.  Not as a money maker for those that helped out financially, but at the very least, some sort of return investment.  

After thinking it through for the last few days (no I don't have anything better to do, so stop right there)  :cool:   I was considering that having so many community people donating/advising/working on the project, it could run into serious trouble, both in building it and legally.  I would hope that all bases would be covered to assure everyone's concerns in that area, and that the team was carefully selected (which I'm sure that the people who contribute here a lot more than I know who would be best suited for that role).

PS - I would contribute more, but alas, I rarely edit/make things - I mainly game.  :(  Hence my low post count in almost 2 years of being here.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: IceFire on July 18, 2004, 07:23:18 pm
Well just take the FS Bible for instance. Thats a bunch of pages from the book probably.  I don't know for sure that one exists but thats my generalized impressions that I've gotten over the years, plus the questions that we asked in various interviews with Volition staff and have posted on VW.

I did not ever work for Volition.  I did at one point run the largest fan site (till HLP eclipsed us :D) and I've visited their offices twice.  Its a neat little setup and its great to see inside how these game studios work.  A real eye opener and an experience I will always treasure.  Not to mention meeting Orange, Remora, and Dynamo in person.
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Black_Knight on July 18, 2004, 07:29:43 pm
I hope you brought home some autographs.  ;)
Title: Cold hard facts about FS3 and licence
Post by: Ace on July 18, 2004, 08:31:54 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Flipside
Cool! :)

Well, I can't resist taking my own shot in the dark, and I must admit, I always thought the 'bigger problem' that the Shivans were a symptom of was......Freespace ;)


(obscure VBB reference ahead) Flipside has probably earned himself a cookie ;)