[Corsair]

I was looking at the FS2Webring forums and I found this on the front page...

2002-05-13 23:50:10 EST  

Posted By Velocity
   
According to an official news release made by Valin Halcyon of Orbital Design Studios, Halcyon stated that the Descent 4 project had been cancelled. Apparently, the cause for this is a legal blood feud that had sparked between the Parallax team (Outrage Entertainment and Volition Incorporaetd), and Interplay Productions. Neither wants to comment to one another, and pursuing these issues has become too much of a hassle for Halcyon.
"The bottom of the Infinite Abyss is found...Descent will go no deeper. The party is over," he said.
However, Orbital Design Studios is not giving up on other projects, such as Olympia Gold Racing, and possibly several others.
The link for the official statement is at:
http://www.descent4.net/cgi-bin/obb/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST&f=1&t=118

I know wEvil is a part of the D4 Team...what is going on? Is this true?

EDIT: I think this site is actually called Legion of Apocalypse. I know LOA--Auger is in charge over there...
www.legionofapocalypse.com

[Blue Lion]

I read his post announcing it dead, I do believe it's true

[delta_7890]

[Fineus]

Yeah, I gather it is dead - damn shame.

[CP5670]

Well that really sucks, but what exactly happened there? If the legal arguments are between Outrage and Interplay, how did Orbital get involved?

[wEvil]

Dunno - i've been offline all week while i was completing some Uni projects.

Lemme just pop over to the d4bb and check.

OK...sadly it looks to be true.

What the situation is;

After Parallax split off into outrage and volition, the publisher, interplay kept some of the rights to Descent.  the other IP was kept by Outrage and V.

And they all hate each other.

For Orbital to develop a game we need all three to give us consent to use their IP, which they won't.  

Interplay were willing to let us develop, but Outrage and Volition were not.  Now there is very little chance interplay will let the other two do anything with it because the other two have been so arsy about the entire project.

Yet another example of how IP laws really just work against everyone involved.  In the world of today, nobodies' a winner

[Razor]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Don't cancel it!!!! It is EVIL!!!!

[killadonuts]

At least the D3 storyline had some kind of closure.
FS2 just left us with questions.


But I would like to see D4.

[Fineus]

In many ways though a lack of closure can be a great thing (I'm just taking the other side for the sake of here mind you). It allows modders, campaign designers and so on a lot more scope with what they do. If FS2 ended with the Shivans being wiped out then any future campaign featuring Shivans would have to have some lame-ass story like "somehow this group of Shivans survived and now they seek revenge" or something. This way people can be inventive without having to stick to the rules.

[killadonuts]

You never hear of anyone modding D3
At least I dont
The ending of FS2 and all the questions it leaves us just proves that a FS3 was intended and I believe if knew that FS2 would be the last the ending would be very different.

[Stryke 9]

'S interesting that in this case Interplay was willing to support modders, and :V: wasn't.

In fact, I've been finding out that apparently it's the publisher who regulates the level of moddability. Perhaps Interplay has gotten demonized a bit much...

[EdrickV]

Originally posted by killadonuts
You never hear of anyone modding D3
At least I dont
The ending of FS2 and all the questions it leaves us just proves that a FS3 was intended and I believe if knew that FS2 would be the last the ending would be very different.

I have! Pyromania!! Before I got into FS2 modding I was doing a lot of D3 online and working on some D3 missions. (Which I may actually finish. Some day.) Didn't do much as far as actual modding though, mostly just a fly through water texture and a mini-monster ball for a level that had passages too small for a big one.

[Ace]

I thought your guys' Descent 4 was a "fan project" which was outside of that sort of legaliese, well I guess I didn't read enough of the website

This is sad, the fact is that Interplay was willing to do one thing for the community, and now Volition/Outrage are the  not-so-squeaky-clean ones here. (I'd much rather see a well done Descent 4 then Red Faction XII for PS9 only)

[wEvil]

Well..there's a chance we can still do something if we change certain elements enough.

It wouldn't be descent 4, but it would be a descent-type game.

Either way, i'm not in the driving seat, Valin is.

[Nico]

Originally posted by Stryke 9
Perhaps Interplay has gotten demonized a bit much...

Something I kept telling, but have been flamed for, so I gave up.

[elorran]

Damn shame this.  I was looking forward to another Descent title.  Oh well