Peter Molyneux Brings Back Populous

Andy Chalk

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Nov 12, 2002
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Peter Molyneux Brings Back Populous

22 Cans has launched a Kickstarter for Godus, a "delightful reinvention" of the classic god game Populous.

One of Peter Molyneux's best-known games is Populous [http://www.amazon.com/Populous-PC/dp/B0012NXJIE/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1353525498&sr=8-10&keywords=Populous], the 1989 release widely regarded as the first-ever "god game." It gave players the power of a god and let them use it to lead their people to supremacy over a not-entirely-hospitable world and the unbelievers who worshiped a rival deity, and it was absolutely fantastic.

And now, if Molyneux can raise about $718,000 on Kickstarter, modern gamers will soon get their hands on an "innovative reinvention" of the game by way of Godus, the next project in the works at 22 Cans. Very little in the way of actual detail has been revealed at this point - "living world, accessible but deep, multiplayer the way it should be," that sort of thing - but the important bit is that it's a Populous remake coming from the guy who made the original game.

"I don't want to promise anything," Molyneux says in the Kickstarter pitch video, absolutely straight-faced and without any trace of irony whatsoever. "I just want to deliver the glory of the old days in the new format of today's world."

Godus will take an estimated seven to nine months to complete, according to the Kickstarter, but if the funding target is exceeded the team will add even more features, which could lead to a longer development time. And while the rancid stench of Curiosity continues to hang over the studio, it says it's learned a lot from that experience and will apply those lessons to Godus. (Why it doesn't apply what it's learned from Curiosity to Curiosity, I do not know.)

The Godus Kickstarter [http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/22cans/project-godus?ref=search] went live today and runs until December 21.


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Krantos

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Andy Chalk said:
"I don't want to promise anything," Molyneux says

Seriously, though this does interest me. Populous really was fantastic. I just really think Molyneux has lost whatever it is he had back then.

Still....

 

viranimus

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Nov 20, 2009
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Yeah, part of me wants to say this wont meet the funding, simply out of Molyhate

Hopeful, but somewhat hesitant.

Edit: Also it doesnt fill me with a lot of hope when the potential cut off date co-insides with this years big Apocalypse. 12.21.12. Little too meta.
 

gibboss28

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I feel sad for saying this, but I have no faith in Molyneux to deliver a good Populous game any more.

And to be honest him saying:

"I just want to deliver the glory of the old days in the new format of today's world."
Makes me even less trusting of this.
 

Entitled

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Krantos said:
Andy Chalk said:
Populous really was fantastic. I just really think Molyneux has lost whatever it is he had back then.
I don't think that he ever had it, really.

Many of these classic legendary developers, like Molyneux, Will Wright, Sid Meyer, John Carmack, etc, were never particlarly talented either about understanding what gamers want, or about designing a good program, but when computers and gaming were still new, they just happened to be the first ones to come up with basic self-evident genre ideas, that others would have soon came up with anyways.
 

Avaholic03

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Clearly inspired by the success of the XCOM reboot. But unlike XCOM, I'll hold my excitement until after this game comes out. I've got a feeling it's going to fail.
 
Apr 28, 2008
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So is this the "one game" his studio is making, or is it another "experiment."

Snark aside, this actually sounds pretty cool. Enjoyed Populous, would love for a remake of it to happen.
 

Charli

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Nov 23, 2008
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Got sad watching that video since I've kinda been around all those places it was shot in as a kid.

...I'd love to throw a bit of cash at this truth be told since... the team behind populous is an integral part of who I am as a gamer today and to give them another shot at it would be swell. But I am just so goddamn poor at the moment, Peter me ol'mate. I do hope this goes somewhere, truly. I would hope that all the good aspects of Black and White and Populous and Modern day graphics and 'god games/sim' are mushed into each other to create something much better. But that's just my vision for it.
 

Monsterfurby

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Wow, so THAT has been the plan behind Curiosity? Use it as a high-tier reward for the ACTUAL project?

Well played, Peter, well played.

But we all know, of course, that the key selling point is going to be the twinkle in his eye as he describes the game. Seriously, how does he DO that?



Edit: I love how they address Molyneux' over-idealistic plans though.
 

Frostbyte666

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AS much as I would love a new populous game I'm not going to be funding this. Sorry Pete but I want to see your finished work with a couple of reviews before I'm willing to buy a game (or in this case invest) from you nowadays. Though I wish him luck to get it right.
 

mdqp

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Entitled said:
I don't think that he ever had it, really.

Many of these classic legendary developers, like Molyneux, Will Wright, Sid Meyer, John Carmack, etc, were never particlarly talented either about understanding what gamers want, or about designing a good program, but when computers and gaming were still new, they just happened to be the first ones to come up with basic self-evident genre ideas, that others would have soon came up with anyways.
While I can't say anything about Molyneux (I really haven't played a lot of games he was involved with), I believe Sid Meyer is someone who did a series of great games, a series way too long to be dismissed as simply being "the first one who came up with basic self-evident genre ideas that others would have soon came up with anyways" (I am not saying that people wouldn't have done something similar if he never existed, but I believe his games really have that special something... Of course, I can't say if he is responsible for that or if the people he worked with were just that great).
 

Groenteman

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From top-rank game creator, to common swindler, and now magically back to revive out fond memories?

This should realy tell us how wrong it is to worship a single developer. To take it he came up with everything that goes in 'his' games.

By principal, I do not give money to people who have tried to sell fried air. Maybe his game will be good, maybe ill even buy it, but not before I have absolute certainty its every bit as good as he claims.
 

Baresark

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I have backed many projects in their infancy on Kickstarter. But I would never fun a game by him. Most of his games are honestly disappointing. They are not bad games by any stretch, but I never found them as good as people made them out to be. And NEVER as good as Molyneux claimed the were.
 

Formica Archonis

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Nov 13, 2009
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Sorry, what was that, Petey? I was busy playing Reprisal [http://www.reprisaluniverse.com/site/playreprisal/], didn't hear you.

I think Peter might actually be thinking of the survival of his company, though. This seems to be completely out of character for, like, everything he has ever said.
 

Andrew_C

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I would normally run screaming from anything involving Peter Molyeux, but I soo tempted to back this. Thankfully I've already backed a Kickstarter project this month, Elite: Dangerous [http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous] so I've got an excuse not to back this. But then again, if I trust David Braben not to screw up, maybe I can give Peter Molyeux the benefit of the doubt.
 

Bvenged

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Well, he knows he's made some cock-ups in the past, I'd give him another chance. This time he hasn't got a publisher breathing down his neck.