Interplay Claims It Could Take Back Fallout

[PizzaSHARK]

I just wish someone would program a Fallout game which doesnt crash every 5 minutes? Seriously just employ some decent programmers?

wow. you've totally missed the point of the article, are ranting on something that doesn't have anything to do with the gist of it (it's about copyrights, not the game itself).
and you should study up if you think every crash is caused by a programmer.

Except anyone that's played Oblivion, Fallout 3, or presumably New Vegas can flat-out tell you that the Gamebryo engine is a steaming pile of shit. It's full of bugs, and while it's easily moddable (its only saving grace), modding it predictably introduces more bugs.

See, Bethesda has this tendency to release games that have numerous bugs, and then they sit back and let their playerbase fix those bugs for them - why else would you have faithfully updated Unofficial Patch mods for Oblivion and Fallout 3? I'm sure there's one for NV as well, but I haven't bothered to check because I'll be damned if I'm gonna spend money on another Gamebryo game.

Bethesda also tends to make really shitty games that require intensive modding to make them worth playing again. See: Oblivion, Fallout 3. I seem to remember Morrowind actually being alright on its own, but that was back in a different day when developers actually had to make decent games because making a pile of trash might ruin them. Nowadays the big developers are big enough that they can generally make a load of crap and call it a game and know there are enough stupid people out there (ESPECIALLY if it's developed for consoles or at least co-developed for them) that they can expect to at least make their money back, maybe even see a profit - even if the game's no good. 2K Games did this with BioShock 2. Blizzard does it continually with World of Warcraft, and did it with Starcraft II as well (though SC2 is actually a decent game now that it's become popular enough in the e-gaming scene for them to actually warrant investing time in fixing it.) I fully expect them to do it again with Diablo III.

I don't really care who gets the license. If Bethesda gets it, we'll get a shitty game with tons of bugs that will take 6 months for the modders to make it playable. If Interplay gets it, it'll be a shitty game that ships with tons of bugs and probably won't be moddable so it'll be a waste of money regardless. Since they both want to make an MMO, it just means we'll get a shitty, buggy, massively multiplayer game that we have to buy off the shelf (or more likely through Steam) and then pay them even more money for the right to play their tepid, buggy walking programming abortion.

On the whole, the Fallout series lost what made it great when Black Isle folded. Fallout 1 and Fallout 2 were pure genius (even though FO2 could be broken by getting power armor right off the dick, which trivialized the rest of the game.) With mods that make it function like those earlier games, Fallout 3 isn't too bad - but at that point you're really just playing someone else's game, rather than Besthesda's. By time I get done modding my FO3 install, about the only thing that remains that was Bethesda's work is the game world itself, and even that's not much -- I have newer, higher-resolution textures, new sounds, new music, new actors, new zones, new weapons, completely overhauled stats and leveling processes, completely new additions to the game, and even the original bits have been updated and made to look better. About the only thing remaining is the original game's plot (which of course doesn't make too much sense when you're using an alternate start mod) and layout of the pre-existing areas.

The only thing you can trust big-name development houses like EA, Blizzard, 2K Games, and I guess Bethesda (is Bethesda even on the level of those others?) is to play it strictly as a business. They'll do whatever it takes to insure maximum profits, and that usually means halting development cycles well short of when the game's actually ready to go so they can ship it out and bilk as much money from retard (console) gamers as possible, then it's right on to the next part.

Maybe that's why I spend so much time playing indie games through Steam :-/

 

[erbkaiser]

People, keep in mind that his is not Bethesda vs the old Interplay. This 'Interplay' is nothing more than the latest name of Titus Software, the makers of the classic "Superman 64". They just bought the NAME of Interplay when it was up for grabs.

The ex-Interplay guys are now mostly at Obisidian and other companies.

 

[Ausir]

Ok so now fallout is big, a "household name" among gamers, now Interplay knowing the rights for the single play RPG fallout are gone is trying to wiggle out an MMO. Now heres a question and i want you to answer without looking it up, what was the last game released by Interplay?

The license to make the MMO was part of the deal when they sold the IP.

People, keep in mind that his is not Bethesda vs the old Interplay. This 'Interplay' is nothing more than the latest name of Titus Software, the makers of the classic "Superman 64". They just bought the NAME of Interplay when it was up for grabs.

The ex-Interplay guys are now mostly at Obisidian and other companies.

Two of the major Fallout 1 and 2 devs, Chris Taylor and Mark O'Green, are at Interplay, working on Fallout Online. And they did not buy just the name, Titus bought Interplay back in 2000, when it was in financial trouble, but was a functioning company.

 

[Darth_Dude]

Oh come on Interplay, give it up. You already sold your IP to Bethessa, and now that it's had a comeback you want a piece of the pie? Jesus Christ make a new game or something.

 

[Kenko]

Ohh this is funny, two big companies acting like children...

Companies act like children towards eachother. Nations act like children towards eachother. Its human nature.

Like when you childishly called a kid dying a moron for a reason that the article stated a few times might not be the exact cause of death?

Nice try, brah. I am dissapoint.

 

[Johnlives]

Why dont they both make the game and let us decide which is best?

 

[viranimus]

Im torn by this.

On the one hand. I think Interplay is in the right. If they had the right to make the MMO, they are entitled to utilize its conceptual property no differently than Bethesda was allowed to use the intellectual property such as art graphics, themes, etc to make the fallout games.

On the other hand, Bethesda has the developmental clout to produce games like a top tier developer. So in their hands You would see larger releases more frequently.

But on the other hand I personally dont like alot of the conventions that Bethesda implanted into fallout that stemmed from the Oblivion model. If I have to see another pointless empty nuka cola bottle pop up cluttering my targeting It will be too soon.

But on the other hand, Interplay has went dramatically down hill over the years in the way of production. Sure they might have produced two of the games that I played more than any other at two stages of my youth, but seriously what have they put out in the last decade? Even through their rebuilding process as far as I can tell all they have accomplished is rereleased ports of old games to the WII VC and produced one Iphone game. Outside of that theres been a lot of "plans" but theyve seemingly got plans for like 4 franchise games to come out in 2011 but no firm details, no screenshots, no release dates. It seems like entirely too many "plans" and not enough action to pull it off. (Side note: I hope to god they pull it off.. Ive been dying for a modern Descent game)

Honestly.. the best thing at this point, is keep the deal as it is. Let bethesda make the single player games. They are clearly making profit from it. Let Interplay have the ability to make the MMO. Honestly it will either make them or break them. If it doesnt get released within reasonable time frame, it frees Bethesda to come in and build their own MMO incarnation, which honestly Bethedsa really shouldnt be in too much of a hurry to jump into the MMO market with a shark like WoW still flipping around in there.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

A Fallout MMO could ptentially make or break the brand of Fallout ... this is why it is so contested.

It's not a case of 'childishness' like so many *idiots* have proposed on this topic already. If you rub two brain cells together you'd realise that a Fallout MMO has the potential to make or break a company and generate huge amounts of revenue.

It could stand to make a mint and there's good reason two companies are fighting over the right to create it.

Furthermore ... a Falloiut MMO, if done poorly, could utterly destroiy not just the company that makes it but the label of Fallout ... thus bankruting one companyu, and making the IP a poisonous asset for years to come.

That is the meat and potatoes of the issue.

 

[spectrenihlus]

Can't we all just get along. This could end up killing Fallout.

 

[Starke]

ok next question,
What was the last GOOD game Interplay released?

I'm genuinely unsure, Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal? I do know what the last Fallout game they released was, and the fact that it's still referred to as "PoS" on No Mutants Allowed speaks volumes.

Anyway, well said.

Though there is a further possible (conspiratorial) angle. Interplay has basically been in a position to provoke all of this. Since Fallout 3 hit, their work on the MMO has provided them with an avenue to provoke Bethesda constantly. Remember their release of the "Trilogy Pack" a little while back? Even though it was in violation of their contract? Bethesda's told that Interplay is behind the milestone deadlines, when they're (apparently) not, provoking a suit? And everything spirals out from there. If this is accurate, then Interplay has almost nothing to lose (except court costs), and the potential to snag a AAA IP for peanuts.

EDIT: I know it sounds like a conspiracy theory, but it does seem to fit the events so far.

 

[adamtm]

I'd rather Interplay have the Fallout MMO than Bethesda. Why?

Simply because i fear that with the funding behind Bethesda and their business-only approach to games we would get a "World Of Fallout" while with Interplay i think its safe to say they do not wish to create the next "wowkiller".

I'm fine with Fallout Online being a niche mmo with dedicated 100-300k subs or even F2P. I dont think letting Fallout enter the MMO market with the goal to compete with the big-boys is realistic and Bethesda would be doing exactly down that road (you know being a AAA publisher that needs to uphold the rep in the industry).

So id rather see Bethesda not have the MMO.

 

[Nikolaz72]

Interplay did fail to meet the financial requirements, but their claim (which is pretty strong on this, actually), is that they failed to do so because Bethesda acted in bad faith from the beginning, never actually intending for them to be able to finish the game, and tried to stop them from making the game by any means necessary even before the deadline.

Except, if you turn it around... Interplay sells the IP with the provision that they get to work on an MMO. Then, they get the MMO ready to roll, but claim they're behind the mark in order to provoke Bethesda into telling them to stop. They deliberately provoke it into a court case by refusing to settle or mediate... and now they're looking at reclaiming the license because they provoked the other party into behaving in "bad faith"... call me crazy but that sounds like a plan.

Lets turn it into. Bethesda didnt buy the rights to make a fallout MMO because they knew this would happend and they would get the rights to do it without paying the money in the end if they played their cards right. And you dont even have to be crazy to call that a plan.

 

[BabyRaptor]

This entire situation has intrigued me. It's like a wreck on the freeway...You don't WANT to watch, but you just can't look away.

I haven't played enough Fallout to really get into it yet, so it doesn't affect me beyond entertainment value, but those of you getting buggered have my sympathy.

 

[poiuppx]

Oh, wow. Wow. Interplay has balls, I'll give them that. Balls, and no damn sense whatsoever. News flash; your company is still soaked in debt, hasn't produced a damn thing in ages, and is headed into a legal fight that will almost certainly stretch on for another few years. But the bit that kills me? The line that destroys me? The idea that showing anything from the MMO would be damaging to their case.

See, you know what that sounds like to me? It sounds like a steaming pile of BS. It sounds like they DON'T have anything to show for all these years of work and venture capital. It sounds to me like they're trying to bank off Bethesda's success in a desperate bid to actually make money again. You want to silence critics and give yourself a good accounting for this case? Show us what you have. It's ONE YEAR from the deadline for the game's release according to the original contract, which you seem so keen to bring up. ONE. YEAR. So where's the beta testing? Where's the presence at major industry expos? Where is ANYTHING aside from that crap newsletter that doesn't tell interested parties a damn thing?

The Interplay Fallout MMO is nothing more than vaporware. I'm calling it here. Because if they had anything, I mean REALLY had anything, they could show it by now in order to drum up support and bring in extra money to help them fight this. But they won't, because they can't.

***** at Bethesda all you want, but at least their damn games actually come out. And they sure as hell didn't make Brotherhood of Steel, so bonus points for that.

 

[Woodsey]

Who even are Interplay?

 

[Starke]

Interplay did fail to meet the financial requirements, but their claim (which is pretty strong on this, actually), is that they failed to do so because Bethesda acted in bad faith from the beginning, never actually intending for them to be able to finish the game, and tried to stop them from making the game by any means necessary even before the deadline.

Except, if you turn it around... Interplay sells the IP with the provision that they get to work on an MMO. Then, they get the MMO ready to roll, but claim they're behind the mark in order to provoke Bethesda into telling them to stop. They deliberately provoke it into a court case by refusing to settle or mediate... and now they're looking at reclaiming the license because they provoked the other party into behaving in "bad faith"... call me crazy but that sounds like a plan.

Lets turn it into. Bethesda didnt buy the rights to make a fallout MMO because they knew this would happend and they would get the rights to do it without paying the money in the end if they played their cards right. And you dont even have to be crazy to call that a plan.

That's plausible except, under that scenario Bethesda is banking on a probability which they don't have actual control over. It's a valid possibility, and it's certainly strengthened by their claim that they only licensed the name, not the IP back to Interplay for the MMO, since the game was never going to be made, it wouldn't matter, and if they did start to get the game up off the ground, it would have been a convenient way to hit them again and try to shut the project down. But that would be a much riskier proposition, for all the reasons we're seeing, and doesn't seem like the kind of risk a major publisher would be willing to take.

 

[Hungry Donner]

Actually the morrowind staff has left and was replaced with its current staff.

There are a number of TES III developers who left, in some cases after Oblivion (like Ken Rolston and Mark Nelson) and in some cases beforehand (like Christine Miller and Douglas Goodall); no doubt more if I put my mind to it.

There are a lot of developers who worked on Morrowind and are still there. Off the top of my head I can think of Brian Chapin (Designer), Christiane Meister (Lead Character Artist), Steve Meister (Programmer), Michael Wagner (Cartography), and GT Noonan (Animator). There are two other artists whose names I forget, and someone who I believe did QA for Morrowind and is now a designer - he may have also does some design work on the expansions.

Emil Pagliarulo did do some work on Bloodmoon (the miscellaneous quests) but admittedly wasn't involved in Morrowind itself.

There is at least one prominent Morrowind modder who still works at Bethesda - he obviously wasn't a Morrowind developer but he still did a lot of work with the game, albeit unofficially.

Kurt Kuhlmann did some of the pre-production work on Morrowind but left the company I believe before full production started. He was a Bethesda designer previous to Morrowind and remains one since his return.

Tedders, Michael Kirkbride, and Mark Jones were all Bethesda employees that left before Morrowind started full production but all three did freelance work for TES III and Tedders and MK did freelance work for TES IV as well. Nothing has been said about any of these people working on Skyrim but MK has been posting a lot of Skyrim related pieces lately so if he isn't officially involved it's certainly inspired a lot of new unofficial work from him.

 

[370999]

Am I the only person here who hates the idea of a Fallout MMO? It justs seems to toattly contradict the premise of Fallout, that of what would you do in a new world, by throwing in guilds and will ruin the exploration elements with fetch quests. Of course I am biased as I despiese MMOs but I won't be buying it.

Fallout 3 sucking seems to be an opinion only held by fans of fallout one and two. Look I played F2 and I enjoyed it, the humour was nice and the setting unique. But F3 is not aweful compared to it by any means. Yes it missed a bit on the morality side of things going for a slightly retarded karman meter, the world felt a bit empty and the humour was lacking but it was still a stonking good game with unique asethetics and a strong sense of personality and some drop dead gorgeous scenes. I feel it was a worthy addition to the series.

On to this actual argument, I don't know. Both sides went to make the most money and that's fair enough but don't take them as being completely honest here guys. Personnaly I think Bethsheda are the ones most likely to actually do something with the franchise but who knows.

 

[Psycho Cat Industries]

Well,Interplay may have created an amazing franchise,but it sure don't know how to use it

 

[ALPHATT]

We have to remember that the fallout games are only decent because they are oblivion, remade again and again. Also, I refuse to play an MMO made by a company that can't even debug a SP game let alone a fucking MMO, not to mention the sub par animation that makes characters look like they are skating on the ground rather than walking, so I say let interplay have it, they alredy written a great portion of the gd game. I mean what is bethesda trying to achieve, even if they win this, they won't see the source code and an MMO takes around 6 years.