 Do you want the Shadowrun game to do well? |
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 Nov 27 2006, 05:07 PM
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#26
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Running Target  Group: Members Posts: 1,333 Joined: 19-August 06 From: Austin Member No.: 9,168  |
Those are even better! I still play Battletech: Crescent Hawk's Revenge via emulators!
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Nov 27 2006, 05:08 PM
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#27
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,333 Joined: 19-August 06 From: Austin Member No.: 9,168 |
I knew someone would bring it up - I was actually about to edit my post to add "Well, except for Zune." ;) |
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Nov 27 2006, 09:17 PM
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#28
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Awakened Asset Group: Members Posts: 4,464 Joined: 9-April 05 From: AGS, North German League Member No.: 7,309 |
We now have another example - buying a license just to annoy users with pre-defined expectations does not make good business sense.
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Nov 27 2006, 09:24 PM
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#29
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,086 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 364 |
I'm sure if it were up to Microsoft, they wouldn't have even bought the Shadowrun License way back when. All they wanted was Battletech, but FASA was only offering a package deal. |
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Nov 27 2006, 09:44 PM
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#30
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,013 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
There's this great way to split up package deals called "reselling".
~J |
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Nov 27 2006, 09:50 PM
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#31
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Chrome to the Core Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,152 Joined: 14-October 03 From: ::1 Member No.: 5,715 |
Might be they had to sign a contract stating that they weren't allowed to or somesuch.
I dunno. Haven't seen the agreement, so I'm probably just rationalizing something that makes no sense either way. |
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Nov 27 2006, 10:38 PM
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#32
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Incertum est quo loco te mors expectet; Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 6,548 Joined: 24-October 03 From: DeeCee, U.S. Member No.: 5,760 |
Considering Shadowrun was FASA's cash cow, I rather expect MS didn't need their arm twisted to accept rights to it.
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Nov 27 2006, 10:49 PM
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#33
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Dragon Group: Members Posts: 4,589 Joined: 28-November 05 Member No.: 8,019 |
It was their cash cow? Seriously? Why? And why do you think they went out of business?
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Nov 27 2006, 11:21 PM
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#34
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,086 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 364 |
Once something's been assimilated into the collective, you'll sooner see it wither and die on the vine, than see it sold off to someone else where it might thrive. MS seems to have a phobia over having something turn out to be a hit and be "the one MS let get away."
Cash Cow for a book publishing company doesn't always equate to being a cash cow for a video game maker. At the time that FASA Interactive was sold to Microsoft, there had been two Shadowrun video games released in the US, one in Japan, and one in development. Compare to Battletech's video game franchise, which at the time had what, 6 titles and two expansion packs over a 10 year period?
In order: Yes. Yes. It accounted for a large proportion of their income (although Battletech did account for a significant portion as well). Technically, FASA Corporation is still in business, just a different business. Why do I think they stopped publishing to go into the business of licensing their Intellectual Properties to other companies? I'd say a combination of factors including the general decline of tabletop gaming in the late 90s, their purchase of Ral Partha Miniatures during the merger-frenzy in the RPG industry during the same period, the possible effect that legal settlements with other companies over the years may have had on FASA's bottom line, and FASA co-founder Jordan Weisman wanting to start with a clean slate by starting a new company, WizKids. |
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Nov 28 2006, 09:54 PM
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#35
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Man In The Machine Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,264 Joined: 26-February 02 From: I-495 S Member No.: 1,105 |
There was an Xbox version? Yeah, I mean the PC version was ok, cute and all, but it went no where. Mechwarrior is pretty much dead, with no new titles in close to 5 years, and the news that Mw5 is dead in the water, with little hope of translation over to the 360. Yes, FASA... I had my bi-yearly paper work on my desk while I was thinking, so shovel off and let me confuse my acronyms =p |
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Nov 28 2006, 11:36 PM
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#36
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 749 Joined: 28-July 05 Member No.: 7,526 |
:eek: :eek: Great, now I'm having flashbacks... :eek: :eek: . . . the many forgotten hours in front of my 386 are coming back to me. . . |
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Nov 29 2006, 01:42 AM
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#37
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 519 Joined: 27-August 02 From: Queensland Member No.: 3,180 |
Machinimation (?) might be this game's saving grace, as long as it looks SRish. Some of the HALO movies are mildly entertaining.
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Nov 29 2006, 01:54 AM
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#38
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 983 Joined: 20-February 06 Member No.: 8,286 |
I'd like the game to fail. I don't want the videogame to act as a means of attracting more gamers to Shadowrun, because I don't want the designers of SR5 to feel any obligation to cater to that audience.
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Nov 29 2006, 02:20 AM
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#39
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,333 Joined: 19-August 06 From: Austin Member No.: 9,168 |
Um. RPGs are a small enough market that we need anyone we can get.... Turning away potential gamers because they might want something that the designers might someday put in SR5 is pretty counterproductive, and possibly will ensure there won't be an SR5.... |
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Nov 29 2006, 03:12 AM
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#40
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 983 Joined: 20-February 06 Member No.: 8,286 |
You're right, that was a stupid statement of mine, especially considering that my first exposure to Shadowrun was the SNES game. I suppose getting the "Shadowrun" name out there, even in the warped form of the Xbox/PC game, can't do much harm.
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Nov 29 2006, 03:16 AM
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#41
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Dragon Group: Members Posts: 4,589 Joined: 28-November 05 Member No.: 8,019 |
But at least they lifted the story for that out of pretty much every early Shadowrun story.
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Nov 29 2006, 03:24 AM
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#42
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,013 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
I disagree, but my counterexample to "can't do much harm" would be controversial.
~J |
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Nov 29 2006, 03:33 AM
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#43
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 745 Joined: 12-August 06 Member No.: 9,097 |
Hey, what's the fun in things if they ain't controversial?
I, for one, am interested in hearing your opinion. |
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Nov 29 2006, 03:34 AM
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#44
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 983 Joined: 20-February 06 Member No.: 8,286 |
I'm curious.
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Nov 29 2006, 03:37 AM
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#45
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,013 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
SR4.
See? Controversial :cyber: ~J |
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Nov 29 2006, 03:48 AM
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#46
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 745 Joined: 12-August 06 Member No.: 9,097 |
Bah!
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Nov 29 2006, 04:22 AM
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#47
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Immortal Elf Group: Members Posts: 11,410 Joined: 1-October 03 From: Pittsburgh Member No.: 5,670 |
that's... not quite accurate. MechAssault was released in 2002; MechAssault 2 was released in 2004; and MechAssault: Phantom War was released in September of this year. |
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Nov 29 2006, 05:28 AM
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#48
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Shadowrun Setting Nerd Group: Banned Posts: 3,632 Joined: 28-June 05 From: Pissing on pedestrians from my electronic ivory tower. Member No.: 7,473 |
Oh, God. Don't be so melodramatic. Tell you what. If SR's dead in 2012 (that is, no one is producing material for the license), I'll Paypal you a dollar. RPGs are always dying. They've been dying for the last, what, 10, 20 years? Basing your hopes on people who may not want or care for the intellectual demands of running SR as a RPG (as opposed to this piece of crap) is a sucker's bet. |
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Nov 29 2006, 09:47 AM
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#49
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Awakened Asset Group: Members Posts: 4,464 Joined: 9-April 05 From: AGS, North German League Member No.: 7,309 |
Well, the game will at least get the name Shadowrun out to the target demographic. From that point on the RPG will have to be convincing on its own.
When reading a preview on the game I was constantly thinking "cool, but not Shadowrun". Maybe they had to use the license in order to keep the rights? If they want to make good money on this, they should resell the license to bioware and see what that does to the bottom line of anything they publish with SR logo on it. |
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Nov 29 2006, 12:20 PM
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#50
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 983 Joined: 20-February 06 Member No.: 8,286 |
I'd rather the rights went to, say, Irrational Games - the people behind System Shock (and now Bioshock.) As of late, Bioware doesn't seem to be too keen on making gritty settings; their games have a very clean look to them.
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Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 12th June 2026 - 05:08 AM |
Topps, Inc has sole ownership of the names, logo, artwork, marks, photographs, sounds, audio, video and/or any proprietary material used in connection with the game Shadowrun. Topps, Inc has granted permission to the Dumpshock Forums to use such names, logos, artwork, marks and/or any proprietary materials for promotional and informational purposes on its website but does not endorse, and is not affiliated with the Dumpshock Forums in any official capacity whatsoever.