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Reader Comments (76)

Posted: Aug 10th 2010 11:30AM (Unverified) said

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None of the domain names are for mmos, not even a mention of online in any one of them at all.

Also, Infogrames.....oh, I'm sorry. Uninformed people still refer to them as "Atari", even though it's just a name they bought to hide behind when they ran their own name into the mud. But then, they've ran the Atari name into the mud also, so I guess the point is moot.

But maybe this will stop people from the "Oh, Atari is a major company that built one of the very first game consoles and is an icon, they have billions of dollars! ZOMG!" morons that don't know that Atari is just Infogrames with a bought name ( they didn't buy the company, the company is long gone, they just bought the name ).

Anyway, "Atari" is currently involved in lawsuits on both ends of it's D&D license. Wizards of the coast is suing them for breach of contract and allowing a competitor ( Codemasters ) access to WotC IP, and Turbine is suing them for breach of contract for the way they have hindered DDO.

And then let's not forget that "Atari" is on, and has been on, the edge of bankruptcy for years now.

So keep on reporting on these "rumors". At least it's entertaining.

Posted: Aug 10th 2010 11:36AM (Unverified) said

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Oh, and just to add, people were speculating that Bioware was making the NWN mmo when they had an"unannounced" game coming up, which turned out to be SW:ToR. Some really unhinged people even speculated it was going to be made by Blizzard when they had an "unannounced" game coming.

And now, people are trying to connect it to Cryptic, a real shithouse developer, simply because some fool dug up some domain names ( which are nowhere related to Cryptic ) and because Cryptic has an "unannounced" mmo coming up.

LOL
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Posted: Aug 10th 2010 11:45AM (Unverified) said

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Actually, it is Hasbro suing Atari for providing distribution and publishing rights for Europe to Namco Bandai, when Bandai is a direct competitor to Hasbro in the toy market.

If you're going to complain about someone, at least get your facts right.
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Posted: Aug 10th 2010 11:51AM The Cynical Gamer said

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I worked at Atari for the launch of CO and STO; when I left they were working on Neverwinter Online (name could change). I've saw the game in action before I left; this is no rumor.
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Posted: Aug 10th 2010 12:05PM (Unverified) said

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Actually, it's Wizards of the Coast, like I said WotC. Hasbro is the parent company of Wizards of the Coast, like Vivendi is the parent company of Activision-Blizzard. So when Blizzard sues someone, Vivendi gets their name thrown in as well. So maybe YOU need to learn something before you come at me next time.
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Posted: Aug 10th 2010 12:07PM (Unverified) said

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But you were right, it's Namco Bandai they're suing, not Codemasters.
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Posted: Aug 10th 2010 11:35AM Ocho said

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I will most likely be resubbing to STO for a while, but even STO still has a lot of flaws and improvements need to be made on it. Now Cryptic is going to be splitting its resources into ANOTHER big IP? They better learn from their mistakes and take their time until they have a really good MMO and not rush it just to make a fast buck and screw over the NWN franchise...

Posted: Aug 10th 2010 11:59AM (Unverified) said

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@Mike:
And what mistake would they be learning when, as you say above, you are renewing your subscription?
As long as consumers will pay for what Cryptic is offering, that is what they will continue to produce; and another profile name like Dungeons and Dragons is likely to bring them money regardless of how shallow, undeveloped, and unsupported the final product becomes. (same as STO)

Want them to learn? Don't support their work with your money or time.
(Any bets on when the $300 lifetime subs are announced? Next week maybe?)
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Posted: Aug 10th 2010 12:21PM Ocho said

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Hehe I know my own hypocrisy here. However, I love the Star Trek IP too much, and they have made numerous improvements to the game (which I saw during the welcome back weekend) that I WANT to resub.

Their mistake has already been done and was highly seen and publicized. They launched a game with almost no features, heavily bugged gameplay, and not enough content. Since then, they've fixed a lot of issues, made a ton of progress, and turned the game from a joke into something more playable. My hope is that they've already learned from their mistake from the mass purchase and subsequent mass exodus.

Now, I'm just trying to keep one of my favorite IP's afloat. Can't knock me for that. :)
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Posted: Aug 10th 2010 11:37AM (Unverified) said

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What? No one ranting about how the game must be 4E based and 4E murdered then molested the corpse of their grandmother? The internet just ain't what is used to be...

OT: a NWN game with no Bioware (No old Bioware, you know the good one) is a minus, Cryptic which I do not really hate but seem to be the 'quick and shallow and cheap' MMO vendor of choice is a minus, Atari is a minus and frankly a D&D MMO may be a minus in itself, I don't need 3 thousand strangers to play D&D with I need 5 good buddies, which I already got.

If what they made was a very advanced form of the virtual table that was discussed then that would be different. Just another MMO, who gives a flip.

Posted: Aug 10th 2010 11:54AM Humbug said

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I'd play a 4E MMO.
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Posted: Aug 10th 2010 11:57AM (Unverified) said

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4E feels like an MMO anyway so why not right? :P

I will wait and see on this, so far we have a lot of rumors and I want screenies and a company statement before I believe much of it.
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Posted: Aug 10th 2010 11:57AM Controlled Chaos said

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Well, if only for the sake of interest and to not disappoint DrJones...

It would also depend a lot on if Wizards of the Coast wanted to keep to the same time line that they created with the alteration of Forgotten Realms when they remade it for D&D 4th Edition.

In the new version of FR, Neverwinter no longer exists. It was completely wiped out by the Spellplague in their own cannon. It'd be interesting to see if they'd go back on their own new designs to do this.

Posted: Aug 10th 2010 12:07PM (Unverified) said

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I believe one of the supposed URLs is saveneverwinter.com? That would certainly fit the current state of the city in 4E.

But really, the game itself doesn't have to follow canon specifically.

I am wondering if they plan to make the game more like PnP modules. So the campaign to rebuild Neverwinter could be one module. Another could be set at Silverymoon...etc. That would also mean they could charge by the module. Considering Cryptic's history of experimenting with various revenue methods, I wouldn't be surprised.
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Posted: Aug 10th 2010 12:14PM Controlled Chaos said

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True enough, Spectral, but there's already been a few hard feelings by fans about the change to FR. If they go back to the old 'Neverwinter is still in one piece' thing, they probably could just go for a past, I suppose.

As for the modules, it's possible, but I'd be somewhat concerned with Cryptic's ability to produce quality additions. These guys would be playing with one of their previous very lucrative franchises. Handling it wrong could be rather problematic.
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Posted: Aug 10th 2010 1:59PM (Unverified) said

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I agree. I wasn't too keen on them wiping out Neverwinter because I really loved that city. Heck, I'm not too keen on the whole "points of light" bit.

I disagree in Cryptic's ability to produce good content. I think they make decent storylines. It's just they don't make enough. They also need to be able to make the world seem more like a world than a game which is why all their games seem so shallow.

At any rate I'm interested on what they are planning. But just because I love D&D doesn't mean I'll buy this game if it is for real. But I won't boycott the game because it is Cryptic or Atari. I decide on the merits of each individual game.
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Posted: Aug 10th 2010 4:50PM Controlled Chaos said

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Not sure, my views are somewhat colored by the fact that they keep producing games that have lifetime subscriptions but, as has been mentioned repeatedly, have little long term content to keep said players around. Not to mention they just sell all the stuff that's considered to be 'exclusive' to start with anyways. I simply don't like how they come across as in it for the money instead of the fans while a lot of others seem to mix fan appeasement and monetary gain rather well.

I wouldn't judge until it's out, but previous endeavors by them simply don't give me much confidence.
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Posted: Aug 10th 2010 12:03PM AlluvianEstEndrati said

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Neverwinter Nights? Really? Faerûn is a bit over-used as a fantasy setting. All the history, books, novels and so forth are all great... but it gets to a point where one single fantasy campaign setting gets over-used to the point of nausea. I stopped gamemastering (or playing) D&D games in Faerûn a long time ago.

If it were Spelljammer or Dark Sun or Planescape... or heck even a more generic or custom D&D gameworld then I may be more interested.

I am definitely very wary of any D&D MMO coming out of Cryptic after how Champions and Star Trek turned out.

Posted: Aug 10th 2010 12:03PM Snichy said

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Assuming that Crypic are making it (big assumption), they are apparently well known for rushing out games unfinished and without content, probably under pressure from the publishers.

I am just wondering the timeline for these MMO's based on the above. If it is "announced" soon does that mean that it already could have 3 years of development time behind it (which could mean it will be good), or is it being announced now in its early stages and now the work begins in getting it developed, so Cryptic will be under pressure to release it asap (and we all know how that will go!)?

Posted: Aug 10th 2010 12:11PM Faryon said

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Cryptic have been pretty good at making pretty fun and exciting combat systems (STO ground is the exception), unfortunatly their MMOs have about as much depth as a sheet of paper..

My suggestion to Atari: Let Cryptic design the combat system and then hire someone else to create all the zones, models, textures, quests and other systems.

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