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Wired's vaporware column adds Hero's Journey next to Duke Nukem Forever

Seraphina Brennan — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hero's Journey, MMO industry, New titles, Opinion

And everyone at the Massively offices scratched their heads at the same time and said, "Huh?" All right, so Hero's Journey has been in production for, well, forever, but just because the game isn't coming out anytime soon doesn't exactly warrant it on the vaporware list at position number 8.

Especially as the game's engine, the now well-known HeroEngine, has been licensed by BioWare for this Star Wars game you might have heard about. The HeroEngine development has caught on like wildfire, and even Simutronics's own Neil Harris has said to Massively that the game is on the back burner while the engine development is in the forefront.

But, they still haven't left the game entirely in the dust. They've said that the game still has a long way to come in terms of content and polishing, but they're still letting people log in and play -- even when they're not around. The website even features in-game footage and screenshots, a bit more than Duke blowing some smoke at the camera and uttering a classic Duke-ism.

With all that said, Hero's Journey hasn't been pressing for release or gaining undue hype. It's a game that has been sitting in the corner, lurking, waiting for the right moment to strike. Plus, with most vaporware, we're usually left hanging -- wondering what exactly those developers have been doing with their time when they should have been developing. With Simutronics, we know exactly what they've been doing -- making a great engine. So that leaves the question, is it still vaporware if we know we shouldn't expect it?

Wired's vaporware column adds Hero's Journey next to Duke Nukem Forever originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top 10 games we'll never see

Shawn Schuster — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Sci-fi, MMO industry, Consoles, Crime, Humor

When an anticipated MMO is said to be cancelled, it takes a little piece of us right along with it. As a Star Trek fan, you may have been excited to hear the news of a Star Trek Online MMO, but upon the news of its cancellation, you've wept quietly under your desk ever since. The same goes for Darkfall. Seven years is a long time to wait for a game's release, only to have it continuously put on hold indefinitely.

Despite the fact that most of this Cracked.com list does not consist of MMOs, it's still an appropriate homage to the possibilities we've missed out on when it comes to our voided games on any platform.

Top 10 games we'll never see originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fury still being sold in retail outlets, but who's buying it?

Akela Talamasca — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Fury, Business models, Forums, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play

There's a forum post at atomicmpc.com that involves itself with the fact that Fury is still being sold in retail outlets (Electronics Boutique specifically named, though apparently there are others), when the game is free to download and free to play. As written here, though, it's not quite so cut-and-dried, as there is a slight benefit to owning the physical disc.

My question, however, is this: given the depth of negative press Auran has gotten for Fury, is it worth paying for at all? Across the board, Fury's gotten nothing but horrible reviews, and I'm surprised the game exists at all. This is an industry story on the level of Duke Nukem Forever, or Daikatana. Is the disc worth owning for any reason other than a White Elephant gift?

Fury still being sold in retail outlets, but who's buying it? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Dec 2007 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First look at Space Time Studios

Louis McLaughlin — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 21:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Interviews, New titles

TenTonHammer have an interview up with Space Time Studios, discussing their brand new "epic science fantasy" MMO. This is the first serious bit of news to come out of the studio, other than their art director visiting China.

Space Time Studios are still keeping quiet about major details of their new MMO, but we now know that the primary focus will be real-time space flight & combat, and it's epic science fantasy. Whatever that means. Presumably kobolds riding beholders and firing laser rifles at each other. Formed in late 2005, Space Time Studios includes many game industry vets that have worked on such titles as Star Wars Galaxies, Jump to Lightspeed, Wing Commander ... and even a Duke Nukem Forever escapee.

Major details and a name for their project shouldn't be too far off, so stay tuned.

First look at Space Time Studios originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Nov 2007 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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