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Ex-MMO devs aim to fund space combat game via Kickstarter

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, New titles

They were part of the force behind many MMOs you've known and loved, including Jumpgate, Auto Assault, LEGO Universe, RIFT, and League of Legends, and now they're banding together for a new cause funded by crowdsourcing. They're the developers at END Games, and they hope to raise a quarter of a million dollars to create a multiplayer space combat game.

Despite the team's legacy, however, this new title will not be an MMO. Titled Squad Wars, the proposed project will blossom into a frantic starfighter game that will pit squads of players against each other in the deadly vacuum of space. Instead of focusing on a persistent world, Squad Wars will offer packaged scenarios that will "ensure the most fun every time you login."

END Games is also notable in that two of its members were founders of NetDevil: Scott Brown and Ryan Seabury. As of the time of this writing, END Games has $1,430 toward its goal, which must be attained by May 19th for the project to proceed.

Ex-MMO devs aim to fund space combat game via Kickstarter originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New LEGO Universe trailer: "Bring your world to life" [Updated]

Rubi Bayer — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:30:00 EST

Filed under: Trailers, Video, Game mechanics, LEGO Universe, Family

The newest trailer from the team at LEGO Universe gives a closer look at what most players consider to be the core of the game: building and customization.

Developers Ryan Seabury, Mads Purup, Randall Furino, and Scott Brown lead us through the different building models that offer varying amounts of freedom and creativity, along with some interesting LEGO twists on character customization. Among other things, the game allows you to decide how you want to die. Do you want to fall apart into a pile of LEGO bricks, or something else?

Want to see all the options for yourself? Follow along after the jump for the newest look at LEGO Universe!

[Editor's note: At the request of NetDevil, we've replaced the European version of the trailer with the US version. Enjoy!]

Continue reading New LEGO Universe trailer: "Bring your world to life" [Updated]

New LEGO Universe trailer: "Bring your world to life" [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A significant update on Jumpgate Evolution's progress

Kyle Horner — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Jumpgate Evolution, New titles, News items

NetDevil's Scott Brown has emerged from the black depths of development on Jumpgate Evolution to give an update to the commmunity. In fact, he's given quite a substantial -- if not brief -- update about the various game elements being hammered into proper working order.

The topics covered are Battlespace, mission structure, faction definition and improvements being made to the previously lackluster enemy AI. So basically, NetDevil has been working to revamp the game ever since its June 2009 release date was changed into a To Be Announced state, leaving fans wondering when they'd be able to get their space fighter action on. We've posted Scott's bullet point update beyond the break, for those interested.

Continue reading A significant update on Jumpgate Evolution's progress

A significant update on Jumpgate Evolution's progress originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E3 2009: The evolution of Jumpgate Evolution

Mike Schramm — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Video, Jumpgate Evolution, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, Hands-on

The last time I personally saw anything about Jumpgate Evolution (Netdevil's re-imagining of the the very early space MMO) was almost two years ago when I spoke with the executive producer. At that time, we had little more than a few screenshots and concept art. Massively has spoken with Peterscheck and covered the game multiple times since then, but when I stepped into Netdevil's little booth at E3 (so little, in fact, that it didn't even have their name on it -- it was labeled with Gazillion Entertainment, their publisher), I didn't have any idea what to expect.

What I found was both surprising and impressive. Way back in that first interview, Peterscheck told me that they were trying to make a space shooter MMO that depended on skill rather than stats, that offered up a fully realized universe for players to explore, and gave some new options for PvP and space combat that we hadn't seen before. Sitting in their booth watching the game get played on three big screens, I saw all that and more. Hit the jump (gate) below for impressions and even a gameplay video from last week's show.

Gallery: Jumpgate Evolution E3 2009

Continue reading E3 2009: The evolution of Jumpgate Evolution

E3 2009: The evolution of Jumpgate Evolution originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jumpgate Evolution delayed: No new launch date in sight

Shawn Schuster — Wed, 27 May 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Jumpgate Evolution, MMO industry, New titles, News items

As we quickly approach June and the time limit for MMOs launching in Q2 09, we get word from NetDevil that Jumpgate Evolution won't quite make it for the deadline. In fact, according to a forum post at the official JGE forums, Scott Brown says there is no definite date for the game's release at all.

"Our passion for this game means we want to release it in a state that is complete." Scott says. "You have raised the bar for us and we feel a great responsibility to reach that bar and exceed it. The only thing worse than waiting is being rewarded with a product that does not live up to its potential." Luckily, JGE looks to be an promising game so far, and the forum members and potential players are remaining optimistic about what seems to be a wise choice on NetDevil's part. We'll be sure to keep you up-to-date on any developing news regarding Jumpgate's progress.

Jumpgate Evolution delayed: No new launch date in sight originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 May 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jumpgate Evolution interview explains UI customization and emphasis on story

James Egan — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Jumpgate Evolution, Game mechanics, Interviews, Lore

Attendees of the LOGIN Conference last week had a chance to see NetDevil's demonstration of Jumpgate Evolution. The writers at ZAM were among the gaming press attendees and came away from the demo with some positive impressions, but some questions as well. They caught up with NetDevil president Scott Brown who discussed the inspiration for creating the original Jumpgate and how Jumpgate Evolution will live up to its name.

The interview specifically touches on how Jumpgate Evolution aims to engage players in ways the original wasn't able to. In that context of how the follow-up title compares to the original, Brown says, "We have a much stronger story now, with help from Keith Baker (the creator of Eberron for D&D) and we have significantly more focused PvP so players have even more reason to fight the other nations."

Continue reading Jumpgate Evolution interview explains UI customization and emphasis on story

Jumpgate Evolution interview explains UI customization and emphasis on story originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 May 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scott Brown elaborates on design philosophy behind Jumpgate Evolution

Brooke Pilley — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Jumpgate Evolution, Interviews, News items

Gamasutra caught up with NetDevil president Scott Brown to play a demo of and talk about his upcoming space MMO, Jumpgate Evolution. Fans already know about the various ships, career paths, and large-scale battles from recent interviews and part one of a "making of" production video, so they decided to discuss more of the design philophy behind the game instead.

Scott says his 13-person team has been trying to concoct the perfect "easy to learn, difficult to master" formula that will provide an accessible but challenging experience for players. He also believes players should be able to solo in JGE, but be encouraged to group as well. One feature he hints at is a "soft grouping" mechanic that will prevent solo players hunting in the same area from stealing each others' kills.

Instead of trying to incorporate fantasy-based MMO roles like tanking, healing, and DPSing, NetDevil gained their inspiration for careers from modern air and naval combat. Scott also believes that PvE- and PvP-oriented players may not mix, so the team has been considering a special ~~PvE~~ PvP-only server-type. Ultimately, beta testing will determine whether or not this happens. Speaking of beta, don't miss your chance to sign up because the game is set to launch in June.

Scott Brown elaborates on design philosophy behind Jumpgate Evolution originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NetDevil president discusses company's origins and risks taken along the way

James Egan — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews, MMO industry

A lot of interviews we read about the MMO industry deal with the specifics of a forthcoming title, but it's great when someone gives us a peek into an aspect of the industry we haven't seen before. The MMO Gamer recently had a chance to sit down with NetDevil president Scott Brown and discuss how the company came to be. The MMO Gamer piece by Steven Crews is titled "Making MMOs on a Shoestring: The NetDevil Story with Scott Brown."

It's a fairly in-depth look at the origins of NetDevil. Brown talks about how he got his start in the gaming industry and how NetDevil stuck to those core principles they brought to the table as gamers. Brown says, "We make the games we desperately want to play that for some reason no one else is making." The interview also discusses the risks that NetDevil has taken thus far, and Brown reflects on the risks that didn't pay off in the end. "Making MMOs on a Shoestring" is a candid look at the NetDevil story and you can read it over at The MMO Gamer.

NetDevil president discusses company's origins and risks taken along the way originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NetDevil acquired by Gazillion Entertainment... last July

Kyle Horner — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Jumpgate Evolution, New titles, News items, LEGO Universe

We've got good news that also happens to be a bit strange. Remember that new publisher that's now bringing us the Marvel MMO? Well, it turns out that NetDevil was actually acquired in July 2008 by the newly revealed Gazillion Entertainment. NetDevil's Scott "Scorch" Brown says in his post on the official Jumpgate Evolution forums that the choice was made due to Gazillion's shared view on game development. Specifically, the two companies value lots of focus testing, vertical slice development, iterating until things are great and only releasing games when they are ready.

The strange part is of course the announcement of an acquisition that occured over half a year ago. We're assuming the delay was due to Gazillion wanting to make a big announcement splash, but it's dark business magic like this that make us scratch our heads sometimes.

Is this news and that of Codemaster's chief operating officer unexpectedly departing from the company connected? It's hard to say, but at this point it's anybody's guess as to what's really going on.

NetDevil acquired by Gazillion Entertainment... last July originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NetDevil talks past, present and future of MMOs

Shawn Schuster — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Jumpgate Evolution, Business models, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, LEGO Universe

Now that Tabula Rasa will be closing in two months, many of us are remembering a similar situation in 2007 with NCsoft's Auto Assault. The game's development team at NetDevil was fairly outspoken at the time about what they felt was a savable game, yet NCsoft saw it as a business decision. One of the most vocal NetDevil employees who tried to save the game was Scott Brown. Ten Ton Hammer caught up with Brown in a recent interview where he gave his current views on Auto Assault's closing, what the company is working on now and a hint at what's in their future.

"I would never turn off a game." Brown says in the interview. "I would do what I would need to do to make the game support itself, but why turn it off? Especially when there are people that love your game?" With knowing what they know now, Brown discusses how the studio has changed their development process. Their current projects, including the LEGO Universe MMO, Jumpgate and an unannounced web-based game coming soon, are enough to keep this company from focusing too much on their past mistakes and just blasting forward into the future.

This interview is part one of two, so look for more from Scott Brown in the second half coming next week.

NetDevil talks past, present and future of MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NetDevil's Brown likens Jumpgate to Gran Turismo

Chris Chester — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Jumpgate Evolution, Interviews, New titles

Of all the unlikely comparisons we've heard over the years, one we hadn't really anticipated was the comparison between Jumpgate Evolution and Gran Turismo. And just the same, there it is, smack dab in the middle of a recent interview Gamasutra conducted with NetDevil's Scott Brown. Brown says that in Jumpgate Evolution, instead of merely relying on a level-based progression system, you can achieve ranks in specific classes of weapons and ships in a manner not unlike Gran Turismo's license system.

Brown goes on to talk about their priorities when it comes to putting the game through beta, the lessons they've learned from both Auto Assault and Jumpgate Classic, and the iterative development strategy they've employed. The interviewer also expressed shock--as many have--about the game's relatively lilliputian group of developers, with only 13 people developing such a brilliant-looking game. It's worth a read if you consider yourself a pilot-to-be.

NetDevil's Brown likens Jumpgate to Gran Turismo originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The devils of NetDevil offer insight into Jumpgate Evolution

Michael Zenke — Sat, 24 May 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Jumpgate Evolution, Interviews, New titles

Interviews conducted at this month's ION 2008 conference continue to emerge, painting a broader picture about the industry as a whole. Yesterday MMORPG.com posted a discussion with the minds behind NetDevil's Jumpgate Evolution. Scott Brown and Hermann Peterscheck offered a taste of the game up to the site's Carolyn Koh, who includes in her writeup that the game almost looks like 'moving concept art'. Their discussion is of a more technical nature, focusing on the game's progress so far. Brown states that the devils have been treating the title 'like a live game', with testers and developers in-world almost from the start. They've already had a very notable public exhibition of the game's new user experience, at the March Connect 08 event.

Brown goes on to say that they're currently focusing on the title's infrastructure: auction houses, mining, and mail. Other topics include the role of PvP, the importance of player-created goods in the game's economy, and the many options you'll have on how to control your ship. If you're wondering about power structure, Mr. Peterscheck offers the word that the game will use a very traditional system: "Levels are a symbol of your progress ... Everything you do gives you whether it is crafting or running missions and that builds your level. It will not make you a better pilot or give you more life. You have to build your ship, get better weaponry and shields, get your licenses."

The devils of NetDevil offer insight into Jumpgate Evolution originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 May 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meet and greet the JGE boys at ION

Chris Chester — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Jumpgate Evolution, Events, real-world, MMO industry, New titles

For those who have never had the pleasure of doing, meeting one's favorite developers can be a really world-changing experience. Having the names and faces that you read so much about on the internet turn into real living, breathing human beings is surreal, but quite rewarding. It's something we have the pleasure of doing quite frequently, but we have a feeling they enjoy seeing fans more -- since they don't ask so many probing questions.

Those attending to the ION Conference next month, or even just those in the Seattle area, might be interested to know that NetDevil's Hermann Peterscheck and Scott Brown will be holding a Meet and Greet for fans on May 14th. We're told that space is limited, so much sure and RSVP on their official forums ASAP if you're interested in a spot. Their website was down at the time of writing this, but hopefully it'll be back up again soon.

Meet and greet the JGE boys at ION originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jumpgate Evolution in fifteen minutes

Chris Chester — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Jumpgate Evolution, Game mechanics, New titles, Previews, Hands-on

If a game doesn't grip the player after the first fifteen minutes, he is lost forever. At least, that's the theory according to Jumpgate Evolution producer Scott Brown. Kotaku recently took a look at JGE's first fifteen minutes, and reported on their impressions in a brief, though somewhat insightful piece about this pivotal aspect of NetDevil's sci-fi MMO in-progress.

While their writer's comparisons with World of Warcraft seemed a bit forced (is it really fair to compare NetDevil's small team with the multi-billion dollar Irvine, CA juggernaut?), his impressions of the first few missions are pretty interesting. It seems like their efforts to craft a game that appeals to sci-fi aficionados scared off by EVE Online's uncompromising complexity may be bearing fruit. We hope to see more hands-on looks on the title as it continues to crawl its way through the development process.

Jumpgate Evolution in fifteen minutes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New short and sweet Jumpgate Evolution trailer

Chris Chester — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:40:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Jumpgate Evolution, New titles

Jumpgate Evolution is a game that many around the Massively offices have been anticipating with bated breath. It's a game that continues to fly under the radar, despite a gorgeous visual aesthetic and being the product of the fevered minds at NetDevil. While this trailer is somewhat lighter on the gameplay footage than we would liked, it's a refreshing reminder that there is more than just Age of Conan and Warhammer Online in our futures.

For this blogger, it's NetDevil's focus on making a game that scales well with a wide range of different hardware configurations that really makes the project really endearing. In an industry so long dominated by Tim Sweeneys, it's nice to see someone like Scott Brown every now again, who will focus on shipping a tight, well-developed experience instead of promising the world and then blaming others when he can't deliver.

[Thanks Kevin!]

New short and sweet Jumpgate Evolution trailer originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jumpgate revelations: Massively interviews NetDevil's Scott Brown

Jennie Lees — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Jumpgate Evolution, Events, real-world, Interviews, New titles, Previews, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage

NetDevil were previewing their upcoming game Jumpgate Evolution at Connect08, with a series of gamestations set up to let players experience the game for the first time and give their feedback. Jumpgate Evolution is a space-based action MMO firmly centred around action combat, and we managed to snag some time with NetDevil's president, Scott Brown, to fire off some questions about the game.

Development's come some way since our last interview in November; as you may have read, our first impressions weren't too hot, so read on behind the jump to find out what Scott thought and to learn more about the game.

Gallery: Jumpgate Evolution Gallery

Continue reading Jumpgate revelations: Massively interviews NetDevil's Scott Brown

Jumpgate revelations: Massively interviews NetDevil's Scott Brown originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC08: Bigger is not always better

Chris Chester — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Jumpgate Evolution, Business models, MMO industry, Casual, Academic, LEGO Universe

One good thing about being in such a net-savvy industry is that when you miss something, like the GDC presentation by NetDevil's Scott Brown and Hermann Peterscheck, somebody will inevitably put the powerpoint online for everybody to see. The NetDevil guys, currently working on Jumpgate Evolution and LEGO Universe, are well-known for their honesty and candor. So when they lay out their model for the future of the MMO industry, we're inclined to listen to them. Their premise is that the exponential growth that has been observed by many parties within the MMO space may in fact be somewhat illusory. While revenues for the industry as a whole continue to sky-rocket, the money and subscription numbers continue to be concentrated in only a few, extremely successful games.

Take one look at all the canceled titles and commercial failures that litter the landscape. They have a point. The advice that they lay out for burgeoning developers is to forgo huge teams, shiny graphics, fancy rec-rooms, and other accoutremonts for a lean team, lower minimum spec, sensible work conditions, and a realistic development timetable that won't lead to costly delays. Perhaps most importantly, they say that trying to take on the big boys with a $4 million budget is tantamount to suicide. Smaller development teams can actually make more money than big budget titles in the long-run if they find their niche and stick to it. Or as one slide says, "A little greatness is always better than a lot of mediocrity."

Gallery: GDC08: Small teams big dreams with Netdevil

GDC08: Bigger is not always better originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Jumpgate Evolution developer log from Scott Brown

Eli Shayotovich — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Jumpgate, Jumpgate Evolution, Interviews, MMO industry

Scott Brown is one of the founders of NetDevil, makers of Jumpgate Classic, Auto Assault and the upcoming Jumpgate Evolution. In a new developer log posted on the JGE site Scott waxes philosophical on the burning question: Why Jumpgate Evolution?

OK, maybe it's not a "burning" question to everyone, but it is to me since I so enjoyed Auto Assault and actually raised a pint in an honorary toast when it came to a crashing halt last year.

In Scott's reflections on the past he says that even though AA didn't perform to everyone's expectations they still learned a lot from the experience. They took that knowledge and applied it to evolving the Jumpgate franchise into what is looking to be a spectacular space frag-fest. Additionally, Scott talks a little about the development process of JGE and reveals some insightful tidbits about how NetDevil evolved that will surely warm the hearts of even the most k001 "jaded" gamers (and there are many of those, something I've never quite understood - they're games, but that's a topic for another time). Heartfelt honestly in this industry is few and far between. Give it a read and tell me you aren't more stoked about JGE!

New Jumpgate Evolution developer log from Scott Brown originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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