Official computer game in development? by chronicthehedgehog

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Official computer game in development?

POSTED BY: CHRONICTHEHEDGEHOG
UPDATED: Saturday, May 7, 2005 13:51
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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 6:55 AM

Just reading an interview with Nathan and Adam and they mention that a tie-in game is in development for Serenity:

http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=20034

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 7:24 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.

I am one of the playtesters/advisors on the game, so yes, I can confirm there is an RPG in development.

Check out the latest discussion here:

http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=9664

You will see that Jamie Chambers, the VP over at MWP makes a press release announcement at the beginning of this thread.

__________________________________________

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

Richmond, VA & surrounding area Firefly Fans:

http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/richmondbrowncoats/

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 8:02 AM

CHRONICTHEHEDGEHOG

Sorry, didn't make myself clear, meant computer game, not RP.

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 8:14 AM

MANWITHPEZ

Important people don't do field work.

Jamie Chambers is the VP over at ManWithPez...I had no idea!

Why was I not informed I had a VP?

Kaylee: "What's so damn important about being proper? It don't mean nothing out here in the black."
Simon: "It means more out here. It's all I have..."

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 8:20 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.

Quote:
Originally posted by chronicthehedgehog:
Sorry, didn't make myself clear, meant computer game, not RP.

Haven't heard anything on a video or PC game. Seems we would have heard something by now if anything was in developmental stages.

__________________________________________

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

Richmond, VA & surrounding area Firefly Fans:

http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/richmondbrowncoats/

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 9:16 AM

CHRONICTHEHEDGEHOG

Quote:

Haven't heard anything on a video or PC game. Seems we would have heard something by now if anything was in developmental stages

We have, hence me posting the article!:

Holly: Is there going to be a Serenity video game? I don’t know how you could make a video game out of it . . .

Nathan: I went to E3 with some of the Firefly/Serenity people, and I was party to some meetings with some kids who developed the video game engine, wanted to talk. It was very exciting just to see the beginnings of a video game . . . I hope it’s X-Box, and I hope it’s great. (To the recorder) X-Box, if you’re listening, I need Halo 2, in advance . . .

Adam: Care of Mutant Enemy.

Holly: Would you do the voices for that?

Adam: (as Jayne again) Who’s gonna do Jayne ‘sides me?

Holly: Robert DeNiro’s done voices in some games, so it’s not unheard of, but some people want to distance themselves from that. “Oh, that’s a kid’s game thing.”

Nathan: My favorite voice in a video game is Adam Baldwin in “Killswitch” . . .

Adam: Thank you!

Nathan: Yeah, there’s no way I’d let someone else do Mal. Hell no.

Holly: You couldn’t necessarily get the right emotional depth for a video game.

Nathan: Right, or the mild retardation of Jayne . . .

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 9:21 AM

SIMONWHO

Video games now are big big budget things. Like at least $3m to get it out the door. I suspect Universal's games division is sitting on the rights and is just waiting to see how the movie does. It would be an awful lot of money invested if the movie tanked (which often scuppers even brilliant video games, e.g. The Chronicles of Riddick)

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 10:00 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.

A meeting w/ some game engine developers does not mean the game is in development, only that the idea is being pitched. Was one in production it would have already been leaked throughout the browncoat community.

I do agree w/ Simonwho that computer/video games are costly to produce and it would be 'Versal & Joss that would get the final say on any game deal. I think 'Versal may wait to see how the film does to determine if there would be enough revenue potential to enter into such a venture.

__________________________________________

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

Richmond, VA & surrounding area Firefly Fans:

http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/richmondbrowncoats/

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 10:14 AM

WHOISRIVER

Quote:
Originally posted by SimonWho:
Video games now are big big budget things. Like at least $3m to get it out the door. I suspect Universal's games division is sitting on the rights and is just waiting to see how the movie does. It would be an awful lot of money invested if the movie tanked (which often scuppers even brilliant video games, e.g. The Chronicles of Riddick)

Nono, a bit of education required here: The Chronicles of Riddick didn't do very well at the box office (well, not as well as hoped), but the Xbox game went to the top of the charts and sold shit loads.

In fact, I believe I read somewhere it made more money from sales than the film took at the box office!

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 10:14 AM

ANOTHERFIREFLYFAN

That's a very old interview though, I think maybe it was an idea that they scrapped, much like the prequel animated miniseries idea.

But we can always hope.

Of course, I don't think any game could do justice to the Firefly universe. I won't accept anything short of an RPG on a level with Final Fantasy. Perhaps with some action elements... but NOT another crappy movie-tie-in first person shooter, please.

Keep flying

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 10:20 AM

WHOISRIVER

Regarding Universal's last game tie in;

"
"The critical and sales success of The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay makes it clear that we should certainly entertain the notion of a sequel, but at this time there is no such product in development," a VU Games spokesperson told IGN today.

There is very good reason to believe, however. In just one month, the well-received Xbox exclusive game sold more than 100,000 units in North American alone, with a foreseeable $15 million coming in to VU Games. That doesn't even include Europe, where neither the game nor the movie have launched. The movie, on the other hand, didn't receive the same kind of love, making only $53 million worldwide, after a $140 million production and marketing budget.
"

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 1:33 PM

CHRONICTHEHEDGEHOG

MMORPG would be nice, though I doubt it'd happen. Find a crew, find a job, keep flying.

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 2:41 PM

SERGEANTX

Quote:
Originally posted by chronicthehedgehog:
MMORPG would be nice, though I doubt it'd happen. Find a crew, find a job, keep flying.

Oh, I'd so love to see that - if they did it right. But IMHO doing it right would make it so much different that the standard MMORPG model that no one would touch it. Possible the best game design, or at least the closest I've seen to producing something like a Firefly atmosphere, would be Three Rings "YoHoHo! Puzzle Pirates". It's definitely not your typical Everquest (DnD) clone.

http://www.puzzlepirates.com/

I'd like to see something that put the focus on the notion of a 'crew'(which is the feature of Y!PP that I find so intriguing) with real cooperation and reliance as part of the game. The goal in the game should also remain in the 'Keep Flying' category, and with the way most designers pander to the 'leveling' and 'powergamer' mentality, that seems a stretch.

But heck, Joss was willing to 'think outside the box' when Firefly was developed, maybe some enterprising game designers will do likewise. Here's hopin'.

SergeantX

"Dream a little dream or you can live a little dream. I'd rather live it, cause dreamers always chase but never get it." Aesop Rock

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 3:36 PM

RETRO

That would be awesome. Also, the way I see it, the way to do a Firefly game would be to use an engine similar to Metal Gear Solid, particularly 3. Third person, with the ability to go to first person for aiming a weapon, and a strong emphasis on stealth.
I really like the team aspect of it, too. You would need to have at least so many people to really work. (Maybe a captain, and a pilot would be the minimum, but you could have a pilot, a captain, a warrior, (I'm shoving both Zoe and Jayne into this category,) a doctor, an engineer, a shepard, and I was going to stick in a psychic, but I think it would be better to keep River as an NPC. You could also mix and match, a la World of Warcraft, so that you'd have one pilot, one captain, three warriors and a doctor. Or something. You could also have the ability to cross train to some small extent, so the captian could also fight or fly.
My two cents.

"Just because I choose to wander, it doesn't mean that I am lost..."

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 3:36 PM

RETRO

Whoops, double post. But also, would it be computer, or per Nathan's request, they could do something on X-Box Live. That would be kind of cool. Especially if occaisionally you had someone like Nathan, Adam, or someone else from the Firefly cast on the other end of the mic.

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 8:15 PM

CUNNINGORANGETOQUE

Quote:
Originally posted by Retro:
Whoops, double post. But also, would it be computer, or per Nathan's request, they could do something on X-Box Live. That would be kind of cool. Especially if occaisionally you had someone like Nathan, Adam, or someone else from the Firefly cast on the other end of the mic.

That would be SO COOL!!!!

Personally though i dont care what system/computer it's on, i just hope it happens. It would be really cool if you could say....control Mal during the pilot and control him during the gunfight with constance on Whitefall, or when there's the gunfight and mal is wearing his pretty floral bonnet....

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Time for some thrilling heroics!

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 8:57 PM

CSSTROWBRIDGE

I want a Firefly game in the same vein as Elite / Private / X. Single player or MMORPG, this would be the only game I would pay a subscription for.

Think about it. You could be the captain of a tramp frieghter flying the big black. You'd have to hire a crew, (either NPCs or actual players) buy and sell cargo, transport goods for a fee, passengers, etc.

Buy differnt ships, upgrades, weapons, etc.

When on planets you would have to make contacts, avoid enemies, get into shootouts. While in space find quicker rootes, obey the laws or learn to avoid the Alliance, stay the hell away from the Reavers regardless.

I'm excited just thinking about it.

C.S.Strowbridge
News Editor / Movie Reviewer / Talentless Hack
http://members.shaw.ca/csstrowbridge/MainPage.htm

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 11:23 PM

SIMONWHO

Well, the Chronicles of Riddick game probably made its money back (remember, developers only get a fraction of the gross, not the 50% that movies typically get) but it was the failure of the movie that probably prevented the game becoming a smash hit. The movie was a much bigger hit on DVD, probably big enough to make a sequel possible.

Look at how well Enter the Matrix sold, it practically saved Atari and yet the game was completely awful. Unless you think that playing 50 hours of badly coded, generic button punching guff is worth it to see two women kiss in one cut-scene.

Actually, I might have to come back to you on that one. But my point is that video game producers will only fork out for a licence if it is going to produce a large amount of sales, regardless of the game itself. Just as there wasn't a Matrix videogame until Reloaded came out, I don't think there will be a Serenity game until the sequel comes out.

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005 11:57 PM

FRAY101

There's a fleeting mention of a Firefly/Serenity video game here:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=4089

(This was posted August 2004)

That's pretty much all Google could come up with!

"Why would I want to leave Serenity?"
"Can't think of a reason."

Over 100 Serenity screencaps now available at http://disneypix.tripod.com/destiny

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Thursday, May 5, 2005 1:13 AM

JAMIECHAMBERS

Hey guys and gals!

Since my name was invoked, thought I'd chime in and say I haven't heard anything about a console or computer game either. It would be very cool, but for now I'm just amazed at the cool licenses the film is getting: trading cards, action figures, comic books, novelization, and a certain pen-and-paper roleplaying game. It's still better than we could have hoped for a few years ago, and if things go well there is only more shiny goodness in the future!

When I met Nathan at Dragon*Con last year, I told him we were looking into getting the roleplaying game rights to Serenity. He first thought I was talking about a video game, and he told me about another group he had met (that he mentions in the interview). It took him a minute to "get" what I was talking about, but then was very enthusiastic. A few months later, of course, he sat in on the homebrew GURPS game at Gen Con SoCal, which was still very cool even if he was confounded by the rules.

While I love video games... (my poor XBox is doing without Jade Empire right now because I can't afford to get too involved/invested in anything besides my work on the Serenity RPG)... I hope some of you who've never tried tabletop roleplaying will give our game a try. We've got a few ways to show you the game at the summer shows (the five-minute method, the 1 hour method, and the 4 hour method). We'll also have previews and other shiny goodness at our new website.

Time to refill the coffee. Talk to you all later!

** Jamie

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Thursday, May 5, 2005 1:13 AM

ROBINHOOD

I'm not sure a Serenity video game would be a good idea. It could cheapen the whole experience in my view.
For the vast majority of the time, Movie/video game tie-ins are terribly rushed efforts, as has been mentioned with The Matrix. There are so many other examples of this.
The Chronicles of Riddick was great, (if very short) but it was a rarity in a sea of crud.

Yep..........................that went well!

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Thursday, May 5, 2005 1:18 AM

FRAY101

Quote:
Originally posted by robinhood:
I'm not sure a Serenity video game would be a good idea. It could cheapen the whole experience in my view.
For the vast majority of the time, Movie/video game tie-ins are terribly rushed efforts, as has been mentioned with The Matrix. There are so many other examples of this.
The Chronicles of Riddick was great, (if very short) but it was a rarity in a sea of crud.

Yep..........................that went well!

Star Wars Lego - genius.

Maybe that would be the best way to go - who wouldn't want to see a little Lego Jayne running around blasting things?

"Why would I want to leave Serenity?"
"Can't think of a reason."

Over 100 Serenity screencaps now available at http://disneypix.tripod.com/destiny

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Thursday, May 5, 2005 1:56 AM

ROBINHOOD

I've heard many good things about Lego Starwars. So you have a good point there.
Heh! Can you imagine a Lego Reaver though

Yep..........................that went well!

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Thursday, May 5, 2005 2:08 AM

FRAY101

Quote:
Heh! Can you imagine a Lego Reaver though

Yep..........................that went well!

Yikes!

"Why would I want to leave Serenity?"
"Can't think of a reason."

Over 100 Serenity screencaps now available at http://disneypix.tripod.com/destiny

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Thursday, May 5, 2005 2:17 AM

PSYCHICRIVER

Well, *Clears throat* when I was hanging out with Chris Buchanan at the weekend, he said the game will be made. He didn't say when...but it will.

PsychicRiver

"Two by two, hands of blue."

"We can take care of each other. I'll knit!"

Summer Glau to me - "You are so photogenic."

Me -

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Thursday, May 5, 2005 4:17 AM

LETOV

Quote:
Originally posted by CSStrowbridge:
I want a Firefly game in the same vein as Elite / Private / X. Single player or MMORPG, this would be the only game I would pay a subscription for.

Think about it. You could be the captain of a tramp frieghter flying the big black. You'd have to hire a crew, (either NPCs or actual players) buy and sell cargo, transport goods for a fee, passengers, etc.

Buy differnt ships, upgrades, weapons, etc.

When on planets you would have to make contacts, avoid enemies, get into shootouts. While in space find quicker rootes, obey the laws or learn to avoid the Alliance, stay the hell away from the Reavers regardless.

I'm excited just thinking about it.

C.S.Strowbridge
News Editor / Movie Reviewer / Talentless Hack
http://members.shaw.ca/csstrowbridge/MainPage.htm

Ahh yes. Elite. I too in a perfect world would envision something in the Elite frame of mind for a Firefly/Serenity-based game. I don't see it too likely to happen, but it would definitely make my year.

- Leto_V

"Well, my days of not taking you
seriously are certainly coming to
a middle." - Mal

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Thursday, May 5, 2005 6:26 AM

JAMIECHAMBERS

I'm friends with a computer game developer in Madison, Wisconsin. He knows of a company that was working to get the license, but nothing more.

Then again, I'm too busy making my own game to be the Serenity newshound I once was!

** Jamie

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Thursday, May 5, 2005 7:55 AM

SERGEANTX

Quote:
Originally posted by robinhood:
I've heard many good things about Lego Starwars. So you have a good point there.
Heh! Can you imagine a Lego Reaver though

Yep..........................that went well!

A lot of the better designers are starting to understand that realistic graphics are no indicator of the quality of gameplay. In fact they often get in the way. The aforementioned Puzzle Pirates game is winning design awards right and left, and throngs of new players, but the graphics are quite simplistic (though artfully done in their own stylized way). "Halo" players may turn up their noses at it, but they're missing out if they do.

SergeantX

"Dream a little dream or you can live a little dream. I'd rather live it, cause dreamers always chase but never get it." Aesop Rock

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Thursday, May 5, 2005 10:48 AM

GRRARRG

This is far from official, but Lindley and Gunrunner are leading the development of a plugin (actually a total conversion) for Escape Velocity: Nova. You may have noticed some threads here asking for planet submissions and other ideas. Check out the board: http://s4.invisionfree.com/GunRunner/index.php?act=idx

You can also check out the original game and download the demo for free. In case you're familiar with the first two versions, this one is also available for PC:
http://www.ambrosiasw.com/games/evn/

Brief overview of the game: third person, flying around in a ship. You travel from system to system, landing on planets, making money by taking odd jobs (shipments, passengers, deliveries, illegal smuggling, etc) or by salvaging from other ships or even attacking them (although the big government doesn't like that). You run into people and get caught up in long story arcs. You can upgrade your ship or trade it in. You can play as a smuggler, a pirate, a trader, a shipping pilot, a bounty hunter, or a little bit of everything, like our BDHs. You can work your way up with the government, or with independants, or stay out of the way. It's completely open ended. It is exactly like our show, except without the crew interaction (which, I know, is the best part of the show. But it's still cool to act out every other aspect). The game lends itself extremely well to plug-ins and mods, as you'll see if you check out the Ambrosia site.

I mock you with my monkey pants.
Oh, yeah - check out my rock band: http://www.readyempire.com/index.php?option=com_artistdirectory&task=s
howCD&id=1
Click on "Play Entire CD"

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Friday, May 6, 2005 2:34 AM

ROBINHOOD

Grand Theft Auto in Space almost

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Saturday, May 7, 2005 4:03 AM

THEREAVER

Well, I didn't want to say anything yet but, I'm working on a Firefly RPG in RPG Maker 2000. I'm still learning the ropes and work is VERY slow due to school and other commitments but I have the whole thing down on paper and I think it'll be good if I get round to finishing it. The hardest part is getting the dialogue sounding right. Can't have people out of character but I don't want to have Kaylee saying Shiny three times in a sentence either. And special abilities are hard to think of. And unfortunately no Reavers.

Saving them for the sequel.

I'll rape you to death.
I'll eat your flesh.
I'll sew your skin into my clothes.
If you're very very lucky, I'll do it in that order - TheReaver

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Saturday, May 7, 2005 1:51 PM

ELIANDI

Well, there already is a NWN Firefly conversion

http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=Modules.Detail&id=4030

Its based on d20 Traveller, and requires a DM. It includes 11 custom classes, Firefly-specific models, and more. THere are 2 active DMed campaigns running for it now, and a third just finished with a reaver-finale.

PM me or Forrestwolf for more info.

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