---

Originally posted by Protest
With Salvatore behind the story and McFarlane behind the art I think we can expect a bit more than a simple rehash.

On a related note, I've been looking at some of the work that the 38 Studios art team has done for this year's dominance war, and it's actually pretty impressive.

---

Hmmm they all seem to be into the cartoony goofy exaggerated style, not my cup of tea. But they are all certainly capable of painting and modeling well. Josh Singh in particular has got a very professional and stylistically cohesive model there. Whats funny is I was expecting something darker, having McFarlane as art director and all. When I think McFarlane I think of Spawn toys and Hellraiser-looking toys.  Though game assets could very well be the complete opposite of these guys' personal works.   Who knows.

As for elves, I remember looking through the Salvatore books in a local bookshop and seeing dark elves. Hopefully the elves will at least not live in typical elvish tree house swirly architecture and wield bows. I'll have to pick up some Salvatore since you suggest he has an original take.

My beef with the stock fantasy ideas is that MMORPGs offer a unique opportunity to craft a world. I'm a bit of a nature geek, love going for walks seeing what sorts of bugs and plants I can find. Love reading about cultures and seeing images of architecture from around the world. Love reading about new ideas pertaining to planets and moons in our system. I'm attracted to games for the same reason. I like to explore and see what this unique world is all about. If its yet another game on rails that prevents me from exploring and features races and creatures that have been regurgitated for the past 50 years I lose interest.

Anyway. I'm in no way trying to damn 38 studios or anything. I have no idea what this game will be like. Just talking, discussing concerns. Its a unique situation that you have a start up team with less concerns about the financial side of game dev. They are in a unique position to break out of the mold and take a chance on something new it seems. I'll have to keep an eye on the project and see if they go for it.

I can't really say much about this company, other than I will be watching it out of curiosity, to see what they will do.

With that said, I love the way they are marketing. I'm so tired of hearing all about a game six years before it comes out, only to have it be nothing like originally promised.

I'd much rather hear, "we are working on a game, we will let you know about it when we have a solid product."

Hopefully they keep tight lipped about it until they are at least within a year of release. Nothing worse than half a decade of hype over something that doesn't exist.

Originally posted by Burtzum

 

---

Originally posted by Protest
With Salvatore behind the story and McFarlane behind the art I think we can expect a bit more than a simple rehash.

On a related note, I've been looking at some of the work that the 38 Studios art team has done for this year's dominance war, and it's actually pretty impressive.

---

 

Hmmm they all seem to be into the cartoony goofy exaggerated style, not my cup of tea. But they are all certainly capable of painting and modeling well. Josh Singh in particular has got a very professional and stylistically cohesive model there. Whats funny is I was expecting something darker, having McFarlane as art director and all. When I think McFarlane I think of Spawn toys and Hellraiser-looking toys.  Though game assets could very well be the complete opposite of these guys' personal works.   Who knows.

As for elves, I remember looking through the Salvatore books in a local bookshop and seeing dark elves. Hopefully the elves will at least not live in typical elvish tree house swirly architecture and wield bows. I'll have to pick up some Salvatore since you suggest he has an original take.

My beef with the stock fantasy ideas is that MMORPGs offer a unique opportunity to craft a world. I'm a bit of a nature geek, love going for walks seeing what sorts of bugs and plants I can find. Love reading about cultures and seeing images of architecture from around the world. Love reading about new ideas pertaining to planets and moons in our system. I'm attracted to games for the same reason. I like to explore and see what this unique world is all about. If its yet another game on rails that prevents me from exploring and features races and creatures that have been regurgitated for the past 50 years I lose interest.

Anyway. I'm in no way trying to damn 38 studios or anything. I have no idea what this game will be like. Just talking, discussing concerns. Its a unique situation that you have a start up team with less concerns about the financial side of game dev. They are in a unique position to break out of the mold and take a chance on something new it seems. I'll have to keep an eye on the project and see if they go for it.

I think your concerns are certainly valid. The 38S team is going to have to really deliver something profound, especially since they have made it clear that they are operating within the confines of the fantasy genre. I just believe that if any team is capable of pulling it off, this is the one.

Originally posted by Burtzum

 

---

Originally posted by Protest
With Salvatore behind the story and McFarlane behind the art I think we can expect a bit more than a simple rehash.

On a related note, I've been looking at some of the work that the 38 Studios art team has done for this year's dominance war, and it's actually pretty impressive.

---

 

Hmmm they all seem to be into the cartoony goofy exaggerated style, not my cup of tea. But they are all certainly capable of painting and modeling well. Josh Singh in particular has got a very professional and stylistically cohesive model there. Whats funny is I was expecting something darker, having McFarlane as art director and all. When I think McFarlane I think of Spawn toys and Hellraiser-looking toys.  Though game assets could very well be the complete opposite of these guys' personal works.   Who knows.

As for elves, I remember looking through the Salvatore books in a local bookshop and seeing dark elves. Hopefully the elves will at least not live in typical elvish tree house swirly architecture and wield bows. I'll have to pick up some Salvatore since you suggest he has an original take.

My beef with the stock fantasy ideas is that MMORPGs offer a unique opportunity to craft a world. I'm a bit of a nature geek, love going for walks seeing what sorts of bugs and plants I can find. Love reading about cultures and seeing images of architecture from around the world. Love reading about new ideas pertaining to planets and moons in our system. I'm attracted to games for the same reason. I like to explore and see what this unique world is all about. If its yet another game on rails that prevents me from exploring and features races and creatures that have been regurgitated for the past 50 years I lose interest.

Anyway. I'm in no way trying to damn 38 studios or anything. I have no idea what this game will be like. Just talking, discussing concerns. Its a unique situation that you have a start up team with less concerns about the financial side of game dev. They are in a unique position to break out of the mold and take a chance on something new it seems. I'll have to keep an eye on the project and see if they go for it.

We could see something completely different though. They arent creating a Forgotten Realms game, they say it will be a completely new world which R.A. is creating. The posibilities are great.

Todd McFarlane

+

R.A. Salvatore

+

Curt Shilling

=

cool T-Shirts and Coffee Mugs, not necessarily a great MMORPG.