Turbine has announced that they have licensed the Havok suite of cross-platform software tools for use in developing their next MMO project.

San Francisco, CA (August 26, 2008) – Havok™, the premier provider of interactive software services to digital creators in the games and movie industries, today announced that Turbine, Inc., creators of The Lord of the Rings Online™, Dungeons & Dragons Online™ and Asheron's Call® has officially licensed Havok Physics, Havok Animation, and Havok Behavior 6.0 for use in the creation of its upcoming MMO games for the console and the PC.

Now available, Havok 6.0 is a suite of cross-platform software tools for programmers and artists dramatically accelerating the development of cross platform, cutting edge electronic games and special effects for film. Available for multiple gaming platforms including the PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360®, Nintendo Wii® and the PC, Havok 6.0 features improvements and upgrades to Havok’s industry-pervasive Physics, Animation and Behavior products.

 “We are pleased that Turbine has chosen Havok’s solutions-driven software to effectively and economically manage creative and technical goals in their upcoming titles,” said David O’Meara, Managing Director of Havok.  “The Havok team is committed to providing market-leading development tools for our customers based on their evolving needs and we look forward to working with the teams at Turbine.”

Read more here.

way to go Turbine <^_^> , I wonder if they are gona redo Asheron's Call.... I love turbine.....Cant wait for the annoucement for their next MMO...

Looks like that "Harry Potter" mmo may be down the pike...

Woot!

This paves the way for Turbine to put any of their games on the console platforms.  I like this move and I am very excited to see what it does to increase LOTRO's player-base.

-G

hmmm Harry Potter could be interesting but so could a brand new IP

Originally posted by SirBongsAlot

hmmm Harry Potter could be interesting but so could a brand new IP

An interesting discussion here

Harry Potter MMO

But some rumors have also mentioned DDO going to Console. Since it has not done well on the PC, the progression to Xbox 360 could be a boon for that title.

Galias your a LoTR Correspondent do you know something we don't?...If it is LoTR I would be a very happy camper, I've never seen a MMORPG to be so polished in Alpha beta... A job well done <^_^> Let's hope it hits both PS3/360 since I dont own a 360 and never will....Since the break up of Turbine/Microsoft in 2002 I believe, lets hope the 360 will not be the leading platform for developement....

Originally posted by SirBongsAlot

Galias your a LoTR Correspondent do you know something we don't?...If it is LoTR I would be a very happy camper, I've never seen a MMORPG to be so polished in Alpha beta... A job well done <^_^> Let's hope it hits both PS3/360 since I dont own a 360 and never will....Since the break up of Turbine/Microsoft in 2002 I believe, lets hope the 360 will not be the leading platform for developement....

The 360s architecture makes it easier to cross from a PC to the console so its safe to assume that if they are in fact going to make a console version of their games then they may be based of the 360. I dont own any consoles so i dont really care which one its sent to, but i think itl be the 360 then the PS3 if at all

I fail to see how attempting to port LOTRO to console would mean anything good for the current player base. I've played Age of Conan, a game that was designed for the XBox, but released on the PC. It's a console game with no depth. I also tried Final Fantasy XI, a console game ported to PC as an afterthought. It too, plays like a console game with an interface that doesn't mesh comfortably with a keyboard and mouse. Attempting to shoehorn LOTRO into a console would be detrimental to the game's inherent intricacies. And just how much of an increase would you want to see to the player base? Lord of the Rings Online is a niche game and always will be, unless you want to dilute the IP with junk to attract console gamers. There are enough "Leggomyeggolas"-types who care nothing about the story, running around Middle Earth as it is. You really want more of this?

Sorry, but I've yet to see the PC/console hybrid MMORPG work well yet. If you have one that does, please enlighten me. Some games should just not be adapted for multi-platform.

There is absolutely no way Turbine is going to develop a MMO that works on both PC's and consoles.  It just won't happen period.  It is even ludicrous to assume they are considering it.

The keypad is far inferior to a mouse and keyboard . Requiring an attached mouse and keyboard on a console is just not going to happen.  Turbine of course knows this and will not make the mistake others have.

Be interesting to see what Turbine intends to do for their next project.

For some reason I can't explain this news really excites me.  With all their experience in all their different games I hope they create something that includes the better features of AC, DDO and LOTRO.  Say the world of AC and social aspects of the game, dungeons from DDO, story/lore live updates from both AC and LOTRO as well as a mesh character customization options.  I think they have a killer game right now, but it is spread across their entire product line.

Originally posted by Ozmodan

There is absolutely no way Turbine is going to develop a MMO that works on both PC's and consoles.  It just won't happen period.  It is even ludicrous to assume they are considering it.

The keypad is far inferior to a mouse and keyboard . Requiring an attached mouse and keyboard on a console is just not going to happen.  Turbine of course knows this and will not make the mistake others have.

Be interesting to see what Turbine intends to do for their next project.

I hate to break this to you

Turbine confirms console title

Now, whether that is a MMO, it is unsure, so you may be "partially" right.

But, Time Warner, the company that gave them all the cash is pushing for an MMO big time

“Our investment in Turbine is an important addition to Time Warner's entertainment initiatives. Online interactive entertainment is a huge growth market and we are very excited about Turbine, its unique capabilities and the obvious opportunities that exist with our own broad portfolio of IP.”

All indications scream "MMO", and Time Warners IP's include

Harry Potter

LOTR

DC Comics characters

The Golden Compass

Nightmare on Elm Street

Rush Hour 3

Now, out of all those listings, which could possibly be an "online interactive" IP. Since DC universe is already underway ...that leaves?

   Heh a harry potter MMO would fail with the MMO community miserably.. But would be funny as heck to watch all the fools dance about it during its development ,then meltdown at launch .. Bad idea .

Originally posted by Scorchien

   Heh a harry potter MMO would fail with the MMO community miserably.. But would be funny as heck to watch all the fools dance about it during its development ,then meltdown at launch .. Bad idea .

Harry Potter is a great series of books and so are the movies. But let's face it. Harry Potter lacks enough Lore to create a decent MMO with enough content and depth.

Lord of the Rings is completely different matter. J.R.R. Tolkien has written crazy amount of Lore around Middle Earth, describing all the races, creatures, their behaviours, even created special languages for them. All this he created before he started writing The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

That's why it's a shame Turbine had called their MMO Lord of the Rings Online and didn't stick to their earlier plan in calling it Middle Earth Online (Wich was the working title in the beginning). Then they would have had even more options with their MMO. Slapping in the hobbit wouldnt have been a problem, etc.

Cheers

Having beta tested both I think DDO is definately a better choice (even though LOTRO is by far a better game)  to make the port to a console system.

As for a new title, like many others, I would love to see AC3 announced. For a completely new IP I am still holding out for someone to make a decent Weird West (Deadlands maybe) MMORPG.

wish it was shadowrun.... but that as an MMO is a dead horse long ago :(