The Forlorn Hope: Cyberpunk Off-Topic

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"Fallout 76 - What Went Wrong & How To Fix It"

Haven't watched that yet, but I will do today and report back with my thoughts.

My point about Bethesda still stands, though. I believe 76 was nothing more than a quick cash grab to get some money in between their bigger single player releases. I don't think it will impact the development of those games in any negative way - the opposite, actually, since 76 has been a massive crapshow and they'll probably learn at least a couple lessons from it.
 
Haven't watched that yet, but I will do today and report back with my thoughts.

My point about Bethesda still stands, though. I believe 76 was nothing more than a quick cash grab to get some money in between their bigger single player releases. I don't think it will impact the development of those games in any negative way - the opposite, actually, since 76 has been a massive crapshow and they'll probably learn at least a couple lessons from it.

It sure does look that way, and it's kind of hard not to accept that such was at least partially the goal. However, one thing doesn't line up for me:

People were super-ultra-uber-hyped for Fallout 76. There was an obvious market and no reason not to deliver. There was experience in the company from TES: Online, and a chance to utilize that experience and ensure FO76 worked right out of the box.

But that didn't happen. Like...at all.

To me, that smells like averting a disaster by intentionally running the car off the road. Not sure if it was inherently due to "irresponsible driving" or whether they got completely blind-sided by something...can't say I'm impressed by the way they handled it...can't say I'll support it in any way...but I'm guessing there's a lot more to the story.
 
The Elder Scrolls Online was developed by a different studio, on a different engine. Not sure about there being much hype for Fallout 76, or at least it lasted only until people heard this. From what I have seen, pre-order numbers were only a fraction compared to Fallout 4 right from the beginning.
 
The Elder Scrolls Online was developed by a different studio, on a different engine. Not sure about there being much hype for Fallout 76, or at least it lasted only until people heard this. From what I have seen, pre-order numbers were only a fraction compared to Fallout 4 right from the beginning.

Splitting hairs. Zenimax is Beth's parent company. It's definitely a resource that could have been tapped. Hard.

(Plus, I'm always amazed at how details tends to crop up at the same time in multiple places. I just discussed this particular tidbit in another thread a few hours ago... The signs are everywhere. [They say: "Stop playing games, and go get some exercise." :LOL:])
 
Splitting hairs. Zenimax is Beth's parent company. It's definitely a resource that could have been tapped. Hard.

ZeniMax Online Studios is a developer that makes games published by Bethesda Softworks (like Arkane or id Software, for example), the parent company is ZeniMax Media. There is often confusion about these, but the important thing is that ZOS was not involved with the development of Fallout 76 in a significant way, being a separate studio focused on its own projects (Elder Scrolls Online expansions, and a yet to be named upcoming new MMO).
 
...the important thing is that ZOS was not involved with the development of Fallout 76 in a significant way...

Zenimax Online was directly involved. Here. Skip to timestamp 05:08 to hear it from the horse's mouth. The thing that would have been weird is if they had NOT been involved Fallout 76.

This is partially why a parent company like Zenimax invests in so many different studios: it allows them to utilize a wide range of talent on whatever project they think will be most successful. I don't adopt studios, then send them to their separate rooms to do whatever they want. I give them all chores to do whatever I think is best overall. If I think Studio A needs more help on their homerwork, then I simply assign Studios B and C to spend an hour a day tutoring A. They can't say no, because I also pay their allowances and can toss them out at will.

Zenimax Online was directly responsible for creating TES: Online, and they didn't exactly have an easy time of it. But, they did get their ducks in a row, and TES:O is more successful now than it was at launch. They were also working directly with Bethesda's IP, which clearly means that Bethesda's studios had a working relationship with them. Probably a very close one.

So, let's talk business sense, now. I have a team that learned (the hard way) exactly what sorts of mistakes you could make launching an online title, and exactly what could be done to fix them. I decide to invest in a new, online game, based on a hugely popular IP, that will be developed by one of the most inexperienced studios in my conglomeration...

...I'm going to choose not to have that studio work closely with the highly experienced one to ensure the game is a success. Or, I'm going to fail to effectively utilize any of the other studios I have to support the project. And, I'm going to rush it. And, I'm going to upset a tremendous number of patrons and customers by releasing a cash-grab instead. And, I'm going to knowingly damage my reputation by engaging in numerous malpractices after the fact.

Then, I'm going to start advertising my next game.

Nah...

I might cancel the project. I might delay it or re-brand it as something else later. I might sell the studio. But, for things to go as south as they went -- I say something went hella wrong somewhere, and the only thing they could do was try to crash safely. Maybe it was corruption in the ranks, infighting or some sort of sabotage, a totally unexpected legal issue...but I refuse to believe the company responsible for Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, Fallout 3 & 4, TES: Online, Dishonored 1 & 2, the DOOM reboot, Prey, the Wolfenstien reboot...would intentionally screw up this badly.
 
Zenimax Online was directly involved. Here. Skip to timestamp 05:08 to hear it from the horse's mouth. The thing that would have been weird is if they had NOT been involved Fallout 76.

I said not involved in a significant way. There are a handful of ZOS employees credited here with additional programming, but this is minor compared to the size of the entire team. Again, the engine used in ESO is completely different and unrelated to Fallout 76. And there are only so much resources ZOS would divert from their own projects to help another developer.
 
We've seen what look like Buddhist monks walking around in the Demo Game Play video.
Now, here, in real life, a rather pricey AI Buddhist monk is being set up in a Japanese temple to deliver religious teachings.

Meet the AI Monk

AI Monk.jpg


It might be interesting were we to see similar in the world of Cyberpunk.
To want, or need is to know suffering. :)
 
Nice.gif

Nice!
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Splitting hairs. Zenimax is Beth's parent company. It's definitely a resource that could have been tapped. Hard.

(Plus, I'm always amazed at how details tends to crop up at the same time in multiple places. I just discussed this particular tidbit in another thread a few hours ago... The signs are everywhere. [They say: "Stop playing games, and go get some exercise." :LOL:])
I get it nothing's inside the box XD.
 
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@Rawls @kofeiiniturpa @Sardukhar @Suhiira

Possibly good news?

https://www.pcgamer.com/kotor-2-des...-been-working-on-star-wars-jedi-fallen-order/

Jedi Fallen Order isn't the exciting bit here (I think it sounds fun, and hey it's a singleplayer game from EA, but it's not an RPG), but apparently good ol' Chris might be working on a new Vampire game.

Given how many of us hold up VBTM as one of the best examples of a more modern "Action" RPG (if a bit clunky), I hope this is true and not just random speculation.
 
Would definitely be cool if both were true. Both Star Wars and pretty much the entire vampire genre have be bereft of a good RPG for a long time.
 
Given how many of us hold up VBTM as one of the best examples of a more modern "Action" RPG (if a bit clunky), I hope this is true and not just random speculation.

a) It's not an Action RPG - it's just an RPG. A term that nearly no one here can agree on. Given that I've had one of the best -and heaviest RP ever - times RPing in a systemless game, I'm gonna go with the crunchy, numbers-heavy, player-remote system as one of the least important, most-changeable parts of the RPG term. "Action" RPG. Bah.

2.) I'm hurt, Snow. I thought you followed my every move!

https://forums.cdprojektred.com/ind...re-the-masquerade-game.10999279/post-11409412

Days ago. Tch tch tch.
 
a) It's not an Action RPG - it's just an RPG. A term that nearly no one here can agree on. Given that I've had one of the best -and heaviest RP ever - times RPing in a systemless game, I'm gonna go with the crunchy, numbers-heavy, player-remote system as one of the least important, most-changeable parts of the RPG term. "Action" RPG. Bah.

2.) I'm hurt, Snow. I thought you followed my every move!

https://forums.cdprojektred.com/ind...re-the-masquerade-game.10999279/post-11409412

Days ago. Tch tch tch.

Please forgive me, Sard, I'm ashamed of myself.

And yes, I was being diplomatic when I used the term "Action" RPG (being that I tagged both Suhiira and Kofe).
 
a) It's not an Action RPG - it's just an RPG.
Agreed.

Tho VtMB had a first person combat character stats/skills were vital. The "first person" element was primarily designating the target and when to attack. Enemies weren't so mobile combat was "twitch" based.
 
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