Stargate SG-1 MMOG Announced.

[Venkman]

The theory behind licensing is that a generic game will garner more attention (and therefore more people) with a license. Because that license already has a built-in audience. It's the reason Star Trek books sell better than many (better) non-license sci-fi books. It's the reason the LoTR movies do better than many (better) non-license fantasy movies. Name recognition and association.

But you're also exactly right that the whole exercise can't stop at having the license. It's important enough in one-time-purchase games that there be good gameplay. It's doubly so for MMOGs. After you've successfully attracted the player, the only way you're going to keep them is with a solid experience.

[Simond]

It seems to be fairly popular outside of the US as well.

It's more or less replaced Star Trek as the syndicated sci-fi series over here in the UK (well, on the commercial channels at least).

Which makes sense, as it's significantly better than the last two two attempts at a Star Trek series. 

[ajax34i]

I liked Stargate (the movie) for its synopsis, it was pretty damn good at the time.  I liked the SG:1 series for the humor, and sometimes the plot was ok.  I started liking Atlantis some when they had some funnies / humor added to it.  I hope they add humor and fun into the game, if they make it.

Being staged on Earth in modern times, they can do a neat trick with the lauch / account creation process by pretending that the whole thing is actually real; send out letters and advertising implying that you are actually being contacted by the military and asked to participate in running a simulator, that the Stargate actually exists and the shows were just a trick to divert attention / prep the public, etc etc, with a small disclaimer on the back of the card somewhere.  A bunch of people would buy that shit up by the gallon.

But anyway, a big problem with parts of the game being set on Earth in modern times is they can't have stylized art and might have to go for realism, which will require the player base to have good computers, which will result in fewer players (as you've all been saying elsewhere).  So, we'll see.

Otherwise, I'm expecting beautiful environments (including forests, heh) but mundane humans as characters, small raid sizes (5-10 man), and each expansion might reveal a new type of enemy, deadlier than the current ones.  I don't know if players will be able to affect the state of the universe, but it might be possible.

[waylander]

I haven't been following this game recently, but I am a big fan of the stargate series. What did they ever decide to do for PVP in their game?

[SnakeCharmer]

They've been releasing some screenshots, although some of them are actually concept art being shown/advertised as screenshots.    Or 'artwork' rendered using the game engine, which technically ain't a screenshot.

These are actual screenshots from the game.  They're pretty good sized, so didn't img link them:

Jaffa Building

the latest one

[SnakeCharmer]

I haven't been following this game recently, but I am a big fan of the stargate series. What did they ever decide to do for PVP in their game?

They've said they are going to have PvP enabled servers, with (I think) 3 factions.

[Count Nerfedalot]

I can't figure out what to think of this whole thing.  Half the people I know who love Stargate are 20-something males with several game consoles (some with, some without gaming PC's) who would LOVE an fps Stargate game.  The other half are 40-something females who own NO gaming consoles and 5- to 10-yr old PC's, if any PC at all.  So what exactly is the target market again?

Seriously, half the fans of the show I think were simply infatuated with the MacGuyver guy and sort of got hooked on the show itself by accident.

[Venkman]

the latest one

Needs an account to their forums, so not sure if it's locked behind an NDA.

[Ratman_tf]

I can't figure out what to think of this whole thing.  Half the people I know who love Stargate are 20-something males with several game consoles (some with, some without gaming PC's) who would LOVE an fps Stargate game.  The other half are 40-something females who own NO gaming consoles and 5- to 10-yr old PC's, if any PC at all.  So what exactly is the target market again?

Seriously, half the fans of the show I think were simply infatuated with the MacGuyver guy and sort of got hooked on the show itself by accident.

I'm usually biased against movies turned TV series (Stargate, Buffy, Charmed, etc...) but I eventually got interested in Stargate SG1 for a while, and consider myself a fan.

I have zero interest in a MMORPG set in that universe. There's no way they could capture what I liked about the original movie and/or TV series in an online game. (Humor, stories, characters, etc...)

So yeah, MMOG players will try just about anything new, regardless of IP. Fans of an IP aren't going to magically become online gaming enthusiasts. So making an SG1 game is a zero sum situation unless they actually have something new to contribute to the genre, and not just more marketing hype about immersion and innovation.

[SnakeCharmer]

the latest one

Needs an account to their forums, so not sure if it's locked behind an NDA.

You just need an account to their forums.

[UnSub]

I haven't been following this game recently, but I am a big fan of the stargate series. What did they ever decide to do for PVP in their game?

I'm pretty sure that you can choose the 'bad' side if you want to play it that way. It seems (to make a rough analogy) that Stargate is doing the CoH/V thing straight off the bat.

[SnakeCharmer]

I think there is going to be some sort of open PvP server, if I read their devspeak right.

[SnakeCharmer]

Gameplay trailer to be shown on Stargate Alliance on SciFi channel at 9 pm CST January 4th.  Also a contest to have your likeness put in the game.  They're still advertising Fall 2008 as launch. 

[eldaec]

I'd imagine the Stargate IP owners are also probably less picky than, say, the Tolkien or Star Wars owners. You have to make it "close enough" for the fans, but we're not talking "You used the wrong type of Elvish, fucker!" fans.

but how many of them would be interested in a MMORPG?

Liscensing limits your audience.

Yes, as you know, despite being the best game ever, SWG only survived six months.

What?

[DarkSign]

Fans of an IP aren't going to magically become online gaming enthusiasts.

More and more people are playing MMOs somehow, aren't they? I mean I dont think they can count on all the SG-1 fans coming over in droves to save the subscription base, but I do think that some of the tv watchers will magically become online gaming enthusiasts. This might be the game they've been waiting to play. Or the marketing might hit them just right. Or a number of factors. I wouldn't count out the power of an established fanbase to augment subscription numbers.

[Mrbloodworth]

I find it odd that people here think that fans of the show are not already "gaming enthusiasts".

[Venkman]

I gotta imagine there's a lot of crossover between the sci-fi channel in particular and gaming. It's like the perfect geekstorm. And the whole why-pay-a-monthly-fee question isn't really much of a barrier as it used to be anyway.

[Ratman_tf]

I find it odd that people here think that fans of the show are not already "gaming enthusiasts".

The other half are 40-something females who own NO gaming consoles and 5- to 10-yr old PC's, if any PC at all.  So what exactly is the target market again?

?

[Mrbloodworth]

Question still stands, as i'm not sure thats a 100% true statistic. certainly hasn't been my experience.

EDIT: Did some looking, found this on IMDB. Take it for what its worth.

[Ratman_tf]

Question still stands, as i'm not sure thats a 100% true statistic. certainly hasn't been my experience.

Shit, I dunno. I'm just another schlub on the intertron. My gut feeling, based on nothing quotable is that SG is going to be another mediocre MMOG, and the amount of SG1 fans that get into the game isn't going to matter in the grande scheme of things.

My comment for posterity is that I hope the devs have looked closely at their target audience (whoever it may be) and designed accordingly, instead of slapping Stargate skins on WoW. This has proven to be unproductive in the past.

[Jerrith]

Gameplay trailer to be shown on Stargate Alliance on SciFi channel at 9 pm CST January 4th.  Also a contest to have your likeness put in the game.  They're still advertising Fall 2008 as launch. 

Yes, Fall 2008 is the current target.  I haven't seen the actual trailer that's going to be on TV tonight, but I've believe I've seen an earlier version.  It's neat.  It's cinematic, not gameplay though.

[Mrbloodworth]

Gameplay trailer to be shown on Stargate Alliance on SciFi channel at 9 pm CST January 4th.  Also a contest to have your likeness put in the game.  They're still advertising Fall 2008 as launch. 

Yes, Fall 2008 is the current target.  I haven't seen the actual trailer that's going to be on TV tonight, but I've believe I've seen an earlier version.  It's neat.  It's cinematic, not gameplay though.

Wouldn't that be Stargate ATLANTIS ?

I know, its not like i'm the one with rights to correct anyones spelling/grammar/word mistakes.

[SnakeCharmer]

It's cinematic, not gameplay though.

Blah.  Cinematic for the lose.

Wouldn't that be Stargate ATLANTIS ?

I know, its not like i'm the one with rights to correct anyones spelling/grammar/word mistakes.

Oops.

[Triforcer]

My comment for posterity is that I hope the devs have looked closely at their target audience (whoever it may be) and designed accordingly, instead of slapping Stargate skins on WoW. This has proven to be unproductive in the past.

SWG came before WoW.  Although I'll grant you that if there was there was one MMO capable of breaking the laws of physics and shittily cloning something that didn't even exist yet, SWG is it. 

[bogart]

Mhm. Release fall 2008. Cool. They've just released a new Logo! Hurray!
Haven't seen the commercial but the website has a few concepts at best, which could be googled TBH.
Am I the only one who got the impression this is vapourware ?

[Morat20]

My comment for posterity is that I hope the devs have looked closely at their target audience (whoever it may be) and designed accordingly, instead of slapping Stargate skins on WoW. This has proven to be unproductive in the past.

SWG came before WoW.  Although I'll grant you that if there was there was one MMO capable of breaking the laws of physics and shittily cloning something that didn't even exist yet, SWG is it. 

Now that you bring up the NGE, I think the CU and hte NGE were repeatedly called "WoWizing SWG". It had a bit of merit with the CU, although "Ever-Questing SWG" would be more apt.

[KallDrexx]

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/29403.html

Was that all they showed?

[Soln]

This franchise could be dynamite for an MMO -- instance, squad based, FPS.  I am still killing rabbits for their legs for this one.  Plus I like MacGyver (RDA) 

[Jerrith]

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/29403.html

Was that all they showed?

That's what was on TV.  There's a longer version of it available up on Gamespot.  http://www.gamespot.com/video/931710/6184273/videoplayerpop?

[eldaec]

That's what was on TV.  There's a longer version of it available up on Gamespot.  http://www.gamespot.com/video/931710/6184273/videoplayerpop?

Just to save everyone a click :

There will be stargates.

It is suggested that there might be combat. And that you might be able to play races other than human.

You don't need to watch it now.

[Ratman_tf]

That's what was on TV.  There's a longer version of it available up on Gamespot.  http://www.gamespot.com/video/931710/6184273/videoplayerpop?

Just to save everyone a click :

There will be stargates.

It is suggested that there might be combat. And that you might be able to play races other than human.

You don't need to watch it now.

They could have just used a clip from the show, for all that trailer revealed... 

[SnakeCharmer]

I wasn't expecting the game to be laid out in front me, but I was expecting something ALOT higher quality than that CGI.

I hope that video wasn't indicative of the game itself (quality or art direction-wise). 

[Reg]

It's coming out in September and that's all they've got? This does not bode well.

[Venkman]

I dunno. The CGI wasn't first-rate Assassin's Creed or anything. But if they're going for sweeping worlds, large fast-action conflicts, and don't want to limit their audience to just those who upgrade sometime this year, I found the graphics believable for supporting older rigs. But I also agree this is rather telling for an 08 offering.

I'm actually getting a bit excited about this title, even though I never got into the series that much. As a premise this seems to have as much "do whatever the heck we want" potential as any non-IP MMORPG due to the variety of worlds that could have ever been connected by gates. That could mean less middle managers and snowflakes breathing down their creative necks. But I could be wrong.

[Ratman_tf]

I'm actually getting a bit excited about this title, even though I never got into the series that much. As a premise this seems to have as much "do whatever the heck we want" potential as any non-IP MMORPG due to the variety of worlds that could have ever been connected by gates. That could mean less middle managers and snowflakes breathing down their creative necks. But I could be wrong.

Go to planet X-19 and collect 10 Jaffa sticks?