Sigil Making Marvel MMOG

[schild]

News shamelessly stolen from Blues:

Sigil Making Marvel MMO [December 03, 2005, 3:06 pm ET] - 3 Comments
Marvel MMO To Be Developed By Sigil on 1UP (thanks Mike Martinez and Xbox360.com) reports that Sigil Games, currently developing Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, is also the developer of the upcoming MMORPG based on the world of Marvel Comics. They don't mention the source of this information, and the only other light they can shed on this at the moment is the game will include PC and Xbox 360 gamers playing together in the same online universe.

Let's hire someone who hasn't proven themselves with the last project they've been working on for 3 years!

Fantastic idea!

So it'll be DC Comics vs. Marvel Comics vs. City of Heroes.

Guess which one of the dev groups will be adding tons of clothing and suing the bejezzus out of the other two companies for character creation. Har.

[Shockeye]

So it'll be DC Comics vs. Marvel Comics vs. City of Heroes.

Sony vs. Microsoft vs. NCSoft

Let's get it on!

[schild]

So it'll be DC Comics vs. Marvel Comics vs. City of Heroes.

Sony vs. Microsoft vs. NCSoft

Let's get it on!

Yea, I was gonna say that but, heyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh, Marvel sued NCSoft already. This will be fantastic. I wish we had someone from the daily show reporting on this. A train wreck the likes of which the MMOG world has never seen. And two of the games don't even have screenshots yet. I love drama.

[Stormwaltz]

It's a curious choice. Sigil's stated design philosophy is quite the antithesis of the fast-action aesthetic superheroes would seem to demand. Which is not to say they can't hire up a second team with a different style.

[Margalis]

Awesome, now that's two Sigil games that will probably never come out.

[Merusk]

This is just the confirmation then, right? Because Some People mentioned this back in June.

[Velorath]

I wonder if MS will be putting pressure on Sigil to focus on the MMO that will be on the PC and the 360 rather than the PC-only, fantasy MMO that's only targeting hardcore catasses.  I don't know much about the working relationship between MS and Sigil, or how much say MS actually has (the official statement is that MS only "helps" when Sigil asks for it), but I'd have to imagine that MS wants the Marvel game to actually come out sometime during the lifespan of the 360 and I don't think they'd be all that concerned if a niche game like Vanguard was further delayed.

[Shockeye]

rather than the PC-only, fantasy MMO that's only targeting hardcore catasses

Vanguard is slated for the Xbox as well as the PC, isn't it?

[Velorath]

rather than the PC-only, fantasy MMO that's only targeting hardcore catasses

Vanguard is slated for the Xbox as well as the PC, isn't it?

I suppose it could be.  Been a long time since I paid any real attention to it.

edit:  Looking around on the web page though, I don't see anything about a 360 release.

[Nebu]

Let's hire someone who hasn't proven themselves with the last project they've been working on for 3 years!

Fantastic idea!

... and I thought you could only get elected president with this kind of track record.

[AOFanboi]

Yeah, I remember how, in Ultimate Spider-Man, Spiderman went to some square in the city and sat down to wait for a couple of hours until Doc Ock appeared. This is going to be great!

[Simond]

Vanguard is slated for the Xbox as well as the PC, isn't it?

Officially, no.

Unofficially, well...there's nothing stopping MS from turning around after PC launch and saying "Now do the XBox360 version, kthx"

[Stormwaltz]

Unofficially, well...there's nothing stopping MS from turning around after PC launch and saying "Now do the XBox360 version, kthx"

They could tell Sigil that, and Sigil could say, "All right, the performance cut-backs and UI changes we need to make for it to run on your (snicker) "next-gen" console will cost $3 million. Cut us a check, we'll get right on it."

Or Sigil could have planned on conversion from the start. I have no idea.

[Fabricated]

This will end in tears.

[MorJadedThnU]

This will end in tears.

Vanguard, or the Marvel one? Both?

I expect another SW:G situation where the developer screws the source material over, and the IP owner feels the need to jump in and "save" it by dumbing it down. Except in the SW:G case it was probably more a case of WoW envy.

Plus, how can they compete with the X-Men: Legends franchise? Now that's a good superhero RPG series right there.

[Fabricated]

This will end in tears.

Vanguard, or the Marvel one? Both?

I expect another SW:G situation where the developer screws the source material over, and the IP owner feels the need to jump in and "save" it by dumbing it down. Except in the SW:G case it was probably more a case of WoW envy.

Plus, how can they compete with the X-Men: Legends franchise? Now that's a good superhero RPG series right there.

Both really. I don't know how a Marvel or DC themed online Superhero game could work out since everyone is going to be pissed that they can't be Wolverine/Cyclops/Superman/Spiderman/etc.

You'll just be NotSpiderman #20463978 running around in a world basically ran by the famous heroes, being allowed very little interaction with them since well...name one MMORPG that has let players actually change the world forever.

So uh...basically, like SWG.

[jpark]

Anyone not betting CoH will be the superior game? 

[Raguel]

I don't expect to play Spider-man or Wolverine; what I want and expect from a Marvel MMOG is that it captures the essence of the Marvel Universe (well, before the 90's anyway :p).

[Trippy]

Anyone not betting CoH will be the superior game? 

I'm not betting that way. CoH has plenty of problems and instead of trying to fix them they've been busy making the game less fun. CoH had some nice ideas for its time but other games have left it behind (except for the character creation part and they still haven't bothered to increase the costume choices by an appreciable amount).

[Signe]

I haven't played CoH/V for more than half an hour in AGES.  The only reason I've not cancelled is I'm trying to figure out how to sell my more clever names on Ebay.

[Raguel]

I only played CoH in beta, but the reason I didn't like it was the reason I alluded to earlier: there's very little about CoH that's related to what I would want a superhero mmo to be like.  I must admit that I didn't get past level 10ish but IMO that was plenty of time 

[Fabricated]

The best part about CoH was making a character. After that it was all downhill. I quit after making 10 characters, and entering my 500th destroyed office building.

[Margalis]

Character creation is exciting because you can use your imagination. The character creation was the best part of E&B as well from what I could tell. I spent a long time customizing the colors on my ship.

When you create a character all that lies ahead is potential and you've yet to hit the inevitable dissapointment.

[Soln]

It's a curious choice. Sigil's stated design philosophy is quite the antithesis of the fast-action aesthetic superheroes would seem to demand. Which is not to say they can't hire up a second team with a different style.

Isn't M$FT both Sigil's publisher and major backer, beyond normal distro?  If so, then what makes Sigil not just a captive dev team for M$FT but with an independent brand?  They nuked their Mythica team.  What's to stop Sigil from just nodding at any M$FT ask?

[El Gallo]

Let's hire someone who hasn't proven themselves with the last project they've been working on for 3 years!

Sad but true question: Who else are you gonna hire?  The guys there made the market leader in the West back in the day.  The only sure bet is Blizzard, and they aren't looking to make your game.  SoE?  Look what they did with the most valuable license in nerd-land.  Turbine?  Jesus, if you think this decision is bad, how about handing two of the other most valuable licenses to the makers of AC2?  Plus, they are presumably busy.  Funcom?  Glitchless?

[HaemishM]

How retarded is the superhero MMOG landscape looking?

Let's see:

1) We have Marvel's game being developed by the most infamous douchebag in the MMOG landscape besides John Smedley and Bruce WoodysCock, infamous for being a twat who makes boring-ass camp-infested grindfests that take 20 hours of poopsock-filled catassing necessary just to get the merest shiney bauble. Oh yes, and he's been working on the same game for 3 years and no beta is in sight, but all the alpha reports released make it sound like TEH BESTSET MMOG EVAR that isn't EQ1 but plays just like EQ1 only with all the other stupid shit added by MMOG's since the release of EQ1, but really IT WON'T BE LIKE EQ1 YOU SHUT YOUR DAMN WHORE MOUTH (mouthed around the space filled by Furor's cock). Oh, and also created by someone who thinks WoW is a fluke and people really don't want to play a game that's fun or instanced.

Good luck with that, you bitch-ass punk.

2) DC Online, made by the most vilified MMOG development company short of Electronic Arts (who people forget actually makes MMOG's anymore because really, they don't). Also the development company famous for making boring grindfests that have little do to do with their source material, are willing to change the entire gameplay of a game in mid-stream just because, while never bothering to make the community aware of it. BUT IT'LL BE TWITCH! Let's reconvene in 6 months and see how that SWG thing is working out.

3) City of Heroes, which will likely have a 3-year headstart, another expansion and a grind almost as long as EQ1 by the time either of these products come out. Also, it'll be 3-years old and its mechanics will feel it. But it will still have the bestest character creation ever, and a huge long grind.

And it'll still be better than the two products mentioned above.

Yes, Marvel WOULD have been better giving the license to Turbine, and I say this having played the AC2 beta and hating it. But  prevents me from saying why.

I regard this decision with the same derision I had when Turbine got both the DDO and the Middle-Earth license. Sigil has no business being given a license to make an MMOG.

[Stormwaltz]

What's to stop Sigil from just nodding at any M$FT ask?

They're still an independent development studio, and both sides have a vested interest in maintaining a cordial working relationship. Vanguard may be backed by MS, but nothing prevents Sigil from looking afield for other publishing opportunities in the future.

[Velorath]

How retarded is the superhero MMOG landscape looking?

Let's see:

1) We have Marvel's game being developed by the most infamous douchebag in the MMOG landscape besides John Smedley and Bruce WoodysCock, infamous for being a twat who makes boring-ass camp-infested grindfests that take 20 hours of poopsock-filled catassing necessary just to get the merest shiney bauble. Oh yes, and he's been working on the same game for 3 years and no beta is in sight, but all the alpha reports released make it sound like TEH BESTSET MMOG EVAR that isn't EQ1 but plays just like EQ1 only with all the other stupid shit added by MMOG's since the release of EQ1, but really IT WON'T BE LIKE EQ1 YOU SHUT YOUR DAMN WHORE MOUTH (mouthed around the space filled by Furor's cock). Oh, and also created by someone who thinks WoW is a fluke and people really don't want to play a game that's fun or instanced.

Good luck with that, you bitch-ass punk.

2) DC Online, made by the most vilified MMOG development company short of Electronic Arts (who people forget actually makes MMOG's anymore because really, they don't). Also the development company famous for making boring grindfests that have little do to do with their source material, are willing to change the entire gameplay of a game in mid-stream just because, while never bothering to make the community aware of it. BUT IT'LL BE TWITCH! Let's reconvene in 6 months and see how that SWG thing is working out.

3) City of Heroes, which will likely have a 3-year headstart, another expansion and a grind almost as long as EQ1 by the time either of these products come out. Also, it'll be 3-years old and its mechanics will feel it. But it will still have the bestest character creation ever, and a huge long grind.

And it'll still be better than the two products mentioned above.

Yes, Marvel WOULD have been better giving the license to Turbine, and I say this having played the AC2 beta and hating it. But  prevents me from saying why.

I regard this decision with the same derision I had when Turbine got both the DDO and the Middle-Earth license. Sigil has no business being given a license to make an MMOG.

I've been thinking lately that licensed worlds may not be the best way to go for Superhero MMO's anyway.  CoH may have gotten it right in that respect at least.  Every month Marvel and DC release dozens of books, and none of them will ever so much as refer to any of the characters from their MMO's.  I don't think there's any other license out there that will constantly remind you that your characters are in no way, shape, or form, any sort of factor in the Universe in which they exist.  When Dr. Doom is looking back on his past defeats, you won't be seeing any flashbacks of the pickup group that brought him down even after the healer went LD.

[Margalis]

I dunno, personally I think a licensed MMORPG super-hero game could be awesome. If you look at Star Wars, how many well known Star Wars guys are there? A couple dozen at most?

Now look at Marvel comics. You could have a recognizable villain as the boss of every encounter for the entire game. (I humbly nominate Stilt Man as the level 1 newbie boss - watch out, he's um...got stilts or something!) You could also have cool missions like proving you are worthy to be a backup member of the Avengers. The missions almost write themselves.

[Signe]

Hey, I googled and there IS a Stilt man and he DOES have... umm... stilts!  Cool.

[Soln]

I dunno, personally I think a licensed MMORPG super-hero game could be awesome. If you look at Star Wars, how many well known Star Wars guys are there? A couple dozen at most?

Now look at Marvel comics. You could have a recognizable villain as the boss of every encounter for the entire game. (I humbly nominate Stilt Man as the level 1 newbie boss - watch out, he's um...got stilts or something!) You could also have cool missions like proving you are worthy to be a backup member of the Avengers. The missions almost write themselves.

Yeah this and the DC MMO could easily end up like SWG, where instead of the Bat Cave being something mysterious or requiring something special to uncover and access, it's just a POI like the neighbourhood diner.

[Sky]

Mmo sucks the life out of anything. You finally make it to the Penguin's Secret Island Base. Upon entering, you see 6 other heroes sitting around. "Hey man, get in line, you're 7th."

Heroic!

People who dis instancing make my panties bunch. Go to Disneyworld and stand in line a few hours. Which dev was saying mmo should be like that? Dumbest idea evar. Make it mmo where it makes sense (cities, game world) but instanced where other players get in the way more than they help out. Duh. Or get in line.

[Sky]

I'd rather be in the Defenders than the Avengers. Mmm...Valkyrie!

[Margalis]

Of course there is a Stilt Man. You can't make that stuff up! He is one of those "much worse than a thug with a gun" villains.

[Velorath]

I dunno, personally I think a licensed MMORPG super-hero game could be awesome. If you look at Star Wars, how many well known Star Wars guys are there? A couple dozen at most?

Now look at Marvel comics. You could have a recognizable villain as the boss of every encounter for the entire game. (I humbly nominate Stilt Man as the level 1 newbie boss - watch out, he's um...got stilts or something!) You could also have cool missions like proving you are worthy to be a backup member of the Avengers. The missions almost write themselves.

Ok, so now you're an Avengers reserve member but so what?  Iron Man and Cap most likely aren't going to be doing missions with you.  You'll still be grouping with other players (who will probably have formed their own teams like Avengers South East or something).  Oh, and fuck levels.  I could see maybe learning new ways to use a power after using it a lot, or having tech based heroes buy their upgrades, but superheroes generally don't increase much in power no matter how many foozles they wack.  That's why they tend to fight the many of the same villains over and over rather than starting with Stiltman and working their way up to Galactus.