Cryptic gets Marvel Universe Online

[dEOS]

It's going to be released also on XBOX 360... so good luck for having anything as close as the controls you have in CoH/CoV...

I know that everyone fantasizes alot about Blizzard's revenues and wants to leverage it IP into a MMO in order to get a share of the pie but it takes more than a few announcements. It requires being realistic in your expectations.
Having Marvel authorize CoH/CoV to use IP from its comics would have been a far greater idea than trying to do yet *another* MMO. Moreover communities are hard to build. And I seriously doubt people will follow.

But I guess they are way too proud to finally accept the use of their IP in CoH/CoV...

[Morfiend]

The only thing I am hoping they do for this is try for the more casual market by making the grind much less intense. Also, maybe they will add items like X-Men: Legends.

Hey one can dream right?

[WayAbvPar]

Items and less grind would probably get a box purchase out of me. I love the genre, but CoH was way too grindy after level 20.

[Big Gulp]

It's going to be released also on XBOX 360... so good luck for having anything as close as the controls you have in CoH/CoV...

Why?  When I was playing CoH I had it mapped to a Dualshock controller and it worked just fine.   Felt very natural in a lot of ways, the only thing lacking was communications, which wouldn't be a problem with the 360 since VOIP is there by default.

And really, if there is such a long list of powers you just set up one of the trigger buttons to be a toggle where you can switch between different powersets.  This isn't a difficult concept.

[Hoax]

This is a stupid idea, even if the game doesn't suck worse then CoX, mostly because it will remind so many of all the bad parts of CoX.  There is the inherent console issue, unless I missed a X360 keyboard announcement while I was away.  There is also the problem that the chat in a Marvel game will make Barrens global seem like a font of fucking philosophical wisdom.

Nerd fury indeed, also grats to Schild for the "I told you so".

[Margalis]

FFXI on the PS2 is fine, it's a real MMORPG that plays better with a controller than with a keyboard. I don't see what the big deal about console is.

[Strazos]

I found the FFXI interface to be downright byzantine, which I thought was because the game had to be able to be run on only a single PS2 controller.

[schild]

Phantasy Star Universe is better with a controller. No reason I'd know though.

It also proves Zelda Style combat isn't just possible, it's already here.

Also, crafting with robots.

Also, I MIGHT BE LYING.

I MIGHT NOT BE.

WE'LL KNOW IN A WEEK OR TWO.

Edit: It's not quite as fast as Zelda combat, but I mean combos, spells tied to BUTTONS, being able to dodge....anything. Etc.

[Hoax]

I'm not really worried about gameplay there are plenty of "action rpg's" on console that work fine.  But typically it is nice to be able to communicate in a MMO, I'm not sure how people expect that to work unless we're talking X360 keyboards or some kind of built in voice com system.  Which hypothetically could be the greatest thing EVAR but most likely will be implemented terribly the first time someone tries it.

[Margalis]

Keyboard or voice chat would be a must. In PSO you could set up various macros to communicate quickly, like in the old Tribes games, worked faily well for simple things like 'over here', 'press that switch you moron', etc.

[Hoax]

VVG

Yeah Tribes1's voice commands worked but really within 6 months of release EVERYONE was on ventrillo/teamspeak in fact I swear teamspeak was developed by people within the community but that could be my memory playing tricks on me.

[Strazos]

Maybe for the organized clan shit they were. But who bothers to go through the trouble of booting up a VoIP program for PUGs?

[Merusk]

Maybe for the organized clan shit they were. But who bothers to go through the trouble of booting up a VoIP program for PUGs?

It's the first question others ask in every WoW PUG I do.  People are lazy, and typing is a herculean effort.  I mean, if it wasn't why the prevelance of 'u' 'ru' '2' and 'b4' as well as all the other shorthand.

[Sky]

More that people are lazy and some think it's cool, some think it's just the way you type online. Typing isn't a big deal, though typo-free typing in real time isn't always going to happen. But with the slower pace of mmo, I don't think you need the shortcuts often used in fps (text shortcuts, not the cool stuff like VVG in Tribes/Planetside).

[Strazos]

Fuck that shit. Just reading the shit they type is bad enough; I'm not trying to make my ears bleed or something.

[geldonyetich]

City of Heroes and Neverwinter Nights both had a handy little quick chat interface that is rarely ever used.  I guess computer illiteracy transcends all GUI enhancements.  So, what, do the developers need to add that and a mandatory tutorial on how to use it? 

[Sky]

They're considering a tutorial for the wiimote. Never underestimate the luddites. Not until you've taught a basic computer skills class and tried to get a ninety-yr-old woman with arthritis to double-click.   

[Venkman]

In my opinion, VoIP is not an emergency exception to some well-established rule for interaction. It's technology finally catching up to what people do by nature. While language requires training, speech itself I believe is intuitive. As such, it's been typing as a primary form of realtime communication that's been the exception.

Also, to me, the Wiimote is for people who are not console junkies. But there's a fair chance the first people who buy it bought that instead of another console, so they're at least familiar with that concept. For the last 15+ years, the "console" has been defined by a arthritis-inducing blob with some buttons and joysticks located on it. Into this convention wisdom comes a TV remote that can be used in various orientations and a thing that looks like a Buck Rogers phaser.

[Yegolev]

They're considering a tutorial for the wiimote. Never underestimate the luddites. Not until you've taught a basic computer skills class and tried to get a ninety-yr-old woman with arthritis to double-click.   

Sky is right.  My mother-in-law simply cannot comprehend right-clicking.  These people exist in large numbers.

[Furiously]

I swear 3/4 of the people I work with can't single click. Everything has to be a double click.

[Yegolev]

YES.  People who double-click links in a browser make me punchy.

[WayAbvPar]

YES.  People who double-click links in a browser make me punchy.

There is a guy in the next cubicle who was just doing that in a meeting. I am surprised he can dress himself.

[Signe]

God.  Mouse snobs.  Sheesh.

[WayAbvPar]

If I worked in a warehouse or insurance company or something I might let it pass. However, this is a software development office, so computer literacy is kind of important.

[Yegolev]

God.  Mouse snobs.  Sheesh.

Your zipper is open.

[Big Gulp]

YES.  People who double-click links in a browser make me punchy.

That would be my father.  I've told him repeatedly that he doesn't have to double click links, but apparently it's ingrained, and the idea of alternating between single clicking some items and double clicking others throws him.  Okay, I think to myself, I'll just set his computer up like mine is set up; everything is single click.

Doesn't work, he still double clicks everything, launching multiple instances of whatever he's trying to launch.  I turned him back to his usual setup and just had to put up with the link double clicking.  I've also tried to convert him to using bookmarks instead of just pulling down the recently visited urls window, but that doesn't seem to be working out either.

[dEOS]

It's going to be released also on XBOX 360... so good luck for having anything as close as the controls you have in CoH/CoV...

Why?  When I was playing CoH I had it mapped to a Dualshock controller and it worked just fine.   Felt very natural in a lot of ways, the only thing lacking was communications, which wouldn't be a problem with the 360 since VOIP is there by default.

And really, if there is such a long list of powers you just set up one of the trigger buttons to be a toggle where you can switch between different powersets.  This isn't a difficult concept.

Because the number of click to activate powers + inspirations + teammates selection + mob selection + reticle placement on screen + movement is just too much for a single controller and yes, you'll want those available directly... if you have some PvP. The only way to do it is to dramatically reduce the number of powers activable at one time.

Just look at the controls for a Mastermind to get a feel. I have two rows of powers (1-0 + Alt-1-0), binds all over the num pad + standard controls + a mouse for the multiple powers with a reticle to place on screen.

VOIP is a problem for multiple reasons:
- It's immersion breaking - Voice of people rarely are super-heroic feeling
- It's intrusive - I have no intention of having some teenagers squeel in my ears... and of my surroundings. Talk about language control...
- It's hard for non-fluent english speakers. VOIP makes sense only in the US. In Europe, it's impossible unless you are in a clan . This works for FPS, not for MMOs. Lots of people from France play on the US servers and are not good at english. I am not even talking about all the people in the world that don't have a server for their zone.

[Trippy]

Because the number of click to activate powers + inspirations + teammates selection + mob selection + reticle placement on screen + movement is just too much for a single controller and yes, you'll want those available directly... if you have some PvP. The only way to do it is to dramatically reduce the number of powers activable at one time.

http://forums.f13.net/index.php?topic=7516.msg205721#msg205721

[Signe]

Cryptic are hiring again... just about everything, too.  I guess it's for the new Marvel game. 

Jobs

    * Character Artist
    * Design Support Lead
    * Design Support Manager
    * Entry Level Programmer
    * Environment Artist
    * Game Designer - Systems
    * Game Designer - Zones
    * Game Operations Director
    * Game Operations Programmer
    * Games Designer - Missions
    * Infrastructure/Tools Programmer
    * Lead Artist
    * Lead Designer
    * Lead Programmer
    * Online Community Manager
    * Programmer
    * Senior Programmer
    * Senior VFX Artist
    * UI Artist

Last Update: October 06, 2006

And there's THIS!!!

Additional Benefits

    * Gym Discount and Reimbursement Program
    * Tuition Reimbursement Program
    * Employee Referral Cash Bonus
    * Comic Store Discount at The Little Shop of Heroes in Campbell
    * Discount at D & J Hobby in Campbell on games and gaming supplies
    * Credit Union Membership

Actually, it really does seem a very friendly place.

[Trippy]

D & J Hobby is a cool place (it's fricking huge). I don't think I've been to that comic shop, though (maybe once).

[Miscreant]

Son of a...I worked at Cryptic for six years and never knew we got a discount at D&Js.  Is there any hobby in the world more expensive than Warhammer?  Cocaine maybe?   

[Furiously]

Son of a...I worked at Cryptic for six years and never knew we got a discount at D&Js.  Is there any hobby in the world more expensive than Warhammer?  Cocaine maybe?   

Nope - coke is cheaper.

[Signe]

Son of a...I worked at Cryptic for six years and never knew we got a discount at D&Js.  Is there any hobby in the world more expensive than Warhammer?  Cocaine maybe?   

I bet they'll have you back!  I bet they'll give you coupons or something, too.  Or maybe it's a new benefit to lure the comic/game addicts to their sekret lair.

[Llava]

Complementary Breakfast twice a week

omg

It's like a hotel!