Copernicus
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UK rejoins EU science and space programs it left after Brexit
The UK is set to rejoin Europe's Horizon scientific research program as an associate nation via a new "bespoke deal."
![Copernicus Sentinel data [2018], processed by Pierre Markuse](https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/wkiqr9fo8q.ujphEfZMnSQ--~B/Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTQ2ODtweW9mZj0wO3c9ODMyO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u/https://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/405f5747485b92f7df9d1ac22845efd3/206453233/kilauea-volcano-infrared-2018-06-14-01.jpg.cf.jpg)
The drama and fury of Kilauea's volcano from space
Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano is causing all kinds of havoc. So far, it's wiped out at least 600 homes including a neighborhood called "Vacationland," completely filled in Kapoho Bay and rained olivine gems from the sky. Now, its destruction has been caught by the ESA Copernicus satellite Sentinel-2B (in visible and infrared light) with some dramatic enhancements from photo and geography enthusiast Pierre Markuse.
Curt Schilling's defunct game studio won't face criminal charges
Curt Schilling's 38 Studios has run into plenty of trouble since declaring bankruptcy in 2012, not the least of which is an SEC lawsuit this year. However, criminal cases won't be contributing to its headaches. The Rhode Island State Police have determined that they won't file charges over the failed $75 million loan for Project Copernicus, the massively multiplayer online game that was to have followed Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. There were "no provable criminal violations" in the way the developer secured its cash, the police say. The decision isn't completely shocking (federal officials decided against charges back in 2012), but it eliminates what chances were left of staff facing prison time.
Project Copernicus remains unsold at auction
Every game has its fans. Project Copernicus never launched and was never really much more than a twinkle in the eye, and yet someone out there really liked the game. Someone out there really loved Kingdoms of Amalur and was really hopeful that the 38 Studios property auction would give Project Copernicus a new home. Someone was still excited despite everything that's happened since the game was first announced. Let's call her Kate. Today's news is going to hit Kate really hard; the auction came and went, and no one was interested enough in Project Copernicus to make an "acceptable" offer. Richard Land, who handled the asset auction, has stated that he will continue to try to work privately with interested buyers regarding the assets that were not purchased, but it's not a good sign that none of the potential buyers wanted to pick up the title. Sorry, Kate. Gross proceeds from the auction came to $320,000, for the record.
38 Studios' intellectual property auction in December, Project Copernicus on the table
The tragic tale of 38 Studios' unreleased MMO, Project Copernicus, isn't over just yet. The Associated Press reports that "[a]bout two dozen parties, including some overseas" have "expressed interest" in bidding for the intellectual property of 38 Studios, which includes the unfinished game. The auction, which was set to take place on November 14th but was delayed due to unexpectedly high demand, is scheduled for December 11th. Nick Jimenez, executive vice president of auctioneer Global Heritage Partners (which is handling the sale of the studio's intellectual property), stated that the potential buyers in the auction "are from North America, Europe, and Asia" and that "[s]ome have expressed interest in buying all the intellectual property, and some are eyeing parts of it." It's unclear what his means for the future of Copernicus, or at least of Copernicus as we know it, but be sure to keep an eye out for future developments.
38 Studios assets auction dated for November 14
We first got word of an auction to sell off 38 Studios' assets for Project Copernicus earlier this month, but now we have an actual date for the auction: November 14 and 15. This sale will include the Amalur universe IP and all merchandise and sequel rights to the single-player Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, as well as IP rights to the properties of Big Huge Games. If you'd like to buy yourself an MMO, this might be the time. Head over to the auction page for more information.
Wanna buy an MMO? Copernicus assets for sale 'soon'
Remember Project Copernicus? Of course you do! 38 Studios may have imploded some 18 months ago, but the ongoing fallout has kept its fledgling MMO and its Kingdoms of Amalur IP in the news ever since. Now, Copernicus assets are about to be auctioned off to the highest bidder via an unnamed website that is currently under construction. "The process is taking longer than we anticipated for a variety of reasons including the complexity of the game itself," attorney and court-appointed receiver Richard Land told WPRI news yesterday. Land also told the news station that he has been working directly with "interested parties," though he declined to comment on a possible sale price.
38 Studios loan under SEC investigation
It seems as though we can't go more than a few weeks without hearing about some new complication related to the collapse of 38 Studios and the financial catastrophe it left in its wake. This week's news comes in the form of an SEC probe into the $75 million in loan guarantees offered to the studio by the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation. The RIEDC has secured the services of a law firm to help it handle the SEC's investigation. Further details are sparse, as the RIEDC has offered only that it "doesn't discuss ongoing matters related to 38 Studios and maintains a level of confidentiality as requested by the SEC." Strangely, the SEC investigation, which launched in early 2012, was not mentioned to investors when Rhode Island published financial documents related to a bond transaction in April of that year. According to the treasurer's spokesperson, the state's treasury was not aware of the probe at that time. The RIEDC is currently involved in a lawsuit against studio head Curt Schilling and former RIEDC members responsible for the 38 Studios deal.
Rhode Island set to pay 38 Studios bonds. Probably.
38 Studios collapsed upon itself in a heap of flaming disaster last year, and Rhode Island taxpayers ended up stuck with the bill. The state used a $75 million loan, acquired through the sale of taxable bonds, to convince 38 to operate within its borders, and RI is now on the hook for around $89 million after the studio declared bankruptcy. Some state lawmakers in Rhode Island flirted with the idea of "walking away" from the debt, which is apparently a privilege afforded to a government and not its citizens. However, the state's House Finance Committee has approved a budget that includes, at the very least, making an interest payment of $2.5 million on the debt in May 2014. If Rhode Island is running off the plan it talked about last month, this first payment will be followed by yearly payments of $12.5 million until the debt is repaid. The budget hasn't passed; it still needs to get through the state's House and Senate. Future interest payments will also have to be approved by the state legislature.
38 Studios vs. State of Rhode Island court case begins
We'll never see Project Copernicus come to light, and for some people that's the last that needs to be said about 38 Studios. For the state of Rhode Island, however, there's quite a bit more at stake, with the state alleging that 38 Studios tried to hide its financial condition and essentially defrauded the taxpayers of Rhode Island. Opening arguments have been heard today for the case, with the 14 individual defendants seeking to have the case dismissed as completely spurious. When 38 Studios folded, that left Rhode Island in the hole for a $75 million loan. The lawsuit is seeking restitution from Curt Schilling and 13 other individuals, including former members of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corp that originally supported the loan. According to the EDC's lawyers, substantial evidence exists that this loan was based upon intentional misdirection on the part of upper management, although the defense claims these allegations are ridiculous. At this point, it's up to the courts who's in the right.
38 Studios may have 'actively masked' its financial hardship
Just when you thought the world might let the wound where 38 Studios and Kingdoms of Amalur were ripped from your heart heal over, along comes some new drama. Max Wistow, the lawyer for the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, filed documents on behalf of the state claiming that 38 Studios needed more than $75 million in loan guarantees before the company ever moved to Rhode Island. He argues that folks at 38 Studios knew that the funds they were receiving from the state would be insufficient. The company netted about $50 million from an EDC bond sale, and Wistow is claiming "crushing evidence" that 38 Studios actively masked its financial shortfall.
Todd McFarlane talks about Project Copernicus
Spawn creator Todd McFarlane spoke with Kotaku recently and had some things to say about Project Copernicus, 38 Studios' would-have-been Kingdoms of Amalur MMO. He was the project's art director and says he really thought that it "was going to raise the bar." He remains hopeful that, in time, somebody will "be smart enough" to come in, sweep up the pieces of the unfinished MMO, and make something of it. The way McFarlane described it, Project Copernicus was very nearly a finished thing. "It's only ten yards away from the goal line," he explained. "If I had the extra cash I'd do it myself, because it's that cool." Skip below the cut to check out the full interview. (Project Copernicus talk begins at about the 5:20 mark.)
City of Steam promises November beta
Gear up and prepare to vent some pressure: City of Steam is gaining momentum for the beta! The developers announced that the steampunk MMO will be hitting the beta testing stage in November. As if that weren't enough reason to rejoice, the stressed-out team threw together one of the funniest promotional videos that you may ever see. The Massively staff is undecided as to the best line. "Take THAT, Copernicus!" and "So many Goblin babies!" are tied for first. Check it out after the break and let us know your favorite.
Curt Schilling might pay back debt by selling baseball memorabilia
Curt Schilling is most recently famous for failing spectacularly at using loans from Rhode Island and investors to create a Kingdoms of Amalur MMO. As the founder of the now-bankrupt 38 studios and someone who personally guaranteed some $12 million worth of loans related to the studio, Schilling's lucky that he was famous for other stuff before stepping into game development. For example, Schilling was one of the best pitchers in American League baseball in 2004 and played for the Boston Red Sox, the only team in MLB history to win a seven-game series after losing the first three games. A bloody sock that he wore during that series is listed (along with World War II-era memorabilia, one of Lou Gehrig's baseball caps, his home, and a stake in a private equity firm) in a collateral filing.
R.A. Salvatore details the lack of death in Project Copernicus
"To be or not to be" is not a question asked in most MMOs. Characters don't die permanently, after all. But Project Copernicus wouldn't have waved that fact off as an irrelevant necessity of game mechanics. No, according to R.A. Salvatore, the game world would have explored the meaning behind a world wherein no one truly dies and everyone is functionally immortal. Players who enjoyed Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning will recall that the game opens with the player character returning from death thanks to the Well of Souls. In Project Copernicus, the Well of Souls would have been active not just for one individual but for everyone in the world. Returning from death would be something that happens not just to players but to every part of the world. It's not hard to imagine the ways in which a world would seem different if death was no longer something to be feared or avoided. Salvatore laments that the concept is unlikely to see execution now, even with buyers looking to purchase the 38 Studios assets from the state of Rhode Island.
38 Studios loan could impact state elections
If you've started to forget about the saga of 38 Studios' collapse, rest assured that Rhode Island politicians certainly have not. With the election coming soon, many in the state are scrambling to offset the blame for the $75 million loan decision and protect their positions. The Associated Press is reporting that it's being seen as a "liability" among candidates. One candidate, Mark Binder, addressed the continued furor over the issue: "If I don't bring it up, other people bring it up. Everyone is infuriated. There's this game going on in Rhode Island right now called 'pass the blame on 38 Studios.'" While many of those directly responsible for voting the deal through have since resigned from their positions, the search to pin the fiasco on one of the state's leaders is still underway. Another 2012 candidate, Laura Pisaturo, said that the public is demanding more answers: "People read in the paper about 38 Studios and think 'we elect these people and expect they will lead and ask tough questions.'"
Leaderboard: Would you have played Copernicus?
We just love tantalizing ourselves with "what ifs?" in the MMO sphere, don't we? There are so many alternate possibilities for the development and growth of these games, not to mention all of the ones that didn't even make it to launch day. The most recent of these, of course, is "What if Project Copernicus had actually launched? What if it were as close to completion and as good as they said?" For some, that's just a mild shrug; for others, it's a maddening proposition. Since the collapse of 38 Studios, we've seen several pieces of concept art and videos that will most likely be the closest we'll ever get to Copernicus. So today's Leaderboard is simple: Given everything you've seen and heard of the game, would you have played it? Did Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning convince you that this world would've made for a great MMO? Did Copernicus look like it had merit, or was it yet another fantasy game that probably couldn't compete for your affections? Vote after the jump!
More Project Copernicus videos highlight Jottunhessen
Is it harder waiting in anticipation for a game that may never be or mourning a game that could have been but died? Unfortunately, MMO players who were looking forward to the completion of Copernicus have the opportunity to test that question for themselves, and more videos are revealing just what the players will be missing out on. Yesterday we shared a Copernicus video fly-through highlighting parts of the game. Today, two more videos give viewers a virtual tour of the splendor of the city of Jottunhessen. Check them out after the break.
Former 38 Studios dev releases Copernicus video, details player-driven systems
Stop us if you've heard this one before. Former 38 Studios developer shows us how awesome Copernicus the Kingdoms of Amalur massively multiplayer title would have been, and quality-starved MMO players cry into their beer. In any event, here's another posthumous reveal, this time courtesy of Steve "Moorgard" Danuser's personal blog. Danuser has posted a fly-through video that was originally intended as an in-engine milestone for internal eyes only. Now it's a bit more salt in the wound unless the shuttered MMO's assets ever find their way into the hands of another studio. Danuser doesn't stop with the video, though. He goes into some detail about aspects of the game's design that would have differentiated it from much of the current MMO landscape. There's a lot more I'd like to tell you about the game, such as how our fully planned four-year story arc was driven by player participation. How the theme of choice and consequence permeated our systems, content, and world design. How the choices players made during our chapter-based story arc would cause permanent and lasting changes to each server -- changes that could be different from other servers. How expansions to the game world had already been mapped out and were tied into that chapter storyline, so the world would grow in a very organic and logical way rather than feeling like expansions were tacked onto the core game by a new team that was bored with the work that had been done before. How our storyline had a real conclusion–because you can't tell a great story without an ending. Head past the break for the full video. [Thanks to Syeric for the tip!]
Copernicus would have been F2P
First things first. We apologize for twisting the Copernicus knife. With that out of the way, did you know that 38 Studios' shuttered MMO was going to be the first mega-budget title to launch with a free-to-play model? We didn't either until Curt Schilling confessed as much to Boston Magazine. "We were going to be the first AAA, hundred-million-dollar-plus, free-to-play, microtransaction-based MMO. That was one of our big secrets," Schilling said. "I think when we eventually showed off the game for the first time, the atom bomb was going to be free-to-play. When we announced that at the end, that was gonna be the thing that, I think, shocked the world."
