Copernicus
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R.A. Salvatore talks Copernicus, building believable worlds
When it comes to stories of engaging fantasy worlds, one of the premier names that comes to the minds of many gamers is R.A. Salvatore. His Forgotten Realms books chronicling the adventures of Drizzt Do'Urden are fan favorites, and many are curious as to just what he's doing on 38 Studios' upcoming MMO, codenamed Copernicus. Thankfully, Salvatore took some time to sit down with Gamasutra and discuss plans for the MMO, as well as their lore-related single-player game, codenamed Mercury. In this interview, Salvatore talks both on his gaming past, and whether or not his varied experiences in gaming have affected his writing on this project. He also touches on how important he feels immersion is in terms of getting people engaged -- suspending their disbelief, and jumping into the fantastic worlds he weaves. Another interesting tidbit is how he feels that characters are most important in terms of telling a story -- a tenet that has served him extremely well, if sales of his books are any indication! If you're looking for more illumination into the mind of the man shaping the overall stories for 38 Studios, then you'll definitely want to pop over to Gamasutra and check out this latest interview. Of course, we also happen to have a pretty sweet interview of our own with Salvatore about Copernicus that you'll want to check out if you missed it the first time around.
GDC: R.A. Salvatore wants you to die
Fantasy author R.A. Salvatore took the stage at GDC 2010 today and, while he made it clear that his talk about how to create believable fantasy worlds wasn't specifically about his work with 38 Studios' Copernicus project, he did talk a little bit about what he wants from an MMO game and gave the first mention of what the world of Curt Schilling's game is like. Salvatore talked for quite a while in his thick Massachusetts accent about his time in Everquest, which he said was "the best world in a game I've ever seen." He also lauded the idea of a death penalty in an MMO, and said that during his formative MMO experiences the threat of death (he once lost a hard-earned level when he was killed by an NPC that he accidentally clicked to attack) made living that much better. "If you take the pain out of the world," he said, "you lose the accomplishment of winning." And while he admitted that the Copernicus designers were fighting with him on whether or not to include a death penalty in the game, the company would at least make sure that a return from death was explained. His team has written over 10,000 years of history for the game's world (all compiled on "a wiki with over hundreds of pages in it"), and one of the major features of the setting's lore is a "device that's perfected" called the "Well of Souls." The Well, "when you die, will bring you back -- if you meet the conditions." He didn't elaborate about what those conditions were, but he asked the audience what a worldwide death-prevention device would do to institutions like kings and religions. "What happens when you take power away from powerful people?" he asked rhetorically. "How would it play out?" And, he suggested, if there were people who "turned the Well on," what if they threatened the rest of the world with turning it off? Vague, but intriguing. Copernicus still seems like it has a long way to go (Salvatore didn't show any slides or screenshots during his talk), but fans of the old EQ might find the game a return to the old ways if R.A. has his say.
GDC10: R.A. Salvatore talks Copernicus
One of the great joys of game journalism is the opportunity to talk with a large cross-section of creative minds, all of whom share a passion for the art form. It's even more fun when you get to talk to something of a living legend, as Massively did today when we had the chance to interview multi-million selling author R.A. Salvatore at GDC 2010. For the three of you who've been living under a rock since the late 1980s, Salvatore is the creative force behind 22 New York Times bestsellers, including the The DemonWars Saga, Star Wars: The New Jedi Order - Vector Prime, and the Dark Elf series, whose protagonist Drizzt Do'Urden is one of the more celebrated fantasy characters in the genre's history. We sat down to talk with Salvatore about his role at 38 Studios, and how he's bringing his unique storytelling abilities to their top secret Copernicus project, an MMORPG sharing the same universe as the Project Mercury single-player RPG announced yesterday at the Game Developer's Conference. Hit the jump below for the full interview.
GDC10: Massively's day 1 roundup
Massively staffers descended on GDC 2010 yesterday like a horde of....well, Horde. Our intrepid reporters are slaving away with microphones, tape recorders, and keyboards in hand to make sure you get all the latest MMORPG tidbits directly from the folks making the games. We'll be bringing you a ton of content over the next few days, so fear not if your favorite forthcoming game hasn't received the red carpet treatment. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled throughout the remainder of the week, and in case you missed it, here's a brief rundown of yesterday's coverage. Fallen Earth iPhone app demo Sword of the New World additions Taikodom coming to America EA to publish Copernicus' Project Mercury Battlestar Galactica MMO revealed FFXIV Beta via FFXIII DCUO Mass Animation contest Can't get enough of our GDC 2010 coverage? Check out our Sword of the New World GDC 2010 gallery below, and be sure to return throughout the week as we continue to bring you all the latest on your favorite games and developers. %Gallery-87809%
GDC10: Copernicus' Project Mercury being published by EA
If you have been eagerly awaiting news on the top-secret Copernicus over at 38 Studios, you'll be pleased to hear that 38 Studios broke the silence today. "Project Mercury," a single-player title set in the Copernicus universe, will be coming to the PC, XBox 360 and PS3. 38 Studios signed a publishing deal with EA to bring the game to market. "Project Mercury" is described as "an epic single-player role-playing game," and is being developed by 38 Studios-owned Big Huge Games under the guiding hand of Ken Rolston (Morrowind and Oblivion). This will be the first Copernicus project launched by Curt Schilling's team after years of anticipation and heavy speculation. As NASA's Project Mercury set out to test the boundaries of space by putting a man into orbit, "Project Mercury" looks to be testing the waters of single-player RPGs before diving into the realm of MMOs, similar to the approach of fan-favorite Torchlight. Stay tuned to Massively, as we meet with Copernicus' R. A. Salvatore later this week at GDC to pick his brain.
Update: 38 Studios sets facts straight on Copernicus
In a follow-up to our story posted yesterday, 38 Studios has contacted us with a response on the issue of the game's cost to be between 50 million and 100 million and their "tenative release date" as reported by the Boston Globe.According to 38 Studios, the 50 to 100 million figure came from the Boston Globe and not 38 Studios, as finances were never disclosed to the newspaper. Production costs were never mentioned as well during the interview. What was noted in the interview was that MMOs can be quite expensive to build, sometimes costing tens of millions of dollars to put together. As said to us by the company, "38 Studios is a private company and does not, and has never, disclosed financials."Furthermore, the company wishes to stress that the supposed "December 2010" release date is not a date they wish to acknowledge. The company will release the game codenamed Copernicus when it is ready, currently wishing to not set any dates for their upcoming game.Follow after the break for the full release from 38 Studios regarding the release date of Copernicus.
38 Studios estimates it will take 50 to 100 million to finish Copernicus, Schilling looking for investors
Curt Schilling is out on the field again -- the investing field, that is. The former baseball star turned game developer is looking for more investors to back 38 Studios and their first game, the title codenamed Copernicus. The company's estimates for their game requires 50 to 100 million more in funding for the staff, all with their tentative December 2010 launch in mind.Keep in mind, of course, that 38 Studios has acquired Maryland developer Big Huge Games, the company known for Rise of Nations, Rise of Legends, and Xbox Arcade's version of Catan. That acquisition doubled the company's headcount and has possibly driven operating costs into the 15 to 20 million a year range, according to the Boston Globe.So far Schilling hasn't had any luck with potential investors. However, as he said to the Boston Globe, "I'm not going to complain about the economy. It's like pitching on a rainy day. The other guy has to pitch in it, too."[Via Cuppycake]
38 Studios denies Dec. 2010 release for Copernicus, plans to detail project next year
A representative for 38 Studios informs Joystiq that, despite some reports to the contrary, Copernicus does not currently have a release date. The clarification was made following The Boston Globe's report that the green monster studio Curt Schilling built is "targeting" a release of December 2010 for its MMO.In a statement to Joystiq, the company revealed it has reached several significant milestones, but that the rumored release date goes back to when the development house first formed. 38 Studios plans to release Copernicus "when the project is complete to [its] standards and satisfaction." We've been told to expect the company to finally begin discussing details about the project next year.[Via Big Download]
38 Studios CEO Brett Close on the Big Huge Games acquisition and the Copernicus IP
Joystiq's fearless leader Chris Grant recently caught up with 38 Studios CEO Brett Close to discuss their recent acquisition of Big Huge Games, and what this might mean for the "Copernicus" MMO. Massively has mentioned Copernicus at a few points in the past, but unfortunately in terms more vague than we'd like. We know it's a fantasy MMO project that draws upon notables like R.A. Salvatore and Todd McFarlane, but Joystiq turned up some more info about Copernicus. Close stresses that Copernicus is an IP that will exist in several channels; there will be books, graphic novels, and of course an MMO that draws upon these elements. "Rather than drilling into details about why this is going to give people something they have never experienced before... what I will tell you is that it's simply based on that talent [R.A. Salvatore and Todd McFarlane] and based on our approach and our experience in building these products. There's nothing like it out there right now. And I don't believe there's anybody working on anything like this right now."
Interview: 38 Studios CEO on Big Huge Games acquisition
Is something in the air? While this week saw ZeniMax's acquisition of industry legend id Software, last month saw newcomer 38 Studios' acquisition of Big Huge Games, THQ's troubled developer that, like id, has rockstar status of its own. We had a chance to talk with 38 Studios' CEO Brett Close shortly after the announcement last month. On the plate: What will Big Huge be working on now? What's happening to the two titles BHG was working on for THQ? And when could we see something Copernicus-themed from Big Huge Games?Joystiq: Why Big Huge games? And were you looking or considering any other developers to bring into the 38 Studios family?Brett Close: Well, we've got 36 studios to go, of course.
Curt Schilling's 38 Studios acquires THQ's Big Huge Games
Looks like THQ's short-lived ownership of Rise of Nations-developer Big Huge Games has finally come to a close, with upstart MMO dev 38 Studios announcing an acquisition today. According to this here press release, the "acquisition is a critical step in 38 Studios' strategy to deliver a broad range of entertainment products centered on its original fantasy IP, codenamed Copernicus."So, Copernicus-themed projects only from here on out? 38 Studios' CEO and President, Brett Close, says, "The acquisition enables us to develop and deliver top-quality games in multiple genres that are based in a shared world, ultimately maximizing the value of our Copernicus MMOG and the intellectual property as a whole." However, the presser also mentions that BHG is actively developing an unnamed RPG for 360, PS3, and PC (ostensibly the rumored Ascendant), but makes no mention of God: The Game, in development for Wii. Will Ascendant be relocated into the world of Copernicus? We have no idea, but we do know that while BHG will be integrated into [Massachusetts-based] 38 Studios," the Maryland-based developer will stay put.More as we learn it.
38 Studios LFM, PST!
Have artistic talent? Code talent? More properly, do you have that, some industry experience, and the desire to build an awesome MMO? If you can answer yes to those questions and the idea of working with people like Curt Schilling, R.A. Salvatore, Todd McFarlane and other really cool people like Ryan Shwayder from Nerfbat makes you happy, then you'll want to check out the job postings over on the 38 Studios site. It appears they're looking for some more people to join them on their MMO dream team! Currently, the spots open are: Graphics Engineer Senior Character Artist Technical Director Senior Environment Artist Hopefully once all the positions are filled up we'll start hearing more about 38's upcoming super-secret MMO project, codenamed 'Copernicus.' Good luck to anyone who applies, and if you get hired, be sure to tell them to keep us in mind for that eventual Copernicus alpha test. We'd appreciate it!
Ken Levine keynoting first MIT 'Business in Gaming' conference
Focusing on riveting hot-button issues like "digital distribution, marketing, and in-game advertising," the MIT Sloan School of Management is kicking off its first ever "Business in Gaming " Conference (BiG) with BioShock magnate Ken Levine as inaugural keynote speaker. We'll be there, Big Daddy statues and permanent markers in tow, and when we're not ogling KennyL we'll likely check out the panel featuring ex-Boston Red Soxer Curt Schilling of 38 Studios speaking about MMO business models. Hey, maybe he'll talk about that game his company's been making for three years! Code-named Copernicus? No? You don't remember that one? Yeah, neither do we.
Overheard@GDC09: Curt Schilling half-jokingly wishes he'd made a simpler game
Curt Schilling may not have revealed any new information about Copernicus -- really, nothing new there -- but he's had reservations about choosing the MMO genre for the premiere title of his 38 Studios. Speaking with Adam Sessler on stage during the inaugural GamesBeat conference, he admitted, "There have been times in the past 24 months where I've thought to myself 'What the hell was I thinking?!' I should have made a first-person shooter."
Ask Massively - Goodbye, Farewell, Amen.
It's been a few months since I have written Ask Massively, and I am sorry to say that this will be my last column for Massively. Before I leave you guys with something to think about, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Elizabeth, Krystalle, and the folks at Massively for allowing me to have this forum. It has been a pleasure working with them, and it has been a pleasure writing for you.So, I hold in my hand, the last envelope...Dear Massively, Aside from "Find a soft spot to fall when you hear your puller say 'Oops' " Do you have any last words of wisdom to impart before you leave? -Grimthorn Redbeard
NYCC 09: 38 Studios panel
Despite officially labeling Saturday's discussion with the subtitle "How I Learned to Talk on Panels Without Saying Anything," 38 Studios actually ended up sharing a little bit about their MMO project Copernicus. Thom Ang, director of art, said to expect the final look of Copernicus' world to adhere closely to the previously shown concept artwork. He said that, unlike typical production structures, concept artists at 38 Studios are doing all the artwork – from initial sketches to modeling the environments. This ensures the artistic vision is maintained throughout.Other than that, there's no news on Copernicus to speak of. The panelists mostly talked about the studio itself. So for those who are interested, 38 spoke about how they've grown to become a 60+ member team, and that they're surviving the tundra of Maynard, MA on a diet of gamer cakes and pastries. Hopefully the next time 38 holds a session, we'll finally get some deets on this uber-mysterious MMO.
Todd McFarlane talks about 38 Studios and Copernicus
Massively has been watching what's happening with 38 Studios and their upcoming MMO codenamed 'Copernicus' -- and the most recent bit of info we turned up comes through today's interview at Gamasutra by Christian Nutt. Gamasutra has interviewed 38 Studios Executive Art Director Todd McFarlane, well-known to most of us for his work in the comics industry and for the numerous offerings of McFarlane Toys.Indeed, a fair amount of the Gamasutra interview focuses on McFarlane Toys and its success in the action figure industry, but McFarlane spoke a bit about 38 Studios and its MMO project as well. He touched upon how 38 Studios hopes to differentiate their game from what's presently offered: "But the question is, can we make ours feel better than the other guys? And the stuff that I'm seeing relative to what's out there in the open market, the answer is absolutely, right now." While McFarlane doesn't exactly spill details on what we can really expect from Copernicus, he does offer up some hints as to what 38 Studios is doing, and more importantly, why they're taking a different approach to the MMO space than some of their competitors. For more info on Copernicus, or just to read up on what a comics legend is doing these days, check out the full interview with Todd McFarlane over at Gamasutra.
Ask Massively: Wrath vs All Comers
Never let it be said that Ask Massively doesn't give everyone a chance to be heard. We believe that everyone should have a voice, and it is in the interest of providing that voice that we bring you the following question.Dear MassivelyI am SO SICK of all of the coverage of Wrath of the Lich King! I demand that someone at Massively write about something that isn't World of Warcraft related this week. Non-WoW players aren't interested in an expansion for a game that they don't even play. Someone throw me a freakin' bone here!Sarah P.Someone hasn't been paying attention, have they...
38 Studios hires two more industry heavyweights
The long list of exceptional talent at 38 Studios continues to grow as Curt Schilling's masterpiece comes together. The two most recent additions include Director of Audio Aubrey Hodges and Senior UI Designer Irena Pereira.Hodges is best known for his work on King's Quest and is credited as among the first to use MIDI in a video game and the first to use sound effects in an online game. Pereira comes from Blizzard, where she mainly worked on the interface design and development for WoW's The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King. 38 Studios President and CEO, Brett Close, comments on the acquisition, "38 Studios has been able to attract phenomenal talent, and these hires continue that trend. Smart interface design and rich audio are key components of the 38 Studios product vision, and Irena and Aubrey have extensive records of exceptional success in these areas."
38 Studios hires World of Warcraft UI, King's Quest music vets
When filling the ranks at his game development brainchild, 38 Studios, it makes sense that MMO-fan Curt Schilling would look to his pastime of choice. The company announced that it has hired former Blizzard UI maestro, Irena Pereira, as 38 Studios' senior UI designer, bringing her interface grinding expertise not only with World of Warcraft, but The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King to the fledgling company as well. Additionally, when setting the mood in its secretive MMO project codenamed Copernicus, the dev will look to the musical styling of newly hired composer and sound designer, Aubrey Hodges, whose familiar tunes can be heard in such adventure game greats as King's Quest, Space Quest, Quest for Glory and Conquests of the Longbow. Hodges is credited as one of the chief pioneers of in-game MIDI music, and also helped make us jump with his ambient tracks heard in both Doom and Quake. Both Pereira and Hodges are just the latest seasoned vets to join 38 Studios, following the hiring of former Everquest designer Travis McGeathy and THQ artist Thom Ang, making us all the more curious just what the company is working on behind that curtain.
