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Meet Kingdoms of Amalur devs at GameStop midnight launch events
You may not know this, but most mages and fantasy archetypes don't get much sleep. If you're sleeping, who will vanquish all the rats in the town cellars and prevent the animals of the wild from threatening their crops? Who will transport arbitrary items from one town to another?That's why the planned midnight launch of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning at three different GameStop locations is such an appropriate plan. Curt Schilling and R. A. Salvatore, owner of 38 Studios and the game's writer, will be on-hand at the Bellingham, MA location. Todd McFarlane, who was in charge of the game's artistic vision, will be at the Tempe, AZ GameStop to greet fans, while lead designer Ken Rolston and select members from Big Huge Games will be at the Cockeysville, MD location.Doors will open at each location starting at 11:30pm on February 6.
38 Studios head Curt Schilling elaborates on Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning online pass quest lockout
Yesterday, we reported that Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning will make use of EA's Online Pass system, and that used copies of the game will not include access to a specific quest line, similar to Catwoman's Online Pass exclusion from used copies of Batman: Arkham City. Initially, it looked as though the pass granted access to data already on the disc, however this was later clarified by a post made on the 38 Studios Forums, where community manager Muse informed the public that the quest line is in fact day-one DLC, rather than content actually on the disc.38 Studios founder Curt Schilling has written his own statement regarding the situation, and it's just about as frank and honest as we've come to expect from Schilling over the last couple of days: "You can argue the merits and effectiveness of it, but right now it's how it's done and as someone that's as invested as I am in this company, I stand by what has happened."Schilling goes on to say that the free DLC is intended to be an incentive to early adopters and a reward for "fans and gamers who commit to us with their time and money when it benefits the company." He does, however, realize that the situation could have been handled differently: "It is my responsibility as the leader to know of things like this and be aware that it would become an issue, I failed on both accounts. No one else is to blame, but at the same time there is no nefarious attempt to do anything under handed here."
38 Studios head Curt Schilling apologizes for 'buggy' Reckoning demo
38 Studios head Curt Schilling has found the NeoGAF forums, folks, and he is quite pleased with them. In a lengthy letter addressing the community, he starts things off by thanking everyone for a massive thread about his company's upcoming game, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. And after some minor promotion of said project, he quickly devolves into an apologetic rant about the recently released demo."Let me start by apologizing. The demo? Ya, it is way way WAYYYYY more buggy than anything ANYONE should ever release, much less a demo," Schilling wrote. He said that due to "the depth of breadth of a game that has anywhere from 40-50 hours (main quest line play) to 2-300 hours (for completionist)," it was inevitable there would be bugs. However, rather than releasing a demo with said inevitable issues, he argued with EA to not put out a demo at all. A fight that he said he's glad he lost."The demo has been a God send, especially when I realize even in this thread, how many people became aware because of the demo," Schilling said. "In a partnership there is a lot of give and take, and I believe in my team, they are world class, but when you have a publisher there are things happening you'd rather not choose. Shipping old code out 3 months prior to gold master to a 3rd party with no stake in the demo success can be problematic." Regardless of the issues, Schilling ultimately says he was glad for the exposure the demo granted Reckoning, and he'll be "chatting more" on NeoGAF in the future.[Thanks, Wombat!]
Creating a new world: 38 Studios discusses the formation of Amalur's IP
As MMO fans, we're keeping a close eye on 38 Studios for its development of Project Copernicus, the MMO that will serve as the follow-up to next month's Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. The risk factor of not only developing two major intertwined projects in parallel but to have the additional task of creating a brand-new IP in which to put them must be a pressing one, which is why CVG sat down with Reckoning Lead Designer Ian Frazier to talk about challenges the studio has been tackling. Frazier outlines the balance the studio's struck between its three big-name creators -- Todd McFarlane (art), R.A. Salvatore (story), and Ken Rolston (design) -- not to mention the ideas that pour in from founder Curt Schilling. Fortunately, Frazier says that these larger-than-life personalities mesh well together: "The nice thing that's worked out is, I think if we'd got three famous game designers, it would have been a disaster: big egos, they're all on the same plane, it wouldn't have worked out. What makes this work is they're all different." Even though Rolston previously worked on The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, Frazier said the designer wanted to try his hand at something fresh with a better combat system. "They're all great games," Frazier said of the Elder Scrolls series, "and I think they're progressively better, but they're all the same game. It's not like they're radically changing with time." Frazier said Reckoning has been compared to a "single-player WoW" as well as Dragon Age and Fable, but he insists that the world and ideas the team's been creating will take it far past those basic comparisons. You can take your first peek into the world of Amalur with the Reckoning demo -- and let us know what you think in the comments!
The Perfect Ten: The upcoming contenders
While I'm on board the Star Wars: The Old Republic train (at least until SOE's Star Wars: The New Republic comes out in 2014 and forces SWTOR to shut down), I can certainly sympathize with the frustration that non-fans are feeling right about now. There are few things more annoying than not being into the latest craze -- or hating it outright -- and yet being unable to escape it. So I'm here to say to you today that, like World of Warcraft, SWTOR isn't the be-all, end-all of the MMO field. It's a part of it, but just one part, and there are many, many others in the works as we speak. Mama always told me never to put all your eggs in one basket anyway, so I'm spreading my eggcitement across many cyber-nests. This is the bone I'm throwing to all of you this week: a list of 10 Midichlorian-free MMOs that have me -- and should have you -- extremely buzzed about their development. In putting together this list, I realized that there are so many promising prospects that I divided them into two groups. This week I'm presenting the strongest contenders that should make it to launch with a solid product, while next time I'll list promising prospects that may be more of a long shot. I'm 47% confident that I will not forget your most-anticipated title.
38 Studios opens Reckoning/Project Copernicus forums
Forum lurkers rejoice! There's a brand-new board for you to haunt, and it's kinda sorta related to an upcoming fantasy MMORPG. Curt Schilling's 38 Studios has just published its community portal for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, and while the title isn't massively (or particularly multiplayer), it is affiliated with 38's secretive Copernicus MMO. When we say affiliated, we mean that the two titles share the same fictional world, so lore junkies will want to bookmark the new boards and set about discussing histories, race lore, and anything else pertaining to the realm of Amalur. There's also the requisite community chat section in case you feel like a bit of the ol' ultraviolence with your fellow Amalurian forumites, so head to the official Reckoning site and register right away!
The Guild Counsel: An interview with The Syndicate's Sean Stalzer on his new book
As you pack your bags for that trip to the beach (or that annual fan gathering) and you toss in that bottle of sunblock (or aspirin), you might want to make some space in your bags for some summer reading as well. Fortunately, there is a growing number of titles, such as Adam Trzonkowski's Guild Leader's Companion, that examine the methods and lessons of running guilds and online communities. To that list we can add Sean "Dragons" Stalzer's sequel, The Syndicate: Beyond the Legend, which is now available at Lulu and soon to be sold at Amazon. In the book, guild leader Sean Stalzer picks up from where his first book left off and gives us even more insight into the MMO industry and his guild leadership philosophy. The book is divided into three parts. The first covers The Syndicate's recent history and continued relationship with several MMO studios as well its job writing guides for Prima Games. In the second part, Sean explains his time-tested philosophy for running a guild, dubbed S.U.C.C.E.S.S. And the last section of the book looks at where MMOs are headed and what's needed down the road. Sean took the time to talk to Massively about his new book, and there was so much to discuss that this interview is split into two parts. In this week's Guild Counsel, Sean talks about the lessons he's learned from his work with MMO studios. He looks back at how it's influenced his leadership approach, and he gives a glimpse of why he's excited about his current work with 38 Studios. Read on for the interview!
Preview the world of Copernicus with 38 Studio's Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning trailer
38 Studios has been in the news quite a bit over the last year despite not having a released game under its belt. While the upstart company still lacks a finished product, it's one step closer with today's release of the first gameplay trailer for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. The footage from the upcoming single-player RPG gives fans a first look at the world of Amalur, which 38 Studios will revisit in the Copernicus MMO to follow. In addition to featuring company president (and former World Series MVP) Curt Schilling, Reckoning boasts an impressive array of talent from both 38 Studios and Big Huge Games including lore-master R.A. Salvatore, former Morrowind and Oblivion lead designer Ken Rolston, and Spawn creator Todd McFarlane. The video clip showcases a good look at Amalur's fantasy trappings, glimpses of combat with several creatures (including a big bad), and a 2012 release date. Check out all the details after the cut.
PAX East 2011: The future of MMOs from the mouths of the developers
The PAX East panel that almost made me late for the Star Wars: The Old Republic Meet 'n' Greet was a panel hosted by MMORPG.com and featuring some of the heavy hitters in MMO development for this year. I am certainly glad I did not skip this one. This was the chance for the fans to hear what the future of MMOs will bring from the people who are making them. Let me give you a rundown of the panel members -- and tell me you don't just stand in awe of these guys: (from left to right) Curt Schilling, the founder of 38 Studios; Craig Alexander, the VP of Product Development for Turbine; Jeremy Gaffney, Executive Producer at Carbine Studios; Scott Hartsman, Executive Producer for Trion Worlds; Brian Knox, Senior Producer for En Masse Entertainment; James Ohlen, Creative Director for BioWare; and Colin Johanson, Lead Content Designer for ArenaNet. The opening question really set the stage for the panel. It let us know where the minds of these producers and executives are. The question was simple: Where do you see online games going in the next 10 years? Follow after the cut to find out their thought provoking answers.
GDC 2011: Curt Schilling talks about free-to-play, or not
Things are pretty quiet on the 38 Studios front. That's rarely stopped Curt Schilling from talking in the past, though, and he recently sat down with the lads at Joystiq during this year's GDC to give everyone an update on the big Rhode Island move. "The team is incredibly excited. It's our building! We have all six floors -- it's our studio and we're alone. It's our space," Schilling enthused. Joystiq also queried the former World Series MVP about whether or not 38 Studios' Copernicus MMO project might opt for a free-to-play business model in order to compete in what has become an extremely crowded game market. "We have an open mind about everything, except the game," Schilling said. "We look at what we're creating and we say, 'What is the best possible guest experience we can create with this product?' And that'll answer your business model questions and your goals and objectives for the game." Sooo, is that a yes-we're-considering-free-to-play or a not-in-a-million-years? It's anyone's guess at this point, but one thing's for sure: With Schilling at the controls, the trip is bound to be eventful (and full of juicy quotes).
Curt Schilling on 38 Studios' MMO and the move to Rhode Island
It's been nearly half a year since the deal was signed, but 38 Studios head Curt Schilling tells us that his company's "150 - 160" employees are already in the process of moving to Rhode Island. That includes full relocation for everyone involved (read: selling that dream Boston house for a cottage in Quahog), though the company's own website still reflects 38's original address. Surprisingly, he says morale hasn't been affected negatively. "The team is incredibly excited. It's our building! We have all six floors -- it's our studio and we're alone. It's our space," Schilling explained to us this afternoon at a San Francisco club-turned-EA event. "Gavin -- the studio GM -- and I, we really took a Disney approach," he said. "There's no detail too small for us in the new studio to make it a place where people walk in and say, 'I wanna work there.'" At the time, he wouldn't say much about what exactly the happy folks inside his company's new digs are making.
38 Studios is looking for a few good men -- and women, too, of course!
38 Studios has kept its Project Copernicus MMO under tight security for a while now; however, we do know that the studio has some big names in its pocket. Comic book giant Todd McFarlane, award-winning author R.A. Salvatore, and baseball great Curt Schilling have already added their talents to the roster. Even the government of the state of Rhode Island is excited about what this team is doing, given the guaranteed loans 38 Studios was offered if it moved to the state. Today, Lead Community Manager Charles Dane tweeted that the team is LFM. He posted, "38 Studios is looking for top tier talent. This is a great opportunity to join an awesome team!" A buzz over to the jobs page for the studio shows that it is looking for an abundance of people. QA, engineering, art, and even finance are on the list of departments needing minions. Who knows? Maybe you are the top-tier talent the studio is looking for.
The Perfect Ten: The movers and shakers of 2010
Even though MMOs are the products of great teams of talented workers -- from sound artists to writers -- it's inevitable that a few of the people behind the curtain step out into the limelight. It's a smart move, really; it provides a personal face for people to associate with the game, it keeps messages consistent, and it draws any potential hate onto one person instead of the team at large. It stands to reason that these public figures end up being some of the major movers and shakers in the industry because of their high-profile positions. From CEOs to community managers, these are the people with power to make decisions, the voice to change opinions, and the personalities to inspire millions. Oh, that last sentence is pure poetry. Let's re-read it again, shall we? So in our last Perfect Ten of the year, I've asked the Massively team to compile a list of the 10 biggest MMO movers and shakers of this year. All of these people now owe us cupcakes of gratitude. (Legal Disclaimer: This does not signify a binding cupcake-blogger contract.)
Documentary filmmaker takes on MMORPGs
As popular as World of Warcraft has become, we almost take it for granted that everyone on the planet is familiar with (or has at least heard of) MMORPGs. Despite the fact that gaming has become relatively mainstream over the last few years, MMORPGs remain mysteriously inaccessible to portions of the populace, and filmmaker Ben Gonyo aims to change all that with a new documentary called Gamers. Gamers sees Gonyo immerse himself in MMO subculture for the better part of two years, and features interviews with over 100 gamers, designers, critics, psychologists, comedians, and celebrities -- including Curt Schilling and R.A. Salvatore. The film is currently airing on the Documentary Channel on both DISH and DirectTV, and you can check out various previews and trailers at the film's official website, as well as after the cut. Finally, be on the lookout for a Massively review in the near future.
38 Studios Rhode Island deal still up in the air
Just when we thought 38 Studios' epic quest to move its guild headquarters to Rhode Island was nearing its conclusion, a posting on the blog of a local television news outlet casts a bit of doubt on the successful outcome of the proceedings. Reporter Ted Nesi writes that the state's Economic Development Commission is itching to close the $75 million loan it's taken out for 38 Studios. However, if Lincoln Chafee wins the governorship in today's election, it could trigger a showdown, given the candidate's outspoken criticism of the deal. The other leading candidate, Frank Caprio, has said that if elected, he will "march down to EDC headquarters on Wednesday to do something unspecified about 38 Studios." In other 38 Studios news, Amazon has recently published the official box art of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, the first official game to come out of Curt Schilling's company (currently slated for a September 2011 release). Check out the details, as well as a new screenshot, at 38gamers.
Copernicus' Curt Schilling talks business models and target audiences
Curt Schilling, former World Series MVP and one of baseball's noted clutch performers, is now firing fastballs at the MMO industry. In addition to forming 38 Studios and spearheading work on the company's cryptic Copernicus MMORPG, Schilling clearly loves games. He also loves to talk about them (and occasionally talk smack) as a new interview at Ugo illustrates. "We're not making a game for everybody either because when you make a game for everybody, you end up making it for no one. I know what we love, I know what we want, and the game that I'm playing is growing into being what we set out to make," Schilling enthuses. When he says "we," he's talking about the all-star roster assembled at 38 studios, including everyone from R.A. Salvatore, to Todd McFarlane, to veteran developers that "have been on every major MMO from Ultima Online." All this talent doesn't come cheaply of course, but Schilling is adamant about making a traditional (albeit well-polished) MMORPG despite the current free-to-play craze sweeping the industry. "We won't launch free-to-play. That makes no sense. [...] Given the feedback that we've gotten and in a lot of focus testing that we've done, people will pay a subscription if they believe that they're getting their money's worth," he says, while also noting that the Copernicus budget is somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 million.
38 Studios set to expand the world of Amalur into merchandising and a newsletter
Kingdoms of Amalur is a familiar name to gamers who are looking forward to Project Copernicus, the mysteriously code-named MMO under development by 38 Studios. If you're finding it hard to wait for more news on this project, 38 Studios has just the thing to distract you. The world of Amalur, created by R.A. Salvatore and Todd McFarlane, is going to begin showing up in the real world soon in the form of comics, toys, novels, and even a few more games. Not a surprise there, amirite? Speaking of other games set in Amalur, you'll see more from Reckoning soon. The single-player game is set to launch fall of 2011, and the game's online newsletter will launch in October. Will all of this activity surrounding Amalur include new information on Copernicus? It seems likely and it's fun to speculate, so here's hoping! [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
38 Studios' move to Providence, RI is official
38 Studios, with millions of dollars coming its way from the state of Rhode Island, officially announced its move to Providence today. The untested developer will be headquartered in the state capital at One Empire Plaza, not far from Rhode Island School of Design and Brown University. 38 Studios was launched by former Red Sox player Curt Schilling in 2006. "38 Studios presents Rhode Island with a tremendous economic development opportunity," said Governor Donald Carcieri. "This investment creates 450 high-paying jobs, provides job opportunities for our college graduates in a fast growing industry, and will attract other interactive and entertainment companies to Rhode Island." However, WPRI notes that 38 Studios can actually get $64 million (of a total $75M) from the state through only employing 250 by December 2011. Several Rhode Island gubernatorial candidates have expressed concern over the agreement with the studio, but it appears the deal is done now. %Gallery-98022%
38 Studios' loan from Rhode Island detailed in new report
Thanks to documentation from the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, we now have a better idea of the terms involved in 38 Studios' controversial move from Massachusetts to R.I. Obtained by WPRI, the report kinda explains what's going on: 38 Studios will receive $51 million from the state; $13 million as soon as Curt Shilling's studio signs the contract to move and another $38 million as the company achieves milestones over the next 15 months. The remaining $20 million is held in some reserve to assure three years of debt payment, which is tied to other caveats. 38 Studios also has a strict job creation schedule over the next three years. The developer must have 125 full-time jobs within a year of signing for the loan, another 175 the following year and 150 more the year after. That may just be numbers to many of you out there, but industry human resource representatives and studio directors just spit coffee all over their monitors. The studio will be penalized $7,500 per year for each of the 450 jobs it doesn't create. Obviously, if you do the math, it's cheaper not to hire for the full-time job and take the penalty. 38 Studios must also announce the location of its new studio operations and corporate headquarters by November 30, 2010 -- note: the company just has to say where it's going, not actually get there. Also, the closing of the loan requires a "signed, enforceable" 10-year lease for 38 to stay in Rhode Island. Looks like R.I. wants to make sure that it's not paying to raise a studio -- which, to date, hasn't released a single project -- and watch it leave for California or Canada after it gets all that cash.
38 Studios relocation loan in jeopardy
Democratic Rhode Island gubernatorial candidate Frank Caprio has flip-flopped in his stance towards a $75 million loan from the state's Economic Development Corporation to fledgling game maker 38 Studios. The development house, founded in 2006 by former Major League Baseball pitcher Curt Schilling, is hard at work on the top-secret Copernicus MMORPG and was offered the lucrative deal in exchange for moving the company's headquarters from Massachusetts to Rhode Island (and bringing a proposed 450 high-paying jobs to the state's economy). Caprio, who currently serves as Rhode Island's general treasurer, is one of several political candidates condemning the deal, a marked change from his views in past weeks, notes the Boston Globe. "I am not going to stand by and watch us gamble taxpayer dollars on a bad deal when there are thousands of small businesses in need of more access to capital," Caprio said in a press release dated August 31st.
