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Elite co-creator plans to resurrect series with Dangerous Kickstarter
Elite co-creator David Braben is the latest grandfather of space sims to turn to Kickstarter, with plans to resurrect the classic series through new game Dangerous. Braben set up a minimum of £1.25 million (roughly $2 million) in funding to launch Elite: Dangerous, but is hoping for more so his team at UK-based Frontier Developments can be "more ambitious with content and platforms." As it stands, Frontier plans to release Elite: Dangerous on PC in March 2014.If Dangerous does arrive then, it will have been almost three decades since Elite left its indelible mark on gaming back in 1984. Two true sequels were released: Frontier: Elite in 1993 and Frontier: First Encounters in 1995. Braben has headed Frontier Developments since then, a studio more recently known for Kinectimals and LostWinds.As Braben notes on the Kickstarter page, Frontier diced with trying to make the fourth Elite game, including developing it as a MMO back in 2000. It's been on the backburner at the British studio for a few years now, but going by the six figures raised in a matter of hours it's likely Elite: Dangerous marks the return of one of gaming's most venerable names.
Frontier's stalled 'The Outsider' project seen in action [update: now with more footage!]
Frontier Developments may have put the kibosh on continued development of its open-world action title, The Outsider, but that doesn't mean footage of the game isn't out there. Ex-Frontier sound engineer Kyle Nichol wrangled some of that footage and posted it up on his portfolio site, showcasing the first bit of in-game action that we've seen from the stalled project. The Outsider seems to take a few cues from Ubisoft's Splinter Cell series -- especially the latest entry in that franchise -- though the clip only offers a few brief glimpses of actual gameplay, unfortunately. However, this may not be the last we see on The Outsider, as the developer specifically noted earlier this year that the project was down, but not out. "There is still publisher interest in the project and we haven't canceled it," studio head David Braben explained at the time. It appears support will have to come from outside Codemasters and EA, with whom discussions fell through some time ago. Update: We added a second video of the game in action after the break, found on Alistair Lindsay's portfolio page. He was the former "Head of Audio" at Frontier Developments, ending in April of this year. Update 2: The original video has been removed it seems, but a third video has now been added (via Alistair Lindsay's portfolio page) which shows yet more gameplay. We've replaced the above video (which has been taken down) with the second video from Mr. Lindsay. [Thanks, Daniel.]
Frontier's 'The Outsider' on hold, but not canceled
It seems The Outsider's inability to gel with a publisher has finally forced Frontier Developments to put the game on hold, according to statements made by studio head David Braben to Rock, Paper, Shotgun and Develop. "We have had to change priorities because of requirements on other unannounced projects," Braben told RPS, implying that development on The Outsider had ceased in favor of more promising ventures. "There is still publisher interest in the project," he later clarified to Develop, "and we haven't canceled it." The Outsider was first announced by Frontier in 2005 and billed as an action thriller designed to offer "genuine freedom" in gameplay and narrative. Players would assume the role of a rogue CIA agent in "an immersive, dynamic world and storyline" set in Washington, D.C. "This gives the player genuine freedom to change the story outcomes in a way not seen before," promises an ambitious game description on Frontier's site, adding, "each player will get a truly unique, sophisticated experience." Following a failed courtship with Codemasters, it seemed the title had found its suitor in EA, but the publishing deal fell through, according to RPS's source; who also said that 17 Frontier employees had been laid off this week, in addition to a reported dozen staffers that lost their jobs late last year. "Some people have been moved," Braben confirmed to RPS, "and we are very sad to have made some people redundant." Frontier's other known project, Elite 4, was put on hold last May. In November, the studio released Kinectimals to generally positive reviews, though there has been no indication as to its sales status.
LostWinds dev: Don't treat download services as a 'dumping ground'
Frontier Developments has used the WiiWare platform to deliver two small, but high-quality games: the LostWinds series. However, according to David Braben (and a quick look at the offerings on any console download service) not everyone has taken the same approach. "One of the things that really annoys me," Braben told Develop, "is when people see XBLA, PSN and WiiWare as a dumping ground, in terms of 'you don't need to put the same amount of effort in.'" Instead of a place for shallow games, Braben described the download space as the "short story" of game design. "It's a way to try out a radical idea," he said, "It's a way to try out a radical idea, and quite often a lot of those do become novels later on. What I don't like is the idea that people can scratch one out at the bus stop, which I've overheard at conferences." More CUBELLO, less Frogger 2. Of course, the real takeaway from Braben's article is that you should look around at conferences to see if David Braben is nearby.
David Braben: most game interaction involves killing (unfortunately)
Though political alarmists and misguided cultural crusaders will savor the admission, it's true that killing is something that takes up much of our pastimes. It's a shockingly simple act, easily repeatable and often very rewarding. There's certainly a modicum of skill required -- the right hack here, the well-timed slash there -- but even we've become a little desensitized and unmoved by our daily murder of random human beings. And the same holds true for what's happening in games. In a recent discussion with Eurogamer, Frontier's David Braben observed, "In games, most interaction involves killing, unfortunately." The Elite designer noted that while killing felt realistic "for better or worse," interactions with characters, be they NPCs or online pals, fail to be fulfilling. "It's either stealing stuff from them, killing them and then stealing stuff, or having a bit of voice chat, if you're lucky," he said.While we'd argue that that plenty of gamers have been killing time with non-violent titles (think Flower or Rock Band), it's hard to dispute Braben's point in the context of player-character interaction -- or to overrule his optimism. "Where it gets interesting is when you can't distinguish AI from a real character, and I know that's still a long way away, but we were saying 10 years ago, when will you not be able to distinguish computer graphics from the real world?"That's something we'll have to ask Milo! [Image: The Onion's Close Range]
Lost Winds dev: Reviewers are a problem with low Wii metacritic scores
Apparently, for the Nintendo Wii (according to Lost Winds developer David Braben), the folks reviewing Wii games are the wrong people for the job. Responding to comments made by EA Sports' Peter Moore earlier this month regarding low metacritic scores for Wii games and its less than serious effect on sales numbers of said games, Frontier Developments head David Braben told Eurogamer that, "Most reviewers are what are often called 'core gamers' - and these family-focused games tend to appeal less to them." And he makes a good point. If Joystiq's readership is primarily "core gamers," what's the point in covering casual fare meant for more mainstream crowds? Braben continues, "It throws up a difficult dilemma for those reviewers ... are they reviewing the game for those people likely to play it, or for those people who form the bulk of their readership?" We put it to you, Joystiq loyalists: Continue to cover games intended for a "casual," more mainstream audience (as well as more "hardcore" titles), or focus on "core" games coverage exclusively? [Image credit]
Elite II, LostWinds dev Frontier joins ELSPA
The UK-based Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association, or ELSPA for short, has a new face on board. Seasoned game designer David Braben and his crack team of devs at Frontier Developments have joined the trade body, no doubt wooed by the organization's rumored regular meetings to play Twister.Braben wowed early gamers with his influential space sim, Elite, as well as its 1993 sequel, Frontier. Braben's latest release strayed far from his roots, however, in last year's WiiWare platformer, LostWinds. In joining the ELSPA, Braben says he hopes to help the organization deal with such issues as piracy, ratings and used game sales "swiftly and efficiently." Still, given that the studio's current project, The Outsider, was first announced in 2006, and we're still waiting on Elite IV, we're not convinced speed is how Braben and company roll.
David Braben hugs, loves the PS3... not literally
"It's my love-box, Hershel, and her name is Sony." High five? Anyone? Anyone? Classic Family Guy, apparently. Anyway, David Braben (who at a distance looks a lot like the Michael Bluth character from Arrested Development), creator of classics like Zarch and Virus (haven't played them, honestly) and the PS2's Thrillville says that Sony has gotten some key decisions absolutely right. Okay, I'll feed you baby birds. He thinks that "at the moment there's a fashion to knock Sony and I think it's a big mistake. The fact that they have succeeded very well twice, they're one of the few companies to have gone outside core gamers. Don't write them off." Ooh, bold words. He follows this up with a criticism of the Dreamcast, saying that the press and industry killed that system before it could get off the ground. So, then, is the same thing happening to the PS3? I wonder...Braben also agrees with Krazy Ken Kutaragi's point of view on the PS3 -- web browser, keyboard support, etc: "When you put it together with the fact that it supports a keyboard and things like that, people may start to regard it more as a cheap PC than an expensive console. Or a new thing that's somewhere in between." Maybe, maybe not. Setting aside all fanboyisms or flaming walls of flaming flames, is it not a PC? How is it not? It is -- just as they say. But most people, especially the hardcore gamer, will want it for the games first, browser a distant... not first. As a final note, Braben also likes Blu-ray, saying people are writing it off too early. What do you think? Is Braben onto something with the Dreamcast example? Will the media and inexplicable consumer hatred destroy the PS3 before it can show you what it can do?[edit: Family Guy, not Simpsons. I sweat there was a similar Simpsons joke with Cletus. Alas.]
