Ray-Muzyka
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Mass Effect, Too Human devs justify their trilogies
Dear developer, does your game need to be a trilogy? MTV's Multiplayer blog decided to make two developers -- Too Human's Denis Dyack and Mass Effect's Ray Muzyka -- justify their trilogy ambitions. Dyack responds that their three-part epic is already mapped out, story-wise, and that each iteration has a specific theme: discovery, revenge and enlightenment, respectively.As for Mass Effect, BioWare co-founder Muzyka was more vague in his reasoning, citing how "great science fiction arcs often occur in trilogies" and that they allow for a different pacing. The feeling we get is that BioWare isn't as interested in the story aspect so much as it is in the building of a virtual world, akin to what Will Wright discussed at this year's GDC.
GDC08 Highlights: The future of Virtual Worlds and the end of GDC08
The Future of MMOs The Future of MMOs panel liveblogTeam Massively was there to live blog one of the most anticipated panels of GDC08. On it were a few names you might have heard of, like Cryptic Studios' Jack Emmert, Nexon's Min Kim, BioWare's Ray Muzyka, and Rob Pardo (who has apparently worked on some sort of popular fantasy game). We blogged a blow-by-blow account of the jabs, cuts, and parries from these Massive genre heavyweights. %Gallery-16640%
GDC08: The future of MMOs
Earlier today fans of Massively Multiplayer Online Games were given a rare treat: a look into the future of the genre. Five veteran members of the gaming industry debated the finer points of MMO game creation as it exists today, and how the games of tomorrow will be bolted together. Participants included Cryptic Studios' Jack Emmert, NCsoft's Matt Miller, BioWare's Ray Muzyka, Nexon's Min Kim, and Blizzard's Rob Pardo. Each designer brought their own unique points of view to the conversation, and their visible conflicts made for a not only entertaining but informational dialogue.The biggest point of contention during the discussion was the subject of Microtransactions; while Nexon's business model is based entirely on that concept, Cryptic's Emmert was a staunch opponent of the practice in general and as a "magic bullet" in specific. Mr. Emmert also dug several times at Blizzard and Rob Pardo, cracking jokes like "Isn't it true that Blizzard is going to buy the entire continent of Africa?" and essentially stating that the Massive gaming industry is deeply sick as a result of WoW's success. The entire liveblog of the discussion is available over at Massively, and is well worth a look. Gallery: GDC08: The Future of MMOs
GDC08: Massively is Live at the Future of MMOs panel
var digg_url = 'http://www.digg.com/gaming_news/GDC08_Massively_is_Live_at_the_Future_of_MMOs_panel'; Today at GDC Massively is liveblogging a sort of 'MMO Keynote', a panel entitled simply "The Future of MMOs". A simple title, perhaps, but probably the most anticipated event for Massive game designers and fans alike. On it are a few names you might have heard of, like Cryptic Studios' Jack Emmert, Nexon's Min Kim, BioWare's Ray Muzyka, and Rob Pardo (who has apparently worked on some sort of popular fantasy game). Moderated by MMORPG.com's Jon Woods, it's sure to offer some insights into the games of tomorrow.Below the cut is our blow-by-blow account of the jabs, cuts, and parries from these Massive genre heavyweights. The last time I saw a get-together like this was at the Austin Game Conference, and the result was a spectacular confrontation. If ... you know ... you like MMOs. Otherwise it's a bunch of guys talking generalities about "those addictive games". If the idea of the mind behind World of Warcraft talking about the games that he loves, along with observations from one of the founders of BioWare, combined with the insights of a tabletop gaming champion and a pioneer of Korean gaming doesn't interest you ... why are you here?Read on!%Gallery-16640%
GDC08: Audio of BioWare founders talking EA, Mass Effect PC
Just after lunch we had the chance to sit in on a demo of the PC version of Mass Effect. It was a great opportunity to check out the changes and tweaks to the Xbox 360 title we all know and love. Add-ons like the improved equipment UI (pictured above), more deliberate squad commands, and a great-looking new 'hacking' mini-game spoke volumes about BioWare's commitment to keeping PC gamers happy.Afterwards we spoke briefly with Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk, the driving minds behind BioWare, about Mass on the PC. They expounded on their background with the WASD crowd, hopes for the future of the Mass Effect franchise, and offered a few words on what it's like to work for EA. We even asked them about their upcoming Massively Multiplayer Online Game ... and got shot down. You have to ask, right?We're going to have full writeup of the interview on the site soon, but in the meantime you can listen to the full audio of our conversation with The Doctors below the cut.%Gallery-16537%
More evidence that BioWare's MMO isn't KotOR [Updated]
Joystiq reported today that an EA investor report listed a new Knights of the Old Republic title and the "New MMO" separately. This is not a logical certainty, of course, but it seems unlikely that the Austin-developed MMO is KotOR if there's already another KotOR title in development, given that the LucasArts/BioWare collaboration announcement implied only one title.This comes after an industry insider specifically named BioWare as a company that's not developing a Star Wars MMO. So our hopes have become a mere whimper by now. Tragic.Well, BioWare's Ray Muzyka will be talking about the future of MMOs at the Game Developers Conference this month. Maybe he'll mention what it is now that we're fairly confident it's not KotOR. Probably not, but we can hope.[EDIT: BioWare has contacted us and informed us that the EA investor report is referring only in a general fashion to the KotOR IP; EA did not intend to imply that any specific new title is in development. The listing of "KotOR" does not speak to the existence or nonexistence of a new KotOR title. We apologize for the error.]
Cryptic Studios announces its Game Developers Conference schedule
It looks like Cryptic Studios is set to take GDC by storm this year as they just announced their plans to send five of their people to speak at the San Francisco based event being held from Feb. 18th through to the 22nd. The team members from Cryptic are Chief Creative Officer Jack Emmert (formally Jack "Statesman" Emmert), Character Artist Matt Highison, Director of Game Programming Shannon Posniewski, Audio Director Michael Henry and President of Cryptic Studios Michael Lewis.We are very interested in hearing what these Cryptic members have to say on the subject of massively games. Hopefully we'll finally get some answers on what to expect in their future if not some hints at the very least.
BioWare to discuss "Future of MMOs" at GDC
With GDC coming sooner and sooner, the news about exactly what will happen there is beginning to flood out, and this tidbit of news was released without much fanfare. At GDC there is to be a session that is titled: "The Future of MMOs" with speakers ranging from Blizzard's VP of Game Design to one of the founders and General Manager of BioWare. Wait ... Founder of Bioware? Huh?First and foremost, BioWare has never released an MMO, and this session is described as: "Several experienced MMO developers will discuss their respective visions for the future." Experienced, hmm, that's got to refer to that MMO that the "new studio", BioWare Austin, have been working on. If so, could that long-under-wraps MMO actually be the long rumored KOTOR MMO? The Lucasarts collaboration has been announced for a while now, could GDC be the time when these two pieces of information and one piece of speculation are finally put to rest in the form of a single game? We'll have to wait and see just what materializes out of this, but GDC is looking more and more interesting all the time.
BioWare likes WoW but thinks it can do better
GameInformer published an interview with BioWare President Greg Zeschuk and CEO Ray Muzyka in its December 2007 issue. Most of the questions in the interview focused on the EA acquisition, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age, but one did probe for information on the (KotOR?) MMO in development at BioWare's Austin studio.Both Zeschuk and Muzyka admitted to being players and fans of World of Warcraft, but expressed dissatisfaction with the way that making progress in the game is so time-consuming that "it's almost like having another job." They said they are thinking about ways to make the genre more accessible and easier to "pick up and play and have fun.""We certainly like the games," said Muzyka, "but the staying power hasn't been as strong. They totally enthrall a certain set of people, but we thought about how to make it an experience where you don't have to have a massive investment of itme."Blizzard had similar aspirations with World of Warcraft, and it succeeded in its goal; WoW is far more accessible than previous entries in the genre. Can BioWare expand the appeal of MMOs even further?
GDC 07: Mass Effect eyes on
We sat down with Bioware's Ray Muzyka to check out the first hour of Mass Effect. Great games, he said, are memorable because of emotional moments. Muzyka stresses that Mass Effect will provide players with a truly cinematic, emotional experience. As if to prove his point, the demo takes place on a crisp HD display with a very loud surround sound speaker system. Muzyka picks up a control, starts the demo, and we begin Bioware's latest adventure.
