stormfront-studios
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Dungeons & Dragons games on sale through GOG
Look, playing actual Dungeons & Dragons takes a lot of time and effort. First you have to find a group of people you don't hate to play with, and then you have to spend days constructing a campaign for them to adventure through. And then, when you finally get down to playing, that one guy decides to be a maverick a pull some crazy stunt that breaks the encounter.Thankfully, there are alternatives for people who want the lore without actually having to play Dungeons & Dragons, and said alternatives just happen to be on sale at GOG for the next six days. Baldur's Gate: The Original Saga, Baldur's Gate 2 Complete, Neverwinter Nights Diamond Edition, Icewind Dale Complete, Icewind Dale 2 Complete, Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonshard, The Temple of Elemental Evil, Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone and Planescape: Torment are all available for less than five bucks, or in one big bundle for $30.01.
The Game Archaeologist and the Nights of Old Winter
Here's a question for you: How much do you really, really have to love a game to pay $8.00 an hour to play it? Considering how much we tend to whine about a flat $15/month fee, I'm guessing the answer is, "Only if it loved me long time." And yet, in 1991 this wasn't considered crazy extortionist practices -- it was dubbed "Being a pioneer." While online RPGs were nothing new by then, nobody had tackled the jump from text-based RPGs (MUDs and BBS doors) to graphical games due to the technology (limited modem speeds and access) and funding involved. It took the efforts of a Superfriends-style team to make this happen with Neverwinter Nights: Stormfront Studios developed the game, TSR provided the Dungeons & Dragons license, SSI published it under its Gold Box series, and Aol handled the online operations. Thus, 19 years ago -- six years before Ultima Online and 13 before World of Warcraft -- the first multiplayer graphical RPG went online and helped forge a path that would lead to where we are today. With only 50 to 500 players per server, Neverwinter Nights may not have been "massively," but it deserves a spot of honor as one of the key ancestors to the modern MMO.
Spiderwick Chronicles for $7 on Amazon
The Spiderwick Chronicles may not be the best game ever, but $7 is a decent price for this fantasy game. Sure it has its faults, but such things are usually reconciled by cheapness. Since Spiderwick is an Amazon "Deal of the Day" (along with the PS2, 360, and Wii versions, which cost a little more), it's a "take it or leave it" type thing. We imagine that most of you will choose to leave it, but those who take it will probably be able to find $7 worth of entertainment in this license-based adventure RPG.
No more winter nights for Stormfront Studios
Bay Area game developer Stormfront Studios is closing its doors after 20 years of operation.This is an unfortunate turn of events in the video game industry -- especially the MMO sector -- because in 1991 Stormfront produced the very first graphical online RPG, Neverwinter Nights. The company was helmed by Don Daglow, an esteemed developer who created arguably the first ever computer RPG. That game was called Dungeon, and it operated on the PDP-10 mainframe in the mid-late 1970s.We're sad to see a studio of such pedigree go. We just waxed nostalgic about Neverwinter Nights on Monday, so we're a bit shocked to see the group behind it bite the dust. NWN was shut down long ago, but its influence -- and therefore, Stormfront's influence -- is undeniable. It was even even honored at the Tech & Engineering Emmy Awards in January. We wish Daglow and the other folks at Stormfront success in whatever lies ahead for each of them.[Via Joystiq]
Stormfront Studios shutting down
Stormfront Studios -- developer of acclaimed titles such as the original Nevewinter Nights, and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers -- is reported to be closing down shortly. According to Next-Gen, the closure was announced internally yesterday, and is due to poor business performance.Stormfront Studios has been in operation since 1988 -- founded under the name Beyond Studios. In 1989 the company created Quantum Space, the first play-by-email computer game, offered through a then-nascent America Online service. Later, the company created Neverwinter Nights, the first graphics-driven massively multiplayer online game, which was honored at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show. More recently Stormfront has worked with numerous intellectual properties such as The Spiderwick Chronicles and Eragon.Stormfront consists of 33 full-time employees, all of whom were informed of the closure on Monday. A representative speaking to Next-Gen cited the current economy, as well as slowed revenue on a current project, as reasons for the closure. Another one bites the dust.Read - Breaking Report: Stormfront to Shutter Studio [Gamasutra]Read - Stormfront Studios Closing [Next-Gen]
DS Fanboy Review: The Spiderwick Chronicles
Remember when you used to believe in the possibility of faeries, goblins, and other sorts of mythical creatures? If you do, games like The Spiderwick Chronicles probably appeal to you in some way, whether you like to admit it or not. Still, none of that means anything if these games based on fantasia aren't any good. Fortunately, that's why we're here – to review them.The Spiderwick Chronicles game is based on a movie, which is based on a book. While normally that spells a recipe for disaster, it becomes evident while playing this title that it's not just a quick cash-in attempt. Stormfront Studios clearly put a lot of time into the game's development, and tried to utilize the features of the DS to the fullest. That's not to say that Stormfront always succeeded, however.%Gallery-15994%
A wicked Spiderwick demo is now on the XBLM
Creepily crawling its way to both the U.S. and Canadian Xbox Live Marketplace is a super new The Spiderwick Chronicles demo for you to try. And before you ask, the answer is yes. This is a game based on a movie (The Spiderwick Chronicles, of course) so be prepared for what "fun" the demo will bring. Hopefully the movie's adventure, charm and fantasy elements will shine through in the demo and allow for a semi-fun gaming experience. Then again, we're feeling a bit pessimistic today and are willing to go onto a rather small limb to say that The Spiderwick Chronicles game will not be all that enjoyable. Please though, feel free to prove us wrong.
