Editorial Bethesda & Fallout: The DAC perspective

[mister lamat]

provided the disc isn't corrupted... anything will work on a console.

 

[EvoG]

Yea, but would you pay 7 million bucks just to have minor publicity from an outspoken and angry community? Sure you could argue that the simple fact that there's a fight going on, people are going to gather and watch; there's got to be a 'good' reason why the fight is going on...but 7 million dollars?

 

[Ladonna]

"the hub bub is the best marketing tool there is... it's like having jack thompson pimp your game for you. i'm sure they squeal in delight anytime something like this gets posted. the more someone hates on something the more interest it attracts, from people who really don't give a fuck why you hate it.

my take on why they bought it"

Agreed. Hence why I am staying away from that hole. It would probably be better if the Fallout fans just left en masse and enjoyed the next comedy gold.





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[EvoG]

How hard is it to hit the quote button? No seriously...blah blah thats your style...but really? Not pretentious?

Anyway, but as I said, 7 million dollars worth? The so called "publicity" doesnt' extend much past these few forums and several vocal forums users. Its not like this is even hitting mainstream publications, other than maybe a blurb.

 

[mister lamat]

The originally licensed it for far cheaper, no? cheap buy in, mass explosion of coverage and conversation, quality not withstanding, all for free... might as well go all in at that point.

same reason the guys from rockstar get a woody everytime jack thompson opens his mouth... and i'm guessing they're more than happy to pay the court costs for the nationwide attention.

 

[EvoG]

So what if they licensed it for far cheaper, they still spent 7 million bucks in the end....and no there was actually no mass explosion of coverage or conversation...except HERE or at DaC or NMA.

The difference with Rockstar and Jacko is that that IS free publicity. Believe me I get the concept that there is no truly 'bad publicity', but you dont drop that much money to gamble on 'bad publicity from a tiny community' turning into massive publicity for the game when in fact they could, from a pure business perspective, spend that 7 million on marketing a brand new IP.

This isn't about anything other than WHY did they spend 7 million dollars...an amount that is more than 75% of the games in dev spend on production....and this is just for the FO license.


EDIT: You were talking about the lawsuit with R* and Thompson...well thats a little different, as thats a bit more serious and not something they WANTED to partake in financially let alone publically. Understand that Take 2 has taken its share of hits so...

 

[almondblight]

The core of this discussion is that Fallout cost them a LOT of money, so why did they spend it?

The way I figure it...

Bethesda was making a 4th Elder Scrolls game and they realized that they probably needed to expand a bit, not put all of their eggs in one basket, especially if that basket might would eventually run it's course (sometime before Elder Scrolls 12). They wanted a new IP, something different - if you look at non-fantasy rpg IP's for sale with decent recognition, does anything come to mind besides Fallout?

Now, why spend the money? Remember when Tim Cain said that if they got the liscence then their game would go through, but the publisher didn't want to run the risk with an unknown IP? Does that make sense? Not so much, but it shows how people think, and that people are willing to spend money on something that they think has recognition. Bethesda was worried about making their own IP (especially in a new genre), they wanted something tried and true. A CRPG setting construction set, snap together the pieces you want. 6.4 million seems like a lot? Not when you consider for them that it's a major investment for their second series, one they they hope to turn into a second cash cow (which is why they bought the IP; they want to be able to churn out Fallouts like Elder Scrolls). With all the money being put into game development and advertising, a one time investment of that much to make sure you have a gameworld people won't hate probably seems like a very good idea (as opposed to spending all that time making a game to find out your setting sucks upon release).

Frankly, I don't think they really knew much about the game (didn't one of them in an interview talk about still needing to finish one of them?) except that it was a RPG setting up for sale that people liked. I think the "we're big fans" line is bullshit. Actually, I'm not sure how it could be seen as anything else.

 

[EvoG]

Yea, just like Nog was hitting upon with needing a turn-key IP, what you said almond is about the gist of it.

Now just to note, from the budget tight developments that I've been a part of, 7 million is actually a shit-ton of money period, so what that tells me (to parallel your post) is that they actually believe that the Fallout brand is very valuable publically, and also that they save some money on preprod.

Simplest answer is usually the right one eh? :D

 

[elander_]

You can be sure that it isn't just because they are big Fallout fans unless you still believe in Santa Claus. The news on Fallout lately look like a big contest to see who fakes the biggest orgasm for Fallout. tsk tsk

And you know Fallout 3 is going to be Oblivion with guns. It may even be a good action/adventure game which isn't hard with the great setting they brought but as an rpg it will suck ass.

 

[kingcomrade]

I tried registering at NMA a long time ago but they don't let hotmail people join. You suckers should've thought of that

 

[almondblight]

Now just to note, from the budget tight developments that I've been a part of, 7 million is actually a shit-ton of money period, so what that tells me (to parallel your post) is that they actually believe that the Fallout brand is very valuable publically, and also that they save some money on preprod.

Pretty much, I think this line that Role-Player quoted sums it up:

"We liked the previous games, but we really loved the world. It’s so unique we were really excited about the idea of working on it.”

They bought the IP not because they wanted to make Fallout games - hell, who knows how many actually played Fallout before they bought the IP - but because they wanted the setting. They had the idea that they wanted to make a new series, and probably realized that their ideas sucked or didn't have the confidence in them, and so they decided to pad it with a setting that was well liked. Really, I see it the same way as them dumping money into getting Patrick Stewart to voice act - this is all dressing on their (original, non-Fallout) game, because there's som moron there who goes "If we get Patrick Stewart in there, nerds will buy it!" "If we have an IP of our own, it could fail, let's buy one that's available so we don't have to worry about fucking up!"

 

[Vault Dweller]

From what I've been told they need something similar, yet different from TES. Similar to use the existing technology and knowledge, and different enough to look, well, different. Fallout is a perfect fit: sci-fi, endless wasteland with a few towns here and there, and a shitload of stuff to explore, strong melee combat (as a viable alternative to ranged), etc.

 

[Chinese Jetpilot]

From what I've been told they need something similar, yet different from TES. Similar to use the existing technology and knowledge, and different enough to look, well, different. Fallout is a perfect fit: sci-fi, endless wasteland with a few towns here and there, and a shitload of stuff to explore, strong melee combat (as a viable alternative to ranged), etc.

...and whores.

NEVER forget the whores.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

The core of this discussion is that Fallout cost them a LOT of money, so why did they spend it?

... because they're stupid.

There's your simple answer.

 

[Roqua]

I don't mind Bethsda doing whatever they want with FO, the real attrocity is that Troika got outbit, everything after that is silly to get angry about. If Troika got the liscense we would've got the only real succesor to FO1 and 2. I was happy when "fake FO 1" got cancelled. I'd be happy if "fake FO 2: even fakerer" gets cancelled. But chances are its going to be a huge hit.

At least I'm one of the few who can say I never played Oblivion, not just due to having good taste, but because I see Bethesda as the last nail in Troika's coffin. Maybe it wouldn't have mattered, but who knows?

It would have been nice if they liscenced out Troika to make a real fo3, and then Bethesda made their own game using the FO setting. That would've at least made me love them. And I'm sure normal people would have a much better opinion of them, and they would save a furtune in forum moderation, and you bitches would've had two games to pirate, instead of just the one you have now.