Company News GameSpot talks to Blizzard exiles

Spazmo · Oct 22, 2003

Tags: Flagship Studios

<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/pc">Gamespot PC</a> have done an <a href=http://www.gamespot.com/all/news/news_6077120.html>interview</a> with Bill Roper of <a href=http://www.blizzard.com>Blizzard Games</a> fame. They talk about Roper and Co.'s new development studio, <a href=http://www.flagshipstudios.com/>Flagship Studios</a> and said studio's first game.
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<blockquote>BR: Well, I can leak a couple of things the game isnâ€™t, though, just to get you thinking. It isnâ€™t a classic fantasy story, it isnâ€™t set in some place youâ€™ve never heard of, and it isnâ€™t a sports title. I know that this pretty much shoots down Bilboâ€™s Backyard Baseball, but I donâ€™t want to get peopleâ€™s hopes up too high for something we arenâ€™t working on.</blockquote>
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So... a game by Blizzard vets that isn't classic high fantasy and may well be set in some kind of modern-day or sci-fi setting (since it's set in someplace we've heard of)? Sign me up!

Vault Dweller · Oct 22, 2003

It makes sense. They can't do another Diablo as D2 got pretty much everything that could be done with an action fantasy game, and it would pointless to waste years of experience on something other then an action game, so sci-fi action is very possible and the market is wide open. So if it's a place we heard of, does it mean it's a licensed property?

The flavor is a dark one

You can't go wrong with a dark flavour, unless of course your name is Chuck, but that's an entirely different story

So, any guesses about this dark-flavoured setting that people have heard of?

DrattedTin · Oct 22, 2003

Starcriablo?

Sharpei_Diem · Oct 22, 2003

Yeah, a theme based on the starcraft world is the first thing that popped into my head. That "exclusive" drawing is reminiscent of something, but i can't quite nail it down....

Vault Dweller · Oct 22, 2003

Do you think that Blizzard would allow its ex-employees to use one of the properties? That would set a bad precedent for Blizzard. They gotta be working on something else.

Voss · Oct 22, 2003

I very much doubt a starcraft game. Licensing, and everything else that goes with it. That and I don't know how friendly a departure it was.

As for sci-fi action, I'm not sure... that picture (if it is indeed related to the title under production at all) doesn't suggest sci-fi at all...more swords and sorcery. Demon girl with a sword and spell.
Plus all they said was it isn't a *classic* fantasy story, isn't set someplace you've never heard of, and isn't sports.

Its a Dark Sun game!!!

Araanor · Oct 22, 2003

Judging by what he's said earlier, it'll draw a lot from the legacy of Diablo. Real-time iso-metric hack and slash. The picture speaks of the occult (duh), could be fantasy, modern or whatever.

Vault Dweller · Oct 22, 2003

I second the Dark Sun guess, it's not a classic fantasy, but it's well known, it's dark, and it would support Diablo-style action game. It's not as cool as some sci-fi (Blade Runner would be nice) settings, but it's a step forward from 'been done to death classic fantasy', and that makes it a good thing.

Voss · Oct 22, 2003

I was mostly kidding, though it is in the realm of possibliity.

Partly because known requires either a license or "alternate history" settings

Theres a thought: LIonheart X-treme. Now with extra diablo, done right.

I'm leaning a bit towards alternate history (or alternate close future)- demon girl doesn't match any settings I can think of. Except possibly random Tiefling, but the Pentagram doesn't really fit into the D&D magic system

Vault Dweller · Oct 22, 2003

I don't think that alternative history setting would qualify as "known". It's something that people could easier relate to or understand but hardly more then that. So if it's known, it has to be a licensed property, one that is well known, but not well developed, at least not recently. So the Dark Sun fits, as well as some other settings like Planescape. Any more guesses? Common, people, don't be mentally lazy, think :lol:

Spazmo · Oct 22, 2003

I think that when he says it's not someplace we've never heard of he means that it's set in the real world or the real world's future. So I figure something like a modern-day occult thing or maybe just some nice sci-fi.

As for a Starcraft action game, Starcraft: Ghost is already in development for Xbox.

Sol Invictus · Oct 22, 2003

You can, if you want, do some detective work and find out what other websites Flagship Studios has registered. Just a suggestion...

Voss · Oct 22, 2003

Yep. Not someplace you've never heard of leaves a lot of ground open to alternate history- and a lot of other things:
Kansas, if it was interesting,
The moon, settled by half-breed demons with satanic terraforming

But when you get right down to it, the grey skinned demon girl pic doesn't cut out enough stuff to make guessing worthwhile.

It could be any number of things, though I doubt D&D (just because I don't see Bill Roper and company pursuing that license with all the others working on it. That and the pentagram would probably indicate non-approval by Hasbro and Atari.) Not star wars.
Not LotR. I'm sure we could through in more nots, but I don't think its worthwhile.

Whatever the setting is, fairly dark and savage... the girls got a fair bit of bones as decoration, and some variety/spin on demonology.

Vault Dweller · Oct 22, 2003

You have a point there, it could be a familiar place instead of a familar setting which is a good thing as it means no Hasbro, WotC, Atari, etc. All in favour of creative freedom, evil pentagrams, and demon looking chicks say Aye. :lol:

Btw, Bill registered Flagship's website back in Mar 2000. Looks like he was thinking about it for a long time.

Voss · Oct 22, 2003

Aye!

By it, do you mean splitting or this particular title? Because if the design docs are already done, that could speed things along... I'm interested to see what they come up with.

Gully Dwarf · Oct 22, 2003

Voss said:
It could be any number of things, though I doubt D&D (just because I don't see Bill Roper and company pursuing that license with all the others working on it. That and the pentagram would probably indicate non-approval by Hasbro and Atari.) Not star wars.
Not LotR. I'm sure we could through in more nots, but I don't think its worthwhile.

Whatever the setting is, fairly dark and savage... the girls got a fair bit of bones as decoration, and some variety/spin on demonology.

Didn't anyone notice the baphomet (a pentagram with the devil's head) in the moathouse floor just before the secret exit in TOEE? That's a serious occult symbol, but Hasbro & WOTC approved it. Maybe Dark Sun wouldn't be so far fetched even with occult symbols. :twisted:

Voss · Oct 22, 2003

That sort of stuff tends to slip by people. It isn't what they worry about- now stuff that jumps out of the monitor and bangs the viewer over the head with a giant anvil on the other hand....

Or for example a demon chick with a pentagram in the background creating another, maigc one with her left hand... they'll notice that.

Vault Dweller · Oct 22, 2003

Voss said:
By it, do you mean splitting or this particular title? Because if the design docs are already done, that could speed things along... I'm interested to see what they come up with.

This particular title. People plan to split all the time, but they don't go and register a website just in case. I think they left only when they had a sureshot design that would sell to publsihers and sell well in stores. Bill was known for taking his time till everything was ready when he was with Blizzard, so it's safe to assume he did the same here.

Gully Dwarf said:
Didn't anyone notice the baphomet (a pentagram with the devil's head) in the moathouse floor just before the secret exit in TOEE? That's a serious occult symbol, but Hasbro & WOTC approved it

May be they overlooked it. I don't think they had time or patience to go throw every area with a microscope.

Voss · Oct 22, 2003

Good point. They did have a bad habit of letting their cats out of the bag years in advance. I'd rather hear about a game 5-6 months before release tops. That way I'm still interested when it finally comes out. Much longer than that and I hit 'maybe I'll get it...some day' mode.

Sol Invictus · Oct 23, 2003

Wow. I never noticed the Baphomet, but now that you mentioned it, it IS there. I wonder what other Hermetic symbols they put in the game. Makes you wonder what Troika, or at least their designers are up to.