GameSlice: Behind the Scenes of the Computer and Video Game Industry

GameSlice Daily Editorial

The Week Ending February 8, 2000

Daily editorial
on trends in the gaming
industry and
hot topics.
HERE

Interested in the process of game development? Sound, graphics, code, and design are all covered
in our game design section.
HERE

Back to Index
HERE

PAGE 2

and Blair Witch Games
Speaking of independent game developers, last week news broke at the Sundance Film Festival that the Gathering of Developers is moving ahead with three Blair Witch games for the 2000 calendar year. Although I applaud the Gathering for picking up the red-hot Blair Witch license, I couldn't believe it when I read they are putting out three games in 2000: The Terminal Reality developed Nocturne Chronicles: Rustin Parr, and new games from Human Head (developers of Rune) and Ritual Entertainment (Sin).
Now I've been around this industry long enough to know a few things about game development, and I can't imagine how the Gathering is going to get three Blair Witch games out for the holidays, even if they are $29.95 "episodic" adventure games.   Besides the obvious questions about how the games can be built so fast, who in their right mind is going to buy three Blair Witch games during a short three-month span (August-October) of release? If the first one is kitsch, the others might as well not even come out.

I applaud the Gathering for trying to bring out episodic games at a lower price point, but I have lingering questions about this experiment. Primarily, I don't know if the critical mass will be there in terms of time and resources to build quality games for $29.95 in a short six-month period. (Does anyone remember the Star Wars Desktop Adventures?).   Furthermore, I'm concerned that the mass market might prove somewhat elusive considering that the Nocturne engine, being used for all 3 games, has the most obscene system requirements known to man (read: It needs 96 megs of ram to run on a 3D accelerated PC).    It will be interesting to see how this experiment pans out. I'm a big believer in creating shorter and cheaper games, but I don't know if it's possible given the time it takes to develop a good game.

Racing Goes Online..With a Twist!
I picked it as one of last E3's surprise games, but the rest of the gaming press has all but ignored Electronic Arts' innovative new online community, Need for Speed: Motor City. Although it hasn't been released, the teaser website for the product is now live (check it out here) and one would suspect EA is getting close to rolling out the game (or at least a test version) in time for this year's E3 show.
What appeals to me about Motor City is the idea of building a community around a racing game. Sure it's fun to race against your friends on an oval track, but what if you could take it a step further and actually express your personality online through your car? EA promises the game will let players experience the "American era of classic cars" with Fat Fenders, Hot Rods, and Motown Muscle. As the website currently indicates, you can even decide to drive a 1932 Ford Coupe which retailed for $490 in the '30s.

I have to commend EA for trying to push the boundaries of what we expect from online persistent worlds.   It will be very interesting to see how the Need for Speed concept meshes with the online community. I can't wait to see who just drives around town trying to wreck as many vintage cars as possible!

Next, read about about a cancelled multiplayer game show >>>