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Topic: Toys for Bob sold to Activision (Read 8400 times)
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Art
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Well, 3DRealms/Apogee did that with Duke Nukem 3D -- they included Duke Nukem I and II on the DN3D discs for anyone who'd missed the originals and wanted to know what the plot was. But, of course, DN3D both came out relatively soon after DN2 and was only very weakly dependent on the first two games for its plot. Certainly not to the degree that a straight SC sequel would be dependent on SC2 for its plot.
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Deus Siddis
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I disagree, I think a good writer could make a new SC game that was both true to the first two, and could be picked up by new players.
I picked up the plot of halo 2, without playing the original. Of course, I had played through starcraft, so I already knew what was going to happen. 
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Pik
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I would be quite satisfied of Toys for Bob making a cross genre game like Star Control 1 and Star Control 2 outside the star control universe. (don't get me started on the unholy finish of the unholy war, something with that title was released too fast).
I am not annoyed that there is no sequel to the Urqan Masters. What I am annoyed is that there is nothing similiar in gameplay to SC 2 or even SC 1.
Every game nowdays has to be a 'rpg' or 'fps' or 'strategy' or 'action. To heck with that! Give me a unique blend that SC 1 or SC 2 did and I'll be happy.
Toys For Bob, please make another adventure/action game! Or how about an adventure/x-com/action game? Or even a bomberman type/adventure game? Anything that doesn't fit the "traditional mode". Last thing the industry needs are 'pure' fps/rpg/strategy/action games, as we're flooded with them already.
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Deus Siddis
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I bet there is a 50% chance that TFB will create a new SC game. That's not a similar game, I mean one that IS a SC game.
Battlezone 2 was a nice blend of Action/RTS.
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Fwiffo
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How can you "bet" there is a 50% chance of something?
-fwiffo
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Deus Siddis
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"How can you "bet" there is a 50% chance of something?"
Easy, you just say "I bet $(blank) that there is a 50% chance a new SC game will come out.
"I want more 2D space combat. The map, travel, and all that can be 3D, and probably should be. But the combat needs to remain true."
You want everything to be 3D, EXCEPT for combat?
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Deus Siddis
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"And how would you determine if you had won or not as both you and whoever you bet against would have an equal case for victory?"
Neither of us would win, but I am horribly unlucky, so this is to my benefit.
"As much as I would love to see it, i think a TFB sequel is pretty unlikely."
Oh yeah, well I bet a TFB sequel is pretty likely.
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Art
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What he means is that you can't bet on a probability. You can bet on an outcome, and whether or not you *win* your bet is dependent on the probability. (That is, you can't bet there *is* a 50% chance of something happening, because whether it happens or not, you'll never know what the actual *chance* of it was. You can bet that *it will happen*, and then *say* that you're betting it will happen because you *guess* it has a 50% chance of coming true, but that's different.)
It's sort of a stupid and pedantic point, but you'll probably hear it again and again if you say things like "I'll bet there's a 50% chance of that" around people who've worked with statistics at all. (What you probably mean is something like "I'll give you 2:1 odds on that".)
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Deus Siddis
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As you well know, our language (or at least the one we are using) has a number of hidden meanings that you can't find in a dictionary. So when I said "bet", I meant something like "I'm really sure". I wasn't trying to use proper english, as I don't really think there is such a thing.
However, I made this statement when the thread was slowing down and people didn't have much to talk about, other than english. So people joked about my errors and although I understood what they were saying, I decided to make it into more of a joke because that's more fun than being serious sometimes.
Then you came by thinking we were being serious and informed me of the facts of the situation. My evil brain came up with some counter responses, but my higher brain decided these might be taken the wrong way, so it stopped my from writing them. I think I might be growing as a human being. 
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meep-eep
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My mail to Toys for Bob:
Hi Paul,
I just read you just finished Madagascar. Congratulations.
I also just read you are now a "wholly owned subsidiary of Activision".
Like most fans, I have no idea whether that's good or bad. And like most
fans, this leaves me with some questions. So I guess I'd just ask them,
and with your permission, share any answers with the others.
First of all, what does this mean for our chances of seeing a new game
in the Star Control universe? In the last statement I've seen from you
about this (which is from a couple of years ago), you commented that
you'd love to do this if the opportunity presented itself. Is this still
the case? You also said when TFB was incorporated that you'd have more
freedom to create original games... once you could afford it by making
a few licensed games first. What's left of this?
More general, how much freedom do you have in your new position as
employee of Activision? While most of us focus on Star Control, because
we loved the second part, another original game by your hands (Minions
perhaps) could be equally great. That is, if SC2 wasn't a fluke in the
first place and you can still do it. With which I don't mean to bash
any of your work in the 13 years since Star Control, but however
entertaining those games may have been, the reality is that most people
won't put them on the same level as SC2. I personally would love to see
you given the opportunity to make something really great again,
and I have good hope you could pull it off.
Which brings me to my next question: is there anything you can tell us
about your plans for your next game? Licensed or original? The type
of game perhaps? The first letter? Any fish?
Another question. With Toys for Bob being part of Activision now,
what does that mean for your "intellectual property"? Do you still
have the rights to Star Control? On which note I'd like to remind you
that we (the UQM project) are still waiting for a definitive content
license. Perhaps you have some time to look at that in the near future
now that Madagascar is done?
In anticipation of your response,
Thanks and good luck with your next game,
Serge
Paul's response:
Hi Paul,
I just read you just finished Madagascar. Congratulations.
I also just read you are now a "wholly owned subsidiary of Activision".
Like most fans, I have no idea whether that's good or bad. And like most
fans, this leaves me with some questions. So I guess I'd just ask them,
and with your permission, share any answers with the others.
This is a good thing. We've been working exclusively with Activision for 3
years now, and we think they are good eggs. Our acquisition means that we
will continue to work with folks we like and trust, while not wasting any
more fear and loathing on hunting down the next deal. We also got some
money for pizza and beer. That reminds me -- I owe Eric Berge (SC2 music
composer) a pizza or two.
First of all, what does this mean for our chances of seeing a new game
in the Star Control universe? In the last statement I've seen from you
about this (which is from a couple of years ago), you commented that
you'd love to do this if the opportunity presented itself. Is this still
the case? You also said when TFB was incorporated that you'd have more
freedom to create original games... once you could afford it by making
a few licensed games first. What's left of this?
An interesting fact is that Fred and I sold all the rights to our previous
games... except Star Control. We kept that out of the deal. Now, why would
we do that? 
More general, how much freedom do you have in your new position as
employee of Activision? While most of us focus on Star Control, because
we loved the second part, another original game by your hands (Minions
perhaps) could be equally great. That is, if SC2 wasn't a fluke in the
first place and you can still do it. With which I don't mean to bash
any of your work in the 13 years since Star Control, but however
entertaining those games may have been, the reality is that most people
won't put them on the same level as SC2. I personally would love to see
you given the opportunity to make something really great again,
and I have good hope you could pull it off.
Fluke, eh? You are trying to bait me, aren't you? The only flukes around
here are in my liver, and I've given each of them their own name! But to
answer your question, Activision bought us based on our recent track record
-- making quality games for the younger market. As they mention in their
press release, we are (happily) under exclusive contract for a some years --
after that Fred and I will need to determine what we want to do next, but at
least we will have several good options to choose from!
Which brings me to my next question: is there anything you can tell us
about your plans for your next game? Licensed or original? The type
of game perhaps? The first letter? Any fish?
Could it be... Zombie Bass Fishing! ...Naw, I can't tell you yet, but we
think it will be BIG and sell exactly 1 gazillion copies.
Another question. With Toys for Bob being part of Activision now,
what does that mean for your "intellectual property"? Do you still
have the rights to Star Control? On which note I'd like to remind you
that we (the UQM project) are still waiting for a definitive content
license. Perhaps you have some time to look at that in the near future
now that Madagascar is done?
As I said before, all of our SC properties remain in Fred and my possession.
Minions, Alien Probe, Paparazzi, and Sterilizer are all now Activision
property, though I don't expect to see those in development soon. Sadly,
they're just aren't that many opportunities for original games these days!
Thanks for writing Serge. Keep bugging us about Star Control. Together,
you and my son may tilt the scales one day soon!
- Paul
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“When Juffo-Wup is complete
when at last there is no Void, no Non
when the Creators return
then we can finally rest.”
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Culture20
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I suppose that's good for those of us who are child-bearing/rearing age. At least our kids will have good computer games to be addicted to.
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GeomanNL
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Phew
(whiping forehead).
I'm glad they aren't selling the sc2 rights to anyone.
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