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Author Topic: A campaign for a new Star Control  (Read 9260 times)
meep-eep
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A campaign for a new Star Control
« on: December 05, 2009, 03:13:11 pm »

It's been about a year now since Toys For Bob started working on their current game. As I understand it, this project is to be finished in the summer of 2010. This means that we should be starting to think about what we can do to convince Activision to let TFB create a new Star Control as their next project.
I'd like to use this thread to collect thoughts about such a campaign and arguments which can be used in support of this cause.

As I see it, we should focus on showing Activision that they could make a profit on such a project. Testimonials about how much any of us liked the original Star Control II are all good and well, but it's not going to help much to convince someone who's job it is to decide which projects give the best chance of making a decent profit.
I think that we should show that:
  • there is a broad support for SC2/UQM
  • games which are similar (in some way) to SC2 are currently successful
  • the concepts behind SC2 appeal to gamers today
  • SC2 has influenced the creation of other successful games
  • SC has the potential to become a successful franchise
  • SC has something to offer to Activision which is missing in their current lineup of games

Those who have been involved with the UQM community for a while will have seen anecdotal evidence for each of these claims, but to make a case to Activision, we need something more substantial. I suggest that (among other things) we inventorise other sources which make reference to SC2/UQM. Anthony's Star Controller blog should be a good starting point.
I've created a page on the Ultronomicon for this purpose, and I'll hope you'll all contribute, there or in this thread.
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Re: A campaign for a new Star Control
« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2009, 11:02:47 pm »

I remember a year or two back in a Finnish gaming magazine "Pelit" there was a several pages long article about SC2. If my memory doesn't fail me, it started with the words: "When the best games of all time gather up, a strong candidate for a spokesman is Star Control 2."

There have also been several "best games of all time" lists online and SC2 has always been lurking there.

I'll also try to finish the first chapter of Groombridge Log before summer, so maybe that will count as something.
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Re: A campaign for a new Star Control
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2009, 11:33:12 pm »

Is that this article?
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Re: A campaign for a new Star Control
« Reply #3 on: December 06, 2009, 12:33:29 am »

Now I remember that article too, but that wasn't the one I was thinking about.

It could also have been some kind of a collection article of all-time best games.

the more the merrier
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Re: A campaign for a new Star Control
« Reply #4 on: December 06, 2009, 06:49:47 am »

I don't suppose TFB's unannounced game tests the water for this in some way?
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Re: A campaign for a new Star Control
« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2009, 07:33:32 pm »

I don't think that we're the ones to show Activision that such a sequel would be profitable.
TFB are the ones that should do it. They should make a proof of concept over a few weekends that is so convincing that Activision can only say "Woow, let's make this!"
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Re: A campaign for a new Star Control
« Reply #6 on: December 06, 2009, 10:32:56 pm »

I don't think that TFB conveying their vision to Activision is the problem. And they don't need to demonstrate their skills either — Activision has enough experience with TFB.

To make the case to Activision, the arguments which I named in the posting which started this thread, would be of help. And whoever presents them to Activision, we, as a "crowd" are best suited to gather the evidence.

It's also a chance for those who wanted to contribute to Star Control in some way, but can't code, or draw, or compose, or just don't have much time, to chip in.
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Re: A campaign for a new Star Control
« Reply #7 on: December 06, 2009, 10:37:00 pm »

I don't think that TFB conveying their vision to Activision is the problem. And they don't need to demonstrate their skills either — Activision has enough experience with TFB.

To make the case to Activision, the arguments which I named in the posting which started this thread, would be of help. And whoever presents them to Activision, we, as a "crowd" are best suited to gather the evidence.

It's also a chance for those who wanted to contribute to Star Control in some way, but can't code, or draw, or compose, or just don't have much time, to chip in.


I think the guys at activision have a perfect understanding of the arguments which you posted. They know what will be succesful and what won't. That's why they are still around these days. Surely, we can point it out again, but they're bound to disagree. You can be sure they've studied such a thing, it's their job.
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Re: A campaign for a new Star Control
« Reply #8 on: December 06, 2009, 10:43:21 pm »

I don't think that we're the ones to show Activision that such a sequel would be profitable.
TFB are the ones that should do it. They should make a proof of concept over a few weekends that is so convincing that Activision can only say "Woow, let's make this!"

Well, that's just a good excuse not to try anything.  Undecided
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Re: A campaign for a new Star Control
« Reply #9 on: December 06, 2009, 11:25:05 pm »

I don't think that we're the ones to show Activision that such a sequel would be profitable.
TFB are the ones that should do it. They should make a proof of concept over a few weekends that is so convincing that Activision can only say "Woow, let's make this!"

Well, that's just a good excuse not to try anything.  Undecided

We've been trying for more than 10 years now Wink.
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Re: A campaign for a new Star Control
« Reply #10 on: December 06, 2009, 11:27:06 pm »

I don't think that we're the ones to show Activision that such a sequel would be profitable.
TFB are the ones that should do it. They should make a proof of concept over a few weekends that is so convincing that Activision can only say "Woow, let's make this!"

Well, that's just a good excuse not to try anything.  Undecided

We've been trying for more than 10 years now Wink.

So why stop now Tongue?
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Re: A campaign for a new Star Control
« Reply #11 on: December 07, 2009, 01:17:01 am »

I think the guys at activision have a perfect understanding of the arguments which you posted. They know what will be succesful and what won't. That's why they are still around these days. Surely, we can point it out again, but they're bound to disagree. You can be sure they've studied such a thing, it's their job.
Do they know what has been said about SC2 and UQM in the press? Do they know how SC2 has influenced current games?
I wouldn't be surprised if the people making the decision haven't actually played the game. They may actually chose to stay at a distance.
You say that they are still around because they know what will be successful and what will not. I'll grant you the first part; they do know what will be successful — movie-based games and sequels of old hits, judging by their recent games. But that does not mean that the things which they passed on would not have been successful.
Activision may not even take the possibility of a new SC game seriously, when they have the alternative of having another movie-based game made instead.
Someone needs to put it on their radar. And someone needs to show them that it is not as risky an endeavour as they might think.

We've been trying for more than 10 years now Wink.
As I said, I don't think testimonials (and signatures) are going to do it. Besides, this is a different group of people that we are dealing with now.
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Re: A campaign for a new Star Control
« Reply #12 on: December 07, 2009, 04:20:23 am »

I think this campaign of collecting info for showing that a new Star Control game is profitable would be a great idea.

I wrote a few articles where either Star Control was mentioned in an article or someone in the game industry showed some support for Star Control that might be interesting:
Star Trek DAC is not Star Control
Star Control Influences in Spore?
If any game deserves an HD Remake...
Michael Pachter Says Star Control Has Potential
Infinite Space Compared to Star Control II
Blizzard Wanted to Copy Star Control?
Star Control III sounds like it could be pretty sweet
Duke Nukem Loves Star Control
If TFB's current project is a success, that will show that if they can pull that off, they can pull off a new Star Control game as well.

EDIT: Added Duke Nukem voice clip.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2009, 03:11:37 am by Anthony » Logged

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Re: A campaign for a new Star Control
« Reply #13 on: December 07, 2009, 05:26:11 am »


You brought up a good point, I've played the demo of Star Trek DAC and it appears to be a complete rip-off what the Time Warp project started off as all those years ago.

How's that for influencing the market? I guess even trekies visit fan-sites of other worlds within the genre Wink

Brainless games like DAC don't need any plot, it's 100% action-oriented and plot only slows it down. However space exploration games require a good storyline and character/faction interation that is more than just identical interacts with different words, it needs heart, personality. So allow TBH true the masters of dialouge make a sequel or even a prequel ( time and location of the first docturnial war could be a start) to SC2. Because in this genre plot and storytelling is everything.

Devoted fans like myself have waited over 15 years for a new addition, once the ball gets rolling, what's another year or two for development to us?
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Re: A campaign for a new Star Control
« Reply #14 on: December 07, 2009, 07:38:25 pm »

Didn't UQM recently get ported to the iPhone? Tracking the number of downloads at the app store could easily provide an irrefutable, quantitative basis for how popular SC2 is. If that's not a good metric for gauging the success of a sequel, I don't know what is.

As for games inspired by SC, a name that kept popping up in those discussions is Mass Effect. From what I understand, that was quite successful, and may have drawn some of its content a little too close to the source, depending on who you ask.
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