Mythic and Bioware officially "merged", UO cancelled?!

[eekamouse]

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/01/mythic-entertainment-quietly-renamed-to-bioware-mythic/

Ok, obv kidding about the "UO cancelled" part. Just trying to get attention.

But... what does this mean moving forward?

All Mythic projects cancelled, and all resources put into the new Star Wars MMO?

Star Wars MMO and Mass Effect 3 cancelled and all resources put into developing a Classic Shard for UO!!!!

 

[WarderDragon]

That isn't even remotely humorous.

As far as the merger? I'd like to think it means good things for UO. I might be rather optimistic here; but I'd like to think developer resources, technology, and support will be shared back with Mythic and therefore benefit Warhammer and Ultima Online.

 

[Dermott of LS]

...

We'll see.

Not going to even TRY to make a guess one way or another right now.

 

[Mapper]

An interesting merger, Looking forward to seeing what it brings.. I think.

 

[Jirel of Joiry]

Thanks for the myocardial infarction!

I'll send you the cardiologist bill!

Seriously, though I'll take the wait and see approach.

No sense in getting one's undies in a twist just yet.

 

[Uvtha]

Dragon Age online?

 

[JC the Builder]

Why does EA feel the need to rename studios? I bet the Bioware people are not too happy. Neither is Mythic for getting their name changed so many times. It just hurts moral and is unnecessary.

 

[G.v.P]

Dragon Age online?

!!!! YES

 

[G.v.P]

Why does EA feel the need to rename studios? I bet the Bioware people are not too happy. Neither is Mythic for getting their name changed so many times. It just hurts moral and is unnecessary.

The new president pays $29.99 each time, company policy for name change

 

[Ender]

Well BioWare is awesome, so ok.

 

[AirmidCecht]

Bioware and Mythic already merged in June 2009, this is just a name change. Simma down now *winks*

 

[Nexus]

Wonder if they would mind being called "Biomythic" has a nice organic sound to it...

 

[Nexus]

Bioware and Mythic already merged in June 2009, this is just a name change. Simma down now *winks*

Bioware is where Leurocian went if I'm not mistaken, left us here with Mark and Logrus, while he went on his "Great Jedi Adventure", to work on SW:TOR, of course this was after the EA Purchase.

Oh and on the chance Leurocian sneaks in here and read this...

Can I get a Beta Spot?

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

Star Wars MMO and Mass Effect 3 cancelled and all resources put into developing a Classic Shard for UO!!!!

If Mass Effect 3 gets cancelled, someone needs beat.

Sorry, a 'classic shard' is a money sink for EA with no chance to recoup its Dev expenses.

 

[Lady Storm]

EEKAMOUSE!!!

That was not funny in the least.

As for the merger .. we are in the middle of it kiddo its been over a year. This name change is only a formality. So no one should hold their breath.

 

[Evlar]

Bioware and Mythic already merged in June 2009, this is just a name change. Simma down now *winks*

Aye. Old news, in all but the "name" change.

One does have to beg the question about UO's future, given it's a sprat in the pan, compared to the other bigger fish "BioWare Mythic" have to fry.

...It's only natural people want to know if the future of the product they're paying for, is secure.

 

[wee papa smurf]

UO wont ever be cancelled, its what keeps mythic succesful!

 

[Babble]

UO wont ever be cancelled, its what keeps mythic succesful!

*chuckles*
true
UO is the most successful of EA's mmos ... still after 12 years

 

[Trevelyan]

What i'd like to see is some sort of cross-brand promotion for people who play one game from a company... like when you buy Dragon Age, you got a code for an armour set in Mass Effect 2.

They should so blatantly give all UO players some exclusive downloadable content in ME2/ME3 and include a 3 month free trial of UO for everyone who buys Mass Effect 3.

 

[Hannes Erich]

Not funny.

Anyway, yeah, more resources is a good thing. According to the latest article I read, the newly merged studios were in talks about updating UO's graphics with the Mass Effect engine.

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

They should so blatantly give all UO players some exclusive downloadable content in ME2/ME3 and include a 3 month free trial of UO for everyone who buys Mass Effect 3.

New heavy weapon ammo for ME2:

Armageddon Rounds - Erases all life (organic and synthetic) in a 35m radius. The wielder loses 'an eighth' with each detonation.

 

[Nok]

*cough-cough*

How current management is killing Ultima Online - UO Forums - Discussion about this several months ago.

D&D Online Surpasses One Million New Players - The Lost Lands - Don't mind the title, the topic is really about UO and Mythic changes... similar discussion also several months ago.

 

[Coldren]

Dragon Age online?

One can only hope..... So long as they dump classes for a skill system like UO, I'm totally there.

For me, Dragon Age is the most fleshed out, immersive world I've seen in a long, long time.

 

[Harlequin]

What i'd like to see is some sort of cross-brand promotion for people who play one game from a company... like when you buy Dragon Age, you got a code for an armour set in Mass Effect 2.

They should so blatantly give all UO players some exclusive downloadable content in ME2/ME3 and include a 3 month free trial of UO for everyone who buys Mass Effect 3.

Hear hear!

And conversion of remaining game time from Warhammer to UO. Ok...maybe from UO to WHO as well.

 

[Trevelyan]

One can only hope..... So long as they dump classes for a skill system like UO, I'm totally there.

For me, Dragon Age is the most fleshed out, immersive world I've seen in a long, long time.

Well I did like DA:O a lot but I think it had a lot that could be improved upon. Not nearly as "open" as I would have liked, for one.

Compared to TES4:Oblivion, it is far more immersive. However, Oblivion gave you the opportunity to travel *anywhere* in the world. Also the graphics looked a bit dated on DA:O.

 

[Trevelyan]

Actually I just had a thought. That "vote for Bioware!" thing on the main UO.com homepage. What did that have to do with UO or us??

So, some more fun ideas - you could use your EA membership through UO to get some bonuses in these games based on say.. how many years you've played UO. Or, register your copy of ME2/DA:O and get something in-game in UO.

How about next release, UO members get some extra pre-order bonus if the email associated with their account for these games is also linked to a UO account.

Or if you pre-order a game, you get a free month of UO + a month for every friend that you refer who also buys them.

 

[Sergul'zan_SP]

Why does EA feel the need to rename studios? I bet the Bioware people are not too happy. Neither is Mythic for getting their name changed so many times. It just hurts moral and is unnecessary.

EA/Mythic/Bioware. Subsidiary of Blizzard Entertainment. Now I see where Age of Shadows came from.

 

[Lord Gareth]

I like the name

HazardousMythicBioware

It just sounds evil!!!!

 

[maroite]

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/01/mythic-entertainment-quietly-renamed-to-bioware-mythic/

Ok, obv kidding about the "UO cancelled" part. Just trying to get attention.

But... what does this mean moving forward?

All Mythic projects cancelled, and all resources put into the new Star Wars MMO?

Star Wars MMO and Mass Effect 3 cancelled and all resources put into developing a Classic Shard for UO!!!!

I lol'd.

And then lol'd more. Then I cried a little for you even suggesting that.

Then lol'd a little more before sighing.

Classic Shard can kiss my scaley garg arse if it means canceling SW:TOR and Mass Effect 3.

 

[Stupid Miner]

Hearing about the latest slough of EA's machinations is always depressing.
Little good ever comes of it. And by "Little" I'm pretty sure I really meant "No."

 

[Coldren]

Well I did like DA:O a lot but I think it had a lot that could be improved upon. Not nearly as "open" as I would have liked, for one.

Compared to TES4:Oblivion, it is far more immersive. However, Oblivion gave you the opportunity to travel *anywhere* in the world. Also the graphics looked a bit dated on DA:O.

See, I liked the graphics of DA:O. Don't know why, but I just prefer them to Oblivion. Course, on my machine, everything is cranked up, so it looks really, really nice.

But no, of course, not as linear as the single player games.

What I mean is the world itself. The lore of the world, the style, everything BUT the linearity and the classes, basically.

 

[Trevelyan]

I played both on a 360 and DA:O on a 1080p TV looks terrible IMO.. just various graphical "ew"nesses, although actually wait, no.. the character mouths look horrible too!

Even so, on a PC, Oblivion had some great effects you could unlock.. maybe DA:O looks better on a PC. The things I have issue with though aren't something I think could be resolved by adding some AA or phonging everything

 

[maroite]

I played both on a 360 and DA:O on a 1080p TV looks terrible IMO.. just various graphical "ew"nesses, although actually wait, no.. the character mouths look horrible too!

Even so, on a PC, Oblivion had some great effects you could unlock.. maybe DA:O looks better on a PC. The things I have issue with though aren't something I think could be resolved by adding some AA or phonging everything

Oblivion and DA:O are too different art types. Oblivion was attempting to mirror real life, which in a way it did well and other ways it did aweful.

DA:O wasn't trying for complete realism. It had a fantasy type feel and the graphics were unique to the style that BioWare has always done. It took after the NWN series and KotOR series.

Apples and oranges. Like trying to say Star Wars Legos has bad graphics by comparing it to Crisis. Its just silly to do that.

 

[Ender]

What i'd like to see is some sort of cross-brand promotion for people who play one game from a company... like when you buy Dragon Age, you got a code for an armour set in Mass Effect 2.

They should so blatantly give all UO players some exclusive downloadable content in ME2/ME3 and include a 3 month free trial of UO for everyone who buys Mass Effect 3.

Except somewhere around 75% of UO players would complain about Mass Effect's graphics rolleyes:

 

[maroite]

Except somewhere around 75% of UO players would complain about Mass Effect's graphics rolleyes:

Sad... but true.

"Its not grainy enough for me! Such horribly crisp and nice graphics! 800x600 is the only way to play games! UO is better! rawr!"

 

[HD2300]

My guess is that UO will relocate to Austin "soon".

WAR is an EPIC FAILURE, going from 67 servers to 4 servers. A PvP MMORPG focused game, is wolves and sheep, sheep leave, repeat repeat repeat until only a few addicts are left.

 

[Evlar]

Classic Shard can kiss my scaley garg arse if it means canceling SW:TOR and Mass Effect 3.

As if that would actually happen lol.

Two multi-million dollar "investments", versus one relatively small niché product... and that's coming from a classic shard supporter.

Mind you, I've enjoyed the Mass Effect games, am a Star Wars nut, but would be deligted if I could play an "official" classic shard offering. All three would be a charm.

 

[Tukaram]

I could see some in-house arguing over which name gets top billing "Mythic BioWare", "MythicWare". I think the only thing to do would be to come up with a whole new name. That way neither side would feel slighted... how about OSI?

 

[Trebr Drab]

Except somewhere around 75% of UO players would complain about Mass Effect's graphics rolleyes:

Sad... but true.

"Its not grainy enough for me! Such horribly crisp and nice graphics! 800x600 is the only way to play games! UO is better! rawr!"

Are you guys nuts?
I'm an anti EC and was for the other client too. But I would kill a blue Gypsy for that kind of quality.

 

[Trebr Drab]

My guess is that UO will relocate to Austin "soon".

WAR is an EPIC FAILURE, going from 67 servers to 4 servers. A PvP MMORPG focused game, is wolves and sheep, sheep leave, repeat repeat repeat until only a few addicts are left.

Was it that much of a PvP game? I didn't bother with it because it was another level grind based game. It boggles my mind that anyone would make a PvP game under a level grind. Unless it's a zoned FPSer, which isn't a MMORPG in any sense. Sort of like modern UO, expecting PvP to work with wide ranges in abilities of the participants.

 

[Babble]

More interesting is that Bioware or rather EA expects 2 Million customers for their new MMO.

Will be interesting to see if they manage another Sims Online/Warhammer with high hopes and then reality biting their a....

 

[Trebr Drab]

More interesting is that Bioware or rather EA expects 2 Million customers for their new MMO.

Will be interesting to see if they manage another Sims Online/Warhammer with high hopes and then reality biting their a....

With their star wars game, it won't be long before players are screaming for a way to shut those NPCs up. They'll want to just pick a quest line number and move on. Because that's how you play those level grind games. Race to the end of game. All the choices will be documented, players will just look it up and decide on the quest choices depending on the lewtz they want. And if the phatn3ss of lewtz doesn't matter, then who cares. (Other than those few oddball roleplayers.)

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

...Race to the end of game. All the choices will be documented, players will just look it up and decide on the quest choices depending on the lewtz they want. And if the phatn3ss of lewtz doesn't matter, then who cares. (Other than those few oddball roleplayers.)

Wait... This doesn't happen in UO?

*coughs*

How many people rushed straight to the staff-giving statue for the Festival of Summer mini-event, completely bypassing the 'quest' part? Hmm? Sites like Stratics and UO Guide wouldn't exist without people wanting to 'streamline' their play.

 

[Trebr Drab]

...Race to the end of game. All the choices will be documented, players will just look it up and decide on the quest choices depending on the lewtz they want. And if the phatn3ss of lewtz doesn't matter, then who cares. (Other than those few oddball roleplayers.)

Wait... This doesn't happen in UO?

*coughs*

How many people rushed straight to the staff-giving statue for the Festival of Summer mini-event, completely bypassing the 'quest' part? Hmm? Sites like Stratics and UO Guide wouldn't exist without people wanting to 'streamline' their play.

Did I say it didn't? Yes, all 25 players left in UO did that.
Or maybe it's, like, gosh, 200?

Design that sort of static crap and you get that sort of game play.

 

[Evlar]

Sadly, perhaps that's what people want now Trebr...

...I'm shutting up now. Sound like an old person.

 

[Lady Storm]

I could see some in-house arguing over which name gets top billing "Mythic BioWare", "MythicWare". I think the only thing to do would be to come up with a whole new name. That way neither side would feel slighted... how about OSI?

Hehe Yup!!
Omg ... UO going HOME that would be a kick in the pants to the Old GM's and Team members who couldnt move to Calif on the first move EA screwed up on... on second thought this might be super good idea. We just might get some REAL GM's!!!!!

Mythic BioWare EA = OSI I like IT!!!! now to tie up Richard Garrett for the head of it and we are golden. You just might get your classic shard in with that hookup. (pipe dream)

 

[HD2300]

More interesting is that Bioware or rather EA expects 2 Million customers for their new MMO.

Will be interesting to see if they manage another Sims Online/Warhammer with high hopes and then reality biting their a....

TBH from the previews so far the new Star Wars mmo it looks like a single player game not a MMO.

They got 750,000 subscribers with WAR, the problem is 700,000 left. The PvP fantasy MMORPGs market is just too small and too competitive. I'd say if the new Star Wars mmo is more PvE focused (WoW in space) than PvP focused, then it will do very well.

 

[Archie]

TBH from the previews so far the new Star Wars mmo it looks like a single player game not a MMO.

They got 750,000 subscribers with WAR, the problem is 700,000 left. The PvP fantasy MMORPGs market is just too small and too competitive. I'd say if the new Star Wars mmo is more PvE focused (WoW in space) than PvP focused, then it will do very well.

Eve Online is doing pretty well according to their released subscriber figures.

Maybe Warhammer Online is just not all that great, and too imbalanced between the "teams."

 

[HD2300]

Eve Online is doing pretty well according to their released subscriber figures.

EVE is space based competing only with itself.

WAR is fantasy based competing with WoW, Darkfall, DOAC, UO, Mortal Online, AoC. Lots of competition in a tiny market.

 

[Babble]

TBH from the previews so far the new Star Wars mmo it looks like a single player game not a MMO.

They got 750,000 subscribers with WAR, the problem is 700,000 left. The PvP fantasy MMORPGs market is just too small and too competitive. I'd say if the new Star Wars mmo is more PvE focused (WoW in space) than PvP focused, then it will do very well.

I think it will do reasonably well.
Remember guys abefore WOW a game with 300.000 subscriptions was a success.
But also remember that EA expected 500.000 players for sims online and then see how well it played out

More interesting will be what EA will do.
Will they keep their smal lines alive or go for the big kill?

UO at the moment seems to be the training ground for developers, so they can head out and work on newer games, but is that enough to keep it going?