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2003 Vaporware Awards

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the annual-traditions dept.

7x7 writes "Wired News has the 2003 Vaporware Awards available for your perusal. Winning the Lifetime Achievement Award, if you hadn't guessed already: Duke Nukem Forever!"

8 of 502 comments (clear)

  1. RIP, Fallout 3 by frenetic3 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    let us have a moment of silence. (seriously).

    that was such a kick in the nuts.

    -fren

    --
    "Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?"
    1. Re:RIP, Fallout 3 by viniosity · · Score: 4, Interesting
      I too really enjoyed Fallout 1&2 but had never heard the 3rd one was in progress. I hope that some organization picks up the genre though. It's nice that there are some RPGs that are not set in the medieval universe but none really had the flavor that Fallout did. A follow-up, whether it was called Fallout3 or not, would be welcome by me as long as it:

      -retained the ability to name/improve your char
      -supported portraits (c'mon guys it's not that hard!
      -allowed different weapons and strategies
      -had a nice 3D system like NWN

      I know that last one might be a little controversial, but after getting used to zooming and panning in the 3D world it's hard to go back to pixels..

  2. Re:missed the vote by (startx) · · Score: 4, Interesting

    rtfa. SCO "evidence" did get a dishonerable mention

  3. Story of Duke Nukem Forever? by notcreative · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Does anyone here know the story of why Duke Nukem Forever has become vaporware? I'm interested in the seedy underbelly of the gaming industry.

  4. Just A Reminder Everyone by devphaeton · · Score: 5, Interesting

    .... of why you shouldn't Pre-Order stuff.

    I'm still waiting for Gran Turismo 2000 to hit the shelves.

    Software Etc. will listen with empathy about my loud proclamations of GT2K == GT3-Aspec, and the sales weasels will agree with me. But the mgmt. shall not, will not, could not would not refund my money, nor give me a store credit until:

    1) A game called Gran Turismo 2000 ships.
    2) Official word from Sony arrives that the game is canceled.

    bastards.

    --


    do() || do_not(); // try();
  5. Re:HL2 should not have been #1... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    from reading/playing with the code (erm, I mean a friend told me, yeah, that's it), the hl2 source was no were near ready in Sept./Oct. HL2 ship date would have been pushed back even if the source had not been stolen, because it simply wasn't done. If anything, having it release was a good thing, because it gave them a public excuse to delay, and causes them to perform a decent code review when it's finally "done."

    As for TF2, it's now a mod for HL2, so of course it's delayed.

  6. THIS STUFF IS *NOT* VAPORWARE by popo · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Jesus Christ, Half Life II? Doom III?

    I for one am extremely stoked that game studios have finally adopted the "Its done when its done" mantra of releasing games.

    Let's not forget that 'etched-in-stone' release dates are responsible for most of the really atrocious games inflicted on us over the last decade.

    Blizzard, id, & Valve deserve enormous kudos for sticking firm to their convictions, and holding their corporate masters at bay while producing games that are polished and bug free.

    Vaporware suggests that these companies have promised something that has not, and will not be delivered. We should keep in mind that at *no* point have any of these companies offered firm release dates. And they should be commended for not doing so.

    What's funny is the really guilty party -- that is, the party which has most frequently made false promises of "what's coming down the pipeline" *has* to be Wired Magazine.

    My 2 cents.

    --
    ------ The best brain training is now totally free : )
  7. Yea, this is a bad list by rblancarte · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I have to agree. Black Island never got people's hopes up. Many knew that Fallout 3 was in the works, but it was under a code name, and never officially announced.

    This list they have up is kind of lame actually this year, since many of the things that were on the list were announced ONLY this year. HL2 and Doom 3 both garnered votes (with HL2 making the top spot), but honestly, it is not like this game is really late. They just got the ball rolling for it this year, and all of a sudden it is considered TOP VAPORWARE?!?!?!

    How about the HDTiVo? Announced in Jan 2003, and by Dec 2003, it is top 10 vaporware? UGH.

    I think that Wired really needs to make put up some limits on what actually is considered "Vaporware." IMnsHO, the first thing is that the product must have been announced at least over a year ago (ie, 2002 for these awards). Just my $.02.

    --
    It is human nature to take shortcuts in thinking.