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Imperator MMOG On Hold

Posted by Zonk on from the sorry-lum dept.

Gamasutra has the word that Mythic Studios' Roman/Sci-Fi title Imperator has been put on indefinite hiatus. From the article: "All Imperator staff will be moved onto existing projects, such as a new Dark Age of Camelot expansion titled Darkness Rising, as well as the just-announced Warhammer-licensed online game, being created following the cancellation of a similar project at developer Climax. However, none of the developers that were formerly on Mythic's Imperator project will be laid off."

11 of 29 comments (clear)

  1. Article Text (ICOS) by iced_773 · · Score: 2, Informative


    Mythic Entertainment, developers of Dark Age of Camelot and the upcoming Warhammer MMORPG, have announced the indefinite delay of Imperator, a third massively-multiplayer project announced in October 2004. The futuristic game, which also integrated elements of the Roman Empire and was originally scheduled to be released in June 2006, has been put under review regarding its future at Mythic.

    All Imperator staff will be moved onto existing projects, such as a new Dark Age of Camelot expansion titled Darkness Rising, as well as the just-announced Warhammer-licensed online game, being created following the cancellation of a similar project at developer Climax. However, none of the developers that were formerly on Mythic's Imperator project will be laid off.

    Nonetheless, the move will not come without a slowdown to proposed expansion plans: as a result of the delay, Mythic is holding off on establishing a previously announced European office until the 2007 release of Warhammer.

    Since TA Associates completed a $32 million venture capital investment in Mythic in March 2003, the largest ever granted to any independent game developer, the company, which is privately held and does not need to publically report financial results, can likely support the added financial burden that this cancellation brings.

    Speaking on the reasons for the postponement, Mythic CEO Mark Jacobs said: "Our team made a tremendous effort with the game and the praise it drew at E3 and in previews reflected their skill and dedication. But in the final analysis it just wasn't great enough to be a Mythic game at this time."

    Article by Nich Maragos

  2. Romans by chamblah · · Score: 2, Insightful
    I can understand why they are putting this game on the shelf.

    Romans in space just didn't seem very appealing at all.

    1. Re:Romans by KDR_11k · · Score: 2, Insightful

      In corporate logic that's "We've determined that generic fantasy and generic futuristic games sell more than original ideas!".

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
    2. Re:Romans by Haeleth · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Romans in space just didn't seem very appealing at all.

      It worked for Star Trek...

  3. Not Good Enough? by Drakai · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Ouch!

    Ironically, when I first read the concept I thought 'this will never work'. But as I read more I found myself warming to the idea. And now it's gone :P

    And the idea of a game maker declining to produce a game because it failed to meet a arbitrary standard? Interesting but frankly it sounds like a smokescreen. I think a more honest appraisal would be 'Not good enough to take customers from other MMO's which is a must to cover the operational cost of maintaining a MMO.'

    I think that is the unfortunate effect of these online games is that only a Game of the Year game can be banked on. Where as single player games can be sold one shot style with a slightly lowered price for reduced (intentional or otherwise) quality games.

  4. karma be damned, mythic sucks. by sinner0423 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    5 comments... just about the same amount of people who give a shit about whatever Mythic is going to develop in the future.

    DAoC was a total nightmare - a monthly fee on top of paying for expansions every 3 months, and terribly unbalanced realms left users with empty wallets and a sour taste in their mouth.

    Signed,

    Alb/Igraine/happily seperated from that miserable game for a few years now.

    1. Re:karma be damned, mythic sucks. by Salus+Victus · · Score: 5, Informative

      What the heck -- let's make it six comments.

      I can see you hated DAoC. In the interest of keeping the facts straight, though, there are currently 5 expansions, and the game was released three and a half years ago. That's about 9 months between expansions.

      Love it or hate it, DAoC made some strides forward in the genre:
      = 3-faction RvR (2-on-1 teaming against the leader)
      = positional & situational combat moves
      = stealth system that relied on distance
      = clever magic lines, such as Bladeturn and the Theurist "one target" pets
      = PvP where ability to hit an opponent was independant of level (level 20 could hit a level 50 -- although they barely did any damage)
      = massive scale PvP: 150 vs. 150 was not uncommon during the first year
      = a stable release. They raised the bar for Acceptable Release Day Performance.

      You can focus on the negatives, of course. If that's your karma, then it's your karma. I just want to get the record straight for anyone else taking the time to read comments here.

      As far as Imperator: I thought the same thing ... wierd concept. But then again, Warhammer has Elves in Space, so ... meh. A game is fun or not based on gameplay, not on realism.

      Given that Warhammer has a huge existing fanbase, and everyone looks at Imperator and says, "Romans in Space? Wierd." ... it makes sense that they would shift their development efforts away from Imperator and onto Warhammer. Mythic produces a polished product, and having Mythic acquire the Warhammer Online rights is a great move for everyone.

      --
      In theory, there's no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there's a big difference.
    2. Re:karma be damned, mythic sucks. by KDR_11k · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Knowing todays gamers they'll call Warhammer a Warcraft ripoff and WH40k a Starcraft ripoff...

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
  5. Re:Replacement? by FinchWorld · · Score: 2

    Space marines, for the most part, are Romanish, Imperial guard more like Russians, not to mention alien races and Human cults.

    --
    "I may be full of crap about this game, and I may be wrong, and that's fine." -Jack Thompson
  6. 2v1 RvR combat blew by Rhys · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I played early on in DAoC's release and you're right the 2v1 RvR definatly happened. 2 winners (albion and midgard) versus 1 loser (hibernia). I seem to recall discussions around that time that there was no class the hibernians had that wasn't surpassed by a class in one (or often both) of the other two realms.

    And it didn't so much work out that either of the other pairs teamed up with hibernia to take the other down. They stayed pretty even and played beat-hibernia-to-death.

    For god sakes, they had people running around in our "non-PvP" area because they'd killed their way into it.

    --
    Slashdot Patriotism: We Support our Dupes!
    1. Re:2v1 RvR combat blew by blackicye · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I'm going to have to concur with parent.

      DAOC was an unbalanced, incomplete mess at launch and up to a year after launch, with Hibernians being the victims.

      Dungeons in Hibernia were itemized the last of the three realms, and classes were not balanced, even up to 6 months after launch.

      I never saw two realms cooperating against the dominant realm, ever. Actually I never saw anything except Albion and Midguard picking on the easiest target, Hibernia.

      I played on Hibernia Igraine for about 2 1/2 years. 50 Ranger, 50 Druid, 50 Druid (Buffbot), 50 Warden on 3 accounts.