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Romero's New Gig
Eurogamer is reporting on John Romero's newest endeavor, a studio designing a Massive game. Slipgate Ironworks is currently hiring, to work on ... a game. From the article: "The site doesn't offer many clues to the game's nature (although it does reveal that it will include weapons. And animation. And light!), but we do know from Romero's public comments that it will be ready 'when it's done' and isn't down for a 2007 release as some reports have speculated." I'm sure it will be up to the standards of Mr. Romero's numerous other good works.
The mobile games company only really flopped because the platform wasn't
suitable for gaming like he thought it would be. When the money didn't
come in quite like he'd hoped for, Monkeystone was put largely bed
(The site's still there and you can download the PocketPC and PC demos
of the titles he did ship under the Monkeystone name, but there's no
product info under the products tab, nor any way to buy the titles
at this time from the site...)- you can still get the Linux iteration
of Hyperspace Delivery Boy from Linux Game Publishing through Tux Games'
online store. He did deliver on the initial title and it's a fun,
playable, if slightly simple game like you might find on a GBA. Which,
is what he'd officially sought to accomplish with it and the Monkeystone
studio.
One hopes he learned from each of the experiences of Daikatana and Monkeystone
and that this pass at doing things will do as well as DooM did for him.
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
There's a difference here though. Envisioning worlds does not make you a designer by any means. That's a concept, not a design. A designer makes a system of rules on how the universe in the game operates, and by universe I don't mean the "worlds" concept, I mean the gameplay systems and mechanics behind it that the player uses and interacts with to strike a balance between challenge and fun.
I have nothing against Romero at all and agree with your post. I feel bad for the guy because he gets such loads of crap. I don't know how he keeps going after all that, personally. I do wonder what his mind will produce next, be it a steaming pile or an well executed piece of entertainment, we just have to wait and see, and hope people lay off the guy enough to let him get it done.