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Sci-Fi Channel Merging TV Show with MMO

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the lord-british-unavailable-for-comment dept.

Erik J writes "In a fairly bold (and quite possibly stupid) move, the Sci-Fi Channel has announced plans to use missions and campaigns of players in their own developed MMO to shape and guide a new 'ongoing' television show. They hope to have the project up and ready to air by 2010, as they work with game developer Trion World Network to create 'the ultimate merging of the TV and gaming mediums.'"

33 of 216 comments (clear)

  1. Oh, I Can See the Dialog Now ... by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Funny

    "A television show that is on once a week isn't enough. The fans today want the experience to go beyond that. For example, we can tell them that there will be an alien invasion at a certain place in the game, at a certain time, and to be there with all their friends and be ready. The outcome depends on them. And then that battle will be part of the universe in the show." Director: Ok, now this is the epic part of the battle where the character you play, PigBenis69, thrusts his cyberknife through the aliens throat so be very very passionate with the dialog.
    Actor 1: *makes stabbing motions* "Omg j00 g0t wtfpwnedbbq! I am teh quigley dpwn und3r! ..." I'm sorry, I'm having a really hard time pronouncing all of these ... symbols.
    Director: No no no, that was brilliant! Now let's get a take of the next line.
    Actor 2: "What are you talking about, Pig, I totally out DPS'd you. You act all 1337 but your gear is L7."
    Actor 1: "H4xx. Oh, go cry home to your mother, SirWankenstein, this phat lewt is mine!"
    Director: Cut, print, that's a wrap! Now everyone prepare for The Barrens chat scene where thousands herald the deeds of PigBenis69. Remember, this scene is crucial as the dialog is a roller coaster ride of intelligence and will earn us our coveted TV-MA rating.

    Could be worse I guess, they could have secured Uwe Boll to direct it ...
    --
    My work here is dung.
    1. Re:Oh, I Can See the Dialog Now ... by weeboo0104 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Fat chance. That dialog was far more coherent than anything Boll has ever directed.

      --
      It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. -Frederick Douglass
    2. Re:Oh, I Can See the Dialog Now ... by Aerynlore · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Maybe it's just me, but it seems everyone is looking at the show as an extension of the game. RTFAing, it seems they are going for a game that's based on a television series. Is this really much different than making a game from a novel series (ie Lord of the Rings) or from a movie trilogy (ie Matrix Online and Star Wars Galaxies).

      And even if there is a reciprocal interaction where the players can give storyline feedback to the writers, there might (*gasp*just might) be some real aspiring writers with some really solid concepts that help feed the TV show storyline.

      Hell, even if they just had an advancing time-line in the game, that would go a long way to adding something to the MMO "standard" (why does it take 3 years for the inn in Westfall to get repaired?).

  2. What A Waste by Atomm · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I would rather see them take that money and put it into a better Saturday Night SciFi Movie.

    --
    RTFG - Read The F#$%ing Google!
  3. Tonight on SciFi! by Tom90deg · · Score: 4, Funny

    A large group kills a big monster. Then, in a shocking twist, goes back to do it again! As their leader said, "He's got a 10% Rare drop rate. Gotta get that full set."

    Next week, watch as people complain about the latest changes, and kill 10 of the local wildlife for a trader!

    1. Re:Tonight on SciFi! by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Funny

      Next week, watch as people complain about the latest changes ... So it'll be like Archie Bunker ...

      ... and kill 10 of the local wildlife for a trader! ... meets Little House on the Prairie?
      --
      My work here is dung.
  4. This annoys me by dj245 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    about as much as quick and nasty History Channel specials that make liberal use of video game footage. TV and video games are completely different mediums. Trying to shove them together and hope it works out never does.

    --
    Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.
    1. Re:This annoys me by Amouth · · Score: 4, Funny

      i remember watching the news the day after Columbine - they had an "Expert" showing footage of how Doom was nothing but a murder simulator.. and how games destroy kids.. (all that lovely crap)..

      i pointed out to my parents that the eye's on the hud where gold.. meaning the guy was cheating and had godmode turnned on..

      they looked at me funny..

      --
      '...if only "Jumping to a Conclusion" was an event in the Olympics.'
  5. Probably Not Stupid. by Vectronic · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Given that people in general love to feel "famous", and given the popularity of MMO, this could at least be highly lucrative as far as a business goes, however, the quallity of such a combination remains to be seen. Depending on the "plot" of the show and game, I could see this being quite entertaining, especially for those envolved or even if you know someone envolved.

    Combining the millions made on MMO's, and the millions made on stuff like 'American Idol'... i'd say the chance of this making money, is pretty high.

  6. Everything NBC touches turns to shit by Duncan+Blackthorne · · Score: 3, Insightful

    OMG, this is such a horrible idea. First they put effing wrestling on SciFi, now this unwatchable crap. Oh the humanity! When will the madness stop?

    1. Re:Everything NBC touches turns to shit by Necreia · · Score: 4, Funny

      ... Oh the humanity! When will the madness stop? Every Tuesday morning for about 6 hours for server maintenance.
  7. Re:Say what you will.... by nuzak · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Battlestar Galactica and Dr Who are proof that even a blind squirrel finds the occasional nut -- and notice how those are both remakes.

    The rest of the Sci-Fi channel's productions are just abysmal. They make Uwe Boll look like Martin Scorcese.

    --
    Done with slashdot, done with nerds, getting a life.
  8. Epic lulz by stormguard2099 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    How many internet groups will get into this just to fuck it up for everyone else? I'm sure anonymous, SA, [insert other internet group] will fill the ranks just so they can make the game and hence the tv show an abomination to play/watch.
    I mean come on why would you give the hordes of gamers, who act a fool just to show off to 3 friends the chance to do the same on cable tv? the temptation is just too strong.
      Hell I'll probably do it too if I can sign up fast enough to get the name "Leroy Jenkins"

    --
    http://greenobyl.com/ please.... think of the children!!
    1. Re:Epic lulz by JustinOpinion · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I mean come on why would you give the hordes of gamers, who act a fool just to show off to 3 friends the chance to do the same on cable tv? the temptation is just too strong. Well, they are not going to just record in-game activity and then play it on TV without edits. That would be stupid (and boring). From TFA, it sounds more like they are going to use the in-game events to alter the storyline of the show. For instance the players in the game enter into an epic battle. Whether they win or lose affects the TV show. (An episode about retreating to the mountains vs. an episode about what to do with all the POWs they have.)

      So, in principle even the actions of griefers could be intelligently woven into the storyline. Any GM worth his salt knows how to rationalize the actions of players, and make things fit into the storyline. A really good GM can even move the story in such a way that griefers will genuinely participate (or at least give up).

      So for instance disruptions could be attributed to 'rebels' or 'a virus that is making our men go insane' or whatever.

      Of course, that doesn't mean that this will be properly done. But I'm just saying it's certainly possible to implement this idea in a way that show-offs and griefers don't ruin the storytelling for everyone else.
  9. Can't wait... by TripMaster+Monkey · · Score: 5, Funny

    I, for one, would be very interested in watching The Leeroy Jenkins Chronicles. ^_^

    --
    ____

    ~ |rip/\/\aster /\/\onkey

  10. Slight error in logic by Dachannien · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I don't see the TV show becoming popular. After all, if you're a MMOG fan, wouldn't you rather be playing a game yourself rather than watching a TV show about other people playing it?

    And that brings us to what will make this particular game better than the fifty bazillion other MMOGs on the market now: your character might get to be on TV. Except you won't care, because your character probably won't get to be on TV, and barring that, you'd rather be playing than watching.

    Why don't they drop this schtick and give us a sequel to that halfway-decent D&D movie they made a few years back? (And no, I'm not talking about the one with Jeremy Irons.)

  11. Teabaging by grassy_knoll · · Score: 3, Funny

    Oh great.

    44 minutes of teabaging.

    Maybe tivo can skip the show and just show the 16 minutes of commercials?

    --
    A Human Right
  12. I hate to be a grammar troll... by bennomatic · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...but the plural of "medium" is "media", not "mediums". I think the latter *might* be acceptable in some circles, if you are talking about a group of people who channel the spirits of the dead, but even then. It wouldn't be a big deal, except you'd think that the press person--assuming they were quoted correctly in TFA--for a MEDIA company would know that.

    --
    The CB App. What's your 20?
    1. Re:I hate to be a grammar troll... by bennomatic · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Sigh; if you're right, a little part of me died, right there. Maybe we should invent a new group noun, you know, like a pride of lions, a coven of witches, a worry of mothers, etc... I'm thinking a cacophony of media. Or a flood. A monopoly of media? There's got to be a good word in there somewhere.

      --
      The CB App. What's your 20?
    2. Re:I hate to be a grammar troll... by Irish_Samurai · · Score: 3, Funny

      I vote for a "circus".

  13. We're grinding Commercials today. by xC0000005 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Next week we're going to run the infomercial dungeon. The Saladmaster's a bitch at the end but he tends to drop credit card numbers.

    --
    www.voiceofthehive.com - Beekeeping and Honeybees for those who don't.
  14. This will not work. by bistromath007 · · Score: 5, Funny

    When the Internet thinks it can leak into the TV, it will just put penises everywhere.

  15. MMOs and TV show universes by davejenkins · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Fans cannot get enough of their fictional universes. I've seen the wikis for WoW and other MMOs grow larger than the wikipediae of several second-tier languages. The wikis for complex TV shows (BSG, Lost, 24, etc) are almost as big.

    Give these fans a place to 'play' inside a universe linked in with a TV show? Oh yeah-- there's nothing "stupid" about this idea at all.

    --

    davejenkins.com |

  16. You left off the griefers. by khasim · · Score: 5, Funny

    During the alien invasion, half of the "defenders" turn and attack the other defenders. Maybe the aliens have mind-control powers?

    Meanwhile, other defenders are busy looting their fallen comrades.

    Still another group of defenders is busily arranging items to spell out the word "FUCK" on the battlefield.

    1. Re:You left off the griefers. by Grimbleton · · Score: 3, Funny

      Shit, UO's getting aliens?

  17. Make it more like Temptation Island. by Ukab+the+Great · · Score: 5, Funny

    They could name the show "Last Virgin Standing"; during epic battles they could have hot babes attempt to seduce top scoring players away from fighting.

  18. Re:How many? by Vectronic · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Actually, they should have comedies every tenth episode or something, in-line with Red Vs Blue, etc... "FTW HAX!!!"... people walking through walls, flying... and outtakes, take the best glitches from the game, and re-create them in real-life.

  19. Kind of like that EVE commercial? by badboy_tw2002 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I hit play too quickly while going through the commercials during last week's Battlestar and saw a commercial for EVE where they did it as a faux news cast about some star ship commander ramming a space station. It was a little cheesy but I suspect its the kind of premise they're going for here. The game that's played would have to follow the lines of EVE where the focus is PvP, and the "drama" comes from players attacking each other, coming up with scams, backstabbing, forming alliances, etc. I can't really see some pre-canned dungeon raid content making a good TV show.

  20. Sounds like a PR stunt by Moraelin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    TBH, this sounds more like a PR stunt for the MMO than anything relevant to the Sci-Fi channel.

    I mean, think about it in the context of existing MMOs: sure, the quests are fun, but would you really want to see a TV show about most of them? Let's assume you're a SF fan, in fact a SW fan. (Role-play a bit, if you aren't;) Would you want to see SWG footage on TV?

    Or maybe you're into medieval fantasy? Well, exactly which of WoW's (or EQ2's, or whatever) quests would be great fun to watch on TV?

    This week we follow the adventures of grunt Horribly Polygonal and his trusty sidekick Tusked Girl, two simple hunter-gatherers, as they slaughter Durotar Tigers by the dozen, unaware (yet) that only 1 in 10 Tigers has a skin. And will they manage to pull voodoo trolls one at a time, while the rest of the tribe wanders obliviously 10 ft away from the fight? Or will Tusked Girl get impatient again and over-aggro? Watch them meet a new group member and enjoy the suspense of finding out: is he a n00b and gonna get them wiped? Is he going to leave the group immediately after he gets the last skin?

    And next week we can follow them through the Barrens, as they slaughter about 100 Zebras to get 4 hooves each. (You'd think that being asked to bring 4 hooves, would mean one zebra, right? Shows how much you pampered city-folk know about hunting.)

    Or watch Tamriel the wise druid preserve the balance and harmony of nature... by slaughtering bears wholesale and waiting for them to respawn. Then slaughtering them again. 'Cause he just got bored of alchemy and went leatherworking, so now he needs leather to grind it up. (Remember, kids: living in harmony with nature means taking all you want, but not more than that!)

    Don't get me wrong. In the game it's fun. But 99% of the stuff I did in MMO's, even _I_ wouldn't want to see it on TV.

    On the bright side, as a SF fan, I am looking forward to a new SF MMO. Nothing against medieval fantasy as such, but God knows there's no need for 99% of the market to be medieval fantasy. It's nice to have a choice. So I'll probably buy it anyway. But, still, just saying, I doubt that the whole Sci-Fi channel thing is more than a PR stunt.

    --
    A polar bear is a cartesian bear after a coordinate transform.
  21. No. by eclectro · · Score: 5, Funny

    You complicate the dialog to much;

    Leeeerrooooy Jenkins!!!

    --
    Take the cheese to sickbay, the doctor should see it as soon as possible - B'Elanna Torres, "Learning Curve"
  22. Re:Say what you will.... by mlwmohawk · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "Big bang theory is awful. "

    Well, any show that can make funny jokes based on "The dopler effect, SchrÃdinger's cat, the original time machine, social ineptness of geeks, and so on is not so bad.

    I laugh at a lot of the jokes, while my wife just looks and asks "what????"

  23. Re:What a great idea! by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 4, Funny

    Shoot, there's any number of comedy forks such a show could take integrating MMORPG activity.

    Turning on the Sci-Fi channel at 8pm on a Friday...
    Bad Guy Boss: You've failed! Get ready to fire the planet smasher!

    Lackey: Yes, my master!

    Bad Guy Boss: And now they will feel the wrath of my -- wha?!?!?!?

    (In run 12 robots from 12 necromancers robotic specialists. They begin beating on the boss.)

    Bad Guy Boss: (Knocking out the first one) Aha! You'll never take me!

    (He puts down several robots, only to see more coming in to replace them.)

    Bad Guy Boss: (Knocking out the 17th one) Aha! You'll never take me!

    (Half an hour later!)

    Bad Guy Boss: Argggggh! But how? (Falls dead)

    (Twelve robotics specialists peak their heads from around the corner, then run in and filch through his body.)

    Robotic Specialist #1: Sweet! He had the remote electro recharger! A passive recharger you carry that will slowly add energy to your robot or any in your group.

    Robotic Specialist #2: Awesome! Um, how awesome is it?

    Robotic Specialist #1: It's aqua -- Artifact level!

    Robotic Specialist #2: AWESOME!

    Robotic Specialist #3: How many does he have?

    Robotic Specialist #1: Lemme check...(filches thru the robes some more)...Looks like, yep, he's got twelve! One for each of us!

    Specialists Crowd: Awesome! Sweet! Cool! "Yey Leroy!"

    Or, same scenario:

    Bad Guy Boss: You've failed! Get ready to fire the planet smasher!

    Lackey: Yes, my master!

    Bad Guy Boss: And now they will feel the wrath of my -- wha?!?!?!?

    (In runs a huge guy that makes Hulk Hogan look like Pee-Wee Herman.) Huge Brute: (Hits him, wham, a mediocre punch) Hey ugly! Bad Guy Boss: Now you shall feel my wrath! (In runs a much smaller guy and some chick in heels with a green "+" on her bustier. The little guy shoots laser beams out of his eyes.) Bad Guy Boss: Hey! My minions, attack! Huge Brute: Say what, Bozo? Bad Guy Boss: Wait, attack the big guy! Minion #1: (Running in from around the corner along with 3 others.) Yes, my master! (They pound uselessly on him, but the boss breaks the huge guy's arm.) Chick in High Heels: (A wave of green erupts from her hands, some kind of gizmo. The broken arm straightens itself.) Hand in there, Tuffy! Huge Brute: Ahhh, thanks, Green Luv. Minion #1: Fellow minions, go attack the girl first, then the little guy! They must be stopped! (Minions run towards her.) Huge Brute: (To boss) Hey, ugly! Your momma's so fat a Super Star Destroyer can park in her docking bay! Bad Guy Boss: My minions, stop! Go attack this big guy, hurry! Minion #2: But master, we must take her out or she'll keep healing them, and him and the little guy'll wear you down and kill you! Bad Guy Boss: You doubt my intelligence? You doubt my skills? You doubt my ability to analyze a situation on the fly? Now don't ask and don't try to think. I'll do all the thinking for you! GO DO IT NOW! Minions: (Yes, master, yes yes...) Or same scenario yet again: Bad Guy Boss: And now they will feel the wrath of my -- wha?!?!?!? (Huge blast of laser power burns off the back of his costume.) Bad Guy Boss: Ow! I'll get you! (He runs towards the guy who blasted him, who stands there.) (Suddenly, another blast rips him in the back again.) Bad Guy Boss: Owwww! I'll get you, too! (He spins around and runs back, seeing a small chick with basketball-sized hooters with a smoking raygun, and runs at her.) (Yet another blast smashes him in the back from the other guy, again.) Bad Guy Boss: Owww! I'll get you! (Spins around and runs back at the guy again. (Big blast from chick hits him in the back again.) (Half an hour later.) Chick: Nice! What's he got? (Guy flips through the dead boss's robes.) Guy: Sweet! Two aqua focusing crystals! Chick: Yes! I knew there was a good reason to come

    --
    (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
  24. There's a reason we have authors. by goodmanj · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If you've ever seen an "open-ended" MMO with players in charge of creation (say, Second Life), you've probably seen little sparks of creativity in a sea of boring copies of trendy junk. 90% of everything is crap. And the little sparks of creativity don't tie together: one person's perfect recreation of the rebel base on Hoth is right next to another person's gothic revival castle, and they clash horribly.

    The same is true of TV shows with a large pool of authors (say, your average sitcom). Some episodes are good, some bad, but none of them mesh up together, and you're left with a mess.

    For both MMOs and TV shows, a dictatorial author is the only route to success. The best MMOs (say, World of Warcraft or EVE) allow roleplaying only within the tight rules of the game world. The best TV shows (say, Lost, Battlestar Galactica, or Firefly) have just one or two guys who call the shots for the layout of the whole show, and set firm boundaries for the writers.

    An open-ended MMO inspired by a TV show, and an authorless TV show inspired by the MMO? It's the blind leading the blind, a ship without a rudder, drifting off into banality.

    And if the show *does* get a visionary author to conduct the show, then the whole MMO / TV connection is pretty much irrelevant, it becomes, first and foremost, the author's story to tell.