There's a lot of LotR garbage about to hit the pipeline, which is a shame given the heart, soul, and creativity that Tolkien poured into it. It's like seeing the Calvin & Hobbes window stickers...
There's a lot of LotR garbage about to hit the pipeline, which is a shame given the heart, soul, and creativity that Tolkien poured into it. It's like seeing the Calvin & Hobbes window stickers with Calvin peeing on the Ford logo. If there's money to be made, someone will ruin it.
At least those are unlicensed. These are the grandkids getting the rights and only seeing them as an income source. This is why the public domain is important. We're being denied great art so a...
At least those are unlicensed. These are the grandkids getting the rights and only seeing them as an income source.
This is why the public domain is important. We're being denied great art so a bunch of people who are so far removed from the original creator that they probably never even met him can profit off of his work. If anyone could work with these stories, there'd be a lot of crap, but a lot of great work, too. Right now we're just getting the cash grab crap.
Edit: Tolkien set out to create a new mythology, and he succeeded. Part of what makes a mythology work and last, however, is that it's a living thing that each new generation contributes to. It's past time we got to fully engage with our cultural heritage.
Not all of it, luckily - there's a company called Kings Wild that has been releasing licensed decks of cards based on each book, with original illustrations.
Not all of it, luckily - there's a company called Kings Wild that has been releasing licensed decks of cards based on each book, with original illustrations.
Not incredibly surprising, considering the sorry state of Gollum. Still having a hard time figuring out how the game got made in the first place, though it does speak to the state that the LotR...
Not incredibly surprising, considering the sorry state of Gollum. Still having a hard time figuring out how the game got made in the first place, though it does speak to the state that the LotR rights are in, what with Tolkien's son having passed and control moving to people far happier to give the rights out to anyone willing to pay.
I had a look at the games they've developed, and I can't say I'm familiar with any of their past output. Not my genre, perhaps. Still, it's a shame for the 25 people that got laid off in the aftermath of all this.
None of the games they made were anywhere near as complex or graphically demanding as Gollum. They didn't have the experience, personnel... and weren't given the time/chance to do it. Why they...
None of the games they made were anywhere near as complex or graphically demanding as Gollum. They didn't have the experience, personnel... and weren't given the time/chance to do it. Why they were the studio chosen for the game is a very odd decision.
Edit: Their previous game (A Year of Rain) got abandoned in Early Access, don't know if they had anything ongoing or not... possibly Gollum was a last grasp at trying to keep the studio going? Or the bosses got the money and are going on vacation after burning everything down...
The whole thing stinks of "idiot executive" to me. I can just imagine seeing they could get this license and thinking they could make this product that is entirely out of their wheelhouse and...
The whole thing stinks of "idiot executive" to me. I can just imagine seeing they could get this license and thinking they could make this product that is entirely out of their wheelhouse and betting the entire company because it seemed like a sure win for them.
To be fair, do we know Daedalic was "chosen" to make the game? What if they pitched it themselves? Not sure if I missed something but it's equally likely in my opinion that they wanted to expand...
To be fair, do we know Daedalic was "chosen" to make the game? What if they pitched it themselves? Not sure if I missed something but it's equally likely in my opinion that they wanted to expand out of their niche, try something new, and go for a heavier hitting release.
That's possible, but I feel like it would have been highly unrealistic of them to expect to manage it. Maybe it started okay and then they had publisher or other pressures?
That's possible, but I feel like it would have been highly unrealistic of them to expect to manage it. Maybe it started okay and then they had publisher or other pressures?
I agree it was probably a bit overly ambitious, but maybe they were willing to take that risk to try and push out of their niche. Kinda low how Housemarque was on the niche side (and maybe wasn't...
I agree it was probably a bit overly ambitious, but maybe they were willing to take that risk to try and push out of their niche. Kinda low how Housemarque was on the niche side (and maybe wasn't doing super well and decided to try and do a more ambitious, different kind of project.
For LOTR: Gollum though it's just hard for me to imagine it ever being a good game. I'm a little biased against stealth games because they're not really my thing, but I'm also willing to give almost anything a try. But come on, a game about Gollum? Gollum is so pathetic, I just don't see why anybody would want to make a game around him - or play as him, for that matter.
It's a hard sell, but I feel like basically any game idea can be good, but certain games just need a lot more out-of-the-box creativity and talent upfront to work.
I just don't see why anybody would want to make a game around him - or play as him, for that matter.
It's a hard sell, but I feel like basically any game idea can be good, but certain games just need a lot more out-of-the-box creativity and talent upfront to work.
Yeah that's a good point. Lots of video games sound insane on paper but turn out to be really awesome when you give them a shot. Gollum is definitely one of those things you described that will...
Yeah that's a good point. Lots of video games sound insane on paper but turn out to be really awesome when you give them a shot. Gollum is definitely one of those things you described that will need a lot more going for it to make it good - probably not the kind of thing you should commit to without having a strong, clear vision of what you're going for in the end. Which it doesn't seem like Gollum had.
I think there's a path towards a Gollum game, but it would be a much more slow-paced experience of hunting blind cave fish and ranting to yourself, and far less bird training and jumping puzzles.
I think there's a path towards a Gollum game, but it would be a much more slow-paced experience of hunting blind cave fish and ranting to yourself, and far less bird training and jumping puzzles.
I feel like Gollum was originally intended to be something else entirely, and then had, well, Gollum slapped onto it. They seemed to mainly specialize in point-and-click adventures with narrative...
I feel like Gollum was originally intended to be something else entirely, and then had, well, Gollum slapped onto it. They seemed to mainly specialize in point-and-click adventures with narrative focuses, with some attempts at branching into other genres. This feels like one of those experimental attempts, but the addition of Gollum and Lord of the Rings branding would have radical impacts on direction and development since they'd have to rework a lot, and try to match some new standard as an "official" game.
A LotR game in the genre would be amazing - heck, even the way the game was played would have fit well with their established style, as far as I know (very little, I only saw some tiny bits of...
A LotR game in the genre would be amazing - heck, even the way the game was played would have fit well with their established style, as far as I know (very little, I only saw some tiny bits of gameplay)... the graphics were a poor choice.
I was legit excited for this game. Because I liked the idea of playing as Gollum and it being made by a developer that I liked. But the version of the game that was in my head was completely...
I was legit excited for this game. Because I liked the idea of playing as Gollum and it being made by a developer that I liked. But the version of the game that was in my head was completely different from what was released.
Honestly, I agree. From what little I know, the controls are pretty bad and frustrating, with a lot of criticism to the platforming and stealth segments. Those two genres are heavily dependent on...
Honestly, I agree. From what little I know, the controls are pretty bad and frustrating, with a lot of criticism to the platforming and stealth segments. Those two genres are heavily dependent on the controls and environment design, and their previous games didn't need to be as focused on those aspects so it was brand-new territory for them. Not the kind of experiment you'd want to tie a major name to. It might've turned out better if gameplay was more puzzle-based than action-oriented.
I feel like they were pushed to focus on action to appeal to a more mainstream audience, or again, it wasn't meant to be a Gollum game. If it had the same gameplay but didn't have Lord of the Rings attached to it, they wouldn't have gotten nearly as much scrutiny and it could've been written off as a failed attempt at a new genre or a learning experience. I feel this just doomed the studio more.
Daedalic is pretty well known in Germany for their point & click adventure games (e.g. Edna & Harvey, Deponia). Why they were given the license for LotR and then decided to do a genre of game they...
Daedalic is pretty well known in Germany for their point & click adventure games (e.g. Edna & Harvey, Deponia). Why they were given the license for LotR and then decided to do a genre of game they never really did before, no idea.
IMO they probably didn't. We know there was huge executive meddling, and they switched from a relatively niche genre (point and click adventure) to the basically industry-standard genre...
and then decided
IMO they probably didn't. We know there was huge executive meddling, and they switched from a relatively niche genre (point and click adventure) to the basically industry-standard genre (third-person stealth-and-climbing game). In particular, I could imagine management looked at Shadow Of Mordor and assumed that third-person would be a safer bet.
Point-and-click games aren't my cup of tea (I often like the story but dislike the puzzles), but I really enjoyed Daedalic's writing and sense of humor. This is sad to see.
Point-and-click games aren't my cup of tea (I often like the story but dislike the puzzles), but I really enjoyed Daedalic's writing and sense of humor. This is sad to see.
Too bad how a single failed game can shut down their internal development. Personally, I love their Point n click games. Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth is absolutely amazing IMO. I hope...
Too bad how a single failed game can shut down their internal development. Personally, I love their Point n click games. Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth is absolutely amazing IMO. I hope they will return in a better way someday
There's a lot of LotR garbage about to hit the pipeline, which is a shame given the heart, soul, and creativity that Tolkien poured into it. It's like seeing the Calvin & Hobbes window stickers with Calvin peeing on the Ford logo. If there's money to be made, someone will ruin it.
At least those are unlicensed. These are the grandkids getting the rights and only seeing them as an income source.
This is why the public domain is important. We're being denied great art so a bunch of people who are so far removed from the original creator that they probably never even met him can profit off of his work. If anyone could work with these stories, there'd be a lot of crap, but a lot of great work, too. Right now we're just getting the cash grab crap.
Edit: Tolkien set out to create a new mythology, and he succeeded. Part of what makes a mythology work and last, however, is that it's a living thing that each new generation contributes to. It's past time we got to fully engage with our cultural heritage.
Not all of it, luckily - there's a company called Kings Wild that has been releasing licensed decks of cards based on each book, with original illustrations.
Not incredibly surprising, considering the sorry state of Gollum. Still having a hard time figuring out how the game got made in the first place, though it does speak to the state that the LotR rights are in, what with Tolkien's son having passed and control moving to people far happier to give the rights out to anyone willing to pay.
I had a look at the games they've developed, and I can't say I'm familiar with any of their past output. Not my genre, perhaps. Still, it's a shame for the 25 people that got laid off in the aftermath of all this.
None of the games they made were anywhere near as complex or graphically demanding as Gollum. They didn't have the experience, personnel... and weren't given the time/chance to do it. Why they were the studio chosen for the game is a very odd decision.
Edit: Their previous game (A Year of Rain) got abandoned in Early Access, don't know if they had anything ongoing or not... possibly Gollum was a last grasp at trying to keep the studio going? Or the bosses got the money and are going on vacation after burning everything down...
The whole thing stinks of "idiot executive" to me. I can just imagine seeing they could get this license and thinking they could make this product that is entirely out of their wheelhouse and betting the entire company because it seemed like a sure win for them.
To be fair, do we know Daedalic was "chosen" to make the game? What if they pitched it themselves? Not sure if I missed something but it's equally likely in my opinion that they wanted to expand out of their niche, try something new, and go for a heavier hitting release.
That's possible, but I feel like it would have been highly unrealistic of them to expect to manage it. Maybe it started okay and then they had publisher or other pressures?
I agree it was probably a bit overly ambitious, but maybe they were willing to take that risk to try and push out of their niche. Kinda low how Housemarque was on the niche side (and maybe wasn't doing super well and decided to try and do a more ambitious, different kind of project.
For LOTR: Gollum though it's just hard for me to imagine it ever being a good game. I'm a little biased against stealth games because they're not really my thing, but I'm also willing to give almost anything a try. But come on, a game about Gollum? Gollum is so pathetic, I just don't see why anybody would want to make a game around him - or play as him, for that matter.
It's a hard sell, but I feel like basically any game idea can be good, but certain games just need a lot more out-of-the-box creativity and talent upfront to work.
Yeah that's a good point. Lots of video games sound insane on paper but turn out to be really awesome when you give them a shot. Gollum is definitely one of those things you described that will need a lot more going for it to make it good - probably not the kind of thing you should commit to without having a strong, clear vision of what you're going for in the end. Which it doesn't seem like Gollum had.
I think there's a path towards a Gollum game, but it would be a much more slow-paced experience of hunting blind cave fish and ranting to yourself, and far less bird training and jumping puzzles.
I feel like Gollum was originally intended to be something else entirely, and then had, well, Gollum slapped onto it. They seemed to mainly specialize in point-and-click adventures with narrative focuses, with some attempts at branching into other genres. This feels like one of those experimental attempts, but the addition of Gollum and Lord of the Rings branding would have radical impacts on direction and development since they'd have to rework a lot, and try to match some new standard as an "official" game.
A LotR game in the genre would be amazing - heck, even the way the game was played would have fit well with their established style, as far as I know (very little, I only saw some tiny bits of gameplay)... the graphics were a poor choice.
I was legit excited for this game. Because I liked the idea of playing as Gollum and it being made by a developer that I liked. But the version of the game that was in my head was completely different from what was released.
Honestly, I agree. From what little I know, the controls are pretty bad and frustrating, with a lot of criticism to the platforming and stealth segments. Those two genres are heavily dependent on the controls and environment design, and their previous games didn't need to be as focused on those aspects so it was brand-new territory for them. Not the kind of experiment you'd want to tie a major name to. It might've turned out better if gameplay was more puzzle-based than action-oriented.
I feel like they were pushed to focus on action to appeal to a more mainstream audience, or again, it wasn't meant to be a Gollum game. If it had the same gameplay but didn't have Lord of the Rings attached to it, they wouldn't have gotten nearly as much scrutiny and it could've been written off as a failed attempt at a new genre or a learning experience. I feel this just doomed the studio more.
Daedalic is pretty well known in Germany for their point & click adventure games (e.g. Edna & Harvey, Deponia). Why they were given the license for LotR and then decided to do a genre of game they never really did before, no idea.
IMO they probably didn't. We know there was huge executive meddling, and they switched from a relatively niche genre (point and click adventure) to the basically industry-standard genre (third-person stealth-and-climbing game). In particular, I could imagine management looked at Shadow Of Mordor and assumed that third-person would be a safer bet.
Point-and-click games aren't my cup of tea (I often like the story but dislike the puzzles), but I really enjoyed Daedalic's writing and sense of humor. This is sad to see.
Yeah I honestly really loved Daedalic's point & click stuff and it's really sad to know there won't ever be more of that coming from them.
Too bad how a single failed game can shut down their internal development. Personally, I love their Point n click games. Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth is absolutely amazing IMO. I hope they will return in a better way someday
Yeah, it's too bad, but at the same time, everyone who worked on Gollum needed to be fired. Out of a cannon. Into the Sun.