Lone Wolf online
- Thread starter Shadow
- Start date
A
Anonymous
Guest
Is that announcement for real? Maybe all the spam I get every day has made me jaded. As soon as the announcement started to try to sell me shares in the company I got a little wary. Has Mongoose or Joe Dever made any sort of announcement endorsing this game?
For those of you that want to see the announcement you can find it here:
http://projectaon.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&num=1088758100
For those of you that want to see the announcement you can find it here:
http://projectaon.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&num=1088758100
The announcement on Project Aon's forum has been moved to
http://projectaon.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=auxiliary&action=display&num=1088937571
There is also the beginning of a discussion here
http://projectaon.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=auxiliary&action=display&num=1088768964
In it is stated that Matt Sprange sent an email on the Yahoo mail list that this project is Legit, but i'm sure it would be appreciated if it could also be confirmed here.
http://projectaon.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=auxiliary&action=display&num=1088937571
There is also the beginning of a discussion here
http://projectaon.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=auxiliary&action=display&num=1088768964
In it is stated that Matt Sprange sent an email on the Yahoo mail list that this project is Legit, but i'm sure it would be appreciated if it could also be confirmed here.
Ordovician
Mongoose
He did.Shadow said:
Hi guys,
To be honest, there is not a lot we can say at the moment. This company has only just come on to our radar and we are still learning about them. We have a form of words between us but nothing has been signed as yet.
We'll just have to see how things turn out!
To be honest, there is not a lot we can say at the moment. This company has only just come on to our radar and we are still learning about them. We have a form of words between us but nothing has been signed as yet.
We'll just have to see how things turn out!
I read through everything on the yahoo group and still am not entirely convinced. I do believe that there is an agreement/license to begin working on an MMORPG, but I'm a little concerned.
Since the MMO market is so full, and many excellent games get dropped after years of development due to there being no room in the current market for another game, a game has to both look amazing, be full of great content, and have a superb marketing campaign.
Now, since all we have seen of the company that is supposedly working on Lone Wolf MMORPG is this initial poor solicitation, I have to say that I think this game will not be released unless there is significant help given to the project.
One of the emails from the CEO mentioned that as a CEO, he doesn't have time to run the spellchecker. I'm sorry, but your first announcement about an upcoming MMO, where you are contacting the existing fanbase, I can't believe that you would put in a little effort to create a website and have someone proofread your communications.
I wish the project all the best, but I think it'll need a lot of help to succeed.
Arabin
Since the MMO market is so full, and many excellent games get dropped after years of development due to there being no room in the current market for another game, a game has to both look amazing, be full of great content, and have a superb marketing campaign.
Now, since all we have seen of the company that is supposedly working on Lone Wolf MMORPG is this initial poor solicitation, I have to say that I think this game will not be released unless there is significant help given to the project.
One of the emails from the CEO mentioned that as a CEO, he doesn't have time to run the spellchecker. I'm sorry, but your first announcement about an upcoming MMO, where you are contacting the existing fanbase, I can't believe that you would put in a little effort to create a website and have someone proofread your communications.
I wish the project all the best, but I think it'll need a lot of help to succeed.
Arabin
Since half the MMORPGs have been cancelled due to flaws and very bad development, why try for a Lone Wolf one? Look at Star Wars Galaxies. It's a terribly flawed game that was rushed into service after years of development and hasn't had the impact nor membership that they wanted. Most MMORPGs just aren't making the money most need since the market is so jam packed and aren't worth the money you have to pay for them. $60 to start +10-20 a month for access for a game that really isn't developed well. Lone Wolf is a great system but for a online game I think the player base would be small and not worth development as much as it pains me to say.
Hi,
My name is Mikaël Louys and I'm the manager for Lone Wolf Online. I would like to give you my views on what have been said here.
Since the MMO market is so full
Indicators from my market studies are showing that US online subscribers are still growing. Asia too is a remarkable and promising new emerging market. There is indeed not room for every games but I do believe that if the game brings something fresh and if the universe is exciting, there can be room.
many excellent games get dropped after years of development
I have played about 20 different online games the last years and I can confirm you that the games that are being dropped are not especially "excellent".
Look at Star Wars Galaxies. It's a terribly flawed game that was rushed into service after years of development and hasn't had the impact nor membership that they wanted.
I don't find the current version of SWG so flawed in comparison with other MMORPGs. And they are still making a lot of money with it.
Most MMORPGs aren't worth the money you have to pay for them
But some are. I find Daoc a relevant example.
$60 to start +10-20 a month for access for a game
For Lone Wolf Online, we are counting on $40 for the retail box and $10 for the monthly fee. Not more.
Lone Wolf is a great system but for a online game I think the player base would be small
8 millions of Lone Wolf game books have been sold throughout the world. I believe this could make an interesting fan base.
and not worth development as much as it pains me to say.
For me, it's worth it. Joe has been envisioning Lone Wolf as a MMORPG for a long time. And my programmers and I have many ideas concerning an innovative gameplay tied to the world.
It's my birthday today, and the most beautiful present I'm having is the trust Joe has placed in me. Each day I shall be trying to get this project moving and alive.
Mikaël
My name is Mikaël Louys and I'm the manager for Lone Wolf Online. I would like to give you my views on what have been said here.
Since the MMO market is so full
Indicators from my market studies are showing that US online subscribers are still growing. Asia too is a remarkable and promising new emerging market. There is indeed not room for every games but I do believe that if the game brings something fresh and if the universe is exciting, there can be room.
many excellent games get dropped after years of development
I have played about 20 different online games the last years and I can confirm you that the games that are being dropped are not especially "excellent".
Look at Star Wars Galaxies. It's a terribly flawed game that was rushed into service after years of development and hasn't had the impact nor membership that they wanted.
I don't find the current version of SWG so flawed in comparison with other MMORPGs. And they are still making a lot of money with it.
Most MMORPGs aren't worth the money you have to pay for them
But some are. I find Daoc a relevant example.
$60 to start +10-20 a month for access for a game
For Lone Wolf Online, we are counting on $40 for the retail box and $10 for the monthly fee. Not more.
Lone Wolf is a great system but for a online game I think the player base would be small
8 millions of Lone Wolf game books have been sold throughout the world. I believe this could make an interesting fan base.
and not worth development as much as it pains me to say.
For me, it's worth it. Joe has been envisioning Lone Wolf as a MMORPG for a long time. And my programmers and I have many ideas concerning an innovative gameplay tied to the world.
It's my birthday today, and the most beautiful present I'm having is the trust Joe has placed in me. Each day I shall be trying to get this project moving and alive.
Mikaël
Hi Mikael,
There is certainly room for new games if they bring something new, and having the right license will guarantee you a certain number of sales... but not continued subscriptions. I played Ultima Online when it came out, but moved on the Everquest... then to Asheron's Call, Dark Age of Camelot, back to Asheron's Call, Starwars Galaxies, Final Fantasy Online, then on to City of Heroes (with a few betas thrown in the mix). As much as I love some of the games, I have a need to try something new and will move on when the time is right. Some players stick with the same MMO for years, but not the majority of players.
I really hope that this project does work, but how can you possibly be stating the rrp and the monthly fees at this time? An MMO will take years to develop, market, and build the hype if it is to be successful. There is no possible way to guess what the charges will need to be when it's released. What I would recommend, is that you carefully word any of your correspondance regarding development of your game. Every word you say is tied to your marketing the game whether you want it to be or not. I would think that if you decided to mention the cost you are aiming for (not a good idea imo) then you should make it very clear that this is an estimate and is your goal, but that it is subject to change. Instead, you stated that the retail WILL sell for $40 and the monthly fee WILL be $10, and added that it will not be more than that. Potentially, you are setting yourself for a lot of headaches later on and possibly even legal proceedings if the future costs of running a game successfully require you to charge more than that.
My advice would be to step back from the community, think up a detailed business plan and marketing plan, then start to action it and slowly build the hype. I would love to see the project succeed, but you are not filling me or any others from what I can see here, with confidence in your companies abilities at this point. Please think carefully about the message you are sending to Lonewolf fans and do the right thing.
Arabin
There is certainly room for new games if they bring something new, and having the right license will guarantee you a certain number of sales... but not continued subscriptions. I played Ultima Online when it came out, but moved on the Everquest... then to Asheron's Call, Dark Age of Camelot, back to Asheron's Call, Starwars Galaxies, Final Fantasy Online, then on to City of Heroes (with a few betas thrown in the mix). As much as I love some of the games, I have a need to try something new and will move on when the time is right. Some players stick with the same MMO for years, but not the majority of players.
I really hope that this project does work, but how can you possibly be stating the rrp and the monthly fees at this time? An MMO will take years to develop, market, and build the hype if it is to be successful. There is no possible way to guess what the charges will need to be when it's released. What I would recommend, is that you carefully word any of your correspondance regarding development of your game. Every word you say is tied to your marketing the game whether you want it to be or not. I would think that if you decided to mention the cost you are aiming for (not a good idea imo) then you should make it very clear that this is an estimate and is your goal, but that it is subject to change. Instead, you stated that the retail WILL sell for $40 and the monthly fee WILL be $10, and added that it will not be more than that. Potentially, you are setting yourself for a lot of headaches later on and possibly even legal proceedings if the future costs of running a game successfully require you to charge more than that.
My advice would be to step back from the community, think up a detailed business plan and marketing plan, then start to action it and slowly build the hype. I would love to see the project succeed, but you are not filling me or any others from what I can see here, with confidence in your companies abilities at this point. Please think carefully about the message you are sending to Lonewolf fans and do the right thing.
Arabin
Ikar-tas-Kai
Mongoose
Two years after, any news from this? I guess it had been cancelled, but just in case…Shadow said:
Officially, the developers dropped the MMORPG shortly after a licenced LW console game was announced.
Unofficially, there were apparently some disagreements after said announcement, but I'm not going to speculate as to what they were about. Maybe someone "in the know" around here may enlighten the rest of us at some time.
Unofficially, there were apparently some disagreements after said announcement, but I'm not going to speculate as to what they were about. Maybe someone "in the know" around here may enlighten the rest of us at some time.
Balgin Stondraeg
Mongoose
mthomason said:
The guys making Lone Wolf Online were very upset when the new project was announced as they had not been informed of this and no discussion had taken place.
More than a few of the screenshots on the new company's website are ones that used to be on the LWO site. These models had all been made by people who'd left the LWO project. The models were made for the LWO project so it looks like some guys left and took their work elsewhere without informing the people they worked with in the first place.
I don't know exactly what happened but it looks like a lot of people got really upset and vindictive about it which is a shame really as I'm one of the few people who playtested the game in it's early stages.
That clears up a lot of the grey areas in my mind, thanks 
While I can sympathise with the LW Online folks, the way I understand it they were a fan project, not a commercial one, and unfortunately once someone steps in and offers to pay for the licence this kind of thing is almost bound to happen. NDAs get signed, and all involved are forbidden from informing the fan project until it gets announced officially. Its one of those cases where the right thing to do isn't always the legal thing to do.
It's a shame, but it does show what can happen to these things when an official licensor steps in, and it's one of the reasons I don't do any real work on someone elses IP unless there's a commercial licence involved - you just never know when your project is going to get trodden on by TPTB and all of your hard work wasted.
As great as some not-for-profit fan projects are (and as much as I love the idea) in todays commercial society all it takes is someone else with a chequebook and you are - to use the technical term - buggered. If it went the way I think it did then I certainly can't blame Joe for selling the rights (or for not discussing a commercial project with anyone). This is his livelihood after all. Don't get me wrong here, but I'd never recommend anyone put effort into an unlicenced "fan project" unless they are prepared for this kind of thing to happen to it and to see all their hard work go down the drain. Permission isn't enough - if you don't have a licence, the possibility always remains that someone else will get one that invalidates what you are doing.
While I can sympathise with the LW Online folks, the way I understand it they were a fan project, not a commercial one, and unfortunately once someone steps in and offers to pay for the licence this kind of thing is almost bound to happen. NDAs get signed, and all involved are forbidden from informing the fan project until it gets announced officially. Its one of those cases where the right thing to do isn't always the legal thing to do.
It's a shame, but it does show what can happen to these things when an official licensor steps in, and it's one of the reasons I don't do any real work on someone elses IP unless there's a commercial licence involved - you just never know when your project is going to get trodden on by TPTB and all of your hard work wasted.
As great as some not-for-profit fan projects are (and as much as I love the idea) in todays commercial society all it takes is someone else with a chequebook and you are - to use the technical term - buggered. If it went the way I think it did then I certainly can't blame Joe for selling the rights (or for not discussing a commercial project with anyone). This is his livelihood after all. Don't get me wrong here, but I'd never recommend anyone put effort into an unlicenced "fan project" unless they are prepared for this kind of thing to happen to it and to see all their hard work go down the drain. Permission isn't enough - if you don't have a licence, the possibility always remains that someone else will get one that invalidates what you are doing.
LWO was a commercial project driven by the company Magnamund Studios. Then it had to (for reasons I am not sure if I am allowed to type here) be converted into a free fan driven project, still with a license, while Magnamund Studios closed.
The Ksatria game did not "steal" or interfere with LWO's MMORPG license, but Mikaël Louys, CEO of Magnamund Studios and later the driving force behind the fan project, got very upset by some facts that were revealed to him, gave back the MMORPG license to Joe and dissolved the project.
The Ksatria game did not "steal" or interfere with LWO's MMORPG license, but Mikaël Louys, CEO of Magnamund Studios and later the driving force behind the fan project, got very upset by some facts that were revealed to him, gave back the MMORPG license to Joe and dissolved the project.
Angantyr said:
Yikes
Whatever those reasons were, it's a real shame. I've got no real interest in a LW console game, and I feel a MMORPG would have fit the whole thing far better.
My ideal LW computer game would be a Magnamund version of NWN - the opportunity for both a singleplayer RPG and decent numbers in multiplayer, without having to worry about monthly subscriptions.
