The Definition of Vaporware

Mad Max RW · Post by **Mad Max RW** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:42 pm

[ Game -> Update ] - More info on <a href="http://wikipocalypse.duckandcover.cx/in ... ?title=GSC Game World">Company: GSC Game World</a> | More info on <a href="http://wikipocalypse.duckandcover.cx/in ... .A.L.K.E.R: Shadows of Chernobyl">Game: S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadows of Chernobyl</a>

I know I promised myself not to post about the long dead <a href="http://stalker-game.com/" target="_blank">STALKER</a>, but
this is too
good to pass up. According to <a href="http://www.gamemag.ru/?act=showart&id=13395" target="_blank">Gamemag.ru</a> (translation courtesy of
<a href="http://www.ggmania.com/?smsid=20774" target="_blank">Gameguru Mania</a>), <a href="http://thq.com/" target="_blank">THQ</a> had no idea who
they were dealing with when partnering with <a href="http://www.gsc-game.com/" target="_blank">GSC
Gameworld</a> and the game has barely left design stage. The whole thing sounds like a bit of a
nightmare:<blockquote>Information about THQ being not
satisfied with the situation that developed inside GSC had already
reached us before. "They (THQ) didn't even imagine what it's
like to work with GSC, - shares with us one of the former
members of the company - they didn't even understand who they dealt
with. STALKER always was in the state of general design. It's
always been a project which was more spoken of than really
done." Another source claims that at the end of November THQ
made a decision to stop financing the development and to conduct a
thorough revision to gain control over the development process.
"We don't care what shape the game will ship in
anymore, - said one of the THQ bosses to an IGN journalist,
- the game must ship in 2006". In
addition to all this last week part of the original STALKER development
team was moved to another project and another part was simply made
redundant. "These were considerable dismissals," - told the source that
still remained a member of the GSC staff, - "I heard that next week a
THQ representative will arrive and he is going to stay until the
project is finished."The third source has information that a
brand new engine not based on X-ray technology was in the works inside
GSC, which could have been used to power renovated STALKER. Almost all
of the team left the studio taking the technology created in a few
months with them. GSC representatives consider this fact as theft, but
former employees refer to "special circumstances". One of the
members of the GSC team assumes that STALKER could be taken away along
with the source code by the THQ representatives and handed to another
team for work on the project. We attempted to contact GSC
representatives but failed to receive an answer. THQ representatives
commented on the issue drily: "No
comments".</blockquote>It is also reported by some of
the developers that THQ was seeking a new studio to finish the game as
of a few months ago. Good stuff.

 Spotted @ <a href="http://www.shacknews.com">Shacknews</a>

Nicolai · Post by **Nicolai** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:17 am

Haha.

That's too bad, though, I was actually looking forward to STALKER.

VasikkA · Post by **VasikkA** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:30 am

From a genre redefining masterpiece, to a comedy and now a parody. Yet again, STALKER sets a new low in the gaming biz.

Fuck it. You were always right, MMRW.

Nicolai · Post by **Nicolai** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:32 am

What was up with that playable multiplayer demo they showed off at a bunch of conventions, though?

VasikkA · Post by **VasikkA** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:41 am

Maybe it was a simple tech demo showing the graphics engine and some character models, and not the fancy AI and dynamic gameworld stuff, which they apparently never succeeded in implementing to the game.

ApTyp · Post by **ApTyp** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 1:10 am

Are they going to drop dragons from the game?

Mad Max RW · Post by **Mad Max RW** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:00 am

A multiplayer demo doesn't mean they ever had a real game. Who's doing all the work in multiplayer? YOU. It's another term for tech demo.
After years of development all they have is a pile of outdated technology with zero substance. They admitted it in the last delay when talking about how "unhappy we were with the gameplay mechanics and are revisiting the design" or whatever. That's a fancy way of saying "we made something that looks pretty and sounds good on paper, but we're completely fucking lost at making it work."

Moral of the story: Never trust the Russians.

ApTyp · Post by **ApTyp** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:31 am

POOPERSCOOPER · Post by **POOPERSCOOPER** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:16 am

I think THQ has said before that it has been hard to stay in touch with a studio thats so far away and in some backwater town or osmething. THQ has to kick some ass and make the ends meet. They should of had a THQ representative over there from the start.

S4ur0n27 · Post by **S4ur0n27** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 3:36 pm

What's really happening with the game though? Will it still be released?

Nicolai · Post by **Nicolai** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:57 pm

Maybe in 2007

Megatron · Post by **Megatron** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:58 pm

well it's sort of going to be released this year. though I'm guessing it'll be a buggy piece of shit.

I was about to post this in games.

Koki · Post by **Koki** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:02 pm

S4ur0n27 wrote:What's really happening with the game though? Will it still be released?

"We don't care what shape the game will ship in anymore, - said one of the THQ bosses to an IGN journalist, - the game must ship in 2006"

Even if it's Tetris with shaders. And RPG elements

jetbaby · Post by **jetbaby** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:06 pm

"RPG Elements" include two distinct stats, Strength, which modifies nothing, and intelligence, which is automatically at zero because you actually puchased this game!

Mad Max RW · Post by **Mad Max RW** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:43 pm

Good old predictable PR guy Oleg denies everything. It's funny how these things are proven as facts a few weeks later.

Megatron · Post by **Megatron** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:39 pm

GSC: clarifying rumours on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Press-release.
Kiev, 30.01.2006

To clarify the concerns of some fans regarding S.T.A.L.K.E.R.-related rumours to have appeared recently on the net, GSC Game World believes it necessary to explain the following:

1. The project is on the stage of beta approval and is being actively developed in close cooperation with the publisher.
2. The team has undergone certain reductions, particularly in the art section, due to all the graphics-related works being almost complete (out of 40 people 5 were dismissed). None of the leads, programmers and moreover, testers may not be reduced at any time.
3. Regarding the technology leak, none of the designers gone has the rights to the gameÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s engine (all the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. technologies, including the X-Ray engine and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.-2 engine belong to the company). Even if the current or next-generation engine would appear on the net, their legal use is impossible. GSC does not intend to sell its technologies in the nearest time, so as does not intend to postpone the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl due to rumours of that kind.

VasikkA · Post by **VasikkA** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:47 pm

I wonder if Oleg worked for the Iraqi Ministry of Communication.

PiP · Post by **PiP** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:11 pm

such a shame. One of the most anticipated games of last years, a beautiful shooter with trading and dialogues, oh.... FUCK THAT.

They could've at least release the bloody multiplayer that people were let to play at some shows.

Stainless · Post by **Stainless** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:32 pm

problem with demos is that once they're released people expect the entire game not soon afterwards. Just look at Dystopia for HL2. Released their demo, everyone loved it, got tired of playing one map for about 6 months, and then the release another 2 maps, and no-one plays it.

Mr. Teatime · Post by **Mr. Teatime** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 4:31 am

What about all the playable demos and stuff that the gaming magazines all said they'd previewed?

Meh. DaC totally called vaporware on this years ago.