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Video Game Industry Thread: February part II is done, go to the next thread

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Posts

  • urahonkyurahonky Registered User regular
    If you're a gold member, I think they require you to have at least one card on record.

    Nope. I added my Paypal. Removed my credit card, and then removed my Paypal account. Now I only have XBL cards.

  • PolloDiabloPolloDiablo Registered User regular
    Taramoor wrote: »
    Seriously though, am I just being blind her? I see no option anywhere on that billing page to remove a card. I can add or modify cards, but I can't remove the one card I have on that account.

    XboxCredit.jpg

    On Xbox.com, click on "My Account" in the upper right.

    For me there was no middle area. In the end I fucking payed them to renew my service so I could access my account stuff to cancel the service. They still won't let me remove my cards but so long as it won't auto-renew I just don't care anymore.

  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Taramoor wrote: »
    Seriously though, am I just being blind her? I see no option anywhere on that billing page to remove a card. I can add or modify cards, but I can't remove the one card I have on that account.

    IMAGE!

    On Xbox.com, click on "My Account" in the upper right.

    It said it couldn't remove the card. Specifically it says "This payment option cannot be removed at this time. Go to the Payment method information page to view services associated with this payment option." Wen I got to the payment method information page to "view services associated with this option" (An option, I'll remind you, is EXPIRED and INVALID) it says my balance is 0.00, so what, pray tell, is preventing me from removing this expired bloody card?

    Undead Scottsman on
  • TaramoorTaramoor Storyteller Registered User regular
    Taramoor wrote: »
    Seriously though, am I just being blind her? I see no option anywhere on that billing page to remove a card. I can add or modify cards, but I can't remove the one card I have on that account.

    IMAGE!

    On Xbox.com, click on "My Account" in the upper right.

    It said it couldn't remove the card. Specifically it says "This payment option cannot be removed at this time. Go to the Payment method information page to view services associated with this payment option." Wen I got to the payment method information page to "view services associated with this option" (An option, I'll remind you, is EXPIRED and INVALID) it says my balance is 0.00, so what, pray tell, is preventing me from removing this expired bloody card?

    No idea, but that's what worked for me last time I had to remove a card.

    I added a new one a couple of months after, but for a while there I didn't have any.

  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    I'm not kidding here; the state in which your billing address is in determines how useful the features of that webpage are.

    If your state doesn't force MS to allow you to discontinue auto renewal over the web it won't let you do it that way, plain and simple.

    3DS CODE: 3093-7068-3576
  • The WolfmanThe Wolfman Registered User regular
    The rules definitely are different depending on country or even state. I remember years ago seeing a deal on the dashboard for 1 month of Live for a buck. Came here asking y'all if you can cancel online now, and most people said "yup". So I jumped on it. One month later, I'm making the phone call because the "link" to change auto-renewal is not a fucking link if you're in Canada.

    There's no fucking standardization to this shit. Some people can remove their cards, other's can't. Some can change auto-renewal online, other's must call their hotline to cancel. It's the stupidest system in the world.

    "The sausage of Green Earth explodes with flavor like the cannon of culinary delight."
  • chocoboliciouschocobolicious Registered User regular
    It is, indeed, some kind of horrible clusterfuck.

    Maybe they'll upgrade their services next gen! With all that fancy new technology!

    steam_sig.png
  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    Honestly, until there's a legal standard on the federal level, this shit isn't ever going away.

  • AlgertmanAlgertman Registered User regular
    I'm not kidding here; the state in which your billing address is in determines how useful the features of that webpage are.

    If your state doesn't force MS to allow you to discontinue auto renewal over the web it won't let you do it that way, plain and simple.

    That is ridiculous. Has any gaming news site ever called them out on that?

  • UncleSporkyUncleSporky Registered User regular
    Epic Mickey 2: Power of Illusion for 3DS, confirmed to be a pseudo-sequel to Castle of Illusion on Genesis, 16-bitish graphics with parallax scrolling layers in 3D.

    3gptq.jpg

    Neat!

    Switch Friend Code: SW - 5443 - 2358 - 9118 || 3DS Friend Code: 0989 - 1731 - 9504 || NNID: unclesporky
  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    Algertman wrote: »
    I'm not kidding here; the state in which your billing address is in determines how useful the features of that webpage are.

    If your state doesn't force MS to allow you to discontinue auto renewal over the web it won't let you do it that way, plain and simple.

    That is ridiculous. Has any gaming news site ever called them out on that?

    It took until last year before they even standardized the ability to deactivate auto-renew.

  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    Too bad it isn't a sequel to the superior in every way Mickey line on the SNES.

    3DS CODE: 3093-7068-3576
  • maximumzeromaximumzero I...wait, what? New Orleans, LARegistered User regular
    Man, those look like Medievil Metools.

    Met.jpg

    FU7kFbw.png
    Switch: 6200-8149-0919 / Wii U: maximumzero / 3DS: 0860-3352-3335 / eBay Shop
  • UncleSporkyUncleSporky Registered User regular
    Too bad it isn't a sequel to the superior in every way Mickey line on the SNES.

    Put a quarter in the swear jar.
    I didn't have a SNES.
    But I don't wish I had one, Castle of Illusion was amazing.

    Switch Friend Code: SW - 5443 - 2358 - 9118 || 3DS Friend Code: 0989 - 1731 - 9504 || NNID: unclesporky
  • The WolfmanThe Wolfman Registered User regular
    Epic Mickey 2: Power of Illusion for 3DS, confirmed to be a pseudo-sequel to Castle of Illusion on Genesis, 16-bitish graphics with parallax scrolling layers in 3D.

    3gptq.jpg

    Neat!

    Fuck yeah! Scrooge McDuck!!!

    Oh... I guess there's also a mouse in the picture...?

    "The sausage of Green Earth explodes with flavor like the cannon of culinary delight."
  • chocoboliciouschocobolicious Registered User regular
    Too bad it isn't a sequel to the superior in every way Mickey line on the SNES.

    Superior if you have no taste for refined gaming, perhaps.

    The gauntlet has been thrown, sir!

    steam_sig.png
  • SwashbucklerXXSwashbucklerXX Swashbucklin' Canuck Registered User regular
    Algertman wrote: »
    I'm not kidding here; the state in which your billing address is in determines how useful the features of that webpage are.

    If your state doesn't force MS to allow you to discontinue auto renewal over the web it won't let you do it that way, plain and simple.

    That is ridiculous. Has any gaming news site ever called them out on that?

    Yep, many sites, many times. Microsoft just doesn't give any shits.

    Want to find me on a gaming service? I'm SwashbucklerXX everywhere.
  • BloodsheedBloodsheed Registered User regular
    Epic Mickey 2: Power of Illusion for 3DS, confirmed to be a pseudo-sequel to Castle of Illusion on Genesis, 16-bitish graphics with parallax scrolling layers in 3D.

    3gptq.jpg

    Neat!

    *squint* Smooth move, 3DS, you have finally found something I will buy you for.

    So much Castle of Illusion in my youth. So very much.

    Xbox Live, Steam, PSN: Eclibull
  • Warlock82Warlock82 Never pet a burning dog Registered User regular
    Epic Mickey 2: Power of Illusion for 3DS, confirmed to be a pseudo-sequel to Castle of Illusion on Genesis, 16-bitish graphics with parallax scrolling layers in 3D.

    3gptq.jpg

    Neat!

    I very much want to cut that image in half, keep the right half, and pretend it is another game :D

    Switch: 2143-7130-1359 | 3DS: 4983-4927-6699 | Steam: warlock82 | PSN: Warlock2282
  • UncleSporkyUncleSporky Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    I'm surprised how many people have fond memories of Castle of Illusion.

    I have that game super memorized. Sometimes I just break it out and play through it. I still have fond memories of completing the 3-level easy mode game when I was younger, then eventually the whole normal game. My parents even played it, and I was so proud the time my mom couldn't beat the candy dragon and I begged to give it a shot and I did it my first try, just from watching his patterns when she was playing.

    UncleSporky on
    Switch Friend Code: SW - 5443 - 2358 - 9118 || 3DS Friend Code: 0989 - 1731 - 9504 || NNID: unclesporky
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    ...man, now I feel like I missed something for never playing it.

    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • TommattTommatt Registered User regular
    Warlock82 wrote: »
    Epic Mickey 2: Power of Illusion for 3DS, confirmed to be a pseudo-sequel to Castle of Illusion on Genesis, 16-bitish graphics with parallax scrolling layers in 3D.

    3gptq.jpg

    Neat!

    I very much want to cut that image in half, keep the right half, and pretend it is another game :D

    Yeah that nes ducktales game was such An amazing platformer. I must have rented it enough in my youth to have outright bought it. One of my favorite nes games.

    And Mickey, much like alladin, was superior on the genesis. I think I will be picking this up for the 3ds.

  • fragglefartfragglefart Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Castle / Land / World of Illusion were all the best.

    Too bad I've bought an iPad instead of a 3DS, fingers crossed for a port! This is a very real reason to get a 3DS though.

    The SNES games were ruuubbishhhh, 16-Bit console wars go!

    fragglefart on
    fragglefart.jpg
  • maximumzeromaximumzero I...wait, what? New Orleans, LARegistered User regular
    Couscous wrote: »

    That's an awful way to look at a serious situation. If Sony can, at will, remove games from your download history, you Vita owners best be sure to buy retail only from now on if you want to make sure your money isn't just flushed down the toilet.

    FU7kFbw.png
    Switch: 6200-8149-0919 / Wii U: maximumzero / 3DS: 0860-3352-3335 / eBay Shop
  • CadeCade Eppur si muove.Registered User regular
    Ah Scrooge McDuck, the guy who got rich by kicking a bunch of people off their land and taking it over.

    Bet no one remembers that any more, but then in those days he lived up to the name of Scrooge.

    Also what's gaming journalism?

  • Linespider5Linespider5 ALL HAIL KING KILLMONGER Registered User regular
    Epic Mickey 2: Power of Illusion for 3DS, confirmed to be a pseudo-sequel to Castle of Illusion on Genesis, 16-bitish graphics with parallax scrolling layers in 3D.

    3gptq.jpg

    Neat!

    My god.

    I love those little...whatever-they-ares, in their knight helmets, facing propping up little battleaxes.

    Bless their anatomically improbable little hearts.

  • GnomeTankGnomeTank What the what? Portland, OregonRegistered User regular
    Couscous wrote: »

    That's an awful way to look at a serious situation. If Sony can, at will, remove games from your download history, you Vita owners best be sure to buy retail only from now on if you want to make sure your money isn't just flushed down the toilet.

    Valve can do this with Steam, and MS can do it with XBL. The reason this is big news is because it's Sony, and they have a track record. Like PSN being down for almost a month while Sony cleaned up their security mess.

    Sagroth wrote: »
    Oh c'mon FyreWulff, no one's gonna pay to visit Uranus.
    Steam: Brainling, XBL / PSN: GnomeTank, NintendoID: Brainling, FF14: Zillius Rosh SFV: Brainling
  • maximumzeromaximumzero I...wait, what? New Orleans, LARegistered User regular
    GnomeTank wrote: »
    Couscous wrote: »

    That's an awful way to look at a serious situation. If Sony can, at will, remove games from your download history, you Vita owners best be sure to buy retail only from now on if you want to make sure your money isn't just flushed down the toilet.

    Valve can do this with Steam, and MS can do it with XBL. The reason this is big news is because it's Sony, and they have a track record. Like PSN being down for almost a month while Sony cleaned up their security mess.

    Of course, but even when games are pulled from XBLA, if I've downloaded it in the past it's still available for me to download in my download history.

    Hell I could go and redownload that silly Yaris game if I wanted to even though it hasn't been on XBLA in a few years.

    FU7kFbw.png
    Switch: 6200-8149-0919 / Wii U: maximumzero / 3DS: 0860-3352-3335 / eBay Shop
  • GnomeTankGnomeTank What the what? Portland, OregonRegistered User regular
    GnomeTank wrote: »
    Couscous wrote: »

    That's an awful way to look at a serious situation. If Sony can, at will, remove games from your download history, you Vita owners best be sure to buy retail only from now on if you want to make sure your money isn't just flushed down the toilet.

    Valve can do this with Steam, and MS can do it with XBL. The reason this is big news is because it's Sony, and they have a track record. Like PSN being down for almost a month while Sony cleaned up their security mess.

    Of course, but even when games are pulled from XBLA, if I've downloaded it in the past it's still available for me to download in my download history.

    Hell I could go and redownload that silly Yaris game if I wanted to even though it hasn't been on XBLA in a few years.

    Honestly, it's probably a technical flaw in their system, rather than being a conspiracy by Sony to screw anyone. When they remove a game from the store, they also probably remove the "download link" (excuse the nomenclature) and thus the system can't find the game to download anymore. It's ham fisted, but that's Sony...they do everything ham fisted.

    Sagroth wrote: »
    Oh c'mon FyreWulff, no one's gonna pay to visit Uranus.
    Steam: Brainling, XBL / PSN: GnomeTank, NintendoID: Brainling, FF14: Zillius Rosh SFV: Brainling
  • finalbroadcastfinalbroadcast WisconsinRegistered User regular
    GnomeTank wrote: »
    Couscous wrote: »

    That's an awful way to look at a serious situation. If Sony can, at will, remove games from your download history, you Vita owners best be sure to buy retail only from now on if you want to make sure your money isn't just flushed down the toilet.

    Valve can do this with Steam, and MS can do it with XBL. The reason this is big news is because it's Sony, and they have a track record. Like PSN being down for almost a month while Sony cleaned up their security mess.

    This isn't really an indicator of anything with Sony, other than the fact that Sony and hacking are pretty wild traffic generators. This is a bigger problem with online journalism in general, as many sites don't care about quality or veracity, they simply care about big traffic generators. This is why Apple has become one of the most over-covered companies in tech, and often by sites that are barely followed by Apple fans. Beyond the niche publications and sites that cater to the long time Mac community, there are big blogs that court the huge wash of traffic that can come from a Photoshopped iPhone "prototypes." In gaming it's the same, but the news cycle is harder to game, but Sony making a bad PR move is about as close as you can get.

    finalbroadcast.jpg
  • AutomaticzenAutomaticzen Registered User regular
    Epic Mickey 2: Power of Illusion for 3DS, confirmed to be a pseudo-sequel to Castle of Illusion on Genesis, 16-bitish graphics with parallax scrolling layers in 3D.

    3gptq.jpg

    Neat!

    Magical Quest was superior to Castle of Illusion, but still. HNGGGGGGGGGGG.
    Couscous wrote: »

    That's the new guy they got from the movie side of things. Sad.

    http://www.usgamer.net/
    http://www.gamesindustry.biz/
    I write about video games and stuff. It is fun. Sometimes.
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    GnomeTank wrote: »
    GnomeTank wrote: »
    Couscous wrote: »

    That's an awful way to look at a serious situation. If Sony can, at will, remove games from your download history, you Vita owners best be sure to buy retail only from now on if you want to make sure your money isn't just flushed down the toilet.

    Valve can do this with Steam, and MS can do it with XBL. The reason this is big news is because it's Sony, and they have a track record. Like PSN being down for almost a month while Sony cleaned up their security mess.

    Of course, but even when games are pulled from XBLA, if I've downloaded it in the past it's still available for me to download in my download history.

    Hell I could go and redownload that silly Yaris game if I wanted to even though it hasn't been on XBLA in a few years.

    Honestly, it's probably a technical flaw in their system, rather than being a conspiracy by Sony to screw anyone. When they remove a game from the store, they also probably remove the "download link" (excuse the nomenclature) and thus the system can't find the game to download anymore. It's ham fisted, but that's Sony...they do everything ham fisted.

    Actually, I think that's a good question to ask. When games have vanished in the past from PSN, do they also vanish from the download history? Or is this new? I could see Sony going out of their way in this case since they have a long history of being ham-handed when dealing with piracy, but this could also be a standard operating procedure that's just kinda goofy (which is also something Sony has a history of doing).

    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • override367override367 ALL minions Registered User regular
    I want a modern version of chip & dale's rescue rangers

  • chocoboliciouschocobolicious Registered User regular
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    GnomeTank wrote: »
    GnomeTank wrote: »
    Couscous wrote: »

    That's an awful way to look at a serious situation. If Sony can, at will, remove games from your download history, you Vita owners best be sure to buy retail only from now on if you want to make sure your money isn't just flushed down the toilet.

    Valve can do this with Steam, and MS can do it with XBL. The reason this is big news is because it's Sony, and they have a track record. Like PSN being down for almost a month while Sony cleaned up their security mess.

    Of course, but even when games are pulled from XBLA, if I've downloaded it in the past it's still available for me to download in my download history.

    Hell I could go and redownload that silly Yaris game if I wanted to even though it hasn't been on XBLA in a few years.

    Honestly, it's probably a technical flaw in their system, rather than being a conspiracy by Sony to screw anyone. When they remove a game from the store, they also probably remove the "download link" (excuse the nomenclature) and thus the system can't find the game to download anymore. It's ham fisted, but that's Sony...they do everything ham fisted.

    Actually, I think that's a good question to ask. When games have vanished in the past from PSN, do they also vanish from the download history? Or is this new? I could see Sony going out of their way in this case since they have a long history of being ham-handed when dealing with piracy, but this could also be a standard operating procedure that's just kinda goofy (which is also something Sony has a history of doing).

    People seem to have not read the article, or followed up on it at all, and just feel like being OUTRAGED. ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGED with little to no factual reason. You know, business as usual. Sony will reinstate the games when they've fixed them. They've done this multiple times before with other games as people found exploits for them. This is nothing new. People just love to feel like they've somehow been wronged. I think it's a human condition that makes people want to pity themselves and their situations.

    Regardless, the game isn't gone for good. When they pull it literally forever, you get a refund (Admittedly only in wallet bling.), when they pull a game temporarily to patch/fix it, then yes, you can't reacquire it til it's been returned to the storefront proper like. (Surprisingly, to stop people from sharing it. since it's only done for exploits. Horrible of them, I know.)

    Arctic Edge was actually used in an exploit previously, so I'm surprised it was vita compatible at all honestly. Even if its just PSP access, though, Sony has to hardline against stuff like this to avoid losing any more publisher goodwill after the previous PSP fuck ups.

    steam_sig.png
  • TheSonicRetardTheSonicRetard Registered User regular
    Epic Mickey 2: Power of Illusion for 3DS, confirmed to be a pseudo-sequel to Castle of Illusion on Genesis, 16-bitish graphics with parallax scrolling layers in 3D.

    3gptq.jpg

    Neat!

    I hated epic mickey

    buying this DAY. FUCKING. ONE.

  • maximumzeromaximumzero I...wait, what? New Orleans, LARegistered User regular
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    GnomeTank wrote: »
    GnomeTank wrote: »
    Couscous wrote: »

    That's an awful way to look at a serious situation. If Sony can, at will, remove games from your download history, you Vita owners best be sure to buy retail only from now on if you want to make sure your money isn't just flushed down the toilet.

    Valve can do this with Steam, and MS can do it with XBL. The reason this is big news is because it's Sony, and they have a track record. Like PSN being down for almost a month while Sony cleaned up their security mess.

    Of course, but even when games are pulled from XBLA, if I've downloaded it in the past it's still available for me to download in my download history.

    Hell I could go and redownload that silly Yaris game if I wanted to even though it hasn't been on XBLA in a few years.

    Honestly, it's probably a technical flaw in their system, rather than being a conspiracy by Sony to screw anyone. When they remove a game from the store, they also probably remove the "download link" (excuse the nomenclature) and thus the system can't find the game to download anymore. It's ham fisted, but that's Sony...they do everything ham fisted.

    Actually, I think that's a good question to ask. When games have vanished in the past from PSN, do they also vanish from the download history? Or is this new? I could see Sony going out of their way in this case since they have a long history of being ham-handed when dealing with piracy, but this could also be a standard operating procedure that's just kinda goofy (which is also something Sony has a history of doing).

    People seem to have not read the article, or followed up on it at all, and just feel like being OUTRAGED. ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGED with little to no factual reason. You know, business as usual. Sony will reinstate the games when they've fixed them. They've done this multiple times before with other games as people found exploits for them. This is nothing new. People just love to feel like they've somehow been wronged. I think it's a human condition that makes people want to pity themselves and their situations.

    Regardless, the game isn't gone for good. When they pull it literally forever, you get a refund (Admittedly only in wallet bling.), when they pull a game temporarily to patch/fix it, then yes, you can't reacquire it til it's been returned to the storefront proper like. (Surprisingly, to stop people from sharing it. since it's only done for exploits. Horrible of them, I know.)

    Arctic Edge was actually used in an exploit previously, so I'm surprised it was vita compatible at all honestly. Even if its just PSP access, though, Sony has to hardline against stuff like this to avoid losing any more publisher goodwill after the previous PSP fuck ups.

    Well here's hoping that Hot Shots Tennis reappears...I really wanted to buy the Dual Pack.

    6540710395_51930a5e0f.jpg

    I'd just buy the UMD set if it wasn't for the fact that I haven't touched my 3000 in ages.

    FU7kFbw.png
    Switch: 6200-8149-0919 / Wii U: maximumzero / 3DS: 0860-3352-3335 / eBay Shop
  • wirehead26wirehead26 Registered User regular
    Yeah Epic Mikey 2 looks great. Plus it doesn't have all the hype surrounding it like the first game.

    I'M NOT FINISHED WITH YOU!!!
  • TheSonicRetardTheSonicRetard Registered User regular
    I'm surprised how many people have fond memories of Castle of Illusion.

    I have that game super memorized. Sometimes I just break it out and play through it. I still have fond memories of completing the 3-level easy mode game when I was younger, then eventually the whole normal game. My parents even played it, and I was so proud the time my mom couldn't beat the candy dragon and I begged to give it a shot and I did it my first try, just from watching his patterns when she was playing.

    It was one of Sega's biggest pre-Sonic games. They pushed that bitch hard.

    I much, much prefer the 8-bit Castle of Illusion over the 16-bit one, though.

  • UncleSporkyUncleSporky Registered User regular
    Brian Fargo on developers vs. publishers. Really interesting...
    MF: How many publishers did you pitch Wasteland 2 to before going the Kickstarter route?

    BF: Every major one. I was turned down by everybody.

    MF: What kind of reactions did they give you? I’m assuming that the first pitch video, which was unbelievably funny, wasn’t so far off the mark.

    BF: Every single one of those things in that pitch video happened. The only thing that I elaborated on was the Farmville request, because that was done via Facebook, rather than on the phone. But it’s true. I would be waiting for people to call me back to give me a response, and they would send me Farmville requests all day long, but they couldn’t return a phone call. It was beautiful. I would go into meetings and say, “Look, guys. I know you have probably never heard of Wasteland.” I made the assumption that they didn’t know. I explained, “Before there was a Fallout, there was a Wasteland. I tried to make a sequel all these years, couldn’t do it, so I made Fallout instead. Now, I’ve got the guy who co-wrote Fallout and the guy who co-wrote Wasteland, I’m the producer of both so, Wasteland 2!” It was like there was no reaction in the room.

    There was one guy who couldn’t stop texting in the middle of the meeting and I’m sitting there with Jason Anderson (game artist and designer that worked on Fallout and Fallout 2) and I was outraged. Other times they would send in these junior guys that were maybe 19 years old, never had heard of Interplay, hadn’t heard of anything. Then there were people who I’d get a room, they would jump up and down, act excited and three weeks later would tell me they were going in another direction. I would ask why they passed, so I wouldn’t bring them the same kind of project again, but they could never tell me why they passed. I really, honest to god, put the file away. Two weeks before Kickstarter I said, “I give. I don’t know what to do.” And, then, Kickstarter happened. I was the keynote at GDC Shanghai last year. It was just about roleplaying games, specifically a lot about Bard’s Tale and Wasteland. I had just given the speech talking about how we never get to do those games anymore.
    BF: There is more tension than you can believe. You would not believe the stories you hear about how developers are treated by publishers these days. It is abysmal.

    MF: Why don’t we hear more about it…?

    BF: Because they are afraid to talk, because they’ll never get another contract if they do. That’s why. You cannot believe… it’s awful. It’s really bad. You should try to dig in and get some stories out there. Look at the most recent one with those poor guys at Obsidian. They did Fallout: New Vegas, the ship date got moved up and, who does the QA on a project? The publisher is always in charge of QA. When a project goes out buggy, it’s not the developer. The developer never says, “I refuse to fix the bug,” or, “I don’t know how.” They never do that. It’s the publisher that does the QA, so if a product goes out buggy, it’s not the developer’s fault. So, (Fallout: New Vegas) goes out buggy and they didn’t do the QA, their ship date got moved up and they missed their metacritic rating by one point. Did they get a bonus? No. Do you think that’s fair? I tried to get some of my publisher friends, who I used to make a lot of money for, to donate. Do you think they donated? No. Their employees did.
    MF: Does working with the publisher inflate the budget?

    BF: In my experience, yes.

    MF: About how much?

    BF: At least 25%. In some cases, 35%, because sometimes they insist on taking over functions like doing all the casting and audio recording, where they would spend way more than what we would, if it was our money. I mean, it is our money, because it’s advances, but they insist on taking it over. They can trump the cost up. When we did all of our directing, for all of our games, every project I had ever done, including Bard’s Tale with Cary Elwes, we directed the talent. We knew the material, so we could give them the context for each line. Well, the publishers would allow us to visit the studio, but we weren’t allowed to speak directly with the people doing the recording. They send some very expensive voice director in, and he directs them. We don’t even get to handle it. So, if the audio doesn’t come out quite right, the developer gets the negative mark, yet they aren’t the ones who get to be in charge of it. They aren’t allowed to. They aren’t allowed in the room.

    MF: I think that there is this misconception among gamers that developers handle quality assurance and always have control over things like voice acting.

    BF: If a product ships with bugs, somebody knew about them. So, if they aren’t getting fixed, I don’t think it’s because a developer refused to fix them. From my last project, I wasn’t allowed to do the cinematics. And what’s the first thing you see?

    MF: The opening movie.

    BF: Right… and I didn’t get to do it.
    There is so much that the publishers do that the developers get negatively affected by. As a developer, it’s frustrating. The developers don’t want to say anything because they know if they did the publishers aren’t going to want to do business with them. I think there is a direct correlation between the developers that have the power to kick (publishers) out of their office. Blizzard doesn’t have to put up with that. Epic doesn’t have to put up with that. Why do their products keep coming out one good one after another? Because they don’t have to listen to that.

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