Chris Taylor's opinions on PA

From the Wildman interview on rock-paper-shotgun

I'm not surprised that CT don't appreciate this project (or it would have been a GPG one instead of a Uber one), it will be fun to see his reactions if PA turn out to be a success.
Anyway, I think it is not the right time to say these things, GPG will certainly lose some potential backers for Wildman because of this interview.

Well now you have to define success.

That makes me think we won't be seeing Kings & Castles anytime soon...

Frankly, I doubt those are his 100% thoughts, CT is smart enough to turn a question like that around the way he did.

Mike

That's a little harsh. It´s not like he is saying that the game will be s*it. He only said that he doesn't consider it to be a good idea to have multiple battlefronts on multiple planets. And frankly, I'm on the fence about this. The game may indeed become too complicated because of this and then it will be fun only to a handful of people.

Btw, still waiting for Kings and Castles Chris. Where is it ?

bleh on CT for his thoughts & wildman in particular...PA's funding goal was far exceeded which clearly reflects what RTS gamers want, PA...Sure its a big risk but if they do it right this is def the next step in RTS gaming! Sorry CT we do not want consolized, simple, starcraft style RTS games (Sup2)..

We need revolution in RTS's, PA is a next step in this genre. Maybe it will be complicated, but somebody needs to do this.

Now all we need is for Neutrino to do a Jay Wilson moment... Kidding ;-)

I agree with CT that the concept of multiple battlefields can potentially take things too far, especially if those battlefields are spherical. However, it's a bold concept for an RTS, and with a proper UI, most of the issues involved can potentially be overcome. Uber convinced me they could do that, which is why I supported PA.

But what does kind of disappoint me is CT's philosophy seems to have become one of making a game for the "largest" number of people, which is not an independent mindset, but rather one of a publisher. This is the whole point of these videogame kickstarter campaigns, to ditch the publisher and make a game that the developers are interested in making.

In fact, that's what 90% of the recent indie game movement is all about. Do you think games like Braid, Frozen Synapse, or Legend of Grimrock appeal to a large number of the gaming population? Heck, FTL is a fantastic example of a kickstarter success, and I certainly can't imagine that game being made for the general public.

Chris admitted himself in one of these Wildman interviews that back in the golden days of PC game development, you could just throw out a crazy idea and a publisher would say "Sure! Why not?" whereas nowadays you have to show that your game can make them the money they want.

Well, here's your chance to throw out a crazy idea to a bunch of people that would totally get interested in it, but instead you're thinking about appeasing a larger audience?

Perhaps I'm just reading too far into this, but that's the mentality I'm seeing in his answer.

If old CT = TA and new CT = AOE:Online... Well, I know which one I prefer.

I think he is just trying to promote his game. Nothing personal.

An interesting way of looking at what he said. I agree with you.

I also share some of the concerns about the spherical play. It'll be extremely complex to assume a turtler's mindset when the enemy has a 6DOF chance to come from any direction possible. Never you mind the fact that if your base is on the left hemisphere, some guy can collide a meteor on the right some of the hemisphere so you'll be forced to put your defences out everywhere or something?

Anyway, we'll see

you know, aoe online was actually made by robot entertainment, but gas powered games overtook the maintaining and content updates. Robot entertainment, made aoe 3, orc must die 1-2 and hero academy.

I agree, actually the whole kickstarter text, the pitch video.. it reminds me like assassin creed is getting showed, so.. not really open not really "like other people, who want create their dream"

Chris Taylor does have a point and it's something I've wondered about too. Effectively PA, with its multiple planets, would be equivalent to playing several separate but linked games of TA / SupCom at the same time. I'd think that it'll take a lot of improvements in RTS UI and controls to avoid information overload when a match reaches the endgame.

(Make no mistake, I'm absolutely dying to try it out though.)

Very cool topic. I think Chris Taylor can not be overlooked or taken lightly on this matter after all the best RTS is SC/FA. I would take from this that he is protecting his own game and trying to make it have a Wow! Factor. That said the idea of SC when 1st announced I was blown away and the demo was so cool and had me wondering how 1 would cope. But I think like any new game it is all about the learning curve. I may not be the best at FA but I do sometimes think years later that is that it I want more. More guns, more tanks, lazers, bigger maps bigger bigger more more. Step in PA 2 3 4 5+ maps bases army's planets all at the same time you will cope and in the future we will still want more.

CT wasn't the only one involved in SupCom, so were many of the Core Uber staff, Neutrino himself even worked on TA back in the 90s.

Mike

I find it somehow always very odd when people are talking about CTs opinion. Of course, he has stamped the great RTS games out of the ground. But this game will be developed without him. And it also seems to be that he would not say his opinion. And whether he likes it or not does not change that the game will be developed. And it will also not change the fact that it will end up being good or bad.

True, but Mavor himself admitted he wondered what CT would think about PA. So why not us right? It's not that odd.

If Apple sues other companies for rounded edges, its only natural to wonder how CT feels if not prudent.

Yes, your right. I find it a bit tiring to speculate whether CT likes the game (and suppurts it) or not. In my eyes he seems a little pissed off, but tried not to shout it from the bell.
On the other hand, I can understand that he has no desire to answer questions for a game he is not involved.

You know I worked with Jay at Cavedog back in the day, right?