Saturday, Nov 7, 2009
Gotta question for you all. I am trying to define the western computer rpg in my head by companies that currently (or used) make them. The obvious starters are
Interplay
Bioware
Bethesda
SSI
Mindcraft
The last one might really test your crpg chops. Anyhow, I want to extend the list. Got suggestions? Remember, western crpgs. No Square Enix.
Edit: adding and manipulating the list a little
Interplay -> Interplay/Black Isle (by suggestion of Frame_Dragger)
Blizzard (courtesy of polsci1503)
Obsidian (courtesy of AlmightyMax, interesting because their business is almost entirely based on Interplay's and Bethesda's products)
Wizards of the Coast (as much as I hate mentioning them)
Origin (courtesy of luc11044)
Comments
Page
1
« prev
|
next »
Posted Nov 7, 2009 5:26 am PT
Blizzard
Posted Nov 7, 2009 11:04 am PT
Sadly I can't think of any others (other than sierra for the QfG series and blizzard for Diablo)
@frame_dragger: that last line is awful. Funny, but awful.
@frame_dragger: that last line is awful. Funny, but awful.
Posted Nov 7, 2009 11:33 am PT
Obsidian, I think?
Posted Nov 7, 2009 12:43 pm PT
Are we talking *solely* rpg studios? Activision had a few PC rpg's in the late 90's and early 2000's before they branched out into consoles again.
Wizards of the Coast produced a few clunkers, which is ironic considering they own the D&D franchise from which many of these crpg's come from.
Wizards of the Coast produced a few clunkers, which is ironic considering they own the D&D franchise from which many of these crpg's come from.
Posted Nov 7, 2009 1:07 pm PT
@Samson089: 
hehehe....
@mprezzy: I remember when people thought WotC would revitalize D&D... not exactly. How do you mess up such a venerable franchise anyway? I still don't get that.
hehehe....@mprezzy: I remember when people thought WotC would revitalize D&D... not exactly. How do you mess up such a venerable franchise anyway? I still don't get that.
Posted Nov 7, 2009 1:10 pm PT
NCSoft / Origin - big fan of Richard Garriott RPGs. He was born in England but raised in Texas. One of the founding fathers of one of the biggest RPG franchises: Ultima.
Posted Nov 7, 2009 5:43 pm PT
I like Septerra Core that much. 
Posted Nov 7, 2009 6:57 pm PT
@luc11044, how could I forget Origin?
@mprezzy, I probably wouldn't put Activision same as I wouldn't put EA. Yes they made rpgs, but they don't really give it all that much attention.
@Frame_Dragger, there were definite rpgs in the 90s. For instance, the Ultima series.
@Foolz3h, while Septerra Core is made by a western company, I would count it's style as jrpg.
@mprezzy, I probably wouldn't put Activision same as I wouldn't put EA. Yes they made rpgs, but they don't really give it all that much attention.
@Frame_Dragger, there were definite rpgs in the 90s. For instance, the Ultima series.
@Foolz3h, while Septerra Core is made by a western company, I would count it's style as jrpg.
Posted Nov 8, 2009 2:06 am PT
@Frame Dragger: WotC has messed up just about everything they've put their hands on. I miss MtG, but it's not the game I used to love.
Posted Nov 8, 2009 1:52 pm PT
@mprezzy: Yeah, I really loved Magic. I remember a friend who had (has actually) an original Black Lotus. We thought he was a god. 
Too bad they couldn't get lightning to strike twice...
@grigjd3: They did Ultima, I can't believe I forgot. I remember verbatim, the opening to Ultima VIII (I love the hand) and many previous Ultimas, and yet I never really associated the two, the way I did DoTT or Indiana Jones.
Too bad they couldn't get lightning to strike twice...@grigjd3: They did Ultima, I can't believe I forgot. I remember verbatim, the opening to Ultima VIII (I love the hand) and many previous Ultimas, and yet I never really associated the two, the way I did DoTT or Indiana Jones.
Posted Nov 9, 2009 3:32 am PT
@mprezzy and Frame_Dragger, WotC made an active choice to have their games appeal directly to younger teenagers. Thus they can get away with all the munchkinism. They're really not catering to older gamers.
Posted Nov 9, 2009 3:36 am PT
I think you've named all those I can remember. My first computer RPG memories are on the old SSI Gold Box D&D games.
Oh wait... as I typed that, I remembered Wizardry. Who made that? Um... Sir Tech! That's it. My very first CRPG was Wizardry (the first one) on an IBM PC Jr. with two 5.25 disk drives and NO hard drive. :-)
Oh wait... as I typed that, I remembered Wizardry. Who made that? Um... Sir Tech! That's it. My very first CRPG was Wizardry (the first one) on an IBM PC Jr. with two 5.25 disk drives and NO hard drive. :-)
Posted Nov 9, 2009 7:25 am PT
@grigjd3: That's certainly the case now, but I remember when WotC tried to do something with existing franchises once Magic took off. They didn't do very well... . Beyond that, I think they realized that what they're good at, is a particular card game (a really fun one, once upon a time in my life, and mprezzy's it seems) and investments. It's a shame that they couldn't broaden their reach.
. Beyond that, I think they realized that what they're good at, is a particular card game (a really fun one, once upon a time in my life, and mprezzy's it seems) and investments. It's a shame that they couldn't broaden their reach.
Posted Nov 10, 2009 4:35 am PT
What about SnowBlind Studios? They did Everquest and Champions of Norrath.
Posted Nov 10, 2009 6:47 pm PT
Page
1
« prev
|
next »
Friends
My Friends
Frame_Dragger
Oh, and FFVII by Square Enix. Pure western sensibility. As western as a 40 year old salaryman reading a pornographic comic starring girls younger than his daughters.