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This means they´re in pre-production. They write up the design documents, decide the art style, etc. Normal, nothing to get upset about. That´s what they have to do if they´ve decided to go the mentioned road for the content patch.
I know all that . I am/was not upset about them being in pre-production of Gothic IV. If they want to, then they can go right ahead and pre-produce the Gothics all the way up to no. XXIV right now. No problem with me. But what is a problem to me is to sell that purely conceptual work as work on the patch. And I'm by far not the only one who feels cheated. Just look at the JoWood and WoG forums.
Here is your indication: PB has a couple of coders on their payroll. Choose one: (a) The coders sit in the office, eat pizza, drink coke and smoke like a chimney. (b) The coders sit in the office, code somethin, eat pizza, drink coke and smoke like a chimney.
Haha, even though that was funny, we don't even know if they have any coders on their payroll anymore at all. For all we know, it could be that PB is currently only employing Mr. Rüve, Mr. Rosenkranz, Mr. Marcinzik, Mr. Hoge and that one intern whose real name no one knows (he posted as "Orkze" on WoG). Of course, it is quite likely that there are more people left on their team but as I said before, I am now more cautious and trying to only go by what is actually known.
You´re exaggerating. It was a lie.
YIIIIIPPPPPPIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEE! ... so you finally do admit that it was a lie. That's all I ever wanted *g*.
Their announcement (GB patch) they thought very clever exploded under their feet when JoWooDs´ strategy change became clear.
That's a possibility but I think we need to remember that JoWood's strategy change was not a new thing at the time or a surprise at all. JoWood already mentioned plans to bring Gothic to consoles in December 2005. I know that I was at one point in this past week speculating about a connection between the divorce and JoWood's console strategy myself but I'm fairly sure now that there is no direct link between the two at all. It's probably much more simple like really just a question of funding or JoWood wanting more (creative) control to avoid a second G3 disaster in the future or something other really basic.
What´s the big problem? Let me guess, you never lie?
Oh, I do, but I kind of try to avoid lying in public to over 500,000 people if/when I do it. I have no problem with Kai Rosenkranz lying to his girlfriend because he's fucking his neighbor's wife but I do have a problem if/when he lies straight to my face about a fucked up product that I bought from his fucked up company .
Not much speculation. Ralf wrote in his Q&A thread that they now have clearly better tools then they had during the G3 development.
Yes but those could be GameBryo tools or any other licensed engine. Or it could also be another lie. Or tools how they currently imagine them "in their heads", not actual tools as in existing software that you can actually work with. We do not really know that. Anything is possible with these guys as long as there is no ban on swamp weed.
BTW, I actually made a post in that thread myself and asked whether he meant their own tools or licensed ones. Unfortunately, this was shortly before the PB/JW divorce became official and so I never got an answer because the WoG mods/admins closed the thread to avoid it from getting bombed with questions about the divorce.
It´s not illogical because it´s cost effective and it repairs the Gothic brand. Was it wrong? Probably, but everybody can make mistakes. A small patch and tweaked balancing on combat would have been a better decision.
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And damaged the brand.
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As I said, I think it would have damaged the brand just as much (or more) if PB would have kept us waiting for a patch until -what?- late 2008, early 2009? The next project would not have been finished any sooner than that.
I strongly believe that it would have made more sense to just wrap up Gothic III for good with a tech patch and then to just let it rest to be totally free of any old burden for the next game.
But -yeah- that's just my personal opinion and I guess there is no real "right" or "wrong" answer in this context. The most damage to the brand was done by releasing Gothic III unfinished. Anything else is unknown since we can't predict the future. However, since people tend to forget bad things rather quickly, I think it would have made sense to close the Gothic III chapter with one more hotfix and then to move on to Gothic IV with a definite promise to do a better job next time.
Mrs Berger is actually very nice. I´ve met her at the sound track event.
The PRs are chaotic even for JoWooDs´ standards. Their behaviour smells like panic to me.
Hey, I don't doubt that she's pretty nice and she even looks half decent, too . But I don't trust in her abilities very much. Do you remember this one Gothic III promotional video that she moderated? It definitely had great.. entertainment value. Informational value? Ummm... not so much .
You're right though that JoWood didn't exactly leave the impression as if they were overly well prepared to issue an official statement about the divorce. I hope we'll find out more in a few days (mid June, I think) when the JoWood annual shareholder meeting will be held. Someone from the press or an investor just must inquire about the reasons behind the separation.
JoWood CMs Ivan Ertlov or Glockenbeat (forgot who) has also hinted at the fact today that JoWood is preparing another statement on the whole subject. Let's hope it's coming soon to shed some more light on the whole thing.
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