Strange to think what might have been...

devtracker · July 2013

Many who have been around a while know this game was originally being developed as an Marvel Universe Online MMO. It was also being developed to be a cross platform game that could be played on PC or console. Its strange to think just how popular this game could have been if it had the name recognition of Marvel and a cross platform audience 0.o

flamingbunnyman · July 2013

The Marvel deal was cancelled VERY early in the development stages. As far as I know, they had the beginning work on the gameplay engine, and that's about it.

For all we know, it's character customization could have ended up being what's in Marvel Heroes: Choose a hero, and pick one of their costumes.

The game may have been more widespread with Marvel backing it, but it might be a totally different game under those circumstances, too.

devtracker · July 2013

flamingbunnyman wrote: »

The Marvel deal was cancelled VERY early in the development stages. As far as I know, they had the beginning work on the gameplay engine, and that's about it.

For all we know, it's character customization could have ended up being what's in Marvel Heroes: Choose a hero, and pick one of their costumes.

The game may have been more widespread with Marvel backing it, but it might be a totally different game under those circumstances, too.

Not saying you are wrong, because that certainly *could* have happened. But I doubt it. I think it would have been like DCU in the fact that you create your own hero, then interract with the "famous" characters much like you already do in this game with the Champions.

flyingfinn · July 2013

Enjoy the video.....
http://www.gamespot.com/marvel-universe-online/videos/marvel-universe-online-working-title-official-trailer-1-6158926/

akirasanbeer · July 2013

I doubt that the customization would be butchered, but we probably wouldn't be in the sorry state that we're in now.

smoochan · July 2013

devtracker wrote: »

Many who have been around a while know this game was originally being developed as an Marvel Universe Online MMO. It was also being developed to be a cross platform game that could be played on PC or console. Its strange to think just how popular this game could have been if it had the name recognition of Marvel and a cross platform audience 0.o

You know, I was actually thinking about this yesterday while sitting on the toilet. I think all that falling through may have been the major blow that felled CO before it ever had a chance to stand up.

supersharks · July 2013

Hasn't marvel always had that irrational 'you can't make your own heroes you have to use ours' thing? I have no interest in being Spiderman#376104. I can't imagine it being a success beyond what this game already is.

nextnametaken · July 2013

If Marvel allowed customization they would own the characters you create.
If you then tried to profit from those characters they would be obligated to
take you to court to stop you or to collect damages.
This could cause bad publicity and could also be a big snowball of lawsuits
too big for their time and budget to make life pleasant for their stockholders.

Not sure Cryptic would try too hard because they don't really have product that is going to turn into a multi million dollar movie. Clone of a Clone of a Clone of Offical Spider-Man costumes could take off in independent hands.

"Defender, Champion of Detroit"? hahah.
Unless he obliterates the city in the first scene with a radiation free flower
fertilizing new home building employment fostering blast, that ain't gonna happen.

Cryptic doesn't have so much to worry about, their reach is tiny.
The odds of someone infringing on their IP for profit are astronomical.

slumpywpg · July 2013

nextnametaken wrote: »

If Marvel allowed customization they would own the characters you create.

What makes you say this? is it in the CO ToS or something?

psi2 · July 2013

nextnametaken wrote: »

If Marvel allowed customization they would own the characters you create.
If you then tried to profit from those characters they would be obligated to
take you to court to stop you or to collect damages.
.

There is technically a clause in several, if not most, MMOs that use this.

Even City of Heroes had it.

It's to cover their bacon in case something very strange happens, but the likelihood that they would actually use it is very low. You could even protest and fight for the ownership of the character, but the fact that it exists within their game does technically make the character their property and they tend to have Terms of Service that support this for that very reason.

jonsills · July 2013

slumpywpg wrote: »

What makes you say this? is it in the CO ToS or something?

More in the history of Marvel. Including the part where they sued a former artist on Ghost Rider for selling pictures of ol' skullhead with his own autograph on them. (Oh, and claiming he originated the character, which is only about half-true - but the man was ill, and broke; you'd think they could cut him some slack on this one...)

blumoon8 · July 2013

jonsills wrote: »

More in the history of Marvel. Including the part where they sued a former artist on Ghost Rider for selling pictures of ol' skullhead with his own autograph on them. (Oh, and claiming he originated the character, which is only about half-true - but the man was ill, and broke; you'd think they could cut him some slack on this one...)

I think they also actually put a gag order on him so he couldn't never even admit that he had anything to do with it or else face unsavory consequences. He also had to pay back all that money he made. That's only if I remember right. Marvel loves to play the corporate game and they play it well. The bunch of dirtmuffins.

cybersoldier1981 · July 2013

Well, if it had this degree of customization, and I didn't have to play fifth fiddle to other established characters- "Oh, gee, thanks IRON MAN for saving me on this adventure. I'm so feeble and puny, I can't finish mission without real man coming to save me. Suckle my manteats and remind me again that I can never be a hero of significance because I'm not a canon character."

snoggymack22 · July 2013

flamingbunnyman wrote: »

The Marvel deal was cancelled VERY early in the development stages. As far as I know, they had the beginning work on the gameplay engine, and that's about it.

Project Greenskin disagrees with you.

HULK, coughcough, er I mean GROND smash!

lokikin · July 2013

snoggymack22 wrote: »

Project Greenskin disagrees with you.

HULK, coughcough, er I mean GROND smash!

Grond was created for the Champions pnp back in 1982. And Grond is a big deal in the Champions universe, so his inclusion was a no brainer...

Yes, he's a Hulk rip-off, but it had zero to do with the Cryptic/Marvel deal...

akirasanbeer · July 2013

More like Hulk meets Goro/Sheeva

biffsmackwell · July 2013

lokikin wrote: »

Grond was created for the Champions pnp back in 1982. And Grond is a big deal in the Champions universe, so his inclusion was a no brainer...

Yes, he's a Hulk rip-off, but it had zero to do with the Cryptic/Marvel deal...

Was Project Greenskin in the PnP game?

I ask because at one point in the original Hulk comics, the Hulkbusters were stationed at a place in the desert called Project Greenskin. It looked like a giant peace sign. :rolleyes:

snoggymack22 · July 2013

lokikin wrote: »

Grond was created for the Champions pnp back in 1982. And Grond is a big deal in the Champions universe, so his inclusion was a no brainer...

Yes, he's a Hulk rip-off, but it had zero to do with the Cryptic/Marvel deal...

I know that. What I'm stating is that the Champions Online content for Project Greenskin is a bit too much of The Hulk for me to believe it wasn't in the works while MUO was being created.

What I'm getting at is, the basic framework of NEW YORK (aka the Avengers and Spider-Man and Daredevil), THE DESERT (the Hulk) and ALPHA FLIGHT (along with a whole host of X-Men tie-ins) seems like the basic plan of the world design.

Or did you not think Michael Twoyoungmen was incapable of delivering the Astral Ravenspeaker speech?

gamehobo · July 2013

If the Marvel license was going to be handled as poorly as the Champions IP they were right to pull out when they did (tho that wasn't the reason given).

Cryptic Studios has been crawling since forever. Sold to the only bidder twice and given chance after chance to make itself worth something.

as a former share-holder I am very dissappointed that they never shared their player population publiclly. By being "cryptic" to their increasingly shady business practices and waning customer base they have escaped closure very narrowly twice. I sincerely doubt PWE can do any better than the other companies who've tried, which is why they DON'T try.

nextnametaken · July 2013

slumpywpg wrote: »

What makes you say this? is it in the CO ToS or something?

Approach the bench I don't want to have the throw the book at you.

5. Proprietary Rights

PWE is the owner of the Website, the Games, the Software and the Service, which are protected by US and international law including copyright laws. All rights and title in and to the Website, the Game, the Software and the Service, all features and content thereof (including without limitation any user accounts, titles, computer code, files, game software, client and server software, tools, patches, updates, themes, objects, characters, character names, stories, storylines, objects, content, text, dialogue, catch phrases, themes, locations, concepts, artwork, designs, graphics, pictures, video, animation, sounds, music, musical, compositions, sound recordings, audio-visual effects, information, data, documentation, , "applets", chat transcripts, character profile information, game play, and recordings ) and the selection and arrangement thereof (collectively the "Proprietary Materials") are the proprietary property of PWE or its licensors and are protected by U.S. and international copyright and other proprietary rights laws. In the event that you make any modifications, adaptations or derivative works of any kind to the Proprietary Materials (the "Modifications"), whether authorized or unauthorized, you understand and agree that you shall retain no rights of any kind in and to such Modifications and that all rights therein shall belong solely to PWE. You hereby assign and transfer to PWE, without any compensation, any and all rights you may have in and to such Modifications.

Phew, say that seven times fast to summon a new zone.

zahinder · July 2013

There's a VERY good reason to include that clause in any shared world anything.

It's because there are going to be people who will sue over 'stolen ideas' when you come out with new material. Even if the connection is extremely tenuous. Heck, even if they are making fanfic of your characters.

(Notably, Anne McCafferty posted something along the lines of 'nobody is allowed to use my stuff at all, ever.' because of jerks suing her because their fanfic vaguely resembled later books of hers so clearly she had ripped off their genius)

This is classic boilerplate -- let's head that legal argument off at the pass and weaken any future suits.

zahinder · July 2013

In case it needs to be said... your characters aren't that interesting, and big companies are not, in fact, looking to steal your 'valuable stories.'

Ideas are cheap and easy. ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING with those ideas is what matters.

Strange to think what might have been...

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