OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

Hey great news for Firefly "Serenity" fans. There is talk of turning the series into MMO game. Gamespot Link

This had to be one of the best sci-fi series to come down the pipe since the original TOS. It wasn't given a fair shake by FOX, imagine that, and was cancelled after only 9 aired episodes out of 13. In 2005 Serenity, a big screen adaptation of the series, was released and dispite it being one of the most original sci-fi movies since Star Wars, it flopped horribly. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif. (No more serenity movies.) (Rumor has it that George Lucas was behind the the canning of the series and the limited theater release of Serenity. - See other thread for discussion on this.)

Any who Firefly was a ground breaking series who out of control camera special effects have been adopted by other shows such as BSG. They pioneered the camera "style" that is now being widely used in BSG for special effects shots and what not.

The writing of the series was superb to say the least, and either people got the show or they didn't. It would appear that more people didn't get the show than had first been estimated and that spelled doom for the motion picture. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Now its to the PC realm and one can only hope that attempt number 3 at keeping this fantastic series alive will succeed.

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

The show was never given a fair chance. Fox put it up against shows that were already well established.

I was thrilled when Serenity came out, and now, if this game holds up to the same writing and ideas behind the show and movie, it sounds extremely exciting.

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

The game would be a bigger flop than the series.

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

Agreed, I highly doubt it'd do well at all.

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

Infinity could have easily been a Firefly MMO if things had gone along a different path and the licensing went that way instead. Infinity looks very promising, and seems to be trying to accomplish the same thing (or more, actually). The way it's being developed really drives alot of hope into it, enough that I have my doubts anyone else would be able to do something so similar so well. The deciding factor would be the fact that Infinity is a non-budget (volunteer) project, whereas Multiverse's Firely MMO is a standard commercial project.

What it comes down to is, if Infinity does get finished, it could seriously cripple Firefly's chance to market. I wouldn't want to compete with that. Of course, the point here is IF it gets finished. It could just as easily end up vaporware like so many other games in the genre have.

Then there's the fact that most MMO'ers aren't really excited about the prospect of another EVE (or even worse, SWG). They'd better have some aces up thier sleeves if they're going to make this work.

But yeah, as a Firefly/Serenity fan, on the chance that this does pan out, I think it would be great fun. The story premise really is quite well suited for a MMO. Of course, the idea was nothing new. I posted about the possibility of a Firefly MMO almost a year ago on the Inifnity forums and it was well recieved, though we all dismissed it as a "fun notion" and went back to futily discussing complex MMO concepts until our fingers turned blue.

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

Ya, it would be so nitch that even SE V would look like a Lucas Arts game compared to it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

Penny arcade already picked up on this I see:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/12/11

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

The series was enjoyable to watch, in order, on DVD. It was not only poorly advertised on it's release, it was aired out of order, confusing those who did watch it. The pin headed, needle petered executives responsible for the shows demise should be cleaning toilets, not determining schedules.

Serenity also did poorly due to the pathetic name recognition and awareness of Firefly. Fox (network) management is a shining example of incompetent persistence. The game will be a fart in a storm.

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

The show wasn't a flop so much as completely misunderstood by Fox (go figure) and not even allowed time to build an audience. Even Futurama managed to run for 3+ seasons-- albeit following a spastic, often pre-empted schedule, before Fox stupidly pulled the plug.

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

Look at Family Guy. Ran for two years then was pulled. Then after becoming a ratings boom on Adult Swim, and having fantastic DVD sales, Fox put it back on the air. They made a joke about getting back on the air if a whole list of other Fox shows were pulled. Firefly was on that rather large list.

The DVD sales for Firefly were astouding. That was one of the reasons Fox ok'ed the movie but as rumor has it, because of George Lucas, the show cannot be revived on TV for seven years. That would six more years from now. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Rumor had it that GL took personal offense to Josh Weaton and his concept for Firefly as that it kinda sorta reminded him of a Han Solo and George wanted, but has yet to ever do anything about it, make a TV series based on Han Solo. These are rumors only though. There are facts that support that George does not like Josh. Comments Lucas made about it him a few years back support that.

Goerge wants to be king of the sci-fi hill. He torpedoed Wing Commander the Movie, (And tv series concept based off of that movie by Glen Larson) - He was semi-instrumental in killing the original BSG - albeit the cost of that show made it to expensive to continue. And rumor has it because he whined to FOX about Josh's show, they dicked him and made it impossible for the show to succeed in hopes of getting George to sign his new Star Wars series and trillagy movies with Fox.

I would bet a pretty nickel that had Star Trek come after Star Wars it too would have become a thing of the past thanks to GL. I am surprised that Stargate and SG Atlantis have survived all these years. They are obviously nothing like SW. Well not until they built the X302's, X303, and X304's.

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

did gl "kill" farscape too? I want to know who's nuts to bash in for that one.....

On the subjetct of the game, ever played the Farscape game? Yeah.... that's the bar... they'll just clone that or Eve or something else and stick firefly characters in there.

Here's something we'll never see though, an original idea, some sort of MMOFPS/SIM. If you've ever played guild wars, the setup of the thing could be similar, but instead of Diablo/Starcraft instanced style RPG combat, have an instanced FPS environment or space mission. Take Guild Wars factions, in this game there's a real time battle between the 2 main factions of the continent(Kurzik VS Luxon), with a border fluctuating in real time depending on who's winning in the aliance battles(fights that occur on maps based on where the border is, the further you go the harder it gets). I'd like to see something similar, you get your firefly 'vers ship, fly from port to port going along with the storyline, forming a "fleet" of ships of other players and in each port you'd get to accept various missions, ranging from simple instanced mining grinds and salvage ops like in the "first", not first as aired first as in pilot, episode, to intense PvP Aliance VS Browncoats action that determines who controlls the area(Aliance "unifies" it, Browncoats "liberate" them). Players can move freely between the areas(gaining access to more areas of the port as they push the border, or capture the area, say starting in seedy undreground or back aley areas or alliance forts, and gaining access to the main areas when your faction gains dominance), but can only accept missions for their "side", and can only access limited items and comodities. I'd like the story to pick up after serenity too, I'd imagine there'd be some sort of second revolution after that(if there's already some sort of expaned univers I'm not aware of IE comics or novels disregard that), and I doubt Mal would stay out of it, you could pick a character and play for either side, mal's or the alliance, or remain independent to the highest dollar like Early or maybe those blue sun guys.

a massively cooperative game with nearly semless FPS, space sim action, a real time pvp map with various missions will never hapen though.....

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

seems like the networks for some odd reason, always seem to cancel shows that are popular. Dead Like Me.. was another one, that is popular at least around here and they took it off after only 2 seasons... The stores around here can't keep the dvd seasons in stock, sell as fast as they get them in...

by the way, Sci Fi channel had a Firefly marathon on today,, don't know if it'll continue tommorrow again but i'll be watching to see..

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

I've had an idea for a pseudo-massively multiplayer game that would essentially be a cross between a turn-based PBEM 4x and a tactical FPS, with a completely original premise and a very different approach to gameplay, but the problem with original premises is that they're damn near impossible to get developed because nobody will take the risk to support it. So the only people who can afford to produce original games are the big developers who can support thier own projects.

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

Imagine a MMO Space Empires...

Day 1: Install MMOSE, set up account, start playing, just to check it out. Forget to eat, shower or sleep.

Day 2: Boss phones to ask why you didn't show up for work today. Make excuse, promise to be in tomorrow. Wife reluctantly corroborates excuse, asks if you'll be coming to bed tonight.

Day 3: Kids start to compain about the smell, wife refuses to bring you any more food or caffiene.

Day 4: Boss phones in again. Make another excuse, but wife refuses to corroborate. Hang up on boss and leave phone off hook. Hallucinations from lack of sleep starting to kick in.

Day 5: Hallucinations result in some bad game decisions. Force yourself to take a short break for a 2-hour nap and to stock up on snack food, caffiene pills and cheap cola.

Day 6: Cat passes out from smell.

Day 7: Wife throws computer out of window. Lock wife and kids out of house, order new computer over the phone with next-day delivery option. Take the opportunity to get some sleep. Vivid dreams about singing, chocolate-coated phased polaron beam.

Day 8: Spend the morning bribing/ threatening/ blackmailing kids to run out and buy food, then deliver it through the cat flap. At lunchtime the new computer arrives. Re-install game, log in to account, resume playing.

Day 9: Boss phones again, you're fired. Take phone back off hook, continue playing.

Day 10: Kids now camped out on lawn with loudhailer begging Daddy to open the door. Put on headphones.

Day 11: Food runs out.

Day 14: Pass out from hunger. Wake up in hospital on a drip and catheter. Wife is at bedside. Learn that wife and paramedics used kids and catflap to gain entry to house. Race wife home and lock her out again. Secure catflap.

Day 15: Drip runs out. Refill it with remaining cola. Cat becoming desperate to escape house.

Day 17: Cat smells now starting to overpower smell of unwashed Space Empires junkie.

Day 18: Catheter bag full. Infection sets in.

Day 19: Cat dies.

Day 20: Eat cat.

Day 21: Wife & police smash door down to find your fetid corpse slumped over the computer, your neglected empire in ruins on-screen, mouse gripped in wasted hand, cat's tail protruding from mouth.

Day 22: Funeral service for cat's remains.

Day 23: Wife marries boss. Kids switch on computer and find MMOSE. Set up account, start playing, just to check it out...

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

Firefly MMO using the Mutiverse engine? I tested the client and wouldn't have high hopes for it.



This Wing Commander movie? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0131646/

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

You might need a way to let players change sides, for treacheries and mercs who'll fight for whichever side pays best.

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

Or just have a seperate side for them...

If you're a merc, you join the mercs side and then have special rules that apply to you. If you're a backstabber, you get "exiled" to merc status when you do your dirty little act, and probably get saddled with a nice little bounty just to make your new lifestyle change a little more interesting?

I just hope the Firefly MMO doesn't allow players to be reavers. I say this despite the fact that most 13 year old's tend to play MMO's that way (dirty little griefers) and they'd probably play the role well, it's just that there's something wrong about a reaver calling you a "flaming f***-tard" and then proclaiming itself "teh 1337 mA5tAh"...

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

ROFL

Re: OT: Firefly \"Serenity\" Fans
 

Or they could have a reputation system, like in guild wars. When you complete a mission or fight for either side you get "faction" for that side, the more you have for that side the more they like you, and if you have more faction for 1 side then the other, the other side will hate you, but at any time you can do quests missions or battles for either side to build you reputation. The catch is where the rewards and consequences of fighting for any given side, including access to special armor, merchants, missions, and NPC's that will offer you services in explorable areas. If you are in hostile territory, you won't be able to buy the armor, use the merchants, and you have to fight or bribe the NPC's that would have helped you, and as said the border changes based on who's winning the constant battles that are taking place.