Richard Garriott returning to the gaming industry?
GameDaily has an exclusive interview with Richard Garriott — the creator of the Ultima series — in which he laments the end of Tabula Rasa (the MMORPG he helped create) and hints at a return to the gaming business in the wake of his departure from NCSoft.
Apparently, some of the “new interests” that he suggested that he wanted “to devote [his] time and resources to,” following “the unforgettable experience” of space travel, includes the possibility of a return to gaming.
And just to sweeten the pot:
BIZ: If you did return to games, would it definitely be an online game?
Garriott: I wouldn’t use the word definitely. I think that if it were today, it’s most probable. That’s just what I find the most interesting, still. That being said, I am still a huge fan of solo-player games as both a player, and as a storyteller. I just think there’s an intimacy in solo-player games that is much easier to do in a solo-player environment than it is to shoehorn it into a multiplayer environment. One of the things we were trying with Tabula Rasa was to offer more storytelling in an MMO setting. And we made some strides in that direction. But I still don’t think it was nearly to the level that the middle Ultimas did.
BIZ: If Electronic Arts wanted you to return and author a single-player Ultima for the consoles, would you do that?
Garriott: Conceptually? Sure. The property Ultima is still very near and dear to my heart. I think that if, by hook or by crook, I had access to that property, either in solo-player or multiplayer, I would absolutely love to continue to play in the Ultima universe.
Yeah, I know…it’s not a formal announcement of his triumphal return to the Ultima franchise in the wake of recent shifts in EA’s game development strategies and policies. It’s still interesting, all the same, to see just what Lord British is up to these days, and what his vision for the future might just be.
Btw, I made a custom DVD cover for Ultima Lazarus, get it from here: http://www.hdimage.org/images/2jz4jclff04etu1y0c4_erooveresigner0001.jpg
If that entailed a resurrection of Origin, that could be VERY interesting…
I dont think Origin can be ressurected, but EA could reconsider the franchise. However if it is going to be another IX then thanks, I’ll pass
We can hope though, and perhaps….
The Ultima series is full of inconsistencies and ret-cons. Most gamers today have probably never played an early Ultima, if they played an Ultima at all.
RG should talk to EA about rebooting the Ultima franchise. Don’t attempt to shoe-horn in an odd sequel post-U9 (such as the second UO2 project).
When RG was very first talking Tabula Rasa, one of his goals was to allow a small group of players to interact with each other, and have their own stories. His discussions led to other MMOs developing “instances” in their games.
MMOs are a very difficult field to develop a strong story where individuals take the center stage. Since EA bought Bioware, I think RG should talk to EA about utilizing the Dragon Age toolset and engine. EA doesn’t have to pay to license it, since they own Bioware.
Imagine gameplay akin to BG and BG2 where you can play online with your friends in a party, but gameplay would be very much like a traditional single player game. And with the toolset, you can make your own modules and tell your own stories.
If he hires a team to remake Ultima I with the Dragon Age engine and toolset, then he will be able to reuse most of his work in Ultima II and Ultima III.
The big problem is that RG is a perfectionist who wants to create insanely large worlds, and EA likes to keep under budget and meet ship dates. If he can reuse resources and knock out a trilogy, then EA might be more liberal in allowing him to take his time on the first game.
In fact, RG should look to do this under the Bioware banner. Bioware opened a studio in Austin, hiring many former Origin devs. It really would be the perfect place for him.
I’m surprised he’d consider working with EA again, actually…