Activision shuts down The Silver Lining - UPDATE: Episode 1 of TSL has been released! - by Enchantermon
Enchantermon on 25/6/2010 at 15:55
Today, the goodbye letter on (
http://www.tsl-game.com/) TSL's home page was replaced with a message of change and a countdown timer which will reach zero tomorrow, the 26th, around 8:00-9:00 pm GMT.
I'm incredibly excited, but also a little afraid. If this is what TSL fans have been hoping for, that Activision will allow the game to be completed and released, then not only will we have a new, unofficial King's Quest game, but hopefully it will also help reinforce to the gaming industry the idea that games aren't all about making money.
If, however, this is a sign that talks have concluded and no agreement could be made, I'll be sorely disappointed, but will also be able to look forward to the future of POS. Even if we can't get The Silver Lining, at least the studio will be able to move on to its commercial future, which will hopefully see the creation of more point-and-click adventure games in the style of the classics.
We shall see in about 28 hours.
Enchantermon on 26/6/2010 at 20:13
Success!The Silver Lining has returned with a new non-commercial license from Activision, (
http://www.tsl-game.com/) a new website, new forum, and a new release date! Episode 1 of The Silver Lining is to be released on July 10th, 2010! :thumb:
Poetic thief on 26/6/2010 at 22:42
While I was not following this project, I'm glad at how things turned out.
It always warms my heart when I see fan projects like the Nameless Mod, the Dark Mod, Might and Magic X etc. :thumb:
Like Enchantermon said, it shows that gaming isn't all about the money, unlike what certain people (like Kotick) say.
Matthew on 28/6/2010 at 10:17
Quote Posted by Matthew
I've never been one for letter writing campaigns, but I must confess that I sent one to Activision to express my disgust at their actions.
Victory :cool:
Thirith on 28/6/2010 at 11:35
Yay! From what I remember, they're hoping to go for a KQ6 look and feel - while I wasn't really into King's Quest back then, I thought that the sixth game in the series was one of the best Sierra adventures and up there with Quest for Glory 2.
I hope that, however slowly, companies start to understand that it's not just nice but good business practice to support the fans of their IPs. There are ways of protecting your copyright without being a dick about it.
Avalon on 28/6/2010 at 16:44
Pretty awesome. That whole situation was one of the biggest dick moves in video gaming that I can recall.
Given that Activision pretty much owns the video game industry today, they wouldn't have lost a thing to just ignore these guys and go along being assholes. I am very pleasantly surprised that they didn't.
Enchantermon on 28/6/2010 at 20:14
Quote Posted by Matthew
Victory :cool:
Thank you very much for that. :)
Quote Posted by Thirith
Yay! From what I remember, they're hoping to go for a
KQ6 look and feel . . .
In a sense. It's 3D, not 2D like KQ6, but it takes place in the Land of the Green Isles (well, the beginning does, at least), which is KQ6's setting, and from the artwork and demo I saw before the second C&D, it does recapture the look quite well. I'm confident they'll have the feel down as well.
Quote Posted by Thirith
. . . while I wasn't really into
King's Quest back then, I thought that the sixth game in the series was one of the best Sierra adventures and up there with
Quest for Glory 2.
Yes. KQ6 is most certainly the best of the bunch.
Quote Posted by Thirith
I hope that, however slowly, companies start to understand that it's not just nice but good business practice to support the fans of their IPs. There are ways of protecting your copyright without being a dick about it.
I agree completely. I personally think that Activision was expecting the fans to just grumble and complain and eventually fade away, and POS to either disband or continue on into commercial development. I doubt they knew what they were getting themselves into, and when they realized that we weren't just going to lie down and take it, they realized that it would be wise to reconsider their decision. After all, Activision is controlled by businessmen who didn't get to where they are without knowing how business works.
Quote Posted by Avalon
Given that Activision pretty much owns the video game industry today, they wouldn't have lost a thing to just ignore these guys and go along being assholes. I am very pleasantly surprised that they didn't.
Maybe, maybe not. They got quite a lot of bad press because of this incident, and royally ticked off quite a few people. They probably would have weathered it just fine, especially with stuff like Guitar Hero and CoD selling like hotcakes to a generation that has neither heard of nor cared about King's Quest, and WoW selling to people who either don't care or care but have to play their WoW regardless. But I'm also glad that they changed their mind, and they'll be better off for it in the long run.
Thirith on 29/6/2010 at 08:00
Quote Posted by Enchantermon
After all, Activision is controlled by businessmen who didn't get to where they are without knowing how business works.
I have some doubts about this - basically I think that lots of businessmen have a good idea how to maximise financial gains in the short term, but some schools of economics doesn't seem to have twigged yet that there's such a thing as the long term, and that issues such as community management and keeping your fan base happy can pay off quite nicely. Being friendly to the community doesn't cost all that much (compared to the costs of producing games, advertising etc.), but it can get you quite a bit - for instance, it can strengthen an IP and make a new game in the series viable.
Edit: At least when it comes to banks, it's quite clear that short-term gains took complete precedence over long-term, less dramatic but more stable gains - and it's come back to bite the banks in the ass in a major way.
Renzatic on 29/6/2010 at 17:18
Quote Posted by Enchantermon
Yes. KQ6 is most certainly the best of the bunch.
No. It's the last of the best of the bunch. Anything from KQ3 to 6 is pure oldschool adventure gaming gold. I can't pick one over any of the others. Though personally, I do lean more towards any of Sierras EGA games over their later VGA sequels.
Enchantermon on 1/7/2010 at 04:27
Quote Posted by Thirith
Being friendly to the community doesn't cost all that much (compared to the costs of producing games, advertising etc.), but it can get you quite a bit - for instance, it can strengthen an IP and make a new game in the series viable.
That's the thing: Activision may have realized this, and it may have helped them decide to reopen talks with POS. Short-term thinking does seem to be the ruling mindset, but I can't believe that all businessmen are complete idiots to not realize that the long-term needs to be considered as well. Activision's decision has only helped that belief.
Quote Posted by Renzatic
No. It's the last of the best of the bunch. Anything from KQ3 to 6 is pure oldschool adventure gaming gold. I can't pick one over any of the others. Though personally, I do lean more towards any of Sierras EGA games over their later VGA sequels.
Don't get me wrong; I love all of the games and especially between 3 and 6, as you said, they're exceptional and it's hard to choose one over the others. But if I had to, I would still go with 6 with nothing but the utmost respect for the rest.
