LusasArts prez reveals some long term plans (new SW and Indy games)

In this article Jim Ward says;

Further Star Wars games are also being planned although they won't be based on any of the movies (it seems as if Episodes VII-IX now won't be happening*). Instead, the basis for them will be the new Star Wars live action and animated TV series that have just been announced. In addition, LucasArts are also planning a new Indiana Jones game based on the fourth movie in the series, although this isn't likely to be released until 2006.

* Well, DUH! Welcome to 1983.

 

So, there's basically nothing to look forward to except for Episode III stuff.

 

so theres gonna be a live TV series? Like Star Trek?

 

Yeah. Check out the 'small screen star wars' forum.


> So, there's basically nothing to look forward to except for Episode III stuff.

Actually there's plenty to look forward to.

Ron Gilbert (http://www.grumpygamer.com )(Monkey Island 1 & 2) is making a new game for adults (as opposed to his recent kid's games at Humongous).

Tim Schafer ( http://www.doublefine.com )(Day of the Tentacle, Grim Fandango) has a publishing deal for his amazing looking x-box 'platformer' Psychonauts.

Some more LucasArts ex-employees have started up TellTale Games ( http://www.telltalegames.com ) and are looking to make adventure games with their own IP and licensed IP.

Yet more have formed Autumn Moon Entertainment (http://www.amegames.com ) and are working on a LucasArts style adventure A Vampyre Story.

And there are more ex-LucasArts emloyees at Pileated Pictures ( http://pileated.com ), but I don't know what they're working on.

 

The part about an "announced" live-action TV series is bullcragglies, because...wait for it, folks...there hasn't been any such series announced.

There have been talks, nothing more.

The only true TeeVee project currently waiting in the wings at the moment are the five final installments of the Clone Wars series, whilst Steve Sansweet called **** on any immediate live-action plans two weeks back at ComicCon (vis his "Boba Fett" comments).

Sounds like this site jumped the gun on this; it certainly ain't ruled out, but folks should know what's truly going on before they go all twisty-knickered.

 

'Announced' to the delegates in that gaming meeting, perhaps?

But you are correct in that no public press releases have been made, but there are enough different sources regarding a live action TV series, that I'd place money on a "it will happen" rather that "it won't happen".

This latest article paraphrasing the new LucasArts president helps confirm the other earlier reports.

>> on any immediate live-action plans

"Immediate" probably being the key word.

Anyway, the TV series might not happen. Plenty of other Lucas ideas haven't panned out (eg. the Theme Park rides LucasArts were supposed to develop).

 

"Boba Fett" comments


????- please digress

 

Thank you 2ndquest.

 

Well Hooray for LucasArts, taking yet another bold step away from originality.

 

Actually there's plenty to look forward to.

Not from Lucasarts, though.

I gather when the company was first founded their official policy was not to rely primarily on Lucasfilm franchises. I'm stating the obvious here, but they really need to go back to that philosophy if there's any hope of the company redeeming themselves and becoming cutting edge again. But to be honest they've lost so much talent at this point that there's little hope of their in-house productions amounting to much for the foreseeable future.

Most of my hopes are invested in Doublefine, now - they seem to have inherited the vintage Lucasarts inspiration. I have a bad feeling such a small company making unconventional games won't be able to survive long in this industry, though.

 

I lost most of my faith in the company around the time Ep 1 came out, and they went with the whole "Star Wars, Kabam!" policy.

And, while they release the odd decent title, they cancelled Full Throttle 2 (which I'm not that cut up about, seeing as I never played the original) and Sam $ Max 2 (which I'm EXTREMELY cut up about).

Sad to see a once innovative and all round cool company reduced to relying on its licenced products...

Oh, and I love the sig, Obi-Ben-Kenobi.

 

I would think the employees have become sick of Star Wars by now, working almost only with Star Wars for at least the past ten years.

 

That version of Full Throttle 2 was likely to be garbage anyway, I'm glad they cancelled it. What I regret is the abandoning of the *original* FT2 (subtitled "Payback", I think). Tim Schafer wasn't going to be involved, but the released concept art was just so fantastically evocative I would have loved to have seen it anyway. It was going to be in the style of FT1 only exploring that world on a much more epic scale. Any sequel would be a little odd now, anyway, as the guy who voiced Ben has died. I'd much rather they concentrated on exciting new concepts then sequels, anyway.

There are quite lot of sad missed opportunities with Lucasarts over the last few years, though. Check out the Mix'n'Mojo site for info on some of the planned games that were abandoned (a full-on sequel to Fate Of Altantis was the worst, for me). It was practically a miracle something as amazing and daring as Grim Fandango managed to make it though to release at that stage.

 

> I gather when the company was first founded their official policy was not to rely primarily on Lucasfilm franchises.

It took many years for LucasArts to even aquire the Star Wars license.

Their total lack of non-licenced produvt (Mercenaries aside) is a real shame, though with the OT DVDs and EpIII, it's not surprising they're focussed on SW at this time. Hopefully after 2005 they'll expand their original output once again.

 

Monkey Island, The Dig, Sam & Max, now those were games I could enjoy - none of this Episode 1 crap...

Don't get me wrong, KotOR (I and II), The Jedi Knight series and Battlefront are/look amazing... but it's nothing compaired to who they used to be...

 

LOL. Look at this;

http://games.slashdot.org/games/04/08/03/0718236.shtml?tid=209

...but the detailed post also strays into defining the Lucasfilm ethos in the '80s, pointing out provocatively: "We were absolutely forbidden from doing any [games] that made use of the company's film properties, especially Star Wars. That was viewed as just like spending money, since these properties were, in effect, money in the bank."

 

awesome!!!

 

"Instead, the basis for them will be the new Star Wars live action and animated TV series that have just been announced"

WHERE?

 

Probably to the audience in the room that Jim was adressing.