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Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

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Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#611

Post by sildur »

kingbirdy wrote: post #586
teddyh wrote: post #461

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pyramids are hard to build without a super-feudal economy and society. But we got rid of that, losing the practical ability to make pyramids in the process, because we value other things like democracy higher.

> Pyramids are hard to build without a super-feudal economy and society [citation needed] The 10th-tallest pyramid was built in Memphis, TN 30 years ago [0] and it's now used as a Bass Pro shop. Say what you will about working conditions in the US in the 90s, but I don't think it'd be fair to call it "a super-feudal economy and society". [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Pyramid

Call me skeptic, but I’m not really sure that pyramid would be able to stand in place 4500 years. Same shape, way less durability.

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#612

Post by piti166 »

dcrn wrote: post #606
whynaut wrote: post #569

Earlier quoted context omitted.

take a look at Nier: Automata or Dragon Age (1-2, and/or Inquisition). Both easily enjoyable if you like ME.

Seconding Nier: Automata. Rarely have I been as blown away by a game as I was with that one.

Thirding (?) this. The integration of gameplay elements into the story and the story itself are simply amazing. It is similar to Undertale, in that the gameplay is relatively shallow, but is paced perfectly with the story.

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#613

Post by madeofpalk »

gregjw wrote: post #71

The year is 2040. Gigaconglomerates Tencent, Activision Blizzard Ubisoft (ABU), Microsoft and Apple gatekeep the entire gaming industry. Rebel guerilla groups of small publishers and indie developers rise up to take control of their encampments.

Where's Sony/Playstation in this?

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#614

Post by psyc »

kridsdale1 wrote: post #580
shrimp_emoji wrote: post #560

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Might be apocryphal, but legend has it Bethesda escaped bankruptcy by taking massive chances with Morrowind. They wanted to go out with a bang, and, creatively, the result was amazing. That success and the fortune they now had to protect seemed to hemorrhage their creativity or vision or concern. After that, we got Oblivion and Skyrim. Nice but very safe and uninspired games. And the best Fallout was the one from Obs…

Squaresoft did the same thing. Their big creative "here goes the company" game was to be their final project. Final Fantasy.

Sixteen FF titles, a dozen spin offs, and two feature films later...

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#615

Post by jay_kyburz »

me_me_me wrote: post #283
de_watcher wrote: post #224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They've managed to make a Dota 2 tutorial that's worse than the 2014 one. And matchmaking for the new players is just brutal, there is no retention.

Personal story time, few months back me and my buddy got asked to help our non-dota friend get into the game. We are both playing occasionally in lower brackets. Both of us created new account to so that noobie wouldn't be thrown into deep water right away. Note that me and my friend were 'baby sitting' - playing neutrally not trying to win vs lower rated opponents. Out of 10 games 7 had hardcore smurfs in them. Peop…

To fix that problem you have game systems that are more random / forgiving in lower ranked games (remove the skill).

Then in the harder ranks you can dial back those mechanics and make the game more skill based.

Just a little tip for Valve there. I'm sure they're reading.

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#616

Post by Avery3R »

doomlaser wrote: post #378
pjmlp wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

According to Switch data, Unity powers about 50% of its games. It is also the tier1 engine sponsored by Google and Microsoft for their 3D offerings, Godot needs to grow a bit more to reach that level of relevance for game studios, AR/VR companies and Hollywood now looking at Unity.

Unity is definitely a big player on all platforms, but it's probably strongest on smartphones / AR / simulation for AI / and indie developers. Epic's niche with Unreal is more high end AAA games / big studio console releases, and now apparently Hollywood & VFX. Disney and ILM are using Unreal for real-time on-set backdrops in shows like The Mandalorian: https://venturebeat.com/2020/02/20/ilm-reveals-how-it-used-u...…

> Unreal 4's source is available on GitHub if you pay $20/mo

Unreal 4's source has been free to access for a while now. The $20/month thing was just when it first came out.

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#617

Post by bytematic »

Firebrand wrote: post #84

Bethesda Games are not going not be exclusive to Xbox -- Confirmed by Todd Howard: >Like our original partnership, this one is about more than one system or one screen. We share a deep belief in the fundamental power of games, in their ability to connect, empower, and bring joy. And a belief we should bring that to everyone - regardless of who you are, where you live, or what you play on. Regardless of the screen siz…

No way this stands

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#618

Post by psyc »

ohyeshedid wrote: post #608
tmpz22 wrote: post #340

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fallout 76 was an unmitigated disaster and absolute embarrassment to the studio however [1]. [1]: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kjyeCdd-dl8

So was No Man's Sky when it came out. Though rare, sometimes studios do the right thing over time. FO76 seems to be having a better second act.

See also, Final Fantasy XIV. From disaster to IMO one of the most magnificent games ever created.

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#619

Post by defterGoose »

genpfault wrote: post #432
munificent wrote: post #357

Every time I see these posts, I think of Demolition Man: > Now all restaurants are Taco Bell. Taco Bell was the only restaurant to survive the franchise wars. Out of all the dystopian sci-fi movies, who would have thought Demolition Man would have it right?

> Now all restaurants are Taco Bell Or was it Pizza Hut?[1] [1]: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106697/alternateversions

Or was it a combination pizza hut and taco bell?

https://youtu.be/EQ8ViYIeH04

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#620

Post by bytematic »

likeclockwork wrote: post #448
paulpan wrote: post #433

Having just watched Netflix vs. the World documentary ( https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8407418/ ) last week, this acquisition seems to be inevitable as game streaming is taking off and will eventually become the defacto means of playing video games. Microsoft's endgame is to increase the subscribers to its GamePass subscription so akin to Netflix's insatiable appetite for video content, Microsoft's will be for video ga…

I don't see how both game streaming and high resolution/high refresh rate displays can both be the future. The bandwidth requirements will keep going up and high resolution particle effects can create terrible compression artifacts. Local processing power is also not standing still in time, the capability a given price purchases is increasing year upon year. Do you imagine a future where people have limitless bandwid…

Technology will catch up. Also inputs will be pre-processed and rendered so latency can be minimized.
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