<state= "dreaming">
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Mechscape and Hydra are the same project. Both Blizzard and JaGEx both say they are trying to do something completely different than their already massively popular projects, and both say they are trying to reach a new demographic and age group. Blizzard dominates the p2p mmo world, while JaGEx rules the f2p mmo scene.
</state>

<state= "devil's advocate">
This isn't possible. Blizzard is owned by a massive company who wouldn't stoop down and mix with our type (their words not mine). Blizzard already has a mech-type game with Starcraft. Blizzard employees are too good looking to be seen with them JaGEx folk.
</state>

Comments, Questions, Concerns?

I don't know much about Hydra.

I wouldn't call starcraft mech-type gameplay, though. Starcraft was mostly footsoldiers, tanks and aircrafts for the humans. The Goliath (the mech) wasn't very good IMO.

I loved starcraft, though.

I havent heard of Hydra, whats hydra?

Blizzards codename for their next mmo. Only they know what it is, really, though.

Blizzard and Jagex creating something would be like mixing cocaine and baking soad.

at the very best i could see them partnering up, perhaps a technology licensing agreement or something so they can enter eachother's market and benefit sufficiently from a partnered competition

Well although mechscape is showing signs of being run by blizzard( the release date thing) I highly doubt this could be true.

Or maybe something related to the lawsuit, but I can't really see them developing a game together.

what do you mean?

Starcraft (released in 1998) is just a horrible recreation of Command and Conquer (released in 1995). It's like Blizzard took C&C, replaced the map pack with futuristic outer space maps, removed the good things about the game, and replaced them with bad things.

I wouldn't see this likely and I wouldn't honestly mind it to be honest. Blizzard is a very nice company and they have proven themselves. On the other side you have Jagex who also have proven themselves. The problem comes down to the fact that Jagex and Blizzard are very different type companies and that Blizzard and Jagex games are complete opposites when you look at them.

I remember hearing that World of StarCraft (or anything similar) isn't going to be their next MMO. I would love it but I guess they are going after something that is different.



Korea would kill u. They have people who make a living off of playing StarCraft.

Regardless, Starcraft is the one I played and lost my soul to for about a month.

Edit: http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_...2370&page=1

Starcraft is the only RTS that I've played (I haven't played C&C) that made me feel like I had strategies that could be significantly more effective than just building hundreds of tanks and rushing the enemy.

Burrowing Zerg, Terran snipers that can drop nukes and cloak, siege tanks, using bunkers on cliffsides so my marines could slaughter any forces before they found their way inside, merging the two protoss dudes and making the cool blue guy.

Don't forget merging the cool blue guys and making the cool red guy that can steal units. :)

... That makes me want to do cocaine so I can imagine what that is like...

Believe it or not Warcraft 2 which was one of the most populater games in the 90's was the FIRST game i have played.
And i aren't Blizzard defending JaGex for their UNFAIR sueing by poltak?

We want World of Runescape?

I wonder what genre Blizzards new MMO will be. They've kind of covered everything from fantasy to the future.

I don't like Blizzard. They are just power hungry game developers. Jagex wouldn't mix with them.
Maybe Blizzard heard their new rivals Jagex were making a new MMO and decided to make one too?
Maybe they both have company spies and the games will be nearly the same?
I hope not.

^

As far as i'm concerned, Blizzard were planning/making a 2nd MMO from quite some time, latest news i can remember is world of Diablo. But in no way are Blizzard copying Jagex's idea of making a 2nd MMO.

-

I really like Blizzard because although they are not identical to Jagex, Blizzard would never release something which is DREAD CRAP. and their Rpg's are very well done, unlike other companies like Ubisoft which make a game with a campaign that takes 5 hours to beat and crap online play. ( don't get me wrong, i do like prince of persia, Assasin Creed, Tom Clancy's, and that type but they bloody rush things SO MUCH). I really wish Warcraft 4 come out, i so want to see what happens to Arthas in the RPG version not World of warcraft.

In 2003 Warcraft 3 frozen throne was probbably one of the best games with the best graphics and the best cinematics in campaign and 6 years later the game is still played by alot of people, it takes a brain to make a game like that :)

I also find Blizzard's support a lot better than Jagex but of course thats due to Blizzard making More $$$$

I wish for warcraft 4 to come out too.

I wonder what new Playable races there will be? :P
Tauren maybe?

The Undead and the night elves are the newest presenting different types of buildings and units
Cmon Warcraft 4!

jAGEX +Activison Blizzard =

Jag-Activtsison Blizard-ex

If Warcraft 4 does come out, i'm hoping it would have atleast 2 more playable races, 1 which should be naga.

Tauren are already with orcs and do not need their own race so that won't be it :)

another race could be dranei as they are quite a cool, or maybe a npc race like the one in that special weird map with npc races vs you + friends !

I don't see how it can ever happen.

Blizzard is a lot better developer, In most peoples eyes. Seeing as their games are critically acclaimed and Runescape is not even in their sights.

I personally just want Diablo 3 to come out ;)

I don't think Jagex are bad developers though, they just have to deal with a negative community.

I didn't mean mechy as in literally using mechs in a game (although that's what mechy means really). I just meant futuristic.

I don't think Hydra and Mechscape are the same thing either, I was just hoping for some stimulating discussion.

I don't know what would happen with the community if Blizzard and Jagex mixed. It would be interesting to finally show 'scapers and 'crafters that we aren't that different.

How are they power hungry? They're popular with many people, so they're power hungry?

We can't really classify them as bad or good because they've never released a game as a company. The fact that scares me though is that 95% of their employees, are straight out of a University (first serious job), no experience in working on other big games.

How have they not released a game as a company? Runescape is a game and FunOrb is a collection of many games.

Seeing as Runescape started as a school project (I think) and was only worked by three people in the beginning, no they have not made a game. Fun Orb is just a bunch of games, you can't judge a company by a collection of small games. They haven't made a serious, big game, as a company.

It's called RuneScape 2...



Where is that statistic from?

It's called a graphical re-work....

I'll look for the thread.
Edit: Here it is, towards the bottom.

RuneScape 2 was definitely not a "graphical rework." Skills were changed, combat was changed, everything was changed.

Still the same game, just getting updated.

Jagex gets out of their way to bring us some awesome content and features.. like the recent name change which.. i might add is FREE.
Blizzard only releases content that they deem will only place money in their pockets.

I think we saw what nearly happened to runescape with the last CEO... where the company only released stuff that puts cash in their pockets.

Not free, it's members only, which you have to pay for. Blizzard has released quality games (haven't played any) but from the critical acclaim, I can conclude that they're the much better developer. Jagex is only known for Runescape, which is frowned upon by most gamers, not that hard to guess who's the much better developer. Not saying Jagex is bad but they're not anywhere near as good as Blizzard. Doubt Blizzard would work with them.

I don't think it's going to happen. A lot of competition is coming up for Blizzard in Aion and the new Star Wars MMO, so i'm guessing they're just aiming to top their competition once again with their own project. MechScape seems too secret for Blizzard to be interested in it.

I think you missed the point as blizzard asks for a fee along with needing membership (making them get more money) to change it while with JaGex you get it with no fee and only membership to just change the name.
+JaGex are monitoring it if they would make name changing f2p as they said its for members for awhile i think in the knowlage base.

Two different companies with completly two different games and technologies. Both have outstanding achievements.

Exactly "what" makes a better developer? Consider the fact that Jagex have an in-house infrastructure that just keeps expanding. Everything, from the engine to the tools (map creators, programming and modeling software) are built and maintained by Jagex.. which means that Jagex has little to no investment in other software packages built by other companies.

I would like to see you.. or any other company in the world try running the 2nd largest online forum + Runescape with millions of active players with only $1 million a year... that is outstanding

I consider Jagex to be in a better position than Blizzard. This is why they can afford to loose a % of their playerbase (RWT update) and still go strong.. not to mention the ability to take larger risks in terms of investment... (mechscape)

The games they make, make a developer better. Seeing as Blizzard has made several critically acclaimed games and Jagex has made none, Blizzard is the better developer.

who is the cocaine? Lol

Blizzard Entertainment and Jagex Ltd. uniting is just unlikely. Blizzard is obviously the bigger company, why would they want a web-based java operated company to help/assist them create a game. In reality, Jagex is at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to playing with the "big dogs" if you will. I'm really not trying to bash at all on Jagex, but think about it. What could Blizzard possibly profit from Jagex's assistance?

It's StarCraft in space. Wait...

Actually you are completely wrong. JaGEx was ranked 29th Most Successful Game Studio in the World by Develop Mag beating: Game Freak, EA The Sims Studio, Insomniac Games, Rockstar San Diego, Square Enix, Bungie, and Gearbox. All of which are "big dogs". And JaGEx isn't a web-based java operated company. They are a company that makes web-based java games, there's a difference love.

As much as I'm excited about Jagex and Blizzard working together, I don't think this partnership is going to work out effectively. Both companies produce different types of game and that different people like and I think the result product will try to attract both sides but fall under deaf ears.

I'm not sure what I read it in, but when there was buzz about RWT in Mechscape, we heard that the fight between gold farming and games was fought as a whole, and that they had borrowed ideas from time to time to combat it, but other than that, no.

Blizzard has confirmed that it is a new IP. So MechScape isn't entirely out of the question but on the other hand Jagex has never referred to Blizzard in much of any way besides "we looked at X for our game."

Doubt it.

All I'm going to say is they are 29th for a reason. 1 hit wonder just like the ones after them.

And you must not understand the referencing behind the term "big dogs".
You cannot even compare the two... Blizzards revenue of 2007 before even merging with activision was 1.2 Billion USD, World of Warcraft brings in more than double of Jagex's total revenue in 1 month (over 100 million). Jagex's revenue for 2008 45 Million USD, advertising represents 7% of their total revenue. Blizzard, with activision now, quarterly revenue was over 1 billion USD.

You're basically comparing Bill Gates to Billy Mays.

Strange pattern i see.
Blizzard's war of the clans'
got cancelled which costed millions of development.
Jagex's mechscape'
Got cancelled costing millions of development but features used in their other games too but now being redone.

Thing is Blizzard said that war of the clans wasnt a great product and even if it cost them millions they didnt mind redoing it to be a great product that would fit for the 21st century instead made a book.
Jagex redone their outdated game though.

Im gonna have to say that JaGex is the bravest.

Yeah, I don't see them ever working together. They have very different philosophies. I've have very limited experience with Wow, and don't particularly want more, but I know a huge part of the game isn't available until you hit level 80 - until you max that combat. In RuneScape, you have access to EVERY piece of content typically a long way before you have even half the experience to 99.

RuneScape is a game with a huge majority of long time, higher level players, which has a huge deficit in high level content. Blizzard has designed WoW almost the opposite way.

Also, Jagex has no problem releasing buggy or flawed content. They see mistakes as a part of life. And releasing their mistakes to 10 million players no big deal. That's my impression, at least.

You know I've never though of it that way but you are 100% correct. Jagex does have no problem at all released bugged, glitched or flawed content. While on the other hand, Blizzard does not let it happen at all in WoW. When there are glitches or bugs, they're gone within the next day.