Per title, but let me explain. If you're eyeing new projects in the future, it might not be a bad idea to consider going the route Introversion took with Prison Architect.
I mention this solely b/c the devs of Introversion explained that they'd been making Prison Architect for almost 10 years and wanted to try new things, so instead of "retiring" the title, they sold it to Paradox, thus ensuring development of it continues. Sale price is unlisted, but for a finished game title, future sales revenue, and a successful IP, that'd be at least in the 7 figure range. The devs also likely are getting nice consulting positions that pay a decent salary (former IP/business owners consulting for new owners of their IP/business is VERY common).
Might be worth considering this with Paradox or another studio if you get to the point where you want to make a new game that isn't "Rimworld 2," wouldn't mind seeing a Rimworld 2, want some extra income security / bonus money, and they promise they won't turn Rimworld into a bad Hollywood movie or something. Although a bad Rimworld Hollywood movie would be hilarious to say the least!
Link to Press Coverage: https://venturebeat.com/2019/01/08/paradox-interactive-acquires-prison-architect-from-introversion-games/
Note: I'm not saying I want you to sell and retire, but if you're considering another project, it might not be a bad idea to sell before moving on, to keep the Rimworld saga alive!
Doesn't really make sense for either party at this point, Prison Architect was still in Early Access, but Rimworld is a complete game, the only changes at this point are probably going to be minor.
A Rimworld 2 doesn't make much sense, they can just make another colony sim, it's not like Rimworld has a rich lore or anything.
The majority of sales for Rimworld has already happened most likely, at least not enough for the millions they would spend to buy/maintain it.
Bad idea? Nah, bad you.
1. Prison Architect isn't in Early Access; it released in 2015 for PC and 2016 for most consoles.
2. Rimworld 2 doesn't make much sense, agreed! But perhaps a Rimworld where the lore is different. Say, a Rimworld based on a post-apocalypse Glitterworld, or an Urbworld undercity where the goal is to escape to the surface again, or a Rimworld with aliens. Or even a Rimworld themed around something (Fallout Rimworld?). Who knows what a dev team would want to do with it.
3. Prison Architect's been out for years, but Paradox bought it anyway, despite having to maintain it and buy it. Paradox even agreed to try to make the game multiplayer.
4. I'm not bad, so please don't diss somebody trying to bring to attention a business idea for our wonderful Tynan. I mentioned this for his benefit.
Paradox Interactive are those who published Cities Skylines, Stellaris, Hearts of Iron IV, Pillars of Eternity and Shadow Run Returns... What i heard from their games is that you will play them for like hours and your steam library would even point that you have at least 500 or 200 hours played in one of them... Prison Architect was a fun game that came out in Steam EA and now a Complete Game and it shows that their devs put their love on the work they made, however Introversion Software didn't made not just one game but other games like Darwinia, Uplink, DEFCON, Multiwinia and Scanner Sombre..
However as people said Rimworld 2 won't make any sense if it's the same game with the same concept... Ludeon is still a small company and Rimworld is their only game and i think they should stay as an independent company who put a lot of passion in their game... If they want to make another game i think they have start from scratch from making a new game, Maybe they pull a new game out of it like Ocean World, Tactical Game or Spaceship Simulator.
Infact i like three companies that made these games like Prison Architect and Cities Skylines and Rimworld... Tynan is the mastermind who made this wonderful piece of art though i have a far share of playing Cities Skylines and Prison Architect, but i think Tynan should follow the Steps of still being an Independent Company...
Personally I dislike Paradox, they ruined one of my childhood games, Majesty Gold. Made it more joke than anything. But eh. I doubt Tynan would sell his flagship game unless he was looking to join a company instead of staying independent.
The problems with being independent is funding, it requires you to do Early Access and hope that people will support your game where now days everyone's a whiny little kid and if you don't do what they say they bash your game into the ground. Don't release within a year, and they attack it for being in Access too long. Even worse now days is the age of ~Diversity~~~~ Gotta have total ~~equality~~~~ if you want your game to survive the Social Justice Mobs. So if you stay an Indie developer, you risk going bankrupt.
The disadvantage with joining a company though, is you're no longer free to create as you see fit. The people in charge of you will tell you what you can or can't do, how fast you have to do it, and even if you don't manage to complete it by then you release what you got whether its buggy and unplayable and everyone attacks you for being a bad developer and the company can throw you under the bus if they have to. But at least you get a stable income while you work on the project, guaranteed income.
So in either situation, you have to decide if you want risk of starving, or if you want limits but are guaranteed to have food on your table.
I'm not an expert per say, I've just talked to a few devs over the last 8 years and have different perspectives and know some of the limits behind what goes on in making a game. Tynan can feel free to correct me if he wants (assuming my evaluation is wrong). :P
Rimworld 2 is a real possibility if you take into consideration one really weak thing of rimworld: graphics.
I can imagine a big company buying the whole big basic structure that rimworld is at the moment, then adding a couple new key features, some new mechanics, some quality of life, a bunch of items and, most importantly, improving the sound/visual aspect (without diverting too much). It's a guaranteed jackpot, with all the hard work already done. If i had money i would make an offer.
Let's combine The Sim's with Rimworld universe ! :-)
But shouldn't Rimworld 2 something sequel to Rimworld ?
The goal at Rimworld is to leave the planet with a spaceship.
So they either crashed again with the ship on Rimworld (Malfunction or shooting down) and decide to take control over Rimworld (elimintate all hostile factions and visit the Meachanoid mothership/planet as endgame).
If they decided on Making Rimworld 2, Why not turn into a Spinoff? I got my ideas using the same gameplay of Rimworld, but except you crashlanded in a ocean world full of islands and seas thus instead of building a Colony you're building a Boat housing your crew and revamping the caravan system from Rimworld as a integral part of the game since you're in the move in the Boat not in a Stationary Colony that stays in one place... The tittle would be Rim-Ocean World...
I have a lot of crazy ideas about that since taking inspirations from Waterworld and Pirates of the Caribbean...
But Ludeon and Tynan could make a new game like a puzzle game but a RPG or a Adventure game or a different simulation game would do....
Quote from: Kirby23590 on January 08, 2019, 07:01:49 PM
Paradox Interactive are those who published Cities Skylines, Stellaris, Hearts of Iron IV, Pillars of Eternity and Shadow Run Returns.
You have to distinguish between Paradox as a developer and publisher. They started as a game developer and games like Stellaris, Europa Universalis, HoI and Crusader Kings 2 are developed in house. But they've also started acting as a publisher recently. City Skylines is not developed in house. Or they buy other studios and largely let them do their own thing. Harebrained Scheme and Battletech is such an example
Please not Paradox or Firaxis. Both of these have active disregard for UI accuracy (including the games straight up lying about what will happen for IRL years), terrible AI, and predatory DLC models that can and have led to a decline in the quality of the core gameplay. I don't see why Rimworld needs to be bought out by anybody.
I could maybe see Pdox working out if they give autonomy similar to how Magicka 1/2 were done.
I don't see how Rimworld 2 could be viable so early after the release of the current game. I could perhaps see a more faction-oriented or even MP-esque spinoff, though I'm not sure if Tynan would have any interest in doing that and it would be hard to do well.
Terrible AI is a good thing for the publisher, so the gamer don't need to use cheats to win games ! :-)
Quote from: Canute on January 11, 2019, 10:58:35 AM
Terrible AI is a good thing for the publisher, so the gamer don't need to use cheats to win games ! :-)
Sure, but then it might break my belief of suspension or immersion when a NPC keeps walking in front of wall...
For certain games, it would be very easy to exploit the AI and it's too easy, no fun for curtain players...
Compare the Combat A.I from F.E.A.R... (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX3mkJcbjrQ) Where they would use flanking maneuvers and putting the Player in a bad spot where they shine in urban combat and corridors with doors, and Compare the Combat A.I from 2 & 3 where it feels dumbed down especially in F.3.A.R... Yes that's it's title...
I remember keeping on exploiting the A.I in Fallout 3 & New Vegas since my character is built on using stealth and a sniper build... A downloaded a Mod that made the A.I feel more tactical in 3 and they even pick up stronger weapons from their fallen comrades and use the Chinese Assault Rifle instead of their 10mm Pistols!! So i have to chance how i fight them by grabbing the weapons first before they do or kill them faster or just spam explosive or use clever land mine placements...
However Rimworld is a Simulation game with Strategy and Tactic Elements but a Smart A.I Might tank the Computer or even cause tons of Lag...
I Swear that a Mod for Jagged Alliance 2 1.13? Made the A.I Deadlier in some ways or a Civilization V Mod Community Patch or AI Mod made the Leaders think almost like an Human in curtain ways, and at least they are strategy games...
It is obvious that we all want Ludeon to continue working in Rimworld (And of course pay for that content the price that is necessary to make it a profitable investment).
But if Tynan is tired of working in the game, Yes, I think that selling the IP would be the best option to please fans who want more official content.
If Tynan is tired of working in the game, i would say he could just hire a team of programmers or coders to take his place... Though if he Sold this IP to some Publisher, i would expect DLCs from just poor cash grabs that Free Mods already do better or a DLC of a Level of a Expansion Pack or Free Updates...
Tynan by looking at his Twitter still loves his game in this day, judging by his posts and tweets he still loves his game that he made with his Team in Ludeon Studios... :D
Selling your IP to a studio is just asking for one more payday before you cash out.
Nothing more and nothing less.
Quote from: rakkaus on January 10, 2019, 11:21:33 PM
Rimworld 2 is a real possibility if you take into consideration one really weak thing of rimworld: graphics.
I can imagine a big company buying the whole big basic structure that rimworld is at the moment, then adding a couple new key features, some new mechanics, some quality of life, a bunch of items and, most importantly, improving the sound/visual aspect (without diverting too much). It's a guaranteed jackpot, with all the hard work already done. If i had money i would make an offer.
People dissing rimworld's graphics is a pet peeve of mine. Rimworld is incredibly well done at it's target graphics level and art style. Would redoing all of the sprites with more pixels and more greebles REAAAAALY add to the game's experience? For me the answer is no.
Rimworld has the mastery of the small details. The way a pawn slides over ever so gently when peeking a corner, how pawn speed gives you an idea of their condition, the brief chat bubbles that show when they interract...
It's like live action VS animation. Sure, live action can look the most "realistic" and with really good CGI it can have some pretty insane stuff. However - I can not name ONE actually GOOD live action remake of an animated piece of media. The things that made the original art work a success almost certainly can't translate to another art style.
Quote from: Canute on January 11, 2019, 10:58:35 AM
Terrible AI is a good thing for the publisher, so the gamer don't need to use cheats to win games ! :-)
Not really, especially not in games where faction relations matter more than Rimworld and the poor AI is frustrating. Though the AI teams that work for these games are basically screwed due to the DLC model I alluded to. Constant pushing of new mechanics by the design team on a short schedule onto an AI that wasn't created with them in mind. As more DLC piles, more of these interact and require longer term planning, the AI falling years behind.
Rimworld largely avoids this by nature of its design, lack of the nonsense associated with DLC, and consideration for it when things are put in the game. It's not compatible with how Firaxis/Pdox operate their developed games.
Players winning easily on highest difficulty sucks. It not only removes the meaning of the difficulties, but also tends to mean there are gaps in AI capability that trivialize it. I've yet to see a game where this occurs that didn't incentivize degenerate tactics and overcentralize it.