In an interview, THQ “explains” (justifies) changing Dark Millennium to be a non-MMO instead of killing it. Highly summarized: “I think it’s absolutely incredible [...] It’s always been one of my favorite games in the portfolio and it still is“.
So, the good news is that already created content, setting and creatives (graphics, sounds, basic mechanics) seem to be strong enough so that THQ bets for it as a singleplayer + multiplayer game.
It contains also a lot of “awesome” and “incredible” word repetitions, but even with the layoffs the game keeps forward, and will be specially tailored for PC (and still with a strong multiplayer component, the interview says), unlike Space Marine which was made for consoles and their particular “limited” multiplayer.
Mark Deloura, tech vicepresident of THQ and DMO lead manager, is no longer working with THQ (apparently along with 174 other employees from lesser-studios).
A “industry expert” (not THQ worker) tweeted yesterday that DMO had been cancelled by THQ (they are Vigil Games publishers) due to closing all projects for a 2014 sale of the company.
After this unconfirmed rummors spread all around the net, THQ has just officially denied them. There is a long version at Kotaku, but basically THQ is only cancelling “kids” games of its 2014 lineup and “has not made any decisions regarding the planned MMO“, so is still going as it was before until said otherwise.
It’d have been really strange as THQ has a good catalog of games and could probably survive this uneasy financial times killing one or two games before having to give up and sell the whole company.
Let’s hope that in this 2012 we will have a beta of Dark Millennium Online to grasp it, but in the meanwhile, our Adeptus Mechanicus techmarines have been busy talking with the web machine spirits and adding new features to this website.
First, you can share all content of the site. Any post, page or image from the galleries can be sent to Twitter, Facebook or Google+. This also means that while browsing the galleries now the URL reflects the current photo you are looking at, the gallery will always show first and leftmost the latest added photos, and other small tweaks.
And second, the site now supports a simple mobile version, which looks like this:
So, for all of you who use a modern smartphone, an iPad or even a Kindle ebook reader, you will get a simpler yet relevant version with just the news list and individual news. And you can always force going back to the normal/desktop version (for example with an iPad who’s screen is big enough to properly read the normal version.
Today we bring not DMO news, but a fan made project that deserves praise and honor: The Lord Inquisitor
One person building a CGI movie with equal or more quality than the official Ultramarines movie done by Games Workshop. There is a small and yet impressive trailer available:
Shacknews has published a two part interview (I and II) and, although I recommend the reading, here are the two most important highlights of them:
Space Marine 2 might be delayed to avoid conflicting with Dark Millennium Online. As said before, DMO will have way more action than other MMORPGs and they want to focus on it first to avoid sharing too much content or gameplay style between both.
They haven’t decided yet the monetization models. Bilson hints that content right now is “extremely premium” but also that “We’re going to move it into whatever makes the most sense for its launch”, so it could be F2P but seems like they would like a monthly subscription model.
Then a new video, containing some unseen footage like space marines using an aegis defense turret, predators blowing up a door, dreadnoughts (both Imperium and Chaos), briefly a techmarine and the Titan moving. Is only one minute long but graphics look quite good:
Vigil Games has some new job openings that are clearly indicated as for Dark Millennium Online.
Animator
Development Manager – Art
VFX Artist
Database Programmer
Tools Programmer
Sr. Gameplay Programmer
Lead Server Programmer
Sr Physics Programmer
Level Designer
Producer
Plus some positions with unspecified game (and another bunch for Darksiders II).
So right now the company is moving forward into full development of the game (those positions cover almost a full team of roles, although needs more developers).
We are the slayers of kings, the destroyers of worlds, bringers of ruination and death in all its forms. These things we do in the name of the Emperor and in the defence of Mankind. Let none stay our wrath. -Cato Sicarius
