Author Topic: BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Harvey Smith "resigns" because of his outburst  (Read 3893 times)

Offline MysterD

  • Forum god
  • *
  • Posts: 18,049
  • OWNet 4 Eternity & Beyond
BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Harvey Smith "resigns" because of his outburst
« on: Wednesday, January 17, 2007, 07:09:40 PM »
Midway returns w/ BlackSite: Area 51, the sequel to Area 51 -- which will use Unreal Engine 3, due out this Summer '07

Quote
Area 51 Sequel Revealed - briefly
(hx) 07:16 PM EST - Jan,16 2007 - Post a comment

FiringSquad reports that the newest issue of Game Informer magazine has the first info on BlackSite: Area 51, the upcoming sequel to Midway's 2005 console-PC sci-fi first person shooter Area 51. Developed once again by Midway's Austin studio (which they bought while the original Area 51 was under development), the sequel will be using Epic's Unreal Engine 3 as its graphical base. It will also be more serious in tone than the somewhat campy original game with references to Iraq, global warming and other political issues mixed in with the alien conspiracy storyline. Look for new alien weapons to be mixed in with conventional FPS firearms along with an advanced squad based tactical system as well. The Game Informer article states that BlackSite: Area 51 is due for release this summer on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.
« Last Edit: Friday, November 30, 2007, 04:17:43 PM by MysterD »

Offline MysterD

  • Forum god
  • *
  • Posts: 18,049
  • OWNet 4 Eternity & Beyond

Offline MysterD

  • Forum god
  • *
  • Posts: 18,049
  • OWNet 4 Eternity & Beyond
Re: BlackSite: Area 51 (Area 51 sequel) -- Update: Due Nov. 12th for X360 and PC
« Reply #2 on: Saturday, November 17, 2007, 09:42:18 PM »
Patched to Version 1.1.

Along w/ fixing bugs, the patch adds "multi-language" support.



Quote
BlackSite: Area 51 Patch [November 17, 2007, 3:29 pm ET]

The BlackSite: Area 51 Website now offers a new patch to update Midway's just-released shooter sequel to version 1.1, updating the game's multilanguage support and addressing some bugs. The 84 MB download is mirrored on Gamer's Hell.

Offline MysterD

  • Forum god
  • *
  • Posts: 18,049
  • OWNet 4 Eternity & Beyond
Re: BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Patched to Version 1.1 to add multi-languages
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday, November 28, 2007, 08:20:16 PM »
Harvey Smith talks on the backlash of the game and blames himself
Harvey Smith takes the blame for Blacksite not turning out so good.

First Deus Ex: IW, now Blacksite: Area 51 for Smith.


Quote
"This project was so fucked up," said Smith, by way of explanation.
Ummm....

Quote
Smith spent the last few minutes of his speech on a postmortem of the game. In part, he blames himself for Blacksite's less-than-warm critical reception.

Before it was released, Blacksite garnered some fame for its political message. It wasn't going to just give a general statement on morality or politics: Blacksite was supposed to be a first person shooter with a satirical look at the war in Iraq, the treatment of veterans and the whole military industrial complex. However, it was only in the last twelve months of work on the game that those political themes took shape.

At first, the game just didn't intrigue Smith. "I wasn't excited about this Area 51 game," he said. While making the game, Smith was overseeing two projects, and Area 51 was not his favorite. That didn't help, and he accepts some fault. "We got hammered so hard, and we deserved it."
Ok.

Quote
"Everyone was forced to share tech. It took eight months to get one thing working." He wouldn't specify what that one thing was, but did note that technical problems set the team back, time and time again. Another of Smith's complaints was "the fact that we had four days to orange box something," meaning to fix and polish a level. Smith called this "completely reprehensible."

That lack of polish, of being able to sit with a final product and make sure it is up to the standards they wanted, was one of the biggest problems for Blacksite and for Smith. "With a year to go, the game was disastrously off rails." There were long delays just getting Blacksite playable, and once it was he says, "it went straight from alpha to final."
What is up w/ technical issues surrounding Smith's games???
First DX: IW, now this w/ Blacksite...

No offense, but -- how did anyone like Warren Spector at Ion Storm or Midway decide to put him in charge of a game??!?!  ???

GameSpot Review
6.5 from GameSpot, who talk about a lot of little bugs add up to a lot of problems

Offline Xessive

  • Gold Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9,920
    • XSV @ deviantART
Re: BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Harvey Smith blames himself for Blacksite's is
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday, November 28, 2007, 11:58:24 PM »
Coincidence? I Think NOT! Or it could be, but it doesn't look good for Harvey.

Offline Pugnate

  • What? You no like?
  • Global Moderator
  • Forum god
  • *
  • Posts: 12,243
    • OW
Re: BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Harvey Smith blames himself for Blacksite's issues
« Reply #5 on: Thursday, November 29, 2007, 12:05:16 AM »
What an ass.

Offline scottws

  • Gold Member
  • *
  • Posts: 6,602
    • Facebook Me
Re: BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Harvey Smith blames himself for Blacksite's issues
« Reply #6 on: Thursday, November 29, 2007, 07:02:29 AM »
Harvey Smith single-handedly ruined DX:IW.  Hopefully he ends up working as a garbage man or something.

Offline nickclone

  • Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,271
Re: BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Harvey Smith blames himself for Blacksite's issues
« Reply #7 on: Thursday, November 29, 2007, 07:16:57 AM »
Doesn't someone here know him? Maybe they can ask him what the hell is going on.

Offline Jedi

  • Poster Child
  • ***
  • Posts: 664
Re: BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Harvey Smith blames himself for Blacksite's issues
« Reply #8 on: Thursday, November 29, 2007, 11:48:00 AM »
Doesn't someone here know him? Maybe they can ask him what the hell is going on.

Maybe D lives down the street from them, maybe he could go and have a chat?  :P

Offline Pugnate

  • What? You no like?
  • Global Moderator
  • Forum god
  • *
  • Posts: 12,243
    • OW
Re: BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Harvey Smith blames himself for Blacksite's issues
« Reply #9 on: Thursday, November 29, 2007, 12:18:30 PM »
hehe

Offline MysterD

  • Forum god
  • *
  • Posts: 18,049
  • OWNet 4 Eternity & Beyond
Re: BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Harvey Smith blames himself for Blacksite's is
« Reply #10 on: Thursday, November 29, 2007, 02:43:42 PM »
Maybe D lives down the street from them, maybe he could go and have a chat?  :P

Naw, I don't...

But, not too far from my current job actually is Irrational Games Boston/2K Games Boston...

Offline Quemaqua

  • 古い塩
  • Administrator
  • Forum god
  • *
  • Posts: 16,498
  • パンダは触るな。
    • Bookruptcy
Re: BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Harvey Smith blames himself for Blacksite's is
« Reply #11 on: Thursday, November 29, 2007, 08:27:56 PM »
* Quemaqua makes "whoosh" sound.

天才的な閃きと平均以下のテクニックやな。 課長有野

Offline Pugnate

  • What? You no like?
  • Global Moderator
  • Forum god
  • *
  • Posts: 12,243
    • OW
Re: BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Harvey Smith blames himself for Blacksite's issues
« Reply #12 on: Thursday, November 29, 2007, 10:40:00 PM »
*speechless*

Offline Xessive

  • Gold Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9,920
    • XSV @ deviantART
Re: BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Harvey Smith blames himself for Blacksite's is
« Reply #13 on: Thursday, November 29, 2007, 11:40:48 PM »
Naw, I don't...

But, not too far from my current job actually is Irrational Games Boston/2K Games Boston...

D, your mission is to investigate the recent rumours surrounding Ken Levine. Discern their validity and confirm reports on several team members relocating to other studios. This message will not likely self-destruct in 5 seconds.

Offline MysterD

  • Forum god
  • *
  • Posts: 18,049
  • OWNet 4 Eternity & Beyond
Re: BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Harvey Smith blames himself for Blacksite's is
« Reply #14 on: Friday, November 30, 2007, 04:16:56 PM »
More shit hitting the fan.

Harvey Smith is gone from Midway b/c of recent his outburst, which Midway CTO Weilbacher referred to it as Smith's "public resignation."

Quote
Harvey Smith "Resigns" [November 30, 2007, 5:10 pm ET] - Viewing Comments
Shacknews has word that designer Harvey Smith is no longer at Midway Austin. At first it was unclear whether this parting of the ways occurred before or after his recent statements blasting the production of BlackSite: Area 51 (story), but a subsequent follow-up indicates he was indeed still with Midway when he criticized his own game, but that Midway CTO Michael Weilbacher allegedly referred to Smith's outburst as "his public resignation."

Offline scottws

  • Gold Member
  • *
  • Posts: 6,602
    • Facebook Me
Re: BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Harvey Smith "resigns" because of his outburst
« Reply #15 on: Friday, November 30, 2007, 04:48:10 PM »
Where is there to go next when you get fired from Midway?

Offline MysterD

  • Forum god
  • *
  • Posts: 18,049
  • OWNet 4 Eternity & Beyond
Re: BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Harvey Smith "resigns" because of his outburst
« Reply #16 on: Friday, November 30, 2007, 04:50:21 PM »
Where is there to go next when you get fired from Midway.

Activision Value?!?!?

Offline Cobra951

  • Gold Member
  • *
  • Posts: 8,934

Offline Jedi

  • Poster Child
  • ***
  • Posts: 664
Re: BlackSite: Area 51 -- Update: Harvey Smith blames himself for Blacksite's is
« Reply #18 on: Friday, November 30, 2007, 05:28:33 PM »
Naw, I don't...

But, not too far from my current job actually is Irrational Games Boston/2K Games Boston...


Oh man....  :o