Half of the Tactics team FIRED?? (duck and cover news articl

H

Hell Patrol

It Wandered In From the Wastes
"Thank you and farewell, Micro Forté - 9:20 PST - Kreegle

So Fallout Tactics has gone gold. Huzzah! That must be good news, right?

Not for the staff at Micro Forté.

Half of the Fallout Tactics team was fired today. Artists, programmers, QA... and the reasons for it are unbelievably rotten.

Things were looking like they could work out at the Canberra Micro Forté offices: Interplay were happy with the job being done on Fallout Tactics, so they signed some letters of intent stating that they wanted more Fallout Tactics products (like expansion packs and, yes, a sequel). Taking them to their word that everything was going well and a sequel would be desirable, Micro Forté started investing funds on the development of the Fallout Tactics 2 engine, which was completely 3D.

Only problem is that Interplay seems to have put so much money in Baldurs Gate 2, Giants and Sacrifice etc. that they didn't actually have the cash to spare on a little Australian company. On top of that, seeing how two or so "other big Fallout titles" are already well into the planning stages, Interplay decided that any additional Fallout products would be excessive... they didn't want to flood the market, after all... so they bailed out on their letter on intent.

Where does that leave Micro Forté? Stranded and in dire financial trouble. Unfortunately, the only thing left to do was to fire half of the development team and give everyone else a pay-cut.

That is an absolute disgrace. To see a group of talented people lose their jobs due to a big corporation like Interplay backing out on a promise... it's disgusting. Shame on you Interplay.

To the people from Micro Forte: thank you very much for being such great people. It's rare to see developers interact so much with the fans. You listened to us, you talked to us, and implemented a lot of our ideas into Fallout Tactics, which was a pretty risky game to make from the start. For a lot of us in the community, you have become our friends and we thank you for that. You are a great bunch of people - it honestly hurts us to see this happen to you. Keep your chin up, and best of luck in the future - we won't forget you."


I really hope this is some sort of drug induced prank from people... NOBODY deserves to get fired for no wrongdoings, especially when some of the fund drainage was said to be from the BALDUR'S GATE series.

Some of you may not like the concept of tactics, but it's certainly as hell a lot more original and a definite refreshing break from another damn fantasy RPG.

Poor guys... :(
 
RE: Half of the Tactics team FIRED?? (duck and cover news ar

1. Confirmed some were fired ('laid off').
2. Kreegle doesn't reveal his source. Wait for official announcement.

[hr width=440]
[p align=center]
http://fallout.gamestats.com/forum/User_files/3aa70eb96ee16565.gif[/p][p align=center][font color=FF00FF face=fixedsys]- Why hello there, Ranger -
[font color=00DD00 face=fixedsys]- (Sigh) Go away! -[/p]
 
I don't think it's a prank:

It honestly sounds like something that Interplay would actually do. Nothing would suprise me now, not even Brian Fargo running naked in downtown Seattle and smearing cheese danishes all over his body while leaving a fecal incontinency streak behind him.

Quite honestly, the bickering about the concept stuff was really minor and all. Devil's advocate. I've been anticipating Fallout Tactics as much, if not MORE than most people. And not to do a bad review. I was going to switch around and say that despite some minor concept holes, it's still a great game (I really do like how they've pulled this stuff off in the demos!)

But this shit from Interplay is TOTALLY INEXCUSABLE. THAT I mean.


[font color=orange]
--------------------------------------------
Dennis Leary stole my song! That...asshole!
--------------------------------------------
"Robert, your time has come!"

"OOOH! Thank you, Master!"

"Don't mention it."

*Robert explodes in a shower of sparks*
--------------------------------------------
It's me, Jack Brown! The wind-up ass-hole!
--------------------------------------------

[font color=white]INTERPLAY: REDEFINING BAD BUSINESS


=========================
Try Arcanum, by those who brought you the first Fallout:
http://fp.geocities.com/jonaac/2.jpg
​
 
RE: I don't think it's a prank:

>It honestly sounds like something that
>Interplay would actually do.
>Nothing would suprise me now,
>not even Brian Fargo running
>naked in downtown Seattle and
>smearing cheese danishes all over
>his body while leaving a
>fecal incontinency streak behind him.
>
>
>Quite honestly, the bickering about the
>concept stuff was really minor
>and all. Devil's advocate.
> I've been anticipating Fallout
>Tactics as much, if not
>MORE than most people.
>And not to do a
>bad review. I was
>going to switch around and
>say that despite some minor
>concept holes, it's still a
>great game (I really do
>like how they've pulled this
>stuff off in the demos!)
>
>
>But this shit from Interplay is
>TOTALLY INEXCUSABLE. THAT I
>mean.


Aye, I'm afraid I've been playing a wee bit too much with my Devil's Advocate position, too. The other thread was just an attempt to possibly explain the changes in FO:T with a non-JeffK or "ehehehehe! rrrrrobots! dude, that's rad!" method of presentation. Actually, Fallout:Tactics will be the first tactical game I'll ever play, I can't say I'm a massive fan of the gameplay either (I enjoyed the demos, though, ignoring the bad voice acting and lack of atmosphere.) In reality, though, no one can really say how the new crap is gonna make or break the game until we see the way it's executed. When I first saw the FO2 power armor, I'd be lying if I said I approved, but in the way they brought it into the game, it actually seems like it fits. Same thing with a completely standing Cathedral with stained glass windows intact surrounded surrounded by destroyed buildings... *everything* relies on proper introduction and followthrough. With these new robot screen shots surfacing, I really hope there is a *damn* good explanation on why evil organizations in the east have them, while the west is stuck with the 4 scrawny bots.

This looks like another Eidos/LookingGlassStudios deal. :(
 
RE: I don't think it's a prank:

[font size=1" color="#FF0000]LAST EDITED ON Mar-09-01 AT 11:34PM (GMT)[p]>I really hope
>there is a *damn* good
>explanation on why evil organizations
>in the east have them,
>while the west is stuck
>with the 4 scrawny bots.

Was just wondering why they changed from the cigar, the neo-boxy, and the Robby to the new ones. That's mostly the thing.

>This looks like another Eidos/LookingGlassStudios deal.
>:(

PLEASE don't get me started on this...

Just do a search on Romero on the General Forum, about how Eidos sunk MILLIONS into his primadonna ass for over 4 years for Dick-a-tonna. The only good thing from Ion Storm doesn't have any influence from Romero.

While LGS gets the shaft.

People from TTLG and other places were supporting me when I kept hammering away at Eidos for a long while after that. Someone from Eidos (just a webmaster though) emailed me and asked that I stop the bad press. My reply - "Wah fuckin' wah. You guys made the mistake, don't bitch about the consequences."

[font color=orange]
--------------------------------------------
Dennis Leary stole my song! That...asshole!
--------------------------------------------
"Robert, your time has come!"

"OOOH! Thank you, Master!"

"Don't mention it."

*Robert explodes in a shower of sparks*
--------------------------------------------
It's me, Jack Brown! The wind-up ass-hole!
--------------------------------------------

[font color=white]INTERPLAY: REDEFINING BAD BUSINESS

=========================
Try Arcanum, by those who brought you the first Fallout:
http://fp.geocities.com/jonaac/2.jpg
​
 
Holy shit, this may be even more disturbing than I previousl

http://vault13.net/comment.php3?id=27

What if Greg is right in his comment "Fallout Tactics two was traded for Fallout Online by the wonderful people running the show."?

I would not know how to react to that... While as of now Fallout: Tactics isn't important to me, I actually see it more as a Fan created spinoff than official sequel (that's how I so easily accept the differences between the original and Tactics), I still found the demo entertaining, and the full version looks much better. And with a 3d engine that was supposedly lisenced before the sequel was canned, with their greater understanding of the fallout universe they picked up (hopefully not too late) during the second half of development that they could implement into the FO:T sequel from the very beginning, the sequel could have had the possibility to be *AMAZING*.

But to trade that possibility for FALLOUT ONLINE (Post Apol AOL chatroom), actually angers me, and I usually don't let the entertainment industry get to me...

If that turns out to be true, I wouldn't know how to react. I already would NEVER in a million years play a dog damn MMORPG, but if they layed off people working on a game with fucking integrity just to increase funds for a game which only is a magnet to retards (I've never subscribed to a MMORPG, but I've witnessed the EQ, AC, and UO audieces, and only a retard could possibly be excused for wanting to play a game where the entire gaming experience depends on morons like the immature MMORPG dolts I've witnessed), a boycott wouldn't feel like enough punishment for Interplay...
 
RE: Holy shit, this may be even more disturbing than I previ

Greg isn't making that up. That's pretty much what happened earlier.

Interplay had a little agreement with MF that basically said that MF would be making FOT2. Apparently this agreement is fairly old also.

FOT goes gold. Interplay pops in and says, "Howdy MF! We've decided that we don't want too many Fallout games on the market, so we're no longer supporting your FOT2 development!"

This means MF has less money, and a good deal of developers they don't need and even more that they can't afford. So, without Interplay giving them anything else to work on, half the FOT dev staff got dumped... The day the game went gold no less.

http://www.clanculture.com/aoa/a4c/provsledge4.jpg
 
RE: Holy shit, this may be even more disturbing than I previ

Getting fired the day the project they've worked so hard on and too so much shit for the day it went gold... that is one of the most cynical and heartless things I've ever heard.

FOOL needs to be stopped. Interplay needs to realize that serioulsy over 90% of the people that voted on those online polls would *not* pay to subscribe to it. I can nearly guarantee that most were

The Fallout universes is one of the absolute WORST universes that could be made into an MMORPG. Cyberpunk and Fantasy could at least explain the respawning of characters after they die, global banking systems are explainable in those worlds, violence-free zones are explainable in them, but NOT in the Fallout universe.

I would support any campaign that would rally against Interplay's fucking IDIOTIC decision to pull their microforte funds, and to let them know how HATED a fallout MMORPG would be. I wouldn't go so far as to go against any new Fallout title and let the name die, but an MMORPG is against everything Fallout...
 
RE: Hell-Patrol and everyone

This sucks. Its like saying: Good Job at meeting your deadline and producing the game, by the way, we've decided we don't want to work with you anymore, as a bonus gift you can have these blank pinkslips.
 
RE: Half of the Tactics team FIRED?? (duck and cover news ar

Consider this new development -- there has been an official Micro Forte press release, which you can read at:

http://rpgvault.ign.com/

Here's the juice of it:

1) "Despite rumors to the contrary, Interplay has and continues to be a strong supporter of Micro Forté and the companies enjoy an excellent working partnership. While no announcements have been made so far regarding future titles, Micro Forté has enjoyed working with Interplay and looks forward to the chance to do so again in the future."

2) "our current goal - finalizing the BigWorld MMOG engine - requires us to concentrate our resources on client/server and tool development for that system"

3) "This restructuring is in no way a reflection on the talents of the people let go, it is instead a response to changes in the gaming industry and our focus as a developer."

(The rest is self-promotional jive)

Remember that this is an official press release. It paints a very different picture. It explicitly states that the firings were due to a change in Micro Forte's business plan, and not because of a breach of support on the part of Interplay. To put it another way, it's Micro Forte's management whom you should be mad at. Given the timing, it seems clear to me that this `restructuring' was already planned, but that they couldn't make a move until Fallout: Tactics went gold, because they needed those people to fulfill that contract.

Obviously, they didn't want to tell their employees that they were out of a job as soon as the project was done. In many businesses, it's common for employees to show up for work and find themselves searched and escorted out of the building, so that they cannot sabotage anything after they find out that they are fired.

This sort of thing happens in business all the time, and it doesn't make too much ink in the papers. But those of us who have been following the development of this game for nearly a year are liable to take offense.

I'm still going to buy the game, even though the company has been crass in its practices, because the game itself is not crass. It's not the game I've been waiting for, but it is a good game, perhaps conceived as a way to exploit a popular franchise, but designed by people who were sincere about delivering excellence to the gaming community. I will not refrain from buying the game out of some fantasy that the company will feel the sting of my abstinence, although I would like to believe that the copy I buy will pad the resumes of those former Micro Forte employees for whom this will have been their most recent project.

And anyway, I have to buy a copy because my name is on it. I won the caption contest.
 
RE: Half of the Tactics team FIRED?? (duck and cover news ar

Being well-versed in several dialects of Miliatary Tap-Dancing, I can tell it's rather vauge - on purpose.

The press release is indeed vague, akin to military-style tap-dancing with words. Several of the V13 crew have talked to MF employees, and if it was as simple or partially benign as the press release said, they wouldn't have been that pissed in the V13 chat channel.

They're trying to make it sound peachy-keen, because what happens with their reputation if the game doesn't sell well, despite there being a partial boycott? No, this is a extremely vague tap-dance to make everything sound allright. If it wasn't to make a cover for something, they would say it straight rather than some cocked-up song and dance.

"While the gunshot would didn't completely remove the leg, many parts were salvagable and a recovery is expected."

You need to understand how bad stuff can be worded to sound halfway benign. Trust this from someone who can sound kind or virulent at the drop of a hat.


[font color=orange]
--------------------------------------------
Dennis Leary stole my song! That...asshole!
--------------------------------------------
"Robert, your time has come!"

"OOOH! Thank you, Master!"

"Don't mention it."

*Robert explodes in a shower of sparks*
--------------------------------------------
It's me, Jack Brown! The wind-up ass-hole!
--------------------------------------------

[font color=white]INTERPLAY: REDEFINING BAD BUSINESS

=========================
Try Arcanum, by those who brought you the first Fallout:
http://fp.geocities.com/jonaac/2.jpg
​
 
RE: Half of the Tactics team FIRED?? (duck and cover news ar

I wouldn't say vagueness is the main rhetorical tactic used here. This is more of a bait-and-switch. They start the article out talking about the firings, and about halfway through, it turns into a promotional article about its new MMORPG engine. It's not subtle, and it's not tasteful.

But the important thing I'm trying to point out here is that after a weekend of being a martyr, Micro Forte is admitting that the betrayal was from within the company, not from Interplay.
 
RE: Half of the Tactics team FIRED?? (duck and cover news ar

Not really even that. Admitted, it was bait-and-switch, but the main focus here is they were in an agreement (though not legally binding) for a sequel and continued support. Interplay cut the funding, and the higher-ups at MicroForte had NO CHOICE but to lay off the people and for everyone else still on-board to take a pay cut. Interplay screwed up with just abruptly backing out and cutting things off, which now with how you look at it - makes Micro-Forte's management look bad.

Don't blame those who had no choice but to do the firings, put the blame where it belongs with the ones who reneged on their agreement with little or no notice at all. It would be one thing if it was known for a while that Interplay wasn't going to plan on a sequel, but when they cut it out right after Tactics goes gold - that's incredibly screwed up and it blindsided MicroForte's management and put them into a corner they couldn't back out of. So they had no choice.

The benevolent tone of the release is to ensure that the game does sell in light of the numberous demands for a boycott - so that MicroForte can say they worked on a game that sold and not one that bombed. For future respect, I believe, as who's going to hire someone who made a bomb?


[font color=orange]
--------------------------------------------
Dennis Leary stole my song! That...asshole!
--------------------------------------------
"Robert, your time has come!"

"OOOH! Thank you, Master!"

"Don't mention it."

*Robert explodes in a shower of sparks*
--------------------------------------------
It's me, Jack Brown! The wind-up ass-hole!
--------------------------------------------

[font color=white]INTERPLAY: REDEFINING BAD BUSINESS

=========================
Try Arcanum, by those who brought you the first Fallout:
http://fp.geocities.com/jonaac/2.jpg
​
 
RE: Half of the Tactics team FIRED?? (duck and cover news ar

We don't know yet for sure what happened, but we do know that Micro Forte has not blamed Interplay for pulling out, and is trying to downplay claims that they have. The information that they have is from second-hand reports of a conversation that is not available for inspection.

So we're still waiting on word. But in the meantime, we have Micro Forte basically admitting that they fired people for business reasons, and stating that it had nothing to do with lack of support from Interplay. We also have a Black Isle designer who has gone on record to say that at least part of the original story is untrue, to his knowledge, i.e., that Interplay was working on other Fallout titles.

As it stands now, it looks very much like Micro Forte management did this of their own initiative, and were planning to do so before now. Do you have evidence that Interplay pulled out of anything short of the hearsay from the Vault13 chat which I've already mentioned is problematic, and contrary to facts stated by non-anonymous sources who are in a position to know?
 
RE: Half of the Tactics team FIRED?? (duck and cover news ar

>We don't know yet for sure
>what happened, but we do
>know that Micro Forte has
>not blamed Interplay for pulling
>out, and is trying to
>downplay claims that they have.
> The information that they
>have is from second-hand reports
>of a conversation that is
>not available for inspection.

As to not to portray Interplay as the 'bad guys' so that the fans won't declare a boycott.


>As it stands now, it looks
>very much like Micro Forte
>management did this of their
>own initiative, and were planning
>to do so before now.
> Do you have evidence
>that Interplay pulled out of
>anything short of the hearsay
>from the Vault13 chat which
>I've already mentioned is problematic,
>and contrary to facts stated
>by non-anonymous sources who are
>in a position to know?

So the words of MicroForte employees don't mean anything, when they were likely the ones in the know? That's just screwed up.



[font color=orange]
--------------------------------------------
Dennis Leary stole my song! That...asshole!
--------------------------------------------
"Robert, your time has come!"

"OOOH! Thank you, Master!"

"Don't mention it."

*Robert explodes in a shower of sparks*
--------------------------------------------
It's me, Jack Brown! The wind-up ass-hole!
--------------------------------------------

[font color=white]INTERPLAY: REDEFINING BAD BUSINESS

=========================
Try Arcanum, by those who brought you the first Fallout:
http://fp.geocities.com/jonaac/2.jpg
​
 
RE: Half of the Tactics team FIRED?? (duck and cover news ar

>We don't know yet for sure
>what happened, but we do
>know that Micro Forte has
>not blamed Interplay for pulling
>out, and is trying to
>downplay claims that they have.
> The information that they
>have is from second-hand reports
>of a conversation that is
>not available for inspection.

You`re completely wrong on this, it is available for inspection, if Roshambo wants to verify it i`ll gladly tell him how.


What you saw was a corporate press-release meaning more or less this:
-microforté management knew of what was going on before,they had to do it but chose the worst way to actually lay off the guys and girls;
-microforté doesn`t need Interplay to get pissed over image-damaging leaks like the one that happened, so they`re trying to cool things down;
-Interplay is using BIS and Microforté to come to the rescue on this shaddy business before they issue an official statement, at that point the fans will be more keen to accept they`re explanations;
-this time they felt the booing, i know of gentle people from Interplay loosing their nerve with fans on this, Microforté helps to cool things up and pitch they`re miraculous mp engine, i had some comments on this but i better not...

Btw, congratulations for winning the captions contest ;-)
http://fp.geocities.com/jonaac/2.jpg
 
RE: Half of the Tactics team FIRED?? (duck and cover news ar

This is more like, "We're hurting for money right now, so we really need money from Interplay. Therefore, it is in our best interest to take the fall here."

Also, considering this happened on the week Interplay is making a report to their stock holders, Interplay has to put a spin on this. The best possible situation for them is to get MF to agree to take the fall.

Note that it took a full five days to make this announcement after the firings. If there wasn't something going on behind the scenes, it wouldn't have taken this long for them to come up with something.

Also, I agree it was fairly lame for them to turn this press release in to an advertisement for another Micro Forte product.

http://www.clanculture.com/aoa/a4c/provsledge4.jpg
 
RE: Half of the Tactics team FIRED?? (duck and cover news ar

roshambo wrote:

<<As to not to portray Interplay as the 'bad guys' so that the fans won't declare a boycott.>>

I can imagine them being silent about it, so as not to incur any wrath from Interplay. But to trouble themselves to cover for a company that has just screwed them over? That wouldn't work, because if the fans are going to boycott the game over the firings, they'll do so whether Interplay or Micro Forte is to blame.

<<So the words of MicroForte employees don't mean anything, when they were likely the ones in the know? That's just screwed up.>>

Since the issue at hand is whether or not the reason that they were fired was that Interplay had `one or two other Fallout titles in development', the insider at Black Isle is in a better position to know.

Furthermore, it's not at all clear what the Micro Forte employees knew, since they apparently didn't know even that they were going to be fired. We don't know for sure what they were actually told, and where that information came from. It may have gone through a lot of different sources before it got to them, and has gone through at least another since. And they may well have been lied to in the first place.

briosafreak wrote:

<<You`re completely wrong on this, it is available for inspection, if Roshambo wants to verify it i`ll gladly tell him how.>>

If you have a source of information that cannot be made available to the rest of us, then we can at best withold judgement pending further data. But from the information that is available to everyone else, there's every reason to believe that Interplay has been unfairly villified in a rush to judgement.

<<microforté management knew of what was going on before,they had to do it but chose the worst way to actually lay off the guys and girls;>>

It does look bad for them, whether Interplay is ultimately to blame or not. It's a fairly common way of doing business, and I've heard of worse. I've heard of people being taken off of the rolls without being told at all. They learn they're fired when their company cell phones stop working.

I would like to know if they at least got a severance package.

<<microforté doesn`t need Interplay to get pissed over image-damaging leaks like the one that happened, so they`re trying to cool things down>>

It's not clear what Micro Forte has to lose at this point, if Interplay has already cut them off. So why should they deflect the blame to themselves? In any case, the press release says Interplay did not cut them off -- and if that's the case, then they would have a reason to take the heat off of Interplay.

You could speculate that they are still hoping to interest Interplay in their BigWorld engine for its MMORPG project. Most of the facts hang together under this hypothesis, except that it doesn't explain why Interplay would have cut them off to begin with, since according to J.E. Sawyer, it wouldn't have been because they were developing other Fallout titles.

<<Interplay is using BIS and Microforté to come to the rescue on this shaddy business before they issue an official statement, at that point the fans will be more keen to accept they`re explanations>>

Again, this assumes that Micro Forte has a motive to cover for Interplay, and it also impugns the testimony of J.E. Sawyer. I've already discussed covering for Interplay above. Given that a lead designer at Black Isle is in a better position to know what projects are under development by Interplay than employees who didn't even know what was going on in their own company, saying that Interplay is using Black Isle to come to their rescue is tantamount to saying that Sawyer is lying, or that somehow the development of major titles has been hidden from him for who knows how long for just this purpose -- a deeply paranoid and overcomplicated supposition.

We cannot count second and third generation information such as we are getting from the Vault13 chat as more significant than the direct on-record statements of a non-anonymous inside source, plus the against-self-interest press release issued by Micro Forte. As it stands, the evidence that Interplay is to blame for this fiasco is hearsay, and twice contradicted by non-hearsay:

A) Interplay reniged on a letter of intent to produce further Fallout titles -- This is contradicted by Micro Forte's press release. They didn't specifically say that Interplay didn't renig on an agreement, but it did say that Interplay "continues to be a strong supporter." The hearsay we have from the Vault13 chat is enough to challenge this claim, but not enough to trump it.
B) The reason Interplay supposedly reniged was that it had other Fallout titles in development -- This has been disconfirmed by J.E. Sawyer, a Black Isle insider.

You seem to have some knowledge you feel you must sit on, and I respect your discretion. But do you see what I mean when I say that the villification of Interplay is unjustified given only what information the rest of us have?
 
RE: ey johny angel

Johny Angel:

As it stands i think Saint_Proverbius post is much clearer as anything i could say. Both you and me have more or less the same information, but we are interpreting things differently; next, the vault13 and DAC information is hear-say to you, for me it`s not, so we´re in a tie here; and third i`m maybe too sceptical, that may be true, but i`m kind of sick and tired of all the spin going on, don`t take that hard on me.

To finish it up, i assure you we`re not paranoid, just simple fans discussing a surprising event that took place within the boundaries of our community, sometimes beeing carried away, other times fighting against lack of information or just too much spin, i guess it`s by a critic and curious participation that we can make things go in better ways.

An always jealous of your price fallout-fan ;-)
briosafreak
http://fp.geocities.com/jonaac/2.jpg
 
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