ensemble, lucasarts, MS and BHG

[lord of the mark]

Recent news that Ensemble Studios will be making a starwars game based on AOE/AOK engine for Lucasarts.

Does this mean that ES is no longer working with Microsoft?

Does this raise the likelihood that BHG's project is a historically themed RTS, following the AOE/AOK franchise for MS (though with a new Reynolds designed engine) ?

Is there any connection between the ES/Lucasarts deal and the MS/BHG deal?
IE did MS sign with BHG becuase of disputes with ES?

lord of the mark
"A poem should not mean, but be" - Archibald Macleish

[MarkG]

dont think it means anything that complicated

firaxis is doing civ3 with hasbro interactive while releasing all of it's previous games with ea. that didnt change their deals with ea...

[St Leo]

Ensemble has simply licensed its engine to LucasArts.

------------------
St. Leo
http://www.sidgames.com/hosted/ziggurat/
http://www.sidgames.com/forums/

[-- but not Snapcase]

It's a bit more than that, but essentially the "partnership" consists of LucasArts developing the game in-house (unlike the Verant and Bioware Star Wars RPGs) with Ensemble providing the engine, expertise, testing facilities and help with balancing game play. They are meanwhile making a project codenamed "RTS III" for Microsoft, so it can't be a big commitment on their part.

[lord of the mark]

so we're back to MS doing an RTS with ES, AND one with BHG? 2 RTS's both from houses with Civ roots. What gives?

[-- but not Snapcase]

That there's a large market for RTSes? I have a feeling that whatever BHG does will not be a straight AoK Clone, or they will not sell big. I think Brian & co. are above that.

[tniem]

Originally posted by MarkG
dont think it means anything that complicated

firaxis is doing civ3 with hasbro interactive while releasing all of it's previous games with ea. that didnt change their deals with ea...

It would seem that it won't change the deals because Firaxis is fulfilling its deal with EA by making Sim Golf before they release Civ III.

As for BHG and their RTS game, Brian has talked a great deal about a flexible engine that challenges the player strategically. I wished a lot of what he said had been some how used in Civ II and now Civ III. But if I have to have the challenges and adaptablility that he talkes about in a "click fest" I guess it still will be just that, a challenge.

[Fiera]

Originally posted by -- but not Snapcase
I have a feeling that whatever BHG does will not be a straight AoK Clone, or they will not sell big. I think Brian & co. are above that.

Oh, and I thought Brian & Co were above RTS. I hope that they will at least bring a revolution to the genre.