BIONICLE: Masks of Power development shut down by LEGO

[rootCompute]

Anybody else follow this project? I was really looking forward to it, but it unfortunately suffered the same fate as many other high profile up-and-coming fan games. Pretty frustrating too since they were apparently given blessing by LEGO to make the game independently and free. Such a shame, but looks like they may pivot to making a non-licensed game based on their original work

Masks of Power

masksofpower.com

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

I didn't know this existed, but it's pretty cool that they were even given the company's blessing to go ahead, at least originally.

Many (and I do mean MANY) projects get shutdown because the IP holders see them as a threat.

 

[rootCompute]

Reading more on the site, they suspect it could've been because the game might get mistaken for an official product. Shutting down a fan game for being too good is certainly a choice. I can definitely see why LEGO would feel threatened by it, especially since they aren't doing anything with the brand (that we know of)

 

[Deleted member 77791]

Yes, I've read about it. It didn't make sense for LEGO not to come to an agreement with them to sell the game so LEGO can make some money so as the developer team lol.

If these fans had refused such an agreement for whatever reason they have, I would persuade them by saying "You are clearly passionate developers. With this money you can fund your next video games". It would be unrealistic for them to waste their long experience and the group dynamic they got used to, perhaps because of that they already work on their next project. Synergy of the team in video game development is very important so despite you may hire the best people in their field, lack of mutual group thinking will ruin the development of the game. But then sometimes people enjoy their time with each other so much they really don't care or don't realize how lacking the video game is way more than they actually realize. In the end they end up with thinking "despite we may go bankrupt due to poor sells what will matter is the friendship we developed here instead of actually developing the video game" lololol, but then poor sales starts blame shifting and friends become enemies, it kills the team, it can kill future of the company and franchises.

I think if video game companies had actually hired fans to help developing the video games it would be a very great idea. Instead they hire the guy who only see it as a job so he can survive. Then no wonder the game lacks soul, man.

If LEGO had refuse I would persuade them by saying, "dude you won't have to have a concern about costs to pay for the development of this fan project, but for zero-cost and relatively for free asset you can make money" lol.

Sometimes fan projects, even tiny mods, are killed because they can waste the appeal of an official video game that the company plan to develop, currently developing or try to test the waters. Then I would understand it. But then it would be shame to let this opportunity to make money for both sides go to waste. For example Nintendo doesn't seem to do anything about playable Linkle mods but then they are so aggressive for playable Zelda mods so it makes you think "Zelda game that you actually play as Zelda when?" lol.

For example after I developed a tent mod for Zelda BOTW I was so scared Nintendo would kidnap me or something. Because of this fear I just deleted the mod. No one can know if Nintendo watching me right now. Nintendo is the biggest mafia big boss of the world way dangerous than America, Russia and China combined lololol.

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

Synergy of the team in video game development is very important so despite you may hire the best people in their field, lack of mutual group thinking will ruin the development of the game.

Basically what happened with Daikatana, my favorite horror story.

The talent was there by the truckload, but development was such a disaster that the game was basically stillborn.

On the other hand, the PC version of Call Of Cthulhu: Dark Corners Of The Earth only exists because the developers had come to love their job and their team and continued on as the studio was being shutdown around them due to bankruptcy, knowing full well that they weren't gonna be paid for their efforts.

 

[Deleted member 77791]

Basically what happened with Daikatana, my favorite horror story.

The talent was there by the truckload, but development was such a disaster that the game was basically stillborn.

On the other hand, the PC version of Call Of Cthulhu: Dark Corners Of The Earth only exists because the developers had come to love their job and their team and continued on as the studio was being shutdown around them due to bankruptcy, knowing full well that they weren't gonna be paid for their efforts.

I think a person can always make money, but a video game developer cannot always work on a fun project that doesn't feel like everything about them is wasted. Sometimes what you developed is the fun thing that you enjoyed, not the game you developed that you would admit "damn even I wouldn't play it". The background of development is really something else, a game in its own context you have to do. Coming up with ideas and realizing them by figuring out with the codes you have no idea how it works but it does work anyway fills you with a sense of satisfaction. IMO developing options of the game is the hardest part of the game, when I did it for the first time it was so amazing. It was so amazing to able to change the volume of everything separately and even able to save it. This was rocket science for me than actually developing the game aspect of the program.

So there is "self-satisfaction aspect" of video game development that prevent the developer from realizing how bad their game is. You can't see fault in them despite how buggy mess it can be. Perhaps it's what it feels like to be able to love your own son despite he loves to lick the floor lololol.

So what is important for developers to focus on is actually developing a video game people from many generations will enjoy playing. For example even to this day kids enjoy Deus Ex 1. When new generation video game developers believe "success" of a video game is "at least 2 millions profit", for me the real success of a video game is developing a video game that even people of far future from 2100 or something able to enjoy it. This is such a video game I would like to develop. Perhaps many developers and teams start this journey which such dreams, but then they settle with one game idea they always wanted to realize. And then they feel satisfied despite it didn't sell well. It was like "things to do before I die" thing.

 

[DanVzare]

Reading more on the site, they suspect it could've been because the game might get mistaken for an official product. Shutting down a fan game for being too good is certainly a choice. I can definitely see why LEGO would feel threatened by it, especially since they aren't doing anything with the brand (that we know of)

You'd think if the quality was that good, they'd just hire them to turn it into an official product.

Unfortunately very VERY few companies seem capable of even considering that as an option.

 

[rootCompute]

You'd think if the quality was that good, they'd just hire them to turn it into an official product.

Unfortunately very VERY few companies seem capable of even considering that as an option.

Yeah, that probably would've been the best outcome here. There's no way to know what actually went on behind the scenes, it's possible the dev team's creative vision wouldn't have jived with LEGO's constraints for the brand representation in such a scenario.

The developers clearly wanted it to be authentic and seemingly took enormous lengths to make it appear that way from the small amount of gameplay footage we got. I respect them for wanting to do it for free as a passion project. After all the work put in, if it was me, I would've tried to make whatever possible compromise so it could see the light of day.

 

[Varyag]

I am really sad about this loss. Between this and the other Bionicle fan project, I thought both of them had LEGO's approval. It's not like they're USING the Bionicle IP for anything nowadays. Bullshit that corporate lawyers, rats, saw this and thought they should shut down the project. Taking directly from the Nintendo, Games Workshop or Wizards of the Coast playbook of asshattery.

 

[rootCompute]

I am really sad about this loss. Between this and the other Bionicle fan project, I thought both of them had LEGO's approval. It's not like they're USING the Bionicle IP for anything nowadays. Bullshit that corporate lawyers, rats, saw this and thought they should shut down the project. Taking directly from the Nintendo, Games Workshop or Wizards of the Coast playbook of asshattery.

Yeah, I am pretty upset too. I don't really get excited about new big budget games or tech products these days because of how cynical those industries have become. This is the kind of thing that gets me paying attention, passionate people getting together and putting something beautiful out into the world without asking for anything from you. I understand why it was canned, but it still sucks. Feels like we can't have nice things anymore.