[Ralf]

Hello to everybody here in the english speaking community!

Sorry that we (from the studio) can´t regulary post here. (Big thanks to Christopher Weckwerth, who is constantly engaged here)
As some of you know, we answer questions quite regulary on the German side of the Forum- but for some reason we rarely post here (even though, most of us are quite fluent in English).
(Maybe I get Kai to check in more regulary too...?)

You propably know allready that the publisher of the Gothic Games, JoWood, and the Studio parted a while ago. Sad story- and I am sure you read the news in the trades.

Any questions you might have about the future of Gothic IV, any AddOn or patches, please contact the publisher via their homepage. It´s not that we don´t want to answer your questions, but all those answers can only be given by JoWood, since we are not longer working with the brand.
And yes- we are not too happy about it too, but the step was necessary to protect our studio.

I hope you understand...

Piranha Bytes itself is still very much alive and of course we are working- allthough, it might take a little while until you will get any official announcements about WHAT we are doing at the moment.

Thanks anyway for your encouragement and welcome criticism about the split.

Best regards

[paulcmnt]

Nice to see you guys here.
Sad thing that you don't owe Gothic's copyrights anymore, but everyone has confidence on your new project.
I have a question: did you think yet of any new publisher?

[Powaz]

Hi Ralf !!!
Nice to see you here

My question about your new game:
Will you use the old artworks from G3 artbook or create some new artworks??? (I mean armor etc...)


I like your catchword : Back to the Roots
You have a nice homemade avatar

[Ralf]

Nice to see you guys here.
Sad thing that you don't owe Gothic's copyrights anymore, but everyone has confidence on your new project.
I have a question: did you think yet of any new publisher?

Yeah- we are working on that. Watch this space!!
;-)

Hi Ralf !!!
Nice to see you here



My question about your new game:
Will you use the old artworks from G3 artbook or create some new artworks??? (I mean armor etc...)


I like your catchword : Back to the Roots
P.S nice homemade avatar

Thanks for the flowers!
And yes- everything will be newly made, no reuse of old GFX.
And it allready looks much more defined...


PS: About the Avatar:
As Artdirector, you can go with either something incredibly sophisticaed or very silly.
I choose the later- as you can see...

[Powaz]

Ok thanks

But now I will ask a very hard quetion
Are you going to create a medieval fantasy game???

[HardCased]

Any questions you might have about the future of Gothic IV, any AddOn or patches, please contact the publisher via their homepage. It´s not that we don´t want to answer your questions, but all those answers can only be given by JoWood, since we are not longer working with the brand.
And yes- we are not too happy about it too, but the step was necessary to protect our studio.

I hope you understand...

I find it extremely difficult to believe that you resent washing your hands of Gothic 3.

[Demonium]

Hi Ralf,

Congrats for your work. Although Gothic 1,2 were (and still are) my favourite games, i wont be embarased to say that i was dissapointed from G3. Not because of the bugs/performancehit/problems. But because it wasnt Gothic anymore for me. But this isnt the main thread to complain about.
Although i am a fan of Gothic, at least i am old enough to say things as they are.

My questions (hard though):

1) Do you have the rights for the engine you made for G3? Or you sold everythin to Jowood including the engine?

2) Will you BUY this time a new engine in order not to lose precious time, or you have economical problems and you will try to make your own engine again?

3) One of the reasons i believe that G3 was unfinished is that your developing team is too small for such huge developments. Will you hire new programers and modelers this time?

4) Why dont you hire someone to talk more often to the Gothic English speaking part of the comunity since you dont have the time? Any fan could accept this job...

5) Offtopic! How many polygons have the models in G3? NPCs, monsters, weapons...just asking

[Ralf]

Ok thanks

But now I will ask a very hard quetion
Are you going to create a medieval fantasy game???

Sorry- as for the german side of the forum, I can not give you any information about the new project, nor can I give you any indications about the content. But your guess is as healthy as any.

I find it extremely difficult to believe that you resent washing your hands of Gothic 3.

Oh- it´s the simple fact that we are not in control of the fate of G3 any longer. Whow like to give that up? Our goal was allways and still is to make the best possible game that time and money restraints allow us to make.

Hi Ralf,


My questions (hard though):

1) Do you have the rights for the engine you made for G3? Or you sold everythin to Jowood including the engine?

2) Will you BUY this time a new engine in order not to lose precious time, or you have economical problems and you will try to make your own engine again?

3) One of the reasons i believe that G3 was unfinished is that your developing team is too small for such huge developments. Will you hire new programers and modelers this time?

4) Why dont you hire someone to talk more often to the Gothic English speaking part of the comunity since you dont have the time? Any fan could accept this job...

5) Offtopic! How many polygons have the models in G3? NPCs, monsters, weapons...just asking

No chance that I answer Questions 1,2,3. Sorry.

We are quite a small studio- so the extra cost would weight quite considerable. And I also think you would like to get your answers directly and not via a spokesperson.

5) Characters and Monsters: apx. 6000 Polygons (less if possible)
Houses: about 8000-10000, depending on the LOD.

[HardCased]

Our goal was allways and still is to make the best possible game that time and money restraints allow us to make.

It's disheartening to know that despite what you say, not so long ago, that answer would have been different. Not so long ago, your goal was to make the best possible game for yourselves and your customers. A lack of time and/or money do not right the wrongs or justify the released state of Gothic 3.

I just want my game to work the way it says it will on the box and in the manual.

[flamezlord]

It's disheartening to know that despite what you say, not so long ago, that answer would have been different. Not so long ago, your goal was to make the best possible game for yourselves and your customers. A lack of time and/or money do not right the wrongs or justify the released state of Gothic 3.

I just want my game to work the way it says it will on the box and in the manual.

Quick, hardcased! Make me a pizza with only 50 cents in 2 minutes! Hey, this isn't pizza at all. Starting to see why it's a good excuse? As it is, they do not have control of g3. While they could make a patch with the same rights we have to make a mod, they couldn't sell an addon and make money from it. If they are in the proper economical situation where they have enough money to make an addon for reputation and not money, then they can make an addon. But, i doubt you guys have enough money to make a patch, right, ralf? It's nice to see that you guys are finally getting back on your toes and corresponding with us! Just one question that you might be able to answer: Do you have any idea when you'll be able to answer questions about the game?

[vulgar]

Long time ago there were games made from gamers for gamers. Gothic I for me was a new world on its own, and can not tell how much I enjoyed the time spent ingame. Countless times and still the game is in my hall of fame for all the gamer could ever want in game (together with fallout series, jagged alliance, Baldour's gate, Deus ex, System shock II). I was a bit dissapointed with GII until Night of the raven came and made GII perfect for me.

Gothic III was highly anticipated, of course I bought it right away (collectors edition) and than it started. A week of frustration just to make game work, and then another week of frustration to finish it. And then HALF A YEAR of frustration waiting for a proper patch, or obvious an addon, becouse original had lack of almost everything I loved in previous Gothic games. I admit, there there are moments in game, that there is a lot of potential in it. It just did not come out right (I would be happy just with a balance patch, if perfection could not be done).

And now, instead of NEEDED patch, I get all this political BS, who can say what and cant say nothing. If I was not a die for fan, I would not bother writing this. Really. To much buissiness in a fantasy world for me. Well we all have to grow up someday, I guess.

I understand that buissiness in buissiness, and we all have to move on, but still... kick some ass, do something to patch this wound, and we can all live on, till G4 or whatever. Please.

[bat_boro]

Hi, Ralf.
First of all, congratulations on your work for the art of Gothic 3 - it was topline of the art in the series and one of the reasons that Gothic 3 was such a good game (despite the "unplayable" thingy and some other minor problems, and I mean - really)


Now to my question about your next game - will you come up with the universe or your intentions are to use a licensed universe like Middle Earth (just an example).

Now I know that this is getting annoying but please PB guyz just think on the "A Song of Ice and Fire" universe. A game based on this universe could prove a HUGE success!

Thanks for the answer in advance, keep up the good work, guys and next time do some more beta testing, will you?


Edit: You still own the rights to the Gothic 3 engine, don't you!?

[Danutz_plusplus]

Hi Ralf. Thanks for posting.
And also thanks for the great series you guys have worked on. And good luck on your future projects. Especially the one you're working on now. I'm really curios what you guys have in store for us.

[Lazor]

Hi Ralf from me too. As everyone already said i also want to congratulate you for your job, and i think Gothic 3 was an epic game. Maybe it was the worst of gothic series BUT it was one of the best games IN GENERAL (i mean comparing with non-Gothic games).

First of all there is one basically thing i would like to see in your next project. And that's an EDITOR. With a nice editor a game can get at least 1/3 MORE fans than it would have with no editor, and it would make the game much more popular (from great mods etc)

That's all. I hope you'll find a new 'n' better publisher. Keep up the good work

Lazor

[Larisa]

It's very nice to see you here, Ralf. We are 'thirsty' for information right from the source.

Edit: You still own the rights to the Gothic 3 engine, don't you!?

See the answer to Demonium's post.

I just want my game to work the way it says it will on the box and in the manual.

Then contact the publisher.

[skywalker4]

I don`t want to judge you but... we were expecting for some patches or add-on... many of us got dissapointed but we are still with YOU ! after all ,you created the game of my childhood ... cheers !

[Mikael Grizzly]

It's disheartening to know that despite what you say, not so long ago, that answer would have been different. Not so long ago, your goal was to make the best possible game for yourselves and your customers. A lack of time and/or money do not right the wrongs or justify the released state of Gothic 3.

I just want my game to work the way it says it will on the box and in the manual.

Have a little more heart, less hostility and drop the "I WANT!" attitude, they have enough problems as it is.

[Demonium]

@Calin, are you in love with Xardas?

@Ralf,

Oops, things are more pretty f*cked up than i thought...

So, since you claim you are STILL a small company and dont have money to waste i understand that:

You havent much money for development, you havent the rights for your engine anymore, you wont buy a new engine, you wont hire new people, again your small team will lose time to make a new engine and try to make everything alone, you will run out of time, search for a publisher who wont let you to develop your game more than 4 years again...

and the best is: THAT WE WONT STOP SUPPORTING YOU PB!!!


For gods sake. 100.000 sells x 50 euro = 5 million euro

And i am sure you have made more sells all over the world.

And you cant hire more people? Did someone robbed you or something?

Have you ever thought that there are some crazy fans here who could do this job for free? Why should we learn ALL the news from the German speaking thread and not directly from the English speaking part of this forum? Should we all learn German or wait till some valunteer will be found to "play" the role of the translator..?

You say that we fans want to talk directly with PB. Ok i agree. But not only in the beginnig of the development and in the end. Wile the German comunity is talking with you much more often.

Dont we deserve the same treatment?

Is this so hard to be done?
Always the English speaking comunity on the second place.
This is a proof : I waited more than a year to see the English edition of Night of the Raven. And i didnt played it when it arrived because i lost my interest and my patience as well.

I can say it was the same feeling when i had constantly 8-15 frames in G3 with my 7950GT...

And you used 6000 polygons for the models
How is this possible? Damn...Normal maps are doing miracles?
What is the "frame eater" into Gothic 3? No loading bars?

Because i imported in 3d max 9 a sword from the game Oblivion, and it had 1000 polygons. Since they could afford such amount of polygons that means the loading bars is the trick...right?

So next time put some loading bars here and there. lets say 5 all over the world.It wont hurt anyone...We dont need such realism...

[Mikael Grizzly]

@Calin, are you in love with Xardas?

Having Xardas chained and ball-gagged in a closet doesn't count as love, I think.

So, i believe that since you claim you are STILL a small company and dont have money to waste i understand that:

You havent much money for development, you havent the rights for your engine anymore, you wont buy a new engine, you wont hire new people, again your small team will lose time to make a new engine and try to make everything alone, you will run out of time, search for a publisher who wont let you to develop your game more than 4 years again...

and the best is: THAT WE WONT STOP SUPPORTING YOU PB!!!

Well, PB IS a small company, as is pretty much GSC Gameworld. That's why they need a publisher. VALVe is big enough to be---

What if Piranha Bytes hooked up with VALVe? Source is very, very flexible...

For gods sake. 100.000 sells x 50 euro = 5 million euro

You forget about the costs of manufacturing CDs, shipping, advertisement, marketing, paycheck for employees, pay for the publisher, taxes, fees for pizza delivery guys, rent for the company's HQ, bills for the HQ... this eats away at profits pretty strongly.

And you cant hire more people? Did someone robbed you or something?

They can't afford it, simple as that.

Have you ever thought that there are some crazy fans here who could do this job for free? Why should we learn ALL the news from the German speaking thread and not directly from the English speaking part of this forum? Should we all learn German or wait till some valunteer will be found to "play" the role of the translator..?

You say that we fans want to talk directly with PB. Ok i agree. But not only in the beginnig of the development and in the end. Wile the German comunity is talking with you much more often.

Dont we deserve the same treatment?

Is this so hard to be done?
Always the English speaking comunity on the second place.
This is a proof : I waited more than a year to see the English edition of Night of the Raven. And i didnt played it when it arrived because i lost my interest and my patience as well.

Or maybe it's because it was hard to find a reliable publisher in Greece that would publish the game? Piranha Bytes does not translate the games, it is done by a third party company. We, Polacks, got NotR pretty quick (1 year after the German release I recall), fully translated, because CD-Projekt wanted to do it.

The failure of English publishers to release the game can't be attributed to Piranhas.

And you used 6000 polygons for the models
How is this possible? Damn...Normal maps are doing miracles?
What is the "frame eater" into Gothic 3? No loading bars?

I guess it's a bit of an unfinished engine, which renders everything in a given area, even if it's not seen by the player. The same issue as with Morrowind.

[HardCased]

Quick, hardcased! Make me a pizza with only 50 cents in 2 minutes! Hey, this isn't pizza at all. Starting to see why it's a good excuse?

If I agreed to your terms, I would indeed take full responsibility for my failed Pizza if it did not meet your expectations.

This seems to be exactly what many of you people are forgetting. PB signed a binding contract to deliver a product, within a certain time-frame and on an agreed budget. If JW somehow 'stiffed' them over that contract, then PB will definitely have their day in court with them. We do not have this information yet a large majority of you have already concluded that the blame lies entirely with the publisher. I have remained neutral and until all of the necessary information is revealed, I'll continue to query both PB and JW.

Then contact the publisher.

I have.

Have a little more heart, less hostility and drop the "I WANT!" attitude, they have enough problems as it is.

Yes, they do have problems. None bought unto themselves though right.

I WANT Gothic 3 to be repaired. If you don't want that done, why bother me because I do?