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CommunityCrossbeam Updates on Status of Nintendo Wii Projects
on 08.06.2008 at 00:59
Posted by Adam Riley (jesusraz)
Tags:
Orb, Thorn, Midnight, Crossbeam Studios, Wii
Posted by Adam Riley (jesusraz) Tags:
Orb, Thorn, Midnight, Crossbeam Studios, Wii Recent News
Following an extensive look at Crossbeam Studios, Greg Szemiot has contacted Cubed³ to speak out about just what is happening with the team, its Wii projects and future plans. Falafelkid's article goes through the company's history, completely dissecting every aspect of the team's long journey in the Videogame Industry and how promises made have time and time again been broken. Cubed³ was one of the first websites to give Crossbeam a strong push and from there onwards the group's three projects, Orb, Thorn and Midnight (formerly Darkness) have garnered a lot of attention, but sadly failed to materialise. For those interested in more details, the article is a must read.
After reading it, though, Cubed³ decided to see what Greg had to say on the matter and if some details could be clarified. Below is the response received just a short while ago:
So it looks like nothing will be coming for Wii, but not all hope is lost for Nintendo support in the future. Perhaps if this PC project comes to fruition and garners the team enough success, then maybe a WiiWare game could be something for them to look at. Who knows. Whatever the case, Cubed³ will try to keep you as updated as possible whenever anything does arise. Good luck to the team at Crossbeam!
After reading it, though, Cubed³ decided to see what Greg had to say on the matter and if some details could be clarified. Below is the response received just a short while ago:
I will not sugar coat anything. Falafelkid was right in his article. CSE has had many problems throughout the years. We were naive and perhaps arrogant, "riding the wave of publicity," as he puts it. We take our projects very seriously but we made many mistakes. The biggest mistake was not taking the business side seriously for many years. As CEO, the fault lies squarely with me. I put the game ideas first and said "I'll take care of the business stuff later." We also then announced projects that were merely ideas or designs at the time. The fact that those haven't panned out yet makes me apologise profusely to both my staff and gamers who believed in us and the projects.
Since 2005, when we first started to toy with the idea of re-designing Orb for the then Revolution, we only had a few levels done in 3D Gamestudio. We planned on eventually moving on to Torque. When we announced the game was in planning for Wii it was our hope and far-fetched dream that it would come to fruition. Obviously that backfired. We made the announcement with little more than a design for the Wii version and gave up completely on developing any other version. I believe it was sheer arrogance; a start-up developer with no experience of console development announcing a title for the Wii when it was still in planning. This behaviour killed us slowly over time. Not even the biggest companies do that, and it was a difficult lesson to learn.
Since our recent falling out with a potential investor, CSE has died. It may sound strange, but perhaps it is for the better as it put many things into perspective. At the end of his article Falafekid gave a series of Useful Tips. Before he even published this article we had done many of these. We have started on a single PC project. It is a small project, and we're not even going to officially announce any details until the game is at least 50% done. Our new focus is why we have not updated the website or brought our forums back online. They were proving to be a distraction.
Since 2005, when we first started to toy with the idea of re-designing Orb for the then Revolution, we only had a few levels done in 3D Gamestudio. We planned on eventually moving on to Torque. When we announced the game was in planning for Wii it was our hope and far-fetched dream that it would come to fruition. Obviously that backfired. We made the announcement with little more than a design for the Wii version and gave up completely on developing any other version. I believe it was sheer arrogance; a start-up developer with no experience of console development announcing a title for the Wii when it was still in planning. This behaviour killed us slowly over time. Not even the biggest companies do that, and it was a difficult lesson to learn.
Since our recent falling out with a potential investor, CSE has died. It may sound strange, but perhaps it is for the better as it put many things into perspective. At the end of his article Falafekid gave a series of Useful Tips. Before he even published this article we had done many of these. We have started on a single PC project. It is a small project, and we're not even going to officially announce any details until the game is at least 50% done. Our new focus is why we have not updated the website or brought our forums back online. They were proving to be a distraction.
I do very much want to see Orb completed. I have spent nine years on the storyline, working out plot holes, and making the world as detailed as possible. We knew the project was extremely ambitious for a start-up company. We just hoped things would have worked out and we wouldn't be in the position we are in now.
Since the death and slow rebirth of CSE over the first half of this year, we have discussed this new project with some of the ex-staff. We have staff coming back to work on the project. Our former lead programmer, James Bond, has returned, old concept artists from the pre-Nintendo era have come back, and some others are expressing great interest in working with us. It's not going to be a ground-breaking title; we can't do a project of that calibre on our budget. However, the title will be to the best of our abilities. It is a fresh start for us and hopefully will prove to be the correct course of action. I just hope it does work out for us on this project so someday we can deliver on our promises for Orb and Thorn. Currently, we only have ideas and storylines for Orb and Thorn, but as James has said, they are good ideas and storylines.
With proper support and some luck, we hope to appear on consoles in the next generation. For right now, our focus is to get the experience needed and titles under our belt to enable us to push a project as ambitious as Orb and have it succeed.
- Greg Szemiot, Crossbeam Studios Entertainment.
Since the death and slow rebirth of CSE over the first half of this year, we have discussed this new project with some of the ex-staff. We have staff coming back to work on the project. Our former lead programmer, James Bond, has returned, old concept artists from the pre-Nintendo era have come back, and some others are expressing great interest in working with us. It's not going to be a ground-breaking title; we can't do a project of that calibre on our budget. However, the title will be to the best of our abilities. It is a fresh start for us and hopefully will prove to be the correct course of action. I just hope it does work out for us on this project so someday we can deliver on our promises for Orb and Thorn. Currently, we only have ideas and storylines for Orb and Thorn, but as James has said, they are good ideas and storylines.
With proper support and some luck, we hope to appear on consoles in the next generation. For right now, our focus is to get the experience needed and titles under our belt to enable us to push a project as ambitious as Orb and have it succeed.
- Greg Szemiot, Crossbeam Studios Entertainment.
So it looks like nothing will be coming for Wii, but not all hope is lost for Nintendo support in the future. Perhaps if this PC project comes to fruition and garners the team enough success, then maybe a WiiWare game could be something for them to look at. Who knows. Whatever the case, Cubed³ will try to keep you as updated as possible whenever anything does arise. Good luck to the team at Crossbeam!
More on Orb (Wii)
Developer: Crossbeam Studios Entertainment
Publisher: TBA
Genre: Action
Players: 0
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CommentsPost a Comment
1
James2t3
0 
Sex is bad. Sex is a Sin. Sins are forgiven so stick it in!
9413
L100 C3 Master
James Bond works for them!? :O
XBL Gamertag: James2t3
XBL Gamertag: James2t3
dojo
0
updating.
4690
L96 Marth
Honesty gets you very far; what he said up there is admirable. It's a shame to see the projects die (for now) and I really hope that his ideas for Orb don't go wasted. It's interesting to hear such bluntness, too.
Best of luck to them
Tastes like Chicken.
Best of luck to them
Tastes like Chicken.
jesusraz
0
Like Reading? Check out '100 Classic Book Collection'!
11078
News Editor
I just emailed on the off-chance and he very kindly responded with the above, copying in GoNintendo for some reason (possibly because they did coverage on Falafelkid's article, maybe? Not sure).
I reckon a WiiWare project would be an ideal route to go down, especially to appease the strong following of Nintendo fans they still have. I wonder if it's a possibility?
Cubed³ Senior Editor :: Lead Writer :: News & Interviews Editor
I reckon a WiiWare project would be an ideal route to go down, especially to appease the strong following of Nintendo fans they still have. I wonder if it's a possibility?
Cubed³ Senior Editor :: Lead Writer :: News & Interviews Editor
mOojc
0
4774
L97 Luigi
It is always a shame to see projects not being fullfilled and I do hope it will be completed one day.
A WiiWare project would be good.
A WiiWare project would be good.
mokoi
0
20
L3 Gooba
Damn thats a shame...I was fan of CSE's projects. Good luck to your pc game and hopefully you'll grow.
Phoenixus
0
awol
2493
L74 Olimar
I was wondering the other day what had happened to Orb, Thorn and Darkness, shame to hear we'll never see them on Wii now. 
Ah well, good luck to Crossbeam in their future endeavors.
Phoeniews; The Past & Present, each Tuesday/Wednesday! This week; Quite possibly the best game ever made.
Ah well, good luck to Crossbeam in their future endeavors.
Phoeniews; The Past & Present, each Tuesday/Wednesday! This week; Quite possibly the best game ever made.Mason
0
Thank-ya-very-much!
8479
Reviews Editor
I'm glad they've been honest about it all - they've always been pretty upfront guys when I've been in touch with them, and it really was the best response after the article of Falafelkid. I'm still going to be following them - I think of Crossbeam as a pet project of my own, really, since I personally was one of the first people that did an article on them after the Wii announcement as said in Falafelkid's opener - and I look forward to seeing what smaller project they can announce. A WiiWare project would be great, but even seeing a PC title from these guys would be good.
Best of luck, Crossbeam.
Cubed3 Staff :: Reviews Editor
Xbox Live :: C3Mike
Best of luck, Crossbeam.
Cubed3 Staff :: Reviews Editor
Xbox Live :: C3Mike
Echoes221
0
Won the finanacial mail business competition! Won a Laptop!
1431
L60 Pikmin
Its about time we heard from crossbeam studios, there hasnt been any news since the wii was first announced.
jesusraz
0
Like Reading? Check out '100 Classic Book Collection'!
11078News Editor
On the WiiWare front, Greg says: "We have thought of WiiWare. We might go that route once we have some titles under our belt and it might even be Orb or Thorn related (not the proper games but something like a lead-in game or such), but I'm not making any promises on that now."
Cubed³ Senior Editor :: Lead Writer :: News & Interviews Editor
Cubed³ Senior Editor :: Lead Writer :: News & Interviews Editor
D_prOdigy
0
248
L23 Fire Leo
Hmm... Wallowing a little too much in a puddle of self-pity, but at least he admits his mistakes.
Actually really disappointed about this. Been checking the site regularly for months now, just to see if there was any new concept art for the very promising-sounding Thorn. I guess they'll learn not to jump into the public eye too early.
Now... anyone heard anything bout Sadness?
Actually really disappointed about this. Been checking the site regularly for months now, just to see if there was any new concept art for the very promising-sounding Thorn. I guess they'll learn not to jump into the public eye too early.
Now... anyone heard anything bout Sadness?
Stulaw
0
Not knowing the unknowledgable
1279
L57 Resetti
D_prOdigy said:
Now... anyone heard anything bout Sadness?
Now... anyone heard anything bout Sadness?
Well there are some screens on C3 somewhere and they are still developing it.
As for this i have to say, good luck to them. They look like they've learned there lessoin about putting too much pressure on themselves by announcing something they can't do. I'm sure they'll bring out good titles in the future.
Laurelin
0
rescues the world in Disaster - Day of Crisis
1586
L63 Shiek
Very brave to be so honest. I like that in developer a lot. As you can see we honour that, too.
I hope they come back to us, I hope with some Nintendo-titles. The article may be a bit full of self-pity, but I understand that. They are disappointed in themselves.
Shame, really... I hope this leads to a solid base for future projects, being creative!
Guys, come back to Wii, it's less expensive then the other two consoles and you would bring serious games to Wii. To not have this, is a shame for us and Nintendo. Pity...
I hope they come back to us, I hope with some Nintendo-titles. The article may be a bit full of self-pity, but I understand that. They are disappointed in themselves.
Shame, really... I hope this leads to a solid base for future projects, being creative!
Guys, come back to Wii, it's less expensive then the other two consoles and you would bring serious games to Wii. To not have this, is a shame for us and Nintendo. Pity...
I find your lack of faith disturbing!
on 09.06.2008 at 08:46