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NWR Interactive => TalkBack => Topic started by: NWR_Neal on April 24, 2008, 05:12:27 PM

Title: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: NWR_Neal on April 24, 2008, 05:12:27 PM
Follow-up comment from Nintendo alleviates worries of the studio’s closing.
 http://nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=15852

 Shack News recently reported that three integral members of Retro Studios, the company responsible for the Metroid Prime trilogy, were escorted off the studio’s premises. The three members - design director Mark Pacini, art director Todd Keller, and principal technology engineer Jack Matthews - left the studio for unknown reasons, but the popular assumption is that the trio will form a new development studio together.    


As to any rumors about the company’s closure, Nintendo responded to Computer and Video Games that "we still continue to work alongside the team at Retro and no official announcements as to its status have been made".    


While this doesn’t deny Retro’s potential closure, it doesn’t confirm it either. They are supposedly currently at work on a new Wii game.

Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: mastro on April 25, 2008, 12:31:16 AM
Everything still sounds to very cryptic to me surrounding this issue. I am curious how big of a part these guys played in the development at Retro and if retro can rebound from this. I just wanna see something new from retro studios and hope they can make an awesome new IP for Nintendo.

Also very curious why these guys would leave. Was Nintendo forcing them to remake an old franchise and these guys wanted to do something new? or was it that they just wanted to go separate ways.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: GoldenPhoenix on April 25, 2008, 12:49:08 AM
I would say losing your art director, design director and technology engineer is quite a blow, no doubt about it.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: that Baby guy on April 25, 2008, 01:19:08 AM
It's a big blow.  If I had to suggest a reason why, I'd say that they either wanted independence, or that Nintendo wanted split the company up after they finish their current title.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: DAaaMan64 on April 25, 2008, 01:31:27 AM
yawnzies, I don't care till I see what they make next and how well they make it.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Kairon on April 25, 2008, 12:50:02 PM
They could be heading off to make their own studio maybe. Those are big name guys, and with Metroid Prime under their belts, they can command attention.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Ian Sane on April 25, 2008, 02:44:35 PM
Well if Retro falls apart I'm sure Nintendo can replace them.  I hear the guys who make SpongeBob SquarePants games might be available.

I hope they don't sign exclusively with MS and then give some "Nintendo scared us away" statement like Silicon Knights and Factor 5 did.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Djunknown on April 25, 2008, 03:51:34 PM
From the shack news source, they used the key words 'being escorted out of the building', which makes me believe they didn't leave on good terms.

Usually if your higher-ups are leaving in a positive/amicable manner, they make a press release saying something to the effect of they appreciated their work during their tenure and wish the best of luck in their future endeavors. This just sounds like a straight up canning process.

Quote
Also very curious why these guys would leave. Was Nintendo forcing them to remake an old franchise and these guys wanted to do something new? or was it that they just wanted to go separate ways.

Knowing Nintendo, we'll probably never, ever know the whole story.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: DAaaMan64 on April 25, 2008, 04:11:56 PM
Isn't Nintendo pretty awesome to their developers?  I mean we hear stories form Koei and others...
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Kairon on April 25, 2008, 05:00:23 PM
Quote from: DAaaMan64 on April 25, 2008, 04:11:56 PM
Isn't Nintendo pretty awesome to their developers?  I mean we hear stories form Koei and others...

Nintendo is pretty solid I think. I remember N-Space saying how wonderful it is to be paid on time. LOL.

However, wholly-owned second parties may find it stifling to have to obey directives from NOJ instead of being given more freedom. Remember how Dinosaur Planet turned into SFA? How ALL of Retro Studios' five projects got canned and they were put to work on Metroid Prime? How NST has pretty much done portjob after portjob, and it's believed that their original IP Project H.A.M.M.E.R. is pretty much canned now?
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 25, 2008, 09:27:38 PM
I won't say I knew Jack but I'd spoken to him on a few occasions and he was a decent guy. I hope wherever he goes next works out for him.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: walkingdead2 on April 25, 2008, 10:13:42 PM
Quote from: Djunknown on April 25, 2008, 03:51:34 PM
From the shack news source, they used the key words 'being escorted out of the building', which makes me believe they didn't leave on good terms.

Usually if your higher-ups are leaving in a positive/amicable manner, they make a press release saying something to the effect of they appreciated their work during their tenure and wish the best of luck in their future endeavors. This just sounds like a straight up canning process.

Quote
Also very curious why these guys would leave. Was Nintendo forcing them to remake an old franchise and these guys wanted to do something new? or was it that they just wanted to go separate ways.

Knowing Nintendo, we'll probably never, ever know the whole story.


this is very true.  when your escorted out of the building that means you were fired and they don't trust you not to steal something. 

it could be something small like they were very vocal about there problems, or just speculating here they could have been actively recruiting within retro.  since theres the rumor of them starting there own studio that could be the case as well.  either way this wasn't just a little thing.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Kairon on April 25, 2008, 11:15:02 PM
No, I thought that escorting someone out a building as soon as possible and changing all the locks is common procedure anytime you're in a secretive technology business.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: NWR_pap64 on April 26, 2008, 12:01:59 AM
The downfall of gaming at the hands of Nintendo=CONFIRMED!

(Surprised no one has made the joke...)
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: IceCold on April 26, 2008, 01:02:39 AM
Why is everyone acting so apathetic to this?
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: NWR_pap64 on April 26, 2008, 01:20:20 AM
Quote from: IceCold on April 26, 2008, 01:02:39 AM
Why is everyone acting so apathetic to this?

Because there's still hope that Retro is working on a new game, so as long as Retro is still around making games who leaves and who stays doesn't matter in the eyes of some.

Now, if the news was that Retro closed for good THEN people would give a crap...
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Smoke39 on April 26, 2008, 01:47:12 AM
Quote from: IceCold on April 26, 2008, 01:02:39 AM
Why is everyone acting so apathetic to this?
Well, in my case, it's 'cause imo the Prime series has gone downhill after the first game.  And I honestly have never really liked their art direction.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: DAaaMan64 on April 26, 2008, 02:06:31 AM
I uuhhh liked Corruption the best, maybe because of the controls...
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on April 26, 2008, 02:17:32 AM
NINTENDO KILLS GAMING
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: NWR_pap64 on April 26, 2008, 02:20:25 AM
Quote from: NinGurl 69 *huggles on April 26, 2008, 02:17:32 AM
NINTENDO KILLS GAMING

You are late!

Therefore, you fail.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Shift Key on April 26, 2008, 03:01:36 AM
Quote from: IceCold on April 26, 2008, 01:02:39 AM
Why is everyone acting so apathetic to this?

Because its effects on Retro are unknown at this stage. We don't even know what Retro are up to - they might be playing Foosball all day, waiting for a new project from the parent company.

I remember the exodus from Rare that produced Free Radical Design - and Timesplitters 2 on the Cube (probably the FPS I expected from Rare for that generation). And don't forget the shitstorm that Nintendo fanboys kicked up after Rare joined the Microsoft Games Studio - was that worth it in the end?

So don't paint it as doom and gloom. I'll wait and see what each side (Nintendo, Retro, the former Retro employee) does before I pass judgment on whether it was "for the best".
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: IceCold on April 26, 2008, 03:39:24 AM
Sounds good.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Luigi Dude on April 26, 2008, 03:49:59 AM
It's also important to note that key members have left Retro before.  After the first Metroid Prime game was released several key members left as well, and yet Prime 2 and 3 still turned out to be great games.  This shows that's there's still quite a bit of talent at Retro and so if they were able to survive losing key talent in the past, they'll survive losing these guys as well.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: KDR_11k on April 26, 2008, 05:27:58 AM
I don't think key people are so critical that you'll fail without them.

I think Prime 2 and 3 were weaker than 1 but that was mostly because of the level design.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Nick DiMola on April 26, 2008, 11:26:28 AM
Quote from: Kairon on April 25, 2008, 11:15:02 PM
No, I thought that escorting someone out a building as soon as possible and changing all the locks is common procedure anytime you're in a secretive technology business.

This is correct.

I think that this could suck, but only time will tell. I figure that these guys must've left for another opportunity, whether it be them opening their own company or joining up with another team, though I think the former is more likely. I am anxious though to see the outcome of all of this.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: animecyberrat on April 26, 2008, 02:23:26 PM
I was escorted out of the building and asked "not to shop here anymore" when Sears let me go. No explanation given. I didn't even have a serious job that would affect anything, I just worked in Shipping/Receiving and sometimes the Warehouse.

Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: DAaaMan64 on April 26, 2008, 02:50:44 PM
Quote from: animecyberrat on April 26, 2008, 02:23:26 PM
I was escorted out of the building and asked "not to shop here anymore" when Sears let me go. No explanation given. I didn't even have a serious job that would affect anything, I just worked in Shipping/Receiving and sometimes the Warehouse.

Thats weird, that sounds to me like they thought you stole something.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: walkingdead2 on April 26, 2008, 03:03:32 PM
Quote from: KDR_11k on April 26, 2008, 05:27:58 AM
I don't think key people are so critical that you'll fail without them.

I think Prime 2 and 3 were weaker than 1 but that was mostly because of the level design.

well the buzz word is KEY PEOPLE.  as long as retro still has the same philosophy and backing that they always had they will be fine.  but metal gear would not be the same without Kojima.  and in turn without top notch talent at the top driving and pushing retro wont be the same.  i could be wrong but thats just my two cents.
Title: good riddance!
Post by: stevey on April 26, 2008, 08:03:42 PM
I was expecting this, after the perfection that was Prime 2, with a completely connect living world to explore and challenging boss fight that weren't just attack/leave self open patterns, with the failure of Corruption, which is just a rip off shallow American Fps with over simplify boss with no real exploration and the waste of bandwidth online mode, heads needed to roll and people needed to be hanged!
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Kairon on April 26, 2008, 08:27:02 PM
T_T @ MP3 hate. First Metroid game I ever actually enjoyed playing...
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Smoke39 on April 26, 2008, 08:37:33 PM
That's just the problem.  They greatly simplified what makes Metroid so much fun for the sake of making it more accessible for those who can't find their way around on their own.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: NWR_insanolord on April 26, 2008, 08:50:00 PM
Corruption was my favorite Metroid, slightly edging out Super Metroid which I played for the first time on the VC just before I got Corruption. I wish they would remake the first two Primes with the controls of Corruption because those are what got me to buy Corruption and I couldn't go back to a standard gamepad for games like that.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: GoldenPhoenix on April 26, 2008, 08:57:03 PM
Insano I agree with you about Corruption, it is my favorite out of the Prime series.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: DAaaMan64 on April 26, 2008, 09:17:42 PM
I'd re-buy the first to also!
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Bill Aurion on April 26, 2008, 09:37:19 PM
Quote from: walkingdead2 on April 26, 2008, 03:03:32 PM
well the buzz word is KEY PEOPLE.  as long as retro still has the same philosophy and backing that they always had they will be fine.  but metal gear would not be the same without Kojima.

An important thing to remember is that Retro is done with the Prime series, and most likely Metroid period...As long as there are people with talent below (which there most certainly are), there should be little, if any, difference in quality between the Prime series and their next IP...

(And Prime 3 is the best Metroid game, Smoke is just sucking on sour grapes... :cool; )
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Smoke39 on April 26, 2008, 09:52:52 PM
If nothing else, the fact that Corruption had some of the most pathetically straightforward "exploration" ever automatically disqualifies it from even being eligible for consideration of being the best Metroid game.  And that's ignoring the awful comic book super hero rejects of competing bounty hunters and cliched escort mission toward the end.  Practically the only thing Corruption has going for it are some decent aiming controls, which any old fool who's ever played a mouse-driven PC game could have come up with.

*throws a handful of grapes at Bill*  Yar. o:<
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Shift Key on April 27, 2008, 12:02:40 AM
uh-oh, who brought the hatorade into this thread?
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: NWR_pap64 on April 27, 2008, 01:12:01 AM
The only thing that would get me to try MP 3 is the controls. The first MP left such a sour taste in my mouth I swore I would NEVER lay a hand on a MP game, ever! But I heard MP 3 enhanced the formula in such a way that its very fun and enjoyable to play.

Sadly, the video stores around here STILL don't carry Wii games and I don't know anyone that owns the game around here. So the only way I can play MP 3 is to buy it...Which I am not sure of.

And someone probably peed on Smoke's cereal, so I would say ignore him... ;)
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: DAaaMan64 on April 27, 2008, 01:41:00 AM
Sign up for gamefly Pap, they have all types of games including DS games.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: NWR_pap64 on April 27, 2008, 02:07:18 AM
Quote from: DAaaMan64 on April 27, 2008, 01:41:00 AM
Sign up for gamefly Pap, they have all types of games including DS games.

They don't allow rentals to Puerto Rico Im afraid :( .

If I could, though, I would do it in a heartbeat.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: blackfootsteps on April 28, 2008, 08:49:19 AM
Quote from: Bill Aurion on April 26, 2008, 09:37:19 PM
An important thing to remember is that Retro is done with the Prime series, and most likely Metroid period
...

MP3 spoilers:
The 100% ending of MP3 seemed to suggest there would be something more. Or was that simply to link MP3 to a later game in the Metroid timeline (which I'm pretty much clueless about)?
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Ian Sane on April 28, 2008, 12:42:49 PM
Quote
And don't forget the ****storm that Nintendo fanboys kicked up after Rare joined the Microsoft Games Studio - was that worth it in the end?

Was what worth it?  MS signing Rare or the sh!tstorm we kicked up? ;)  I still see losing Rare as a big loss.  They haven't done much for MS but I think a big part of that is because is was the combination of Rare and Nintendo that was so special.  I didn't think Battletoads era Rare was that great.  Their output greatly improved immediately when they joined with Nintendo and then it dimished instantly when they left.  That suggests to me that the collaboration is what was special.  If Star Fox Adventures wasn't their last Nintendo game then you wouldn't here revisionist "Rare wasn't all that" stuff today.  They unfortunately went out on a low note.

Just to add fuel to the fire Metroid Prime 2 is my favourite.  It was similar to the original but didn't have annoying Chozo Ghost fights.  Plus having the A Link to the Past, dual worlds formula applied to a 3D game was really cool.  I can't quite explain it but that game just did it for me.

Metroid Prime 3 is pretty good but I haven't had the incentive to really go far in it.  It is so blatantly tailored to the people that didn't like Metroid Prime because it wasn't a FPS.  It's a compromised Metroid for non-fans.  Still a fantastic game but it really bothers me that they gave in.  I didn't mind that Metroid Prime was a game you either got or you didn't.  I would have liked it to sell better but I've always wanted the masses to change.  I want them to change and appreciate Metroid and not have Metroid change for them.
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on April 28, 2008, 12:52:18 PM
BRING IT ON, GEIST
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Nick DiMola on April 28, 2008, 12:57:03 PM
Quote from: NinGurl 69 *huggles on April 28, 2008, 12:52:18 PM
BRING IT ON, GEIST

Sign me up!
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: walkingdead2 on April 28, 2008, 01:16:57 PM
Quote from: NinGurl 69 *huggles on April 28, 2008, 12:52:18 PM
BRING IT ON, GEIST

you know i never played that game but i wanted to.  how bad did it suck?
Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: DAaaMan64 on April 28, 2008, 01:17:58 PM
Quote from: walkingdead2 on April 28, 2008, 01:16:57 PM
Quote from: NinGurl 69 *huggles on April 28, 2008, 12:52:18 PM
BRING IT ON, GEIST

you know i never played that game but i wanted to.  how bad did it suck?

Like nearly none at all.

Title: Re: Three Key Staffers Leave Retro Studios
Post by: Nick DiMola on April 28, 2008, 01:20:46 PM
Quote from: walkingdead2 on April 28, 2008, 01:16:57 PM
Quote from: NinGurl 69 *huggles on April 28, 2008, 12:52:18 PM
BRING IT ON, GEIST

you know i never played that game but i wanted to.  how bad did it suck?

I guess this depends on who you are. If you treated it more as a First Person Adventure ala Metroid, you probably had fun with it. If you wanted a straight FPS, forget it, you probably hated it. The concepts introduced were unique and interesting, and I would've loved to see them put to better use. Perhaps if a sequel is eventually made (hopefully not by n-Space or else it'll be 2020 before it comes out) it will capitalize on the good points of Geist while making it more shooter like and it will be great.