Topic: Will Rareware Games Ever Appear on Virtual Console?

[Stratos]

I hope this new Golden Eye 007 game coming out this year sells fairly well and maybe it will spur interest in doing something with the older game from Nintendo and the other companies.

It won't.
/Cynical Gamer

[Mop it up]

Goldeneye on the N64 has no hope of ever being re-released, due to issues with the copyright. It would appear that it may be held by multiple companies, and there's no way they are all going to come to an agreement over it (nor will they try because it isn't worth the money). Not only was the game's copyright filed by both Nintendo and Rare, but the game's copyright is tied to the movie copyright, which means that the current Bond licence holder (Activision and.... MGM?) could possibly hold a right to it as well. It's quite a mess.

[Kytim89]

I played Time Splitters for the gamecube and this game's Rare pedigree trully shows. I mean it has a Golden Eye 007 and Perfect Dark vibe when I play it.

[ThePerm]

Goldeneye on the N64 has no hope of ever being re-released, due to issues with the copyright. It would appear that it may be held by multiple companies, and there's no way they are all going to come to an agreement over it (nor will they try because it isn't worth the money). Not only was the game's copyright filed by both Nintendo and Rare, but the game's copyright is tied to the movie copyright, which means that the current Bond licence holder (Activision and.... MGM?) could possibly hold a right to it as well. It's quite a mess.

not to mention mgm going out of business and the new bond movie being cancelled.

[Kytim89]

Goldeneye on the N64 has no hope of ever being re-released, due to issues with the copyright. It would appear that it may be held by multiple companies, and there's no way they are all going to come to an agreement over it (nor will they try because it isn't worth the money). Not only was the game's copyright filed by both Nintendo and Rare, but the game's copyright is tied to the movie copyright, which means that the current Bond licence holder (Activision and.... MGM?) could possibly hold a right to it as well. It's quite a mess.

not to mention mgm going out of business and the new bond movie being cancelled.

There are rumors that Sony Motion Pictures is intalks to pick up all of MGM's movies.

[TJ Spyke]

MGM is having financial troubles, but they are not going out business. Also, Bond 23 is NOT canceled. MGM just delayed it while they deal with their financial situation (some sites incorrectly reported that it was canceled, the only thing that happened was that Sam Mendes will not direct it anymore).

[DAaaMan64]

I played Time Splitters for the gamecube and this game's Rare pedigree trully shows. I mean it has a Golden Eye 007 and Perfect Dark vibe when I play it.

Yeah actually TimeSplitters 2 and Future Perfect are both excellent FPSes

[Mop it up]

I played Time Splitters for the gamecube and this game's Rare pedigree trully shows. I mean it has a Golden Eye 007 and Perfect Dark vibe when I play it.

It makes sense, Free Radical were founded by ex-Rare employees, some of the ones who developed both Goldeneye and Perfect Dark. I think that's part of why Nintendo sold Rare, because they lost some of their talent.

And yeah, both were pretty good games, though I feel they were missing a little something that I can't quite identify...

[DAaaMan64]

I played Time Splitters for the gamecube and this game's Rare pedigree trully shows. I mean it has a Golden Eye 007 and Perfect Dark vibe when I play it.

It makes sense, Free Radical were founded by ex-Rare employees, some of the ones who developed both Goldeneye and Perfect Dark. I think that's part of why Nintendo sold Rare, because they lost some of their talent.

And yeah, both were pretty good games, though I feel they were missing a little something that I can't quite identify...

Like... nothing?

[Mop it up]

I don't know. The games always felt a little slow, maybe because the characters move as if they're treading through a swamp. TimeSplitters 3 had some nice improvements, but it removed a few things from the previous game that I liked, plus I've never felt the series has had good multiplayer arenas. A lot of them have just one path through the level, creating a bottleneck. There aren't any good explosive weapons either.

[NWR_insanolord]

The TimeSplitters games were the best first person shooters of last generation.

[Mop it up]

That I do agree with. They're great games for sure, but I still think they could've been better.

[Stratos]

They lacked the Nintendo Touch that made both Goldeneye and Perfect Dark masterpieces.

[Peachylala]

They lacked the Nintendo Touch that made both Goldeneye and Perfect Dark masterpieces.

And from what I heard, PD Live Arcade is even better with a smoothed out frame-rate (though god help me if they made it's aiming second analog. Those games had awesome aiming systems for a console FPS).

[Kytim89]

When it comes to the Golden Eye 007 license, it reminds of three people(Nintendo, Activision, and Microsoft) eating dinner at a table and discovering that there is one delicious pork chop left on the table. Everytime one party tries to reach for that pork chop, the other two parties place their fork into it and say they claim dibs on the chop and the other two must leave because they are full. However, the chop is too tasty for anyone to give and it can not be divided because each person wants it all for themselves. Eventually, the chop spoils and becomes stagnate and no one can enjoy it and everyone loses in the long run.
 
I understand the spider web of rights issues regarding the Golden Eye 007 game, but if the games is just sitting on the sidelines it is not doing anyone any good. In fact, I read that a few years Microsoft had the game ready to go for xboxo live and that they were willing to share the franchise with Nintendo's Virtual console, but Nintendo turned it down.
 
Had Nintendo went through with the deal, it would have most likely orpened the door for further Rare titles to emerge on Nintendo's service.

[Mop it up]

As cute as that analogy is, the reality is more like this:

Goldeneye is like a piece of garbage on the ground, that's covered in gum and ants, and has been stepped on numerous times. Nintendo, Microsoft, and Activision all walk past it and leave it on the ground, because it would be too messy and disgusting to pick it up and put it in the trash receptacle. It wouldn't be worth the effort just for one tiny piece of insignificant garbage.

[Kytim89]

As cute as that analogy is, the reality is more like this:

Goldeneye is like a piece of garbage on the ground, that's covered in gum and ants, and has been stepped on numerous times. Nintendo, Microsoft, and Activision all walk past it and leave it on the ground, because it would be too messy and disgusting to pick it up and put it in the trash receptacle. It wouldn't be worth the effort just for one tiny piece of insignificant garbage.

This analogy implies that the Golden Eye game is garbage, and the game has aged since its day, but the potential revenue from revitalizing this game is too good to pass up. What I am saying is that if it were to come to wiiware tomorrow with enhanced frame rate, updated graphics and better controls, Would you buy the game, or would you pass it up because you have the N64 cartridges?

[Mop it up]

To the companies who hold the rights to Goldeneye? It's scraps. It's nothing more than a game they'd release on their download service for $10, which would bring in minuscule profit not worth the effort of untangling the rights. They're not attached to it with fond memories and don't care that they can't release it onto their system. Most XBox 360 owners likely don't have any nostalgia attached to Goldeneye so they wouldn't download what they view as an archaic shooter when the system has so many others that are much better, and, outside of a select few individuals on Nintendo fansites, the Wii audience wouldn't care either.

No, I wouldn't buy a re-release or remake of Goldeneye. I don't want more Goldeneye, I want more games like Goldeneye, meaning games with thought-out level design, a variety of weapons, good A.I. script, etc.

[broodwars]

As cute as that analogy is, the reality is more like this:

Goldeneye is like a piece of garbage on the ground, that's covered in gum and ants, and has been stepped on numerous times. Nintendo, Microsoft, and Activision all walk past it and leave it on the ground, because it would be too messy and disgusting to pick it up and put it in the trash receptacle. It wouldn't be worth the effort just for one tiny piece of insignificant garbage.

This analogy implies that the Golden Eye game is garbage, and the game has aged since its day, but the potential revenue from revitalizing this game is too good to pass up. What I am saying is that if it were to come to wiiware tomorrow with enhanced frame rate, updated graphics and better controls, Would you buy the game, or would you pass it up because you have the N64 cartridges?

I would pass the game up because I already own both the N64 cart of Perfect Dark and its XBLA quasi-remake, both of which are far better games than GoldenEye.

[Kytim89]

No, I wouldn't buy a re-release or remake of Goldeneye. I don't want more Goldeneye, I want more games like Goldeneye, meaning games with thought-out level design, a variety of weapons, good A.I. script, etc.

 
Basically Conduit 2?

[broodwars]

No, I wouldn't buy a re-release or remake of Goldeneye. I don't want more Goldeneye, I want more games like Goldeneye, meaning games with thought-out level design, a variety of weapons, good A.I. script, etc.

 
Basically Conduit 2?

Hahahahahahahahahaha....

Oh wait, you were actually being serious.

[Mop it up]

Actually, I liked The Conduit, sometimes it reminded me of Goldeneye, at least in the sense that it was more focused on action than most shooters these days. I thought it had some good arenas and weapons, it mostly just needed more of everything, including features. Though I speak only of the multiplayer component, as I played just the first few missions of single player. It was okay, but nothing special.

If The Conduit 2 builds on it, then it could be quite good indeed. I'll be watching it to see if that happens.

[Kytim89]

Actually, I liked The Conduit, sometimes it reminded me of Goldeneye, at least in the sense that it was more focused on action than most shooters these days. I thought it had some good arenas and weapons, it mostly just needed more of everything, including features. Though I speak only of the multiplayer component, as I played just the first few missions of single player. It was okay, but nothing special.

If The Conduit 2 builds on it, then it could be quite good indeed. I'll be watching it to see if that happens.

I kind of think of the Conduit series and High Voltage as being in some regards the successor to Rare on a Nintendo console. As silly as it sounds, High Voltage has the potential of becoming a major developer if they play their cards right on the wii and the wii 2. Although Tournament of Legends would say oyher wise.
 
I keep saying that the Conduit is the second coming of Perfect Dark on the wii, and before any of you Perfect Dark fans form a lynch mob for me, keep in my mind that both of the games have sci-fi elements and focus on pure action.
 
I just think that it is a crying shame that the only way Nintendo fans can enjoy the famous Rare titles is by digging up the older consoles, or buying a rival console.
 
How has emulating Rare titles on homebre been going?

[Kytim89]

I am going to buy the new Golden Eye game.

[broodwars]

Actually, I liked The Conduit, sometimes it reminded me of Goldeneye, at least in the sense that it was more focused on action than most shooters these days. I thought it had some good arenas and weapons, it mostly just needed more of everything, including features. Though I speak only of the multiplayer component, as I played just the first few missions of single player. It was okay, but nothing special.

If The Conduit 2 builds on it, then it could be quite good indeed. I'll be watching it to see if that happens.

I kind of think of the Conduit series and High Voltage as being in some regards the successor to Rare on a Nintendo console. As silly as it sounds, High Voltage has the potential of becoming a major developer if they play their cards right on the wii and the wii 2. Although Tournament of Legends would say oyher wise.

High Voltage wishes it even had a fraction of the talent that Rare had in its heyday.  High Voltage makes derivative, deliberately generic titles that are only appreciated by the few that do because there are few better options on the Wii.  They promise the world and deliver a city block.  Rare in its heyday made games that defined the N64.  For all High Voltage's stated ambitions, they just do not possess the talent they need to actually create a notable product.  That's my impression of them from their pathetic efforts with Conduit 1.  Perhaps Conduit 2 will be different.
 

I keep saying that the Conduit is the second coming of Perfect Dark on the wii, and before any of you Perfect Dark fans form a lynch mob for me, keep in my mind that both of the games have sci-fi elements and focus on pure action.

They're only similar games in the most base aspects: a shadow government organization conspiring with Aliens to take over the world (OF COURSE!).  Perfect Dark, as simple as it was, had a layer of complexity with the various mission objectives and scripting.  Conduit 1 was more similar to an older title like Quake or Doom: you run around generic hallways shooting aliens while the game strives to make you care.

I just think that it is a crying shame that the only way Nintendo fans can enjoy the famous Rare titles is by digging up the older consoles, or buying a rival console.

If you think it was such a crying shame, then you only have your messiah to blame for it: Nintendo themselves.  They are the ones who sold their shares of Rare so Microsoft could acquire the company and take their licenses with them.  I personally think Nintendo made the entirely correct move to dump Rare when they did considering their pitiful efforts with Microsoft, but Nintendo is entirely responsible for the state of Rare on their systems.