Psychonauts 2 is happening. Because Notch.

[DustyDrB]

Awesome! Let this be the start of a new wave of 3D platformers!

 

[Simeon Ivanov]

That would be pretty neat. I liked the visual style and story of the first, but the platforming was kind of awkward (I played it on the PC). I would gladly buy a sequel if it's AS good (if not better) than the first.

 

[nighthawk282]

Just a few points to recap:

This a HUGE maybe. I know you all know this, but such unrestrained excitement may lead to disappointment if nothing comes of this.

Psychonauts is no longer on XBLM because Majesco lost the right to it, and Microsoft does not allow games to be on XBL without a publisher. Shafer is in talks with Microsoft to get it back up, but there's red tape to be cut, and whatnot.

The recent PC release is actually a recent Mac release. It just came out for OS X in September.

Now that that's out of the way...

PSYCHONAUTS 2? WUT?

Please let this happen.

 

[Woodsey]

I don't believe it. I believe Notch is interested but I don't believe he has the funds to make this happen. Nor do I believe that he is qualified to be the publisher. I've heard about Notch try and fail enough ideas to know that a lot of the time he does something cool and sometimes it blows up in his face. I think this is one of the experiments that he would try and have it later bite him in the ass.

Lots of publishers have lots of those, you just don't hear about them all that much. (And if you do, its usually 6 years later, after someone's dug up an old concept video and gone "hey, where the fuck did this game go?").

Microsoft does not allow games to be on Steam without a publisher

Eh?

 

[Lunar Templar]

Excuse me while I blaspheme: I've never played Psychonauts. I mean to and want to, but I've yet to actually do it. But if it's half as good as everyone says, I'm pretty excited that a sequil will be made.

HERECY!!!

its 9.99 on steam, go, acquire, lol, and enjoy

 

[ResonanceGames]

Microsoft does not allow games to be on Steam without a publisher

Eh?

I think he meant to say that Sony doesn't allow Halo games on the Wii without a publisher.

Anyway, I'd be VERY surprised if Notch was actually planning on funding and publishing a game like this. Much more likely he's talking about helping Schafer get some investors on board so they'll have enough muscle behind it to lock in a publishing deal.

 

[The Madman]

Psycho what? Grim what? Monkey what?

Seriously, though, I never played any of those.

That said, if Psychonauts is as good as people claim (note: I have no faith in other people's tastes), then this will be interesting.

You have a picture of an open computer case as your avatar thingy yet you've never played a single Tim Schafer game? Is that... legal? He's an industry legend, especially if you were around in ye olden point & click era of gaming that characterized PC gaming for the longest of times.

And I sincerely hope this happens, the thought of a new Psychonauts game is enough to leave me smiling for the rest of the day.

 

[Twilight_guy]

I don't believe it. I believe Notch is interested but I don't believe he has the funds to make this happen. Nor do I believe that he is qualified to be the publisher. I've heard about Notch try and fail enough ideas to know that a lot of the time he does something cool and sometimes it blows up in his face. I think this is one of the experiments that he would try and have it later bite him in the ass.

Lots of publishers have lots of those, you just don't hear about them all that much. (And if you do, its usually 6 years later, after someone's dug up an old concept video and gone "hey, where the fuck did this game go?").

Yes but Notch has never published a game before, as far as I know, he has developed a few games and published them interdependently but he has not acted solely as a publisher. In addition, he has a background as a programmer, not a businessman and publishing is a business. It stinks of an excited idea without proper planning.

 

[Vigormortis]

When I first heard this bit of news (and not in this thread), the first thing I saw was "Psychonauts might actually happen". Which led to my first thought, "Hell yes! Oh God, please let this be true!"

But then, I saw the next bit "because of Notch's help". Which led to my second thought, "Hell no! Oh God, please don't let this be true!"

Not only would I HATE to see his name attached to the project like it's his creation, especially given he'd only be funding the damn thing, but I'd hate to see the project go under or the game come out unfinished because he couldn't afford to actually fully fund the project. Basically having Psychonauts 2 go down in history as yet another failed Notch/Mojang experiment.

But then, I guess he's no better or worse than having, say, EA/Activision/Ubisoft publish the game. So....there's that.

 

[Woodsey]

I don't believe it. I believe Notch is interested but I don't believe he has the funds to make this happen. Nor do I believe that he is qualified to be the publisher. I've heard about Notch try and fail enough ideas to know that a lot of the time he does something cool and sometimes it blows up in his face. I think this is one of the experiments that he would try and have it later bite him in the ass.

Lots of publishers have lots of those, you just don't hear about them all that much. (And if you do, its usually 6 years later, after someone's dug up an old concept video and gone "hey, where the fuck did this game go?").

Yes but Notch has never published a game before, as far as I know, he has developed a few games and published them interdependently but he has not acted solely as a publisher. In addition, he has a background as a programmer, not a businessman and publishing is a business. It stinks of an excited idea without proper planning.

And yet he'd be doing almost exactly the same thing as publishing his own title, minus making it. He wouldn't have to bother with physical distribution either, they'd just be the money men.

Assuming everyone measured the scale of the project appropriately and could cope with sticking to their budget, they'd be fine.

 

[Wolfram23]

You have a picture of an open computer case as your avatar thingy yet you've never played a single Tim Schafer game? Is that... legal? He's an industry legend, especially if you were around in ye olden point & click era of gaming that characterized PC gaming for the longest of times.

And I sincerely hope this happens, the thought of a new Psychonauts game is enough to leave me smiling for the rest of the day.

Well my early days of PC gaming were games like X Wing, Doom, Duke Nukem 3D, Starcraft, Command and Conquer, Tomb Raider. The only adventure games I remember were Day of the Tentacle and some Indiana Jones game. I played a lot more games on the SNES because we'd get 2 for 1 rentals every weekend (1 movie and 1 game).

But there was a long period after that where I was mostly just gaming on consoles because my parents didn't want to buy a new PC, so N64 and Gamecube were my mainstays.

So, really, I've only been big on PC gaming since WoW came out, and sadly for several years that was about the only game I played. Been on my current rig in my pic for almost 2 years now and mainly just been playing all the modern games.

Not that any of this is relevant, but figured I should explain why I missed a fair few classic PC games.

 

[RagTagBand]

Psychonauts 2 MIGHT BE happening.

Because Notch.

Fixed that for you. I have no idea what possessed you to say something "Is" happening when currently there has only been an offer over fucking twitter but if you insist on reporting news, at least TRY to be accurate.

To be fair, Notch IS insane enough to try financing the thing.

OT: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY

I'm not saying it couldn't happen, or that it won't, i'm just saying that its far too early to say that it "Is" happening; Only an offer has been made and a fairly vague one at that.

 

[The Madman]

Not that any of this is relevant, but figured I should explain why I missed a fair few classic PC games.

If you like games with a good sense of humour you should look his work up. Psychonauts is probably his most spoken about work these days and it is a fantastic and unique experience, not flawless, but good enough in other areas that I really don't care about the flaws. Monkey Island also recently received a re-release that's exceptionally good and definitely worth looking into if you like point & click style gameplay.

Honestly more just surprised than anything. Whatever the case I'd say give at least one of his games a shot, he's probably one of my favourite people in the gaming industry with a keen sense of humour and an enthusiasm for gaming rarely matched by other developers out there. As for having only recently started really playing on the PC, take a peek over at GOG and see if there's anything you might like. PC is great for new games but it's the absolutely massive catalogue of games new and old as well as the thriving indie and modding communities which make the PC stand out as a gaming platform in my mind. Gotta love the classics!

 

[nighthawk282]

I think he meant to say that Sony doesn't allow Halo games on the Wii without a publisher.

No, actually, I meant exactly what I said.

http://www.doublefine.com/forums/viewthread/4712/

Tim Schafer's response is about halfway down the page:

"Hi everybody!

Sorry for the mysterious disappearance of Psychonauts from XBOX Games on Demand. It is, hopefully, a temporary situation and will be remedied soon.

Seniormeld is very astute! It is in fact due to the fact that Majesco is no longer the publisher of Psychonauts. Games without licensed publishers can?t be on XBOX. So *poof* it came down, just like magic. Sad, sad magic.

We are working with Microsoft right now to get it re-propped to the system but there is a lot of red tape to melt with our minds.

But we?re working on it right now. Well, as soon as I stop typing this sentence.

Thanks!

(Oh wait. I mean THIS sentence.)"

 

[UnnDunn]

The only adventure games I remember were Day of the Tentacle and some Indiana Jones game.

Tim Schafer was a writer on Day of the Tentacle. So your PC gamer credentials remain intact... just barely.

 

[UnnDunn]

I think he meant to say that Sony doesn't allow Halo games on the Wii without a publisher.

No, actually, I meant exactly what I said....

I think he was responding to how you said Microsoft doesn't allow games on Steam without a publisher...

and Microsoft does not allow games to be on Steam without a publisher.

(emphasis mine)

Microsoft? Steam? Wut?

 

[Wolfram23]

The only adventure games I remember were Day of the Tentacle and some Indiana Jones game.

Tim Schafer was a writer on Day of the Tentacle. So your PC gamer credentials remain intact... just barely.

Haha, well that's a relief!

Not that any of this is relevant, but figured I should explain why I missed a fair few classic PC games.

If you like games with a good sense of humour you should look his work up. Psychonauts is probably his most spoken about work these days and it is a fantastic and unique experience, not flawless, but good enough in other areas that I really don't care about the flaws. Monkey Island also recently received a re-release that's exceptionally good and definitely worth looking into if you like point & click style gameplay.

Honestly more just surprised than anything. Whatever the case I'd say give at least one of his games a shot, he's probably one of my favourite people in the gaming industry with a keen sense of humour and an enthusiasm for gaming rarely matched by other developers out there. As for having only recently started really playing on the PC, take a peek over at GOG and see if there's anything you might like. PC is great for new games but it's the absolutely massive catalogue of games new and old as well as the thriving indie and modding communities which make the PC stand out as a gaming platform in my mind. Gotta love the classics!

Well, to be honest, I find it very difficult to play old games. I don't really know what it is, but unless it's exceptionally good I just don't seem to be able to get into them. Plus, I have far too many modern games waiting to be finished to even consider going back in [the] time[line] and playing old games I missed, too.

That said, I'm going to check out Psychonauts.

 

[nighthawk282]

I think he meant to say that Sony doesn't allow Halo games on the Wii without a publisher.

No, actually, I meant exactly what I said....

I think he was responding to how you said Microsoft doesn't allow games on Steam without a publisher...

and Microsoft does not allow games to be on Steam without a publisher.

(emphasis mine)

Microsoft? Steam? Wut?

Oh, damn. I meant to say Xbox. My mistake. My indignation was unjustified, and I apologize.