Where did System Shock 3 go?

[individual11]

Does anyone else think that the System Shock franchise is well overdue for another instalment?
The last game was released last millennium; 1999 - yet it still has a devoted fanbase.
Plot and atmosphere wise, it outclasses nearly all examples of its genre, that of the First Person Survival Horror, despite the engine being outdated with graphics that were dialled back for the hardware at the time.
System Shock 2 was released at roughly the same time as Half-Life, hence why it was overlooked.
Yet, a lot of modern games would not have had the influence they needed to be successful.
Dead Space seemed to take more than a few elements from it, such as the parasitic infestation, audiologs, etc, and Bioshock is the 'spiritual' successor - read: rehash in the art deco 60s; not kidding, entire elements of the story are recycled, even Doom 3 ripped of the System Shock audiologs, and Portal's GLaDOS is SHODAN on psychotropics.

Needless to say, the plot is set up to continue, so where is it?
How many fellow escapists have played SS2?
How many have completed it?
Am I the only one that wonders why a strong franchise with a devoted following has been left for dead?
Does EA think that because they have Dead Space, another game like it would be too much?
Anyone else find SHODAN to be one of the more interesting antagonists?
Where is SS3?

Oh yeah, any SS1 or 2 plot discussion, please spoiler tag it so new players get some plot goodies.
eg. "The Polito form is dead, insect..."

 

[theonlyblaze2]

I think they will get back to it after the Bioshock franchise. Also, do you know where I can find copies of both games? My friends have them but they won't let me play.

 

[Irridium]

Hell I'd just like them to start selling the original again, since there's nobody that sells the damn game anymore.

As for a System Shock 3, I don't know.

And I think many different people/companies hold the copyright for the game, so it'd be a ***** to get them all to agree to something.

I'd rather they not bring it back though. Some things are better left where they are.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

While we're at it: Where the hell is Icewind Dale 3!? Also I'm still waiting on another Crusader game! C'mon Origin Systems, what's the hold-up!?

 

[Fenring]

Dead Space 1 originally started as SS3 (sorry can't source). It is as close as you will get due to ownership stuff.

So the answer is System Shock 3 went Dead Space.

 

[The Madman]

System Shock 3 was supposedly in development at one point by EA, there was mention that the studio which developed the Godfather game were being tasked with the project, however nothing ever came of it.

You know what though? That's for the best. Let the series die a dignified death, not everything needs to be brought back.

Dead Space 1 originally started as SS3 (sorry can't source). It is as close as you will get due to ownership stuff.

So the answer is System Shock 3 went Dead Space.

That was just a rumour that went around when people first learned EA were making a space horror game. Everyone thought 'Hmm, EA, ain't those the folks that own System Shock' and thus the rumour was born. It was only ever fan speculation however.

 

[Daedalus1942]

Does anyone else think that the System Shock franchise is well overdue for another instalment?
The last game was released last millennium; 1999 - yet it still has a devoted fanbase.
Plot and atmosphere wise, it outclasses nearly all examples of its genre, that of the First Person Survival Horror, despite the engine being outdated with graphics that were dialled back for the hardware at the time.
System Shock 2 was released at roughly the same time as Half-Life, hence why it was overlooked.
Yet, a lot of modern games would not have had the influence they needed to be successful.
Dead Space seemed to take more than a few elements from it, such as the parasitic infestation, audiologs, etc, and Bioshock is the 'spiritual' successor - read: rehash in the art deco 60s; not kidding, entire elements of the story are recycled, even Doom 3 ripped of the System Shock audiologs, and Portal's GLaDOS is SHODAN on psychotropics.

Needless to say, the plot is set up to continue, so where is it?
How many fellow escapists have played SS2?
How many have completed it?
Am I the only one that wonders why a strong franchise with a devoted following has been left for dead?
Does EA think that because they have Dead Space, another game like it would be too much?
Anyone else find SHODAN to be one of the more interesting antagonists?
Where is SS3?

Oh yeah, any SS1 or 2 plot discussion, please spoiler tag it so new players get some plot goodies.
eg. "The Polito form is dead, insect..."

I want to know what happened to Tommy and his "lover" at the end. I don't care what happened to the hacker >.<
-Tabs-

 

[individual11]

I think they will get back to it after the Bioshock franchise. Also, do you know where I can find copies of both games? My friends have them but they won't let me play.

http://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=211.0

There's SS1; it has been abandoned, but I think SS2 has been un-abandoned.
That site is also the best place for SS2 mods, such as the Texture Update and Rebirth Models.

EA owns the rights, renewed the IP in 2006.
2K owns Bioshock, most of the original team from SS2 went to the Bioshock team.

 

[theonlyblaze2]

I think they will get back to it after the Bioshock franchise. Also, do you know where I can find copies of both games? My friends have them but they won't let me play.

http://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=211.0

There's SS1; it has been abandoned, but I think SS2 has been un-abandoned.
That site is also the best place for SS2 mods, such as the Texture Update and Rebirth Models.

EA owns the rights, renewed the IP in 2006.
2K owns Bioshock, most of the original team from SS2 went to the Bioshock team.

Thanks for the link. And I think that if they do make a SS3, EA will look to the original team before making a new team.

 

[individual11]

Thanks for the link. And I think that if they do make a SS3, EA will look to the original team before making a new team.

I doubt it, Ken Levine, former head of Irrational, and head designer of SS2, is unlikely to work with them again.

http://www.1up.com/features/ken-levine-interview

"For some reason, people think I know more about this [Bioshock] than I do. We barely had any contact with EA during Shock 2. They weren't interested in that game. They weren't interested in a sequel. As a gamer, I'd love to see a Shock 3. I just hope EA believes in it more than they did Shock 2." - Ken Levine

 

[theonlyblaze2]

Thanks for the link. And I think that if they do make a SS3, EA will look to the original team before making a new team.

I doubt it, Ken Levine, former head of Irrational, and head designer of SS2, is unlikely to work with them again.

http://www.1up.com/features/ken-levine-interview

"For some reason, people think I know more about this [Bioshock] than I do. We barely had any contact with EA during Shock 2. They weren't interested in that game. They weren't interested in a sequel. As a gamer, I'd love to see a Shock 3. I just hope EA believes in it more than they did Shock 2." - Ken Levine

Aww. I haven't played either SS but as a gamer, it would be cool to see a sequel to such a well known series.

 

[Shanked_Salt]

I'm a massive System Shock 2 fan - have finished the game countless times, designed levels, discussed it in great deal and for quite a few years after it's release I followed the franchise very closely.

I think it is one of the best gaming experiences to date with great depth in the gameplay, amazing atmosphere and story telling. This game like many LGS (Looking Glass Studios) classics was made with love. Unlike the modern survial/horror FPS which seems more focused on action, cheap scares and derivitive storytelling nothing has replicated the brilliance of SS2 for me since. It was also one of the first games to put a great deal of life & death emphasis on sound and its application. No suprise from the creators of the Thief series.

It was critically acclaimed but didn't ganter the popularity or financial success it deserved.

I actually signed a partition quite a while ago to bring out a SS3. I do beleive their are passionate people out there in the industry that have wanted it to happen but it just hasn't have the commercial backing.

Instead we have been given highly enjoyable but cut-down and ultimately inferior products in the form of BioShock for instanace which was made for mass market consoles.

There is always the risk of souring a franchise with an ill concieved sequel but there remains a void where a well developed (stay away EA) System Shock 3 could fill. The franchise needs closure after the ending to SS2 as well. This would mean a focus on PC development and not making compromises for console interfaces & audience.
Let's hope SS3 hasn't completly fallen off the games industry radar.

The original System Shock is technically abandanware so you can download it legally if you find it. But you will probably have to do some research and fiddling about to get it to work on a modern system and OS as I recall.

One of the best sources for System Shock related news, content and discussion is on the forums over at www.ttlg.com (Through The Looking Glass)

I think they will get back to it after the Bioshock franchise. Also, do you know where I can find copies of both games? My friends have them but they won't let me play.

Then get some new friends.

 

[Kae]

I thought GlaDOs was a psychotic female version of HAL 2000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey...
Also I got System Shock 1 at a garage sale and it works except for the audio, anyone knows how to correct this? not sure how it happened though.

 

[octafish]

I love/loved SS2 and a couple of years ago found a copy of SS in an Op Shop for $2 I had a lot of problems playing it until I modded it for mouse look.

Shodan is so much better than that bimbo from Portal.

I kind of hope there isn't a SS3 to sully the good name of SS2. I don't think anyone working today would be allowed to do it justice.

 

[Marik2]

[HEADING=1] THEY NEED TO PUT BOTH GAMES ON STEAM OR BETTER YET RE RELEASE THEM WITH THE BIOSHOCK GRAPHICS[/HEADING]

 

[the-Wind]

Originally i could not get into the game preferring DeusEx (by the the same designer).

Then as a favor to a gamer pal I converted some old hardware into a systemshock vessel.
He had always raved about it but could not play it on his modern system. before I gave him the system with game installed on it I had to test it of course.

That got me hooked and I played it through to the end. Pretty neat game and yes, excellent sound.

I would totally buy SS3 if it were made by the same people.

 

[Jekken6]

Originally i could not get into the game preferring DeusEx (by the the same designer).

Then as a favor to a gamer pal I converted some old hardware into a systemshock vessel.
He had always raved about it but could not play it on his modern system. before I gave him the system with game installed on it I had to test it of course.

That got me hooked and I played it through to the end. Pretty neat game and yes, excellent sound.

I would totally buy SS3 if it were made by the same people.

I'm pretty sure Deus Ex's lead designer was Warren Spector.

OT; The closest things to system shock 3 at the moment would have to be Bioshock, which is a spiritual sequel.

 

[antidonkey]

I'm a huge system shock fan. The first one creeped me the hell out and took me a good long time to finish. The second did the exact same thing. I would love to see a 3rd but I don't know if my pants could contain the explosion of bodily fluids from both ends should SS3 actually be announced.

 

[Lordmarkus]

[HEADING=1] THEY NEED TO PUT BOTH GAMES ON STEAM OR BETTER YET RE RELEASE THEM WITH THE BIOSHOCK GRAPHICS[/HEADING]

Damn straight. System Shock 1 has serious control issues trying to be a complex FPS in the age of Doom and System Shock 2 has some seriously dated graphics that spoiled some of the experience for me.

Still love both of the games and System Shock 3 would be great, just for some closure of that f'ing cliffhanger.

 

[Shameless]

Maybe one day EA will make SS3 to compete with Bioshock.