Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning announced

Garrett

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EA & 38 Studios have released a PR announcing a new RPG:
EA and 38 Studios Introduce Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

Epic Open World RPG to be Unveiled at Comic-Con 2010 All-Star Panel Featuring Todd McFarlane, R. A. Salvatore, Ken Rolston and Curt Schilling


SAN DIEGO, Jul 20, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) and 38 Studios, LLC announced Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, the company's first title previously referred to under the codename "Project Mercury". Reckoning is an epic, open-world role-playing game set in Amalur, a mysterious and magical new fantasy world created by New York Times best-selling author R. A. Salvatore. Brought to life visually through the trademark visceral style of renowned artist and Spawn creator Todd McFarlane, Reckoning brings a new level of intense action combat to the RPG genre. The game is being developed under the leadership of Ken Rolston, lead designer of the critically acclaimed RPGs Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and is scheduled for release in fall 2011.
"Reckoning is a great representation of how a team of incredibly talented and creative people with expertise in different areas can come together and complement each other so well," said Jen MacLean, CEO of 38 Studios. "We are thrilled to be developing an open-world RPG under the leadership of one of the greatest RPG designers in the industry, with creative direction by one of the most iconic artists of our time, set in a rich universe imagined by one of the top fantasy genre authors in the world. We can't wait to share the first details of this universe we have been so dedicated to building over the past few years."
"In Reckoning, we started with Bob and Todd's exceptional Kingdoms of Amalur game setting and imagery," said Ken Rolston, Lead Designer at Big Huge Games, a subsidiary of 38 Studios. "On that foundation we built the open-world exploration, vast narrative and character customization fans expect from the best RPGs. And we've added something new that we've always wanted from the genre — a fast-paced, graphically stimulating action combat experience with fluid control and immersive, discoverable gameplay fans haven't seen before in other fantasy RPGs."
Reckoning is a single-player RPG that sets players on a heroic journey to unlock the mysteries of Amalur. Amalur is a magical world, filled with strange landscapes, exotic cities, colorful characters and terrifying creatures. This Thursday at International Comic-Con in San Diego, 38 Studios visionaries McFarlane, Rolston, and Salvatore, along with 38 Studios Founder and Chairman Curt Schilling, will be hosting a panel in the first-ever public discussion of Reckoning. Attendees will be among the first to see the world debut of Reckoning's first trailer, directed by McFarlane and will also receive a limited edition collectible poster designed by McFarlane. The panel takes place in room 6A from 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM and will be moderated by Spike TV's Geoff Keighley.
Reckoning will be available for the PlayStation(R)3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360(R) videogame and entertainment system, and PC. For more information about Reckoning, please visit www.reckoningthegame.com beginning Thursday, July 22, or follow the game on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/ReckoningGame and become a fan on Facebook at http://facebook.com/ReckoningTheGame.
More information.
 
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RPG with open-world exploration will make it a definite buy for me. When I was in highschool I enjoyed both the Spawn comics and RA Salvatore's books so I'm hoping the setting won't let me down. I'm hoping it'll be a bit more mature and original than the Drizzt books in the forgotten realms setting. The best setting in those books was the underdark though. Actually, in DA:O I was hoping for the deep roads to be something like the underdark. Big let down there though with the monotonous never ending combat filler. But i suppose a setting like that would be better suited to a single character RPG built around exploration with a 3rd or 1st person camera.
 
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Need to know more. There are some talented people there (cue someone to tell me how bad Salvatore is) but I'm bothered by Big Huge Games old streamlining comments.

Rolstan's latest interview comments:

RPGs are in some way hampered by their tabletop and PC-based, turn-based past. They are comfortable with being slow-paced and being comfortable with requiring you to go look at your character page or look at your character interface in a PC game or to have to fuss with all those things.
 
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Should be interesting. I like Salvatore and his additions to the Forgotten Realms. Let's hope it's more Morrowind than Oblivion.

In any case, I'll definetly pay attention to this one.
 
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When it comes to R. A. Salvatore the Drizzt books are not the most original but there are restrictions because it is in the "Forgotten Realms" so there are restrictions. I think the books he has written that are not in the "Forgotten Realms" have much more originality.

Dhruin: Further in that he mentions that he doesn't want you to have to look at a menu to see if you are using the right equipment which sounds more like being able to see what equipment you have on your character by looking at your character rather then looking at a menu and maybe having hotkeys to switch equipment like in most games.
 
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Should be interesting. I like Salvatore and his additions to the Forgotten Realms. Let's hope it's more Morrowind than Oblivion.
Pththth... like there's really much difference.

Errr, that's odd, my modem just started beeping. Now the beeping is getting faster and faster... it's almost a solid tone. What would make a cable modem do th

%#(&_!*<;)
NO CARRIER
 
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When it comes to R. A. Salvatore the Drizzt books are not the most original but there are restrictions because it is in the "Forgotten Realms" so there are restrictions. I think the books he has written that are not in the "Forgotten Realms" have much more originality.

True, but his additions, such as Menzoberranzan, are good. At least I think the Drow city is his creation?
 
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Sounds very promising to me. Like Maylander said, let's hope it's more Morrowind than Oblivion.
 
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The setting has been written from scratch by Salvatore from what I know, which is why we know nothing of it yet.
 
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I thought it was an already well-established setting with several novels.
 
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They do need to change that name.
 
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I'm always reading "Alamur".
 
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hmm… doesn't sound good to me at all. I happen to *like* opening up my inventory screen, checking my items, see what's good and what needs upgrading, see my stats, skills.
And the whole 'fast paced blah blah blah', I mean, that basically screams to me as just another one of the console so called 'action RPGs' (i.e. just push buttons fast and use one of the "many different spells" (i.e. 4) at your disposal…
Meh
 
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