How Aliens: Colonial Marines Fell Apart (Kotaku)

A very interesting article on how a game full of great potential was ultimately destroyed by it's own developers.

According to one person familiar with the project who spoke to Kotaku under condition of anonymity, Gearbox outsourced the bulk of Colonial Marines (codenamed Pecan) to a studio called TimeGate, most recently responsible for the shooter Section 8 and its sequel.

The Redditor explains that TimeGate left the single-player campaign in "a pretty horrid state," and that last September after Borderlands 2 shipped, Gearbox was unhappy with what TimeGate had left them. Sega was already upset with Gearbox for asking for multiple extensions since the project launched in 2006, so Gearbox had to buckle down and release a game they knew wasn't going to be very good, the Redditor said.

The post on Reddit matches what our source has told us, but there's more. When TimeGate took over the project, our source said, they threw out most of what Gearbox had done beforehand. All of the art and design that Gearbox had produced during the previous four years was gone.

People at Gearbox knew the bad reviews were coming, our source said. They knew that the game wasn't good.

Somehow the schedules for Pecan (codename fore Aliens: Colonial Marines) and Borderlands 2 managed to line up and GBX realized that there was no f**king way they could cert and ship two titles at the same time. Additionally, campaign (which was being developed by TimeGate) was extremely far behind, even as Pecan's Beta deadline got closer and closer. In April or May (can't remember which), Pecan was supposed to hit beta, but GBX instead came to an agreement with SEGA that they would push the release date back one more time, buying GBX around 9 mos extension.

More in the actual article.

Such a god damn shame.

On the one hand, this is Kotaku.

On the other hand, that sounds very plausible, and a lot of it comes from that Reddit post.

You have to wonder how this information came after the launch and not before. Good job informing people.

Why did this game even release? or why did it release when it did. They should have taken the time to do it right or not at all

Why did this game even release? or why did it release when it did. They should have taken the time to do it right or not at all

seanmcloughlin

They said because sega was at the point of suing them, so they couldn't ask for another extension.

From the outside looking in, it doesnt look like Timegate is the problem, it looks like Gearbox is the problem. Their reputation is going to take a huge hit after this.

The post on Reddit matches what our source has told us, but there's more. When TimeGate took over the project, our source said, they threw out most of what Gearbox had done beforehand. All of the art and design that Gearbox had produced during the previous four years was gone.megadeth1117

No sympathy. 

So easy to copy files. Give them a copy and retain a backup copy - TimeGate could have destroyed the data and Gearbox would have been OK. 

If this is really what happened, then I've no sympathy whatsoever for them. 100% preventable and there is a whole segment of the IT services market devoted to backing up data. 

From the outside looking in, it doesnt look like Timegate is the problem, it looks like Gearbox is the problem. Their reputation is going to take a huge hit after this.

 

crimsonman1245

Of course Gearbox is the problem. They put all of the work into Borderlands 2, (a game they knew was going to sell far more than Aliens) and left A:CM in the hands of an incompetent developer.

The Reddit post says TimeGate made 85% of the campaign in 5 months. That contradicts Kotaku's source, but Kotaku uses both statements to sh*t on TimeGate. Meanwhile, TG devs don't even know how much of their build is in the final game.

This is all going to blow up in their face, isn't it? Gearbox will just announce Borderlands 3 and everybody will be happy.

This games actually cool the only things i think kinda sucked in the movies they didnt look down the sight lol they just hipfired the guns feel kinda like call of duty the look of the sights and the guns paint on them are crap ghetto.

The stealth mission is dumb as hell your supposed to walk past aliens and they just walk and they actually walk directly into you and they dont see you? wtf is that crap lol and if you start running the aliens will case you and explode into a cloud of acid and kill you.

ripley looked alongside the gun at one point in the movie but never directly down some sight neither did the marines.

Also the smart gun doesnt auto target in the movie and it has a motion tracker on the side of the gun which is missing from the game.

They only replicated hutsons motion tracker which is just a motion tracker by itself.

The Reddit post says TimeGate made 85% of the campaign in 5 months. That contradicts Kotaku's source, but Kotaku uses both statements to sh*t on TimeGate. Meanwhile, TG devs don't even know how much of their build is in the final game.

This is all going to blow up in their face, isn't it? Gearbox will just announce Borderlands 3 and everybody will be happy.

Baranga

[QUOTE="megadeth1117"]

The post on Reddit matches what our source has told us, but there's more. When TimeGate took over the project, our source said, they threw out most of what Gearbox had done beforehand. All of the art and design that Gearbox had produced during the previous four years was gone.psymon100

No sympathy. 

So easy to copy files. Give them a copy and retain a backup copy - TimeGate could have destroyed the data and Gearbox would have been OK. 

If this is really what happened, then I've no sympathy whatsoever for them. 100% preventable and there is a whole segment of the IT services market devoted to backing up data. 

Why did this game even release? or why did it release when it did. They should have taken the time to do it right or not at all

seanmcloughlin

[QUOTE="seanmcloughlin"]

Why did this game even release? or why did it release when it did. They should have taken the time to do it right or not at all

mems_1224

Ew Sh*taku.tagyhag

From the outside looking in, it doesnt look like Timegate is the problem, it looks like Gearbox is the problem. Their reputation is going to take a huge hit after this.

 

crimsonman1245

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIeLGifENbI

Aliens: Colonial Marine PS2  2002

[QUOTE="mems_1224"][QUOTE="seanmcloughlin"]

Why did this game even release? or why did it release when it did. They should have taken the time to do it right or not at all

nextgenjoke

You should have just canceled this game gearbox.

game was one of the reason i bought ps2 actually.

GearBox failed, HARD.faizan_faizan

[QUOTE="faizan_faizan"]GearBox failed, HARD.clyde46

[QUOTE="clyde46"][QUOTE="faizan_faizan"]GearBox failed, HARD.faizan_faizan

But whose name will go on the box though? Won't it be Gearbox who receives the credit? Surely the buck stops with Gearbox, and it's up to them to scrutinise the work of any third party going into a product credited to Gearbox?

Don't believe anything kotaku posts without photographic evidence. Sources are probably themselves, they are known for stirring up ****

At least they focused all their time on Borderlands 2. If they would have split their focus then Borderlands 2 probably wouldn't have been as awesome. mems_1224

The game itself also doesn't seem that bad.

And now the blame game starts. Lets all just pardon the fine and respectable developers over at Gearbox. It's all TimeGate. They're the villains here!

And now the blame game starts. Lets all just pardon the fine and respectable developers over at Gearbox. It's all TimeGate. They're the villains here!

Master_ShakeXXX

[QUOTE="Master_ShakeXXX"]

And now the blame game starts. Lets all just pardon the fine and respectable developers over at Gearbox. It's all TimeGate. They're the villains here!

DarkLink77

Oh fo sho.

[QUOTE="megadeth1117"]

The post on Reddit matches what our source has told us, but there's more. When TimeGate took over the project, our source said, they threw out most of what Gearbox had done beforehand. All of the art and design that Gearbox had produced during the previous four years was gone.psymon100

No sympathy. 

So easy to copy files. Give them a copy and retain a backup copy - TimeGate could have destroyed the data and Gearbox would have been OK. 

If this is really what happened, then I've no sympathy whatsoever for them. 100% preventable and there is a whole segment of the IT services market devoted to backing up data. 

[QUOTE="psymon100"]

[QUOTE="megadeth1117"]

The post on Reddit matches what our source has told us, but there's more. When TimeGate took over the project, our source said, they threw out most of what Gearbox had done beforehand. All of the art and design that Gearbox had produced during the previous four years was gone.Heil68

No sympathy. 

So easy to copy files. Give them a copy and retain a backup copy - TimeGate could have destroyed the data and Gearbox would have been OK. 

If this is really what happened, then I've no sympathy whatsoever for them. 100% preventable and there is a whole segment of the IT services market devoted to backing up data. 

[QUOTE="faizan_faizan"]GearBox failed, HARD.clyde46

I don't trust Kotaku or believe the sh*t that comes out of their mouth.

Why did this game even release? or why did it release when it did. They should have taken the time to do it right or not at all

seanmcloughlin

They didn't have a choice the game was in development for six years. It's like Duke Nukem Forever all over again.

Although that sounds plausible...it's Kotaku, basing on a Reddit post...I can't decide who is worse, Kotaku or Reddit, but I wouldn't trust either.

The Reddit post says TimeGate made 85% of the campaign in 5 months. That contradicts Kotaku's source, but Kotaku uses both statements to sh*t on TimeGate. Meanwhile, TG devs don't even know how much of their build is in the final game.

This is all going to blow up in their face, isn't it? Gearbox will just announce Borderlands 3 and everybody will be happy.

Baranga

I could see them continue to do this actually :lol:

Release a crap game (Duke Nukem), Release a good game (BL2), release a crap game again (Aliens) and then start again with a good gmae again (Maybe BL3 or Brothers in Arms).

This video compares retail to the trailer graphics lol.

best video 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z2qVebxlUo