Yup, looks good but is it a development reality?
Spector's Disney project likely to be 'Epic Mickey'Warren Spector's secretive project for Disney is likely to be called Epic Mickey, due for release on Nintendo's Wii.
Disney bought Spector's Junction Point Studios – responsible for fan-favourite Deus Ex – back in 2007, and has kept the acclaimed designer and his projects under wraps ever since.
But new artwork unearthed on forum Neogaf, and further details cribbed from online CVs by Superannuation point to Epic Mickey, possibly a codename, featuring familiar Disney characters and locations given a sci-fi or steampunk twist. The images also back up a report by Gamasutra from late last year.
Although Spector has been quiet on details of the game, he's been vocal in his belief that videogames are too long and that he's become tired of making games based on violent subjects.
Junction Point is also known to be collaborating with Pixar and Disney Feature Animation on a game, although "if I say anymore, I’ll get in trouble," said Spector last year.
This is from last year:
Could Warren Spector's Junction Point Studios be at work on a title about Disney's seminal Mickey Mouse?
Gamasutra has seen concept art and information that indicates a title codenamed "Epic Mickey" may be in development at the Austin-based, Disney-owned developer.
Concept art from early versions of the game that we viewed showed mockups of the potential game's environment, including pencil sketches of cities assembled from junk.
Another sketch included a surreal seashore invasion scene, in which machines wearing the faces of the Seven Dwarfs deposit old-fashioned renditions of Disney characters onto the beach with mechanical hands.
Though the kooky environmental concepts, with visible large cogs, gears and even a large fork that serves as a building's awning, are somewhat reminiscent of Disney's Toontown Online MMO, the images -- particularly the cloud-stained seaside painting -- have a distinctly shadowed, steampunk vibe.
This information ties up with an early 2008 report from EGM Magazine columnist Quartermann that noted: "Word is that Spector's new Disney project will be a platformer looking to compete with a certain pesky plumber. And who's big enough to take on Nintendo's star? Only the mouse himself!"
Providing more background, this summer, Spector mentioned on his own Junction Point weblog: "My team and I have been working hard on our own and (get ready for the cool factor to go way up) in collaboration with folks from Disney Feature Animation and Pixar."
Junction Point itself is wholly owned by Disney since its acquisition in 2007, giving it the potential to use leading in-house IP in its games, including that of Mickey Mouse.
Deus Ex co-creator Spector has never provided further information on his current project. But around the same time as the summer's weblog comments, Spector noted at the Game Education Summit that "one hundred hour games are on the way out", and that he was "so tired of making games about guys in black leather carrying guns."
However, it's unclear whether the style of the concept art or the game's working title will fully carry through to this Junction Point project's conclusion -- or, indeed, exactly how far into development it is. Gamasutra will update with more information as it becomes available.
travo said:What do you guys think it could be? Puzzle/platformer? RPG? Combination?
I would like a puzzle/platformer. KH already does the RPG thing. Something like the Illusion games.
travo said:What do you guys think it could be? Puzzle/platformer? RPG? Combination?
I would guess a Mass Effect like RPG.
I really couldn't see Warren Spector working on a platformer or puzzler.
Platformer please. Or adventure game.
Do you think Disney would actually greenlight this game?
Do junction point have any experience with these sorts of games?
The world may be at an end.
The characters you think you know may be shadows of their former selves.
Doesn't matter the situation or what's on the outside, the spirit and heart of Disney will shine on...
It's something I can TOTALLY see Disney approving.
gamingeek said:Platformer please. Or adventure game.
Do you think Disney would actually greenlight this game?
Do junction point have any experience with these sorts of games?
As far as I know, Disney owns the studio.
People don't give credit to Disney when it comes to dark shit. Disney, especially in the early days did some real dark and twisted stuff. Go back and watch the earlier films like Snow White, Pinnochio, and Fantasia. Hell they even had Dali do a short for them that never quite got off the ground called Destino, which was actually completed just a few years ago and will be released on DVD next year. ( Watch it here for a real head trip - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3KeqJFsb4M )
Even in recent years Disney is starting to remember that they have an audience that appreciates darker material. Nightmare Before Christmas has been huge for them, and don't forget that the new Alice In Wonderland is being financed on Disney's bankroll.
As for Epic Mickey who knows, but I'll be damned if I'm not excited.
SteelAttack said:gamingeek said:Platformer please. Or adventure game.
Do you think Disney would actually greenlight this game?
Do junction point have any experience with these sorts of games?
As far as I know, Disney owns the studio.
Yeah I know but you would think that we would have seen something official by now.
gamingeek said:SteelAttack said:gamingeek said:Platformer please. Or adventure game.
Do you think Disney would actually greenlight this game?
Do junction point have any experience with these sorts of games?
As far as I know, Disney owns the studio.
Yeah I know but you would think that we would have seen something official by now.
Not necessarily. Disney bought Junction just over 2 years ago. A game like this probably doesn't get immediately pitched and greenlighted you know? Disney Interactive may be taking a cue from Nintendo and is holding back info on upcoming games. For instance, Spectrobes got only a few months of hype, and even though the Wii prequel has been announced not much more than that has been said about it, and it's scheduled to come out in just a few more months.
SteelAttack said:Platformer. With talks about this game being pitted directly against Mario, it has to be a purebred platformer.
Yep, very ambitious to go after Mario with their first game. Reminds me of that Judo guy that won gold in the Olympics and wanted to fight Fedor immediately
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Tell me to get back to rewriting this site so it's not horrible on mobileRemember that rumor that was circulating around where Disney got the full license for Kingdom Hearts and Square-Enix wouldn't be a part of it anymore?
Does anyone else remember that? Was that true or is Square-Enix/Disney still making KH3?
Anyway, back to the topic...love the artwork. Pretty amazing stuff. And that Destino video was amazing. When Disney doesn't act like Disney, they are some of the best animators in the world, even much better than anything Japan can do.
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Now Playing: Golden Sun Dark Dawn, God of War Ghost of Sparta, and DKC Returns
WHAT IS THIS BULLSHIT?
Fucking kiddy crap on the wii. I'm fucking sick of it. When are we going to get some God damn real games? FOR FUCK'S SAKE!
phantom_leo said:I think the message of the game will be:
The world may be at an end.
The characters you think you know may be shadows of their former selves.
Doesn't matter the situation or what's on the outside, the spirit and heart of Disney will shine on...
It's something I can TOTALLY see Disney approving.
Sounds like Kingdom Hearts.
I can dig it if this was similar Kingdom Hearts, but with much more platforming and REAL puzzles.
The Superannuation blog found out some pretty interesting stuff about an interactive game called Epic Mickey, developed by Warren Spector, and apparently still in the works. But please allow the art speak for itself:
Amazing. It's like I died and entered Steampunk heaven.