Forum: General Online
Topic: Why didn't more companies do what harmonix did with frequency?
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This just dawned on me, frequency was released with out any online game play. But then when the online adapter was released the configuration disc that came with it allowed you to swap discs and play frequency online. Now this makes me wonder why other companies who has released great multi player games before the network adapter was released didn't do the same kinda thing. Do you think this would have been successful if it had happened? It would be nice to know what anybodies opinion on this is. | ||||
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I think it is a code base architecture issue more than anything. Meaning, Frequency was designed in such a way to make an addon disc possible. The sounds and levels in Frequency were already setup in a packaged form on the original disc, which allowed the developers to easily import them into the online disc as external content.
Frequency's online portion may have also been in development by the time the original game was released. Rather than delaying the game, they probobly decided to release it as is, and then make a deal with Sony to package the online portion on the Startup Disc. Another possibility is that this may even have been a calculating decision by Sony all along:
2) ...then bundle in a way to make that game online compatible with the release of the Network Adapter. Marketing Departments use crafty methods to infiltrate you as the consumer. |
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well honestly no where on the network adapter packaging did it say it came with an online demo of frequency. I owned the game before the network adapter came out, and when I put in the setup disc and saw that you could use your own complete copy of the game to play it online it was a nice surprise. Realisticly frequency was not a huge game with a huge fan base, the bigger selling point of the network adapter for me was the free copy of tmbo that it came with. I think that was a much bigger marketing scheme than the online playability of frequency they happened to sneak in. | ||||
_________________ Don't let the smooth taste fool ya'! |
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I remember reading in various magazines at the time that the original Frequency game was slated to have online support at release, but was contingent on Sony releasing the network adapter in 2001. Obviously, this didn't happen, so Harmonix decided to release the game as-is, but promised to either release a new version with online support added in, or sell an expansion disc. Since Frequency was a sleeper hit at best, both parties likely agreed (conjecture on my part) to include it on the start-up disc bundled with the network adapter. The audience likely wasn't there for Sony and Harmonix to charge for a double-dip. | ||||
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Ahh well I didn't know that, it makes sense then why they did that. I guess Im just curious as to how hard it actually was to create essentially an online boot disc for the game. | ||||
_________________ Don't let the smooth taste fool ya'! |
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