Rare: We were working on Avatars before Mii's were in existance

[Zeus]

Take that Nintendo! Rare has revealed that it was working on Avatars BEFORE Mii's became part of the gaming world. Musgrave of Rare stated that before Mii's were on the market, they had a project up and Microsoft never turned up and said they've got Mii's, let's do something, it was just something that fell into place over time.


Rare was working on Avatars before Miis were part of gaming scene. Musgrave said : 'It was an idea we had, even before Miis were part of the gaming scene, of putting these characters that you have an affinity with, not necessarily as part of the Xbox dash, but somewhere in the Xbox that you would play multiple games with, that you would have multiple experiences with that same character. [...] We had a project up and running that had Avatars in them and the aim was always to have this component where you were able to customise your character and apply clothing to them. [...] Microsoft did not turn up one day in a speeding car and say, 'They've got Miis - do something!' It wasn't like that at all; it was something that fell into place over a period of time. [...] Should these things be little animals, should they be quirky characters, should they be Spore-like creatures, should they be ultra-real humans? We landed in the place that we have from the overriding theme that is approachability.'


News Source: <A href="http://www.gamekyo.com/news28982_rare-was-working-on-avatars-before-miis.html" target="_blank">Gamekyo</a>

[RomTheStampede]

lol that's funny... I wanted to create a company called "Rare" and develop games way before "Rare" was made back in the days. (sarcasm)

If they thought of it, why not just release it? Look how the Mii's turned out

[Robotron]

Rare sucks and so does the Mii.

MS needs to dump this company. They games suck recently....and yes I have played and bought them all (except viva).

[masterchan777]

Rare has very talented developers. I believe they have created many great titles. However I still taste Nintendo's flavour in whatever they introduce ...

[TimSykes]

WOW before Miis came out, how retarded do you have to be to have a development cycle over what at least 2.5 to 3 years (miis have been known about that long I think) to get a Avatar system in place, and still not have it out yet. I would rather someone come out and say, hey that was a great idea, we been working on it 6 months. not WOW we just figured it out it only took up 3 years to develop.

[Claxiux]

Rare was so good before... Damn you Microsoft!

[agantai]

Rare was so good before... Damn you Microsoft!

QFT,Rare is a great company but in the wrong hands.

[Salmon-Face]

BULLLLLLLSHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTT!

Lmao this is so funny.

[DSnoob]

You know, even if they are the original inventors of miivatars, it doesn't change the fact that either Nintendo or Microsoft is the owner of a piece of crap that rips of piece of crap, i don't want a mister potatohead for my display, and i sure as hell don't want a 3D avatar where the only choices are "skater boy" or "scene girl" They're both doing it wrong, and should shut the hell up, patent every possible variation of Miis and Avatars and than lock the patents in a vault that randomly changes passwords with an un-crackable algorithm so that nobody in the future of mankind is ever again able to make such abominations. I don't care how many people "like" it, it's hard not to like something when you don't have a choice but to use it, this is an insult to gamers all around the world, anyone that is, ever has, or ever will, pick up a controller and play a game.

[3CO-10]

LOL @ Zeus or AceMilo for that matter with their d!ck sucking lips.

"Take that Nintendo"??? Seriously are there any more signs of this website filled with xbot??? Down @ the xbox scene forums i hardly see news posted in this manner.;)

[gooki]

WOW before Miis came out, how retarded do you have to be to have a development cycle over what at least 2.5 to 3 years (miis have been known about that long I think) to get a Avatar system in place, and still not have it out yet. I would rather someone come out and say, hey that was a great idea, we been working on it 6 months. not WOW we just figured it out it only took up 3 years to develop.

And how long has Playstation Home been in development?

For some reason both Microsoft and Sony are over thinking the avatar system.

[sirxlaughs]

Rare was so good before... Damn you Microsoft!

Nintendo got rid of Rare because Rare started to suck way before Microsoft got to them. They hadn't made a good game since the N64. Microsoft allows them a lot of freedom, while funding their inability to produce.

[legendofphil]

Miyamoto has been working on the Mii's since the days of the Famicom Disk System.

But what we must take from this is, Rare were working on an Avatar system before the Mii's were unveiled not that Rare starting working on Avatar's before Nintendo started working on Mii's, as this mis-leading headline states.

[Cue]

I was formulating E=mc2 before eintsien released his paper. :rolleyes:
Do you want a cookie or something rare.

[Elektrixxx]

Yeah, whatever makes them feel better.

[portems]

It must be true!
Just think of the timescale for all their games!!!
I can believe it would take RARE 3 years to animate a little character.

I know they are slow but I didn't think they were stupid with it.

[miniaznray]

copying whatever u want lol. its just going to make u look bad and low class. From fighting PS3 for high class they go and try to beat nintendo now lol. Picking to the weak first how low microsoft. They will learn a great lesson when they lose and becoming the worstest.

[msanchez]

Miyamoto has been working on the Mii's since the days of the Famicom Disk System.

But what we must take from this is, Rare were working on an Avatar system before the Mii's were unveiled not that Rare starting working on Avatar's before Nintendo started working on Mii's, as this mis-leading headline states.

That's what I also thought... or did nintendo just come up with the mii concept 1 day before they announced it? Still what's the big deal anyways, they are talking about miis and avatars like it's something that's never been done before.

[Hanzaisha]

Funny how they only mention this now. Why not say that when specifically asked about it at E3? Shane Kim was asked at E3 why they copied the Mii's. He said something close to "everyone takes ideas this generation and that every console has done it." Why didn't he ever mention that the "Mii-Too's" were an idea they had long before the Wii? I guess it took over 2 months to think of a good excuse after all of the "they copied Nintendo-finger pointing" going on.

[doxology]

what is the point of even mentioning this? if rare is finally getting them out then wouldn't that kind of lead you to the fact that the Mii was still being developed before the avatars because this kind of thing takes some amount of time.

[billysastard]

Rare has very talented developers. I believe they have created many great titles. However I still taste Nintendo's flavour in whatever they introduce ...

rare HAD very talented developers, they DID create many great titles and then they quit and rare hired new people and rare became a shadow of itself, nintendo flogged it to ms and so far what has been the result, a realy bad conker game on the xbox, perfect dark zero and viva pinyata on the 360 and shortly a messed up banjo-kazooie most probably with some kind of copied wiimote and a "new experience" dashboard with legged mii's and possibly wiimote controls.

not exactly an amazing track record compared to their spectrum, nes, snes and n64 days.

[AceMilo]

LOL @ Zeus or AceMilo for that matter with their d!ck sucking lips.

"Take that Nintendo"??? Seriously are there any more signs of this website filled with xbot??? Down @ the xbox scene forums i hardly see news posted in this manner.;)

Since when do I post news? No one forces you to be here, if you dont like it then go to xbox-scene.

[phiber_optik]

who are they kidding? yeah right. even it had been their idea for years, why they have not rlsed and waited for so long. and now, they see nintendo is doin great with mii, and started bragging its rare idea not nintendo's. it seems bit stupid for rare sayin this utter sht claim. theyre kinda saying nintendo stole their idea... lmao

everyone can claim or say the same thing in order for a company to escape from being called a copy cat. it would have been better if rare had shut up about this issue. theyre getting defensive about their avatar not being a copy of mii but its is dam obvious that they got avatar idea from mii. so who cares if youve copied... all companies do it.

[RottenFox]

Rare has very talented developers. I believe they have created many great titles. However I still taste Nintendo's flavour in whatever they introduce ...

they used to, but they jumped ship and left, now Rare is just ****.

[mohomeboy]

I thought of the Panasonic Q, I sent that design to Nintendo. Seriously all they done was send me an official nintendo magazine. Damn I wish I patented it. It was called the super duper nintendo I designed it in 1995.
Any one know a good lawyer?

[DanASBO]

Anybody that thinks Rare lost their touch hasn't played Viva Pinata.

I haven't played the sequel yet but it's supposed to be a major improvement over an already excellent game.

[*StoneCold*]

Anybody that thinks Rare lost their touch hasn't played Viva Pinata.

I haven't played the sequel yet but it's supposed to be a major improvement over an already excellent game.

They may still be some talented people at Rare, but most of them left and formed a company called Free Radical.

[DanASBO]

They may still be some talented people at Rare, but most of them left and formed a company called Free Radical.

Whom have made what since Timesplitters? Haze...

I would rather play Viva over TS and Haze, just saying.

[Evolution]

Anybody that thinks Rare lost their touch hasn't played Viva Pinata.

I haven't played the sequel yet but it's supposed to be a major improvement over an already excellent game.

I thought that Kameo was ok too. Bit lightweight but nevertheless decent for a first effort on the 360. It was certainly far better than PD Zero.

Viva Pinata is one of the most underated games out there. That it didnt sell like it should have was a great shame and something that Sony will need to heed when they look at the sales of LBP.

[sirxlaughs]

Anybody that thinks Rare lost their touch hasn't played Viva Pinata.

I haven't played the sequel yet but it's supposed to be a major improvement over an already excellent game.

Viva Pinata is only one game. It will also cater to people who like pet sims. Regardless of how good it is, it will not cater to a wide audience. Rare used to make platformers, shooters, and fighters. They went from that to making a game about raising pinata animals full of candy.

[DanASBO]

Viva Pinata is only one game. It will also cater to people who like pet sims. Regardless of how good it is, it will not cater to a wide audience. Rare used to make platformers, shooters, and fighters. They went from that to making a game about raising pinata animals full of candy.

You have to play VP to realise it's in a class of it's own, referring to it as a "pet sim" shows you perhaps haven't played or didn't put much effort in.

I agree, Rare used to release a LOT of stuff, not all quality but it was varied. This generation we already have an (average) shooter from them, a "pet sim", a (decent) platformer, another platformer coming and the rumours oF KI3 won't go away. With the budgets and timescales of major releases these days I don't expect Rare to churn out as many games as they did "back in the day" but what they have released has had that Rare magic touch, you just have to look a bit closer.

Rare haven't lost their touch :p people are just bitter that they're in MS' pockets.

[msanchez]

..That it didnt sell like it should have was a great shame and something that Sony will need to heed when they look at the sales of LBP.

I don't see it like that. I'm not saying that LBP selling well is a fact, but sony have hyped this game to no end, and as we know with the ps3's library not being too strong, a lot of ps3 owners will jump on any game that has even the slightest makings of a good. I would at least expect it to sell as well as MGS4, but given that it has a much broader appeal I personally think that it will sell better.

[sirxlaughs]

You have to play VP to realise it's in a class of it's own, referring to it as a "pet sim" shows you perhaps haven't played or didn't put much effort in.

I agree, Rare used to release a LOT of stuff, not all quality but it was varied. This generation we already have an (average) shooter from them, a "pet sim", a (decent) platformer, another platformer coming and the rumours oF KI3 won't go away. With the budgets and timescales of major releases these days I don't expect Rare to churn out as many games as they did "back in the day" but what they have released has had that Rare magic touch, you just have to look a bit closer.

Rare haven't lost their touch :p people are just bitter that they're in MS' pockets.

I played it, and didn't like it. So, I didn't put much into it. If you like it, that's great. It still doesn't change what genre it fits into. The Rare magic touch you speak of left the company years ago. What's there now is attempting to mimic the original Rare magic touch you refer to. There is a lot of potential at Rare, but they are definitely a shadow of what they once were.

[msanchez]

...you perhaps haven't played or didn't put much effort in...

.... what they have released has had that Rare magic touch, you just have to look a bit closer....

Rare haven't lost their touch :p ......

That all depends on point of view, it's not a fact that they have lost anything, but it's definitely not a fact that they have any "magic touch". Also every game I play I assume I will like, but if I have to "put effort" I don't know it just doesn't seem like I should do that. I can understand playing it a bit even though I'm not enjoying it too much, but there's a point where you say "This game is not for me".

I will say this, it seems to me that the majority of gamers agree with the "rare has lost it" theory, and this:

people are just bitter that they're in MS' pockets.

has nothing to do with it since many of the ones saying it are 360 owners.

[Evolution]

I don't see it like that. I'm not saying that LBP selling well is a fact, but sony have hyped this game to no end, and as we know with the ps3's library not being too strong, a lot of ps3 owners will jump on any game that has even the slightest makings of a good. I would at least expect it to sell as well as MGS4, but given that it has a much broader appeal I personally think that it will sell better.

It doesnt matter how hyped it is bottom line, the game does not fit the PS3's target demographic and that will hurt its sales potential. There are people who consider themselves hardcore gamers that wont even consider it. To them its a kiddy game thats not worthy of their attention.

The reason it has been so hyped is because they have nothing else of note that they can hype apart from Resistance 2 which effectively sells itself anyway.

[msanchez]

It doesnt matter how hyped it is bottom line, the game does not fit the PS3's target demographic and that will hurt its sales potential. There are people who consider themselves hardcore gamers that wont even consider it. To them its a kiddy game thats not worthy of their attention.

You do realize who we are talking about? it's the same kind of people that said "Bioshock suxxors LOLS!", but as soon as the same title was announced for the ps3 it suddenly became "Bioschock on the ps3 rocks, I'm going to get it". I'm as much against an onslaught of kiddie games as the most hardcore gamer out there, but one game every now and then isn't such a bad thing.

I think that view that ps3/360 owners are not into kiddie games is extremist, just like saying that the wii only has mini games (there's sure a lot of them though). On average, I think what sets ps3/360 owners apart from wii owners is graphic whoring, and other technical issues. Sure there's some cases were it's due to nintendo's tendencies to release kiddie games, but I don't believe that's the major issue here. I've already seen many people who are looking forward to this game, and even I might get it.... mainly for my sisters. I don't have anything against it mind you, but I just rather keep playing ps2 rpgs until either I catch up, or I get some worthwhile rpgs on the ps3.

..
The reason it has been so hyped is because they have nothing else of note that they can hype apart from Resistance 2 which effectively sells itself anyway.

All the more reason the title will sell, it's not like PS3 owners have much of choice, because that's what you're implying by saying that they don't have anything else to hype up, and I agree. More than anything LBP will probably sell because PS3 owners will have no other big name titles to spend their money on.

[Evolution]

[QUOTE=Evolution;1026113]It doesnt matter how hyped it is bottom line, the game does not fit the PS3's target demographic and that will hurt its sales potential. There are people who consider themselves hardcore gamers that wont even consider it. To them its a kiddy game thats not worthy of their attention.

You do realize who we are talking about? it's the same kind of people that said "Bioshock suxxors LOLS!", but as soon as the same title was announced for the ps3 it suddenly became "Bioschock on the ps3 rocks, I'm going to get it". I'm as much against an onslaught of kiddie games as the most hardcore gamer out there, but one game every now and then isn't such a bad thing.

I think that view that ps3/360 owners are not into kiddie games is extremist, just like saying that the wii only has mini games (there's sure a lot of them though). On average, I think what sets ps3/360 owners apart from wii owners is graphic whoring, and other technical issues. Sure there's some cases were it's due to nintendo's tendencies to release kiddie games, but I don't believe that's the major issue here. I've already seen many people who are looking forward to this game, and even I might get it.... mainly for my sisters. I don't have anything against it mind you, but I just rather keep playing ps2 rpgs until either I catch up, or I get some worthwhile rpgs on the ps3.



All the more reason the title will sell, it's not like PS3 owners have much of choice, because that's what you're implying by saying that they don't have anything else to hype up, and I agree. More than anything LBP will probably sell because PS3 owners will have no other big name titles to spend their money on.

No big exclusives maybe but (certainly here in the UK) FIFA 09, PES 2009 will sell in big, big numbers and of course WWE wrestling and the other EA Sports games will sell and COD 5 which I imagine will be near the top of the pile this Christmas all of them are of course multi format but they will still sell big on the PS3.

I am not denying that LBP is a good game. I for one cannot wait to play it because its finally a stab at something different. I hope its not like Spore though because for all its promise it becomes very boring and samey after a while and EA are handing out megabans for any name thats even remotely risque.

The games I will buy (or have already ordered) this holiday season are LBP, Resistance 2, Left 4 Dead (PC), Crysis Warhead, Fable 2 and Gears 2.

COD 5 is a maybe but only on PC - Im still undecided, another trip to WW2 I can do without but if its as good online wise as COD4 then I might have to have it anyway. Pure and Saints Row 2 are in the maybe catergory as well, more likely to be picked up pre-owned or really cheap online if I can get them.

I'll have plenty of time to play this holiday season. My wife is taking the kids on a mini European tour to Holland, Austria and Poland to see her family after Christmas and I cant make it due to 'work commitments' I need to make the most of it, I just dont have the house to myself anymore these days!! :D

[sirxlaughs]

[QUOTE=msanchez;1026141]

The games I will buy (or have already ordered) this holiday season are LBP, Resistance 2, Left 4 Dead (PC), Crysis Warhead, Fable 2 and Gears 2.

If you added Fallout, I'd swear you were looking at my Christmas list. :D

[Evolution]

If you added Fallout, I'd swear you were looking at my Christmas list. :D

Ive thought about Fallout a few times but its another that I think I can get for the PC relatively cheaply after the Christmas rush is over.

[msanchez]

No big exclusives maybe but (certainly here in the UK) FIFA 09, PES 2009 will sell in big, big numbers and of course WWE wrestling and the other EA Sports games will sell and COD 5 which I imagine will be near the top of the pile this Christmas all of them are of course multi format but they will still sell big on the PS3.

Well you do have a good point there, but my belief still leans toward LBP selling good... if nothing else, ps3 fanboys will buy it just because it's exclusive :p LOL... I say it playing around, but do you really doubt that will be the case?

I am not denying that LBP is a good game. I for one cannot wait to play it because its finally a stab at something different. I hope its not like Spore though because for all its promise it becomes very boring and samey after a while and EA are handing out megabans for any name thats even remotely risque.

Sadly that's a common trait among 99% of games this generation, and I don't think I'm exaggerating either, what games this gen have lived up to the hype?

I'll have plenty of time to play this holiday season. My wife is taking the kids on a mini European tour to Holland, Austria and Poland to see her family after Christmas and I cant make it due to 'work commitments' I need to make the most of it, I just dont have the house to myself anymore these days!! :D

LOL! I just remembered that video that Snood Dogg is left alone in this house and he makes a house party right away (Gin and Juice if I remember correctly).