Posted by: chuckiej2
Dude thanks for putting Pen to Paper (as it were) and turning this into a full 7-step thread. I totally agree and am super-duper pumped for it. Great job writing it all down. You might want to add your Windows Live ID point, I think that's a good piece of reasoning.I've added an Additional Reading section to the thread.
I think I may update in a future post about my refined ideas for both Aerospace and the new IP. I have some solid bulletpoints about what I think may happen (and if they don't happen, it'll at least give Bungie some ideas about what they could do).
Step 4: I am not convinced. You are correct that PS3 and Xbox gamers are not allowed to play together and I doubt they ever will. Yes it is possible but I don't think the companies will ever allow it. At the very least it opens one company up to the other's version of the game getting hacked and then attacking the first company's consoles.Honestly, I'm skeptical as well, but I definitely think that part of the reason this sort of thing has never been done before (and the reason why Sony/Microsoft will not see eye-to-eye) is because nobody has ever had enough solid proof of concept and reputation to execute it. Bungie and Activision together do in my opinion. I think that if Aerospace gets enough security added to it from the get-go, then I think thwarting people like LulzSec breaking the game for the entire network may be easy. It's a compartmentalized concept. If the PS3 gets hacked, only the PS3 players get disconnected from Aerospace. If Aerospace gets hacked, then of course the whole system will go down...but then is that not the same as targeting XBL, Steam, or PSN's servers? Pretty much,, just means that it affects more people.
I have faith that Bungie recognizes that this could be the case, so they'll ensure absolute robustness with Aerospace.
Otherwise I totally agree. Aerospace will be a place where gamers from all of the platforms can come together. Beyond that though, Your point is well made - it can also be a place for shared stats, shared achievements/trophies, etc.Precisely. Bungie.net's Halo stats represent a fantastic step forward for the games industry. Super innovative. Other game companies have taken a leaf out of Bungie's book.
What if they ramped that up to the level of absolute cross-platform dominance and interactivity? They'd be unstoppable.
To me, Bungie being in the name implies that it will bring everything together, including the new IP, but not just that. Let's say the new IP is called Crimson (one of their new trademarks). After Crimson 1, I predict Bungie will start another IP (or possibly reboot something like Marathon that they still have the rights to) and those games would also be linked to Aerospace.
The fact that they are selling shirts tells me that it won't be just adding features to Bungie.net. Aerospace is becoming a brand.
(linking to this in my thread)I agree. I personally think the game will be called "Destiny" (as mentioned in articles regarding the new IP), and I also feel like "Crimson" sounds like it may be something along the lines of "Osiris", "New Monarchy", "Seven Seraphs", and "Dead Orbit" (which I believe are 4 different playable alien factions [or clans] in the new IP's universe). Although it's not mentioned among them, it could be something like that. Same with "Grognok".
Or perhaps Grognok and Crimson are names of characters, places, ships, vehicles, AI, whatever. We don't really know for sure, but I'm not sure they're names of games.
If they are games, then they'll definitely be linked to Aerospace. Perhaps they're some sort of cross-platform multiplayer test. Remember that they were recruiting people to Bungie Beta test? It could be that they come up with mini-games that aren't anything to do with their actual IP (for the sake of this thread, I'll from now on refer to "new IP" as "Destiny"). Doing this protects the IP from being spoiled, but allows Bungie to test out their new functionality and features.
Posted by: Guardian Hunter
This seems sort of what I said here. I found a bunch of the source files for the actual website before they were removed from the directory.Yes. I actually had your thread in mind when I was typing this up. I think it's somewhat obvious from various places that it could have social-network aspects to it. To me, that seems to represent what the very least it could be to people. I strongly think Bungie are hiding something huge behind Aerospace: the cross-platform server.
Posted by: SkilPhil
Nice theory, I think much of what you said is probably correct.
Probably the most radical idea, and the idea I hope they are working on most, is bridging the gap between PS3 and 360 owners,
I would love to see a close connection between the way we play and the way PS3 owners play and see how that affects a shared game universe.What I'd like to see is that when playing in-game, there is no indication of through what medium each player is playing on. Otherwise, you'll get a hefty amount of "LOL YOU'RE PLAYING ON PS3? MAN YOU SUCK!" from long-time Bungie/Halo/Xbox fanboys who can't accept the idea of cross-platform gaming.
Otherwise, I think it could potentially end the console wars...maybe even the idea of consoles; having everything in the cloud instead. I think the ultimate irony would be if Bungie, the creator of Halo, Microsoft's most popular game franchise since launch, created something which essentially rendered XBL and PSN moot.
[Edited on 06.25.2011 6:55 PM PDT]