Junction Point Studios - Closed

[erasure fan1]

Don't you want Kingdom Hearts 2.578: Side Story: The Adventure continues: Part 2, coming to GBA this fall?

Ha! Isn't that the truth.

This is not a shock to me at all. Disney needs to drop the idea that they can compete in the video game industry. The model Disney uses just won't cut it in video games. A great example was the cancellation of the pirates of the Caribbean RPG and keeping the crappy tron movie tie in. Going for the cheap and safe movie tie over taking a risk with something innovative and unique, is why they are a joke. You can make money off of the cheap cash grab but then don't be shocked when people don't buy your games at full price.

 

[SirLink]

Ha! Isn't that the truth.

This is not a shock to me at all. Disney needs to drop the idea that they can compete in the video game industry. The model Disney uses just won't cut it in video games. A great example was the cancellation of the pirates of the Caribbean RPG and keeping the crappy tron movie tie in. Going for the cheap and safe movie tie over taking a risk with something innovative and unique, is why they are a joke. You can make money off of the cheap cash grab but then don't be shocked when people don't buy your games at full price.

Disney also announced the game way too early development wise it was about 20% complete - and didn't know how to build it out from a story and a storage standpoint... A better was Split/Second Disney pushed the release date to compete with Blur and thus the market couldn't bear both ... and each Studio was killed by Disney and Activision respectively...Also regarding Kingdom Hearts the game technically is published by Buena Vista Games and they have to wait for S-E to finish Versus before the KH team can move on...

 

[Mattius]

As you can probably tell, I liked Epic Mickey. The first game was really inventive and a lot of fun. It definitely had problems, but it was still very enjoyable. Exploring Wasteland was a truly unique experience and the world was filled with clever ideas. It captured the Disney spirit better than any other game IMHO. However, the sequel was dreadful. It didn't fix any of the first game's issues and the story was bland. I finished the game in about 5-6 hours and have no intention of replaying it (I replayed the original 3 times to get a better ending).

The really depressing thing about EM2's failure is that Disney will never take such a huge creative risk in gaming again. Disney Infinity is almost guaranteed to be successful and they'll be content with staying safe from now on.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

Huh, I was thinking of getting these games. Were they really that bad?

The first one is pretty good. It's a pretty challenging game and was very enjoyable. The only real issue I had with it was the camera.

Don't waste your money on the second one, though.

 

[epcotfan]

As a Disney fan I really enjoyed the first Epic Mickey. I'm not really a gamer but I did find it challenging. At least to the point that I was accomplishing something in each level. I was so looking forward to Epic Mickey 2 and found it very annoying and anti climatic. Lots of wandering around and back and forth with little reward. The voice overs were repetitive and irritating. And omg, Oswald is so frustrating in this version. Half the time he wouldn't move to where you'd want him to go. I also thought the story was weak.

 

[erasure fan1]

Disney also announced the game way too early development wise it was about 20% complete - and didn't know how to build it out from a story and a storage standpoint.

If that was Disneys issue, that's why they need to get out of the video game industry. The funny part is this, Disney has been buying up IPs like crazy. Its surprising they haven't done the same in the video game space. EA wanted RPGs, answer? purchase bioware! At this point it might be Disneys best option, buy a couple high profile studios, and let them do their thing.

 

[Obi Walt Kenobi]

I've enjoyed both games and found them chalenging. I am a fan of Disney especial the nostalgia, which the story explores in both games. I would say what's wrong with developing a product that only appeals to your fan base, is your fan base not worth it? Then I guess the response would be tne profits just aren't enough to make it worth their while. Either way I hate to hear that this division wasn't successful.

 

[Obi Walt Kenobi]

As a Disney fan I really enjoyed the first Epic Mickey. I'm not really a gamer but I did find it challenging. At least to the point that I was accomplishing something in each level. I was so looking forward to Epic Mickey 2 and found it very annoying and anti climatic. Lots of wandering around and back and forth with little reward. The voice overs were repetitive and irritating. And omg, Oswald is so frustrating in this version. Half the time he wouldn't move to where you'd want him to go. I also thought the story was weak.

I know what you mean about Oswald, I always call my wife in the room to jump in as Oswald when I need him because he tends to be clueless.

 

[Ignohippo]

The graphics were outstanding but, IMO, the gameplay was really lacking. When something as simple as just jumping over a gap turns into a 15 minute lesson in futility, you know you have a problem.

My son and I love playing video games together. We've played all of the Lego games, Skylanders, Mario, etc. he absolutely loves Epic Mickey 2 and being Oswald. The simplest things are so stupidly difficult though, that I have a hard time playing it with him without getting insanely frustrated (and I bought the game for myself).

It's crazy to me to think Junction Point had the problems that were so clearly evident to everyone in the first game and yet made a second one with the same faults. They deserved to be shut down.

I'd love to see what another developer could do with the concept. The idea behind the game was great. It just needed better gameplay.

As for Disney Infinity, I'm not holding my breath. It seems rushed and I don't think anyone has any idea what the actual gameplay will be like.

 

[erasure fan1]

I would say what's wrong with developing a product that only appeals to your fan base, is your fan base not worth it? Then I guess the response would be tne profits just aren't enough to make it worth their while.

That's the big problem with Disney interactive (and a few other studios as well) they are too concerned about profit. Obviously profit is what keeps the doors open but when you sacrifice quality at the hands of making money, it rarely turns out well. What Disney needed to do was take the good idea that was epic Mickey 1 and expand on what worked best and make sure the gameplay was perfected. Instead they seemed to focus on multi-platform and 2 players, and that might have been too much to handle. So instead of learning from what was done wrong and making a fantastic 3rd game, they decide its just easier to close the studio down because its too big a risk and we might not make the profits we want NOW.

 

[SmartNoob89]

We need Kingdom Hearts 3

Eh, while I do want to see this happen, I feel the KH series has ceased to really be Disney-oriented. It has essentially become whatever plot twist Nomura-san can toss out to lengthen the series until Versus is finished. While the side-games I feel are really enjoyable, how much longer can he keep this up? Already I feel the series has become too complex and convuluted for most children to follow (you know, whom Disney supposedly appeals to).

Also, you guys need to realized Disney has little say in the affairs of the KH series other than restrictions and character use. Much of what goes on with this series is largely in Square-Enix's and Nomura's hands.

Disney needs to come up with a new series which is epic like KH, but is more focused on the Disney aspect.

 

[erasure fan1]

Disney needs to come up with a new series which is epic like KH, but is more focused on the Disney aspect.

The problem is with Disneys current model, the odds of this happening are slim to none. Disney has such a rich IP pool that I would say most video game companies would love to be able to draw from. Disney could have some very awesome games if they would just change their mentality. Focus on the game, and the profits will come. Not the other way around.

 

[Oscar]

Now what new distribuitor will take care of Epic Mickey 3?

 

[Master Yoda]

Now what new distribuitor will take care of Epic Mickey 3?

There most likely will not be a 3. Epic Mickey 2 bombed hard.

 

[SirLink]

There most likely will not be a 3. Epic Mickey 2 bombed hard.

It sold fine for the US 500K copies, he problem was all the costs of porting it to different systems ... strained the profits. Funny Warren third entry was going to be more like the original concept art before he was terminated...

 

[Master Yoda]

It sold fine for the US 500K copies, he problem was all the costs of porting it to different systems ... strained the profits. Funny Warren third entry was going to be more like the original concept art before he was terminated...

When you have a development team that is more than three times the size of Modern Warfare 3 (which sold 6.5 million copies in the first 24 hours) 500,000 copies sold is not going to cut it.

https://forums.playfire.com/general-discussion/thread/107254

 

[SirLink]

When you have a development team that is more than three times the size of Modern Warfare 3 (which sold 6.5 million copies in the first 24 hours) 500,000 copies sold is not going to cut it.

https://forums.playfire.com/general-discussion/thread/107254

Oh I know I am a rendering programmer for a studio in the UK ... there are lots of inside jokes about Junction Point, as well as people who never want to work at any part of Disney Interactive it is a diseased division at this point.

Never compare games to any CoD game for expectations - certain studios that used to base their performance on CoD aren't any longer - and will come and go at one point it was Halo being the prize to beat, now CoD, next could be Destiny or non-FPS ...

 

[Master Yoda]

Oh I know I am a rendering programmer for a studio in the UK ... there are lots of inside jokes about Junction Point, as well as people who never want to work at any part of Disney Interactive it is a diseased division at this point.

Never compare games to any CoD game for expectations - certain studios that used to base their performance on CoD aren't any longer - and will come and go at one point it was Halo being the prize to beat, now CoD, next could be Destiny or non-FPS ...

It was more a comparison of the cost vs return. I did not have access to the actual development costs for either game. The disparage between the staffing level and return was the only data I had. The simple reality is 2 lost money.

 

[muteki]

It was more a comparison of the cost vs return. I did not have access to the actual development costs for either game. The disparage between the staffing level and return was the only data I had. The simple reality is 2 lost money.

This is a problem for the industry today in general. Games cost too much to make, require too many people, and have to sell so much before it even becomes viable. The process/art of how games are made has not scaled/kept pace with the advances in hardware and the general public's expectations.

Hopefully, with the next generation looking more and more like less of a hardware leap the development tools can actually get a chance to catch up. Look at how games were made 10-15 years ago: development teams didn't need to be the size of armies and they still put out the quality. That, and you didn't need to be making a title with the accessibility of CoD to be able to turn a profit. You had a little more leeway for creativity and could actually take some gambles in design.

 

[WED99]

This is kind of sad. Junction Point were one of the only studios left that were daring enough to try new things. I loved Epic Mickey 2, I would only have improved on the after game free roam a bit more.