John Romero leaves Midway

[Eraser]

So he's no longer working on Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows.

I found it strange he joined Midway to be honest. I find him more the type to be in a company of his own where he can do what he wants, not some bigshot publisher in a suit.

I read about it at Eurogamer, and the comments on the article surprise me. They're all so harsh.

I believe Romero hasn't really delivered on any big PC projects because he's never been in the right place. I don't believe the Daikatana that shipped was the Daikatana he had originally envisioned.

As for his attitude, he's still kind of stuck in the 80's I think. The rockstar "I am a gaming god" attitude. But that's just him. That's the way we, as "old school" gamers learned to know and love him. I bet there's a whole generation of gamers out there that barely even know who he is and what his influence on gaming in general has been. They only saw or heard about the failure that Daikatana was.

I strongly believe that Daikatana failed to deliver for more than one reason. I don't think it was a bad design team or something like that. There were talented people in Ion Storm and they could have delivered. But Daikatana's development was riddled with bad attitudes, commercial problems... business problems and other shitty delays, frustration with things within the team. People getting screwed over. I think that all shows in the game, that's what destroyed the game, not a lack of ability on Romero's side.

Romero just needs to get back in a small cramped office, lights off with only the monitor illuminating the place, pizza boxes scattered over the floor and things like that. Anxiously at work designing stuff. I bet he'll deliver then.

You know, Romero had this vision of a grand gaming empire. Carmack just wanted to keep things small and just code engines. That's what tore them apart but I do believe it's also how they supplemented each other.

Now that Romero's dream of a gaming empire is pretty much ruined, maybe he can come to himself a little more and accept other working conditions. Maybe even accept Carmack's way of working a bit more. You see where I'm going, and I realise these are just idle hopes, but it would be a dream come true to see them work together again. Maybe together they can redeem the failure of Doom 3 and create a true classic again like they had done so many times before.

But yeah.... dreams and stuff....

[Mogul]

He probably would be a breath of fresh air to id. I think id's doing OK as it is, but having him back might add some color in their games we've not seen in a while.

[o'dium]

I agree. Hes whats lacking from id software and if was once again part of the legacy, i thin kwe would get some DECENT games for a change that take bold new steps. Not "another sci fi shooter wih a shotgun".

[Kat]

I actually liked DK (oh the shame when everyone else says it was shite) but Mr R joining the likes of id ain't gonna happen for the very reason mentioned above; he needs to be calling the shots, and as we know, at id JC does that and that ain't gonna change any time soon.

If he want's to work with another team he's going to need to shift his attitude (at least the public perseption of it) or go it alone. He's a bit like brocilli, you either love it or hate it.

[Mogul]

I think Daikatana was on the right track as far as style was concerned, but man... the first level alone is enough to turn people off from it.

It's incredibly annoying and difficult. And that you can't save whenever you choose only worsens it.

[MKJ]

they fixed the save whereever you want thing in the first patch they released sir.

i think it was an OK game, just released way too late.
also, they couldve improved on the henchman AI too. cant remember the number of times i went game over because one of the henchies got squashed by a closing door