funkystudent
Member
The stories about the development of Destiny are so much better then the actual story in Destiny.
Ex-Bungie composer Marty ODonnell wins legal fight (document in the OP)
- Thread starter Steverulez
- Start date
Majima Everywhere System
Member
S a D, what's left of bungie.
Kibbles
Member
Sola Scriptura
Member
Way to go, Marty!
And thank you that we finally have confirmation that Bungie's deal with the devil screwed the original vision and original story of the game.
Publicly admit that the Destiny that was released is far from what was intended, Bungie. Man up, swallow your pride, and admit it. Confess that men in suits who don't play video games at all dictated the direction of the game.
And thank you that we finally have confirmation that Bungie's deal with the devil screwed the original vision and original story of the game.
Publicly admit that the Destiny that was released is far from what was intended, Bungie. Man up, swallow your pride, and admit it. Confess that men in suits who don't play video games at all dictated the direction of the game.
Gamer @ Heart
Member
It's not as sweet as its made out to be really. The juciy tidbits are all Marty coming off as an asshole when his CD got pushed to the sidelines. The rest of the stuff, about bungie forcing him out afterward and fucking with his share rights, were kind of known. Sadly, no real revelations about the destiny production
He came out of this case richer, but both parties still look like assholes.
Bungie isn't going to publicly burn the bridge it has to one of the world's largest publishers, something that could very well have rippling effects when it comes to seeking other partners in the future. I'm sure you'll hear stories from the mouths of former employees, but those who'd like to keep their job are going to stay silent.
While you lay it on thick here, I do find it interesting that they left MS because (according to rumors) they wanted more creative freedom and to work on multiple projects, not just one (Halo).
Now it appears Activision is exercising a lot of will upon Bungie and for the next 10 years they will be working on only Destiny.
Lord Panda
The Sea is Always Right
It was Destiny's laughable story and repetitive bullshit and grinding that hurt Bungie and the game. Wish that reflected on Destiny sales so then the top brass might actually learn something.
It had all the ingredients of a masterpiece but greed screwed it all up. It's all on you Bungie, and your pal Activision.
#teamMarty
SolarMystic
Member
Congrats to Marty! Not really shocking that Activision had a hand in bungies troubles.
The Iron Yuppie
Member
Good on Marty. His music is the best part of every game he's been involved in and I'm glad he's getting what is his. I've really enjoyed Destiny and the saddest part of all of this is soon they will have used up all that he has produced for the game/series.
Gamer @ Heart
Member
They are laughing all the way to the bank man. A huge IP with an insane marketing push that will make them money hand over fist for the next decade.
This is exactly what they wanted, the few casulties aside.
Man up? I'm pretty sure burning the bridge and basically ensuring your company dies and hundreds of employee's lose their job isn't manning up. It's insane.
I agree. I'm sure after a decade+ of Halo and staring down another one the alternative of Activision seemed a lot better and with their reputation and skill Activision would surely be happy to let them work to make Destiny how they wanted right?
Were it so easy...
Activision will only listen to money so even with the very sub-par reviews for Bungie's standard the money it made will probably make the Activision suits feel justified in their meddling.
Glad to see Marty is getting what hes owed. It seems like such a trivial thing on paper but a good soundtrack really can elevate a game from good to great. I'd argue one of the most memorable aspects of Halo was his music.
Seriously though. A massive script re-write a month before the initial planned launch, changes to game mechanics that they had previously talked about/shown (and were presumably far along in development), and firing of a key Bungie staff member. Destiny's development tops the Mass Effect 3 ending fiasco as my most anticipated tell all of 'what the hell happened' when someone eventual spills the beans years from now. It sounds like Game of Thrones: Game Dev Edition.
Cannot get over Marty/Bungie being so full of themselves with the music that they made it so that when you used a custom soundtrack in Halo 3, you also had no dialogue. I mean:
Because Activision used different music for the trailer. His reaction sounds completely unprofessional.
I'm glad other people agree with this. Does not mean that the man does not deserve what is owed to him, but behaving like a child is unacceptable.
Sola Scriptura
Member
I don't believe for a second that they will while they are still under contract with Activision. The point is that it's the principle of the matter: they should admit what we already know.
I guess the problem is, where else could they go for the kind of funding they need for what their vision (however well they executed it) requires? But I agree, it seems they are even less independent now than they were with Microsoft at the time of their leaving.
IIRC didn't MS have exclusive rights to the first pitch for Destiny? I recall them turning down that pitch, probably because they wanted to protect Halo as a franchise and not potentially have something that could compete with it on the first party basis.
Also in the years following Halo 3 Bungie would constantly state that they wanted to aim even bigger than Halo by having a multiplatform franchise. Activision is realistically one of the few publishers with the money to provide that. Bungie probably thought they could retain the spirit they had when they were 70 employees as they got bigger, but it's simply impossible for most developers.
Sola Scriptura
Member
No arguments here. Doesn't mean that I don't still wish they would do it, though.
If he really threatened another employee that's an easy with cause firing that he can't really dispute so that shit sounds like a creative interpretation of something to paint him in an ugly light rather than a direct truth.
I see posts like these and chuckle. What makes you think they're regretting their decision at all? Because people on the Internet are making snarky comments? They're still making Destiny so the Activision deal is still working out for them.
neogaffer1
Banned
Iced Arcade
Member
Honestly I really don't think Bungie "decided". I think it was a mutual thing between Bungie and Microsoft. I don't think Bungie could just say "ahh we don't want to be owned by you anymore"
professor_t
Member
Bullshit.
Bungie obviously was beginning to rot from the inside when they somehow managed to break ranks with the company that purchased them (how did they pull that off, exactly?) and align with one of the few companies that was widely regarded to have an even more pernicious effect on the gaming industry.
Completely agree.
Activision started making decisions for Bungie - and it interfered with Marty's work - and only Marty pushed back to have true creative freedom respected. So Bungie fed him to the wolves.
Destiny isn't the game I was hoping it'd be. This article makes it all the easier to turn my back on Bungie and move on with my gaming life.
Happy to see Marty vindicated.
Obliterator
Member
I dont see Marty at fault really at all. It looks to me like the guy trying to protect the integrity of the business he helped co found. And he isnt the only one, Bungie bled tons of talent and many of their long term employees.
Bungie signing with Activision was a very very bad call. If they wanted to go multi plat thats fine, I totally understand that. But Activision really isnt the right fit imo
neogaffer1
Banned
i remember hearing somewhere that it basically was bungie wanted to move away from halo and do destiny and ms looked at destiny and decided it wasn't worth it financially to do that game as a console exclusive so let bungie spin off and find a third party pub to do the game with.
that pub ended up being acti sadly enough
Judging from the game, it seems more like the story was ripped out and they didn't have time to put a cohesive one back in. Can't think of a recent game of this magnitude where that happened in development.
Pretty much my feelings on it. It looked like Marty was disgruntled when Bungie/Activision weren't keen on publishing the standalone album and the trailer music substitution sent him into a hissy fit.
Bungie's reaction with the shares and vacation pay is just as dumb as the NFL's disciplinary actions. As if they thought they could get away with it.
neogaffer1
Banned
bioshock infinite
lol you think this is like a confession in high school? Jesus christ some people really need to step in real world and get some perspective.
Is this true? I stand corrected. Haven't played that game or looked much into it, so I can't speak to the state of the story.
eyeball_kid
Member
To be clear, Marty was a co-founder of the 2007 company that was created after splitting off from Microsoft. He had joined the old Bungie as an employee right before their merger with MS. Marty did work with Bungie prior to that on Myth and Oni, but AFAIK was not involved with the Halo-precursor Marathon series.
It's a real disappointment to see what has become of Bungie. I think Marty felt this too, and though he acted in an unprofessional way, he was probably trying to hold onto a past Bungie that had already disappeared.
Bungie said "hey, Activision, we aren't doing this," and Activision said "yes, you are."
Sola Scriptura
Member
Concerning Marty specifically, I don't disagree that he acted unprofessionally.
deletethis123
Banned
Because you co founded bungie and had been working there for 20 years, right?