No, they're too busy re-releasing shit we already have to bother with the things they legitimately owe us.

That wasn't the case with the Kickstarter for Carmageddon Reincarnation.

Reincarnation :I
So its an idea to remake Carmageddon

Ahahaha, look at this entitlement bullshit right here.

I just feel like OWI needs to prioritize. I'd much rather have the second half of an incomplete soundtrack they released ages ago than a re-release of a sound-polluted soundtrack they put out even longer ago.

I'm usually the first to defend OWI's bullshit. You're so quick to tell me how wrong I am for being entitled, Manco, but you don't seem to realize that you're preaching to the choir, and I was saying the same things you were months ago. They have plenty of material hoarded that we haven't already seen, and I wish they would release some of that. OWI has always had the most smarmy, 'bait the fans' kind of attitude when it comes to their PR, and I just wish they'd drop it and give up the goods.

They have plenty of production material that they've never shown that I'm confident has little-to-no significance to their future projects that I would kill to see. For example, Stephen Olds did hundreds of magnificent paintings during the 'Soulstorm' drafting period that were only published as little more than thumbnails. I want some of that stuff already.

What do you think OWI are holding out on, Sekto? Besides art assets and content from unreleased/unfinished projects?

How much of that is going to make them money? Because you calling for them to prioritize is hilarious because as a business their first priority should be to make money, which is what their current approach is doing.

How is releasing concept art going to make them money? Are they going to sell it? How many people will buy it?

Not everything has to be a money making endeavor, especially if their main concern is priming the fan base for new stuff on the horizon.

Besides, I think people would rather spend money on something new than the same thing in a different wrapper. Not only for the obvious reasons, but because I think it also shows a little more respect to the fans. I know OWI is a business, but they're still allowed to have integrity, and there's plenty of shit they haven't already released that they could that people would pay for.

Not everything has to be a money-making endeavor, but you need to make money first and foremost. Once you are making money you can start spending time on less directly profitable projects.

And yes, people are more likely to buy new things! But you need to be able to fund the making of new things.

They have plenty of old material that they never put out, so it would be new to us, and I think that would ultimately make a better business model. If they want to revisit the old days to rally a new fanbase, I think a more in-depth look at their earliest, unreleased materials would be fucking killer. Of course, that's just one opinion.

And who knows, maybe they will. Maybe they will release all of those magnificent paintings, finish the SW soundtrack, release an official AE soundtrack, etc. My faith in them is just rattled after nearly a decade of this "it's coming soon, we swear!" song and dance.

Both the SW and the AE soundtrack will cost them money to produce. The SW soundtrack needs to be rearranged and mixed by Michael Bross before it can be released. I'm guessing that the AE soundtrack is even more complicated, as a lot of the non-FMV music changed dynamically, so there isn't one 'composed' recording of the music.


So whilst I would like to see the SW soundtrack out, I don't have any qualms about the fact that AO was re-released first.

I wouldn't either if this re-release was also remastered to have the sound FX removed.

I doubt they have the original recordings any more. And even if they did, that would cost money money money money money money money and a bit of time.

Why would it cost money?
Who owns the rights to that stuff?

Not rights. Production costs. As far as I know, JAW doesn't have an in-house sound guy. And even if they did, the SW soundtrack would be best served if Michael Bross remained in charge.

Besides a bit of remastering (which seems entirely absent on the AO re-release all together anyway) what need would there be for production costs outside of marketing/selling the music itself?

Typically these scores are completed 110% for posterity, and put on record at the highest quality possible for the time in multiple formats. If OWI had rights/access to this print of the audio (which only makes sense) it would be a simple matter of converting them to a more commonplace format and then uploading them, two things that would cost little-to-nothing. If the rights didn't belong to them or - like I said - a remaster was in order, that's a whole different ball game.

It's a dual-edged sword. Put out lots of extra art and music and everyone starts yelling "Why are you wasting time with these things when you should be making games!"

The environmental background sounds are part of the soundtrack. If there are versions without them, we don't have them, and we have everything OWI/Lorne can find. As for Steven Olds' artwork, that's something we want as well. Fact is you've pretty much seen everything of his that was ever scanned to computer, and Lorne's too busy to spend a few days scanning the rest in.

I take it you weren't excited by the unseen artwork I put in the Stranger HD extras? (Including a Steven Olds drawing, by the way.)

I was grateful for the few pieces I hadn't already seen. I only wished my TV was bigger.

I quite liked the extras in SW. I especially enjoyed the few cinematics, and story boards that never made it into the game.

The animatic with the Grubbs being firebombed by the Wolvarks was actually available before the SW HD release, but I can't remember where I saw it. Wil, where did I see it?

Good question. Most likely from TOL, but I can't remember where we got it originally... possibly an old Inhabitant's portfolio site.

I'll do it; I'll go and scan those paintings, seriously.

Oh, and you know I'd immediately buy/preorder/kickstarter-fund any kind of oddworld "art of" book. Why not release one along with the new version of Abe's Oddysee. I can't believe OWI didn't get any return on investment with the first ten years.

Really? I bought the limited edition leather-bound copy and it's great, I'm very surprised there was no return. They were nearly all sold after all. The softcover is all gone and there aren't many limited copies left.

I was just going to suggest that all of the unseen material from the past, plus developments for the HD remasters and Abe HD would make an excellent second art book. After all, Oddworld is 20 in a few years (god I feel old :p). Then again, if the first didn't make enough I guess that's not a smart move.

With Oddworld coming back into the public consciousness, maybe it's time to put a link to buy the art book, plus some info, back on the website?

I've perhaps worded that badly. I mean I am sure that the book must have made some money, so why not make an other one.

Yeah, so would I, but my requests to be sent over there have so far not come to fruition.

Didn't it?

I would happily do that. In fact I've been wanting to for a while. Problem is I have other things to do. Like, a bajillion other things.

There’s already a link in the FAQ page, along with links to buying other Oddworld merch. Just cut and paste that shit.

But, you know, Wil's pretty busy with all the stuff he does.

Read Xav's followup post.

I love how Wil's gone from fellow fan to being held accountable for all our frustrations.

That's why you should just send me :p

Seriously now, art books, we need more of them.

Someone get me my witching pitchfork.

They make non-witching pitchforks?

They make non-pitching pitchforks?!

They make forks?

The fork company? Yes, yes they do.

It's the most vertex of dreams.

Fork you all. Now, back on topic.

No! One version of them is enough, no need to fork them.

The thought alone makes me want to... hang
GET IT? IT'S LIKE A FORK BOMB! *EXPLAINS JOKE*

How much is it on iTunes? :fuzcool: