Cats out of the bag Irth Online = SPHERE and I want my friends back....
Well as things go in life I think a lot of people take gaming too far. I’ve made a ton of friends through out my Ultima Online days. I’ve gained friendships that will last a lifetime and met some really amazing people. One could say I am a lucky person, but I don’t know if even the word luck can wrap around how fortunate I am.
I think we as a group of developers give a lot to our users, however I think our community which is the cornerstone of this entire operation is the key to our success. As such from time to time I have to make posts regarding the happenings of the community such as you saw with my recent post about Nix and Westy.
Nix and Westy are both my friends… they’ve been unable to talk to me for a long time now and I haven’t heard anything from them of substance in nearly two years. They are part of the original development team of SPHERE… what some might consider a competing product to RunUO. The original SPHERE development team was Nix, Westy and Menace. These guys built a successful emulator (Greyworld) on the heels of UOX, and quickly moved into what is today SPHERE. Shortly after SPHERE’s success Damian joined their team. Now while I wasn’t a fan of their product, I was a fan of Westy and Nix… sure from time to time we had our emulator rivalry run-ins but for the most part our relationship was of admiration for each other. They had a good product and we had a good product (we thought). However Damian and I were like Fire and Ice… I couldn’t stand the way he acted toward the community… not just SPHERE but everyone. Regardless this isn’t about him…
Well about the time we started RunUO I didn’t have a whole heck of a lot of communication with them. I was nose down in RunUO with Krrios and working my butt off to create what is today RunUO. Little did I know they (The SPHERE Team) were in the process of getting venture capital to make their own game… now that’s exciting isn’t it?
I had a few conversations with Damian following the news about them making their own game, and I found him to be both pretentious and overbearing. He really sort of thought the entire world revolved around him and that he was the best thing since sliced bread. I don’t know… that’s just how he came off to me personally. Of course quickly after RunUO gained popularity he began driving the entire SPHERE user base away and we began to grow exponentially. Then I began finding out I wasn’t the only guy on the block who didn’t like Damian, nearly everyone I spoke to felt the same way.
So why is this relevant?
I’d doubt many of you have tried the new game released by part of the SPHERE team… it’s called Irth Online. This game was by any measure a FLOP. What I found most interesting during my period of attempting to play the game is that it has the SAME bugs in it that SPHERE has in it. The weight bug is a perfect example… followed by the stackable bugs so on and so forth. This lead me to a simple conclusion… one which it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to draw… Irth Online uses SPHERE for its server side code… (I could be wrong but I doubt it).
So who cares right…?
Well I’m in the mode of sticking up for my friends after reading ganked.com. I recently read a “press release” done by Magic Hat software (Irth Online) that said Nix and Westy were “…posting on other game sites with allegations that they are co-founders and co-developers of Irth Online.”
Now again… guys I’m not a rocket scientist but I can tell you a few things I know. Damian has been using the title “Lead Game Designer”. This tells me he’s responsible for the game design (or lack there of). Here’s the exact text posted on the Irth Website:
So…first the grammar mistake at the bottom…
I pasted that sentence into Microsoft Word and it picked it up… if RunUO was a company you can bet I would spell and grammar check EVERYTHING I put up here. Regardless its just something I noticed.
So… a reasonable and prudent person could make some assumptions. My assumptions are as follows:
1. Somehow Damian is the one who controls Magic Hat Software
2. Irth Online is built on SPHERE code (explains the bugs that match SPHERE bugs).
3. Damian kicked out Westy and Nix and probably even Menace who WROTE SPHERE, thus holding the copyright to SPHERE which by my best guess is what Irth is based on… thus they would hold the copyright on a derivative work.
4. Damian is now running the show by himself
I am NOT in any way shape or form saying these are facts, these are conclusions that I as a reasonable and prudent person have drawn. Only a court of law can decide the outcome I guess. I just wanted to bring to light just how shady it seems this whole thing is. It explains why I haven’t seen my friends for a long time.
Nix and Westy – God bless both of you… and take care of yourselves.
Thanks,
Ryan
Well as things go in life I think a lot of people take gaming too far. I’ve made a ton of friends through out my Ultima Online days. I’ve gained friendships that will last a lifetime and met some really amazing people. One could say I am a lucky person, but I don’t know if even the word luck can wrap around how fortunate I am.
I think we as a group of developers give a lot to our users, however I think our community which is the cornerstone of this entire operation is the key to our success. As such from time to time I have to make posts regarding the happenings of the community such as you saw with my recent post about Nix and Westy.
Nix and Westy are both my friends… they’ve been unable to talk to me for a long time now and I haven’t heard anything from them of substance in nearly two years. They are part of the original development team of SPHERE… what some might consider a competing product to RunUO. The original SPHERE development team was Nix, Westy and Menace. These guys built a successful emulator (Greyworld) on the heels of UOX, and quickly moved into what is today SPHERE. Shortly after SPHERE’s success Damian joined their team. Now while I wasn’t a fan of their product, I was a fan of Westy and Nix… sure from time to time we had our emulator rivalry run-ins but for the most part our relationship was of admiration for each other. They had a good product and we had a good product (we thought). However Damian and I were like Fire and Ice… I couldn’t stand the way he acted toward the community… not just SPHERE but everyone. Regardless this isn’t about him…
Well about the time we started RunUO I didn’t have a whole heck of a lot of communication with them. I was nose down in RunUO with Krrios and working my butt off to create what is today RunUO. Little did I know they (The SPHERE Team) were in the process of getting venture capital to make their own game… now that’s exciting isn’t it?
I had a few conversations with Damian following the news about them making their own game, and I found him to be both pretentious and overbearing. He really sort of thought the entire world revolved around him and that he was the best thing since sliced bread. I don’t know… that’s just how he came off to me personally. Of course quickly after RunUO gained popularity he began driving the entire SPHERE user base away and we began to grow exponentially. Then I began finding out I wasn’t the only guy on the block who didn’t like Damian, nearly everyone I spoke to felt the same way.
So why is this relevant?
I’d doubt many of you have tried the new game released by part of the SPHERE team… it’s called Irth Online. This game was by any measure a FLOP. What I found most interesting during my period of attempting to play the game is that it has the SAME bugs in it that SPHERE has in it. The weight bug is a perfect example… followed by the stackable bugs so on and so forth. This lead me to a simple conclusion… one which it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to draw… Irth Online uses SPHERE for its server side code… (I could be wrong but I doubt it).
So who cares right…?
Well I’m in the mode of sticking up for my friends after reading ganked.com. I recently read a “press release” done by Magic Hat software (Irth Online) that said Nix and Westy were “…posting on other game sites with allegations that they are co-founders and co-developers of Irth Online.”
Now again… guys I’m not a rocket scientist but I can tell you a few things I know. Damian has been using the title “Lead Game Designer”. This tells me he’s responsible for the game design (or lack there of). Here’s the exact text posted on the Irth Website:
DEDHAM, MA – NOVEMBER 15, 2005
To: Online Gaming Community:
We are writing this letter to inform the gaming community about the recent allegations from Laura Painter (a.k.a. Nix or Laura Nixon) and Peter Westberg (a.k.a. Westy).
Recently Ms. Painter and Mr. Westberg have been posting on other gaming sites with allegations that they are co-founders and co-developers of Irth Online.
Magic Hat Software, LLC. is the proper owner and copyright holder to Irth Online.
Magic Hat Software was founded prior to Laura Painter or Peter Westberg being employed by Magic Hat Software, LLC. They left their employment with Magic Hat Software, LLC of their own free will.
Magic Hat Software, LLC has hired a law firm to handle these allegation, and will not be making any other statement in regards to this matter.
Magic Hat Software, LLC
Creators of Irth Online
Dedham, MA 02026
So…first the grammar mistake at the bottom…
Magic Hat Software, LLC has hired a law firm to handle these allegation, and will not be making any other statement in regards to this matter.
I pasted that sentence into Microsoft Word and it picked it up… if RunUO was a company you can bet I would spell and grammar check EVERYTHING I put up here. Regardless its just something I noticed.
So… a reasonable and prudent person could make some assumptions. My assumptions are as follows:
1. Somehow Damian is the one who controls Magic Hat Software
2. Irth Online is built on SPHERE code (explains the bugs that match SPHERE bugs).
3. Damian kicked out Westy and Nix and probably even Menace who WROTE SPHERE, thus holding the copyright to SPHERE which by my best guess is what Irth is based on… thus they would hold the copyright on a derivative work.
4. Damian is now running the show by himself
I am NOT in any way shape or form saying these are facts, these are conclusions that I as a reasonable and prudent person have drawn. Only a court of law can decide the outcome I guess. I just wanted to bring to light just how shady it seems this whole thing is. It explains why I haven’t seen my friends for a long time.
Nix and Westy – God bless both of you… and take care of yourselves.
Thanks,
Ryan