Interplay

Project V13 (Strategy RPG Version) [PC – Cancelled]

Project V13 was the codename originally used for Interplay‘s original attempt at creating Fallout Online, an overly-ambitious MMO that was initially in development in 2006 by Engage Games Online, then by Micro Forté and in the end by Masthead Studios, before to be finally cancelled.

The original Project V13 MMO was canned after a lengthy court case with Bethesda as Interplay lost the rights to make the MMO using the Fallout IP. Interplay could have probably tried to rework their MMO into an original IP, but we can assume they understood it would have been difficult to successfully develop and complete a quality MMO without enough money and without a recognized IP to work with. That’s when they decided to redesign their game as a classic isometric turn-based strategy RPG using a new setting, but still similar to the original two Fallout games. This kind of project is something they could have easily completed with way less money, using their previous experience on strategy RPGs.

To work on this second version of Project V13 Interplay decided to reconstitute the previously closed Black Isle Studios, using their fame to hype up the game, even if only Mark O’Green and Chris Taylor were back from the original team. In december 2012 Interplay and Black Isle opened a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to create a prototype of their new strategy RPG, raising slightly over $6000.

Donating to the campaign gained access to the Black Isle Forums on which they posted updates and pieces of concept art from the game, as well as a picture of the tabletop prototype that they were using to test out the rules for the digital game.

Here’s the original details available on the Black Isle website / crowdfunding campaign:

“Project V13 (PV13) is the first planned Black Isle Studios release in years, a post-apocalyptic strategy RPG. You will create a character to represent yourself within the game world. Your character will be a hardy adventurer from a variety of backgrounds; one of the last remaining humans, a new breed mutant, or a technologically advanced cyborg. The choice is yours.

Once you have determined your character’s background, you will found your “colony”. From a deserted city, a broken down military base, or even the ruins of an oil pumping station, the colony will be yours to rebuild and control. Attract non-player characters for guards, peons, scientists, and other activities. Or, if you are the type that so desires, shanghai the NPCs. Put them to work rebuilding your society and improving your colony.

Meanwhile, you will experience grand adventures to gather the resources and ancient technologies as well as fight back the enemy hordes. Your character will gain experience, advance skills, learn new talents and gain access to incredibly powerful equipment. Or die trying.

Explore the world, meet friends, and fight your neighbors for control of resources. PV13 will be your chance to rebuild a devastated world.

Project V13 cancelled Black Isle second SRPG

About the Team

We’re an experienced team of game developers. We love the post-apocalyptic genre and want to do something exciting with it. PV13 has been in development for years, but we’ve had to make some major changes recently. We believe the changes are for the better and we’re excited about working on this new iteration of PV13.

We Need Help

But we can’t do it alone. We need to raise money to put together a prototype. We need more developers and staff. This is a big world we’re developing.

The prototype will be a “proof of concept“. It won’t have the entire world or a finished game. We’ve got some great ideas, but they haven’t been tested in the crucible of actual play. We need time and money. We’ll have most, if not all, systems in the proof of concept. We’ll be able to run around the world, interacting with NPCs and objects, basic combat, building and worker management, and test the other core gameplay mechanics.

We can then use this prototype to raise the additional funds necessary to complete the game.

Our backers will have immediate access to a private forum, where you will be able to interact with the developers. You’ll have the earliest possible access to the friends and family beta test towards the end of development. You will be able to influence the game’s ultimate direction by providing valuable feedback.

Sounds great, but what will you do with my money?

We have been working hard behind the scenes to resume operations as Black Isle Studios. Since we are no longer constrained by licensing issues, we have the opportunity to build a new IP from the ground up and there is a lot more latitude to unleash our creativity, try some new ideas and even incorporate your suggestions. Our goal at this stage is threefold: 1) prove to management that you want Black Isle Studios resurrected – and all the history and tradition of excellence that goes with it; 2) to continue to staff up BIS and complete our PV13 game design; and 3) to develop a tech demo/ proof of concept for our design that will open the doors to additional funding.”

Unfortunately feedback on this new project was not very good, only hardcore fans of Black Isle and old-school strategy RPGs supported the crowdfunding campaign, it was not enough to really develop a playable prototype and raise more funds. Interplay quietly removed any references to Project V13 from their website, the supporters’ Forum were closed down sometime later and there are no official statements on what happened to it.

As wrote by machiavalium on Reddit:

“After seeing it and realizing it was months past the deadline, I decided to check it out again and see where the project stood. It hasn’t changed much at all, in fact the ability to donate was still up and running until August 15th, 2014, eight months past the original deadline and two months past the Forum deadline. They ended with only $6,630 (Campaign Successful!), with donations trickling in once every couple months according to their feed.

They haven’t provided public updates since January 3rd, despite continuing to take donations for another eight months. Did anyone around here contribute? Has anyone heard any news? Or was it really just a shady cash-grab by Black Isle/Interplay?”

Only a few concept arts and a photo from the tabletop test-game remains to remember this unreleased project. On September 2016 Interplay sold off all their remaining intellectual properties and video game assets, ending their long troubled existence.

Thanks to True Patrician for the contribution!

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Clay Fighter: Call of Putty [Cancelled – Wii / DS]

Clay Fighter: Call of Putty is a cancelled fighting game in the ClayFighter series, started for the Super NES in 1993. On September 2009 Interplay announced a return of ClayFighter for WiiWare and DSiWare, with a new project named “Clay Fighter: Call of Putty”, a joke with Call of Duty. This game was suppose to be an updated version of ClayFighter: Sculptor’s Cut and was planned to be released in 2011 for Wii and DS but it soon vanished in limbo and in the end it was never released.

Some info were published in Nintendo Power, November 2010 issue:

– Updated version of Clay Fighter 63 1/3 for the N64
– 16 fighters
– Bad Mr. Frosty, Kung Pow, High Five, Bonker, Lady Liberty, and Sumo Santa, Boogerman, Earthworm Jim included and i have heard rummors about hobo cop coming back
– Standard punches and kicks (3 strengths each)
– Powerful meter-based supermoves
– Finishing moves (Claytalities)
– Training mode
– Single-player story mode available
– Exhibition matches and 2-player versus mode as well
– Late 2010/early 2011 release

If you have more info in this lost project, please let us know!

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Wicked Surfing [GBC – Cancelled]

Wicked Surfing is a cancelled sport game that was in development in 1999 / 2000 by RUNANDGUN! / Cave Barn and it would have been published by Interplay for the GameBoy Color. As we can read from a short preview on IGN, in the game you would have been able to use 5 playable characters to do various surf-tricks in 2 different modes: Thrash Mode (timed competition for points) and Contest Mode (tournament against other surfers). The team that was working on Wicked Surfing was small (1 programmer, 1 artist and 1 musician), but the graphic was really good for a GameBoy Color, with an isometric view and a nice palette. Sadly Interplay was in some economic issues at the time (in 2001 it was acquired by Titus Interactive) and they decided to never pay Runandgun! to finish the game, even if it was almost complete.

Thanks a lot to Jeremy for his help to preserve more screens of their lost game!

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Fallout [Playstation – Cancelled]

Fallout is a computer RPG produced by Tim Cain, developed and published by Interplay in 1997. The game has a post-apocalyptic setting in the mid-22nd century, featuring an alternate history which deviates some time after World War II, where technology, politics and culture followed a different course. [Info from Wikipedia]

A Fallout top-down shooter for the original PlayStation was in development at Interplay at one point. It was canceled after about 3-4 months of pre-production and early prototyping. The PlayStation port of another notable cRPG published by Interplay, Baldur’s Gate, was similarly canceled, although in a near complete state. As we can see, in the PlaystationMuseum, the game is in the Graveyard list.

There aren’t images yet.

Post by Elian 

Fallout Extreme [XBOX – Cancelled]

Fallout Extreme is a cancelled squad-based RPG / tactical shooter that was in development by Interplay’s 14 Degrees East division for the original Xbox. The project was in development for several months in 2000, but it didn’t really have a concrete development team and never made it out of concept stage. After Extreme was cancelled, Interplay’s next attempt at making a console version of Fallout was Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel, released for both the Xbox and Playstation 2 in 2004. Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel 2 had the same fate of Extreme and was cancelled in early development.

On Fallout Wikia we can read all that is currently know about Fallout Extreme:

The game could be played in first and third person perspective. The player would control a 4-person team and would be able to switch the active character, all of which had various skills, at any moment. The team could consist of ordinary wastelanders, former Brotherhood of Steel members, super mutants, Native American shamant and even Mongol warriors. There were both single- and multiplayer modes.

Not much is known about the development team. Brian Christian, head of 14 Degrees East was the lead producer, while Todd J. Camasta was the art director, like with Fallout Tactics.

Sadly only few artworks remain from Fallout Extreme, preserved in the gallery below.

Thanks to Robert Seddon and Userdante for the contribution!

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