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Oni: Difference between revisions
broke out footnotes (mostly-prose references) from citations (references that are primarily source URLs); now the reader can easily identify footnotes, which they're more likely to be interested in
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--><ref>[https://www.gamespot.com/articles/oni-receives-final-approval/1100-2676645/ GameSpot, "Oni Receives Final Approval", unknown date].</ref><!-- | --><ref>[https://www.gamespot.com/articles/oni-receives-final-approval/1100-2676645/ GameSpot, "Oni Receives Final Approval", unknown date].</ref><!-- | ||
--> for Windows, Macintosh, and PlayStation 2. | --> for Windows, Macintosh, and PlayStation 2. | ||
{{TOClimit|2}} | |||
==Inspiration== | ==Inspiration== | ||
[[Image:Early Konoko 1.jpg|thumb|250px|Early concept art by [[Alex Okita]]. Under Konoko's eyes are what we would now call "SLD markings", indicating her cyborg nature at the start of the game's development.]] | [[Image:Early Konoko 1.jpg|thumb|250px|Early concept art by [[Alex Okita]]. Under Konoko's eyes are what we would now call "SLD markings", indicating her cyborg nature at the start of the game's development.]] | ||
Work on Oni began in 1997 when Bungie decided to found a second studio, Bungie West, with the initial employees being Brent Pease and Michael Evans. The concept for Bungie West's first project was devised by Pease, whose primary influence was the animé film ''[[Ghost in the Shell]]''.<!-- | Work on Oni began in 1997 when Bungie decided to found a second studio, Bungie West, with the initial employees being Brent Pease and Michael Evans. The concept for Bungie West's first project was devised by Pease, whose primary influence was the animé film ''[[Ghost in the Shell]]''.<!-- | ||
--><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20010302193919/http://www.insidemacgames.com/previews/99/oni/oni2.shtml Inside Mac Games, "Sneak Preview: Oni", 1999].</ref><!-- | --><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20010302193919/http://www.insidemacgames.com/previews/99/oni/oni2.shtml Inside Mac Games, "Sneak Preview: Oni", 1999].</ref><!-- | ||
--> It took one year of conversation with Alex Seropian before the project was greenlit.<ref name="OBO Brent interview"/> Pease and Evans had been programmers at Apple working on game-related technology, so their first step was to begin programming Oni's engine while gradually hiring employees to produce concept art and game content. "Oni" was meant to be a development code name that referenced the game's inspiration – Pease considered | --> It took one year of conversation with Alex Seropian before the project was greenlit.<ref name="OBO Brent interview"/> Pease and Evans had been programmers at Apple working on game-related technology, so their first step was to begin programming Oni's engine while gradually hiring employees to produce concept art and game content. "Oni" was meant to be a development code name that referenced the game's inspiration – Pease considered ''oni'''s meaning to be "ghost".<ref name="OBO Brent interview"/><!-- | ||
--><ref>However Hardy LeBel, the writer of the story, indicated [http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=19851 here] and [http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=18292 here] that he understood "oni" to mean "demon" and had written the final story with that in mind. The final story incorporates many elements of the mythical oni, as explored in {{SectionLink|Oni (myth)|Connections to the game}}.</ref><!-- | --><ref group=note><cite class="note">However Hardy LeBel, the writer of the story, indicated [http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=19851 here] and [http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=18292 here] that he understood "oni" to mean "demon" and had written the final story with that in mind. The final story incorporates many elements of the mythical oni, as explored in {{SectionLink|Oni (myth)|Connections to the game}}.</cite></ref><!-- | ||
--><ref>At one time during development, the name "Mnemonic Shadow" was considered according to the [https://marathon.bungie.org/story/newjan-feb01.html Marathon Story Page].</ref><!-- | --><ref group=note><cite class="note">At one time during development, the name "Mnemonic Shadow" was considered according to the [https://marathon.bungie.org/story/newjan-feb01.html Marathon Story Page].</cite></ref><!-- | ||
--> The characters [[Konoko]] and [[Griffin|Commander Griffin]] of the Technology Crimes Task Force are analogous to [[wp:Motoko Kusanagi|Motoko Kusanagi]] and [[wp:List of Ghost in the Shell characters#Chief Daisuke Aramaki|Chief Aramaki]] of Section 9 in ''Ghost in the Shell''. Early development presented Konoko as a [[wp:Cyborg|cyborg]], furthering her resemblance to Motoko. | --> The characters [[Konoko]] and [[Griffin|Commander Griffin]] of the Technology Crimes Task Force are analogous to [[wp:Motoko Kusanagi|Motoko Kusanagi]] and [[wp:List of Ghost in the Shell characters#Chief Daisuke Aramaki|Chief Aramaki]] of Section 9 in ''Ghost in the Shell''. Early development presented Konoko as a [[wp:Cyborg|cyborg]], furthering her resemblance to Motoko. | ||
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[[Image:1999 trailer opening.jpg|250px|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLZ2hJZvrmo|thumb|Click the image to watch the official trailer from 1999.]] | [[Image:1999 trailer opening.jpg|250px|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLZ2hJZvrmo|thumb|Click the image to watch the official trailer from 1999.]] | ||
The earliest online hype came from the existing Bungie community.<!-- | The earliest online hype came from the existing Bungie community.<!-- | ||
--><ref>[https://marathon.bungie.org/story/newmay-june98.html Oni discussion] on the Marathon Story Page. Bungie fans first started talking about the newly-announced Oni (and the E3 1998 trailer) back in May-June 1998, unaware that it would not release for another two and a half years.</ref><!-- | --><ref group=note><cite class="note">[https://marathon.bungie.org/story/newmay-june98.html Oni discussion] on the Marathon Story Page. Bungie fans first started talking about the newly-announced Oni (and the E3 1998 trailer) back in May-June 1998, unaware that it would not release for another two and a half years.</cite></ref><!-- | ||
--> As the Oni project gained popularity, a dedicated online community emerged in the form of Oni Central and the {{OCF}}. | --> As the Oni project gained popularity, a dedicated online community emerged in the form of Oni Central and the {{OCF}}. | ||
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==Troubles== | ==Troubles== | ||
Oni was originally expected to be released in the fourth quarter of 1999,<ref name="advert" /> but as that time approached, the release date was pushed back. This occurred repeatedly, until finally the rumored release date was as late as March 2001.<!-- | Oni was originally expected to be released in the fourth quarter of 1999,<ref name="advert" /> but as that time approached, the release date was pushed back. This occurred repeatedly, until finally the rumored release date was as late as March 2001.<!-- | ||
--><ref>Discussions on Oni Central Forum of: a [http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=2533 fall 1999] release date, a [http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=1129 summer 2000] release date, a [http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=4084 fall 2000] release date, and finally a [http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=4699 spring 2001] release date. These "release dates" were generally rumors, ephemeral dates used by online stores for pre-orders, or vague estimates by Bungie PR, not official statements. Nevertheless, it was clear that Oni was taking longer than planned to finish, which was a cause of some concern among Bungie fans.</ref><!-- | --><ref group=note><cite class="note">Discussions on Oni Central Forum of: a [http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=2533 fall 1999] release date, a [http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=1129 summer 2000] release date, a [http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=4084 fall 2000] release date, and finally a [http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=4699 spring 2001] release date. These "release dates" were generally rumors, ephemeral dates used by online stores for pre-orders, or vague estimates by Bungie PR, not official statements. Nevertheless, it was clear that Oni was taking longer than planned to finish, which was a cause of some concern among Bungie fans.</cite></ref><!-- | ||
--> Some of the uncertainty came from Bungie's typical reluctance to announce or adhere to fixed release dates. | --> Some of the uncertainty came from Bungie's typical reluctance to announce or adhere to fixed release dates. | ||
However, unbeknownst to the public, development of Oni was troubled from the start. The team was young and inexperienced, and development suffered from a lack of direction. A great deal of code had been written and assets created without producing a story that was playable from start to finish. Transferring data from the professional software used for level modeling and animation into Oni wasn't even possible until the very end of 1997.<!-- | However, unbeknownst to the public, development of Oni was troubled from the start. The team was young and inexperienced, and development suffered from a lack of direction. A great deal of code had been written and assets created without producing a story that was playable from start to finish. Transferring data from the professional software used for level modeling and animation into Oni wasn't even possible until the very end of 1997.<!-- | ||
--><ref>"After almost a year all they had were some stick figures walking in a box; hardly a killer demo, much less a new frontier in gaming. […] Eventually, Brent had a 'eureka' - just before New Year's Eve 1998, he had a breakthrough. He was able to match the power of these professional tools with their new engine." [http://web.archive.org/web/20010302193919/http://www.insidemacgames.com/previews/99/oni/oni2.shtml Inside Mac Games, "Sneak Preview: Oni", 1999].</ref><!-- | --><ref group=note><cite class="note">"After almost a year all they had were some stick figures walking in a box; hardly a killer demo, much less a new frontier in gaming. […] Eventually, Brent had a 'eureka' - just before New Year's Eve 1998, he had a breakthrough. He was able to match the power of these professional tools with their new engine." [http://web.archive.org/web/20010302193919/http://www.insidemacgames.com/previews/99/oni/oni2.shtml Inside Mac Games, "Sneak Preview: Oni", 1999].</cite></ref><!-- | ||
--> By mid-1999 it became clear to management back in Chicago that the game was not going to be ready by year-end, so Hardy LeBel was added to the team with the goal of bringing focus to the development efforts and producing a shippable product. | --> By mid-1999 it became clear to management back in Chicago that the game was not going to be ready by year-end, so Hardy LeBel was added to the team with the goal of bringing focus to the development efforts and producing a shippable product. | ||
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In order to ship the game by year-end, the Bungie West staff worked massive overtime for several months straight.<!-- | In order to ship the game by year-end, the Bungie West staff worked massive overtime for several months straight.<!-- | ||
--><ref>Michael Evans said, "Most of us were working 14 hours a day 7 days a week" in [https://web.archive.org/web/20010128191200/http://hypothermia.gamershardware.com/interviews/interview_oni.html this interview].</ref><!-- | --><ref group=note><cite class="note">Michael Evans said, "Most of us were working 14 hours a day 7 days a week" in [https://web.archive.org/web/20010128191200/http://hypothermia.gamershardware.com/interviews/interview_oni.html this interview].</cite></ref><!-- | ||
--> During this "crunch" period, the unexpected departure of the graphics programmer led to his replacement and a minor overhaul of the graphics code.<!-- | --> During this "crunch" period, the unexpected departure of the graphics programmer led to his replacement and a minor overhaul of the graphics code.<!-- | ||
--><ref>[https://archive.is/njEe3#:~:text=Fun%20fact eBay, "Bungie Oni for Macintosh - Autographed", May 17, 2021]. Stefan tells the story in the Description section of the page.<!--By the way, we know that he replaced the previous programmer by August because that's when Stefan started asking questions on a 3D graphics forum about OpenGL ^_^ --></ref><!-- | --><ref>[https://archive.is/njEe3#:~:text=Fun%20fact eBay, "Bungie Oni for Macintosh - Autographed", May 17, 2021]. Stefan tells the story in the Description section of the page.<!--By the way, we know that he replaced the previous programmer by August because that's when Stefan started asking questions on a 3D graphics forum about OpenGL ^_^ --></ref><!-- | ||
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--><ref name="conquer" /><!-- | --><ref name="conquer" /><!-- | ||
--><ref>[http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=19648 Oni Central Forum, "Re: Oni basic questionare", Jul. 6, 2002].</ref><!-- | --><ref>[http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=19648 Oni Central Forum, "Re: Oni basic questionare", Jul. 6, 2002].</ref><!-- | ||
--><ref>Also see [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v_elVuwx0c&t=698s Hardy LeBel, "Learn Level Design Class 9 - Integrating Game Mechanics", Dec. 17, 2016], at 11'38", where he talks about a "month of weekends" spent adding the [[Jello-cam|jello-fix boxes]].</ref><!-- | --><ref group=note><cite class="note">Also see [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v_elVuwx0c&t=698s Hardy LeBel, "Learn Level Design Class 9 - Integrating Game Mechanics", Dec. 17, 2016], at 11'38", where he talks about a "month of weekends" spent adding the [[Jello-cam|jello-fix boxes]].</cite></ref><!-- | ||
--> According to Hardy LeBel, "It was as bad a crunch as there has ever been in the video games industry."<!-- | --> According to Hardy LeBel, "It was as bad a crunch as there has ever been in the video games industry."<!-- | ||
--><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbrPu15jjPs&t=960s mrixrt, "Bungie's Forgotten Franchise - Oni", Mar. 11, 2019], 16 minute mark.</ref><!-- | --><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbrPu15jjPs&t=960s mrixrt, "Bungie's Forgotten Franchise - Oni", Mar. 11, 2019], 16 minute mark.</ref><!-- | ||
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--><ref name="OBO Brent interview">[http://oni.bungie.org/special/part1/brent.html Bungie.org, "Interview with Brent Pease", 1999].</ref><!-- | --><ref name="OBO Brent interview">[http://oni.bungie.org/special/part1/brent.html Bungie.org, "Interview with Brent Pease", 1999].</ref><!-- | ||
ARTICLE--> AutoCAD ($3,750)<!-- | ARTICLE--> AutoCAD ($3,750)<!-- | ||
--><ref>[https://2d3danima.com/autocad-history 2D, 3D & Animation, "AutoCAD History", Jan. 4, 2020], [https://www.shapr3d.com/history-of-cad/autodesk-and-autocad History of CAD, "Autodesk and AutoCAD" | --><ref>[https://2d3danima.com/autocad-history 2D, 3D & Animation, "AutoCAD History", Jan. 4, 2020], [https://www.shapr3d.com/history-of-cad/autodesk-and-autocad History of CAD, "Autodesk and AutoCAD", Mar. 27, 2023].</ref><!-- | ||
--><ref>[http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=5996 Oni Central Forum, "Re: Really?", Nov. 13, 2000].</ref><!-- | --><ref>[http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=5996 Oni Central Forum, "Re: Really?", Nov. 13, 2000].</ref><!-- | ||
ARTICLE--> for use by the architects in modeling the levels,<!-- | ARTICLE--> for use by the architects in modeling the levels,<!-- | ||
--><ref name="OBO Brent interview"/><!-- | --><ref name="OBO Brent interview"/><!-- | ||
--><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20010302193919/http://www.insidemacgames.com/previews/99/oni/oni2.shtml Inside Mac Games, "Sneak Preview: Oni", 1999]</ref><!-- | --><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20010302193919/http://www.insidemacgames.com/previews/99/oni/oni2.shtml Inside Mac Games, "Sneak Preview: Oni", 1999].</ref><!-- | ||
ARTICLE--> and Lightscape ($500)<!-- | ARTICLE--> and Lightscape ($500)<!-- | ||
--><ref>[https://techmonitor.ai/technology/lightscape_upgrades_3d_graphics_visualization_tools Computer Business Review, "Lightscape Upgrades 3d Graphics Visualization Tools", Feb. 3, 1997]</ref><!-- | --><ref>[https://techmonitor.ai/technology/lightscape_upgrades_3d_graphics_visualization_tools Computer Business Review, "Lightscape Upgrades 3d Graphics Visualization Tools", Feb. 3, 1997].</ref><!-- | ||
ARTICLE--> for calculating the radiosity lighting solutions.<!-- | ARTICLE--> for calculating the radiosity lighting solutions.<!-- | ||
--><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20000817001446/http://www.insidemacgames.com/features/00/dunn/p2.shtml Inside Mac Games, "Interview: Oni Level Designer David Dunn"].</ref><!-- | --><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20000817001446/http://www.insidemacgames.com/features/00/dunn/p2.shtml Inside Mac Games, "Interview: Oni Level Designer David Dunn"].</ref><!-- | ||
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Oni. The Company recorded this transaction as net sales of $5,500[,000] after giving effect to the receipt of $9,000[,000] in cash and $5,800[,000] of assets (consisting of $2,800[,000] relating to Oni, $1,500[,000] relating to Myth and $1,500[,000] relating to the license to use Halo game engine technology for two original products), net of $9,300[,000] of assets sold."}} | Oni. The Company recorded this transaction as net sales of $5,500[,000] after giving effect to the receipt of $9,000[,000] in cash and $5,800[,000] of assets (consisting of $2,800[,000] relating to Oni, $1,500[,000] relating to Myth and $1,500[,000] relating to the license to use Halo game engine technology for two original products), net of $9,300[,000] of assets sold."}} | ||
Bungie had seemed to enjoy great success as an independent publisher ever since they released [[wp:Pathways into Darkness|Pathways into Darkness]] in 1993. However, Bungie was initially a Macintosh developer, and even their domination of the Mac's small game industry meant limited success in real financial terms<!-- | Bungie had seemed to enjoy great success as an independent publisher ever since they released [[wp:Pathways into Darkness|Pathways into Darkness]] in 1993. However, Bungie was initially a Macintosh developer, and even their domination of the Mac's small game industry meant limited success in real financial terms<!-- | ||
--><ref>Dean Takahashi's book "Opening the Xbox" claims on [https://web.archive.org/web/20210324173502/https://books.google.com/books?ei=A1mlT672KIG29QSbz-HyDQ&id=sJi2AAAAIAAJ&dq=Opening+the+xbox&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=Bungie page 238] that a Bungie game never sold more than 200,000 units, but that number | --><ref group=note><cite class="note">Dean Takahashi's book "Opening the Xbox" claims on [https://web.archive.org/web/20210324173502/https://books.google.com/books?ei=A1mlT672KIG29QSbz-HyDQ&id=sJi2AAAAIAAJ&dq=Opening+the+xbox&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=Bungie page 238] that a Bungie game never sold more than 200,000 units, but that number is based on a misunderstanding, because the Chicago Reader article below talks about an ''initial shipment'' of Myth II numbering 200,000 units, and also states that the first Myth game sold 300,000 copies total.<!--Alex Seropian also told me personally that Marathon sold over 1 million copies, but I have no citation for that except a screenshot taken on Discord :-) --Iritscen--></cite></ref><!-- | ||
--> (though Bungie also began porting their games to Windows starting with Marathon 2). Bungie took advantage of their indie status to avoid the strict deadlines which are normally enforced by video game publishers, refusing to release their games until they were totally satisfied with them. | --> (though Bungie also began porting their games to Windows starting with Marathon 2). Bungie took advantage of their indie status to avoid the strict deadlines which are normally enforced by video game publishers, refusing to release their games until they were totally satisfied with them. | ||
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--> It turned out that Bungie's monetary woes had not been solved by Take-Two's influx of cash, and so Peter Tamte, Bungie's executive vice president, had been tasked with finding a buyer for the company. Take-Two acquired (among other things) all rights to the Oni and Myth IPs in exchange for its stake in Bungie and its publishing rights for Halo. Take-Two valued the Oni IP at $2.8 million, and the Myth IP at $1.5 million.<!-- | --> It turned out that Bungie's monetary woes had not been solved by Take-Two's influx of cash, and so Peter Tamte, Bungie's executive vice president, had been tasked with finding a buyer for the company. Take-Two acquired (among other things) all rights to the Oni and Myth IPs in exchange for its stake in Bungie and its publishing rights for Halo. Take-Two valued the Oni IP at $2.8 million, and the Myth IP at $1.5 million.<!-- | ||
--><ref>[https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/946581/000112528202003845/b320556.htm SEC 10-K filing for Take-Two Interactive, Oct. 31, 2002].</ref><!-- | --><ref>[https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/946581/000112528202003845/b320556.htm SEC 10-K filing for Take-Two Interactive, Oct. 31, 2002].</ref><!-- | ||
--><ref>The sale of Bungie to Microsoft has an interesting historical footnote: according to Ed Fries, who was VP of game publishing at Microsoft, Steve Jobs angrily called MS CEO Steve Ballmer immediately after the Bungie acquisition was announced; sources within Bungie have stated that Apple themselves had been close to offering to buy Bungie at the time. In order to appease Apple (a business partner of Microsoft) over the loss of a major Mac game developer, Microsoft helped form a new company which would publish a Mac port of Halo as well as other games. It was named Destineer, and headed up by none other than Peter Tamte of Bungie. Destineer would go on to publish a port of Halo for the Mac in 2003. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20210116004457/https://www.mcvuk.com/business-news/publishing/steve-jobs-raged-at-microsoft-over-game-studio-sale/], [http://web.archive.org/web/20201001195523/https://www.mcvuk.com/development-news/ex-bungie-dev-apple-got-close-to-buying-us/], [https://web.archive.org/web/20181019075755/http://www.insidemacgames.com/features/view.php?ID=173], [https://www.vice.com/en/article/xwqjg3/the-complete-untold-history-of-halo-an-oral-history])</ref> | --><ref group=note><cite class="note">The sale of Bungie to Microsoft has an interesting historical footnote: according to Ed Fries, who was VP of game publishing at Microsoft, Steve Jobs angrily called MS CEO Steve Ballmer immediately after the Bungie acquisition was announced; sources within Bungie have stated that Apple themselves had been close to offering to buy Bungie at the time. In order to appease Apple (a business partner of Microsoft) over the loss of a major Mac game developer, Microsoft helped form a new company which would publish a Mac port of Halo as well as other games. It was named Destineer, and headed up by none other than Peter Tamte of Bungie. Destineer would go on to publish a port of Halo for the Mac in 2003. (sources: [http://web.archive.org/web/20210116004457/https://www.mcvuk.com/business-news/publishing/steve-jobs-raged-at-microsoft-over-game-studio-sale/], [http://web.archive.org/web/20201001195523/https://www.mcvuk.com/development-news/ex-bungie-dev-apple-got-close-to-buying-us/], [https://web.archive.org/web/20181019075755/http://www.insidemacgames.com/features/view.php?ID=173], [https://www.vice.com/en/article/xwqjg3/the-complete-untold-history-of-halo-an-oral-history])</cite></ref> | ||
The acquisition of Bungie by Microsoft also meant the dissolution of Bungie West as Bungie moved all their employees to a single office in Redmond, Washington. Some Oni developers stayed with Bungie and went on to contribute to the Halo series, such as LeBel, while some left to join or start other game studios. | The acquisition of Bungie by Microsoft also meant the dissolution of Bungie West as Bungie moved all their employees to a single office in Redmond, Washington. Some Oni developers stayed with Bungie and went on to contribute to the Halo series, such as LeBel, while some left to join or start other game studios. | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
===Footnotes=== | |||
<div style="{{Columns}}"><references group="note"/></div> | |||
===Citations=== | |||
<div style="{{Columns}}"><references/></div> | <div style="{{Columns}}"><references/></div> | ||
[[Category:Oni history]] | [[Category:Oni history]] | ||