Timeline of development: Difference between revisions
m (better ref for announcement date; added ref for hiring date and corrected the date; I think I am done adding refs to existing entries now) |
(a little more clarity on release dates; it's safe to reject the late Mac GM date because there's really nothing supporting it except a statement which was probably not intended to refer to a recent event but simply giving the status of the Mac version) |
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{{Hatnote|For the full story of Oni's development, see [[Oni]]. For detailed information on the continued updates for Mac after release, see [[History of Mac Oni]].}} | {{Hatnote|For the full story of Oni's development, see [[Oni]]. For detailed information on the continued updates for Mac after release, see [[History of Mac Oni]].}} | ||
The | The Oni project started development in April of 1997 and ran for approximately 3 years, 9 months, ending in January of 2001. Through this time, the [[Bungie West]] team ran into unexpected technical and design hurdles, resulting in a much longer development period than planned. The initial internal deadline for the game, October 1999, was gradually pushed back quarter by quarter until the game was finished in the time period from November 2000 to January 2001, depending on the platform. | ||
The development of the game was accompanied by unexpected events such as a financial blow to Bungie from the Myth II uninstaller bug, a partial buyout by Take-Two Interactive, turnover on the staff and a change of project lead, and then a complete buyout by Microsoft. Only a sustained crunch period at the end of development, pushing Bungie West to their limits, allowed the game to be finished to a degree where it was ready to ship, and cuts to the game were still required such as the removal of multiplayer mode. | The development of the game was accompanied by unexpected events such as a financial blow to Bungie from the Myth II uninstaller bug, a partial buyout by Take-Two Interactive, turnover on the staff and a change of project lead, and then a complete buyout by Microsoft. Only a sustained crunch period at the end of development, pushing Bungie West to their limits, allowed the game to be finished to a degree where it was ready to ship, and cuts to the game were still required such as the removal of multiplayer mode. | ||
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{{Timeline | {{Timeline | ||
|event1date=Apr. 2, 1997 | |event1date=Apr. 2, 1997 | ||
|event1text=Engine quietly begins development under Brent Pease per dates in source code | |event1text=Engine quietly begins development under Brent Pease per dates in source code<br>Projected release date is "October 1999"{{ref|note=See [[Oni/Positioning]]}} | ||
|event2date=July 1997 | |event2date=July 1997 | ||
|event2text=Bungie West announces they are hiring{{ref|note=[https://marathon.bungie.org/story/blastfromthepast.html Marathon Story Page: Blasts from the Past]. Note that [https://marathon.bungie.org/story/BungieWest/job.html this copy of the Bungie West job ad] is stated to have the wrong date at the bottom of the page.}} | |event2text=Bungie West announces they are hiring{{ref|note=[https://marathon.bungie.org/story/blastfromthepast.html Marathon Story Page: Blasts from the Past]. Note that [https://marathon.bungie.org/story/BungieWest/job.html this copy of the Bungie West job ad] is stated to have the wrong date at the bottom of the page.}} | ||
| Line 14: | Line 14: | ||
|event3text=Bungie West gets their content authoring pipeline working{{ref|note=[http://web.archive.org/web/20010302193919/http://www.insidemacgames.com/previews/99/oni/oni2.shtml Inside Mac Games: "Sneak Preview: Oni"]}} | |event3text=Bungie West gets their content authoring pipeline working{{ref|note=[http://web.archive.org/web/20010302193919/http://www.insidemacgames.com/previews/99/oni/oni2.shtml Inside Mac Games: "Sneak Preview: Oni"]}} | ||
|event4date=May 28, 1998 | |event4date=May 28, 1998 | ||
|event4text=Oni is announced{{ref|note=[https://marathon.bungie.org/story/blastfromthepast.html Marathon Story Page: Blasts from the Past]. Note that [https://web.archive.org/web/20000422020741/http://pc.ign.com/news/5839.html this official press release] was months late.}} | |event4text=Oni is announced along with Myth II at E3{{ref|note=[https://marathon.bungie.org/story/blastfromthepast.html Marathon Story Page: Blasts from the Past]. Note that [https://web.archive.org/web/20000422020741/http://pc.ign.com/news/5839.html this official press release] was months late.}}{{ref|name="monsters"|note=[https://chicagoreader.com/news/monsters-in-a-box/ Chicago Reader: "Monsters in a Box"]}} | ||
|event5date=Dec. 28, 1998 | |event5date=Dec. 28, 1998 | ||
|event5text=Myth II uninstaller bug is discovered, costs Bungie about $800,000{{ref| | |event5text=Myth II uninstaller bug is discovered, costs Bungie about $800,000{{ref|name="monsters"}} | ||
|event6date=May 14, 1999 | |event6date=May 14, 1999 | ||
|event6text=Oni appears at E3 with hands-on demo running in multiplayer mode{{ref|name="mp"|note=See [[Multiplayer]] for video evidence | |event6text=Oni appears at E3 with hands-on demo running in multiplayer mode{{ref|name="mp"|note=See [[Multiplayer]] for video evidence}}<br>Release date is estimated as early 2000{{ref|note=[https://web.archive.org/web/20000817003431/http://www.insidemacgames.com/features/99/e3report/e3-2.shtml IMG: "Feature: The E3 Report - Page 2"]}}<br>"Blam" project is shown three days later to a select group behind closed doors{{ref|note=[https://web.archive.org/web/20000815110548/http://www.insidemacgames.com/features/99/e3report/e3.shtml IMG: "Feature: The E3 Report"]}} | ||
|event7date=Jul. 21, 1999 | |event7date=Jul. 21, 1999 | ||
|event7text=Oni appears at Macworld NY running in multiplayer mode{{ref|name="mp"}}<br>Halo is announced{{ref|note=[https://marathon.bungie.org/story/Halo_press_release_21July99.html Bungie: "Halo Brings Action Gamers a World Without End"]}} | |event7text=Oni appears at Macworld NY running in multiplayer mode{{ref|name="mp"}}<br>Halo is announced{{ref|note=[https://marathon.bungie.org/story/Halo_press_release_21July99.html Bungie: "Halo Brings Action Gamers a World Without End"]}} | ||
|event8date=Aug. 12, 1999 | |event8date=Aug. 12, 1999 | ||
|event8text=Take-Two Interactive announces that it will purchase 19.9% stake in Bungie, becoming the distributor for Oni and Halo;{{ref|name="T2"|note=[https://web.archive.org/web/20000118055725/http://pc.ign.com/news/9525.html IGN: "Take-Two Take Bungie"]}} purchase occurs in November{{ref|note=[https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/946581/0000891554-00-000145.txt SEC 10-K filing for Take-Two Interactive]}}<br>Oni's stated release date is "before Christmas" 1999{{ref|name="T2"}} | |event8text=Take-Two Interactive announces that it will purchase 19.9% stake in Bungie, becoming the distributor for Oni and Halo;{{ref|name="T2"|note=[https://web.archive.org/web/20000118055725/http://pc.ign.com/news/9525.html IGN: "Take-Two Take Bungie"]}} purchase occurs in November{{ref|note=[https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/946581/0000891554-00-000145.txt SEC 10-K filing for Take-Two Interactive]}}<br>Oni's stated release date is "before Christmas" 1999{{ref|name="T2"}} | ||
|event9date=Dec. 20, 1999 | |event9date=Sept. 29, 1999 | ||
| | |event9text=Sell sheet gives "Q1 2000" as release date{{ref|note=See [[:Image:Info sheet.jpg]]}} | ||
| | |event10date=Nov. 19, 1999 | ||
| | |event10text=GameSpot email gives "summer 2000" as release date{{ref|note=[https://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=1129 Oni Central Forum: "New Oni Preview Coming Up..."]}} | ||
| | |event11date=Dec. 20, 1999 | ||
| | |event11text=Brent Pease leaves the Oni team{{ref|note=[https://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=1410 Oni Central Forum: "Brent Pease leaves Bungie?"]}} | ||
| | |event12date=Jan. 5, 2000 | ||
| | |event12text=Oni appears at Macworld SF; on BungieTV, the game is demonstrated in multiplayer mode by Bungie staffers{{ref|name="mp"}} | ||
| | |event13date=Feb. 20, 2000 | ||
| | |event13text=Oni's release date is listed as "summer 2000" by Take-Two{{ref|note=[http://oni.bungie.org/newsarchives/2000/feb00.html#take2 Oni Central: News for February 2000]}} | ||
| | |event14date=May 13, 2000 | ||
| | |event14text=The announcement is made that multiplayer mode has been canceled{{ref|note=[https://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=3216 Oni Central Forum: "Rant here... I think its a good rant ;)"]}} | ||
| | |event15date=Jun. 19, 2000 | ||
| | |event15text=Microsoft purchases 100% stake in Bungie and Take-Two gains full IP rights over Oni and Myth{{ref|note=[https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/06/20/microsoft-buys-bungie-take-two-buys-oni-ps2-situation-unchanged IGN: "Microsoft Buys Bungie, Take Two Buys Oni, PS2 Situation Unchanged"]}}{{ref|note=[https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/946581/000112528202003845/b320556.htm SEC 10-K filing for Take-Two Interactive]}} | ||
| | |event16date=Jul. 25, 2000 | ||
| | |event16text=Gathering of Developers email gives "October 2000" as release date | ||
| | |event17date=Aug. 28, 2000 | ||
| | |event17text=Oni enters beta phase of development{{ref|note=[http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=4556 Oni Central Forum: "New news groups?"]}} | ||
| | |event18date=Sept. 11, 2000 | ||
| | |event18text=A GameSpot UK article covering the European Computer Trade Show reports a show floor statement that Oni's release date is March 2001,{{ref|note=[https://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=4699 Oni Central Forum: "What the...?!?"]}} which is then disputed by Bungie employees and others; in the end it turns out to be accurate for the European releases but not the North American release | ||
| | |event19date=Nov. 4, 2000 | ||
| | |event19text=Creation date on game data files in the Windows retail release | ||
| | |event20date=Nov. 8, 2000 | ||
| | |event20text=Gathering of Developers announces the final North American release date of January 29, 2001 for all three platforms{{ref|note=[https://web.archive.org/web/20001213051800/http://www.imgmagazine.com/news/story.php?ArticleID=1400 IMG News: "Oni Release Date"]}} | ||
| | |event21date=Nov. 17, 2000 | ||
| | |event21text=Oni is gold mastered for Windows{{ref|note=[http://oni.bungie.org/newsarchives/2000/nov00.html#xbox Oni Central: News for November 2000]}} | ||
| | |event22date=Nov. 20, 2000 | ||
|event22text=Creation date on game data files in the Windows demo and Mac retail release (in .sep format) | |||
|event23date=Dec. 15, 2000 | |||
| | |event23text=Bungie West officially moves to Microsoft's headquarters at Redmond{{ref|note=[https://web.archive.org/web/20010413012240/http://www.haloplayers.com/features/haloupdates/index?976977146 HaloPlayers.com: "Matt's Halo Update - December 15, 2000"]}} | ||
| | |event24date=Dec. 17, 2000 | ||
| | |event24text=Windows demo released{{ref|note=[http://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=7479 Oni Central Forum: "ONI DEMO!"]}} | ||
|event25date=Dec. 20, 2000 | |||
|event25text=Oni is gold mastered for Mac, based on the date on the retail application and the release of the Mac demo{{ref|note=See [[:Image:Classic Mac Oni Get Info window.png]]}}{{ref|note=[https://carnage.bungie.org/oniforum/oni.forum.pl?read=8045 Oni Central Forum: Mac Demo News]}} | |||
|event26date=Dec. 21, 2000 | |||
|event26text=Mac demo released{{ref|note=[https://www.insidemacgames.com/historical/news/story.php%3FArticleID=1744.html Inside Mac Games News: "Oni Demo Released"]}} | |||
|event27date=Jan. 22, 2001 | |||
|event27text=Oni is gold mastered for PlayStation 2{{ref|note=[https://web.archive.org/web/20010128150200/http://www.dailyradar.com/news/game_news_6691.html Daily Radar: "Oni Gets SCEA's Approval ", Jan. 22, 2001]}} | |||
|event28date=Jan. 29, 2001 | |||
|event28text=Official release date for Oni in North America on Mac, Windows and PS2{{ref|note=[http://oni.bungie.org/newsarchives/2001/jan01.html Oni Central: News for January 2001]}}{{ref|name="GOD release"|note=[https://web.archive.org/web/20010617133132/http://www.godgames.com/main.php?section=news&page=press&pr=ONI_Ships Godgames.com: "Gathering of Developers Ships Oni Nationwide for the PC and Macintosh"]}}{{ref|note=[https://www.gamespot.com/articles/oni-receives-final-approval/1100-2676645/ GameSpot: "Oni Receives Final Approval"]}} | |||
}} | }} | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
Latest revision as of 15:54, 21 March 2026
- For the full story of Oni's development, see Oni. For detailed information on the continued updates for Mac after release, see History of Mac Oni.
The Oni project started development in April of 1997 and ran for approximately 3 years, 9 months, ending in January of 2001. Through this time, the Bungie West team ran into unexpected technical and design hurdles, resulting in a much longer development period than planned. The initial internal deadline for the game, October 1999, was gradually pushed back quarter by quarter until the game was finished in the time period from November 2000 to January 2001, depending on the platform.
The development of the game was accompanied by unexpected events such as a financial blow to Bungie from the Myth II uninstaller bug, a partial buyout by Take-Two Interactive, turnover on the staff and a change of project lead, and then a complete buyout by Microsoft. Only a sustained crunch period at the end of development, pushing Bungie West to their limits, allowed the game to be finished to a degree where it was ready to ship, and cuts to the game were still required such as the removal of multiplayer mode.
The dates below are sometimes approximate but are mostly supported by hard evidence, as seen in the citations.
| Apr. 2, 1997 |
Engine quietly begins development under Brent Pease per dates in source code Projected release date is "October 1999"[1] |
| July 1997 |
Bungie West announces they are hiring[2] |
| Dec. 31, 1997 |
Bungie West gets their content authoring pipeline working[3] |
| May 28, 1998 |
Oni is announced along with Myth II at E3[4][5] |
| Dec. 28, 1998 |
Myth II uninstaller bug is discovered, costs Bungie about $800,000[5] |
| May 14, 1999 |
Oni appears at E3 with hands-on demo running in multiplayer mode[6] Release date is estimated as early 2000[7] "Blam" project is shown three days later to a select group behind closed doors[8] |
| Jul. 21, 1999 |
Oni appears at Macworld NY running in multiplayer mode[6] Halo is announced[9] |
| Aug. 12, 1999 |
Take-Two Interactive announces that it will purchase 19.9% stake in Bungie, becoming the distributor for Oni and Halo;[10] purchase occurs in November[11] Oni's stated release date is "before Christmas" 1999[10] |
| Sept. 29, 1999 |
Sell sheet gives "Q1 2000" as release date[12] |
| Nov. 19, 1999 |
GameSpot email gives "summer 2000" as release date[13] |
| Dec. 20, 1999 |
Brent Pease leaves the Oni team[14] |
| Jan. 5, 2000 |
Oni appears at Macworld SF; on BungieTV, the game is demonstrated in multiplayer mode by Bungie staffers[6] |
| Feb. 20, 2000 |
Oni's release date is listed as "summer 2000" by Take-Two[15] |
| May 13, 2000 |
The announcement is made that multiplayer mode has been canceled[16] |
| Jun. 19, 2000 |
Microsoft purchases 100% stake in Bungie and Take-Two gains full IP rights over Oni and Myth[17][18] |
| Jul. 25, 2000 |
Gathering of Developers email gives "October 2000" as release date |
| Aug. 28, 2000 |
Oni enters beta phase of development[19] |
| Sept. 11, 2000 |
A GameSpot UK article covering the European Computer Trade Show reports a show floor statement that Oni's release date is March 2001,[20] which is then disputed by Bungie employees and others; in the end it turns out to be accurate for the European releases but not the North American release |
| Nov. 4, 2000 |
Creation date on game data files in the Windows retail release |
| Nov. 8, 2000 |
Gathering of Developers announces the final North American release date of January 29, 2001 for all three platforms[21] |
| Nov. 17, 2000 |
Oni is gold mastered for Windows[22] |
| Nov. 20, 2000 |
Creation date on game data files in the Windows demo and Mac retail release (in .sep format) |
| Dec. 15, 2000 |
Bungie West officially moves to Microsoft's headquarters at Redmond[23] |
| Dec. 17, 2000 |
Windows demo released[24] |
| Dec. 20, 2000 |
Oni is gold mastered for Mac, based on the date on the retail application and the release of the Mac demo[25][26] |
| Dec. 21, 2000 |
Mac demo released[27] |
| Jan. 22, 2001 |
Oni is gold mastered for PlayStation 2[28] |
| Jan. 29, 2001 |
Official release date for Oni in North America on Mac, Windows and PS2[29][30][31] |
References
- ↑ See Oni/Positioning
- ↑ Marathon Story Page: Blasts from the Past. Note that this copy of the Bungie West job ad is stated to have the wrong date at the bottom of the page.
- ↑ Inside Mac Games: "Sneak Preview: Oni"
- ↑ Marathon Story Page: Blasts from the Past. Note that this official press release was months late.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Chicago Reader: "Monsters in a Box"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 See Multiplayer for video evidence
- ↑ IMG: "Feature: The E3 Report - Page 2"
- ↑ IMG: "Feature: The E3 Report"
- ↑ Bungie: "Halo Brings Action Gamers a World Without End"
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 IGN: "Take-Two Take Bungie"
- ↑ SEC 10-K filing for Take-Two Interactive
- ↑ See Image:Info sheet.jpg
- ↑ Oni Central Forum: "New Oni Preview Coming Up..."
- ↑ Oni Central Forum: "Brent Pease leaves Bungie?"
- ↑ Oni Central: News for February 2000
- ↑ Oni Central Forum: "Rant here... I think its a good rant ;)"
- ↑ IGN: "Microsoft Buys Bungie, Take Two Buys Oni, PS2 Situation Unchanged"
- ↑ SEC 10-K filing for Take-Two Interactive
- ↑ Oni Central Forum: "New news groups?"
- ↑ Oni Central Forum: "What the...?!?"
- ↑ IMG News: "Oni Release Date"
- ↑ Oni Central: News for November 2000
- ↑ HaloPlayers.com: "Matt's Halo Update - December 15, 2000"
- ↑ Oni Central Forum: "ONI DEMO!"
- ↑ See Image:Classic Mac Oni Get Info window.png
- ↑ Oni Central Forum: Mac Demo News
- ↑ Inside Mac Games News: "Oni Demo Released"
- ↑ Daily Radar: "Oni Gets SCEA's Approval ", Jan. 22, 2001
- ↑ Oni Central: News for January 2001
- ↑ Godgames.com: "Gathering of Developers Ships Oni Nationwide for the PC and Macintosh"
- ↑ GameSpot: "Oni Receives Final Approval"
