Troika Games
Encyclopedia
Troika Games was a video game developer
created by the key people behind the first of the critically acclaimed Fallout series of games. The company was focused on role-playing video game
s between 1998 and 2005, best known for Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines.
, Leonard Boyarsky
and Jason D. Anderson were working on the Fallout sequel at Interplay. Finishing the initial design for Fallout 2, they were unable to come to an agreement with Interplay
about the future team structure. They decide to leave Interplay
to form a company that felt more like the old Interplay
, producing role-playing video game
s for PC in 1997. They formed their company on April 1, 1998, calling their new company Troika
Games (a Russian word "Тройка" meaning "three of any kind"), since they were the three key Designers/Artists/Coders behind the critically acclaimed Fallout. They initially planned to do games exclusively for one publisher (Sierra Entertainment
), but every game was published by a different company.
After disappointing sales on Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
and unable to secure funding for future projects, they were forced to lay off their staff in late 2004; and closed their doors on February 28, 2005.
/fantasy
crossover computer RPG named Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
and convinced Sierra Entertainment
to publish it. The game was launched on August 21, 2001. While criticized for being unpolished and having a bad combat engine, it received in general favorable reviews with an average of 81% on Metacritic
. With 234,000 units sold it is Troika's best selling game.
After Arcanum was released in 2001, two teams started to work on two separate games. One team created The Temple of Elemental Evil for publisher Atari
which was released on the September 26, 2003
. It was lauded for the good implementation of the D&D 3.5 system but overall it got mixed reviews due to gameplay bugs and lack of a plot. With a 71% on Metacritic
it was the lowest rated Troika game. It sold about 128,000 units.
The other team worked for Activision
on Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines. Using an early version of the Source engine
, development was finished in October 2004. Due to contractual obligations with Valve Corporation
, Activision
was not allowed to release the game before Valve released Half-Life 2
, scheduled for release in November 2004. Troika Games used the interim period to code a patch into the main program. Bloodlines was released on November 16, 2004 (the same day as Half Life 2). Critics praised Bloodlines visual, audio and story but warned about a bug-ridden game. It got a rating of 80% on Metacritic
, and sold merely 72,000 units, but with the addition of the game to Steam, there are now an unknown number of units sold.
In 2004 Troika tried to find a publisher for an unnamed post-apocalyptic role-playing video game
, but were unsuccessful, leading to rumors in January 2005 that the company had already shut down. Screenshots of the unnamed game were posted in 2004 to the Fallout fan sites "No Mutants Allowed" and "Duck and Cover". A video of the tech demo was released in early 2005 weeks before closing.
Company founder
Team leader
On Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines:
On The Temple of Elemental Evil
:
Others
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
created by the key people behind the first of the critically acclaimed Fallout series of games. The company was focused on role-playing video game
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
s between 1998 and 2005, best known for Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura is a single player / multi-player computer role-playing game developed by Troika Games and published by Sierra Entertainment. It was released in North America and Europe in August 2001 for Microsoft Windows...
and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines.
History
In 1997 Tim CainTimothy Cain
Timothy Cain is a game producer best known as the producer, lead programmer and one of the main designers of the 1997's computer game Fallout. In 2009 he was chosen by IGN as one of the top 100 game creators of all time.-Early life:...
, Leonard Boyarsky
Leonard Boyarsky
Leonard Boyarsky is an American computer game designer and visual artist best known for being one of the key designers of the video games Fallout and Diablo III.-Early life:...
and Jason D. Anderson were working on the Fallout sequel at Interplay. Finishing the initial design for Fallout 2, they were unable to come to an agreement with Interplay
Interplay
Interplay may refer to:* Interplay , a 1957 album by jazz musician John Coltrane* Interplay , Jerome Robbins, 1945* Interplay , a 1962 album by jazz musician Bill Evans...
about the future team structure. They decide to leave Interplay
Interplay
Interplay may refer to:* Interplay , a 1957 album by jazz musician John Coltrane* Interplay , Jerome Robbins, 1945* Interplay , a 1962 album by jazz musician Bill Evans...
to form a company that felt more like the old Interplay
Interplay
Interplay may refer to:* Interplay , a 1957 album by jazz musician John Coltrane* Interplay , Jerome Robbins, 1945* Interplay , a 1962 album by jazz musician Bill Evans...
, producing role-playing video game
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
s for PC in 1997. They formed their company on April 1, 1998, calling their new company Troika
Troika
The general meaning of the Russian and Bulgarian word troika is three of a kind, a collection of three or simply the number three. It may also mean:-Politics:* Troika of judges or political leaders...
Games (a Russian word "Тройка" meaning "three of any kind"), since they were the three key Designers/Artists/Coders behind the critically acclaimed Fallout. They initially planned to do games exclusively for one publisher (Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams...
), but every game was published by a different company.
After disappointing sales on Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, abbreviated as Bloodlines or VTMB, is a computer role-playing game for Windows developed by Troika Games in 2004...
and unable to secure funding for future projects, they were forced to lay off their staff in late 2004; and closed their doors on February 28, 2005.
Games
They started the initial design in 1998 on a steampunkSteampunk
Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United...
/fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
crossover computer RPG named Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura is a single player / multi-player computer role-playing game developed by Troika Games and published by Sierra Entertainment. It was released in North America and Europe in August 2001 for Microsoft Windows...
and convinced Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams...
to publish it. The game was launched on August 21, 2001. While criticized for being unpolished and having a bad combat engine, it received in general favorable reviews with an average of 81% on Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. With 234,000 units sold it is Troika's best selling game.
After Arcanum was released in 2001, two teams started to work on two separate games. One team created The Temple of Elemental Evil for publisher Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
which was released on the September 26, 2003
2003 in video gaming
-Events:*February 27 — Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Yu Suzuki of Sega to the AIAS Hall of Fame....
. It was lauded for the good implementation of the D&D 3.5 system but overall it got mixed reviews due to gameplay bugs and lack of a plot. With a 71% on Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
it was the lowest rated Troika game. It sold about 128,000 units.
The other team worked for Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
on Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines. Using an early version of the Source engine
Source engine
Source is a 3D game engine developed by Valve Corporation. It debuted in June 2004 with Counter-Strike: Source and shortly thereafter Half-Life 2, and has been in active development ever since...
, development was finished in October 2004. Due to contractual obligations with Valve Corporation
Valve Corporation
Valve Corporation is an American video game development and digital distribution company based in Bellevue, Washington, United States...
, Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
was not allowed to release the game before Valve released Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 , the sequel to Half-Life, is a first-person shooter video game and a signature title in the Half-Life series. It is singleplayer, story-driven, science fiction, and linear...
, scheduled for release in November 2004. Troika Games used the interim period to code a patch into the main program. Bloodlines was released on November 16, 2004 (the same day as Half Life 2). Critics praised Bloodlines visual, audio and story but warned about a bug-ridden game. It got a rating of 80% on Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, and sold merely 72,000 units, but with the addition of the game to Steam, there are now an unknown number of units sold.
In 2004 Troika tried to find a publisher for an unnamed post-apocalyptic role-playing video game
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
, but were unsuccessful, leading to rumors in January 2005 that the company had already shut down. Screenshots of the unnamed game were posted in 2004 to the Fallout fan sites "No Mutants Allowed" and "Duck and Cover". A video of the tech demo was released in early 2005 weeks before closing.
Future of Troika employees
After the shutdown ex-Troika staff has been picked up by the following companies:Company founder
- Tim CainTimothy CainTimothy Cain is a game producer best known as the producer, lead programmer and one of the main designers of the 1997's computer game Fallout. In 2009 he was chosen by IGN as one of the top 100 game creators of all time.-Early life:...
– Joined Carbine Studios in 2005 as programming director, promoted to design director in late 2008. Joined Obsidian EntertainmentObsidian EntertainmentObsidian Entertainment is an American video game developer founded in 2003 after the disestablishment of Interplay Productions' Black Isle Studios, for PC and console systems...
in October 2011 as senior programmer. - Leonard BoyarskyLeonard BoyarskyLeonard Boyarsky is an American computer game designer and visual artist best known for being one of the key designers of the video games Fallout and Diablo III.-Early life:...
– Took a year off due to burnoutBurnout (psychology)Burnout is a psychological term for the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest. Research indicates general practitioners have the highest proportion of burnout cases; according to a recent Dutch study in Psychological Reports, no less than 40% of these experienced high levels of...
syndrome, then joined Blizzard EntertainmentBlizzard EntertainmentBlizzard Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher founded on February 8, 1991 under the name Silicon & Synapse by three graduates of UCLA, Michael Morhaime, Allen Adham and Frank Pearce and currently owned by French company Activision Blizzard...
to work on Diablo 3. - Jason D. Anderson – Left the gaming industry to sell real estate. In September 2008 he joined Interplay EntertainmentInterplay EntertainmentInterplay Entertainment Corporation is an American video game developer and publisher, founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by Brian Fargo. The company had been a quality developer until they started publishing their own games in 1988, like Neuromancer and Battle Chess. The company was renamed...
to work on an unannounced MMORPG. In March 2009 he quit Interplay and joined inXile EntertainmentInXile EntertainmentinXile Entertainment is a video game developer formed in late 2002 by Brian Fargo, a founder of Interplay Productions...
as creative director in a new RPG project. In January 2011, he left inXile to join Turtle Rock StudiosTurtle Rock StudiosTurtle Rock Studios is a video game developer founded in March 2002 by Michael Booth, later acquired by Valve Corporation. Turtle Rock Studios is involved in the creation of original titles as well as the provision of consulting services to the digital entertainment industry.Turtle Rock Studios is...
.
Team leader
On Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines:
- Brian MitsodaBrian MitsodaBrian Mitsoda is an American video game designer best known for his writing work on the 2004 PC title Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines.-Early career and Black Isle Studios:...
– Lead writer (also character designer). Joined Obsidian EntertainmentObsidian EntertainmentObsidian Entertainment is an American video game developer founded in 2003 after the disestablishment of Interplay Productions' Black Isle Studios, for PC and console systems...
, worked on Alpha ProtocolAlpha ProtocolAlpha Protocol is a third-person espionage role-playing video game, developed by Obsidian Entertainment, their first title for an original IP, and published by Sega. The game revolves around the adventures of field agent Michael Thorton...
. Left Obsidian to open his own development studio DoubleBear ProductionsDoubleBear ProductionsDoubleBear Productions is an indie game studio founded in June 2009 by writer and game designer Brian Mitsoda. The studio intends to specialize in PC role playing games. Its first and current project is Dead State, a turn-based PC RPG set in a zombie apocalypse scenario...
in June 2009. - Chad Moore – Lead character modeler. Joined Sony Computer EntertainmentSony Computer EntertainmentSony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
motion capture department, work includes Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to LightspeedStar Wars Galaxies: Jump to LightspeedStar Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed was the first expansion to the MMORPG Star Wars Galaxies released on October 27, 2004. The expansion added space-based content to the basic, "ground-based" game, along with the option to create characters of the Sullustan and Ithorian species...
, God of WarGod of War (video game)God of War is an action adventure video game for the PlayStation 2 first released by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division in March 2005...
and KillzoneKillzoneKillzone is a first-person shooter exclusive to the PlayStation 2 game console, developed by Netherlands-based Guerrilla Games and released on November 2, 2004 in North America. A sequel, Killzone: Liberation was released on the PlayStation Portable and another followup, Killzone 2 was released for...
. Currently working as lead creative designer at Carbine Studios. - Andrew Meggs – Lead programmer. Joined Mythic EntertainmentMythic EntertainmentBioWare Mythic is a computer game developer in Fairfax, Virginia which is most widely recognized for developing the 2001 massively multiplayer online role-playing game Dark Age of Camelot...
to work on Warhammer Online. - Brock Heinz – Lead scripter. Joined Obsidian EntertainmentObsidian EntertainmentObsidian Entertainment is an American video game developer founded in 2003 after the disestablishment of Interplay Productions' Black Isle Studios, for PC and console systems...
as programmer on Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the BetrayerNeverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the BetrayerNeverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer is a computer role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Atari. It is an expansion pack for Neverwinter Nights 2. It was released in Autumn 2007 for the PC in North America, Europe, and Australia...
. Left Obsidian in early 2009, is now working at Turtle Rock StudiosTurtle Rock StudiosTurtle Rock Studios is a video game developer founded in March 2002 by Michael Booth, later acquired by Valve Corporation. Turtle Rock Studios is involved in the creation of original titles as well as the provision of consulting services to the digital entertainment industry.Turtle Rock Studios is...
.
On The Temple of Elemental Evil
The Temple of Elemental Evil (computer game)
The Temple of Elemental Evil is a computer role-playing game by now-defunct Troika Games. It is a re-creation of the classic Dungeons & Dragons adventure of the same name using the 3.5 edition rules. The game was published by Atari, who then held the interactive rights of the Dungeons & Dragons...
:
- Michael McCarthy – Lead artist. Worked for Double Fine ProductionsDouble Fine ProductionsDouble Fine Productions is an American video game developer founded in July 2000 by Tim Schafer after his departure from LucasArts. He started Double Fine with Programmers David Dixon and Jonathan Menzies in what was once a clog shop in San Francisco...
on Brütal LegendBrütal LegendBrütal Legend is an action-adventure/real-time strategy game created by Double Fine Productions and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game was released during October 2009 in North America and Europe...
and for Radical EntertainmentRadical EntertainmentRadical Entertainment is a video game developer based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was founded in 1991 and previously developed games for game publishers such as THQ, Microsoft and Fox Interactive. It is now an entirely owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard after being acquired by...
on PrototypePrototype (video game)Prototype is an open world action video game developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Activision. The game was released in North America on June 9, 2009, and in southwestern parts of North America as well as Oceania on June 10, and was released in Europe on June 12.The game is set in New...
.
Others
- Dennis Taylor (programmer), T. J. Perillo (designer), Steve Rhoades (Scripter) and Bret Johnson (Audio). Joined 7 Studios7 Studios7 Studios was a video game developer in West Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1999 by Lewis Peterson, 7 Studios created console video games based on the Fantastic Four and Shrek the Third movies....
to work on the PS2 game The Sopranos: Road to RespectThe Sopranos: Road to RespectThe Sopranos: Road to Respect is a 2006 video game based on the HBO series The Sopranos, which aired from January 10, 1999 to June 10, 2007...
. - Jesse Reynolds (programmer). Joined Obsidian EntertainmentObsidian EntertainmentObsidian Entertainment is an American video game developer founded in 2003 after the disestablishment of Interplay Productions' Black Isle Studios, for PC and console systems...
worked on Neverwinter Nights 2Neverwinter Nights 2Neverwinter Nights 2 is a computer role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Atari. It is the sequel to BioWare's Neverwinter Nights, based on the Dungeons & Dragons pencil and paper fantasy role-playing game...
. left Obsidian and currently working at Carbine Studios. - Christopher Glenn (artist). Joined SuperVillain StudiosSuperVillain StudiosSuperVillain Studios is a video game development company that develops for the Wii, Nintendo DS, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, and the PlayStation Portable.-Company Profile:...
External links
- Troikapedia a Troika Games Wiki.
- Troika Chronicles A Blog dedicated to Troika Games
- Troika Connection First Troika (Team) fansite
- Troika Games profile on MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
- The Escapist - The Rise and Fall of Troika
- Troikagames.com archived version