The Operative --> NOLF --> CONTRACT J.A.C.K... WTF?

[Gladguy]

Ok, so I'm nitpicking here, but only because I love this series, and I know Adam will have some great spin on the answer. :P

The first game, released in 2000, was called: The Operative: No One Lives Forever. (http://www.mobygames.com/game/sheet/p,3/gameId,2617/)

For some bizarre reason, the second game, released in 2002, was called: No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way. (http://www.mobygames.com/game/sheet/p,3/gameId,7391/) This release took the subtitle from the first game and made it the main title. I was confused then. It would make sense to call it The Operative 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way or some such thing.

Now, we get Contract J.A.C.K. (http://www.bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/articles.pl?show=627) Is this a subtitle? Is it actually N.O.L.F. 3: Contract J.A.C.K.? Is that enough acronym for ya? What's wrong with a franchise called The Operative? Have I wasted far too much time on a silly topic?

[Tom Ohle]

Even the first game had the "The Operative" bit really overshadowed... it was always "No One Lives Forever" to me... this is, I'd imagine "No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s way: Contract J.A.C.K."

[Matthew Gallant]

Have I wasted far too much time on a silly topic?
YES

[DaveC]

Didn't Monolith also change their name recently?

[Tom Ohle]

No wait... I misunderstood. I thought this was an expansion. Ah well... whatever. heh

[Tyjenks]

I am confused, too. Who is this punk Gladman who pops up on various sites pimping some game called Painkiller? I thought Gladguy was the Dreamcatcher shill, not this illiterate blowhard I have seen interviewed as of late.

[Wheelkick]

Contract J.A.C.K is a standalone expansion of NOLF 2. So that would make it No One Lives Forever 2: Contract J.A.C.K.
I think.

[Tom Ohle]

But... it's a prequel... and stand-alone... doesn't that make it... umm... I give up. heh

[Wheelkick]

Contract J.A.C.K is a standalone expansion of NOLF 2.
Standalone and expansion doesn't seem to fit well together...

[SpoofyChop]

An expansion prequel...

This is what it would be like if Cate Archer went back in time and killed her Grandmother. It's like some kind of time paradox.

[Rorschach]

I think this makes perfect sense, just like Dark Forces 4: Jedi Knight 3: Jedi Outcast 2: Jedi Academy.

[Tyjenks]

Or Super Mario Brothers 4 Advance: Super Mario Brothers 3 or whatever the hell it is

[Gladguy]

I am confused, too. Who is this punk Gladman who pops up on various sites pimping some game called Painkiller? I thought Gladguy was the Dreamcatcher shill, not this illiterate blowhard I have seen interviewed as of late.
Don't make me call you out, son...

I keep the pimpin' off the boards here. What I do on my company's time is my own biz.

No review copy for YOU! :twisted: NEXT!!

[Sam Jones]

Even the first game had the "The Operative" bit really overshadowed... it was always "No One Lives Forever" to me... this is, I'd imagine "No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s way: Contract J.A.C.K."

Here in the UK, it was originally titled No One Lives Forever, with the cool psychedelic art and Cate on the box. When it got released for PS2, and for the subsequent PC GOTY edition, the art changed to a vastly inferior pic of Cate on a motorbike, and was titled The Operative: No One Lives Forever. I have the Sierra Bestseller series edition of the game on my desk right now, with NOLF2 waiting to be played :)

Sierra are rubbish at marketing these days.

Edit: Another annoying thing. Setting the game res in NOLF1 to higher than the default results in the main menu screen being displayed in a small box on the monitor with a massive border round it. This looks shit. Cataclysm did this too, and those are the most recent Sierra games I own. Is it some sort of bizarre Sierra coding requirement?

[XPav]

Sierra are rubbish at marketing these days.
Adam from Sierra will now show up and tell us why the NOLF marketing sucks. My guesses as to what he will say:

1) European marketing is handled by a European division
2) Console marketing is handled by a different division

The implied subtext is that its the other marketing divisions that suck.

[bago]

The project was always called NOLF by employees at Monolith.

[Tyjenks]

I am confused, too. Who is this punk Gladman who pops up on various sites pimping some game called Painkiller (http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/dci/painkiller/index.html)? I thought Gladguy was the Dreamcatcher shill, not this illiterate blowhard I have seen interviewed as of late.
Don't make me call you out, son...

I keep the pimpin' off the boards here. What I do on my company's time is my own biz.

No review copy for YOU! :twisted: NEXT!!

Just a little fun. I actually was just read an interview (http://www.gameshark.com/pcgaming/articles/426960p1.html) you did on...crap...can't remember the name of the site (http://www.gameshark.com/pcgaming/articles/426960p1.html). It was regarding Painkiller (http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/dci/painkiller/index.html)and it (http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/dci/painkiller/index.html) does sound interesting.

AFAIK, the only times you have mentioned your games (http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/dci/painkiller/index.html) at Qt3 is in response to queries by forum folks. I really meant the pimping (http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/dci/painkiller/index.html) you do on actual game sites. :wink: Qt3 is really just a static front page to sell shirts to rabid forum members.

[quatoria]

Thanks for the kind words about our site, Ty. :P

[Tyjenks]

Thanks for the kind words about our site, Ty. :P

Wait, are you with gameshark or working on Painkiller? I, seriously, had no idea. What a freaky coincidence!!

[quatoria]

I'm writing for gameshark and previewing Painkiller, in fact. ;P

[Gladguy]

Just a little fun. I actually was just read an interview (http://www.gameshark.com/pcgaming/articles/426960p1.html) you did on...crap...can't remember the name of the site (http://www.gameshark.com/pcgaming/articles/426960p1.html). It was regarding Painkiller (http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/dci/painkiller/index.html)and it (http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/dci/painkiller/index.html) does sound interesting.

AFAIK, the only times you have mentioned your games (http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/dci/painkiller/index.html) at Qt3 is in response to queries by forum folks. I really meant the pimping (http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/dci/painkiller/index.html) you do on actual game sites. :wink: Qt3 is really just a static front page to sell shirts to rabid forum members.
Actually, since you're asking, I did do another couple Painkiller QAs too. Here (http://actionvault.ign.com/features/interviews/painkillerint.shtml) and here. (http://www.pcgameworld.com/article.php/id/108/) Oh, and there's another one coming here. (http://www.boltgames.com)

Riveting stuff, huh? The QA... staple of the gaming website.

[Tyjenks]

Just a little fun. I actually was just read an interview (http://www.gameshark.com/pcgaming/articles/426960p1.html) you did on...crap...can't remember the name of the site (http://www.gameshark.com/pcgaming/articles/426960p1.html). It was regarding Painkiller (http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/dci/painkiller/index.html)and it (http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/dci/painkiller/index.html) does sound interesting.

AFAIK, the only times you have mentioned your games (http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/dci/painkiller/index.html) at Qt3 is in response to queries by forum folks. I really meant the pimping (http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/dci/painkiller/index.html) you do on actual game sites. :wink: Qt3 is really just a static front page to sell shirts to rabid forum members.
Actually, since you're asking, I did do another couple Painkiller QAs too. Here (http://actionvault.ign.com/features/interviews/painkillerint.shtml) and here. (http://www.pcgameworld.com/article.php/id/108/) Oh, and there's another one coming here. (http://www.boltgames.com)

Riveting stuff, huh? The QA... staple of the gaming website.

Aha! Caught you pimpin' your game! You pimper. And, no, there is no precedent for entrapment on message boards, so you are guilty.

[Gladguy]

Aha! Caught you pimpin' your game! You pimper. And, no, there is no precedent for entrapment on message boards, so you are guilty.

Busted.

http://www.mtv.com/shared/media/news/images/s/Snoop_Dogg/sq-snoop-undercover-funk-pimp-hat-holly.jpg

[DennyA]

I gotta say, Contract J.A.C.K. definitely belongs in the "worst program names" thread.

[Kool Moe Dee]

I gotta say, Contract J.A.C.K. definitely belongs in the "worst program names" thread.

Really? I find it kind of intriguing. Not sure why, but I do.

(And I say this as someone who hasn't played either NOLF game, but intends to do so at some point...)

[Supertanker]

It does sound like a porn movie title. But, I loved the first two games, so they can call it whatever they want as long as they make it.

[Jason Becker]

"I gotta say, Contract J.A.C.K. definitely belongs in the "worst program names" thread."

I don't. It fits in with the themes of the series.

[Marweas]

My guess is that The Operative is someone's IP and NOLF is someone else's IP and now Contract JACK may be someone else's IP again. Hence the name evolution.

And lay off Sierra marketing or you'll hurt my feelings. >:)

[Supertanker]

And lay off Sierra marketing or you'll hurt my feelings. >:)

Has anyone mentioned the crime against hard drives and Start Menus that is the Sierra Utilities?

[Tyjenks]

Click: Add/Remove

Searching......Searching.....Searching......

"Sierra Utilities" cannot be located for removal. You will have this residue on your hard drive for - ever.

Its like VD on your computer. It is not a killer, but there is no way to rid yourself of it.

[Jason Cross]

Didn't Monolith also change their name recently?

No. Lithtech, a seperate company that handles engine licensing and support, became Touchdown Entertainment. Monolith, which creates games is still called Monolith Productions.

I really like the "Contract JACK" title. It's got a nice ring to it, sort of in that "Serious Sam" way and maybe not even as goofy as that. But it's tongue-in-cheek, like the series' humor.

The reason for the name change is because this game is not NOLF. You don't play Cate, you don't spy much, there's not a lot of stealth and sneaky gadget use. It's over-the-top action and gunplay. It takes place in that universe, and just so happens to take place between NOLF and NOLF2 chronologically, that's all.

[Met_K]

Adam at Sierra: "I think the burden is on those people who think Sierra doesn't have The Operative IP to tell the world who has it."

[Lavoris]

Didn't Monolith also change their name recently?

Ya, now they're M.O.N.O.L.I.T.H. :P

[RichardC]

The Operative is a registered trademark of the Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Taking over the world, one Sierra franchise at a time.

[DrCrypt]

Does anyone know when this is coming out?

[Nomad]

Here in the UK, it was originally titled No One Lives Forever, with the cool psychedelic art and Cate on the box. When it got released for PS2, and for the subsequent PC GOTY edition, the art changed to a vastly inferior pic of Cate on a motorbike, and was titled The Operative: No One Lives Forever.

Hmmm, strange. I have the original UK edition of NOLF (published be Fox back then, not Sierra, and distributed by EA) and it has "The Operative" written in small white letters just above the "No One Lives Forever" logo.

It does sound like a porn movie title.
I've read on Gamasutra that NOLF music composers used soundtracks of 60s porn movies as inspiration while working on the game.

My guess is that The Operative is someone's IP and NOLF is someone else's IP and now Contract JACK may be someone else's IP again.
The Operative and NOLF are trademarks of FOX. "The Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way" is a trademark of Monolith itself. So I guess "Contract J.A.C.K." is also theirs.

[Albert Woo]

Is there anyone in the entire world who refers to NOLF using the title The Operative anymore? That was probably Monolith's plan at the beginning, but The Operative is just so prosaic that they might as well have called it Secret Agent: No One Lives Forever or The Spy: No One Lives Forever. Except that those wouldn't have been as easy to trademark.