RPG Codex Interview: Chris Avellone on Pillars Cut Content, Game Development Hierarchies and More

[PulsatingBrain]

No, I shouldn't ask anyone if I can do my civic duty and report filthy crime. Crime is crime, end of story.

You're able to report this and walk away, if it came to legal action that could mean a whole load of shit MCA actually has to deal with. You may be kind of fucking him over

 

[Bester]

No, I shouldn't ask anyone if I can do my civic duty and report filthy crime. Crime is crime, end of story.

You're able to report this and walk away, if it came to legal action that could mean a whole load of shit MCA actually has to deal with. You may be kind of fucking him over

Like what? Answer a phone call and confirm his words? If there's an audit, it's not MCA's headache.

 

[Goral]

The impression one gets from these posts is that Obsidian is riddled with Avellonian moles/sleeper agents who are feeding him information and will be ready to strike when he gives the command

Josh Sawyer. That would explain why Avellone never writes his name on the Codex :].

 

[Alienman]

The Obchurian Candidate.

 

[Papa Môlé]

hay guise wats goin on in this threat

 

[Goral]

This is going to the IRS today:

It will accomplish nothing, Faergus can always say that she worked as an advisor or whatever else his lawyer will advise him to say so that this won't stick. You have nothing on him currently.

 

[Mustawd]

It will accomplish nothing, Faergus can always say that she worked as an advisor or whatever else his lawyer will advise him to do so that this won't stick. You have nothing on him currently.

If the IRS were to investigate they'd prolly talk to others in the company and ask "what did she do for obsidian?". Not just Feargus. That'd be a dumb investigation if it was just Feargus.

 

[Fenix]

hay guise wats goin on in this threat

Sudden spasm of obvious revelations.

 

[Fairfax]

That Stonekeep 2 cover is beautiful. That reminds me why I love rpgs.

The cover he made for BG3 is beautiful as well:

Eh... not exactly. I remeber it was quest - that's how I called then adventures, and it was in 3D maybe.
Maybe its name included word "Chapters" or something liek that. Maybe it was non-profit project and was a mod first.
I saw it definitely AFTER PS:T, but not far after - like 2000-2002 or something like that.

I'd guess it was the City of Doors Initiative (aka CODI), a NWN1 fan project that started in 2002. IIRC they did create a lot of areas and models, but never a complete module. It didn't have chapters, though. That was Planescape: The Shaper of Dreams, a NWN2 mod.

 

[Fenix]

I'd guess it was the City of Doors Initiative (aka CODI), a NWN1 fan project that started in 2002. IIRC they did create a lot of areas and models, but never a complete module. It didn't have chapters, though. That was Planescape: The Shaper of Dreams, a NWN2 mod.

It's it! Look here. Here come the "chapters".

Planescape: The Shaper of Dreams is the first part of a single-player campaign consisting of six chapters.

You are a magician.

 

[Goral]

If the IRS were to investigate they'd prolly talk to others in the company and ask "what did she do for obsidian?". Not just Feargus. That'd be a dumb investigation if it was just Feargus.

CEO doesn't have to explain his actions to others (at least at Obsidian seeing how Chris Avellone was treated), FU can always say that she worked from home or whatever so others wouldn't know what she was doing anyway.

 

[Mustawd]

If the IRS were to investigate they'd prolly talk to others in the company and ask "what did she do for obsidian?". Not just Feargus. That'd be a dumb investigation if it was just Feargus.

CEO doesn't have to explain his actions to others, FU can always say that she worked from home or whatever so others wouldn't know what she was doing anyway.

Ok, I don't think you understand. IF the IRS comes to Obsidian, it will investigate said claims and talk to multiple people. Having a ghost employee, or what MCA said might be multiple ghost employees, can result in Feargus being fined and possibly arrested for fraud. A fake employee is fraud dude. Are you fucking retard-

Location: Poland

Sorry, nvmind.

EDIT: Also, they would ask: Ok show me the work she has done. Oh and please provide us with a log of emails from her work email. Oh what's that? She doesn't have a work email? Sir, can you come this way? We want you to put on these handcuffs...

 

[Mustawd]

https://brisbaneacfe.org/library/occupational-fraud/ghost-employees-frauds-payroll-frauds/

WHAT ARE GHOST EMPLOYEE FRAUDS?
A ghost employee is someone recorded on the payroll system, but who does not work for the business. The ghost can be a real person who knowingly or not is placed on the payroll, or a fictitious person invented by the dishonest employee. The fraud attacks the payroll system with false employees.

The aim of the fraud is to have a wage paid to the ghost and collected by the dishonest employee. This is done by entering the ghost employee into the payroll system. The fraud does not require an accomplice but, depending on how wages are paid, an accomplice may make the fraud easier to conduct as it will eliminate any need to convert the payment from the ghost to the dishonest employee.

 

[The Wall]

This is going to the IRS today:

Well,if I got it right, according to Avellone that's more paperwork about taxes then Feargues has filled and filed in last 10 years alone. If we don't count all the paperwork done for him by that expensive accountant in order to avoid paying taxes and paying his wife. Is that expensive accountant by any chance in any other relationship besides financial with him?

And few times she was seen for 10+ years, was it always for a few brief moments before she and Feargus went to his office, locked door behind them and turned on the music from Fallout and other classics to the max? Feargus does have BIG collection of old school game boxes in his office, maybe she toyed and played with them...

Feargus' face when she chose to play as Half-Orc female in Arcanum

 

[Alienman]

Lets say IRS get interested in this, how long would it take before they do any investigations? Is it a thing that will pile up on someones desk before eventually someone gets to it, or is it like a murder case they will get on immediately?

 

[Mustawd]

Lets say IRS get interested in this, how long would it take before they do any investigations? Is it a thing that will pile up on someones desk before eventually someone gets to it, or is it like a murder case they will get on immediately?

I don't work for the IRS, so it's hard for me to know. However, I'd lean to the former since the IRS's budget has been cut so much in the last decade or so.

 

[AN4RCHID]

This is going to the IRS today:

don't forget to tell them about Infinitron's biased reporting

 

[Goral]

Ok, I don't think you understand. IF the IRS comes to Obsidian, it will investigate said claims and talk to multiple people. Having a ghost employee, or what MCA said multiple ghost employees, fined and possibly arrested for fraud. A fake employee is fraud dude. Are you fucking retard-

lol
You're the retard here. It's not that hard to "prove" that she wasn't ghost employee, especially in an Obsidian like firm where people are paid for writing purple prose (which she could write herself after the fact and they wouldn't be able to prove otherwise and FU could claim they didn't use it after all). FU could also claim that she did the job he had done like evaluating some contract or doing some basic accounting work. Who cares she would be overpaid? He's the CEO and decides who will earn what. Not sure how IRS works in USA but I doubt they can just arrest someone without proof.

 

[Imoens pet]

OoOoooOOoo

IRS getting involved? Damn, SHIT JUST GOT SPICY!

 

[Mustawd]

Not sure how IRS works in USA but I doubt they can just arrest someone without proof.

Oh ffs. The ignorance.

https://www.delawareonline.com/stor...mployee-mubarak-pleads-guilty-theft/74799128/

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Ghost-Temp-Workers-at-Hospital-Arrested-for-Fraud-129399478.html

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/...cle_c86066f5-96a4-57b8-bac6-693861d01bd3.html

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-...s-jailed-in-ghost-employee-scheme-1727615.php

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/pr/upmc-claims-manager-admits-paying-846k-two-ghost-employees

https://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2013/0...ce-ghost-employee-convicted-on-fraud-charges/

https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/...ested-for-alleged-fraud-and-money-laundering/

http://fox43.com/2016/02/03/woman-creates-ghost-employees-to-steal-700000/

https://www.greeleytribune.com/news...ore-than-200000-according-to-arrest-warrants/


I kind of feel bad. Because I'm literally not even trying. It's like seriously playing basketball against 2 yr olds.

 

[Bester]

especially in an Obsidian like firm where people are paid for writing purple prose (which she could write herself after the fact and they wouldn't be able to prove otherwise

You think the writing happens in notepad? There's version control with dates and accounts, there are task management systems where tasks are assigned, discussed and turned in, with dates, accounts, various notes left for colleagues, there's various internal messaging, and the list goes on. Collaborative work is not done in a vacuum.

Plus, it's not just the wife, according to MCA.

 

[Imoens pet]

Not sure how IRS works in USA but I doubt they can just arrest someone without proof.

Oh ffs. The ignorance.

https://www.delawareonline.com/stor...mployee-mubarak-pleads-guilty-theft/74799128/

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Ghost-Temp-Workers-at-Hospital-Arrested-for-Fraud-129399478.html

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/...cle_c86066f5-96a4-57b8-bac6-693861d01bd3.html

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-...s-jailed-in-ghost-employee-scheme-1727615.php

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/pr/upmc-claims-manager-admits-paying-846k-two-ghost-employees

https://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2013/0...ce-ghost-employee-convicted-on-fraud-charges/

https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/...ested-for-alleged-fraud-and-money-laundering/

http://fox43.com/2016/02/03/woman-creates-ghost-employees-to-steal-700000/

https://www.greeleytribune.com/news...ore-than-200000-according-to-arrest-warrants/


I kind of feel bad. Because I'm literally not even trying. It's like seriously playing basketball against 2 yr olds.

no bully

 

[Jezal_k23]

I don't think Chris has asked for, or needs, anyone to act against Obsidian on his behalf. Don't think that was the goal he had in mind when he posted here.

 

[Imoens pet]

I don't think Chris has asked for, or needs, anyone to act against Obsidian on his behalf. Don't think that was the goal he had in mind when he posted here.

Than that is by far the most naive thing ever.

 

[Flou]

I know that this is how big companies do business, but I can't agree with this being the only way. What did FU and Obsidian gain with a departure in this style? Some money, but I hardly believe that it would have bankrupt Obsidian if they pay Chris' due, and not act like an ass with him. So no, I can't accept that there is only unethical business.

Well since we don't know what fair market value of the company would have been or much his stock was valued to begin with, it's quite impossible to say for sure. Would Chris' stock value had been around 2 million dollars? That would leave a dent for sure when they've struggled for few years before that.
I don't think it is so black and white situation. I understand why Chris feels the way he does, but at the same from a business point of view it makes perfect sense. Sure, for some of the owners it might have been pure greed doing the talking, but at the same time at least the CEO has to guarantee that the company doesn't suffer from the buyout and that it doesn't lead to layoffs later on when money starts running low.

After struggling for years, they finally get a product that leaves them with some cash and then one of them decides to cash out. That will lead to bitterness on the other side of the table as well.