Interview Matt Chat 256: Feargus Urquhart on the Life and Death of Black Isle Studios

[NotAGolfer]

Respect, bro!

 

[gromit]

Torn was gonna suck. That's why it was canceled. That's all the light shedding you need.

no need to be edgy.

That's not edgy, it's the company line.

 

[Jaesun]

Every time I hear again about TORN I CRY AND DIE A LITTLE INSIDE!

 

[tuluse]

Urqhart has a pretty high opinion of some of the tech Black Isle was producing. It's really a shame we never got to see the fruits of the labor.

 

[karfhud]

Feel silly, but it's the first time I've heard of Baldur's Gate 3, a.k.a. The Black Hound, a.k.a. Project Jefferson. Would love to know why exactly it was shaping be up to be such a great game:

It would have toppled them in both depth and overall game play, I have no doubt. It would have been RPG of the year. Granted, this is my opinion based on what I know from the project, but as a gamer, I would have thoroughly enjoyed playing the game. I would have liked more than just 8 levels in the first outing, but that’s just a style preference.

http://www.winterwind-productions.com/gaming/foletto_pt2/

 

[Semper]

Would love to know why exactly it was shaping be up to be such a great game

it was designed as a low level, kinda gritty, and non-linear dnd adventure - lots of factions, c&c, and an interesting (at least from the sound of it back then) plot with connections to icewind dale. word on the streets is that a lot of its designs are recovered in pillars of eternity, like the plot (stripped from the dnd legacy), c&c, and the whole epithet and fame/infamy system.

 

[Untermensch]

Were there ever any screenshots or videos of The Black Hound released?

 

[Semper]

besides a few concept art pieces there was only one actual screen used as a desktop wallpaper, afaik.

 

[agris]

yea winamp.

that was Sawyer's desktop, iirc.

 

[karfhud]

This desktop screenshot is just beautiful. I suppose that at one point I had the same combination of game shortcuts, obviously except for Jefferson.



Man, we've some good games back in the day.

The BG3 image itself is pretty neat as well. These meshes look surprisingly well. This engine (shared by Jefferson and Van Buren, as I understand), was it a 100% their work, or were they building upon Aurora?

 

[Surf Solar]

Was instantly noticable it is sawyers desktop with the winamp playlist

And this screenshit doesnt blow my mind..
Same when I saw Van Buren Screenshots an just ed at how worse it looked than Fo1/2

 

[FeelTheRads]

For 3D at the time Van Buren and Jefferson looked really good. Much better than NWN, anyway.

 

[karfhud]

For 3D at the time Van Buren and Jefferson looked really good. Much better than NWN, anyway.

This. Can't really compare them to F1/2. I still prefer hand-drawn backgrounds in an isometric view, but gotta admit that their 3D engine looks impressive, considering they developed it like 12 years ago, or more. Wonder how FX looked.

 

[curry]

Feel silly, but it's the first time I've heard of Baldur's Gate 3

Joined: Jun 23, 2013

 

[karfhud]

Joined: Jan 10, 2011

Now, you're such an oldtimer!

Obviously the "joined date" determines one's knowledge of cRPGs.

 

[gromit]

Both of you: shut up. Newerfag: masturbate.

It's both tragic and wonderful that pretty much the only thing to escape the whole production is a great big pile of Kovacs and Sweet.

Flat-out some of the best concept art on the planet; they are rightfully / unfortunately on to bigger and better things now...

 

[NotAGolfer]

Dunno...
Grotesque