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

[Carnarium]

Hey Chris, ever hang around with David Jaffe? You seem like a his kind of fellow for some reason.

 

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Suddenly not being able to use your account on a public forum where anybody can have an account, whether he works at Obsidian or not - even YOU, dear reader, can have an account there - while being told that it's just as impossible to delete that account as it is to allow you to post with it, definitely sounds like "normal corporate policy".

 

[Maculo]

Dude stop posting that fucking picture.

My god man, how many do you have?

 

[Kem0sabe]

Chris Avellone Do you mind sharing your outlook on how well do you think Deadfire will turn out? Taking into consideration your knowledge of the team working on it and what you think they learned from how PoE ended up.

 

[2house2fly]

I'm shit at googling or there is still only one article (TechRaptor) about this situation in the whole English-speaking section of the internet? I'm particularly surprised because even in my country, where people don't care all that much about gaming industry dramas, at least three major gaming sites reported this (#1 #2 #3), I also remember stumbling upon a few articles in German.

I always had the impression that western media absolutely LOVES when shit hits the fan, but it seems that in this case everyone decided to play an ostrich and bury their heads in the sand for some reason. The only possible explanation I can think of is that they all afraid of possible retaliation from Obsidian, but come on, Obsidian is Obsidian, not Ubisoft or Activision, they don't have a lot of weight in the global scheme of things.

Maybe them not having a lot of weight is why. Not enough people care about Obsidian for it to be much of a story m

 

[Chris Avellone]

Hey Chris, Now that you have burned all of your bridges isn't time to finish Arcanum

It is true, I will never get work again. What will I do? (I resisted adding a dramatic gasp to this, but I might do so in an edit.)

Unrelated (kidding but serious), I am happy to say I've been employed as a writer for Ghost Story Games (formerly Irrational) ever since my departure from Obsidian, and Ghost Story is great and their lore is amazing. Plus, their designers are smart (yes, Drew, I mean you) and I like what Ken Levine brings to characters very, very much.

I will expound later, after I desperately try and sift through my meager options, which don't include 10+ other companies doing exciting narrative shit - and not all of them in the States, thank god, because... well, U.S. games have a very safe feel to them.

The short of it is that none of the dozens of companies who reached out to me has ever cared overmuch about Obsidian and any troubles, because, well, it's Obsidian - most companies have bigger concerns to worry about.

Obsidian can keep doing whatever it is they do best. I wasn't sure what that was before my departure. I'm still not sure, beyond "I think it's a BG thing"... but there's often no mention of BioWare and their design principles when this is said. I will say Black Isle (Studios) would never have survived without what BioWare licensed to them (the Infinity Engine).

My take? I wish the developers well, but upper management? Get your shit together because the future is uncertain if you can't even develop and rely on your own tech.

 

[Blakemoreland Hybrid Boss]

A couple of thoughts from an old time Obsidian/BIS fanboy (or rather MCA fanboy I guess), I'm sure they've all been made by now but I feel like I have to put it here:

How fucked in the head do you have to be to mismanage your company to the degree that you drive away talent like MCA?

How can you not in 10+ years figure out a way to put that talent to good use instead of side lining it? And on top of all that, how in the actual fuck do you manage to get into a situation where you have to blackmail your most talented team member to try to make him stay? Jesus christ.

Chris has always struck me as an honest fellow and a decent person, going out of his way to try NOT to put shade on people and companies in the games industry unless warranted. I'll take his word for the sorry state of OBS management. I acknowledge that what Davis posted is probably true as well, but that does in no way excuse Feargus and the rests treatment of MCA.

It's a little hard to notice his talent if that's the thing that created problems to begin with. You can also be certain that they never dreamed that he would speak about any of it in public. They thought that they would do anything they wanted behind doors, while using his name in the process, and still get away with it.

 

[Chris Avellone]

Chris Avellone This is kind of off topic but what is the scope of your contribution on Pathfinder: Kingmaker? Are you the lead writer or just helping with some bits and pieces?

I am not the lead writer, I report to the very professional Alexander Komzolov, who has the narrative well in hand.

I'm happy to give you breakdowns of how much I've written/rescripted for the game once I get confirmation on some points.

 

[Zed]

My take? I wish the developers well, but upper management? Get your shit together because the future is uncertain if you can't even develop and rely on your own tech.

Unity is bullcrap but they seem to have shaped into a pretty decent thing with PoE2? It's not wholly self-proprietary of course but it's not like they run a risk of losing the platform because some publisher is feeling grumpy.

 

[Blakemoreland Hybrid Boss]

Suddenly not being able to use your account on a public forum where anybody can have an account, whether he works at Obsidian or not - even YOU, dear reader, can have an account there - while being told that it's just as impossible to delete that account as it is to allow you to post with it, definitely sounds like "normal corporate policy".

But you need to hear the other side of the story. I'm sure they have a perfectly good explanation about that too, right? Let's not jump to conclusions. Maybe Avellone's IP adress was the problem. Let's be reasonable about this. LOL

 

[2house2fly]

Actually, I might compile the statements myself and publish them on steam or reddit, whichever one I feel more comfortable with. Unless someone beats me to it, this is of course assuming Chris is okay with it.

He hasn't objected to multiple people trying to get in touch with the big gaming sites about this, so you can probably knock yourself out

 

[SausageInYourFace]

Could you maybe tell us a bit what you'd percieve as the main difference between working for Obsidian, inXile and Larian? In terms of organisation and work practice but also general corporate culture?

 

[Chris Avellone]

Hey Chris, ever hang around with David Jaffe? You seem like a his kind of fellow for some reason.

I believe he contributed a great deal to what made God of War great, and I felt the game was amazing for it.

I also believe that his lead programmer also had some very good points about how to manage design.

 

[you know what time it is]

I will expound later, after I desperately try and sift through my meager options, which don't include 10+ other companies doing exciting narrative shit - and not all of them in the States, thank god, because... well, U.S. games have a very safe feel to them.

Speaking of which, how did the whole Pathfinder thing came to be? And how different it is to work with folks/studios from other countries?

 

[Israfael]

At the times of the "Brother-None-gate" I thought Obsidian was different to Fargo and friends, it seems not so much... My eternal appreciation to Chris, I hope you persevere, shame it ended this way.

 

[Maculo]

I may not get an answer to all my questions (i.e., Sawyer), but this thread did shed some light on the matter.

For what little it is worth, thanks Chris Avellone. I hope Ghost Story Games proves to be a good fit.

Now, I need to reinstall PST.

 

[Chris Avellone]

Chris Avellone Do you mind sharing your outlook on how well do you think Deadfire will turn out? Taking into consideration your knowledge of the team working on it and what you think they learned from how PoE ended up.

I have no idea, but based on Obsidian's track record, I wouldn't buy any game from them until the first expansion/DLC came out.

Not trying to be a dick, but it's true - they don't have a great track record of launching a title. I prefer to give it a few months (which also lets me hear how good the story is).

 

[Infinitron]

At the times of the "Brother-None-gate" I thought Obsidian was different to Fargo and friends

They are according to Chris

 

[Phanax]

So, got any more juicy gossip to share? Clearly you're not worried about burning bridges so let it all out. It's therapeutic!

 

[aratuk]

Unrelated (kidding but serious), I am happy to say I've been employed as a writer for Ghost Story Games (formerly Irrational) ever since my departure from Obsidian, and Ghost Story is great and their lore is amazing. Plus, their designers are smart (yes, Drew, I mean you) and I like what Ken Levine brings to characters very, very much.

Yes!! I think you + Ken Levine could do something very cool, even if (heresy!) it might not be an RPG…

One thing about the saga in this thread that I don't understand is how the other owners at Obsidian managed not to buy you out of your share(s) when you left, or do they still owe you?

 

[SausageInYourFace]

they don't have a great track record of launching a title. I prefer to give it a few months

To be fair, thats true for virtually every RPGs these days. Better wait a few months, in fact, wait a few years until the special extented directors cut complete edition comes out.

 

[Jasede]

You mean Dad of War?

Sorry, I had deleted the post. But yes, #1 Dad.

 

[Chris Avellone]

To be fair, thats true for virtually every RPGs these days. Better wait a few months, in fact, wait a few years until the special extented directors cut complete edition comes out.

I concur with this.

 

[Maculo]

You mean Dad of War?

Sorry, I had deleted the post. But yes, #1 Dad.

Lol, I deleted my post as well, it looked awkward without context.

 

[Phanax]

they don't have a great track record of launching a title. I prefer to give it a few months

To be fair, thats true for virtually every RPGs these days. Better wait a few months, in fact, wait a few years until the special extented directors cut complete edition comes out.

Or indeed, a restoration mod. *cough* *cough*