Editorial RPG Codex Report: A Codexian Visit to OtherSide Entertainment

[Vault Dweller]

It's Looking fucking Glass, a little bit of good cheer won't hurt you in this. It's not that I am hyped - hell naw, look at that budget -

But come ON! It's Looking fucking Glass. This is like shitting on Origin. We practically owe them by default for making games of a quality that has rarely been attained again. Criticizing their "RPG system" is laughable. I mean, that was, like, the weakest part of System Shock 2-- and it was still great. They could have no RPG system and they would have, back in the day, still crafted an amazing game, just look at Terra Nova.

I know we're an RPG site but try, just try, not to see everything through a narrow lens. For now, let's just be happy that the spark's still there and that, seemingly, their heart is in the right place. How often do you get that? Everyone should be happy, except Mondblut, that wouldn't be in character. And they're not making Wizardry 9: The Stattening.

Pros:
- Looking Glass! (the team)
- Ultima Underworld! (the brand)
- Physics! (the concept)

Cons:
- KS updates
- interview answers

Btw, I'm not criticizing their RPG system, I'm criticizing the answer to the question. I enjoyed Dishonored, so I'm pretty sure I will enjoy this game a lot more even if they throw away all stats. In fact, I'd prefer a tightly focused game (especially considering the abysmal budget) than a game packed with poorly implemented grand ideas. Locational damage affecting combat? That's a game in itself and an impossibly high goal. Choices & Consequences in a dynamic ecosystem? Downright scary.

 

[Infinitron]

Some nice responses to this interview over at NeoGAF: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=153662315#post153662315

Also, mindx2 will be amused by this: http://victorygamecenter.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=51&p=101#p106

(looks like that guy lives alone on his forum, hiver-style?)

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

Nice job mindx2 and congrats on the awesome and rare boxes you now have.

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

It's Looking fucking Glass, a little bit of good cheer won't hurt you in this. It's not that I am hyped - hell naw, look at that budget -

But come ON! It's Looking fucking Glass. This is like shitting on Origin. We practically owe them by default for making games of a quality that has rarely been attained again. Criticizing their "RPG system" is laughable. I mean, that was, like, the weakest part of System Shock 2-- and it was still great. They could have no RPG system and they would have, back in the day, still crafted an amazing game, just look at Terra Nova.

I know we're an RPG site but try, just try, not to see everything through a narrow lens. For now, let's just be happy that the spark's still there and that, seemingly, their heart is in the right place. How often do you get that? Everyone should be happy, except Mondblut, that wouldn't be in character. And they're not making Wizardry 9: The Stattening.

Pros:
- Looking Glass! (the team)
- Ultima Underworld! (the brand)
- Physics! (the concept)

Cons:
- KS updates
- interview answers

Btw, I'm not criticizing their RPG system, I'm criticizing the answer to the question. I enjoyed Dishonored, so I'm pretty sure I will enjoy this game a lot more even if they throw away all stats. In fact, I'd prefer a tightly focused game (especially considering the abysmal budget) than a game packed with poorly implemented grand ideas. Locational damage affecting combat? That's a game in itself and an impossibly high goal. Choices & Consequences in a dynamic ecosystem? Downright scary.

Luckily we will get to play their game, not their KS campaign.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Yet at the moment the KS campaign is all we have. So we can sit and fantasize of how awesome the game would be like or we can discuss the updates, plans, and comments.

 

[mindx2]

Some nice responses to this interview over at NeoGAF: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=153662315#post153662315

My dream of becoming famous on neogaf (and not because of compromising pictures!) has finally come true...

Also, mindx2 will be amused by this: http://victorygamecenter.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=51&p=101#p106

(looks like that guy lives alone on his forum, hiver-style?)

I didn't know I was a "jerk"... ... just a Codexian...

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

Yet at the moment the KS campaign is all we have. So we can sit and fantasize of how awesome the game would be like or we can discuss the updates, plans, and comments.

Did you take to their forums yet? They are pretty responsive.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Take what to their forums? The interview made it clear that they don't have the answers to most questions yet (i.e. the gameplay mechanics are at a very early, mostly theoretical stage - other than physics, of course). So let's wait and see what transpires.

 

[mindx2]

Take what to their forums? The interview made it clear that they don't have the answers to most questions yet (i.e. the gameplay mechanics are at a very early, mostly theoretical stage - other than physics, of course). So let's wait and see what transpires.

Now that it's been funded I hope to be able to visit them again when they have much more nailed down and can start talking specifics (and actually show). As it develops over time keep thinking of questions as they arise and I'll press them for those specifics you're looking for.

 

[mindx2]

Something's wrong here. I was just awarded this prestigious achievement:

Achievements Received by mindx2

1. 285 Awarded: 10 minutes ago
   Man and a Half
   Who's a man and a half? You're a man and a half! That's who. Your (at least) 1.5 fisting ratio is DYNAMITE.

... shouldn't it read:

Achievements Received by mindx2

1. 285
   Awarded: 10 minutes ago
   Half a Man
   Who's a half a man? You're half a man! That's who. Your (at least) 1.5 fisting ratio is DYNAMITE.

 

[Metro]

I enjoyed Dishonored

 

[Zep Zepo]

These guys should have talked to Swen about how to promote a KS project.

Zep--

 

[Metro]

They met their goal. And I think it's a good thing they won't go too much over because they strike me as the types that would get sidetracked on frills versus core content if given endless cash.

 

[Zep Zepo]

I think Richard Garriott de Cayunt screwed them over.

Zep--

 

[mindx2]

I think Richard Garriott de Cayunt screwed them over.

Zep--

Reasons why...?

 

[BulletLoco]

Nice interview. Good questions. Props.

But Codex needs better style editors. ('So their constantly talking', come on guys.)

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Warren Spector, maybe. oops, he meant Larian

Something's wrong here.

You didn't begin at 0.0 man, so I believe adding an extra 0.5 man should result in

Man
Who's a man? You're a man! That's who. Your (at least) 1.5 fisting ratio is DYNAMITE.

Spoiler

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

They met their goal. And I think it's a good thing they won't go too much over because they strike me as the types that would get sidetracked on frills versus core content if given endless cash.

They strike you that way do they? Not paying attention then.

 

[Metro]

They met their goal. And I think it's a good thing they won't go too much over because they strike me as the types that would get sidetracked on frills versus core content if given endless cash.

They strike you that way do they? Not paying attention then.

I see the unseen, sir.

 

[Zep Zepo]

I think Richard Garriott de Cayunt screwed them over.

Zep--

Reasons why...?

1. Inserting himself and Long into their videos. You're trying to pitch your product and they got you (or you allowed yourself to be) a tiny talking head on an iPad? Dumbest move ever. He allowed himself to be a bit player in his own companies pitch is the way I see it.

2. The dumb move to link somehow to SotA with their moon-pie-portals and share SotA store items. If you don't see the next logical step is for them to link to or copy the SotA RMT dress-up store...well...

3. Sleepy Warren Spectre reading from a script.

4. Let's throw Tracy Hickman in this category too by association.

(other things not RG related (maybe), who knows, he seems to have a lot of pull in this project)

5. Jar Jar BinksChattering Bart/Bertha.

6. An absolute cluster-fuck of stretch goal price AND arrangement.

7. Their pitch is like the old game forum gag..."Hai Guise! I got an idea for a game, it's really cool! All I need is a coder, an artist, a sound guy and a web guy. I'm the idea man!"

8. Waste your money on a PR firm BEFORE you find your funding for the project is going to shit.

9. Argo fuck yourself.

Zep--

 

[Zep Zepo]

I think Richard Garriott de Cayunt screwed them over.

Zep--

Reasons why...?

Also, why didn't you ask them who the "investor" was? What kind of pull the investor has in the project. Two very important questions I asked during your call for questions that you didn't ask.

Zep--

 

[Infinitron]

These guys should have talked to Swen about how to promote a KS project.

The Divinity: Original Sin Kickstarter didn't actually do incredibly well, you know. In 2015, in the middle of Kickstarter fatigue, the Shadowrun: Hong Kong Kickstarter bypassed it with a bare minimum of effort.

Fuck me, the SotA Kickstarter campaign that you're somehow still traumatized by two years later did better than D:OS did.

7. Their pitch is like the old game forum gag..."Hai Guise! I got an idea for a game, it's really cool! All I need is a coder, an artist, a sound guy and a web guy. I'm the idea man!"

8. Waste your money on a PR firm BEFORE you find your funding for the project is going to shit.

Look, you think I'm being a fanboy or that I'm bullshitting you, but really: This. Is. What. Kickstarter. Is.

You need to stop looking at it if it bothers you so much.

 

[Zep Zepo]

They met their goal. And I think it's a good thing they won't go too much over because they strike me as the types that would get sidetracked on frills versus core content if given endless cash.

They strike you that way do they? Not paying attention then.

I can't find the old stretch goal image, but wasn't VR pretty far down the list? Yet here they are wasting time pitching an update on VR that's not even in the stretch goal list anymore. I said this before, but it's like most of these videos were pre-recorded before the KS even launched.

Zep--

 

[mindx2]

I think Richard Garriott de Cayunt screwed them over.

Zep--

Reasons why...?

1. Inserting himself and Long into their videos. You're trying to pitch your product and they got you (or you allowed yourself to be) a tiny talking head on an iPad? Dumbest move ever. He allowed himself to be a bit player in his own companies pitch is the way I see it.

2. The dumb move to link somehow to SotA with their moon-pie-portals and share SotA store items. If you don't see the next logical step is for them to link to or copy the SotA RMT dress-up store...well...

3. Sleepy Warren Spectre reading from a script.

4. Let's throw Tracy Hickman in this category too by association.

(other things not RG related (maybe), who knows, he seems to have a lot of pull in this project)

5. Jar Jar BinksChattering Bart/Bertha.

6. An absolute cluster-fuck of stretch goal price AND arrangement.

7. Their pitch is like the old game forum gag..."Hai Guise! I got an idea for a game, it's really cool! All I need is a coder, an artist, a sound guy and a web guy. I'm the idea man!"

8. Waste your money on a PR firm BEFORE you find your funding for the project is going to shit.

9. Argo fuck yourself.

Zep--

1 & 2) I'm no fan of SotA myself but from a marketing standpoint I understand why they wanted the association. They felt by linking the two worlds OtherSide would get many of those MMO pledgers to pledge for this one (also why I think the co-op thing was talked about as much as it was). Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to have been as large a migration of SotA players as they expected and all that focus on co-op may have turned others away. KS "old school" games do tend to sell better hyping that return to the single player experience. So again, I understand why they did what they did it just didn't work out as well as they hoped. Plus as others have suggested Garriott might be the money behind the extra investment they've hinted at.

4) As for Hickman's involvement, whatever. I don't think it necessarily hurts and hopefully it improves the back-story and lore. This is the type of game that needs that sprinkled throughout the game since the "story" won't be crammed down your throat so having a competent writer helps (I don't know if he is as I've never read his stuff).

6) They've finally fixed the stretch goal thing but I agree it could have been better from the start. Blame it on being a rookie KSer.

8) They thought PR would help. I don't know that it has but we don't know how much they spent on it so I can't really comment on it either way.

And as for the rest of your points... everyone has an opinion...

 

[SausageInYourFace]

Zep--

Zep--

Zep--

Why the fuck do you keep doing that?

-

4) As for Hickman's involvement, whatever. I don't think it necessarily hurts and hopefully it improves the back-story and lore. This is the type of game that needs that sprinkled throughout the game since the "story" won't be crammed down your throat so having a competent writer helps (I don't know if he is as I've never read his stuff).

Opinions obviously differ on that but personally I have fond memories of his first six Dragonlance novels when I read them way back in ye days of olden. I don't know if I'd still enjoy them today but that I distinctly remember most of the characters and their different personalities right up to this day certainly speaks for the man. Can't say the same for much of the other stuff I've read, back then and in recent times. I would really like to see that stretchgoal met.