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

ColonelTeacup

Liturgist
Joined
Mar 19, 2017
Messages
1,433
That NDA is some Stormy Daniels-level shit. Chris, have you ever met this man

unnamed.jpg
lol.

I like that it says he is 5'4" to 6'....He is either a midget or actually maybe he is Tall...
An average 5'8".
yes, but the problem is they included every height from extremely short to tall. Its not a helpful description at all, it includes like 90% of men or something.
He's either a manlet, or a giant. Green, blue or brown eyes. Brown, red or blonde hair, he may or may not have a beard. He's some where from 30 to 47 years old.
 
Joined
Jul 8, 2006
Messages
2,930
That NDA is some Stormy Daniels-level shit. Chris, have you ever met this man

unnamed.jpg
lol.

I like that it says he is 5'4" to 6'....He is either a midget or actually maybe he is Tall...
An average 5'8".
yes, but the problem is they included every height from extremely short to tall. Its not a helpful description at all, it includes like 90% of men or something.
He's either a manlet, or a giant. Green, blue or brown eyes. Brown, red or blonde hair, he may or may not have a beard. He's some where from 30 to 47 years old.
and he is between 140 to 225 pounds
 

Blaine

Cis-Het Oppressor
Patron
Joined
Oct 6, 2012
Messages
1,874,662
Location
Roanoke, VA
Grab the Codex by the pussy
It's not 5'4", it's 5'9". I have a fucking corneal thinning disease and I can still see that it's a 9. Are you people using cash register display screens as computer monitors?

7ebb562c48.png


Even if you couldn't see the very faint join, the lack of any protrusion across the downstroke, etc., common sense should have led you to realize they wouldn't have such a huge height range on even a mockup suspect sketch.
 

ColonelTeacup

Liturgist
Joined
Mar 19, 2017
Messages
1,433
That NDA is some Stormy Daniels-level shit. Chris, have you ever met this man

unnamed.jpg
lol.

I like that it says he is 5'4" to 6'....He is either a midget or actually maybe he is Tall...
An average 5'8".
yes, but the problem is they included every height from extremely short to tall. Its not a helpful description at all, it includes like 90% of men or something.
He's either a manlet, or a giant. Green, blue or brown eyes. Brown, red or blonde hair, he may or may not have a beard. He's some where from 30 to 47 years old.
and he is between 140 to 225 pounds
Perfect. We can safely exclude midgets and freaks of nature. Time to start arresting all white males.
 

Anthony Davis

Blizzard Entertainment
Developer
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
2,100
Location
California
Eeesh. Just binged this thread and now I feel like I need a shower for multiple reasons. Hopefully MCA and Eric can work out the bruised feelings because I like both of them, and hopefully Anthony Davis Brandon Adler stay hidden safely in the closet until Mommy and Daddy are done fighting.

Seriously though, a few years ago I left a senior management position at a company with just shy of 200 employees. I was not an owner, but I was one of 2 employees who reported solely to the owners (the other being our H.R. head who, contrary to Chris's experiences at Obsidian, was perhaps the most moral and principled individual I have ever met, but I realize that such people in such positions are a relative rarity). I was with the company for 7 years and in the position for 3, and due to a variety of reasons (almost all of which I attributed to incompetence and bad-faith on the part of ownership) during the last two years I became increasingly and intensely disgruntled. There is no question in my mind that this affected my work-performance, and the resentment that it bred between myself and the owners is undeniable. What it took me some time to realize though was that this was a "chicken and the egg" scenario. I was frustrated with my owners because I thought that they were lying and immoral idiots, who were upset with me because I thought they were lying and immoral idiots and it was demonstrably affecting my work-performance (for the record, after a fair amount of reflection, I continue to think that they are lying, immoral idiots, but I could just be completely lying to myself). It's also become clear to me in the intervening years that my former employees (almost all of whom I respect and admire and have endeavored to remain on good terms with) had no idea who was at fault between the proverbial chicken and egg, and were told very different, very plausible stories from all involved parties.

I wish Chris, Eric, and all other affected parties (primarily meaning the Obsidian wageslaves who have a major and uncertain product launch in 7 days that might determine their continued employment ) the very best, and hope that someday they'll all be able to smile and hug it out.

Also, not to be rude, but anyone who didn't realize that OES has massive problems in management hasn't been paying attention.

Your post almost implies that you worked at Obsidian. If you meant to imply it and you did, I cannot figure out who you are. I have some guesses, but I am not sure.
 

Kyl Von Kull

The Night Tripper
Patron
Joined
Jun 15, 2017
Messages
3,152
Location
Jamrock District
Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
I think there’s some confusion here. It’s doubtful MCA’s mom was getting her health insurance from Obsidian. They cancelled MCA’s health plan, which typically covers spouse and kids, not parents (unless he already had her as a dependent before she got sick and even then many plans won’t cover a parent). His mom was probably old enough to be eligible for Medicare, not that that’s necessarily adequate for treating cancer. But Feargus wasn’t kicking Mrs. Avellone off her chemo, except insofar as he was denying Chris the money he needed to pay her treatment costs out of pocket.

Pretty sure this all would’ve played out differently if his mom’s cancer treatment was genuinely in the balance.

Well like you said it depends. And it is possible she was on his insuranc eplan before:

To claim a parent as a dependent for health insurance purposes, you already must list him or her as a dependent with the IRS. To meet the IRS' criteria, the parent must have earned less than $3,700 in the past year, and you must have provided at least half of the parent's financial support for food, lodging, transportation and other basic necessities.

Can you help me hide muh money from the gov-mint?

Eeesh. Just binged this thread and now I feel like I need a shower for multiple reasons. Hopefully MCA and Eric can work out the bruised feelings because I like both of them, and hopefully Anthony Davis Brandon Adler stay hidden safely in the closet until Mommy and Daddy are done fighting.

Seriously though, a few years ago I left a senior management position at a company with just shy of 200 employees. I was not an owner, but I was one of 2 employees who reported solely to the owners (the other being our H.R. head who, contrary to Chris's experiences at Obsidian, was perhaps the most moral and principled individual I have ever met, but I realize that such people in such positions are a relative rarity). I was with the company for 7 years and in the position for 3, and due to a variety of reasons (almost all of which I attributed to incompetence and bad-faith on the part of ownership) during the last two years I became increasingly and intensely disgruntled. There is no question in my mind that this affected my work-performance, and the resentment that it bred between myself and the owners is undeniable. What it took me some time to realize though was that this was a "chicken and the egg" scenario. I was frustrated with my owners because I thought that they were lying and immoral idiots, who were upset with me because I thought they were lying and immoral idiots and it was demonstrably affecting my work-performance (for the record, after a fair amount of reflection, I continue to think that they are lying, immoral idiots, but I could just be completely lying to myself). It's also become clear to me in the intervening years that my former employees (almost all of whom I respect and admire and have endeavored to remain on good terms with) had no idea who was at fault between the proverbial chicken and egg, and were told very different, very plausible stories from all involved parties.

I wish Chris, Eric, and all other affected parties (primarily meaning the Obsidian wageslaves who have a major and uncertain product launch in 7 days that might determine their continued employment ) the very best, and hope that someday they'll all be able to smile and hug it out.

Also, not to be rude, but anyone who didn't realize that OES has massive problems in management hasn't been paying attention.

Your post almost implies that you worked at Obsidian. If you meant to imply it and you did, I cannot figure out who you are. I have some guesses, but I am not sure.


Dude, he describes his company’s head of HR as the most moral and principled person he’s ever met; does that sound like Tina Parker to you?
 
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
4,099
Location
Chicago, IL, Kwa
Your post almost implies that you worked at Obsidian. If you meant to imply it and you did, I cannot figure out who you are. I have some guesses, but I am not sure.

I believe you're joking, but just to be crystal clear, this is not the case and I would be blatantly misrepresenting both myself and OES if I suggested otherwise. I can see how my syntax may have been a bit leading though, and... yes, they are, at least on the surface, similar companies in several ways
 

Kyl Von Kull

The Night Tripper
Patron
Joined
Jun 15, 2017
Messages
3,152
Location
Jamrock District
Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Can you help me hide muh money from the gov-mint?

I can but it's p. basic : Accept all payments in cash and misreport your earnings. I mean that's a crime, but I assume that's what you were asking for right?

I was thinking more along the lines of turning myself into an LLC, but if you think the cash-in-mattress plan is the way to go...
 

Fry

Arcane
Joined
Aug 29, 2013
Messages
1,922
Your post almost implies that you worked at Obsidian. If you meant to imply it and you did, I cannot figure out who you are. I have some guesses, but I am not sure.

Hmm. You can't show up in this thread and not give us some inside dirt.
 

Mustawd

Guest
Your post almost implies that you worked at Obsidian. If you meant to imply it and you did, I cannot figure out who you are. I have some guesses, but I am not sure.

Hmm. You can't show up in this thread and not give us some inside dirt.

He literally just did.

I was thinking more along the lines of turning myself into an LLC, but if you think the cash-in-mattress plan is the way to go...

Wot? An LLC is still a pass through entity IIRC. So you still pay tax. Or maybe I'm thinking LLP? Negro I hate tax. Financial Accounting is where it's at. It's a thing of beauty. I leave taxes to tax nerds. It breaks my brain tbh.
 
Joined
Jul 8, 2006
Messages
2,930
It's not 5'4", it's 5'9". I have a fucking corneal thinning disease and I can still see that it's a 9. Are you people using cash register display screens as computer monitors?

7ebb562c48.png


Even if you couldn't see the very faint join, the lack of any protrusion across the downstroke, etc., common sense should have led you to realize they wouldn't have such a huge height range on even a mockup suspect sketch.
jesus, relax dude. I agree that when you magnify it and have it pointed out that it certainly appears to be a 9. I agree it is a 9. I apologize for calling your friend a manlet.
 

Urthor

Prophet
Patron
Joined
Mar 22, 2015
Messages
1,872
Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire
Eeesh. Just binged this thread and now I feel like I need a shower for multiple reasons. Hopefully MCA and Eric can work out the bruised feelings because I like both of them, and hopefully Anthony Davis Brandon Adler stay hidden safely in the closet until Mommy and Daddy are done fighting.

Seriously though, a few years ago I left a senior management position at a company with just shy of 200 employees. I was not an owner, but I was one of 2 employees who reported solely to the owners (the other being our H.R. head who, contrary to Chris's experiences at Obsidian, was perhaps the most moral and principled individual I have ever met, but I realize that such people in such positions are a relative rarity). I was with the company for 7 years and in the position for 3, and due to a variety of reasons (almost all of which I attributed to incompetence and bad-faith on the part of ownership) during the last two years I became increasingly and intensely disgruntled. There is no question in my mind that this affected my work-performance, and the resentment that it bred between myself and the owners is undeniable. What it took me some time to realize though was that this was a "chicken and the egg" scenario. I was frustrated with my owners because I thought that they were lying and immoral idiots, who were upset with me because I thought they were lying and immoral idiots and it was demonstrably affecting my work-performance (for the record, after a fair amount of reflection, I continue to think that they are lying, immoral idiots, but I could just be completely lying to myself). It's also become clear to me in the intervening years that my former employees (almost all of whom I respect and admire and have endeavored to remain on good terms with) had no idea who was at fault between the proverbial chicken and egg, and were told very different, very plausible stories from all involved parties.

I wish Chris, Eric, and all other affected parties (primarily meaning the Obsidian wageslaves who have a major and uncertain product launch in 7 days that might determine their continued employment ) the very best, and hope that someday they'll all be able to smile and hug it out.

Also, not to be rude, but anyone who didn't realize that OES has massive problems in management hasn't been paying attention.

Your post almost implies that you worked at Obsidian. If you meant to imply it and you did, I cannot figure out who you are. I have some guesses, but I am not sure.

Pretty sure that this experience of small business in pretty much the entire planet who are mostly employed at small companies who don't have goliath HR departments with a prestige class in corporate bureaucracy.

Where 9 times out of 10 the HR lady is a minion who does the health insurance paperwork and only tenuously advises the CEO, who makes all major decisions based on a "how reasonable or ethical does the boss feel this morning and oh god did he have his coffee" basis. I doubt Simmons is even employed in tech that experience is that common.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Has anyone actually made a list of the specific wide ranging issues that are attributed to Fergus OrcHeart and Parker/the others who don't have OrcHeart tier name recognition on the codex?

Like Chris' OP boils down to basically Obsidian were dicks in the severance and in general being bosses period, the companions were scoped badly and shit died on the cutting room floor that shouldn't have but did in fact die because even low implementation cost things die when it's a month before release.

tl;dr Sawyer did a B job as a project director on Pillars 1 and there's a reason that Hollywood producers collect the best picture Oscar and directors are treated like gods. Project management is everything.

But I've never gotten the actual "long term issues with Obsidian management" that have turned up repeatedly over time. Where's the rap sheet? So far all I've got under Fergus and co is "split badly with Chris, laid off people therefore he is a demon, and has annoyed a bunch of partners over the years because Stick of Truth and Tyranny went belly up."
 
Last edited:

Carnarium

Novice
Joined
Nov 23, 2016
Messages
17
Wait so Avellone intentionally sabotaged Sawyer's projects (NV, POE) by writing too much content, costing them time and other possibly other resources? Way to be a team player, Chris.
 

Blaine

Cis-Het Oppressor
Patron
Joined
Oct 6, 2012
Messages
1,874,662
Location
Roanoke, VA
Grab the Codex by the pussy
jesus, relax dude. I agree that when you magnify it and have it pointed out that it certainly appears to be a 9. I agree it is a 9. I apologize for calling your friend a manlet.

I'm relaxed. I can plainly see that it's a 9 without the aid of magnification, though. I ENHANCED only to prove the point.
 

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