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

Kaivokz

Arcane
Joined
Feb 10, 2015
Messages
1,499
Chris Avellone,

I liked your work on Prey and D:OS2, and I look forward to System Shock remake and Kingmaker.

Sincerely,
Kaivoks
:love:
 

Daedalos

Arcane
The Real Fanboy
Joined
Apr 18, 2007
Messages
5,559
Location
Denmark
Chris Avellone It is quite disheartening reading your confessions about how Obsidian treated you, and how hostile the workspace seemed/seems to be at Obsidian. If it is the truth, then it is quite surprising, especially because so much talent seems to have been wasted on bad management and just internal strife. What a wasted opportunity for everybody involved :(

A different question, though - Have you played Underrail, and if so, what did you think of it? And what are your thoughts on Vince Dweller's "The New World"? I'm not sure if you have been keeping up with the game's progress. Very interested in your thoughts if any.

I hope you get back to making the RPGs you really want to, with a team of people that will go beyond what is expected of them, as you put it. You deserve that much, man. We need more great cRPGs, and I honestly can't think of a more capable writer than you to do it.

Cheers!
 

Quillon

Arcane
Joined
Dec 15, 2016
Messages
5,214
39 pages of MCA thread, yet still something was amiss...

c3657175ea9a76b8a85e453bf1c19f91o.gif


There.
 

Anthony Davis

Blizzard Entertainment
Developer
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
2,100
Location
California
This might be pointless here at the Codex, but I will share some of my experiences at Obsidian.

When my daughter had to go to the emergency room THREE times in 6 months, and I missed a lot of time, the company stood by me and told me not to worry, to put my family first.

When my wife's grandmother died suddenly, the company told me not worry, and to put my family first.

When my wife's grandfather died shortly after at Christmas time, the company told me not to worry and to put my family first.

I am currently dealing with a very serious health issue, the company has stood by my and told me to worry, but to focus on getting healthy.

This doesn't just extend to me. Many employees here have dealt with things that were even worse, and time and time again, the company has stood by them.
For example, when a fellow programmer and friend, his father died suddenly and unexpectedly, the company told him not worry, paid for his plane ticket, and got him home to his family (in another country) and told him to put his family first.

I actually could keep going, but something else speaks to me about this company: many former employees have returned to this company, myself included.

Also, people who still work here don't write reviews on Glassdoor.
 

ArchAngel

Arcane
Joined
Mar 16, 2015
Messages
19,889
This might be pointless here at the Codex, but I will share some of my experiences at Obsidian.

When my daughter had to go to the emergency room THREE times in 6 months, and I missed a lot of time, the company stood by me and told me not to worry, to put my family first.

When my wife's grandmother died suddenly, the company told me not worry, and to put my family first.

When my wife's grandfather died shortly after at Christmas time, the company told me not to worry and to put my family first.

I am currently dealing with a very serious health issue, the company has stood by my and told me to worry, but to focus on getting healthy.

This doesn't just extend to me. Many employees here have dealt with things that were even worse, and time and time again, the company has stood by them.
For example, when a fellow programmer and friend, his father died suddenly and unexpectedly, the company told him not worry, paid for his plane ticket, and got him home to his family (in another country) and told him to put his family first.

I actually could keep going, but something else speaks to me about this company: many former employees have returned to this company, myself included.

Also, people who still work here don't write reviews on Glassdoor.
All of this is normal in EU (except maybe paying for plane tickets).
What kind of shitty country do you live in that you need to put this stuff as a Pro...
 

Quillon

Arcane
Joined
Dec 15, 2016
Messages
5,214
All of this is normal in EU (except maybe paying for plane tickets).
What kind of shitty country do you live in that you need to put this stuff as a Pro...

He's implying: Do you think such a company would leverage someone with their mother's disease?

Who to believe... :M
 

Maculo

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Jul 30, 2013
Messages
2,533
Strap Yourselves In Pathfinder: Wrath
This might be pointless here at the Codex, but I will share some of my experiences at Obsidian.

When my daughter had to go to the emergency room THREE times in 6 months, and I missed a lot of time, the company stood by me and told me not to worry, to put my family first.

When my wife's grandmother died suddenly, the company told me not worry, and to put my family first.

When my wife's grandfather died shortly after at Christmas time, the company told me not to worry and to put my family first.

I am currently dealing with a very serious health issue, the company has stood by my and told me to worry, but to focus on getting healthy.

This doesn't just extend to me. Many employees here have dealt with things that were even worse, and time and time again, the company has stood by them.
For example, when a fellow programmer and friend, his father died suddenly and unexpectedly, the company told him not worry, paid for his plane ticket, and got him home to his family (in another country) and told him to put his family first.

I actually could keep going, but something else speaks to me about this company: many former employees have returned to this company, myself included.

Also, people who still work here don't write reviews on Glassdoor.
Mr. Davis, I believe the issue is not whether Obsidian is some amoral, corporate machine, but rather how interpersonal issues have driven wedges between certain writers and may (or may not) have had an impact on Pillars or even NV. Outside a few on the Codex, I do not believe anyone wants to see Obsidian employees suffer or make bad games, but there are concerns about what priorities are driving the ship if that makes sense.

As with any blind speculation, it will always lead to self-serving or crude posts at someone's expense.

Edit: Plus, for months (years?), a lot of Codexers (Sensuki ?,etc.) piled on Sawyer for all the mistakes/issues in PoE, but this thread potentially opens a different angle of analysis.
 
Last edited:

Brancaleone

Liturgist
Joined
Apr 28, 2015
Messages
1,004
Location
Norcia
This might be pointless here at the Codex, but I will share some of my experiences at Obsidian.

When my daughter had to go to the emergency room THREE times in 6 months, and I missed a lot of time, the company stood by me and told me not to worry, to put my family first.

When my wife's grandmother died suddenly, the company told me not worry, and to put my family first.

When my wife's grandfather died shortly after at Christmas time, the company told me not to worry and to put my family first.

I am currently dealing with a very serious health issue, the company has stood by my and told me to worry, but to focus on getting healthy.

This doesn't just extend to me. Many employees here have dealt with things that were even worse, and time and time again, the company has stood by them.
For example, when a fellow programmer and friend, his father died suddenly and unexpectedly, the company told him not worry, paid for his plane ticket, and got him home to his family (in another country) and told him to put his family first.

I actually could keep going, but something else speaks to me about this company: many former employees have returned to this company, myself included.

Also, people who still work here don't write reviews on Glassdoor.
I'm happy for you that your personal experience was of that kind.

Any ideas on why treatment by the company varies so much? As far as I remember, quite a few of the Glassdoor reviews mention how things at Obsidian can be radically different depending on who is buddy-buddy with Obsidian top-knobs and who is not.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
3,212
Location
Vostroya
This might be pointless here at the Codex, but I will share some of my experiences at Obsidian.

When my daughter had to go to the emergency room THREE times in 6 months, and I missed a lot of time, the company stood by me and told me not to worry, to put my family first.

When my wife's grandmother died suddenly, the company told me not worry, and to put my family first.

When my wife's grandfather died shortly after at Christmas time, the company told me not to worry and to put my family first.

I am currently dealing with a very serious health issue, the company has stood by my and told me to worry, but to focus on getting healthy.

This doesn't just extend to me. Many employees here have dealt with things that were even worse, and time and time again, the company has stood by them.
For example, when a fellow programmer and friend, his father died suddenly and unexpectedly, the company told him not worry, paid for his plane ticket, and got him home to his family (in another country) and told him to put his family first.

I actually could keep going, but something else speaks to me about this company: many former employees have returned to this company, myself included.

Also, people who still work here don't write reviews on Glassdoor.
And those who do still work there and want to keep their health insurance sure won't be badmouthing the company. Which is understandable, but kinda morbidly funny in context.
 

Prime Junta

Guest
This might be pointless here at the Codex, but I will share some of my experiences at Obsidian.

It's good to hear your perspective and be reminded that the place perhaps isn't an unmitigated den of stinking evil. Do take that advice and get better.

Even so I have to point out that these aren't the issues that Chris has been complaining about at all. A company can treat its employees well as humans, while being a complete clusterfuck about process and organisation, as well as hosting a whole bunch of other pathologies. Moreover, it can go full Mr. Hyde if a valued employee doesn't show sufficient appreciation for all the nice things the company does for him.
 

The Great ThunThun*

How DARE you!?
Patron
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
583
Pathfinder: Wrath
This might be pointless here at the Codex, but I will share some of my experiences at Obsidian.

It's good to hear your perspective and be reminded that the place perhaps isn't an unmitigated den of stinking evil. Do take that advice and get better.

Even so I have to point out that these aren't the issues that Chris has been complaining about at all. A company can treat its employees well as humans, while being a complete clusterfuck about process and organisation, as well as hosting a whole bunch of other pathologies. Moreover, it can go full Mr. Hyde if a valued employee doesn't show sufficient appreciation for all the nice things the company does for him.

You shouldn't forget that even *humane* treatment can be preferential based on whom to bestow it.

l0tePb.gif
 
Last edited:

Lycra Suit

Prophet
Possibly Retarded
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Messages
1,842
Location
Political refugee in Canada
a huge loss for Obsidian in writing talent (much like George Ziets and Travis Stout). All could have been prevented, imo.


About George Ziets, what happened to him? He was promised as a kickstarter stretch goal but then he promptly disappeared from the team.

I noticed the lack of his trademark style in much of the world building and plot, both coming off as more banal than expected. Did Fenstermaker just eclipse all the writers with a glimpse of originality or was it Sawyer's decision?
 

ArchAngel

Arcane
Joined
Mar 16, 2015
Messages
19,889
All of this is normal in EU (except maybe paying for plane tickets).
What kind of shitty country do you live in that you need to put this stuff as a Pro...

He's implying: Do you think such a company would leverage someone with their mother's disease?

Who to believe... :M
MCA situations is not of an average employee.
In this case he pissed off the CEO.
 

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