People News Josh Sawyer plans to develop a historical RPG after his current project

[Infinitron]

Tags: J.E. Sawyer; Obsidian Entertainment

It seems that Josh Sawyer feels that he can speak more openly in his new role as Design Director of Obsidian. In the latest reply on his ever-popular Tumblr Q&A site, he has rather remarkably revealed his intention to develop a Darklands-like historical RPG as his next project (after the current one, which is probably Pillars of Eternity 2). I quote:

Is there anything stopping you from doing historical RPG? Do you consider PoE a historical RPG cause it functions more like a historical fiction than a typical fantasy story?

I need to devote my attention to the project I’m currently directing, but it is my intention that the next project I direct (after this one) will be a historical RPG. It’s something I’ve been talking to Feargus every once in a while for the past couple of years and he’s been supportive.

I don’t consider PoE to be a historical RPG in any way. When I say “historical RPG” I mean something set in Earth’s history – inclusive with fantastic variations, like Darklands and Ars Magica.​

Darklands is one of Josh's favorite RPGs, and the prospect of developing a similar game is something he's been talking about for a long time. Knowing Josh, I don't think he would announce something like this at such an early stage unless it was likely to be a sure thing. The man's definitely earned some privileges.

 

[Jaesun]

It better be turn-based.

 

[BlackAdderBG]

It will be hard to do,as if Pillars to do well they may push for 3th game next or if sales are poor no support for another cRPG.

 

[Blackstaff]

The ars magica video game rights seems reachable. I would dig it

 

[Azalin]

Something like that could be really interesting

 

[Fairfax]

2019 at the earliest. Don't hold your breath, sawyerists.

 

[Darth Roxor]

cant wait for balanced miracles

do you pray to saint emydius for +3% electrical resistance or saint michael for +1% critical hit chance?

 

[Eirikur]

It'd better be set in the Holy Roman Empire!
It'd better aim for historical accuracy!
It'd better have realistic gender roles and races (one)!

 

[Morality Games]

Pillars of Eternity II will sell well. It has no real competitors and the barrier to entry has become too high.

 

[Decado]

I'd very much like to see his take on the various Arthurian legends, either post-Roman or straight up-dark ages Yurop. That would be fucking boss.

 

[MrMarbles]

Historically bad

 

[rohand]

Actual screenshot:

 

[himmy]

I would give my peg-leg for a party-based TB age-of-sails RPG with light fantasy elements.

 

[Trash]

Darklands is one of my absolute all-time favourites. If he manages to capture the atmosphere, feel of freedom and scope of that game...well, wow.

 

[HobGoblin42]

It'd better have realistic gender roles and races (one)!

You mean, like in Darklands?

 

[Paul_cz]

Wow so there will be three historical singleplayer RPGs ever made, cool.

 

[Thonius]

Good news! I think Its time for another crusader RPG. Or something with Hunnic Empire. No vikings or England please.

Spoiler

Also as I recall there were talks about time travel RPG? Right? Why don't mix it up? ---> Kill some Saracen in X century to stop refugee flood in XXI

 

[Snorkack]

Wow so there will be three historical singleplayer RPGs ever made, cool.

if reality was fun, we wouldn't need games.

 

[Infinitron]

Good news! I think Its time for another crusader RPG. Or something with Hunnic Empire. No vikings or England please.

Spoiler

Also as I recall there were talks about time travel RPG? Right? Why don't mix it up? ---> Kill some Saracen in X century to stop refugee flood in XXI

You're thinking about inXile's Meantime trademark. Different company, different thing.

 

[an Administrator]

Adventures of Mansa Musa: The Kang's Quest

 

[Thonius]

Well its hard to remember all games that did not even hit the drawing board.

 

[SausageInYourFace]

Historical RPG by veteran RPG designer, history nerd and actual history student* ? I'll take it.



*though he never finished his degree did he?

 

[GrainWetski]

Good news! I think Its time for another crusader RPG. Or something with Hunnic Empire. No vikings or England please.

Spoiler

Also as I recall there were talks about time travel RPG? Right? Why don't mix it up? ---> Kill some Saracen in X century to stop refugee flood in XXI

Played lots of historically accurate RPGs with vikings or set in England, have you?

 

[Thonius]

Truth to be told I never played historically accurate RPG. Its just England was cool only when it had colonies and Vikings are overused in media.

 

[Infinitron]

Josh could make the Darklands sequel Arnold Hendrick never got around to making: http://www.rpgcodex.net/content.php?id=8246

RPG Codex: You probably had a lot of plans and ideas for a possible sequel to Darklands that had to be left unrealized, or at least a lot of ideas that did not make it into the game due to time and resource constraints. What were some of the things that had to be cut or that you planned for a sequel?

A true sandbox game would have more quests and activities than the characters could perform in any normal lifetime! I had originally hoped to have many quest storylines, not just one apocalyptic one. However, that was impractical given the growing time and cost. If the game had become an instant smash hit, then we could have done sequels with more storylines.

There is a lot more you can do with German history in that period. You can also add in things about the Hussites in Bohemia, the power of the Hanseatic League, the fall of the Teutonic Order, and rising Polish kingdom under the great Jagiellon dynasty. Adventures involving the struggle between the various papal factions could have been very interesting: the catholic church had three competing popes in the early 1400s.

Meanwhile, starting the late ‘90s, Jonathan Sumption has been slowing putting out an absolutely incredible multi-volume historyof the Hundred Years War. It is one of those seminal works that will be the defining history of the period for decades to come, much like S.E.Morison’s history of US Naval Operations in WWII or Oman’s history of the Peninsular wars. Armed with Sumption’s work, some great RPGs set in the Hundred Years War period are now possible.