Preview ToEE journal numero uno up at RPG Vault

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Temple of Elemental Evil; Tim Cain; Troika Games

<b>Tim Cain</b> has written up a <A href="http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/393/393876p1.html">journal thingy</a> for <A href="http://www.troikagames.com/toee.htm">Temple of Elemental Evil</a> over at <a href="http://rpgvault.ign.com">RPG Vault</a>, going in to some rich tapestry on the beginnings of the project:
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<blockquote>They had seen Arcanum. They had liked Arcanum. They had the license to 3rd edition D&D. They wanted us to make a D&D game. And they had money.
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Well, needless to say, I wet myself, as any decent role-player might. This was D&D. This was the game on which I had first cut my RPG teeth, back in the '80s (and forget blue colas in the '80s; we didn't even have clear colas back then). Of course I wanted to make a D&D game! I'd sell my soul to make a D&D game, even in the current buyer's market.</blockquote>
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There you have it, <b>Tim Cain</b> has bladder issues!
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Thanks to <b>Zed</b> for the word!

 

[Spazmo]

But then they [Infogrames] said the magic phrase "We own the rights to all of the classic modules. Pick one."

*Jaw drops*

The man has truly been blessed.

 

[Flarnet]

So what is that action rpg fps he mentions? It's at least 21 months into production so we're bound to see it at E3.

 

[Spazmo]

It's all very hush-hush. We (we being us mortals who don't pester Tim Cain on IRC for info) know only two things:

1) It's an action RPG

2) Leon Boyarsky, Jason Anderson, and the better part of the Arcanum team is working on it.

An E3 announcement does not seem unlikely, no.

 

[Jarinor]

Actually, the 18 months of ToEE isn't up yet. By my judgment, it's at about the 15/16 month mark. The other project started 3 months beforehand, so that puts it at the 18/19 months mark.

By the time ToEE comes out, then they'll have been working on it for 21 months. Does anyone else now think that it might be a Deus Ex-like game?

 

[Spazmo]

Hmm... maybe. Deux Ex done right, with honest to God choices would be great.

 

[Psilon]

Hey, don't knock Deus Ex. There were three different ways of killing Anna, if you recall. You could shoot her in the UNATCO lobby, shoot her on the plane, or use the killphrase. It's just so nonlinear I get lost in the plot! They should have made Deus Ex an FPS version of Icewind Dale, only with guns!

Actually, a Troika take on Deus Ex-style gameplay might be pretty cool. I hope they use a sufficiently advanced engine, though. As action RPGs currently stand, it's going to have to compare to Morrowind and Dungeon Siege in looks if they want Diablo fans' money.

 

[Spazmo]

No, no, I liked Deus Ex quite a bit. However, the choices and the effect thereof could have been a lot better.

 

[DrattedTin]

He was being a bit wry, Spazmo.

It least, I hope he was.

 

[Rosh]

Hey, I still have my hopes up for a possible System Shock 3 (we could only wish), or something of the sort.

But then they [Infogrames] said the magic phrase "We own the rights to all of the classic modules. Pick one."

And what a good one to pick.

 

[EEVIAC]

No, no, I liked Deus Ex quite a bit. However, the choices and the effect thereof could have been a lot better.

The fact that it didn't have a real evil path was a huge disappointment. The ability to reload the start of the last level and make a snap decision which could lead to one of the three different endings was pretty cheap too, and cripple its replayability. But the interviews I've read with Warren Spector and Harvey Smith suggest they've learned and are listening to what people didn't like about the first game.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. seems more like my kind of action game anyways. Mostly shootemup, with some open ended gameplay + radiation and eastern block vehicles. (The mere prospect of hooning around a wasteland in a Lada Niva gives me chills.)

But then they [Infogrames] said the magic phrase "We own the rights to all of the classic modules. Pick one."

That shows a tremendous amount of faith on the part of Infogrammes - which I'm thankful for.

 

[HanoverF]

I'm guessing Tim Cain is going to recieve several boxes of Depends this year for Xmas

 

[Psilon]

The fact that didn't have a real evil path was a huge disappointment. The ability to reload the start of the last level and make a snap decision which could lead to one of the three different endings was pretty cheap too, and cripple its replayability. But the interviews I've read with Warren Spector and Harvey Smith suggest they've learned and are listening to what people didn't like about the first game.

Yeah, Deus Ex was enjoyable (though I didn't mean the last post to be taken seriously), but the only parts of the game that felt really fleshed-out were the Paris chateau mission and the starting block of New York areas. Area 51 was a monster gauntlet combined with three last-minute endings lifted from Bartlett's Familiar Quotations. It sounds like they're really trying to avoid all the forced choices in the sequel, and I'll probably buy it if they do so.

But then they [Infogrames] said the magic phrase "We own the rights to all of the classic modules. Pick one."

I wonder how many Fallout and Arcanum fans it takes in upper management before Troika can get that treatment from every publisher. Hopefully ToEE and The Unnamed Game will work the same magic. (So to speak--I don't think ToEE will feature super mutants casting Harm.)

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

I wonder how many Fallout and Arcanum fans it takes in upper management before Troika can get that treatment from every publisher. Hopefully ToEE and The Unnamed Game will work the same magic. (So to speak--I don't think ToEE will feature super mutants casting Harm.)

Infogrames doing that there is enough for me. It's allowing Troika the flexibility to do what they think is best, which shows they really trust Tim.

Though, wetting his pants might have scared them a little.

 

[triCritical]

Hmm... maybe. Deux Ex done right, with honest to God choices would be great.

You mean not having 3 choices that all result in the friggin thing.

OOOOH I am Warren and I knows it ALLLLLLs abouts RPG's.

I hate Deus Ex. SS2 all the way baby!!!!!11111

 

[triCritical]

Hey, don't knock Deus Ex. There were three different ways of killing Anna, if you recall. You could shoot her in the UNATCO lobby, shoot her on the plane, or use the killphrase. It's just so nonlinear I get lost in the plot! They should have made Deus Ex an FPS version of Icewind Dale, only with guns!.

Its not Spectre roleplaying, its Bioware roleplaying. To solve this quest regardless, of ethics, class or ability you have to kill a bunch of monters. I wouldn't hate Spectre so much if he wasn't the pompotous person he was that thinks he reinvents RPG's with every breath he takes.

 

[John Syron]

I bought Deus Ex as a jewelcase a few years ago, titled "Deus Ex Limited". Does that mean it's only a few levels of the game?

Also, there's talk of making Deus Ex into a movie.

 

[Spazmo]

Probably. What was the last level?

 

[John Syron]

I haven't installed Deus Ex yet. But it's on my list to play this Spring after I finish Fallout 2, along with System Shock 2, Thief, and others. Thanks though.

 

[Psilon]

As I recall, the "limited" Deus Ex was just the first few New York missions.

Good luck trying to finish Thief. It's a great game, but quite hard. At least, hard for the average "kill 'em all!" style FPS player.

 

[DrattedTin]

I did fine in Thief, until I got to the level after Constantine beats you up.

Couldn't get anywhere in it.

 

[Lemon]

Deus Ex was spare at the end and so ultimately limited because of time and budgetary constraints. They wanted to give you a complete evil path. There were supposed to be number of smaller quests all through the rest of the game that got ripped.

But Proverbius, what is infrogrames doing? They're shaving costs by doing the 18month cycle and having their own man do the music (and imagine there is much more in that line.) Are they looking for reputation or are they looking for a medium selling hardcore rpg? It doesn't sound like the hit driven strategy so often employed.

 

[EEVIAC]

But Proverbius, what is infrogrames doing? They're shaving costs by doing the 18month cycle and having their own man do the music (and imagine there is much more in that line.)

You're right, Infrogrammes are serving their best interests. The game seems relatively low risk for them, Troika already having the graphics and dialogue engines ready. From the dev diary Tim makes it sound like they were sitting on their hands waiting for someone to offer them some money to make an RPG.

Are they looking for reputation or are they looking for a medium selling hardcore rpg? It doesn't sound like the hit driven strategy so often employed.

Maybe someone at Infogrammes just want to play a really good role playing game. :D There's certain evidence that points to that such as allowing them to do whatever module they wanted and putting TB combat in (which is pretty unpopular right now.) Infrogrammes will either get an authentic role playing game which doesn't sell well, or said same game that does. Either way makes them look like heroes. (There is the possibility that ToEE might be a bad game, I guess that's Infrogrammes risk. Even then it could sell merely on the licence.)

I know from music, the only time you let a creative team do what they want is when you're prepared to stick with them for long enough to build a longterm fanbase. It might not be the same with game publishing.

The ultimate irony would be for ToEE to sell really well. Then Bioware could get leaned on a little - "how bout you guys make a kinda story game? With the funny fighting system. That's what the kids like these days."

 

[Zetor]

This might sound far-fetched, but I think Infogrames wants to garner some awards [rpg of the year and the like] by appeasing the 'hardcore gamer' segment to boost later sales of their other games / show WOTC "see, I'm using that D&D license well". Plus, as others have said, it's low risk; they have nothing to lose [if it flops, they'll simply downplay it as a budget venture], and quite some things to gain.
Now, if they simply went for a bestseller, they would probably get some acclaim from 'casual gamer' mags, but not from the (self-proclaimed?) experts and industry people. I can't remember the last Sims expansion getting any kind of award, and they're consistent bestsellers, for example.
Sounds wack, I know... but hey.

-- Z.

 

[Spazmo]

NWN has already won heaps of RPG of the year awards.