Interview The Black Hound interview at GameBanshee

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Neverwinter Nights 2; Obsidian Entertainment

<a href=http://www.gamebanshee.com>GameBanshee</a> has posted an <a href=http://www.gamebanshee.com/interviews/theblackhound1.php>interview</a> with Josh Sawyer about his Black Hound NWN2 mod that started as Black Isle's Baldur's Gate 3.
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<blockquote>There are about eight different factions that have prominent roles in the game, with varying levels of interest in the central plot. Two that emerge very quickly are the Silver Ravens of Sembia and the Red Wizards of Thay. The former are ostensibly in Archenbridge to oppose the foundation of an enclave by the latter.
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The Silver Ravens are a tricky group to deal with for a few reasons. Almost without exception, they have an insufferable level of nationalistic pride. They also run a wide gamut of moral and ethical boundaries. Some Silver Ravens are noble and forthright, others are incredibly despicable, and the rest fall somewhere in the middle. To use their own phrase, the Silver Ravens are a "tangled basket" -- often operating in an intricate and dizzying fashion, with various sub-groups being completely unaware of the goals and actions being taken by the others.
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In contrast, the Red Wizards of Thay are sharply divided on their goals in the Dales. Beyond their interest in May Farrow, the enclave regularly quarrels about their political policy, trade agreements, and even how they present themselves in public. The official leader of the group is a reasonable young enchanter named Caed Marr. He is regularly opposed by an older invoker of the old "kill 'em all; let Kelemvor sort 'em out" school named Feul Zaddechar. Beneath these two figures are an array of wizards and slaves that have varying allegiances and levels of political concern. At least two of the wizards seem more interested in testing the insulating properties of rubber from a shocking grasp on a cat.
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As for manipulation... if I told you how the protagonist was going to be manipulated by factions, that wouldn't be very much fun, would it? </blockquote>Overall, the game sounds much better than NWN2. Hopefully, it will get enough love and attention from Obsidian.
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Thanks, Jora and JrK.
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[hiciacit]

Very nice. That interview is a pleasant surprise, I had never heard of this game before...perhaps the money I paid on NWN2 might not be a complete waste afterall.

I'd rather not make it a premium module. I'm going to make a significant number of rule changes for the campaign and the tone I'm taking with many of the characters pushes the boundaries of what's acceptable for a T-rated product. I don't want to compromise on either of those things, even if it means the perceived quality of the campaign suffers.

I applaud such design decisions.

 

[spacemoose]

I like how the host just does not get it:

host: so what was the story of BG3 going to be like

JS: completely unrelated to BG really

host: are we going to meet any familiar characters from BG?

JS: nope, its a completely different storyline

host: so who owns the rights to make BG3?

 

[Sarkile]

I may be wrong since I haven't given or recieved an interview such as this, but I think the questions are all sent in at once.

 

[Grog]

May Farrow

Didn't she make movies and adopt kids with Woodie Allen? At least until Woodie started sleeping with the kids...

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Interesting. If this mod turns out good, I'll pick up NWN 2 just to play this.

 

[suibhne]

It's interesting to me that this is becoming such an organized project. How the hell does he have time for this? Or, conversely, how the hell is Obsidian not giving serious permission for this - and if so, how will WotC not take a big dump on it?

Anyway, very interesting. Everything I previously read about The Black Hound made the narrative setup and the NPCs sound pretty compelling, and those should translate well.

 

[spacemoose]

It's interesting to me that this is becoming such an organized project. How the hell does he have time for this? Or, conversely, how the hell is Obsidian not giving serious permission for this - and if so, how will WotC not take a big dump on it?

the man loves to make games. as for WotC, how would they justify any complaint - this is not a commercial product, just someone making a mod for NWN2

 

[mister lamat]

as long as obsidian doesn't devote any official resources to it, or promote it, wotc can go fuck themselves... and i'm sure fergie had the lawyers look over this one with a comb.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

May Farrow

Didn't she make movies and adopt kids with Woodie Allen? At least until Woodie started sleeping with the kids...

Mia Farrow, you dick. She also hooked up with Roman Polanski, but I have no data if they did the sexy thing.

 

[JrK]

Yup, this interview was a pleasant surprise to spot on the Banshee. :D I like the way he says the Warlock is going to be baleeted, what a sucky class. It could have gone with the monk too, in my opinion. In any case, I like the NWN2 engine with it's ruleset (especially since patch 1.4 fixed the active combat modes) and I hope so see some good roleplaying in it. Where all those nice rogue skills get into play often.

 

[Spectacle]

I wonder exactly what the IP rules are for NWN2 mods? The game is a licenced Forgotten Realms product, and mods require the original game to be used, so it can be argued that mods are part of the game and thus covered by the licence. Lawyers might not see it that way though.

 

[Seboss]

Isn't there a problem in re-hashing material that have been produced (albeit canned) under the Interplay payroll in a NWN2 mod by an Obsidian employee ?

 

[spacemoose]

Isn't there a problem in re-hashing material that have been produced (albeit canned) under the Interplay payroll in a NWN2 mod by an Obsidian employee ?

that's the kind of talk that will get you a pair of cement shoes around these parts

 

[Texas Red]

I guess Sawyer needs a real RPG making fix, considering what crap Obsidian is developing now.

 

[dagorkan]

So this is some more Forgotten Realms bullshit? No thanks

 

[Jora]

I guess Sawyer needs a real RPG making fix, considering what crap Obsidian is developing now.

The Alien game doesn't sound bad:

My preference for RPGs is almost always for open-ended stories with few required critical path moments. I like worlds that are open for exploration but always offer a clear and viable "next step" to take in moving the story forward. It allows players to move at their own pace and in their own direction but gives them the ability to return to "the path" when they want to. My goal is to allow for freedom without being vague, direction without being restrictive. I hope that helps give an idea of what we are shooting for.

 

[Lumpy]

Yeah, I fucking hate it when these developers use the FR setting just to get more money.

 

[aweigh]

Seems like a good marketing strategy to get more $$$ for Obsidian; making "real" RPGers buy NWN2 just so they can play the "mod".

 

[Ladonna]

If its good, I won't begrudge him doing so.

Put your hands up for this one: Who bought Dungeon siege cos you wanted to play the bestest RPG Evar?

Hands down.

Now, put your hands up if you bought Dungeon siege to play Ultima 5 Lazarus?


See what I mean? :wink:

 

[Lumpy]

Seems like a good marketing strategy to get more $$$ for Obsidian; making "real" RPGers buy NWN2 just so they can play the "mod".

Conspiracy!
Really, what are you suggesting? That JE Sawyer is making a whole new game based on the NWN2 engine, to persuade the hardcore RPGers to buy NWN2? Despite most of them having bought it already because the only alternatives are G3 and Ob? But he's not selling it... uhh... to look better in the eyes of those 10 RPG fans left who didn't buy NWN2, would buy it just for TBH, but wouldn't if it were a premium module?
No, really, your post doesn't make any sense, down to the "quotes" placed around for no "reason". Are "real" RPGers not real? Then haven't they already bought NWN2? Is this not a real mod? Than what is it?

 

[Nightjed]

in about 2 months the "mod" will turn into "epic new game using an enhanced version of the nwn2 engine", specially if the black hound has similar "size" to the other bgs and considering the nwn2 engine still needs quite a few changes to become bg material, so i wouldnt hurry buying nwn2 so soon.

BTW wtf do these "factions" manipulate the player ? this would only make sense if the player was considered some kind of "chosen one" or have an epic, unique and blooming artifact up his ass ...

 

[Lumpy]

in about 2 months the "mod" will turn into "epic new game using an enhanced version of the nwn2 engine", specially if the black hound has similar "size" to the other bgs and considering the nwn2 engine still needs quite a few changes to become bg material, so i wouldnt hurry buying nwn2 so soon.

BTW wtf do these "factions" manipulate the player ? this would only make sense if the player was considered some kind of "chosen one" or have an epic, unique and blooming artifact up his ass ...

QUOTES frenzy!!
Yet another hopelessly stupid post. What reason would Obsidian, who are already working on THREE games, have to start yet another project, but announce it as an unofficial mod at first. And claim that it should be independent because it would be too limiting to make it an official one.
And other BGs? BG material? How poor is your reading comprehension? I mean, reading the first answer in the interview should clear that up.

 

[Nightjed]

And other BGs? BG material? How poor is your reading comprehension? I mean, reading the first answer in the interview should clear that up.

i mean to play like BG, im not comparing the story, like selecting multiple characters and customizable/scriptable ai

and as for what reason would obsidian have, its simple, they are probably testing the market to see if the bg3 wannabe is worth the effort, they have too many projects already and are probably trying to optimize their resource management, also they have been hiring a lot of ppl lately

 

[Lumpy]

And why would it have to play like BG?