Interview Feargus chats with GameSpot

[Spazmo]

Tags: Black Isle Studios; Fallout 3 (Van Buren); Feargus Urquhart

<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/pc">Gamespot PC</a> have posted the first of two parts of an interview with our pal <b>Feargus Urquhart</b>, ex-<a href=http://www.blackisle.com>BIS</a> bigwig and current <a href=http://www.obsidianent.com>Obsidian</a> bigwig. He discussed Black Isle's closure and what may have motivated it, Fallout 3 and what all this means for RPGs at large.
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<blockquote>GS: What do you think caused Interplay to lay off most of Black Isle's staff?
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Feargus Urquhart: I can only speculate based upon what I have heard going around the Internet and third-hand. However, it sounds like Interplay has decided to put all of its remaining development effort behind Fallout Brotherhood of Steel and the Exalted license. Both of those are console titles, while Black Isle was making a PC product. Plus, I would assume that Interplay could make more money in the short term by selling Fallout to another publisher and letting the team go then finishing the product.
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GS: Do you think the layoffs were a good decision, business-wise?
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FU: That's very hard to answer. I have heard from many people that the team was very certain that they could get Fallout 3 done and I think most people would consider that Black Isle was a marketable brand. I'm sure there are smarter people then me who could comment on whether shutting down a division in that position was a good idea or not.</blockquote>
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Feargus should have done this interview with us. We'd have let him curse at Herve and Darth Molitor as much as he wanted instead of this noncommital waffling.
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Keep an eye out for part 2 tomorrow wherein Feargus will talk about Obsidian.

 

[Seven]

Yea, this interview didn't have anything juicy at all. We want the low down Feargi or ELSE!

 

[Feargus Urquhart]

Lawyer bills...

I had an employment contract with Interplay that said a bunch of stuff about liable and secrets and all that. So maybe I'm being a little too careful or rather a wimp, but since a bunch of people from BIS work for Obsidian now (18, up from 17 when I did that interview), I'd rather not give Interplay reason to get on our case.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Oy Spazmo, you forgot to post the link to the interview itself.

I'm interested in their first game, CEO's Gone Wild. Just the title evokes a sort of spaghetti western meets porno industry setting with customizable cowboys and aliens whose main objective is to hunt down Caen the evil mutant cyborg of the wastes.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Re: Lawyer bills...

I had an employment contract with Interplay that said a bunch of stuff about liable and secrets and all that. So maybe I'm being a little too careful or rather a wimp, but since a bunch of people from BIS work for Obsidian now (18, up from 17 when I did that interview), I'd rather not give Interplay reason to get on our case.

I don't consider it to be wimpy or anything of the sort. If i was in that position, i would probably do the same thing. Specially because i don't think that it would be fair jeopardizing in any way Obsidian or its employees over disagreements with past employers (however motivated said disagreements may be).

Of course, one could try making some footage of Bin Laden in some rocky scenery, with a voice similar to his own spilling the beans

 

[Sol Invictus]

I don't think it's wimpy to assume a 'moderate' stance, especially when it's not just your ass that's on the line, but also everyone else who works with you (or for you). Now just wouldn't be a good time to make any enemies.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Re: Lawyer bills...

a bunch of people from BIS work for Obsidian now (18, up from 17 when I did that interview)

Who's lucky number 18?

 

[Seven]

Re: Lawyer bills...

I had an employment contract with Interplay that said a bunch of stuff about liable and secrets and all that. So maybe I'm being a little too careful or rather a wimp, but since a bunch of people from BIS work for Obsidian now (18, up from 17 when I did that interview), I'd rather not give Interplay reason to get on our case.

I suppose you have a point. I mean hey, they've already sunk all of the Iply divisions, so they're probably looking to expand their rein of incompetance. Plus, as cash strapped as they are I wouldn't put any thing past'em. On a side note, who's hopping that the demise of Iply will sink titus too (I know it's a long shot, but a guy can hope, right?)?

 

[Ausir]

Don't worry, they can't afford good lawyers anyway.

 

[TimCain]

Re: Lawyer bills...

I had an employment contract with Interplay that said a bunch of stuff about liable and secrets and all that. So maybe I'm being a little too careful or rather a wimp, but since a bunch of people from BIS work for Obsidian now (18, up from 17 when I did that interview), I'd rather not give Interplay reason to get on our case.

I hear that!

 

[Seven]

We should start a club, and call it: "The I hate Interplay, but cannot say so for fear of getting sued club". At the very least it would have a very select membership.

 

[undead dolphin hacker]

Well that sucks. I hope Interplay dies soon so we can finally hear all the juicy details.

 

[chrisbeddoes]

Re: Lawyer bills...

but since a bunch of people from BIS work for Obsidian now (18, up from 17 when I did that interview)

So is everybody that was at BIS gone to Obsidian ?

How many people worked at BIS ?

 

[Major_Blackhart]

That's a good question.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Re: Lawyer bills...

I had an employment contract with Interplay that said a bunch of stuff about liable and secrets and all that. So maybe I'm being a little too careful or rather a wimp, but since a bunch of people from BIS work for Obsidian now (18, up from 17 when I did that interview), I'd rather not give Interplay reason to get on our case.

I thought that was the way of things. Employees leave Company, make new company, Company sues ex-employees for competing with Company with new company. It's the same old song and dance. Everybody! RUMBA!

 

[Seven]

I'll never understand the non-complete clause that some companies force you to sign. Some times it's even up to six months. Honestly now, what do they expect you to do for money, start a fruit stand?

 

[Dhruin]

I was curious that Feargus said they weren't working on anything specific with Bioware at the moment. Clearly they must be working on something - just semantics or what?

 

[chrisbeddoes]

I'll never understand the non-complete clause that some companies force you to sign. Some times it's even up to six months. Honestly now, what do they expect you to do for money, start a fruit stand?

They do expect to have control of you and what you do even after they stop paying you .

And they do expect you not to badmouth them no matter whatever evil or idiotic thing they may have done.

 

[Seven]

Awwwwwwww, that explains it. They're agents of the devil, why didn't you just say that in the beginning?

 

[triCritical]

I'll never understand the non-complete clause that some companies force you to sign. Some times it's even up to six months. Honestly now, what do they expect you to do for money, start a fruit stand?

I find it hard to believe that people would sign a contract, which would prohibit someone from doing something even after you no longer work for them. Its one thing not to use your former companies intellectual property. I have a hard time believing this contract would hold in a court, especially after an employees been terminated.

BTW, no one is forced to sign anything. A contract like that is something, which could keep me from taking that job. I guess its just another way corporations keep the man down.

 

[chrisbeddoes]

Awwwwwwww, that explains it. They're agents of the devil, why didn't you just say that in the beginning?

They are no more agents of evil than say your parents are.

Your parents also expect to have control of you after they stop giving you money.


And they also do not like you to badmouth them.

 

[Spazmo]

Oy Spazmo, you forgot to post the link to the interview itself.

That's my mad skillz at work there.

Feargus--NO DICE! It's not like Interplay could even afford to sue you now anyways. We just want to hear you say "FOBOS SUCKS!"

 

[Seven]

Awwwwwwww, that explains it. They're agents of the devil, why didn't you just say that in the beginning?

They are no more agents of evil than say your parents are.

Your parents also expect to have control of you after they stop giving you money.


And they also do not like you to badmouth them.

Oh I beg to differ. With parents when you move out they don't tell you that you can't work for the first six months. In fact when I first moved out my mumszy was practically begging me to take money.
Lets face it, game publishers are the agensts of the darklord they naturally gravitate towards evil; sorry but it's just one of those self evident facts of life.

 

[ecliptic]

Do non-compete agreements hold up in court?

 

[Feargus Urquhart]

Responses...

Actually the Bioware thing was a mis-quote on my part. I was thinking one thing when I was writing the answer and it came off different. I'm a retard - you all know this. I've asked Tor to change it.

As for contracts and stuff like that. Non-competes are questionably enforceable as I understand it. You can't really sign your "rights" away and the ability to do what you are trained/able to do is a "right" in some ways.

Now as to why someone would sign a contract to work at a place your already working - well the company is offering you something for it. Often this is an increase in salary, stock options and maybe some shiny pennies. When my contract was coming to an end, I was offered another contract by Interplay, but I told them I wasn't interested - it was understood at that point that I wouldn't be offered as good of terms if I went year to year. Like an apartment, where you get a better deal if you go for a 12 or 24 month lease rather than month to month.