Interview Destructoid Double Dips On Avellone

[Edward_R_Murrow]

Tags: Alpha Protocol; Chris Avellone; Obsidian Entertainment

Gaming site, Destructoid, has two articles up, each consisting on Chris Avellone being asked one question and providing a few paragraphs in response. Bear in mind, these are essentially appetizers for a bigger Avellone/Obsidian interview focused on Alpha Protocol. Having said that, the first article asks Avellone <a href="http://www.destructoid.com/obsidian-story-is-important-but-not-that-important-142557.phtml">about how he feels stories in games should be handled</a>, and he belts out a pretty solid response. Here's some of it.<blockquote>"It's important. I don't think it's as important as systems design (which is moment-to-moment entertainment), or level design (which gives the systems a context), but the story is an important piece that gives systems and level a reason to exist, and helps to compel the player to move forward," explains Avellone. "Don't get me wrong, I love narrative and character design, but I prefer to create story and character mechanics that are game systems rather than divorced from the systems or levels -- when the story is a mechanic, in terms of reactivity, perks, mission changes, and open/closing of hubs and endgame choices, I think that's the purpose of a game story.</blockquote>Sounds exactly like what most people here would want out of a narrative focused RPG. Next up, Destructoid <a href="http://www.destructoid.com/obsidian-not-having-sex-in-rpgs-does-genre-an-injustice--142559.phtml">asks MCA about sex scenes in games</a>, and whether or not they're just there for the T&A factor.<blockquote>"I think it's an important step, and it's not sex for sex's sake, but it's part of human interaction that makes you more involved in the game world and your characters," he says. "Just like in the real world, sex runs the range from entertainment to a symbol of the depth of feeling between two people, and not having that reflected in a role-playing experience feels does RPGs an injustice."</blockquote>Yeah...can't say I agree in the least. And perhaps Avellone himself didn't at one point. From <a href="http://forums.obsidian.net/index.php?automodule=blog&blogid=1&showentry=79">an older blog entry of his</a> on writing romance in games:<blockquote>This is personal preference, but I would always err on keeping "the chase" going, and have no consummation until the end of the game, if at all - again, I advocate no consummation (I've seen it kill Cheers and Moonlighting among others), but that gets some players pretty upset. Keep the player guessing as to the NPC feelings, even if the hints seem pretty obvious - this makes for good drama.</blockquote>A bit of a change, no?
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://gamebanshee.com/">Gamebanshee</A>

 

[Yeesh]

I don't think it's as much a change in his opinion as it is a sea change in gaming. The fact that the one question is about "sex scenes" and the older quote is about "romance" is telling. Just a few years ago, the issue was whether to have your character actually sleep with some NPC after a drawn out courtship. Now the issue is how much hot hot action they can show as your character fucks his way through the entire female cast.

I agree that Avellone is probably uncomfortable with his current response, because obviously the correct answer is yes, duh, the sex is indeed there for the T&A factor. I think devs are going to have less and less choice in this matter. Their core audience wants it, and their publishers won't let them risk losing sales on a big budget project by leaving out the simulated fucking.

But what I wonder is this: I think romance in games is tedious and annoying, and I think sex in games is far less interesting than sex on the internet (I'm told sex in real life is good too). BUT does it make sense, in an RPG where freedom is ostensibly one of the great goals, to forbid the juvenile horny player from doing the one thing he really wants to do with the busty elven princess from the first moment he sees her? While I'd rather sex stay out of games, I can't dismiss that question so easily.

Still it all just reminds me of that scene from Fear of Girls:
"I want to have sex with her!"
"OK, give me a roll..."

 

[Phelot]

I think a lot of these guys don't want to make waves in the industry. Sex and romance seem to be the newish thing in games so to insult it would be like insulting developers who put it in their games.

 

[winterraptor]

Corporate PR-speak. His job talking, not him. Avellone leaves his real opinions for his various alts on the internet, likely dozens of which are here at The Codex.

 

[MetalCraze]

Yep, I remember only few months ago Avellone said something about how sex is not their way or there won't be one. Guess you can't run from your Bioware Jr. nature. Even retarded gaming media understands that so one of the first questions is not about how AP has little to nothing in common with RPGs but about sex.

 

[Serious_Business]

If I was a successful person in the gaming industry, I would totally say fuck the hardcore crowd. Whatever my past design ideals were. I'm pretty much expecting the next guy to say that CA is a sellout. Guess it's already been said. Hey, here's some food for thought. Games are not art. At least, nobody convinced me otherwise. So why the fuck bother? Do shit that will sell, that's your job. I mean seriously. Why would you want your company to be under-employed, working overtime, for mediocre pay, to put out a product that will probably be full of bugs, that the critics will hate, that won't make any money - but - but that the hardcore crowd will like? It will gain cult-status in obscure nerd circles, yay! This isn't the fucking intellectual elite appreciating your integrity and hard work, this is a bunch of fat mediocre bastards who like to waste time on your oh-so-well-crafted-rpg. Fuck that shit. Here's what I'd tell CA : make money off those fuckers. And write a book, if you want to get out that creative output, or something.

 

[Weresloth]

Yep, I remember only few months ago Avellone said something about how sex is not their way or there won't be one. Guess you can't run from your Bioware Jr. nature. Even retarded gaming media understands that so one of the first questions is not about how AP has little to nothing in common with RPGs but about sex.

Lol, yeah blame this on BioWare.

 

[Drakron]

We already knew his stand from PS:T were "romance" was incidental.

Also KotOR2 romance was ... crap, far far worst that PS:T did.

Fact that Mass Protocol have it is just they are following BioWare formula and there is nothing wrong with that in principle but its the execution that matters and so far they seem to be doing worst that BioWare, at least BioWare makes hubs with shops and non-combat quests as this seem to be a "mission dispenser" hub to connect to EXTREME action combat areas were the missions take place.

Chris Avellone got a Free Pass because of PS:T for far too long, I doubt that even Alpha Effect shitness is going to change that.