Interview Matt Chat 91: Brian Fargo Part III

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Tags: Brian Fargo; Interplay; Matt Barton

<p>Learn about the decline and demise of the company in this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apg08u6n2YM&feature=player_embedded" target="_blank">third and final part</a> of the interview with Interplay founder Brian Fargo.</p>
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<p>Spotted at: <a href="http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/101325-brian-fargo-video-interview-part-three.html">GB</a></p>

 

[Forest Dweller]

My image of Brian Fargo as a well-meaning developer who inadvertently handed his company over to a man who would destroy his vision has just been deflated.

 

[MapMan]

He seems like a really cool guy. I wonder if haunted will be a flop?

 

[mondblut]

Having embedded youtube vids on the main page - THAT is decline. We're too prestigious for this shit.

 

[Kaanyrvhok]

The big mistake was that they didnt enter the console market with the stick with what you know mindset. They had BG running on the PS 1. Even if they had a sided deal with Bioware they should have ported it to the PS 2/Xbox just to develop a following and if TSR wasnt savy enough to understand that then maybe the sells would have taught them.

I'm with him on IWD

IWD 1 had a real purity to it. It didnt have as many highs as BG, FO and PST but it was steadier with fewer lows.

 

[J_C]

I've just watched all 3 episodes of the interview and damn they were so interesting. Even if someone doesn't agree with him on some matters, it is always good to hear the thoughts of these people. They are not like the designers nowadays, who are just bullshitting and hyping their games.

I don't know if the interviews of Mr. Chris Avellone were posted on the Codex. If not, then right this was gentleman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCCuxo5YDkc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWEl0IQm670

 

[Saxon1974]

I like Mr Fargo, sounds like a reasonable guy to me.

He seems like a good producer for attempting to merge old school with the new. It makes me sad but I think he is right that is really gonna be hard to succeed with a pure old school RPG with the market the way it is now.

Not really that interested in Hunted, but I hope it sells well and his company can make a real RPG.

I found Icewind dale to have great atmosphere but it was a little too hack and slashy for me.

 

[Jaesun]

Not really that interested in Hunted, but I hope it sells well and his company can make a real RPG.

That will never happen. Even if it is successful. Unless they can afford to self produce another game on the side, while maintaining making other pop-a-mole games that continue to sell on consoles.

 

[Arcanoix]

Autographed copy of WoW: Cataclysm Collectors Edition in Fargo's room? .... An RPG developer with the most hated MMO in his room?

 

[jiujitsu]

Autographed copy of WoW: Cataclysm Collectors Edition in Fargo's room? .... An RPG developer with the most hated MMO in his room?

I played WoW for probably 11 months total. It was fun as hell most of the time. It's not traditional, but it's still a good game to a lot of people. Honestly, it isn't really an RPG. That's why those types of games have their own distinct category.

Playing an MMO can make you feel a lot less lonely than if you spend all your free time playing single player. That was the major appeal to me, really. How many great CRPGs have come out since WoW was released, anyway? Fallout:NV? NWN2otB? Can't really play those for 8 months straight.

It doesn't nearly rank in top 5 games ever for me, though.

 

[zeitgeist]

One of the biggest reasons for the state of the industry being as it is, is mentioned at 02:45.

...they bought all these companies, they've got a lot of mouths to feed, and they've got to keep them busy.

 

[Saxon1974]

Not really that interested in Hunted, but I hope it sells well and his company can make a real RPG.

That will never happen. Even if it is successful. Unless they can afford to self produce another game on the side, while maintaining making other pop-a-mole games that continue to sell on consoles.

You could be right, but then I guess that means no true RPG's will ever get made again except tiny indy ones. I guess that means the genre we love as we know it will be dead soon.

how long can re-playing old RPG's last? Well, for me a while since I got a bunch and not much time to play.

 

[Mastermind]

I don't know if the interviews of Mr. Chris Avellone were posted on the Codex. If not, then right this was gentleman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCCuxo5YDkc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWEl0IQm670

"I think I was the stupidest guy in the computer lab."

No kidding.

 

[Radisshu]

Autographed copy of WoW: Cataclysm Collectors Edition in Fargo's room? .... An RPG developer with the most hated MMO in his room?

WoW: Cataclysm Collectors Edition.... the most hated MMO

I've never played WoW, but it clearly isn't "the most hated" MMO.

 

[Metro]

I have zero faith Hunted will even be halfway decent after the huge disaster that was his Bard's Tale 'reimagining.' Nice enough guy, made some great stuff in his day... but in the end they all devolve to purveyors of console/iphone schlock. Fargo, Gilbert, Molyneux, Spector... guess they gotta eat.

 

[Quilty]

Good interviews, very insightful. The guy who does the videos would make a good codexer, too. Seems weird enough.

 

[Azrael the cat]

I have zero faith Hunted will even be halfway decent after the huge disaster that was his Bard's Tale 'reimagining.' Nice enough guy, made some great stuff in his day... but in the end they all devolve to purveyors of console/iphone schlock. Fargo, Gilbert, Molyneux, Spector... guess they gotta eat.

I'm wondering whether it's the same problems that musicians run into. I.e. they produce a few brilliant and groundbreaking products when young, but then they realise that if this is going to keep bread on the table for the next 50 years, and provide for kids' uni fees and so on, they need to shift to safer fare (can't rely on pulling a brilliant idea out every 12 months forever).

I'm guessing for the old developers as well, from THEIR end it actually might be more interesting and challenging to go into mobile phone games etc. It means tackling new platforms and new styles of gaming, even though from the gamers' perspective it's mundane shite.

 

[CreamyBlood]

I like Matt Chat, he asks the questions, doesn't push them too far but he asks them.

Fargo and Cain answered in the best way they could, honestly. Maybe they tip-toed around the questions a little bit but they responded as they saw it. That's all you can ask.

We're all living in a different world and all have to eat. Times change. Bravo to Matt for doing this, it's very interesting and insightful, even if it does dash our hopes and show reality crashing at our feet.

 

[reaven]

I like Matt Chat, he asks the questions, doesn't push them too far but he asks them.

Fargo and Cain answered in the best way they could, honestly. Maybe they tip-toed around the questions a little bit but they responded as they saw it. That's all you can ask.

We're all living in a different world and all have to eat. Times change. Bravo to Matt for doing this, it's very interesting and insightful, even if it does dash our hopes and show reality crashing at our feet.

In my opinion he is the current best internet video review guy.
Not that hard tho, most of the others are consoletards...

 

[curry]

I don't know if the interviews of Mr. Chris Avellone were posted on the Codex. If not, then right this was gentleman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCCuxo5YDkc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWEl0IQm670

"I think I was the stupidest guy in the computer lab."

No kidding.

He probably was. Someone should stab Avellone in face for raping the entire Fallout franchise.

And no, I don't give a fuck if he made PS:T.

 

[Jaesun]

Not really that interested in Hunted, but I hope it sells well and his company can make a real RPG.

That will never happen. Even if it is successful. Unless they can afford to self produce another game on the side, while maintaining making other pop-a-mole games that continue to sell on consoles.

You could be right, but then I guess that means no true RPG's will ever get made again except tiny indy ones. I guess that means the genre we love as we know it will be dead soon.

how long can re-playing old RPG's last? Well, for me a while since I got a bunch and not much time to play.

RPG games died a long time ago. Didn't you get the memo?

 

[Ermm]

The big mistake was that they didnt enter the console market with the stick with what you know mindset. They had BG running on the PS 1. Even if they had a sided deal with Bioware they should have ported it to the PS 2/Xbox just to develop a following and if TSR wasnt savy enough to understand that then maybe the sells would have taught them.

I'm with him on IWD

IWD 1 had a real purity to it. It didnt have as many highs as BG, FO and PST but it was steadier with fewer lows.

Baldurs Gate for PS1 was recently leaked on interwebz.

 

[J_C]

I don't know if the interviews of Mr. Chris Avellone were posted on the Codex. If not, then right this was gentleman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCCuxo5YDkc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWEl0IQm670

"I think I was the stupidest guy in the computer lab."

No kidding.

He probably was. Someone should stab Avellone in face for raping the entire Fallout franchise.

And no, I don't give a fuck if he made PS:T.

You should work a little more on this trolling. It's just 4/10.

 

[tehRPness]

My image of Brian Fargo as a well-meaning developer who inadvertently handed his company over to a man who would destroy his vision has just been deflated.

Is that a good thing?

 

[tehRPness]

He seems like a really cool guy. I wonder if haunted will be a flop?

If it doesn't it's surely certainly his fault, and I'll be the first on the spot duelwielding pitchfork and torch.