Tags: Adam Heine; Chris Avellone; Colin McComb; Planescape: Torment; Scott Warner
Eurogamer offers a "postmortem" podcast focusing on Planescape: Torment. The guests are Chris Avellone, the lead designer of Planescape: Torment, and currently chief creative officer at Obsidian Entertainment; Colin McComb, the second designer on Torment wno now commands an iPhone App company called Three Pound Games, and also writes the Oathbreaker series of fiction ; Adam Heine, scripter on Planescape: Torment, now living in Thailand "fostering 10 billion kids" and writing science fiction and fantasy for young adults; and Scott Warner, then a junior designer on Planescape: Torment. Now, lead designer of Halo 4. I also remind you that both Chris Avellone and Colin McComb are currently writing for InXile's Wasteland 2.
Click here to download the podcast as mp3, or go here to find it on iTunes.
Eurogamer offers a "postmortem" podcast focusing on Planescape: Torment. The guests are Chris Avellone, the lead designer of Planescape: Torment, and currently chief creative officer at Obsidian Entertainment; Colin McComb, the second designer on Torment wno now commands an iPhone App company called Three Pound Games, and also writes the Oathbreaker series of fiction ; Adam Heine, scripter on Planescape: Torment, now living in Thailand "fostering 10 billion kids" and writing science fiction and fantasy for young adults; and Scott Warner, then a junior designer on Planescape: Torment. Now, lead designer of Halo 4. I also remind you that both Chris Avellone and Colin McComb are currently writing for InXile's Wasteland 2.
I straddle time-zones to steer my very special guests on a jolly voyage of memories. We sail into the stormy seas of critical reception - "I actually thought a 7/10 on Eurogamer at the time was exceptionally high," said Avellone - and consider Torment's greatest failures. We throw anchor and dive into the lasting memory of Planescape: Torment, and why it is that people keep referring back to it as one of the greatest RPGs that was ever made. And we navigate onwards and hear ideas that didn't make it into the game.
We also talk about what it was like building a game like Planescape: Torment. What was the process like, what were the arguments, what were the highs and lows? Colin McComb said developing Torment "was one of the best experiences of my life", and as the conversation rolls on, I understand they're reflecting on not only a golden end product, but also a golden time they had while making it. One of Scott Warner's fondest memories was "opening the door in the morning and Colin's head would [be there]" - a by product of the effort he was pouring in.
Our voyage also takes us on to more pertinent topics like storytelling in games. "Honestly," McComb said, "I don't see a whole lot of evolution in game storytelling over the past decade ... A lot of stuff just feels like it's ignoring a lot of progress. I get that - it's hard to take chances, especially when you've got millions and millions and millions of dollars on the line." Fortunately, we also had Scott Warner on the line - a man making one of those big budget games. He agreed with McComb; "I wish there would be more games that would take more risks like Planescape does," he said. And for him, that risk, that potential, will be unlocked by the exciting evolution of conversations in games.
We also consider the mouth-watering prospect of a Planescape: Torment successor funded via Kickstarter - something Chris Avellone recently publicly considered. He even shared ideas for a successor with Kotaku just days ago.
We also talk about what it was like building a game like Planescape: Torment. What was the process like, what were the arguments, what were the highs and lows? Colin McComb said developing Torment "was one of the best experiences of my life", and as the conversation rolls on, I understand they're reflecting on not only a golden end product, but also a golden time they had while making it. One of Scott Warner's fondest memories was "opening the door in the morning and Colin's head would [be there]" - a by product of the effort he was pouring in.
Our voyage also takes us on to more pertinent topics like storytelling in games. "Honestly," McComb said, "I don't see a whole lot of evolution in game storytelling over the past decade ... A lot of stuff just feels like it's ignoring a lot of progress. I get that - it's hard to take chances, especially when you've got millions and millions and millions of dollars on the line." Fortunately, we also had Scott Warner on the line - a man making one of those big budget games. He agreed with McComb; "I wish there would be more games that would take more risks like Planescape does," he said. And for him, that risk, that potential, will be unlocked by the exciting evolution of conversations in games.
We also consider the mouth-watering prospect of a Planescape: Torment successor funded via Kickstarter - something Chris Avellone recently publicly considered. He even shared ideas for a successor with Kotaku just days ago.
Click here to download the podcast as mp3, or go here to find it on iTunes.
to all of them.
