Interview Old School RPG Interview with Brenda Brathwaite

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Tags: Brenda Brathwaite

There's an interview with Brenda Brathwaite available on The Verge covering, of course, Loot Drop's "Old School RPG" kickstarter campaign, a new cRPG which promises to bring back the days of 'Wizardry' and 'Anachronox' all in one neat package!

"We are so excited about it," Brathwaite wrote. "A return to core games and a return to RPGs makes Tom and I so incredibly happy. It is something we've wanted to do for a while, but we were leads on active projects, so it was not possible until now. We can't wait. It is an honor to make a game with someone like Tom, too."

We don't know a lot of the details about Old School RPG, but according to the Kickstarter page it will start off like all of the great old role-playing games, by having you create a party.

"Old School RPG invites you to create a group of up to four characters, choosing from multiple races and professions each with their own strengths and weaknesses," according to the website. "Forge alliances with unique NPC races, do their bidding – or be their undoing – as you solve dozens of quests, loot castles and caverns and defeat hordes of creatures in a world where your skill and cunning are key. Turn-based, phased-time combat harkens back to the days when spells hit hard and last-second healing spells saved the day."

I think everyone can agree that apparently a lot of thought has been poured in this project already.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Well, phased combat. At least we know that. That's cool.

 

[thesheeep]

Basically, they are just saying "We have this nice idea and we are totally awesome. Give us money."

Really, I'm not going to support a project that is kept THAT vague. Compared to that, Project Eternity seems to be a spring of never-ending information.
And is that really their name for it? Wtf?

I don't like how people that already have a name can just go to kickstarter/IndieGogo/Gambitious with an idea, while real indies have to develop half of their game before anyone will be convinced they are capable of actually doing it.

 

[Jarpie]

Basically, they are just saying "We have this nice idea and we are totally awesome. Give us money."

Really, I'm not going to support a project that is kept THAT vague. Compared to that, Project Eternity seems to be a spring of never-ending information.
And is that really their name for it? Wtf?

I don't like how people that already have a name can just go to kickstarter/IndieGogo/Gambitious with an idea, while real indies have to develop half of their game before anyone will be convinced they are capable of actually doing it.

If it's any consolation, I don't think they will even get enough to pass the goal unless they do really really good update.

 

[laclongquan]

What's to ensure that those 'indies' will finish the job in the first place?

I mean, those evil famous so-called indie already have track records of professional works to back their claims. What do one sophomore IT student have to do to show that he can stand the pressure?

 

[thesheeep]

It's not that I don't understand the logic behind it.
Of course, having an actual portfolio of released titles is good and shows that someone is capable of .. well.. releasing a title.

But some people who do have such a portfolio just go to some platform and say "Hey, we have this awesome idea...". And that seems to be enough for many backers to give those people their money.
While some indies have already shown their commitment by developing half of the game already (in their free time mostly, next to full-time jobs in many cases). You can't possibly show more commitment than that. And those indies might not get the money, just because they are not "known" enough.

And there never is a 100% guarantee that the funded title will be released.
I just think it is very unlikely that someone who received the funding will not finish making the game. That would be a direct career killer, as nobody would ever give him money again.

 

[kaizoku]

"We are so excited about it," Brathwaite wrote. "A return to core games and a return to RPGs makes Tom and I so incredibly happy. It is something we've wanted to do for a while, but we were leads on active projects, so it was not possible until now. We can't wait.

 

[Vault Dweller]

I don't like how people that already have a name can just go to kickstarter/IndieGogo/Gambitious with an idea, while real indies have to develop half of their game before anyone will be convinced they are capable of actually doing it.

Well, the burden of proof is on the developer, and in the absence of name (i.e. track record and proven ability) they do need to show you a proper demo. There is nothing wrong with that.

Similarly, there is nothing wrong when people who do have the track record and proven ability (Avellone, Sawyer, Cain, etc) get funded on faith alone, but this isn't the case here.

What's to ensure that those 'indies' will finish the job in the first place?

I mean, those evil famous so-called indie already have track records of professional works to back their claims.

Well, they certainly know how to make Facebook games, but a good RPG takes more than a "track record of professional work." Just ask D. W. Bradley of Dungeon Lords' fame.

 

[thesheeep]

I don't like how people that already have a name can just go to kickstarter/IndieGogo/Gambitious with an idea, while real indies have to develop half of their game before anyone will be convinced they are capable of actually doing it.

Well, the burden of proof is on the developer, and in the absence of name (i.e. track record and proven ability) they do need to show you a proper demo. There is nothing wrong with that.

I totally agree, nothing wrong with that

Similarly, there is nothing wrong when people who do have the track record and proven ability (Avellone, Sawyer, Cain, etc) get funded on faith alone, but this isn't the case here.

Well, here I totally disagree. The proof that you have made a good game in the past is by no means proof enough that you can do it again. There are countless examples of teams or single people that have worked on good titles, yet released utter crap after that.

A demo, vertical slice or some other proof of concept would suffice here. But where in that "Old-School RPG" thing do you see that? I see only ideas by people with names.

 

[Vault Dweller]

There is no arguing that this KS is nothing but a testament to greed (of the so-called developers) and stupidity (of the backers).

 

[Jaesun]

A fool and his money are soon parted

 

[thesheeep]

Well, I already had a long rant-flame (flame-rant? huh...) prepared about how retarded it is to bash all of Kickstarter for projects like that, when I realized you mean this (as implied by your "this") certain campaign with your statement. How dare you not put your "this" into bold tags?!

Guess I'll have to keep on ranting about other stuff, then. Say, have you heard of a so-called vancian "magic system"?...

 

[Vault Dweller]

A Vancian magic system? Can't say I have, so rant away, my good man.

 

[Mastermind]

Really, I'm not going to support a project that is kept THAT vague. Compared to that, Project Eternity seems to be a spring of never-ending information.

PE was just as vague when they got started.

 

[thesheeep]

First of all, it did have a name
I agree that it was also very vague. But by now there is a LOT more info, certainly more than that "Oldschool-RPG". Still, I won't back PE either, as it still is very vague and I simply prefer supporting smaller indies who can already show something. Also, I'm saving money for my very own project & campaign (which I'm not going to start until I can show some awesome shit, and won't answer questions about now as I haven't even started working on it other than by doing research - so don't ask).

A Vancian magic system? Can't say I have, so rant away, my good man.

Can't. I just feel too bad about derailing news threads within the first 2 pages.

 

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Vancian >> mana||cooldown in any way, shape or form. A factual fact with years of empiric evidence in form of cRPGs.

 

[Mastermind]

First of all, it did have a name

It didn't. Still doesn't. Project Eternity isn't the name of the game.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Vancian >> mana||cooldown in any way, shape or form. A factual fact with years of empiric evidence in form of cRPGs.

Ultima Underworld and Wizardry 8 >> Vancian

 

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Ultima Underworld and Wizardry 8 >> Vancian

Dunno about Ultima Underworld but Wiz8? No. I agree it's one of the better non-vancian systems I've played but it still kinda sucks. All you need to know about how good the spell system of Wiz8 is, is this: You want your party to perform well? Then you don't get more casters but more dudes with ninjitsu and kirijutsu. Bascially, more casters than necessary to provide the basic buffs/protections, say a samurai and a valkyrie, meant gimping your party. Couple that with the endless boredom of casting away all your mana pool before resting, to get your skills up, to suck less (which incidentally never really happened, while the insta-gib of the kirijutsu guys became awesomer with every minute) and you have anything but a system that's more exciting than DnDs.

 

[tuluse]

Well, here I totally disagree. The proof that you have made a good game in the past is by no means proof enough that you can do it again. There are countless examples of teams or single people that have worked on good titles, yet released utter crap after that.

A demo, vertical slice or some other proof of concept would suffice here. But where in that "Old-School RPG" thing do you see that? I see only ideas by people with names.

Maybe not, but what if you have several good games to your name?

Also, while it's not proof, surely you would rather a team or developer be able to point to at least one thing they've done, rather than nothing.

Brian Fargo put it best, it takes 20 years in the industry to get 3 million on kickstarter. If you don't have that track record you need something else you can point to.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Ultima Underworld and Wizardry 8 >> Vancian

Dunno about Ultima Underworld but Wiz8? No. I agree it's one of the better non-vancian systems I've played but it still kinda sucks. All you need to know about how good the spell system of Wiz8 is, is this: You want your party to perform well? Then you don't get more casters but more dudes with ninjitsu and kirijutsu. Bascially, more casters than necessary to provide the basic buffs/protections, say a samurai and a valkyrie, meant gimping your party.

That's balance, not the system itself. One can argue that the best character in Arcanum is a melee fighter, but that doesn't mean that the crafting system isn't fun to play with.

I played Wiz 8 a few times and spellcasters are loads of fun, even if they are weaker than the "kirijutsu guys".

What I like about such systems is flexibility that's missing from the Vancian system. You decide how much power to put in a spell, which deals with the issue of early spells becoming less and less useful with every level quite nicely. With higher level of customization the system would have been nearly perfect.

 

[nihil]

There is no arguing that this KS is nothing but a testament to greed (of the so-called developers) and stupidity (of the backers).

Hey. Is it stupid to pay for entertainment? The game, in the best case, otherwise just the hilarity.

 

[thesheeep]

Well, since this thread already is derailed (of which I'm totally not guilty), might as well join in.

What I like about such systems is flexibility that's missing from the Vancian system. You decide how much power to put in a spell, which deals with the issue of early spells becoming less and less useful with every level quite nicely. With higher level of customization the system would have been nearly perfect.

Indeed. I can only suggest everyone to take a deep look at the Shadowrun magic system. It doesn't use mana. It doesn't use cooldowns. It is not vancian. certain aspects of it are vancian (like ritual magic).
Basically put (4th Ed rules), every character capable of casting can cast any spell. He has to learn it before, obviously, but there is no limit other than spending build points.
Then, he can cast the spell on any "power level". To cast a spell, he has to succeed on a casting check. Then, no matter if that was successful or not, he has to "defend" against a casting drain (mental damage). The higher the power level, the more damage he has to sustain.

All of this is additionally influenced by the character's casting skill and various qualities (/perks), which leads to more potent mages being able to successfully cast more potent spells without accidentally killing themselves. A new character might try to cast something Armageddon-like, but he will most likely fail and die in the process.

That system is simply perfect. It has all the flexibility without allowing for any bullshit and has no need for any artificial balancing tools (the casting drain makes perfect sense in the SR world and could do so in any other fantasy world - or something alike, at least).

 

[Vault Dweller]

That system is simply perfect.

I concur.

 

[tuluse]

I can see one flaw in transferring it to CRPGs, which is that it would encourage save scumming.