Development Info InXile consults academics to create Wasteland authenticity

[Zed]

Tags: Brian Fargo; InXile Entertainment; Thwacke; Wasteland 2

Brian Fargo retweeted an interesting press release from some sort of "academic think tank" called Thwacke. It sounds like Fargo is bringing these guys on board to add some sprinkle of science, bitch! to Wasteland 2.

From the press release:

While a post-apocalyptic future is a bleak one to imagine, with the right minds, it is a feasible one to speculate. In order to bring a novel sense of believability to narrative, inXile will be working with the Montreal-based science consultancy, Thwacke. Thwacke will bring in experts in the realms of evolutionary biology, nuclear physics, and medicine to add depth and believability to the wasteland, its people, its creatures and its afflictions. As part of their collaboration with inXile, Thwacke, will be working closely with the writers and producers behind Wasteland 2 to enrich their fiction with interesting science. Thwacke CEO and molecular biologist, Sebastian Alvarado, has ensured that his entire team will align good science from their respective expertise to build rich stories. “We’re interested in creating moments where the player feels the line blur between reality and fiction, ultimately impacting gameplay and narrative”.

"The more smart guys we have in room looking at the writing and design is always a good thing and in this case we have a group of very bright people checking our work." –Brian Fargo​

Update - Brian Fargo writes:

Don't worry...Wasteland will still keep its odd humor, mutants and Scorpitrons etc. Thwacke helps with overall logic and science in parts.

Fun factor is most important element for Wasteland 2.​

 

[Volrath]

 

[Jaesun]

That's...... interesting.

 

[Infinitron]

Groovy.

 

[Surf Solar]

trying way too hard

 

[Infinitron]

BTW I don't think this is that unusual. I'd be very surprised for instance if DX:HR didn't have scientific consultants. That game had tons of plausible technobabble.

 

[Mrowak]

It's always good to know that someone's going into great pains to deliver quality.

 

[Gragt]

I hope it'll be on par with the work on soil erosion that was done for Oblivion.

 

[TwinkieGorilla]

trying way too hard

To make a good game?

 

[Snerf]

trying way too hard

Personally, I'd rather they try too hard than go into the process expecting to crap diamonds.

 

[ironyuri]

The argument is misunderstood.

The argument is that: it is NOT in view of "realism" to have women warriors.

It is not: whether women should be warriors in fantasy setting.

A lot of argumentation that women can be strong and athletic is thus immaterial.

Captain Shrek demands realism only so long as it is psuedo-science and not actual science.

ACADEMICS GITTIN IN THE WAY OF MY GAYMIN REALISMSSSS

 

[Volourn]

Lame use of resources. Thumbs down.

The only 'source' they need is WL1 and maybe the FOs since theya re the improved version of WL1.

 

[Surf Solar]

trying way too hard

To make a good game?

How does this make a good game? Does it really need spending money for experts in biology or all that other stuff? Was Fallout a worse game because instead of having "expert realistic stuff" it was lighthearted SCIENCE! in there?

“We’re interested in creating moments where the player feels the line blur between reality and fiction, ultimately impacting gameplay and narrative”.

Seriously.

 

[Jaesun]

I hope it'll be on par with the work on soil erosion that was done for Oblivion.

 

[TwinkieGorilla]

It's easy to see why girls don't like you.

 

[Surf Solar]

It's easy to see why girls don't like you.

Please tell me how a) this is relevant at all to this thread and b) them hiring these people impacts the gameplay in any way, in a way that they felt it was important to make a news about it.

 

[Goral]

So this is where the money is going?

So this is what scientists waste their time on?

Seriously though, I think it's a great idea. We will avoid that way having ants spewing fire or mirelurks, people made from shit that can be destroyed by plush teddy bears, unkillable children, things like radiation poisoning still present in water after 150 years but when the nuke explodes 3 feet away from you you get nothing, mini mushroom clouds, cars exploding from a regular gun-shot, things like for wearing a white coat you get +5 to medicine, summersaults after being shot with one bullet of a small (or even big) calibre, etc.

 

[TwinkieGorilla]

Please tell me how a) this is relevant at all to this thread and b) them hiring these people impacts the gameplay in any way, in a way that they felt it was important to make a news about it.

Because you're a miserable fucking bastard and even when things are good you can't help but whine and complain about shit.

 

[Excidium]

If It was some hard sci-fi shit I'd understand, but hiring scientists to help write a post-apocalyptical setting? What's the point?

I guess Obsidian will now have to step up their game and announce they hired a cabal of occultists to help write and design Project Eternity.

So this is what scientists waste their time on?

Seriously though, I think it's a great idea. We will avoid that way having ants spewing fire or mirelurks, people made from shit that can be destroyed by plush teddy bears, unkillable children, things like radiation poisoning still present in water after 150 years but when the nuke explodes 3 feet away from you you get nothing, mini mushroom clouds, cars exploding from a regular gun-shot, things like for wearing a white coat you get +5 to medicine, summersaults after being shot with one bullet of a small (or even big) calibre, etc.

Do you seriously need to pay a scientist to figure those things make no sense?

 

[Sitra Achara]

Sebastian Alvarado

John Alvarado's brother?

 

[Alex]

What the hell?!

This is Wasteland we are talking about here, which was built on top of Gamma World! The point is not to be realistic, it is to be as fucking absurd as you can. Even in Fallout this wouldn't fit that well, as the 50s theme was much more important than the things happening there being plausible. We are talking about stuff like this:

Not about hard science fiction.

 

[Surf Solar]

Please tell me how a) this is relevant at all to this thread and b) them hiring these people impacts the gameplay in any way, in a way that they felt it was important to make a news about it.

Because you're a miserable fucking bastard and even when things are good you can't help but whine and complain about shit.

You're right, I shouldn't care at all - it's not me who sees his money wasted carefully spent on this very important feauture because I haven't pledged.

 

[Phelot]

inb4 the scientists tell them there wouldn't be mutants and that we'd all be dead; cancel game 4EVER

 

[Infinitron]

This doesn't mean the game will be super-realistic. Fuck, every crazy ass sci-fi movie out there has "scientific consultants" in the credits.

 

[shihonage]

Wasteland 2 status: avoiding actual work.

So this is where the money is going?

So this is what scientists waste their time on?

Seriously though, I think it's a great idea. We will avoid that way having ants spewing fire or mirelurks, people made from shit that can be destroyed by plush teddy bears, unkillable children, things like radiation poisoning still present in water after 150 years but when the nuke explodes 3 feet away from you you get nothing, mini mushroom clouds, cars exploding from a regular gun-shot, things like for wearing a white coat you get +5 to medicine, summersaults after being shot with one bullet of a small (or even big) calibre, etc.

You just made me realize that no one on Fallout 3 team finished high school.