Interview Interview with Brian Fargo at Wasteland Chronicles

[Infinitron]

Tags: Brian Fargo; InXile Entertainment; Wasteland 2

There's a new interview with Brian Fargo over at Russian post-apocalyptic gaming website Wasteland Chronicles. It's pretty nice, since the interviewers obviously know their stuff and they aren't afraid to jump straight to more in-depth and personal questions. Here are the most interesting ones:

Wasteland released about two hundred years ago, since then we have a generation of gamers, for which the best post-apocalyptic RPG is Fallout: New Vegas. What can you tell them about the Wasteland 2, and what the person who is not particularly well versed in this genre should know about it?​

Certainly anyone that enjoyed FNV will be comfortable with our subject matter as it relates to the harsh realities and dilemmas of living in a post-apocalyptic world. Fallout is based on Wasteland as you know so there is a certain vibe that still resonates. I think what both Fallout did well and we are doing with Wasteland 2 is to push the humanity aspects of gaming.​

Fantasy games don’t tend to deal with issues that a player can identify with as much as a ruined future does. Being able to play the game the way you want and see the ramifications in a highly varied and material way is the hallmark of a great RPG. We are focused on creating that experience. If the player wants to shoot everyone in sight then so be it but there needs to me major consequences that could take the entire storyline in another direction. Having dense cause and effect is always what gamers look for.​

Many young players recognize the dignity of old games such as Fallout, Planescape: Torment and Baldur’s Gate, and they even tried to play... but could not. Painfully, these games look scary in contrast with modern blockbusters. Do you think that games have a shelf life? And in this context what can you tell, for example, about Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition as an attempt to improve the look of the old game?​

Unfortunately many games do start to look very old, sound very bad or are just too hard to get running. I find the same thing with certain old movies that I quite enjoyed as a kid but when I show my kids they cannot get over the grainy look. The good news is that graphics are much better now than back in the day and I don’t expect the same leaps and bounds. I suspect a Crytek game will still look good in 10 years for example. And I have not played with BGEE but I know there is only so much you can do when trying to up-res graphics. It’s always tricky doing what they did as it’s hard to hold up to new games for a new player and the old players have already seen it.​

About clones, copycats and adaptations [I think they asked him about the idea of a Fallout TV show here - ed]​

I love all the clones and copycats because that means that Fallout touched a lot of people. Their attempts and re-creating the world is bringing them back to the emotion of the gameplay they had when enjoying the series. I’m always worried when I hear about TV or film as there are so few adaptions that made the world stay cool. Sensibilities are a hard thing to nail and it takes very little to throw it off.​

You kept in mind the concept of Wasteland 2 for twenty years. Has it changed a lot during that time? And is Wasteland 2 still your game, Brian Fargo’s game?​

Wasteland 2 is my game more than ever though it has evolved in the ways of UI and sound. However, the underpinnings of it being a tactical squad based game with meaningful writing remains the same. We didn’t have many options for sound, voice and music back in the day and I really want to explore the use of the radio in a way that other games have not. I want to give the world much more texture and personality through voice than would have been possible.​

The interview also touches briefly on such topics as the upcoming Torment successor, Brian's career, and his plans for the post-apocalypse. Oh, and the Russian localization, of course.

 

[Excidium]

Being able to play the game the way you want and see the ramifications in a highly varied and material way is the hallmark of a great RPG. We are focused on creating that experience. If the player wants to shoot everyone in sight then so be it but there needs to me major consequences that could take the entire storyline in another direction. Having dense cause and effect is always what gamers look for.

We'll see.

 

[tuluse]

I have not played with BGEE but I know there is only so much you can do when trying to up-res graphics.

That's about as nicely as you can put "you didn't do shit but make it blurry".

 

[felipepepe]

I suspect a Crytek game will still look good in 10 years for example.

I doubt it, all 3D games will probably look as bad as PS1 games look now... 2D games, on the other hand...

 

[Excidium]

I suspect a Crytek game will still look good in 10 years for example.

I doubt it, all 3D games will probably look as bad as PS1 games look now... 2D games, on the other hand...

That's a p. dumb thing to say. Graphics aren't evolving in the same manner they were 10 years ago.

 

[felipepepe]

I suspect a Crytek game will still look good in 10 years for example.

I doubt it, all 3D games will probably look as bad as PS1 games look now... 2D games, on the other hand...

That's a p. dumb thing to say. Graphics aren't evolving in the same manner they were 10 years ago.

You sure? 10 years ago Morrowind was released, and now we have Skyrim... gameplay aside, it's a massive improvment, and most Skyrim gamers would laugh at Morrowind's graphics... I clearly remenber looking at Max Payne 1 magazine ad in 2002 and thinking it was the most realistic graphics ever made by men...

 

[tuluse]

I suspect a Crytek game will still look good in 10 years for example.

I doubt it, all 3D games will probably look as bad as PS1 games look now... 2D games, on the other hand...

That's a p. dumb thing to say. Graphics aren't evolving in the same manner they were 10 years ago.

You sure? 10 years ago Morrowind was released, and now we have Skyrim... gameplay aside, it's a massive improvment, and most Skyrim gamers would laugh at Morrowind's graphics... I clearly remenber looking at Max Payne 1 magazine ad in 2002 and thinking it was the most realistic graphics ever made by men...

Graphics improvement is not linear. Crysis came out in 2007 and there is no game that looks consistently better than it (though several are better at very specific things).

 

[Maiandros]

he's extremely well-articulated..really good command of the language..can't recall of another developer (from those i hold to some respect) expressing themselves in such a manner..
and veeeery diplomatic, loved the BGEE fuck up response
anyway, in regards to the game, i so hope he gets to deliver..which entails, to a good percentage, that his direction is a catalyst in regards to the story as well. Fuck it, lets put it plainly. Colin's book series? Damn but that scared me, i sure hope Wasteland thematics are a tad deeper, and that's putting it mildly. Either way, to B. Fargo i trust
If it wasn't for Wasteland, i may have had a proper life now..you know..like the real life? ^^

 

[Excidium]

You sure? 10 years ago Morrowind was released, and now we have Skyrim... gameplay aside, it's a massive improvment, and most Skyrim gamers would laugh at Morrowind's graphics... I clearly remenber looking at Max Payne 1 magazine ad in 2002 and thinking it was the most realistic graphics ever made by men...

Morrowind had p. bad graphics for its time...compare to Silent Hill 3 or Splinter Cell.

Skyrim is no different. It barely looks better than Oblivion, the only improvement are the character models.

 

[felipepepe]

Graphics improvement is not linear. Crysis came out in 2007 and there is no game that looks consistently better than it (though several are better at very specific things).

True, it's not linear; it's extremelly dependant on new engines and console techonogy holding back PCs. And we are about to change consoles and get a new wave of engines from that. Not to mention tech demaos we are already seeing today, like that one from Square Enix. That thing blows Crysis out of the water.

 

[Excidium]

Graphics improvement is not linear. Crysis came out in 2007 and there is no game that looks consistently better than it (though several are better at very specific things).

tech demos

Come on...

 

[tuluse]

When I see that square enix thing running live on a real system, I'll believe it's not pre-rendered.

 

[mindx2]

You kept in mind the concept of Wasteland 2 for twenty years. Has it changed a lot during that time? And is Wasteland 2 still your game, Brian Fargo’s game?​

Wasteland 2 is my game more than ever though it has evolved in the ways of UI and sound. However, the underpinnings of it being a tactical squad based game with meaningful writing remains the same. We didn’t have many options for sound, voice and music back in the day and I really want to explore the use of the radio in a way that other games have not. I want to give the world much more texture and personality through voice than would have been possible.​

Am I reading this wrong and not understanding... I thought he wasn't doing voice work at all...did I miss a post or discussion about this aspect of the game?

 

[Infinitron]

You kept in mind the concept of Wasteland 2 for twenty years. Has it changed a lot during that time? And is Wasteland 2 still your game, Brian Fargo’s game?​

Wasteland 2 is my game more than ever though it has evolved in the ways of UI and sound. However, the underpinnings of it being a tactical squad based game with meaningful writing remains the same. We didn’t have many options for sound, voice and music back in the day and I really want to explore the use of the radio in a way that other games have not. I want to give the world much more texture and personality through voice than would have been possible.​

Am I reading this wrong and not understanding... I thought he wasn't doing voice work at all...did I miss a post or discussion about this aspect of the game?

I don't think that's what he means by "voice". But by all means, ask Brother None about it.

 

[felipepepe]

I don't get all this disbelief in SE's demo, they did that FF7 tech-demo when the PS3 was released and years later released FF XIII looking even better than it. I fully believe that FF XIV or XV will look like that.

 

[mindx2]

You kept in mind the concept of Wasteland 2 for twenty years. Has it changed a lot during that time? And is Wasteland 2 still your game, Brian Fargo’s game?​

Wasteland 2 is my game more than ever though it has evolved in the ways of UI and sound. However, the underpinnings of it being a tactical squad based game with meaningful writing remains the same. We didn’t have many options for sound, voice and music back in the day and I really want to explore the use of the radio in a way that other games have not. I want to give the world much more texture and personality through voice than would have been possible.​

Am I reading this wrong and not understanding... I thought he wasn't doing voice work at all...did I miss a post or discussion about this aspect of the game?

I don't think that's what he means by "voice". But by all means, ask Brother None about it.

Paging Brother None ... paging Brother None ... you are needed on RPG Codex News & Content Comments...

 

[Maiandros]

post that in the wapanese thread relevant to it and i will reply telling you how FF14 plays with its Reborn engine in real time under an average PC
meanwhile, in the land of Wasteland....

 

[tuluse]

I don't get all this disbelief in SE's demo, they did that FF7 tech-demo when the PS3 was released and years later released FF XIII looking even better than it. I fully believe that FF XIV or XV will look like that.

I don't remember the FF7 tech demo, but FF XIII looks worse than Crysis and I think other PS3 games that came out earlier look better. MGS4 in particular.

 

[Excidium]

I remember limited voice acting was confirmed at some point. Google to the rescue.

 

[Infinitron]

I remember limited voice acting was confirmed at some point. Google to the rescue.

Nah, that's Project Eternity.

 

[Excidium]

I remember limited voice acting was confirmed at some point. Google to the rescue.

Nah, that's Project Eternity.

Here:

Most cRPGs today seem to feature voice acting in some capacity and it has been hinted at that Wasteland 2 will be no different. Many believe that the financial burden and inflexibility of voice acting will have an impact on the dialogue and quest design. Do you share this belief? To what extent would you like to use voice acting in Wasteland 2?

BF: I don't want to give away all my surprises, but people have made an assumption that voice acting is just talking heads or a narrator. There is some very interesting audio bits I have been wanting to try for years that will really up the drama but without the design or cost impacts. The classic RPGs like a Fallout or a Torment had a heavy literary vibe with all the great prose and descriptions, and that is a large element that people liked. I'm not talking about stepping on every square and getting a paragraph, but there is definitely a place for good writing. Also keep in mind that we will design the game as if there was no conversation audio, so we won't even consider that as a limitation.

 

[felipepepe]

I don't get all this disbelief in SE's demo, they did that FF7 tech-demo when the PS3 was released and years later released FF XIII looking even better than it. I fully believe that FF XIV or XV will look like that.

I don't remember the FF7 tech demo, but FF XIII looks worse than Crysis and I think other PS3 games that came out earlier look better. MGS4 in particular.

This one. It came out in 2005, and reactions were quite the same; "lol, no way it's real-time", but 5 years later, on the same hardware, FFXIII came out and was even better than the tech demo. I honestly believe that this tech demo will be the same, and if so, the whole market will also be on that same level and Crysis will look like shit in comparisson.

 

[Infinitron]

I remember limited voice acting was confirmed at some point. Google to the rescue.

Nah, that's Project Eternity.

Here:

Most cRPGs today seem to feature voice acting in some capacity and it has been hinted at that Wasteland 2 will be no different. Many believe that the financial burden and inflexibility of voice acting will have an impact on the dialogue and quest design. Do you share this belief? To what extent would you like to use voice acting in Wasteland 2?

BF: I don't want to give away all my surprises, but people have made an assumption that voice acting is just talking heads or a narrator. There is some very interesting audio bits I have been wanting to try for years that will really up the drama but without the design or cost impacts. The classic RPGs like a Fallout or a Torment had a heavy literary vibe with all the great prose and descriptions, and that is a large element that people liked. I'm not talking about stepping on every square and getting a paragraph, but there is definitely a place for good writing. Also keep in mind that we will design the game as if there was no conversation audio, so we won't even consider that as a limitation.

Oh yeah, I remember reading that. What's he talking about, some kind of public domain archived voice tracks?

 

[Excidium]

I have no idea...I think he'll use for radio stations or something.

 

[mindx2]

I remember limited voice acting was confirmed at some point. Google to the rescue.

Nah, that's Project Eternity.

Here:

Most cRPGs today seem to feature voice acting in some capacity and it has been hinted at that Wasteland 2 will be no different. Many believe that the financial burden and inflexibility of voice acting will have an impact on the dialogue and quest design. Do you share this belief? To what extent would you like to use voice acting in Wasteland 2?

BF: I don't want to give away all my surprises, but people have made an assumption that voice acting is just talking heads or a narrator. There is some very interesting audio bits I have been wanting to try for years that will really up the drama but without the design or cost impacts. The classic RPGs like a Fallout or a Torment had a heavy literary vibe with all the great prose and descriptions, and that is a large element that people liked. I'm not talking about stepping on every square and getting a paragraph, but there is definitely a place for good writing. Also keep in mind that we will design the game as if there was no conversation audio, so we won't even consider that as a limitation.

Oh yeah, I remember reading that. What's he talking about, some kind of public domain archived voice tracks?

I'm interested in this as well. I remember that but I guess I thought he was talking about music more than voice but after this interview... well...?