Interview Age of Decadence interview at RPG Vault

[bryce777]

One fucking hundred quests? Wow.

I was wondering just today how many quests there are in an 'average' game.

 

[bryce777]

Seeing as I "complained" about the tone of the first interview, I thought I'd mention that this one was better in that respect IMO. [though more new info would be nice - in the second part I hope]

Nice to know you're not going down the in-joke road too. Fallout 2 started to piss me off with all that. Lovely as the codex is, I'd rather not have it at the top of my mind as I play.

norway, 1967, the rpg!

 

[Lumpy]

You won't see more than 60 in one game though. Your reputation, choices, and alliances will filter the overall number down for you.

Nevertheless, there are 100 quests written, and most people will eventually play nearly all of them. Besides, if you get all quests in one playthrough, just solving them in a different way in another playthrough isn't rewarding enough.
Also, are there 'good' quests and 'evil' quests, or do all quest offer possibilities for both 'good' and 'evil' characters?
EDIT: On the other hand, if a quest giver wants you to do something dirty, and you're a good guy, he won't give you the quest in the first place, right?

Edit: In unrelated news, we've been offered a good deal on voice over, so I'm considering it now. I'll post some samples for discussions once I have them.

Obligatory question: Have you contacted Patrick Stewart yet? Or that Fallout guy - "Empires. Empires always fall."

Also, are there tag skills of any sort?

 

[Hazelnut]

Edit: In unrelated news, we've been offered a good deal on voice over, so I'm considering it now. I'll post some samples for discussions once I have them.

<knee-jerk>Noooooooooooooo!!!</knee-jerk>

I don't want to dismiss voice over out of hand, so I'll simply ask - is this partial or full you're considering?


@galsiah: C'mon an NPC tribute to Fez would be great! I'm not talking in-jokes, the name wouldn't be outta place like HyPeRtArD or something, just a simple plain NPC easter egg.... what's not to like? One reference - just one!

Okay, okay, I'll drop it now.

 

[Lumpy]

Q: Do I have to play political games, and learn how to make friends and influence people?
A: No. I see that you are a man of few words, but much violence. Yes, that works too. After all, Spartacus wasn't known for long-winded speeches.

I suppose that means that you CAN play political games, but it's not absolutely necessary to, right? Maybe you should somehow emphasize "have" to make it more clear? As in:

Q: Do I have to play political games, and learn how to make friends and influence people?
A: No. I see that you are a man of few words, but much violence. Yes, that works too. After all, Spartacus wasn't known for long-winded speeches.

 

[LlamaGod]

Have a guy wearing a shirt that says 'BNOL' in roman letters on it. Like SPQR.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Besides, if you get all quests in one playthrough, just solving them in a different way in another playthrough isn't rewarding enough.

Yep

Also, are there 'good' quests and 'evil' quests, or do all quest offer possibilities for both 'good' and 'evil' characters?

There are no "slay teh innocents" or "feed teh poor" quests. Good and evil depends on your own point of view, and I believe you are given enough options to role-play your character. There are quests for people with high "body count" (i.e. those who do finish their defeated enemies off), but whether or not there is evil or good business sense behind such quests is up to you to decide.

EDIT: On the other hand, if a quest giver wants you to do something dirty, and you're a good guy, he won't give you the quest in the first place, right?

What's a good guy? If you never killed anybody, it's unlikely that someone will hire you for a mission requiring a killer (not assassin!). If you are loyal to your master, you probably won't be approached by the "competition", etc.

Obligatory question: Have you contacted Patrick Stewart yet? Or that Fallout guy - "Empires. Empires always fall."

Also, are there tag skills of any sort?

Nope

 

[GhanBuriGhan]

Edit: In unrelated news, we've been offered a good deal on voice over, so I'm considering it now. I'll post some samples for discussions once I have them.

that would be way too much IMMERSHUN!!!

 

[John Yossarian]

Also, are there 'good' quests and 'evil' quests, or do all quest offer possibilities for both 'good' and 'evil' characters?
EDIT: On the other hand, if a quest giver wants you to do something dirty, and you're a good guy, he won't give you the quest in the first place, right?

I think VD has said that there is no good and evil, just different agendas. I think that means that no matter how you play, a significant number of people will consider you evil(or just opposite to them) and won't give you quests. Also ive read some of the quests can lead to other quests while solving them, so than can be taken as a 'good' and 'evil' ways of solving it when you consider the different agendas you can promote in the course.
Ill see if I can dig up the examples VD has given.

Edit: And im just a late posting idiot. Sorry

 

[Vault Dweller]

I don't want to dismiss voice over out of hand, so I'll simply ask - is this partial or full you're considering?

Only for really important characters. 20-30 NPCs. Only if it's affordable and good (passes the Codex test). One of the reasons I'm considering it is, as Galsiah pointed out, the writing suddenly makes sense if you *hear* it, if you imagine this character actually saying it, not read the dialogues as prose. In this particular case, VO can help a lot. Anyway, just a thought.

 

[LlamaGod]

Can I do a voice over?

 

[Vault Dweller]

Do you have a pleasant, sexy voice with seductive qualities? Seriously though, the voice overs would be recorded in a studio and managed by a guy who handles our music and sound effects. Unless you live in Missouri, I don't think it will be possible.

 

[Hazelnut]

I don't want to dismiss voice over out of hand, so I'll simply ask - is this partial or full you're considering?

Only for really important characters. 20-30 NPCs. Only if it's affordable and good (passes the Codex test). One of the reasons I'm considering it is, as Galsiah pointed out, the writing suddenly makes sense if you *hear* it, if you imagine this character actually saying it, not read the dialogues as prose. In this particular case, VO can help a lot. Anyway, just a thought.

That sounds okay, I think I'd have been concerned if you were going the full VO route. I look forward to hearing some samples. Are you going to use the dialogue we've already seen and read? On the one hand I don't want to know too much more before I get to play, but on the other we've all probably got pre-conceived notions by now which may interfere with objectivity. Teh quandry!

 

[Vault Dweller]

Full voice-over is impossible. WAY too much text. As for the samples, I don't know. I'll look for something that defines personality of a characte well.

 

[Jasede]

Full voice-over is impossible. WAY too much text. As for the samples, I don't know. I'll look for something that defines personality of a characte well.

No, I want to hear it again.

...WAY too much text...

Great, Mister Dweller. I am officially in love now.

post scriptum: As if I hadn't been before...

post post scriptum: Please, Deep Dweller... don't rush this game, don't skimp on the quality assurance, please... make an old CRPGames player's dreams come true! If you do, I will send you lots of $$$ and eternal satisfaction in the afterlife!

 

[Vault Dweller]

... don't rush this game, don't skimp on the quality assurance, please...

That's the plan. I won't release the game until I'm 100% satisfied with the overall quality.

 

[MacBone]

I've come to this party a little late, but I'm looking forward to AoD, VD. How close is it to completion? And since it's a download, does this mean you won't have any pretty maps to go along with it?

 

[Vault Dweller]

I've come to this party a little late...

Better late, than never, eh?

How close is it to completion?

Few months away from putting everything together, which doesn't mean that we'll be done with it.

And since it's a download, does this mean you won't have any pretty maps to go along with it?

No, but I can give you detailed instructions how to draw the map on a napkin and color it with ketchup, mayo, and mustard.

 

[MacBone]

No, but I can give you detailed instructions how to draw the map on a napkin and color it with ketchup, mayo, and mustard.

On second thought, skip the map. I'm all out of ketchup.

 

[LlamaGod]

Is there an in-game journal? Or do we have to go Hardkore Ultima style?

If there is one, can you give us a hardkore Ultima option?

I like writing my own journal B)

 

[Vault Dweller]

There is a journal. It doesn't guide you, but merely keeps track of locations, people, and quests. You can make your own notes there. Not sure if we can turn it off though.

 

[Claw]

You won't see more than 60 in one game though. Your reputation, choices, and alliances will filter the overall number down for you.

So you really made nearly two games as someone suggested.

 

[Vault Dweller]

More than two, if that's how you look at it. From this point of view a good RPG should be a set of several (shorter) games, loosely connected by the storyline.

 

[ad hominem]

Do you have a pleasant, sexy voice with seductive qualities? Seriously though, the voice overs would be recorded in a studio and managed by a guy who handles our music and sound effects. Unless you live in Missouri, I don't think it will be possible.

Meh, you could always have someone record it in pro-tools from a different location and either phone it in or (more likely) have a real-time link with the producer. Here in Nashville (teh moosic capitlez!!1!) seems like you can't piss without hitting someone's private pro-tools studio. Just depends on where you find the best talent. I suppose there could be some good to come out of Branson....

...OT, do you ever sleep, VD? I think I've seen you posting on here every hour of the day.

 

[Mefi]

I've no objection to voiceovers... providing that the game is not intended to be modded. Nothing shouts 'this be the mod' like voiceover switching off in a fully voiced game.

Don't think that's an issue with AoD is it VD? And if it's only snippets to define character, then it might work very well considering how you're going for an old-style text commentary too. Kind of compliments enough to guide imagination without beating the player over the head.