Ask developers a question - Broken Sword's Charles Cecil

[Jim Cojones]

Good Old Games is going to interview Charles Cecil, director and one of the founders of Revolution Software, known mainly for Beneath a Steel Sky and games from Broken Sword series. Five questions will be chosen from suggestions posted in this thread and their authors will get a free game from GOG catalogue. You can post your propositions until Friday, 11.59 pm EDT.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

Dear Charlie Cecilia,

Why is the Broken Sword series considered to be good adventure games? They're not even fit to wipe Leisure Suit Larry 5's asshole.

Fuck you and sincerely,
That guy who bought all four games including special editions I'm a whore

 

[Bubb]

What is the matter with you, equine majesty? The first Broken Sword is an excelent adventure. I actually enjoyed it more than most of the Larry games.

I even played the 3 sequels, though I will admit they are kinda of lame in several ways, specially parts 3 and 4(the 3d popamole ones).

Anyway, If I were to ask anything to the guy it would be about the future of BK series. It has been run to the ground and it needs a revamp. The last two games lost a lot of the charm of the originals and the 3d popamole action crap didn't work well at all.

Also, what is up with beneath a steel sky? Will there really be a sequel?

 

[Andyman Messiah]

Beneath a Steel Sky is Revolution's one-hit wonder. The Broken Sword games all suck (which is why they're not even fit to wipe Larry 5, the worst Larry game). The characters are bland, the story is everywhere, the puzzles are shit and I don't give a shit how great the graphics are. Fuck Broken Sword.

Sincerely,
Nevermind I actually sold all four games on ebay no harm done

 

[made]

Beneath a Steel Sky is Revolution's one-hit wonder.

Lure of the Temptress was pretty cool and innovative. Very underrated game. Not amazing, but underrated. Broken Sword was shit though, I don't get the 10/10 best adventure ever reviews either

 

[ghostdog]

The first Broken Sword game was pretty good. The rest of the series was absolute crap.

SO basically what I would ask mr. Cecil is why the fuck doesn't he stop pulling broken swords out from his ass.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

Well, do Revolution Software have any other franchises?

 

[ghostdog]

Well, it doesn't matter. The quality of their work points to the fact that they should just stop making games.

 

[Ringhausen]

Andyman, did you HATE the humor and atmosphere as well? You didnt enjoy walking around in Autumn Paris with a weird clown centered murder mystery going on, not even a bit?

 

[Andyman Messiah]

Andyman, did you HATE the humor and atmosphere as well? You didnt enjoy walking around in Autumn Paris with a weird clown centered murder mystery going on, not even a bit?

No, I'm sad to say I did not. I found it extremely dull.

 

[Ringhausen]

No, I'm sad to say I did not. I found it extremely dull.

Are you sure something isnt just rubbing you the wrong way? Youre right about the plot, which is an unremarkable Indiana Jones knockoff, and I guess the puzzles are too easy for hardcore gamers, but dammit I just watched some let's plays and this game has a charm to it. It's nice. Im not going to reinstall it but the memories will always be fond.

So did a George Stobart kind of guy steal your girlfriend or something?

 

[Andyman Messiah]

If pretty graphics counts as charm. And no, unfortunately George Stobbart didn't steal any girlfriends. Maybe that way he would have had some personality. All characters are flat stereotypes.

 

[Fowyr]

Beneath a Steel Sky is Revolution's one-hit wonder.

Lure of the Temptress was pretty cool and innovative. Very underrated game. Not amazing, but underrated.

Please, can you elaborate. I played it ages ago and don't remember much

 

[Ringhausen]

If pretty graphics counts as charm. And no, unfortunately George Stobbart didn't steal any girlfriends. Maybe that way he would have had some personality. All characters are flat stereotypes.

It's more than just the graphics. There are games that have pretty pictures in the background, but are void of any charm. If you want to see something extremely dull look at the Prague parts of Still Life. It looks decent, but since its empty, has horrible voice acting, boring situations (much worse than this game), barely any music, lifeless characters, no humor (that isnt awful)... I was constantly reminded how Broken Sword got it right! The visuals, sounds and George's narration - it creates a nice whole. I dont get what you have against the guy.

Maybe your expectations were too high, hoping for something as original and memorable as Gabriel Knight and instead got a mild, enjoyable interactive adult cartoon (which you cant get at the movies). That is also why so many people love this game I think.

 

[made]

Beneath a Steel Sky is Revolution's one-hit wonder.

Lure of the Temptress was pretty cool and innovative. Very underrated game. Not amazing, but underrated.

Please, can you elaborate. I played it ages ago and don't remember much

NPCs had basic schedules and would scurry around town doing stuff, rather than just stand in one spot all day. That was pretty neat in 1992 and is still surprisingly rare today. The game also had a unique command system that let you send your sidekick on errands across the map or work as a team to solve certain puzzles. And there were orcs and an evil sorceress.

 

[made]

empty, has horrible voice acting, boring situations, lifeless characters, no humor (that isnt awful)...

That's exactly how I would describe Broken Sword. I did like some of he puzzles though.

 

[Ringhausen]

Hey, you can criticize BS, but that description doesnt fit at all. The characters may have been dumb and cartoony, they certainly were forgettable, but lifeless they were not. Even if you passionately hate Stobbart you still cant claim him to be a ragdoll like Gus McPherson. Ditto for the rest.

Anyway you clearly havent played Still Life. I DARE YOU to look at some LP!

 

[Andyman Messiah]

Hey, you can criticize BS, but that description doesnt fit at all. The characters may have been dumb and cartoony, they certainly were forgettable, but lifeless they were not. Even if you passionately hate Stobbart you still cant claim him to be a ragdoll like Gus McPherson. Ditto for the rest.

Anyway you clearly havent played Still Life. I DARE YOU to look at some LP!

I've played Post Mortem and Still Life. I've played every adventure game in existence. When adventure game companies make new shit they first check with me if I've played it already because Tim Schafer can't remember if he made Full Throttle or if it was just a dream. Andyman he says, Andyman did I make Full Throttle? Because I have this idea and it involves Mark Hamill and then I tell him, Tim, you fucking asshole, yes you made Full Throttle a long time ago. And then Tim goes back into his cave and make another Jack Black simulator. Thank you Andyman for remembering my shit.

And Stobbart is the extreme version of McPherson.

All that about George, Nico isn't much better. But she's supposed to be french, hot and female so according to the stereotypical portrayals in the series she can get away with being absolutely mechanic.

 

[Ringhausen]

And Stobbart is the extreme version of McPherson.

Oh, COME ON! They have nothing in common. Stobbart finds the world around him amusing and jokes around. McPherson is a boring guy who doesnt have anything to say about anything, but he has to because the game forces him to, so some droning noise comes out of his mouth.

I cant defend the other characters because I cant remember much about them. Nico was uptight, right? Still they couldent of been that bad.

 

[ghostdog]

Who the hell is McPherson ? I only know Elle.

 

[made]

Stobbart

is the most boring Adventure protagonist ever. American tourist visiting France - that's all there is to him. Come on.

Dunno bout that McPherson fella. Only played Still Life briefly.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

McPherson is a boring guy who doesnt have anything to say about anything, but he has to because the game forces him to, so some droning noise comes out of his mouth.

That's how George works too. He's an observer first and foremost with no real motivation or reason to get involved in the plot other than being the heroic american arche-stereotype.

"Curious George got bomb blown up in his afternoon tea: time to investigate and find the bad guys!"

Honestly, they should have introduced Nico before the plot took off and slowly built up to the cafe scene. George being interested in her and in some way getting involved in her investigation would have served as a far better introduction than just "man sits at cafe, cafe explodes, the game is afoot."

Who the hell is McPherson?

Gus McPherson is the PC in Post Mortem and Still Life.

 

[made]

Honestly, they should have introduced Nico before the plot took off and slowly built up to the cafe scene.

That's exactly what happens in the director's cut released last year. It still sucks, but at least I got past the introduction.

 

[Quilty]

Still Life is an extreme example of idiotic desing. Both character design and puzzle design. The story is bland. The characters make no sense to me, nor did I feel I could relate to them. The puzzles were implemented by an insane person: in one example you have to do this incredibly convoluted lock puzzle which I replayed at least 20 times. Once you unlock the door, you gain entrance to a room which contains...a piece of paper. A single room. With a piece of paper. A totally insignificant clue. Most other puzzles are no better.

Let me guess. Was it made by either a German or a French company? Because it sure feels like it.

While I can't agree with Andy's opinion, George was certainly rather uninteresting most of the time. I still love the game, because it manages to be engaging despite its main character.

 

[Ringhausen]

is the most boring Adventure protagonist ever. American tourist visiting France - that's all there is to him. Come on.

That's how George works too. He's an observer first and foremost with no real motivation or reason to get involved in the plot other than being the heroic american arche-stereotype.

"Curious George got bomb blown up in his afternoon tea: time to investigate and find the bad guys!"

Now you're both criticizing the writing instead of the character! Remember that the plot is about some Templar/Hašišim conspiracy, running around chasing artifacts and people getting kidnapped and whatnot. Dumb stuff, no doubt about it. Now would it have really made a big difference if the protagonist had somewhat better motivation? Like him being a journalist, private eye, the chosen one, have some great lineage or oh yeah, meeting Nico sooner? I don't think so.

People who enjoyed the game liked Stobbart, the character, the person. His comments, jokes, voiceacting. The fact that he just started investigating out of nowhere did weird me out for like a minute, but then I just went with it. Who cares. It's funny in retrospect.
If you disliked him and thats what stopped you from enjoyed the game then it's too bad. Calling the game bad because of it is wrong though.