Interview Brian Fargo and MCA doing AMA on Reddit

[toro]

The decline, the decline ... I still need a proper Troika game, but whatever.

 

[Anthony Davis]

[–]CrackedSash 2 points1 hour ago

Are you guys friends with David Gaider? Chris, have you ever considered him a rival?

[–]ChrisAvelloneCCO Obsidian Entertainment 1 point1 minute ago

I love David. If you ever meet him, give him some beers and then ask him to critique a game, any game... and watch back and learn. And laugh. And learn some more.

Breaking the Codex's heart. One Bioware developer at a time.

David Gaider being a cool dude to hang around with, exchange ideas, and toss back brews is not connected at all with whether you (or I) think his games are the best in the world. I've never met David Gaider, but from everything I have read and heard, including from people who know him, and have told me in private, he is one cool cat. He is, by all accounts, very generous and nice to everyone, but still funny and fun.

That said, I reserve the right to be critical, and I have been, if I feel like his work is not as good as it can be.

 

[Aeschylus]

This little tidbit made me smile

[–]ChrisAvelloneCCO Obsidian Entertainment 9 points 1 hour ago
That'd be my top one, yes. I have a spiritual successor idea in mind from a mini-Planescape campaign I did long ago that I'd love to turn into a game.

 

[Jasede]

This little tidbit made me smile

[–]ChrisAvelloneCCO Obsidian Entertainment 9 points 1 hour ago
That'd be my top one, yes. I have a spiritual successor idea in mind from a mini-Planescape campaign I did long ago that I'd love to turn into a game.

 

[IronicNeurotic]

Yeah, I imagine that shit talking people in the industry, even if you don't like them, is a terrible career move. It pretty much never happens. Brian Fargo has been laying into publishers, but if you noticed he's not naming any names. While you can tell he does have disdain for them, he's kind of playing both sides. He is a businessman and does have to have a career if the fan-funding model doesn't pan out.

Yeah... in fact, didn't he state somewhare that he managed to strike a deal with EA (which probably entailed selling his soul) in order to secure Wasteland as a trademark?

No, I think he just had discussions with them about selling Wasteland 1. They got the Trademark from Konami who originally wanted to use it for Yu-Gi-Oh!

 

[IronicNeurotic]

Chris, why is project management so terrible at Obsidian? Why is it after a decade you cannot get a handle on scope-creep? Do you consider it disrespectful to your audience to release games so buggy we cannot play the game fully?

Feargus, get off the channel.

 

[thesoup]

 

[Duckard]

David Gaider being a cool dude to hang around with, exchange ideas, and toss back brews is not connected at all with whether you (or I) think his games are the best in the world. I've never met David Gaider, but from everything I have read and heard, including from people who know him, and have told me in private, he is one cool cat. He is, by all accounts, very generous and nice to everyone, but still funny and fun.

That said, I reserve the right to be critical, and I have been, if I feel like his work is not as good as it can be.

See my response to 20 Eyes earlier in the thread. It was just a joke.

 

[Burning Bridges]

Yeah, I imagine that shit talking people in the industry, even if you don't like them, is a terrible career move. It pretty much never happens. Brian Fargo has been laying into publishers, but if you noticed he's not naming any names. While you can tell he does have disdain for them, he's kind of playing both sides. He is a businessman and does have to have a career if the fan-funding model doesn't pan out.

He's smart I think, but he also in a position to continue this new way into retirement.

 

[Infinitron]

[–]hellafun -3 points 21 minutes ago

Chris, why is project management so terrible at Obsidian? Why is it after a decade you cannot get a handle on scope-creep? Do you consider it disrespectful to your audience to release games so buggy we cannot play the game fully?

[–]ChrisAvelloneCCO Obsidian Entertainment 5 points 15 minutes ago

Feargus, get off the channel.

massive butthurt ensues

[–]hellafun 0 points 8 minutes ago

Thank you for confirming it was a wise move to back out of the kickstarter. Never again does Obsidian get a cent from me. Thanks for confirming the company is run by pricks who are happy to fuck over their customers and then joke at their expense.
I was stupid for buying your products all these years and making fanboy excuses on your behalf. Thanks for setting me straight.

[–]ChrisAvelloneCCO Obsidian Entertainment 1 point 1 minute ago

Let me give you a real response without any intention of changing your mind:
No developer sets out to deliver a buggy game or wants to deliver one.
It does come down to resources from various parties.
In the past, we should have downscoped titles (notably K2, which I have said in this thread).
Our most recent effort with our own engine (DS3) I feel was one of our most polished games, and Treasures of the Sun was even better following it. I don't know what more to say to you than that except that we made a lot of efforts and strides to make it that way.
No one should pay for something that is broken, and I do not encourage anyone to do so.

 

[Infinitron]

[–]mrowaksu 2 points 10 minutes ago

@ChrisAvellone
Having read one of interviews with you on Wasteland 2, I was exhilirated to learn that the dialogue system we know from Storm of Zehir may make a comeback in Wasteland 2, which I think, was one of the better approaches to skillchecks clashing with the dialogue system.
I am wondering if you guys are really planning on developing this idea. If so are you going to make it possible for the players to create all rounded party which will be able to solve every quest or reach every secret there is in game in one playthrough? Or would you rather have players play repeatedly the game trying out different party setups which will open some doors but block the others?

[–]ChrisAvelloneCCO Obsidian Entertainment 4 points 9 minutes ago

I honestly don't know. I will say that both Tony Evans and Anthony Davis have both mentioned their interest in Wasteland (Tony designed the SOZ system and Anthony made it happen). They've both contacted Brian, and I'm sure it's something we can talk about more.

Good on you, Anthony!

 

[Deleted member 7219]

I just don't get the fucking whining about buggy games. All games have bugs. Obsidian's don't have any more than others. If you look at companies like The Creative Assembly, who do the Total War games, they are often unplayable when first released yet every time their name comes up it isn't "HURR BUGS HURR".

 

[Infinitron]

I just don't get the fucking whining about buggy games. All games have bugs. Obsidian's don't have any more than others. If you look at companies like The Creative Assembly, who do the Total War games, they are often unplayable when first released yet every time their name comes up it isn't "HURR BUGS HURR".

People are counting their unfinished or unoptimized games as 'buggy'

 

[lulurkinglurkerlurk]

Those bugphobia people are mentaly damaged, for me personally is just like using "racist" argument in discusion or "get a life" BS thing it's just don't look nice and legit.

 

[Duckard]

[–]BrianFargoCEO inXile Entertainment[S] 1 point36 seconds ago

I personally hate monsters that scale up with my level. I want the satisfaction of mowing through the enemies that use to harass me. Having the difficulty curve to steep at the start is a different issue than scaling. I am for having monsters increase in difficulty on triggers like night time but that is still not scaling.

Relevant?

 

[Infinitron]

[–]vault_overseer 20 points 3 hours ago

Couple of less than happy comments here.
You were in control of Interplay when it started sinking and, eventually, was taken over by Evil Herve. On top of that, R. Scott Campbell's comments about interplay at the time of Fallout were not very flattering. That makes me concerned about the future of W2
Could you please comment on the less bright parts of your history? What would you say to the cynic in me to alleviate the concerns?

[–]BrianFargoCEO inXile Entertainment[S] 2 points 11 minutes ago

A cynic on the forums? no... I'm not certain what Scott's comments were but when things are going sidewise a lot of people jump on the bandwagon of blame. I certainly made my mistakes but one of the biggest things that hurt us was trying to stay true to the PC while the world went to console. I'm very proud of the products we were releasing during a time of EXTREME pressure. Torment, Sacrifice, Giants, Baldur's Gate 2, Fallout 2 etc. While companies like Activision flourished with Tony Hawk and Take 2 with GTA we just didn't have a big enough hit to carry us. I held onto the quality while bankers had guns pointed at my head.

 

[Deleted member 7219]

I just don't get the fucking whining about buggy games. All games have bugs. Obsidian's don't have any more than others. If you look at companies like The Creative Assembly, who do the Total War games, they are often unplayable when first released yet every time their name comes up it isn't "HURR BUGS HURR".

People are counting their unfinished or unoptimized games as 'buggy'

Exactly, KOTOR 2 and AP were unfinished but I can't remember any real bugs in either. No broken quests (but there's plenty to find in Bethesda's games, for example), no CTD/freezes as far as I can recall. NWN2 was hideously unoptimised when it was released, and the camera was a mess, but bugs? Can't think of any. People often bring up graphical glitches as examples of bugs, when in fact these often depend on the drivers of the video card.

Fallout: New Vegas and Dungeon Siege 3 are very well optimised yet NV still gets grief about bugs (what bugs? Why don't people SAY WHAT THEY ARE when they completely trash Obsidian?).

Anyway, fan boy mode over, glad I got it all off my chest.

 

[IronicNeurotic]

Infinitron

Yeah, but as I mentioned before I'm pretty sure Fargo just wasn't aware of the things that went wrong back then internally and with for example the marketing department (Clearly some people were unhappy).

A small studio like he has now focusing on Kickstarter projects seems more to his talents.

 

[Infinitron]

[–]mtndewhero 1 point 2 hours ago

Do you anticipate dialogues to be short and to the point (Fallout) or long and in depth (Planetscape) ?

[–]BrianFargoCEO inXile Entertainment[S] 2 points 4 minutes ago

There is no doubt that there will be a stronger literary vibe to this game over some of the more recent RPGs. I suspect we will have a combination of approaches as some areas need to move quickly while others require taking in more information.

 

[Fatty]

I hope he does wizards crown and the eternal dagger games. That would be too awesome

I would unload my bowels into my shorts if this ever happens.

Sorry, I just would.

 

[Excidium]

reddit is for faggots.

 

[Anthony Davis]

[–]mtndewhero 1 point 2 hours ago

Do you anticipate dialogues to be short and to the point (Fallout) or long and in depth (Planetscape) ?

[–]BrianFargoCEO inXile Entertainment[S] 2 points 4 minutes ago

There is no doubt that there will be a stronger literary vibe to this game over some of the more recent RPGs. I suspect we will have a combination of approaches as some areas need to move quickly while others require taking in more information.

I brofisted you just for that amazing gif.

 

[Infinitron]

I brofisted you just for that amazing gif.

Her nickname on the Ultima Dragons fan club was Codex.

 

[Jasede]

I am trying so hard to navigate this horrible Reddit website but I give up. Clearly it is designed for people much too smart for me.

 

[Brother None]

No, I think he just had discussions with them about selling Wasteland 1. They got the Trademark from Konami who originally wanted to use it for Yu-Gi-Oh!

For the trademark, but not the property. To be able to use the setting he had to talk with EA, though it wasn't hard.

I am trying so hard to navigate this horrible Reddit website but I give up. Clearly it is designed for people much too smart for me.

Just watch this page instead: http://nma-fallout.com/article.php?id=61338 Constantly updating.

Also, Scorpitron concept art incoming. Curious to see it.

EDIT; hells yeah https://twitter.com/#!/BrianFargo/status/190919771573846017/photo/1/large