Incline Chris Avellone Appreciation Station

[Roguey]

Didn't he work on Gecko? Wooz in bar playing Tragic and telling stories about Morte from Planescape seems like Avellone.

Nope, never listed that one as his.

 

[Roguey]

Meanwhile, Chris really wants to be three for three on the System Shock successor front:

He also would have preferred to work on Tyranny instead of Pillars

 

[Athelas]

Or it could mean he would rather have worked on anything other than Pillars.

 

[Fairfax]

Or it could mean he would rather have worked on anything other than Pillars.

He never flat out said he regrets it, but he always sounds a bit sad when talking about Pillars. Speaking of which, some might be interested in the fact he's removed it from his twitter bio.

 

[Infinitron]

Is that really a controversial idea at this point? Yes, Avellone clearly had issues with Pillars. You don't have to keep on going like "Oh, what could this mean"

 

[Fairfax]

Is that really a controversial idea at this point? Yes, Avellone clearly had issues with Pillars. You don't have to keep on going like "Oh, what could this mean"

You always dismiss my observations as Fairfax Theories™, then they become common knowledge and you complain that they're not controversial anymore.

Anyway, I was just sharing a fact, and like I said:

some might be interested

 

[Fairfax]

MCA just said the website is on hold, and I also found out today that his companion was added to the last TTON Beta update.
Here's an updated list of his work atm:

[Finished but not released]

• VR dialogue stuff with Digital Funk Studios.

[Ongoing]

• TTON companion. [Erritis - now recruitable in the Beta]
• TTON graphic novel #1.
• TTON graphic novel #2.
• Wasteland 2 novella #1. ["intros to each PC"]
• Wasteland 2 novella #2.
• Wasteland 2 novella #3.
• Wasteland 2 novella #4.
• Wasteland 2 novel.
• D:OS2 - Undead origin story.
• Prey.
• System Shock remake.

[Recent finished work]

• "<endgame>", short story for the Press Start to Play anthology.
• "Acts of Creation", short story for the The End Has Come anthology.
• Prologue for Más allá del Tiempo, a book about the Chrono series. (Spanish only)
• "The Winter King", an Icewind Dale short story. Technically not recent: he wrote back in the Black Isle days, but it was only released last year.
• Overfall style guide.
• Story feedback on Siege of Dragonspear.
  
• PoE novella.

[Other stuff coming up]

• YouTube Let's Play channel.
• Personal website. ["Website's on hold, I don't have the time. "]
• Unannounced "pet project".

 

[Infinitron]

What's the source, you emailing him?

 

[Fairfax]

What's the source, you emailing him?

Regarding the website? Twitter DM.
The companion was added in June. Pretty weird that I never saw anyone talking about it here.

 

[Infinitron]

I think most people have generally refused to play the beta beyond the opening.

 

[Fairfax]

What's the source, you emailing him?

Regarding the website? Twitter DM.
The companion was added in June. Pretty weird that I never saw anyone talking about it here.

I think most people who have access to it have generally refused to play the beta, and those who haven't don't want to spoil.

But they gave it to all backers, no? People can also share their opinions without spoiling it, but I do think you're right. Being a game driven by its writing, most people probably want to wait.
I read much of Erritis' dialogue in the game's files when the beta came out, so I'm curious to see what people think of him. Definitely not your usual MCA companion.

 

[Rev]

But they gave it to all backers, no? People can also share their opinions without spoiling it, but I do think you're right. Being a game driven by its writing, most people probably want to wait.
I read much of Erritis' dialogue in the game's files when the beta came out, so I'm curious to see what people think of him. Definitely not your usual MCA companion.

Well, since you did read him, what do you think of this character other than he's unusual by MCA's standards?

 

[Fairfax]

But they gave it to all backers, no? People can also share their opinions without spoiling it, but I do think you're right. Being a game driven by its writing, most people probably want to wait.
I read much of Erritis' dialogue in the game's files when the beta came out, so I'm curious to see what people think of him. Definitely not your usual MCA companion.

Well, since you did read him, what do you think of this character other than he's unusual by MCA's standards?

Erritis didn't have a lot of dialogue in the files when the beta first came out, but my thoughts were:

He stands out a lot next to the other companions, mostly because he's much more lighthearted.
He's very much a simpleton. Not sure if that's what some players want in a "Torment" game, but I didn't mind.
Overall I liked him and the contrast between him and the others. I think having a less grim companion was a good decision.
He's quite funny in the lines I read, but not goofy or forced.
Some examples of his tone and humour in the game:

Spoiler

"Oh, me? I'm just your normal, everyday hero. Well, not *normal*, I mean I'm the greatest hero who has ever lived! But don't tell the other heroes that. They get jealous and try to hurt me and sometimes they die."

"But my origins make it so much better, because I was just a farm boy, and now I'm the world's greatest hero. I bet you've never heard a story like *that* before."

(PC) "Wait, Erritis! Punching it might not be the best option!"
Erritis turns, scowling. "Punching is always the best option. Unless you can skewer. Skewering is even better." He smiles benevolently. "But please, tell me your other exciting options."

(PC) "Erritis, why is a passenger telling me that you threw her luggage off the cliff?"

"The Serpentess of a Thousand Kisses, yes. I almost miscounted, that would have cost me my life. Or my dignity. It might have cost my dignity."
"She had extremely sensitive lips and needles for teeth that would rotate on a belt. Only once every thousand kiss was safe, it was just a matter of knowing which one not to kiss."

(Dev notes, I think, no quotes or strings) Erritis is a hero because he believes himself to be so. The more heroic his actions, the more powerful and self-fulfilling they become.

And I wouldn't say he's unusual by MCA's standards, he's written stuff like this before, but it's not the usual MCA companion, specially when compared to the most recent ones.

 

[Bubbles]

That third quote sounds like it could have come from Alistair in DA:O.

 

[DosBuster]

• YouTube Let's Play channel.

Could it be...?

 

[DosBuster]

Also, regarding Erritis here is something that is a semi-spoiler that will change your experience of the character:

Spoiler

Get the ability to read people's thoughts, trust me.

 

[Fairfax]

That third quote sounds like it could have come from Alistair in DA:O.

Couldn't tell, never finished that game.

Could it be...?

I could be mixing up two different people, but I think he said recently (perhaps the PC Gamer stream?) that he still has to get the equipment to set it up. He's definitely confirmed multiple times that he still wants to finish the Arcanum LP.

Also, regarding Erritis here is something that is a semi-spoiler that will change your experience of the character:

Spoiler

Get the ability to read people's thoughts, trust me.

Interesting. I'll give it a shot soon, just waiting to see if they announce another beta update at Gamescom.

 

[Roguey]

He's very NWN2 in that that one also had a lot of dialogue about what makes the nature of a hero.

 

[Grotesque]

Could it be...?

 

[Jaedar]

Some examples of his tone and humour in the game:

Spoiler

"Oh, me? I'm just your normal, everyday hero. Well, not *normal*, I mean I'm the greatest hero who has ever lived! But don't tell the other heroes that. They get jealous and try to hurt me and sometimes they die."

"But my origins make it so much better, because I was just a farm boy, and now I'm the world's greatest hero. I bet you've never heard a story like *that* before."

(PC) "Wait, Erritis! Punching it might not be the best option!"
Erritis turns, scowling. "Punching is always the best option. Unless you can skewer. Skewering is even better." He smiles benevolently. "But please, tell me your other exciting options."

(PC) "Erritis, why is a passenger telling me that you threw her luggage off the cliff?"

"The Serpentess of a Thousand Kisses, yes. I almost miscounted, that would have cost me my life. Or my dignity. It might have cost my dignity."
"She had extremely sensitive lips and needles for teeth that would rotate on a belt. Only once every thousand kiss was safe, it was just a matter of knowing which one not to kiss."

(Dev notes, I think, no quotes or strings) Erritis is a hero because he believes himself to be so. The more heroic his actions, the more powerful and self-fulfilling they become.

This seems very planescape to me, even if the comic relief is perhaps a bit too much. Could still be a nice Morte type character.

 

[Neanderthal]

Some examples of his tone and humour in the game:

Spoiler

"Oh, me? I'm just your normal, everyday hero. Well, not *normal*, I mean I'm the greatest hero who has ever lived! But don't tell the other heroes that. They get jealous and try to hurt me and sometimes they die."

"But my origins make it so much better, because I was just a farm boy, and now I'm the world's greatest hero. I bet you've never heard a story like *that* before."

(PC) "Wait, Erritis! Punching it might not be the best option!"
Erritis turns, scowling. "Punching is always the best option. Unless you can skewer. Skewering is even better." He smiles benevolently. "But please, tell me your other exciting options."

(PC) "Erritis, why is a passenger telling me that you threw her luggage off the cliff?"

"The Serpentess of a Thousand Kisses, yes. I almost miscounted, that would have cost me my life. Or my dignity. It might have cost my dignity."
"She had extremely sensitive lips and needles for teeth that would rotate on a belt. Only once every thousand kiss was safe, it was just a matter of knowing which one not to kiss."

(Dev notes, I think, no quotes or strings) Erritis is a hero because he believes himself to be so. The more heroic his actions, the more powerful and self-fulfilling they become.

This seems very planescape to me, even if the comic relief is perhaps a bit too much. Could still be a nice Morte type character.

Sounds to me like hes a bit pissed off wi focus on "Hero with a thousand faces" schtick as is takin piss out on it a bit. MCA stylee.

 

[Fairfax]

He's very NWN2 in that that one also had a lot of dialogue about what makes the nature of a hero.

Hm...don't see that connection (yet). The last quote is a dev note, after all.

This seems very planescape to me, even if the comic relief is perhaps a bit too much. Could still be a nice Morte type character.

Morte had dark comedy, but yeah, the type could be similar.
I did find some hints in the dialogue from other characters that there could be sad/dark elements to his background, but just hints, nothing confirmed.

 

[Jaedar]

Morte had dark comedy, but yeah, the type could be similar.

Nordom: Attention, Morte. I have a question: do you have a destiny... a purpose?
Morte: Is Annah still wearing clothes?
Nordom: Affirmatory.
Morte: Then, the answer is yes.

Sure, dark

Morte was light comedy but a sort of tragic character.

 

[Fairfax]

Morte had dark comedy, but yeah, the type could be similar.

Nordom: Attention, Morte. I have a question: do you have a destiny... a purpose?
Morte: Is Annah still wearing clothes?
Nordom: Affirmatory.
Morte: Then, the answer is yes.

Sure, dark

Morte was light comedy but a sort of tragic character.

Agreed. I think dark is the wrong word, Morte has a lot of bitter, cynical humour. His banter when companions or TNO died was great.

 

[Neanderthal]

In a lot o ways Morte serves as a classic vulgar foil, such as you get in Shakespear or Chaucer.