Interview Chris Avellone Interview

[circ]

Ziets did MoTB.

 

[Crooked Bee]

And Sawyer was lead designer on F:NV, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Tormented Seph]

Ziets did MoTB.

With the important help of Chris and Saunders, specify this detail...
However his support was there and it is also, and above all, thanks to his talent that the game has been developed that way.
So he can claim the right in his CV.

That's the same for New Vegas.

 

[Excidium]

All RPGs MCA has worked have great storytelling and shitty everything else.

Can you praise any other aspect in PST,MOTB,FNV that isn't related to the writing? No.

He loves giving his design ideas in interviews but you never see anything in action.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

You can praise a lot of things in FNV, and you can praise a lot of things in Alpha Protocol.


EDIT: Anyway...

 

[Excidium]

Care to give examples?

 

[Mastermind]

Can you praise any other aspect in PST,MOTB,FNV that isn't related to the writing? No.

The writing in NV is shit.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Compare to other RPGs in the market, for example.

Alpha Protocol is by far the best execution of the action RPG concept that has been done so far, as well as the non-stat-based stealth. The combat combines character skill and player skill in a whole that works like an average action game, which is quite an achievement for an action RPG. When compared to its closest relatives, Deus Ex and Bloodlines, Alpha Protocol's combat simply works better. The use of four highly distinct weapon types with different perks is an improvement over the single-shot mayhem of Bloodlines, for instance, and there's enough variety in AI behaviour (ie, bum-rushing Russian mobsters vs hip-shooting towelheads) to keep things interesting.

Similarly, its stealth follows a simple design that produces a much more satisfactory result than the more haphazard stealth element of Deus Ex that wasn't clearly defined and could be better described as exploration (same case with Bloodlines, except there stealth meant constant "invisibility spell").

Similarly, Alpha Protocol had actual significant effects for skills in hacking and lockpicking. I wouldn't expect the average gamer to be able to solve the late game mini-games without max skill, for example. Compare to Deus Ex, where hacking was a non-issue if you didn't read emails slowly, and lockpicking/multitools were a matter of resource management.

It can't be emphasized enough thought that Alpha Protocol's level design ranged from meh to suck (especially if compared to the phenomenal one in DX).

And you can't stress the amount of C&C present in AP enough, the only games with as much C&C are the Way of the Samurai games.



Similarly, New Vegas has by far the best gameplay the Elder Scrolls style school of gameplay has presented so far. But more important in it is that it has some of the best level and world design in recent years, with great dungeons here and there and atmosphere to boot. Similarly, the presence of actual danger cannot be stressed enough, with Black Mountain and any areas with Deathclaws meaning certain death for the ill-prepared (and the only thing stopping you from going there being a warning sign at best).

 

[Excidium]

Well I can't give any opinion on Alpha Protocol because I haven't played it yet.

It's true that the world design is p. good in New Vegas. Some locations were extremely underwhelming like the Strip but overall roaming around and discovering places was fun.

 

[circ]

Did we play the same game? Mitä vittua?

When compared to its closest relatives, Deus Ex and Bloodlines, Alpha Protocol's combat simply works better.

All I remember is: smgs kinda suck. shotguns kinda suck. Slow time with pistol and one around bosses pretty much, keep AR for ranged stuff. Yeah, that's some 'better' homes.

The use of four highly distinct weapon types with different perks is an improvement over the single-shot mayhem of Bloodlines, for instance, and there's enough variety in AI behaviour (ie, bum-rushing Russian mobsters vs hip-shooting towelheads) to keep things interesting.

See above.

Similarly, its stealth follows a simple design that produces a much more satisfactory result than the more haphazard stealth element of Deus Ex that wasn't clearly defined and could be better described as exploration (same case with Bloodlines, except there stealth meant constant "invisibility spell").

Ok, not entirely sure you've played Bloodlines either as you seem to be confused about this CONSTANT invisibility.

Similarly, Alpha Protocol had actual significant effects for skills in hacking and lockpicking. I wouldn't expect the average gamer to be able to solve the late game mini-games without max skill, for example.

Mainly because of some of the worst m&k controls ever created, not because of player skill.

Compare to Deus Ex, where hacking was a non-issue if you didn't read emails slowly, and lockpicking/multitools were a matter of resource management.

Sounds better to me alright.

And you can't stress the amount of C&C present in AP enough, the only games with as much C&C are the Way of the Samurai games.

But was it good C&C? No. Did it affect the ending in any way? No, not really. Was it glorified flavor text like in DX? Yes.

 

[CrunchyHemorrhoids]

Ziets did MoTB.

With the important help of Chris and Saunders, specify this detail...

AFAIK MCA's contrib to MOTB:

As CCO of Obsidian you could argue he sticks his dick in everything. Doesn't mean MOTB isn't Ziets' and Saunders' baby, nor that NV isn't Sawyer's and Gonzalez'.

 

[J_C]

And you can't stress the amount of C&C present in AP enough, the only games with as much C&C are the Way of the Samurai games.

But was it good C&C? No. Did it affect the ending in any way? No, not really. Was it glorified flavor text like in DX? Yes.

C&C affecting the endgame is not the only good C&C. It affected the midgame, conversations, some quests. And just for the record, it also affected (although just slightly) the endgame.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Did we play the same game? Mitä vittua?

When compared to its closest relatives, Deus Ex and Bloodlines, Alpha Protocol's combat simply works better.

All I remember is: smgs kinda suck. shotguns kinda suck. Slow time with pistol and one around bosses pretty much, keep AR for ranged stuff. Yeah, that's some 'better' homes.

The use of four highly distinct weapon types with different perks is an improvement over the single-shot mayhem of Bloodlines, for instance, and there's enough variety in AI behaviour (ie, bum-rushing Russian mobsters vs hip-shooting towelheads) to keep things interesting.

See above.

Similarly, its stealth follows a simple design that produces a much more satisfactory result than the more haphazard stealth element of Deus Ex that wasn't clearly defined and could be better described as exploration (same case with Bloodlines, except there stealth meant constant "invisibility spell").

Ok, not entirely sure you've played Bloodlines either as you seem to be confused about this CONSTANT invisibility.

Similarly, Alpha Protocol had actual significant effects for skills in hacking and lockpicking. I wouldn't expect the average gamer to be able to solve the late game mini-games without max skill, for example.

Mainly because of some of the worst m&k controls ever created, not because of player skill.

Compare to Deus Ex, where hacking was a non-issue if you didn't read emails slowly, and lockpicking/multitools were a matter of resource management.

Sounds better to me alright.

And you can't stress the amount of C&C present in AP enough, the only games with as much C&C are the Way of the Samurai games.

But was it good C&C? No. Did it affect the ending in any way? No, not really. Was it glorified flavor text like in DX? Yes.

SMGs only suck if you lack the proper ammo for a given situation. They can kill faster in tight situations than the Assault Rifle.

Tell me, is there any way you could NOT use Obfuscate without pause once you got it to 2? I sure as hell don't see how it's possible to have so little blood that you couldn't just keep sneak killing every slant-eyed motherfucker in the map without only having to occasionally eat one instead (assuming you didn't have blood packs and that fuck-ugly conch shell with the eyes).

Well, I'm not going to contest the m&k controls, but I will say that playing on a controller or on a console isn't always a bad thing.

EDIT: And it bears mention that the C&C also had concrete effects, such as the often-mentioned one-clip Arabs, but a better one would be what you can do if you get the full intel file on Marburg.

 

[Tormented Seph]

All RPGs MCA has worked have great storytelling and shitty everything else.

Can you praise any other aspect in PST,MOTB,FNV that isn't related to the writing? No.

He loves giving his design ideas in interviews but you never see anything in action.

Try AP first, please...

And try to understand that the C&C affects not only the story in MotB, but also and above all the gameplay...
The "Curse" affects ALL the Choices, ALL the party companions, MANY dialogues, and ALL the phases of exploration of the map...

If you played MotB, you should know these things, right?

 

[l3loodAngel]

Heh. He plays Mass Effect. WHAT'S IT LIKE TO SEE YOUR GOD BLEED CODEX?

There will be blood in the water and the codex sharks will come... And the codex world will consume him.

 

[Volourn]

"Alpha Protocol is by far the best execution of the action RPG concept that has been done so far,"

No.

 

[l3loodAngel]

"Alpha Protocol is by far the best execution of the action RPG concept that has been done so far,"

No.

Let me guess. Dragon age origins was?

 

[Volourn]

DA isn't an action rpg.

 

[Killzig]

"Alpha Protocol is by far the best execution of the action RPG concept that has been done so far,"

No.

I hate agreeing with you.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Then enlighten me as to where the action game/RPG hybrid was executed as well?

 

[Tormented Seph]

The first who say "The Witcha Twuuuu is dabbbbbbest ARPG in da Wooooorld" will be sodomized!

 

[Micmu]

The first who say "The Witcha Twuuuu is dabbbbbbest ARPG in da Wooooorld" will be sodomized!

Some shitty idiot already mentioned AP, so it can't be worse.
Well... maybe if someone says Dungeon Lords or Arcania is the best arpg!11

 

[Mastermind]

action game/RPG hybrid

This phrase is meaningless. RPGs are inherently a hybrid genre. Calling AP an action game/RPG is like calling Fallout a turn-based strategy game/RPG.

 

[TheUnFlickable]

chris have you responded to me on twittery yet? you, Neil degrasse Tyson, and maybe some other New Vegas Dev havne't replied.

 

[Ulminati]

The first who say "The Witcha Twuuuu is dabbbbbbest ARPG in da Wooooorld" will be sodomized!

Hark! He has taunted the potatolanders! In before they steal his car and eat the carp in his decorative pond.