Codex is sending a representative to visit inXile

[Charles Eli Cheese]

Fartgo is probably less responsible for both bad and good than you might credit. He is not a one man dev team or something.

 

[Lilura]

Yes, both of your statements are speculative.

 

[Charles Eli Cheese]

Colin McCuck and Monty Cuck though

Obviously this was terrible mistake, and probably the original manager...and fuck, maybe everybody on that team

This is how I imagine typical progress report to Fargo:

 

[Luckmann]

Fartgo is probably less responsible for both bad and good than you might credit. He is not a one man dev team or something.

As much as Fargo may ultimately be responsible by virtue of being CEO and being the one that put all of this together, I'm getting increasingly convinced that the majority of the blame can be placed on the soggy shoulder of Classic Colin McCuck, who seems to always have been more interested in making a SocJus wet dream than an actual game, and we know how that usually turns out.

 

[Achilles]

So yeah, you people kinda suck at this interviewing business.

That's because we know you'never get any worthwhile answers. Inxile isn't interested in giving honest answers, it's just pandering so that next time sites like this won't rip their game to shreds and cause lost sales.

 

[janjetina]

Here are some questions for Fargo. Answering them would establish timeline and responsibility for the failure of TTON.

1. What was the extent of your personal involvement with the TTON project? Did the project manager report directly to you and how often? How often did you interact with the developers of TTON?
2. Which single word out of the following three (friendly, professional, cordial) would you pick first to describe your relationship with the members of the development team of TTON? (I bet he says friendly)
3. How many people worked on TTON during the production? How did the team size change over the development timeline?
4. When exactly in the timeline of the project did it become apparent to you that the development will take much longer than projected?
5. When did it become apparent that major content cuts and team changes would be necessary?
6. When exactly was the decision to develop TTON for the consoles made? What was the status of development of PC TTON at the time?
7. How many members of the TTON team were assigned to the console development team?
8. When exactly was the decision to enlist the help of a publisher made?

 

[Abu Antar]

Whatever the questions are, the first thing you need to do before asking them is to tell them this: No PR speak, please.

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

Whatever the questions are, the first thing you need to do before asking them is to tell them this: No PR speak, please.

But development isn't a straight line from A to B

 

[Abu Antar]

Whatever the questions are, the first thing you need to do before asking them is to tell them this: No PR speak, please.

But development isn't a straight line from A to B

They don't have to spill everything. Just don't give bullshit responses.

If they get a question like: What have you learned from the TToN development and what have you learned from it?
I don't want an answer like this: Nothing and I don't really think that anything needs to be changed.

They gave a response that wasn't far off in some interview, but we know many changes are coming and we know that they did learn from the development of the game.

 

[janjetina]

Whatever the questions are, the first thing you need to do before asking them is to tell them this: No PR speak, please.

But development isn't a straight line from A to B

They don't have to spill everything. Just don't give bullshit responses.

If they get a question like: What have you learned from the TToN development and what have you learned from it?
I don't want an answer like this: Nothing and I don't really think that anything needs to be changed.

They gave a response that wasn't far off in some interview, but we know many changes are coming and we know that they did learn from the development of the game.

There is a possibility that Fargo and co. will default to the Comical Ali mode. The interviewer needs to prepare well when it comes to facts to counter that. The interviewer should pay particular attention to the details that indicate reception and commercial success of the game (sales total and trend on PC and on consoles, user scores and most frequent user complaints, quantity of cut material, change of lead during the development) and emphasize the proper fact in response to the spin. It's better to get a refusal to answer than to accept a BS answer, but in order to call BS, the interviewer needs to be able to produce the facts that indicate it is BS.

 

[Delbaeth]

Is Red Boots DLC planned for WL3 consoles' ports?

 

[flabbyjack]

Ask how much they like dealing with Steam, they're sure to answer that one without repercussions.

 

[Rev]

As much as Fargo may ultimately be responsible by virtue of being CEO and being the one that put all of this together, I'm getting increasingly convinced that the majority of the blame can be placed on the soggy shoulder of Classic Colin McCuck, who seems to always have been more interested in making a SocJus wet dream than an actual game, and we know how that usually turns out.

I agree that McComb (and to a lesser extent Heine, Jurgens-Fyhrie, Saunders, etc.) is to blame for T:ToN's problems more than Fargo who's just an executive and didn't have any actual input in the game, but he sure deserves to be blamed for inXile's scammy business model and lack of good management. Also, he's the one who decided or at the very least agreed to make a console port and release it simultaneously with the PC version, he's responsible for how they decided to treat backers and customers in regard to the cut contents, he's the one who consciously lied for years about pretty much anything in all his interviews and every major screw up of his company is, directly or not, his fault.

 

[Ezeekiel]

Send a representative to the battle brothers devs instead...

 

[Lhynn]

Which is what I was getting at. Lhynn's comment was just weak: "I believe he's a decent guy." Fuck me, you "believe"? Is he decent or not. Just say it.

The fuck do i know if hes a decent guy or not? he may be eating babies for all i know, or purposely hiring SJWs, which is even worse. From what ive seen he is a decent guy, it is my opinion for all its worth.

 

[Once more unto the Codex]

Send a representative to the battle brothers devs instead...

Yes, and ask them when BB is coming to Mac

 

[Excidium II]

Send a representative to the battle brothers devs instead...

Yes, and ask them when BB is coming to Mac

Ask them when they are releasing the full game with main content and dungeons.

 

[almondblight]

3. How many people worked on TTON during the production? How did the team size change over the development timeline?

These are good questions. For the size of the Torment team and it's changes over time, it would also be good to confirm the number of people working full time on Torment and nothing else at a given time vs the total number of people "working on it." I can easily see them trying to pull something like:

Q: What were the size of the teams in early 2015?
A: 45 on the Torment team, 45 on the Bard's Tale team, and 45 people on the WL2 DC team.

Q: How many people were employed by InXile in early 2015?
A: 45.

 

[Junmarko]

If you give the player the ability to create a certain type of character, make sure that you honour the player's character build. What I mean by that is if you give a character to option to dump 500 points into speech. Make sure they have an experience thats very cool and is appropriate for a speech based character. The same thing is true if you're a stupid combat monster, if you're a sneaky thief who no one ever sees... If you're allowing the players to build a character like that with the rule set, then make sure your content supports that experience.

”— Chris Avellone

http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Chris_Avellone

Take a printout of this quote to the interview, and before you leave, staple it to the office door of Colin McComb.

(make sure the font is loud and obnoxious)

 

[shihonage]

Torment is a disappointment, but I could also never feel contempt for the man that gave me Fallout and Baldur's Gate.

Fargo's biggest contribution to "Fallout" was the game's name.

There is a possibility that Fargo and co. will default to the Comical Ali mode. The interviewer needs to prepare well when it comes to facts to counter that. The interviewer should pay particular attention to the details that indicate reception and commercial success of the game (sales total and trend on PC and on consoles, user scores and most frequent user complaints, quantity of cut material, change of lead during the development) and emphasize the proper fact in response to the spin. It's better to get a refusal to answer than to accept a BS answer, but in order to call BS, the interviewer needs to be able to produce the facts that indicate it is BS.

Also bring sodium pentothal and some ropes. It's just common sense.

 

[Iznaliu]

There is a possibility that Fargo and co. will default to the Comical Ali mode. The interviewer needs to prepare well when it comes to facts to counter that. The interviewer should pay particular attention to the details that indicate reception and commercial success of the game (sales total and trend on PC and on consoles, user scores and most frequent user complaints, quantity of cut material, change of lead during the development) and emphasize the proper fact in response to the spin. It's better to get a refusal to answer than to accept a BS answer, but in order to call BS, the interviewer needs to be able to produce the facts that indicate it is BS.

There is a perception among some delusional idiots that the house of Fargo will own up to their deception and incompetence if you press them hard enough. Fargo and his cronies will do whatever it takes to protect the sacred jewels of InXile.

 

[Prime Junta]

There is a perception among some delusional idiots that the house of Fargo will own up to their deception and incompetence if you press them hard enough. Fargo and his cronies will do whatever it takes to protect the sacred jewels of InXile.

All the more reason to ask tough questions. Wriggling can be informative too. Or at least gratifying.

 

[Infinitron]

Despite a long history of hard-hitting Codex interviews, people here continue to underestimate the efficacy of asking game developers questions. "No, they'll just deny everything, there's no point!" It's really just an excuse to be introverted and lazy.

Game developers talk bullshit when they think they're being interviewed by bullshit people. They know they can't do that with the Codex.

In any case, one thing I forgot to mention in my previous post is that there should be a question about technical and presentation issues. Why did the game get worse-looking and sounding than some of what we saw before release? Environmental graphics, voice acting, non-companion NPC portraits, etc. And what's the story with the companion portraits? Why did they change so many times before settling on...that?

 

[Sensuki]

Bullshots, simple as that. inXile has a history of doing it, as established with WL2.

 

[Goral]

Ask him how well Planescape: Torment sold. I remember a figure of 400k but Fargo should know better. While you're at it, ask him if he was planning a sequel (MCA had some ideas about it).