Developer Story Time with Old Man Davis

[Anthony Davis]

Maybe you should have saved up your nickels and bought Star Control yourself.

I wasn't invited to the auction...

MAN. I wonder how much they paid for it. If it was only 6 figures, I *MIGHT* have been able to get it with some help from my rich friends.


Argh.

 

[Space Satan]

Why is everyone so upset about Wargaming grabbing MoO? They have shitload of money to launch a high-funded sequel. Who else could do better for the series? Valve? Blizzard? They do not bother themselves with such genres and Paradox is too entrenched in their presudo-realtime traditional grand strategies. Stardock ruined enough of their games to allow them another one.

 

[Anthony Davis]

Why is everyone so upset about Wargaming grabbing MoO? They have shitload of money to launch a high-funded sequel. Who else could do better for the series? Valve? Blizzard? They do not bother themselves with such путкуы and Paradox is too entrenched in their presudo-realtime traditional grand strategies. Stardock ruined enough of their games to allow them another one.

I fear the F2P machine getting the MoO franchise.

They definitely have the resources to make a great game - no doubt, will they? I don't know.
A lot of people like WoTs, but it is an inherently different game than MoO.

 

[Kane]

Maybe they can make monetize their games in a traditional way!

What is Obsidian Entertainment's favourite money making scheme Anthony Davis?

 

[Anthony Davis]

Maybe they can make monetize their games in a traditional way!

What is Obsidian Entertainment's favourite money making scheme Anthony Davis?

Naaah, look, I didn't mean to be so... whiny about this.

Companies gotta make money, I get that, I support that. I just would like *REAL* sequels to MoO2 and SC2.

 

[Space Satan]

They approach to microtransactions in a VERY different way than EA and such. More like Valve - not turning game into pay2win, and resources they spend on balance actually give results - their premium tanks and gold ammo is not a win button, which is, IMo, main reason for their success. I can live with such F2P allright. Plus, they started as a turn-based strategy developers with quite successful Massive Assault series after which they've found motherlode of WoT.

 

[Murk]

Read like 3 pages before I realized I wasn't reading Brother None's posts.

 

[Fens]

Read like 3 pages before I realized I wasn't reading Brother None's posts.

thanks... was wondering what kind of horrible accident happened to brother none to cause those posts

please change your avatar, Space Satan ...it's confusing

 

[Brother None]

Sometimes I'm reading a thread and go "wait, did I post in this thread?!" Haha.

 

[Xor]

Well you did now.

 

[Spectacle]

Maybe they can make monetize their games in a traditional way!

What is Obsidian Entertainment's favourite money making scheme Anthony Davis?

Naaah, look, I didn't mean to be so... whiny about this.

Companies gotta make money, I get that, I support that. I just would like *REAL* sequels to MoO2 and SC2.

I can't see why they'd want the MoO brand for a Free2Play cashgrab, so it's fair to hope that they're actually fans who want so spend some of their fortune on reviving an old favorite.

What Stardock is going to do with Star Control is a bigger question.

 

[Chaotic_Heretic]

What Stardock is going to do with Star Control is a bigger question.

Hopefully not rape.

 

[Ninjerk]

What Stardock is going to do with Star Control is a bigger question.

Hopefully not rape.

Heh. Nuuuuu, they're gonna take it someplace nice, and go home at the end of the night like a gentleman.

 

[Western]

Donut RPG?

Do what you know man. I know RPGs and I know Donuts.

Are you seriously considering making an RPG of some kind solo? Is this going to be a more traditional RPG or will it be 'Donut Story' with RPG elements?

 

[Anthony Davis]

Donut RPG?

Do what you know man. I know RPGs and I know Donuts.

Are you seriously considering making an RPG of some kind solo? Is this going to be a more traditional RPG or will it be 'Donut Story' with RPG elements?

Yes to the first, kind of to the second and third.

 

[rrc2soft]

Are you seriously considering making an RPG of some kind solo? Is this going to be a more traditional RPG or will it be 'Donut Story' with RPG elements?

Yes to the first, kind of to the second and third.

Recettear, but with Donuts?

 

[Ranselknulf]

Before the beginning the gods crafted seven donuts within the cosmic oven infusing them with power over the realms of mortals. The gods used these donuts to create the first worlds and placed them next to the cosmic oven. When the work of creation was finished the gods hid the donuts using the power of the cosmic oven and so their secrets remained hidden... for a time.

Then the unthinkable happened, the cosmic oven was stolen. The magic concealing the seven donuts failed. News of the donuts spread throughout the countless worlds. With it spread an even more unbelievable rumor, whoever consumes all seven donuts will gain power over creation itself.

A new age is about to begin, a new page will be written in the book of fate, it is the time of the seven and the dawning of a new destiny. Who will prove worthy.

 

[Anthony Davis]

Before the beginning the gods crafted seven donuts within the cosmic oven infusing them with power over the realms of mortals. The gods used these donuts to create the first worlds and placed them next to the cosmic oven. When the work of creation was finished the gods hid the donuts using the power of the cosmic oven and so their secrets remained hidden... for a time.

Then the unthinkable happened, the cosmic oven was stolen. The magic concealing the seven donuts failed. News of the donuts spread throughout the countless worlds. With it spread an even more unbelievable rumor, whoever consumes all seven donuts will gain power over creation itself.

A new age is about to begin, a new page will be written in the book of fate, it is the time of the seven and the dawning of a new destiny. Who will prove worthy.

Why are you harvesting my dreams?!

 

[Delterius]

Pretty sure there aren't donuts where I live.

Will Anthony Davis realize my dreams of a donut-shaped planet? And a donut-shaped sword hilt? And a donut-shaped shield with minus 10 defence?

 

[Ranselknulf]

To all the slain donuts

RIP

 

[Duraframe300]

Anthony, I recently read this trenches story over at penny arcade

Anonymous
I am the “truly insufferable co-worker” from this post:
http://trenchescomic.com/tales/post/you-are-not-your-fucking-bugcount
The title was Neverwinter Nights 2. The licensed property was Dungeons and Dragons.
The original poster’s portrayal of me is a little misguided: I never cared about my bug count. I’ve been a D&D geek for sometime, and I owned all the books…and yes, even brought them to work. I’d been a weekly GM for years, and loved the Forgotten Realms universe and story.
However, I never cared about my bug count. I didn’t care how many bugs I submitted. All I cared about was how good a game we made. I loved Dungeons and Dragons so much, I wanted the game to be perfect.
As a QA Tester, bugs were the only voice I had: I tried to use that voice to make the game better.
If the poster had ever talked to me, he’d have known how passionate about the game I was. If being passionate about Dungeons and Dragons is a crime, color me guilty and proud of it.
He only saw my bug count as a chore I inflicted…I saw them as the only way I could help him develop the game.

How was the QA situation back then at Obsidian? And what are the Pro's/Con's of having such to the source-material dedicated QA testers?

 

[gromit]

o... m... F g.

 

[Anthony Davis]

Anthony, I recently read this trenches story over at penny arcade

Anonymous
I am the “truly insufferable co-worker” from this post:
http://trenchescomic.com/tales/post/you-are-not-your-fucking-bugcount
The title was Neverwinter Nights 2. The licensed property was Dungeons and Dragons.
The original poster’s portrayal of me is a little misguided: I never cared about my bug count. I’ve been a D&D geek for sometime, and I owned all the books…and yes, even brought them to work. I’d been a weekly GM for years, and loved the Forgotten Realms universe and story.
However, I never cared about my bug count. I didn’t care how many bugs I submitted. All I cared about was how good a game we made. I loved Dungeons and Dragons so much, I wanted the game to be perfect.
As a QA Tester, bugs were the only voice I had: I tried to use that voice to make the game better.
If the poster had ever talked to me, he’d have known how passionate about the game I was. If being passionate about Dungeons and Dragons is a crime, color me guilty and proud of it.
He only saw my bug count as a chore I inflicted…I saw them as the only way I could help him develop the game.

How was the QA situation back then at Obsidian? And what are the Pro's/Con's of having such to the source-material dedicated QA testers?

I saw this too and posted it on facebook to see if any of my old comrades remember more of this than I do.

I remember this QA person in particular, but I do not know for sure who wrote the original comment on The Trenches complaining about the QA guy.

The QA situation at Obsidian varies slightly from project to project. Obsidian has internal QA and QA Producers. The rest of the QA needs are determined by the project. Sometimes a publisher will provide their own QA working in tandem with Obsidian's QA, sometimes they will provide QA support in the form of a "testing" contractor working in tandem with Obsdian's QA, and finally sometimes they publisher provides funds in the contract for hiring internal QA - and in that case Obsidian then hires up an internal team for QA.

The QA situation at Obsidian is actually pretty good for an independent developer. The sad truth is that many, many independent developers don't have money for QA at all. That doesn't mean QA doesn't happen of course, almost everyone in the game industry wears multiple hats and EVERYONE has a QA hat. The owners at Obsidian recognized from an early point that QA was a necessary expense. I know everyone is like Bugsidian, har har har, but the QA guys there do work hard and it is a thankless job.

 

[Roguey]

However, I never cared about my bug count. I didn’t care how many bugs I submitted. All I cared about was how good a game we made. I loved Dungeons and Dragons so much, I wanted the game to be perfect.
As a QA Tester, bugs were the only voice I had: I tried to use that voice to make the game better.

Pity then that they still ended up making one of the worst D&D video games ever.

 

[Gurkog]

However, I never cared about my bug count. I didn’t care how many bugs I submitted. All I cared about was how good a game we made. I loved Dungeons and Dragons so much, I wanted the game to be perfect.
As a QA Tester, bugs were the only voice I had: I tried to use that voice to make the game better.

Pity then that they still ended up making one of the worst D&D video games ever.

At least it wasn't as bad as NWN 1. That is one of the few games I regret spending money on.