Game News Emil explains the dialogue comments

[thesheeep]

@ tardtastic:

How much time did that actually take?

 

[fastpunk]

Where to begin? This article begs to be picked on.

Believe me or not, but here's the reality of dialogue in Fallout 3: it does matter. It matters more than dialogue in one of our games has ever mattered.

Another poor choice of words. If you want to sound convincing and turn something around you can't begin with "believe it or not"! And saying it matters more than in previous Beth games doesn't say much to be honest.

I feel really comfortable saying that, because one of my responsibilities is editing and directing all the dialogue that gets written, and one of my personal crusades is pushing the NPC interactions to be more meaningful.

Considering how poor you choose your words I'm quite worried about said dialogs. I'm sure there's going to be a fair amount of obscure dialog anyway.

So yes, you do get to roleplay through dialogue: sometimes, how you say something is just as important (and enjoyable) as what you say. Yes, you can ask different NPCs different things, in different ways. Yes, a lot of times your skills and attributes (besides just Speech) will open up new dialogue options. And yes, what you say in dialogue will matter.

So he says that and then he says this:

Act like a wiseguy, and an NPC may attack you, or refuse to deal with you. Treat an NPC with respect, and maybe he'll be more willing to talk to you.

Maybe, just maybe. I mean, if NPCs will maybe be willing to talk then that says there's going to be a lot of non-verbal interactions going on...

Of course, in the true spirit of Fallout -- in which the NPCs themselves have personalities -- it really depends on who you're dealing with. NPCs, like people, have their own quirks and preferences. Take a bold approach with the right NPC, and she may like you even more. Play the weakling with the wrong guy, and you may just tick him off. So, indirectly, dialogue affects the ending of the game in the sense that it can open or close quest paths, which in turn can lead the player to perform good or bad actions, which in turn determines the player's karma rating... which does factor into the endgame. I hope that clears things up a bit.

Oh, so all of a sudden, they do matter. So now you do get penalized for carrying on a conversation.

Overall, our goal with dialogue is to craft unique, meaningful interactions with the NPCs. We want the player to feel like he or she is having a conversation with a person -- not clicking on an information kiosk. Our designers have fully embraced that philosophy, and the game's dialogue reflects that. I really do think you'll be happily surprised when you play the game.

All evidence to the contrary. We'll see about that later anyway.

 

[Zomg]

No, not really.

He's saying that dialogues don't reward or penalize the player directly. That they indirectly affect the karma rating eventually. Having an NPC attack you may not actually be a penalization, since that NPC could be non-vital, therefore the player isn't penalized since he's only pissed off a space filler.

It isn't dialog which impacts the endgame, but karma, so you could hypothetically do anything to affect your karma in a way that wouldn't impact what you've actually done. Let's say for example, killing innocents. As long as you kill filler npcs, the actions won't carry over into towns, and you could do a lot of good things for wasteland communities, yet still get the "bad" ending because you killed so many "good" npcs in the non-city areas. None of it will matter, because the endgame is determined by your karma, and not the actions you've taken. But it is indirectly, 'cause you know, actions determine karma.

Very intereshtink. But schtupid.

Buh, there was a context for the original line? Wacky stuff.

 

[Hümmelgümpf]

I want to say something witty...

Perform (Tell Jokes) Check: 10+15=25 VS DC=30 - Check Failed

Sorry, can't think of anything.

 

[Bradylama]

Buh, there was a context for the original line? Wacky stuff.

That's what I'm assuming. That Emil really did speak poorly, and that his new statement can still fit into the original "don't penalize" line.

He could just be lying, but I'm not gonna jump there just yet.

 

[MetalCraze]

Yeah, that's another thing? Why does my "karma" determing the ending? The ending should follow logically from my specific actions, not materialize out of the blue based on some fuzzy principles.

He obviously liked stalker. it had the same shit there.

I don't believe emil. Indeed after these his last words I do believe he is a mentally retarded fucker.
And did he just tried to lick our butts?

 

[kingcomrade]

Wow, I didn't realize the comments I made in that 1Up interview -- you know, about dialogue -- would cause such a stir!

What's all this then? pip pip and tally ho

 

[Risine]

Question :
How many PR betesdha people were needed to write the answer for this guy?

 

[MetalCraze]

Question :
How many PR betesdha people were needed to write the answer for this guy?

I think emil just got ass-raped by pete hines with another question: "wtf r u sayin' bitch?! we'll lose our fanboys! Go there and say different shit!"

fanboy = $$ (bethesda dictionary)

 

[max]

It's scary when the designers or developers instantly morph into PR people as soon as soon as the spotlight is focused on them. Just hand 'em a cane and a top hat!

That's what was nice about Avellone, at least he tried to remain objective and did not treat the audience like children. With Emil, you just know that he has no opinions of his own. Maybe Bethesda is staffed by clones of Pete Hines grown in jars?

Basically all this cognitive dissonance tells me is that Emil will say whatever is necessary to please an interviewer. I'll bet if he had no feedback on his ideas he would just keep spinning in an infinite loop forever...

 

[psycojester]

I'm sure that Emil has opinions of his own. But i'm also certain that Emil knows he'll be fucking fired if he sticks a toe out and says anything that violates the Bethesda corporate Canon.

 

[fastpunk]

That's what was nice about Avellone....

Was? He's still alive you know.

 

[Admiral Rimjob POOBUM]

You know the kind of guy that does nothing but bad things, and then wonders why his ending sucks?

KARMA, BITCH!

Wow... deep. You should apply at Bethesda. They need good writers/thinkers/game-designers. :wink:

Anyone have a link to that Pete Hines photo from a few months back? You know the one where he looks like an escaped mental patient? I want to use it as my avatar.... it reminds me of that line in Even Flow. "He can't help it that when he's happy he looks insane."

 

[Micmu]

NSFW -> B&

This photo's gotta go.

 

[themadhatter114]

The statements in and of themselves are not contradictory, and Bethesda can fall back on that. Initially he said "we didn't want to penalize or reward the player for carrying on a conversation" which could be spun into meaning that he didn't want to penalize or reward someone just because they talked (or kept talking) to a particular person, but that HOW you talk to people has always mattered IF you talk to them. By taking his first comment exactly as stated, there could still be people excited that they can complete the game without talking to anyone at all.

 

[dragonfk]

They change their stance as the wind blows.

 

[Edward_R_Murrow]

I've got the next-gen version.....

 

[Vault Dweller]

Dialogue does matter and there are many choices just waiting to be made. You can, for example, accept or decline quests and needless to say, you can't get a quest without saying "quests plz!" first.

 

[Jung]

I've got the next-gen version.....

I like the next-gen version better.

 

[denizsi]

Ugh.

Hallmark of quality dialogue.

 

[Joe Krow]

So when I tell the guy at "Megaton" to go fuck himself does that mean he will no longer offer his quest to me? Will he have any recollection of my insult or can I just "retry" the dialogue (as a nice guy this time)? The impression I get is that certain responses may add or subtract from a generic karma pool but, not matter what is said, they will have no permanent effect on npcs. How innovative.

 

[MetalCraze]

This time they're in a game industry!
And will change the war!
Watch a new comedy
With your favorite characters

Todd Howard!
Pete Hines!
Emil with-a-hard-to-pronounce surname!
Some more fanboys and journalist whores!

COMING FALL 2008


Dumb & Dumber 2
in immersive 3D!*


*only on selected platforms

 

[suleo]

Todd Howard!
Pete Hines!
Emil with-a-hard-to-pronounce surname!
Some more fanboys and journalist whores!

COMING FALL 2008


Dumb & Dumber 2
in immersive 3D!*


*only on selected platforms

Rated "R" for RETARDED.

 

[Edward_R_Murrow]

Todd Howard!
Pete Hines!
Emil with-a-hard-to-pronounce surname!
Some more fanboys and journalist whores!

COMING FALL 2008


Dumb & Dumber 2
in immersive 3D!*


*only on selected platforms

Rated "R" for RETARDED.

More like RETODDED am I right?

 

[VonVentrue]

The guys from ‘Brokeback Mountain’ ready to rape (yet another franchise) again!