Interview Fallout Developer Profile: John Deiley

[Voss]

Fallout is a gritty, realistic series which takes place in our own universe, in a small region of Earth that is pretty much uniformly destroyed. No fantasy = no dungeons. The biggest strength in the world of Fallout is it's people, not it's location.

OK, I agree with the idea that the NPCs are important. (and this is a major thing that is always lacking in a online thing) But...
no dungeons?
In fallout?
The supermutant base? The cathedral? The Glow? (1)
The mines? The rat lair? The gecko cave? The temple of annoying starts? (2)

Those all screamed 'dungeon, dungeon, dungeon!' to me.

 

[Sol Invictus]

I don't think it really matters that both Fallout and Fallout 2 had their assortment of Dungeons, much like the Baldur's Gate series of games did, but one thing I find hard to conceive put into 'gritty, realistic' setting such as Fallout are respawning monsters in dungeons as camping spots or levelling areas with an innumerable amount of players hoarding those locations to get their next level. It's just stupid and makes no sense.

Come to think of it, it wouldn't make any sense in D&D either. One of the fun things about D&D campaigns is the sense of achievement you get when you slay the big dragon, or imprison the archwizard, or save the town from certain destruction.

MMORPGs are immersion killers.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Gotta agree with Ex on this one. I've played a few MM's, and did not really find the experience too enjoyable.

 

[Volourn]

I agree to the extent that MMORPGs to THIS date have been immersion killers. That can be changed.

 

[Sol Invictus]

I don't see how. Some of very the things that make single player games immersive are the very things which can't, in any practical way, implemented into MMORPGs.

 

[Volourn]

If a MMORPH were to have a dedicated team of designers and DMs you could have it that other thanr andom encounters while travelingyou wouldn't need respawns at all. Of course, this would be ane xpesnive undertaking and the prospective players would probably have to be willing to pay more than your average MMORPGH.

Some NWN PWs have this to a lesser degree; but still not there yet.

 

[Sol Invictus]

It isn't economical viable as not too many people are willing to pay a high monthly fee for something like that. 15 dollars is bad enough that most casual players are quitting the various mmorpgs these days.

 

[Sol Invictus]

I admit that I didn't fully read the interview when I first posted it, and now that I have... read below:

If you could make any computer game that you wanted, which would it be and why?

Two games come to mind. First, Fallout Online. I think that online games are the way of the future and that a Fallout title would do exceptionally well. Second, I’ve been working on a traditional Final Fantasy type console rpg. I love those games and want to try my hand at creating one.

I stand by my original assessment of John Deiley.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

I read it, and stand by Ex's statements.

 

[Jed]

Wait...I'm confused. Volourn's a girl? When did this happen?

 

[Sol Invictus]

Ex, you can accuse of him of not being much of a deisgner if you are stupid. But, hey, you can whine 'til youa re blue in the face; but obviously you nothing next to nothing about being a designer. Afterall, this guy helped deisgn FO2 one of the best CRPGs of all time, and you have designed, uhg, oh, um, The Whining game which is entertaining but has very little substance.

If that's what you want to call Lionheart, then sure. Or are you forgetting I was part of that game's production and design? Oh why certainly, I know next to nothing about being a designer, having never been one, given the fact that only I contributed much to the design of the game's early areas.

If that's not designing, then I don't know what is.

 

[Voss]

What, seriously?

You would've been much better off not bring that up, frankly.

 

[Kamaz]

Yeah, Rex, really?

 

[Whipporowill]

We're still waiting on your Lionheart review b t w, Rex...

GROINSTEP!

 

[Sol Invictus]

I didn't model the graphics, or insist on the shitty combat (that was Ion Hardie's fault) so don't get mad at me for that.

The story was solid and would have been better off in a better game, really.

 

[Voss]

...
The background had some potential (for those that can keep awake through 'an alternate history, yay we've justified magic, aren't we clever' session).
The story, well. I suppose it was there somewhere. 'You are the chosen one because you have King Richard's bound spirit latched onto your soul, so you must fight teh EVIL' doesn't do much for me personally.

 

[4too]

Scoutmaster D.

Scoutmaster D.

Let me start with this preamble:

""I am now, and I have never been a member of a MMORPG, nor have I actively or passively
supported the viability, either financially-or playabiity of FOOL.""


Scoutmaster D. answers this question:

What hobbies do you have besides computer games?

I love sci fi and fantasy movies and novels. I like to swim and bike ride. I like fine foods and the restaurants that serve them. I play DnD and GURPS when I get the chance. I love running DnD games.

... I love running DnD games. ...

So, he enjoys the social interaction of being a Dungeon Master. He likes being the
central authority, the 'go-to' master of ceremonies, for a gaggle of gamers.

He likes being a "Scoutmaster". ""Gather around me kids and I'll tell you all about the sub story of the next bump in the road.""

D. also got to list a whole bunch of qualifiers about what a good RPG would look like to him, AND, he never said how his own ideals would be translated into a MMORPG.

D. revealed no 'science' to make his 'fantasy' a REAL TIME(TM) reality. It would be the success or failure of the other alterate reality MMORPG's that have SciFi themes that might influence the "smart money'" that likes to invest other peoples' money in ""lucrative"" on line ventures. But the real hook for these "masters of the universe" is how well EQ and WOW fly that OL flag by filling the bags of Sony and the other entertainment corp. with PHAT LOOT.

................

Killian: Come here guys. The mobs respawn quickly here.
Spazmo: Sweet. Here they come
LlamaGod: Need buffs!
*Exitium casts Alacrity, Morale, Brotherhood Shield
Killian: My morale is better than yours. Stop casting morale.
*Killian casts Morale MK3
*Exitium casts Morale
Killian: OMFG stop casting it, I said mine's better. Save your energy.
*Killian casts Morale MK3

- robots start spawning, all 10 at once -

.....

Loved the RPG Codex version of ""Band of -- FO -- Brothers.""
I wonder if it could be "gamed out" in an appropriate FO,{ FOT Multiplayer?} for the takes and then edited together to create a little cinema noire about the folly of FOOL.

Consider the propaganda power of parody, in lock step with the "truth" of the experience point mining and leveling up factories that are the MMORPG's that you all have described.

4too

 

[The Situationist]

John Deiley was behind the Modron Maze in Torment -- as well as a ton of other stuff in the game.

He gets props from me for that.

 

[Sol Invictus]

The Modron Maze was very annoying.

 

[POOPERSCOOPER]

Exitium your not a designer just because you were listed on Lionhearts credits.

 

[Sol Invictus]

But I did a lot of design work.

 

[Volourn]

That explains its massive failure... This guyw orked on PST, and FO2. He wins over a supposed LH designer any day of the week. And, that's comingf rom somone whof eels that LH is treated way too harshly.

 

[Sol Invictus]

I'm not denying that Lionheart sucked - and you are completely missing the point. You claimed that I have no design experience... but on the contrary!

 

[Spazmo]

We're losing sight of the point here--design abilities aside, John Deiley is a tool and should never, ever be given a budget and put in charge of a project because I sure as shit don't want to play an anime-fied Fallout Online.

"JOIN! DIE! JOIN! DIE! JOIN! DIE! >_< ^_________________________^ >_< ^_________________________^ >_< ^_________________________^".

No damn way.

 

[POOPERSCOOPER]

LOL Teh master pokemon style

exitum messed with my seckret message in a bottle