George Ziets opening a new RPG studio - Digimancy Entertainment

[ERYFKRAD]

What do you think of a king-type protag; who does "combat" through his troops and he's essentially there to boost morale and order them around, maybe fights too like in Total War games, and outside of battle he's the usual walkie-talkie-decision makey RPG protag? Would a game with such combat count/be feasible to make as an RPG in your book?

King's bounty is already a thing, innit?

 

[Joni Odin von Hassenstein]

For me personally, there are two eras of “classic” RPGs. The first are the RPGs of the 80s to early 90s, when most of the foundational RPG series originated – Ultima, Wizardry, Might & Magic, Wasteland, the D&D Gold Box games, Quest for Glory, Starflight, and so on. Those games were highly influential on me when I was growing up. My second set of classics are the (mostly isometric) RPGs of the late 1990s to early 2000s – Fallout 1 & 2, Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2, Planescape: Torment, Arcanum, Morrowind, King of Dragon Pass, NWN (at least for the toolset and mods), etc. Those games had a greater impact on me professionally, if only because they directly established the style and conventions in which I have worked.

Speaking of classics: Have you ever played any part of the Gothic-series? Especially the first two games are unmatched when it comes to atmosphere and setting imho.

 

[G Ziets]

G Ziets Is there a list of companions across all games you've worked on that you've written(or partially written) anywhere?

It's rare for me to write 100% of the dialogue for a companion – usually I’m focused on main story dialogues (if I’m narrative lead) or am just pitching in to write important NPCs here and there (if I’m area design lead or overall design lead). I frequently design CNPCs on a high level – define their personalities, backgrounds, roles in the story, overall voice – and then pass them to others who write most of their lines.

For example, I came up with all the CNPCs in Mask, but I only wrote for Okku and a little of Safiya. Similarly, I wrote the original design documents for all the companions in Dungeon Siege 3 and most of the companions in Wasteland 3, but I only wrote for a subset of them. I was not involved in creating any of the companions on Torment: Tides of Numenera, Fallout: New Vegas, or NWN2: OC, and I don’t think I wrote for them either, beyond a scattering of interjection lines. (It’s not uncommon for interjection lines to be handled by whichever writer happens to be assigned the dialogue where they occur. Sometimes the main companion writer takes a revision or rewrite pass over those lines, sometimes they don’t – the lines might be fine as is, or the writer may not have time to review everything before text lock.)

 

[G Ziets]

G Ziets have you already decided on the game engine?
Will it be an in-house, Unreal, Unity or some other engine?

We're currently using Unity because our team has more experience in that engine than any other.

 

[G Ziets]

G Ziets

Are you saying Safiya was in love with the PC because subconsciously her founder soul sensed Akachi inside the PC? That would make a lot of sense. I can not remember that being expressed as such though, outside of the end titles.

Exactly. That's the source of the deep connection that Safiya feels for the player. (We may not have make it make clear enough to players though.)

 

[Xeon]

I don't know much about engines so I am sorry if this dumb.

Is it not possible to use Larian's engine for the game? or are they not leasing[?] their engine to others? I know a lot of people get turned off by the cartoony graphics but I would think that can be changed, no? Its a lot more mod friendly as far as I know than Unity and its perfect for TB.

 

[G Ziets]

I don't know much about engines so I am sorry if this dumb.

Is it not possible to use Larian's engine for the game? or are they not leasing[?] their engine to others? I know a lot of people get turned off by the cartoony graphics but I would think that can be changed, no? Its a lot more mod friendly as far as I know than Unity and its perfect for TB.

I'm not sure if Larian would be willing to license their engine, but they'd presumably expect us to pay them for it (because we're a commercial product), and since we're a startup with limited resources, I doubt we could afford the expense. That sort of thing is more common if a smaller company is actually doing work for a larger company - e.g., if Larian hired us to make a DOS or BG3 expansion, just as Bethesda hired Obsidian to make Fallout: New Vegas (and we used their engine and tools to make the game for them). So far, I haven't gotten in touch with Swen to discuss anything like that.

 

[Ismaul]

if Larian hired us to make a DOS or BG3 expansion

Hmm, there's this thing called Fallen Heroes that has no developer now.

Don't know if you'd want a previously worked-on project, but in any case Larian does intend to out-source DOS spin-offs, engine and all, while they work on BG3...

 

[Transfiguring Roar]

G Ziets Do you, or will you, have a discord for Digimancy?

 

[nikolokolus]

G Ziets You've mentioned King of Dragon Pass as being a big inspiration. Have you ever considered doing something in a similar vein? That is: a dynastic, multi-generational arc, maybe something like King Arthur Pendragon's "Great Pendragon Campaign" (also conceived by Greg Stafford)?

 

[G Ziets]

G Ziets Do you, or will you, have a discord for Digimancy?

Not yet, but we probably will.

 

[G Ziets]

G Ziets You've mentioned King of Dragon Pass as being a big inspiration. Have you ever considered doing something in a similar vein? That is: a dynastic, multi-generational arc, maybe something like King Arthur Pendragon's "Great Pendragon Campaign" (also conceived by Greg Stafford)?

We have! In fact, something vaguely along the KoDP lines is on our list of concepts (in another setting of our own creation). I've been tinkering with the concept and the setting in the background for several years. It's not the concept we're currently developing, but it might appear in the future.

 

[nikolokolus]

G Ziets You've mentioned King of Dragon Pass as being a big inspiration. Have you ever considered doing something in a similar vein? That is: a dynastic, multi-generational arc, maybe something like King Arthur Pendragon's "Great Pendragon Campaign" (also conceived by Greg Stafford)?

We have! In fact, something vaguely along the KoDP lines is on our list of concepts (in another setting of our own creation). I've been tinkering with the concept and the setting in the background for several years. It's not the concept we're currently developing, but it might appear in the future.

No lie, I might pay obscene amounts of money for a KAP adaptation. (Definitely unreasonable amounts.)

 

[The_Mask]

Since everyone is pushing their own agenda, I might as well be pushing my own as well. *ahem*

G Ziets

1. I am a big fan of unarmed combat in RPGs. MotB had the Silver Sword of Gith, that could be used by (almost) anyone, however those of us preferring unarmed combat would be left a bit out of the loop. --- Will you consider this aspect in your future game(s)?

2. I am also a bit of a Dark Souls fan, and through that, I am also a fan of indirect and environmental story-telling. --- What is your opinion/stance on this?

3. Through MotB, you are also known as a man that pays attention to VO delivery, music and general ambiance. --- Do you have any particular preferences in regards to this that you would like to share? (it's ok to say no, I'm just curious)

 

[hexer]

G Ziets have you already decided on the game engine?
Will it be an in-house, Unreal, Unity or some other engine?

We're currently using Unity because our team has more experience in that engine than any other.

That's understandable although I, as an indie dev too, would recommend considering Unreal over Unity at some point down the road.
More advanced tech, faster, better support and an overall more polished engine.

 

[hello friend]

I wish someone would make an RPG where your companions are with you out of necessity, and as the game goes along they just start disliking you more and more, until in the end they leave out of frustration. Your choices can only lead to reduced negative consequences, but they always leave. I'm sick of ego stroking, and I want to troll the people who aren't.

 

[Latro]

I wish someone would make an RPG where your companions are with you out of necessity, and as the game goes along they just start disliking you more and more, until in the end they leave out of frustration. Your choices can only lead to reduced negative consequences, but they always leave. I'm sick of ego stroking, and I want to troll the people who aren't.

lisa rpg

 

[Transfiguring Roar]

I wish someone would make an RPG where your companions are with you out of necessity, and as the game goes along they just start disliking you more and more, until in the end they leave out of frustration. Your choices can only lead to reduced negative consequences, but they always leave. I'm sick of ego stroking, and I want to troll the people who aren't.

Maybe some of the companions could turn on you and become the end-game boss.

 

[v1rus]

I'm sick of ego stroking.

Ever played Pathologic? Give Pathologic 2 a try if you havent, I think you might enjoy it.

 

[hello friend]

I wish someone would make an RPG where your companions are with you out of necessity, and as the game goes along they just start disliking you more and more, until in the end they leave out of frustration. Your choices can only lead to reduced negative consequences, but they always leave. I'm sick of ego stroking, and I want to troll the people who aren't.

Maybe some of the companions could turn on you and become the end-game boss.

That would be too dramatic. I'd rather they just showed up in the final confrontation, kill the boss, turn to you; "Oh. It's you.", and leave.

Like they were working on the same quest the whole time but just couldn't stand to be around you because you kept asking too many questions and took random shit from peasant's hovels.

I'm sick of ego stroking.

Ever played Pathologic? Give Pathologic 2 a try if you havent, I think you might enjoy it.

I really should.

I wish someone would make an RPG where your companions are with you out of necessity, and as the game goes along they just start disliking you more and more, until in the end they leave out of frustration. Your choices can only lead to reduced negative consequences, but they always leave. I'm sick of ego stroking, and I want to troll the people who aren't.

lisa rpg

Can't stand sidescrollers, I will never play them again.

 

[Nalenth]

I wish someone would make an RPG where your companions are with you out of necessity, and as the game goes along they just start disliking you more and more, until in the end they leave out of frustration. Your choices can only lead to reduced negative consequences, but they always leave. I'm sick of ego stroking, and I want to troll the people who aren't.

It's just a gimmick in and of itself. It would get old even faster than pure ego stroking, if they don't do something interesting with it.

 

[G Ziets]

Since everyone is pushing their own agenda, I might as well be pushing my own as well. *ahem*

G Ziets

1. I am a big fan of unarmed combat in RPGs. MotB had the Silver Sword of Gith, that could be used by (almost) anyone, however those of us preferring unarmed combat would be left a bit out of the loop. --- Will you consider this aspect in your future game(s)?

2. I am also a bit of a Dark Souls fan, and through that, I am also a fan of indirect and environmental story-telling. --- What is your opinion/stance on this?

3. Through MotB, you are also known as a man that pays attention to VO delivery, music and general ambiance. --- Do you have any particular preferences in regards to this that you would like to share? (it's ok to say no, I'm just curious)

1. I’m in favor of unarmed combat options. The Silver Sword of Gith was a weird situation that was, to some extent, forced upon us by the NWN2 OC. I ended up finding a way to use the Silver Sword in Mask for the sake of continuity, but creating a sword that could be wielded by almost any character in the context of a D&D system was awkward, and we were never thrilled with it.

2. Environmental storytelling can be great when done well. For me personally, I prefer it as a supplement to traditional storytelling and/or to flesh out the details and side stories of the world. From an implementation perspective, the biggest challenge is one of communication. Unlike traditional storytelling that can be handled mostly in quests, dialogue, and high-level design, environmental storytelling requires close coordination with level artists too - making sure that all members of the level art team deeply understand the narrative. That’s surprisingly uncommon and requires extra effort paid to making sure that everything the levels artists create supports the same coherent narrative. (Especially on larger teams, when artists are being pulled on and off a project with regularity, it can be very difficult to ensure they all have a deep understanding of story elements.)

3. To be honest, the most important thing is just making sure the lead writers / narrative team are actually included in the VO sessions and are coordinating with the sound designers and composers. This is another case where you might think that practice is normal and logical, but it frequently doesn’t happen. I’ve been on multiple projects where writers are not even included in VO sessions, so the director and actors have limited knowledge of dialogue context. (That’s often why you’ll hear line readings in-game that clearly don’t match the context of the scene.) Same for sound design and music – sometimes producers or other folks with limited knowledge of context end up being the main points of contact, especially when music and sound people are out-of-house. I’m not entirely sure why this happens. Sometimes it’s a matter of the narrative team being very busy (though I’d argue that it’s critical, for the sake of quality, for them to be included in this process). Sometimes it’s internal politics or bad communication.

On Mask, I was able to be present for all the VO sessions and coordinated closely with Alexander Brandon (our in-house audio director and composer) on everything. This was another case where we reaped the benefits of being a small, tight-knit team.

 

[santino27]

Random aside, G Ziets, but when it comes to VO sessions, I assume you provide some sort of pronunciation/voice/accent/delivery document and guide for all the names and characters being referenced? Is that created way ahead of time, as part of the initial writing process, or is it only done when it comes time for recording?

 

[G Ziets]

Random aside, G Ziets, but when it comes to VO sessions, I assume you provide some sort of pronunciation/voice/accent/delivery document and guide for all the names and characters being referenced? Is that created way ahead of time, as part of the initial writing process, or is it only done when it comes time for recording?

We do. What usually happens is that an initial pronunciation guide is started early in the project. Some writers are pretty good about remembering to update it with character names, weird terms, etc., while others are not. Then, shortly before recording starts, we do another pass to update the document with everything that was forgotten or left out.

Even with a pronunciation guide, though, actors will still mispronounce terms. Sometimes the director forgets to give them the guide, sometimes the session is rushed and no one has time to search for a particular term (especially if there are a lot of weird, alien words and names). That’s another reason it’s important to have a writer - preferably the lead writer or narrative lead - in the VO studio. They should be able to quickly answer any pronunciation questions.

 

[Maculo]

I don't know if this has been asked before, but G Ziets

1. Are there any story tropes/cliches that absolutely drive you up a wall and/or you try to avoid like the plague?
2. Does writing evil character options get tedious? With some exception, it appears as though many RPGs just segue immediately to murder-hobo just to have an evil option.

Otherwise, thank you for answering all of these questions. This thread is glorious.