Interview with indie RPG developers

[Greatatlantic]

Great reads. Let me add that I'm glad VD included his thoughts as well, as more is better and he did it in such a way as to not deminish the other interviewees.

 

[Dementia Praecox]

Great reads. Let me add that I'm glad VD included his thoughts as well, as more is better and he did it in such a way as to not deminish the other interviewees.

If this is a reference to the discussion going on in that other thread, I will just make it clear that I share your sentiments and say that this is not what that discussion is about. If not, I just share your sentiments.

 

[Shannow]

What happen?

We happend not to be happy because no release dates were happening. Or something of that sort. It happend so fast, i couldn't remember but i think i'm happy...

 

[aries202]

Than you so much for this very nice interview, VD . For me, Jason's game, The Broken Hourglass seems like the right game for me .

For some reason, though, I'm looking forward to your game, VD. It seems to be game that devies every logic in every rpg game released yet. No rats, no undeads and you're not the *hero* or *has to the save the world* or anything like that.

But Jason's game looks good, too ...

 

[Section8]

I'm excited about all four games. In fact, I'm about as excited as a lover of cliches observing a kid in a candy store.

 

[Vault Dweller]

I accidentally cut off a part of Steven's answer to the last question. Here is the full answer:

13. A special feature that you are so fond of that you simply must mention it in every interview. What is it?

I don't know if I talk about this every interview, but I'll add a little more about the consequences of your actions in the world, especially when it comes to quests. We try to make as many of our quests both interesting and actually matter to the player. I'll give a couple examples.

Some quests affect the world before they have been solved. A good example of this is when the town food supply has been poisoned. If this happens, the cost of food in town will skyrocket and will keep getting worse until you do something about it. And yes, you will probably care about this because food is normally one of the cheapest ways to heal yourself.

Another example is that you can actually fail quests. When you get a quest to rescue an NPC who is in danger out in the world, amazingly enough you have to actually rescue them. They can die just like anyone else. For that matter, many of the quests can be solved by the other covenants. If you have a quest that you need to go kill a unique monster that is causing problems, and an enemy covenant gets to him first, they will attempt to kill him and collect the bounty.

Anyways, we have tried to make the quests actually have some impact on the player so that they actually care about completing the quests.
...
I updated the interview.

 

[John Yossarian]

I accidentally cut off a part of Steven's answer to the last question. Here is the full answer:

There it is, the smoking gun.Get ready to face Dementia's wrath.

I updated the interview.

Or not.

Edit: Goddammit! Why can't you have just one thread so I can be an ass to DP and Sage in one post?

 

[denizsi]

I just read it and tears of joy rushed to my eyes! I actually felt somewhat happy by reading about upcoming games at the Codex, as opposed to feeling pleased to be able to tell why certain games do or will suck, but unhappy due to the market.

 

[Ladonna]

I just read it and tears of joy rushed to my eyes! I actually felt somewhat happy by reading about upcoming games at the Codex, as opposed to feeling pleased to be able to tell why certain games do or will suck, but unhappy due to the market.

Its a hoot isn't it?

Been far too long, wading through the garbage, the cynic glaxons going off with each 'AAA' release in the RPG genre.

Its that late 90's feeling all over again.

 

[Sovy Kurosei]

Google still has a cache of the original interview which I downloaded and saved to my hard drive. I skimmed through it but I don't know why people are making such a fuss about VD interviewing himself. If you really want to see tacky just look at one of Nintendo's interviews. Yes, that is right, the CEO is interviewing his own employees.

 

[jcompton]

Since I think we would all like to do something like this again before too long, are there any issues you would like to see us address the next time around?

(Even if there's an outside moderator in future setting the agenda, it would still be helpful for him/her to know what kinds of topics readers feel we missed or under-explored our first time out.)

 

[denizsi]

The only thing I can think of atm is something about traps I've writtern in TBH - stealth mechanics thread.

 

[Amasius]

Ok, I've got a question. You guys started to make your own games because the major developers don't make that kind of RPGs that you love any longer, right? I think the problem with the current state of the game industry is two-sided: On the one hand they avoid everything that may frustrate some players (even if others love it) and this adherence to the lowest common denominator leads to shiny grafics and the abandonment of many features that made the classic games great. On the other hand only few developers have the balls to be innovative (and if somebody tries something new and it is successful everybody copies it ).

So what is your take on tradition vs. innovation? Do you want to make a RPG like they were in the good old days or do you want to realise your own new ideas (which?) or both and how so?

 

[Volourn]

Meh. Not bad on the interviewer's part. however, the interviewee's sucked with their arrogance and their woe is me, and their big compnaies suck attitudes.

Thankfully, VD's game looks very good. the other three look sad. btw,. Outside of the questions themselves, I saw no VD Dweller fellow replies in the article. Weird.

 

[Fez]

They were removed, Volourn.

 

[Volourn]

Meh. It's the only one that seems worthwhile. BHG used to look cool; but they butchered it so whatever.

 

[denizsi]

What turned you off about The Broken Hourglass? RTwP?

 

[Ladonna]

What turned you off about The Broken Hourglass? RTwP?

Volly doesn't like to think all the old Baldurs Gate fans will rush towards this game instead of the next big XBox game from Bioware. :wink:

 

[Volourn]

"What turned you off about The Broken Hourglass? RTwP?"

Universal inventory convulted (not complex) spell system, seemingly uninteretsingw orld amongst other thing.

RT w/P doesn't bother me. I like BIO games, afterall, which is supposedly what BHG is aiming to be like (well.. like the BGs anyways)...

 

[Nedrah]

I could have sworn it was about not enough pretty princesses being around in the game, or something.

Just give the guys a break - they're not that huge hyping evil-corp where we go on a shitstorm spree before ever seeing much about the game. For all we know the points you mentioned could be minor flaws (not that I give a shit about them) in an otherwise good game.

 

[Ladonna]

Don't worry Nedrah, I would say most of the indy devs would know all about Volly by now. Once you have heard the record, you don't need a thick skin. :wink:

 

[Volourn]

"Just give the guys a break - they're not that huge hyping evil-corp"

If youa re making a agme where profit is a concerned ie. selling it for money, you are a target for full fledge criticism. Be it positive, na dnegative.

Considering the fact that I'm positive abouve AOD depsite the I N T E R N E T D R A M A between VD and myself a while back, it goes to show that it has nothing to with me being a jerk.

If you can't handle harsh criticism, you shouldn't post on the negative nor should you be bashing others if you can't handle it yourself.

Not that worry about me - being one person - and my opinion, anyways. They shouldn't either.