inXile General Discussion Thread

[Alienman]

Face on mars?

 

[Infinitron]

Looks like some kind of evil robot? Could be a reference to Wasteland 3 or the unannounced Frostpoint game.

 

[Zombra]

Oh good, they've graduated to being deliberately vague and uninformative!

 

[IHaveHugeNick]

 

[Bohr]

Exciting times

 

[TheImplodingVoice]

Teasing a new vampire related rpgs perhaps? Carrion Comfort was about mind control, murder, "vampires" etc.

 

[LESS T_T]

There was a writer named Elizabeth Watasin worked at inXile for 9 months: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethwatasin/

Writer
Company Name inXile Entertainment
Dates Employed Oct 2017 – Jun 2018
Employment Duration 9 mos

TBA

TBA? Not Wasteland 3? Frost Point?

Elizabeth Watasin is a 2D animation artist and the author of the Gothic steampunk series The Dark Victorian which won a 2015 Rainbow Award for Best Lesbian Fantasy & Fantasy Romance, The Elle Black Penny Dreads, the Darquepunk series, and the creator/artist of the indie comics series Charm School, which was nominated for a Gaylactic Spectrum Award. A twenty year veteran of animation and comics, her credits include thirteen feature films, such as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, and The Princess and the Frog, and writing for Disney Adventures magazine. She lives in Los Angeles with her black cat named Draw, busy bringing readers uncanny heroines in shilling shockers, sci-fi noir, and diesel fantasy tales.

 

[Bohr]

A cat lady specialising in Lesbian fantasy... leaves just after McComb. Those were sad times at inXile.

 

[Infinitron]

Another Fargo relic:

 

[Bohr]

"Lads, this is Sandy from HR"

 

[Deleted Member 22431]

I used to think post-apoc was my favorite until I saw Wasteland, what a piece of vomit that game is. Voted sci-fi so they fuck off my favorite settings.

Setting is a luxury because what matters is gamepla... you know what? Everything is a luxury nowadays. We can't be picky about anything. I would be content with a kill the goblin simulator if one of the gameplay elements is alright.

 

[Bohr]

Breaking: inXile hire their first Chad

 

[Infinitron]

Interesting guy, he did some work at Black Isle (Fallout 2) and Troika (Arcanum and VTMB): https://www.mobygames.com/developer/chad-moore/credits/developerId,26425/

Seems to specialize in animation and motion capture, but also does other stuff including narrative design.

 

[LESS T_T]

I guess he's taking the role of creative director?

Linkedin resume: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moorechad/

Twenty-five years of IP creation, narrative design and creative development have given me a unique perspective on what it takes to craft immersive worlds, memorable characters, and compelling game experiences. I’m at my best when teamed up with a talented group of uncompromising creators, where I can unleash my unique combination of experience, creativity and passion to make unforgettable games.

Spoiler

Lead Artist
Interplay Entertainment
Jan 1995 – Jun 1999

PROJECT: Fallout 2 (PC)
• Created fully-rendered cinematics to portray important story moments

PROJECT: Red Asphalt (PSX)
• Managed a team of 3D artists, concept artists and animators for a first-generation PSX title.
• Wrote the game story, character profiles, and detailed lore.

Lead Artist/Lead Designer
Troika Games
Jun 1999 – Dec 2004

Troika Games was founded by the original creators of the award-winning Fallout franchise, and I was one of a tight-knit group of industry veterans who helped define a game vision and make it a reality. The studio had deep roots in making compelling RPGs, and I was instrumental in IP development, narrative design and content implementation for two of their most successful and innovative games.

PROJECT: Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines (PC)
• Wrote a compelling main story arc in a modern-day Los Angeles World of Darkness
• Created unique voices and engaging dialog for an edgy collection of complex characters
• Worked directly with White Wolf to ensure accurate representation of the popular V:tM IP
• Modeled high-detail characters for use in Valve's proprietary Source engine.

PROJECT: Arcanum: Of Steamworks And Magick Obscura (PC)
• Collaborated to develop compelling story and lore in a unique fantasy-steampunk setting
• Developed origin stories, quest lines and rich dialog for memorable NPCs and followers
• Implemented engaging game content and scripts using proprietary tools and editors
• Modeled, textured, and animated characters and creatures that resonated with the IP

Lead Character Artist
Treyarch Games
Jan 2005 – Aug 2007

Treyarch created the wildly popular Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 games, and I was hired to build and lead their character art team for the highly-anticipated Spider-Man 3. As I was responsible for bringing one of Marvel’s best-loved characters to the next-gen consoles of the day, this was a great experience in creative development.

PROJECT: Spider-Man 3 (Multi-Platform)
• Hired, developed and mentored a talented group of character artists
• Established and promoted artistic standards and style guides within the department
• Spearheaded the design and creation of proprietary tools for a next-gen character pipeline
• Oversaw Chinese outsourcing team and drove visual consistency and quality
• Managed relationships with Sony and Marvel to ensure IP and cinematic accuracy

Lead Narrative Designer
Carbine Studios
Aug 2007 – Apr 2014

I was one of a core group of stakeholders at Carbine that were involved in creating the unique IP for WildStar – the studio’s AAA MMORPG. As the project’s Lead Narrative Designer, it was my job to set the creative foundation of the game universe, and I led a team in designing a unique world, crafting a rich and compelling story, and bringing a host of unforgettable characters to life.

PROJECT: WildStar (MMORPG, PC)
• Hired and managed a team of passionate narrative designers, creative writers and editors
• Created a compelling sci-fi game story with rich, deep lore and memorable iconic characters
• Produced comprehensive content briefs to guide implementation of engaging content
• Pitched and designed game systems to deliver supporting narrative content
• Directed script writing, casting, and voice direction for WildStar’s popular marketing videos

Creative Director/Game Director
Carbine Studios
Dec 2015 – Dec 2018

As Carbine’s Creative Director, it was my role to define and lead the game and narrative development initiatives for the entire studio, while ensuring that our products reflected the unique and compelling creative vision that the company was known for. This included continuing to support WildStar, as well as leading the ideation, design and narrative development of the studio’s next project.

UNANNOUNCED PROJECT (Multi-Platform)
• Spearheaded the creation of a compelling IP, a unique game story, and aspirational heroes
• Defined and evangelized the game’s narrative vision, personality, and tone
• Hired and built a strong, multi-disciplinary team comprised of top industry talent
• Promoted team investment and alignment through focused and frequent communication
• Guided development from game pitch to a polished playable prototype in Unreal 4.0
• Championed the product to divisional partners in marketing and publishing

PROJECT: WildStar (MMORPG, PC)
• Responsible for defining high-level design and creative direction for WildStar
• Guided the narrative development of post-launch content and story initiatives
• Managed departmental directors responsible for executing game vision
• Established a cadence of new content and fun events to support a robust live game service
• Spearheaded content creation for web, PR and community projects
• Served as the game’s global champion on press tours, livestreams, and panels

In some way he seems to have similar career trajectory with Boyarsky, doing art, narrative design, and worldbuilding.

 

[Infinitron]

LESS T_T Similar career trajectory to Boyarsky in terms of roles, similar career trajectory to Tim Cain in terms of employment! The ex-Wildstar mafia spreads...

 

[Bohr]

Anyone interested in becoming the next Brother None? Pros: Reporting to a Cat Lady. Cons: Not in the same office as Sir George .

 

[Bohr]

 

[FeelTheRads]

Fargo: always ahead, forever behind.

 

[agris]

Fap Satire - I guess that’s for a Leisure Suite Larry-like?

 

[Bohr]

"FRP where graphics are used to indicate all abilities"

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Fap Satire - I guess that’s for a Leisure Suite Larry-like?

I was starting to see FAP instead of FRP. Those R’s man sheesh. I was thinking Fargo was just a huge perv.

 

[LESS T_T]

https://retronauts.com/article/1081/explore-the-history-of-fallout-wasteland-and-more-in-episode-194

Explore the history of Fallout, Wasteland, and more in Episode 194

Direct from the man himself: Brian Fargo.


I realize Retronauts has been a bit interview-heavy of late, but what can I tell you? Is it my fault I keep lining up conversations with the people who helped create immensely influential video games and have all kinds of unique first-person insights to share about their work? One might even go so far as to say that's kind of the entire point of this whole endeavor.

Well, whatever the case, this week's interview subject is InXile boss Brian Fargo, who took time out of his busy schedule of launching multiple sequels to classic RPG franchises (The Bards Tale IV and Wasteland 2) to recount his experiences launching the games that kicked off those series in the first place. We also talk about Fallout a bit—that's the original Fallout, not Fallout 76. You know, the one everyone likes.

Huge thanks to Brian for taking the time to share his memories, and to Cassie Hart Kellyfor this week's amazing cover art!

Retronauts Episode 193
Retronauts Episode 194: Retronauts Episode 194: Brian Fargo on Wasteland, Fallout, and The Bard's Tale
MP3, 47.7 MB | 1:14:10

Direct download | Retronauts on iTunes | Retronauts at PodcastOne

Episode description: Interplay and InXile boss Brian Fargo offers fresh insights into his pioneering work with role-playing games like The Bard's Tale, Wasteland, and Fallout.

 

[LESS T_T]

I guess he's taking the role of creative director?

Linkedin resume: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moorechad/

Indeed their Chad is Director, for "the next generation of RPGs":

Creative Director/Game Director
Company Name inXile Entertainment
Dates Employed Jan 2019 – Present
Employment Duration 1 mo
Location Newport Beach, CA

I've just recently joined InXile Studios and the rest of the Microsoft Family, where I will be working with a talented group of game developers in creating the next generation of RPGs. Stay tuned!

 

[Bohr]

Working on incline

(going to need a Microsoft General Discussion soon, I guess)

 

[LESS T_T]

Chris Keenan is President of inXile from last December: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-keenan-7b43928/

(Fargo is "Studio Head".)

What became of Matt Findley, now former President? I assume he received some money as a co-founder.