Josh Sawyer Q&A Thread

[luj1]

I bet Infinitron could construct a calendar of different flavors of Soyer's farts based on time of the year

 

[luj1]

Pretty obvious which method he prefers.

He prefers to find ways to please everybody for maximum accessibility, resulting in bland and unfun game systems. Of course on Twatter Soyer has his mouth full of game design advice (trying to keep himself relevant) but we all saw what happened when he was a system lead.

 

[Sordid MCA/Prosper Hybryd]

Then what about probabilistic checks, but with costs for failing?

would incentivize savescumming

 

[Peachcurl]

Then what about probabilistic checks, but with costs for failing?

would incentivize savescumming

so do flat checks that can't be postponed / are not transparent beforehand

 

[DicLupa]

I'm not against dice rolls for common actions - stuff that makes up the majority of combat or regular traversal applications (climbing/swimming), but I gotta admit that they really piss me off in 'chokepoint' situations. You have a high Speech skill and want to convince some warlord not to raze a town of innocents. This should seem easy enough to pass, but woops you rolled a stinker and now the peasants are being boiled. If this is something I would have cleared 9 out of 10 times, then I'm just going to reload. If reloading a save isn't possible, I'm just going to be pissed off. There's something that feels arbitrary over having such a big consequence over something so 'random', even if it's just a narrative one.

Basically, dice rolls are fine if there's room for recovery. Variability is good. I don't mind missing shots in XCOM because I can recover with movement options or other abilities, and failures like that can play into the dynamics of a fun gameplay system. If a guy gets forced into a position where he can't recover, then that was poor planning on my end. But this is pretty much absent from linear branching choices that rest on Persuasion/Charisma checks. Maybe if the game had some iterative process of persuasion that required multiple checks, this could feel more 'fair', but I think that makes the gamification of conversations more obvious.

I don't know how to avoid the '59=bust,60=bingo' problem. Maybe those are better off as a set of secondary skills ranked 1 to 5 just so all the meaningless cruft in between is done away with. Until we have NPCs that can pass a Turing test and player inputs that can realistically simulate persuasion and charisma, this is always going be fudged one way or another. And if that's the case, I'll opt for less frustration.

 

[Bulo]

I don't know how to avoid the '59=bust,60=bingo' problem

Compress the scale? 0-10 rather than 0-100. VTMB does this

 

[DicLupa]

I don't know how to avoid the '59=bust,60=bingo' problem

Compress the scale? 0-10 rather than 0-100. VTMB does this

Yeah, and that was my following suggestion to a degrre. I was quite fine with VTMB's comparative compression. Every skill increase felt meaningful due to its 'chunking'.

I was thinking more how it's a dilemma for games with more granular 0-100 skill systems, and the compulsion to unite everything under them. A +2 to Firearms or Melee skills may feel minor but present. WTF is +2 to speech accomplishing, if anything? Moving it to a secondary skillset with less ranks may be the way to go. One issue with doing that though is that you may already be inadvertently flagging to players that these skills aren't as 'important' if they're separated like that.

I think the Shadowrun games had a good idea with their 'speech styles'. You already know that by selecting certain speech skills, other doors will be closed to you. But is very much dependent on the designer to ensure those options are represented throughout the game.

 

[Sweeper]

Anybody asked him whether or not he will finally transition because he is uncomfortable as a white male?

Sawyer's non-transition is one of those things that continually perplex me.

• Commiefornia mind virus
• Low testosterone
• Game designer
• Autistic (focus on perfect balance™)
• German
• Cyclist

Spoiler

The man looks like someone's grandmother for fuck's sake.

 

[luj1]

give it time bro

 

[NecroLord]

Anybody asked him whether or not he will finally transition because he is uncomfortable as a white male?

Sawyer's non-transition is one of those things that continually perplex me.

• Commiefornia mind virus
• Low testosterone
• Game designer
• Autistic (focus on perfect balance™)
• German
• Cyclist

Spoiler

The man looks like someone's grandmother for fuck's sake.

He has greek ancestry, I think?
Or just german?

 

[Sweeper]

 

[Cohesion]

9 years from this to grandma? What kind of sorcery is this?

 

[CthuluIsSpy]

9 years from this to grandma? What kind of sorcery is this?

California is a strange place. I'm pretty sure it's actually located in the Eye of Terror, and it's perceived presence in the United States is some sort of elaborate prank by Tzeentch.

 

[Tenebris]

Is Josh going to be okay?

 

[Infinitron]

Rare Q&A response video:

A short answer to someone's question about how to approach balancing abilities (or weapons, in the examples I give) in a game prior to receiving feedback from players.

 

[Diggfinger]

So,

unbeknownst to many a Coedexer, Fallout: New Vegas, was not only based off of J. Sawyer's most eminent burrito recipes;

An rare look into the man's personal journals...

Noooo indeed, some serious thought went into balancing weapons/damage output. This was primarily done in the actual real-time game setting, rather than through simulation or assumptions using charts etc.
Josh did, however, used the spreadsheet below up until March 2010 to have a basic direction for guns' damage vs threshold values.

For more info click the video below

 

[Atlantico]

Why use Tumbler? *Who* uses Tumbler? And what for and why is Josh taking questions from there?

 

[Bulo]

This thread is now vibes based

 

[Infinitron]

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/wh...bsidian-vet-and-pentiment-creator-josh-sawyer

What's on your bookshelf?: Obsidian vet and Pentiment creator Josh Sawyer​

Hello reader who is also a reader, and welcome back to Booked For The Week - our regular Sunday chat with a selection of cool industry folks about books! Did you know that the word 'book' was originally spelled with several extra 'o's in it? This was changed when it was collectively decided that telling someone to "please, just read a book" was resulting in several more murders a year than anyone could be bothered to keep track of. This week, it’s Obsidian vet and Pentiment creator Josh Sawyer! Cheers Josh! Mind if we have a nose at your bookshelf?

What are you currently reading?

Uncommon Prayer by Kimberly Johnson. It’s a book of poetry about desire, much of it framed by the concepts of the Liturgy of the Hours and other temporal structures. It’s quite beautiful and moving and feels like a good chaser to Pentiment.

What did you last read?

Stasiland: Stories From Behind The Berlin Wall by Anna Funder.Funder lived in Berlin after the fall of the wall and she conducted interviews with people who either suffered under the East German Stasi (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit – Ministry for State Security) or worked within it – sometimes both. I started reading it shortly after watching the 2006 film The Lives Of Others / Das Leben Der Anderen) and found it fascinating.

What are you eyeing up next?

I’m going to take another run at Im Westen Nichts Neues (All Quiet On The Western Front) by Erich Maria Remarque. I watched the German film adaptation last year and resolved to read it, but my German language skills were in better shape back then, so I think it’s going to be a hard start.

What book do you quote from the most?

Probably The Name Of The Rose by Umberto Eco. It was hugely influential on Pentiment and has some great passages in it. Stat rosa pristina nominee; nomina nuda tenemus ['the ancient Rose remains by its name, naked names (are all that) we have'].

What book do you find yourself bothering friends to read?

Tragically, also The Name Of The Rose.

What book would you like to see someone adapt to a game?

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster as an adventure game of some sort.

Well, it seems Mr. Sawyer can craft a stunningly well-written and fascinating murder mystery, but when it comes to this column’s secret goal of naming every book in existence, he’s just as useless as anyone else. Thus, history repeats itself, and we’re doomed to do the whole thing again next week. As a bonus reader game: I’ve almost run out of cool industry person responses from my first round of answer harvesting. Anyone you’d especially like to see in the column? Let me know, and catch you next week. And remember: No use crying over dropped bookmarks. Just fold the corner of the pages like I used to until someone literally broke up with me over it. Honestly, fair.

 

[9ted6]

interviews with people who either suffered under the East German Stasi (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit – Ministry for State Security) or worked within it – sometimes both. I started reading it shortly after watching the 2006 film The Lives Of Others / Das Leben Der Anderen) and found it fascinating.

Flying a little too close to the sun there Josh.

 

[0sacred]

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/wh...bsidian-vet-and-pentiment-creator-josh-sawyer

What's on your bookshelf?: Obsidian vet and Pentiment creator Josh Sawyer​

Hello reader who is also a reader, and welcome back to Booked For The Week - our regular Sunday chat with a selection of cool industry folks about books! Did you know that the word 'book' was originally spelled with several extra 'o's in it? This was changed when it was collectively decided that telling someone to "please, just read a book" was resulting in several more murders a year than anyone could be bothered to keep track of. This week, it’s Obsidian vet and Pentiment creator Josh Sawyer! Cheers Josh! Mind if we have a nose at your bookshelf?

What are you currently reading?

Uncommon Prayer by Kimberly Johnson. It’s a book of poetry about desire, much of it framed by the concepts of the Liturgy of the Hours and other temporal structures. It’s quite beautiful and moving and feels like a good chaser to Pentiment.

What did you last read?

Stasiland: Stories From Behind The Berlin Wall by Anna Funder.Funder lived in Berlin after the fall of the wall and she conducted interviews with people who either suffered under the East German Stasi (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit – Ministry for State Security) or worked within it – sometimes both. I started reading it shortly after watching the 2006 film The Lives Of Others / Das Leben Der Anderen) and found it fascinating.

What are you eyeing up next?

I’m going to take another run at Im Westen Nichts Neues (All Quiet On The Western Front) by Erich Maria Remarque. I watched the German film adaptation last year and resolved to read it, but my German language skills were in better shape back then, so I think it’s going to be a hard start.

What book do you quote from the most?

Probably The Name Of The Rose by Umberto Eco. It was hugely influential on Pentiment and has some great passages in it. Stat rosa pristina nominee; nomina nuda tenemus ['the ancient Rose remains by its name, naked names (are all that) we have'].

What book do you find yourself bothering friends to read?

Tragically, also The Name Of The Rose.

What book would you like to see someone adapt to a game?

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster as an adventure game of some sort.

Well, it seems Mr. Sawyer can craft a stunningly well-written and fascinating murder mystery, but when it comes to this column’s secret goal of naming every book in existence, he’s just as useless as anyone else. Thus, history repeats itself, and we’re doomed to do the whole thing again next week. As a bonus reader game: I’ve almost run out of cool industry person responses from my first round of answer harvesting. Anyone you’d especially like to see in the column? Let me know, and catch you next week. And remember: No use crying over dropped bookmarks. Just fold the corner of the pages like I used to until someone literally broke up with me over it. Honestly, fair.

gdammit this little sissy wants to be a German so bad


and the worst thing is he'd fit right in

 

[Beastro]

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/wh...bsidian-vet-and-pentiment-creator-josh-sawyer

What's on your bookshelf?: Obsidian vet and Pentiment creator Josh Sawyer​

Hello reader who is also a reader, and welcome back to Booked For The Week - our regular Sunday chat with a selection of cool industry folks about books! Did you know that the word 'book' was originally spelled with several extra 'o's in it? This was changed when it was collectively decided that telling someone to "please, just read a book" was resulting in several more murders a year than anyone could be bothered to keep track of. This week, it’s Obsidian vet and Pentiment creator Josh Sawyer! Cheers Josh! Mind if we have a nose at your bookshelf?

What are you currently reading?

Uncommon Prayer by Kimberly Johnson. It’s a book of poetry about desire, much of it framed by the concepts of the Liturgy of the Hours and other temporal structures. It’s quite beautiful and moving and feels like a good chaser to Pentiment.

What did you last read?

Stasiland: Stories From Behind The Berlin Wall by Anna Funder.Funder lived in Berlin after the fall of the wall and she conducted interviews with people who either suffered under the East German Stasi (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit – Ministry for State Security) or worked within it – sometimes both. I started reading it shortly after watching the 2006 film The Lives Of Others / Das Leben Der Anderen) and found it fascinating.

What are you eyeing up next?

I’m going to take another run at Im Westen Nichts Neues (All Quiet On The Western Front) by Erich Maria Remarque. I watched the German film adaptation last year and resolved to read it, but my German language skills were in better shape back then, so I think it’s going to be a hard start.

What book do you quote from the most?

Probably The Name Of The Rose by Umberto Eco. It was hugely influential on Pentiment and has some great passages in it. Stat rosa pristina nominee; nomina nuda tenemus ['the ancient Rose remains by its name, naked names (are all that) we have'].

What book do you find yourself bothering friends to read?

Tragically, also The Name Of The Rose.

What book would you like to see someone adapt to a game?

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster as an adventure game of some sort.

Well, it seems Mr. Sawyer can craft a stunningly well-written and fascinating murder mystery, but when it comes to this column’s secret goal of naming every book in existence, he’s just as useless as anyone else. Thus, history repeats itself, and we’re doomed to do the whole thing again next week. As a bonus reader game: I’ve almost run out of cool industry person responses from my first round of answer harvesting. Anyone you’d especially like to see in the column? Let me know, and catch you next week. And remember: No use crying over dropped bookmarks. Just fold the corner of the pages like I used to until someone literally broke up with me over it. Honestly, fair.

gdammit this little sissy wants to be a German so bad


and the worst thing is he'd fit right in

He is German by ancestry. People can roll their eyes over that all they want, but it stays with people down the generations.

The worst past is his obsession with post-modern crap, imo.

 

[0sacred]

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/wh...bsidian-vet-and-pentiment-creator-josh-sawyer

What's on your bookshelf?: Obsidian vet and Pentiment creator Josh Sawyer​

Hello reader who is also a reader, and welcome back to Booked For The Week - our regular Sunday chat with a selection of cool industry folks about books! Did you know that the word 'book' was originally spelled with several extra 'o's in it? This was changed when it was collectively decided that telling someone to "please, just read a book" was resulting in several more murders a year than anyone could be bothered to keep track of. This week, it’s Obsidian vet and Pentiment creator Josh Sawyer! Cheers Josh! Mind if we have a nose at your bookshelf?

What are you currently reading?

Uncommon Prayer by Kimberly Johnson. It’s a book of poetry about desire, much of it framed by the concepts of the Liturgy of the Hours and other temporal structures. It’s quite beautiful and moving and feels like a good chaser to Pentiment.

What did you last read?

Stasiland: Stories From Behind The Berlin Wall by Anna Funder.Funder lived in Berlin after the fall of the wall and she conducted interviews with people who either suffered under the East German Stasi (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit – Ministry for State Security) or worked within it – sometimes both. I started reading it shortly after watching the 2006 film The Lives Of Others / Das Leben Der Anderen) and found it fascinating.

What are you eyeing up next?

I’m going to take another run at Im Westen Nichts Neues (All Quiet On The Western Front) by Erich Maria Remarque. I watched the German film adaptation last year and resolved to read it, but my German language skills were in better shape back then, so I think it’s going to be a hard start.

What book do you quote from the most?

Probably The Name Of The Rose by Umberto Eco. It was hugely influential on Pentiment and has some great passages in it. Stat rosa pristina nominee; nomina nuda tenemus ['the ancient Rose remains by its name, naked names (are all that) we have'].

What book do you find yourself bothering friends to read?

Tragically, also The Name Of The Rose.

What book would you like to see someone adapt to a game?

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster as an adventure game of some sort.

Well, it seems Mr. Sawyer can craft a stunningly well-written and fascinating murder mystery, but when it comes to this column’s secret goal of naming every book in existence, he’s just as useless as anyone else. Thus, history repeats itself, and we’re doomed to do the whole thing again next week. As a bonus reader game: I’ve almost run out of cool industry person responses from my first round of answer harvesting. Anyone you’d especially like to see in the column? Let me know, and catch you next week. And remember: No use crying over dropped bookmarks. Just fold the corner of the pages like I used to until someone literally broke up with me over it. Honestly, fair.

gdammit this little sissy wants to be a German so bad


and the worst thing is he'd fit right in

He is German by ancestry. People can roll their eyes over that all they want, but it stays with people down the generations.

I'm half Greek, but I've never LARPed a Greek person like Sawyer does with Germans.

I bet he has these J.D. Dorian dream sequences running through his head involving beer and bratwurst and Oktoberfest wenches

 

[Beastro]

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/wh...bsidian-vet-and-pentiment-creator-josh-sawyer

What's on your bookshelf?: Obsidian vet and Pentiment creator Josh Sawyer​

Hello reader who is also a reader, and welcome back to Booked For The Week - our regular Sunday chat with a selection of cool industry folks about books! Did you know that the word 'book' was originally spelled with several extra 'o's in it? This was changed when it was collectively decided that telling someone to "please, just read a book" was resulting in several more murders a year than anyone could be bothered to keep track of. This week, it’s Obsidian vet and Pentiment creator Josh Sawyer! Cheers Josh! Mind if we have a nose at your bookshelf?

What are you currently reading?

Uncommon Prayer by Kimberly Johnson. It’s a book of poetry about desire, much of it framed by the concepts of the Liturgy of the Hours and other temporal structures. It’s quite beautiful and moving and feels like a good chaser to Pentiment.

What did you last read?

Stasiland: Stories From Behind The Berlin Wall by Anna Funder.Funder lived in Berlin after the fall of the wall and she conducted interviews with people who either suffered under the East German Stasi (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit – Ministry for State Security) or worked within it – sometimes both. I started reading it shortly after watching the 2006 film The Lives Of Others / Das Leben Der Anderen) and found it fascinating.

What are you eyeing up next?

I’m going to take another run at Im Westen Nichts Neues (All Quiet On The Western Front) by Erich Maria Remarque. I watched the German film adaptation last year and resolved to read it, but my German language skills were in better shape back then, so I think it’s going to be a hard start.

What book do you quote from the most?

Probably The Name Of The Rose by Umberto Eco. It was hugely influential on Pentiment and has some great passages in it. Stat rosa pristina nominee; nomina nuda tenemus ['the ancient Rose remains by its name, naked names (are all that) we have'].

What book do you find yourself bothering friends to read?

Tragically, also The Name Of The Rose.

What book would you like to see someone adapt to a game?

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster as an adventure game of some sort.

Well, it seems Mr. Sawyer can craft a stunningly well-written and fascinating murder mystery, but when it comes to this column’s secret goal of naming every book in existence, he’s just as useless as anyone else. Thus, history repeats itself, and we’re doomed to do the whole thing again next week. As a bonus reader game: I’ve almost run out of cool industry person responses from my first round of answer harvesting. Anyone you’d especially like to see in the column? Let me know, and catch you next week. And remember: No use crying over dropped bookmarks. Just fold the corner of the pages like I used to until someone literally broke up with me over it. Honestly, fair.

gdammit this little sissy wants to be a German so bad


and the worst thing is he'd fit right in

He is German by ancestry. People can roll their eyes over that all they want, but it stays with people down the generations.

I'm half Greek, but I've never LARPed a Greek person like Sawyer does with Germans.

I bet he has this J.D. Dorian dream sequences running through his head involving beer and bratwurst and Oktoberfest wenches

He's definitely an overt Teutophile, but his whole subdued, dry temperament is very German and that wouldn't change if his interests were different.

My brother's and I are half-German with a good few generations separated from the fatherland and I see the German temperament even in my oldest brother who doesn't give a damn about his ancestry. A colleague of mine who spent a good chunk of her life in Switzerland and Bavaria when younger once pointed out how very German I am to her even though she sees much of my temperament as being German when I see it as more the sangfroid British side of me given how pronounced the latter was maintained in my family culture compared to the former.

These are things that are not consciously carried on even though many try to.

 

[Infinitron]