Interview Matt Chat 187: Lord British on Shroud of the Avatar

[Infinitron]

Tags: Matt Barton; Portalarium; Richard Garriott; Shrouds of the Avatar: Forsaken Virtues; Ultima

The latest episode of Matt Barton's show is a one hour interview with Richard Garriott, mostly about his Shroud of the Avatar Kickstarter. I haven't watched the entire interview yet, but one thing I caught while skimming it is a candid admission by Garriott that he was a poor storyteller back in the day without Warren Spector's help. He hopes his recent acquisition, Dragonlance co-author Tracy Hickman, will help with that in SotA. Here's the video of the interview, together with Matt's comments:

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This week, I'm pleased to present a very special guest: Richard "Lord British" Garriott, the father of computer role-playing games. I'm sure this man needs no introduction with you guys. We talk mostly here about his Shroud of the Avatar kickstarter, which you definitely don't want to miss if you're a fan of Ultima and Ultima Online. The game will offer some really neat innovations, including a scalable multiplayer option and tons more interactivity than we've grown accustomed to. I'm in at the $125 tier for the box and cloth map.​

Ahem! So much for big promises.

 

[Micmu]

Why are we covering facebook item collector games now?

 

[Infinitron]

Why are we covering facebook item collector games now?

We aren't. But we do cover Matt Chat.

 

[felipepepe]

LB looks like a man that realised he was way smarter than those around him, and decided to just do whatever he wants, whenever he wants... and scary enough, he's easily doing it.

 

[MicoSelva]

The scary thing is, what LB says in the interview makes a lot of sense. He almost convinced me to pledge to his game.
Luckily, I'm out of money at the moment.

 

[4too]

SCIENCE!1! Evocation




While waiting for a SFF audio Podcast to down load, http://www.sffaudio.com/?p=13472 , I am delaying the implied gratification of " 'the glory of the coming of the lord' ",

in this MUST EXPERIENCE Matt Chat.

Yes I am sweetly mocking any deification of Ricky Garriott.

Matt I know who my father is …

Your personal revelation, is not my revelation.

In this expansive subset of agreement I will witness - A - 'father' of the computer RPG.

This particular Kickstarter. No plan to buy in, AND I will enjoy reading the collective experience at this esteemed virtual cull de sac.


Brief back story.

The only Ultima's in my inventory were impulse buys from the bargain bin or GOG, and never installed, one Ultima Underworld and the pulp fiction Sci Fi titles.

Is this behavior of a shrewd hunter gatherer or a compulsive pack rat, world opinion need not reply, I may just have 'better' or higher priorities for my time,

… or life is too short.

Once again I sing, I only care, because YOU care!

I will derive many shades of entertainment, and yet my experience as a whole will not be influenced or tainted by hours of play time with an Ultima Lord B. title.


I willfully volunteer to join the blind test faction that must suffer a cure through a drug free positive world view.

In the name of almighty SCIENCE!1! I evoke THE POWER OF PLACEBO!

(Pause for effect and/or affectation.)

My opinion shall be hence forth grounded in not knowing, and (not?) knowing that I don't know!

Don't know.

Who?

O.K. Matt who is this Richard Garriott.







4too

 

[CappenVarra]

the father of computer role-playing games

Did he interview Rusty Rutherford? Gary Wisenhunt? Ray Wood? o_O

 

[4too]

" ' Dust Be Diamonds, Water Be Wine, Happy, Happy, Happy, All The Time, Time! ' "




Effective sales presentation, Matt Chat has facilitated.

A definite win for Matt.

First time I sat through a Richard Garriott sales pitch, count that as a win.

(Insert snarky special olympics reference ...)

So little here invested, (time and text), and, would prefer this to succeed, not by how it is like other MMO's / micro 'truncations', by how it might be different.

Back handed enthusiasm, can SotA stir the pot / turn the compost?




4too

 

[Jaesun]

What can change the nature of shitty copy pasta MMO's? I'm however not putting my money on Gariott. Nothing he has said has won me 100% over.

 

[Grauken]

That's the first interview where he doesn't look like a pimp. Nearly comes off like a human being with a vested interest in making a good game. SotA sounds still like shit thought

 

[Excommunicator]

I don't expect it to be anything in the RPG department but based on that interview and the reddit one, it sounds like it is on track to be an entertaining game in the UO kind of way - leaky and annoying mechanics but the right basis for an entertaining multiplayer experience.

 

[EG]

Why are we covering facebook item collector games now?

We aren't. But we do cover Matt Chat.

Why cover material unrelated to the Codex's interests, even if created by Matt?

 

[Jaesun]

For discussion.

 

[Brother None]

Why are we covering facebook item collector games now?

We aren't. But we do cover Matt Chat.

Why cover material unrelated to the Codex's interests, even if created by Matt?

Because look at his magnificent hair.

 

[Broseph]

Because J_C is Matt Barton.

 

[Licaon_Kter]

I cancelled my pledge yesterday and there were 1 spot left in $25 ( mine I presume ) and one in $30, now there are 49 left in $30... so either people just gave more and gone up the tires or .... not

 

[Micmu]

Yeah, there's absolutely no reason to pledge to this richass. None.
Even if you're interested in the game and it will be good (ROFL) ... you can "pledge" the classic way and just buy it when it's out.

 

[BobtheTree]

Listening to this interview I think highlights that Garriott actually has some great ideas for a MMO experience as well as RPGs in general that we haven't seen for Ultima. It also seems like he's taking the fans seriously and hearing people's concerns which means over time the game should shape itself into something much better than what we're seeing now.

Still, not giving money to it.