Interview MCA Interview @ Planet Fallout

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Tags: Chris Avellone; Obsidian Entertainment

<p>The Codex' favorite developer, Magnificent Chris Avellone, gets some <a href="http://planetfallout.gamespy.com/articles/interviews/1883/Planet-Fallout-Interview-Chris-Avellone" target="_blank">time in the limelight</a> over at Planet Fallout.</p>
<p>They're having him repeat his lifestory, ask him for tips to get into the industry and the like, but there's also more interesting stuff.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>What, in your opinion, are the crucial elements for a good RPG these days? </strong> <br /><br /> The range of character development and customization, and reactivity to that character choice and development within the game world. The more you can do to bring story, world, and characters into the equation, the better, but ultimately, players want to build the character they want, customize their character, and then have the world respond appropriately through dialogue choices, ways to solve quests, or even NPC's reactions to your character's purple mohawk.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p><strong>The dialog system, something that you've known a lot of success in games like Planescape: Torment, changed a bit from Fallout 3, can you explain us more on what changed and what remains untouched?</strong> <br /><br /> We added more skill checks for various skills (Barter, Explosives, Sneak, Guns), displayed the success values for skill checks, added some stupid-speak at points for low INT characters, and changed the text of the line if your skill isn't high enough (as an example: adding [Crappy Speech] "uh... maybe... you'd be making a mistake?" vs. [Good Speech skill] "You pull that trigger on someone that's got NCR's full support, you'll be making a mistake.") <br /><br /> Torment's dialogue system is a scaled-down version of what was in Fallout 1, without the empathy perk and expanded alignment reactivity to compensate for D+D's alignment axis. There's not many other comparisons between Torment and Fallout aside from possibly companion depth in New Vegas and the quest solutions for different character builds, so I don't want to misrepresent either title by drawing any other comparisons between them. Torment owes a lot to Fallout, and not the other way around.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><em>Thanks to Briosafreak for pointing us to this.</em></p>

 

[jiujitsu]

This game better not suck or I'm going to make a forum post about how mad I am that it sucks if it sucks.

 

[Turisas]

added some stupid-speak at points for low INT characters

Sweet - so how are the rest of the lines handled? Like in FO 1 & 2 (ie. "Get the fuck out, retard!")?

 

[jagged-jimmy]

The range of character development and customization, and reactivity to that character choice and development within the game world. The more you can do to bring story, world, and characters into the equation, the better, but ultimately, players want to build the character they want, customize their character, and then have the world respond appropriately through dialogue choices, ways to solve quests, or even NPC's reactions to your character's purple mohawk.
<

Thats strange, because the reality of today gaming looks more like popamole. What he is describing, is what we all ultimately want, but can't get.

 

[Lockkaliber]

Any last words to the fans?

Begin again. But know when to let go.

;_;

 

[hiver]

Actually its just - NPC's reactions to your character's purple mohawk. -
The rest is a marketing bullshit lie.

 

[DragoFireheart]

This gives me a little bit more hope for FO:NV, but not much.

I'll wait and see.

 

[Achilles]

He has some solid ideas, let's hope he can deliver on them.

 

[Overweight Manatee]

What is the range of colors my mohawk can have, will the NPCs recognize and respond to each one individually, and will they be voiced by Liam Nesson?

If the answer is yes to all then GOTY 12/10.

 

[Serious_Business]

He has some solid ideas, let's hope he can deliver on them.

Solid ideas is all he got
/anti-Avellone edgy Brigade

 

[Roguey]

The way Dead Space turned turn-based combat into a power

Too many people thinking slowing down time is equivalent to a turn now.

 

[Melcar]

This shit makes me ill.

 

[zeitgeist]

The way Dead Space turned turn-based combat into a power

What's he talking about here? Dead Space is a realtime 3rd person console shooter, is there a spinoff I haven't heard of?

 

[hoochimama]

Yes: http://www.gametrailers.com/video/revie ... pace/56794

But like Roguey said, MCA is referring to slowing down time in dead space.

 

[Achilles]

The way Dead Space turned turn-based combat into a power

Oh no. Please tell me he didn't say that. Please tell me he was joking. It can't be true, can it?

 

[zeitgeist]

Yes: http://www.gametrailers.com/video/revie ... pace/56794

But like Roguey said, MCA is referring to slowing down time in dead space.

I actually played the original Dead Space, and it's very hard for me to imagine the inner workings of a mental apparatus that could somehow see this system as having anything to do with turn-based.

Perhaps then the proverbial popamole is also turn-based, given that the player's character(s) and the enemy characters take turns at popping out of the cover and shooting at each other? Do the mechanics of Mass Effect 2 really signify a glorious return of AAA turn-based RPGs, and we have just been too blind to recognize it for what it is?

 

[SCO]

the sweet-bitter tears of disappointed fans

haaaah

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Any last words to the fans?

Begin again. But know when to let go.

;_;

I'll remember that for next time I need to gently tell someone he's a creepy fuck.

 

[Derek Larp]

I reckon the actors are moved in sequence each frame, thus "taking turns".

 

[Admiral jimbob]

Any last words to the fans?

Begin again. But know when to let go.

;_;

Nah, Chris, unfortunately for you, there are still people making good games. Have you told Annie and Brian that they should just let go and make a shitty action shooter?

 

[Archibald]

If his game was at least half as good as his "ideas", if only...

 

[Turisas]

added some stupid-speak at points for low INT characters

Sweet - so how are the rest of the lines handled? Like in FO 1 & 2 (ie. "Get the fuck out, retard!")?

From the Vault:

According to the May 2010 edition of gaming magazine Game Informer, low intelligence conversations will be more prevalent in Fallout New Vegas. In place of the gibberish of past games however, the PC will simply not completely understand a conversation, confusing what someone is saying with something else entirely, and not understand what situation he is currently in. It is not currently known how often these options will appear or to what extent.

So normal dialogue except a few select places where you can choose "Durr, I dun gets how this work". Bah, full-on retardo babble was so fun.

 

[Jaesun]

If his game was at least half as good as his "ideas", if only...

sup Drog.

 

[Archibald]

Cool, i`m an alt now