Interview MCA talks PST on Matt Chat

[Jora]

Great interview, although it has a photo of the wrong Chris Taylor.

 

[Azarkon]

What accent is that?

California Geek American English.

I never realized how much of an uber-geek he is. The ultimate geek overlord. I like that he gave some credit to the planescape setting. It really was a great setting. I wish they would get a license for it and do another game in that setting. Although I think all the parts of PS:T came together well, it really is the only RPG with a real story. While MOTB has a half decent story it didn't have the same kind of suspense. I played PS:T mainly to solve the intriguing mystery and figure out the whole quasi- philosophical "What can change the nature of a man?" thing. It was a story good enough that I could actually take it seriously. Unfortunately I fear that MCA may have been a one hit wonder. PS:T is proof of his creative genius, but he may be like some writers who publish a great first novel and then nothing good ever again. He did make some effort with MOTB and it was a good game, but nothing even in the same league as PS:T.

Aside from his obvious intelligence I do think what makes him special is that he is the only game designer in the entire industry who is also actually a half decent writer. Although Dave Maldonado was also responsible for fleshing out some of the more interesting stories in PS:T. He deserves some credit too for his writing ability. Unfortunately he seems to be working for Blizzard now. Talk about a fall from grace.

Hmm, correct me if I'm wrong but MCA didn't write the story for MOTB. George Ziets did. MCA wrote the story for KOTOR 2 ("zomg Kreia is Ravel"), and probably AP as well.

He did write some of the companions for MOTB, though.

 

[MicoSelva]

I'm surprised you people keep letting this snake oil salesman charm you with his empty promises. Guido Henkel said he was "extremely disorganized and slow"(source) back when he worked on Torment and that hasn't changed at all. All the criticism of Torment broke his brain and convinced him "more combat=better" regardless of its quality. He thinks Chrono Trigger is one of the best RPGs of all time and honestly believes it's a shining example of choices and consequences in video games (source). Anyone who would make that claim around here would get mocked mercilessly. He doesn't deserve your love.

In my new series of 'See Their Humble Codex Beginnings', I present You the first post ever by Roguey, already shining with his/her e-stalking information gathering skills AND criticizing MCA at the same time, although not yet infatuated with JES (I think).

 

[felipepepe]

He doesn't deserve your love.

And this was before Arcanum LP, Codex avatars and Ag. Center...

 

[Infinitron]

He doesn't deserve your love.

And this was before Arcanum LP, Codex avatars and Ag. Center...

But also before Deathfire. I'm not sure Roguey would take Guido that seriously today.

I also think Roguey has come to appreciate JRPGs for their abstract/gamist approach so liking Chrone Trigger wouldn't be a problem

 

[rpgcodexusername]

Its funny hearing someone talk about D&D mechanics in a valley girl accent

 

[MicoSelva]

Roguey is not always right, though (quote from a different thread)...

I'm reasonably confident DA3 will be a next-gen launch title.

 

[Morality Games]

I'm surprised you people keep letting this snake oil salesman charm you with his empty promises. Guido Henkel said he was "extremely disorganized and slow"(source) back when he worked on Torment and that hasn't changed at all. All the criticism of Torment broke his brain and convinced him "more combat=better" regardless of its quality. He thinks Chrono Trigger is one of the best RPGs of all time and honestly believes it's a shining example of choices and consequences in video games (source). Anyone who would make that claim around here would get mocked mercilessly. He doesn't deserve your love.

In my new series of 'See Their Humble Codex Beginnings', I present You the first post ever by Roguey, already shining with his/her e-stalking information gathering skills AND criticizing MCA at the same time, although not yet infatuated with JES (I think).

Why is Roguey he/she instead of just he or she? Is there uncertainty or . . .?

 

[MicoSelva]

Why is Roguey he/she instead of just he or she? Is there uncertainty or . . .?

There is uncertainty.

 

[Onholyservicebound]

Why is Roguey he/she instead of just he or she? Is there uncertainty or . . .?

 

[Humanity has risen!]

She's right in that Torment is a terrible game.

 

[Roguey]

Roguey is not always right, though (quote from a different thread)...

I'm reasonably confident DA3 will be a next-gen launch title.

Who could have predicted that EA would delay it for another year? I could never be that optimistic.

But also before Deathfire. I'm not sure Roguey would take Guido that seriously today.

Yeah, Thorvalla and Deathfire proved Henkel a fool. I also didn't know at the time that Torment's content was created in 11 months, which makes all that talk about being "disorganized and slow" come across as unreasonable. He was right to make the cuts that he did, and Torment could have been worse than it was with a more lenient producer.

I also think Roguey has come to appreciate JRPGs for their abstract/gamist approach so liking Chrone Trigger wouldn't be a problem

I played and enjoyed Chrono Trigger back in 1996. I wouldn't call it the best of all time, and the praise for its C&C is still ridiculous. Yeah, to someone new to scripted reactivity, it's amazing to see the trial call back to minor things you had done hours earlier, but the end result is just like the trial in NWN2 or the Landsmeet in DA:O.

 

[Excidium]

I also think Roguey has come to appreciate JRPGs for their abstract/gamist approach

Whoa just like almost every video game ever made

 

[Roguey]

On the sliding scale of purely abstract to reality-simulation, jrpgs tend to lean far more towards the former than wrpgs.

 

[felipepepe]

On the sliding scale of purely abstract to reality-simulation, jrpgs tend to lean far more towards the former than wrpgs.

You're telling me this is not reality-simulation?

 

[Hormalakh]

Next on "roguey dex" we'll hear what roguey has to say about reality and then hear people's opinions about roguey's opinion about reality.

 

[Excidium]

protip: simulation has nothing to do with realism

 

[Roguey]

And we circle back to "simulationists can't come to a consensus about what they want."

Next on "roguey dex" we'll hear what roguey has to say about reality and then hear people's opinions about roguey's opinion about reality.

Belief shapes reality.

 

[Rake]

Belief shapes reality.

 

[Sensuki]

The Chris Avellone Rezzed Presentation was good. Every interview/presentation he has done post-Rezzed has just been virtually exactly the same as the Rezzed one. I think I've seen enough of MCA until the Eternity expansion.

 

[curry]

please don't necro news posts ffs

 

[Johannes]

On the sliding scale of purely abstract to reality-simulation, jrpgs tend to lean far more towards the former than wrpgs.

You're telling me this is not reality-simulation?

Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous that Pluto, Saturnus and Jupiter are all lined up like that.

 

[Servo]

I'm glad this thread was necroed so I could lol @ this:

Good things take its time (how long takes it Blizzard for Diablo 3?)

 

[Morkar Left]

I'm glad this thread was necroed so I could lol @ this:

Good things take its time (how long takes it Blizzard for Diablo 3?)

:D

 

[Volourn]

"it really is the only RPG with a real story."

Idiots in dead old threads are still idiots. Idiot.