Obsidian General Discussion Thread

[NecroLord]

6 million a year

 

[Infinitron]

https://www.thegamer.com/star-wars-...t-aspyr-saber-cancelled-restored-content-dlc/

Star Wars Fans Launch Class Action Lawsuit Over Cancelled KOTOR 2 DLC​

Aspyr and Saber Interactive face a class action lawsuit after the restored content mod for KOTOR 2 on Switch was cancelled.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 - The Sith Lords was ported to Switch last year, breathing new life into the often-overlooked sequel. Better yet, the announcement trailer stated that the Restored Content Mod would be available as DLC, which as many fans will tell you, is the best way to experience the classic RPG. However, amid trouble behind the scenes, the DLC was later cancelled, leaving KOTOR 2 just as unfinished as it is on other platforms.

Now, fans are mobilising, launching a class action lawsuit against developer Aspyr Media and publisher Saber Interactive. The suit is said to involve multiple fans who purchased KOTOR 2 on Switch, arguing that they would not have done so if not for the promised DLC. The suit argues that Aspyr and Saber are legally obligated to provide refunds, as some buyers say they never even played the game because they were waiting for the restored content.

The case, Malachi Mickelonis v. Aspyr Media, Inc. et al, can be viewed online, showing that it was filed in July of this year. The fans and their lawyer, Ray Kim, demand a jury trial, and the defendants have until October 4 to respond.

"In 2022, Defendants [Aspyr and Saber] advertised KOTOR to users of the video console Nintendo Switch as having never-before released 'Restored Content DLC,'" reads the lawsuit. "Plaintiff and numerous other consumers were excited about the new content that Defendants claimed was 'coming soon.' In fact, KOTOR sat at the top of Nintendo’s e-Shop rankings."

But of course, the DLC was later cancelled on June 2, a few days after we reported that all references to the restored content had been quietly removed from the announcement trailer.

"Plaintiff felt completely duped," the lawsuit continues. "In fact, Plaintiff did not even play KOTOR after purchasing it, instead choosing to wait until the Restored Content DLC was released."

This isn't too hard to believe. The general consensus in the fanbase is that you should only play with the restored content mod installed, even if it's your first playthrough. Far from being material that the original developer, Obsidian, felt didn't fit the game, much of it was only removed due to time constraints.

Still, there are a few things getting in the way of the plaintiffs being successful here. For starters, games and in-game content are often cancelled - an unfortunate reality of the industry. Furthermore, even if refunds weren't granted, Aspyr did offer affected fans a copy of KOTOR 2 on Steam - where the mod can be played for free - or another Star Wars game altogether. It remains to be seen if these fans can argue that this didn't go far enough, and that an exception to the usual refund procedures should have been granted.

https://www.axios.com/2023/11/16/star-wars-aspyr-kotor-2-lawsuit

Star Wars developer strikes back at class-action claim​

A class action complaint over a Star Wars video game's missing content should be dismissed in part because the lead plaintiff already got a rebate, the game's developer has argued in court.

Why it matters: The novel suit is seeking damages because a game maker didn't deliver on the promise they offered when promoting their game.

Details: The case, Malachi Mickelonis v. Aspyr Media, Inc., revolves around the cancellation of the "Restored Content DLC," a free update that had been planned for the 2022 Nintendo Switch re-release of beloved 2004 role-playing game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II.

• The update would have restored storyline content that was infamously cut before the original game shipped. Those missing bits have so far been available only on the PC version via a mod made by fans who salvaged the content from the game's code.
• Aspyr announced in June it was canceling the DLC, and offered download codes for other Star Wars games to compensate.
• In July Mickelonis sued, saying he "felt completely duped" and sought damages over alleged violations of California consumer law. Late last month, the suit was modified to include 17 more plaintiffs.

Driving the news: Aspyr Media asked a court last month and this month to toss out the suit, according to court filings reviewed by Axios.

• Aspyr's position is that they already provided relief to the plaintiffs when KOTOR II Switch owners were offered an extra game. "All were offered a replacement product worth more than the one they purchased and none requested a refund," the publisher's lawyers say in a filing this month.
• In their filings, Aspyr shows that Mickelonis requested and received a code for another game to compensate for the nixed DLC.

The intrigue: Aspyr has never said why the DLC was canceled. But in a court filing, the company's co-CEO Ted Saloch said, "Aspyr believed it would be able to release the content, but a third party objected and Aspyr was unable to do so."

• It's unclear who that third party was.

What's next: A hearing on Aspyr's motion to dismiss the case is set for the end of the month.

 

[IHaveHugeNick]

100% Aspyr saw the quality of the so-called "restored content" and decided that nothing of value would be lost.

 

[RepHope]

Dollarhyde is back.

It has never been more over.

 

[Cyberarmy]

WTF is a Dollar Hyde? Where is Dollar Jekyll then??

 

[Quillon]

Dollarhyde is back.

ffs



well it wasn't like we had any hope for obsidian anyway, fuck it

 

[normie]

she was out fucking chad and brad and now she's back with the safe and dependable beta josh

 

[Roguey]

It has never been more over.

Eh, she won't be a lead again, so there is that.

 

[Bester]

I have hard time reconciling the fact that you people have 100 iq on average and that you people also give a fuck about who's lead on what at Obsidian, after literally the fathers of Fallout were leads and failed to produce a good game at that studio. I'm really struggling here.

 

[Roguey]

I have hard time reconciling the fact that you people have 100 iq on average and that you people also give a fuck about who's lead on what at Obsidian, after literally the fathers of Fallout were leads and failed to produce a good game at that studio. I'm really struggling here.

I liked Outer Worlds.

 

[agris]

PoE started with a huge lead in the race of reviving the dead genre but squandered it all. So many Obsidian faboys (me included) dreamed PoE series being a huge hit, making Obsidian financially independent, being able to make games they wanted to make. And getting them to make a BG3, Arcanum 2 a proper isometric Fallout spinoff etc. We dreamed big, but those dreams were shattered by PoE being a bad game, Obsidian not handling any criticism well and their first signs of wokeness.

Now I just hope for that abomination of a company that still rides on its old glory will finally shut down.

well said, very much mirror's my own experience

 

[9ted6]

I have hard time reconciling the fact that you people have 100 iq on average and that you people also give a fuck about who's lead on what at Obsidian, after literally the fathers of Fallout were leads and failed to produce a good game at that studio. I'm really struggling here.

Goes to show you how long a time 22 years is when Fallout 1 feels like it was written by totally different people even though it wasn't.

 

[whydoibother]

I have hard time reconciling the fact that you people have 100 iq on average and that you people also give a fuck about who's lead on what at Obsidian, after literally the fathers of Fallout were leads and failed to produce a good game at that studio. I'm really struggling here.

I liked Outer Worlds.

Me too, for about 5 hours. After that I had already seen all the weapons types and abilities, enemy types and even quest types.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

To me, there's a lot of factors involved with games like this coming out. Part of it is everyone deciding to cash in their chips and call it done.

A big part of it actually.

Look at Tim and Leon. Those guys ran a company, and found they wanted NOTHING to do with running a company, but just would rather sit back and make games. They wanted creative control over the product but didn't want all the additional responsibilities that go with it. To me that seems especially true with Tim.

It's not a criticism, because I think like 97% of people are like that. It's more of an observation.

So, after that experience, they sat back and took stock of things and said "Not worth it."

So what we get now is industry vets like them, who still have awesome ideas, basically sitting back and just doing what the boss says the people want because it's easier than trying to run it all themselves. They give up on aspects of control but they still make games and are paid to do it, so it's a sacrifice but one they're ok to make.

 

[scytheavatar]

To me, there's a lot of factors involved with games like this coming out. Part of it is everyone deciding to cash in their chips and call it done.

A big part of it actually.

Look at Tim and Leon. Those guys ran a company, and found they wanted NOTHING to do with running a company, but just would rather sit back and make games. They wanted creative control over the product but didn't want all the additional responsibilities that go with it. To me that seems especially true with Tim.

It's not a criticism, because I think like 97% of people are like that. It's more of an observation.

So, after that experience, they sat back and took stock of things and said "Not worth it."

So what we get now is industry vets like them, who still have awesome ideas, basically sitting back and just doing what the boss says the people want because it's easier than trying to run it all themselves. They give up on aspects of control but they still make games and are paid to do it, so it's a sacrifice but one they're ok to make.

Devs who are capable of both being creatives and businesspeople are extremely rare in the gaming industry, if you ask Tim and Leon to be businesspeople too they will probably explode. Blame shouldn't go to them, it should go to their boss for not being a competent businessman.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

When they ran their own company they were the boss. That's kind of how we came to the state we're in now.

 

[PlanHex]

And it certainly did explode eventually, but they did run for several years and put out 3 classics

 

[Major_Blackhart]

I think also one of the biggest hindrances was the fact that this was during the "Begging Table" phase of gaming when publishers had all the power and control over everything.

Now it's definitely in another direction with digital stuff, early access, and crowd funding. I wonder if Tim and Co. had done their thing now, would they be as anti "be my own boss".

 

[Sinder Velvin]

I'm trying to track down an important moment in Obsidian lore: when, during the stream of the last several hours of crowdfunding for Pillars of Eternity, Feargus Urquhart and Chris Parker apparently shouted "fuck you" to each other in the hallway.

I know about this story from here and here.

The old Twitch link that's mentioned there doesn't work anymore, but this one with the entire stream does.

I don't have time to watch 6 hours of that, so hopefully you guys can give me the timestamp.

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

I don't have time to watch 6 hours of that, so hopefully you guys can give me the timestamp.

No. Fuck you!

 

[Sinder Velvin]

Fine, I'm summoning Roguey, who probably knows the timestamp from memory.

 

[Roguey]

Fine, I'm summoning Roguey, who probably knows the timestamp from memory.

I did not but using https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads...eased-go-to-the-new-thread.75947/post-2320558 and the streaming starting time as a guide I was able to figure out it was 4:02:40 and lasts till 4:03:53.

 

[Sinder Velvin]

I did not but using https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads...eased-go-to-the-new-thread.75947/post-2320558 and the streaming starting time as a guide I was able to figure out it was 4:02:40 and lasts till 4:03:53.

Thanks, that was as good as I was hoping it would be. However, unlike what MCA said, it's clearly Feargus telling the South Park people to go back to work. You can see him in the low resolution camera. I'm not sure Chris Parker had anything to do with it.

 

[Readher]

 

[Sinder Velvin]

Found a really good old interview with Feargus from 2004.

CGW: Welcome to the party everyone. So, how should I address you, Feargus: Mister? Doctor? Esquire?

FUrquhart: How about Feargus Urquhart, CEO, Obsidian Entertainment, Inc.

CGW: Anything shorter?

FUrquhart: Smooth Motherf***er.

[...]

CGW: I know that crunch time schedules mean many sleepless nights, but what kinda crap do you get from your wife for that?

FUrquhart: She understood what I was doing and I usually set aside dinners for us to spend some time together. Luckily, she worked at Interplay as well, so she was pretty busy.

She was definitely done with it after BG2 though.

CGW: So I guess I can't paint you as a notorious player in the industry

FUrquhart: Nope - that's one of the other owners - Darren Monahan. All the girls love that boy.

CGW: I remember Darren. Slick guy. Nice name too (if I don't say so myself)

FUrquhart: They call him SAM - Sweet Ass Monahan.

CGW: Now that has to go into print.

FUrquhart: Well he is the producer on Neverwinter 2 - so it could just be part of the "background".

CGW: fair enough. Maybe you want to reference that in the credits. Producer / Sweetest Ass, NWN 2.

Ahem. Yeah, maybe we should be talking about the game a little ;p. So, Mr. Motherf***er, can you clue us in on how Neverwinter Nights 2 is coming along so far?

FUrquhart: We've been working on it for about a month now and things are going really well. We are finishing up the story, the list of new features and the programmers are getting the engine ready for the new stuff.

[...]

CGW: well, I don't want to hog up any more of your time -- you've been awesome about this already. But I gotta try asking one more time: Anything you can tell us about the plot?

FUrquhart: Sure. We it's about your sex life and call it "Pee Wee's Big Adventure." Brandon can be your body double.

PR Flak Brandon: HEY!!

FUrquhart: Rated A - A--hole to Everyone.

CGW: excellent!

PR Flak Brandon: Feargus, this is all going in print

FUrquhart: He can't print that.

I've said much worse.

Now I wish we had a Feargus Urquhart Appreciation Station.