Development Info Obsidian going down to South Park

[Vault Dweller]

Lionheart!

 

[Radisshu]

Fallout 2.

 

[the_unshaved_masses]

Omikron: The Nomad Soul

 

[Coyote]

What was wrong with those endings? A shit ending is the PC version of EOB or those in days of yore where you'd get a 'THE END' that kicked you back to the DOS prompt. Maybe the buildup to many of the games you mention promised more than the ending offered but in most of those examples the endings were ok to good. PS:T had a great ending, Witcher had a decent ending, Deus Ex and Bloodlines too. SS2 was a bit derpy but more due to the whole last section being out of character. Haven't finished Arcanum yet so can't comment there.

Bloodlines actually has one of my favorite game endings for the way it builds up two plotlines, makes you think you're about to reach the climax of one, and then pulls a bait-and-switch in a way that might have been anticlimactic (though not necessarily) were it not the climax for the other.

In any case, I suspect Roguey was thinking of the endgame sequences of those games rather than their narrative endings, though I could be wrong. I would still disagree with him in some cases under this interpretation, but it would make more sense in the context of his response, which depends on the assumption that readers would agree with his examples to make its point.

Moving back a bit, I don't see how this...

You can't call something "total shit" if there was a lengthy period of time where you enjoyed it because there were obviously some redeeming aspects there that made you enjoy it however brief it may have been. It's hyperbolic and edginess for the sake of edginess.

Sorry, but you are praising the decline here, meaning throwing in ideas because they are cool, nevermind how implement them in a sensible way.
Half assed endings are the trademark of the amateur or the hack, the best example of it is Lost.

...relates in any way to what he said. If a game has some well-made, enjoyable content, it may still be mostly shit, but it is not total shit. Acknowledging that there's a difference between the two isn't the same praising the parts that are shit. And throwing in ideas because they sound cool without any regard to how they fit in the overall design is a separate issue that has no bearing on his point.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

Lionheart!

Oh, fuck you, Brian Mitsoda! First, right off the bat, a lot of people seem to have a problem with Lionheart having no actual cutscenes. It's just floating text and voice-overs. However, because I don't have bik-file fever I was never bothered by this. I thought the ending was alright. You did your shit and you did it well but watch out for the sequel because LeChuck can't ever be defeated! If they'd put that in a movie, how would it be different from any other game? Besides, you know who said that? Tony Jay or Earl Boen did. I forgot which, I think it was Jay, but either way that's an awesome ending. Even though I don't remember it. I hate you. Good luck with your gay roman zombie game.

Alright, who's next? Come on, motherfucker.

Fallout 2.

What is this? Easy mode? Anyway, Fallout 2 doesn't really have an ending. It would be far more correct to say that Fallout 2's main quest has a conclusion (!) since the game doesn't necessarily really end after you save your village. As for that conclusion, YOU BLOW UP A FUCKING OIL RIG, KILL THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WHOSE NAME IS DICK RICHARDSON!!!!!! AND THEN YOU KILL HIS SECRET SERVICE AGENT FRANK HORRIGAN, A CYBORG MUTANT THING NAMED AFTER CLINT EASTWOOD'S CHARACTER IN "IN THE LINE OF FIRE"!!!! It really doesn't get much more awesome than that, I'm afraid.

Omikron: The Nomad Soul

You kick the bad guy's ass and then you get thanked profusely by everyone and their bald tattooed uncle. Also David Bowie did the ending music, you know. That's how every game should end if I was president of making games.

 

[Radisshu]

KOTOR?

 

[Andyman Messiah]

KOTOR?

Light side: YOU GET A FUCKING MEDAL!! AND THE MEDAL IS *ACTUALLY* SHOWN ON YOUR ARMOR!!
Dark side: YOU STAND AS A SITH LORD LOOKING DOWN ON YOUR DISCIPLES READY TO RULE THE FUCK OUT OF THE UNIVERSE WITH JENNIFER HALE BY YOUR SIDE!!

AWWWWWWWWW-YEAH-SOME!!

 

[CrunchyHemorrhoids]

Drakensang ending http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DSyQBI2LDw
Risen ending http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eYRa8NHDfI

 

[Stinger]

Kotor 2's non-ending.

 

[Roguey]

In any case, I suspect Roguey was thinking of the endgame sequences of those games rather than their narrative endings, though I could be wrong.

Yep. I'm referring only to how they play in comparison to everything that comes before.

If a game has some well-made, enjoyable content, it may still be mostly shit, but it is not total shit. Acknowledging that there's a difference between the two isn't the same praising the parts that are shit.

Yes, I seem to have been failing to get that across. "All of Obsidian's games are shit" is acceptable, "all of Obsidian's games are total shit" isn't.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

To some, "total shit" is just what comes before "good for what it is", which in turn is what comes before "so good NASA was thinking of including a copy in their next probe so other civilizations could benefit from its awesomeness".

 

[malko_sundervere]

I think Obsidian should make Daria RPG next. They would handle dialogues like...:

1) Irony
2) Irony
3) Sarcasm
4) Sarcasm
5) O_O

...well.

...what? I am trying to stay on topic

I'm not the only one who lol'd hard at this, am I? I used to *love* that cartoon...

Half assed endings are the trademark of the amateur or the hack, the best example of it is Lost.

System Shock 2, Arcanum, Deus Ex, Planescape Torment, The Witcher, Bloodlines, et al. were made by amateurs and hacks? Good to know.

I'm a bit confused. Except for Arcanum and The Witcher, I loved the endings of *all* of those.

 

[Xor]

Guys, be careful. You're going to break andyman.

 

[Roguey]

Half assed endings are the trademark of the amateur or the hack, the best example of it is Lost.

System Shock 2, Arcanum, Deus Ex, Planescape Torment, The Witcher, Bloodlines, et al. were made by amateurs and hacks? Good to know.

I'm a bit confused. Except for Arcanum and The Witcher, I loved the endings of *all* of those.

SS2) Yeah I get it, trying to recreate Citadel Station, it still sucked.
Deus Ex) Once you leave that house in Paris it becomes a slog through a series of military installations that all look and play the same.
Torment) Everything after Ravel is just a terrible combat/running-past-enemies-slog until the dialogue with your past selves. The Fortress cannon crap was annoying.
Bloodlines) Annoying combat-fest.
All of them are significantly worse compared to what came before.

 

[attackfighter]

Half assed endings are the trademark of the amateur or the hack, the best example of it is Lost.

System Shock 2, Arcanum, Deus Ex, Planescape Torment, The Witcher, Bloodlines, et al. were made by amateurs and hacks? Good to know.

I'm a bit confused. Except for Arcanum and The Witcher, I loved the endings of *all* of those.

SS2) Yeah I get it, trying to recreate Citadel Station, it still sucked.
Deus Ex) Once you leave that house in Paris it becomes a slog through a series of military installations that all look and play the same.
Torment) Everything after Ravel is just a terrible combat/running-past-enemies-slog until the dialogue with your past selves. The Fortress cannon crap was annoying.
Bloodlines) Annoying combat-fest.
All of them are significantly worse compared to what came before.

Kz3r0 means badly written endings, not ones with bad gameplay.

 

[Radisshu]

KOTOR?

Light side: YOU GET A FUCKING MEDAL!! AND THE MEDAL IS *ACTUALLY* SHOWN ON YOUR ARMOR!!
Dark side: YOU STAND AS A SITH LORD LOOKING DOWN ON YOUR DISCIPLES READY TO RULE THE FUCK OUT OF THE UNIVERSE WITH JENNIFER HALE BY YOUR SIDE!!

AWWWWWWWWW-YEAH-SOME!!

...







Final Fantasy VIII.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

Final Fantasy VIII

Spoiler

Squall and Rinoa are separated from each other, both caught in the time compression and their memories of each other are gradually becoming more and more distorted. The same can be said of the world, which has been reduced to a lifeless desert. Squall eventually succumbs but because of the promise he and Rinoa made to each other back in the intro movie (or rather, at the flower field behind the orphanage right before the final battle), he collapses right at where the flower field once was (I suppose), the spot where he promised he'd wait for Rinoa if they ever got separated. She finds him and saves his life and they exit the time compression.

That's romantic AND awesome. Somebody should do a LP.

Drakensang

Boobs. And also the FATHER OF DRAGONS RETURNS IN ALL HIS SPLENDOR AND MIGHT to congratulate you for saving the world. Then he flies off and YEAH screen goes dark!

Risen

The player walks away like a boss. What's wrong with that? Keep it simple. You want a thanks for saving the world? Fuck you. This was clearly just another normal day for this guy. That's awesome.

Kotor 2's non-ending.

KOTOR2's non-ending is awesome because it's not an ending, it's a to be continued that set up so many great possibilities. KOTOR2 attempted to build a larger story. KOTOR1 just ended. Revan got equipped with medal. Credits roll. Bring in the fan fiction writers. "Revan and Bastila lived happily ever after in a nice big house with a white fence and sometimes Canderous Ordo stopped by for a nice cup of tea."

Spoiler

Yes, that was my fan fiction and no you can't read in anywhere on the internet.