Interview Planescape: Torment interview at RPG Watch

[Zomg]

I would have liked a legitimate "evil, free and clear" ending for PS:T, or even a cruel moral realist ending for a good TNO (eg. "I do more good than harm"). I think that for a Mersault or saintly kind of playthrough, what's in the game works, but more scope would have been nice.

 

[Cronstadt]

Jarlfrank, I disagree. One of the parts of the game that made it great was the ending. It was well done that TNO was doomed no matter what. It didnt matter if he was a lying schemer or a lawful good paladin, he had to serve the time(or eternity).

I mean hell, how much it would suck if TNO would defeat the bad guy and live happily ever after with Annah and Grace?

The "best" ending is shitty and doesn't fit the game at all. However the "bad" ending is awesome and Im sad its not in the game.

Imagine after you chose the ending you see a sequence of the game's beginning again as described in the design document, Morte starts to speak with you and then you see the credits.
That would have been truly awesome. And it wouldn't actually mean that TNO is not doomed anymore, quite the opposite. I don't think I will read those design documents because reading what could more could have been in the game always makes me kinda sad and spoils my fun of playing it. This is true for every game, but especially for masterpieces like PS:T .

Although I guess its not that bad. In the german interview posted here Guido Henkel said that the PS:T they released was pretty close to the PS:T they had envisioned, although not completly.

The "bad" ending would've been the most fitting with the spirit of Torment, in my opinion. And so different from your run of the mill "and they lived happily ever after". Avellone really is the man.

 

[Azarkon]

I agree that the "bad" ending would've been fitting of Torment's themes. If the player chooses to learn nothing of his adventures (ie shows no regret, believes nothing can change the nature of a man, etc.), then so be it - the Torment continues, though perhaps in the mind of the player it will no longer be Torment by virtue of choice. That, too, would fulfill a thematic end.

 

[aries202]

Part Two is up now at rpgwatch.com. And is even more interesting to read than part one. Chris A. really explores the reasons why Torment looks the way it does, talks about what could have been better and what he would like to do better in his next games, say Mask of the betrayer for NWN2.

NB:
Be sure to cehck out the documents provided. I was amazed that Chris A. released these to the community, while being happy at the same time since this really shows you how much work is needed to make an video game, whether it be an rpg game or an fps game.

 

[Hümmelgümpf]

"This is quite exciting. I've never been kidnapped before."

 

[Brother None]

"This is quite exciting. I've never been kidnapped before."

I can do little but agree with MCA that cutting that quest is a damned shame, it would've been a lot of fun. I like the whole "kidnapped princess turned upside down", especially for Falls-From-Grace. Wonder how it would've been with Annah.

 

[Hümmelgümpf]

Wonder how it would've been with Annah.

I guess it would have involved a lot of Cant swear words.

 

[Texas Red]

Guys, if they have already written material then maybe the Infinite Engine modders can put it in?

 

[Edward_R_Murrow]

Guys, if they have already written material then maybe the Infinite Engine modders can put it in?

If I recall....Torment was a lot harder to mod, as was Icewind Dale, than the Baldur's Gate series. More stuff was hardcoded and such. Perhaps something to do with the fact that the engine was licensed. Not too sure though.

And a a tangent....if a good deal of Van Buren has been released (design documents, alpha demo, etc.)....why hasn't someone tried to finish it up?

 

[Brother None]

And a a tangent....if a good deal of Van Buren has been released (design documents, alpha demo, etc.)....why hasn't someone tried to finish it up?

Because Fallout fans are a bunch of no-good ne'er do wells. Very unproductive. We're still waiting for the first big mod (not counting Haris), and I can't even remember how many years it has been since the mapping tools were released.

The alpha demo itself is useless, by the way.

 

[Lumpy]

The problem for me is that it is a game with too little game-play.For example, Betrayal at Krondor is just as bad in the story-railroading and focusing department, but it has much more game-play elements in terms of discovery, interesting explorations and combat. There, it makes sense to have that much story and reading, because it's complementing a game. With Planescape, the 'game' is complementing a story, and not doing a great job. It would probably have been better as a point-and-click adventure.

No. Planescape is a great game with a different type of gameplay than the typical RPG. It isn't a book.
I don't get it why people call it a novel just because it isn't 80% combat. As far as I know, novels don't offer 5 choices for each line of the protagonist, or 2-3 for each action.
Stop the bullshit, begin reality.

By the way, it seems Interplay cancelled two Planescape games they had put lots of money into. I wonder if Interplay would have survived had it not cancelled nearly every fucking game they invested in.

 

[kingcomrade]

I just noticed the sound of Volourn not posting for a couple months.

 

[Texas Red]

I just noticed the sound of Volourn not posting for a couple months.

*sighs* Another poster got a life. Damnit, damnit... Why hast thou forsaken us?!

 

[Jasede]

Volly posted like a weak ago.

 

[Jora]

Volo has been posting since the dawn of time, he's not going anywhere. There are times when he's absent but each time he reappears with a new personality.