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Incline Questions for the Codex interview with Feargus and MCA.
- Thread starter Jedi Master Radek
- Start date
Jedi Master Radek
Arcane
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Questions I made during a night.
To both:
In the wake of RPG Renaissance there have been a numerous new game coming out like Age of Decadence, Underrail, Serpants in the Staglands, Telepath Tactics and many more. Which of those less know games have you played and which you are definitely going to play? Have you been inspired by one?
New cRPG offerings made a genre alive again. People speak about them, people play them and quite often there are mentioned in the writing press. How many new, young players are falling in love with the genre? Have you done some market research? Is it enough to have a new generation of cRPGs players as numerous as the this one is?
To Feargus:
If You ever get a chance to develop a game in the World of Darkness setting, what qualities should this potential game posses?
One of Obsidian cancelled project we know the least about is Dwarfs. Could you tell us something more about it and if we will ever get a chance to see those Brian Menzes concepts Kevin Saunders praised so much?
How is Leonard Boyarski doing? Is he working onsite?
After you announced Tyranny are there any unannounced secret projects Obsidian is working on left?
Was it you who approached Paradox about making Tyranny of was it other way around?
What is your opinion on deterministic versus nondeterministic combat? Would you ever try a deterministic approach?
Divinity Original Sin, new X Com proved the turn based combat can be popular and profitable. Would you consider making a turn based game?
To MCA:
Few years ago you said you had an idea for a Star Wars cRPG set during the Empire era. Could you tell us more about it?
You said on twitter you were involved in a preproduction of Tyranny. How much of it will be shown in the final game? Was this involvement only on a design documents level or will we get some of your writing in the actual game?
How much, if any of your actual writing is in the Wasteland 2? Nathan Long said you left after finishing design documents for your locations.
How much of your writing will we see in Divinity Original Sin 2?
How does your contribution with Larian looks like? how is it different than work with inXile?
You said some of your inspirations for Torment came from Japanese RPGs. How much are you interested in Japanese culture? Do you have favorite Japanese movies or anime?
Do you think most of the pop culture became too conservative, is trying to stay too safe with their products? For example, Hollywood is for most part either relying on franchises and remakes. Even movies which are not remakes, like new Star Wars movie can turn out to be remakes in disguise. (Honestly, after one watch of The Force Awakens I have made a list of 70 exact ripoffs mostly from the New Hope), How much is this trend true for gaming? What it would take to change it?
What part of your work that was cut out was the most difficult to let go?
It was me who found about Van Buren trademark. Could you please explain how the work on the projects is going?
To both:
In the wake of RPG Renaissance there have been a numerous new game coming out like Age of Decadence, Underrail, Serpants in the Staglands, Telepath Tactics and many more. Which of those less know games have you played and which you are definitely going to play? Have you been inspired by one?
New cRPG offerings made a genre alive again. People speak about them, people play them and quite often there are mentioned in the writing press. How many new, young players are falling in love with the genre? Have you done some market research? Is it enough to have a new generation of cRPGs players as numerous as the this one is?
To Feargus:
If You ever get a chance to develop a game in the World of Darkness setting, what qualities should this potential game posses?
One of Obsidian cancelled project we know the least about is Dwarfs. Could you tell us something more about it and if we will ever get a chance to see those Brian Menzes concepts Kevin Saunders praised so much?
How is Leonard Boyarski doing? Is he working onsite?
After you announced Tyranny are there any unannounced secret projects Obsidian is working on left?
Was it you who approached Paradox about making Tyranny of was it other way around?
What is your opinion on deterministic versus nondeterministic combat? Would you ever try a deterministic approach?
Divinity Original Sin, new X Com proved the turn based combat can be popular and profitable. Would you consider making a turn based game?
To MCA:
Few years ago you said you had an idea for a Star Wars cRPG set during the Empire era. Could you tell us more about it?
You said on twitter you were involved in a preproduction of Tyranny. How much of it will be shown in the final game? Was this involvement only on a design documents level or will we get some of your writing in the actual game?
How much, if any of your actual writing is in the Wasteland 2? Nathan Long said you left after finishing design documents for your locations.
How much of your writing will we see in Divinity Original Sin 2?
How does your contribution with Larian looks like? how is it different than work with inXile?
You said some of your inspirations for Torment came from Japanese RPGs. How much are you interested in Japanese culture? Do you have favorite Japanese movies or anime?
Do you think most of the pop culture became too conservative, is trying to stay too safe with their products? For example, Hollywood is for most part either relying on franchises and remakes. Even movies which are not remakes, like new Star Wars movie can turn out to be remakes in disguise. (Honestly, after one watch of The Force Awakens I have made a list of 70 exact ripoffs mostly from the New Hope), How much is this trend true for gaming? What it would take to change it?
What part of your work that was cut out was the most difficult to let go?
It was me who found about Van Buren trademark. Could you please explain how the work on the projects is going?
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- 99,624
This is a weird thing to ask somebody who isn't a game designer.
Eugh. What a pathetic attempt to suck up to Bethesda for a tiny chance at FNV2, which Avellone himself said isn't going to happen anyway.
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- 518
Would you rather have him be playing it because he thinks Fallout 4 is an excellent RPG whose brilliant design decisions make it worthy of putting seventy hours into?
Mustawd
Guest
Or which one? a vagina boy or a cockgirl?
Speaking of other game's writing...someone ask MCA if he read some of the trash dialogue of Siege of Dragonspear and if he still stands by his "writing is great!" comment.
Jedi Master Radek
Arcane
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- Dec 12, 2013
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- 4,334
Are there any more questions? I have Feargus on Monday, MCA on Tuesday. Both interviews are scheduled on afternoon. I planned to print out all the questions tomorrow, but if any good question comes up before the interviews I will just write them in by a pen 
Time limit has been officially extended.
Time limit has been officially extended.
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- Dec 31, 2007
- Messages
- 11,158
To MCA:
Do you have any future plans about being once again a lead designer/writer in a game?
I mean that's what I really care about, I don't really give a damn if he supervises some lore, designs an area, or writes one of the characters in some game.
Do you have any future plans about being once again a lead designer/writer in a game?
I mean that's what I really care about, I don't really give a damn if he supervises some lore, designs an area, or writes one of the characters in some game.
Neanderthal
Arcane
Ere just thought o someat, since thas gonna interview (props for that by way) em both ask whats up wi that bloody Poe novella, as Chris heard owt since he submitted it an has Feargus got any details? Saw on Obs forum they were makin it an audiobook but that were months ago.
Ask Feargus what he thinks of the Codex, if he is a lurker and how he feels about the .. passionate reception of PoE here.
Immortal
Arcane
I feel it's good to open with a nice soft ball ice breaker.. gets the creative juices flowing.
Ask Feargus why he fired MCA... but before he can even formulate a response - immediately turn to MCA and ask "Can you believe this guy?"
Ask Feargus why he fired MCA... but before he can even formulate a response - immediately turn to MCA and ask "Can you believe this guy?"
He won't be seeing them in the same day, read Jedi Master Radek's post. And they will probably avoid each other to avoid awkward situations (it's clear that his departure wasn't too pretty).
IHaveHugeNick
Arcane
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- Apr 5, 2015
- Messages
- 1,870,558
293 hours in X-com. LOL. And people say he hates turn-based.
I don't believe he hates turn-based games. It is just that turn-based games, in a completely unknown and new setting are potentially not profitable (for Obsidian).
NU-Xcom probably did well, just because of the name recognition (and marketing as well though).
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Jedi Master Radek
Arcane
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2013
- Messages
- 4,334
Half official version. Still taking questions, requesting feedback. Is it good? What questions should be added and what removed?
Feargus
In the wake of RPG Renaissance there have been numerous new games coming out like Age of Decadence, Underrail, Serpants in the Staglands, Telepath Tactics and many more. Which of those less know games have you played and which you are definitely going to play? Have you been inspired by one?
New cRPG offerings made a genre alive again. People speak about them, people play them and quite often there are mentioned in the writing press. How many new, young players are falling in love with the genre? Have you done some market research? Is it enough to have a new generation of cRPGs players as numerous as the this one is?
If You ever get a chance to develop a game in the World of Darkness setting, what qualities should this potential game posses?
One of Obsidian cancelled project we know the least about is Dwarfs. Could you tell us something more about it and if we will ever get a chance to see those Brian Menzes concepts Kevin Saunders praised so much?
How is Leonard Boyarski doing? Is he working onsite?
After you announced Tyranny are there any unannounced secret projects Obsidian is working on left?
Was it you who approached Paradox about making Tyranny of was it other way around?
Divinity Original Sin, new X Com proved the turn based combat can be popular and profitable. Would you consider making a turn based game?
Obsidian is known to be a harbour for many talented people, most of them are industry veterans. But to be competitive in new cRPG filled landscape Obsidian needs the most talented people it can hire. Is there any strategy in finding those gifted professionals and amateurs and bringing them to your company?
When Pillars of Eternity was still in development you were taking about launching a new kickstarter. It was going to be launch in September 2013 or 2014. Was this game a Tyranny? Is this game still in production or was it shelved? Was it MCA game?
Why didn't Obsidian announced their next crowdfunding game yet? What are the crowdfunding drawbacks that keep Obsidian from using platforms like kickstarter more?
Any plans for Obsidian to use fig? If not, does that mean fig is not currently a viable crowdfunding platform?
It's been a bit since fig has launched. As part of the advisory council, any thoughts on its performance? Any unexpected challenges?
What are the differences of the today RPG market after 2012 and the old RPG market Obsidian used to deal with?
What is the market Obsidian is trying to appeal to with games like Tyranny?
Who will be the lead writer for Tyranny?
How many writers Obsidian will employ on Tyranny? How Obsidian plans to organize the writing on such choice heavy game?
What are the things Obsidian think they did right and wrong on PoE? What are the things you plan to improve in the future?
Did the accessibility gone to far? Are we at the point when not requiring pretty much anything from the player hurts the experience? Is it not a nature of games to require thinking and skills from a player? Isn't giving everything on a plate for a player weakening the experience, losing important aspects of what makes gaming fun?
What Obsidian think of nostalgia? Does a game that only appeal to nostalgia and doesn't innovate is good? Why?
Does you still play games? What games do you like to play? Why do you like to play them?
What's your dream project and do you think that Obsidian will one day realize it. On the same note, if hypothetically you didn't have to care about financial returns, what game would you make?
What Obsidian thinks of romances?
What would you do different for Obsidian if he had the power to go back in time?
What do you think of RPG Codex? Are you a lurker?
What is your opinion on deterministic versus nondeterministic combat? Would you ever try a deterministic approach?
What's your favorite Obsidian game and why?
Does Obsidian have a core philosophy on RPG design or do you design RPGs based on the feel of the moment?
MCA
In the wake of RPG Renaissance there have been numerous new games coming out like Age of Decadence, Underrail, Serpants in the Staglands, Telepath Tactics and many more. Which of those less know games have you played and which you are definitely going to play? Have you been inspired by one?
New cRPG offerings made a genre alive again. People speak about them, people play them and quite often there are mentioned in the writing press. How many new, young players are falling in love with the genre? Have you done some market research? Is it enough to have a new generation of cRPGs players as numerous as the this one is?
Few years ago you said you had an idea for a Star Wars cRPG set during the Empire era. Could you tell us more about it?
You said on twitter you were involved in a preproduction of Tyranny. How much of it will be shown in the final game? Was this involvement only on a design documents level or will we get some of your writing in the actual game?
How much, if any of your actual writing is in the Wasteland 2? Nathan Long said you left after finishing design documents for your locations.
How much of your writing will we see in Divinity Original Sin 2?
How does your contribution with Larian looks like? How is it different than work with Obsidian and inXile?
You said some of your inspirations for Torment came from Japanese RPGs. How much are you interested in Japanese culture? Do you have favorite Japanese movies or anime?
Do you think most of the pop culture became too conservative, is trying to stay too safe with their products? For example, Hollywood is for most part either relying on franchises and remakes. Even movies which are not remakes, like new Star Wars movie can turn out to be remakes in disguise. (Honestly, after one watch of The Force Awakens I have made a list of 70 exact ripoffs mostly from the New Hope), How much is this trend true for gaming? What it would take to change it?
What part of your work that was cut out was the most difficult to let go?
It was me who found about Van Buren trademark. Could you please explain how the work on the projects is going?
Don't you owe the codex some troll drawings?
Fans really want an RPG game with MCA being lead writer again. Will that ever happen? Even if that means working for Larian, inXile or other companies that show interest? Many think having you only write a character or two of the game or supervise lore waters down the Avellone experience.
What would a company need to offer you so that you would join them? Creative control of a project? Something else?
Are you planning to stay a freelancer for the foreseeable future or are you looking at other options as well? Like starting your own studio for example.
What is the difference between young Avellone at the time of Planescape Torment and today's Avellone? Is being the lead of a project too much of a burden for today's Avellone?
What you think of the approach of some games to storytelling like Dark Souls and like D:OS 2 where the player more discover the plot than the plot shove itself on the throat of the player? What are the advantages and disadvantages of those non-linear approaches to storytelling?
What are the strong points of your writing? Why gaming isn't as recognized as a storytelling medium as something like movies and books? What is lacking on video game storytelling?
What's your dream project and do you will one day realize it. On the same note, if hypothetically you didn't have to care about financial returns, what game would you make?
What you think of storytelling and player input on video games? Too much linearity and not enough reactivity?
How do you view your career? Is there something you regret not having done?
What you think of the pragmatic approach to game design vs. the creative approach to game design?
On the game industry, you need to do compromises, compromise on difficulty, scope, mechanics, innovation and accessibility to actually deliver a successful product, but what point those compromises become too great? Is there a point where a game can completely lose any creative and artistic merit because of those compromises?
How often your feedback actually do influence the final outcome of the game?
What's your favorite Obsidian game and why?
What functionalities and gameplay elements do you want to see in future RPGs?
Are there themes you do not include in your writing for fear of pissing people off?
Feargus
In the wake of RPG Renaissance there have been numerous new games coming out like Age of Decadence, Underrail, Serpants in the Staglands, Telepath Tactics and many more. Which of those less know games have you played and which you are definitely going to play? Have you been inspired by one?
New cRPG offerings made a genre alive again. People speak about them, people play them and quite often there are mentioned in the writing press. How many new, young players are falling in love with the genre? Have you done some market research? Is it enough to have a new generation of cRPGs players as numerous as the this one is?
If You ever get a chance to develop a game in the World of Darkness setting, what qualities should this potential game posses?
One of Obsidian cancelled project we know the least about is Dwarfs. Could you tell us something more about it and if we will ever get a chance to see those Brian Menzes concepts Kevin Saunders praised so much?
How is Leonard Boyarski doing? Is he working onsite?
After you announced Tyranny are there any unannounced secret projects Obsidian is working on left?
Was it you who approached Paradox about making Tyranny of was it other way around?
Divinity Original Sin, new X Com proved the turn based combat can be popular and profitable. Would you consider making a turn based game?
Obsidian is known to be a harbour for many talented people, most of them are industry veterans. But to be competitive in new cRPG filled landscape Obsidian needs the most talented people it can hire. Is there any strategy in finding those gifted professionals and amateurs and bringing them to your company?
When Pillars of Eternity was still in development you were taking about launching a new kickstarter. It was going to be launch in September 2013 or 2014. Was this game a Tyranny? Is this game still in production or was it shelved? Was it MCA game?
Why didn't Obsidian announced their next crowdfunding game yet? What are the crowdfunding drawbacks that keep Obsidian from using platforms like kickstarter more?
Any plans for Obsidian to use fig? If not, does that mean fig is not currently a viable crowdfunding platform?
It's been a bit since fig has launched. As part of the advisory council, any thoughts on its performance? Any unexpected challenges?
What are the differences of the today RPG market after 2012 and the old RPG market Obsidian used to deal with?
What is the market Obsidian is trying to appeal to with games like Tyranny?
Who will be the lead writer for Tyranny?
How many writers Obsidian will employ on Tyranny? How Obsidian plans to organize the writing on such choice heavy game?
What are the things Obsidian think they did right and wrong on PoE? What are the things you plan to improve in the future?
Did the accessibility gone to far? Are we at the point when not requiring pretty much anything from the player hurts the experience? Is it not a nature of games to require thinking and skills from a player? Isn't giving everything on a plate for a player weakening the experience, losing important aspects of what makes gaming fun?
What Obsidian think of nostalgia? Does a game that only appeal to nostalgia and doesn't innovate is good? Why?
Does you still play games? What games do you like to play? Why do you like to play them?
What's your dream project and do you think that Obsidian will one day realize it. On the same note, if hypothetically you didn't have to care about financial returns, what game would you make?
What Obsidian thinks of romances?
What would you do different for Obsidian if he had the power to go back in time?
What do you think of RPG Codex? Are you a lurker?
What is your opinion on deterministic versus nondeterministic combat? Would you ever try a deterministic approach?
What's your favorite Obsidian game and why?
Does Obsidian have a core philosophy on RPG design or do you design RPGs based on the feel of the moment?
MCA
In the wake of RPG Renaissance there have been numerous new games coming out like Age of Decadence, Underrail, Serpants in the Staglands, Telepath Tactics and many more. Which of those less know games have you played and which you are definitely going to play? Have you been inspired by one?
New cRPG offerings made a genre alive again. People speak about them, people play them and quite often there are mentioned in the writing press. How many new, young players are falling in love with the genre? Have you done some market research? Is it enough to have a new generation of cRPGs players as numerous as the this one is?
Few years ago you said you had an idea for a Star Wars cRPG set during the Empire era. Could you tell us more about it?
You said on twitter you were involved in a preproduction of Tyranny. How much of it will be shown in the final game? Was this involvement only on a design documents level or will we get some of your writing in the actual game?
How much, if any of your actual writing is in the Wasteland 2? Nathan Long said you left after finishing design documents for your locations.
How much of your writing will we see in Divinity Original Sin 2?
How does your contribution with Larian looks like? How is it different than work with Obsidian and inXile?
You said some of your inspirations for Torment came from Japanese RPGs. How much are you interested in Japanese culture? Do you have favorite Japanese movies or anime?
Do you think most of the pop culture became too conservative, is trying to stay too safe with their products? For example, Hollywood is for most part either relying on franchises and remakes. Even movies which are not remakes, like new Star Wars movie can turn out to be remakes in disguise. (Honestly, after one watch of The Force Awakens I have made a list of 70 exact ripoffs mostly from the New Hope), How much is this trend true for gaming? What it would take to change it?
What part of your work that was cut out was the most difficult to let go?
It was me who found about Van Buren trademark. Could you please explain how the work on the projects is going?
Don't you owe the codex some troll drawings?
Fans really want an RPG game with MCA being lead writer again. Will that ever happen? Even if that means working for Larian, inXile or other companies that show interest? Many think having you only write a character or two of the game or supervise lore waters down the Avellone experience.
What would a company need to offer you so that you would join them? Creative control of a project? Something else?
Are you planning to stay a freelancer for the foreseeable future or are you looking at other options as well? Like starting your own studio for example.
What is the difference between young Avellone at the time of Planescape Torment and today's Avellone? Is being the lead of a project too much of a burden for today's Avellone?
What you think of the approach of some games to storytelling like Dark Souls and like D:OS 2 where the player more discover the plot than the plot shove itself on the throat of the player? What are the advantages and disadvantages of those non-linear approaches to storytelling?
What are the strong points of your writing? Why gaming isn't as recognized as a storytelling medium as something like movies and books? What is lacking on video game storytelling?
What's your dream project and do you will one day realize it. On the same note, if hypothetically you didn't have to care about financial returns, what game would you make?
What you think of storytelling and player input on video games? Too much linearity and not enough reactivity?
How do you view your career? Is there something you regret not having done?
What you think of the pragmatic approach to game design vs. the creative approach to game design?
On the game industry, you need to do compromises, compromise on difficulty, scope, mechanics, innovation and accessibility to actually deliver a successful product, but what point those compromises become too great? Is there a point where a game can completely lose any creative and artistic merit because of those compromises?
How often your feedback actually do influence the final outcome of the game?
What's your favorite Obsidian game and why?
What functionalities and gameplay elements do you want to see in future RPGs?
Are there themes you do not include in your writing for fear of pissing people off?
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- Joined
- Mar 14, 2012
- Messages
- 1,491
Ask both of them what are their most and least favourite parts of PoE.
Bro, you're not going to get even half of those questions answered, that would take hours. Select a few core questions you really want to ask, then keep the others ready IF there's enough time & goodwill.
- Joined
- May 29, 2010
- Messages
- 36,710
XCOM isn't a role playing game with all the slowness that entails.
Added numeration for easier reference, just copy and paste if you want, nothing else has been changed. It makes giving suggestions easier.
For Ferguson (F) I would leave questions 3, 5 (although modified, asking how Leo is doing should be directed at Leo not Faergus, although it's not the best question anyway, same goes for the second question, just ask him whether he could reveal what he's working on), 6, 8, 17, 19, 22. It still may be too many questions but I would definitely leave out the rest for various reasons, e.g.
#1 - we can see Faergus steam account and we know he has shitty taste
#2 - don't know what this question could accomplish, I don't care what he thinks about it and he most likely wouldn't be even honest only tell PR bullshit.
#4 - this one could be interesting but I think we could learn about it via other means or under different circumstances and we know a bit about it: http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/110385-obsidians-cancelled-dwarves-project-detailed.html
#7 - not sure if he would answer that question, if he would answer that they approached them it would seem like they were begging for investors/publishers, if it was the other way around he might be thinking that Paradaox wouldn't want us to know
#9 - I think the answer is rather obvious here and again he will start spouting PR BS
#10 - interesting question but again, it's doubtful he would be willing to reveal the info, plus if it was MCA project it will probably be buried forever
#11 - they have way too much on their plate now and if anything changes we will hear about it instantly, redundant question IMO
#12 and #13 - not interested, plus there are other people to ask about it
#14 - interesting but takes too much time to answer, that's something for a lecture not brief interview
#15 - again, obvious answer (as wide audience as possible) but we will hear BS
#16 - if they haven't announced it yet I doubt he will reveal it to you, we will learn about it in due time
#18 - PR BS incoming or dodging
#20 - judging by their track record it's obvious that they use nostalgia bait to con suckers and if he will answer that question it will be BS
#21 - similar to question #1, same answer
#23 - again, obvious answer is that as long as it draws more suckers in it's great to have (he might personally think it's shit but he won't say that)
#24 - infantile question, not something I would ask a CEO of a company (not that I'm above such questions myself but this questions shouldn't be directed to FU)
#25 - He might think "you're c***suckers and ******uckers, why am I even talking to you?" but he will say BS of course
#26 - again, could be interesting but something for a lecture not short answer
#27 - you can expect "I don't have preference" or other diplomatic answer
#28 - too broad
For MCA (A):
I would leave questions #1 (we know he played AoD before, although he might not remember it plus we don't have his Steam ID), #3, #8 (this might shatter his legend further :]), #10, #11, #12, #13... Shit, too many good questions here and MCA is a bro so he probably won't BS as much as FU.
#5 and #6 are interesting but I doubt he knows and it's probably lesser than we think, he's mainly a name, I'm too lazy to comment on the rest. That's my view on these questions anyway, probably most people will have completely different preferences.
Black
Arcane
- Joined
- May 8, 2007
- Messages
- 1,873,127
Both Grimrocks did well too. So did Xulima.
Speaking of Grimrock, I wonder what Obsidian thinks of blobbers as a genre and if they'd ever consider making one.
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2011
- Messages
- 99,624
Black
Arcane
- Joined
- May 8, 2007
- Messages
- 1,873,127
? what
And you missed LoX on gog. All in all not bad for Spaniard's first try at rpg, eh?
CryptRat
Arcane
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2014
- Messages
- 3,625
The Grimrock games are real time.
EDIT : I would be interested in his answer to this question too.
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