RPG Codex Interview: Chris Avellone on Pillars Cut Content, Game Development Hierarchies and More

[Prime Junta]

There are 170 jobs on the line.

And that’s the whistleblower’s fault, naturally. Never the management’s. Fucking toady.

Also, this is just the right time. Massive economic upswing, hit game just coming out... if the studio goes down, the devs will have new and better jobs in no time flat. If Chris was doing this mid-depression I’d be a lot more conflicted about it.

 

[Blaine]

You realize how hypocritical that sounds when just a few hours ago you forbid Kit Walker from using the same avatar as MCA since it was confusing readers, right?

Abusing forum privileges gently, such as when my all-time record-setting Brofist count was deleted, is for funsies.

Systematically pruning the political opinions of anyone right of max left and moving them someplace hidden is censorship by proxy and half a step away from Resetera.

This has nothing to do with politics, no one is asking you to ban the attention-whores spamming low-effort shitposts - you just don't have to keep them in this thread. Otherwise what's the point of having GD and its sub-forums?

Excuse me, but many of my shitposts are high-effort. I spent a lot of time in Photoshop making some of those racist maymays!

GD is for non-gaming-related politics and also many other types of discussion (cooking, movies, etc.) unrelated to gaming. GG is for GG-specific discussion. Did it ever occur to you that politics are sometimes relevant to a particular game? When studios hire actual political ideologues who crusade for "social justice" on the same social media accounts that they use to discuss the game, and when these people will be doing the game's writing, who has turned the game discussion political: the developers, or GD dwellers?

I've noticed that DU consistently allows some (if not nearly all) political discussion to remain in threads that merit it. The Mass Effect: Andromeda thread from last year is a prominent example. Funny, but you and people like you weren't whingeing up a storm when we were all laughing and joking about the blatantly obvious SJW shenanigans in that game. Oh, perhaps you don't want the evil forum Nazis to scare Chris away? That's funny, because I personally give him the benefit of the doubt of being a grown man who can handle himself without special babysitting.

DU's sanity and steadfastness in the face of this titanic whingeing campaign has convinced me to renew my Patron status for the first time in years to the tune of $100, even though he rooked me out of all my hard-won Brofists.

 

[Azael]

Holy shit, I picked a hell of a time to start browsing the Codex again after some absence! I have a couple of thousand posts left to sift through. Can't wait to see what nuggets of shit gold I'll find.

 

[Mustawd]

Excuse me, but many of my shitposts are high-effort. I spent a lot of time in Photoshop making some of those racist maymays!

I do have to come to Blaine's defense on this particular point. His shitposting is p. high tier, unlike some other unnamed retards out there. And his post about shooting me over the border is probably my favorite post of 2018 so far.

For example, it was evident early on that he was trying to derail this thread in a very subtle manner, but others joined in with less social intelligence, making themselves look like the retards who wabnted a GG thread started.

He's truly the top of the class of grocery store wines. Cheers!! *holds up glass*

 

[Fairfax]

There are 170 jobs on the line.

And that’s the whistleblower’s fault, naturally. Never the management’s. Fucking toady.

Also, this is just the right time. Massive economic upswing, hit game just coming out... if the studio goes down, the devs will have new and better jobs in no time flat. If Chris was doing this mid-depression I’d be a lot more conflicted about it.

People forget (or ignore) the fact Obsidian itself was born out of people leaving Interplay's sinking ship, which also had a bad CEO with poor ethics.

 

[Latro]

One unspoken time-consuming part of the story process, however, was that we’d get reading recommendations from Feargus – I won’t name the books

Give us a hint.

Yes please do. Does it rhyme with Cock of the Rings?

 

[Prime Junta]

Kit Walker was doing it on purpose, screw that guy.

Oh yeah, and the posts about communism here are totally legit and lead to some amazing debate, is not just attention whores trolling on the Codex's most popular thread in years...

felipepepe my droog, we’ve only been educating the public when the main man is napping. (Not counting one or two butthurt Randroids getting out of hand like they always do.)

 

[Blaine]

The commies have been doing the least amount of whingeing out of all the non-Nazis in this thread, thereby proving that boilerplate CNN-tier liberals truly are the lowest form of life on Earth.

 

[Jason Liang]

The connection between Obsidian's decline, Feargus' atrocious EXPLOITATION of Chris Avellone, Avellone RISING UP and CASTING OFF HIS CHAINS on Codex right between May Day and Marx's 200th anniversary, Obsidian PoE shill's spreading propaganda to the consumers, etc... and Marx's critique of capitalism should be evident to anyone.

Arise, ye who refuse to be slaves!
With our JEWGOLD and BROFISTS,
let us build a new INCLINE!
As CODEX faces its greatest peril
From each one the urgent call to action comes forth.
Arise! Arise! Arise!

 

[Kev Inkline]

...

One unspoken time-consuming part of the story process, however, was that we’d get reading recommendations from Feargus – I won’t name the books, but he’d give us a fantasy or sci-fi book he had read that he really liked, which was universally many hours of your life you wouldn’t get back.

I went through with reading them because I was genuinely trying to figure out what elements of these stories Feargus actually liked, because it confounded me – they were all terrible.

Eventually, I realized I couldn’t figure out why he liked this shit, and whenever he’d try and loan me a book, I’d just tell him “no worries, I can get it on my Kindle.”

Can you provide a list, I'm genuinely curious?

I obtained through various channels this reading list:

 

[Russia is over. The end.]

...

One unspoken time-consuming part of the story process, however, was that we’d get reading recommendations from Feargus – I won’t name the books, but he’d give us a fantasy or sci-fi book he had read that he really liked, which was universally many hours of your life you wouldn’t get back.

I went through with reading them because I was genuinely trying to figure out what elements of these stories Feargus actually liked, because it confounded me – they were all terrible.

Eventually, I realized I couldn’t figure out why he liked this shit, and whenever he’d try and loan me a book, I’d just tell him “no worries, I can get it on my Kindle.”

Can you provide a list, I'm genuinely curious?

If I could only pick one, I'd rather MCA provide his own list of favorite fantasy novels.

 

[Fairfax]

One unspoken time-consuming part of the story process, however, was that we’d get reading recommendations from Feargus – I won’t name the books

Give us a hint.

If you really want to know, Feargus' goodreads reviews should be a good starting point.

 

[Latro]

...

One unspoken time-consuming part of the story process, however, was that we’d get reading recommendations from Feargus – I won’t name the books, but he’d give us a fantasy or sci-fi book he had read that he really liked, which was universally many hours of your life you wouldn’t get back.

I went through with reading them because I was genuinely trying to figure out what elements of these stories Feargus actually liked, because it confounded me – they were all terrible.

Eventually, I realized I couldn’t figure out why he liked this shit, and whenever he’d try and loan me a book, I’d just tell him “no worries, I can get it on my Kindle.”

Can you provide a list, I'm genuinely curious?

I obtained through various channels this reading list:

"wealthy werebear...in an incredible urgent need for a wife"

i can identify with these books

 

[Prime Junta]

/me catches up

This thread is turning into an Obsidian production: strong opening, great midgame, crap late game. Less shitposting and Site Feedback would be welcome. Also we’re clearly not asking the right questions to get MCA to drop the 70% of the bombs he’s holding in reserve.

So Chris Avellone can you give us a hint? Does it start with an s and end with an x, an m and end with a y or a t, or is there a suspicious slab of freshly-poured concrete involved?

 

[Lahey]

Which leads us to Fig, A company whose advisory board includes Feargus, Fargo, Schaefer, and Pitchford - all of whom have allegedly engaged in funnelling funds from one project to another behind the backs of publishers and/or backers. It's my understanding that Fig is Feargus' territory and you obviously exited Obsidian before it was announced, but I'm curious about your thoughts on it given these circumstances (and the connection to Robot Cache via Fargo). There has been much skepticism here and around the web regarding both.

I haven't kept up with Fig beyond its track record on Wikipedia, is there anything serious going on with it?

Sorta? The idea that it can compete with Kickstarter is mildly successful. However, this whole idea of iii games hasn't really materialized outside a few exceptions like PoE2, WL3 and Psychonaughts 2. They do have a few other wins like that one First Person View RPG I cannot remember, but for the most part a lot of the games raise don that platform are forgettable.

Just gonna add your effortpost detailing Fig. The tl/dr comes back to opacity and the previous alleged fund-shuffling of those involved. When nearly all of the advisors have been accused of the same thing it's no surprise that eyebrows raised when they formed a company that appears the perfect vehicle for it.

 

[Edmund Spenser]

If you really want to know, Feargus' goodreads reviews should be a good starting point.

Gamer for Life (Alpha World #1)​

by
Daniel Schinhofen (Goodreads Author)
4.07 · Rating details · 1,912 Ratings · 108 Reviews
Seamus is facing life in prison without parole. While doing his time he's given an option by the Department of Justice and the biggest virtual game maker around, Mindblown Entertainment. If he will help them test long term immersion he will get the chance to play the latest game from Mindblown, Alpha World. All he has to do is sign away his legal rights and sign an NDA.

Now exploring Alpha World, Seamus becomes the Summoner Alburet. Follow Alburet on his journey of exploration and questing in the latest game to hit the market. He will summon demons, befriend players and NPCs alike all while trying to find a little happiness in his life.

He's the first gamer to be sentenced to life imprisonment in a virtual world. What could go wrong?

(This book contains some adult themes, this was suggested by a few readers and I listen to those who have enjoyed my work.)
​

lol

 

[Glaucon]

If you really want to know, Feargus' goodreads reviews should be a good starting point.

Somehow I'm not surprised that it's all self-published kindle garbage.

Edit:

Mindblown Entertainment

Alright this review list is the most embarrassing leak yet.

 

[The_Time_Master]

One unspoken time-consuming part of the story process, however, was that we’d get reading recommendations from Feargus – I won’t name the books

Give us a hint.

Yes please do. Does it rhyme with Cock of the Rings?

It's like no one can design covers anymore.

 

[aweigh]

From april 5th, on the Appreciation thread:

motherfucking nostradamus ain't got nothing on me.

 

[Cael]

From april 5th, on the Appreciation thread:

motherfucking nostradamus ain't got nothing on me.

Michel was hamstrung by being high most of the time. You, on the other hand, are Puerto Rican.

 

[Sentinel]

(except of course the majority of posts by the nu biocodex

Joined: Today

 

[Latro]

found this on feargus's book list

Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it's a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street.

 

[Murk]

One unspoken time-consuming part of the story process, however, was that we’d get reading recommendations from Feargus – I won’t name the books

Give us a hint.

If you really want to know, Feargus' goodreads reviews should be a good starting point.

Oh god, these all look absolutely terrible.

 

[Wunderbar]

found this on feargus's book list

Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it's a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street.

Chris's endgame?

 

[Cael]

found this on feargus's book list

Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it's a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street.

Never walk and mobile phone at the same time, kids.