Company News Rumors are true - Feargus quit

[triCritical]

And, considering that Feargus did the Boneyards, how out to lunch must he have been to ignore the utterly craptacular area of New Reno? The electrified maze? (Well, we know how things can slip by him like the infamous forest maze in Asswind Dale 2.) Everything else that should have been pretty obvious in a basic design plan?

Wasn't Fearg actually on the design team for FO2? Anyhow I think New Reno is the what actually seperates the two breeds of FO fans. The OG's versus the the Johnny come latelies. If you liked New Reno then you are probably one of those G-String loving FO2 was da bomb and Tactics was better FO fanboys. If you hate New Reno because it is so highly improbably in the Fallout setting then you are a k3wl kat. Frankly it was cities like that and the den that really made FO2 just come off kind of crappy.

 

[Spazmo]

In the credits for FO, Feargus was just the Division Director or something, but I read in the FOB that he did do some design on Vault City, and no doubt on some other locations, too. He was also against putting in the magic 8-ball, so he's not all bad.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Yeah but one bad apple like him can ruin a game like FO2, which I think in many ways was ruined

 

[Sabotai]

Came across an interesting thread on the IPLY-boards which provides some additional fuel to the "If and why Feargus quit" speculation fire. Seems Interplay doesn't own the rights to publish a game involving the TSR-license, which is supposedly used for their Jefferson project.

From Interplay Annual Report (SEC form 10-K) dated 04/01/03

In February 2003, we amended our license agreement with Infogrames, the holder of the TSR license which we rely on to publish the Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance, and Icewind Dale titles, to, among other things, (i) extend the license term for approximately an additional two years to December 31, 2008 (provided we make a timely extension payment required for such extension), and (ii) extend our rights with respect to certain of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons properties. The amendment further terminates our rights to certain titles in the event Interplay is unable to obtain certain third-party waivers in accordance with the terms of the amendment. We were unable to obtain the required waivers within the permitted time period and as a result have lost rights to publish Baldur's Gate 3 and its sequels on the PC, a significant product franchise. We are in negotiations with Infogrames to reinstate these rights, but no assurance can be given that we will be successful.

If this were true then IPLY didn't shoot itself in the foot, but shot a whole leg off.

St_Prov, any hints or other info from your anonymous source about this?

The IPLY-thread can be read here:

http://forums.interplay.com/viewtopic.php?t=19525&start=0

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Yeah, I knew about that, but I just assumed they'd thrust Jefferson in to the Dale Lands as IWD: THE RPG or something like that. However, if Jefferson's development is highly entrenched in the area around Baldur's Gate, that could delay the game significantly. It might also explain why Jefferson has never been given a name to the public, though most of us assumed it was Baldur's Gate 3.

Frankly, IPLY is fucking up by sticking with D&D given the money problems they have and given the restrictions on the license they've got from Infogrames. Black Isle Studios is an established name, after all, that should be enough to stand on and release a home brew fantasy setting for Jefferson.

Again, this is just a case of IPLY being under one of the worst management groups ever. They're caught in an inflexible and costly situation hoping for the BIG CASH IN when it's done.

 

[Rosh]

Wasn't Fearg actually on the design team for FO2? Anyhow I think New Reno is the what actually seperates the two breeds of FO fans. The OG's versus the the Johnny come latelies. If you liked New Reno then you are probably one of those G-String loving FO2 was da bomb and Tactics was better FO fanboys. If you hate New Reno because it is so highly improbably in the Fallout setting then you are a k3wl kat. Frankly it was cities like that and the den that really made FO2 just come off kind of crappy.

I believe Furbyquart was on development of Fo2, I just don't know how much though.

Now, if you want to see a typical FOT-lovin' moron, check out Reaper's comments.

 

[triCritical]

Now, if you want to see a typical FOT-lovin' moron, check out Reaper's comments.

And this is why I am convinced that an FO3 would blow. Because there are people who claim to be FO fans that are like this dude. One of the reasons that have always been in favor of Josh leading the design of a FO3 is because I have seen him interact with the DnD geeks. He has a certain charisma that actually makes them see his way. Given that he is pro-TB and pro-FO I think who could help baptize a lot of these people who just aint got a clue.

 

[POOPERSCOOPER]

hey

I have a ho-hum feeling that Interplay selling the Matrix license was a bad idea, because the game seems like it's going to rake in a ton of dough. Even on one console it probably would of done pretty good, but the game is going to be on all consoles and PC all released around same time. Add the fact it's going to release on the same day as the movie you got ton of hype spilling over on the game too.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Well, the Matrix game will have to sell 2,240,000 copies just for infogrames to break even on the sale of the game to them. That's not counting how much money they've paid for the development after the purchase, which is a year's development time. Even with all the platforms for which the game will be available, that's still a tall order considering it's a game based on a movie license.

 

[EEVIAC]

Now, if you want to see a typical FOT-lovin' moron, check out Reaper's comments.

Hehe, I think should establish a Rosh's Greatest Hits archive.

 

[Briosafreak]

Re: first off...

I do not believe his leaving will force the rest of the team to be in turmoil as Chris Parker is probably in charge now. According to the guys who worked at BIS it has been parker all along who is the man who gets things done there.

Feargus was just the man who did the talking and while the others were busting ass he was in his office playing everquest.

Him leaving will also hopefully shut up that turdwad je sawyer who was his lackey.


cheers...long live Chris Avellone and fallout 3!!!

Well sorry to bring this up again, but i just saw some talking on the IP boards about Chris Parker leaving BIS too. If that is true who is in charge now?

 

[Jed]

Why did the war start? According to the logs in teh Sierra base it was because of the oil shortage and the dispute over the Oil stockpile underwater. Why should that have any baring on the Fallout world. All that stuff is acnient history and doesn't matter in teh wastes.

Oh man, this is teh priceless shit...

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Re: first off...

Well sorry to bring this up again, but i just saw some talking on the IP boards about Chris Parker leaving BIS too. If that is true who is in charge now?

Interesting, so that was true as well. I know Chris Parker was temporarily answering to the people Feargus used to answer to, so it'll be interesting to see what happens there now.

 

[Rosh]

Why did the war start? According to the logs in teh Sierra base it was because of the oil shortage and the dispute over the Oil stockpile underwater. Why should that have any baring on the Fallout world. All that stuff is acnient history and doesn't matter in teh wastes.

Oh man, this is teh priceless shit...

You've got that right. There was just something wrong with that boy.

I also went into an e-mail chew-out with "illiterati" because he was acting like a twit and was even more stupid. One thing of note, he said that FPS = TEH FUTARE!

 

[Briosafreak]

Chris Parker is still at BIS afterall, his departure was just a rumour. Now i know who is picking the phone, at least for now...

 

[Briosafreak]

I just posted this on the news at NMA:

The news are the confirmation of Darren Monahan and Chris Parker leaving too.

and on the president thing this is what french had to say at the IP boards:

I don't know if BIS is going to get a new prez. Do we honestly even need one? I guess it would give me a person to blame work related issues on! I honestly think it would be a mistake to try and just simply replace Feargus. Feargus played a huge hand in shaping Black Isle into what it is today and to simply try and just move person X into that spot would be a huge blunder on internal and external levels (for now at least). So if now you must have a source/target, either Kevin Osburn or I should be able to field most questions, but if it's in regards to specific projects, your best bet would be ask one of us (Kevin = DA2 / me = Van Buren) or people like JE (Van Buren) or any of the others on each project.

No frontman for BIS, just for the projects? interesting...

 

[EEVIAC]

... to simply try and just move person X into that spot would be a huge blunder on internal and external levels (for now at least).

So we should be seeing Feargus' replacement within the week, shall we?

 

[Spazmo]

They're gonna clone Herve Caen.

 

[HanoverF]

They dont need to clone him, I hear he reproduces through fission, like a hydra.