Development Info Swen Vincke's Divinity: Original Sin Postmortem at GDC

[hiver]

In Vincke’s words, Larian “murdered” Dragon Commander—releasing it before it was really done—to focus on Original Sin and pull in some badly needed funds.

I do not want to be needlessly negative (lies, I do), but if I had actually bought that game full price that kinda talk would have pissed me off incredibly. They certainly forgot to mention this fact during the DC marketing blitz.

The thing about Swen and Larian, as much as I like them, is that you don't need to be Roguey to see that their honesty and openness come with certain caveats. They may be pretty frank about the various development disasters, but not until sufficient time has passed and/or they have something positive to balance it out with, and even then there's usually a healthy dose of selectivity and/or creative re-interpretation of facts. It's not hard to come to the conclusion that it was not so much them "falling in love with D:OS" and making it a priority as realizing (far too close to release) that Dragon Commander was beyond repair (at least in terms of becoming a commercial hit). D:OS was enough of a success for them to admit to many of the mistakes relatively soon, but I don't think we're going to get the full story on just how rushed certain parts (i.e. everything past the first act) were, or much focus on the stretch goals that failed to materialize, etc. until the next game (or at least the PS4/GOTY version of D:OS) is out.

Thats because you are telepathic and its all just obvious to you, isnt it?
Its not hard to come to that conclusion is it? hehehe...

Dragon Commander could have a well done Total War game with more interesting politics (this part they already had done). Those games sell millions of copies.

Because they are established and relatively liked/known setting.

Divinity setting in that type of game just doesnt gather audience of that kind. Maybe f they keep at it for a few more games but i doubt it. Divinity works as an RPG setting and even so it gets a lot of flack. Thats the problem, not the mechanics or systems.

 

[Gozma]

Man this is your morale officer saying don't tell the men how close the ship came to exploding

 

[Western]

Dragon Commander could have a well done Total War game with more interesting politics (this part they already had done). Those games sell millions of copies.

Well, I have never played a Total War title in my life, but I doubt the only salvageable part of them is a CYOA talking heads minigame.

I didn't like the RTS at all, well being a Dragon was fun for a few minutes. Maybe it'd be more interesting if the overland map was expanded into an Endless legends/Warlock/Age of Wonders style game, the cards can give affects and benefits to your cities.

 

[Durante]

In Vincke’s words, Larian “murdered” Dragon Commander—releasing it before it was really done—to focus on Original Sin and pull in some badly needed funds.

I do not want to be needlessly negative (lies, I do), but if I had actually bought that game full price that kinda talk would have pissed me off incredibly. They certainly forgot to mention this fact during the DC marketing blitz.

Well, I actually bought the game full price and had a lot of fun playing its campaign. It wasn't long-lived, but easily worth it nonetheless. I'd buy a sequel day 1 as well.

 

[Infinitron]

The video of Swen's GDC talk is now available: http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1021934/Divinity-Original-Sin-Postmortem-Success

 

[Darkzone]

Swen mentions explicit the Codex.

 

[CyberWhale]

 

[Jaesun]

Swen is a really smart guy

ALL that shit they had to go through just to make a game, is just utterly astonishing. I couldn't do it.

EDIT: And holy shit, he DID mention the codex!

 

[Paul_cz]

I fucking hate that I cannot fullscreen that video. Makes watching it on plasma TV impossible. Idiotic GDC.
Unless I am missing something and being an idiot.

 

[CyberWhale]

A single banner/commercial costs around 10.000 dollars. What. The. Fuck.

 

[Darkzone]

Swen is a really smart guy
ALL that shit they had to go through just to make a game, is just utterly astonishing. I couldn't do it.
EDIT: And holy shit, he DID mention the codex!

I told to you all that.

 

[NotAGolfer]

I fucking hate that I cannot fullscreen that video. Makes watching it on plasma TV impossible. Idiotic GDC.
Unless I am missing something and being an idiot.

Just zoom in in your browser (Ctrl + for Chrome).
Doesn't really make it fullscreen, but I guess it's better than nothing.

 

[hiver]

Yes, lets applaud the presentation that ends with saying angry joe and totalbiscuit are extremely important and their feedback is crucial.

oh look they mentioned codex!!! weee!!!

 

[Kalin]

Still, those guys are 100% bro for honouring the first commandment:

A BRO SHGOULD BE ABLE TO KILL OR TALK TO ANY MOTHERFUCKER

 

[Aenra]

i want to work for this guy. I am fucking useless in anything software-related, but i want to work for this guy. Might be my own line of work, but i miss seeing people smiling, believing in what they do. I'd work for him. Up to now, i worked just for money. Whatever huh ^^

(and this comes from someone that used to bitch about d : os and the day/night cycle...)

 

[:Flash:]

Swen has a spelling error on his slides. It should be "Kommon Kodex Knowledge".

 

[hiver]

The business and financing side of presentation is extremely valuable, and ... of course, situation being what it is, what it was, you have to pay attention to biggest youtubers.
And fucking metacritic scores.

I of course dont like it at all, but thats just my personal thing.
Hopefully with these new funds things will be better.

 

[:Flash:]

I fucking hate that I cannot fullscreen that video. Makes watching it on plasma TV impossible. Idiotic GDC.
Unless I am missing something and being an idiot.

The two arrows to the right of the loudspeaker icon fullscreens it for me.

 

[CyberWhale]

I fucking hate that I cannot fullscreen that video. Makes watching it on plasma TV impossible. Idiotic GDC.
Unless I am missing something and being an idiot.

The two arrows to the right of the loudspeaker icon fullscreens it for me.

That wasn't the case an hour ago - the arrows would simply enlarge the video window over that chapter index on the left.

 

[snoek]

I applaud his audacity.

 

[hiver]

Nice seeing those expressions when he retells how HArd it was to deal with the forums, live feedback and generally with issues of "vocal minorities" as if they are plague and terror of every dev. I thought devs have issues with forums but this much... man.
No wonder the whole industry is distorted and in fear.

Im so happy im not the only one that has to suffer all that ignobility !

Suck it down devs! Its all your fault anyway!