People News The New Obsidian: Josh Sawyer promoted to studio Design Director role

[Azalin]

Pillars of Mediocrity mostly

It was equivalent to original baldurs gate in entertainment. People have too high expectations from kickstarter games. I have yet to play one that blows my mind. I recently installed the baldur gate expansion then uninstalled because how basic the combat is compared to pillars.

If you liked it that much good for you but many people,myself included didn't have nearly as much fun playing it as BG1(in fact I haven't even finished it yet),not to mention BG2,most people were expecting a good BG2 clone with the kickstarter campaign,they got a mediocre BG1 clone instead.Not as big a letdown as Tim Schafer but still no fun

 

[Atlantico]

If you liked it that much good for you but many people,myself included didn't have nearly as much fun playing it as BG1(in fact I haven't even finished it yet),not to mention BG2,most people were expecting a good BG2 clone with the kickstarter campaign,they got a mediocre BG1 clone instead.Not as big a letdown as Tim Schafer but still no fun

If most people expected a BG2 clone, then most people can't read. The butthurt is intense. PoE is a game for BG fans. Not BG2 fans. It delivered.

 

[Johannes]

PoE is mediocre on purpose, joke's on you if you expected a good game

 

[DeepOcean]

If you liked it that much good for you but many people,myself included didn't have nearly as much fun playing it as BG1(in fact I haven't even finished it yet),not to mention BG2,most people were expecting a good BG2 clone with the kickstarter campaign,they got a mediocre BG1 clone instead.Not as big a letdown as Tim Schafer but still no fun

If most people expected a BG2 clone, then most people can't read. The butthurt is intense. PoE is a game for BG fans. Not BG2 fans. It delivered.

"An old school RPG from the makers of Planescape Torment, Fallout ans Icewind Dale will be a mediocre BG 1 clone." I don't remember this on the kickstarter page.

 

[an Administrator]

700K didn't donate for a 'BG clone'.

 

[Infinitron]

http://jesawyer.tumblr.com/post/143023902936/any-chance-you-could-do-a-write-up-on-the-basic

lavendermoon64 asked: Any chance you could do a write-up on the basic design principles Obsidian uses?

The stuff I’m currently looking at is very high-level, so I don’t think it’s anything people would find surprising. Back in 2007, Chris Avellone wrote up these basic pillars that are in (more or less) every Obsidian RPG. I’ve changed the wording slightly, but they’re essentially the same now as they were then:

* A strong world, narrative, and companions.
* Role-playing with meaningful choices and consequences.
* An emphasis on different ways to customize your character.
* Rich character advancement systems.
* A “healthy” amount of gameplay hours with a lot of optional content.

Any given Obsidian RPG will emphasize these to different extents, but they’re things that we commonly focus on.

 

[an Administrator]

A “healthy” amount of gameplay hours with a lot of optional content.

Define "healthy".

 

[ArchAngel]

A “healthy” amount of gameplay hours with a lot of optional content.

Define "healthy".

Probably less than 3 full days of playing without sleep, food or water. As that BG loading screen tip used to say.. your characters don't need to drink or sleep but you do.

 

[an Administrator]

I can't believe some developers actually care about 'health' of their costumers.

 

[Jaesun]

Dead customers don't buy games....

 

[FeelTheRads]

It delivered.

Yep, keep telling yourself that, if you repeat it enough times maybe it will come true! In fact join up with all the other Obsiditards who are bent on lying to themselves, then your power of suggestion will increase manyfold! Who knows, maybe you'll even convince somebody else about the greatness of Obsidian, not only yourselves.

 

[vonAchdorf]

He thinks 4E is ideal. Who wants him to make his dream game anyway?

I want to play his Ars Magicka/Darklands inspired game.

Probably the only way to get me to buy another Obsidian RtwP game :D

 

[vivec]

I'm p. sure he can do better than PoE. If you read his posts you understand that PoE isn't a game he made based on what he thinks is ideal but based on the IE romp but for modern audiences.

But wasn't this the "SMD" RPG from Joshua? Are the rats abandoning ship?

 

[Delterius]

If most people expected a BG2 clone, then most people can't read. The butthurt is intense. PoE is a game for BG fans. Not BG2 fans. It delivered.

I do agree Defiance Bay is as lifeless as the average wilderness area of Baldur's Gate.

 

[Excidium II]

I'm p. sure he can do better than PoE. If you read his posts you understand that PoE isn't a game he made based on what he thinks is ideal but based on the IE romp but for modern audiences.

But wasn't this the "SMD" RPG from Joshua? Are the rats abandoning ship?

Suck My Dick RPG?

 

[Azalin]

 

[Infinitron]

That's not a joke, that's what SMD means.

 

[Excidium II]

What is he talking about on the last paragraph, IWD2? Or some unreleased thing?

 

[Kz3r0]

Not to mention that I seriously doubt that Sawyer has more talent than even fucking Gaider.

Stop the lies start the tr00f.
Gaider has been one of the best designers until switching to fanfiction writing, SIWyer doesn't even come close to him.

 

[Roguey]

What is he talking about on the last paragraph, IWD2? Or some unreleased thing?

Presumably Stormlands.

 

[Excidium II]

What is he talking about on the last paragraph, IWD2? Or some unreleased thing?

Presumably Stormlands.

Erm wasn't it going to be some run of the mill ARPG? How wild can a console launch title be?

 

[Roguey]

Erm wasn't it going to be some run of the mill ARPG? How wild can a console launch title be?

Well he's referring to systems and maybe/probably setting.

Black Hound and Fallout 3 don't fit, nor would Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows, nor Dwarfs or Aliens. That accounts for all the canceled projects.

 

[Infinitron]

Dwarfs seems pretty "weird-ass", Disney notwithstanding.

 

[Kz3r0]

Hell, the guy namedropped the Codex at GDC a bunch of times - the Codex, a forum where a non-trivial percentage of the userbase would probably physically assault him if they met him. That's pretty unique.

Nope. he is an aspie kraut, that means that he just doesn't get it, squared.

 

[Crescent Hawk]

I hope they pull something amazing with Tranny, or else fuck them.