The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition - Obsidian's first-person sci-fi RPG set in a corporate space colony

[Aeschylus]

Wow, I don't think I have ever played a more mediocre game than this. Literally nothing about it stands out -- boring gunplay, dull world design, uninteresting loot, entirely one-note writing, uninspired and linear quest design. I usually force myself to push through to the end of most RPGs, but this one I just couldn't. Just the idea of opening it up again induced a feeling of dread in me. Definitely a new nadir for Obsidian.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Unfortunate. Surprising since this is Cain and Boyarski. But still not because Cain is essentially retired.

What did Boyarski run with this game? Did he make any lead decisions worth noting?

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

But still not because Cain is essentially retired.

What do you mean?
Could you elaborate?

Yeah definitely not a title I am not going to buy for even half price. Perhaps ten years from now when it is on a major discount, and then only if I can't get anything better. And I probably still would rather read a book.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

It's been rumored here that Cain has moved to Seattle with his husband and has settle into a part time WFH situation. Further rumors elaborate he's just settling into retiring completely. No idea if that's true or not. I think Roguey has more info. It's been posted in this thread before I think.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

It's been rumored here that Cain has moved to Seattle with his husband and has settle into a part time WFH situation. Further rumors elaborate he's just settling into retiring completely. No idea if that's true or not. I think Roguey has more info. It's been posted in this thread before I think.

Oh wow I didn't know Tim Cain was gay. I've watched a lot of his talks and stuff and never picked up on it.

 

[Latelistener]

What did Boyarski run with this game? Did he make any lead decisions worth noting?

They were both directors with Boyarsky also as a Narrative Lead. Essentially both did a good job I guess? As leads.

But you would expect this to be more of an auteurs work similar to Kojima or Levine, where directors control many aspects of the game personally.

This seems to be the opposite. There is very little that could tell you that they were involved.

 

[Roguey]

It's been rumored here that Cain has moved to Seattle with his husband and has settle into a part time WFH situation. Further rumors elaborate he's just settling into retiring completely. No idea if that's true or not. I think Roguey has more info. It's been posted in this thread before I think.

I've done some digging and Tim's current address is still near Obsidian. Robert has definitely moved to Seattle though. Seems likely they're divorced or have the weirdest long distance marriage.

Edit: On second thought, maybe not. The house that's listed as his current residence was sold just a few months ago and Robert was the previous owner.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

They were both directors with Boyarsky also as a Narrative Lead. Essentially both did a good job I guess? As leads.

But you would expect this to be more of an auteurs work similar to Kojima or Levine, where directors control many aspects of the game personally.

This seems to be the opposite. There is very little that could tell you that they were involved.

That is what I expected when I heard that the two were working on the Outer Worlds. That this was some kind of passion project of theirs that they wanted to do for a while.
From what you all are telling me it sounds more like the two basically just put their name on this project just as Obsidian put "From the makers of Fallout New Vegas" on the advertisement blurb.
What did Cain and Boyarsky actually do on the project? Just leading others? No creative involvement whatsoever beyond perhaps an idea or a concept?

 

[Infinitron]

They were both directors with Boyarsky also as a Narrative Lead. Essentially both did a good job I guess? As leads.

But you would expect this to be more of an auteurs work similar to Kojima or Levine, where directors control many aspects of the game personally.

This seems to be the opposite. There is very little that could tell you that they were involved.

That is what I expected when I heard that the two were working on the Outer Worlds. That this was some kind of passion project of theirs that they wanted to do for a while.
From what you all are telling me it sounds more like the two basically just put their name on this project just as Obsidian put "From the makers of Fallout New Vegas" on the advertisement blurb.
What did Cain and Boyarsky actually do on the project? Just leading others? No creative involvement whatsoever beyond perhaps an idea or a concept?

Watch the documentary and find out: https://rpgcodex.net/article.php?id=11401
Also, you might find this interview from before the game's release interesting: https://rpgcodex.net/article.php?id=11113

It seems to me that Leonard Boyarsky ended up having a larger role on the game than Tim Cain (which might be contrary to the expectations of Codexers who consider him to be cooler than Cain and would rather blame the latter for the game not being good enough). He's also the one who is more regretful about the game's cut content, though.

 

[TheDiceMustRoll]

What exactly is the difference between a lead designer and a project lead?

Todd Howard was lead on Morrowind and Lead Designer on Skrim and FO3

 

[Butter]

A lead designer has to do work. A project lead just tells other people to do work.

 

[Roguey]

What exactly is the difference between a lead designer and a project lead?

Todd Howard was lead on Morrowind and Lead Designer on Skrim and FO3

Lead designer is in charge of handling designers and solely designers. The project director coordinates the entire project (design, programming, art, and so on).

 

[Fedora Master]

You guys still trying to dissect the dead horse, huh?

 

[TheDiceMustRoll]

You guys still trying to dissect the dead horse, huh?

The timing of the thread seems to be people picking up the game on steam, realizing that even discounted they basically paid for chicken noodle soup when they were promised consomme and then the thread quietly discusses the failure of the project to live up to its lofty marketing and pedigree. And one schizo usually comes in to screech about estrogen laced milk making the game bad or whatever.

 

[Latelistener]

That is what I expected when I heard that the two were working on the Outer Worlds. That this was some kind of passion project of theirs that they wanted to do for a while.
From what you all are telling me it sounds more like the two basically just put their name on this project just as Obsidian put "From the makers of Fallout New Vegas" on the advertisement blurb.
What did Cain and Boyarsky actually do on the project? Just leading others? No creative involvement whatsoever beyond perhaps an idea or a concept?

Doesn't feel like there was a passion behind it. I literally haven't heard anything good about it aside perhaps visuals.

And there was no creative force behind the game aside from those two that could possible make it better.

Sawyer and Gonzalez did a much better job. Sadly the first has burned out and the second left after New Vegas. This game will never achieve that status.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

Sawyer and Gonzalez did a much better job. Sadly the first has burned out and the second left after New Vegas. This game will never achieve that status.

Well everything has a lifespan, living beings, ideas, companies. It was eventually bound to happen that Obsidian would "decline in health".
They will probably continue to make more games but I doubt that they will make anything again that will really be popular on these forums.

I also don't think The Outer Worlds is really deserving of a sequel. I know it left an opening for one but that is standard these days.
Content wise itself I don't think the universe isn't that captivating to be explored more. It's inhabited by morons and activists.

 

[potatojohn]

It's been rumored here that Cain has moved to Seattle with his husband and has settle into a part time WFH situation. Further rumors elaborate he's just settling into retiring completely. No idea if that's true or not. I think Roguey has more info. It's been posted in this thread before I think.

I've done some digging and Tim's current address is still near Obsidian. Robert has definitely moved to Seattle though. Seems likely they're divorced or have the weirdest long distance marriage.

Edit: On second thought, maybe not. The house that's listed as his current residence was sold just a few months ago and Robert was the previous owner.

What the fuck are you doing?

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Roguey is our information broker.

 

[TheDiceMustRoll]

That is what I expected when I heard that the two were working on the Outer Worlds. That this was some kind of passion project of theirs that they wanted to do for a while.
From what you all are telling me it sounds more like the two basically just put their name on this project just as Obsidian put "From the makers of Fallout New Vegas" on the advertisement blurb.
What did Cain and Boyarsky actually do on the project? Just leading others? No creative involvement whatsoever beyond perhaps an idea or a concept?

Doesn't feel like there was a passion behind it. I literally haven't heard anything good about it aside perhaps visuals.

And there was no creative force behind the game aside from those two that could possible make it better.

Sawyer and Gonzalez did a much better job. Sadly the first has burned out and the second left after New Vegas. This game will never achieve that status.

Sawyer and Gonzalez did a much better job. Sadly the first has burned out and the second left after New Vegas. This game will never achieve that status.

Well everything has a lifespan, living beings, ideas, companies. It was eventually bound to happen that Obsidian would "decline in health".
They will probably continue to make more games but I doubt that they will make anything again that will really be popular on these forums.

I also don't think The Outer Worlds is really deserving of a sequel. I know it left an opening for one but that is standard these days.
Content wise itself I don't think the universe isn't that captivating to be explored more. It's inhabited by morons and activists.

I kind of want to know what's going on with earth. Not enough to buy and play through another one of these. It's more "meh ill look it up on wiki" or whatever.

 

[Flying Dutchman]

I've done some digging and Tim's current address is still near Obsidian. Robert has definitely moved to Seattle though. Seems likely they're divorced or have the weirdest long distance marriage.

Edit: On second thought, maybe not. The house that's listed as his current residence was sold just a few months ago and Robert was the previous owner.

All the (un-confirmed) reports I'd heard was that Cain and his husband are still together, and Cain either retired/left completely or moved to contracting up in Seattle, likely before completely transitioning into retirement (also, a half-time position would likely make it easier to avoid any official public announcement of him leaving the studio, which would likely be a good thing for Obsidian if they were able to hide it/downplay it).

The only thing I can confirm is that Cain apparently said that he was retiring last year, and he said to other developers within the studio, and his plans were to move to Seattle to live with his husband at some point.

No word on Leonard, this was all Cain. To my knowledge, it looks like Leonard is still there?

Wish some company lurkers like Sailor Woedica would say something, that would be nice.

 

[Wunderbar]

Wish some company lurkers like Sailor Woedica would say something, that would be nice.

or i have a huge nick

 

[Roguey]

Wish some company lurkers like Sailor Woedica would say something, that would be nice.

Woedica's European. Dedicated to the persona, but not an employee.

 

[Nano]

Shame he had to taint his legacy with this game before retiring.

 

[IHaveHugeNick]

Tim Cain joined DoubleBear Productions to work as lead programmer on Panic at Multiverse High 2 unannounced project.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

Shame he had to taint his legacy with this game before retiring.

Sadly it is not uncommon these days.
We now live in a period of time in which most authors of beloved creations have gone into decline.
And there are not many people these days to succeed them because big publisher wants new creations designed by committee or rather milks out old IPs.