The Outer Worlds Pre-Release Thread [GO TO NEW THREAD]

[Jenkem]

GEOMETRIC SHAPES MAN

Behold the building blocks of reality
Now become dimensions of personality

World and Mind, same base blocks
Triangles my man, see what they unlock?

 

[Simple Simon]

Comparing this game with Kingmaker is pretty apples and oranges



It seems modern developers don't believe in this as a solution. They think players, even popamole players, will always want to create their characters, and they're probably right.

In Shamus Young's recent article on Anthem, he points out that you spend time customizing your character's face but it is never seen. "At the start of the game, you’re allowed to customize your face, but then that face never shows up in cutscenes because the game takes place entirely in a first person view. It feels less like I’m controlling the protagonist of an epic story and more like I’m viewing the world through a GoPro strapped to the forehead of a supporting character." https://www.escapistmagazine.com/v2/2019/02/26/anthem-doesnt-care-about-its-own-story/

I realize character customization can include both cosmetic and gameplay oriented elements. But to your point about developers responding to perceived market desires, clearly Bioware or EA thought some form of character customization is what the user base wanted so that's where resources were directed even though it has little to no impact on the game. Personally, I have enough of an imagination that I can empathize with my player character and immerse myself in their world even if I did not create the features of the person I am playing as.

 

[Rinslin Merwind]

In Shamus Young's recent article on Anthem, he points out that you spend time customizing your character's face but it is never seen. "At the start of the game, you’re allowed to customize your face, but then that face never shows up in cutscenes because the game takes place entirely in a first person view. It feels less like I’m controlling the protagonist of an epic story and more like I’m viewing the world through a GoPro strapped to the forehead of a supporting character." https://www.escapistmagazine.com/v2/2019/02/26/anthem-doesnt-care-about-its-own-story/

I realize character customization can include both cosmetic and gameplay oriented elements. But to your point about developers responding to perceived market desires, clearly Bioware or EA thought some form of character customization is what the user base wanted so that's where resources were directed even though it has little to no impact on the game. Personally, I have enough of an imagination that I can empathize with my player character and immerse myself in their world even if I did not create the features of the person I am playing as.

1) You right now trying to compare a two COMPLETELY different games (in their very concept).
2) I personally know shitload people who like character creation and getting stuck in customization menu for hours, while perfectly knowing that they will wearing helmet on their head all the time.
3) I have never met person who suggested to me a thing like "It's better to go with preset character, than create your own". I know everything can be in first time, but the very fucking fact that I don't even remember that people ever mention preset characters from Fallout 1,2 games or Arcanum tells for itself.
Edit: Never mind, I found this one "S.P.E.C.I.A.L" person in comments above who was picking preset character in Fallout games.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Comparing this game with Kingmaker is pretty apples and oranges



It seems modern developers don't believe in this as a solution. They think players, even popamole players, will always want to create their characters, and they're probably right.

In Shamus Young's recent article on Anthem, he points out that you spend time customizing your character's face but it is never seen. "At the start of the game, you’re allowed to customize your face, but then that face never shows up in cutscenes because the game takes place entirely in a first person view. It feels less like I’m controlling the protagonist of an epic story and more like I’m viewing the world through a GoPro strapped to the forehead of a supporting character." https://www.escapistmagazine.com/v2/2019/02/26/anthem-doesnt-care-about-its-own-story/

I realize character customization can include both cosmetic and gameplay oriented elements. But to your point about developers responding to perceived market desires, clearly Bioware or EA thought some form of character customization is what the user base wanted so that's where resources were directed even though it has little to no impact on the game. Personally, I have enough of an imagination that I can empathize with my player character and immerse myself in their world even if I did not create the features of the person I am playing as.

there are people in warframe who have spent hundreds of hours customizing their operator and you barely ever see them at all
you underestimate autism

 

[Sailor Woedica]

The last few pages (replace romance with stats and shapes though lol):

 

[conan_edw]

So I just wanted to check the questions in the comment section and this was on top.

 

[Duraframe300]

Feargi speaks

https://www.gameinformer.com/exclus...crosofts-purchase-and-the-outer-worlds-future

 

[Chippy]

So I just wanted to check the questions in the comment section and this was on top.

Translation: We're watching you. Allocate time/resources our way - or else.

 

[Prime Junta]

itt we discover that many codexians can’t into data visualisation

and think that makes them s.m.r.t. smart

 

[Infinitron]

So, Feargus says Obsidian now have "three-ish" (actually four) teams. Outer Worlds, finishing up PoE2, and two new projects.

He says he can't talk about who will own the rights to make future Outer Worlds games, Take-Two or Microsoft. Guess it's something that's getting hashed out by the suits.

 

[Infinitron]

Very Feargusy admission:

The concept that became The Outer Worlds actually started before Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky were assigned to the project. Obsidian's owners wanted to make a sci-fi game, but Feargus also thought that straight-up Star Trek-style sci-fi doesn't sell as well as fantasy and post-apocalyptic, so he decided it would be "post-apocalyptic sci-fi" ("Fallout meets Firefly").

Tim and Leonard then took that initial concept and went in their own direction.

 

[Cross]

Very Feargusy admission:

The concept that became The Outer Worlds actually started before Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky were assigned to the project. Obsidian's owners wanted to make a sci-fi game, but Feargus also thought that straight-up Star Trek-style sci-fi doesn't sell as well fantasy and post-apocalyptic, so he decided it would be "post-apocalyptic sci-fi" ("Fallout meets Firefly").

Tim and Leonard then took that initial concept and went in their own direction.

Wow, who could have possibly seen that com-

I find it hard to believe this is Cain and Boyarsky's dream project when it's such an obvious attempt to bank on the positive reputation of Fallout: New Vegas, an Obsidian game neither of them had any involvement with. Yet for some baffling reason, they decided that what people really must have liked about New Vegas and that they had to recreate were the terrible combat and VATS. Even the laughably awkward killcam looks like it came straight out of a Bethesda game.

The focus on companions is also much more characteristic of Obsidian games than it is of Troika games.

Unfortunately, Feargus being the one behind the pitch is a huge red flag. He was also the one who, together with Chris Parker, pitched the idea for Alpha Protocol.

 

[Sailor Woedica]

Feargi speaks

https://www.gameinformer.com/exclus...crosofts-purchase-and-the-outer-worlds-future

He looks a lot happier since he got highlights in his hair!

 

[Infinitron]

Doesn't sound like what the owners came up with was much of a pitch, more like the seed of a pitch. The whole corporations thing, for example, seems to come from Tim & Leonard.

That Obsidian would someday try to create their own take on Fallout: New Vegas was always obvious - it was a matter of when not if.

 

[Quillon]

He was also the one who, together with Chris Parker, pitched the idea for Alpha Protocol.

So? AP was a great idea! Whatever inhuman shit Feargus, Parker etc. may be, at least they let, give way, pitch their asses off for great RPGs to be made. And now with MS handling biz-side of things they'll be much more involved with development! Get excited

 

[Duraframe300]

Doesn't sound like what the owners came up with was much of a pitch, more like the seed of a pitch. The whole corporations thing, for example, seems to come from Tim & Leonard.

That was a question? I didn't assume otherwise from the way Tim and Leonard talk about the game and the whole Tim, Chris (Jones) and Leonard's after work meal thing (where they discussed HOW they would make a sci-fi rpg) they mentioned in the last interview.

 

[santino27]

Doesn't sound like what the owners came up with was much of a pitch, more like the seed of a pitch. The whole corporations thing, for example, seems to come from Tim & Leonard.

That was a question? I didn't assume otherwise from the way Tim and Leonard talk about the game and the whole Tim, Chris (Jones) and Leonard's after work meal thing (where they discussed HOW they would make a sci-fi rpg) they mentioned in the last interview.

Pretty sure Infinitron was replying to Cross' assertion that the idea coming from Feargus was a red flag. As we've all seen, the initial idea rarely means much without implementation; the best of ideas can result in a shitty game and the most derivative of ideas can still end up as something good.

So, Feargus says Obsidian now have "three-ish" (actually four) teams. Outer Worlds, finishing up PoE2, and two new projects.

He says he can't talk about who will own the rights to make future Outer Worlds games, Take-Two or Microsoft. Guess it's something that's getting hashed out by the suits.

Bets that one of the two new projects is Feargus' oft-stated desire to make a new Skyrim?

 

[Trashos]

itt we discover that many codexians can’t into data visualisation

and think that makes them s.m.r.t. smart

You can see that I didn't get into that at all. Let's not.

 

[Duraframe300]

Doesn't sound like what the owners came up with was much of a pitch, more like the seed of a pitch. The whole corporations thing, for example, seems to come from Tim & Leonard.

That was a question? I didn't assume otherwise from the way Tim and Leonard talk about the game and the whole Tim, Chris (Jones) and Leonard's after work meal thing (where they discussed HOW they would make a sci-fi rpg) they mentioned in the last interview.

Pretty sure Infinitron was replying to Cross' assertion that the idea coming from Feargus was a red flag. As we've all seen, the initial idea rarely means much without implementation; the best of ideas can result in a shitty game and the most derivative of ideas can still end up as something good.

Ah, I got that, just in general that was never a question for me even before today.

I also doubt a sci-fi setting was far from both their minds in the first place. They have already done their takes on Post-Apocalypse and Fantasy after all.

 

[BlackAdderBG]

About the shapes discussion- here is in pictures what the problem may be if the UI is poor or under-documented with vague terms as average/fair/excellent and such.
This:

In here:

Without this:

Would be ridiculous.

I don't think Cain and especially Boyarsky are that retarded to not have character sheet with solid numbers. More so when there are floating damage numbers in combat.

 

[toro]

This ugly son of a bitch (Feargus) will leave his genes in the wild while Cain's genes will wither and die.

Life is not fair.

Edit: If I listen more of his bullshit then I will probably not buy the game. Sleazy bastard.

 

[Space Nugget]

Feargi speaks

https://www.gameinformer.com/exclus...crosofts-purchase-and-the-outer-worlds-future

Time has not been kind to Feargus.

Spoiler

 

[Don Peste]

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Very Feargusy admission:

The concept that became The Outer Worlds actually started before Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky were assigned to the project. Obsidian's owners wanted to make a sci-fi game, but Feargus also thought that straight-up Star Trek-style sci-fi doesn't sell as well fantasy and post-apocalyptic, so he decided it would be "post-apocalyptic sci-fi" ("Fallout meets Firefly").

Tim and Leonard then took that initial concept and went in their own direction.

He's probably right tbh, a lot of popular scifi are space operas, post-apocalyptic, and space westerns.

 

[redactir]

This will be a great game or it will be shit. I too am on a budget. May the best game or ungame win.

It appears they are using Unreal for an engine. This is it folks. It doesn't get better.

I've isolated and learned everything I can from these game designers. I hope I can give them something back for them to prosper as I have.

Freedom.
Suspension of Disbelief.
Reactivity.

I wish there were more interviews to watch. Soon we'll know.