World of Darkness Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 from Hardsuit Labs

[Wesp5]

I have heard of situations where writers kept discovering continuity problems that required further revisions, which needed new recording sessions, which got hella expensive.

You are right there of course, but if that would have been the case, Mitsoda would not have been able to claim that the narrative department was innocent in the delays...

 

[Roguey]

Ancient Sawyer quotes on non-linear narratives and scripted reactivity

Achieving this is actually not difficult when it's planned for from the beginning. If someone suggests it 9 months into development, forget it.

There are a lot of developers who have never really tried it, so they dip their toes in on their own, realize that it isn't fall-down easy, and conclude it is mythically difficult.

It's more about elegant planning than it is about making things inherently complicated.

Hardsuit Labs are clearly not the best of planners.

 

[Prime Junta]

You are right there of course, but if that would have been the case, Mitsoda would not have been able to claim that the narrative department was innocent in the delays...

Sometimes people claim things that turn out not to be true.

 

[Flying Dutchman]

I didn't know that, but I had never any contact with him, only with Schwarzer, who was the main producer as far as I know. He was so passionate about B2 and came out of the modding scene to begin with, so I wonder why he is still there...

I hereby quote this post with a "$" added instead of simply adding the "gimme dem dollar bills" icon to your post. Blame the moderators.

Schwarzer always seemed kind of boring (like a lot of the Hardsuit/PDX devs) on the interview sequences, but he did seem to care and know his shit. Even if he can put an insomniac to sleep, he's still better than the UI (?) dev at Hardsuit who's annoying as shit.

 

[Theldaran]

Who the hell doesn't beef up his Linkedin resume? Otherwise companies will scoff at you.

 

[Ismaul]

You are right there of course, but if that would have been the case, Mitsoda would not have been able to claim that the narrative department was innocent in the delays...

Sometimes people claim things that turn out not to be true.

You're lyin--

Hey now waitaminute

 

[Flying Dutchman]

Sometimes people claim things that turn out not to be true.

I don't think Mitsoda is lying, but he could be clueless as to his own shortcomings - not with writing, but with perception of his own work from others, including management.

To Prime Junta's credit, his answer started getting metaphysical because it implies (1) Mitsoda could be lying, or (2) Mitsoda believes he's telling the truth, but the truth is different, and (3) my head explodes from the universal implications.

 

[Prime Junta]

I don't think Mitsoda is lying, but he could be clueless as to his own shortcomings - not with writing, but with perception of his own work from others, including management.

I agree. How germane it is, it's impossible to say, it could certainly be that any production issues they might be having have nothing to do with narrative development and he got the axe for some other reason. But I don't think it's possible to rule it out, either.

 

[Flying Dutchman]

I agree. How germane it is, it's impossible to say, it could certainly be that any production issues they might be having have nothing to do with narrative development and he got the axe for some other reason. But I don't think it's possible to rule it out, either.

I thought it might be solely money because Hardsuit seems pretty mismanaged in that respect, but that didn't seem credible if they fired Brian and kept the other writers (Cara Ellison plus juniors) unless Cara is much cheaper than Brian. Which is possible.

I do think the cost involved with the marketing/PR damage is significant, and they would have factored that in. Then again, it's Paradox, and thinking ahead doesn't seem to be their strong suit.

Based on previous projects, it sounds like Mitsoda is uncooperative on changes and editing, so that could have factored in if they wanted to keep developers more willing to iterate and not clutch too tightly to their words. Even so, editing and changes involved with VO costs more money, so Mitsoda could have been saving them money by being uncooperative.

 

[Wesp5]

I thought it might be solely money because Hardsuit seems pretty mismanaged in that respect, but that didn't seem credible if they fired Brian and kept the other writers (Cara Ellison plus juniors) unless Cara is much cheaper than Brian. Which is possible.

If it was solely money, I think there must have been a better solution than outright fire him. Like let him go temporarily because his work is finished and bring him back for the DLCs or similar. I'm certain he would have done that to get his favorite game out of the door! Keeping Ellison plus juniors reeks to me of a situation, in which they would write some stuff that Paradox wants to change but Mitsoda would not be willing to do. But then again he should have been aware of such a situation! Also even if he was clueless about all this, how big are the chances that Cluney and the two producers would not notice a conflict and not warn him about it?

 

[Flying Dutchman]

If it was solely money, I think there must have been a better solution than outright fire him. Like let him go temporarily because his work is finished and bring him back for the DLCs or similar. I'm certain he would have done that to get his favorite game out of the door! Keeping Ellison plus juniors reeks to me of a situation, in which they would write some stuff that Paradox wants to change but Mitsoda would not be willing to do. But then again he should have been aware of such a situation! Also even if he was clueless about all this, how big are the chances that Cluney and the two producers would not notice a conflict and not warn him about it?

If I had access to icon list, I would click on whatever icon is "Fuck yes, I agree." Blame the moderators.

Oh, and fuck yes, I agree.

 

[mondblut]

that didn't seem credible if they fired Brian and kept the other writers (Cara Ellison plus juniors) unless Cara is much cheaper than Brian. Which is possible.

Maybe they didn't want cara's progressive luegenpresse cronies coming after their heads. Imagine articles about sexism on workplace coming from kocktaku the moment their darling gets the boot, huh?

 

[Alienman]

Extortion is their memo, so plausible.

 

[mondblut]

Extortion is their memo, so plausible.

Yup. Conversely, if Brian misbehaves now, they can always conscript Tranny-looking Anne and avellone him. "Thinking of fingerless gloves triggers my PTSD to this day!111"

 

[Raghar]

I agree. How germane it is, it's impossible to say, it could certainly be that any production issues they might be having have nothing to do with narrative development and he got the axe for some other reason. But I don't think it's possible to rule it out, either.

I thought it might be solely money because Hardsuit seems pretty mismanaged in that respect, but that didn't seem credible if they fired Brian and kept the other writers (Cara Ellison plus juniors) unless Cara is much cheaper than Brian. Which is possible.

I heard in west hypocrites are making kicking out a woman much harder than kicking out ugly nose recently divorced Mitsoda.

 

[Ismaul]

Guys it's not about Mitsoda's imagined attitude, uncooperativeness or shortcomings.

If it was, only him would've been fired. But no, all top creatives and producers got fired or moved from the project. It's not an issue about one person, but either about creative differences, ideological differeces, or management issues.

 

[Flying Dutchman]

Yup. Conversely, if Brian misbehaves now, they can always conscript Tranny-looking Anne and avellone him. "Thinking of fingerless gloves triggers my PTSD to this day!111"

"BRIAN WAS THE REASON I WASN'T HIRED TO MAKE BLOODLINES 2 SHINE."
- Annie Whatever-her-last-name-is-now

I always did wonder if Brian either purposely blocking her (secretly) or Hardsuit saying "no fucking way" to her getting hired was part of the reason for their divorce.

Guys it's not about Mitsoda's imagined attitude, uncooperativeness or shortcomings.

If it was, only him would've been fired. But no, all top creatives and producers got fired or moved from the project. It's not an issue about one person, but either about creative differences, ideological differeces, or management issues.

Someone on ResetEra made mention that it's possible Cluney stood up for Mitsoda, since he hired him in the first place, but it's ResetEra so fuck that place. Don't know about the Paradox producer, but the more of those you fire, the game just gets better and more efficient.

 

[jac8awol]

The gloves are only fingerless because of acidic tranny love-juice

 

[Joseph Stalin]

So, what's the Codex Consensus?

1. Mitsoda was such a massive fuck-up and did such a poor job that Paradox finally told Hardsuit Labs to get rid of him and get to work?
2. Brian wasn't SJW enough?

Make a poll, Infinitron.

 

[Joseph Stalin]

that didn't seem credible if they fired Brian and kept the other writers (Cara Ellison plus juniors) unless Cara is much cheaper than Brian. Which is possible.

Maybe they didn't want cara's progressive luegenpresse cronies coming after their heads. Imagine articles about sexism on workplace coming from kocktaku the moment their darling gets the boot, huh?

You mean the same Kotaku that's currently going bankrupt? Let's not kid ourselves - so-called "bad press" means fuck-all to a game's success. Can anyone even name ONE game which bombed due to bad press?

 

[mondblut]

You mean the same Kotaku that's currently going bankrupt? Let's not kid ourselves - so-called "bad press" means fuck-all to a game's success. Can anyone even name ONE game which bombed due to bad press?

These people are part of the circlejerk. If cucktaku goes bankrupt that's because they didn't try hard enough and need to double down, in their eyes. Also because those sexist, racist g*mers.

 

[Ibn Sina]

So, what's the Codex Consensus?

1. Mitsoda was such a massive fuck-up and did such a poor job that Paradox finally told Hardsuit Labs to get rid of him and get to work?
2. Brian wasn't SJW enough?

Make a poll, Infinitron.

Mistoda was/is a simp faggot whom was slurping nu culturel warriors cock to appear super woke and sell his game to the danger hair crowd. Remember when he was dissing his own work on the Malkavians and other stuff in Bloodlines that made it unbashedly great and unique.

 

[Semiurge]

Mistoda was/is a simp faggot whom was slurping nu culturel warriors cock to appear super woke and sell his game to the danger hair crowd. Remember when he was dissing his own work on the Malkavians and other stuff in Bloodlines that made it unbashedly great and unique.

It has to be mostly dishonest, 2004 was not part of the cultural dark ages or the Kristallnacht of yore. Or perhaps his spirit is totally crushed now. The main difference is the antifa/feminist online influencers that crawled from under the rocks after that. They are like the unions, pressuring and publicly shaming politicians and other players who have power to change things.

 

[Longes]

These people are part of the circlejerk.

Mate, we are on page 412 of a thread about an unreleased game. Like we are the ones to talk about circlejerking.

 

[mondblut]

These people are part of the circlejerk.

Mate, we are on page 412 of a thread about an unreleased game. Like we are the ones to talk about circlejerking.

What game?