Chris Avellone's Blog

Well, I mentioned Torn and Planescape Torment before. Now I must add Baldur's Gate 3 and Icewind Dale 3 to my list.

 

In this order:

 

Planescape Torment 2

Baldur's Gate 3

Torn

Icewind Dale 3

NWN3

 

I really think a poll would be helpful here, since some posts are getting wildly out of control and suspiciously troll-like.

Long time fan, first time poster here.

 

Dear sirs and ladies from Obsidian,

please create

- a stealth-action RPG

- with characters and decisions I will think about a long time after finishing the game

- with gameplay that supports multiple solutions

- with a world I can shape with my actions

- preferrably from a near future / cyberpunk dystopia / postapocalyptic landscape

 

Or just create whatever you wanted to create for a long time and you will love.

 

Just have fun with it!

Mystary engine BG3/IWD3.

Main character shouldn't be a white straight male(or an analogue of such), how about a game in setting where those word have little meaning, have a society with a colourful bisexual androgynous populace, why not have the majority of the population be non-human, some sort of original humanoid (and not an ethnic stereotype in fantasy/sci-fi guise).

Great idea, let's focus on the story and setting on abnormal sexuality. Bioware has blazed the trail on this by publishing several high profile RPG/dating sims. Obsidian just needs to take it to the next level and abandon all pretense of story beyond who gets to bang who! /sarcasmAlright, that might have been a little bit harsh. Point being, sex should not be the main focus or even a heavy element in RPG's. Leave that to the dating sims.

by no means did I want sex to the main focus, it'd be nice if there was a game capable of talking about sex and relationships in a mature meaningful manner, that wasn't from atlus, but I don't think obsidian are capable of that.No, I just want a game where the protagonist isn't the same standard character as every other video game, I'm only asking for a bit of diversity.

Shouldn't they just leave the choice to player? Why the f*** would they force worldview/sexuality/anything on the PC I want to play?Even TNO could be shaped to a person/alignment you wanted.I for one I'm not ashamed of being a white heterosexual priviledged man; for my rpg-s I pick characters I wish to roleplay, be they white, black, green, purple, gay, straight, asexual, tall, short, fat, human, elf, genius, retarded, nice, violent... That's what chargen is for.

 

You can have lots of customisation of your character even if you exclude real human ethnicities, why do all games have to be focused on homo sapiens, when they contain humanoids, there are so many unique and distinct being you can create that don't have to have anything to do with real humans.

I would even dare you to go so far as to make, say, a Muslim protagonist. How many can you name off on your hand right now?

How many Hindu protagonists can you name? What about Christian? I don't remember ever playing a christian protagonist!

 

I don't see why you'd even have any real world religions in the game.

Oh, and more...I'd like to see Obsidian concentrate on a world this time, on a unique IP, and something strange. The co-op idea is nice, too, where anyone can make choices and that can screw things up for the party unless you have someone with the correct talents to make things right.But nothing overly ambitious, just something that can be completed in 2-4 hours, 4 tops. But something that has lots of replayability due to the choices on offer, and due to how alien the world is actually having players miss out on stuff because they simply didn't understand how A or B worked the first time around.Not only that, but once you have a basis, you can expand upon it with expansion packs and DLC, and you could even fund those through Kickstarter if this is popular. I think Starting Small

I would even dare you to go so far as to make, say, a Muslim protagonist. How many can you name off on your hand right now?

How many Hindu protagonists can you name? What about Christian? I don't remember ever playing a christian protagonist!

I don't see why you'd even have any real world religions in the game.

 

 

Exactly my point.

 

 

You can have lots of customisation of your character even if you exclude real human ethnicities, why do all games have to be focused on homo sapiens, when they contain humanoids, there are so many unique and distinct being you can create that don't have to have anything to do with real humans.

 

Also true, but this is generally done by making humanoid, not only tolkienesque races, but also the dreadful furries.

I'd pretty much fund wathever Obsidian decides to do, truth be told.I'm only looking for two things: an interesting story and great characters. I can adapt to the rest

 

Yeah I agree, all the retro stuff and keeping the game short would be nice as it'd allow more time and money to be spent developing the story and characters, anything that can be done that allows more time to be spent on the story the better or improves the story, should be done, such as:

• Making the game short and dense, no need to waste time adding fluff to lengthen it.
  
• 2D isometric turn-based game, simple mechanistically = less time on non-story.
  
• procedural generation = big intricate world with minimal time spent on world building.
  
• Party based could be helpful for a game with good character.
  
• Non combat focused game, allowing for more variety in the story.
  
• Strategy and tactics, allowing story choices to have consequence in game play.
  
• Conversation "combat", allows story choices to be more interactive and skill based.
  
• A story relevant levelling system would be nice.
  
• A party transport/cargo vehicle, so party members leaving/dying has less impact on loot.
  
• Full party member control and customisation, so that your in control of everyone's story
  

I would even dare you to go so far as to make, say, a Muslim protagonist. How many can you name off on your hand right now?

How many Hindu protagonists can you name? What about Christian? I don't remember ever playing a christian protagonist!

I don't see why you'd even have any real world religions in the game.

Exactly my point.

You can have lots of customisation of your character even if you exclude real human ethnicities, why do all games have to be focused on homo sapiens, when they contain humanoids, there are so many unique and distinct being you can create that don't have to have anything to do with real humans.

Also true, but this is generally done by making humanoid, not only tolkienesque races, but also the dreadful furries.

 

I think Obsidian has the creativity to make humanoids that aren't furries or tolkien ripoffs.

 

Also if they had a unique setting it'd be kind of weird if the just dropped normal humans in there, even if it's just humans that have been changed slightly by the new setting, such as an evolved human that has changed to suit harsh condition of world covered in desert, or humans infected with a bio-engineered disease that makes them fear pure water and gives them rock-like skin, or humans with glowing eyes and blue-grey skin mutated by nuclear war.

Is licensing an existing IP is on the table?

 

 

I'll pay you RIGHT NOW.

I hope that you, as a company, would get to make the game you want to make - true art comes from the heart.

Please make a game set in the Planescape: Torment setting! Just hire an awesome, thoughtful writer. Lore is already there, you just need a decent (preferably awesome), rather subversive storyline and fleshed out characters (not men on steroids and women in thongs with +100 armor - those are seen much too often lately). And don't make a sequel, instead let us bump into old characters (now NPC-s) and visit all the old places.

 

I think we had enough of pure fantasy and pure SF.

PT really has the best lore ever, and it's so flexible: you can go berserk with creative ideas.

 

If I could get only one wish in the gaming industry, I would spend it on this.

+1 To Planescape: Torment 2. I found out about this and created an account just to let you know how excited I would be for that!

I know I posted this earlier, but seriously: don't do a fantasy game. At least not a traditional one. Fantasy's boring because there's so much of it. Everyone's all jazzed for Planescape 2, but I think that a similarly intelligent and contemplative game could scratch that itch without falling back on an old setting.

 

Beyond that, the kind of SSMA-friendly approach to quests that you had in New Vegas is pretty much a must.

Make an RPG with non-standard fantasy/sci-fi/modern-day setting, with a story that is deep and one that, preferably (but not necessarily) explores some sort of ideology/construct (can be also plural) philosophical.

 

But the "style" of RPG (how does the party system (if it has one) function, what camera perspective it has etc.) should be dictated by the story and these elements ultimately should in one way or another try to reinforce the main ideas explored in the story.

Idea # 0. Arcanum 2, as I said before. I think, there's no sense in making Ps:T sequel, 'cause Torment feels like a game, which never meant to be sequelled. But Arcanum is different matter. I can prepay 100$ for this!

 

Idea #1. Turn-based cyberpunk isometric RPG with emphasis on story, factions' relationship, lore, choices, moral dilemmas around implants, genetic engineering, space traveling, telepathy, caste systems,

Would be a nice touch if there was somewhat indepth focus on human behavior in an isolated and desperate situation. Not necessarily survival (at first, at least), but more about the clash of different viewpoints in coping with the situation and methods of handling it, all that resulting in something of a powerstruggle that eventually escalates in violence (should things go that far).

Dear Christopher Avellone,

 

After a disastrous 2011, the piece of shyte DAII and Skyrim (huge but dense), here is my WISHLIST

 

1. Dark mature theme

i.e. non traditional fantasy, ditch the humans in tin can armours, pixies, dwarfs, elf ect

 

2. Epic story but not "up to you to save the world".

 

3. Party based RPG with deep character backstory.

 

4. Very tough battles that require stratigic planning and thinking (BG2&DA:O))

 

The only games that comes to close in my mind is Planescape Torment and TSL.

(planescape fan here)

 

changeling: the lost? ignoring copyright issues, merely taking it as an inspiration.

 

humans abducted by fae creatures that embody cultural phenomenons while at the same time being unable to understand human life/ creativity. humans returning after years of torture, having lost a portion of their humanity and gained a part of the other-ness. struggling to preserve what is left of their humanity or trying to embrace what they don't understand, in any case always afraid of their keeper lurking around the next corner (or were they merely fooled into believing they had escaped at all?).

crafting contracts with the world and spirits and ideas for supersparklyrainbow magicks! (as in: whenever i see a lead floating to the ground i can run like the wind)

I would love to see Obsidian get the license for Darklands, and make an open world RPG Darklands 2.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darklands_(video_game)

A darklands inspired rpg with troika's TOEE combat complexity will be a genre i think the older generation is longing for.

A complete reworking of the dungeon crawl experience (nethack, amod, etc)

-A similar story (your awesome god sent you on an awesome quest for the amulet of yendor, etc) with similar quests and goals.

-Modern graphics, dark and detailed artwork, sound effects, etc...

-In depth character creation, customization, but with similar character classes/races to the classics (wizard, valkyrie, etc.)

-Randomly generated game content. Every time.

-Hardcore mode only, no messing with saves.

-Incorporate multiplayer into the "bones" files.

-Real time gameplay instead of turnbased. (this is the biggest thing that roguelikes are missing)

-A sense of action and urgency.

 

Basically you are combining gameplay elements of NetHack, Diablo, and Dark/Demon's souls, into a game with infinite replayability.

 

Please forgive me if this makes no sense or is boring.... I suck at converying my ideas.

Hi,

 

Planescape: Torment is probably my favourite game of all time so I'd obviously love something set in that universe, I understand though that such a game would go with licensing fees and to a degree may restrict creativity.

 

Aspects of the PS: T formula that I would love to see in an RPG though are the integration of the role playing and the story. I loved the fact that I had certain dialogue options because a certain statistic was at the right level and that I could develop the Nameless One in such a way that it would enable him to further develop his relationship with his companion characters, which would in turn improve them. This forms a lovely feedback loop that I'd love to see more often in RPGs.

 

Regardless of what game systems you have, they should not feel separate from the story. I don't want combat sections with its own systems and then dialogue sections with their own fixed systems so that the game ends up feeling like a collection of different games that are strung together to appeal to different audiences. An example of combat-story integration would be a sci-fi game where one of your squad members has an emotional break-down in the midst of a heavy firefight so that you have to get them to snap out of it in order to regain control of the fight.

 

With regard to combat, I would like to see a reduced focus in combat since in many ways a combat focus degrades storytelling. Solving character conflict by having one character beat the other to death is a writing cop-out that has unfortunately become the mainstay of story-telling in games. If you do include combat, there should be proper story motivation and a fight should be charged with the same fear, rage, and desperation of a real fight. With the absence of emotion, combat (even if tactically interesting) becomes repetitive from a story-telling perspective.

 

In the same way, characters should properly react to the shock of combat. One could never take a character seriously that slaughters hundreds of enemies and then has a quiet chat with a merchant over the price of potions. Until games solve these types of pacing problems, they will never reach the level of story-telling in other media.

 

The final point that I'd like to note, is that one should never discount the wonder of discovery when encouraging player attachment to a game. Magical items should feel magical and special. Modern gaming has engendered such a sense of entitlement in players that every gets everything for doing what is expected and in the end nothing feels special. You should reward a player that pokes at the walls of the game world, either by exploring or interacting with the systems in creative ways. I remember many items in PS:T that were integrated with the story or could be manipulated in some way to improve them in a way that is not tied to some abstract upgrade or crafting mechanic. A cursed ring that attaches to the Nameless One's finger comes to mind as being a particularly fun sequence in this vein.

 

And that's a few small things that I can think of now. All of these are just small things, but from the other posts that I've seen and the creative strengths of your team, an isometric RPG with a strong storyline would be the right way to go for a smaller, fan-focused project.

What I'd really like to see is a Planescape Torment style game either in the same setting or even better, in the Spelljammer setting

I know I posted this earlier, but seriously: don't do a fantasy game. At least not a traditional one. Fantasy's boring because there's so much of it. Everyone's all jazzed for Planescape 2, but I think that a similarly intelligent and contemplative game could scratch that itch without falling back on an old setting. Beyond that, the kind of SSMA-friendly approach to quests that you had in New Vegas is pretty much a must.

 

Agreed, why bother falling back on the planescape setting? Obsidian could do just as well (or much much better) with an original setting while not risking scaring off people who haven't played or didn't like PST.

 

Forcing unnecessary limits on yourself (such as old IP) would only stifle innovation and creativity.