Chris Avellone's Blog

Everyone posting about this hypothetical game and suggesting that it use a D&D setting needs to understand that doing that would require Obsidian to get a license from Wizards of the Coast, which could be expensive. It would also make it difficult for Obsidian to follow up with sequels, since it wouldn't own the IP (and thus wouldn't have control over whether it got a license to keep making games set there).

 

Personally, I'd love to see something original that happens to be in the spirit of Planescape: Torment, by which I mean: it features interesting characters, a strange universe, and an overwhelming sense of mystery and consequence. It could fantasy, it could be sci fi--just as long as it's mature and interesting, I'll gladly pony up for it.

 

As far as the mechanics, I strongly favor a mix of real-time exploration and tactical turn-based combat, a la Fallout 1-2 (though preferably with full party control). I can tolerate combat that is real-time-with-pause, but in truth, it gets tiresome having to start and stop constantly to figure out what's going on all over the battlefield. Turn-based is simply more clear-cut and easier to manage, IMHO.

 

I'd prefer to see Obsidian spending more resources on the interesting stuff (narrative and game mechanics) than the graphics, so whatever is most cost-effective here is fine by me. An isometric fixed camera would probably be a good idea as far as keeping costs down on the art. I don't care if the graphics are 2D or 3D; however, if characters have a lot of shared animations and the camera is fixed, 3D could actually be more cost-effective than 2D, in which case it gets my vote.

 

That's it for me. If you post a Kickstarter project at all along these lines, there is an excellent chance that I will contribute to it.

I would like the "Something I can sink my teeth into" RPG... with combat on par with Temple of Elemental Evil ~Doesn't have to be D&D, but that would be fine by me.

 

An odd thought just came to mind ~it's not something I had planned to suggest, but...

 

What about a modern remake ( )... of 'Curse of the Azure Bonds'. NWN2/Witcher style visuals with 'Temple of Elemental Evil' style combat. The PC awakens at an Inn with 5 [unexpected] tattoos; (magical) on their forearm. They explore the town they are in for a while. Later on the tattoos 'flare up' and they are compelled to assassinate the king (personally), then 'unbound' from the enchantment, they make their escape through an underground thieves warren... culminating it a mass conflict with the thieves guild, and eventual escape into the open game world where they may venture off in whichever way they choose. The main quest is to find (and defeat) each of the five mages that branded them with the 'Azure Bonds'; (and get those bonds destroyed).

 

had many locations and some really neat NPC's, but several of the locations (towns) were just a menu ~literally; so there is plenty of room to invent.

 

 

Back to the point... I might like a game that is a blend of Planescape, ToEE, 'Ancient Domains of Mystery', 'Dwarf Fortress', Diablo 1, 2, or 3... and Realms of Arcania; not to imply a fantasy setting ~though fantasy is fine. Any engine would likely be fine also. Oh... and CUDA aware AI (for events and game-world politics).

• ToEE has the best D&D TB combat I've seen bar none.
  
• Torment was a joy to read and interact with.
  
• A.D.O.M. is thick with PC detail and tracks the character's adventures and presents a suitable eulegy for them in the event the PC get's killed.
  
• DF... Just the fact that the game constructs the world at install was good impression enough.
  
• Diablo is just plain cool, and the graphics of either of them are more than sufficient IMO.
  
• R.O.A. is the kind of game where while crossing the mountains on the overland map it might decide that one of your PC's fell off the mountain. They can also get sick for walking rough country without shoes, or trudging through water; sleeping in the rain unprotected. (And shoes in the game wear out if you walk far enough in them).
  
• CUDA... Imagine if the engine used hardware physics support ~not for flapping tapestries or rock slides, but for mapping a player caused flood on dynamically created terrain that was unique to the specific install of the game, and only those towns that were actually flooded had crops lost and property damaged ~and economic troubles/ price hikes/ desertions where residents move to other towns and those then become crowded. Where an NPC death (if they were well liked) spawns a public funeral in that town. NPCs maybe take to adventuring on their own and loot dungeons before you get there (or be found dead in them). It would be really neat if the technology could be used for massive parallel NPC AI at all times ~even while the PC is resting.
  

What I'd be interested in would be an old style RPG, like those that got me into RPGs back in the day. From the style of Fallout, Planescape: Torment, and Arcanum. Not necessarily isometric view or anything, but the real focus is story and narrative and characters more than action and battle.

 

As for the game itself, I'd love it if you could revisit the world of Arcanum. Not Arcanum 2, as in a sequel to the story, but adventures in that setting and world. You really don't need to save much of the original's story, or setup. If not Arcanum, similar. It was a wonderfully inventive setting, and I'd love to see it again.

 

Barring actually being Arcanum, I'd love something in the spirit of it. That combination of Steampunk and High Fantasy, and the transition of one to the other. Heck, that might even be better.

An RPG with emphasis on dialog (or at least the choice for the emphasis to be on dialog). We should have a party rather than a single character, but you should focus on a few very deep characters instead of many less-nuanced ones. Make our choices matter, and make us care about our characters. All of them.

 

I'd personally prefer to see an original IP, but tagging something with Planescape regardless of whether it's a sequel or spiritual successor would likely bring in the most support, and I would of course support that as well. I have no idea who has licenses to what, so obviously it'd be a judgment call as to whether or not the extra support would be enough to justify using the name/setting.

 

I'd love to see you go completely off the rails in creating a new IP, doing something that would never occur to most of us here, and would never get green-lighted by a publisher. However, if you're going to do this, consider getting a least a concept before starting the kickstarter project.

 

My favorite type of combat is the real-time, but pause-able type from the Infinity Engine. But any type of very strategic combat is fine. Do whatever would allow you to maximize strategy and balance with the lowest amount of the budget. As much as I love Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale combat, the same type of thing was, in my opinion, done rather poorly in games like KOTOR and NWN and even DAO wasn't great at it. Which probably also means that allowing a party that is large enough for strategy to mean something, and having full control over all party members is essential. And needing control over those party member is just as essential.

 

As many have stated, voice acting is not important, and can actually detract from immersion. Ignore it completely or keep it to a minimum.

 

Make a stylized graphical choice that looks awesome but doesn't require technical brilliance (and an absurd amount of money) to achieve. In my opinion, games like Trine 2 and Bastion look better and artistically-speaking leave a more lasting impression than many AAA games. Speaking of graphics, make sure that whatever choices you make, especially concerning the camera, are conducive to the gameplay. There's a reason that isometric is so popular for strategic RPGs.

 

One difficulty I can see you having vs the Double Fine guys is that RPGs are much more complex games than point-and-click adventures. That means more development time required, and higher cost of development. It's not hard to imagine Double Fine's game coming out within a year. It is hard to imagine an RPG coming out that quickly, which could definitely hurt your chances of getting the funding you're looking for. Consider ways to combat this, such as releasing the games in chapters, and making the reward tiers tied directly to the chapters. i.e. If you contribute $10, you'll get the first chapter, and you can buy the others after they come out. $30, the first three chapters. $50, all chapters. If you do this, make sure you tell us up front how many chapters until the story is complete.

I would love any game that had the gameplay style of Planescape: Torment. I loved the story, great party members, and the game mechanics.

 

The way you can pause the game to plan out your moves, customize your own stats and party's items, and the way the story branches out feels like you are in charge of making The Nameless One your own character. I played that game many times over the years and I always discover some new story or branch that I had never noticed before. I wish more games played like the old style RPGs. I would glady contribe to the Kickstarter for any project you guys would start.

an RPG which has good combat, what?

 

oh thats right there isnt such a thing you either get some crappy system like vats or the worst AAA combat ever aka skyrim or even worse get forced into having annoying followers or group combat or god forbid kill cut scene/death cams over and over and over.

 

basically restore hardcore gamers faith and make a title that is worthy to carry the RPG tag, not some dumbed down,console port, low res texture,restrictive hand holding tripe which seems to be the common release over the last few years

Alpha Protocol 2, hands down. I loved the first game, beat it five times, and got every achievement. It was a great game, and I think making a sequel would be a great idea since I'm sure you guys have learned a lot from the original.

 

And of course KOTOR 3 would be fantastic. I really don't see why a KOTOR 3 doesn't exist, considering that it's guaranteed to sell well, and you guys already know how to make a great one of those games. Seems like a no-brainer. It's something you guys should really fight for. Lucas Arts might be stubborn at first, but keep the pressure on and they'll come around.

I made a comment earlier, but it was rather short and I want to elaborate a bit more.

 

Isometric - Not just for the sake of nostalgia, but for the fact it gives a more tactical feel to the game. Controlling your party, picking out enemies, determining movement etc is all easier and more fluid from the isometric view. Following from that...

 

Parties - One of the biggest problems I've had with recent RPGs is the fact that it's always only about the PC. Being able to have a sizeable party (six or more is a good number, 3 or 4 is irritatingly small if you have any decent amount of NPC followers) is a must, as is being able to control them in combat, and control their improvement.

 

Turn-based - more strategic. We have no shortage of real-time games to play, how about letting those of us who enjoy taking their time. I don't even care if it has a real-time mode as well, so long as it has a proper turn-based mode (though hopefully one better balanced than, say, Fallout Tactics' implementation).

 

Character Customisation - I understand that there's been a recent trend to streamline character customisation, but I'm the sort of gamer who enjoys this part. I also don't just mean customisation in terms of combat abilities.

 

Good story - an absolute must for obvious reasons. Anything inspired by Planescape here would be brilliant.

 

Settings - I'd enjoy a cyberpunk or near-future setting personally, but if it's fantasy at least try to avoid plain high fantasy or dark fantasy. You can make high magic fantasy without making it elves, dwarves, orcs, dragons and humans. And low magic fantasy doesn't need to be grimdark.

I suspect you know a direct PS:T sequel would be the wrong way to go...unless you're feeling personally touched by the hand of the creator at the moment and still have some lightning in a dusty bottle somewhere.

 

The PS universe would be perfect but I'd be happy with something in the same rebellious spirit, some multi-layered philosophical twisting and a load of grim situations to resolve, give me dirt please.

 

Running a few PnP games for inspiration seems to have worked well for you guys in the past, it's maybe something to keep in mind

 

I think Onyx would be the obvious choice for the engine, it's ready to go and would suit an IE style game.

 

Anyway, it's far too late/early and my mind is shutting down, it's been a very cool day.

 

Thanks for listening.

- Isometric perspective that allows to zoom in and out a la DA:O

- Voice acting optional

- Deep multi-dimensional, lovable characters

- Non-sexualized, strong, relatable female characters (no DD-cups, no high heels)

- Choices that affect the world and its people

- Turn-based combat

- Must-use skill sets

- Original IP

- If it hasn't been tried before and you really want to do it, go for it.

- Not your typical setting, characters or story. Typical nothing.

- Mature themes

- If possible, no cliches or archetypes.

- Engaging and immersive narrative (not that I need to ask)

- A whole variety of ways to interact with NPCs, party memebers and the world itself.

- A party that can travel with me at all times (if they need to split up, play from all the groups' POVs)

- If possible, no romance at all, just bonding.

- No fetch, kill this, go there kind of quests.

- No mainstreaming, casualizing, or dumbing down.

- Singleplayer-centric.

- Full control of party members.

- No co-op.

If it is to be:

 

- turn based

- stats-signifciant

- a sense of exploration (some real choices on where to go)

- some kind of story

 

then I'm in for 50 bucks at least.

I would like to see an original IP isometric game. I'm not particular about turn based or real-time with pause.

 

I'd like to see it have some choice. Consequences aren't a must have, because I understand the complication that brings. But I'd like to express character ideas beyond the combat. I want to see mature choices. As in exploring choices I can relate to, not action hero or mustache twirler. Play a guy who's over his head in whatever is going on and just doing what he must to make it through instead of the natural leader that always has the perfect plan and everyone obeys. I don't know how reasonable that is at the end of the day.

 

I'm really open on just about everything else. A personal story or not. Save the world or save yourself. Futuristic, medieval fantasy, urban, superhero, paleolithicpunk, low magic or high. I'm kind of worn out on post-apocalypse and zombies. Heck, go absurd enough and I'll forget all about wanting relateable choices.

I think that a turn based strategy game with RPG elements would be perfect for Obsidian. Something along the lines of the Heroes of Might and Magic, King's Bounty, or Disciples.

 

It would allow you to create a brand new expansive world. It gives you the freedom to create either a massive story spanning entire nations or a small personal story following a specific hero. Not only that but there would also be an easy to use toolset that allows players to create their own maps, campaigns, and adventures.

Hello,

 

I'm a long time lurker here but I've followed the Interplay/BIS/Obsidian community basically since the first Torment forums appeared on the Interplay website.

 

I just want to say that I don't actually care what kind of game you make. You guys have done enough to prove that any game that interests you will also interest me. My only desire is for you to make whatever kind of game you want to make.

 

If you do that I will donate happily.

Dust off the Aliens RPG, pretty please?

 

I know Sega wouldn't turn it away, with Prometheus coming this year and all...

I still want a CaRPG (stupidest name ever).

 

An open world, based around racing and cars and social interaction (not with other players, but other NPC's). No killing, just racing/solving quests for money and experience, upgrade your car, buy new cars, explore and find new cars/mechanics/underground racing clubs/parts dealers.

 

Plenty of exploration (which means you need to be able to get out of your car GTA style). Actually GTA4's engine would be perfectly suited for a game of the type I am imagining. An open world with lots of stuff to do, but also with tight, well-designed "levels", where most of the story missions take part, kind of like how Borderlands did it (enclosed areas inside the open world).

 

I wish more people would play Road Trip Adventure to see what kind of game I want. Just more realistic (real life cars would be awesome) and with a better story, better handling and.. better everything, basically.

 

This project will never happen. Just building the world is such a huge undertaking. I think only Rockstar would be able to pull it off, but they are only interested in making ultra-violent third person shooters.

A game where you take over the role of some badass inquisitor in old europe!

It must be a decade since I last played Planescape: Torment, and I've been waiting since then for another game like it. I don't mean some sort of prescriptive nostalgia-fest with isometric what-have-yous and all that, but I would love to see something that picked up where it left off in terms in of being driven by character and themes rather than dungeons and combat and power fantasies. I remember the combat being so easy as to be basically trivial by the time you started wandering out into the Planes to do really bizarre things --- and that felt absolutely great; by that time you were hooked by the story and didn't care.

 

Planescape was a seriously lean game, the opposite of a Dragon Age or a Baldur's Gate. There must have been a little filler, but not much. Fighting happened when the plot needed it, and quests told interesting stories that expanded on the games' themes. Items, stats, and lore appeared when you needed them and kept out of the way most of the time. And most important, the story never, ever stopped moving.

 

I don't really remember anything about the gameplay mechanics --- I can't remember a single spell (and I'm pretty sure my Nameless One was a mage), nor one fight, nor a single item --- except for the sacred disc that the religious exile carried and which you gradually unlocked to discover his past and its intersection with the Nameless One.

 

But I sure remember the bizarre mystery of the Nameless One's past and the terrible realization that all the evil you got a chance to fix in the game had started with him. I remember the chaste succubus and the renegade robot and the tower of skulls that you had once pulled Morty out of --- and the remarkable revelation that he was the game's most faithful character. And the Lewis Carrol-weird portals to other worlds. I remember how uncomfortable it made you with who you were, and how you gradually realized that every one of the characters was somehow fighting their own nature.

 

And oh, man, I remember the themes. They were over-the-top and a little ridiculous and really fantastic. I don't remember any moment in gaming better than when you realized why the game was called Torment and how much it was really about what can change the nature of a man.

 

For me anyway, that's what made it unique. I don't think there's ever been anything else like it, and it would make me enormously happy if there were.

- Planescape 2

- NWN 3 (but not like Storm of Zehir, more Story-driven like the Main Game and Mask of the Betrayer)

- Alpha Protocoll 2

- a new version (if possible) of Albion ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albion_%28video_game%29 , scifi Rpg)

- Neuromancer or Shadowrun Rpg

 

That is what i would like to see.

Whatever RPG you can come up with, I believe you'd come up with something sweet!

-2D

-XP for quests only(no grinding)

-Dialogue trees with possibility to permanently loose options

-Can be completed without combat

-One character to play with refined dialogue

-No voiceovers

-Cannot achieve Master level in all skills

-Cannot get into every faction

-Turn based combat system

-Story dealing with death

-Options to complete the game with challenges - no killing, food is required to survive

Take Storm of Zehir as a base. Make it turn-based, increase the size of dungeons, ditch the D&D rulesest, place it in an original setting.

A text-heavy party-based 2D isometric CRPG. Something like Arcanum. Or, I dunno, that Planescape thingy.

Look at modern sequels and go back to what made them great. People hated on skyrim for taking out a lot of the character custimization options i.e. stats, tag skills, pants. In a game without classes its cool that any character can potentially do anything, but it needs to come at a cost. There's no point when every character can do everything. When I decide to be a swordsman not only do I want it to mean I'm good with swords, but I want it to mean that I won't be good with bows, or if I want to be good with swords and bows then I'll be giving up social skills, or magic. I don't want to be punished by having all difficulty/challenge removed from the game if focus on combat. I don't want the game elements of equipment upgrades, and loot/gold to no longer matter if I focus on crafting.

 

People hated on dragon age 2 for "streamlining" everything to appeal to the masses. Its okay to have lulls in the action. RPGs are about role playing and not combat 24/7 with "another wave" of enemies being slaughtered by the dozens. Combat should be risky and only one of a few ways to solve problems. Some characters/parties might avoid combat if its not nessicary. You should be concerned how your character would feel about risking their life or killing someone, not what they will drop or how much experince they yield.

 

I want to be able to customize my party. I want to be able to specialize their abilities to fill the roles I want them to fill and I want to be able to equip them with gear upgrades. I want to have to decide between buying a better bow for my archer to help take down enemy mages faster, or get better armor for my fighter so he can better keep melee opponets away from my back lines. Even in my specialization I want there to be situations where I might be forced to adapt tatics; fights where the usual rules are shaken up to provide a unique challenge.

 

I feel like games have been dumbed down, and I want you to "smarten" them back up. Choices have been reduced to cosmetics (axe or sword with the same animation) or something you make once at the start of a mission (choose your party) and are stuck with because tactics don't matter and the combat is so easy that you can get by with any randomly choices. I want to have to make choices on the fly and I want to be allowed to fail if I don't.

 

I don't want failure to mean some specializations are objectively worse or not viable. I want the strength/viability of a specialization to depend on the context of the party and the situation. I want my success or failure to hinge on my assessment of the situation and response. If I stack a party full of combat focused characters I want to run into problems because I don't have social skills, utility magic, theif skills etc. Brute force or any other strategy shouldn't always be the best option.

 

I don't want sidequests to feel forced, or added after the fact. Older games had areas and maps specificly for sidequests. Bring back the idea that things in the game world exists for the world and not for the player. A castle should have a kitchen even if its not plot essential. The player might be able to do things in some of these areas but they don't exists soley out of necessity for the game. Have the sidequests originate from NPCs that would exist in the world instead of creating an NPC thats only purpose is to need an item that is conveniently in the bad guy's lair.

Isometric sure seems to be the new black. Why?

 

Rosy eyed nostalgia for yesteryear from what I can see. If the technologies of today were available back when PS:T was conceived I doubt it would of been either isometric or turn based but more akin to something likle FO:NV or ME/DA. The mechanics aren't what made it a great experience, the narrative experience was.