Magnificent Chris Avellone,
thank you for taking the initiative to study the kickstarter possibility. We all hope that the skill check is successful.
Makes me wonder how you get the time to have the real work done
Because of that I'll try to be succinct. The type of game we want to see is:
- the type of game that gets co-...moneyblocked by publishers, aka Isometric Turn-Based cRPG (sic)
And that is basically my only requirements
If Obsidian goes forth with kickstarting their project, it's guaranteed that I'll support it as long as the above is true. Because with you as Chief in Command of Good Things to Come we know that good writing, great story, interesting characters, choices and consequents, non-linear, multiple solutions, multiple endings will be present in the game. And those are the type of things that RPG dreams are made of.
It would be great if Master Tim Cain and Sawyer could contribute to this project as well.
As for the game setting, ranked by preference:
1) cyberpunk (Blade Runner, Neuromancer, Bloodnet, Gattaca). The world needs it! There isn't really any good cRPG in a cyberpunk setting. None! (ok Deus Ex, but it's an FPS/RPG) This is also the opportunity for a new IP.
2) steampunk (Arcanum alike) with some Cthulhu twists in it
2) Planescape, however given the license issue I guess this is a no no. The best bet would be a spiritual successor, but that isn't really a setting, more like a gameplay aspect.
3) hard sci-fi space opera. The problem would be it would require many work hours in game to write the lore.
3) retro-futuristic alien infiltration/invasion during the cold war with a B movie artistic vibe to it
Some gameplay aspects that would make me very happy (obviously that these need to adapted depending on the setting and balanced to avoid repetitiveness):
- dystopian world (Brave New World, 1984)
- mature and politically incorrect. Including themes such as: dangerous political games, global conspiracies, religious brainwashing, racism, drugs, misogyny, slavery, sexual discrimination, taboo subjects (even if only present as a comic factor), and yes tasteful rape as well. It would be up for the player to... well... deal with it