Dracowyr

Well, if you are launching your first podcast, the "Faces Behind Obsidian" would be a good way to start. A general overall introduction to the Obisidian studio as well as its staff is usually very well received by the public. You could shoot it as a 'day in the life' someone coming in to Obsidian to work...meetings, the cafeteria, etc. The first podcast should serve an overview of the company and the people. Then you can go in -depth with further podcasts.

My first impressions of the 4th Edition system is that they have been spending too much time playing World of Warcraft. Game design in general now seems to be stuck on 'roles' for players. Tanks, Healer, Melee DPS, Range DPS, and Control/Utility. Now even D&D has jumped on the bandwagon. The advantage that pencil & paper role-playing games had over computer based games is that they allowed for more creative solutions that technology allowed. It seems from a design standpoint, that 4th Edition is a step backward...trying to cater to the video game generation. I really feel that game design (pencil & paper or electronic) needs to move beyond the mechanics found in today's MMOs. There are many aspects of 4th Edition that come across as cheap 'WOW the player' (pun intended) tactics. Granted, there isn't any edition that was flawless. There are mechanics of the 4th Edition that seems insightful, but overall it feels like a 'me too' edition.

Wow. I just have to say a big thank you to the Obsidian team for taking the time to answer questions on the forums. I rarely see developers who are willing to take the effort to do so. There's one thing I should add. One should not think I want to be a game writer. Instead, your thoughts should be more like I want to be a writer. Why generalize? There are many different mediums out there, and a diverse skill set allows you to roll and change with the times. In a creative profession - be it - artist or writer, you need to be adaptable. Like Monty stated, write short stories, write plays, write screenplays...everything. Each will allow you to develop your writing skills more than if you just stuck to one medium (at least in the beginning). The game industry is a hot topic these days. Everyone thinks they want to work in the industry...but do they really understand what it's like? Playing games and creating games are very very different experiences. If you focus solely on being a "game writer" - what happens if you find out that you don't enjoy it? Enjoy life, and pursue a degree in what stirs your interests. If it is Anthropology or Astrophysics (my first major) ... then go for it!! Don't worry about taking something because you think it will lead to a job - you'll end up miserable. A writer must have a passion for learning...and the more interests, knowledge, and life experiences you can draw on when you write, the better!