Fallout Developers Profile: Chris Avellone, Part 2

[Musopticon?]

Of course it's not real. Fooling around, here.

[SteveThaiBinh]

Of course it's not real. Fooling around, here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Shame on you all, spreading nasty untruths.

 

They should have worked harder on disguising the hair, I think.

[Musopticon?]

And Avellone is way more prettier without a wig. :">

[metadigital]

And Avellone is way more prettier without a wig. :">

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are you referring to a merkin, or ...

[Musopticon?]

I don't recognize the term you're using. Merkin?

[metadigital]

I don't recognize the term you're using. Merkin?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

merkin

[Musopticon?]

Thank you for that remarkably...different piece of info.

[metadigital]

Thank you for that remarkably...different piece of info.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What I like about lexicography is that every word has been created for a different and peculiar object in a scenario ... whether it is the slight difference in contextual definition between the colours orange, tangerine, apricot or titian, or the completely original concept of a merkin -- obviously there was a need for these objects, and they were given a name. ...

[Musopticon?]

Context-sensitiviness separates english from some of the other common european languages. There's no "middle ground" when it comes to some of the various synonyms.

[Guest Fishboot]

To be honest, I wish Fallout would just die and people would make new post-holocaust RPGs that are even better than Fallout. But hey, whatever.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I dunno, I think a lot of the style and tone of FO make it (serendipitously?) ideal for the post-apocalyptic setting - the playful retro-futuristic style (which lets you tie in fun 50's style stuff like giant animals and access the mostly campy images in Mad Max without interrupting a deadly serious mood), the somewhat gritty SPECIAL system (at least pre-Tactics, back when the criticals were easily fatal), the gore, etc. On the other hand the license has had a lot of crap continuity thrown into it and the core fanbase is too into the isometric viewpoint turn-based game, which is probably a guarantee of a bad graphical rating from game reviewers (mainly because the 2D prerendered/drawn background isometric games looked as good as they did, it's hard to improve upon them by leaps and bounds) so you either make an isometric game that will come across as graphically laggard, you make a game that the nostalgic FO1/2 grognards will whip up a frenzy of hate against, or you make a free camera game that runs badly and probably looks bad in one perspective or another.

 

I could see some kind of very serious post-apocalyptic game being very successful but I don't know how you could make a credibly silly-but-occasionally-serious P-A game half as well without licensing or stealing an awful lot of FO.

[Tabulated Rasa]

Now, I've always thought highly of Chris Avellone's work in Planescape: Torment, Knights of the Old Republic 2, in the Targos area of Icewind Dale 2, etc. I also suspect that I may be missing some backstory behind his relationship with NMA that would help put some of his responses to them in context.

 

However, I simply find it ironic that just a few months after threatening to close its board due to negativity, an Obsidian founder makes a public response to an interview that would likely have resulted in censor and censure had it been posted by a fan on his own company's boards.

 

Harassment: We ask that the users of this board treat one another with respect, even when opinions differ. Personal attacks that are intended to cause unwanted attention, embarrassment, or harm will not be tolerated. In addition, Obsidian does not tolerate disrespectful and/or slanderous posts about its competitors, developers and publishers. Such posts will be subject to editing or deleting, with its posters censured or banned.

...

Objectionable Content: The use of abusive, vulgar or profane language, even if hidden through the use of symbols or other characters is not tolerated. Intentionally posting workarounds to our language filters are prohibited. Posts may be edited or deleted at any time by the moderation team, and depending on the severity and frequency of said posts, the poster may be censured or banned.

...

Trolling: Trolling is defined as negatively-charged, disruptive, inaccurate, inflammatory and/or outrageous posting behavior, often meant only to insult, disrespect or hurt others. Trolls (users who post in this fashion) will be subject to immediate censure or banning. Obsidian wishes to maintain a positive, respectful community; those seeking to hurt or damage our community are not welcome here and are subject to censure or banning.

 

My favorite memory is when some spineless prick in QA decided that my take on

[Leferd]

I thought the interview to be rather hilarious. Like the first one.

[GhostofAnakin]

If Obsidian truly wishes to maintain a positive, respectful community, I believe that its founders should consider leading by example.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It was a candid interview. I'd have been more pissed off if he came across as a boring dud.

[Atreides]

I think C.Avellone's interview wasn't intended to be a post on this board, so rules and regulations don't apply. They're more like well, a Q&A which has language disclaimers etc in it.

[kirottu]

If Obsidian truly wishes to maintain a positive, respectful community, I believe that its founders should consider leading by example.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Has Avallone been a bad boy? Yes, he have. Bad bad boy. You know what bad boys get?

 

HOT NORWEGIAN CHICKS!

[Nartwak]

You're mistaking lung cancer and automobile accidents for hot Norwegian chicks again kirottu.

[kirottu]

You're mistaking lung cancer and automobile accidents for hot Norwegian chicks again kirottu.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It

[Nartwak]

You should hold seminars.

[Musopticon?]

"Not to mention my right arm has become like very muscular. Sweet."

 

That made my morning, thank you. Runkkari.

[metadigital]

...

If Obsidian truly wishes to maintain a positive, respectful community, I believe that its founders should consider leading by example.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

1. This was a candid internet interview, with appropriate disclaimers, not a forum post.

2. Mr Avellone did not impugn anybody directly; he was very careful to protect the alleged guilty party with anonymity, which is not the form of an forum post by its nature.

3. Did it ever occur to you that the "person" he is referring to may not even exist? This is a creative person writing, after all, and there is no evidence other than heresay.

4. Mr Avellone is obviously a creative person; this was a well signposted peice of creative writing that appealed to his target audience, so it appears to be a well executed vignette.

5. Mr Avellone, in addition to the above, was perfomring a public service to the gaming industry; now the existence of another games industry sycophant has been entered into the public domain for the use of the workers within.

[Musopticon?]

And it was damn great. <-The best reason to not 'diss it.

[Baley]

Nah Odin exists...check the NMA boards

[metadigital]

???

[Musopticon?]

The whole time MCA was dissing certain Odin. That Odin is a member at the No Mutants Allowed -forums. Clear enough now?

[Nartwak]

metadigital meant "spineless prick" may not exist Baley. Not Odin.