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New Ferret interview @ nwn2news


Rhomal

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NWN 2 News brings you yet again another exclusive interview. This time from Ferret Baudoin, Lead Designer at Obsidian Entertainment. We ask him about his past works and influence but also his views on where CRPG's are and where they are going.

 

http://www.nwn2news.net/modules/smartsecti...m.php?itemid=29

Admin of World of Darkness Online News

News/Community site for the WoD MMORPG

http://www.wodonlinenews.net

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Jericho sassed me so I broke into his house and stabbed him to death in his sleep. Problem solved. - J.E. Sawyer

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"I cannot profess to be a theologian; but it seems to me that Christians who believe in a super human Satan have got themselves into a logical impasse with regard to their own religion. For either God can not prevent the mischief of Satan, in which case he is not omnipotent; or else He could do so if he wished, but will not, in which case He is not benevolent. Fortunately, being a pagan witch, I am not called upon to solve this problem."

- Doreen Valiente

---

Expecting "innovation" from Bioware is like expecting "normality" from Valve -Moatilliatta

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NWN 2 News brings you yet again another exclusive interview. This time from Ferret Baudoin, Lead Designer at Obsidian Entertainment. We ask him about his past works and influence but also his views on where CRPG's are and where they are going.

 

http://www.nwn2news.net/modules/smartsecti...m.php?itemid=29

Ask whats his favorite race is! (not just playable one) (w00t)

IB1OsQq.png

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Any final comments?

 

 

Ferret: I liked looking backwards and thinking about the good old days. Here

"Some men see things as they are and say why?"
"I dream things that never were and say why not?"
- George Bernard Shaw

"Hope in reality is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man."
- Friedrich Nietzsche

 

"The amount of energy necessary to refute bull**** is an order of magnitude bigger than to produce it."

- Some guy 

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Why did you ask so few questions about NWN2?

 

"Oldies, but goldies" is kinda boring subject(done to death) if you have spend time at any game company

Admin of World of Darkness Online News

News/Community site for the WoD MMORPG

http://www.wodonlinenews.net

---

Jericho sassed me so I broke into his house and stabbed him to death in his sleep. Problem solved. - J.E. Sawyer

---

"I cannot profess to be a theologian; but it seems to me that Christians who believe in a super human Satan have got themselves into a logical impasse with regard to their own religion. For either God can not prevent the mischief of Satan, in which case he is not omnipotent; or else He could do so if he wished, but will not, in which case He is not benevolent. Fortunately, being a pagan witch, I am not called upon to solve this problem."

- Doreen Valiente

---

Expecting "innovation" from Bioware is like expecting "normality" from Valve -Moatilliatta

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I'd be happy to see it hit the shelves. If we consider it a classic in ten years, that's just icing on the cake. :Eldar's dreaming of a classic NWN2 collector's edition on his shelf icon:

Fionavar's Holliday Wishes to all members of our online community:  Happy Holidays

 

Join the revelry at the Obsidian Plays channel:
Obsidian Plays


 
Remembering tarna, Phosphor, Metadigital, and Visceris.  Drink mead heartily in the halls of Valhalla, my friends!

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.  :Eldar's dreaming of a classic NWN2 collector's edition on his shelf icon:

 

 

You're dedicated.

"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."

 

- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

 

"I have also been slowly coming to the realisation that knowledge and happiness are not necessarily coincident, and quite often mutually exclusive" - meta

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Is that the same thing as saying I'm crazy?! Huh? Huh? :D

 

NWN2 sounds like it has some good ideas and I hope I'll enjoy every game I buy and that others do as well. Essentially, I hope every game I buy is a classic.

 

...But I'm probably dedicated also.

Fionavar's Holliday Wishes to all members of our online community:  Happy Holidays

 

Join the revelry at the Obsidian Plays channel:
Obsidian Plays


 
Remembering tarna, Phosphor, Metadigital, and Visceris.  Drink mead heartily in the halls of Valhalla, my friends!

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The goal of this was to get insight into Ferret's viewpoint of designing CRPGs and where in his opinion they are headed. NWN 2 while impossible to ignore being his current project was not the focus.

 

My bad. Somehow I instantly thought of NWN2 when I saw "Ferret Interview".

This post is not to be enjoyed, discussed, or referenced on company time.

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Beautiful. Ferret rules.

 

Yes... Yes he does. I chat with him from time to time and he is a fountain of knowledge. A really cool guy to just talking about the gaming industry and pick his brain on that level.

Admin of World of Darkness Online News

News/Community site for the WoD MMORPG

http://www.wodonlinenews.net

---

Jericho sassed me so I broke into his house and stabbed him to death in his sleep. Problem solved. - J.E. Sawyer

---

"I cannot profess to be a theologian; but it seems to me that Christians who believe in a super human Satan have got themselves into a logical impasse with regard to their own religion. For either God can not prevent the mischief of Satan, in which case he is not omnipotent; or else He could do so if he wished, but will not, in which case He is not benevolent. Fortunately, being a pagan witch, I am not called upon to solve this problem."

- Doreen Valiente

---

Expecting "innovation" from Bioware is like expecting "normality" from Valve -Moatilliatta

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I chat with [Ferret] from time to time and he is a fountain of knowledge. A really cool guy to just talking about the gaming industry and pick his brain on that level.

He does indeed sound like a hoopy frood.

Regarding:

There seems to be this opinion in the CRPG community you can not have great game play and eye candy. 'It is one or the other' is a view held by many using posts on the forums to measure this stance. Why do you think that is and what is your take on that?

Ferret: You can certainly have both - it

OBSCVRVM PER OBSCVRIVS ET IGNOTVM PER IGNOTIVS

ingsoc.gif

OPVS ARTIFICEM PROBAT

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I would disagree to a degree with the notion that it is necessarily difficult to add eye candy simply because contemporary graphics capabilities are so advanced.

The amount of time required to build, texture, skin, weight, and animate a character in a contemporary video game is immense compared to the time required even five years ago. The same applies for levels.

 

If all a module-builder wants to do is scale and tint critters that are already built in the NWN2 toolset, great. But if someone wants to create new creature or prop/building models, it's going to be a lot more involved than it was in the first NWN.

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If OE are using the same MAX+Zbrush method to create models/skins/displacement maps as us then it wont be that complex to make new models and maps. In a way it will be easier because the way those programs work together

DISCLAIMER: Do not take what I write seriously unless it is clearly and in no uncertain terms, declared by me to be meant in a serious and non-humoristic manner. If there is no clear indication, asume the post is written in jest. This notification is meant very seriously and its purpouse is to avoid misunderstandings and the consequences thereof. Furthermore; I can not be held accountable for anything I write on these forums since the idea of taking serious responsability for my unserious actions, is an oxymoron in itself.

 

Important: as the following sentence contains many naughty words I warn you not to read it under any circumstances; botty, knickers, wee, erogenous zone, psychiatrist, clitoris, stockings, bosom, poetry reading, dentist, fellatio and the department of agriculture.

 

"I suppose outright stupidity and complete lack of taste could also be considered points of view. "

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If OE are using the same MAX+Zbrush method to create models/skins/displacement maps as us then it wont be that complex to make new models and maps. In a way it will be easier because the way those programs work together

 

It's already been established they are not and it wont. They are using middleware granny for the models and it is causing some concern in the custom content community.

Edited by Rhomal

Admin of World of Darkness Online News

News/Community site for the WoD MMORPG

http://www.wodonlinenews.net

---

Jericho sassed me so I broke into his house and stabbed him to death in his sleep. Problem solved. - J.E. Sawyer

---

"I cannot profess to be a theologian; but it seems to me that Christians who believe in a super human Satan have got themselves into a logical impasse with regard to their own religion. For either God can not prevent the mischief of Satan, in which case he is not omnipotent; or else He could do so if he wished, but will not, in which case He is not benevolent. Fortunately, being a pagan witch, I am not called upon to solve this problem."

- Doreen Valiente

---

Expecting "innovation" from Bioware is like expecting "normality" from Valve -Moatilliatta

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If OE are using the same MAX+Zbrush method to create models/skins/displacement maps as us then it wont be that complex to make new models and maps. In a way it will be easier because the way those programs work together

 

It's already been established they are not and it wont. They are using middleware granny for the models and it is causing some concern in the custom content community.

 

Hold on, was granny actually 100% confirmed? Last I heard it was just a rumour.

There are none that are right, only strong of opinion. There are none that are wrong, only ignorant of facts

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If OE are using the same MAX+Zbrush method to create models/skins/displacement maps as us then it wont be that complex to make new models and maps. In a way it will be easier because the way those programs work together

 

It's already been established they are not and it wont. They are using middleware granny for the models and it is causing some concern in the custom content community.

 

Hold on, was granny actually 100% confirmed? Last I heard it was just a rumour.

 

If you followed my front page news you'd have known it was confirmed awhile ago :)

Do a search on nwn2news for 'granny' if you want the gory details.

Edited by Rhomal

Admin of World of Darkness Online News

News/Community site for the WoD MMORPG

http://www.wodonlinenews.net

---

Jericho sassed me so I broke into his house and stabbed him to death in his sleep. Problem solved. - J.E. Sawyer

---

"I cannot profess to be a theologian; but it seems to me that Christians who believe in a super human Satan have got themselves into a logical impasse with regard to their own religion. For either God can not prevent the mischief of Satan, in which case he is not omnipotent; or else He could do so if he wished, but will not, in which case He is not benevolent. Fortunately, being a pagan witch, I am not called upon to solve this problem."

- Doreen Valiente

---

Expecting "innovation" from Bioware is like expecting "normality" from Valve -Moatilliatta

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Share on other sites

I would disagree to a degree with the notion that it is necessarily difficult to add eye candy simply because contemporary graphics capabilities are so advanced.

The amount of time required to build, texture, skin, weight, and animate a character in a contemporary video game is immense compared to the time required even five years ago. The same applies for levels.

 

If all a module-builder wants to do is scale and tint critters that are already built in the NWN2 toolset, great. But if someone wants to create new creature or prop/building models, it's going to be a lot more involved than it was in the first NWN.

This is true but it's not as if it was easy to add thing to NWN anyway. Hundreds of parts just to change one little thing? I don't really care what's involved as long as there's decent support info I'll get stuff into the game...

Yaw devs, Yaw!!! (

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