Obsidian Entertainment and Future D&D/Forgotten Realms Games

[Magister Lajciak]

First of all thank you to all the Obsidian Developers for making the Mask of the Betrayer as good as it was... and it was excellent!

 

Now onto my question: In the past several years, Bioware has moved away from creating games based on licenses, such as D&D/Forgotten Realms and Star Wars to create its own IPs. Since then, Bioware has avoided creating any D&D/Forgotten Realms games. I have seen some statements that Obsidian Entertainment is also in the process of creating its own IPs. As such, can we expect that Obsidian Entertainment will also follow the path that Bioware has tread and cease to create any D&D/Forgotten Realms games in the future? If so, that would be a very sad fate indeed for D&D CRPGs.

[Magister Lajciak]

I just want to add that I do hope that Obsidian Entertainment does not transition to its own IPs only and that it does continue to create new D&D/Forgotten Realms RPGs. Although I do not doubt that Obsidian is capable of creating its own quality IPs, I do love D&D/Forgotten Realms CRPGs and would hate to see them disappear from Obsidian's repertoire, particularly after Obsidian's stellar performance with the Mask of the Betrayer.

[Hurlshort]

I'm sooooo tired of Forgotten Realms games. I think that's why I'm enjoying The Witcher so much, it's nice to have a departure from the standard D&D games.

[Junai]

As such, can we expect that Obsidian Entertainment will also follow the path that Bioware has tread and cease to create any D&D/Forgotten Realms games in the future? If so, that would be a very sad fate indeed for D&D CRPGs.

 

It's all soccer-games from EA Bioware now buddy.. sorry. Suck it up.

 

 

 

 

J.

[Magister Lajciak]

I'm sooooo tired of Forgotten Realms games. I think that's why I'm enjoying The Witcher so much, it's nice to have a departure from the standard D&D games.

 

I am not tired of them at all. Indeed, I like them a lot Faerun is vast enough to provide a plethora of new gaming opportunities, while also having the advantage of deep lore and some degree of familiarity from previous games. As far as I am concerned, it's a perfect balance. There are many non-D&D/non-Forgotten Realms RPGs out there and some of them can provide 'a break' from the Realms, but I always enjoy coming back for more D&D/Forgotten Realms CRPG goodness when a good title is created in that category. It would be sad to see such games disappear from Obsidian's repertoire.

[Magister Lajciak]

As such, can we expect that Obsidian Entertainment will also follow the path that Bioware has tread and cease to create any D&D/Forgotten Realms games in the future? If so, that would be a very sad fate indeed for D&D CRPGs.

 

It's all soccer-games from EA Bioware now buddy.. sorry. Suck it up.

 

 

That's a bit harsh. I don't think it automatically follows that EA will change the Bioware approach. In any case, Bioware started moving away from licensed properties long before it was bought out by EA.

[Tale]

I'd like to see more Faerun. Nobody else has nearly as interesting, or even active, divine powers. From Baldur's Gate to Mask of the Betrayer, it's the best of the realms.

 

I can't even imagine original IPs bringing the drama that FR gods bring. You'd have to introduce too much.

[Magister Lajciak]

I'd like to see more Faerun. Nobody else has nearly as interesting, or even active, divine powers. From Baldur's Gate to Mask of the Betrayer, it's the best of the realms.

 

I can't even imagine original IPs bringing the drama that FR gods bring. You'd have to introduce too much.

 

Glad to see another D&D FR CRPG lover!

[Walsingham]

It would indeed be a significant challenge. But is it really impossible? to do as well, or better?

[Tale]

It would indeed be a significant challenge. But is it really impossible? to do as well, or better?

If this was in response to me, I didn't say it was impossible. I acknowledge that. I just am incapable of seeing how it could be done reasonably.

 

If it can be, I dare it to happen. A well written history created more for the story than to justify rules could be better than Forgotten Realms quite easily. The problem is keeping it well written for such a scope.

[Pop]

It could be done better, but as it stands, Faerun's got a hell of a lot of backstory and detail on a large scale that would be hard to replicate in a new IP. Any new and unfamiliar setting has a good chance of feeling generic in comparison.

[Moatilliatta]

Wouldn't the world of the elder scrolls games (Tamriel mainly, but I guess there could be other continents in that world) be an example of a world which is somewhat interesting?

 

The crutch of creating ones own world will always be that it requires a lot of work first to create and then a lot of work to communicate to the players. It will be interesting to see how Bioware handles it with Dragon Age as I don't think their earlier games (not counting Jade Empire as I haven't played it yet) have been good examples of games that are good at introducing the player to the world around them.

 

I personally think that it is indeed possible to create interesting games around the forgotten realms, the problem is that D&D usually follow and I think the developers will need to reinvent that rule-system if it is going to be anything but a hindrance to the games greatness. They also need to leave the sword cast and anything near it, or have a very specific focus on a part that hasn't been touched lately (Waterdeep? Above ground that is)

[Tale]

I absolutely loved Morrowind for what the Tribunal offered and the revelations about it. Oblivion didn't have as much depth in that regard. 5 people gain phenomenal cosmic power!

3 of them stab their leader in the back. They go on to become revered as gods, while the loyalist becomes despised as the devil.

 

Vivec and Dagoth Ur seemed to eventually fill their roles with time. Almalexia goes mad and Sotha Sil just becomes a recluse.

 

[Dark_Raven]

I look forward to more Forgotten Realms games, there are not enough of them.

[Sand]

I rather see Obsidian do their own thing. I am kind of sick of the typical fantasy CRPG. More sci fi or modern day CRPGs would be nice.

[Darren Monahan]

I'm speaking for myself here, but I really love working on D&D games - even after working on a bunch of multi-year D&D projects (IWD1 [plus IWD1: HoW and IWD1:Trials,] IWD2, BGDA, BGDA2, NWN2.) D&D is near and dear to many of us at Obsidian, and if the planets are in alignment, D&D games are always something we get very excited about working on, and our "master plan" definitely doesn't rule out doing more of them.

 

Of course there's an appeal to work on new, original, and different games too; fortunately we have multiple dev teams at Obsidian, and if Atari's interested in new D&D games and we have people available and can keep food on the table for our devs, we'll try to figure out how to do it.

 

4th Edition looks pretty frickin' cool too....

[Xard]

4th Edition looks pretty frickin' cool too....

 

And on that day, Sand lost his belief in obzidz overlords

[Gambler]

D&D is a system with restrictions, formulas and pre-concieved concepts, which have nothing to do with Obsidian (or computer games for that matter).

It was already used in many, many computer games.

Interface to generating a character in NWN2 is more complex that Visual Studio project ceration wizard.

Faerun backstory is a classical example of generic fantasy.

 

Do I need to say more?

 

I trust Obsidian's creative vision much more than someone from WotC, and I believe that Obsidian's games will only benefit from the use of original IP.

[Magister Lajciak]

I'm speaking for myself here, but I really love working on D&D games - even after working on a bunch of multi-year D&D projects (IWD1 [plus IWD1: HoW and IWD1:Trials,] IWD2, BGDA, BGDA2, NWN2.) D&D is near and dear to many of us at Obsidian, and if the planets are in alignment, D&D games are always something we get very excited about working on, and our "master plan" definitely doesn't rule out doing more of them.

 

Of course there's an appeal to work on new, original, and different games too; fortunately we have multiple dev teams at Obsidian, and if Atari's interested in new D&D games and we have people available and can keep food on the table for our devs, we'll try to figure out how to do it.

 

I am glad to hear that! I love D&D too and Obsidian's electronic interpretation of it has proven to be excellent.

 

4th Edition looks pretty frickin' cool too....

 

After 4E comes out I will await patiently for Obsidian's translation of the new rules into electronic format.

[Plano Skywalker]

As far as I'm concerned, somebody HAS to make a Dragonlance CRPG.

 

Dragonlance is a lot like Star Wars in my opinion....it is all about belief, good-versus-evil, etc.

Rediscovering the Lost Gods, etc.

 

Now, Morrowind had elements of that but it was open-ended. We need a cinematic, KOTOR-style

CRPG like that (and, preferably, from Obsidian).

[Blarghagh]

I don't care what universe they're in, if they're good games I will play them.

[Junai]

if Atari's interested in new D&D games and we have people available and can keep food on the table for our devs, we'll try to figure out how to do it.

 

I guess it'll be a while before you make a new D&D-game after NWN2. I still hunger for a new Infinity-engine game, but then I'm an old fart, and stuck in my ways. Dunno why I love those game more than the new Aurora-engine ones. Old habits die hard I guess. I'd love to see an IE engine-like game, with entirely realistic movie-like animations, no oversized or cartoon-like humanoids. No massive and disruptive spell-effects (except fireball etc) or WoW-like hitpoint-counters etc over the avatars. No big and blurry avatar circle-markers. Just pure beautiful ultra-realistic animations, IE-engine eagles-eye view, outdoor background sounds with avatar voices recorded at a distance to fit the eagles-eye view setting. Painted avatar-portraits. Climbing, riding and swimming. Full party control. Full character developement control. A huge Pirates-like world map where you can move your party around. And of course.. BG2 length.. or more.

 

Well, one can always dream.

 

I guess I'll have to suffer a few more futuristic crpgs first. They seem to be the big things these days.

 

J.

Edited November 25, 2007 by Junai

[mkreku]

Personally I'm hoping that they'll never touch the D&D license again. It's such a horribly stilted system that actively encourages meta-gaming. I hate meta-gaming.

[Dark_Raven]

Now that D&D 4th ed is coming out, I would agree, no more D&D games. We will have to be fortunate enough that they did the BG and IWD games and leave it at that.

[Xard]

Personally I'm hoping that they'll never touch the D&D license again. It's such a horribly stilted system that actively encourages meta-gaming. I hate meta-gaming.

 

No it doesn't. D&D has its flaws, true, but it's still great system. And which does not encourage meta-gaming.