New Obsidz Gaim?

[Hell Kitty]

BG3.

[Zoma]

There are exactly three North America studios with the capabilities and experiences to develop an AAA CRPG. Bethesda hasn't been using external IPs for nearly 15 years. Bioware turned away from external IPs in recent years and is owned by a publisher that a) without a D&D licenses b)Unlikely to cut a co-publishing deal with Atari.

 

Those left Obsidian as the only choice if Atari wants a D&D CRPG to be made. Given the current 2 years+ cycle, if development hasn't started this year then the game wouldn't be ready until 2012. By then it will be 6 years past Atari's last non-expansion D&D games. It's unthinkable Atari would let such a valuable licenses goes underutilized for so long.

 

So I would bet Obsidian's secret project is a new D&D game.

 

Makes sense.

 

Considering Dark Sun will make its return to the D&D franchise and for the 4th edition, I have high suspicion it would be Dark Sun. Otherwise its the usual NWN3 or BG3.

Edited September 18, 2009 by Zoma

[Starwars]

If it was an established franchise, then wouldn't that mean that they would've had a publisher signed on since the very beginning of the project?

 

If they signed on with a publisher only 10 weeks ago, wouldn't it be more likely that it's an original project or am I understanding this wrong?

[Morgoth]

Didn't they just start development about 10 weeks ago?

[Starwars]

I think the project using Onyx has been in development longer than that, but I may be wrong.

[Morgoth]

Nobody knows for sure, that's for sure.

[Oner]

Original RPG?

 

...

 

One can only hope.

Alpha Protocol?

[Syraxis]

Didn't they just start development about 10 weeks ago?

 

Probably means they went into full production 10 weeks ago, what would be the point of starting actual development if a studio is unsure if they'll be able to secure funding in the first place?

[Starwars]

This topic was started in April: http://forums.obsidian.net/index.php?showtopic=52101

 

So I guess that means no BG3 for example since Atari would've been attached from the start in that case if I understand how these things work. Hopefully an original setting.

[Pop]

Not necessarily. From what we can tell, Obsidz probably started work on New Vegas before they got an official contract from Bethesda. Aliens got axed in February and Sawyer started playing F3 incessantly, etc. The contract was signed in April and the announcement was made shortly thereafter.

 

I would doubt that we've got a BG3 or NWN3 in the works simply because relying on Atari is such a big big big risk. They may not be in as bad of straits as they were before Ghostbusters and the like came out, but they're still shaky. They just got a new CFO within the last few days. On the panel Fergie talked about taking a risk to make D&D games in the past since they love the game, but 2 or more years being dependent on Atari is a whole 'nother level of risk.

 

That having been said, I think Anthony Davis said way back when on the Codex that the unannounced game is fantasy, and I think that was after Seven Dwarves got canceled.

 

And let me be the first to say a bloo bloo 4th ed a bloo bloo.

Edited September 18, 2009 by Pop

[Masterfade]

Gamasutra - GDC Austin: The Pitfalls And Practicalities Of Licensed Games

 

Says Feargus Urquhart, CEO of Obsidian Entertainment, "A lot of it has to do with looking at the economic times. When there's more money, people are more willing to take risks. What we really rely upon on [these economic times] is to look at the catalog of the publisher." This is not a movie license, but the reawakening of a dormant franchise, in other words.

 

Of course the highlighted part is reporter's own speculation, but as an industry site Gamasutra may have some insider knowledge, so who knows.

[Monte Carlo]

Been playing lots of NWN2 recently, especially MotB, MoW and SoZ. These three show the versatility of the engine and D&D 3.5 rules. I'd be very happy with a NWN3, but obviously a bit more wary if it were 4E D&D.

 

Cheers

MC

[Bos_hybrid]

Any new D&D game would use 4E.

[Rostere]

So, let's assume it's a RPG. If it's "dormant", it's also (probably) not a franchise someone else is already working at, or something anyone has been doing for quite some time. With both NWN 2, KotOR 2 and now Fallout: New Vegas, Obsidian must have gained quite the reputation for continuing the work of others. Also, the mere usage of the word "franchise" implies that it is just that, a franchise of some repute (and not just a sequel to a single game). Also, Obsidian would probably not strike a deal with a publisher with a weak economy. Or maybe they already hold the rights?

 

Would it also be reasonable to assume that Obsidian wants to create a game in which they can recycle their art assets from "Alien: Crucible"?

 

So, let's look at the big publishers and the franchises they hold.

 

Let's just say this: whatever it is, it's bound to be a big thing

[cb.spike]

I know a lot of people around here love 40K, so I was thinking of talking to THQ at some point about whether they would like to a 40K game that is more RPG than RTS.

 

This would be rad.

[Sannom]

Of course the highlighted part is reporter's own speculation, but as an industry site Gamasutra may have some insider knowledge, so who knows.

 

I think you may have completely misunterpreted the comment, in fact. This wasn't a comment about Obsidian's unannounced game, but a clarification about what Feargus was talking about. The panel seemed dedicated to licences and such, and the journalist just cleared out that Feargus wasn't talking about licences from another medias, but about old game series that didn't see the light of day for a time, and that a developper could ask to revive because it fits with what they do.

[Gorth]

I know a lot of people around here love 40K, so I was thinking of talking to THQ at some point about whether they would like to a 40K game that is more RPG than RTS.

 

This would be rad.

I remember that (or a very similar) line from way back. I needed a cold shower afterwards

 

Heck, all they need to do is re-skin the aliens into genestealers and dress the marines up as Imperial Guardsmen and the the Onyx engine gets a chance to show us what was almost originally intended

[ramza]

Gamasutra - GDC Austin: The Pitfalls And Practicalities Of Licensed Games

 

Says Feargus Urquhart, CEO of Obsidian Entertainment, "A lot of it has to do with looking at the economic times. When there's more money, people are more willing to take risks. What we really rely upon on [these economic times] is to look at the catalog of the publisher." This is not a movie license, but the reawakening of a dormant franchise, in other words.

 

Of course the highlighted part is reporter's own speculation, but as an industry site Gamasutra may have some insider knowledge, so who knows.

 

Do you think he means BG3?

[Kelverin]

Any new D&D game would use 4E.

Who cares as long as the story is good. I am not a fan of 3rd edition but NWN2 plus expansions have been keeping me entertained for endless hours.

[Flouride]

I know a lot of people around here love 40K, so I was thinking of talking to THQ at some point about whether they would like to a 40K game that is more RPG than RTS.

 

This would be rad.

 

Hmh. Who said that and where?

[Zoma]

Can a lasgun even kill a Genestealer?

[Bos_hybrid]

Any new D&D game would use 4E.

Who cares as long as the story is good. I am not a fan of 3rd edition but NWN2 plus expansions have been keeping me entertained for endless hours.

 

I don't care, 2, 3 or 4 makes no difference to me. I was responding to:

 

I'd be very happy with a NWN3, but obviously a bit more wary if it were 4E D&D.

Edited September 20, 2009 by Bos_hybrid

[Masterfade]

I think you may have completely misunterpreted the comment, in fact. This wasn't a comment about Obsidian's unannounced game, but a clarification about what Feargus was talking about. The panel seemed dedicated to licences and such, and the journalist just cleared out that Feargus wasn't talking about licences from another medias, but about old game series that didn't see the light of day for a time, and that a developper could ask to revive because it fits with what they do.

 

The quotations in the article gave me the impression that Feargus was explaining to rest of the panel Obsidian's strategy to get publishing deals during the economic slowdown, rather than discussing what a hypothetical developer may do. As we knew FO:NV was initiated from the Bethesda side, the project in question could have only been the unannounced title, right?

[cb.spike]

I know a lot of people around here love 40K, so I was thinking of talking to THQ at some point about whether they would like to a 40K game that is more RPG than RTS.

 

This would be rad.

 

Hmh. Who said that and where?

 

It has been a while:

 

http://forums.obsidian.net/index.php?showtopic=41584

[Rostere]

I we only knew who the publisher for this new game was. If it's Atari, it's bound to be Baldur's Gate 3. I mean, the changes to Baldur's Gate in 4th ed. basically screams for a game to be located there.