Feargus Urquhart interview at GameBanshee

[funcroc]

http://www.gamebanshee.com/interviews/feargusurquhart1.php

 

GB: Aside from the Aliens RPG, Alpha Protocol, and Fallout: New Vegas, do you have any other unannounced titles in development? If so, how long have you been actively developing the title(s)?

 

Feargus: We have been working on another title for the last four months that we can't talk about yet. It's going really well though and the team is really excited. It's using our own internal engine so we are really able to do things our way based upon everything we've learned about making RPGs in the past ten to fifteen years. Don't take that as a silent slam on Unreal - it's not. Our engine, like Unreal, is a tool and different jobs can be done better with tools that are made for them. There are things that our engine may never do as well as Unreal, but likewise there are things that our engine will do that will be better than Unreal.

Edited June 12, 2009 by funcroc

[kirottu]

Feargus is doing interview spree?

[Jaesun]

Yay! Can I assume SEKRET NEW GAME uses the Onyx engine?

 

And Feargus did not correct the interviewer that they are NOT working on Aliens RPG.... so that must be a GOOD thing then?

Edited June 12, 2009 by Jaesun

[Morgoth]

Aha, Ferg hinted that they're working on a fantasy property? Noice.

[Humodour]

What we know:

 

- Black Isle is working on a new game.

- It uses their own game universe (IP)

- Because of this, it probably uses their own rule set

- It uses their home-made Onyx game engine (which is 3D, probably best suited for 3rd person, probably squad/team-based gameplay)

- The game universe is fantasy-based, though whether that's steampunk, gothic fantasy, dungeons and dragons style, etc is unknown. Given their comments in the past, dungeons and dragons style can probably be ruled out and something unique and intriguing ruled in.

- They essentially started working on this new game around the time Aliens was rumoured to be cancelled, so I think it's safe to just let that game go.

[Jaesun]

What we know:

 

- Black Isle is working on a new game.

- It uses their own game universe (IP)

- Because of this, it probably uses their own rule set

- It uses their home-made Onyx game engine (which is 3D, probably best suited for 3rd person, probably squad/team-based gameplay)

- The game universe is fantasy-based, though whether that's steampunk, gothic fantasy, dungeons and dragons style, etc is unknown. Given their comments in the past, dungeons and dragons style can probably be ruled out and something unique and intriguing ruled in.

- They essentially started working on this new game around the time Aliens was rumoured to be cancelled, so I think it's safe to just let that game go.

 

Back in Nostalga mode there?

[Magister Lajciak]

What we know:

 

- Black Isle is working on a new game.

- It uses their own game universe (IP)

- Because of this, it probably uses their own rule set

- It uses their home-made Onyx game engine (which is 3D, probably best suited for 3rd person, probably squad/team-based gameplay)

- The game universe is fantasy-based, though whether that's steampunk, gothic fantasy, dungeons and dragons style, etc is unknown. Given their comments in the past, dungeons and dragons style can probably be ruled out and something unique and intriguing ruled in.

- They essentially started working on this new game around the time Aliens was rumoured to be cancelled, so I think it's safe to just let that game go.

 

Do we really know these things?

 

We know that Obsidian is working on a new game and that it is a fantasy game. I am not so sure, however, that it is their own IP. In fact, I suspect that the game will be BG3 (a new D&D game could be nice if it weren't 4E), since Atari has recently stated it is reviving the Baldur's Gate franchise.

[Morgoth]

The question is, will it be more traditional a'la Dragon Age (bad), or will it push the genre forward?

[Humodour]

What we know:

 

- Black Isle is working on a new game.

- It uses their own game universe (IP)

- Because of this, it probably uses their own rule set

- It uses their home-made Onyx game engine (which is 3D, probably best suited for 3rd person, probably squad/team-based gameplay)

- The game universe is fantasy-based, though whether that's steampunk, gothic fantasy, dungeons and dragons style, etc is unknown. Given their comments in the past, dungeons and dragons style can probably be ruled out and something unique and intriguing ruled in.

- They essentially started working on this new game around the time Aliens was rumoured to be cancelled, so I think it's safe to just let that game go.

 

Do we really know these things?

 

We know that Obsidian is working on a new game and that it is a fantasy game. I am not so sure, however, that it is their own IP. In fact, I suspect that the game will be BG3 (a new D&D game could be nice if it weren't 4E), since Atari has recently stated it is reviving the Baldur's Gate franchise.

 

I'm pretty certain we do:

 

"What we'd love to do instead is tackle something like Baldur's Gate 3 or create our own new fantasy world - or have we already been doing that? "

 

There's no way it's BG3, because Fergus isn't about to just leak the fact that they are working on BG3 in casual conversation - even if he wanted to, he'd be under contract with Atari and hence very careful about his wording. It's far more likely he's referring to "our own new fantasy world", especially given the wording of the sentence.

[Zoma]

I'm guessing George Ziets will be taking up as the creative lead, Tony Evans as the lead designer.

[funcroc]

According to MCA's LinkedIn profile, it seems Kevin Saunders left Obsidan.

[Magister Lajciak]

What we know:

 

- Black Isle is working on a new game.

- It uses their own game universe (IP)

- Because of this, it probably uses their own rule set

- It uses their home-made Onyx game engine (which is 3D, probably best suited for 3rd person, probably squad/team-based gameplay)

- The game universe is fantasy-based, though whether that's steampunk, gothic fantasy, dungeons and dragons style, etc is unknown. Given their comments in the past, dungeons and dragons style can probably be ruled out and something unique and intriguing ruled in.

- They essentially started working on this new game around the time Aliens was rumoured to be cancelled, so I think it's safe to just let that game go.

 

Do we really know these things?

 

We know that Obsidian is working on a new game and that it is a fantasy game. I am not so sure, however, that it is their own IP. In fact, I suspect that the game will be BG3 (a new D&D game could be nice if it weren't 4E), since Atari has recently stated it is reviving the Baldur's Gate franchise.

 

I'm pretty certain we do:

 

"What we'd love to do instead is tackle something like Baldur's Gate 3 or create our own new fantasy world - or have we already been doing that? "

 

There's no way it's BG3, because Fergus isn't about to just leak the fact that they are working on BG3 in casual conversation - even if he wanted to, he'd be under contract with Atari and hence very careful about his wording. It's far more likely he's referring to "our own new fantasy world", especially given the wording of the sentence.

 

I don't know... that is a very vague and non-commital statement that might well be completely in jest. Yes, Obsidian could be making their own fantasy IP, but I wouldn't base that assumption on this quote.

[funcroc]

Kevin Saunders' LinkedIn profile updated

 

Kevin Saunders

 

Current

* Creative Director at Alelo

 

Past

* Producer and Lead Designer at Obsidian Entertainment

* Author at Thompson Delmar Learning

* Designer at Electronic Arts

* Designer at Westwood Studios

* Designer at Crytek

* Lead Designer and Producer at Nexon

[Rostere]

Does this "new" fantasy game perhaps have something to do with the cancelled project called "Seven Dwarves"?

[fastpunk]

For ever good news (this new project) there's gotta be a bad one to balance it out (Kevin Saunders leaving). That's life I guess. We can only wish him success in any future endeavors!

 

I'm guessing George Ziets will be taking up as the creative lead, Tony Evans as the lead designer.

 

Yes, that's probably the case. And Anthony Davis is probably on board as well. I remember reading this interview with George Ziets (which was taken around the time he left Obsidian if I remember right) and thinking that it would be awesome if he worked on an original IP. I can't wait to find out more details about this project, assuming it moves beyond the drawing board of course.

[Monte Carlo]

Go on, it's Torn, isn't it?

[H]

That would be cool. I always thought that the protagonist being a bringer of misfortune was a great idea.