New MCA blog post: On Project Directors and Lead Designers

[Rostere]

Yup, I meant 'combat' by 'action'. As for the dialogue system, I'd prefer Obsidian to drop that totally since while it gives a good feeling of snappy dialogue overall it's not simply worth the bother as a mechanic and it's too tied to the Hollywood spy movie feel.

 

I honestly completly disagree there. Alpha Protocol's timed dialouge system was the best (except for the descriptions on the wheel) I ever experienced. The Talk felt dynamic, interesting, real and in contrast to other dialog systems lines weren't repeated 250 times in a row.

 

I think there should be more options in conversations though. The AP dialogue system is clearly designed for consoles.

[WorstUsernameEver]

Yup, I meant 'combat' by 'action'. As for the dialogue system, I'd prefer Obsidian to drop that totally since while it gives a good feeling of snappy dialogue overall it's not simply worth the bother as a mechanic and it's too tied to the Hollywood spy movie feel.

 

I honestly completly disagree there. Alpha Protocol's timed dialouge system was the best (except for the descriptions on the wheel) I ever experienced. The Talk felt dynamic, interesting, real and in contrast to other dialog systems lines weren't repeated 250 times in a row.

 

It's also is a mechanic that puts a lot of stress on the player even during dialogue and forces you to game it for the most part, understandable as a goal for a spy game, but not for other genres.

Unfortunately, from the Dungeon Siege III previews, it looks like they are keeping the paraphrase system even there. I doubt we'll get an Obsidian game developed from the ground up with a non-voiced protagonist again.

 

Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if even Bethesda tried to abandon that route.

[Bos_hybrid]

Unfortunately, from the Dungeon Siege III previews, it looks like they are keeping the paraphrase system even there. I doubt we'll get an Obsidian game developed from the ground up with a non-voiced protagonist again.

 

Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if even Bethesda tried to abandon that route.

 

Your killing me here. Stop saying such evil things.

Edited September 9, 2010 by Bos_hybrid

[C2B]

It's also is a mechanic that puts a lot of stress on the player even during dialogue and forces you to game it for the most part, understandable as a goal for a spy game, but not for other genres.

Unfortunately, from the Dungeon Siege III previews, it looks like they are keeping the paraphrase system even there. I doubt we'll get an Obsidian game developed from the ground up with a non-voiced protagonist again.

 

Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if even Bethesda tried to abandon that route.

 

In my opinion I don't think that's an issue if the options aren't as many or the timer was used better. Nor do I think that it is only usuable in Spy games. It would have worked just as good in Mass Effect and especially in the first we wouldn't have different options with the same lines.

 

Also if I remember right it was probably the feature the least reviewers complained about.

Edited September 9, 2010 by C2B

[WorstUsernameEver]

It's also is a mechanic that puts a lot of stress on the player even during dialogue and forces you to game it for the most part, understandable as a goal for a spy game, but not for other genres.

Unfortunately, from the Dungeon Siege III previews, it looks like they are keeping the paraphrase system even there. I doubt we'll get an Obsidian game developed from the ground up with a non-voiced protagonist again.

 

Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if even Bethesda tried to abandon that route.

 

In my opinion I don't think that's an issue if the options aren't as many or the timer was used better. Nor do I think that it is only usuable in Spy games. It would have worked just as good in Mass Effect and especially in the first we wouldn't have different options with the same lines.

 

Also if I remember right it was probably the feature the least reviewers complained about.

 

Actually, the dialogue stance system changes the structure of the game far more than the dialogue wheel does, so no, I don't believe Mass Effect would have been the same game with it.

[C2B]

Actually, the dialogue stance system changes the structure of the game far more than the dialogue wheel does, so no, I don't believe Mass Effect would have been the same game with it.

 

Excuse me, but were did I say it would have been exact the same game? I said it would have worked for it too.

 

Also wasn't the original Design of Mass Effects dialog system stance based too (without timer)?

Edited September 9, 2010 by C2B

[WorstUsernameEver]

Actually, the dialogue stance system changes the structure of the game far more than the dialogue wheel does, so no, I don't believe Mass Effect would have been the same game with it.

 

Excuse me, but were did I say it would have been exact the same game? I said it would have worked for it too.

 

Also wasn't the original Design of Mass Effects dialog system stance based too (without timer)?

 

But the fact that it has a timer and that you can't go back to the old part of the conversation are the defining features of the DSS.

And having that system inevitably completely changes the structure of the game.

Structurally Mass Effect was still very much a normal Bioware RPG, while having the DSS would have made it much much much different and would have probably cut out a sizeable chunk of side quests.

[C2B]

Actually, the dialogue stance system changes the structure of the game far more than the dialogue wheel does, so no, I don't believe Mass Effect would have been the same game with it.

 

Excuse me, but were did I say it would have been exact the same game? I said it would have worked for it too.

 

Also wasn't the original Design of Mass Effects dialog system stance based too (without timer)?

 

But the fact that it has a timer and that you can't go back to the old part of the conversation are the defining features of the DSS.

And having that system inevitably completely changes the structure of the game.

Structurally Mass Effect was still very much a normal Bioware RPG, while having the DSS would have made it much much much different and would have probably cut out a sizeable chunk of side quests.

 

How is that even a defining feature? That was because of the narrative structure of Alpha Protocol NOT because of its dialog system

 

It's more of how you arrange it. For example: Have a number of main topic's in the first choice. Now ask about one topic, go through it DSS stlyle according to choices and when the topic is finished make the option unavailable. Repeat. And at the end use a CALIBRATIONS like sentence.

 

And thats a one second thought simple idea by me with tons of improvments you could make.

 

 

And how in the world are these "facts" inside the dialog system. They are not unchangable and can be improved.

 

 

Like sooo much in AP sadly

 

 

Edit (The more I think about it. There isn't really a big difference in much a way between the two systems. It's a different approach to it)

Edited September 9, 2010 by C2B

[WorstUsernameEver]

Actually, the dialogue stance system changes the structure of the game far more than the dialogue wheel does, so no, I don't believe Mass Effect would have been the same game with it.

 

Excuse me, but were did I say it would have been exact the same game? I said it would have worked for it too.

 

Also wasn't the original Design of Mass Effects dialog system stance based too (without timer)?

 

But the fact that it has a timer and that you can't go back to the old part of the conversation are the defining features of the DSS.

And having that system inevitably completely changes the structure of the game.

Structurally Mass Effect was still very much a normal Bioware RPG, while having the DSS would have made it much much much different and would have probably cut out a sizeable chunk of side quests.

 

How is that even a defining feature? That was because of the narrative structure of Alpha Protocol NOT because of its dialog system

 

It's more of how you arrange it. For example: Have a number of main topic's in the first choice. Now ask about one topic, go through it DSS stlyle according to choices and when the topic is finished make the option unavailable. Repeat. And at the end use a CALIBRATIONS like sentence.

 

And thats a one second thought simple idea by me with tons of improvments you could make.

 

 

And how in the world are these "facts" inside the dialog system. They are not unchangable and can be improved.

 

 

Like sooo much in AP sadly

 

 

Edit (The more I think about it. There isn't really a big difference in much a way between the two systems. It's a different approach to it)

 

Actually, that's how the developers sold the system, not me.

You're basically saying that you want the Mass Effect dialogue wheel.

[C2B]

Actually, that's how the developers sold the system, not me.

You're basically saying that you want the Mass Effect dialogue wheel.

 

No, no I don't. I still want the timer, I still want the stances, I still want non repetive, branching dialog, I still want everything.

 

I just don't think that an existing system can't be expanded, adapted and optimized.

 

Furthermore, falling back entirly to an old system or starting a new one entirly from scratch isn't the best solution.

 

Because that isn't efficent nor does it benefit anyone.

Edited September 9, 2010 by C2B

[vault_overseer]

One thing that made me embrace DSS, was understanding that you really do not choose a response, as in the dialog wheel, you sorta choose the mood of the PC, which can change throughout the conversation. Which is why DSS timer makes sense - PC is already in a certain mood and unless you change it, he will stay in it.

[Matthew Rorie]

Alright, time to spill the beans. Now that I no longer work there and any NDAs I've signed have probably expired, I think I can say this, finally:

 

Obsidian is working on a high school hentai rpg dating simulator with mechas.

[C2B]

Alright, time to spill the beans. Now that I no longer work there and any NDAs I've signed have probably expired, I think I can say this, finally:

 

Obsidian is working on a high school hentai rpg dating simulator with mechas.

 

That's a good joke.

 

Ha ha ha ha

 

ha

 

...

Tell me that's a joke

[Oner]

Hey Matt! ,o/

 

 

So... the tentacles rape high schooler mechas?

[WorstUsernameEver]

Alright, time to spill the beans. Now that I no longer work there and any NDAs I've signed have probably expired, I think I can say this, finally:

 

Obsidian is working on a high school hentai rpg dating simulator with mechas.

 

That's the BEST. NEWS. EVER!

 

THANKS MATT! THANKS!

 

 

 

And by the way.. MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT

[kirottu]

I KNEW IT!!1

[Bos_hybrid]

Alright, time to spill the beans. Now that I no longer work there and any NDAs I've signed have probably expired, I think I can say this, finally:

 

Obsidian is working on a high school hentai rpg dating simulator with mechas.

 

So Obs is making FF:XV, I was expecting this.

[WorstUsernameEver]

Josh's working on other projects now.

[funcroc]

C&VG: Fallout New Vegas devs already on next project

You'd think the gigantic team behind the latest mega-RPG, Fallout: New Vegas would be getting a well-earned rest in a Haven holiday camp somewhere about now, but the Obsidian team's revealed it's already moved over to the next project.

 

Senior designer Chris Avellone explained that most of the New Vegas team took it's holiday earlier this month, and now it's all "ramped up" for the next big thing.

 

"Almost everyone who was on New Vegas was slated to move over to another project within a week or two after it went out, so they're all getting ramped up on other projects now," he said. "We're keeping them pretty busy."

 

"We've been filling vacation requests from everyone so it's been building up for a while," he added. "We actually ended up doing a lot of that earlier this month and last month so everyone's coming back now and getting into the swing of things."

[Bendu]

So no FNV DLC by Obsidian?

[WorstUsernameEver]

So no FNV DLC by Obsidian?

 

Of course they'll do that. They apparently have 3/4 projects going on, which is obviously too much for them for anyone that's not Obsidian to not notice, but Feargus apparently can't find another way to keep the money flowing.

[Flouride]

Of course they'll do that. They apparently have 3/4 projects going on, which is obviously too much for them for anyone that's not Obsidian to not notice, but Feargus apparently can't find another way to keep the money flowing.

 

So now you got a degree in running an indie gaming company? I think Feargus (or someone) explained it pretty well why they operate with 3 teams/games being in motion simultaniously instead of just 2. Cba to find that interview though.

[WorstUsernameEver]

Of course they'll do that. They apparently have 3/4 projects going on, which is obviously too much for them for anyone that's not Obsidian to not notice, but Feargus apparently can't find another way to keep the money flowing.

 

So now you got a degree in running an indie gaming company? I think Feargus (or someone) explained it pretty well why they operate with 3 teams/games being in motion simultaniously instead of just 2. Cba to find that interview though.

 

I've seen Obsidian's track record.

[Flouride]

I've seen Obsidian's track record.

 

Yeah, and compare that to another indie crpg company as in Troika. Oh yeah, they kinda died after they lost the bid for Fallout license and couldn't get any contracts. Seems to me like Obsidian's 3 projects at the same time works a bit better than 1-2.

 

Yeah, their track record is really poor. I mean c'mon releasing 6 games on 4 different engines in quite fast time (most of the games anyways). It's not like kotor, nwn or fallout 3 didn't have any bugs. And all those games had much longer development times than Obsidian had.

[funcroc]

Apparently Tess Treadwell is working on an unannounced title based on Onyx engine

we meet again, Onyx.