Dungeon Siege 3 at New York Comic Con

[WorstUsernameEver]

MotB was the project for Obsidian, no doubt about that. I wish they could go back to those levels, but I'm not expecting that.

[Mirage]

Seeing a shadow of its former glory would be nice.

[Tigranes]

That's a bit harsh - MOTB had the benefit of being an expansion pack where they could solely focus on what they do best, and also had a reasonable budget/time for it (unlike SOZ). I think Obsidian in pretty much every release have proven perfectly capable of being so much better than pretty much everybody else out there in those areas (... and lamentably weak in some).

[Mirage]

That's a bit harsh - MOTB had the benefit of being an expansion pack where they could solely focus on what they do best, and also had a reasonable budget/time for it (unlike SOZ). I think Obsidian in pretty much every release have proven perfectly capable of being so much better than pretty much everybody else out there in those areas (... and lamentably weak in some).

 

I agree with you. I was also referring to their Black Isle days. Also, while almost every reelease they've had is leaps and bounds above the industry in a few key areas, I know most of them pale in comparison to what they are capable of. It's a compliment, in a twisted way.

[Sannom]

That's not the point. It's not the QA that it's borked. It's their scope management that is borked. You can use the 'we've got too ambitious' excuse for only so long before you start looking like fools after all.

 

I've come across multiple discussions where Obsidian is said to have used the 'we were too ambitious' for each and every of their project (more like they admitted that it was why they screwed up). So far, I never had the impression that they used it for KOTOR 2 and NWN 2, where they said that they got too ambitious and the game suffered a lot because of it, with a lot of content cut, multiple bugs, etc. For New Vegas, they had objectives, and they kept them, they didn't get so ambitious that the game suffered a lot from it. Testing a game like New Vegas certainly seems hard even if they kept everything 'in line'.

[WorstUsernameEver]

I've come across multiple discussions where Obsidian is said to have used the 'we were too ambitious' for each and every of their project (more like they admitted that it was why they screwed up). So far, I never had the impression that they used it for KOTOR 2 and NWN 2, where they said that they got too ambitious and the game suffered a lot because of it, with a lot of content cut, multiple bugs, etc. For New Vegas, they had objectives, and they kept them, they didn't get so ambitious that the game suffered a lot from it. Testing a game like New Vegas certainly seems hard even if they kept everything 'in line'.

 

I remember both Chris Avellone and Josh Sawyer using a paraphrase on that when interviewed about those two games, and of course, Chris reused it for New Vegas. And you know why testing a game like New Vegas it's so hard? Because it's big. And why it's big? Who made it this big? Obsidian. Seriously the game didn't even need it, there are so many quests that simply amount to "go there", "talk to this guy" and so on..

Of course it's likely that at this point a fair amount of content of Dungeon Siege III is already completed, so they've likely got the scope down. Let's just hope that working on a barebone game (seriously, it's just combat when you think about it) is helping them...

[Zoraptor]

Bugs suck, but bugs can (and should) be fixed. They're also the inevitable consequence of any sufficiently complicated set of systems. A boring, generic, vanilla, unmemorable and unambitious game will be those things for all eternity.

 

The one way to make sure you never reach the stars is to never even try shooting for them in the first place.

[WorstUsernameEver]

Bugs suck, but bugs can (and should) be fixed. They're also the inevitable consequence of any sufficiently complicated set of systems. A boring, generic, vanilla, unmemorable and unambitious game will be those things for all eternity.

 

The one way to make sure you never reach the stars is to never even try shooting for them in the first place.

 

But Fallout New Vegas wouldn't have been any more generic, boring, vanilla, unmemorable, more adjectives if they cut out on the fetch quests. No sir.

[Zoraptor]

There's already an option for fewer fetch quests. Say "No sir" when asked to do them or just don't do them if received.

 

[Really though, I know what you're saying and agree to an extent. But there's no point having something bug free and polished if everything else about it is small and mediocre]

Edited October 26, 2010 by Zoraptor

[WorstUsernameEver]

[Really though, I know what you're saying and agree to an extent. But there's no point having something bug free and polished if everything else about it is small and mediocre]

 

And that's not what I was saying, just that Obsidian needs a middle ground. And honestly, Dungeon Siege III will live or die on its combat mechanics, not its roleplaying capabilities, so it needs to be as polished as possible.

[funcroc]

PR: NavPower 3.0 Released, New Licenses Announced

"Over the past year, NavPower licensing has really taken off with many AAA titles adopting NavPower as their pathfinding solution," said David Miles, NavPower CTO. "This includes games from leading publishers such as Electronic Arts, THQ and Square Enix, as well as developers like Obsidian Entertainment."

 

"We are very excited to announce licenses for the much-anticipated Dead Space 2 from Visceral Games, Darkspore from Maxis, and the action RPG Dungeon Siege III developed by Obsidian Entertainment,

[funcroc]

- Alvin got a promotion

 

 

 

- SquareEnixDave

Demo'd DS3 to all of Square and everyone loved it! Very excited about this title!!

Edited October 29, 2010 by funcroc

[Labadal]

Congratulations and good luck, Alvin.

[WorstUsernameEver]

Congrats Alvin.

[Sannom]

Congratulations, Alvin.

[taviow]

CONGRATS!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I could use a promotion myself. Stuck down the depressing hole.

 

baw baw...

[Oner]

Gratz Alvin!

[funcroc]

SquareEnixDave's tweet

Had a very productive meeting with the team of Dungeon Siege III. This game is going to be my best idea yet!

 

Alvin's Facebook

Edited October 30, 2010 by funcroc

[Sannom]

SquareEnixDave's tweet

Had a very productive meeting with the team of Dungeon Siege III. This game is going to be my best idea yet!

 

 

Wonder what he means by that? That he was the one at Square Enix who decided to use that franchise and ask Obsidian for development?

[funcroc]

As Square Enix' Director of Business Development, he purchased the Dungeon Siege IP from GPG and chose Obsidian as the developer of DS3.

[Alvin Nelson]

Ha, thanks everyone!

[mkreku]

Go Ass Prod!

[funcroc]

Square Enix financial results

[Labadal]

I see Dungeon Siege III was not mentioned in the formally announced titles. I was really hoping for a spring 2011 release, but it seems I can forget that.

[SirPetrakus]

Man, am I late to the party or what? That New Vegas has me occupied completely! Anyway, congrats to all the people getting promotions. Keep up the good work!