Obsidian: We Would Make Alpha Protocol 2

[funcroc]

http://www.nowgamer.com/news/5876/obsidian...lpha-protocol-2

 

Obsidian: We Would Make Alpha Protocol 2

 

Feargus Urquhart, CEO of Alpha Protocol developers Obsidian, has told Play that he would happily make Alpha Protocol 2

 

The revelation came after Play asked how he felt about Alpha Protocol

[Sannom]

Also from that interview, he says that one of the franchise he would like to visit is Dune.

[C2B]

Also from that interview, he says that one of the franchise he would like to visit is Dune.

 

Can you make a summary of the article?

[Dabu]

Please, make Alpha Protocol 2...

[Flouride]

Aye, I would buy it immediately.

 

And would love a summary of the article as well.

[Sannom]

It's not a 'linear' interview, it's one of those interviews where little bits are separated into relevant topics and inserted into an article. The article is separated in three parts, first a talk mostly focused on Dungeon Siege 3, after that a talk about Obsidian's past, and the last entry is about Obsidian's future.

 

The DS3 preview :

- The intro is about how the journalist would be disappointed in his readers if they never heard the name 'Feargus Urquhart', reminding us of his role at Black Isle and the games made under his tenure there, and later at Obsidian.

- After that, we're reminded of Obsidian's history with external IPs, followed by a commentary that DS3 really doesn't fit with those, as it really feels like Obsidian's own project, with a vision that shares more with Obsidian's than Chris Taylor's.

- Feargus shares his view about the 'right' way to do a follow-up of another studio's game, updating game systems and gameplay while still staying respectful of what came before.

- Follows a rather long discussion about DS3 action-focused gameplay and how Obsidian introduced its best elements (story and characters) into it. "You can have a very verbose story with a lot of characters, but players will enjoy it if they feel that they're participating rather than responding.", says Feargus at the end.

 

The Past :

- 'Intellectualism', Feargus talks about the difficulties of launching a new IP. He says that one of the big projects they're proposing right now is a new IP and that the experience with AP has taught them how to approach that kind of project, both internally and with the publisher.

- 'Pre-Alpha Protocol', Feargus mainly says that communication has to be better thought out, because he thinks that part of AP's bad reception can be blamed on gamers misunderstanding what exactly they were going to receive.

- 'A Blast From The Past' and 'Desert Bugs' : they're the bits already put out by Now Gamer, about PST2 and FNV's bugs.

 

The Future :

- 'Levelling up' : Feargus doesn't share the interviewer's impression that RPGs are dying, they've been around forever and because they provide a unique kind of experience, they will always stay around.

- '+1 AK-47' : discussion about Cliff Bleszinski's quote that the future of video games was in the design of RPGs. Feargus agrees that the integration of some RPG mechanics into other games can lead to very fun results, but that RPGs themselves offer a very different kind of experience.

- 'A Memorable Future' : Feargus wonders about where the genre could be taken. Visual things are a given, but what about companions and story? How could they improve that with the new tools at their disposal.

- 'Obsidian's Dream Project' : a little list of what Feargus would like to work on. He mentions D&D as the old flame that will probably never be forgotten entirely, the world of Frank Herbert's Dune, the Wheel Of Time that apparently hasn't started production yet and mentions that he once talked with designers of how they could make a 'World War 2 epic'.

Edited May 21, 2011 by Sannom

[funcroc]

Thanks, Sannom

[Purkake]

My feelings toward AP2 are ambivalent.

[Dabu]

I would love to play Alpha Protocol 2. AP is one of the greatest games I've ever played, next to Planescape: Torment and Deus Ex.

 

Just polish some technical matters and it'll be totally awesome.

[Cutlock]

This is a game I'm helping make. Its an indie game.

 

It is based ENTIRELY OFF OF ALPHA PROTOCOL.

 

This is not promotion or anything. I posted this simply to show that people do care. And that if Obsidian never makes AP2 (according to Sega) you can at least have this.

 

http://onpointstudios.webs.com/

[Alpha]

here is another article about the same :

 

http://www.gameinformer.com/

 

i'd say Bring it Obsidian...AP was a great game! Unfairly criticized by ridiculous Obsidian hate.

[Purkake]

They can't just "bring it" you need funding and preferably an established player base.

[pmp10]

Even if obsidian owns the IP who would finance the sequel?

Sega is the most risk-taking of the big publishers and even they were not happy with the reception of AP.

[Karl the Unfettered]

Nah, Sega needs all the money they can get to keep churning out lame Sonic games.

[Decabo]

It seems like a no-brainer. Take the things that people liked about the first game (Story, characters, branching), and just solve the blatant technical problems/bad AI, fix some of the combat issues, and ridiculously unfair bosses, and better graphics, you'd have a pretty great game.

[Alpha]

They can't just "bring it" you need funding and preferably an established player base.

Obvious...but what can you expect about their games not getting a 2nd chance if every time they made one is unfairly criticized by haters or gamers that wish Bioware make all RPG's because is their "RPG god". That's why they don't have maybe a good fund but still they do the best they can to make it.

[Lexx]

If they would just take AP and build a new story with fixing the other issues... People would still whine how much it sucks, at least about the graphic.

[Inxentas]

I'd buy a sequel to Alpha Protocol without a doubt! Where some played "a horrible glitchfest of a game", I experienced a rough gem with some minor problems, but a very strong concept. I'm sure AP2 would get lots of reviewer attention, as people love to blindly bash on sequels to games they have bashed in the past. Still, AP1 was unique in how it handled it's branching mission structure. A game like that, but more stable and with fancier graphics, would be an absolute blast to play and get far better review scores.

Edited May 24, 2011 by Inxentas

[Dabu]

Hm... Onyx? ; )

[Purkake]

They can't just "bring it" you need funding and preferably an established player base.

Obvious...but what can you expect about their games not getting a 2nd chance if every time they made one is unfairly criticized by haters or gamers that wish Bioware make all RPG's because is their "RPG god". That's why they don't have maybe a good fund but still they do the best they can to make it.

Ooh boy, here we go again...

[Agent Crake]

It seems like a no-brainer. Take the things that people liked about the first game (Story, characters, branching), and just solve the blatant technical problems/bad AI, fix some of the combat issues, and ridiculously unfair bosses, and better graphics, you'd have a pretty great game.

 

Unfair bosses? It takes about 6-12 headshots to kill them.

 

But yeah there are some major issues that could be sorted out.

 

Allow for complete customization of face etc.

Much better animation for everyone.

Keep the cover system. What king of any soldier doesn't use cover.

Better gunplay. Different body hits.

Allow for good, bad and neutral character builds for better replay value.

Keep Thorton's voice actor as he has a very neutral sound. Making different American race created characters fit.

[Purkake]

Allow for good, bad and neutral character builds for better replay value.

Obsidian moved away from the DnD-inspired morality meter for a reason, AP was supposed to be all about the ambiguity of your actions and unforeseen consequences.

[Labadal]

It seems like a no-brainer. Take the things that people liked about the first game (Story, characters, branching), and just solve the blatant technical problems/bad AI, fix some of the combat issues, and ridiculously unfair bosses, and better graphics, you'd have a pretty great game.

 

Unfair bosses? It takes about 6-12 headshots to kill them.

 

But yeah there are some major issues that could be sorted out.

 

Allow for complete customization of face etc.

Much better animation for everyone.

Keep the cover system. What king of any soldier doesn't use cover.

Better gunplay. Different body hits.

Allow for good, bad and neutral character builds for better replay value.

Keep Thorton's voice actor as he has a very neutral sound. Making different American race created characters fit.

 

If it is something Alpha Protocol offeres, it is replayability.

[Orogun01]

Maybe they just need to scrap the name and redress the concept. We get a spiritual sequel instead, but it' will probably be easier to sell that idea.

[Agent Crake]

Maybe they just need to scrap the name and redress the concept. We get a spiritual sequel instead, but it' will probably be easier to sell that idea.

 

The simple solution would be to get away from SEGA, as that company has become worse than Atari for rushing devs.

 

But the truth is this game died before it hit the shelves. A rename might work, or just make an entirely new franchise. The game had a good close sequence so let AP be buried an forgotten, and build a much better game for a fresh series.