What about hiring Brent Knowles?

[Rahelron]

Seeing how the Kickstarter campaign is going I think that there's a good chance that the guys at Obsidian will need to hire new people to complement their team and get every single feature of the game done. If that is the case I think that Brent Knowles would be the perfect person to help them out.

 

Who is him?

 

He is the lead designer of Dragon Age Origins, he worked on Baldur's Gate II and Neverwinter Nights too. He left Bioware in 2009 because he didn't like the direction the company was taking with DA II. Right now he doesn't seem be at work on any game, he is a freelance designer and a writer.

 

Here's a post about his experience at Bioware and why he left.

http://blog.brentkno...08-summer-2009/

 

 

 

Here are some quotes:

"Party control/tactical combat are huge factors in my enjoyment of a role-playing game as is adopting the role of the hero (i.e., customizing my character)"

"interactive movies have never been the kinds of games I wanted to play. [...] I kind of wish the huge effort I know it takes to build those cinematic experiences could be spent on gameplay."

[NerdBoner]

yeah, i remember when he left (or was forced to leave BioWare) because he didn't like the direction the Dragon Age franchise was taking (ie button mashing nonsense)

 

In my mind i'd like to think he made some crazy speech ripping into the EA execs and the spineless wimps who gave into their demands so easily. Then he flips over his desk, drops his mic, gives everyone the peace sign and says "I'm out, bltch!"

 

edit: yeah, I wouldn't be opposed to him helping out in some capacity...the game seems to be shaping out to be huge and i'm sure another pair of experienced hands would help, even if only as a consultant.

Edited October 14, 2012 by NerdBoner

[Superdeluxe]

Like the dude, but it seems like the OE guys are done with the designers. Otherwise they would have name dropped him for a stretch goal

[diablo169]

No thanks, Dragon Age was passable but it was hardly what I would call inspiring. Less EA tainted people involved on this project the better.

[C2B]

I had to choose *He is not the right guy to hire* but that's a bit too harsch. There are just tons of guys Obsidian should look at first, from their own past included that I'd rather see first.

[Volourn]

He's awesome. But, I still best to have me as a 4mil stretch goal as 'mean guy who criticzes their bad decisions on staff' would make them MILLIONS.

 

 

"n my mind i'd like to think he made some crazy speech ripping into the EA execs and the spineless wimps who gave into their demands so easily. Then he flips over his desk, drops his mic, gives everyone the peace sign and says "I'm out, bltch!""

 

l0l :D

[Shevek]

Man, why don't you guys let Feargus make the hiring decisions, lol. I think its cool to make SUGGESTIONS about things you would like to see or game mechanics or whatever but it seems kinda wrong to hold petitions over people to be hired for the project. Thats high level administrative stuff. All this "hire Sweet!" and "hire Ziets!" stuff kinda rubs me the wrong way. Also, if these guys wanted in on this project, I would figure they have heard of it and already dropped Feargus a line.

[Volourn]

This forum is for suggestions. It's up to obsidian tod ecide ultimately who they want to hirea nd up to the potential employee tod ecide fi they want to work for Obsidian.

[ilhdr]

He has a nice blog: http://blog.brentknowles.com/ and he's also writing a book write now.

Edited October 15, 2012 by ilhdr

[bronzepoem]

Great idea!I I just was thinking about this guy yesterday night!

[Robsidious]

I don't have an opinion on whether Obsidian should hire him, but I will say this... Brent obviously has integrity and passion, so he'd fit right in.

 

Actually it would be kinda cool, a sense of justice perhaps.

[Tamerlane]

I like Brent and all, but... too many chefs something something I don't know how to proverb.