Interview with Josh Sawyer on Design and Mechanics

[Sensuki]

http://www.cybergame...-Entertainment/

 

Enjoy

[Monte Carlo]

Thanks Sensuki, I like the mechanic of augmenting skill shortfalls with equipment, i.e. "buying" the difference in resources.

 

I do know that we want to allow the player to account for a marginal shortfall in skill requirement with resource consumption. E.g. if you need a 75 to pick a lock but you have a 65 Lockpicking skill, you can still open the lock for a cost of 10 lockpicks. This wouldn't apply if the skill is too far from the requirement (e.g. a 45 Lockpicking skill would be too low), but it does allow for a little more flexibility.

[Karranthain]

Thanks for the link, Sensuki, 'twas a good read.

[Labadal]

Thanks, it was an interesting read.

[Larkaloke]

Thanks for the link -- that was quite interesting!

[LadyCrimson]

Nice interview, good questions, fun read. Paw up.

[chisled2bone]

how will the lock pick mechanic work, will 9 lock picks break and then the 10th one works? or will it jsut say this will cost you 10 lock picks and it opens?

[Gromnir]

Nice interview, good questions, fun read. Paw up.

 

 

really? other than the lockpick thing, we got virtually zippo from that interview.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Sensuki]

The lockpick thing isn't new info, it's been mentioned somewhere before

 

I submitted this interview 3 weeks ago as well, I tried to avoid any content related stuff because at the time they didn't even have much lore or anything worked out yet.

Edited October 24, 2012 by Sensuki

[Pshaw]

A good read.

 

In regard to the first question he was asked about defining the world I do completely agree. Some mystery is better. Mass Effect for example went a bit too far, especially with the the Leviathan DLC, in terms of explaining everything. However I also feel that leaving things too vague is also a misstep. I personally always felt that the 'magic' in the Lord of the Rings universe was poorly shaped and left me constantly wondering just what the hell wizards actually did.

 

One writer I think does a great job striking a balance between revealing everything and leaving some things a mystery is Brandon Sanderson. He clearly has an entire 'system' worked out for the mystical sides of each of his worlds. So what he does explain makes perfect context in the setting but he also never reveals everything and he always hints that there is more to be discovered or as he would say, "there's always another secret." I think this is perfect because the things that aren't explained don't feel intentionally vague they just a missing piece of the puzzle that you have the potential to uncover if you read closely enough.

 

So Obsidian I feel that if you haven't already read them you might want to go read his Mistborn series or Warbreaker if you want a shorter read. These have clearly defined worlds and magic has strict rules much like it would in a game but he explains only as much as you need to know and leaves the rest a mystery.

Edited October 24, 2012 by Pshaw

[Gromnir]

The lockpick thing isn't new info, it's been mentioned somewhere before

 

 

 

well then, in retrospect, we got zippo from the interview. feel better?

 

HA! Good Fun!

[LadyCrimson]

Nice interview, good questions, fun read. Paw up.

 

 

really? other than the lockpick thing, we got virtually zippo from that interview.

 

HA! Good Fun!

Some of us enjoy interviews for reasons other than trying to glean some new micro-piece of update information.

[Sensuki]

The half-orc has trampled my delicate sensibilities

[C2B]

Off-Topic

 

Josh Sawyer DID an interview as well (provided questions) with the Ars Magica devs on the rpg-codex

 

http://www.rpgcodex.net/content.php?id=8561

[Gromnir]

Nice interview, good questions, fun read. Paw up.

 

 

really? other than the lockpick thing, we got virtually zippo from that interview.

 

HA! Good Fun!

Some of us enjoy interviews for reasons other than trying to glean some new micro-piece of update information.

 

 

you wanted to hear of josh influences perhaps? no, wait, you has been on these boards long time, so you already knew answers to those questions. hmmm. you perhaps saved josh's portrait photo? am not gonna ask why that would be something you want, but who are we to judge?

 

oh, and for sensuki, Gromnir is not half-orc.

 

*shrug*

 

don't take personal, but we just don't get much from these things that seems like they were cut-and-paste jobs from a dozen other interviews. is typical only the micro-piece info that adds anything.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Sensuki]

Well after I agreed with you and you said this

well then, in retrospect, we got zippo from the interview. feel better?

 

it looks personal to me.

 

Would i have liked more meaty answers? Sure, but they probably save those for the likes of Gamebanshee and Sorcerer's Place. I was happy to even get my foot in the door so to speak. Our website hasn't been able to get an interview with a developer for years.

[Gromnir]

Well after I agreed with you and you said this

well then, in retrospect, we got zippo from the interview. feel better?

 

it looks personal to me.

 

Would i have liked more meaty answers? Sure, but they probably save those for the likes of Gamebanshee and Sorcerer's Place. I was happy to even get my foot in the door so to speak. Our website hasn't been able to get an interview with a developer for years.

 

don't know you enough for it to be personal. interview is too familiar for it to be personal. couldn't pick this interview outta a line-up. that were kinda our point.

 

*shrug*

 

grats on getting foot in door. on positive side, maybe josh feels some sympathy for you after reading our dialogue here... gives you better follow-up.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Karkarov]

Well after I agreed with you and you said this

well then, in retrospect, we got zippo from the interview. feel better?

 

it looks personal to me.

 

Would i have liked more meaty answers? Sure, but they probably save those for the likes of Gamebanshee and Sorcerer's Place. I was happy to even get my foot in the door so to speak. Our website hasn't been able to get an interview with a developer for years.

 

I wouldn't worry about it dude. Yes a lot of the info was "already known" but it was still a good interview. I also seriously doubt gamebanshee etc will get any more out of him than you did. If I were Obsidian I would do all big announcements through my own website/social media pages and only give exclusives if some major site or mag paid me to do it. Like Gamespot or IGN.

[LadyCrimson]

you wanted to hear of josh influences perhaps? no, wait, you has been on these boards long time, so you already knew answers to those questions. hmmm. you perhaps saved josh's portrait photo? am not gonna ask why that would be something you want, but who are we to judge?

 

oh, and for sensuki, Gromnir is not half-orc.

 

*shrug*

 

don't take personal, but we just don't get much from these things that seems like they were cut-and-paste jobs from a dozen other interviews. is typical only the micro-piece info that adds anything.

 

HA! Good Fun!

Actually, no, I don't always know these things. Just because I've been here on the forums for a long time doesn't mean I've spent lots of time reading every interview, article, tweet, blog, formspring of all the developers for all that time. And even when I do read some of them, I don't always remember...sometimes other things in life take precedence and such information gets pushed out of my non-photographic memory brain.

[Gromnir]

if you forgot the dozen or so times josh has answered 'bout his influences, then you probable didn't genuine care 'bout the answers... which makes us wonder why you cares this time. weird. lord knows Gromnir doesn't read every interview or we woulda' known that the lockpick stuff were old news. heck, we typical ignore funroc updates as we has no idea who or what he is referencing.

 

look, the interviewer took personal, but he admits that nothing new were divulged... which were our only criticism. sooooo, color us bemused.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Tamerlane]

...

 

This is the second worst conversation I have ever walked in on.

[JFSOCC]

some enlightening answers. I especially liked the question (and answer) about influences. (reading history, great people, which artists he likes, music he listens too)

Edited October 24, 2012 by JFSOCC

[eimatshya]

Good read. Thanks, Sensuki.

Edited October 24, 2012 by eimatshya

[LadyCrimson]

if you forgot the dozen or so times josh has answered 'bout his influences, then you probable didn't genuine care 'bout the answers... which makes us wonder why you cares this time. weird. lord knows Gromnir doesn't read every interview or we woulda' known that the lockpick stuff were old news. heck, we typical ignore funroc updates as we has no idea who or what he is referencing.

I usually read them, but most of the time it's in one ear out the other, so to speak.

The influences of Sawyer (or any of the others) I remember in a very general way, but yes, I don't typically care enough to try to remember specific details - or I'm just easily distracted so I forget that I wanted to learn more about certain things they might mention. So interviews are like nice reminders...and occasionally I happen to be in a mood to actually do something like look up/research stuff that sounded interesting. Which means I might learn something/they might stick. Then again, maybe not. Some days I can barely remember my own name.

[Paul D]

Thank you for the link Sensuki