Obsidian and the future. What can we expect?

[Hassat Hunter]

On one hand I'm tempted to buy this MMO

How are you going to do that?

 

It's a free-to-play MMO.

[Labadal]

Only chance for AAA RPG is if Ubisoft or Bethesda throw them a bone. Though Activision possesses some interesting licenses also.

 

Mid-range RPG would work as well. Would be funny seeing them work with Deep Silver or Nordic Games. Certainly better than freaking Allods.

Maybe they'll do something with Paradox. At this point, who knows what we can expect?

[C2B]

 

Only chance for AAA RPG is if Ubisoft or Bethesda throw them a bone. Though Activision possesses some interesting licenses also.

 

Mid-range RPG would work as well. Would be funny seeing them work with Deep Silver or Nordic Games. Certainly better than freaking Allods.

Maybe they'll do something with Paradox. At this point, who knows what we can expect?

 

 

Self-funded RPG's without publisher design interference.

 

That is one hell of a brighter future than we had in 2011.

 

(A lot of the *outrage* actually reminds me of when Stick of Truth was first announced. Which imo I find funny) 

Edited March 21, 2014 by C2B

[Labadal]

 

 

Only chance for AAA RPG is if Ubisoft or Bethesda throw them a bone. Though Activision possesses some interesting licenses also.

 

Mid-range RPG would work as well. Would be funny seeing them work with Deep Silver or Nordic Games. Certainly better than freaking Allods.

Maybe they'll do something with Paradox. At this point, who knows what we can expect?

 

 

Self-funded RPG's without publisher design interference.

 

That is one hell of a brighter future than we had in 2011.

 

(A lot of the *outrage* actually reminds me of when Stick of Truth was first announced. Which imo I find funny) 

 

What I meant with my post that you quoted is that I wouldn't be surprised if the partnership with Paradox can expand to a joint project in the future. This is pure speculation from my side, but it would be an interesting move.

[Hassat Hunter]

Kickstarter doesn't seem quite as popular as it used to be however, so that might not be a possibility in the future anymore.

 

It can be blamed on devs (bad finances, bad products, promises that got retracted), but also on gamers (having no clue mostly on a lot of stuff, and demanding a lot of things).

[Labadal]

Some troubled projects have made some people more reluctant to back projects, but I don't feel it's less popular. What I do think it that studios will have to work harder to convince people to back their projects. Some projects have failed to deliver on time, but the ones that have released (that I have played), have been good. In general, my experience with KS games is that I can expect a delay, but the game will probably be good. (This is true for the games I have backed or bought post-release.) Some projects have been delayed or changed because of mismanagement, others have been delayed because they got much more funding, which means the studios can be a bit more ambitious. If the KS funded games more often than not sucked, then the popularity of the service would decline.

[AKstalker47]

Obsidian is doing what it have to do to stay open without letting go of half the staff, sometimes you have to do things out of your comfort zone and people complaining around you makes things only harder think about that.

[WorstUsernameEver]

It can be blamed on devs (bad finances, bad products, promises that got retracted), but also on gamers (having no clue mostly on a lot of stuff, and demanding a lot of things).

Nah. Every single time someone talked about "Kickstarter fatigue" it turns out Obsidian-caliber devs can get a project financed just fine.

[Flouride]

 

It can be blamed on devs (bad finances, bad products, promises that got retracted), but also on gamers (having no clue mostly on a lot of stuff, and demanding a lot of things).

Nah. Every single time someone talked about "Kickstarter fatigue" it turns out Obsidian-caliber devs can get a project financed just fine.

 

 

The fatigue only hurts smaller companies if you ask me.  Well known people will still get their projects funded. I'm personally waiting for Obsidian's next project before I start funding again, as I'm still waiting for most of the projects actually to deliver. 1 out of the 7 projects I've backed has delivered a full version of their game. 5 out of 7 should be out by now, according to the original plan. So yeah, not very intrested in backing smaller companies in some quite time until I've actually gotten to play some of the projects I've backed.

[Sannom]

I must say, having Obsidian being the main developer behing a competitive "Counter Strike with tanks" was not something I thought could ever happen. Now that it has happened, how can I be sure about anything else?

 

There is that new Kickstarter which has been mentioned a few times, so I guess we can expect something there. I don't think Obsidian will ever stop to work on licenced property, so I'm expecting something there at one point too.

[Flouride]

Self-funded RPG's without publisher design interference.

 

That is one hell of a brighter future than we had in 2011.

 

(A lot of the *outrage* actually reminds me of when Stick of Truth was first announced. Which imo I find funny) 

 

 

Seems to me there's always outrage no matter they do. Maybe these people would be happy if the company stopped existing and then they could reminisce about the good old times when Obsidian was still around...

 

Since there's apparently going to be constant updates from Obsidian on Armored Warfare it seems some of their workforce will be "stuck" making that game for a looong time, but they have recruited heavily for that game as far I as know so I guess those working on the project are passionate about such games anyways.

 

Would be nice to know (I know we won't ever hear the details) what kinda deal they made on the game... Meaning if the game is as succesfull as War Thunder or World of Tanks, how much of all that Free-to-play money they will be getting that people will spend on the game.

[Aoyagi]

So many wrongly used apostrophes here...

 

Anyway, I'm quite sure Obsidian is doing only what publishers allow them to do. If none of them is willing to finance a good RPG, then there is little Obsidian can do.

[Hassat Hunter]

If none of them is willing to finance a good RPG, then there is little Obsidian can do.

I'm pretty sure they subserved that problem already, you know. Project Eternity?

[Aoyagi]

 

If none of them is willing to finance a good RPG, then there is little Obsidian can do.

I'm pretty sure they subserved that problem already, you know. Project Eternity?

 

 

Yes, they can make a (relatively) low-budget game like PE, but Kickstarter itself can't finance large games like AP, NWN, KOTOR, FNV... and I bet that Obsidian doesn't want to live off "small" games with no guarantees. To my understanding, concerns in OP have arisen because of "large" games.

[213374U]

it's another shipped game in the company's résumé and adds to the overall prowesses, which helps to get additional contracts in the long run. if obsidian doesn't mess up there's no way they can lose here.

 

Yeah, that is what I thought. So long as they stay afloat (and avoid being bought out), I'm happy. I'd hate to see them go the way of Troika; putting all eggs in one basket is a terrible idea anyway, and the experience gained from making other kinds of games can be put to use in ways that may be difficult to see immediately. They are still making RPGs, the big RPG names are still on board, and they aren't making mobile games, so I think the only way this could be interpreted as a bad thing is if they have actually bitten off more than they can chew. But that's a concern for Feargus to worry about.

 

 

 

Also, I laughed out loud about hoping we go to war with Russia over Ukrain and that means the end of this American-Russian co-operation.

Does that make me a bad person?

 

It makes you appreciative of typical Obsidian luck.

 

>Obsidian signs sweet deal with Russian publisher

>WWIII is declared a nuclear apocalypse happens, deal falls through

Edited March 23, 2014 by 213374U

[Labadal]

 

 

If none of them is willing to finance a good RPG, then there is little Obsidian can do.

I'm pretty sure they subserved that problem already, you know. Project Eternity?

 

 

Yes, they can make a (relatively) low-budget game like PE, but Kickstarter itself can't finance large games like AP, NWN, KOTOR, FNV... and I bet that Obsidian doesn't want to live off "small" games with no guarantees. To my understanding, concerns in OP have arisen because of "large" games.

 

Concerns in the OP are a bit selfish. I'm fine with whatever single player rpg they decide to make. I have no problem if they decide to do projects I have no interest in, like these MMOs as long as it gives Obsidian income. It's just sad to see that this is were we are now. Obsidian can't do much else as I view it. That doesn't mean I feel disappointment when I see it.

 

Edit: I don't mind if they don't stick to *AAA* games if they can do stuff like project Eternity, but that's not reality. They need bigger projects every now and then.

Edited March 23, 2014 by Labadal

[Aoyagi]

Concerns in the OP are a bit selfish. I'm fine with whatever single player rpg they decide to make. I have no problem if they decide to do projects I have no interest in, like these MMOs as long as it gives Obsidian income. It's just sad to see that this is were we are now. Obsidian can't do much else as I view it. That doesn't mean I feel disappointment when I see it.

 

 

Edit: I don't mind if they don't stick to *AAA* games if they can do stuff like project Eternity, but that's not reality. They need bigger projects every now and then.

 

 

Of course they are, I really enjoyed DS3 . But I don't think it makes it less valid or anything. Obsidian has been getting further from "the RPG maker" for a while, but I don't think it's not due to unwillingness of making an RPG. They just don't want to end up like Troika. It's market and customers. I hate people... (for not liking the same thing I like )

[Tigranes]

The problem is, Obsidian was meant to use its founders' connections to get sequels (K2 / NWN2) not only to get the studio up and running, but get it on the way to achieving a brand - that is, where people know what an 'Obsidian RPG' entails, and Obsidian has a steady stream of 'Obsidian RPGs' coming out. That had to experience a critical delay during the Aliens / Alpha Protocol phase for a number of reasons, with FNV / DS3 basically becoming 'recovery' projects - projects which have no hope of launching Obsidian franchises but, keep staff, and produce high returns compared to investment. Well, both games succeeded in those respects, but it seems Obsidian was once again screwed with the next-gen project cancellation. 

 

What it needs is the time / money / good luck to produce at least one AAA RPG which is their own IP or at least their own series within an existing IP, which sells and is received well enough to immediately warrant a sequel. (Ideally, it would have been AP.) The only problem is that if Obsidian are prepared to devote so much of their manpower to Skyforge and the tank thing, it signals that Feargus feels he is not anywhere near landing such a contract yet. 

[C2B]

Obsidian are prepared to devote so much of their manpower to Skyforge and the tank thing, it signals that Feargus feels he is not anywhere near landing such a contract yet.

They're not. It's not really more workforce than their typical big project.

 

They are also activly searching for another big project.

Edited March 23, 2014 by C2B

[Hassat Hunter]

and they aren't making mobile games

Maybe it's just me, but I put F2P MMO's in the same quality rank as 'mobile games'... you aren't?

 

Larian seems to do fine on making only non-AAA projects?

[Darth Trethon]

 

and they aren't making mobile games

Maybe it's just me, but I put F2P MMO's in the same quality rank as 'mobile games'... you aren't?

 

Larian seems to do fine on making only non-AAA projects?

 

Larian do good work. They don't make the kind of RPGs that entail a lot of moral choices(at least not choices that provide the kind of deep and far reaching consequences that Obsidian do) but they do awesome work nonetheless. Their games may not be AAA from the budget perspective but they are a lot better than 99.99% of AAA games out there.

Edited March 24, 2014 by Darth Trethon

[WorstUsernameEver]

 

and they aren't making mobile games

Maybe it's just me, but I put F2P MMO's in the same quality rank as 'mobile games'... you aren't?

 

Larian seems to do fine on making only non-AAA projects?

 

Larian also did a lot of educational projects and such, just check their website. I won't lie, it's an overall tighter running ship than Obsidian and by a good mile too (despite the really high Belgium taxes, which is kind of amazing), but they also had to make compromises in the past and went through some rough spots.

[C2B]

Larian is not nearly as big as Obsidian.

Edited March 24, 2014 by C2B

[lobotomy42]

The problem is, Obsidian was meant to use its founders' connections to get sequels (K2 / NWN2) not only to get the studio up and running, but get it on the way to achieving a brand - that is, where people know what an 'Obsidian RPG' entails, and Obsidian has a steady stream of 'Obsidian RPGs' coming out. That had to experience a critical delay during the Aliens / Alpha Protocol phase for a number of reasons, with FNV / DS3 basically becoming 'recovery' projects - projects which have no hope of launching Obsidian franchises but, keep staff, and produce high returns compared to investment. Well, both games succeeded in those respects, but it seems Obsidian was once again screwed with the next-gen project cancellation. 

 

What it needs is the time / money / good luck to produce at least one AAA RPG which is their own IP or at least their own series within an existing IP, which sells and is received well enough to immediately warrant a sequel. (Ideally, it would have been AP.) The only problem is that if Obsidian are prepared to devote so much of their manpower to Skyforge and the tank thing, it signals that Feargus feels he is not anywhere near landing such a contract yet. 

 

Basically, this.  They "did the job they were hired to do" on a bunch of sequels, none of which were big or stellar enough to make a name for Obsidian independent of the brand they were working on.  Alpha Protocol was their first (and, really, only) big independent title that was entirely theirs....and it totally tanked.  Predictably, the sales were bad, but more shocking was that the critical reception - what they really needed to make a name for themselves - was also terrible.  Without diagnosing AP all over again, this was probably a combination of terrible luck and AP simply not being the game it needed to be.

 

So despite it being a small project, a lot may actually be riding on Pillars of Eternity.  If it can succeed at being more than just "oh it's like Baldur's Gate" to the casual consumer then hopefully the impact it makes will be big enough to get publishers interested in them again.  Otherwise they might just continue to alternate between (relatively) small passion-project kickstarters and larger pay-the-bills work-for-hire like tanks.

[Hassat Hunter]

more shocking was that the critical reception - what they really needed to make a name for themselves - was also terrible.  Without diagnosing AP all over again, this was probably a combination of terrible luck and AP simply not being the game it needed to be.

"The game it needed to be" according to online press is something no sensible man would want to play. No RPG fan would want to play.

Remember it's the same press that gives 10's to Oblivion or Call of Duty. That's the games they want. If AP was 'the game the press wanted it to be' it would simply be a hollow pretty shallow game, devoid of life and substance.

 

That maybe suit the press... but I'm certainly not going to agree all games need to be as bad as the 10's of the gaming press...