Kevin Saunders interview at Iron Tower ( Interview )
posted by Elwro on Wed 27 August 2008, 23:58:51
More info on Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir - More info on Obsidian Entertainment

Vince D. Weller has interviewed Kevin Saunders, lead designer of the first NWN 2 expansion, Mask of the Betrayer, and producer of the upcoming second expansion called Storms of Zehir. Some bits:

Second, when you focus your energies, you can see what is and isn't really important to the core experience. So you can cut back in ways that save resources without greatly impacting your quality. For example, as NWN modders can attest to, complicated cut scenes can be very time consuming to get right with the NWN engine. You won't find many such scenes in MotB, especially when compared to NWN2. Hopefully, you didn't miss them much. We saved a lot of time by not creating them and spent that energy elsewhere. (We took this even further with SoZ.)

5. How did the spirit meter experience affect Obsidian in general and you in particular?

It was a little sad that, as much as "people" say they would like to see more innovation, when we try something that doesn't quite match their expectations, we get a lot of complaints about it. The negative reaction from some suggests that we're better off just playing it safe and iterating on derivative gameplay.

This might sound terrible, but I've learned to not worry very much about complaints from the online public. The first 3+ years of my career in game design was invested in working on MMOGs (Nexus: The Kingdom of the Winds and Shattered Galaxy - both of which are still out there). I learned a lot about online communities through those experiences. I would love to spend more time with our community - I really mean that - but I found that I could give people what they really wanted - entertainment - when I concentrated more on the games themselves.

Also, frankly, the negativity you can see in online communities can crush your soul. There are a lot of great people, but the criticism can be so much louder and can deflate one's spirit much more than the praise lifts it. So while I'm aware of some of the negative response by some to the spirit meter, I've shielded myself from a lot of the details. I'd rather make the next game the best I can than worry about such things.

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Successful sales = expansion + sequel for Drakensang ( Game news )
posted by DarkUnderlord on Wed 27 August 2008, 12:00:05
More info on Drakensang

RPGWatch summarised a few German articles about Drakensang:

The RATCON 2008 panel discussion about Drakensang proved to be quite fruitful. Drakensang's sales numbers are so convincing that both an add-on and a sequel are in the pipeline. Radon Labs is still in negotiations about the details. Work on DraSa 2 will be started when the add-on has shipped.

Radon Labs plans to release several patches for Drakensang this year. The focus will be on further polishing and new content. NPC behaviour (especially reaction to pickpocketing), balancing, item placement, combat AI, enemy aggression, difficulty levels, more diverse traps, more NPCs, more monster types, better item descriptions, faster loot collection, etc. are on the list. They'll evaluate the whole thing and put as much as possible into patches.

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Blizzard still working on Diablo 3 trading, death mechanics ( Interview )
posted by DarkUnderlord on Wed 27 August 2008, 11:50:50
More info on Diablo III

Hellforge have a video interview with some guy from Blizzard. You can read the transcript over here:

In a previous interview you mentioned that you are planning that items could be interchanged between two characters via streamline. With the trade window we know from Diablo 2, will this be an alternative trade method or will it even replace the trade window?

Right now, we use a "trade window" kind of interface, like in Diablo 2, as a secure trade interface. We might explore some other way to make things easier for the player to trade. I think, when looking at Diablo 2, in just the general way - kind of stepping one step back from the question - and saying "How did players trade with one another in diablo 2?", that it was not the most convenient of methods. There was no kind of easy way to find other players and to trade with them, you had to create specific games for things like that and we definitely would like to solve this problem and make it more convenient. But we have not decided exactly on how we want to to this, yet.

When a character dies, will it lose gold and experience like in Diablo 2?

We have not actually decided on the final death mechanic. I can guarantee that you will not lose experience. We are not urging to big penaltys for death. But we want enough of a penalty to be there, so that death has meaning! Like to lose a little bit time, some kind of decrement... We do not currently have a durability, but some kind of ... a gold cost is actually not so bad. And having the player to waste some time, that is certainly an element. Generally we kind of rely on the effect that players do not want to die. You know, you just do not want to. So there is no real reason to add a further "ding" to them for something happening that was already unfavorable to them. But we have not got our final mechanics on that, yet.

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BioWare Just Might Save Your Baby ( Editorial )
posted by baby arm on Wed 27 August 2008, 06:52:08
More info on BioWare

Johnny Walker took an amusing swing at BioWare's attempts at shoehorning morality into RPGs with an article at Rock Paper Shotgun.

One thing I really want to do is go and sit down with Dr and Dr BioWare, and be having a regular chat, probably asking questions about Dragon Age or something journalistic like that, and then suddenly in the middle of it all I’d shout, “MY SISTER WANTS TO GET AN ABORTION! WHAT SHOULD SHE DO?”

When they look scared and ask what I’m talking about, I’d only offer them the very slightest pieces of information about the situation, probably saying that the unborn baby might have some sort of horrible disability and she doesn’t want it to be born to suffer, but her husband is currently away at sea and unreachable (because it’s happening in the past or in space or somewhere where radio signals don’t work) and won’t be able to have his say. I’d only give them two possible answers, and their stuttering, unprepared response would decide the fate of this unfortunate foetus. And then I’d ask them about how the Sonic license first caught their attention.

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Hefty 4-page Space Siege Review @ bit-tech ( Review )
posted by DarkUnderlord on Mon 25 August 2008, 12:59:14
More info on Space Siege

Continuing today's theme of crappy products, Bit-Tech review Space Siege and reveal their dislike for tomato based produce:

Those of you who do know Chris for his previous work, or with an attention span that lasts more than just a couple of paragraphs, will have noted that this is the second Chris Taylor game to bear the naming format of ‘Something Siege’ and that’s with good reason. Though Space Siege isn’t a true sequel to Dungeon Siege in any way, shape or form, it is kind of a follow-up. A spiritual successor, if you will.

The differences are many. Dungeon Siege was a colourful medieval romp with a hit and miss approach to gameplay. Space Siege is a generic hallway grindfest with a sci-fi theme plopped on top like a glaze of week-old ketchup – which is to say, no matter how much you like ketchup, you’ll probably find this mostly bland and tiresome.

Still, the ingredient of this particular ketchup are; the Earth has been mostly destroyed by an alien race and you are an engineer on the last ship left, which also happens to get a small infestation of the aliens stowing-away on board. Oh, and tomato puree.

Actually, the plot does thicken beyond that point as time goes on, much like the crust of dried tomato ketchup around the lid of an opened bottle. Though the game starts off with you fighting the alien Kerrak – and we’ll talk more about how awfully that’s handled on the next page – the game doesn’t stay that way for long.

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Releasing a shoddy game didn't work for Hellgate: London ( Interview )
posted by DarkUnderlord on Mon 25 August 2008, 12:52:38
More info on Hellgate: London

GamaSutra have explored why Hellgate: London failed and what lead to the closing of the development studio that made it:

David DeMartini of co-publisher EA Partners has discussed the game's failure, saying EA had staff "actively working" on the title and suggesting that the game "lost the fanbase" by the time it improved sufficiently post-release.

"It was strictly an issue of the gameplay and game quality needing to be higher at the start. Unfortunately, Flagship was in a situation where they weren't in a position to hold the game any longer, and the situation kind of took over."

Finally, DeMartini offered a tribute to the creators at Flagship who labored long and hard on the project:

"The guys who worked on it spent thousands of hours trying to make that concept work, and sometimes we just don't see something. Sometimes, we just didn't take enough time. Sometimes, things don't work out the way you expect."

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Bathroom power in Alpha Protocol peek at Leipzig GC ( Preview )
posted by DarkUnderlord on Mon 25 August 2008, 12:46:40
More info on Alpha Protocol

GameSpy have had a perve at Alpha Protocol. Initiate copy-paste mode:

The demo started in the main character's safehouse, where he can interact with the environment in different ways. For example, he could choose his weapons from a locker, weapons that will range from very traditional to high-tech gizmos like electrical or venomous grenades. But the most interesting part of the safehouse is actually the bathroom, where you will be able to fully customize your character, simply making him look into the mirror without any special interface. The developers said that they chose to leave Michael Thorton without a particular characterization because they wanted the player to make him their own personal alter-ego via the game's many customization features.

...

Whatever way you bring your missions to a successful end, you will be rewarded with points to spend in your various abilities in a way that closely resembles BioWare's Mass Effect. So, at the end of the game you will have your personal Michael Thorton, with his own skills and his own face and accessories. Oh, as far as the end of the game is concerned, when questioned about it, the developers mentioned the presence of multiple endings. Of course, it will be the choices that you make during the game as Thorton that will change your fate and the story that you will experience.

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George Ziets interview over on IronTower ( Interview )
posted by JarlFrank on Sun 24 August 2008, 21:37:33
More info on Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer - More info on Obsidian Entertainment

The guy who has been working on Age of Decadence has interviewed George Ziets, lead designer of Mask of the Betrayer, and asked some interesting questions about his work on the game and his motivations.

1. I've heard rumors that you are tired of "medieval fantasy" RPGs. I'm pretty sure that I know what you mean, but I'm curious about your reasons. Also, what exactly did you do to separate Mask of the Betrayer from such games?

I think this depends on whether I’m thinking as a player or as a designer.

First, the player’s perspective. When I open a new book, or sit down to watch a movie, or purchase an RPG, I want to be introduced to a world that I’ve never imagined before. I’m drawn to fantasy and science fiction for the thrill of discovery - to peel away the layers of setting and learn the “rules” of a new world. Some writers are brilliant at this. George R. R. Martin and Scott Lynch are two of my more recent favorites.

Now, it certainly isn’t impossible for an imaginative and intriguing world to be set in medieval Europe (or some facsimile thereof). The two authors I just mentioned base a lot of their material on real-world European cultures, and I found that The Witcher also presented a fresh take on some old formulas. But many, many games (and less effective novels) seem to be mired in the same old formula. As soon as I see elves, dwarves, and orcs, I can pretty well guess how they relate to one another, and what the world is going to be like… and I’m usually right (The Witcher notwithstanding). Once my curiosity has faded, so has my interest in the book, movie, or game.

That brings me to the designer’s perspective… and now that I think about it, the two perspectives are pretty closely related. As a designer, I need to be inspired by my game’s setting. Even when I’m the author or lead writer, I’ve got to have that sense of discovery. That’s what gets me out of bed for a long day of building levels, designing quests, or writing dialogue. It’s all a process of discovery. If I’m drawing my inspiration from, say, Slavic mythology - not something I knew much about, before I worked on MotB - then I’m truly learning and discovering something new. And that leads to all sorts of new ideas and connections. But if I’m working in the same old fantasy setting that I’ve been reading and playing for twenty years… it’s awfully difficult to come up with fresh and exciting ideas.

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Mount & Blade MS Paint Competition Gallery ( Community )
posted by DarkUnderlord on Sun 24 August 2008, 03:49:29
More info on Mount & Blade

Our Mount & Blade MS Paint competition is in its second week with just a few weeks left to go. We have multiple copies to give away, so if you'd like to score yourself a free copy of the epic mounted combat horse-riding simulator, enter now.

Entries will be added to our Mount & Blade Competition Gallery as they're received.

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CD Projekt release another trailer for their Witcher patch ( Game news )
posted by DarkUnderlord on Sun 24 August 2008, 02:50:43
More info on Witcher, The

Just in case you missed the first one, the marketing department has been in over-time mode making another one. This one promises:

(A bunch of Game of the Year awards.)
Enhanced gameplay.
Technical improvements.
Visual updates.
Two new adventures.
D'Jinni Adventure Editor.
Two Music CD's.
Multilingual game disc.
In-depth game guide.
Short story by Andrzej Sapkowski
Map of the Witcher's World
This September: The Best Reaches Perfection

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Some blog interviews some guy about Age of Decadence ( Interview )
posted by DarkUnderlord on Sun 24 August 2008, 02:37:28
More info on Age of Decadence - More info on Vault Dweller

Vince D Weller is whoring out his game again. This time over at Alley of Infinite Angles:

The Age of Decadence is an isometric, turn-based, single-player role-playing game set in a low magic, post-apocalyptic fantasy world, inspired by the fall of the Roman Empire.

5. What is Age of Decadence’s target market? Will it be able to attract new, or younger, generations to this kind of RPGs? Is that your goal?

I have no goal in this regard and I don't target anyone. I'm simply making a game I would want to play myself. If it turns out that there is enough people who are interested in such games, the existence of market will be officially announced and we'll continue making games we like. Otherwise...

On our forums you can find many young players and many seasoned veterans who've seen many gaming winters. I don't think it's a question of age. It's a matter of personal preference.

It's not about designing by committee. It's not about being unsure and asking people to do your job for you. It's about presenting your vision to people and letting them help you polish it and make it better. We started showing everything and getting feedback from day one, and once we realized the benefits, it became our way of doing things. Pretty much every aspect of the game was presented to our fans who did their best to tear it apart (fucking savages) and help us "think of everything".

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David Gaider has free reign in Dragon Age ( Interview )
posted by DarkUnderlord on Sat 23 August 2008, 11:24:05
More info on Dragon Age - More info on David Gaider

GameShark have quizzed David Gaider over Dragon Age. It's a wanky interview (What's your favourite character in Dragon Age :blush:) with not much substance:

... we faced a lot of road blocks whenever we attempted to do even mildly risqué things in the D&D games. Which is fine, right? It's their property; they should get to make sure it's portrayed in whatever manner they wished. Part of the thing about BioWare having its own property, however, was that it was going to have free reign to put out something that was intended for adults right from the start.

Not that you want to go crazy, necessarily. It's not like we have naked people running around beating each other with bloody arm stumps while eating children. Though now that I think of it, wouldn't that be awesome? It's just nice to have the option, and I think that exercising that option made Dragon Age possible.

We’re taking a couple of things we learned from Mass Effect, which is basically the acting element, seeing the character up-close, see the nuances of emotion, and also things like the one dialogue we showed where you’re not just talking to a face that’s standing still; sometimes you will be walking through a town and talking to them as you’re moving. The only thing we didn’t do that Mass Effect did - we aren’t doing any voice over for the player character.

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Diablo 3: More RPG and isometric is a gameplay style ( Interview )
posted by DarkUnderlord on Fri 22 August 2008, 12:06:28
More info on Diablo III

EuroGamer interviewed Jay Wilson, Lead Designer of Diablo 3. He says a lot but here are some interesting bits I managed to stuff into a blockquote:

And then on the role-playing side, we've been focusing on more story. We want people to be able to ignore the story if they want, but we still want there to be a denser story, we want there to be a lot of scripted events that support the story, we want the story to be better formed and more interesting. Plus we want there to be some elements that allow players to feel like they're in a role-playing game. I think that one of the differences between Blizzard North and what we sometimes call Blizzard South is that Blizzard South, led by our creative director Chris Metzen, is just a little bit more story-focused. That's not a knock, but it can't help but be something that gets into the game now, because it's also a value that I have.

Eurogamer: Why do you think so few RPGs have gone with the isometric perspective - and why did you choose to stick with it?

Because our industry is a technology industry and is very focused on innovation, there's this push to always advance. For us, yeah, we want to advance too, but the camera has nothing to do with that. The camera is a gameplay style, and a vastly unexplored gameplay style, especially with RPGs. It's so under-explored, and it makes for such good gameplay, it's so approachable, it's so eloquent.

This is the mistake I think a lot of developers make. They don't make it about the game they want. They make it about the tech they want to run, or the new engine, or the cut-scenes that they want to make. Somebody else asked: doesn't it restrict your scale and scope? Well, we use our cinematics for that, that's what they're for, that's why we make them, so that the game can be what it needs to be on its own.

So no, there was never a doubt. In my mind there was never a doubt that we were going to go isometric at all, it wasn't even under consideration, because it had to be Diablo. For me, that was one of those things - people look at the art style and say oh, they're not Diablo any more - if we'd come out and we weren't isometric, then I would agree with that.

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Two Worlds: The Temptation is shinier ( Preview )
posted by DarkUnderlord on Fri 22 August 2008, 11:48:58
More info on Two Worlds: The Temptation

Continuing the Leipzig updates, IGN took a squizz at Two Worlds: The Temptation:

SouthPeak Interactive knows there were some issues with Two Worlds. But rather than harp on the past, the publisher is looking towards the future with a sequel that it hopes addresses those issues and satisfies the fans the first game won over with its open world RPG design.

The first thing SouthPeak pointed out to us is that the sequel will have vastly improved graphics. The game still looks early with regular pop-in and clipping issues, but you can see the groundwork the company is laying down. One jungle setting we saw looked quite inviting already and a lot of the game is still running on old code. The animations and face textures are still holdovers from the first Two Worlds game, though they'll soon be swapped out for new and improved versions.

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Haircuts and different coloured clothing enhance The Witcher ( Preview )
posted by DarkUnderlord on Fri 22 August 2008, 11:03:00
More info on Witcher, The

IGN had a look at The Witcher's: Enhanced Edition over at the Leipzig Games Convention. Here's what they noticed:

There's a long list of features being added to the title, but the one we noticed most were the improved load times, which were definitely shorter than the original release's. CD Projekt RED has also taken steps to add to the sense of variety in the game by making monsters and village-dwelling NPCs seem more varied. From the demo we got it seems as though townspeople, though they'll still share the same model, will wear different colored clothing and have a variety of haircuts. The same type of color variation has been applied to monsters as well.

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