Codex Interview RPG Codex Interview: Leonard Boyarsky on joining Obsidian, Fallout & Bloodlines cut content and more

[Trash]

I'm happy to say that I'm currently working on my dream game.

Hmm, I'm wondering if Leonard ever said something about what his dream game would be... Perhaps in an old interview somewhere?

 

[KILLER BEAR]

Hmm, I'm wondering if Leonard ever said something about what his dream game would be... Perhaps in an old interview somewhere?

Well, I found this: http://www.duckandcover.cx/content.php?id=63.
The interview is about Bloodlines.

Are you planning to make the game default to a top-down viewpoint, similar to the isometric view used in the Fallout games? Party based or single player (I would consider Fallout to be single player based) based? 'Mature' or 'Teen' rated?

The view that is shown in the screen shots is what we are considering the default view. You can zoom in and out and rotate the map, but the viewing angle stays the same. Originally we designed the engine to handle over the shoulder third person or even first person views (and it does so quite well), as our giant project with unlimited funds dream is to have a game where you explore first person (or maybe over the shoulder, haven't decided yet) and then go to "isometric" third person for combat. This would take a huge amount of resources, both programming and art and therefore a relatively high budget, so don't expect to see it anytime soon. But we're ready for it should the situation present itself!

The party based vs single player choice is a tough one. I've always been partial to the single player, but a lot of people (both internally and fans) have been very vocal about having control over your party members, at least in combat. I'm not sure which way we may end up going with this game, this will definitely be a subject for serious debate. And knife fights.

By default we seem to lean towards Mature oriented material without even really thinking about it. We're twisted and it comes through in our work, what can I say. Having said that, I think we could make just as good a game under a Teen rating, it would just force us to be more inventive and subversive. Kind of like how early rock and roll had to come up with different inventive ways of talking about sex, but once it became okay to just graphically talk about it some of the poetry and creativity went out of it. The only thing that would really suck about having to do a teen game is that we'd have to lose the gory deaths. I don't know if I can live with that.

BTW:

Spoiler

Finally, do you have anything else you'd like to say to the readers of Duck and Cover, and the Fallout community?

We appreciate the support and enthusiasm of the community. I personally don't understand people disparaging the Fallout fans, I think they're great - of course, I'm biased. It's hard not to be fired up about a community that loves something you created so much that they'll flame anyone who says anything even the slightest bit negative about it. We've had our share of being thrashed by them as well, so it's not like we're immune to being attacked. The latest round of criticism accuses us of "bending over" to get a publishing deal and selling out because we'd consider making this game non turn based, but how can you get angry with these things when they're coming from a position of love for a game you're proud of as well? Of course, next time I get crap from any of you losers I'm going to get all pissy and sarcastic and write a page long forum entry about how you all suck. Just so you know.

 

[Rev]

So, after more than a year we finally learn that MCA's problems were with Chris Parker and his "well-mannered" management techniques? Interesting.

 

[Roguey]

So, after more than a year we finally learn that MCA's problems were with Chris Parker and his "well-mannered" management techniques? Interesting.

It does explain why Chris Parker got singled out by that fired/laid-off anonymous dev mad about Alpha Protocol.

 

[Athelas]

So, after more than a year we finally learn that MCA's problems were with Chris Parker and his "well-mannered" management techniques? Interesting.

His statement doesn't preclude having problems with other employees/co-owners as well.

 

[Fairfax]

The irony is that it seems MCA did erase his short-term memory by drinking a lot during the stream, but now the Codex has restored it.

So, after more than a year we finally learn that MCA's problems were with Chris Parker and his "well-mannered" management techniques? Interesting.

It does explain why Chris Parker got singled out by that fired/laid-off anonymous dev mad about Alpha Protocol.

Didn't Sawyer say there was only one game where he saw parts of the team at odds with one another? I remember the anonymous complaint made a lot people (myself included) guess it was AP.
Makes even more sense now.

So, after more than a year we finally learn that MCA's problems were with Chris Parker and his "well-mannered" management techniques? Interesting.

His statement doesn't preclude having problems with other employees/co-owners as well.

Yeah, MCA often mentions problems he had with the other partners in general.

 

[hpstg]

Sounds like him being partner was the only thing holding them from going completely medieval on him.

I expected better.

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

Those Myers personality types are a total pseudoscience. Entirely made up by people who were not psychologist, not supported by any research.

Jung was a psychiatrist and psychotherapist.
Also, it's supported by neuroscience research:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGfhQTbcqmA

 

[Darth Roxor]

The irony is that it seems MCA did erase his short-term memory by drinking a lot during the stream

 

[Sentinel]

Hmm, I'm wondering if Leonard ever said something about what his dream game would be... Perhaps in an old interview somewhere?

Well, I found this: http://www.duckandcover.cx/content.php?id=63.
The interview is about Bloodlines.

Are you planning to make the game default to a top-down viewpoint, similar to the isometric view used in the Fallout games? Party based or single player (I would consider Fallout to be single player based) based? 'Mature' or 'Teen' rated?

The view that is shown in the screen shots is what we are considering the default view. You can zoom in and out and rotate the map, but the viewing angle stays the same. Originally we designed the engine to handle over the shoulder third person or even first person views (and it does so quite well), as our giant project with unlimited funds dream is to have a game where you explore first person (or maybe over the shoulder, haven't decided yet) and then go to "isometric" third person for combat. This would take a huge amount of resources, both programming and art and therefore a relatively high budget, so don't expect to see it anytime soon. But we're ready for it should the situation present itself!

The party based vs single player choice is a tough one. I've always been partial to the single player, but a lot of people (both internally and fans) have been very vocal about having control over your party members, at least in combat. I'm not sure which way we may end up going with this game, this will definitely be a subject for serious debate. And knife fights.

By default we seem to lean towards Mature oriented material without even really thinking about it. We're twisted and it comes through in our work, what can I say. Having said that, I think we could make just as good a game under a Teen rating, it would just force us to be more inventive and subversive. Kind of like how early rock and roll had to come up with different inventive ways of talking about sex, but once it became okay to just graphically talk about it some of the poetry and creativity went out of it. The only thing that would really suck about having to do a teen game is that we'd have to lose the gory deaths. I don't know if I can live with that.

BTW:

Spoiler

Finally, do you have anything else you'd like to say to the readers of Duck and Cover, and the Fallout community?

We appreciate the support and enthusiasm of the community. I personally don't understand people disparaging the Fallout fans, I think they're great - of course, I'm biased. It's hard not to be fired up about a community that loves something you created so much that they'll flame anyone who says anything even the slightest bit negative about it. We've had our share of being thrashed by them as well, so it's not like we're immune to being attacked. The latest round of criticism accuses us of "bending over" to get a publishing deal and selling out because we'd consider making this game non turn based, but how can you get angry with these things when they're coming from a position of love for a game you're proud of as well? Of course, next time I get crap from any of you losers I'm going to get all pissy and sarcastic and write a page long forum entry about how you all suck. Just so you know.

But how is this isometric combat going to work on consoles on a "triple A" title? Their title doesn't seem to be PC-centered.

 

[Infinitron]

That interview is from 2004. I wouldn't overthink it...

 

[Trodat]

That kind of design would allow a good compromise between "cinematic appear to a wider audience" and deeper combat mechanics for the shitlords.

 

[hpstg]

Depending on the quality of the isometric design, it might even bring more people to ask for more isometric games.

 

[Ignatius Reilly]

His response to the balancing statement had me laughing. He's awesome.

 

[Infinitron]

Taken another way, I'm not sure you can expect one of the creators of Arcanum to feel all that bad about balance.

 

[Excidium II]

Thanks for reminding me those people are responsible for Arcanum.

 

[hpstg]

Thanks for reminding me those people are responsible for Arcanum.

Excidium, what's the toll that your soul pays for this constant supposed ambiguity?

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

Spoiler

If I did not know it was a mod for a bad game, I would have though it may be a good game.

Is someone doing the same mod for Fallout New Vegas?

 

[vortex]

I think for this unannounced project they'll go first person view, simply because there are ongoing Tyranny and PoE2 from already known classic viewpoint.
It's the best to reach out for something new, especially that everybody is asking them for New Vegas 2.

 

[hpstg]

If I did not know it was a mod for a bad game, I would have though it may be a good game.

Is someone doing the same mod for Fallout New Vegas?

Unfortunately, I believe it's just a proof of concept, the engine and the game cannot be really transformed to play like this.

 

[Bubbles]

If I did not know it was a mod for a bad game, I would have though it may be a good game.

Is someone doing the same mod for Fallout New Vegas?

Unfortunately, I believe it's just a proof of concept, the engine and the game cannot be really transformed to play like this.

I'd be fine with first person as long as they make it turn based.

 

[laclongquan]

Tim Cain is an ENFP, so he's naturally interested in human condition. I think Todd Howard may be a ENTP which makes him an asshole.

Nope, Todd think of videogames as juvenile fun and acts accordingly.

The problem of Tod's games is not his gameplay developers, it's his writers who all wrote juvenile shits. THAT is unfixable by mods.

 

[Jaesun]

The problem of Tod's games is not his gameplay developers, it's his writers who all wrote juvenile shits. THAT is unfixable by mods.

Um, with the tool-set editor you could re-write the entire game story.

Good luck with that though.

 

[laclongquan]

So? His games can be fixed, total converted, rebalance, and they have been done. But nobody can rewrite all that juvenile shits they spew in those games~ There's fixable, and there's unfixable.