Putting the 'role' back in role-playing games since 2002.
Donate to Codex
Good Old Games
  • Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.

    "This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.

RPG Codex Interview: Chris Avellone on Pillars Cut Content, Game Development Hierarchies and More

HanoverF

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Nov 23, 2002
Messages
6,083
MCA Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Codex USB, 2014 Divinity: Original Sin 2
If we get less than 12 days of MCA posts I blame Infinitron.
 

Briosafreak

Augur
Joined
Oct 21, 2002
Messages
792
Location
Atomic Portugal

AwesomeButton

Proud owner of BG 3: Day of Swen's Tentacle
Patron
Joined
Nov 23, 2014
Messages
16,158
Location
At large
PC RPG Website of the Year, 2015 Make the Codex Great Again! Grab the Codex by the pussy Insert Title Here RPG Wokedex Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath
Chris Avellone , since there is a new round of questions, I'll just ask again my last one:

I have inspected the manual and credits of IWD, but I never was able to find who specifically should I be thankful to for the tight and evocative fantasy prose style in the introductions to the chapters, the cinematics, and the longer expositions which single characters were giving the player. I just can't get enough of that style, and I wanted to know who was behind the writing and editing, in case you still remember.
 

Quillon

Arcane
Joined
Dec 15, 2016
Messages
5,214
Speaking of Boyarsky, how come he leaves cozy high level position at fucking Blizzard of all places, and goes to Obsidian if its such a horrible place to work?

Leonard would probably tell you if asked, but I will say that he likely would have more creative voice at Obsidian and for all the company’s problems, they would probably give him more control over his own work. For example, I believe the company specifically asked the Design Director not to interfere (beyond advice) for their project, which I don’t know would be true of every company where you might have many, many people weighing in and changing your work – having a “cozy” job isn’t usually something a real creative wants.

Creative freedom is a powerful motivator. Still, Leonard and Tim did leave Feargus/Black Isle once already and may have concluded over time the experience with Feargus/BIS wasn’t as bad as they remember – although memory can fade over time, and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of the issues that led to the initial departure are starting to resurface as they are reminded of practices they had forgotten about, and the closer you get to the top, the more you see.

There was some mention that Leonard’s story for their upcoming game was attacked unfairly by the Obsidian owners as being lacking, when, in fact, PoE2’s story had all the same “problems” that were being raised except at a much higher level - but PoE2 got a pass for it. This kind of disparity can get increasingly frustrating over time because it can come across as favoritism. Me, every design and quest arc I’ve read from Leonard in the past was pretty good, so I’m dubious that there would be anything wrong with his story proposals, and the Obsidian owners are probably the last people I would listen to when it comes to game story critiques.

Would you have liked to direct FNV base game instead of the Design Director? Does it bother you that people associate him with Fallout, as much as, if not more than they do you atm? Do you think he's favorited in the company more than he deserves? Did it trouble you that he became the go-to guy for overseeing the most important games company was gonna make? If so was knowing all this made you more aware of the problems in the company which you prolly justifiably used to stir up the pen half-expecting you'll leave the company/they'll make you?

I ask the obvious questions your fanbois won't :D
 

Mustawd

Guest
Soon TM

image.jpg
 

Ninefingers

Educated
Patron
Joined
Mar 16, 2018
Messages
70
Location
England
What a wild ride. Old now probably but in the UK you can write it into an employee's contract that they can't work at a competing company but usually only for a short timeframe (6 months is the standard in my industry) and only within a small geographic area...though I guess that's redundant for game development. Pretty sure a ban FOR EVER AND EVER would be unenforceable either way - surely US law can't be that declined.

Anyway, this has been a great read, thanks Chris. Yesterday I asked my work colleague what he wanted for his birthday and he suggested PoE2 - is this grounds for dismissal? Should I make him an honorary owner so that I can promptly de-owner him? I tried to explain that the Codex has brought down a Jihad upon Obsidian but I'm not sure it sank in.
 

Fenix

Arcane
Vatnik
Joined
Jul 18, 2015
Messages
6,458
Location
Russia atchoum!


I actually like her. How sad I was born too late and in different country...

The Obsidian shills at the obsidian boards are making my piss boil. I don't want anyone to take MCA's comments as 100% facts, but there are some idiots who are brushing everything aside, saying that this is how good businesses are ran.

But that's true. Business is unethical by itself. Poor FU management is a poor management, but what he did with CA was a good business move.
If you intended to disagree, better google Protestant ethics which is a foundation of modern business ethic, and how it mutated today.

Sounds like Cleve hacked MCA's account

Sounds like Cleve was right in everything, and was moking all who was mocking him.

GO MAKE YOUR "THE WIRE" RPG FFS!

We already have Disco Elysium, that draw inspiration from it and few other similiar things.
 

J_C

One Bit Studio
Patron
Developer
Joined
Dec 28, 2010
Messages
16,947
Location
Pannonia
Project: Eternity Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath
The Obsidian shills at the obsidian boards are making my piss boil. I don't want anyone to take MCA's comments as 100% facts, but there are some idiots who are brushing everything aside, saying that this is how good businesses are ran.

But that's true. Business is unethical by itself. Poor FU management is a poor management, but what he did with CA was a good business move.
If you intended to disagree, better google Protestant ethics which is a foundation of modern business ethic, and how it mutated today.
I know that this is how big companies do business, but I can't agree with this being the only way. What did FU and Obsidian gain with a departure in this style? Some money, but I hardly believe that it would have bankrupt Obsidian if they pay Chris' due, and not act like an ass with him. So no, I can't accept that there is only unethical business.
 

Fenix

Arcane
Vatnik
Joined
Jul 18, 2015
Messages
6,458
Location
Russia atchoum!
What did FU and Obsidian gain with a departure in this style?

They did't get much because it's FU - clumsy soab. Execution was bad, that's why MCA telling as all he telling.

I can't agree with this being the only way

Yes, I can't agree too, but I'm a "communist" - looks like you are too. :lol:

Business ethics going as such - what brings money IS ethical and good, if it brings BIG money - then it's probably god's Hand that helping you, and you are practically the saint, because god doesn't help bad people. That's basics of protestant ethics.

Be careful with such "I believe there is a diffrent way" - communism which is long dead and decomposed still is a useful bogeyman.
 

J_C

One Bit Studio
Patron
Developer
Joined
Dec 28, 2010
Messages
16,947
Location
Pannonia
Project: Eternity Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath
What did FU and Obsidian gain with a departure in this style?

They did't get much because it's FU - clumsy soab. Execution was bad, that's why MCA telling as all he telling.

I can't agree with this being the only way

Yes, I can't agree too, but I'm a "communist" - looks like you are too. :lol:

Business ethics going as such - what brings money IS ethical and good, if it brings BIG money - then it's probably god's Hand that helping you, and you are practically the saint, because god doesn't help bad people. That's basics of protestant ethics.

Be careful with such "I believe there is a diffrent way" - communism which is long dead and decomposed still is a useful bogeyman.
Hey, we are a post-communist country, so maybe there is some communism in me afterall. :D
 
Joined
Dec 12, 2013
Messages
4,229
Companies can be more or less fair, the management can think in the long term or not, they can value their workers to a greater or lesser extent -- and especially in knowledge- and creativity-intensive industries valuing your workers more than the next guy does often translate to success in the marketplace -- but when the rubber meets the road, the interests of the owners and the workers are irreconcilably opposed. The owners want to extract value out of the workers, and the workers want -- or should want! -- to retain as much of the value of their work as they can. The most effective way to keep the workers docile is to hoodwink them into believing that they are the corporation. They're not. All they are is a means of production

"Human Resources" is the greatest slip of tongue in recent memory.
 

Fenix

Arcane
Vatnik
Joined
Jul 18, 2015
Messages
6,458
Location
Russia atchoum!
maybe there is some communism in me afterall. :D

All today's "communists" are just socialists, that hopelessly lose their battle. Russian "communistic" party isn't a communistic at all, even if it have that word in it's name.
Communism is dead. There comes a time of feudalism.
 

As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.
Back
Top Bottom