People News Ex-Obsidian Kevin Saunders Joins inXile as Project Director, Probably on New Torment Game

[TwinkieGorilla]

Some of you are such pathetic backseat developers its embarrassing. Also: LOL @ Lockkaliber's panties in such a precious bundle.

You seem awfully heated up about it, though.

Haha. Err, not really, dude. So rational = "heated" now? Mmmkay.

 

[Lockkaliber]

Sure, he goes on to mention that there are new questions that are central to him in this later state, but that just tells us he's not really in tune with the central question of the game he's now making a sequel to. It doesn't have to mean anything bad for the game, but I didn't really like the tone nor what it could imply for the game. Especially since MCA's particular style of writing is a big part of my enjoyment of the original.

You don't think MCA's angle and perspective on these things would have changed too?

Of course it has, but his style of prose hasn't changed for the worse through KotOR 2, MotB and New Vegas. I think he could make a great sequel to Torment.

 

[LeStryfe79]

MCA will definitely contribute. My guess is that Torment 2 KS will launch on the anniversary of Wasteland 2's KS. He's already finished writing for W2 and has many months to do the same for PE. Let's not forget that MCA is the Chuck Norris of his field.

 

[Infinitron]

Brother None I don't know, man. It's just how my wallet feels. It depends on when Brian really wants to start this thing.

You seem awfully heated up about it, though.

Heated? Sorry. No heat. I wanted to just stress that point of "what else can they do"? Mrowak seems to be fine with them just firing everyone and hoping they come back (and apparently Wasteland 2 will be released in May 2013? Go figure). That's basically the two alternatives, and if you want you can argue for the "fire everyone" alternative, but you can kind of see why inXile would prefer to do things differently.

You know I'll pay dearly for another Torment anytime, but let's just say that the gap between the Wasteland 2 and Project Eternity Kickstarters was pretty nice.

 

[Lockkaliber]

Some of you are such pathetic backseat developers its embarrassing. Also: LOL @ Lockkaliber's panties in such a precious bundle.

I would love for a great sequel to Torment, I just think MCA is the right man for the job. You need to stop taking it personally when someone isn't as hyped as you about a vidya gaem.

 

[Brother None]

You know I'll pay dearly for another Torment anytime, but let's just say that the gap between the Wasteland 2 and Project Eternity Kickstarters was pretty nice.

Heh. Well. This isn't launching tomorrow, if that's what you were worried about, haha.

 

[TwinkieGorilla]

I would love for a great sequel to Torment, I just think MCA is the right man for the job. You need to stop taking it personally when someone isn't as hyped as you about a vidya gaem.

Some of you should be much more perceptive than you are as members of this site. Much more, but you're not.

Personally. What am I taking personally about a game which there is literally no information about yet? Hyped? Not really yet. I'm cautiously optimistic at best, reserving benefit of the doubt with as level a head I can manage at worst. You Chicken Little goofballs don't get to use that as an excuse every time I laugh or disparage you for jumping to conclusions (which is the ONLY thing I've done since the mention of WL2).

 

[Lockkaliber]

TwinkieGorilla

I'm not sure how I'm jumping to conclusions, or what you're reacting against. I just said I didn't really like an initial blog post and that I'd rather want a Torment done by MCA than Colin McComb. I think it's your need to go into this thread and be an ass that warrants the question of you having some sort of emotional investment in the issue. I think the game can still be good (despite my original post in this thread), but I'd rather see MCA have full control over the story.

 

[janjetina]

Mrowak: To what extent are the coders involved in pre-production?

 

[Deleted member 7219]

Excellent news. I hate seeing good developers out of work, and Saunders did a great job on MotB.

 

[TwinkieGorilla]

I'm not sure how I'm jumping to conclusions, or what you're reacting against. I just said I didn't really like an initial blog post and that I'd rather want a Torment done by MCA than Colin McComb. I think it's your need to go into this thread and be an ass that warrants the question of you having some sort of emotional investment in the issue. I think the game can still be good (despite my original post in this thread), but I'd rather see MCA have full control of the story.

Ha.

"Torment without MCA? Fuck that shit."

Is the first thing you said. And you have this amount of knowledge about the game so far: 0

So yeah, I laughed at you. I know, I know...that must mean I care about the issue, the game which doesn't exist yet, oh what other gems...it must mean I'm "defending" Wasteland 2 still right?

 

[grotsnik]

A lack of a central role for Avellone doesn't bother me too much on first glance; it's pretty clear from what's been said that with a new setting and new characters, the Torment brand is going to be more of a frame of reference for a particular theme and tone that Colin and the rest have in mind (and an eye-catching way of building hype and connecting with an existing fan base, which I hope won't be employed too cynically). If it ended up as more of a MotB2, fuck it, I'd be absolutely delighted. That said, they're surely going to have to be bloody careful how they market and characterise it - if they're going to be actively calling their game 'X: Torment' or identifying it as a direct successor, they can expect all kinds of concerns and confusions, from reasonable questions about what makes this game in particular worthy of an explicit, equal-standing connection to PS:T (and whether or not Avellone's involved is definitely a legitimate part of that) to people posting syrupy forum petitions about how the developers should bring back carbon copies of all their favourite characters and concepts (Nordom was GREAT! Please give us another crossbow-firing robot buddy in Torment 2!!, etc) no matter how inappropriate they are to the new game's setting and style.

 

[Lockkaliber]

"Torment without MCA? Fuck that shit."

Is the first thing you said. And you have this amount of knowledge about the game so far: 0

"I think the game can still be good (despite my original post in this thread)"

Sometimes there is hyperbole on the codex. Especially when you are discussing a topic that you are invested in. And I've never claimed to have any information on the game, I just called McCombs ability to create a worthy sequel to Torment into question. Don't tell me we're not allowed to discuss these things until the kickstarter is announced without you coming into every thread, guns blazing? Not sure what you mean about W2, I pledged to that too.

Also, the issue BN brings up is good. I wouldn't want to see the team that inXile has managed to gather break up, so I'd pretty much just pledge for that reason.

 

[skuphundaku]

That said, they're surely going to have to be bloody careful how they market and characterise it - if they're going to be actively calling their game 'X: Torment' or identifying it as a direct successor, they can expect all kinds of concerns and confusions, from reasonable questions about what makes this game in particular worthy of an explicit, equal-standing connection to PS:T (and whether or not Avellone's involved is definitely a legitimate part of that) to people posting syrupy forum petitions about how the developers should bring back carbon copies of all their favourite characters and concepts (Nordom was GREAT! Please give us another crossbow-firing robot buddy in Torment 2!!, etc) no matter how inappropriate they are to the new game's setting and style.

I think that, instead of using something like X:Torment, they should make "Torment" the main part of the brand name and have something like Torment: Y. They could use "Torment" in the same way the "Final Fantasy" brand is being used, i.e. a collection of unrelated stories connected by the same approach/outlook/etc.

 

[LeStryfe79]

^this^

 

[Infinitron]

That said, they're surely going to have to be bloody careful how they market and characterise it - if they're going to be actively calling their game 'X: Torment' or identifying it as a direct successor, they can expect all kinds of concerns and confusions, from reasonable questions about what makes this game in particular worthy of an explicit, equal-standing connection to PS:T (and whether or not Avellone's involved is definitely a legitimate part of that) to people posting syrupy forum petitions about how the developers should bring back carbon copies of all their favourite characters and concepts (Nordom was GREAT! Please give us another crossbow-firing robot buddy in Torment 2!!, etc) no matter how inappropriate they are to the new game's setting and style.

I think that, instead of using something like X:Torment, they should make "Torment" the main part of the brand name and have something like Torment: Y. They could use "Torment" in the same way the "Final Fantasy" brand is being used, i.e. a collection of unrelated stories connected by the same approach/outlook/etc.

Not a bad idea, considering how Torment was in fact influenced by Final Fantasy.

 

[The Bishop]

It allows us to explore ideas and gameplay that many, including us, are passionate about, but that aren’t mainstream enough for the big publishers (with Wasteland 2 as an obvious example =) ).

So I take it the game is going to be funded by a... publisher, just not a big one?

 

[Mother Russia]

The real question is, how is this being funded? And, will there be a kickstarter for this, are they funding it themselves (extremely doubtful, they will not take that kind of a risk) or is a publisher funding this? (in which case, hypocrisy much?)

 

[Mrowak]

Mrowak, stop being such a fucking know-it-all. How do you know what state Wasteland 2 is in? How do you what Fargo is planning and when? You don't.

Are yous implying that Fargo is in the final stages of working on Wasteland 2? I am speechless! That would be a new record!!

Brother None I don't know, man. It's just how my wallet feels. It depends on when Brian really wants to start this thing.

You seem awfully heated up about it, though.

Heated? Sorry. No heat. I wanted to just stress that point of "what else can they do"? Mrowak seems to be fine with them just firing everyone and hoping they come back (and apparently Wasteland 2 will be released in May 2013? Go figure). That's basically the two alternatives, and if you want you can argue for the "fire everyone" alternative, but you can kind of see why inXile would prefer to do things differently.

I am not favouring this approach. If they are sure they can manage two separate at the same time, be my guest. I just think that involving yourself in a new project much mefore W2 has reached mature state, just because boo-hoo artists have nothing to do is a waste of resources. But it didn't happen (yet) so the point is moot.

Also, I didn't mean to imply that W2 will be released in May 2013. I meant that if we stick to the schedule Fargo presented (October 2013, methinks) it would be around May that most of their design work will be over they will have to work on implementation and QA from then on, so other works will be free. Only then there will be some major shifts in workload, and it will be a good point to start working on another project (unless Wasteland 2 gets delayed).

They could begin the other project earlier, but this would entail employing more people, not to mention getting the funding. I think everyone feels a slight bout of kickstarter sickness at the moment, so I doubt it would be so easy to secure the money this time around.

Having said that, I find it riveting that Fargo starts seriously thinking on development so early on.

 

[Infinitron]

Are yous implying that Fargo is in the final stages of working on Wasteland 2? I am speechless! That would be a new record!!

No, I'm implying that your "Mrowak: Master Game Development Planner" act is getting tired. Knock it off.

I meant that if we stick to the schedule Fargo presented (October 2013, methinks) it would be around May that most of their design work will be over

they will have to work on implementation and QA from then on

Only then there will be some major shifts in workload

Again, how do you know?

At least when Roguey is being an arrogant blowhard he can back it up with actual sources.

 

[Crooked Bee]

I think that, instead of using something like X:Torment, they should make "Torment" the main part of the brand name and have something like Torment: Y. They could use "Torment" in the same way the "Final Fantasy" brand is being used, i.e. a collection of unrelated stories connected by the same approach/outlook/etc.

Torment: Gaiden.

 

[Brother None]

I think that, instead of using something like X:Torment, they should make "Torment" the main part of the brand name and have something like Torment: Y. They could use "Torment" in the same way the "Final Fantasy" brand is being used, i.e. a collection of unrelated stories connected by the same approach/outlook/etc.

Torment: Gaiden.

Torment: I Want To Be A Dragon.

 

[Mrowak]

Are yous implying that Fargo is in the final stages of working on Wasteland 2? I am speechless! That would be a new record!!

No, I'm implying that your "Mrowak: Master Game Development Planner" act is getting tired. Knock it off.

Yeah, you might be right... I am overdoing it. But of all matters we discuss here the subject of "whether they'll make it or not" has most substance, and hence is the most important to me. The rest is hype and wishful thinking.

 

[Infinitron]

I think that, instead of using something like X:Torment, they should make "Torment" the main part of the brand name and have something like Torment: Y. They could use "Torment" in the same way the "Final Fantasy" brand is being used, i.e. a collection of unrelated stories connected by the same approach/outlook/etc.

Torment: Gaiden.

Torment: I Want To Be A Mortal.

 

[Mrowak]

Torment: I Want To Be A Dragon.

Don't give them ideas!!