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

[Kz3r0]

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: Gayder.

 

[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.

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.

They can make their projects however they want, even launch 100 parallel ones. I just think it would be the safest option. So yeah, these are just estimations and little else.

I'd like to point out , however, that in all "planning" matters we've discussed my predictions proved quite accurate so far. Let's hope as times goes they will turn out to be unfounded.

 

[TwinkieGorilla]

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?

So me laughing at you (or anybody) for overreacting and jumping to conclusions and subsequently responding to your "Well, I never!" posts is "Guns Blazing"? Interesting.

 

[Anac'raxus]

...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)...

Why wouldn't he be? He was a writer for Wasteland 2, so presumably he's considered a part of the group of writers they want to keep together. Unless he says he's too busy (playing Arcanum, getting drunk, doing interviews, etc...), I don't think it's really a big concern.

I do wonder how they'll handle the setting so the project doesn't end up looking like an attempt to fleece nostalgic fans, but also doesn't invite lawyers in to fleece everybody, though.

 

[abnaxus]

Torment: I Want To Be A Dragon.

Don't give them ideas!!

 

[Brother None]

Dark Sun was awesome doe.

 

[hiver]

Chris didnt make Torment alone. He didnt have full exclusive control over the original.
He worked with Colin and others.

Those who object other people take an "emotional" point of view about the issue should really, look in a mirror a bit.

Let me just say that, according to what we do know for a fact about Chris and his views on the matter - that are publicly available - he will surely be involved. A surely as the sun will raise tomorrow.

 

[Mrowak]

Torment: I Want To Be A Dragon.

Don't give them ideas!!

I approve. Do give them ideas. :D

 

[Haba]

A lot of water has flown in the sewers of Sigil since Torment. Chances are, if we assembled the exact same team to remake the game without any preconceptions about it, we'd have wildly different product. Time can change the nature of man. Heartbroken Avellone would refuse to write romances into the game, instead making the bittersweet NPC interactions bitter and mean. Saunders would look at things from the perspective of a mature family man, being unable to come up with the same naive perspectives as in the original.

It could still turn out to be a good game, maybe a great game - but in many cases, not a game you'd love now as you loved PS:T back in the day. The audience too, has aged.

But don't worry Lockalibber, even if Chris isn't in the helm this time, I'm sure Obsidian will get to do Torment 2: New Baator eventually!

 

[LeStryfe79]

Hiver's right. No way in hell they do a Torment KS without Chris. No way.

 

[grotsnik]

Why wouldn't he be? He was a writer for Wasteland 2, so presumably he's considered a part of the group of writers they want to keep together. Unless he says he's too busy (playing Arcanum, getting drunk, doing interviews, etc...), I don't think it's really a big concern.

Well, God knows if he could slip away from Obsidian again to do some more writing work (I bet Brother None does, but he's not telling), but there must be limitations on how much he could possibly contribute. And while it was certainly a marketing coup for Wasteland 2, I think it'd be a bit fucking gruesome to draft him back in if he'd only be doing some minor-to-moderately-involved work on the project, or as a token gesture. 'Torment 2: Now With Two Whole Areas Written By Chris Avellone!'. Better to make it somebody else's baby entirely, surely?

 

[IronicNeurotic]

Chris can do his own thing aswell. This doesn't really prevent it.

 

[CMcC]

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.

That's fair. As I said in a different thread, the original Torment was a complete and beautiful story. Living up to that kind of expectation is a difficult thing.

Honestly, I'm concerned about it too - but I'm also confident we can do it. Why?

Well: Brian Fargo thinks this team can do it. Kevin Saunders thinks we can. And most importantly: MCA thinks we can.

I told Chris that I didn't want to do it without him. He said he trusts me with it. That's pretty much the only vote of confidence I need.

Now... hold my beer and watch this.

 

[Don Peste]

When is Tim Cain finally going to do something? Fuck!

 

[Brother None]

When is Tim Cain finally going to do something? Fuck!

Buh? He's working on Eternity, no?

 

[TwinkieGorilla]

Buh? He's working on Eternity, no?

 

[Brother None]

Oh snap. I fell for your wily tricks again, Caen!

CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEN!

 

[Lockkaliber]

CMcC aight broseph, colour me interested

 

[FeelTheRads]

That's fair. As I said in a different thread, the original Torment was a complete and beautiful story. Living up to that kind of expectation is a difficult thing.

I appreciate this kind of honesty.

Anyway, even though I would have liked this to take place in Planescape, I wish you good luck with it!

 

[Crooked Bee]

Well, God knows if he could slip away from Obsidian again to do some more writing work (I bet Brother None does, but he's not telling), but there must be limitations on how much he could possibly contribute. And while it was certainly a marketing coup for Wasteland 2, I think it'd be a bit fucking gruesome to draft him back in if he'd only be doing some minor-to-moderately-involved work on the project, or as a token gesture. 'Torment 2: Now With Two Whole Areas Written By Chris Avellone!'. Better to make it somebody else's baby entirely, surely?

I guess he could be some kind of Creative Consultant or even Creative Co-Lead to generate some hype, even if his actual involvement would be pretty minimal. Someone who would oversee the general direction of the project, or something. Making it somebody else's baby entirely is a sure way to lose at least half of the pledges, it seems to me, and make a lot of PS:T fans angry.

 

[Cabazone]

In principle, I don't like to see oeuvre turned into brand. But hey, if it was it take to finally have a real narrative focused RPG (unlike W2 & Eternity, which have a big focus on combats), and as long it isn't a sequel, I'm happy with it.


ULTIMATE STORYFAG RPG ! NOW !

 

[villain of the story]

So, which is better and why: 2D backgrounds vs. 3D gameworld for Torment?

DISCUSS!

 

[villain of the story]

And still, a game named Torment that is unrelated to PST and has no MCA sounds like a slamdunk. If it is the narrative quality of PST that you are after, you don't need the name Torment. The name Torment alone without the PS connection is just tacky. It's an obvious reference except they can't actually reference anything directly. Imagine making a Vampire themed RPG similar to Bloodlines and naming it just "Bloodlines", except without any direct connection or reference to VTM. It's stupid and sort of pretentious.

 

[almondblight]

Well, I guess the question is whether MCA is still going to do his Torment "spiritual successor"?

 

[villain of the story]

Also, mentioning that Chris said he's ok with it has zero meaning. And if he weren't ok with it, would he suddenly drop etiquette and say "I poured my soul into PST and now you're attempting to go behind my back? fuck that shit, mang" ?

Here is what Leonard Boyarsky (of Troika) said post-mortem about Bethesda snatching the Fallout IP:

It sort of felt as if our child had been sold to the highest bidder, and we had to just sit by and watch

http://www.duckandcover.cx/content.php?id=63

That Chris said McComb has his blessings could be the truth, but more likely is retaining good form and etiquette. Bringing that up, however, is sort of bad taste. And this is also sort of counter-intuitive towards a likely MCA-PST game.

I can't help but wonder if McComb had unresolved feelings reaching back to PST because of the ways a lot of things in TSR canon were adapted and changed to Black Isle's vision of the setting and game mechanics.