People News Sweden Game Conference 2015: Lessons Learned with Chris Avellone

[Infinitron]

Tags: Chris Avellone

Chris Avellone was a guest at the annual Sweden Game Conference last month, where he he gave a 34 minute talk detailing the hard lessons he's learned over his career, to what appears to be a room full of uncomfortably quiet Swedish game design students. A couple of days ago, a video of the talk was uploaded to the Sweden Game Arena YouTube channel, so now we can learn those lessons ourselves. Watch as Chris talks about how to get a job in the industry, about overcoming "designer's block", about the importance of doing research and broadening one's horizons, about how minigames are necessary (even though he hates them), about how to do time limits, about the importance of reading your forums, about the dangers of "talking shit", and much more!

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As usual, Chris seems reluctant to mention his involvement with Pillars of Eternity, although one of the attendees does manage to coax a reference out of him in the post-talk Q&A session, where he also reveals some interesting tidbits about the developments of Planescape: Torment and Icewind Dale.

 

[kaizoku]

On the list of titles he worked on.
Includes Descent to Undermountain
Excludes Pillars of Eternity

 

[Infinitron]

On the list of titles he worked on.
Includes Descent to Undermountain
Excludes Pillars of Eternity

That list seems to include only pre-Obsidian titles (despite still having an Obsidian logo...)

 

[kaizoku]

He also approves of Skyrim bucket mechanics.

 

[Somberlain]

about the dangers of "talking shit"

Dangers? Talking shit makes your games sell 20 million copies, just look at Pete Hines.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Great video. I adore Chris Avellone.

Would love to pick his brain about ALL THE THINGS.

 

[Disgruntled]

That was a cool little lecture. Has me itching to try my hand at Unity again.

 

[Zeriel]

He also approves of Skyrim bucket mechanics.

As an actual systemic feature, bucketonhead blocking line of sight is one of the few cool things about Skyrim. Of course they patched it out as I recall.

 

[<3sRichardSimmons]

Oh man. Great presentation/lecture; incredibly uncomfortable environment.

Only got about 10 minutes in, but just felt so bad for MCA. What a terrible audience.

My guess is that it was predominantly a language barrier there. Either that or every Swede besides Swen is just a genuinely humorless fuck.

Edit: I'm apparently dumb and Swen is Belgian not Swedish.

In my defense: I am American, and we're easily enraptured by alliteration.

 

[<3sRichardSimmons]

Edit: No idea how I managed this clusterfuck of a double post. I blame Taluntain and bourbon (but mostly Taluntain).

 

[Shadenuat]

What's up with a guy in so very pink shirt and SWEDEN written on it
what's up with everyone
does everyone paint their hair there
some girls are kawai though, if not for the accent and feeling that they're either slowly freezing or melting or just terribly shy

Chris doesn't have a lot of new things to say sadly

 

[Starwars]

Depends largely on where you live as well. Visiting Stockholm nowadays is like going on a LSD trip with all the colors. Annoying people everywhere.

On the other hand, out here in the country, you get the "git off my lawn" type of people who are afraid of everything new instead.

 

[Spectacle]

Depends largely on where you live as well. Visiting Stockholm nowadays is like going on a LSD trip with all the colors. Annoying people everywhere.

 

[Starwars]

The best of both worlds baby. A beast that lives out in the wilderness, with a touch of retardation modern Stockholm life.

 

[Ezrite]

Oh man. Great presentation/lecture; incredibly uncomfortable environment.

Only got about 10 minutes in, but just felt so bad for MCA. What a terrible audience.

My guess is that it was predominantly a language barrier there. Either that or every Swede besides Swen is just a genuinely humorless fuck.

Edit: I'm apparently dumb and Swen is Belgian not Swedish.

In my defense: I am American, and we're easily enraptured by alliteration.

Well Sven as we use up here, is damn close.

As a Swedish half Dane Scanian, I like to add "fuck Stockholm! Skåne for indepdence or a return to Denmark! woooooo!.

EDIT: Also Unity huh? After Wasteland 2 I wanted to puke seeing Unity, Age of Decadence might be something peopel call ugly but it got charm. Wasteland 2's unity graphics was ugly and unappealing.

 

[Zed]

Skövde is trying so damn hard to be the center of "swedish game developer education", producing abso-fucking-lutely nothing of value. I hate it and I hate everyone from Skövde.

 

[Ezrite]

Skövde is trying so damn hard to be the center of "swedish game developer education", producing abso-fucking-lutely nothing of value. I hate it and I hate everyone from Skövde.

How do you think I feel? Living and born in Malmö? The only thing worth a while we got going is Turning Torso and football, The rest the idiots think is so great and good is crap.

 

[MrMarbles]

It's neither, Swedes just have a collective phobia of awkward situations. They won't laugh out of fear that none else will.

Swedes can be pretty awkward without alcohol. MCA should have tried some humour, like what do swedes call an intro screen with two or more options? A puzzle minigame.

 

[hivemind]

Nice lecture.

Stopped watching when it came to questions because autistic audience.

 

[Zed]

lmao if you think anyone in the audience knew who chris avellone is

 

[Infinitron]

Those who asked about Planescape: Torment and Icewind Dale were at least familiar with what he'd worked on.

EDIT: Also Unity huh? After Wasteland 2 I wanted to puke seeing Unity, Age of Decadence might be something peopel call ugly but it got charm. Wasteland 2's unity graphics was ugly and unappealing.

That part of the talk seemed familiar: http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...e-23-gameplay-video.80413/page-2#post-2487118

 

[hivemind]

lmao if you think anyone in the audience knew who chris avellone is

the very first question was journalism tier shit about PS:T and Torment: Numenera

 

[Ezrite]

lmao if you think anyone in the audience knew who chris avellone is

I been into RPGs since late 90's but im the fucking idiot who forget a name in 5 minutes. But hell, I know he is a big name and been there before. To bad gaming became mainstream.

Those who asked about Planescape: Torment and Icewind Dale were at least familiar with what he'd worked on.



That part of the talk seemed familiar: http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...e-23-gameplay-video.80413/page-2#post-2487118

I give it that, Unity been good for the little guys.

 

[Sensuki]

To bad gaming became mainstream

Yep

 

[Ezrite]

Yep

RIP the old days