Obsidian Entertainment - Interview - on IWD3 and More

Actually wouldn't mind IWD3. It's been quite a while so it will be different to IWD1-2 tho, ofcourse. It will be interesting to see how it will turn out.

Also, I wouldn't mind PS:T like game :p
 
Didn't Bethesda/Zenimax handle the QA for New Vegas?

And I don't consider Bethesda to be all that great at it either. They (Obsidian, but also Bethesda I suppose) have a reputation and a track record of releasing buggy games - at least the perception of that. If they can't partner with publishers who will do the QA process thoroughly they should invest in doing more of it themselves. Obviously Bethesda doesn't have a track record of releasing pristine and fully polished products either so it wasn't the wisest choice to have them handle most of it nor to agree to a contract where they were apportioned dividends partly based on the QA and support services they provided.

Eh? What Neverwinter sequel?

http://www.playneverwinter.com/

Though it almost sounds more like a sequel to Dark Alliance in terms of gameplay - though it will come with an adventure forge for the PC. Really very little known about it at this point though

Honestly New Vegas wasn't buggier for me than Fallout 3 or Oblivion. Reviewers bashed the game either because it was Obsidian, so it was "allowed," or just because the third similar game in a row should be more polished, not the same or slightly less.

In terms of engine related bugs it was probably slightly less buggy than Fallout 3 was for me (though I did experience more CTDs, but these seemed to be from malformed quest variables.) I did encounter far more scripting and quest bugs than I have in almost any game I've played since fallout 2 though. This was probably due to the fact that quest scripting (and factions) were far more complex than in Fallout 3 and neither Obsidian nor Bethesda were so inclined to rigorously test the myriad of probable play paths.

While its often standard practice to offload a great deal of the testing and support to a publisher - its far more efficient if the process is a fully collaborative effort. That is to say the developer should be doing most of the fixing and troubleshooting work while relying on the publisher mostly for the provisioning of test beds and providing testers to find the bugs.
 
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As much as the idea of an IWD3 sounds appealing to me, I highly doubt that it will happen. Mostly since I believe Atari are no longer interested in publishing single player games. If somehow the stars align for this one though, I'd love it to be a really really low budget title that ends up being as close to the originals as possible.

I find it funny that Feargus didn't say a word about the WoT game. DS3 is almost out and that game should be pretty far in development by now. Wondering whether they are timing a release with the last book so that's why we've heard nothing about it.
 
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As much as the idea of an IWD3 sounds appealing to me, I highly doubt that it will happen. Mostly since I believe Atari are no longer interested in publishing single player games. If somehow the stars align for this one though, I'd love it to be a really really low budget title that ends up being as close to the originals as possible.

I find it funny that Feargus didn't say a word about the WoT game. DS3 is almost out and that game should be pretty far in development by now. Wondering whether they are timing a release with the last book so that's why we've heard nothing about it.

I think WoT might not be all that far along. Last I heard it had a total team of 4-5 with only 2 being full time on the project.
 
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http://www.playneverwinter.com/

Though it almost sounds more like a sequel to Dark Alliance in terms of gameplay - though it will come with an adventure forge for the PC. Really very little known about it at this point though.

Ah,ok. You threw me off a bit by using the term "sequel". I thought maybe there was something else they were developing as well.
 
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I'll place a friendly bet that any IWD3 from Obsidian uses their Onyx engine modified rather than Cryptic's Neverwinter "MMO" thing. We'll be waiting a while to find out, so I'll meet you back in this thread in three years time.
 
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I'll place a friendly bet that any IWD3 from Obsidian uses their Onyx engine modified rather than Cryptic's Neverwinter "MMO" thing. We'll be waiting a while to find out, so I'll meet you back in this thread in three years time.

It doesn't sound like an MMO though - it almost sounds like Gauntlet but with optional AI characters. Heck even MMOs usually have more than 5 classes.
 
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Obsidian doing IWD3 could be freakin' amazing. :)

A party-based, actual RPG based on (probably) 4E D&D? Sign me up. 4E might not be the greatest thing ever, but it does seem like it'd lend itself well to a video game - though turn based more easily than not. *shrugs*

Either way, it'd be nice to see a non-indie RPG that isn't some action hybrid thing.
 
Last I heard about the WoT RPG, Red Eagle Entertainment was still trying to secure funding and development hadn't even started (I think this was a Feargus interview from last summer). Things might have changed since then though. Also my understanding is that Obsidian was to provide support for this but not craft the full game themselves.

I'll place a friendly bet that any IWD3 from Obsidian uses their Onyx engine modified rather than Cryptic's Neverwinter "MMO" thing.

If the Onyx engine works as well as it sounds for Dungeon Siege III, I'd suspect they'll want to use it as much as possible for their future project. The engine does sound versatile enough too: DSIII is an onverhead hack'n slash RPG, but it was being used for the cancelled Aliens Crucible which was Mass Effect kind of RPG with a behind the shoulder view and shooting so...

I wonder what's the game they are developping on a "IP they just couldn't refuse" though. Definitly a lot of possibilies there.

That being said: I would kill for an Obsidian made Ultima game. I think they could do justice to the series and bring a level of ethical and moral dilemans into the writing that would fit the series.

Please EA. Listen! When you have a guy like Feargus Uruquart saying he wants to make an Ultima - this is something you should consider, considering Obsidian has an history of creating commercially successful games base on other IPs.

The independant nature of Obsidian also put them in a position that would make this possible to open since they are not tied to any specific publisher contraty to most other RPG studios.

-Sergorn
 
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" I think doing an Ultima would be awesome. I think it's been long enough since Ultima 9. Those Ultima games that Garriot did were cool, and I think doing an Ultima would be awesome."

I applaud the rich language.
 
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" I think doing an Ultima would be awesome. I think it's been long enough since Ultima 9. Those Ultima games that Garriot did were cool, and I think doing an Ultima would be awesome."

I applaud the rich language.

Yeah, but Feargus was never very articulate :)

That said, it's sad that most developers are employing this teen-market-speak, but I guess that's just how it is these days.
 
The concept of a third iteration of Icewind Dale is very appealing to me, as I loved those games. The first game plus Heart of Winter and Trials of the Luremaster is a real treat to play and complete from beginning to end.

However, since it has been awhile since we saw a genuine AD&D single player party-based cRPG, let alone one with 4th Ed rules, I'm a little skeptical.

What are other people's feelings about how the ruleset would translate into a party based cRPG like Icewind Dale? I'd like to know more particularly from the viewpoint of an experienced DM that has made PnP campaigns through 1st-4th Editions.

Overall, it's an exciting prospect/idea - but I guess we'll hear and know more after Dungeon Siege 3 comes out and is received.

EDIT: @ Brennus below: Notice I prefaced my post with 'the concept of'.
The hypothetical is still interesting to consider, regardless of the likelihood of it happening. I certainly don't see any harm in voiceing a positive sentiment about the idea. Whilst you make valid points, I'd like more reasoning and evidence for a statement so categorical - perhaps you should also inform the CEO of Obsidian why it can't happen?
 
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Guys, what are you smoking? IWD3 - not going to happen.

The D&D licensing issues haven't been resolved. I am under the impression that Hasbro still will sue Atari for every penny they get out of a D&D game. Atari wouldn't take the risk to go farther than the only secure license part there is: the online MMO.

I am also very much of the opinion that 4th Edition rules and the post Storm of Zehir changes to the Realms are bad for sales, anyway.

And finally: IF they will have to Atari fund the project, I am quite sure Atari would not find a worldwide publishing partner for the game. Namco - Bandai? Not in a million years.

EDIT: The IWD brand is dead anyway - if you want to revive a stone age 2D PC only brand for multiplatform you need the marketing power of Zenimax/ Bethesda or EA/ Bioware. A small project from (press vicitims) Obsidian and the remains of once proud Infogrames (also press vicitims) will not do the job.
 
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I think that they could wait for the up coming movie to release more information about the WOT game. By that time (2012) they should be far enough along to do a big reveal of the game.

PS. It will be interesting to see how they do the magic system and there should be far less fantasy enemies and more human enemies in the game. (since the only fairly common non-human enemy is the Trolloc and most others would mostly be boss-like enemies.
 
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Guys, what are you smoking? IWD3 - not going to happen.

The D&D licensing issues haven't been resolved. I am under the impression that Hasbro still will sue Atari for every penny they get out of a D&D game. Atari wouldn't take the risk to go farther than the only secure license part there is: the online MMO.
So how do you explain Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale?

And finally: IF they will have to Atari fund the project, I am quite sure Atari would not find a worldwide publishing partner for the game. Namco - Bandai? Not in a million years.
Why not? Atari still use NB for their other games.
 
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Its well known they bought the assets of IWD as they left Black ISle but they didn't do anything with them. I bet ATari would come back and say, why don't you do BG because that's the bigger name. Except, I'm pretty sure they aren't happy with Obsidian which is why they are doing Neverwinter in house.

There's no chance I'm taking that bet Dhruiny. There's every chance they will use anything but an in-house engine and not one built for MMO's if IWD3 get's done.

Didn't I hear that EA pegged Bio to do Ultima? Possibly at their suggestion?
 
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AFAIK, Neverwinter Nights 2 sold very well so I see no reasons why Atari would be unhappy with Obsidian. The fact they do Neverwinter in-house doesn't mean much - they have bought Cryptic for a reason and no matter what one may think of their games they have experience with Online games - which Obsidian does not.

Maybe I'm naive, but unless there are indeed legal issues that would prevent it I see no reasons why Atari wouldn't want to work with Obsidian after NWN2 (hell Storm of Zehir is not THAT old) and a Icewind Dale III would not be a bad idea. (And eck it's not like there are many "big" independant RPG studios left anymore)

Didn't I hear that EA pegged Bio to do Ultima? Possibly at their suggestion?

There are words of a browser-based Ultima game being done by Bioware Mythic, but I've never heard anything about Bioware Edmonton doing anything related to Ultima. And they bring so much cash with Mass Effect and Dragon Age, I'm not sure EA would be interested to have them work on ressurection an old IP at that time.

-Sergorn
 
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Obsidian is good at taking an RPG and improving its' roleplaying part. That was the case with Neverwinter Nights 2 and Fallout New Vegas. And also I'm sure DS3's roleplaying part will be strong from its' predecessors.

For me Obsidian is the last bastion of 'true' RPGs in the USA territory. I would really want to see the next Ultima game from them.
 
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For IWD3, I remember Feargus mentioned in another interview DS3 engine was made from the ground especially for roleplaying games. So, I think he must have considered this engine to use in a possible IWD3 in the future and have built it according to this needs. So, I think they will use that engine if they ever going to make third game to the series.
 
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