The Outer Worlds - Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky Interview @ PC Gamer

PC Gamer interviewed Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky - they still try to get better in making RPGs:

The creators of The Outer Worlds on learning to make better RPGs

Our full interview with Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky about Fallout, making mistakes, and Obsidian's RPG heritage.

I recently visited Obsidian Entertainment to see the studio's new RPG The Outer Worlds, which I called a blend of Firefly and Fallout. It may look like the space cowboy version of Bethesda's recent Fallout 3 and Fallout 4, but its roots run deeper than that: lead developers Leonard Boyarsky and Tim Cain created Fallout together in the 90s, along with other famous PC RPGs like Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines.

You can read a lot more about The Outer Worlds in my feature, but I also talked to Tim and Leonard about their careers making RPGs, and how that experience and working at Obsidian is affecting this new game. Here's what they had to say.

Wes Fenlon, PC Gamer: Tim, did you sort of have an inkling of what this game was going to be before Leonard came over to Obsidian from Blizzard, or did you form the idea together?

Tim Cain: I had no idea what it was going to look like. We had not picked any art style. We knew it was going to be sci-fi.

Leonard Boyarsky: Obsidian asked Tim to make a new IP and Tim reached out to me, because we complement each other really well in terms of what we're good at and what we're not good at, and just kind of went from there. We knew going in that we wanted it to be a space opera-y kind of thing. We hadn't really done that before. We'd done post-apocalyptic, we did Vampire, and Arcanum, steampunk fantasy.

Even before we had the art style, I definitely knew that it was going to be another one of these kinds of alternate history, weird things that most other people wouldn't try to tackle. I think it's more prevalent now, but back when we did Fallout, people didn't quite get the 1950s post-apocalyptic thing right out of the gate. They weren't quite sure what to what we were talking about.

[…]

Thanks henriquejr!



More information.

Don't forget these two interviews if you haven't read them this week.

The Outer Worlds Interview on GameSpot

The reveal of Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds was a highlight of the The Game Awards 2018. The studio has built up a solid reputation over the years for crafting creative and engrossing narrative-heavy RPGs, and if nothing else, The Outer Worlds shows many signs of being directly inspired by recent entries in the Fallout series, one of which--New Vegas--was developed by Obsidian less than a decade ago. The Outer Worlds is also the brainchild of Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky, two creatives with a storied history in PC gaming. Their most notable chapter by far? When they and a small band of collaborators created the original Fallout in the mid '90s. But after following up with Fallout 2, they've had to watch while Bethesda took the series in its own direction--despite being at Obsidian now, neither Cain nor Boyarsky were working there at the time of New Vegas' development.

The Outer Worlds Interview on Shacknews

The Outer Worlds represents a chance for Obsidian to step into uncharted territory. And yet, a few ideas might feel familiar, coming from the creators of the original Fallout and also from the studio that put together Fallout: New Vegas. But narratively, what is Obsidian aiming for with this new outer space adventure?

To learn more about what's on the horizon, Shacknews recently sat down with Senior Narrative Designer Megan Starks. Starks brings along her experience from Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, along with a resume that includes Tyranny, WildStar, and Fallen Earth. Among the topics discussed include the Outer Worlds story, character development, "Dumb" dialogue, and branding run amok.

I'm wondering if this is the game that got Obsidian sold to Microsoft? It feels like it's going to do well.

It's not. This game was a deal with whomever owns Rockstar. Microsoft wants BIS.

Originally Posted by joxer
It's not. This game was a deal with whomever owns Rockstar. Microsoft wants BIS.

I'm jet lagged so my head might not be working quite right. What's BIS?

Originally Posted by TomRon
I'm jet lagged so my head might not be working quite right. What's BIS?

My guess is Black Isle Studios.

Re-reading the whole interview, I just noticed an answer from Tim Cain, when PCGamer made them a question about mod support:

Tim: One of our level designers wrote one of the most popular mods for Skyrim, so obviously it's in our DNA.

Who would be that person and what mod Tim refers to?

Originally Posted by henriquejr
Re-reading the whole interview, I just noticed a answer from Tim Cain, when PCGamer made them a question about mod support:

Tim: One of our level designers wrote one of the most popular mods for Skyrim, so obviously it's in our DNA.

Who would be that person and what mod Tim refers to?

Don't know but here is the list to browse for names.

Link - https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/10…-on-this-game/

• Scott Everts - Technical Designer
• Constant Gaw - Senior Designer
• David Williams - Senior Systems Designer
• Dini McMurry - Senior Level Designer
• Marc Soskin - Level Designer ( Hired in March'18. Did not work on Deadfire or the DLCs, so Outer Worlds?)
• Charles Staples - Lead Designer
• Tyson Christensen - Senior Designer / Lead Level Designer
• Dan McPhee - Junior Narrative Designer
• Chris L'Etoile - Narrative Designer
• Carter Thomas - Level Designer
• Scott Hafner - Level Designer
• Anthony Rogers - Cinematics Designer
• Carrie Patel - Narrative Designer
• Megan Starks - Senior Narrative Designer / Lead Narrative Designer (according rpgsite interview)
• Kate Dollaryde - Narrative Designer (According to her Twitter account)

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
Don't know but here is the list to browse for names.

Link - https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/10…-on-this-game/

• Scott Everts - Technical Designer
• Constant Gaw - Senior Designer
• David Williams - Senior Systems Designer
• Dini McMurry - Senior Level Designer
• Marc Soskin - Level Designer ( Hired in March'18. Did not work on Deadfire or the DLCs, so Outer Worlds?)
• Charles Staples - Lead Designer
• Tyson Christensen - Senior Designer / Lead Level Designer
• Dan McPhee - Junior Narrative Designer
• Chris L'Etoile - Narrative Designer
• Carter Thomas - Level Designer
• Scott Hafner - Level Designer
• Anthony Rogers - Cinematics Designer
• Carrie Patel - Narrative Designer
• Megan Starks - Senior Narrative Designer / Lead Narrative Designer (according rpgsite interview)
• Kate Dollaryde - Narrative Designer (According to her Twitter account)

Ha-ha

Originally Posted by henriquejr
Re-reading the whole interview, I just noticed an answer from Tim Cain, when PCGamer made them a question about mod support:

Tim: One of our level designers wrote one of the most popular mods for Skyrim, so obviously it's in our DNA.

Who would be that person and what mod Tim refers to?

It's this mod, Moon and Star:

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/52397/

Wouldn't say it's the best, but a pretty short/good adventure.

Wait, L'Etoile is working at Obsidian/on this? Since when?

Put him in charge and get rid of these amateur twitter writers.

Originally Posted by BoboTheMighty
It's this mod, Moon and Star:

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/52397/

Wouldn't say it's the best, but a pretty short/good adventure.

Never even head of that mod or played it. Must not be popular then.

Anyway you answered his question about the mod, but not who on that list developed it. As the nexus only has a code name of GanXingba. If that's his/her name hilarious.

Originally Posted by BoboTheMighty
Wait, L'Etoile is working at Obsidian/on this? Since when?

Put him in charge and get rid of these amateur twitter writers.

Well he hasn't worked on any video games since Mass Effect 2.

Originally Posted by BoboTheMighty
Wait, L'Etoile is working at Obsidian/on this? Since when?

Put him in charge and get rid of these amateur twitter writers.

He joined Obsidian in May 2017.

This is so, what is the word? Sadly ironic? Tim and Leo, OBS/BIS making new game…
But Microsoft owns them now. I just hope its gets released on steam/GOG.

Originally Posted by TomRon
I'm jet lagged so my head might not be working quite right. What's BIS?

Its an MMO term.
BIS = Best In Slot.

Best equipment available in game currently.

Who is L'Etolle ?

Originally Posted by BoboTheMighty
Wait, L'Etoile is working at Obsidian/on this? Since when?

Put him in charge and get rid of these amateur twitter writers.

Originally Posted by you
Who is L'Etolle ?

Check the links.

Link - https://www.mobygames.com/developer/…loperId,41024/
Link - http://bsn.boards.net/thread/4458/an…-chris-letoile

He designed and wrote for some good RPG games.

Originally Posted by you
Who is L'Etolle ?

He's behind best of the lore ( and sidequests) in Mass Effect.