Wasteland 3 - Brian Fargo Interview

Post Apocalyptic Media has interviewed Brian Fargo:

Wasteland 3's Brian Fargo Talks Beta Feedback, DLC Plans, and Wasteland 4

The Wasteland franchise runs strong in my blood. The original game was my entire life in 1988 and as I look forward to Wasteland 3's launch on August 28th, I can't help but get a major case of nostalgia fever.

So I took this opportunity to reach out to original Wasteland game director, developer, and co-founder of Interplay Entertainment, Brian Fargo, to talk about how Wasteland 3 will advance the series and what we can expect from the future of Wasteland.

It's important to note that one thing I really enjoyed about 2014's sequel, Wasteland 2, was the way it catered so heavily to fans of the original game. I took this as one big inside joke at first -- one that I was giddy to be in on, but Fargo points out that this was never really the intention. "We take the same philosophy to any sequels, prequels, or games set in the same world. We never demand knowledge of the prior games, so any new player can jump in and fully enjoy and appreciate the world. However, we want to reward players by making nods to the older games, delivering inside jokes, and giving more detail on characters and places they're familiar with. Players who are familiar with Wasteland 1 and 2 will appreciate the throwbacks, and it's a reminder of the heritage."

[…]

But immediately after the release of that remastered original game, a little something called COVID-19 rocked the entire world. Wasteland 3 was originally supposed to launch around that time, but the team at inXile had to further postpone release until August 28th. Fargo reassures me that precautions were immediate and the overall effect on development was minimal.

"I think it's a great history lesson on how far the medium has come and it's a chance for new fans to understand where Wasteland and Fallout were born." - Brian Fargo

"We were technologically set up quite well due to us having offices in both Orange County (California) and New Orleans (Louisiana), as our infrastructure was already set up for not being in the same office together. However it was a very abrupt move that we made. I started reading the scientific reports and we decided within 48 hours to immediately send folks home on March 12th. Lots of packing up needed to be done, we needed to make sure the computers were set up properly, and we needed to establish new ways to communicate.

[…]

Thanks Old Grognard!

More information.

Two more weeks to go and I finally get to play this. I can not wait as I enjoyed the second game despite the internet grumblings. Looks to be vastly improved. Just not a fan of Co-Op.

We should ejoy it as much as possible as we are not getting another isometric party-based cRPG from inXile anytime soon. And I said, when they were bought by MS, that we should look at Mages Tale as indication why MS invested in them, and here it is. Im sorry I was right.

Originally Posted by Andrew23
We should ejoy it as much as possible as we are not getting another isometric party-based cRPG from inXile anytime soon. And I said, when they were bought by MS, that we should look at Mages Tale as indication why MS invested in them, and here it is. Im sorry I was right.

Yes. An internet random has insight into the strategic minds at Microsoft and InXile. Of course we should trust your words Yes, you are right. Microsoft hasn't put an extra $4.2 million into Wasteland 3. No, it was just imaginary money…

Originally Posted by bjon045
Yes. An internet random has insight into the strategic minds at Microsoft and InXile. Of course we should trust your words Yes, you are right. Microsoft hasn't put an extra $4.2 million into Wasteland 3. No, it was just imaginary money…

According to tweets and tidbits the games is almost twice the size it was supposed to be thanks to that extra money. As for future games we'll see Fargo's dream is an online RPG.

I remember him talking about it in various interview he just hasn't announced it.

Originally Posted by Old Grognard
As for future games we'll see Fargo's dream is an online RPG.

I remember him talking about it in various interview he just hasn't announced it.

In his most recent interview:

“It’s way too early for me to talk about what Wasteland 4 might be, but we fully plan to continue the series and give the fans the dark humor, bleak world, and interesting characters that they’ve grown to love.”

Originally Posted by bjon045
In his most recent interview:

“It’s way too early for me to talk about what Wasteland 4 might be, but we fully plan to continue the series and give the fans the dark humor, bleak world, and interesting characters that they’ve grown to love.”

It wasn't Wastelands 4 it was his dream project game with emergent game-play inspired by Rust. I have to find the RPS interview were he mentioned this. It did not sound good to me.

Link - https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/201…-here-to-stay/

Fargo is particularly keen to introduce “emergent gameplay” of the type that Divinity: Original Sin 2 used so effectively. Players could mess around with different elements to create fun interactions, like killing an enemy and electrifying their pooling blood so that it zaps anyone stood close, or throwing a poison flask at an undead ally to heal them while damaging any nearby enemies.

We’ll see more of that in CRPGs from now on, Fargo predicts, both because it makes for better games and because it’s inherently more attractive for streamers, who are gaining more and more influence over what the public play. “It’s more viral in nature, you’re more likely to get a friend to play,” he says.

Fargo believes that CRPGs will increasingly feature multiplayer – something the Original Sin games again pioneered – and Wasteland 3 will be the first in the series with a co-op campaign. “Every metric [suggests it will get] more and more difficult to do a single player game. You’ll see more multiplayer [in CRPGs], but the trick is for us to not give up the depth.”

His desire for multiplayer action and more emergent gameplay will culminate in a “secret project” to be unveiled later this year, he tells me, which will combine inXile’s love for storytelling with the freedom of a multiplayer sandbox game such as DayZ or Rust. Those games often simulate the breakdown of a post-apocalyptic society perfectly, but have stories that are often just: “Here’s a rock, go,” he says.

“I’ve been completely fascinated by the emergent gameplay that comes from open-world systems, but yet we love storytelling, and so we want to explore how we might be able to merge those worlds,” he explains.

The idea of a sandbox game with writing that’s as good as Tides of Numenera is exciting, and Fargo is not the only one pursuing the idea. Underworld Ascendant is Otherside Entertainment’s sequel to the Ultima Underworld games from the early ‘90s, and it’s part RPG, part immersive sim, and part physics sandbox. It has wall-running, first-person combat, a faction system and a non-linear story in which you can fail at every junction and still make it to the end.

You wouldn’t call it a traditional CRPG – it’s made up of a series of smaller levels rather than an open world – but senior producer Chris Siegel thinks the same sandbox freedom that inspired his team will increasingly inspire those making other RPGs.

This was pre-Microsoft so he has the resources now. So no what I said isn't bullshit.

Originally Posted by bjon045
In his most recent interview:

“It’s way too early for me to talk about what Wasteland 4 might be, but we fully plan to continue the series and give the fans the dark humor, bleak world, and interesting characters that they’ve grown to love.”

Sounds good, but there's nothing in there to indicate that W4 won't become a first-person popamole action-fest with cinematics every 5 minutes. Which is kind of the worry.

Originally Posted by bjon045
Yes. An internet random has insight into the strategic minds at Microsoft and InXile. Of course we should trust your words Yes, you are right. Microsoft hasn't put an extra $4.2 million into Wasteland 3. No, it was just imaginary money…

Never wrote anything about insight in minds of anybody. To anyone of sub-average intelligence it would be obvious I am stating my opinions.

I said similar thing about Obsidian as info on acquisition of both companies came at same time. And now year or so later Obsidian is releasing some MP survival with kids and inXile works on MP VR shooter. To me this feels like fears are coming true.

Originally Posted by Andrew23
Never wrote anything about insight in minds of anybody. To anyone of sub-average intelligence it would be obvious I am stating my opinions.

I said similar thing about Obsidian as info on acquisition of both companies came at same time. And now year or so later Obsidian is releasing some MP survival with kids and inXile works on MP VR shooter. To me this feels like fears are coming true.

Is that all onsidion is working on? A mp survival game with kid…..which it isn't by the way.

They are developing a large rpg with another unannounced project….come on, at least know what you are talking about.

Originally Posted by rune_74
Is that all onsidion is working on? A mp survival game with kid…..which it isn't by the way.

They are developing a large rpg with another unannounced project….come on, at least know what you are talking about.

From steam description:
The world is a vast, beautiful and dangerous place – especially when you have been shrunk to the size of an ant. Explore, build and survive together in this first person, multiplayer, survival-adventure.

At least Avowed should be RPG, but we already know it wont be isometric, party-based. My point was that such games are too niche for MS and as I am fan of this type of games it concerns me.

Originally Posted by Andrew23
From steam description:
The world is a vast, beautiful and dangerous place – especially when you have been shrunk to the size of an ant. Explore, build and survive together in this first person, multiplayer, survival-adventure.

At least Avowed should be RPG, but we already know it wont be isometric, party-based. My point was that such games are too niche for MS and as I am fan of this type of games it concerns me.

It's not like avowed will be their first foray into first person…

Originally Posted by Andrew23
Never wrote anything about insight in minds of anybody. To anyone of sub-average intelligence it would be obvious I am stating my opinions.

You obviously have no idea how to express an opinion.

Originally Posted by Andrew23
We should ejoy it as much as possible as we are not getting another isometric party-based cRPG from inXile anytime soon.
…
Im sorry I was right.

You said "I'm sorry I was right". That isn't an opinion. That it saying I guessed something and it turned out to be right i.e. factual. I'm guessing English isn't your first language?

Anyone with any business acumen at all would know that the future of the Wasteland franchise depends on whether WL3 has a successful launch. WL2 was successful and made a good return for the investors.

Originally Posted by Old Grognard
So no what I said isn't bullshit.

No one said it was bullshit. Although you do realise InXile works on multiple properties at the same time? You do realise both things can be true at the same time?

Originally Posted by Stingray
Sounds good, but there's nothing in there to indicate that W4 won't become a first-person popamole action-fest with cinematics every 5 minutes. Which is kind of the worry.

Just like there isn't ANY EVIDENCE AT ALL that they intend to make WL4 into a first person game. Given the lack of any evidence any logical mind would assume the status quo holds.

Anyway, I've saved these posts for the sake of posterity. Looking forward to pulling them out in a couple of years.

Originally Posted by Stingray
Sounds good, but there's nothing in there to indicate that W4 won't become a first-person popamole action-fest with cinematics every 5 minutes. Which is kind of the worry.

Or maybe it'll be a block puzzle game! Or a city builder! Or a supermarket checkout aisle!

If you're threshold for worrying is that low, you must be in a constant state of anxiety.

Sigh…I got nothing else to say expect now I know why members quit posting.

Originally Posted by Old Grognard
Sigh…I got nothing else to say expect now I know why members quit posting.

Nobody disagreed with you and yet you want to quit posting? Weird.

Of course when other posters start making unsubstantiated claims they are going to get some push back. That is the point of a discussion thread. If you have any evidence to the contrary then feel free to post it.

Originally Posted by bjon045
You obviously have no idea how to express an opinion.



You said "I'm sorry I was right". That isn't an opinion. That it saying I guessed something and it turned out to be right i.e. factual. I'm guessing English isn't your first language?

Anyone with any business acumen at all would know that the future of the Wasteland franchise depends on whether WL3 has a successful launch. WL2 was successful and made a good return for the investors.



No one said it was bullshit. Although you do realise InXile works on multiple properties at the same time? You do realise both things can be true at the same time?



Just like there isn't ANY EVIDENCE AT ALL that they intend to make WL4 into a first person game. Given the lack of any evidence any logical mind would assume the status quo holds.

Anyway, I've saved these posts for the sake of posterity. Looking forward to pulling them out in a couple of years.

For me the projects they are working on and releasing since the acquisition is good enough proof to feel I was right. For you not? Cool, I dont care.

I didnt say anything about Wasteland 4 or any other game except that I believe we will not see another isometric, party-based cRPG from them anytime soon. And thats what I think.

I get you dont agree with what I think, which I dont mind or care. Its perfectly ok to have different opinion. For you its not ok as it seems, you are showing clear signs of internet anonymous arrogance since first post. So Im not interested in further talking to you.

Originally Posted by Andrew23
For me the projects they are working on and releasing since the acquisition is good enough proof to feel I was right. For you not? Cool, I dont care.

You mean the titles that they were working on prior to the Microsoft engagement? Microsoft had ZERO input into Mage's Tale development or any of their other games apart from WL3. You obviously know very little about InXile and that is fine. I am an investor and I get regular updates from them - I know how interested Microsoft was in WL3 - it is why there was a investor update specially about the changes Microsoft wanted made (which benefited all FIG investors financially). Microsoft increased the budget for InXile to make a better isometric cRPG - not just for their to be a Microsoft Store release.

InXile has never been a developer of solely isometric party based cRPG's. They have made ELEVEN non-isometric games, most of them not even cRPG's. They have only made 3 isometric (excluding tBT of course ) cRPG. Nothing has changed at InXile apart from random internet people makes unfounded accusations based on ZERO actual information. There is ZERO evidence InXile won't continue to keep doing what they have also done i.e. make a mix of different genre's which I am fine with. BF has already stated they are keen to make WL4 and he has told us investors that we likely won't get to participate this time - and that is understandable with the new ownership structure.