Oz takes a stab at the Fo Dev Profile

[Odin]

Our first Oz inhabitant has graced our Fallout Developers Profile, it's none other than Tony Oakden (producer on FOT) himself. Here's a snibblet:<blockquote>Where do you see computer RPGs going?

The main stream titles will be smaller and more linear with higher production values. I hope there will still be independent studios producing more traditional RPG but they’ll have lower production values and so won’t sell to the main stream audience unfortunately.</blockquote>Ah yes, the awful truth...
Link: Fallout Developers Profile - Tony Oakden

 

[Per]

That one felt like sort of waste of web space compared to the earlier ones.

 

[Brother None]

Oh tsssk Per, just cause it ain't a Fallout RPG dev.

I thought it interesting to hear from a Tactics man again.

 

[Bwillott]

WE took out the speech stuff as we just didn’t have time to fit it all in with the squad based combat.

I'm new here, is this gentleman usually so crass about what is probably THE most important aspect of the fallout games? I mean, "The Speech Stuff", arg.

 

[APTYP]

I doubt leaving Speech in would've made any difference.

 

[Bwillott]

I doubt leaving Speech in would've made any difference.

Of course, implicit in the term "Speech" is "Story", since both are interdependent.

 

[Per]

Seriously, look at some of his answers.

Inspiration for making a post-apocalyptic game? "Post-apocalyptic fiction." How illuminating.

His favourite Fallout moment has absolutely nothing to do with any of the games. Plus he can't spell "beetles".

Stuff that should have been added to the games? "Higher production values." Whoa. Dude.

Favourite location? "The branching story with multiple endings."

He's also "over the whole RPG thing" despite the fact there's nothing to suggest he was ever in it.

I realize the guy's got no obligation to do more than spend five minutes typing in some answers with his left hand, but I reckon if you're going to do it at all you could as well do it properly.

 

[Roshambo]

That one felt like sort of waste of web space compared to the earlier ones.

Probably because FOT felt like a waste of HD space compared to the earlier ones.

I doubt leaving Speech in would've made any difference.

Much like most of BioWare's work.

I was producer on Fallout-Tactics. Most of the fans seemed to feel this was not a proper Fallout Game. I kind of disagree I felt most of the important elements where there (compared for example to the PS2 Fallout Game that came out!). We faithfully recreated the SPECIAL system, Perks and as many of the weapons that we could. WE took out the speech stuff as we just didn’t have time to fit it all in with the squad based combat. However I admit the story was pretty linear in our game compared to F1 and F2. As producer my role is mostly project management but I did also advise on some of the design issues and I did some programming too.

Pssst...I'll let you in on a little secret. Fallout's speech system was so great that BioWare ripped it off (only in appearances or special situations). It was a notable item for the RPGs since Fallout did the best implementation of that system and representing a character until what could be considered a bit close, PS:T. I'm sorry you were too inexperienced in the CRPG genre to have seen that it would have caused major problems with the core design. When you use the name, it infers the setting (something which you also neglect to mention, ahem), as well as what made the game so special in itself. You can't easily make a game into another genre by just flavoring. If the interface is too different, or too unfamiliar, or key aspects were changed, then it results in a more unfavorable reception. Interface 101, here.

I also have to say that you fell for the media definition of CRPG as "anything with stats and equippable crap". The essential points you've listed for a CRPG could just as well apply to many other genres and really isn't relevant to CRPG design. I could name off crappy dungeon hacks from years ago that were classified as Adventure (until some idiot decided to classify them under CRPG because that's the modern skewed definition), many of which have exactly what you describe. Where's the environment interaction? Character depth? Player's choice of developing their character to suit different playstyles and character types? (That's another point I'd like to note as a reminder.) Resemblance to a P&P CRPG?

Ah, well. A learning experience for future development, and I hope people learned from it.

 

[tre]

I'm sorry but, what the fuck's up with this?

Married with a little girl (Grace aged 8 months).

 

[SumsoluS]

SICKO!

 

[SimpleMinded]

I'm sorry but, what the fuck's up with this?

Married with a little girl (Grace aged 8 months).

LOL I was thinking the same thing when I read it. I had to read the damned thing over again just to get a hold of his idea. I guess his wife is nameless.

 

[Hellion]

His picture in the profile does remind me of the Master's Lieutenant...