[volturnus]

I know the upcoming Kickstarter will be a big help and Dungeon Siege III was moderately successful, but Obsidian's future doesn't look too bright and recent news have been quite strong blows.
The 84 metacritic ''failure'', the Alpha Protocol flop, recent numerous layoffs and the canned Aliens RPG were bad enough, but then came news about this important MS project that was canceled as well.
It may seem so, but I'm not a fanboy, I don't praise their projects blindly, I don't ignore their bugfest fame and I don't think every canceled project of theirs should've been finished, or at least I can't say so without knowing a lot more about them.
I want to support them as a way of showing their attempts at innovating, their attempts at making player interaction deeper and projects in which the story is an important pillar of game design are important.

Not that I'd make a difference, but I feel like I could be doing more, yet I have no clue.
I mean, they don't even sell t-shirts, lithographs or replicas, and many games sold don't give them a single penny, like Fallout: NV and even Alpha Protocol.
How could each fan ''send a message''? Or money, at least.

[dallow_bg]

I don't know man, not really our job.

[Q8D3vil]

buy their games

[Dresden]

All you can do is buy their games. The rest is up to them.

[MTMBStudios]

buy their games

.

Or like, send them money directly.

[Bebpo]

probably nothing

pool together 30 million fan dollars to make alpha protocol 2

[Alpha-Bromega]

they're doing fine, they don't need 'saving' they just need our continued support through us buying their games and talking good

[volturnus]

buy their games

Not so simple. As I said, not every game gives them money anymore.

[Erethian]

From everything Avellone has said it sounds like they've already got other projects lined up, so I wouldn't worry too much.

[soultron]

The only way to "save" the company is to do Alpha Protocol 2.

I'll be in my tent waiting for the announcement of an announcement of the reveal of the teaser.

[ZoddGutts]

buy their games

They gotta make good games first.

[Sn4ke_911]

make better games and people will buy them.

*runs*

[Alpha-Bromega]

They gotta make good games first.

good one, high five

[willooi]

Here's hoping that their South Park game and the Kickstarter project are massive successes. I do worry though as to whether any bridges were burned when Avellone tweeted about the New Vegas Metacritic issue. For Fallout's sake I'd love it if Obsidian got another go at doing future games in the series, and you'd hope that one honest tweet hasn't adversely/forever affected their relationship with Bethesda.

I have faith that they've got plenty lined up, though.

[kevinski]

It seems as though Obsidian just makes games that're too complex for the developers to pull off competently. I wouldn't mind supporting a Kickstarter campaign for the company if the scope of the game wasn't so ambitious.

[Mxrz]

I'm not crazy about them, but I still own all their games except for DS3. I'll probably buy Southpark too at some point. I think I've gotten to where I like the pain.

Really, always thought they could scale things back abit. Wasteland 2 is the sort of thing I always wanted them (or someone) to try. Hopefully Wasteland is a success, and it'll open up Obsidian or others to trying similar stuff.

[bigtroyjon]

Not so simple. As I said, not every game gives them money anymore.

Doesn't really matter though, if their games are selling a lot then they will be in demand to make more games for publishers and will have more leverage in their next deals.

[Erethian]

It seems as though Obsidian just makes games that're too complex for the developers to pull off competently. I wouldn't mind supporting a Kickstarter campaign for the company if the scope of the game wasn't so ambitious.

It's more about having the right tools. Gamebryo is a huge pain in the ass when it comes to doing things like complex conversation trees, and having questlines that interact and weave in and out of one another. Not to mention there were a whole lot of weird quirks in that engine that'd cause strange bugs.

Which is why after that game shipped Obsidian finally decided to make their own game engine built specifically for their needs.

[GraveRobberX]

Buy their games, and wish everything works out, unless your a Multi-Millionaire/Billionaire and feel generous

[remnant]

Why should we save them?

For all we know the death of Obsidian could lead to something better(considering they are actually in danger of dying.)

[bishoptl]

They gotta make good games first.

alright buddy

Seriously, I just completed another play through of Alpha Protocol and other than some AI jank, enjoyed the hell out of it. Yeah, the polish may not be Gears level, but when the ride is so much more engaging, you can let some aspects slide a little bit. I'd love to have them collaborate with a more experienced action team and just handle the story aspect...a man can dream.

Anyways, all you can do is buy and evangelize their games when deserved, which is most of the time, IMO.

[Grayman]

buying southpark may help, or not. hard to say because they are always getting the short end of the royalty stick in negotiations with publishers.

[GraveRobberX]

alright buddy Seriously, I just completed another play through of Alpha Protocol and other than some AI jank, enjoyed the hell out of it. Yeah, the polish may not be Gears level, but when the ride is so much more engaging, you can let some aspects slide a little bit. I'd love to have them collaborate with a more experienced action team and just handle the story aspect...a man can dream. Anyways, all you can do is buy and evangelize their games when deserved, which is most of the time, IMO.

AP's fault was it had everything there, but most went the COD route playing it, which is the worst thing you can do with that title
Run and Gun, put points into guns/health, go be Rambo, which they allow you to do, but that defeats the whole purpose of the game

There's a reason why they give you the Jack Bauer, James Bond, Jason Bourne wheel of choices
Play it how you like it, be full Bond, go full Jack, or Bourne, or be a hybrid, or fuck up the game yourself and create your own style, confusing the game by making so many wrong choices, even the game will go, Seriously!?!

[Grayman]

alright buddy Seriously, I just completed another play through of Alpha Protocol and other than some AI jank, enjoyed the hell out of it. Yeah, the polish may not be Gears level, but when the ride is so much more engaging, you can let some aspects slide a little bit. I'd love to have them collaborate with a more experienced action team and just handle the story aspect...a man can dream. Anyways, all you can do is buy and evangelize their games when deserved, which is most of the time, IMO.

Their writing and other story based designs are so good that I would like to see them help out some other teams on that front. Most games released would be made better from an obsidian touch.

[bishoptl]

I'm going to let it rest for a couple months, then come back to it and do a full asshole run in July. I thought about starting another AP playthrough right away, but there are other games I need to be playing right now.

[GraveRobberX]

I'm going to let it rest for a couple months, then come back to it and do a full asshole run in July. I thought about starting another AP playthrough right away, but there are other games I need to be playing right now.

I did 4 runs to get my Platinum

The love interests are so varied I was impressed, also love that interactions with certain characters and choices really do have a huge, I mean HUGE outcomes, not bullshit, yeah we are giving you the illusion of choice

Also if you are too mean, Holy Hell, do the women scornfully reject you

[CecilRousso]

*Buy their games.
*Don´t post "lol bugs!" reflex posts before you have experienced said bugs yourself.
*Stop with "I´ll wait for the GOTY edition" thinking.
*Keep spreading the word about how their game is worth your time.

[Mxrz]

I did 4 runs to get my Platinum

I want to do this, but looking at all the conversation choices you need to get right to make everyone love or hate you seemed overwhelming. Plus, its hard to resist killing some assholes.

Anyway. The game can't get enough praise, but even among the Obsidian fanbase it seems like people ignore it, and it was their best frickin' game.

[saunderez]

If South Park RPG doesn't suck I'll buy it. But that's the only support I'm going to give, they're supposed to be running a business and that's how I support all other businesses.

[Gen X]

I loved AP for what I played of it but I got stuck. See, I love my games on Hard settings but am getting absolutely owned in the boss battle on the Launch. I stopped playing because of it. Maybe I should look for a hint or tip or something. Arrrgh, feels like cheating, hate resorting to them.

[GraveRobberX]

I want to do this, but looking at all the conversation choices you need to get right to make everyone love or hate you seemed overwhelming. Plus, its hard to resist killing some assholes. Anyway. The game can't get enough praise, but even among the Obsidian fanbase it seems like people ignore it, and it was their best frickin' game.

Well after your first playthrough you learn the basics, try to be Professional (Bourne)
Second you go be Bond or Bauer
Third be the other one you didn't choose
Fourth Free For All, Clean up on shit you missed

If you still want more, go Super Duper Suave Motherfucker for Hilarity (I did this, was fucking awesome), hitting on everything that walked, even made Suave choices against bosses, most were like, Da fuck?, are you feeling OK
Tried to be the World's Greatest Asshole, didn't succeed =/, half-way through, some people liked I was an Asshole.. I was like WTF!?!, even after all the shit I fucking did to you.. GODDAMN!

Endings and your "Partner choice was awesome too", not just video like Deus Ex HR (-_-)

[whatevermort]

Well, buy South Park, when it's released. That's a start. Also, it'll be brilliant, so it's not like it'll be a hardship.

[Lich_King]

I don't think we can save them.

1. KOTOR 2: can't finish on time, forced to release by LucasArts. Takes years of fan work to make it into full game.
2. Alpha protocol: much worse games sell much more. Mass Effect 1 wasn't a technical miracle, but it managed to sell better and I think big part of it was marketing (also not trying to capitalize on modern warfare). Sega is a weird choice for publisher, but at least it sold more than Binary Domain :(
3. New Vegas: agreeing to bonus based on metacritic score and not on sales was bad. They should have at least put IGN journalist as character in the game or something >___>
4. Dungeon Siege III: I don't even know how you come up with an idea of giving this game to Obsidian. Game ended up lacking both unique-party-based-diablo-clone aspect of DS2 and Obsidian's best writing.
5. South Park RPG: I don't know how it will turn out, but my first reaction is "wat"
6. Project with Microsoft: MS switched focus from games to services, so starting it was pretty risky

Unless they stop taking crazy deals and make their own successful IP, they will be at risk. At least make NWN3 or something that's guaranteed to come out and cover the development costs. And get a competent publisher which is not trying to rob them by using subjective standards.

[Kabuki Quantum Lover]

I did my part by buying Alpha Protocol for 360 recently.

Fuck that cocaine-snorting 80s jerkbag though...

[TheOddOne]

I don't think we can save them. 1. KOTOR 2: can't finish on time, forced to release by LucasArts. Takes years of fan work to make it into full game. 2. Alpha protocol: much worse games sell much more. Mass Effect 1 wasn't a technical miracle, but it managed to sell better and I think big part of it was marketing (also not trying to capitalize on modern warfare). Sega is a weird choice for publisher, but at least it sold more than Binary Domain :( 3. New Vegas: agreeing to bonus based on metacritic score and not on sales was bad. They should have at least put IGN journalist as character in the game or something >___> 4. Dungeon Siege III: I don't even know how you come up with an idea of giving this game to Obsidian. Game ended up lacking both unique-party-based-diablo-clone aspect of DS2 and Obsidian's best writing. 5. South Park RPG: I don't know how it will turn out, but my first reaction is "wat" 6. Project with Microsoft: MS switched focus from games to services, so starting it was pretty risky Unless they stop taking crazy deals and make their own successful IP, they will be at risk. At least make NWN3 or something that's guaranteed to come out and cover the development costs. And get a competent publisher which is not trying to rob them by using subjective standards.

Ohh please, hate this "I only read the thread title and make conclusions" stuff GAF does.

Let's forget about the numerous cancelled games under their belt, something must have gone wrong from their side and the publishers side.

Go read Duckrolls post's first and second.

[Santiako]

They really need to learn how to negotiate better contracts.

[Shiggy]

Ohh please, hate this "I only read the thread title and make conclusions" stuff GAF does. Let's forget about the numerous cancelled games under their belt, something must have gone wrong from their side and the publishers side. Go read Duckrolls post's first and second.

Having Microsoft as a publisher is kind of risky though, especially when they change business direction every few months or years. Just generally speaking.

[michaelius]

buy their games

Third post finished thread ;)

[Scipius]

Obsidian simply needs to focus on the PC market. A developer with their kind of ambitions, both in gameplay and their level of writing, is never going to find a major audience amongst the consolites and by trying to be a console developer they've condemned themselves to being a plaything of the big publishers, who care not one bit about their ambitions.

Obsidian needs to find a stable and relatively independent foundation. Find your audience, create a community and build up from there. That is only possible on the PC.

[TheOddOne]

Having Microsoft as a publisher is kind of risky though, especially when they change business direction every few months or years. Just generally speaking.

Yes, but my point was that Obsidian got fucked over by major publishers before. Numerous cancelled games, which you really gotta question if all the blame is on the publishers.

[Easy_D]

Having Microsoft as a publisher is kind of risky though, especially when they change business direction every few months or years. Just generally speaking.

A real shame, what became of both Rare and Lionhead. :(

Edit: This thread also reminds me that I need to check out Alpha Protocol one of these days. I saw a video of that boss fight and realised I have to get it, some day. If only for that one track. Amazing boss intro too.

[Floex]

I was actually interested in Alpha Protocol but the so, so reviews, bugs, mediocre graphics turned me off the whole thing

Trouble with Obsidian is I just don't care for the franchise they work with. Tell a lie, I would love another Star Wars RPG but that ain't happening anytime soon and I was overdosed on Fallout by the time the new one came around.

I would have been all over an Aliens RPG but that didn't come to fruition. Really hopeful they can do a good job with South Park. Essentially, I just hope they make it like Paper Mario but with a different skin

[funkystudent]

They should try conning some japanese developer into letting them make a sequel to a well loved IP. Might not elevate them that much but it would keep the lights on.

Its working for Ninja Theroy.

Worked ok for Grin until they bit off to much that they could chew and got to many games going at once then they mostly sucked and then future games got canned.

Spark Unlimited can do FFS.



Does Capcom have any RPG ip's?

[snoopeasystreet]

They should try conning some japanese developer into letting them make a sequel to a well loved IP. Might not elevate them that much but it would keep the lights on.

I would play an obsidian final fantasy.

[Shiggy]

Yes, but my point was that Obsidian got fucked over by major publishers before. Numerous cancelled games, which you really gotta question if all the blame is on the publishers.

I cannot talk about Obsidian, I just think it's possible in this case again (but not necessarily).

[Sir Garbageman]

Convince them to put up KOTOR 2 with a restoration patch on STEAM...?

[Corto]

It's more a case of what can Obsidian do to save the company themselves. We can only buy/pre-order their games and expect that that would be enough. I won't automatically buy an Obsidian game just because it's an Obsidian game. I don't like South Park the animated series so that game is not a priority to me, but if it gets good reviews from the sites that I value and good feedback here on GAF I'll give it a go.

[AppleMIX]

Obsidian seems to do best when they take a well established franchise.

They also need to give their games more time too cook because they have released some buggy ass games.

[SpacePirate Ridley]

I dont think Obsidian is really in danger, at least not at the moment.

I will continue buying their games after the amazing experience I got with Alpha Protocol, and I will preach to other people how good that game was so they can also eperience it.

Thats the only thing I can do to "save" them. Buy their games and if you think they are really good, talk about them to friends.

[Typographenia]

pool together 30 million fan dollars to make alpha protocol 2

That's exactly what I was coming in here to post.
I would so kickstart another alpha protocol game.