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[duckroll]

This isn't the standard sort of news news. Most people aren't going to be particularly interested in details like this, but I know we have a bunch of Obsidian fans on the forum and I was reading Josh Sawyer's tumblr Q&As yesterday and saw that there is some pretty interesting info about where the studio is at this point, so I thought I'll share.

https://twitter.com/jesawyer/status/721515689287155713
https://twitter.com/jesawyer/status/722536502752772096

First up, Sawyer has been promoted to Design Director for the overall studio. What does that mean?

http://jesawyer.tumblr.com/post/142967942921/congratulations-on-your-promotion-does-it

melnorme asked: Congratulations on your promotion. Does it actually mean anything, though?

It means I’m responsible for helping with overall design direction at the studio. I’ve always talked to designers on other teams about their work, but now it’s part of my job. I talk to individual designers at all levels about challenges they’re facing and what they’re trying to accomplish. I also talk to producers and game directors about high-level design direction and focus. I try to play our games regularly to give feedback on specific issues I come across as well as areas where a team is doing well. I help review all incoming design applications and sit in on as many design interviews as is reasonable.

Currently I’m revising and updating old documentation that covers basic design principles that Obsidian has used and continues to use in our games. Obsidian is a lot larger now than it was ten years ago. Tribal knowledge only goes so far and all standards documentation needs to be regularly reviewed.

How big is Obsidian these days anyway? And what are they working on these days?

http://jesawyer.tumblr.com/post/143111962776/hi-josh-i-have-a-simple-question-how-many

secretarcadephilosopher asked: Hi Josh. I have a simple question - how many people you have working in Obsidian? Always thought it's small studio, am I wrong?

The company has grown and shrunk over time. It’s now a little over 200 people, with most of the developers working on Armored Warfare. The Tyranny team is between 20 and 30 people (I think). The Pathfinder team has less than 10 (again, I think). My team is currently fairly small, about 20 people.

Will we ever get that historical RPG Sawyer keeps talking about wanting to make?

http://jesawyer.tumblr.com/post/143120816411/is-there-anything-stopping-you-from-doing

ilitarist asked: Is there anything stopping you from doing historical RPG? Do you consider PoE a historical RPG cause it functions more like a historical fiction than a typical fantasy story?

I need to devote my attention to the project I’m currently directing, but it is my intention that the next project I direct (after this one) will be a historical RPG. It’s something I’ve been talking to Feargus every once in a while for the past couple of years and he’s been supportive.

I don’t consider PoE to be a historical RPG in any way. When I say “historical RPG” I mean something set in Earth’s history – inclusive with fantastic variations, like Darklands and Ars Magica.

And a bonus refresher for what Obsidian's philosophy in game design is.

http://jesawyer.tumblr.com/post/143023902936/any-chance-you-could-do-a-write-up-on-the-basic

lavendermoon64 asked: Any chance you could do a write-up on the basic design principles Obsidian uses?

The stuff I’m currently looking at is very high-level, so I don’t think it’s anything people would find surprising. Back in 2007, Chris Avellone wrote up these basic pillars that are in (more or less) every Obsidian RPG. I’ve changed the wording slightly, but they’re essentially the same now as they were then:

* A strong world, narrative, and companions.
* Role-playing with meaningful choices and consequences.
* An emphasis on different ways to customize your character.
* Rich character advancement systems.
* A “healthy” amount of gameplay hours with a lot of optional content.

Any given Obsidian RPG will emphasize these to different extents, but they’re things that we commonly focus on.

Hope that was informative for fellow Obsidian fans. I love reading Sawyer's Q&A stuff from time to time because he's always so nice about replying to interesting questions (especially for New Vegas) and his mindset on narrative and game mechanics is fascinating.

Kinda bummed that the majority of Obsidian staff are actually working on something like Armored Warfare though. I guess you gotta pay the bills!

 

[Hektor]

That the vast majority of their studio is working on that free2play tank game is kinda sad. But then again they're the ones doing contract work to keep the studio afloat I guess.

 

[Mivey]

I guess Fun will now be generally outlawed at Obsidian.

 

[Durante]

I guess Fun will now be generally outlawed at Obsidian.

I'm surprised he didn't manage to add balance to the design pillars

In all seriousness though, that was informative. I don't really mind smaller teams working on their real RPG projects, it didn't hurt with PoE.

 

[duckroll]

Do people really dislike Sawyer or is this some in-joke I'm missing? I love his games...

 

[Acosta]

I'm sure it will be a quite balanced leadership

The Armored warfare stuff depress me to no end, but I guess it´s a profitable contract.

I'm still pissed Obsidian is not going to offer a new Avellone game as lead...

 

[Pinko Marx]

Do people really dislike Sawyer or is this some in-joke I'm missing? I love his games...

I think they're just poking fun at Sawyers philosophy when it comes to RPG Stat systems and such.

 

[Mivey]

Do people really dislike Sawyer or is this some in-joke I'm missing? I love his games...

How could I not like a guy who makes an hour long talk about attribute tuning in RPGs.
It's just joke about his obsession with balance that I first picked up at PoE developement, maybe even older than that, dunno.

 

[anexanhume]

That the vast majority of their studio is working on that free2play tank game is kinda sad. But then again they're the ones doing contract work to keep the studio afloat I guess.

Weren't we expecting another crowd funded initiative?

 

[Sinatar]

Do people really dislike Sawyer or is this some in-joke I'm missing? I love his games...

It's a dumb RPG Codex meme.

 

[QaaQer]

It's a dumb RPG Codex meme.

talk about no fun + balanced.

 

[Metroidvania]

I completely forgot about Armored Warfare, lol.

Still hoping for a New Vegas 2 at some point, but we'll have to see how the contracts shake up.

Excited for Tyranny, at any rate - really hoping for some nuanced variances of evil ideology. Curious to see how Sawyer's balance-focused approach will have an effect on it.

 

[bjork]

I would still like to work there. I might be too old for it nowadays, but it would be cool. It's a nice office.

 

[Mechazawa]

That the vast majority of their studio is working on that free2play tank game is kinda sad. But then again they're the ones doing contract work to keep the studio afloat I guess.

Yeah, that part kinda blindsided me, but it's good to hear Obsidians people are at least eating.

 

[Sotha_Sil]

That the vast majority of their studio is working on that free2play tank game is kinda sad. But then again they're the ones doing contract work to keep the studio afloat I guess.

Yep, to both parts. Obsidian is a bizarre company to say the least.

I would love to see them make a return to 3D RPGs, though. As much as I enjoyed Pillars, I much prefer their work on KOTOR2, MOTB, and FO:NV. Doesn't sound like that's even a remote possibility with this setup:

1) 20-30 ppl on Tyranny
2) 20 people on Sawyer's game
3) most everyone else on Armored Warfare

 

[NHL94]

I know a lot of people from Obsidian. They actually just had a round of layoffs at the end of March, several people from Armored Warfare were let go, it was a bit shady how and why it was done though according to multiple sources.

 

[adj_noun]

but it is my intention that the next project I direct (after this one) will be a historical RPG...

When I say “historical RPG” I mean something set in Earth’s history – inclusive with fantastic variations, like Darklands and Ars Magica.

HNNNG

Do it do it do it

 

[Arulan]

Jokes aside, there is a real concern with his approach to design, with relation to balance. This is especially concerning with fantasy, where there is an enormous risk of turning the fantastical and magic into the mundane, safe, and expected. You can see the contrast with something like Divinity: Original Sin, which would have been a very different game without its fantastically unbalanced nature. That said, he's been responsible for some fantastic games, and I hope that continues.

I'd love to see a great historical RPG. I know it has been a dream of his for some time, given his love for Darklands, which is a fantastic game.

I'm still expecting Obsidian to announce a World of Darkness RPG (likely Vampire: The Masquerade) sometime in the near future, perhaps next year, given their partnership with Paradox.

 

[Durante]

Sawyer gets (usually friendly) shit for his habit of over-thinking mechanics, sometimes resulting in something less fun than what we started with.

For example, the way resistances were dialed back, hard counters removed, and engagement was given too much focus in Pillars. All of which he slowly walked back on from 1.0 to 3.0, so it's not like he doesn't know when he's wrong.

Given the way he's talked in interviews, I think his next slip-up is gonna be 4 character parties in PoE2 (or whatever he's currently working on). He talked to Kat Bailey, who isn't well-versed in cRPGs, and she was gushing about the 6 man party giving her interesting options for compositions without 3/4 slots taken by standard classes. And he was like "uhhh, a lot of people were overwhelmed by 6, I actually think 4 may be the ideal size."

No, Josh, just slow down the battle speed and change up the battle UI to better communicate actions and reactions. THAT is what made PoE combat hard to follow. But he'll probably throw out the baby with the bathwater, be partially right for some users, and annoy people who post in threads like this one.

That historical RPG though... If ever there was a genre that is a perfect fit for his sensibilities. He likes exposition, and that's a context where I'd be so into playing Hardcore History: The Game.

It's rare that I read a post on GAF I agree with as much as I do with this one. All points.
(Well, except for the battle UI perhaps, I never found PoE combat hard to follow )

Jokes aside, there is a real concern with his approach to design, with relation to balance. This is especially concerning with fantasy, where there is an enormous risk of turning the fantastical and magic into the mundane, safe, and expected. You can see the contrast with something like Divinity: Original Sin, which would have been a very different game without its fantastically unbalanced nature. That said, he's been responsible for some fantastic games, and I hope that continues.

This one too. CRPG-Gaf is great.

 

[Ogimachi]

It's a dumb RPG Codex meme.

He thinks D&D 4E is the best. His concept of fun is very different, to say the least.

 

[ElectricThunder]

I really hope they can get the license and Try Again on Ars Magica---one damn KS sinking like a rock with the prospective partners back then in the earliest days somehow turning out to be the ill/complex-fated Academagia outfit does not make Ars any less fitting for a proper project!