Obsidian: Forget "Gimmicks" Like On-Disc DLC

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

awww yeahh

tell em how it is brotha obsidian!

*obsidian fanboy in me is growing by the day*

 

[Xanadu84]

I'm sorry but, "We are just going to do a really, really good job and the rest will follow" is not a refreshing business philosophy, it is banal, cliche PR speak. I don't grudge him giving that predictable drivel: He's in a buisness, its what you do. But there is nothing of substance being said here.

Also, attempting to add long term replayability is what netted us a bunch of medeocre shooters with tacked on multiplayer. A game that is strong, memorable and designed with a single tight play experience in mind is still a wonderful thing to have. If we discouraged games that don't bother with being highly replayable, we wouldn't have Portal 2.

 

[Kestor]

I'm sorry but, "We are just going to do a really, really good job and the rest will follow" is not a refreshing business philosophy, it is banal, cliche PR speak. I don't grudge him giving that predictable drivel: He's in a buisness, its what you do. But there is nothing of substance being said here.

Also, attempting to add long term replayability is what netted us a bunch of medeocre shooters with tacked on multiplayer. A game that is strong, memorable and designed with a single tight play experience in mind is still a wonderful thing to have. If we discouraged games that don't bother with being highly replayable, we wouldn't have Portal 2.

Did you read the entire interview, and the context that this snippet was grabbed from?
I doubt it, much like most of this thread, people just read a few lines and start smashing keys.
BTW, heres the link to the full interview. http://au.gamespot.com/news/6343997/obsidian-on-the-right-way-to-fight-used-game-sales

 

[RA92]

So on disc DLC is bad, but a buggy, shitstorm of "programing" nightmares they make called "games" is ok?

Pray, good sir, where did he say that?

 

[Lost In The Void]

Personally, I find this remark somewhat unfair.

Why? well, let me put it this way, is Obsidian (like every developer I know aside somewhat from Bioware, Bethesda and Lionhead Studio) forgetting, or simply not acknowledging, that not all current gen console players can connect their consoles online?

What do you expect us 360 and PS3 users that can't connect to do, Obsidian? psychically teleport DLC packs into our consoles with our minds?

On-disc DLC packs, in my opinion, play nearly as big a role as physical copies of the actual game. I still don't get how it's gimmicky when games like Fallout New Vegas have their replayability strongly enhanced by additional content

And isn't it hypocrtical to say that when you're releasing an 'Ultimate Edition' of New Vegas that includes all DLC packs?

He's referring not to DLC packs and discs holding those on them, but rather content on the original disc unlocked with a code. So instead think of; say you couldn't get into any Vaults in New Vegas until you punched in a 12 digit code to unlock the Vaults. Thats what he's referring to

 

[SyphonX]

I have much respect for him and his outlook. Good strategy, and it used to be 'common sense' really.

 

[SyphonX]

Damn, I need to get NV... I liked Fallout 3, completed it a couple days ago, and this looks about 5 times more awesome

I'm patiently waiting for dat steam sale.

You still have Skyrim, too. Just think, we have a new Fallout to look forward to afterwards, with all the new bells and whistles. Maybe a new franchise? Who knows.

 

[MrGalactus]

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, his name is Feargus Arquhart?

Feargus fucking Arquhart?

I will do whatever this man says. That is the coolest fucking thing I have ever heard in my entire life, and easily the best name in the galaxy.

 

[SayHelloToMrBullet]

Um... "replaying" doesn't mean playing through new content, you know. It means playing through the same content you already played through.

What you say is true, but there are plenty of games like New Vegas where the chances are that you won't see everything in the game on your first playthrough.

 

[m72_ar]

Damn, I need to get NV... I liked Fallout 3, completed it a couple days ago, and this looks about 5 times more awesome

I'm patiently waiting for dat steam sale.

You really should get NV.
Fallout NV is what Fallout 3 should have been: Tons of sidequest, tons of interesting area, tons of weapons.


I did like Fallout 3 when it came out, but I feel like there are barely any sidequest in that game.

 

[ChaosBorne]

*SNIP*

you speak the truth good man [sub](and i actually read your whole post.[/sub]


it also shows why "capitalism = bad" people worry too much about squeezing their customers for every last penny they have.
(disclaimer: i would prefer the world if we somehow managed to abolish "money" completely but yeah not going to happen.)

and i do believe that developers who concentrate on making an amazing game that is a really fun experience should be rewarded more then the developers who just copy paste their last game and then make it prettier and maybe add in some more flashy "features" (that add little value to gameplay) alas it is not the way of the world right now because shitheads in suits get to make creative decisions when they have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. *sigh*

oh well i'll just support developers like obsidian and look to the future.

 

[Candidus]

Eh.. What the hell do Obsidian know about good game design? Neverwinter Nights 2 and New Vegas? That's what we call a piss poor track record.

If this had come from Black Isle, Troika, Valve, Blue Side, Paradox or some other respectable develper of supreme experiences, I'd have had no problem with it (I'm aware the first two of the above are defunct), but Obsidian have no business saying anything of the kind.

 

[Lost In The Void]

Eh.. What the hell do Obsidian know about good game design? Neverwinter Nights 2 and New Vegas? That's what we call a piss poor track record.

If this had come from Black Isle, Troika, Valve, Blue Side, Paradox or some other respectable develper of supreme experiences, I'd have had no problem with it (I'm aware the first two of the above are defunct), but Obsidian have no business saying anything of the kind.

You do realize that

A: Black Isle games had quite a few bugs of their own. Have you tried playing some of their games? They're good but they're just as broken.

B: Tons of Obsidian's core staff such as Josh Sawyer are originally from Black Isle

 

[haruvister]

There's a reason I would never trade Left 4 Dead 2: I've put in >400 hours and I'm still not bored. Simply, sublime game design = endless replayability.

 

[Candidus]

Eh.. What the hell do Obsidian know about good game design? Neverwinter Nights 2 and New Vegas? That's what we call a piss poor track record.

If this had come from Black Isle, Troika, Valve, Blue Side, Paradox or some other respectable develper of supreme experiences, I'd have had no problem with it (I'm aware the first two of the above are defunct), but Obsidian have no business saying anything of the kind.

You do realize that

A: Black Isle games had quite a few bugs of their own. Have you tried playing some of their games? They're good but they're just as broken.

B: Tons of Obsidian's core staff such as Josh Sawyer are originally from Black Isle

Yep, I absolutely realise both of those things. The former I was much more willing to forgive when the quantity of content was as mind boggling as it was in, for example: Baldur's Gate (yes, yes, yes, I know that a modern 3D game with that sort of substance would be longer in the making than Duke Nukem Forever), the latter is what leaves me in such confusion over the state of NWN2, which was and continues to be a frank embarrassment to the Forgotten Realms tag.

 

[Zay-el]

In defence of Obsidian, the blame for that lies wholly with Lucasarts. They decided to cut a year off the development time, and force Obsidian to finish KOTOR 2 in time for a Christmas release. Obsidian offered to release all the nixed content as a downloadable patch, but Lucasarts pissed on that idea.

Frankly, considering Obsidian were forced to put KOTOR 2 together in the space of a year, I'm suprised the game is as great as it is. I can't think of any other game with so short a development time that is anywhere near as strong.

True and like I said, I enjoyed the game a lot despite these setbacks. It's just that Obsidian, while having a bunch of great games, seems to be cursed with being unable to properly finish up their games, whether it's from outside or inside influence. A shame, really.

 

[mikeybuthge]

Finding all the bugs is all apart of the replay experiences this man's talking about, guys

 

[TheDooD]

Thank You Based Obsidian God

 

[Atmos Duality]

So on disc DLC is bad, but a buggy, shitstorm of "programing" nightmares they make called "games" is ok? GG. Priorities in the right place.

Fallacy: Strawman Argument
Obsidian's buggy programming is a real problem, but that has fuck-all to do with the "issue" at hand: On-Disc DLC.

 

[The Bandit]

Um... "replaying" doesn't mean playing through new content, you know. It means playing through the same content you already played through.

Not saying having lots of content that requires multiple playthrough's is bad(though that certainly is arguable if you don't have the time for it), but it is not replaying or replayability. It's playing through new content.

I didn't play through Half Life 2 7 times because it offered a "new" experience every time. I re-played it because I just love it enough to enjoy it multiple times. And I played Kotor 2 multiple times(as both good and evil) because I LOVE the game and its story and want to experience it over and over.

Basically, re-playing doesn't mean playing through new content. It means playing through content you already played.

Anyway, small rant over. Just something that bugs my balls. And for the record, I agree with him. Of course I do, I'm an Obsidian fanboy.

So, "replay value" refers to what, exactly? Because every time I've ever heard it it's referred to experiencing new content.