147 réponses à ce sujet

[Mary Kirby]

Herr Uhl wrote...

And the dwarf in drag wasn't even a surprise me option, but a fiendishly disguised "female". My warden was in for a surprise.

*ponders what sexual acts can be done with a crate and scarecrows*

Ah, there were a dwarf and elf transvestite in the regular lineup. There was also a dwarf in drag who could appear as one of the surprise options.

I don't know about the scarecrows or the crate. I just think to myself, "What would be hilarious for the player to wind up with after a fade-to-black?" and leave the rest to your imagination. Luke actually writes the scene, mostly with puns, and Sheryl adds even more terrifying puns.

Your sneak peak into the DA writers' creative process for today.

[David Gaider]

Mary Kirby wrote...
I don't know about the scarecrows or the crate. I just think to myself, "What would be hilarious for the player to wind up with after a fade-to-black?" and leave the rest to your imagination. Luke actually writes the scene, mostly with puns, and Sheryl adds even more terrifying puns.

And then Sheryl gleefully tells me what she has planned... at which point I am left uncharacteristially speechless, which of course makes her even more delighted.

And then Mary shakes her head and blushes. And Mike strides in and grabs something out of the Scorpion Box and informs us that he has a little idea which makes us groan in unison.

[Sheryl Chee]

*ducks in*



Kitty peekture!!!



*ducks out*

[Sheryl Chee]

Blastback wrote...

Scorpion Box?

The Scorpion Box contains chocolates, and a scorpion called Nigel.

[Mary Kirby]

Herr Uhl wrote...


Do any of the chocolates contain marzipan? I'd rather take my chances sucking on the scorpion in that case.

No, there's a 75% chance at any time that the box contains mostly peanut butter cups, because I lurve them. Lurve. With ridiculous mispelling for emphasis. Otherwise, it usually has Kit-kat, Mars, or Coffee Crisp bars in it.

[Mary Kirby]

SirOccam wrote...


My favorite has got to be this one:

(snip... screenshot 'o shame)

Props to whoever came up with that one. Judging by his body language, the shame in that room is almost palpable. "Magic Wand," LOL.

You can thank Craig. Profoundly twisted fellow. He was very pleased with himself for that one, I know.

[Mary Kirby]

Anarya wrote...

Please tell me there's more hilariously disturbing things like that in DA2. The Pearl was the funniest part of Origins.

There might be. It is possible that Craig and I were put in charge of the brothel again. But I can't verify that.

[Mary Kirby]

Anarya wrote...

The first time I clicked "surprise me" I just thought it would pick a random person out of the lineup. Oh how I underestimated you guys.

I got the one with scarecrows that time. Disturbing!

The fishlamp is my favorite part of that one. I <3 the fishlamps. 

[Mary Kirby]

Anarya wrote...

Wait I don't remember a fishlamp, but it's been awhile. Like one of those dried blowfish with the light inside or what?

I think it's supposed to be carved from wood. But it looks like a blowfish with a light inside it. It is one of the most bizarre objects in the game. Craig sort of put the scarecrows around it as if they were worshipping it.

[Mary Kirby]

Anarya wrote...

dbankier wrote...

Anarya wrote...

Is Craig a writer or a world builder?

Technical Designer.

I thought the mysterious 6th writer was female? Didn't Gaider say in one of the PAX chats that there are 6 people on the writing staff and 4 of them were female? When he was talking about the majority of the writing team actually being female contrary to popular opinion.

So that's David, Luke, Mary, Sheryl, Jennifer and one more.

Daniel Erickson? I'm not sure if he's still working on TOR, but he did work on DAO too.

What exactly does a technical designer do? I really know very little about game development.

Point One: Mysterious 6th person was our Writing Department Intern Extraordinare, Tonia Laird. Who posted in the forums a few times, but did not get her Big Blue B tag added to her profile before she went back to school.

Point Two: Daniel is, indeed, still working on SWTOR.

Point Three: A technical designer assembles all the various and sundry assets from all the departments into something that resembles a game. Take a bunch of dialogue files, some level art, the creatures from character art, all the systems, throw them into a blender and puree until smooth. Or something like that.

[John Epler]

I promise you that I will use only the classiest of animations on Varric.



None of this 'right_arm_gesture_other' business. Only the best for the dwarf.

[Mary Kirby]

JohnEpler wrote...

I promise you that I will use only the classiest of animations on Varric.

None of this 'right_arm_gesture_other' business. Only the best for the dwarf.

He foolishly thinks I'm not going to hold him to this, but I totally am.

*files a dozen blocking bugs titled, "Varric's animations in conversation _____ are insufficiently classy."

[Mary Kirby]

... holy crap.

Yes, Varric's voice is provided by Brian Blooom.

How the heck did you work that out? You haven't even heard him yet...

*boggles*

Modifié par Mary Kirby, 01 octobre 2010 - 02:40 .

[Mary Kirby]

I'm impressed. Impressed and terrified.



*dons tinfoil hat*



I will say, I've been listening to all Varric's dialogue in the toolset for the past couple of days, and Brian Bloom has done a fantastic job.

[Sheryl Chee]

Mary Kirby wrote...

I'm impressed. Impressed and terrified.
 

I can verify that she was terrified, with the italics and all. I came in this morning and she was like:

"OMGOMGOMGOMG *FLAIL!*"

[Mary Kirby]

bsbcaer wrote...

Inside_Joke wrote...

He's said it the other way too D:
Loghain can't even pronounce his best friend's name right.

The saviour Mary should be popping in any minute to clear this up ... I assume. *Assumptions are dangerous though*

Help us Obi-Wan Kirby...you're our only hope!

*spooky Force-ghost voice*

Use the Force, bsbcaer....

*cough, wheeze*

Sorry. Getting a cold. It's pronounced VAIR-ec

[Mary Kirby]

Dave of Canada wrote...

I was wrong?

*gasps*

I'm never wrong!

*fades away into oblivion*

Man, that's drastic. Is this the bit where everyone who believes in chest hair claps their hands in order to save you, or is that the cold medication talking?

[Mary Kirby]

*claps hands*

[Mary Kirby]

Varric: Half Pint, we need to talk.

Me: Holy crap! How did you get into my apartment?

Varric: Plot holes. You know the drill. Time for a chat.

Me: I'm in the middle of something very important right now...

Varric: Plants vs. Zombies can wait. You were about to lose anyway. This wave is all zomboni machines.

Me: @#%$!

Varric: Tell me about it.

Me: Fine, what's on your mind, Master Tethras?

Varric: So... The Rivaini brought a number of highly... disturbing images to my attention recently.

Me: Define "disturbing" for me here.

Varric: Me as a woman.

Me: ...yeah, that qualifies.

Varric: I mean, I'm a hot woman -- that goes without saying. But still. I'm starting to see why Stretch goes all twitchy when he hears the word "forums."

Me: A lot of things make Sten nervous. He leads a stressful life. You said, "a number of images." What else?

Varric: Well, there was also the Nair...

Me: Don't worry, I'm pretty sure that stuff can't be shipped to Thedas.

Varric: What are you getting me into, Half Pint? These people are already planning to both frock and defrock me, and we haven't even met yet! They... aren't in the Merchant Guild are they?

Me: You have no idea, Tethras. These guys make the Merchant Guild seem like a big group hug.

Varric: ... okay, now I'm worried.

Me: Glad I could clear that up for you.

[Mary Kirby]

Pseudocognition wrote...

Actually while we're asking Mary questions, I've been wondering how the writers keep track of what dialogue leads to what, what lines they have to write, etc. I can't imagine it's a word document. Is there some special custom made program that works like, I dunno, a phylogenetic tree or something?

If you have ever opened up the DA or NWN toolset, we have a dialogue editor. I could never do this job with a regular word document, I would lose my mind.

In the tools, a dialogue file looks sort of like... (well, we'll see if the BB code lets me do this *crosses fingers*)

Root
+(SCRIPTING COMMENT) This is the final conversation about pie.
+(SCRIPTING COMMENT) This is the second conversation about pie.
-(SCRIPTING COMMENT) This is the first conversation about pie.
_____-(VARRIC)  Hey, Hawke, did I ever ask you your thoughts on pie?
____________+(Choice #1)  I hate pie.
____________+(Choice #2)  Pie's okay. I'm more of a cake fan, though.
____________-(Choice #3) PIE IS TEH BEST!!!!
_____________________(VARRIC)  Woah! I mean, I knew everyone liked pie, but that's a little... much, don't you think?


So... clicking on any of the plus signs opens up that branch.  Green lines (In my tools, because I swtich the colors) are NPC lines, and blue ones are player lines.

EDIT: Colors aren't cooperating, but you get the idea. Probably.

Modifié par Mary Kirby, 19 octobre 2010 - 07:43 .

[Sheryl Chee]

Calla S wrote...

Also, this person really did get.. the worst possible pictures of EVERYBODY, didn't they?

I think that's a pretty decent picture of Carver actually.

Poor Carver... he gets no love. And he isn't even on the Three Hawke Moon shirt in that other thread.

"Wait, Eldest Sibling Hawke got on the shirt TWICE? They can't even exist in the same universe at the same time! I'm telling Mother!"

[Sheryl Chee]

yukidama wrote...
EDIT: So Carver really is all herp derpy? Oh well.

He isn't? I don't think he looks as "herp derpy" as you say. He has a very... pronounced chin though.


EDIT:

ralph2190 wrote...

Sheryl is it true that it is impossible to save Carver and Bethany at the same time? Poor Garrett he shouldn't have to choose..

I can't tell you. I've vowed to be completely and utterly unhelpful on the forums. You don't want me to break my vow, do you?

Modifié par Sheryl Chee, 21 octobre 2010 - 05:06 .

[Sheryl Chee]

yukidama wrote...

It's not his chin that bothers me as much as all his features being so close together. He looks like he should be in a silent film playing Frankenstein's monster. It might also be his expression, he looks very perplexed.

Well, his siblings are both beautiful, someone had to get the awkward genes. Carver's taking one for the team. He's a hero!

[Mary Kirby]

Dave of Canada wrote...

Did you see? HE SHOT A CROSSBOW THAT SHOT A CROSSBOW THAT SHOT A GUITAR PLAYER!

That.... is Bianca. She is the goddess of crossbows.

[David Gaider]

"Say hellooo to Bianca!"

heh-- I love that battle cry.