381 réponses à ce sujet

[Quackjack]

Which Mass Effect game are you the most fond of?

[Fast Jimmy]

I wrote him in BG2. But I've no defensible claim to the template, he was specifically requested by James Ohlen as pure homage to a character in a Jack Vance novel. Dying Earth, but I can't remember exactly. Those books were a huge influence on James and Ray both, and one year we gave Ray a signed copy as a Christmas present. Aw, I just Googled and realized Vance died in May this year. Vancian magic is a term occasionally thrown around and for good reason. There is no Dungeons and Dragons, no Baldur's Gate, without inspiration from Jack Vance.

I am stunned. I had no idea that the etymology of the term Vancian casting came from someone's name. Color me surprised.


Another question... who wrote the Drzzt section of BG and BG2? Was there any discussion with R.A. Salvatore during that process?

[Fast Jimmy]

I've also got another random video game writing question...

I've always thought that past writing experience would be a little difficult to translate into RPG video game writing, simply because there are more variables to account for in terms of player choice, as well as the fact that not every player will see all the same content or complete every action/option. Couple that with the fact that video games usually have geometrically more written lines than your average movie or novel and there's lot's of differences.

But I was wondering if you thought that television writing would possibly offer a lot of analogies? After all, roughly 20 episodes worth of content would be roughly the same amount of lines as a single video game. In addition, these writer's are used to working in teams, just like video game development. And there are usually plenty of "side quests," such that a season of a TV show may have an overall arc or plot, but there is also large swaths of content created that are simply there to tell its own story and further develop the world and its characters. And, of course, most of the writing is character dialogue, unlike a novel which has  more description and exposition.

Would you agree with this assumption/analogy? And have you all ever thought about trying to draw or recruit writing talent in from some of the television industry?

Modifié par Fast Jimmy, 26 août 2013 - 03:25 .

[Lukas Kristjanson]

Which Mass Effect game are you the most fond of?

I have the strongest memories of working on ME2. Things got a little wacky when everything including broken bones took a toll on the rest of the writing team. As a result, there's not much I didn't have a piece of. One of those "that hurt like hell... it was great!" times that you look back on with rose-coloured glasses, but in the moment you want to quit to take up a career in artisanal swearing.

Another question... who wrote the Drizzt section of BG and BG2? Was there any discussion with R.A. Salvatore during that process?

I wrote Drizzt in BG1. I think Dave was primary on that in BG2. No, Mr. Salvatore wasn't involved, beyond me reading to get the voice. Drizzt belongs to TSR, so he was fair game to use, so long as we didn't do anything weird with him, like accidentally let players pickpocket his swords. Same went for Elminster, Volo, or any other names that inhabited the Forgotten Realms.

I've always thought that past writing experience would be a little difficult to translate into RPG video game writing, simply because there are more variables to account for in terms of player choice, as well as the fact that not every player will see all the same content or complete every action/option. Couple that with the fact that video games usually have geometrically more written lines than your average movie or novel and there's lot's of differences.

Plenty of novels have complex variables to track, and plenty of authors can crank out lots of content. The problem is maintaining agency while giving up control of voice and motivation. The player character in our games has multiple motivations at any given time, and all have to be able to be argued as equally valid. Many writers can write different kinds of characters, they just aren't practiced at writing them concurrent, giving up control of motivation and pacing, or managing that branching efficiently.

But I was wondering if you thought last television writing would possibly offer a lot of analogies?
*snip*
Would you agree with this assumption/analogy? And have you all ever thought about trying to draw or recruit writing talent in from some of the television industry?

We already have. Our past and current writers have come from all over, including television, movies, plays, improv, teaching, modding, tabletop, other game companies, etc. Screenwriting is definitely complimentary to what we do, but more important to all successful candidates is an understanding of games. The tools of this job are relatively easy to grasp. "Getting it" takes a bit more.

[Fast Jimmy]

Thanks for the insight, Lukas.

Is there different writers for the PC when you make a game? And if so, is it usually tackled by whoever writes the character they are talking to? For instance, if David Gaider wrote Harrowmont (just pulling stuff out of the air, I don't know if he did), would Gaider write the PC's lines for that conversation? And if you wrote Zevran, would you then write the lines?

And, as a side note, were there separate writers for Hawke's different tones (dip/sar/agg)? Or for Shephard with the Paragon/Renegade dialogue?

[Lukas Kristjanson]

Fast Jimmy wrote...
Is there different writers for the PC when you make a game? And if so, is it usually tackled by whoever writes the character they are talking to?
*snip*
And, as a side note, were there separate writers for Hawke's different tones (dip/sar/agg)? Or for Shephard with the Paragon/Renegade dialogue?

Generally we divide ownership by plot and by follower. So if I'm primary on X plot, I write everything, all the PC and NPCs including tones and interjections. Then it gets an approval pass, reviewed, nuked, rewrites, reviewed, editing, maintenance, etc. At some point, the various primary owners of the other followers do a voice pass to make sure I haven't contradicted something, or used language the character wouldn't use, or would/wouldn't comment if they haven't/have. We all discuss the tonal range of the PC, and his/her voice is policed by our editors, a task that usually means scrubbing our various idiosyncratic tics so it isn't completely obvious multiple writers are passing the character around.

We get into each other's heads enough that there aren't usually big changes during voice passes. In fact, that's where interesting relationships can emerge. You want a solid grasp of the nature of your characters, but not so much of a deathgrip that they never change or adapt. Unless that's their thing.

[Fast Jimmy]

I never hear that much about the Bioware editing team. How many do you all have working on one game at a time? Do they migrate between teams when there is less writing going on during one game's creation?

[Ozzy]

Great thread!

I'm curious as to how the development of DAO occurred. Were you guys constantly working on it for all those years? Ultimately what was the reason that it kept getting pushed back? Were ideas just getting scrapped and reworked?
Essentially what were the main difficulties that the title brought to you in terms of developing it?

[LTD]

Lukas Kristjanson wrote...



I wrote Drizzt in BG1. I think Dave was primary on that in BG2. No, Mr. Salvatore wasn't involved, beyond me reading to get the voice. Drizzt belongs to TSR, so he was fair game to use, so long as we didn't do anything weird with him, like accidentally let players pickpocket his swords.

Hahahha:D

Pretty sure  Drizzt has seen a healthy amount of very..colorful fates in BGs I and II. Most of them closer to GRR Martin endings than RA Salvatore stuffs.

BGs have an impressive amount of highly awesome, memorable NPCs. Was it ever on table to craft some sort of a spin off expansion/game involving some(one) of em in centerpiece of story? It feels unjust the trilogy of AAA Xzar games remains unannounced:l Then again I guess it makes sense to surround next gen console games to shroud of mystery.

Modifié par LTD, 05 septembre 2013 - 07:22 .

[Naughty Bear]

Was it it like working in Bioware? You free to wander around and have a little natter with someone? What is the typical hours done? Is everyone on a computer programming?

[mybudgee]

How can you guys, as devs, remain true to your fans/selves while simultaneously following the awful trends (F2P, Day 1 DLC, Facebook & twitter) in gaming right now?

[Ninja Stan]

Naughty Bear wrote...

Was it it like working in Bioware?

BioWare was a very fun place to work. Lots of talented, friendly people, a sense of unity in getting the project done, and a whole lot of boring "work" to get in the way.

You free to wander around and have a little natter with someone?

Because game development is such a collaborative process, it's almost necessary to chat with other developers, even those in different departments. I liked to take walking breaks, where I would fill up my beverage mug and go chat with someone in a different department. Not only did I learn a great deal about what other departments did, I made some good friends there and learned stuff that helped me in my own job.

What is the typical hours done?

Same office hours as most everywhere. Even overtime was limited to 12 hours a day by the time I left the company.

Is everyone on a computer programming?

That would be silly. Some folks are on a computer designing. Some are on a computer scripting. Some are on a computer writing. Some are on a computer drawing. Some are on a computer doing audio. Some are on a computer testing. And others are, scheduling, reporting, emailing, animating, and whatever else is required to keep the project and company moving along. Programming is but one department.

[Ninja Stan]

mybudgee wrote...

How can you guys, as devs, remain true to your fans/selves while simultaneously following the awful trends (F2P, Day 1 DLC, Facebook & twitter) in gaming right now?

Though I no longer work for the company, I think that's a loaded question. I'm pretty sure that "staying true to fans" has a very different meaning to Bio9Ware than it does to fans. Usually, fans take it to mean "don't do anything new that I don't like," while BioWare likely interprets it as "continue to make popular story- and character-driven games." BioWare has a much larger view of what they want to do with their games, while fans generally are only concerned about whether they liked the last game.

I like to think that BioWare, up til now, has always stayed "true to itself," even through controversy after controversy and forum freakout after forum freakout. When BioWare embarked on Neverwinter Nights (my first big project with the company back in 2001/2002), the online community was freaking out about BioWare's choice to use the as-yet unpublished D&D 3E rules rather than continue with the AD&D 2E rules of the Baldur's Gate series. At that time, though BioWare was retaining its storytelling style (ie. "staying true to itself"), many gamers believed BioWare was selling out, no longer making games for the fans, dumbing it down, and whatever meme-slogan was popular at the time. These days, fans look back kindly on NWN.

The same happened when BioWare developed Star Wars: Knioghts of the Old Republic. Though BioWare's storytelling made that game extremely popular and a critical hit, many fans once again accused BioWare of selling out, no longer making games for the fans, dumbing it down, etc. These days, KotOR is much beloved by BioWare and Star Wars fans like and still clamour for a KotOR 3 to this day.

Even Jade Empire, though not as great a critical success, is still raved about by fans for its story and colourful setting, despite the forums at the time criticizing BioWare, once again, for selling out, no longer making games for the fans, dumbing it down, etc.

I think you can see a pattern forming here. Ultimately, BioWare staying true to fans and staying true to itself doesn't really depend on whether individual fans like or dislike what they do. Staying true to itself actually means that BioWare will continue to make some of the best story- and character-driven games out there, regardless of what other features are popular. Features like Day 1 DLC, the freemium model, and social gaming may be awful to you, but they are popular because, well, they're popular. And though BioWare incorporates them into its games, you can see no the forums just how tangential to the story they are. Forum threads abound with discussions about characters and story and quests and romances. DLC discussions are based on their stories and characters, not on when the product was released, and even the concerns about Javik come up only because people love Javik and his story so much.

The developers, as far as I know, are more concerned with making good games and being proud of the game they've made. As always, they make the best game they can with the resources they have.

[Ninja Stan]

Fast Jimmy wrote...

Beerfish wrote...

Not sure if it has changed but when the Dr's ran the place they'd have breakfast brought in every morning with muffins, fruit etc. They had a fridge just for ice cream and had their own brand of coffee ground for them.

Wow, are you serious? That's crazy. 

I've seen some of the Sprint Review tweet's showing a fully catered breakfast menu, but I thought that may have just been for the meeting. If they get something like that on an everyday basis, I can't imagine leaving. 

I'm pumped about just getting free coffee everyday from my work. 

By the time I left the company, there were two main kitchens, and additional kitchenettes for staff lunch storage on every floor. There were freezers on the 3rd and 5th floors for ice cream and popsicles, and yes, there was breakfast every morning and as much coffee as one could drink. I enjoyed my mid-afternoon cereal breaks, though more often than not, there'd only be skim milk left in the fridge (ick!).

The "catered breakfast menu" for sprint reviews are likely just for the sprint review team, since they're stuck in a room together the entire day, and possibly more than one day. Every once in a while, BioWare treated us to something special, like a barbecue lunch or a build-your-own-sundae afternoon or free rein of the adjoining hotel's breakfast buffet. It's a far cry from the old days where a line producer would go around to the various offices to take a food order. You can have fast food for dinner only so often before it gets monotonous. Luke might remember the "month of KFC" that I kept hearing about.

[mybudgee]

I am being honest. It was NOT a loaded question-- by 'stay true' I simply mean refraining from doing something dishonest or sketchy simply because it seems like a good way to take a few more dollars from the customer. I had a dream once that was Biower. A game company who truly treated the customer as a fellow lover of the digital arts, rather than a cash cow. A group of people who make a story with integrity & care. Please tell me this dream is not dead...

[AlanC9]

mybudgee wrote...

I am being honest. It was NOT a loaded question-- by 'stay true' I simply mean refraining from doing something dishonest or sketchy simply because it seems like a good way to take a few more dollars from the customer. I had a dream once that was Biower. A game company who truly treated the customer as a fellow lover of the digital arts, rather than a cash cow. A group of people who make a story with integrity & care. Please tell me this dream is not dead...

Why would you think it was?

[mybudgee]

^ See: the new generation of consoles/EA/Sega/Rare/Activision

Modifié par mybudgee, 05 septembre 2013 - 10:25 .

[In Exile]

mybudgee wrote...

I am being honest. It was NOT a loaded question-- by 'stay true' I simply mean refraining from doing something dishonest or sketchy simply because it seems like a good way to take a few more dollars from the customer. I had a dream once that was Biower. A game company who truly treated the customer as a fellow lover of the digital arts, rather than a cash cow. A group of people who make a story with integrity & care. Please tell me this dream is not dead...

I was here for KoTOR. Stan is understating just how harsh the accusations of selling out were. And that's not even counting the NWN distain that still floated on the forums. Which was a lot like the negativity about DA2, honestly. 

And you should have seen how bad it got when KoTOR wasn't just obviously a console game (exclusive, at first, though we suspected PC later), but had simplified the gameplay. 

[hoorayforicecream]

mybudgee wrote...

I am being honest. It was NOT a loaded question-- by 'stay true' I simply mean refraining from doing something dishonest or sketchy simply because it seems like a good way to take a few more dollars from the customer. I had a dream once that was Biower. A game company who truly treated the customer as a fellow lover of the digital arts, rather than a cash cow. A group of people who make a story with integrity & care. Please tell me this dream is not dead...

I'll tell you this now. As a veteran of the industry for nearly 10 years (with time off for good behavior), having worked for EA, Activision, Sony, Indies, and plenty in between, I've never seen the "cash cow milker" type developers you envision. They simply do not exist. I've shipped a lot of games and worked with a lot of teams, and I've never worked on or known anyone who has worked on a single title that was made by people who did not believe in making a quality game. I've worked with some of the most experienced members of the gaming industry (including the guy who created Yar's Revenge and E.T. for the original Atari), as well as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed interns fresh out of school, and, without a doubt, none of them from the highest ranked studio head to the freshest intern have ever focused on trying to squeeze money out of the customer.

If they did not believe in their product, why would they accept lower pay than they would get in comparable roles in other industries? I could easily be earning double my current salary with as much experience I have if I wanted to switch to another industry. If they did not believe in their product, why would they work 60-100+ hours a week during crunch time for little to no overtime pay? My personal record is 98.5 hours in a single week on a project that was eventually cancelled. I didn't choose to do any of that because I wanted to squeeze an extra few bucks out of the people I had spent years of my life working on features for, and I don't believe for a moment any of my coworkers or friends in the industry did either.

[mybudgee]

Obviously the Problem is not with the guys "in the trenches", but the CEOs and corporate decision makers. I am not implying that people employed by game developers are bad people. I AM implying that the industry is headed in a .. Strange direction. Anyone who isn't a little bit concerned is not paying attention.

[hoorayforicecream]

mybudgee wrote...

Obviously the Problem is not with the guys "in the trenches", but the CEOs and corporate decision makers. I am not implying that people employed by game developers are bad people. I AM implying that the industry is headed in a .. Strange direction. Anyone who isn't a little bit concerned is not paying attention.

Just who do you think the game developers are? Why are you even writing such a question in this thread if you didn't intend it for people who are "in the trenches"? What possible answer could you get to that question you asked that would satisfy you? I would honestly like to know.

[Naughty Bear]

Ninja Stan wrote...

Naughty Bear wrote...

Was it it like working in Bioware?

BioWare was a very fun place to work. Lots of talented, friendly people, a sense of unity in getting the project done, and a whole lot of boring "work" to get in the way.

You free to wander around and have a little natter with someone?

Because game development is such a collaborative process, it's almost necessary to chat with other developers, even those in different departments. I liked to take walking breaks, where I would fill up my beverage mug and go chat with someone in a different department. Not only did I learn a great deal about what other departments did, I made some good friends there and learned stuff that helped me in my own job.

What is the typical hours done?

Same office hours as most everywhere. Even overtime was limited to 12 hours a day by the time I left the company.

Is everyone on a computer programming?

That would be silly. Some folks are on a computer designing. Some are on a computer scripting. Some are on a computer writing. Some are on a computer drawing. Some are on a computer doing audio. Some are on a computer testing. And others are, scheduling, reporting, emailing, animating, and whatever else is required to keep the project and company moving along. Programming is but one department.

Thanks for the answers Stan.

So what would you do on a typical day? Same with Priestly and the woman who cosplayed as femshep? Her name escapes me. Jessica?

[Seb Hanlon]

Naughty Bear wrote...
...
So what would you do on a typical day? Same with Priestly and the woman who cosplayed as femshep? Her name escapes me. Jessica?

A day in the Corps is like a day on the farm. Every meal a banquet, every formation a parade, every pay cheque a fortune!
Every day is different. That being said, a selection of things that might happen on any given day:
Daily standup meeting with scrum group to catch up everyone's progress and identify blocking issues
Review e-mail
Weekly combat design meeting
Bug triage to make sure issues are getting distributed to the right people
Sync the latest build and content
Playthrough meeting to go through the most recent build
Gameplay review meeting to most recent work on abilities, creatures, mechanics, etc.
1:1 meetings with the individual combat designers to get their feelings and chat with them directly
Firefighting - answering questions, directing people where to find answers, investigating bug reports, aligning or communicating design decisions with other departments or parts of the team
Planning the next few weeks or months of development
Writing design docs
Revising design docs
Reading design docs
Catching up e-mail
Writing performance reviews for my team
Investigating bugs - digging into content and code to figure out why things aren't right
Working with animators on technical issues in the animation tools
Chatting with programmers about how to implement features for maximum effectiveness and workflow
Design leads meeting with Mike and the other design department leads (writing, cine, levels, systems, etc)
Occasionally making content (design work in the tools) or writing code to make things go

Modifié par Seb Hanlon, 06 septembre 2013 - 03:42 .

[LPPrince]

Dat wall of text

Edit- Touché...

Modifié par LPPrince, 06 septembre 2013 - 03:43 .