Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG

Obsidian has pitched LucasArts on the prospect of creating another RPG based on Star Wars, following their work on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords, a sequel to BioWare's prequel role-playing game. EA's use of The Old Republic setting seems an obstacle to revisiting that setting, but Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart tells Rock, Paper, Shotgun: "There’s a lot of different eras in Star Wars, and that’s what we would focus on." He goes on to describe the time period they envisioned when they pitched the game to LucasArts. "We pitched a between-Episode III and Episode IV game," he explains. "Because we think that timeframe is super interesting. It’s the fall of the Republic, the extermination of the Jedi, it’s Obi-Wan going off and making sure Luke is OK. You have the Sith, but you have the extermination of all Force users except for very, very few. So it was an interesting time to set a game, and you know, Chris Avellone came up with a really cool story." A complication is that Disney's acquisition of LucasArts took place since that pitch, but Urquhart hopes this is all still in play, expressing confidence in what he calls one of the "top three pitches we’ve ever come up with," saying LucasArts was very enthusiastic, and that it's "something we’re still hoping for, even with the Disney/Lucas stuff going on."
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47.
 
Re: More Big Picture Details
Feb 9, 2013, 18:33
47.
Re: More Big Picture Details Feb 9, 2013, 18:33
Feb 9, 2013, 18:33
 
HorrorScope wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 20:09:
Spreading oneself too thin.

What? Obsidian is only working on two projects at the moment: South Park and Project Eternity. If you're an independent studio and you're not constantly trying to sign new projects, you'll end up screwing yourself in the long-run. Getting contracts takes a lot of time and effort so it's not something you want to put off until you're done with your current projects.
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46.
 
Re: More Big Picture Details
Feb 8, 2013, 20:09
46.
Re: More Big Picture Details Feb 8, 2013, 20:09
Feb 8, 2013, 20:09
 
Spreading oneself too thin.
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45.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 19:39
45.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 19:39
Feb 8, 2013, 19:39
 
Siygess wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 17:34:
It's simple. Obsidian just have to raid Karen Travis' work on the Rep Com books and churn out an RPG sequel to Republic Commando. It's set in the right timeline and it can feature at least one former Jedi without being a game *about* Jedi

Oh sweet jesus... an x-com style tactical RPG using Republic Commando?

SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!

I *still* go back and replay RepCom. It was a great game.
44.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 19:04
44.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 19:04
Feb 8, 2013, 19:04
 
Bhruic wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 16:21:
Optional Nickname! wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 15:43:
Project: Eternity and its funded sequel should be taking up all of Obsidian's time and resources right now.

You'd think all the math flying around the Psychonauts 2 thread would have cleared that up. With the amount of money they got from the Kickstarter, they can't afford to fund their entire staff. They need other projects going on, or they'll need to downsize. As I'm sure downsizing isn't their first choice, going after this seems like a good fit - especially considering the quality of KotOR II (barring the unfinished state).

Not just that, it's never a smart idea to have all your eggs in one basket as a development house. The amount of cancelled projects in a year would probably shock most people, it is always good to be working on different things so that you don't have to shutdown if some publisher isn't happy with your latest milestone or your kickstarter doesn't work out as planned.
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43.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 18:56
43.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 18:56
Feb 8, 2013, 18:56
 
Republic Commando was awesome. And I never played SWG, but I very much respected the way they (originally?) handled Jedi, where you as a player had to put in a shit-ton of time and effort to "train" and become one in order to enjoy all the perks that came with that. Like 99% of players were not Force users, and that's how it should be. Also, thanks, now I want to go back and play Jedi Outcast, too...
42.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 18:49
42.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 18:49
Feb 8, 2013, 18:49
 
Optional Nickname! wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 15:43:
Project: Eternity and its funded sequel should be taking up all of Obsidian's time and resources right now.

Expansion, not sequel, but that's kinda beside the point. Obsidian got nowhere near enough money to pay for the entire studio to work on P:E. The rest of their studio is still working on the South Park game, and once that's done those guys will need something new to work on as well.

And I believe Obsidian was even working on a third project? In any case, they can't afford to just have everyone work on P:E and ignore everything else.

Creston

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41.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 17:34
41.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 17:34
Feb 8, 2013, 17:34
 
It's simple. Obsidian just have to raid Karen Travis' work on the Rep Com books and churn out an RPG sequel to Republic Commando. It's set in the right timeline and it can feature at least one former Jedi without being a game *about* Jedi
40.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 16:21
40.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 16:21
Feb 8, 2013, 16:21
 
Optional Nickname! wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 15:43:
Project: Eternity and its funded sequel should be taking up all of Obsidian's time and resources right now.

You'd think all the math flying around the Psychonauts 2 thread would have cleared that up. With the amount of money they got from the Kickstarter, they can't afford to fund their entire staff. They need other projects going on, or they'll need to downsize. As I'm sure downsizing isn't their first choice, going after this seems like a good fit - especially considering the quality of KotOR II (barring the unfinished state).
39.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 15:55
39.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 15:55
Feb 8, 2013, 15:55
 
Redmask wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 15:08:
nin wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 14:41:
Was that the dismemberment code? That one was a blast...


g_saberrealisticcombat 5 I think? Something along those lines.

Yeah that sounds like it. I think the most fun I had with that was fighting the lightsaber enemies. If I recall the code made ALL lightsabers behave realistically (for a fictional weapon I mean) so even the enemies could cut you to bits. It was sorta like Bushido Blade on the PSX.

Damnit I alway do this, I reminiscence about part of a game and have the urge to install it again.
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38.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 15:51
Jivaro
 
38.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 15:51
Feb 8, 2013, 15:51
 Jivaro
 
Optional Nickname! wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 15:43:
Project: Eternity and its funded sequel should be taking up all of Obsidian's time and resources right now.

It's far too soon to explore Disney Inc.'s relationship with the Star Wars gaming franchise.

Perhaps it has come time to let Star Wars, a near 40 year phenomenon, fade into memory and let new and more innovative ideas concerning strife in the cosmos develop.

I disagree if only because Obsidian knows that their will be a long line of very big and very rich competition trying to get Disney to let them make the next Star Wars game. Obsidian is being prudent. By showing their interest now and maintaining that interest through the coming months, it could land that company a very good deal that could result in another good game. Watching someone else make that game when you have the credentials...and losing out on that money...would be a mistake.


Opinions on Star Wars itself aside, this is smart business.
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37.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 15:43
37.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 15:43
Feb 8, 2013, 15:43
 
Project: Eternity and its funded sequel should be taking up all of Obsidian's time and resources right now.

It's far too soon to explore Disney Inc.'s relationship with the Star Wars gaming franchise.

Perhaps it has come time to let Star Wars, a near 40 year phenomenon, fade into memory and let new and more innovative ideas concerning strife in the cosmos develop.
36.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 15:39
Jivaro
 
36.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 15:39
Feb 8, 2013, 15:39
 Jivaro
 
KS wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 15:01:
Is it written in stone they are all dead? The galaxy is a big place and Obi-wan hid quite well.

More suggestive is that said Jedi would have come out of hiding to help, which obviously did not happen.

Even if we take the attitude that all the Jedi were wiped out, force sensitivity has a biological cause and thus finding new characters to be Jedi and Sith at any point in the timeline is easy enough.

Beyond that, like most sci-fi, death does not appear to be anywhere near permanent in the Star Wars universe. Even Darth Maul has been resurrected through the wonders of technology.
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35.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 15:08
35.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 15:08
Feb 8, 2013, 15:08
 
nin wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 14:41:
NegaDeath wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 14:32:
The best representation of a lightsaber I ever saw in a game was Jedi Outcast with realistic saber combat turned on. Made the game too easy but damn that was fun. It slices, it dices, it cooks at the same time!

Was that the dismemberment code? That one was a blast...


g_saberrealisticcombat 5 I think? Something along those lines.
Avatar 57682
34.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 15:01
KS
34.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 15:01
Feb 8, 2013, 15:01
KS
 
Is it written in stone they are all dead? The galaxy is a big place and Obi-wan hid quite well.

More suggestive is that said Jedi would have come out of hiding to help, which obviously did not happen.
33.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 14:41
nin
33.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 14:41
Feb 8, 2013, 14:41
nin
 
NegaDeath wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 14:32:
The best representation of a lightsaber I ever saw in a game was Jedi Outcast with realistic saber combat turned on. Made the game too easy but damn that was fun. It slices, it dices, it cooks at the same time!

Was that the dismemberment code? That one was a blast...

32.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 14:32
32.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 14:32
Feb 8, 2013, 14:32
 
The best representation of a lightsaber I ever saw in a game was Jedi Outcast with realistic saber combat turned on. Made the game too easy but damn that was fun. It slices, it dices, it cooks at the same time!
Avatar 57352
31.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 14:25
KS
31.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 14:25
Feb 8, 2013, 14:25
KS
 
deqer wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 11:03:
Bhruic wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 09:39:
And, frankly, I'd have no interest in a Star Wars RPG where I couldn't wield a lightsaber.

A lightsaber that does nothing? Isn't it already a sad feeling it to be wield a fake lightsaber? Isn't a lightsaber supposed to cut through stuff? yah...

You can't put a lightsaber in a game, so why try? it makes the make unrealistic and pathetic when you try to put a lightsaber in it as a weapon, and it doesn't act like a true lightsaber. "look at me, let me thwack this enemy 200 times before the lightsaber finally cuts through/kills him." lulz

This. At least in a single-player game you can be mildly powerful. In the embarrassment that was The Old Republic Online, lightsabers were relegated to wiffle bats of standard MMO melee. People who shot lightning were decent "blasters", but as melee? YOU R TANK AND DAT GUD ENUF. another online game that can't get past it.
30.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 13:41
30.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 13:41
Feb 8, 2013, 13:41
 
RollinThundr wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 13:34:
I agree, though at one point Sega delayed it for like an entire year. So I'm not sure why they sat on it and didn't do the required polish passes then.

They delayed it due to release schedule conflicts from other publishers, they didn't want it to be overshadowed by big name IP. They had already dumped a lot of money into it and given Obsidian extra time so I don't really blame them exclusively for how the release turned out, Obsidian has talked about how they didn't really have a proper roadmap for the game and that it was a very troubled production. You can't keep throwing good money after bad.
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29.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 13:34
29.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 13:34
Feb 8, 2013, 13:34
 
wtf_man wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 11:57:
Yakubs wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 11:36:
Starting to get desperate? They've always been desperate. They did a South Park cash-in game, for crying out loud. Their only attempts at original IP have always failed.

While Alpha Protocol may have failed commercially... I enjoyed it (except for the dialog timer). A bit more polish and I think it would have done better than it did.

I agree, though at one point Sega delayed it for like an entire year. So I'm not sure why they sat on it and didn't do the required polish passes then.
28.
 
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG
Feb 8, 2013, 13:29
28.
Re: Obsidian Pitching New Star Wars RPG Feb 8, 2013, 13:29
Feb 8, 2013, 13:29
 
Bhruic wrote on Feb 8, 2013, 12:57:
Sure, that's fine, but the problem is that you know how it has to turn out. If you're playing a "Jedi in hiding", well, by the start of Ep IV, you're going to be dead. That seems like a substantial limiter in what they can accomplish with a story.

They could just take the Expanded Universe version of events, in which there were actually several more Jedi in hiding, that even Yoda didn't know about.

That said, I think the ToR universe is actually more interesting than the "current" one.

Either way, I don't really care as long we get more Star Wars RPG goodness.

Creston
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