Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3

Eurogamer reports inXile boss Brian Fargo plans to retire after the company ships Wasteland 3, which is currently projected to happen in 2019. He made a few comments on the topic, which doesn't necessarily make his retirement sound permanent:
"Wasteland 2 and Torment both came out great," he said. "The Mage's Tale's got a great buzz. The Bard's Tale 4 looks spectacular. Wasteland 3 is building on Wasteland 2. It seems like a good time to drop the mic.

"I love this industry, but I've been at this since 1981. I've been at it with Ken and Roberta Williams [Sierra co-founders], Trip Hawkins [EA founder], the guys from Brøderbund - I look at my friends, they have a lot more spare time than I do. It's a very intense business. It's all encompassing. It seems like I should relax for a little bit."
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21.
 
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3
Mar 25, 2017, 00:29
21.
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3 Mar 25, 2017, 00:29
Mar 25, 2017, 00:29
 
Torment was a PoS.

Stretch goals were added to entice more pledges and these stretch goals were completely scrapped. Where did the money go to?
Take for instance Live Orchestra. There is no good reason why it is cut. It's a fixed budget for let's say 1 hour. It can be done in the middle of production once the design documents for each hub is confirmed. But 'pooff' , it's gone. Probably used to buy a new home audio system or something. Same thing for voiceovers. A few sentences does not cut it.

and the endless catacombs? 'pooff' but concept art still exist and damn was it enticing.

and worse of all, the reactivity to the story line is a complete joke. All those trailer's and all promising no two playthroughs are the same ? lol.
You didn't get to blow up Torment's equivalent of Megaton. You didn't get to kill off this and that faction. Even PoE had you deciding the faith of the ciphers.

90% of all the Choose-your-own-adventure has no actual impact in the game world. And the world's described in each are not even present in the game world.

and the graphics and animation is worse than poE.
what redeeming feature is there for this game?
20.
 
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3
Mar 24, 2017, 19:24
20.
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3 Mar 24, 2017, 19:24
Mar 24, 2017, 19:24
 
Torment is actually pretty good. The writing is fantastic, and there is a *lot* of it. It's a game where you actually have to pay really close attention to what the NPCs are saying, as the clues are pretty subtle a lot of times as to which choice is the "right" one.

I guess if you just want to read spoilers for everything or constantly reload until you get the right answer, then you can make do not reading the 1.2M words in it, but, honestly, that's what you're paying for - a text-based story that has some 2D isometric graphics associated with it.

If you don't like reading, you won't enjoy the game, nor will you like it if you don't like the Numenaria setting (which is fair - future fantasy isn't for everyone). But the negative reviews on Steam are unfair - it really is a great game.
19.
 
Re: On Sale
Mar 24, 2017, 15:49
19.
Re: On Sale Mar 24, 2017, 15:49
Mar 24, 2017, 15:49
 
CJ_Parker wrote on Mar 24, 2017, 09:25:
However, they ran the WL3 campaign when neither Torment nor BT4 was out. Running a campaign when you still owe gamers one full game is bold but when you owe people two full games then it's a Ponzi scheme all the way because the system will probably collapse at some point.


Well, you don't want your designers sitting idle while the game is undergoing beta testing. Also, perhaps they have multiple teams?
If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends. Slava Ukraini!
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18.
 
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3
Mar 24, 2017, 12:34
18.
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3 Mar 24, 2017, 12:34
Mar 24, 2017, 12:34
 
yuastnav wrote on Mar 24, 2017, 06:12:
Wasteland 2 was good. It was not great, I didn't finish it but it was a good game, a fun experience.

I'm having fun with Torment right now. I'm a couple of hours in and it's good so far. Don't get why it only has a mixed rating on Steam. I read the first view lines of the first negative review I came across and they complained that it's a short game with only 30 hours.

I'm actually kinda glad. I don't have time for really long games anymore so it's a plus in my book. And I wouldn't call 30 hours short anyway.

Politics, really. A lot of people were really pissed that some things were either cut or changed from the original pitch. That happens in game development all the time but people apparently don't understand that. Torment also promotes itself as the spiritual successor to PST, which offends some people. Some people just don't like inXile as a company.

As with other games that launched with a lot of negative hype, the user ratings will rise over time as the vocal minority moves on to other things.
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17.
 
Re: On Sale
Mar 24, 2017, 10:34
17.
Re: On Sale Mar 24, 2017, 10:34
Mar 24, 2017, 10:34
 
CJ_Parker wrote on Mar 24, 2017, 09:25:
I really can't stand inXile anymore. They have the nerve to deliver a Torment (!)two and a half years(!) late while shamelessly running campaigns for other games in the meantime.

Duh, the last 20 years of gaming has been nothing but gamers rationalizing the game industry has their best interests at heart...

First it was mmo's and the smart set complained about RPG games on PC being taken away and rebranded to be drm'd and switched over to "gaming as a service" mmo's paved the way for steam and online drm. That and the fact that gaming doesn't work when you connect the worlds stupid population to big corporations via broadband.

The only way you could conceivable not be screwed by big gaming corps is being physically close to balance the transaction otherwise they will just steal everything that isn't nailed down because the customers are too far away to influence business practices.
16.
 
Re: On Sale
Mar 24, 2017, 09:25
16.
Re: On Sale Mar 24, 2017, 09:25
Mar 24, 2017, 09:25
 
Kxmode wrote on Mar 24, 2017, 04:20:
@CJ_Parker - In difference to your comment, I would like to point out they successfully shipped their two crowdfunded projects: Wasteland 2 and Torment: Tides of Numenera. The remaining two, The Bard's Tale IV and Wasteland 3, are still in development. I'm no fan of crowdfunding, but you should at least get your facts straight. Come on, Mr. Parker, I know you can do it!

Dude, I know they shipped Torment. About a decade or two late but it's here, yes .

However, they ran the WL3 campaign when neither Torment nor BT4 was out. Running a campaign when you still owe gamers one full game is bold but when you owe people two full games then it's a Ponzi scheme all the way because the system will probably collapse at some point.

They are probably playing it smart tho and not spending everything on development. There is no way that the piece of shit Torment cost $4 million to make so they probably make a pretty nice profit before even selling the first copy. Fargo even admitted as much...

Fargo said he will leave inXile a profitable independent game developer with "money in the bank".

I really can't stand inXile anymore. They have the nerve to deliver a Torment (!)two and a half years(!) late while shamelessly running campaigns for other games in the meantime.

Then they deliver Torment and due to feature cuts it's only half the game it was promised to be. It's also on consoles all of a sudden, short as fuck and doesn't even begin to compare to PS:T in terms of gameplay but only in terms of word count (yay?).

And then they shit all over their backers by coming up with a nicer retail CE than the so called "backer exclusive" CE. They also shit all over CE level backers ($100+ investment and people who'd been waiting for almost 3 years at the time) when they gave Steam early access buyers ($45 purchase and waiting 0 seconds for the game) preferential access to the beta.

One lameness after another by those clowns... it is really like they were begging people like me who pledged $130 or something for the CE to please never pledge EVER again.
Welp. Mission accomplished. That won't happen and I will make extra sure to buy their games on a deep discount only.

I like to make fun of Obshittian but comparing Torment and PoE, wow, it's a world of difference in spite of very similar KS budgets. PoE KS campaign ended only six months before ToN but it had two meaty expansions and was patched up properly (!)a full year(!) before inXile finally crapped out Torment v0.7 (no v1.0 due to missing features and localizations).
PoE may have had less words but otherwise it's about 10x the game that ToN is. That's why I'm thinking that ToN (and BT4 and WL3) budget went mostly into the bank and a certain retirement plan.
15.
 
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3
Mar 24, 2017, 08:51
15.
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3 Mar 24, 2017, 08:51
Mar 24, 2017, 08:51
 
CJ_Parker wrote on Mar 24, 2017, 01:46:
So he has come to the realization that you can not continue the crowdfunding ponzi scheme forever. Smart guy. Lined his pockets and punches out. I would probably do the same at that age. Why risk bankruptcy when you can retire with millions from gullible fools in the bank?
The shitty sales performance of Torment was probably his final wakeup call which reminded him how fast you can fall from grace (there might be a slight pun in there Wink ).

Man you are so angry about crowdfunding, are you ok?
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14.
 
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3
Mar 24, 2017, 06:12
14.
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3 Mar 24, 2017, 06:12
Mar 24, 2017, 06:12
 
Wasteland 2 was good. It was not great, I didn't finish it but it was a good game, a fun experience.

I'm having fun with Torment right now. I'm a couple of hours in and it's good so far. Don't get why it only has a mixed rating on Steam. I read the first view lines of the first negative review I came across and they complained that it's a short game with only 30 hours.

I'm actually kinda glad. I don't have time for really long games anymore so it's a plus in my book. And I wouldn't call 30 hours short anyway.
Now we donce.
13.
 
Re: On Sale
Mar 24, 2017, 05:06
13.
Re: On Sale Mar 24, 2017, 05:06
Mar 24, 2017, 05:06
 
-
12.
 
Re: On Sale
Mar 24, 2017, 05:05
12.
Re: On Sale Mar 24, 2017, 05:05
Mar 24, 2017, 05:05
 
Kxmode wrote on Mar 24, 2017, 04:20:
Come on, Mr. Parker, I know you can do it!
Oh, he sure could, but he won't. He confined himself deep within the labyrinth of his weird bullshit and is unwilling to find a way out.
11.
 
Re: On Sale
Mar 24, 2017, 04:49
Kxmode
 
11.
Re: On Sale Mar 24, 2017, 04:49
Mar 24, 2017, 04:49
 Kxmode
 
Lord Tea wrote on Mar 24, 2017, 04:22:
jdreyer wrote on Mar 24, 2017, 00:59:
He'll "retire" for a year, then be back at it.

Yup. Maybe a couple of years but he'll be back.

They always come back.
"...and in stonks, Fizzy Squeezy Stocklebocks leaped over Droopy Whoopy Bondfluffs, hitting 300-gigglebits to their 150-snorebucks. Meanwhile, in Whimsyland's market, the pancakes reached parity with pogo sticks."
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10.
 
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3
Mar 24, 2017, 04:22
10.
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3 Mar 24, 2017, 04:22
Mar 24, 2017, 04:22
 
jdreyer wrote on Mar 24, 2017, 00:59:
He'll "retire" for a year, then be back at it.

Yup. Maybe a couple of years but he'll be back.
9.
 
Re: On Sale
Mar 24, 2017, 04:20
Kxmode
 
9.
Re: On Sale Mar 24, 2017, 04:20
Mar 24, 2017, 04:20
 Kxmode
 
@CJ_Parker - In difference to your comment, I would like to point out they successfully shipped their two crowdfunded projects: Wasteland 2 and Torment: Tides of Numenera. The remaining two, The Bard's Tale IV and Wasteland 3, are still in development. I'm no fan of crowdfunding, but you should at least get your facts straight. Come on, Mr. Parker, I know you can do it!
"...and in stonks, Fizzy Squeezy Stocklebocks leaped over Droopy Whoopy Bondfluffs, hitting 300-gigglebits to their 150-snorebucks. Meanwhile, in Whimsyland's market, the pancakes reached parity with pogo sticks."
Avatar 18786
8.
 
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3
Mar 24, 2017, 03:01
8.
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3 Mar 24, 2017, 03:01
Mar 24, 2017, 03:01
 
CJ_Parker wrote on Mar 24, 2017, 01:46:
So he has come to the realization that you can not continue the crowdfunding ponzi scheme forever. Smart guy. Lined his pockets and punches out. I would probably do the same at that age. Why risk bankruptcy when you can retire with millions from gullible fools in the bank?
The shitty sales performance of Torment was probably his final wakeup call which reminded him how fast you can fall from grace (there might be a slight pun in there Wink ).

Yes, I'm sure Fargo just pocketed all that Kickstarter money and bought another mansion...
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7.
 
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3
Mar 24, 2017, 01:46
7.
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3 Mar 24, 2017, 01:46
Mar 24, 2017, 01:46
 
So he has come to the realization that you can not continue the crowdfunding ponzi scheme forever. Smart guy. Lined his pockets and punches out. I would probably do the same at that age. Why risk bankruptcy when you can retire with millions from gullible fools in the bank?
The shitty sales performance of Torment was probably his final wakeup call which reminded him how fast you can fall from grace (there might be a slight pun in there Wink ).
6.
 
Re: On Sale
Mar 24, 2017, 01:04
Kxmode
 
6.
Re: On Sale Mar 24, 2017, 01:04
Mar 24, 2017, 01:04
 Kxmode
 
Wells, Fargo. Bye! Thanks for the games Allthumbsup
"...and in stonks, Fizzy Squeezy Stocklebocks leaped over Droopy Whoopy Bondfluffs, hitting 300-gigglebits to their 150-snorebucks. Meanwhile, in Whimsyland's market, the pancakes reached parity with pogo sticks."
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5.
 
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3
Mar 24, 2017, 00:59
5.
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3 Mar 24, 2017, 00:59
Mar 24, 2017, 00:59
 
He'll "retire" for a year, then be back at it.
If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends. Slava Ukraini!
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4.
 
Re: Game Developers Choice Awards
Mar 24, 2017, 00:37
Rigs
 
4.
Re: Game Developers Choice Awards Mar 24, 2017, 00:37
Mar 24, 2017, 00:37
 Rigs
 
While I kinda liked Wasteland2 (though I never even got close to finishing it) and I see that Fargo has done quite a bit in the last decade or so, I still can never forgive him for what he did to the Klingon Academy team while he headed Interplay. Not only did he push the game out before it was ready, he shut down a program that was going to integrate various fansites into a network to promote the game (I know because I was a part of it and spent quite a bit of time and effort on a site for it that was never seen because the whole thing was called off at the very last minute...though I did get a snazzy t-shirt (which I still have packed safely away), poster and choice of any Interplay game, which is how I got Freespace2: GOTY for free for the trouble) and then, after three years of hard development and two rather small post-launch patches, let the team go unannounced and shut down the whole studio (14 Degrees East) without a word as to why.

From the KA wikipedia page:
Klingon Academy was shipped on six CD-ROM discs. Once the game went gold in June 2000, Interplay terminated the entire development team, which did not bode well for the future prospects of the game. Game expansions and a promised mission builder (which was never formally released or supported) were never released. Two minor technical patches were later released by a skeleton crew of staff kept on the project, but Interplay had effectively ended their support.

Almost as bad as the cancellation of Babylon5: Into The Fire...almost...

=-Rigs-=
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3.
 
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3
Mar 24, 2017, 00:32
3.
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3 Mar 24, 2017, 00:32
Mar 24, 2017, 00:32
 
"Wasteland 2 and Torment both came out great,"

Uh, no they did not. The magic is gone. Time to move along.
"The horse I bet on was so slow, the jockey kept a diary of the trip." - Henny Youngman
2.
 
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3
Mar 23, 2017, 22:37
2.
Re: Brian Fargo to Retire After Wasteland 3 Mar 23, 2017, 22:37
Mar 23, 2017, 22:37
 
Well, we're at the time when all of these great developers are going to retire or have already retired, basically. 20+ years of crunch time and feast or famine making games probably wears you out faster than a lot of other jobs.

It looks like The Mage's Tale is an Oculus Touch VR game, probably with a lot of Bard's Tale 4 assets from the screenshots. These guys aren't the only studio getting suckered in to making VR games... hope the regular real games don't suffer. Same thing is happening to Tripwire(Killing Floor 2, Red Orchestra), they are making a KF VR Spinoff game, also Oculus Touch exclusive.

At the very least, make these fucking VR games for ALL the headsets, sheesh.
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