Jeff Gardiner on DLC again

[Per]

PDLC producer Jeff Gardiner now talks to Wonderwallweb about Operation Anchorage. I have no idea whether there's anything new in there.<blockquote>Where did the inspiration for Operation Anchorage come from?

Jeff Gardiner: From the Fallout cannon. It’s a pivotal moment in the history of the Fallout universe, and one we felt we could do justice to with our current technology.</blockquote>So... yeah.

 

[Lexx]

Yeh, with screw-tanks and big laser gunzrs.

 

[Trithne]

It's a pivotal moment that has nothing to do with the games though. It's backstory. But Anchorage is right up the alley for Bethsoft, it's a valid reason to make a shooter with stats!

 

[Ranne]

You’ve already announced three pieces of PDLC which seems really generous – why is PDLC so important to your games?
...
Fallout 3 is a massive game – why do you feel it’s the time to bring out the first PDLC pack? I’m 25 hours in and feel like I’ve hardly started…
...
Fallout 3 was all about moral choices – is this a large factor in Operation Anchorage?
...
Finally… Megaton – did you or didn’t you?

Oh and Jeff - may I call you Jeff - could you possibly sign my boobs please?

Jeff Gardiner: From the Fallout cannon.

I don't suppose that "Fallout cannon" happens to be some impressive piece of futuristic artillery that was present in the previous two games, does it?

 

[Oeolycus]

If you misspell canon, you deserve to be made fun of:

Cannonical: boom goes the nuke. (similar journalistic talent)

Cannonical, as in, put all the previous elements into the cannon and blow it to kingdom come.

 

[Ausir]

Will there be new weapons / items / apparel for players to use?

Jeff Gardiner: Oh yes! These include a very high powered scoped Gauss Rifle, a new Trench Knife, and a new set of armour that hasn’t been revealed but which will sure to please stealth fans…

Sounds like they might use the Hei Gui from Van Buren.

 

[Beelzebud]

Wouldn't it be neat if they took the opportunity with these expansion packs to do a little experiment. Let's say make a faithful mission using isometric viewpoints, turn based combat (and even real-time with pause), and a heavy reliance on the SPECIAL system? Make it an RPG pack, and see how successful it is.

LOL yeah right. This is Bethesda we're talking about. Sorry for that bit of insanity.

 

[Marx]

LOL yeah right. This is Bethesda we're talking about. Sorry for that bit of insanity.

Hey yeah, I have a great idea guys - let's completely do something that we know won't really sell. That's the ticket.

Technologies and markets evolve, turn based 3rd person isometric games aren't the frontrunner anymore and haven't been for awhile. Expecting a company to take several steps back from something that they know works and is profitable and to instead do something that doesn't do as well, yeah that is insanity.

Times change, it sucks yeah, but that's life.

 

[Lexx]

Thats why Civilization doesn't sell very good. No, wait...

 

[Marx]

Thats why Civilization doesn't sell very good. No, wait...

Civilization and Sid Mieir have a brand recognition that Fallout never had because it fell off the face of the earth instead of pumping out lots of sequels and expansions.

Also, don't pretend that they don't cater to a niche like all Sid Mieir games.

 

[bhlaab]

Thats why Civilization doesn't sell very good. No, wait...

Civilization and Sid Mieir have a brand recognition that Fallout never had because it fell off the face of the earth instead of pumping out lots of sequels and expansions.

Also, don't pretend that they don't cater to a niche like all Sid Mieir games.

turn based isometric rpg fans are the niche fallout was made for originally

 

[Ausir]

Also, don't pretend that they don't cater to a niche like all Sid Mieir games.

Which is why Blizzard should buy the license and make an RTS out of it.

 

[Beelzebud]

LOL yeah right. This is Bethesda we're talking about. Sorry for that bit of insanity.

Hey yeah, I have a great idea guys - let's completely do something that we know won't really sell. That's the ticket.

Technologies and markets evolve, turn based 3rd person isometric games aren't the frontrunner anymore and haven't been for awhile. Expecting a company to take several steps back from something that they know works and is profitable and to instead do something that doesn't do as well, yeah that is insanity.

Times change, it sucks yeah, but that's life.

Get back to me after Blizzard releases Diablo 3, which will be in its original isometric view.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

Oh gods, not one of you again!
Check other articles such as posts by BN and prepare to eat crow.

Turn Based isn't old or outdated, that is the message that companies like Bethesda tell you so that you eagerly buy their crappy real time games.

Jeff Gardiner: From the Fallout canon. It’s a pivotal moment in the history of the Fallout universe, and one we felt we could do justice to with our current technology.</blockquote>So... yeah.

Fixed, and adding the missing part

Jeff Gardiner: We really wanted to piss more on Fallout while we were at it.

 

[Marx]

turn based isometric rpg fans are the niche fallout was made for originally

Yeah, a decade ago when that was the norm for mass market games. Bethesda wants to make money, it is a company after all, you make a product that will sell.

Ultimately it's all a matter of taste, the taste of the average consumer changes - the average consumer is the target market.

Get back to me after Blizzard releases Diablo 3, which will be in its original isometric view.

It would be one thing to expect Interplay/BI to make a fallout in the same vein as the previous, it's what they know and what they did. It's sort of hard to expect the same type of game from a company which specializes in something different.

You don't have to like it, but don't act as though it's illogical.

not one of you again!

Someone with a different opinion is worthy of derision and mockery.

I wouldn't push out a game with the same aspects of the original fallout for mass market consumption for the same reason I wouldn't push out pogs as this christmas' hot item. It had its time and tastes have changed in the decade since.

Different gameplay aside, the one place that I (among alot of folks) think FO3 fell short was in the writing/storyline department. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't up to my expectations that fermented over the years of waiting.

 

[Ausir]

Yeah, a decade ago when that was the norm for mass market games.

Fallout was never meant to be a mass market title, targeted at the "average consumer". FPS games were the most popular thing back then too.

 

[Marx]

Fallout was never meant to be a mass market title, targeted at the "average consumer".

And I see that worked so well for Interplay.

 

[Ausir]

Funny you say that, because what killed Interplay (at least until its recent resurrection) was exactly trying to cater to the "average consumer". They laid off all of Black Isle and focused entirely on crappy action games.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

Fallout was never meant to be a mass market title, targeted at the "average consumer".

And I see that worked so well for Interplay.

Okay, that is just bullshit and you know that.

Interplay went broke because of some bad marketing decisions and I believe for failure of entering the console market in the right way.

It didn't fail because it made games for specific groups.

Explore gaming history and you will discover that at some point there were quite some developers/publishers who focused on specific niche groups; flight simulators, strategy, etc.

The market has gone downhill because the current majority of gamers wants dumb entertainment with a Hollywood flair.

 

[Marx]

Okay, that is just bullshit and you know that.

No, what's bullshit is expecting the same corporate outlook and action from a completely different corporation in a completely different day and age.

It didn't fail because it made games for specific groups

You can tell yourself whatever you want, but if a game ends up on a shelf at a chain store - it's meant for average consumption. Saying 'it wasn't meant for the average gamer' is a BS excuse for 'it didn't sell nearly as well as we thought it should'.

McDonalds doesn't sell fois gras.