Puuk talks about MCA's comment on Fallout and more...

[Brother None]

Damien "Puuk" Foletto is on a posting spree on the Interplay forums. First, responding to King of Crooks, he assured us once again that the choice between taking the good and evil path would be more balanced in Van Buren than it was in Fallout 1 or 2 in this thread

<blockquote>Right. I think both good and evil should be equally rewarded not only with XP and material rewards, but also with story flow and world reactivity. The player should be allowed to be the ultimate hero or the ultimate villain (or even something in between) and end the game feeling they got their money's worth in either case. It's not an easy thing to pull off, but it is possible and we're trying it in VB.</blockquote>

Then King of Crooks called him out again, this time asking Puuk if they were taking care to avoid the "player doesn't give a Sh**"-problem MCA talked about earlier. Puuk replied:

<blockquote>I hope so. At least we're trying to. In each of our areas we ask ourselves, "Why would the player give a *beep*?" If we couldn't answer it, we revamped the area. This goes for both good and evil motivations. As for the overall story, we think we came up with a VERY good reason for the player to give a *beep*, whether or not the PC is good or evil. And no, I won't tell you what it is.</blockquote>

 

[4too]

Staulking Dramatic Dualities

Stalking Dramatic Dualities

{Dark hint of the straights, ahead and to port.}

I smell the electric ozone of the delta streams of probabilities.

The telltale drops and rises on all points, ... , as time passes.

Will pick a heading, trusting to cross the back trail of this day's leading question.

All sail out, ghosting on the calm rise and fall, seeking the tides' change.

{Tacks starboard into the morning gloom.}

4too

 

[Murdoch]

You say in the news item that Puuk is responding to MCA's comment, but he is actually responding to King of Crooks, what gives? Is King of Crooks actually Chris Avellone? I'm pretty sure that MCA is short for Chris Avellone, of course.

 

[Montez]

King of Crooks was referencing MCA's stuff in his questions, so Puuk was indirectly responding to MCA. They aren't the same person.

 

[Murdoch]

King of Crooks was referencing MCA's stuff in his questions, so Puuk was indirectly responding to MCA. They aren't the same person.

Ah, a thousand apologies. Might this distinction be more clear though ?

 

[Brother None]

King of Crooks was referencing MCA's stuff in his questions, so Puuk was indirectly responding to MCA. They aren't the same person.

Ah, a thousand apologies. Might this distinction be more clear though ?

Uhm, I think it's pretty clear myself. More clear how?

 

[Murdoch]

Well, the wording "Puuk talks about MCA's comment on Fallout and more" made me think that he was responding directly to MCA's comments. Now this woud be news to me, since it meant that a former BI employee was posting on the forums. But it wasn't, only a repost by King of Crooks. I understand how your wording is not really wrong, but seems sort of misleading to me.

That's my thinking, I don't mean to hijack anything...

 

[4too]

Stalking Dramatic Dualities

Stalking Dramatic Dualities

The conventional method of engaging enthusiasm.

We can assume that someone speculating on purchasing and playing a game has a hint interest.

The conventional path of hooking interest and selling the jump into the game/story reality is the "lifeboat" situation. Raw survival focuses
and streamlines context.

The issue of caring arrives when boredom sets in after the X number
random combat. The rigid route channels the vista into another dungeon crawl. The only mile markers are the bodies of dead rats.

Maybe the FO solution for the propagation of caring, by allowing multiple means to an end, is too complex to fit in the "lifeboat" design mentality. One would think that adding a SAAB diesel or a sloop rigging would wet the whistle of the jaded dungeon scriptor. It's difficult maintaining continuity when the shifting wakes cross.
Delta's of probability can become a meaningless hieroglyphics. The reward is a game world one can return to again and again.

So one could row, sail, motor, drift with the tide, or with the power armor and energy weapons, dare to walk on water. For in the communion of FO, there's a Chosen One in every wanderer.
AND dear consumer one gets the choice of chocolate, vanilla, and radiant uranium. The elusive Door Number Three.

I appreciate the effort made that honors this FO tradition.

4too