Games Happy

My title is Josh Sawyer. I am studio design director at Obsidian. I am additionally a sport director. I have been within the business for 25 years. I began at Black Isle Studios in 1999. I labored briefly at Halfway San Diego, however for the final 19 years I have been at Obsidian. Notably, I’ve directed Fallout New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity I and II, and Pentiment.

Josh Sawyer: That is a superb query. It varies. At Obsidian, it is an advisory place, so I do not actually inform individuals what to do, though I do inform them what I believe they need to do.

So I’ll take a look at the tasks and discuss to both particular person designers or the director about particular design options or instructions.

Something from system design to narrative to UI/interface, issues like that, and I give suggestions. I additionally requested them questions like what are you attempting to perform with this? What’s your meant viewers? How do you assume they will react to this? However it’s their selection what to do with my recommendation. So it is largely an advisory place which is why I will additionally direct video games. As a result of it is not a full time job actually.

Josh Sawyer: So within the put up Deadfire part, I used to be not doing a number of direct work. I wasn’t doing any direct work actually, so I used to be focusing extra on enjoying. You understand there have been DLCs for Deadfire that have been being developed with Brandon Adler because the director of these. The Outer Worlds was in improvement at the moment, so I used to be enjoying these video games and getting a number of suggestions on them. However I actually wasn’t in a psychological place to give you new concepts for video games or a lot much less do work on them or direct something. That’s not the case now. So I’m, you recognize, like I am serving to on Avowed. I’m in an advisory position nonetheless, however I did slightly little bit of writing on Avowed. I’ve helped out with some system design and issues like that.

Mainly, wherever they wanted assist. I’m doing extra hands-on work there after which simply considering and speaking about concepts for future tasks.

Josh Sawyer: In my expertise to date, I imply working with Xbox, we have not actually had that downside so far as I can inform, which is nice. Thanks, Xbox. I believe it simply comes all the way down to individuals not being clear about expectations. If a writer desires pitches and we ask them “What do you need to see?” They should not be imprecise about that. They need to say “we do need to see RPGs. We do not need to see SRPGs. We do need to see pitches with romance. We do not need to see pitches with an isometric perspective.” As a result of should you outline that field then you definitely save everybody a number of time.

I actually up to now have been in conditions the place they are not clear and we pitch and so they’re like “Yeah, yeah, yeah, that is nice, however now let’s discuss what we like. We’ve a license and we would like you to make use of it for one thing.” It is like, why did we put collectively this pitch within the first place?

So fortunately I have not actually skilled a lot of that these days. Hopefully I can’t sooner or later however that is normally what it comes all the way down to. Is simply individuals not being clear about bins that you just’re working in and expectations on both sides.

Josh Sawyer: No, I imply I did consider earlier than it launched that if it might discover its viewers, that that viewers would really like it. I believed that that viewers was smaller than it turned out to be. I by no means had an expectation that this was going to be like a mainstream sport that everyone beloved. So no, I did not count on for it to get as a lot discover and I did not count on that folks would nonetheless be, and I truly Seek for I used to be in search of a selected factor on YouTube and I filtered by Pentiment for the final month, and there is a number of let’s performs the place persons are doing playthroughs for the primary time, and posting it on YouTube, which is de facto cool. So seeing individuals come again to play it or play, you recognize, like a second or third time, and see totally different outcomes may be very superior. I’m glad that it discovered its viewers and that the viewers turned out to be greater than I anticipated.

Josh Sawyer: I believe so. I do not assume there’s something that basically pops into thoughts. Like, oh, wait, nobody observed this but. I believe there’s a number of stuff that is very refined that almost all gamers do not see, or solely a really, very small handful of gamers see, and a number of it’s issues that additionally we added later. There are background issues like Sepp Hubner. He is all the time ingesting, like, actually in all places he’s. He is all the time ingesting so should you go to the outskirts, I am unable to keep in mind the outer farms I believe they’re known as, and there is a time of day you’ll be able to go there the place he is up on the roof working and you may see him engaged on the roof and he’ll cease and he has beer like on the roof that he is ingesting.

When the city mob types, he is sort of on the again, however he is nonetheless ingesting whereas the mob is within the clearing. So there are little issues like that that I doubt most individuals discover, however we had a number of enjoyable placing them in.

Josh Sawyer: Sure and no. So once more, my position on the venture is simply supplemental. It is sort of like a type of issues the place it is like, hey, we do not have the bandwidth for this dialogue or we want a rewrite or further character or no matter, and I will dive in. However I would say that any modifications on OEI instruments for Avowed have been just about pushed by that crew.
It is their venture and so they’re doing it day-to-day. I’ll say there was one change I believe that came visiting from from Pentiment which was having the ability to group nodes which visually for navigating was actually useful, and likewise put in notes like you’ll be able to put in little virtually like put up it notes that are actually helpful to assist different designers perceive what you are attempting to do with issues. These options came visiting, however these are extra normal. I do not converse to something Avowed-specific as a result of I did not  do this a lot work on it.

Josh Sawyer: I believe it is a sport that I by no means anticipated to have widespread enchantment, however I did really feel that for the individuals that loved it, there’s a excessive probability they want, actually, actually adore it. It is form of a combination. I am form of shocked, however not that shocked. I am shocked by the quantity, however I am not shocked that there are those who obtained tremendous enthusiastic about it as a result of, you recognize, I, I and the crew put a number of ardour into it and so I believe that exhibits, particularly with a small crew, you get one thing that feels very distinctive in its viewpoint.

Quite a lot of small video games are like this with small groups. They’re sort of like possibly you adore it, possibly you hate it. However should you adore it, there’s an opportunity that you just actually adore it as a result of that crew was in a position to actually crystallize one thing very private and particular to them you can’t discover someplace else and so I believe that that occurred with Pentiment, and I am actually grateful for it.

Josh Sawyer: I do not know if I can converse to that. I’ll say that from my perspective, I do not know of any plans for that. There could also be discussions taking place outdoors of my realm of expertise. I believe a full artbook can be nice. I do not know.

Josh Sawyer: We did them. I imply the crew did the ports. I’ll say that I used to be concerned at a excessive degree, however I did not should do a number of or actually any particular work. It was totally on Brett Klooster, who’s our lead programmer, and Alec Frey, who largely managed ensuring the belongings have been in the correct format. Nintendo and Sony have very particular necessities for these issues as in fact does Xbox. Each platform has particular necessities for a way issues are offered.

But it surely was largely Brett and Alec that put in a number of effort and time. After which in fact, Xbox did testing and nicely, Xbox did testing after which additionally Nintendo had testing and Sony had testing. For probably the most half, fortunately, as a result of the sport is just not that complicated, it largely went over high quality. There have been just a few efficiency associated issues on the Change. Largely within the 3D scenes, that are very minimal. Simply to be sure that it ran nicely, however I do not assume gamers have ever observed. It is one thing like how we crossfade scenes or one thing like that. It is actually refined. I’ve by no means seen a participant touch upon it, so it is a type of issues that, you recognize, Brett simply noticed it, he mentioned: “How about if we modify this?” I mentioned that sounds high quality and he did it.

Josh Sawyer: It was Steam Deck verified and we had already put in textual content scaling, excessive distinction, and a bunch of different issues. We tried to safeguard, you recognize, it is quite common now for video games to come back out the place there are complaints about textual content measurement on totally different platforms, particularly for a sport that’s virtually all textual content, so we attempt to be very cognizant of that.

Josh Sawyer: I am unable to keep in mind the specifics, but it surely was similar to a mistake. It wasn’t that we meant to cap it on Xbox or one thing. There’s like a distinct workflow and it is humorous as a result of individuals made a giant deal out of it. It is a 2D sport the place the characters are animated at 15 frames a second. So I am like, I do not actually assume that is, you recognize, making that vital of a deal, but it surely grew to become this bizarre console struggle factor. Then we patched it after which each platforms have been working at 120. It is high quality. There is a totally different pipeline for enabling sure issues to make it run at totally different body charges, and it was only a mistake. It was a easy mistake and it obtained fastened actually rapidly.

Josh Sawyer: I do assume an artbook for Pentiment can be nice, as a result of I believe that Hannah and the opposite artists on the crew that contributed did a tremendous job.
The sport excels at it is artwork and I believe that may be nice. So far as extra video games prefer it, I am not against it, but it surely’s not like I actually need to do it and I gotta do it.

With the vinyl, it’s totally humorous as a result of a number of sport soundtracks come out on vinyl. We actually put a number of effort into clearly the music from Alkemie, additionally from Kristin Hayter, however then the look and the texture on the liner notes, and like I personally spent a number of time on that. Our inside crew spent a number of time on that.

The portray on the entrance, that oil portray by Benjamin Vierling  was an enormous effort and getting just like the gold as a result of, it is a gold pour and the disc simply seems unimaginable, and it feels so becoming for one thing about illuminated manuscript. I sort of knew from the start.I keep in mind when. The primary two runs occurred. I am like, that is not sufficient. You guys should should make extra, and there are just a few those who have been sort of naysayers and mentioned sport soundtracks do not promote that nicely on vinyl. I am like this one I believe is gonna promote nicely. And so they’re like, yeah, however your sport is de facto small. And I am like. I do not assume it issues that the soundtrack is de facto good. And this format is so hanging, particularly with the gold discs. I believe it is simply gonna. Persons are gonna go sort of loopy for it. And they also have. However each time it is underestimated what the demand is gonna be, Did it truly promote out once more? Like a 3rd time? Is it offered out proper now?

Josh Sawyer:I do know that on the third time they have been like, okay Now we’re gonna order like I do not keep in mind a number of hundred. I am like, OK, after which it did not promote out straight away. So whether it is offered out now, I will snigger.

Josh Sawyer: So should you’re studying this, you will get a pentiment soundtrack but it surely did take 3 pressings.

Josh Sawyer: You understand, I am fairly pleased with it. I do actually really feel like there are all the time sensible compromises for time. I do assume that the concept of artwork with out compromise is just not actually a real factor. You are all the time compromising. There are limitations to medium. There are limitations to all types of issues and that is not dangerous. I do not really feel like something was compromised. There have been sure issues the place I mentioned we’ll should not do as a lot of this and do extra of that, however I do not assume there’s any form of like options or scope issues. If something, the one factor I’d say is it would be good to have extra reactivity, proper?

You understand, like extra vital issues that occur and alter, which is de facto only a matter of scope, I believe relatively than and that is one thing that we all the time attempt to do on Obsidian video games.

I really feel like whether or not we’re doing one thing like a giant excessive profile sport that has like a whole lot of individuals on it or a 13 individual venture, selection and reactivity are all the time going to be a factor that have been we attempt to discover new methods to essentially have interaction the participant and make them enthusiastic about making decisions and seeing the selections and making that scope really feel actually spectacular.

Josh Sawyer: It is not my function right here. I like making video games. I like spending my time specializing in making video games and serving to different individuals make the video games they need to make. If persons are all in favour of issues like variations, novelizations, graphic novels like no matter, cool, that sounds superior. In fact, I wish to advise on that, however that is not the place I see myself spending my time. I need to make extra video games. I do not know what number of extra I obtained in me, however I need to spend my time actually specializing in these.

I’ve been knowledgeable by individuals right here that there have been inquiries about doing stuff with Pentiment, which is nice. In order that’d be cool, however I need to maintain making video games myself.

Josh Sawyer: The ebook is a really difficult ebook. It is sort of stunning as a result of I believe it is one of many high 20 best-selling books, like novels of all time, which is sort of unimaginable. It has been translated into a number of languages, but it surely’s a really dense ebook. It is not quick and it is actually thick with historic references and likewise a number of a number of issues that aren’t within the translated language. So issues which are in Latin, issues which are in Hebrew, like all these things. So should you’re not comfy with, like actually taking that because it comes, it may be very daunting. In truth, there is a ebook known as The Key to the Identify of the Rose that is sort of like a primer for people who find themselves simply not, as you recognize, knowledgeable about historical past as a result of it is such a problem.

The movie does simplify a number of issues and it would not go into as a lot depth however I do assume it provides you the flavour. There’s additionally a miniseries adaptation that does go extra in depth. Personally, I do not assume it is nearly as good. It sort of does some bizarre stuff. It is attention-grabbing should you’re a Identify of the Rose head, test it out. There may be some cool stuff in it, however I’d say should you simply sort of need a primer and then you definitely need to play Pentiment, simply watch the movie with Sean Connery and Christian Slater and F. Murray Abraham. It is nice.

Josh Sawyer: In relation to Pentiment, I do assume The Return of Martin Guerre is a really attention-grabbing ebook. It is not tremendous lengthy. It is by Natalie Zemon Davis, who sadly handed away possibly two years in the past. I believe it was proper earlier than Pentiment got here out, however there is a very sturdy parallel in Return of Martin Guerre with Martin Bauer in Pentiment which I believe may be very attention-grabbing.

I’d in fact advocate Identify of the Rose, but in addition Conferences with Outstanding Manuscripts by Christopher de Hamel, who’s one in all our first consultants on the sport. You understand, a world famend scholar specializing in manuscripts. So I’d advocate that as nicely, after which the final one I’d say which I discover very attention-grabbing is The Devoted Executioner by Joel F. Harrington, and that’s in regards to the imperial executioner in Nuremberg. Though execution is simply a part of Pentiment, there’s a number of attention-grabbing issues in there about social attitudes in the direction of justice and punishment that I simply discovered actually fascinating. So these are three books.

Then movies, it appears like dishonest to say, Identify of the Rose, so I will not say Identify of the Rose, however I will say Andrei Rublev which is way more durable to get by means of than Identify of the Rose. Identify of the Rose is comparatively fast shifting. It is obtained motion and it is obtained intercourse. It is obtained all types of stuff. Then I suppose Andrea Rublev has slightly little bit of intercourse too, but it surely’s very gradual paced. It is like three plus hours lengthy. It is black and white.

The construction of Andre Rublev was truly a giant inspiration for the construction of our story although Identify of the Rose is the inspiration for the theme and stuff like that.

Then let’s examine what different films that I believe can be good. There’s truly a documentary collection. Search for Ruth Goodman and I believe their BBC specials. There’s one on life on a Tudor Monastery and there is one other one which’s like life in a medieval citadel or one thing like that. These are each actually nice.

This can be a little little bit of a cheat, however I’ll simply throw it in there. So Natalie Zimon Davis, when she wrote The Return of Martin Guerre, she wrote that after she was a historic advisor for a movie, Le Retour de Martin Guerre, like a French movie with Gérard Depardieu. The movie can be very entertaining so I would advocate watching that.

After which what different, like good historical past jam? One other gradual paced one can be The Mill and the Cross directed by a Polish director whose title I am unable to keep in mind, but it surely has Rutger Hauer. It has Michael York. It has Charlotte Rampling, and it’s totally gradual paced, but it surely’s in regards to the creation of The Procession to Calvary by Bruegel the Elder. It was used as visible inspiration for the windmill that Lenhardt Müller has that appears over the valley. And that is very attention-grabbing as a result of it is in regards to the creation of the portray, but in addition about Sixteenth century Dutch society and the way the Spanish Catholics interacted with the Protestants there, and it’s totally attention-grabbing, but it surely’s additionally very, very gradual paced.

Josh Sawyer: I believe there was one thing with Lorenz Rothvogel about his expression, which is a selected sort of asshole smirk, and I do not know if it got here earlier than or after, but it surely was sort of Jason Alexander as George from Seinfeld, and it was like a really particular sort of very irritating and condescending smirk. And that is sort of what knowledgeable  Lorenz Rothvogel’s look.

Let’s examine what’s one other one. We did notice, unintentionally, that Brother Mathieu is sort of like an alternate universe of Kim, from Disco Elysium as a result of they’re each sort of like small homosexual glasses sporting males. And so he grew to become sort of this alternate universe, Kim, which everybody actually preferred.

Oh, after which truly one other one which I can say is Caspar’s form of total age and measurement and peak relationship was impressed by Younger Masbath in Sleepy Hole. So within the movie with Johnny Depp, like possibly 1/3 of the best way by means of the movie, there is a boy whose father has been killed by the horseman and so he turns into not like an apprentice, however like slightly helper. I gave that as a reference of how tall Caspar needs to be and about this age as a result of they’re shut in age shut in peak. And so I wished that form of bodily relationship between them.

Josh Sawyer: I do not know. I really feel like now Avowed is the place the Pillars universe has sort of gone. And it will be attention-grabbing to see the place the viewers picks up on that, and possibly that is the place the Pillars universe sort of goes sooner or later. So I believe there’s a number of totally different potentialities of what to do sooner or later. I do assume that I’m extra all in favour of doing unique IP essentially, than current IP. However we’ll see the place the longer term takes me.

Josh Sawyer: No, I didn’t end Pikmin 4. I simply began enjoying it and I would like to choose it up once more.

Josh Sawyer: My favourite cheese continues to be purple dragon. That is the highest. I’d advocate, it is arduous to get outdoors of the US, however Hook’s creamery has a very good 10 yr, 12 yr, 15 yr, and 20 yr cheddar. For those who like actually aged cheddars, you’ll be able to’t get significantly better than that.

One other cheddar that I’ll advocate is Previous Quebec. Previous Quebec cheddar is kind of good, and that is simpler to get.