With all the success that the kickstarter funding for Wasteland 2 had, and the speculations about an eventual kickstarter funding for Baldur's Gate 3, do you think that this new tendency in the video game industry could bring back turn-based tactical RPGs on the map?
I would gladly participate to a kickstarter funding for a turn-based tactical RPG based on the Pathfinder ruleset (I really don't care about the upcoming Pathfinder MMO), as long as the team behind it's creation has a good pedigree.
I think in general it's a good way to support indie developers who are struggling to get started. For all kinds of genres!
And even not-so-just-starting developers. Obsidian appears to be considering the idea -- maybe even, indeed, a turn based tactical RPG if that's what the fans urge them to do. They've certainly made turn-based tactical RPGs before.
"Based on the Pathfinder ruleset" is problematic, however, because the OGL is fuzzy on what you can do with open game content and software development. That's why--others should correct me if I am wrong--the Pathfinder MMO itself isn't using the ruleset, apparently (you may not care about the MMO, but might want to note as a point of interest, if they're not going to use the ruleset for the MMO, it's unlikely to be seen in other video games). You'll note there are very few d20-based video games out there besides ones officially licensed by WotC; there's a reason for that.
I think in general it's a good way to support indie developers who are struggling to get started. For all kinds of genres!
And even not-so-just-starting developers. Obsidian appears to be considering the idea -- maybe even, indeed, a turn based tactical RPG if that's what the fans urge them to do. They've certainly made turn-based tactical RPGs before.
"Based on the Pathfinder ruleset" is problematic, however, because the OGL is fuzzy on what you can do with open game content and software development. That's why--others should correct me if I am wrong--the Pathfinder MMO itself isn't using the ruleset, apparently (you may not care about the MMO, but might want to note as a point of interest, if they're not going to use the ruleset for the MMO, it's unlikely to be seen in other video games). You'll note there are very few d20-based video games out there besides ones officially licensed by WotC; there's a reason for that.
I thought that the Pathfinder MMO wasn't using the Pathfinder ruleset because such a ruleset wouldn't work well in a MMO, which I believe is true. I do think that a game based on the Pathfinder ruleset could still be made, but I'm no lawyer so maybe I'm wrong.
Thanks for the link about Obsidian, I'm sure those guys will be able to pull off something great if they go the "kickstarter way" to work on a game THEY really want to make. Here is a really interesting comment I read on rockpapershotgun.com:
Wizardry says:
"Obsidian seems to be a studio full of writers, not RPG designers. New Vegas, Knights of the Old Republic 2 and Neverwinter Nights 2 took most of their mechanics from existing games. Perhaps their best bet is to license a pen and paper RPG system to use in their game."
Of course, this is just the opinion of an individual gamer, but that made me thought about a the possibility of a game based on the Pathfinder ruleset developed by Obsidian. That would be awesome, dont you think? :D
[nerd pedantry]Obsidian is made up a good portion of people who ran Black Isle--Obsidian is what rose from Interplay's ashes. Their designers have certainly designed their own systems, such as the original SPECIAL system for Fallout, Fallout 2, and Fallout Tactics (those were the turn-based tactical RPGs I was referring to). Under the Obsidian name, they also designed their own rules for Alpha Protocol.
Yes, they've also done a lot of work with other engines, but in the case of KotOR2 and NWN2, that was very specifically Bioware recommending to LucasArts/Atari that Obsidian should work on them, since Bioware was no longer interested in doing video games based on external IP. [/nerd pedantry]
That said, sure, I'd LOVE to see Obsidian design a Pathfinder game, were it a possibility. That would be definitely two great tastes that go great together.
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Obsidian are apparently going to partner Fargo over WASTELAND 2. Obsidian aren't getting involved at a programming level, but will donate technical assets and also writing expertise, most notably in the form of Tim Cain (the original creator of the FALLOUT franchise, not to mention co-founder of Troika and thus worked on ARCANUM and VAMPIRE THE MASQUERADE: BLOODLINES) and Chris Avellone (the much-lauded writer of PLANESCAPE TORMENT and FALLOUT 2, as well as KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC 2, NWN2: MASK OF THE BETRAYER and some of NEW VEGAS).
In addition, this will also allow WASTELAND 2 to use Obsidian's propriety Onyx Engine, which (unlike a lot of Obsidian's work using 3rd-party engines) has been praised for being fairly slick and unbugged. It's also a good engine for providing an isometric RPG experience. According to rumour, Obsidian are also using it for their WHEEL OF TIME game.
Or, to put it another way, virtually the entire creative powerhouse of the former Black Isle Studios/Interplay combination when they were at their height is now back involved on the same project, with little to no publisher pressure for a rushed product or crazy marketing requirements.
It may all crash and burn spectacularly, but it's still impressive.
NOTE: Obsidian won't actually get on board until the kickstarter hits $2.1 million, but given the boost this news has given to the funds already, this should be pretty straightforward.
Wow. Makes me even more glad I donated to the Wasteland project. Someone commented on this somewhere... I think it was on the Escapist forums, this is like the Blues Brothers getting the band back together.
I hope they hit the 2.1! Even if they don't, it's amazing they've already raised twice their original goal, and have over 2 weeks left to go for raising more.
They've passed the $2.1 million and Obsidian are confirmed to on the project. Although, slightly unexpectedly, only Avellone is working on the project, Cain is doing something else.
Also, it sounds like the WHEEL OF TIME RPG is on hold at Obsidian. Their partner company, the notoriously incompetent Red Eagle, still haven't secured funding or a publisher for it, which is a bit worrying as it's more than two years since the project was first announced.
Turnbased tactical games never really went away. They changed into more linear games that have been thriving on consoles. Check out Nippon Ichi's linup. The Disgaea serries is amasing. The Gameboy has a ton of titles. Nintendo has release some Fire Emblem games. Though they are not really like the D&D, Fallout, Arcanum style that is continued with Dragon Age.
Also, you may be interested in some other kickstarters like Shadowrun Returns or Banner Saga if you like turn based tactical games. I recommend the shadowrun video if for nothing else than because it is amusing.
W00t! It's amazing how much money they've pulled in. And almost 50,000 backers. Yeah, it's small fry compared to a big company game, but given it's all ground up and grassroots as it were, that's pretty cool.
Turnbased tactical games never really went away. They changed into more linear games that have been thriving on consoles. Check out Nippon Ichi's linup. The Disgaea serries is amasing. The Gameboy has a ton of titles. Nintendo has release some Fire Emblem games. Though they are not really like the D&D, Fallout, Arcanum style that is continued with Dragon Age.
Also, you may be interested in some other kickstarters like Shadowrun Returns or Banner Saga if you like turn based tactical games. I recommend the shadowrun video if for nothing else than because it is amusing.
I just jumped on the Kickstarter bandwagon b/c of Jeff Dee's project (see the thread in the Comics forum here) re his Deities & Demigods reproduction work (Melnibonean stuff--classic!).
Now I've got the bug. I love turnbased tactical games (RPGs), but my problem has been I've not been willing to do the handheld games (too small for me; call me crazy). I've been excited about The Banner Saga. Now that I realize it's also a Kickstarter project, I'll have to see about donating to that as well.
Anyway, since my beloved JPRGs, mainly played on the PS2, have become a thing of the past, I hope a return can come on the computer (well, not to be picky, but on a Mac).
Turnbased tactical games never really went away. They changed into more linear games that have been thriving on consoles. Check out Nippon Ichi's linup. The Disgaea serries is amasing. The Gameboy has a ton of titles. Nintendo has release some Fire Emblem games. Though they are not really like the D&D, Fallout, Arcanum style that is continued with Dragon Age.
Also, you may be interested in some other kickstarters like Shadowrun Returns or Banner Saga if you like turn based tactical games. I recommend the shadowrun video if for nothing else than because it is amusing.
I backed Shadowrun Returns and Wasteland 2. Now I just have to wait a few years. :)
I'm not a fan of JRPG and handheld games. Dragon Age is more ''cooldown-based'' than ''turn-based''.